Oh No! The Paranoid and Extremely Control-Freak Black Braised Egg Has Set His Sights on Me!

Richard stared at Phil Coulson with feigned wariness.

"Who are you?"

Phil Coulson smiled gently, saying, "Hello, Richard."

"I'm an agent of the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division, and my name is Phil Coulson."

With that, he extended his right hand.

Richard raised an eyebrow, reached out to shake it, and immediately complained.

"Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division? Normal people can't remember a name that long."

Phil Coulson smiled like an easygoing capybara: "Just call us S.H.I.E.L.D.."

Richard tilted his head toward the room and stepped aside to clear the entrance: "Come in and talk, Agent Phil Coulson of S.H.I.E.L.D.."

Asking Phil Coulson to sit on the sofa, Richard fetched a cup of warm water and placed it on the coffee table in front of him.

"Please have some water."

Phil Coulson raised his hips slightly and expressed his gratitude: "Thank you, Richard."

Richard sat on the sofa and crossed his legs.

"So what brings Agent Coulson to my place?"

Phil Coulson turned sideways to face Richard and said with a sincere look: "I've been ordered to invite you to join S.H.I.E.L.D.."

"Join S.H.I.E.L.D.?"

Richard narrowed his eyes slightly, a flash of cold light darting across the bottoms of his eyes.

How could Phil Coulson have come?

Could it be that my identity as a sorcerer has been exposed?!

Yet when was I targeted by S.H.I.E.L.D.?

Thinking of Nick Fury's terrible, paranoid, and intensely control-freaking personality.

Given the black braised egg's style, this invitation today was probably a Hongmen Banquet!

Seeing Richard close his eyes, Phil Coulson assumed he was considering it.

Without thinking much, he picked up the water cup on the coffee table and took a gentle sip.

Richard's thoughts raced.

The only remaining option...

Was to strike first and gain the upper hand!

Having made up his mind, Richard tensed his muscles and prepared to pounce.

Ring-ring~

The cell phone on the coffee table suddenly rang.

Richard started slightly, the strength he had just gathered slowly dissipating.

He nodded apologetically to Phil Coulson: "Sorry, I need to take this call first."

Phil Coulson waved a hand: "It's fine, go ahead."

Glancing at the caller ID, Richard's gaze shifted.

Is it Professor Jennings?

Answering the phone, Professor Jennings's loud voice immediately came through.

"Hey, little Richard, have S.H.I.E.L.D.'s agents arrived at your place yet?"

Hearing this, Richard was stunned: "How did you know?!"

"Hahahahaha~" A hearty laugh like that of an old urchin rang out from the other end of the phone: "Because I recommended you to them."

"What?" Richard was greatly surprised: "When did you get connected with this S.H.I.E.L.D.?!"

"Just a mere visiting professor at the S.H.I.E.L.D. Science Academy, what's there to show off about." The old professor on the other end was very pleased with himself.

"Yes, yes, yes, you are an esteemed surgical authority." Richard flattered him, then asked in confusion, "Professor, why would you recommend me to join this S.H.I.E.L.D.?"

"This Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division sounds like some kind of spy organization, what would I even do there?"

"Go on the front lines to kill enemies holding a scalpel?"

Hearing this, Phil Coulson aside wore a wry expression.

The old professor on the other end of the line was also amused by his words: "Hahahahaha, you brat are still as humorous as ever."

"Don't worry, S.H.I.E.L.D. is a multinational organization serving the United Nations Security Council, not some running-dog hitmen under a regime like the CIA."

Hearing the old professor's words, Richard couldn't help twitching the corners of his mouth.

"Professor, your mouth really dares to say anything!"

"Aren't you afraid that one day, the CIA will send people to capture you."

"Tsk, I dare them to try!" Professor Jennings said dismissively.

"Alright, the reason I'm calling you this time is to tell you not to be scared when S.H.I.E.L.D. people come looking for you."

"Join if you want to join, don't join if you don't want to join."

"S.H.I.E.L.D.'s current director is not bad, he won't give you a hard time."

Richard felt somewhat touched; the old professor was still as protective of his own as ever.

It was just that he was somewhat bad at judging people—that guy the black braised egg was not bad?!

"I know, Professor."

Hanging up the phone, Phil Coulson eagerly said: "Mr. Richard, what we are inviting you to join is the S.H.I.E.L.D. Medical Department, and you will only need to provide medical support for logistics."

"You won't need to go to the front lines with a scalpel to kill enemies, so you don't need to worry about your safety!"

Richard nodded, looking as if he completely agreed.

Yet what he was thinking inside...

To hell with S.H.I.E.L.D., it's clearly the Hydra-Shield!

Still, it is now 2008, and at this point in time, it's relatively safe.

Besides...

Richard inexplicably thought of a world map covered in red and blue dots...

When S.H.I.E.L.D.'s civil war broke out in a few years...

Weren't those S.H.I.E.L.D. bases scattered all over the world just ownerless "meat buns"...

"Agent Coulson, I agree." After saying this, Richard added a sentence in his heart.

For the sake of "how true this fragrance is"...

Phil Coulson was overjoyed; he extended his right hand and stood up.

"However..."

Richard's sudden change of tone made the smile on Phil Coulson's face stiffen slightly.

"If Mr. Richard has any requests, feel free to state them."

As he spoke, Phil Coulson naturally retracted his extended right hand and sat back down.

Seeing this, Richard felt a wave of amusement in his heart.

"I can't work fixed hours every day, so..."

"No problem, Mr. Richard." Phil Coulson immediately explained, "For top-tier surgeons like you, S.H.I.E.L.D. will not forcibly require you to work fixed hours every day."

"Then, happy cooperation from now on." Richard stood up and extended his right hand.

Phil Coulson stood up again, reached out, and shook hands.

"Happy cooperation, Doctor Richard."

Phil Coulson left Greenpoint Apartments, got into a black SUV, and dialed Nick Fury's phone.

"Director, Doctor Richard has agreed."

"Oh? He agreed just like that?" The black braised egg on the other end sounded a bit surprised.

Phil Coulson showed a relieved expression: "Thanks to that phone call from Professor Jennings, it seems Doctor Richard respects his teacher very much."

"However, Doctor Richard doesn't wish to work fixed hours, so he only agreed to be an external consultant doctor."

The voice on the other end of the line was very calm: "Very normal, top-tier doctors all have this temper."

"Alright, Agent Coulson, now I need you to make a trip to Stark Industries headquarters."

"That playboy Tony Stark seems to have come up with a remarkable invention."

"Go and figure it out clearly."

"Understood, Director!" Phil Coulson immediately started the car and drove toward Stark Industries.

On the other side, after Phil Coulson left, Richard seriously considered the pros and cons of joining S.H.I.E.L.D..

The benefit was that, relying on a behemoth like S.H.I.E.L.D., anything he wanted to do in the future would become very easy.

For example, if he wanted to acquire a Small Medical Laboratory, having S.H.I.E.L.D.'s channels would make it effortless.

Yet the downside was that he would step directly into the sights of HYDRA, which was hidden within S.H.I.E.L.D..

Still, HYDRA probably wouldn't care about a mere external doctor.

After thinking it through back and forth, Richard dialed Professor Jennings's phone.

"Professor, do you know the news about Wall Federer passing away from heart disease?"