That afternoon, when Lin Xiao brought Dr. Connors into the senior agents' recreation area on S.H.I.E.L.D.'s tenth floor, the atmosphere around them was exceedingly strange.
With all five of Lin Xiao's attributes enhanced, his eyesight and hearing had improved to a terrifying degree. He could even hear people whispering in an office ten meters away, faintly catching keywords like "flying Arab," "advertising space available," and "Director Fury passed out from anger twice."
Lin Xiao thought nothing of it. He patted Dr. Connors on the shoulder, making the doctor stagger half a step forward before catching himself against the wall.
"Don't be nervous," Lin Xiao said gently. "Our colleagues at S.H.I.E.L.D. are all very friendly. You'll be staying here from now on. It's much safer than outside."
Connors rubbed his shoulder and looked at the eyes peeking at them through the blinds on both sides of the corridor. The corner of his mouth twitched. Friendly? Why did they look at Lin Xiao as though he were a monster?
Just then, Coulson strode over from the end of the corridor. He wore a light gray suit today, his tie impeccably knotted, and held a tablet in one hand. His trademark nice-guy smile was on his face, but Lin Xiao kept feeling that something was off about him today.
"Lin Xiao." Coulson stopped in front of him, nodded to Dr. Connors first, then turned to Lin Xiao and lowered his voice considerably. "Be... careful today."
"Careful about what?"
"The director." Coulson paused, seemingly weighing his words. "When you flew over Queens this morning, his phone rang off the hook. Luckily, everything was suppressed, but the boss is furious right now. He's snapping at everyone and has shut himself in his office, refusing to see anyone."
Lin Xiao nodded without a change in expression. "Don't worry, boss. I know what I'm doing."
Coulson's smile didn't budge, but a trace of helplessness flashed through his eyes. He wanted to say more, but Lin Xiao had already reached out and patted his shoulder.
"Relax, boss. Once I go in, I guarantee I'll have him laughing."
Coulson looked down at his freshly patted shoulder, then back up at Lin Xiao. After a moment of silence, he stepped half a pace aside and gestured for him to proceed.
Lin Xiao pushed open the door to Fury's office.
Before the door was fully open, Fury's voice came from inside. It was neither loud nor soft, but every word pierced his eardrums with precision.
"Well, if it isn't our superhero. Super Earthling? What finally brought you back?"
Lin Xiao walked in and closed the door behind him. Fury sat behind his broad black desk, his hands folded on its surface, his bald head gleaming under the cold white overhead light. His one eye fixed on Lin Xiao with a gaze sharp enough to slice through steel.
"Do you know what would happen if an ordinary agent flaunted himself in public like that?" Fury's tone remained measured, but Lin Xiao noticed the almost imperceptible twitch at the corner of his mouth. "You'd have been locked up and court-martialed by now!"
Fury stood, planted both hands on the desk, and leaned forward slightly. Paired with his dark face, the posture was as intimidating as it got.
"Worst of all-you actually blocked me." He forced the words out between his teeth. "Do you have any respect for me as your director? I called you over a dozen times while you were flying around. Busy every time. What were you doing? Too busy waving at little girls down below?"
"And that middle schooler!" Fury slapped the desk, his voice suddenly rising several notches. "What was his name-Peter Parker? What did he tell the police when he stopped them? That Super Earthling was a superhero from the Middle East, here to maintain world peace and attract investment on the side? That people shouldn't be prejudiced against some masked Arab weirdo flying all over the place? Attract investment? Attract investment?!"
He practically roared those last words.
Without batting an eye, Lin Xiao walked over to the chair opposite Fury, sat down, crossed his legs, and picked at his ear.
Once Fury finished roaring, he flicked the stuff off his fingertip, looked up, and curled his lips into a smile.
"Are you finished, Director?"
Fury's one eye widened further.
"First, I left in a hurry today because there was an emergency, and I didn't bring my phone." Lin Xiao raised one finger. "I wasn't deliberately ignoring your calls. Think about it-even if I'd had my phone in my pocket, I wouldn't have heard it ringing while I was flying. The wind was so strong, all I could hear was whoosh-whoosh-around me. No ringtone could get through that."
The corner of Fury's mouth twitched.
"Second," Lin Xiao raised another finger, "everything I did today, from start to finish, was for S.H.I.E.L.D.'s benefit."
"For S.H.I.E.L.D.?" Fury repeated, his expression becoming quite a sight.
"Yes, for S.H.I.E.L.D.'s honor!" Lin Xiao nodded, his expression turning utterly serious. "And I've brought you something wonderful, too. Something so wonderful you'll eat two extra bowls of rice tonight."
He stood, walked to the entrance, and pulled open the door.
Dr. Connors stood outside, looking as nervous as an elementary schooler on his first day of school.
Lin Xiao pulled him inside, pressed him into the chair opposite Fury, and began recounting everything that had happened that day from beginning to end: who Dr. Connors was, how the Lizard Serum had come about, how heaven-defying the liquid remaining in that syringe was, why Kingpin had targeted the doctor, and how far the doctor's research had progressed.
Naturally, Lin Xiao didn't breathe a word about the minor detail that he had been the one to throw away that syringe.
As Fury listened, his initial "just you wait" expression slowly gave way to silent gravity. After Lin Xiao finished, Fury remained silent for a few seconds before pressing the phone on his desk.
"Technical department. Send two people over with a temporary residence form."
He released the button and turned to Dr. Connors, his tone becoming businesslike again. "Doctor, you'll stay at S.H.I.E.L.D. for the time being. Kingpin can't reach you here. If you need to conduct research, we'll provide resources and protection. Someone will discuss the details with you later."
Connors opened his mouth, wanting to express his thanks, but Lin Xiao interrupted before he could speak.
"Doctor, step outside for a moment. I still have a few things to discuss with the director."
Connors looked at Lin Xiao, then at Fury, wisely stood up, and hurried out of the office. The door closed softly behind him.
Silence returned to the office.
Lin Xiao leaned back in his chair with his legs crossed and looked at Fury. Fury looked back, his one eye brimming with the wary question, "What are you up to now?"
"Director, about what the doctor just said-that serum. Did you notice? He used only three drops of diluted liquid to create a serum that could regenerate lost limbs and turn someone into a three-meter-tall lizard. Just three drops."
Fury narrowed his eye and slowly spoke as he looked at Lin Xiao.
"Stop beating around the bush and talk! What exactly are you getting at?"
"Then have you considered something?" Lin Xiao leaned forward and lowered his voice a fraction, as though sharing an enormous secret. "The doctor only got the residual liquid inside that syringe. But General Ross's department took the needle itself for research. What does that mean?"
Fury's pupil contracted almost imperceptibly. Lin Xiao picked up the coffee cup on the desk, slowly took a sip, and continued:
"The doctor just told me he had the good fortune to see that thing. The needle pierced a military Humvee effortlessly, without any resistance. Think about it-what material was that needle made of? The military actually gave Connors the precious drug, but kept only the needle to research. And they've been studying it for so long. What if they really manage to get somewhere-"
He deliberately left the sentence unfinished and leaned back in his chair, looking at Fury with a harmless smile.
After a stretch of silence, Fury spoke.
"S.H.I.E.L.D. isn't in a position to intervene directly in military affairs."
Lin Xiao's smile grew even brighter.
He knew Fury was already tempted. He just needed a way to save face.
"Who said anything about intervening directly?" Lin Xiao spread his hands. "We could send a liaison officer. A friendly visit to strengthen ties and take a look at what they're researching while we're there. Think about it-how long has it been since S.H.I.E.L.D. and the military had a get-together? I'd be perfect. I'm handsome and distinguished, the face of S.H.I.E.L.D., and utterly loyal to you, boss. If they really have made a breakthrough, I'd be the first to bring back the news if I went. Even putting all that aside-don't you want to get your hands on that needle?"
Fury's expression grew visibly complicated. While listening to Lin Xiao, he had automatically filtered out bullshit like "handsome and distinguished," but if that needle really was as Lin Xiao described...
He stared at Lin Xiao for a long while, then squeezed out a few words through his teeth. "You want to go."
"I'm willing to ease the organization's burdens," Lin Xiao said, patting his chest.
The corner of Fury's mouth twitched. He turned his face away, his thoughts unknown.
Lin Xiao took it all in and chuckled inwardly. Time to add fuel to the fire.
"Director." He lowered his voice and leaned closer, his expression suddenly turning very sincere. "As far as I know, General Ross has a daughter named Betty, and she doesn't have a boyfriend yet. This trip wouldn't just be liaison work. Maybe I could pick up a girl while I'm there. If things worked out, she could put in a word for me. What do you think?"
Fury's mouth twitched. "What exactly are you after, telling me all this?"
Lin Xiao smiled faintly. "You know, going on this business trip and conducting an inspection will cost quite a bit..."
"Get out." Fury slammed the desk and roared.
"You got it."
Lin Xiao stood, walked to the door, then stopped again.
"Oh, right, Director. I made major contributions today. I resolved the Lizard Crisis, brought the doctor here, and supplied the intelligence. Isn't it time to pay out my bonus? And the operational funds for this trip to the military-as I just said, inspections cost money. A lot of money."
Fury didn't answer. He merely stared down at his desk, his shoulders trembling almost imperceptibly a few times.
Taking it all in, Lin Xiao nodded in satisfaction, pulled open the door, and walked out.
The instant the door closed behind him, a sharp crash came from inside the office as something struck the floor, accompanied by a curse uttered with extreme restraint:
"Motherfucker."
Coulson was still standing in the same spot in the corridor, his expression a mixture of concern and curiosity. When he saw Lin Xiao emerge, he stepped half a pace forward. "How did it go?"
"Done." Lin Xiao's lips curved as he draped an arm around Coulson's shoulders. "Boss, come over to my place tonight. I'll treat you to hot pot. I guarantee it'll be insanely good."
Coulson was pulled along for two steps before instinctively asking, "What kind of hot pot?"
"Cow cud hot pot. A Dragon Country specialty. Very nourishing." Lin Xiao gave him a thumbs-up. "Peter was drooling so hard he cried."