Aliens?

"Is it really okay to say these things right in front of me, the person involved?"

"Also, what is Director Nick here for this time? I shouldn't have broken any laws."

Ryan walked over to the liquor cabinet, opened a bottle of French Romanée-Conti red wine, picked up three goblet glasses, poured them, and handed them to Nick Fury and Agent Coulson, who had been silent the whole time.

"Before I answer your question, can you first tell me how you knew about us?"

Nick took the red wine Ryan handed over and asked.

The organization he controlled was one of the most secret organizations in the world, not to mention that the name S.H.I.E.L.D. had only just been decided to be put into use. It was very abnormal for Ryan Garcia to know about it.

"In this world, any secret is no longer a secret once more than two people know it. You also know that since the Haulers Group has developed to my level, I can always find out things that ordinary people don't know," Ryan shrugged and said.

"Is that so?" Nick raised an eyebrow, did not continue the topic, and interrogated, "I heard that you fell out with all the shareholders at this morning's shareholders' meeting. Why did you do this, and what are the funds raised from the Swiss Bank going to be used for?"

"This is a trade secret. I suppose you don't need to be notified about how the company should be run."

Ryan took a sip of the red wine in his glass, his tone dissatisfied.

This sounded just like interrogating a criminal. Nick should be thankful that Sebas was the one accompanying him today; otherwise, if it were Albedo or Shalltear, daring to speak to him in this tone would have already earned them a one-way ticket to hell.

"Of course, how you run things in the company is your freedom as long as you don't break the law. However, this Mr. Sebas Tian beside you needs to come back with us for an investigation."

To Ryan's surprise, Nick easily skipped over the previous question, his gaze locked tightly onto Sebas, on high alert.

What he was focusing on now had nothing to do with economics, but rather war—interplanetary war!

If everything went according to his speculation, this was very likely the second alien invasion he would experience!

He should have thought of it sooner—those viral works with unknown authors, and the record of Ryan Garcia's amnesia ten years ago!

If the fact that they couldn't dig up any clues on Sebas Tian hadn't woken him up, perhaps he would have still treated this as an ordinary commercial matter and wouldn't have taken it too heart.

And now... because of his professional negligence, who knew how much the aliens had infiltrated Earth through the Haulers Group over the past ten years.

Why did the Haulers Group suddenly make such a big move now?

Has the preparatory work for invading Earth been completed?

In short, no matter what, he had to get some inside information this time to make up for these years of mistakes.

The location of the opponent's home planet? Technological level? Was there any possibility of negotiation? If there was going to be a battle, when would it start? Just how many people had infiltrated Earth?

Too many questions weighed on his mind. He was already prepared—prepared to summon Captain Marvel back when necessary.

Thinking of the communicator in Hill's hands at S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters, Nick relaxed slightly.

Even if things reached the worst-case scenario, Earth was not completely without the power to fight back.

"Can I know why, Director Nick?"

Ryan was silent for a moment, then asked.

It didn't surprise him that this incident would attract the attention of S.H.I.E.L.D., but something seemed to have gone wrong somewhere. Nick Fury's real goal in coming here today wasn't because of his plan, but for other reasons.

This could be seen from how easily he gave up on pursuing his schemes; he seemed much more concerned about Sebas, even somewhat nervous.

Yet even if S.H.I.E.L.D. hadn't checked Sebas's file, why would a dignified director of S.H.I.E.L.D. be nervous?

He could be certain that

Sebas hadn't used any abilities beyond ordinary human understanding since arriving in the Marvel world. Even if Demiurge had been exposed, it wouldn't have made him feel as puzzled as the current scene did.

"Just a routine investigation. It's hard not to suspect someone like Sebas Tian, from whom S.H.I.E.L.D. can't dig up any information, of being connected to certain spies. Perhaps you can explain it to me?"

Nick sipped the red wine in his glass, praised it, and then spoke.

"A routine investigation requires the director of S.H.I.E.L.D. to personally make a trip?"

Listening to Nick's reason, a sarcastic look crossed Ryan's face.

"After all, it concerns the head of a hundred-billion-dollar group like you. If I sent my subordinates, could you let someone take him away?"

Nick gave a plausible reason.

Although he inferred that he and his team might have been exposed long ago, based on the previous report where Ryan got out of the car to make a call and Sebas made the strange gesture of pointing his finger at his temple.

However, as long as there was the slightest possibility, he didn't want things to escalate to the point of using force. After ten years of development and infiltration, Earth was in an absolute state of inferiority when it came to intelligence.

"I don't believe it." Meeting Nick's gaze, Ryan shook his head, walked over to the sofa, and sat down, his entire demeanor extremely calm.

"Let's talk frankly and openly—the purpose of you coming here, and where I slipped up." Seeing Nick open his mouth to deny it, Ryan interrupted, "I already knew about the 35 people surrounding the house outside before they came in. So, some things don't need to be said anymore; even if you say them, I won't believe them."

"Fine, then let's talk frankly and openly!"

Seeing that Ryan had laid everything out on the table, Nick Fury stopped dawdling, walked over to sit opposite Ryan, fixed his remaining single eye on Ryan, and asked, "Who are you?"

Thud!

His heart beat violently and abruptly. Shocked, Ryan almost failed to maintain the poker face formed by his controlled facial muscles.

Had the fact that he was a transmigrator been exposed?

That was impossible. Over the years, he had never told a single soul that he was a transmigrator.

Besides, even if someone knew, that person definitely wouldn't be Nick Fury!

So was he just guessing, or was he bluffing?

"I am Ryan Garcia. Why ask that?"

Ryan said with extreme calmness.

"It seems you aren't being honest enough." Nick, who hadn't been able to see through him, shook his head. "Whether it's your amnesia from ten years ago, the works in your company by unknown authors, or the name of your company, they all express everything very clearly."

"Perhaps you thought no one would be able to connect all these works to an alien civilization. No, you believed that even if they made the connection, no one would actually believe it."

"However, there is one thing you probably don't know: Earth once suffered an invasion by an alien civilization, and I experienced that event myself."

"So, tell me. Where is your home planet? What is the purpose of your lurking on Earth?"

Nick's single eye widened, his body leaning forward, not letting slip the slightest fluctuation on Ryan's face.