Stellar Project?

Tony Stark, like a Rocket with its fuse lit, burst through the reinforced glass door of the top-floor lobby with a "bang," his fury so intense it could set a coffee machine ablaze, as he lunged menacingly at the guy on the tarmac who had just landed and still carried the afterimage of spatial teleportation.

"Chen--Tian!!!"

The roaring sound nearly flipped the helicopter on the helipad over.

Chen Tian had barely landed, his mind still reeling from Fury's lingering dark face and the mysteries surrounding Silver Shield Program, when Tony grabbed his collar tightly.

The immense force tightened around his neck.

"That feels good?! Huh?!" Tony's face was contorted with rage, and he spat all over Chen Tian's face.

"I, Tony Stark! Genius! Billionaire! Philanthropist! Now! I'm not Tenten up in the lab as a repairman!" He jabbed his other hand into his chest, "I'm curating the fucking Arbitrator Alliance's budget! Coordinating unnecessary destruction caused during the rescue operation!!"

He got angrier and angrier, speaking at a rapid pace like a Gatling gun, "And you?! Huh?! What the hell are you doing?! Surfing in Hawaii, huh?! Skiing in Switzerland, huh?! Making a peace sign under the aurora borealis, huh?! And you're sending me high-resolution tourist photos! As if you're afraid I won't know you're on vacation?!"

Tony's face flushed crimson, his chest heaving violently. His expression was that of a heartbroken wife abandoned by a philanderer, and one who'd been abandoned countless times. "I'm working like a dog! And you're out there having a wild time!"

Chen Tian, at the eye of the storm, hunched his shoulders, a fawning smile plastered on his face. "Hey, Tony, calm down, calm down! Look at how hot-tempered you are... it's not good for your health."

He tried to pry Tony's hand off his collar, but couldn't. "I was just... inspecting the global branches! And... taking a little break..."

"Inspection my ass! Relaxation my ass!" Tony's roar rose again. "Is Bayonetta in that bikini in the background of your photo a branch employee?! Huh?! Do you think I'm blind?!"

Chen Tian's eyes darted around for a moment. "Ahem... um... you must have mistaken me..."

"You misread it? 2B and Kiana are both in your arms!!!" Tony was so angry that he raised his other hand, wishing he could physically wake this bastard up on the spot. "Chen Tian! You fucking listen to me! The Arbitrators isn't just mine! I partnered with you to build this thing."

He stomped his foot on the Arbitrator Tower. "I'm not here to be your free babysitter! Nor am I here to let you use the Alliance's name to go on vacation all over the world! Can't you have a sense of responsibility?!"

Chen Tian looked into Tony's large, caramel-colored eyes, red from lack of sleep and anger. Besides anger, there was also a hint of... a weary disappointment and frustration?

His initial joking thoughts vanished almost instantly. Tony was genuinely anxious, and he truly considered him one of his own, which was why he was so angry.

"My mistake, my mistake!" Chen Tian immediately straightened his attitude and spoke sincerely, "Stark is right to teach me a lesson! I deeply regret it! Next time... next time I will definitely take you with me! I swear!" He raised three fingers, his face full of sincere "believe me" sincerity.

Tony's chest was still heaving, but his murderous intent towards Chen Tian had weakened slightly. He glared at Chen Tian and snorted heavily through his nose, "Next time? Who knows where you'll run off to next time!"

Tony's "hair dryer" mode has finally downgraded from "devastating typhoon" to "severe tropical storm".

Chen Tian wrapped his arm around Tony's shoulder affectionately, a mischievous smile playing on his lips. "Calm down, calm down! Tony, to express my sincerest apologies and to soothe your wounded Mind Stone... come on! I'll take you to have some fun!"

"Looking for fun?" Tony glanced at him suspiciously. "Some island resort again? I'm not in the mood for sunbathing right now!"

"No, no, no, that's too small a scope!" Chen Kami, leaning close to his ear, "It's way more exciting Bido! Let's go Table Flip!"

"Table Flip?" Tony raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Flip whose table?"

"Who else could it be?" Chen Tian's lips curled into a wicked grin. "That slovenly black Nick Fury who hides in the gutter all day, sneaking around and causing trouble—Nick Fury!"

"Fury?! What's that cunning old fox up to now? Did you catch him?" Tony slapped away Chen Tian's hand from his shoulder, his face full of doubt.

"Hehehe, that old silver coin, always thinking he can control everything, now I've caught him a little off guard." Chen Tian flipped his hand, and a USB flash drive appeared in his palm.

"The owner of this tail is currently unknown, but what is certain is that this tail is definitely related to Fury."

Tony raised an eyebrow, took Chen Tian's USB drive, and strode into the hall, with Chen Tian following behind with a leisurely pace.

After the two entered the lobby, Tony tossed the USB drive onto his workbench.

Several documents appeared on the workbench instantly, including some of the photos that Katyusha had found earlier.

One of the folders was labeled 'Compensated Super-Soldier Serum (CSSS)'.

Tony frowned, zooming in and out of the blurry photos, his fingers swiping impatiently across the floating holographic screen.

"What is this? A collection of embarrassing photos?" He glanced at the folder title next to him—"Compensated Super-Soldier Serum (CSSS)"—and his brows furrowed even more.

He turned to stare at Chen Tian: "Explain. Don't tell me you've been traveling the world just to collect these pixelated 'art photos'?"

Chen Tian grinned and leaned closer, pointing to the blurry outline of the woman with her head down in the photo. "See that? Tony, this is the key target of my 'inspection of the branch' these past few days—the legendary 'Arms Dealer Queen'."

"Arms Dealer Queen?" Tony raised an eyebrow. "Sounds like a girl in a nightclub who gives herself random nicknames."

"Tsk, what a vision!" Chen Tian shook his head. "A ruthless newcomer to the black market, she's got some serious connections, dealing in deadly stuff. I've been traveling the world just to catch her red-handed!"

Tony gave him a "I don't believe you" look. "So? What did you catch? A few candid photos where you can't even see the faces clearly? And what the hell is this serum filename?"

Chen Tian rubbed his chin, lowered his voice, and pretended to be mysterious. "As for the clues, I dug up some information. I followed it and bumped into a few of the buyer's men... well, or you could call them test subjects? They have the power, but their eyes are empty, like robots that have had their power cut off!" He made a "hiccup" gesture.

(This is just Chen Tian rambling, after all, Chen Tian doesn't want to tell Tony that he has another organization.)

"A super soldier?" Tony's eyes sharpened. "Are you kidding me? I always thought Steve Rogers was a collector's item!"

Chen Tian scoffed, "Come on, Tony, even your genius sometimes has a brain freeze? How did the Hulk come about? Wasn't it just a byproduct of the United States military's over-engineering of super soldiers? This thing has never truly gone out of print! Oh, right, when I went there this time, I also discovered that the CIA was involved."

Tony paused for half a second, then had to admit there was some truth to it. He pointed to Fury's blurry candid photo. "Okay, you've got a bit of a twisted logic. But what does this have to do with our elusive Director Fury?"

"It's incredibly important!" Chen Tian pointed his finger at Fury's one-eyed figure in black. "A super soldier! Who knows this stuff best? Who has the most complete information? S.H.I.E.L.D..! Such a huge plan was pulled off right under his nose, how could he not know? If he didn't know, why would he meet with this mysterious 'Arms Dealer Queen' in private?"

His eyes lit up with amusement. "Do you think Director Fury just happened to be passing by the safe house buying coffee, or...?"

Tony waved his hand impatiently, interrupting Chen Tian's reasoning show. "Stop! I know the 'Fury's Fury' thing better than you! Save your breath and get to the point, what do you want?"

Chen Tian grinned, revealing his White Fang, and hooked his arm around Tony's shoulder. "Let's go, let's call Old Popsicle."

Tony stumbled as he was pulled. "Call Steve? Where to?"

Chen Tian casually pointed to the ceiling with his other hand, his smile bright and tinged with a mischievous excitement:

"S.W.O.R.D.! Flip! The! Table!"

Tony was taken aback at first, then his eyes lit up instantly. The resentment he felt when approving the budget was replaced by a stronger excitement called "making things difficult for Fury".

"Nice!" He patted Chen Tian on the back, strode towards the elevator, and his nanotech armor instantly spread from the reactor in his chest, covering his entire body. His tone was full of mischievous anticipation. "Friday! Call 'Old Popsicle' for me and tell him—"

He paused for a moment, then exchanged a knowing, wicked smile with Chen Tian:

"We've got a job! Extra large!"

Deep within the cold, metallic corridor of the S.W.O.R.D., Fury stared with one eye at the extinguished screen, his fingertips unconsciously tapping the table.

"Valentina," he whispered into the encrypted communicator, "Wolverine? And a Mutants? How did you get exposed?"

Valentina's voice, tinged with suppressed anger, came through the communicator. "I don't know! It's like I've seen a ghost! That wolverine's nose... it's inhuman!"

Fury let out a heavy sigh, as if to expel the frustration in his chest. "'Stellar' progress?"

"It's completely stuck!" Valentina spoke rapidly. "The test subjects simply can't handle it! Energy overload, muscle dissolution... it's like fireworks! I need a stronger host! Everything we have right now is useless!"

Fury paused for a few seconds. "I'll take care of the hideout. The United States government will continue to supply resources as usual. I'll clean up your mess."

He paused, his voice lower and more urgent, "Valentina, we need to be quick. The Arbitrators... is becoming more and more like a planet that could explode at any moment."

"Clear."

Communication cut off.

Only the monotonous echo of Fury's knuckles tapping on the table remained in the room.

Mutants...

The appearance of Wolverine was like a thorn stuck in his heart.

Had the rebellious fraternity smelled blood? Or Xavier, that bald, good-natured guy, finally given in and started stirring things up? Or... worse? Various possibilities flashed through his mind like a chaotic game of chess, yet he couldn't find the key piece.

(As mentioned earlier, S.H.I.E.L.D.. and Hydra mistakenly believed that Magneto was the leader of the Adjudicator, and even named them the 'Brotherhood of Mutants'.)

I can't figure it out!

Fury rubbed his throbbing temples, feeling even more exhausted than if he had single-handedly taken on the Kree Fleet.

Just as he was about to pour himself another cup of unsweetened black coffee to perk himself up—

"Knock knock knock!"

A rapid knocking sounded on the door, tinged with panic.

Fury's brow furrowed instantly. "Go in."

A young agent pushed open the door. "Director... the Arbitrator Alliance... Tony Stark, Steve Rogers, and... Chen Tian! They... they're here! Right at the main dock!"

He swallowed hard and added, "Stark said he's here... uh... 'to collect utility maintenance fees,' Captain Rogers looked very serious, and Mr. Chen... he looked... like he was here to have some fun."

Fury's one eye narrowed sharply.

He was just having a headache over Mutants, and now his real adversaries have come knocking on his door? And they've brought two of the most troublesome "gatekeepers" with them?

He slowly stood up, a cold smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"Tell them, Meeting Room A, ten minutes."

The agent nodded, closed the door, and ran out of Fury's room.

"Valentina was just found by Wolverine, and you're already rushing over? Chen Tian. It seems you Brotherhood of Mutants."

S.W.O.R.D. Conference Room A.

Tony and Chen Tian sat side by side, opposite Captain America, who had a serious expression and a furrowed brow.

The air was so quiet that you could hear the faint sound of energy flowing through the nanotech armor.

Tony and Chen Tian didn't speak, but their eyes exchanged a rapid series of glances in the air:

Chen Tian raised an eyebrow: (Is the thing buried properly?)

Tony rolled his eyes: (Of course! Who am I? I can do this in three seconds!)

Chen Tian gestured with his eyes: (How long will it take to start?)

Tony subtly wiped the tip of his nose with his hand: (Just received confirmation from JARVIS, five minutes of warm-up complete.)

Chen Tian's lips curled into a wicked smile: (OK. If we get anything useful out of this later... don't hesitate, just throw it in Fury's face!)

Tony's eyes gleamed with excitement: (That's exactly what I was waiting for! I'll make that dark face of his even darker!)

Their eyes met briefly, and everything was understood without a word.

Just then--

Click.

The metal door to the conference room slid open, Fury, dressed in his signature black attire, walked in like a moving shadow.

His signature single eye swept over the three of them, a forced, insincere smile tugging at the corner of his mouth, and he spoke in the manner of an old yin-yang master:

"Tsk, look who's here? The three leaders of the Arbitrator Alliance, the great messengers of justice." He drawled, his tone dripping with undisguised sarcasm.

"What rare guests! What brings you three to my S.W.O.R.D. Sword Bureau today? Or perhaps..." His gaze fell on Chen Tian, "Mr. Chen, have finally remembered your title of 'Chairman' and are here to collect your cosmic garbage cleanup fees?"

Chen Tian didn't respond, but lazily raised his chin at Tony.

Tony understood immediately and couldn't wait any longer. He tossed a disc onto the table with a "thud," and the holographic screen popped up instantly.

With a flick of his finger, he projected the photos from Chen Tian's USB drive and the glaring "Compensated Super-Soldier Serum (CSSS)" folder directly in front of Fury, smearing them all over his face!

"Save my Fury. I don't have time for riddles." Tony crossed his legs, revealing a face that screamed "troublemaker." "Explain yourself?"

The picture is incredibly clear:

A blurry female figure (Valentina).

Fury himself is clearly depicted in a black suit with one eye (in an inconspicuous corner).

And that eye-catching serum file name!

Fury's single pupil contracted for a split second, so fast it was almost imperceptible.

In just a fraction of a second, the sneer on his face seamlessly switched to a perfectly timed, slightly bewildered "official doubt."

"Explain what?" Fury braced himself on the table, leaning slightly forward, his single eye sharply scanning the projections. "A few blurry photos, and a... hmm, 'Compensated Super-Soldier Serum'? Sounds like some third-rate comic book artist's concept art?"

He even tilted his head deliberately, looking at Captain America, "Steve, do you know this thing? It's the same brand as the one you got the shot with?"

Captain America frowned even more deeply, but remained silent.

"Keep pretending! Keep pretending!" Tony scoffed, his finger slamming down on the candid photo of Fury. "Don't tell me the infamous former director of S.H.I.E.L.D.., and current director of S.W.O.R.D.., Nick Fury! doesn't recognize this 'Arms Dealer Queen' who stirs up trouble in the black market and researches Super-Soldier Serum? And what's more, you 'just happened' to meet her privately? Right here in this 'safe house'?"

Tony tapped his finger on the unassuming building in the background of the photo. "Explain yourself, will you? Did you go to buy coffee, or... deliver it yourself?"

Tony's words hit the table like a bomb.

His caramel-colored eyes gleamed with anticipation as he stared intently at Fury, the meaning all too clear:

Black Nick Fury, let's see how you make this up today!

Tony's question, "You went to deliver the goods yourself?" was utterly provocative, like he was about to ignite a firestorm.

However, he underestimated Nick Fury's thick skin and ability to adapt to changing situations.

Instead of exploding, Fury deliberately furrowed his brow, his dark face showing even more "genuine" confusion. He leaned back slightly in his chair, spreading his hands in an "innocent and bewildered" pose.

"'Arms Dealer Queen'? The arms dealer who's been active on the black market lately?"

Fury's single eye swept across the projection, his tone carrying the caution and uncertainty characteristic of an official investigator. "Sorry, Stark, S.W.O.R.D..'s surveillance list is very long. These vague nicknames and shadowy targets are unlikely to attract my special attention without more concrete intelligence. As for private meetings... ha, Tony, you know better than I do that intelligence work involves a lot of 'chance encounters'."

He casually described these "meetings" as part of the normal course of work.

Chen Tian chuckled at that moment, breaking Fury's performance.

He leaned back in his chair, his fingers tapping absently on the table, a knowing smile on his face that deeply annoyed Fury.

"Oh dear, Director Fury, it's a waste that your acting skills aren't in Hollywood," Chen Tian said slowly, his voice not loud, but like a dagger piercing Fury. "You don't know 'Arms Dealer Queen'? What about Valentina Allegra de Fontaine? You should be familiar with that name, right?"

Chen Tian paused deliberately, admiring Fury's suddenly tense facial muscles, and continued to deliver the finishing touch in a teasing yet sharp tone:

"Your old partner, the woman whose status during the S.H.I.E.L.D.. era was second only to you and that now-dead smuggler Alexander Pierce. Oh, perhaps..."

Chen Tian drawled out the last syllable, his eyes gleaming mischievously as he swept over Fury's one eye, "... or is she your lover? After all, we've worked together for so many years, it's only natural that our revolutionary friendship has deepened a bit."

"Click!"

Fury's knuckles cracked slightly as he braced himself on the table.

His single eye suddenly focused on Chen Tian's face, like a hawk locking onto its prey.

His piercing gaze seemed to want to dissect Chen Tian's brain to see how many secrets it contained.

The air in the entire conference room seemed to freeze for a few seconds, with only the rhythmic, unsettling "tap, tap" of Fury's knuckles tapping on the table.

"Chen Tian," Fury's voice deepened, "Where did you get the idea... that she's the 'Arms Dealer Queen'?" His gaze was sharp, fixed on Chen Tian, leaving no room for evasion.

Chen Tian's smile remained unchanged, even brightening slightly. He shrugged, "Director Fury, these days, who doesn't have their own 'information channels'? You can call it 'professional competence' if you want."

He skillfully avoided a direct answer, then shifted his tone, coiling around the real target like a venomous snake:

"However, rather than being concerned about my source, I think you should explain more..."

Chen Tian's finger precisely pointed to the eye-catching folder name on the projection screen—"Compensated Super-Soldier Serum (CSSS)." His smile vanished instantly, his eyes turning dangerous and icy. "What's this 'little thing' all about? According to reliable intelligence..."

He paused deliberately, his gaze sweeping over Tony Captain America before finally fixing on Fury's face, and he said clearly, word by word:

"'Compensatory'? Ha, Fury, its core genetic template is a modified version of Erskine's 'Super Soldier' serum, and... that 'monster' thing in your Hydra's precious 'Winter Soldier'!"

"Boom!"

This statement is akin to dropping a depth charge onto a calm lake!

Captain America, Steve, suddenly looked up, his deep blue eyes instantly filled with shock and disbelief!

His gaze towards Fury was filled with intense doubt and anger—it involved the Winter Soldier?!

Tony sat up straight, the playfulness on his face completely gone, replaced by seriousness and a hint of ignited anger!

Fury's single pupil contracted violently again!

A barely concealed flicker of emotion finally appeared on that perpetually unchanging dark face!

Chen Tian not only knew Valentina's identity, but he even found out the details of the serum?! This is definitely not something an ordinary "information channel" could do!

He stared intently at Chen Tian, as if he were truly getting to know this person for the first time.

This Chen Tian... what he's hiding is far deeper than he's shown! Terribly deeper!

Seeing Fury's appearance, Chen Tian became even more certain that Fury was the mastermind behind all of this.

Chen Tian stood up abruptly and with a wave of his hand, shattered the holographic screen.

He looked into Fury's single eye. "Fury! The world is at peace now. There are no Hydra, no alien invasions, and even the Dimensional Demon God dare not show their faces on this planet because of our Arbitrators."

"And you! Do you want to create something else?"

Chen Tian's words were like a cold Blade, piercing Fury.

The line "Make something out of it?" carries a judgmental tone, as if Fury were the Ravagers of world peace.

At the eye of the storm, Fury's single eye flashed with a hint of mockery.

"Make something?" he thought to himself with a cold laugh.

These naive idealists have no idea how profound the darkness of the universe truly is!

Peace? Outside the fortress, war is Eternity!

The strength of the Arbitrator Alliance has given Blue Planet a temporary respite, but this is by no means a reason to slack off!

He, Fury, is always preparing for the worst! Especially now that the Arbitrators are completely out of control.

Valentina's "Compensation Serum" plan... while radical, was at least partly intended to create "insurance" against higher-level threats!

However... the current situation is clearly out of control.

Fury leaned forward slightly, placing his hands, fingers interlaced, on the metal tabletop.

He was not overwhelmed by Chen Tian's imposing manner. Instead, he was like a black reef that had been weathered by storms, calmly absorbing and resolving all the impacts.

"Mr. Chen Tian," Fury's voice was frighteningly calm, as if the slight fluctuation from before had never occurred.

"You're accusing me of 'causing' trouble? Accusing me of using the Winter Soldier's 'ghost stuff'?"

He slowly shook his head, his one eye sweeping over the angry Captain America and the solemn Tony, before finally returning to Chen Tian.

"I must remind you, and everyone here, that the legacy of Hydra, the technology of the Winter Soldier... these dangerous things were not created by me. They exist in the darkest corners of this planet. One of my responsibilities, and that of S.W.O.R.D.., is to monitor them and ensure that they do not spiral out of control again and threaten the peace we have fought so hard for."

He cleverly positioned himself as a "regulator" rather than a "user".

"As for Ms. Valentina ..." Fury paused, seemingly choosing the right words, "She was an S.H.I.E.L.D.. agent, that's true. But in the chaos following the collapse of S.H.I.E.L.D.., many files were lost, and many personnel were scattered around the world. S.W.O.R.D.. is not omniscient about her actions after she left. Regarding your mention of her identity as the 'Arms Dealer Queen' and the so-called serum deal..."

Fury looked directly into Chen Tian's eyes, with an air of official authority:

"If you have conclusive evidence that she is engaged in illegal activities and has a direct and illegal connection with the S.W.O.R.D. or myself, then please present it. The S.W.O.R.D. Bureau's database is always open to you, and you can obtain the highest level of search authorization. I myself will fully cooperate with any legitimate investigation."

His tone was so frank it was almost provocative.

Chen Tian's eyes narrowed slightly.

Fury's reaction was more "official" and more watertight than he had anticipated.

This guy is definitely not easy to deal with.

He brought up Valentina's name and the details of the serum to disrupt Fury's rhythm, forcing him to reveal a weakness in front of Tony Captain America, or to inadvertently reveal more information during his explanation.

But Fury was too shrewd; he avoided all substantive answers, passed the buck back to Fury, and adopted a "welcome investigation" stance.

Tony, who was standing nearby, almost burst out laughing when he heard "search the database".

He immediately interrupted, his tone laced with his characteristic arrogance. "JARVIS! Did you hear that? Director Fury extended a warm invitation! Then don't stand on ceremony, highest authority, all-around..."

"Scanning, Sir." JARVIS's voice rang out directly on the disk. "S.W.O.R.D. core database... Access granted... Deep search for keywords: 'Compensated Super-Soldier Serum (CSSS)', 'Valentina Allegra de Fontaine', 'Safe House Coordinates'... Cross-checking related projects, fund flows, communications..."

Data streams cascaded across the holographic screen like a waterfall.

Fury showed no panic whatsoever, not even a flicker of an eyebrow. He watched Tony's actions, a barely perceptible hint of pity even flashing deep in his eyes.

"Go ahead and investigate, kid," Fury thought to himself with a cold sneer.

From the day S.H.I.E.L.D. hollowed out Hydra. and it collapsed, Nick Fury understood a bloody truth: any electronic record, any physically stored document, is a fatal weakness that can be breached, tampered with, and stolen!

The real secret can only be kept in one absolutely safe place—his own mind!

What is the core database of the S.W.O.R.D.?

It only contained what he wanted people to see, only carefully selected and disguised information.

The true core plan of the "Compensation Serum," his unspeakable connections with Valentina, and the far-reaching schemes... all the key points, codes, coded messages, and methods of communication... were all imprinted deep within his memory, honed through countless life-and-death trials.

Even if Tony welded JARVIS to S.W.O.R.D..'s servers, he would only uncover a bunch of meticulously designed fog of war and dead ends.

The technology that Tony Stark is so proud of? In the eyes of a veteran spymaster like Fury, it's nothing more than a shiny toy for children.

A database? Ha, that's just a stage for outsiders!

His gaze inadvertently swept over a tiny indicator light inside the seemingly ordinary old-fashioned watch on his wrist. The signal source, representing Carol Vers' unique identification code, was steadily approaching.

She'll be here soon...

A sense of certainty welled up in Fury's heart.

Carol Vers, Captain Marvel, possesses cosmic-level power, and her personality... is proud and fiercely protective.

She viewed Fury as a trustworthy comrade-in-arms (although he often took advantage of that trust).

Given her personality, what would she do if she saw her former comrade-in-arms, one of the "protectors" of Blue Planet, being cornered and "interrogated" by the three giants of the Arbitrator Alliance inside the S.W.O.R.D.?

She would never stand idly by! Her proud nature would not allow anyone to treat Fury like that, especially when she believed that Fury was silently sacrificing for the safety of Blue Planet.

She doesn't care about serum or chains of evidence! She only trusts her own judgment, and she trusts Nick Fury.

Thinking of this, Fury even relaxed his tense shoulders and back, leaning back in his chair.

He looked at Tony, who was still Search in vain, then at Captain America, whose face was solemn and whose fists were clenched, and finally at Chen Tian, whose eyes were sharp and who was trying to find even the slightest flaw in his face.

Fury's lips twitched upwards very slightly, at an angle unseen by everyone, forming a cold and calculating arc.

Hold them off... it only takes a little time... until Carol Descent...

Fury's single eye calmly met Chen Tian's scrutinizing gaze, as if it contained profound depth and silence.

JARVIS's smooth, even synthesized voice filled the silent conference room:

"Search complete, Sir. No explicit records were found in the S.W.O.R.D.'s core database that are associated with 'Valentina Allegra de Fontaine' and match the 'Arms Dealer Queen' or 'Compensated Super-Soldier Serum (CSSS)' projects. No authorized access logs were found for the relevant safe house coordinates. No abnormal fund flows were observed. No keywords matching the security classification were found in the communication records."

The data stream on the holographic screen stopped, leaving only a few lines of cold "No related entries found" messages.

"What?!" Tony turned sharply to look at Fury, his face filled with disbelief and a furious sense of being fooled.

His eyes instantly ignited with fire, fixed intently on Fury's calm, dark face.

"Impossible! Not a trace? Fury, you fucking..." He knew this trick all too well! Perfect erasure, leaving no evidence! He'd been fooled! Completely fooled by this old spy chief!

JARVIS's intrusion resulted in nothing? This is an insult to his technical authority!

Chen Tian's mocking smile deepened. He slowly shook his head, making a "tsk tsk" sound, his sharp gaze piercing Fury.

"Director Fury, it seems you've learned your lesson. The data is wiped so clean, not a speck of dust remains." His tone carried a dangerous hint of admiration. "But..." Chen Tian stood up, his hands casually in his pockets, seemingly relaxed, but his eyes were locked on Fury's one eye.

"Data can be deleted, files can be burned, traces can be erased... but what about memories? Can the things in our brain be formatted like deleting a hard drive?"

He took a step forward, and an invisible sense of oppression spread out.

Fury's brow furrowed suddenly, and his interlaced fingers tightened slightly.

Chen Tian's words were like a key, instantly unlocking the most secret safe in his heart! This guy... actually hit the nail on the head! He knew! He knew the crucial information only existed here!

Fury's eyes became extremely dangerous:

"I've always been cautious, Mr. Chen. Especially after experiencing those... betrayals." His voice was low and cold, like tempered steel. "Some things are indeed best kept in the safest place."

"Cautious? Safe?" Chen Tian scoffed, a piercing glint in his eyes. "Then I'd like to know, are these things you've been so careful to store... worth the Infinity Stones personally 'checking' the files?"

Before he finished speaking, Chen Tian pulled his right hand out of his pocket! He opened his palm upwards, and a warm, hazy yellow light suddenly bloomed in his palm!

At the heart of the radiance is a yellow gem that pulses as if it were alive— the Mind Stone!

"Buzz--!"

The moment the gem appeared, Fury felt as if Chen Tian's hand was gripping his brain tightly. The gem's gaze seemed to pierce through his skull, trying to probe the deepest secrets of his brain!

His face finally betrayed utter shock and a hint of... fear!

The Mind Stone! Chen Tian had completely forgotten that he possessed the Mind Stone!

"Now, Fury," his face appeared cold in the light of the Mind Stone, "Let's see what filth is hidden in your 'safest place'..."

Chen Tian slowly raised his hand, and the light of the Mind Stone focused on Fury's forehead like a searchlight!

That seemingly warm yellow light actually carried a chilling threat, and it looked like it was about to forcibly tear open the memory barrier in Fury's brain!

"Chen Tian!!!!!"

A deafening roar swept in!

"BOOM--!!!"

The thick, special alloy walls of the conference room were instantly torn apart and melted by the violent energy, as if they were made of paper!

A blinding burst of multicolored light flooded the room, accompanied by a deafening sonic boom!

A figure, enveloped in energy flames, moved so fast that it was impossible for the naked eye to detect it!

Carol Vers — Captain Marvel —charged in with fury and terrifying power, like a comet crashing into the earth!

She had only one goal— Chen Tian!

"Get away from him! Stay away from him!" Carol's roar exploded amidst the surge of energy.

Just as Chen Tian turned to look at Carol was already in front of him, her hands gripping Chen Tian's arms and shoulders like iron clamps, and her whole body burst with energy.

"Whoosh-- Boom!!!"

The two transformed into intertwined energy meteors, hurtling at supersonic speeds, crashing straight through the S.W.O.R.D.'s numerous decks and protective barriers, disappearing into the vastness of space in an instant, as if tearing through a thin sheet of paper!

All that remained in the conference room was a mess: shattered energy fragments, scattered metal debris, and scorching air.

Captain America coughed, leaned on his shield, and stood up. He stared at the huge hole in the wall that stretched straight into space, the deep, dark space outside, and the distant Blue Planet arc of the planet. His expression was extremely grave.

Tony's HUD interface flashed a red warning as he stared at the hole, which was over twenty meters in diameter—the vacuum of outer space was drawing air from the room through the breach.

"Fury!" The armored suit whirred sharply towards the one-eyed director, the palm cannon humming as it charged. "You fucking planned this all along, didn't you?"

But Tony, beneath his visor, knew that those miniature missiles aimed at Fury would never fire—the political immunity of S.W.O.R.D.. was as unbreakable as Carol's energy shield.

Fury stood there, still shaken, but as he looked at the hole in the conference room wall and the two people who had disappeared, a barely perceptible glint of triumphant cunning flashed in his single eye.

He won his gamble! Carol... arrived just in time!

"Ha, Stark, what did I calculate? I'd like to ask you the same thing! Were you just trying to use the Infinity Stones to interrogate the Director of S.W.O.R.D..?! You Arbitrators claim to be righteous! And this is what you're doing?!"

Fury's question left Tony speechless. Yes, in everyone's eyes, the Arbitrators was just, upright, and great!

If the attempt to use the Infinity Stones to control the leader of a defense force recognized by the World Government were to be exposed, the Arbitrators's image in the eyes of the public would be greatly damaged. It would also give the government agencies that have been trying to extract things from the Arbitrators an excuse, an excuse to need government personnel to control them.

Seeing that Tony remained silent, Fury sneered and looked again at the hole that had been repaired by the nano-coating of the Sky Sword platform.

The storm was forcibly pulled away from the chessboard. But the real battle has only just begun, pushing into the depths of space!