Tony Stark, like a Rocket with its fuse lit, burst through the reinforced glass door of the top-floor hall with a 'boom,' enveloped in a rage hot enough to boil a coffee machine, and lunged menacingly towards the figure that had just landed on the helipad, still trailing a faint blue afterglow from spatial teleportation.
"Chen Tian!!!"
The roaring sound wave nearly flipped the helicopter on the helipad.
Chen Tian had just landed, his mind still replaying Director Fury's lingering dark face and the mystery of the Silver Shield Project, when Tony's hand gripped his collar tightly.
The immense force tightened around his neck.
"Feeling good?! Huh?!" Tony's face was contorted with anger, and his spit accurately sprayed Chen Tian's face.
"I! Tony Stark! Genius! Billionaire! Philanthropist! Now! I'm stuck in the lab every day, either acting as a repairman!" He poked his own chest forcefully with his other hand, "Or approving the damn Arbitrators Alliance's budget proposals! Or coordinating unnecessary destruction caused during rescue operations!!"
The more he spoke, the angrier he became, his words coming out like a Gatling gun: "And you?! Huh?! What the hell are you doing?! Surfing in Hawaii, right! Skiing in Switzerland, right! Making peace signs under the aurora, right! And you even—sent me high-definition tourist photos! Afraid I wouldn't know you were on vacation?!"
Tony's face was flushed red, his chest heaving violently, his expression exactly like a little wife abandoned by a heartless man, and one who had been abandoned countless times, "I'm working like a dog! While you're gallivanting all over the World! Gallivanting! Gallivanting!"
Chen Tian, at the center of the storm, Shrinking his neck, his face plastered with a fawning smile, "Hey, hey, hey, Tony, calm down, calm down! Look at all this anger… it's not good for your health."
He tried to pry Tony's hand from his collar, but couldn't, "I wasn't… inspecting the global branches, you know! Just a little… a little relaxation on the side…"
"Inspecting my ass! Relaxing my foot!" Tony's roar escalated again, "Is Bayonetta, in a bikini in the background of your photo, a branch employee?! Huh?! Do you think I'm blind?!"
Chen Tian's gaze flickered: "Ahem… that… you must have misseen…"
"Misseen? Both 2B and Kiana were in your arms!!!!" Tony was so furious that his other hand also went up, wishing he could physically shake some sense into this scoundrel on the spot, "Chen Tian! You listen to me! The Arbitrators isn't just mine! I partnered with you to build this thing."
He stomped his foot hard on the Arbitrator Tower beneath him, "Not for you to have a free babysitter! And certainly not for you to use the Alliance's name to vacation all over the World! Can you please have some sense of responsibility?!"
Chen Tian looked at Tony's caramel-colored eyes, bloodshot from late nights and anger, and saw not just Fury, but also a hint of… weary disappointment, like a parent frustrated with a wayward child?
His playful thoughts instantly dissipated by more than half. Tony was genuinely upset, and he truly considered Chen Tian one of his own to be this angry.
"My fault, my fault!" Chen Tian immediately straightened his attitude, his tone sincere, "Mr. Stark is right to reprimand me! Deep self-reflection! Next time… next time I will definitely take you! I swear!" He raised three fingers, a look of earnest conviction on his face.
Tony's chest was still heaving, but the intensity of his anger, which had threatened to devour Chen Tian whole, had slightly diminished. He glared fiercely at Chen Tian, letting out a heavy snort through his nose: "Next time? Next time you'll probably have snuck off to some other remote corner of the World!"
Seeing that Tony's "hair dryer" mode had finally downgraded from a "destructive typhoon" to a "strong tropical storm."
Chen Tian slung an arm around Tony's shoulder, a familiar gesture, a mischievous smile on his face: "Cool down, cool down! Tony, to express my sincerest apologies and to compensate your wounded heart… Let's go! Bro will take you to have some fun!"
"Have some fun?" Tony eyed him suspiciously, "Another island resort? I'm not in the mood for sunbathing right now!"
"No, no, no, you're thinking too small!" Chen Tian lowered his voice mysteriously, leaning close to Tony's ear, "It's much more exciting than a vacation! We're going to flip some tables!"
"Flip tables?" Tony raised an eyebrow, intrigued, "Whose tables?"
"Who else?" Chen Tian's lips curled into a wicked grin, "That black bald egg who's always hiding in the shadows, sneaking around and causing trouble—Nick Fury, of course!"
"Fury?! What's that old schemer up to now? You caught him?" Tony slapped away Chen Tian's hand from his shoulder, his face full of questions.
"Hehehe, that old miser always wants to control everything, and now I've caught a little tail of his." Chen Tian flipped his palm, and a USB drive appeared in his hand.
"The owner of this tail is currently unknown, but what is known is that this tail is definitely related to Fury."
Tony raised an eyebrow, took the USB drive from Chen Tian, and then walked towards the main hall, with Chen Tian following with a casual gait.
After the two entered the hall, Tony tossed the USB drive onto his workbench.
Several documents instantly appeared on the workbench, including the few photos Katyusha had found earlier.
One of the folders was even labeled 'Compensatory Super Soldier Serum (CSSS).'
Tony frowned, zooming in and out on the blurry photos, his fingers restlessly swiping across the hovering holographic screen.
"What is this stuff? A black history photo album?" He glanced at the folder title next to it— "Compensatory Super Soldier Serum (CSSS)" —his brows furrowing even deeper.
He turned to stare at Chen Tian: "Explain. Don't tell me you've been gallivanting all over the World just to collect these blurry 'art photos'?"
Chen Tian chuckled and leaned in, pointing a finger at the blurry outline of the woman with her head down in the photo: "See that? Tony, this is the main target of my 'branch inspection' during this period—the legendary 'Gunrunning Queen.'"
"Gunrunning Queen?" Tony raised an eyebrow, "Sounds like a girl in a nightclub giving herself a ridiculous stage name."
"Tsk, perspective!" Chen Tian shook his head, "A new formidable figure who's emerged in the black market, with very wild connections, specializing in dealing with deadly stuff. I've been running all over the World just to catch her red-handed!"
Tony had a "I don't believe a word you say" expression: "So? What did you catch? A few blurry candid shots where you can't even see the face? And what's this weird serum file name?"
Chen Tian rubbed his chin, lowering his voice, feigning mystery: "Clues, well, I did dig up some. I followed them, and ran into a few buyers' subordinates… Hmm, or should I call them test subjects? They had power, but their eyes were vacant, like robots with their power cords pulled out!" He made a "kick the bucket" gesture.
(This is Chen Tian bluffing, as he doesn't want to tell Tony that he also has an organization yet.)
"Super Soldiers?" Tony's eyes sharpened, "Are you kidding me? I always thought Steve, that Old Ice Pop, was a one-of-a-kind!"
Chen Tian snorted: "Come on, Tony, does your genius brain occasionally get stuck? How did Hulk come about? Wasn't it a byproduct of the U.S. Military messing up their super soldier experiments? This stuff has never truly been out of production! Oh, right, when I went there this time, I also found the CIA involved."
Tony was silent for half a second, having to admit there was some truth to it. He pointed at the blurry candid photo of Fury: "Okay, you have a point, however twisted. But what does this stuff have to do with our elusive Director Fury, My Lord?"
"It has everything to do with it!" Chen Tian's finger poked forcefully at Fury's black-clad, one-eyed image, "Super Soldiers! Who's most familiar with this stuff? Who has the most complete data? S.H.I.E.L.D.! Such a huge project being carried out right under his nose, how could he not know? If he didn't know, why would he be privately meeting with this mysterious 'Gunrunning Queen'?"
His eyes became playful, "You tell me, was Director Fury just passing by a safe house to buy coffee, or…"
Tony impatiently waved a hand, interrupting Chen Tian's deduction show: "Stop! I know 'Fury's Fury' better than you do! Save your breath, get straight to the point, what do you want to do?"
Chen Tian grinned, revealing his white teeth, and hooked an arm around Tony's shoulder: "Come on, let's call the Old Ice Pop."
Tony stumbled as he was pulled: "Call Steve? Where to?"
Chen Tian pointed casually at the ceiling with his other hand, his smile bright and tinged with mischievous excitement:
"S.W.O.R.D.! Flip! The! Table!"
Tony was startled at first, then his eyes lit up instantly. The resentment from approving budgets was immediately replaced by a stronger excitement, named "making trouble for Fury."
"Nice!" He patted Chen Tian's back, walking quickly towards the elevator, his nano-suit instantly spreading from his chest reactor to cover his entire body, his tone filled with mischievous anticipation: "Friday! Call the 'Old Ice Pop' for me, tell him—"
He paused, exchanging a knowing, wicked smile with Chen Tian:
"There's work to do! A super-sized one!"
Deep within the cold metal corridors of S.W.O.R.D., Fury's single eye stared at the darkened screen, his fingertips unconsciously tapping on the desk.
"Valentina," he whispered into the encrypted communicator, "Wolverine? And a Mutant? How were you exposed?"
Valentina's voice, suppressing annoyance, came from the other end of the communicator: "I don't know! It was like hitting a ghost! That Wolverine's nose… it's inhuman!"
Fury exhaled heavily, as if trying to expel the irritation in his chest: "Progress on 'Star Program'?"
"Stalled!" Valentina spoke rapidly, "The test subjects can't handle it at all! Energy overload, muscle dissolution… it's no different from fireworks! I need stronger carriers! All the ones I have now are useless!"
Fury was silent for a few seconds, "I'll handle the hideout. Resources from the U.S. government will continue to be supplied, and I'll clean up your mess."
He paused, his voice dropping even lower, carrying a heavy urgency, "Valentina, you need to move quickly. The Arbitrators… are becoming like a Planet that could explode at any moment."
"Understood."
The communication was cut.
Only the monotonous tapping of Fury's knuckles on the desk remained in the room.
Mutants…
The appearance of Wolverine was like a thorn in his heart.
Had the rebellious Brotherhood smelled blood? Or had Professor Charles Xavier, that good-natured bald man, finally decided to get involved and stir things up? Or… something worse? His mind raced through various possibilities, like a chaotic chess game, but he could never find that crucial piece.
(It was mentioned earlier that S.H.I.E.L.D. and HYDRA mistakenly believed the leader of the Adjudicator was Magneto, and even named it the 'Mutant Brotherhood'.)
He couldn't figure it out!
Fury rubbed his aching temples, feeling more exhausted than if he had single-handedly fought the Kree fleet.
Just as he was about to pour himself another cup of unsweetened black coffee to perk up—
"Knock, knock, knock!"
An urgent knock sounded, with a hint of panic.
Fury's brow instantly furrowed: "Enter."
A young Agent pushed open the door, "Di… Director! The Arbitrators Alliance… Tony Stark, Steve Rogers, and… Chen Tian! They… they're here! At the main access point!"
He swallowed, adding: "Mr. Stark said he came to… uh… 'collect public utility maintenance fees,' Captain Rogers looks very serious, and Mr. Chen… he looks… like he's here to have fun."
Fury's single eye narrowed sharply.
He had just been troubled by Mutants, and now the very people he had to deal with were directly at his doorstep? And they brought two of the most difficult "gatekeepers"? He slowly stood up, a humorless curve forming on his lips.
"Tell them, Conference Room A, ten minutes."
The Agent nodded, closed the door, and ran out of Fury's room.
"Valentina was just found by Wolverine, and you couldn't wait to show up, Chen Tian? It seems you have connections with the Mutant Brotherhood."
—
—
—
—
S.W.O.R.D. Conference Room A.
Tony and Chen Tian sat side by side, facing a frowning and serious Captain America.
The air was so quiet that the faint energy flow of the nanotech armor could be heard.
Tony and Chen Tian didn't speak, their eyes crackling as they communicated in the air:
Chen Tian raised an eyebrow: (Is the stuff buried?)
Tony rolled his eyes: (Nonsense! Who am I? Done in three seconds!)
Chen Tian gestured with his eyes: (How long until it activates?)
Tony subtly wiped the tip of his nose with his hand: (Just got Jarvis' confirmation, five minutes until preheating is complete.)
Chen Tian's lips curled into a mischievous smile: (OK. If something useful blows up later… don't hold back, just throw it in Fury's face!)
Excitement flashed in Tony's eyes: (I was waiting for you to say that! I guarantee his black face will get even blacker!)
Their eye contact ended, everything was left unsaid.
Just then—
Click.
The metal door of the conference room slid open, and Fury, in his signature black attire, walked in like a moving shadow.
His characteristic single eye swept over the three, and a forced, insincere smile appeared on his lips as he spoke in a mocking tone:
"Tsk, look who's here? The great envoys of justice—the three leaders of the Arbitrators Alliance." He dragged out his words, full of undisguised sarcasm.
"What a rare guest. What wind blew the three of you to my humble S.W.O.R.D. today? Or rather…" His gaze fell on Chen Tian, "Mr. Chen finally remembered he still has a 'Chairman' title, and came to collect some cosmic trash disposal fees?"
Chen Tian didn't respond, merely lazily raised his chin towards Tony.
Tony understood, he had been waiting impatiently. He slapped a disc onto the table with a "bang," and a holographic screen instantly popped up.
With a swipe of his finger, he directly projected the photos from Chen Tian's USB drive and that glaring "Compensatory Super Soldier Serum (CSSS)" folder right in front of Fury, practically smacking him in the face!
"Save it, Fury, I don't have time for your riddles." Tony crossed his legs, revealing a face that screamed "troublemaker," "Care to explain?"
The images were crystal clear:
The blurred figure of a woman (Valentina).
Fury himself, clearly in his black attire and single eye (in an inconspicuous corner).
And that striking serum file name!
Fury's single pupil instantly constricted, so fast it was almost imperceptible.
In just a few tenths of a second, the sarcasm on his face seamlessly transitioned into a perfectly appropriate "official bewilderment," tinged with a hint of confusion.
"Explain what?" Fury leaned forward, hands braced on the table, his single eye sharply scanning the projections. "A few blurry photos, and a… hmm, 'Compensatory Super Soldier Serum'? Sounds like a setting from some third-rate comic book artist?"
He even deliberately tilted his head, looking at Captain America, "Steve, do you know about this stuff? Is it the same brand as the one you were injected with?"
Captain America's brows furrowed even deeper, but he said nothing.
"Act! Keep acting!" Tony sneered, tapping heavily on the candid photo of Fury. "Don't tell me the famous former Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. and current Director of S.W.O.R.D., Nick Fury! Doesn't recognize the 'Gunrunning Queen' who stirs up trouble in the black market, researching Super Soldier Serum? And even more coincidentally, you 'happened' to meet her privately? Right in this 'safe house'?"
Tony's finger pointed at the inconspicuous building in the photo's background. "Care to explain? Did you go to buy coffee, or… did you personally deliver something?"
Tony's words were like a bomb, landing directly on the table.
His caramel-colored eyes gleamed with anticipation, staring intently at Fury, the meaning obvious:
Black Egg, I'd like to see how you lie your way out of this today!
Tony's phrase "personally delivered something?" carried a strong provocation, as if to ignite dynamite.
However, he still underestimated Nick Fury's thick skin and quick wit.
Instead of exploding, Fury deliberately furrowed his brow, the confusion on his black face becoming even more "sincere." He leaned back slightly in his chair, spreading his hands in an "innocent and bewildered" gesture:
"'Gunrunning Queen'? The arms dealer active in the black market recently?"
Fury's single eye swept over the projection, his tone carrying the caution and uncertainty typical of an official investigator. "Sorry, Stark, S.W.O.R.D.'s surveillance list is very long. Such vague nicknames and shadow-like targets, without more concrete intelligence to corroborate, are difficult to draw my special attention. As for private meetings… Heh, Tony, you know better than I do that intelligence work has many 'chance encounters'."
He casually dismissed the "meeting" as part of routine work.
Chen Tian chuckled at that moment, breaking Fury's performance.
He leaned back in his chair, tapping the table idly with his finger, a smile on his face that Fury found extremely irritating, as if he saw through everything:
"Oh my, Director Fury, your acting is truly wasted if you don't go to Hollywood." Chen Tian said slowly, his voice not loud, but it pierced Fury like an awl. "You don't know 'Gunrunning Queen'? What about Valentina Allegra de Fontaine? You must be familiar with that name, right?"
Chen Tian deliberately paused, enjoying the sudden tension in Fury's facial muscles, then continued to twist the knife with a teasing yet sharp tone:
"Your old partner, the woman whose status was second only to yours and that already-dead snakehead Alexander Pierce during the S.H.I.E.L.D. era. Oh, or perhaps…"
Chen Tian dragged out the end of his sentence, his eyes sweeping over Fury's single eye with a mischievous glint, "…or your lover? After all these years of working together, it's quite reasonable for revolutionary friendship to deepen, isn't it?"
"Crack!"
Fury's knuckles, pressed against the table, made a faint sound from the sudden force.
His single eye sharply focused on Chen Tian's face, like a hawk locking onto its prey.
His piercing gaze seemed to want to dissect Chen Tian's mind, to see how many secrets were truly hidden within.
The air in the entire conference room seemed to solidify for a few seconds, leaving only the regular, heart-pounding "tap, tap" sound of Fury's knuckles on the table.
"Chen Tian," Fury's voice deepened, "How did you know… she was the 'Gunrunning Queen'?" His gaze was sharp, fixed on Chen Tian, not allowing him to prevaricate.
Chen Tian's smile didn't change at all, even becoming a bit brighter. He spread his hands, "Director Fury, in this day and age, who doesn't have their own 'information channels'? You can call it 'professionalism' if you like."
He skillfully avoided a direct answer, then abruptly changed the subject, coiling around his true target like a viper:
"However, instead of worrying about my sources, I think you should explain…"
Chen Tian's finger pointed precisely at the glaring folder name in the projection— "Compensatory Super Soldier Serum (CSSS)." The smile on his face instantly vanished, his eyes becoming dangerous and cold. "What's the deal with this 'little toy'? According to reliable intelligence…"
He deliberately paused, his gaze sweeping over Tony and Captain America, finally fixing firmly on Fury's face, articulating each word clearly:
"'Compensatory'? Heh, Fury, its core genetic template, it's a blend of Dr. Erskine's 'Super Soldier' serum from back then, and… a modified version of that 'abomination' from your HYDRA's prized 'Winter Soldier,' isn't it?!"
"Boom!"
These words were no less than a depth charge dropped into a calm lake!
Captain America, Steve, suddenly looked up, his azure eyes instantly filled with shock and disbelief!
His gaze towards Fury was filled with intense questioning and Fury—involving the Winter Soldier?!
Tony also sat up straight, the amusement completely gone from his face, replaced by solemnity and a spark of ignited anger!
Fury's single pupil constricted violently again!
On his perpetually expressionless black face, a ripple of emotion finally appeared that he could not conceal!
Not only did Chen Tian know Valentina's identity, but he had even uncovered the serum's true nature?! This was definitely not something ordinary "information channels" could achieve!
He stared intently at Chen Tian, as if truly seeing this person for the first time.
This Chen Tian… what he hid behind him was far deeper than what he showed! Frighteningly deep!
Seeing Fury's expression, Chen Tian became even more certain that Fury was the mastermind behind all of this.
Chen Tian stood up directly, waving his hand to dismiss the holographic screen.
He looked into Fury's single eye, "Fury! The World is peaceful now. There's no HYDRA, no alien invasion, and even Dimension Demon God don't dare to show their faces on this Planet because of our Arbitrators' existence."
"And you! You still want to create something?"
Chen Tian's words were like cold blades, piercing sharply into Fury.
The phrase "want to create something?" carried an even stronger sense of judgment, as if Fury was the destroyer of World peace.
At the center of the storm, a hint of mockery flashed in the depths of Fury's single eye.
Create something? He sneered inwardly.
These naive idealists, they simply don't understand how deep the darkness of the Universe is!
Peace? Beyond the fortress, there is always war!
The strength of the Arbitrators Alliance has bought Blue Star a temporary reprieve, but this is absolutely no reason for complacency!
He, Fury, was always preparing for the worst-case scenario! Especially now that the Arbitrators were completely out of control.
Valentina's "Compensatory Serum" project… though radical, at least part of its initial intention was to create an "insurance" against higher-level threats!
It's just… the current situation has clearly spiraled out of control.
Fury leaned forward slightly, his fingers interlaced on the metal table.
He was not overwhelmed by Chen Tian's aura; instead, he was like a black reef weathered by storms, absorbing and neutralizing all impacts with calm composure.
"Mr. Chen Tian," Fury's voice was terrifyingly steady, as if that slight fluctuation had never appeared.
"You accuse me of 'creating' trouble? Accuse me of using the Winter Soldier's 'abomination'?"
He slowly shook his head, his single eye sweeping over the angry Captain America and the solemn Tony, finally returning to Chen Tian.
"I must remind you, and everyone present. HYDRA's legacy, the technology on the Winter Soldier… these dangerous things were not created by me. They inherently exist in the darkest corners of this Planet. My role, and that of S.W.O.R.D. which I represent, is to monitor them, to ensure they do not spiral out of control again and threaten the peace we fought so hard to achieve."
He cleverly positioned himself as a "regulator" rather than a "user."
"As for Ms. Valentina…" Fury paused, seemingly choosing his words carefully. "She was indeed a S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent. But during the chaotic period after S.H.I.E.L.D.'s collapse, many files were lost, and many personnel were scattered across the World. S.W.O.R.D. is not omniscient regarding her specific actions after she left. The 'Gunrunning Queen' identity and the alleged serum dealings you mentioned…"
Fury looked directly into Chen Tian's eyes, with an air of official authority:
"If you have conclusive evidence that she is engaged in illegal activities, and that there is a direct, illegal connection to S.W.O.R.D. or myself, then please present it. S.W.O.R.D.'s database doors are always open to you; you can conduct the highest level of search authorization. I myself will fully cooperate with any legitimate investigation."
His tone was so frank it was almost provocative.
Chen Tian's eyes narrowed slightly.
Fury's reaction was more "official" and impenetrable than Chen Tian had anticipated.
This guy was indeed difficult to deal with.
Chen Tian had thrown out Valentina's name and the serum's details precisely to disrupt Fury's rhythm, to force him to expose a weakness in front of Tony and Captain America, or to inadvertently reveal more information during his defense.
But Fury was too seasoned; he avoided all substantive answers, kicked the ball back, and even adopted an attitude of "welcome to investigate."
Tony, overhearing "search the database," almost scoffed aloud.
He immediately interjected, his tone laced with his characteristic arrogance: "Jarvis! Did you hear that? Director Fury is graciously inviting us! Don't be shy then, full access, comprehensive…"
"Scanning now, Sir." Jarvis's voice resonated directly from the disc. "S.W.O.R.D. core database… access acquired… deep scanning for keywords: 'Compensatory Super Soldier Serum (CSSS),' 'Valentina Allegra de Fontaine,' 'safe house coordinates'… cross-referencing related projects, financial flows, communications…"
Data streams cascaded across the holographic screen.
There was no panic on Fury's face; he didn't even twitch an eyebrow. He watched Tony's actions, a fleeting, almost imperceptible hint of pity in the depths of his eye.
"Go ahead and search, kid," Fury snorted inwardly.
"Ever since S.H.I.E.L.D. was hollowed out from within by HYDRA and collapsed, Nick Fury understood a bloody truth—any electronic record, any physically stored document, was a fatal weakness that could be breached, tampered with, or stolen!
True secrets could only be stored in one absolutely secure place—his own mind!"
S.W.O.R.D.'s core database?
It only contained what he wanted people to see, only carefully filtered and disguised information.
The true core plan of the "Compensatory Serum," the unspeakable connections between him and Valentina, and the deeper arrangements… all the key nodes, passwords, codes, contact methods… were all etched deep within his memory, honed by countless life-and-death trials.
Even if Tony soldered Jarvis to S.W.O.R.D.'s servers, he would only unearth a heap of meticulously designed red herrings and dead ends.
"Tony Stark's much-vaunted technology? In the eyes of an old spy chief like Fury, it was just a shiny toy for a child.
A database? Ha, that's just a stage for outsiders to watch a performance!"
His gaze inadvertently swept over a tiny indicator light inside the seemingly ordinary old wristwatch on his wrist. The signal source representing Carol Danvers' specific identification code was steadily approaching.
"Soon… she'll be here soon."
A sense of certainty welled up in Fury's heart.
Carol Danvers, Captain Marvel, her power was cosmic, and her personality… was proud and fiercely protective.
She regarded Fury as a trustworthy comrade (though he often exploited that trust).
Given her personality, when she saw her former comrade, one of Earth's "protectors," being "interrogated" by the Arbitrators Alliance's three leaders in S.W.O.R.D.?
She would never stand idly by! Her proud nature would never allow anyone to treat Fury like that, especially when she believed Fury was quietly sacrificing for Earth's safety.
She wouldn't care about serums or chains of evidence! She only trusted her own judgment, and she trusted Nick Fury.
With that thought, Fury even relaxed his taut shoulders and leaned back into his chair.
He looked at Tony, who was still fruitlessly searching, at Captain America, whose face was grim and fists clenched, and finally at Chen Tian, whose eyes were sharp, trying to find even the slightest flaw on his face.
The corner of Fury's mouth, at an angle invisible to everyone, subtly curled upwards, forming a cold, calculating arc.
"Stall them… just a little more time… until Carol arrives…"
Fury's single eye calmly met Chen Tian's scrutinizing gaze, as if containing profound depth and silence.
Jarvis's calm, unvarying synthetic voice echoed in the silent conference room:
"Search complete, Sir. Within the S.W.O.R.D. core database, no clear records linked to 'Valentina Allegra de Fontaine' matching 'Gunrunning Queen' or 'Compensatory Super Soldier Serum (CSSS)' projects were found. No authorized access logs for related safe house coordinates. No anomalous financial flows. Communication records did not filter keywords matching classified levels."
The data stream on the holographic screen stopped, leaving only a few cold "No relevant entries found" prompts.
"What?!" Tony snapped his head towards Fury, his face etched with disbelief and a sense of being fooled.
His eyes instantly blazed, fixed on Fury's unperturbed dark face.
"Impossible! Not a single trace? Fury, you goddamn…" He was too familiar with this trick! Perfect erasure, leaving no handle! He had been played! Thoroughly played by this old spy chief!
Jarvis's intrusion had come up empty? This was an insult to his technical authority!
Chen Tian's mocking smile deepened. He slowly shook his head, making a "tsk-tsk" sound, his gaze sharply piercing Fury:
"Director Fury, it seems you've gotten smarter. The data is wiped so clean, not even a speck of dust left." His tone held a hint of dangerous appreciation. "But… " Chen Tian stood up, hands casually in his pockets, seemingly relaxed, yet his gaze locked onto Fury's single eye.
"Data can be deleted, files can be burned, traces can be erased… But what about memories? Can what's in the brain be formatted like a hard drive?"
He took a step forward, and an invisible pressure permeated the air.
Fury's brow furrowed abruptly, and his crossed fingers tightened slightly.
Chen Tian's words were like a key, instantly unlocking the most secret vault in his mind! This guy… he directly hit the nail on the head! He knew! He knew the crucial information only existed here!
Fury's gaze became extremely dangerous:
"I am always cautious, Mr. Chen. Especially after those… betrayals." His voice was low and cold, like quenched steel. "Some things are indeed best kept in the safest place."
"Cautious? Safe?" Chen Tian scoffed, his eyes gleaming with an all-knowing light. "Then I'm very curious, are these things you've so cautiously stored… worth an Infinity Stone personally 'reviewing' the archives?"
Before his words finished, Chen Tian's right hand, which was in his pocket, shot out! His palm opened upwards, and a warm, ethereal yellow light suddenly bloomed in his hand!
At the core of the light was a pulsating yellow gem, as if alive—the Mind Stone!
"Buzz—!"
The moment the gem appeared, Fury felt his brain being fiercely clutched by Chen Tian's hand. The gem's gaze seemed to pierce his skull, intent on directly probing the deepest secrets within his brain!
On his face, he could finally no longer conceal extreme shock and a hint of… fear!
"The Mind Stone! He had forgotten that Chen Tian possessed the Mind Stone!"
"Now, Fury," his face appeared cold in the Mind Stone's glow, "let's see what dirty… is hidden in your 'safest place.'"
Chen Tian's palm slowly rose, and the Mind Stone's light focused on Fury's forehead like a spotlight!
That seemingly warm yellow light carried a bone-chilling threat, about to forcibly tear open the memory barrier of Fury's brain!
"Chen Tian!!!!!"
An Earth-shattering roar swept in!
"Boom—!!!"
The conference room's thick, special alloy walls were instantly torn and melted by a violent energy, as if made of paper!
Blinding rainbow light surged into the room, accompanied by a deafening sonic boom!
A figure, completely enveloped in a fiery energy aura, moved too fast for the naked eye to track!
Carol Danvers—Captain Marvel—charged in with Fury and terrifying power, like a comet hitting Earth!
Her target was only one—Chen Tian!
"Get away! Get away from him!" Carol's roar exploded amidst the surging energy.
As Chen Tian turned to look at Carol, she was already in front of him, her hands like iron clamps gripping Chen Tian's arm and shoulder, her entire body erupting with energy.
"Whoosh—Boom!!!"
The two transformed into an entangled stream of energy, a meteor moving at terrifying supersonic speed, directly smashing through S.W.O.R.D.'s numerous decks and protective barriers, tearing through them like thin paper, and instantly vanishing into the vast expanse of space!
Only a chaotic mess remained in the conference room: shattered energy particles, scattered metal fragments, and scorching air.
Captain America coughed, propped himself up with his shield, and looked at the massive hole in the wall leading directly to space, and the deep, dark void outside with the distant blue curve of Earth, his face extremely grim.
Tony's HUD interface flashed red warnings. He looked at the hole, more than twenty meters in diameter—the vacuum of outer space was drawing air from the room through the opening.
"Fury!" His armor sharply turned to the one-eyed Director, the hum of his repulsor rays charging. "You goddamn calculated this all along, didn't you?!"
But Tony, under his faceplate, knew that the micro-missiles aimed at Fury would ultimately not be fired—the S.W.O.R.D. Director's political immunity was as unbreakable as Carol's energy shield.
Fury stood still, his face still pale with shock, but as he looked at the hole in the conference room wall and the two vanished figures, a faint, imperceptible glint of successful planning flashed in his single eye.
He had won the gamble! Carol… arrived just in time!
"Heh, Stark, what did I calculate? I'm asking you guys! Were you trying to interrogate the Director of S.W.O.R.D. with an Infinity Stone?! You Arbitrators claim to be righteous! Yet you do such things?!"
Fury's questioning immediately left Tony speechless. Yes, the Arbitrators were seen by everyone as righteous, bright, and great!
Attempting to use an Infinity Stone to control the leader of a defense force recognized by a World government—if this incident were exposed, the Arbitrators' image in the public eye would be severely damaged, and it would give government agencies, which had always sought to gain control from the Arbitrators, an excuse, an excuse for government personnel to exercise control.
Seeing Tony's silence, Fury sneered and looked again at the hole, which was being repaired by S.W.O.R.D. platform's nanocoating.
The storm had been forcibly removed from the chessboard. But the real confrontation had only just been pushed into the depths of the Universe!
-----------------------
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