The next morning, Lin Xiao had to go to S.H.I.E.L.D.. to report. It wasn't because Lin Xiao particularly wanted to go to work, but because when he woke up, Betty had taken May to Vought. It was a good thing that his woman was ambitious, so he shouldn't be idle and had to find something to do. When he entered the Triskelion, Coulson was already waiting in the lobby. The moment he saw Lin Xiao, his smile was no different from usual, but Lin Xiao always felt that there was a hint of "you're doomed" in that smile.
"Boss, you were waiting for me at the door right after I made that call this morning. That can't be right."
" Director Fury is waiting for you on the top floor." Coulson turned and pressed the elevator button, his tone extremely calm. "He's been waiting for almost forty minutes."
"Have you had breakfast yet?" Lin Xiao asked.
"I didn't eat," Coulson said. " Nick is eating a ham sandwich, though. If you go in, he probably won't have an appetite."
Lin Xiao opened his mouth, wanting to say something to ease the atmosphere, but the atmosphere became tense for a moment. The elevator doors opened, and Coulson gestured for him to enter before stepping in himself. The two stood side by side, Coulson staring straight ahead, a faint smile playing on his lips, which sent chills down Lin Xiao's spine.
"Boss, is there anything you want to remind me of?"
"Yes." Coulson turned his head and glanced at him. "If the chief slams his fist on the table, don't sit down. If he tells you to leave, don't rush off. If he mentions Tony, don't use that same old excuse about Asgard creations not belonging to Midgard; he's already cursed him nine times in his office."
"Anything else?"
Coulson patted him on the shoulder. "That's it. Good luck, kid. I believe in you."
Lin Xiao laughed, "Boss, you really don't trust me?"
Coulson didn't answer, but simply straightened his collar, as if giving a final check to a boxer about to step into the ring. The elevator dinged and stopped at the top floor. The doors opened, Hill, who was just turning the corner of the corridor with a tablet in his hand, paused when he saw Lin Xiao.
Lin Xiao gave a habitual smile, "Deputy Director, you look great today. Did you miss me? It's been a few days."
"The director can't wait any longer." Hill interrupted Lin Xiao without pausing, turning and walking towards Fury's office, her heels clicking quickly and steadily on the polished floor. "You have ten seconds to prepare. We can talk about the rest later."
Lin Xiao suppressed his laughter and strode after him. The three of them had just reached Fury's office when the door was pulled open from the inside. Fury stood in the doorway, his bald head gleaming under the cold white light.
"Come in," Fury said.
Lin Xiao glanced at Coulson. Coulson shrugged slightly and followed him inside. Hill naturally walked around to the desk, placed the tablet down, and stood to Fury's side and slightly behind. The blinds in the office were drawn tightly shut, with only a desk lamp on, casting light from below. Fury's face was half-lit and half-shadowed, making him look particularly imposing.
Just as Lin Xiao was about to say, "Director, it's been a long time," Fury slammed his hand on the table. The sound wasn't loud, but it was incredibly muffled, like someone smashing an iron ingot onto a leather cushion.
" Lin Xiao, you've really gotten bolder."
Lin Xiao hadn't even gotten his footing when his back was pressed against the door. He instinctively reached for the doorknob, but forcibly restrained himself. Fury walked around the table, step by step, until his one eye was less than a foot away.
"Disregarding the lives of your comrades. Do you know that when Sitwell returned, his lips were purple? Two of his men suffered heatstroke, one ended up in the clinic, and another was so dehydrated he needed an IV. And you, you sent a logistics officer to lead a group to scavenge alien debris in the desert while you hid behind a rock and watched the spectacle. Tell me, what kind of behavior is this?"
Lin Xiao opened his mouth. "Chief, I--"
"I haven't finished yet." Fury leaned forward another half inch, until Lin Xiao's head was against the doorframe. "Bullying your superiors and secretly moving alien artifacts. Do you even know what those remnants mean? They're materials for Asgard's ultimate weapon, and only S.H.I.E.L.D.. has the authority to handle them. You let Stark's transport plane fly over so brazenly, calling them ' Asgard artifacts' all the time. Do you think I'm deaf or blind?"
Lin Xiao felt his shirt collar being grabbed. Looking down, he saw that Fury's hand had somehow gotten there. The grip wasn't strong, but the hand was like an iron hook, forcing him to bend slightly.
"If I were to throw you out of S.H.I.E.L.D.. right now, would that be a good enough reason?" Fury lowered his voice, each word sounding as if it had been pulled from an icebox.
Looking at the dark face so close to his face, Lin Xiao suddenly had the illusion of returning to the day they first met. It was the same office then, and the same "I'll kill you if you dare say another word" attitude. The only difference was that back then he had nothing, while now he was at least a person with businesses, but he still had to give Fury face, and he still had to earn two million a year.
"That's enough," Lin Xiao replied, his voice incredibly honest.
Fury stared at him for three seconds, then released his grip, turned around, and sat back down at his desk. He leaned back in his chair, slowly exhaling a long breath, as if releasing the anger simmering in his chest. The office was silent for nearly ten seconds, with only the soft hum of the desk lamp ballast.
Just then, a gentle, almost benevolent voice rang out from the doorway. "I'm late."
Lin Xiao turned around and saw Pierce standing in the doorway. He was wearing a beige trench coat, his hair was neatly combed, and he had that gentle, ever-present smile on his face. When he walked in, his footsteps were so light they were almost inaudible, as if he were afraid of disturbing the anger that had just subsided in the office.
" Mr. Pierce." Fury straightened up, his expression shifting from fury to businesslike calm, but Lin Xiao noticed that his fingers, which were still pressed against the edge of the table, had not completely loosened.
Pierce nodded to Fury, then glanced at Lin Xiao, his eyes showing a hint of helplessness, like an elder watching a junior make a mistake. "I heard you talking outside, not intentionally eavesdropping, it's just that this floor is too quiet today." He walked to the desk, didn't sit down, but simply placed his hands lightly on the edge, turning to face Fury. " Fury, I understand how you feel. Agent Lin Xiao's actions during this operation were indeed ill-considered. Sitwell has also reported this to me; he doesn't intend to pursue the matter, but he just feels a bit... disheartened."
Pierce paused deliberately, his gaze falling on Lin Xiao. Lin Xiao didn't interrupt, only wearing an expression that said, "I've realized I was wrong." He knew that the worst thing to do at a time like this was to act tough. Pierce wasn't there to watch his performance, but to find an explanation for Sitwell. As long as he acted honest enough, this matter wouldn't be resolved; knowing when to seize an opportunity was the key.
"Young man, I understand you're fighting on the front lines. But this isn't how you fight," Pierce added, his tone still gentle, but every word carrying weight. " S.H.I.E.L.D.. has its rules; acting S.H.I.E.L.D. isn't right."
Lin Xiao lowered his head, adopting an attitude of "you're right".
Pierce then looked at Fury, his voice softening slightly. "Punishment is one thing, but let's not discourage people. I propose that this internal warning be followed by a three-month pay cut, a demotion, and copying the Code of Conduct twenty times. What do you think?"
Fury didn't answer immediately. He stared at Pierce for two seconds, then looked at Lin Xiao, and slowly nodded. "Too light."
Pierce smiled. "Then add another month. Four months' salary."
Lin Xiao cursed Pierce's ancestors in his mind, but his face remained unchanged. He even took the initiative to speak, "Chief, Mr. Pierce, I accept it. Four months' salary, demotion, copying the guidelines. These are all punishments. I'll buy the paper for my self-criticism tonight."
Fury looked at him, a glint of something Lin Xiao couldn't decipher suddenly flashing in his single eye. He picked up a document from the table and gently pushed it in front of Lin Xiao: "This is the decision. No objections? Sign it."
Lin Xiao didn't even glance at it, a cold smile creeping across his face. He'd already received a beating, and now came the sweet treat— Fury was a master of this. Fury took back the file, not immediately archiving it, but flipping to the front and glancing at Lin Xiao again.
"Next, the reward."
Pierce's brow twitched slightly, so slightly that it barely moved. But Lin Xiao saw it clearly.
Fury took another document from the drawer, unfolded it, and began to read, " S.H.I.E.L.D. Level 7 Agent Lin Xiao, near Puente Antiguo, New Mexico, single-handedly held off and destroyed Asgard's ultimate weapon, the Destroyer, protecting the lives and property of over a dozen Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and local civilians. Authorized by the World Security Council, he is hereby commended and promoted one level. However, due to his previous demotion, his merits and demerits cancel each other out, resulting in no further promotion or demotion. He is awarded one million US dollars in cash. His name will be recorded on the S.H.I.E.L.D. roll and permanently archived."
There was a three-second silence in the office.
Pierce still had a smile on his face, but the curve of his lips looked unnatural. He slowly screwed the pen cap back on, the movement very slow, as if he were using the action to organize his thoughts.
Lin Xiao stood at the door, his expression shifting from "admitting his mistake" to "shock," and then from "shock" to "gratitude." He stepped forward, bowed slightly to Fury, and nodded to Pierce, his tone so sincere it was impeccable. "Thank you, Chief, thank you, Mr. Pierce. I will definitely abide by the rules in the future and will never do it again."
Pierce gave a soft "hmm," patted Lin Xiao's arm, and said to Fury, "Young man, it's good that you admit your mistakes and are willing to correct them. You two continue, I won't disturb you."
After he finished speaking, he turned and walked towards the door, his steps still light and his back still composed. Only after he left the floor did Fury slowly lean back in his chair and close his eyes. When he opened them again, his single eye no longer held the businesslike demeanor he had when facing Pierce, but had regained a coldness that carried a scrutinizing quality.
"Go close the door." He gestured with his chin toward the door, and Hill understood, walking over to close the office door tightly from the inside, and also pulling the blinds back shut.
Lin Xiao finally breathed a long sigh of relief.
"Chief, you almost wrinkled my shirt just now." He looked down, straightened his collar, and his usual nonchalant smile returned. "I thought you were really going to throw me off this building."
"I should throw you down here." Fury sneered, pulled open a drawer, took out a tablet and threw it in front of Lin Xiao. " Tony Stark issued a statement yesterday saying that the batch of alloys has been sent into outer space by Rocket. Do you know what the entire intelligence community thinks of him?"
"A genius," Lin Xiao said.
Fury stared at Lin Xiao, his voice extremely low. "I want half of that stuff. I can pretend nothing happened."
Lin Xiao didn't respond immediately. He pulled out the chair opposite Fury and sat down, stretching his legs out naturally. He knew there were no "outsiders" in the office now, and the fact that Fury could negotiate behind closed doors meant there was still room for discussion. But while negotiation was important, nothing that needed to be fought for should be left out.
"Director, what do you need all that alloy for? To build tanks or satellites? Those guys in S.H.I.E.L.D..'s tech department can't even figure out my Blue Silver Grass. Giving them Uru Metal is like giving a monkey an MRI machine. Look at me, I fought a head-on battle with the Asgard and the Destroyer, and then spent an entire afternoon sitting in the desert with that pile of scrap metal. Who did I do this for? I did it for the honor of S.H.I.E.L.D.. And now, I've just gotten back, and they've already fined me four months' salary, and now they want half the fragment back. My heart is ice-cold."
Fury narrowed his one eye. Lin Xiao looked at him and continued, "However, I'm not heartless. If the director really wants it, I can get Tony to spare some, but you have to agree to one condition."
"Explain."
"I had Tony make a prosthetic eye for the director using Uru metal. It's not an ordinary prosthetic eye; it's equipped with a miniature ray emitter inside, with a power level slightly greater than a standard individual laser gun. In dangerous situations, you can shoot it out from your eye—it's more effective than a handgun. Otherwise, no one can tell. When you wear it, you'll look like... like a character straight out of a comic book."
Fury stared at him for a long time. His expression didn't change, but Lin Xiao noticed that his fingers on the armrest twitched slightly.
You think I'd care about that?
"If you don't mind, consider it my compensation. After all, I really caused Sitwell a lot of trouble and trouble for you this time. Consider this eye a small token of my appreciation to S.H.I.E.L.D.." Lin Xiao said earnestly, "Although our Vought Company is just starting out, we have Tony in terms of technology, Uru Metals in terms of materials, and me in terms of character. We can make an eye for the director, so we're not bad. If you feel bad about being too generous, you can consider giving me a promotion, how about that?"
Fury remained silent for a long while. Lin Xiao didn't urge him, just sat there, looking at half of Fury's face under the lamp. His single eye looked like a cold bullet in the dim light.
"Forget about the promotion," Fury finally spoke, his tone devoid of emotion. "I helped you suppress that issue not because of your worthless thing, but because someone up there is watching, and I also need to give the council an explanation."
Lin Xiao laughed, "As for the fake eye, just pretend I didn't say anything."
"What you just said was from the heart."
"I can't take back my feelings. But I won't haggle; I'll give it to you for free." Lin Xiao paused, then added, "However, I think the director will eventually realize that being friends with me, Lin Xiao, is more profitable than doing business with me."
Fury didn't reply. He leaned back in his chair, tapping his fingers lightly on the table. Just as he was about to say something, the encrypted phone on the table suddenly rang. Fury glanced at the caller ID, his expression changing slightly. He answered, listened for a few seconds, only uttered a soft "hmm," remained silent for a few more seconds, and finally said in a deep voice, "I understand."
After hanging up the phone, Fury's face was so dark it almost blended into the shadows of the room. He looked up at Lin Xiao, his eyes holding something Lin Xiao didn't want to guess.
Your father-in-law went to Brazil.
Lin Xiao was taken aback. "I have tons of fathers-in-law. There are ordinary people, police chiefs, warlords, and even mythical figures." He counted them, then suddenly stopped, his brows slowly furrowing. "Wait, Brazil? That must be Betty's father. Chief, what do you want me to do by telling me this?"
Fury leaned forward slightly, placing his hands crossed on the table. "How did you know I was talking about General Ross? You and I both know why he went to Brazil. Banner's affair has always been a thorn in his side; he probably got some information."
"I didn't say it, and neither did you." Lin Xiao stared at him, his smile somewhat enigmatic. "If both of you knew, it's not a guess."
Fury didn't deny it. He was silent for a few seconds, as if reassessing how much more the person in front of him was hiding.
Lin Xiao cut to the chase, "I know you've always been interested in Banner, but you couldn't get your hands on him. Now that Thaddeus Ross has personally gone down, it means the military isn't going to wait any longer. If I'm even a little slow, this green guy won't be yours."
Fury's eye twitched.
What do you want?
"Simple, I'll cooperate with you to find Banner. But I need you to sign two orders."
Which two?
"First, after this is over, S.H.I.E.L.D.. and the government will jointly issue a document officially appointing Dr. Banner as a special consultant to S.H.I.E.L.D.., with his identity publicly disclosed and protected by law. Second," Lin Xiao held up two fingers, "I want Vought Company and S.H.I.E.L.D.. to sign a strategic cooperation memorandum. Our legal status, operational authorization, and your so-called Avengers Initiative... we can discuss that later."
Fury's one eye widened suddenly. In that instant, Lin Xiao saw some very subtle emotions: surprise, wariness, and even a hint of admiration.
"Your Vought needs him too," Fury repeated, his tone no longer as composed as before. "You've had your eye on Banner for a while now."
"I have a lot of people on my radar." Lin Xiao stood up, straightened his cuffs, and smiled in a way that was both irritating and serious. "So, Chief, how about we take a gamble and see who's faster?"
The office remained quiet for a long time. The light filtering through the blinds had shifted, casting a slanted glow at Lin Xiao's feet. Fury didn't answer immediately; his fingers tapped unconsciously on the desk, the rhythm very light, as if he were calculating a very unfavorable account.
Finally, he slowly leaned back in his chair and squeezed out a sentence through gritted teeth:
"Deal. But you better not make me regret it."
Lin Xiao walked to the door, placed his hand on the doorknob, turned back and smiled at Fury, a smile that shone almost too brightly in the shadows:
"Chief, when have I ever made you regret it?"
The door closed softly behind him. Fury sat alone in the empty office, looking down at his one eye, then at the " Code of Conduct " that Lin Xiao had forgotten to take with him when he left. He slowly reached out and picked up the document, looking at the words on the first page. "No disrespect to superiors, no dereliction of duty, no lustful thoughts." He suddenly muttered a curse under his breath.
"Damn it."