Oh, Crap! The Bald Egg Really Is After Me!

Richard clutched his chest, lingering fear gripping him.

Luckily, I've always acted with caution!

Otherwise, I would've fallen for it just now!

He condensed a wisp of white energy and stabbed it into William Samson's brain once more.

Through this wisp of energy, Richard carefully observed the magical trap hidden within the folds of the cerebral cortex.

Still a linked trigger trap!

Hmph, the structure is quite exquisite!

It seems the person who set the trap is no Wild Mage!

He observed while analyzing.

The trigger condition seems to be 'forcibly reading William Samson's memories'?

Hiss! Trigger the alarm and the trap explodes?!

Richard gasped.

As expected, I guessed right!

He estimated the power of the explosion, which was roughly equivalent to a grenade.

What a thoroughly wicked bastard!

Richard cursed and racked his brains trying to recall.

In the Marvel universe, which organization had ties to spellcasters?

HYDRA? They originated from the first Earth Inhuman of the Kree experiments, having little to do with magic.

S.H.I.E.L.D.? Tsk, they shouted slogans to the high heavens—protect the Earth! Protect the Earth...

If the Earth were really left in their hands, it would've been gone long ago!

Ten Rings? Xu Wenwu's wife Ying Li should already be dead, so he had no mood to stir up trouble right now.

Eternals? Those baby-sitters of the Celestials should have no interest in making any organizations.

Richard racked his brains for a long time, only to arrive at one conclusion.

William Samson cannot be moved right now!

However...

His eyes rolled, and he had an idea.

Since you dug a pit for me, I'll dig one right back for you!

"Hehe~"

Richard hooked the corners of his mouth, revealing a sinister smile.

He raised his hands and quickly formed seals!

"Heart Cocoon Weaving!"

The index and ring fingers of his right hand formed a constantly rotating Ring of Alchiti.

Richard fabricated a memory and transmitted it inward.

Along with the input of the fabricated memory, the Ring of Alchiti began to flicker with a silvery-white brilliance, rapidly spinning into a cocoon and finally forming an oval-shaped silvery-white energy cocoon.

"I hope you aren't a lazy student who didn't learn your craft well..."

With a smack, Richard patted the Heart Cocoon from the top of William Samson's head, driving it into his brain.

"Even if you can find the Heart Cocoon I wove, wanting to crack it, heh heh~"

"How about an eight-digit energy password..."

"...Plus an extra trap..."

Richard grabbed William Samson's soul right out and set up an identical linked trigger trap within his soul.

As long as William Samson saw the person behind the scenes, the Heart Cocoon would automatically trigger.

The fabricated memory woven into the Heart Cocoon would make him automatically "remember" Richard's command...

To greet the person behind the scenes with a friendly "motherfucker"!

And that "motherfucker" was precisely the trigger condition for the trap buried inside his soul.

Once triggered, the tracking spell hidden within the trap would instantly release.

As long as this spell hit the person behind the scenes, Richard could go over to 'deliver warmth' at any time and place!

"Neehahahaha~"

Leaving behind a string of sinister laughter, Richard opened a door and left the place.

Returning to the apartment, Richard looked at Professor Jennings, who was still fast asleep, feeling somewhat troubled.

The clue was temporarily cut off; what should he do about the professor?

After thinking for a moment, he decisively took out his phone.

S.H.I.E.L.D. Headquarters, Director's Office.

Phil Coulson stood before the desk, reporting to Nick Fury everything that had happened at the Stark Industries Headquarters.

"...Mr. Stark's iron armor was suppressed the entire time by Obadiah's armor..."

Nick Fury rested his elbows on the desk, hands crossed, propping up his chin.

With a pensive look on his face, he said, "Meaning the armor Obadiah Stane built is stronger than Tony Stark's?"

Phil Coulson hesitated for a moment before answering, "Judging from the scene, yes... but I'm not certain."

"Because Mr. Stark was low on energy at the time and also injured..."

Nick Fury nodded and went on to ask, "Talk about Richard's fireball, and his 'door opening'."

"What do you think that was? Some kind of technology? Or a superpower?"

Phil Coulson thought about it and said, "Sir, I'm more inclined to believe it's a superpower."

Seeing his director frowning there.

He spread his hands jokingly and said, "It couldn't possibly be magic..."

Upon hearing this, Nick Fury felt a stir in his heart.

At that moment, his phone rang, and Phil Coulson took his out to look.

"Sir, it's a call from Doctor Richard!"

"Answer it!" Nick Fury immediately added, "Put it on speaker!"

"Yes, sir!" Phil Coulson hurriedly answered the call and switched on the speakerphone.

"Agent Coulson, Professor Jennings mentioned earlier that he was a guest professor at the S.H.I.E.L.D. Science Academy, that's correct, right?"

Phil Coulson was startled, then nodded and said, "Yes, Mr. Richard."

Richard was overjoyed: "Then hurry up and send a few people to protect the professor!"

Phil Coulson asked in confusion, "Uh. What's the reason, Doctor Richard?"

Richard replied, "Professor Jennings almost got kidnapped just now!"

"Kidnapped?!" Phil Coulson was greatly startled. "Who would want to kidnap Professor Jennings?!"

Richard pled total ignorance: "I don't know, couldn't find any clues, I only know it's related to a severely burned little girl taken in by the Emergency Department of Manhattan Presbyterian Hospital earlier."

"As for the rest, you'll have to investigate."

"Manhattan Presbyterian Hospital... little girl..." Phil Coulson furrowed his brow, subconsciously glancing over at Nick Fury.

Nick Fury grabbed pen and paper, furiously scribbling a few words.

[Agree first]

Phil Coulson nodded and said, "I understand, Doctor Richard. I will send people to protect Professor Jennings as soon as possible!"

Richard introduced the old professor's situation: "He was drugged unconscious and is sleeping in my New York apartment; he probably won't wake up until dawn tomorrow."

"Alright, Doctor Richard." After saying this, Phil Coulson suddenly asked, "Oh, and Mr. Richard, the fireball that killed Obadiah earlier, and that 'door opening', were those your superpowers?"

On the other end of the line, Richard fell silent for a moment before letting out a soft chuckle and asking, "Heh~"

"Agent Coulson, your question seems a bit presumptuous."

Phil Coulson: "Please forgive me, Doctor Richard."

"..."

"It's not a superpower, Agent Coulson..." Richard paused, then added, "And Director Nick Fury..."

The bald egg's single eye widened in astonishment.

"Send people to protect the professor as soon as possible."

With that, Richard hung up the phone.

The Director's Office fell quiet all at once.

After a long while, Nick Fury waved a hand: "Agent Coulson, take a team and transport Professor Jennings directly to the S.H.I.E.L.D. Science Academy."

"Understood, sir!"

After Phil Coulson left, Nick Fury pulled open a drawer and took out a file.

[Avengers Initiative]

He opened the file and flipped to the last page.

[Backup candidate: Richard, surgeon, logistical support]

He picked up his pen, crossed out 'logistical support', and added two more lines:

[Suspected mastery of extraordinary abilities]

[Codename: Mage]