The awakening period for Mutants is generally during adolescence, which is the most active stage of human vitality, while physiologically and psychologically, they are in a corresponding state of instability. If they encounter some stimulation at this time, such as significant mental stimulation or physical stimulation like illness, there is a very small chance that the latent X gene within the body will be activated.
Many ordinary people are afraid of Mutants, which is completely unnecessary. In fact, research shows that ordinary people suspected of carrying the X gene account for eighty percent of all humanity." On the blackboard, Storm was vividly teaching her Mutant knowledge class.
Below, Lu Yifang was listening to the class with great interest. After the Abomination incident had fermented for a full week, he finally returned to the Academy as he wished.
Everything went smoothly, except for the fact that he now had to take an hour-long ride to school. Fortunately, classes in the U.S. start late, and there's no such thing as morning self-study, so Lu Yifang wasn't worried about being late.
Of course, even if he missed Cyclops' practical class this morning, it wouldn't matter. Storm's worries were definitely unnecessary; Cyclops would only turn a blind eye to Lu Yifang. After all, unlike Storm's theoretical class, having Cyclops and Logan teach a practical class to a student who could easily defeat Magneto would make them feel a bit insecure.
This also led to Lu Yifang genuinely preferring theoretical classes, not only because he was truly interested in this Mutant knowledge, but also because he didn't need to restrain his power like in practical classes.
While Lu Yifang was listening attentively, someone was staring at him, and these two people were friends Lu Yifang was very familiar with—Iceman Bobby and Pyro John.
When the afternoon class bell finally rang, as soon as Lu Yifang stepped out of the classroom, these two guys had already caught up.
"Dude, where have you been this week?" John ran over and patted Lu Yifang's shoulder.
"I found a good part-time job," Lu Yifang replied.
"Part-time job?" Bobby and John exchanged glances, both reading confusion in the other's eyes. They had never heard of Mutant Academy students going out to work part-time.
"Oh, right," Bobby also leaned in. "Yesterday, Teacher Storm came to our dorm and took away all your belongings. She also said you were a day student starting today. This is absolutely ridiculous! I've never heard of our school having day-..."
"But it's really true," Lu Yifang looked back at Bobby, then said earnestly.
"Bobby, you should believe what the teacher says."
Looking at Lu Yifang's serious face, Bobby fell silent. Damn it, can you blame me for not believing the teacher? You're the one who's too strange, okay? A Mutant Academy student who can go out and find a part-time job and doesn't live at the school – if you told someone, would they dare believe it? Among the students of Mutant Academy over the years, you're probably the only one this bizarre.
We're both Mutant Academy students, and I want to report you! Your style is clearly different from ours.
"Any other questions? I'm leaving now," Lu Yifang turned at the end of the corridor and looked at Bobby and John.
"Yes, I have one more question," Bobby said, but his face hesitated, as if unsure whether to ask.
"What were you doing when you went out that night?" Finally, Bobby chose a compromise, beating around the bush, and he believed Lu Yifang would understand what he meant.
Regarding the Abomination incident, although S.H.I.E.L.D. had tried their best to hide the truth, urban legends still existed, such as 'a Mutant who claimed to be an absolute powerhouse killed the Abomination'.
Although these legends were just speculation, a straightforward guy like John might just glance at them to pass the time and then forget. But Bobby kept it in mind. Lu Yifang wasn't in the dorm on the night of the Liberty Island incident, and he personally saw Lu Yifang rushing towards the city center at a terrifying speed during the Abomination incident.
In both of these events, there was a mysterious and powerful Mutant present. Combined with Lu Yifang's consistent mysteriousness in his mind, Bobby couldn't help but suspect Lu Yifang's identity.
"That night, I went to save someone," Lu Yifang replied.
"So, are you really..." Bobby pressed.
"Well, you guess," Lu Yifang said, patting Bobby's shoulder, and then strode out of the school gate under his somewhat stunned gaze.
Standing at the school gate, Lu Yifang glanced in the direction of his home, and finally turned his gaze to the other side.
"It's still early, no rush to go home. Let's go to S.H.I.E.L.D. first."
···········
Half an hour later, Lu Yifang was standing in front of the S.H.I.E.L.D. building, but he didn't go to find Fury to ask about his job; instead, he headed towards the recuperation area.
After easily navigating a few turns, Lu Yifang finally stood before a door. Taking a deep breath, Lu Yifang knocked.
"Come in," a girl's voice came from behind the door.
"Hey, how are you feeling today?" Lu Yifang smiled and opened the door.
On the white bed, a pale-faced brown-haired girl turned her head and smiled when she saw that the visitor was Lu Yifang.
"I feel pretty good. The Doctor said I was very lucky; the rusty iron didn't injure my internal organs, and I'm recovering well after the surgery. I can get out of bed in a few more days. If all goes well, I can be discharged next month," the girl explained with a smile.
"That's good news. It seems that Doctor's skill is quite good," Lu Yifang nodded, then took an apple from the fruit basket nearby and slowly began to peel it.
"No, the Doctor said I should thank the person who brought me here," the girl said, blinking at Lu Yifang.
"The Doctor said when he first saw me, he judged from the bleeding caused by such a large wound that I definitely wouldn't survive half an hour. And what injured me was rusty iron. He said he was originally prepared for a super long major surgery, but the fact was that when he entered the operating room, he found my abdominal cavity was very clean, which allowed him to finish the surgery in less than two hours."
"Thank you!" the girl said gratefully.
"Thank me for what, Katie? Aren't we friends?" Lu Yifang waved his hand casually and lowered his head to continue peeling the apple. Lu Yifang's technique was good; he had already peeled a long, continuous strip.
"Just friends?" the girl spoke softly at this moment.
"Plop!" The apple peel fell to the ground. Lu Yifang was startled for a moment, then raised his head to look at Katie.
Looking into the girl's eyes, the atmosphere suddenly changed. Although Lu Yifang was a newbie with no experience, he wasn't some brainless male lead from a harem anime. With a normal brain and emotional intelligence, he naturally understood the implication.
In an instant, Lu Yifang felt his mind explode, and the blood in his chest surged violently. Licking his somewhat dry lips, Lu Yifang felt he should say something.
"I... Single dogs don't want dog food... What the hell?" Lu Yifang took out his phone, which had suddenly started playing a song. Someone was calling him.
At this moment, he had the urge to smash the phone directly. Who the heck was messing with him? Of course, after taking a deep breath, Lu Yifang ultimately didn't throw it away.
This wasn't because it was a new phone he had just gotten yesterday, but because it was a special S.H.I.E.L.D. phone. Besides Fury, Professor X, and a very few others, no one else knew the number.
Therefore, Lu Yifang had to answer it. What if something important came up?
"Sorry, I'm going out to take a call," Lu Yifang looked apologetically at Katie.
"Here, I'll be right back," handing the peeled apple to Katie, Lu Yifang quickly walked out.
Watching Lu Yifang leave the room, a hint of regret flashed in Katie's eyes, but it quickly disappeared. She wasn't a girl who would feel sorry for herself.
Although there was an unexpected interruption this time, she would find another opportunity next time. After walking along the edge of Death, Katie had come to understand many things.
She was just a bit introverted, not a timid or hesitant girl. Since she had already decided, she would resolutely pursue it.
Of course, Katie wasn't entirely without worries. In this regard, her only fear was that she would become a burden to Lu Yifang. Seeing Lu Yifang's anxious look when she was half-conscious and half-awake before, she was very touched, but she didn't want such a thing to happen again.
"Power, I don't want to make him worry because I'm injured again," Katie murmured to herself.
"Bang!" In the instant Katie was lost in thought, the apple she was holding suddenly passed directly through her hand and fell to the ground.
Ch 38
At the S.H.I.E.L.D. office, Fury was handling documents. Because of the Abomination, the Military had suffered a huge loss of face and were now distancing themselves from each other, especially cutting ties with General Ross.
While the top brass of the Military were busy blaming each other, they naturally had no energy to deal with the severe aftermath left by the Abomination. Therefore, the task of cleaning up this mess naturally fell to S.H.I.E.L.D..
Of course, this was also related to Fury proactively stepping up to take responsibility. Although cleaning up after the Military almost drove Fury crazy with work, Fury would not miss such an opportunity to suppress the Military and increase S.H.I.E.L.D.'s authority.
Effort and reward are proportional. At least the next time Fury felt he needed to ask the World Security Council for money and personnel, he would be more confident.
Knock, knock! A knock sounded, and Fury looked up to see Coulson already standing at the door.
"Ah, it's Coulson. Come in," Fury leaned back and put down the documents in his hand.
"Is there anything you need to report? I'm just about finished with these documents."
"Nothing specific, Director Fury," Coulson walked over and neatly placed the large pile of documents he was holding onto the desk.
"Hill just asked me to help deliver some documents. She hopes you can handle them as soon as possible."
"Damn it, these are all... why are there still so many?" Looking at the pile of documents nearly half a meter high, Fury felt an urge to flip the desk.
"Where is Hill? With the confidentiality level of these documents, she could handle them entirely with her Level 9 clearance. Why send them here?" Fury frowned as he glanced at the documents.
"I've noticed her work efficiency has significantly dropped these past few days. Now it's gotten better, she's just not working at all. This isn't right, something is going to happen, and someone will have to be responsible in the future," Fury said, tapping on the desk.
"Hill, she..." Looking at the displeased Fury, Coulson hesitated for a moment before saying, "Hill is having her time of the month, so she took today off. And she also asked me to request tomorrow and the day after off for her."
Fury: "...Damn it!"
At this moment, Fury was slumped in his chair, feeling completely drained.
"Has Lu Yifang come to S.H.I.E.L.D.?" No longer wanting to think about these endless documents, Fury felt he should appropriately shift his attention.
"Lu Yifang is currently at S.H.I.E.L.D.," Coulson replied.
"Where is he now?" Fury asked with some curiosity. Although Lu Yifang was nominally in an anti-Hulk emergency response team and held the title of Captain.
But the decision for this matter was made too hastily, and the actual structure and formation hadn't been finalized yet. Therefore, besides having a S.H.I.E.L.D. title and receiving a S.H.I.E.L.D. salary.
He was essentially a free agent. At S.H.I.E.L.D., he had no direct superior, no office, and no colleagues. So, what should he be doing now?
"I think he's in the recuperation area," Coulson said after recalling for a moment.
"Why would a normal person go to the recuperation area?" Fury asked, somewhat puzzled.
"It's probably because..." Coulson's tone paused. He really wanted to say, 'How would I know? You've given me so many tasks these past few days, I'm already swamped. Do you want me to add another task of constantly monitoring Lu Yifang's movements?'
'Do you think I'm the Flash from the comics, or can I use Multiple Shadow Clones? (Huh! When did I watch that Japanese anime? Maybe I've been doing too many missions and forgot.)'
Of course, Coulson only said these things in his mind. After all, his promotion application was still in this person's hands. Forced by authority, Coulson could only bow his head to the bald big shot.
"It's probably because everything in the recuperation area is provided for free," Coulson guessed, recalling the scene he had seen earlier.
"What?" Fury was startled when he heard this. In his mind, a scene involuntarily appeared.
By a swimming pool, Lu Yifang was lying on a chair, under a sun umbrella, leisurely drinking a beverage and eating peeled fruit.
As soon as he thought of this, Fury couldn't sit still. Damn it, he was working himself to death right now, almost needing an oxygen tube just to lie there and breathe.
That guy, on the other hand, not only did nothing but was actually enjoying S.H.I.E.L.D.'s benefits. And the most hateful thing was that this freeloading guy had previously opened his mouth wide and shamelessly asked for a monthly salary of fifty thousand U.S. dollars.
It was too outrageous, unacceptable. S.H.I.E.L.D. absolutely would not allow such an awesome existence. He had to find something for this guy to do.
"Immediately, right now, call that guy in front of me," Fury shouted angrily at Coulson.
"Understood, Director Fury," Seeing Fury in a fit of anger, Coulson immediately took out his phone and dialed Lu Yifang's number. The call connected quickly, but it was constantly busy.
'I hope this kid answers quickly,' Coulson secretly prayed for Lu Yifang in his heart, 'When Fury gets angry, the consequences are serious.'
And perhaps Coulson's prayer worked, as the phone connected the next moment.
"Lu Yifang, you..."
"What 'you'? State your name and give me a convincing reason in three seconds, otherwise I'll let you know the consequences are severe!!!" Coulson's words were interrupted by an even more furious voice.
That voice, carrying endless anger and resentment, completely surpassed Fury's. For some reason, hearing this voice reminded Coulson of a time when he was halfway through a date and Fury forcibly canceled his leave.
"I am Coulson, Director Fury asked me to call you. I'll hand the phone to him now." Although he didn't know why Lu Yifang was so angry, Coulson wisely shifted the blame to Fury.
"Hello!" The oblivious Fury had already taken the phone.
"Baldy, what the hell do you want?!"
"Damn, damn, damn!!" Fury was instantly enraged. This was the first time someone dared to speak to him like this. Kid, you're looking for trouble.
But he was S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Director Fury after all, and he had that much composure. He naturally wouldn't do something as undignified as arguing back and forth with Lu Yifang. Moreover, he could tell that Lu Yifang seemed truly furious.
This left Fury a bit bewildered. What was going on? He just asked Coulson to make a phone call. Did it interrupt some major life event for him? Was it worth getting this angry? He could hear the gnashing of teeth through the phone.
Regardless, it was better to see the guy in person first.
"I don't care what you're doing, come see me immediately~ right now," Fury said coldly, then slammed the phone onto the desk and hung up.
As S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Director Fury, even if he was talked back to, he couldn't let his imposing manner weaken.
Meanwhile, Coulson, who was watching this scene, immediately twitched his face. It wasn't from being shaken by Fury's aura, but because... that phone was his.
On the other side, Lu Yifang looked at the hung-up phone, and after sighing, he finally turned back to say something to Katie, then turned and headed towards Fury's office.
Ch 39
Inside Director Fury's S.H.I.E.L.D. office, Fury and Lu Yifang were staring at each other, eye to eye. Although neither spoke, a subtle tension filled the entire office. This made Coulson, who was standing by, feel uneasy, wondering if he should find an opportunity to slip away. But he didn't dare move easily, worried that his actions might break the delicate balance.
Fury clenched his fist, then relaxed it. He was really getting a headache from this new troublemaker.
If it were anyone else, Fury would have exploded long ago. You dare to challenge me after joining my S.H.I.E.L.D.? Do you know who the boss is? Do you know the surname of the head of S.H.I.E.L.D.?
But Fury didn't dare to do that easily with Lu Yifang, because he was worried that as soon as he tried to "educate" Lu Yifang, Professor X would bring a group of X-Men and block the office door.
"What's wrong with taking some of your fruit and drinks? Why should my Lu Yifang let you educate him? Are you trying to cause trouble? Lu Yifang, let's go. We shouldn't do this crappy part-time job."
Just thinking about this scene gave Fury a bigger headache. Having powerful in-laws who are also protective is truly annoying.
In fact, Fury still underestimated Professor X's magnanimity. Is he the kind of person who thinks about fighting and killing all day? At most, he would feel a little unhappy, and then, when he had time to chat with Magneto one day, he would accidentally let it slip.
As for whether the hot-tempered Magneto would carry a nuclear bomb and barge into S.H.I.E.L.D. to have a frank conversation with Fury, fully exchange opinions, and while enhancing mutual communication, still maintain reservations...
...that's not something he can control. Professor X stated that he doesn't know anything!
At this moment, after weighing the situation, Fury finally decided not to bother with childish behavior and focused on the important matter.
"Lu Yifang, do you know Tony Stark?"
"Is there anyone in the entire New York City who doesn't know this super rich second generation?" Lu Yifang rolled his eyes and said grumpily.
"The news two days ago said he disappeared in the Middle East. Is that true?" Lu Yifang naturally knew that Tony had really disappeared and was kidnapped by Terrorists. At this moment, he was holed up in some unknown small coal mine making the Mark I.
He was just going along with Fury's words to avoid causing a misunderstanding.
"In fact, Tony disappeared more than two months ago. We originally planned to seal off the information, create the illusion that Tony Stark was still active in the Middle East, and then secretly send out elite troops to search for Tony Stark, but unfortunately, someone secretly leaked this news." Fury's face darkened as he spoke.
"Now Stark Industries' stock has plummeted, the company is in chaos, and the major shareholders seem to be getting restless."
"Oh." Lu Yifang casually leaned his head back on his hands and responded, indicating that he knew.
"What does the current state of chaos at Stark Industries have to do with you? Did you buy Stark Industries stock?" Lu Yifang looked at Fury.
"Uh, I bought a little a while ago because the market looked good," Fury nodded subconsciously.
"So it hit the limit down and you're trapped," Lu Yifang's eyes showed sympathy and pity.
"Do I need your pity? Wait, that's not the point. Do you think I called you here because I'm distressed about that little bit of stock money?" Fury slapped the table.
"Then why aren't you thinking about wearing your underwear outside to save the World instead of caring about a rich second generation's whereabouts? Are you very idle?"
"Idle my ass." Fury had an urge to flip the table. Do you think everyone is like you? I've been busy as a dog these past few days, staying up late and working overtime every day, even getting dark circles... Uh, something seems off.
Shaking his head and suppressing the strange feeling in his heart, Fury had to admit that this kid's terrible mouth was really good at provoking hatred.
"So someone used their connections to ask you to look after Tony Stark," Lu Yifang continued.
"That's not wrong to say," Fury nodded.
Tony Stark is not an ordinary rich second generation. His father, Howard Stark, was one of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s founders, although he is already dead. But another S.H.I.E.L.D. founder who was good friends with Howard, Peggy Carter, also watched Tony grow up. Nominally, Peggy Carter should be considered Tony's aunt.
Therefore, part of the reason Fury is putting effort into finding Tony is indeed related to Carter's phone call.
"Dirty backdoor deal." Lu Yifang snorted softly and turned his head away.
"That's enough," Fury growled. Damn it, didn't I just make a phone call to you? Do you need to hold a grudge for so long? What can this little bit of time delay? Can it delay you getting out of being single or leaving a group?
"Alright, you continue. I won't talk too much." After arguing with Fury for so long, Lu Yifang's anger had mostly subsided, and his expression finally became serious.
"Actually, the connection between Stark Industries and S.H.I.E.L.D. is much deeper than you imagine." Seeing this, Fury also sat down and began to explain the reason.
As everyone knows, major sectors in the United States, such as finance and oil, are controlled by various capitalist magnates. The arms industry is the same, and Stark Industries is a giant in the military industry, possessing top-notch military technology that even the U.S. Government doesn't have. Therefore, the U.S. Government orders many weapons from Stark Industries.
And S.H.I.E.L.D. is the same. Because the former head of Stark Industries, Howard Stark, was one of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s founders, most of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s weapons are almost all supplied by Stark Industries.
Just a while ago, the Airborne Aircraft Carrier ordered a batch of parts from Stark Industries for maintenance, and two of the four flight propellers had been removed. Now that Stark Industries is in chaos, how could Fury, whose construction period was suddenly delayed, not have a headache?
Therefore, just for his awesome carrier that can fly into the sky, Fury would turn the entire Middle East upside down to find Tony Stark.
"I see. So what do you need me for? You can't possibly want me to go to the Middle East to find someone, can you? Let me tell you, I still have classes every day, and you should also know that not only will I not agree, but Professor X would absolutely not let me go to the Middle East either," Lu Yifang said, spreading his hands.
"I naturally know that. In fact, I just want you to go find Professor X. I remember he has something called Cerebro," Fury stated his purpose.
If it were in the past, even if Fury thought of Professor X, he would definitely not go to him. But now it's different, because he has already established contact with Professor X.
In fact, Fury wanted to get in touch with Professor X's faction of moderate Mutants a long time ago. After all, superpowered individuals like the X-Men are a considerable force. And even if they couldn't be brought under his command, becoming external support was a good option. Now, he has finally established the link between himself and Professor X—Lu Yifang.
Although dealing with the Hulk was also a reason, in Fury's opinion, this was the true value-for-money usage of Lu Yifang.
"I know what you mean," Lu Yifang shook his head upon hearing this.
"Unfortunately, the Professor cannot do what you want."
Ch 40
Professor X can easily find Mutants because the brainwaves of Mutants are different from ordinary people. This difference is easily detected and located by the Professor.
Therefore, relying on Cerebro, Professor X can locate Mutants globally, but ordinary people are different. Putting aside the brainwave issue, just look at the number. Can the number of Mutants be compared to ordinary people?
The most important thing is that Professor X has never even met Tony. He doesn't even know what Tony's brainwaves are like. He can only locate individuals in the Middle East and search for them one by one. Think about the enormous workload.
Tsk tsk! If you say this to Professor X, he might glare, jump out of his wheelchair, grab the wheelchair, and give your head a blessing.
Damn it, I am the dignified Professor X. Do you think I am a search computer in the library?!
"I see." Hearing this, Fury sighed.
However, this was also expected. Thinking that Professor X could find Tony like this, then Fury might have to consider increasing the danger level of Professor X.
"Lu Yifang, you can find Mystique, right?" Fury changed the subject and continued to ask Lu Yifang.
"Huh?" Hearing this, Lu Yifang couldn't help but be stunned.
"Don't play dumb. Last week, Mystique snuck into S.H.I.E.L.D. to see you. If you say you don't have contact information with her, do you think I'll believe it?" Fury said with an unchanged expression.
"What do you want to find Mystique for? Did you lose face last time and want to get it back? Even if I don't get along with her, I can't betray her. In this regard, anything you say is useless, not even a raise." Lu Yifang shook his head firmly.
"You're thinking too much." Fury shook his head. "Mystique being able to sneak into S.H.I.E.L.D. only shows that S.H.I.E.L.D.'s security is not yet perfect. Although I also thought about meeting her, it's not now. What I want to do is have her pretend to be Tony."
Hearing Fury's words, Lu Yifang frowned. "What's the point of this?"
"Very meaningful." Fury smiled meaningfully.
First of all, the return of "Tony" will undoubtedly quickly quell the internal conflicts of Stark Industries and get Stark Industries back on track. Then his Fury's Airborne Aircraft Carrier will have hope of being maintained and launched on schedule.
In addition to this, another important function is naturally to flush out the snake. This time, whether it was Tony's whereabouts being exposed in the Middle East and being kidnapped by Terrorists, or someone deliberately leaking the news of Tony's disappearance.
They all reveal the information that someone is playing tricks in the dark. And now Fury is making a "Tony" come out. He doesn't believe that the guy in the dark will not reveal a single clue when faced with this sudden situation.
And with S.H.I.E.L.D.'s methods, even if they can't catch the mastermind, there is a high chance of knowing where the real Tony is.
"Although I can contact Mystique, do you think she will believe you?" Lu Yifang spread his hands and said.
"Of course she won't believe me, but that doesn't matter. She believes Magneto, and she believes you, that's enough." Fury said, and the look in his eyes when he looked at Lu Yifang became meaningful.
It was like saying; "Little fellow, are you underestimating me? The half-century long love-hate relationship between Professor X and Magneto, do you think I haven't smelled the sour and rotten scent yet? You know, when I joined the group, you didn't even know where you were. And given the importance Professor X attaches to you, it would be strange if there wasn't something fishy with Magneto."
"Okay, since you've said so, I have nothing to say." Lu Yifang admitted frankly, and then extended a hand to Fury.
"Give it to me."
"Give you what?" Fury was stunned when he saw this.
Lu Yifang immediately rolled his eyes when he heard this. "Of course, it's money. First, this is not within my job scope. Second, don't I need to pay for you to ask someone?"
"Is Mystique short of money?" Fury countered Lu Yifang contemptuously.
"You can tell Mystique that after this matter, all her criminal records at S.H.I.E.L.D. will be revoked. As long as she doesn't cause trouble, I won't look for her trouble. Isn't this condition more attractive than money?"
"Damn, there's even this kind of operation!" Lu Yifang couldn't help but widen his eyes. This was not what he expected.
"Mystique is covered, what about me? You asked me to invite someone, and you're using my credibility as a guarantee. The intermediary fee is this number, you figure it out yourself." Lu Yifang said, holding out a finger.
One million! Fury almost flipped the table when he saw this. Why don't you just rob someone? But the moment Fury was about to get angry, his strong psychological quality calmed him down.
Wait, did I misunderstand something? Thinking this, Fury began to size up Lu Yifang again. After suffering a loss last time, he specifically went to learn about Lu Yifang's information.
This kid was just an orphan in a welfare home a month ago, and had never seen a stack of hundred-dollar bills. Even if his mentality has changed after awakening his ability, there is still a gradual process.
Although some people become very arrogant after becoming strong in a short period of time, talking about making hundreds of millions, in fact, such an idiot doesn't even know how to spend a million dollars, and Fury believes that Lu Yifang is not such an unrealistic person. So in an instant, Fury came to a conclusion, this kid is not pretending to be rich, how could he possibly need to shout out this number.
"So... I cannot accept the price of one hundred thousand US dollars." Fury stood up and roared, slamming the table. He just wanted Mystique to show her face.
Damn it, just showing her face costs one hundred thousand US dollars, that's so awesome, why don't you go buy fresh meat in China?
Although S.H.I.E.L.D. is wealthy, it is also watched by its backer, the World Security Council. Every month's expenditures must be accounted for. While spending money that is clearly not clearly accounted for is allowed, it should definitely be as little as possible.
Therefore, there is a reason why Fury is known as a stingy iron rooster.
"What did you just say?" Lu Yifang's eyes flashed.
Looking at Lu Yifang's appearance, Fury couldn't help but feel a lump in his heart. Damn, did I overestimate this kid's bottom line again?
Feeling that something was wrong, Fury wanted to change his words, but it was too late. It could be seen that Lu Yifang's eyes had already lit up, and in his shining eyes, Fury seemed to read the three big words "Rich Master".
"Okay, since you've said so, I'll reluctantly accept the price of one hundred thousand. It can't be lowered anymore." Lu Yifang said, patting the table.
"Don't even think about it, this price..."
So after a fierce negotiation and bargaining, Lu Yifang took the six-thousand receipt issued by Fury and went to the finance department contentedly. The reason why he could accept this price was not because he was afraid of Fury arguing with him, but because with this money, it was almost enough.
At this time, Fury in the office was slumped in his chair in a Ge You paralysis posture. After working overtime for several days in a row, he originally wanted to change jobs, but after arguing with Lu Yifang, Fury felt even more exhausted.
Staring at the half-meter high stack of documents on the table, Fury suddenly saw a document about Lu Yifang placed in front of it. Looking at the smiling picture of Lu Yifang on the document, Fury immediately felt a surge of anger and threw the document away.
"Did this kid fall into a money pit? What does he want so much money for?" Fury remembered that it had only been a few days since he had advanced two months' salary, and now this again. How could Fury not be angry?
"Officer, as far as I know, Lu Yifang is indeed a bit short of money right now." At this time, Coulson, who had been standing silently on the side without speaking, suddenly spoke out.
"How so?" Fury couldn't help but look at Coulson. At this time, he just remembered that Coulson hadn't left yet.
"Because Lu Yifang's account has been under monitoring, I know a little about this. A part of the advanced ten thousand US dollars was used by Lu Yifang to pay for that girl's medical expenses."
Fury frowned when he heard this. "That girl is now lying in the S.H.I.E.L.D. recuperation area, isn't the medical expense free?"
"Officer, the so-called free is only for S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents. Although the initial surgery fee for that girl has been categorized as mission funds, the subsequent recuperation and hospitalization fees still need to be paid." Coulson explained patiently.
"What about the other part of the money?" Fury quickly asked.
"It was anonymously sent by Lu Yifang to the welfare home, the one he stayed in until he was an adult. That welfare home suffered a lot of damage during the Abomination, and it was already dilapidated, so it urgently needed a considerable amount of cash.
And Lu Yifang had already noticed this problem last time, and I think he should also know that the money here is the cleanest earned income."
"This kid..." Listening to Coulson's explanation, Fury's mouth opened, but he didn't know what to say.
"Officer, you're right, this is a stubborn and persistent little guy." Coulson echoed.
Fury was silent. After a while, he silently left his chair and personally picked up the discarded document.
"Coulson, the task I gave you." Fury suddenly spoke.
"Change the information about that girl's injury to mission accidental injury. If I remember correctly, according to the regulations, her medical expenses should be completely free this way, right?"
"Your memory is really good, Officer." Coulson's mouth curved slightly, revealing his signature smile.
Ch 41
Contacting Mystique by phone was indeed a simple matter for Lu Yifang, and although Mystique didn't particularly care for Lu Yifang, her loyalty to Magneto was genuine.
Therefore, although Mystique frowned upon hearing Lu Yifang's request, she still agreed because of Magneto's previous command.
After this, Fury arranged the stage and had Mystique appear as Tony. Of course, it was just a secret appearance, merely meeting with the so-called major shareholders, and not holding a press conference in front of the public. Even so, Mystique's appearance was only for a short while, and she left quickly. This was naturally intentional on Fury's part; only by mixing truth and falsehood could he make the people in the shadows more restless.
Of course, Lu Yifang did not participate in the subsequent events, as something that concerned him even more had completely captured his attention.
"What? You've awakened and become a Mutant!" Lu Yifang looked at the girl on the hospital bed in disbelief.
"Probably, I don't know what happened?" Katie said, reaching her hand towards the cabinet beside the bed, and then, under Lu Yifang's gaze, her hand passed through it.
"You really awakened an ability." Lu Yifang said, grabbing Katie's hand. At first, there was a sense of substance, but the next moment, the hand passed through Lu Yifang's hand like a holographic image.
Although surprised, Lu Yifang calmed down after a while. Mutant awakenings were completely unpredictable. Some people specifically participated in experiments, were tortured to death by various drugs, and finally awakened tragically after almost being cremated and disfigured, while others might awaken just by sneezing or taking a nap.
"This ability is... Phantom Cat!" Lu Yifang blurted out after a moment of silence.
"Phantom Cat, what is that? A title? It sounds quite good." Katie asked curiously.
"Since you like it, I'll give it to you. Every Mutant has a title named after their ability in addition to their own name, and many Mutants even consider this name their true name." Lu Yifang explained, his gaze towards Katie somewhat complicated at this moment.
He knew the Phantom Cat's name was Katie, but he didn't expect this Katie to be the Katie he knew. Obviously, this differed somewhat from the plot in his memory, but after the Liberty Island incident, he would truly be foolish if he relied 100% on the plot.
A butterfly flapping its wings can still potentially cause a hurricane, let alone a World where the X-Men and Avengers are integrated. Such variables are perfectly normal.
"Then I won't be polite and will accept it. I really like the name Phantom Cat." Katie laughed happily.
However, just as she was about to say something more, she suddenly let out a muffled groan and quickly withdrew her hand as if shocked by electricity.
"What's wrong?" Lu Yifang quickly asked. Just now, he suddenly felt that his ability had automatically activated.
"Sorry, that was an involuntary reflex just now, I couldn't control it. Are You okay?"
"No, I'm the one who should apologize. I shouldn't have touched You just now. I can't control my ability for the time being. Fortunately, You're not afraid of my ability, otherwise, I'd probably blame myself for the rest of my life." Katie said, lifting the sheet, and under it, the sheet had many finger-shaped holes.
"You made these while testing your ability?" Lu Yifang looked at Katie in surprise.
This secretly startled him, and he couldn't help but sigh that it was indeed a spatial ability. As long as one could phase through objects and then restore their physical form, they could destroy those objects. It was truly overbearing.
If Lu Yifang's reflex hadn't automatically activated just now, deflecting Katie's solidifying hand in an instant, his hand would probably have been severed by Katie's hand.
"Every newly awakened Mutant is the same, You don't need to rush. This is your ability, just like birds are born with the talent to fly. As long as You take your time, You will gain control of it." Lu Yifang comforted her.
He knew that Katie's ability was far more than just this. As long as she continued to grow, she might even touch upon the realm of time.
"Then can I also go to that Mutant Academy?" Katie asked.
"Of course You can. Professor X and the others are good people; they will definitely welcome You. And with the help of the experienced Professor X, You should be able to become familiar with your ability quickly." Lu Yifang said with a serious expression.
So for the rest of the time, he began explaining about the Mutant Academy to Katie.
...
In a military Base in the suburbs of New York, an air force transport plane landed safely. A man who looked extremely tired was helped down from the plane by another Black military officer.
At this moment, the man looked at everything before him, his eyes filled with confusion. A feeling as if he had been separated from the World for ages welled up, as if everything he had encountered before in the Middle East was a dream.
But the cold, hard thing in his chest reminded him that this nightmare was real, and it affected not only his body but also his heart, making it forever difficult for him to forget.
The period of captivity wasn't long, but it had permanently changed his beliefs and what he had originally adhered to. He was Tony Stark, but no longer the Tony Stark he used to be.
While Tony was in a daze, a blonde beauty with slightly red eyes had already walked over.
Looking at the familiar Woman dressed as a secretary before him, his heart couldn't help but warm up at this moment, and a very complex emotion flooded his heart.
"Your eyes are red, You've been crying for your boss who's been missing for so long." Although he had a lot to say in his heart, it came out as this sentence.
His tone was flat, lacking some of the usual flamboyance and flashiness compared to the past, but with more genuine emotion.
"They are tears of joy, I don't want to lose my job." Pepper Potts wiped her eyes and said in a tsundere tone.
"Alright then, your vacation is over." Tony smiled and stepped forward into the car.
"To the hospital." Pepper, who got in after him, said to the driver.
"I don't want to go to the hospital."
"Stop messing around, Tony, You must now..."
"Nothing is a must." Tony said, turning his gaze to Pepper.
"I've been held captive for nearly three months. There are only two things I want to do most right now. One is to eat a U.S. cheeseburger, and the other is..."
"No!" Pepper immediately refused. Knowing Tony well, she had already guessed that her philandering boss, after a brush with death, must be thinking about pool parties again.
However, this time she was wrong. After being held captive for these three months, the person before her was vastly different from the Tony Stark in her impression.
"I want to hold a press conference immediately." Tony said with extreme seriousness.
Half an hour later, Tony arrived at the prepared press conference venue as he wished. As soon as he got out of the car, a bald old man with a White beard came to greet him. He was the second-in-command of Stark Industries and Tony's close uncle Obadiah.
"Tony, I thought You'd go to the hospital." Obadiah said, hugging Tony.
"No, I'm fine." Tony said, taking the hamburger handed to him by an assistant, and strode into the press conference venue.
Looking at the crowd of reporters waiting for big news, Tony sat down on the press conference steps without any regard for his image and started biting into the hamburger.
"Can everyone please sit down? This way You can see me, and I can be less formal."
Looking at Tony, who completely disregarded his image, and his strange reason, the reporters hesitated for a moment before all squatting down. After all, this genius and rich second generation was known for his eccentric personality, so nothing he did was surprising.
"It's good to see You." Tony said, looking at Obadiah.
"I didn't even have a chance to see my father, so there are some questions I can no longer ask him. I really want to ask him now how he felt about what he did for the company, if he was ever lost, if he ever doubted." Tony said, his voice filled with deep resentment towards his father. Whether in memory or now, that man always disappointed him time and again.
"I saw many young U.S. compatriots killed by the weapons I manufactured to protect them. I realized I had become a part of this system..."
As Tony spoke, he became immersed in his memories. The reporters and the spacious press conference venue before him began to disappear. In a trance, he felt as if he was back in that despair-inducing dark cave. In his sight were arrogant Terrorists, weak women and children crying softly, and various weapons bearing the Stark Industries logo around the Terrorists.
He seemed to see the Doctor who saved him again, watching him die in his arms with a face full of regret and unwillingness. All of this gave Tony a sense of suffocation.
Closing his eyes, Tony fell silent. A few seconds later, when he opened his eyes again, his gaze had become firm.
"So~ I'm going to close down Stark International's weapons manufacturing division!"
Ch 42
Stark Industries actually plans to close its weapons division, haha, let's see what happens to Stark Industries?" In the video, a program host with extremely exaggerated expressions and actions is giving his opinion on the show.
He placed a cup on the table, then took out a baseball bat, and smashed the cup on the table with one swing.
"This is the fate of a weapons dealer who doesn't sell weapons," the host concluded with a determined look.
"Sigh!" Director Fury sighed, turning off the video. At this moment, he truly felt exhausted; these guys were more troublesome than the last.
"Your complexion isn't very good. It seems our 'Stark' gave You quite a surprise," a slightly teasing voice said at this moment.
"You're here," Director Fury said, looking up and seeing Lu Yifang standing before him.
"What, regretting it a bit? After all, without You, Tony Stark wouldn't have been rescued so easily." Lu Yifang knew that if it weren't for Director Fury staging a play with Mystique, which exposed the mastermind and led to the successful monitoring of a suspicious communication.
Through tracing the communication, the U.S. troops stationed in the Middle East were able to find Tony so quickly in that area. It is imaginable that without Director Fury's intelligence, even if Tony had managed to escape the Terrorists' cave with great difficulty, he might have died in the desert before the U.S. military found him.
"Not at all," Director Fury shook his head. Although Tony's sudden decision to close Stark Industries' weapons manufacturing department surprised Director Fury, it was only a surprise.
Although Stark Industries appears to be a large corporation spanning multiple fields, more than ninety percent of its revenue actually comes from military arms. That host was right, Stark Industries is a military arms dealer.
And even if Tony is determined to stop dealing in military arms, the transformation of such a behemoth cannot be accomplished overnight. At the very least, all orders that have already been accepted must be completed, otherwise the liquidated damages alone could make Stark Industries suffer.
Therefore, Director Fury is not worried about whether his Airborne Aircraft Carrier can take to the skies on schedule. As for subsequent military arms orders, that's also fine; the great U.S. has no shortage of military arms dealers, and S.H.I.E.L.D.'s own weapons department is not bad either.
Therefore, Director Fury's current attitude is to wait and see, while quietly preparing a "small hoe." If everything is truly a done deal, he wouldn't mind poaching those highly skilled top military technology talents from Stark Industries who are now unemployed, and if possible, also dig up some weapon patents, such as the Jellik Missile, which Director Fury has coveted for a long time, and besides that...
Director Fury was making calculations in his mind. When it comes to such matters, our S.H.I.E.L.D. Director is just that skilled.
"What did You call me here for?" Seeing Director Fury lost in thought, Lu Yifang tapped the table.
"Mainly to give You this. Your official position has been confirmed. Congratulations, from today onwards, You are a genuine S.H.I.E.L.D. employee," Director Fury said, handing a small booklet and a document to Lu Yifang.
"S.H.I.E.L.D. Special Security Advisor? Didn't You say it was something like the Anti-Hulk Emergency Defense Team Captain?" Lu Yifang asked, looking at the document with some confusion.
"That was just to fool the World Security Council. Did You actually take it seriously?" Director Fury said calmly.
"Of course, the Anti-Hulk Emergency Defense Team has indeed been formed, and it is under your command, considered your subordinate department."
"So, I've been promoted?" Lu Yifang said, sounding unsure.
"Of course, and because of the position increase, I've also increased your salary by ten thousand dollars accordingly."
"That's not bad!" Although the slightly raised corner of his mouth still showed that he was in a good mood, the feeling given was that some of the previous urgency was gone.
"Well, the contract is here. You just need to sign and affix your seal." Director Fury enthusiastically handed the document, which was about a thumb thick, to Lu Yifang. Watching him sign, Director Fury didn't say anything, but the corner of his mouth subtly curved into a mysterious smile.
"Is this all?" Lu Yifang looked up.
"That's right, now You are a S.H.I.E.L.D. Special Security Advisor. Your information file security level is nine. Except for me and a very small number of others, no one else can access your file.
And because your identity is Special Security Advisor, S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Agent ranking will not be applied to You, but You have level five query authority, which means You can freely access S.H.I.E.L.D. documents of level five and below. Furthermore, You have a special contact channel and the right to communicate directly with me," Director Fury explained.
Special Security Advisor, this position was something Director Fury had planned for a long time. Advisor is the best explanation for Lu Yifang's identity; he is not entirely a S.H.I.E.L.D. employee, and his relationship with S.H.I.E.L.D. is actually both close and distant.
And the word 'Security' can be directly understood as 'enforcer'. Recently, Director Fury has increasingly felt that S.H.I.E.L.D., with only elite Agent, is finding it more and more difficult to cope with the current World. Therefore, Director Fury has begun to seek new forces, and Lu Yifang, this enforcer brought in from Professor X, is Director Fury's first step in this attempt.
As a friendly response, Director Fury gave Lu Yifang this level five query authority. S.H.I.E.L.D.'s intelligence naturally doesn't mean much to Lu Yifang, but it holds considerable appeal for Professor X. Director Fury, by turning a blind eye, has essentially given this authority to Professor X through Lu Yifang.
Hearing Director Fury's explanation, Lu Yifang nodded. "I understand. Can I leave now?"
"Wait a moment. What are your thoughts on Tony escaping from the Terrorists before the U.S. military found him?" Director Fury called out to him as Lu Yifang was about to turn around.
"This? It's quite surprising, isn't it? Based on his personal strength, unless those Terrorists were mentally challenged, it would have been impossible for him to escape. So, he must have used other forces, either someone helped him, or he used certain tools, or perhaps both," Lu Yifang pretended to think for a moment before answering.
"I think so too," Director Fury nodded.
"After finding Tony, based on his intelligence, we successfully located the lair of these scum. And although they had all evacuated, they did so in such a hurry that they didn't have time to clean up many things.
From the footage sent back, it is clear that the scene was extremely chaotic, looking like a small-scale armed conflict had occurred. Through the exploration and reconstruction of the scene, we suspect that Tony used the materials that the Terrorists forced him to use to build the Jellik Missile to create another powerful weapon, and used it to fight his way out."
"Creating a powerful weapon in three months and then fighting his way out of a den of armed Terrorists? I have to say, Tony Stark is indeed a genius," Lu Yifang gave his assessment.
"And after that, we expanded the search area," Director Fury continued.
"This finally allowed us to catch a few small fry who had slipped through the net, and successfully found out what happened. Tony built a mechanical armor that he could fit into, and then used it to fight his way out."
"So, You're interested in this thing?" Lu Yifang said, looking at Director Fury.
Ch 43
Actually, compared to this mechanical armor, I'm more concerned about the energy issue. Judging by the intensity of that battle, no energy battery could withstand such high-intensity consumption, even for just a minute. And since Tony was able to escape, it's clear that the mechanical armor's endurance was definitely more than that. So I suspect Tony created a new energy device," Fury said, stating his guess, then reached out and pulled up some seemingly old data.
"Following this line of thought, I checked Stark Industries' technical patents and happened to discover that Howard had researched arc reactor technology thirty years ago, but due to the technological limitations at the time, this technology was ultimately shelved for thirty years."
"So you think Tony finally perfected his old man's design and created a super-powerful energy device, and that's what interests you," Lu Yifang summarized.
"Lu Yifang, this isn't just something I want. With such a powerful energy reactor, many weapons in the military field will see huge breakthroughs, and starting an arms race will be effortless.
I can do without this thing, but I will absolutely not allow this technology to easily spread from Tony Stark's hands, so I must confirm whether this is true, do you understand?" Fury said with a serious face.
"Of course I know that, but is telling me useful?" Lu Yifang retorted.
"I need an opportunity to get close to Tony, an opportunity to get close enough to secretly scan his chest with an instrument, and you can help me create this opportunity."
"Wait, isn't my job dealing with Hulk? Does this have anything to do with Hulk?" Lu Yifang quickly interrupted Fury upon hearing this.
"No," Fury shook his head very simply.
"But your job function just changed. You are now S.H.I.E.L.D.'s special security advisor, and Article 233 of the contract states that you have the obligation to assist S.H.I.E.L.D. in completing intelligence investigations when necessary," Fury said, patting the contract in his hand, then flipped back over ten pages and pointed out a small clause.
"Damn it, you tricked me." Looking at the thick contract, Lu Yifang's face immediately darkened. Damn it, it seems he got careless after winning against this bald guy last time.
Damn, it was clearly agreed upon as two days of work and a year of vacation, how did it turn into this upon official employment? Can I resign now?
Uh, it seems a bit difficult, after all, I've already spent the two months' salary I got in advance.
Seemingly knowing what Lu Yifang was thinking, the corner of Fury's mouth slightly curved up, and he answered naturally, "Did I? I'm just making the best use of people."
Heh heh, you think it's that easy to freeload off me, Nick Fury? Do you really think I'm a big spender?
"Now let me explain. Since returning, Tony has been staying in his laboratory. Aside from Pepper Potts and Obadiah, I don't think anyone can see him. And I've already had Coulson try to use Miss Potts to meet Tony, but unfortunately, Miss Potts doesn't seem very cooperative. Therefore, we need a reason that Miss Potts cannot refuse, so she can take us to see Tony, for example... a Doctor who might be able to save Tony," Fury said, turning his gaze towards Lu Yifang.
"According to the intelligence I've obtained, because a Jellik Missile exploded near Tony, there are a large number of bomb fragments remaining in Tony's body now. Some tiny fragments may have even entered Tony's arteries, so Tony is currently relying on an electromagnet to absorb these fragments to avoid the situation where these fragments tear his heart."
"And then? How can I help you? You can't possibly expect me to be his Doctor and remove the shrapnel, right?" Lu Yifang glanced at Fury and immediately stated his position.
"Let me tell you, my ability is more suitable for destruction, and Tony Stark's situation is not the same as Katie's. As you said, all these fragments are embedded around his heart and in his blood vessels. I can't guarantee that I won't accidentally poke a hole in his heart with a shaky hand."
"Since you said so, forget it," Fury nodded even more simply.
"In fact, you are just a backup plan. The real Doctor I envisioned is actually this person," Fury said, placing a photo on the table. The person in the photo was a red-haired Woman.
"Isn't this Jean Grey?" Lu Yifang was stunned when he saw the photo.
"That's right, Jean Grey is one of the few publicly acknowledged and relatively active Mutants. We have also established a complete information file about her abilities. Therefore, in our estimation, her telekinetic control should be able to help remove those fragments. According to the plan we've formulated, with her help, it would only require a few minor surgeries and about a year's time to remove all the fragments."
"So you called me here to ask me to invite Jean Grey," Lu Yifang finally understood Fury's idea.
"Actually, compared to Jean Grey, another being who can control metal through magnetism is the most suitable. With his help, it would probably only require one surgery, but you know, that being... well, he's a bit difficult to invite!"
"Hmm, I have to say that's a wise choice." Lu Yifang nodded in agreement. He had already figured out who that person was.
"So, do you understand my plan now? Have Coulson, acting as a Doctor, go see Tony with Jean Grey. This way, Coulson can secretly use a miniature scanning device to check Tony's chest and see what that thing is."
"I understand, but before that, I have a question that I've been holding back for a long time and want to ask you?" Lu Yifang looked at Fury.
"You wouldn't... be Tony Stark's half-brother, would you?"
Fury; "→_→...."
"Okay, I was just saying. Then could it be that you are Tony's guardian?" Lu Yifang continued. It was clear that our S.H.I.E.L.D. Director was too good to Tony. He said he was going to investigate the small energy reactor, but in reality, he was going to save someone, right? And the rescue in the Middle East before, it all felt like excuses.
"Guardian? Howard Stark didn't leave any last words before he died, and even if he did, it wouldn't be my turn," Fury said with a wry smile upon hearing this.
"But there's one thing I can tell you: Howard Stark was once my superior. My very first job application was submitted to him."
"Oh, I see." Lu Yifang nodded in sudden realization.
"And actually, speaking of it, this has a little something to do with You as well," Fury said, pulling out another photo. This photo looked very old.
Lu Yifang, feeling puzzled, took the photo and saw a somewhat familiar blonde Woman, who looked to be in her thirties. Standing with her was a Man who bore a six or seven parts resemblance to Tony. Around the two of them were many children, and the children in the front were holding a banner.
It read: 'Congratulations on the official establishment of Howard Welfare Institute today!'
"Howard Welfare Institute, Howard Stark, I see." Lu Yifang finally understood what Fury meant, and his expression immediately turned unpleasant.
"Tch! I have to say Tony Stark is really an asshole. That arrogant, conceited guy was publicly condemning his father's irresponsibility on the news just two days ago, and in previous press conferences, he always talked about surpassing his father. And the result is truly hilarious. This guy is simply a stubborn, never-growing-up kid who has always lived under his father's wings."
"You're absolutely right, but why do I feel like those words aren't just directed at Tony?" Fury's single eye stared at Lu Yifang, as if he could see through him. Although Lu Yifang's World was completely different from Tony's, Fury saw the similarity between the two in this regard.
"That's just what You think," Lu Yifang pouted, but his fists were unconsciously clenched.
That night, that notebook, and that gentle voice made him understand many things. He was no longer that resentful kid.
"People always grow up, it's just that some people grow up slower," Fury said with a smile.
"What You think has nothing to do with me," Lu Yifang looked up, his expression becoming firm.
"And I will tell Professor X and Jean Grey about this matter, but whether Professor X will do You this favor is none of my business. I'm just helping You relay a message."