Chapter 6
Coulson's Visit, Agent? Even then, the rules of the deal must be followed.
Washington, D.C.
Standing in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, Nick Fury squinted with one eye and put his hands behind his back.
On several holographic screens in front of him, several blurry videos were playing in a loop.
Although the image was shaky and had severe noise, the dark red figure was still clearly visible.
He punched the pickup truck away, took a rocket hit with his bare body, and gave that signature thumbs-up.
"Chief, this is the final report from the field survey team in Afghanistan."
Agent Hill handed over a document, his expression grave.
"No strong radiation residue was detected at the site, nor were any large mechanical wrecks found."
"Apart from that pile of Mark 1 scrap metal, this red figure seemed to appear out of thin air."
Fury turned around, a dangerous glint in his remaining eye: "Appeared out of thin air?"
"Hill, nothing in this world truly comes from nothing."
He pointed to the frozen image on the screen, the moment when Kuuga's compound eyes lit up.
"Stark spent three months in the cave, and besides this pile of junk, he also brought back a ghost."
"We need to know who this ghost is, or rather... what it is."
"Coulson is already tracking Stark."
Hill stated, "Stark behaved strangely after the press conference, not only shutting down the weapons department but also driving to a location in Queens..."
She paused, as if organizing her thoughts.
"Coordinates of a shop that appears as vacant on the latest satellite map."
Fury raised an eyebrow: "Queens? What's our playboy doing in the slums? Experiencing life?"
"I don't know," Hill shook his head, "but Coulson reported that the place is a bit eerie."
……
70th Street, Queens, New York.
This is a typical old neighborhood, with graffiti covering the walls and the air thick with the smells of cheap pizza and car exhaust.
A black Chevrolet sedan without any markings slowly pulled up to the side of the road.
Phil Coulson straightened his suit and tie and looked out the car window at house number 108.
It was a shop that looked quite old.
The original word "donut" on the sign has been removed, leaving only a bare metal frame. The new sign has not yet been put up.
The floor-to-ceiling display window was spotless, and the inside was empty, with nothing particularly special about it.
What made Coulson most uncomfortable was the reaction of the pedestrians around him.
Even though it was rush hour, the sidewalks were bustling with people, and there were even skateboarding teenagers passing by the shops.
But not a single person turned to look at the shop.
It's as if their brains automatically filter this area.
"Cognitive interference technology?"
Coulson muttered to himself, pressed his headset, and said, "Chief, I've arrived."
"There is some kind of visual or psychological barrier at the target location, making it seem impossible for ordinary people to observe the existence of the shop."
"Be careful, Coulson."
Fury's voice came through: "If Stark is inside, confirm his safety. If he's made any deals, find out what those deals are."
"receive."
Coulson got out of the car, put on his signature professional smile, and walked towards the store.
That smile had helped him escape danger in countless missions, putting people at ease.
He walked to the glass door and reached out to push it open.
Not moving.
"Locked?" Coulson frowned.
He looked through the glass and found that there seemed to be a thin layer of mist inside, making it impossible to see the scene inside.
As a Level 8 agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., lockpicking is a basic skill.
He skillfully slid a slender alloy probe from his cuff and inserted it into the keyhole.
However, the next second, Coulson's smile froze.
The probe simply cannot be inserted.
It wasn't that there was a foreign object blocking it, but rather that the seemingly ordinary keyhole, and even the entire glass door, was covered by an invisible force field.
The sensation was like poking a tank's armor plate with a toothpick.
"That's interesting."
Coulson put away the probe and pulled out a small, square, high-frequency vibrating demolition device resembling chewing gum from his pocket.
The advanced technology of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s research department can easily shatter a half-meter-thick concrete wall.
He attached the device to the corner of the glass door, set the directional blast mode, then stepped back two steps and covered his ears.
drop.
A faint blue light flashed by.
The expected cracking sound did not occur, nor was there even the slightest vibration.
The shockwave, powerful enough to shatter bulletproof glass, vanished without a trace the moment it hit the store door, as if it had disappeared into thin air.
Not even a single speck of dust on the glass was shaken off.
"Coulson, report the situation."
Fury's question came through the earpiece.
"Chief, conventional physical methods have failed. This place seems to be protected by some kind of energy field."
Coulson stared at the still pristine handle, a bead of cold sweat trickling down his forehead.
If it's a superpower, there should at least be energy fluctuations.
But this is more like an established rule.
Just as Coulson was hesitating about whether to request the use of heavy weapons, a lazy young male voice seemed to ring out directly in his mind, or as if it came from all directions.
"Mr. Agent with a receding hairline, if you scratch my door with that vibrating massager again, I'll have to sue you for vandalism."
Coulson was startled and looked up abruptly.
As the fog cleared in the store, he saw a young Asian man in a casual suit, holding a mop, who looked harmless.
That smile was clean, but in Coulson's eyes, it was more dangerous than a Hydra assassin.
"Sorry, I just..." Coulson tried to explain.
"The door isn't locked," Li Ang's voice continued.
"But if you're in the mood to investigate, threaten, or force your way in, this door is harder than the Pentagon's vault."
Li Ang pointed to a sign that wasn't actually there at the entrance.
"This is a shop; only customers with the intention to make a transaction are allowed to enter."
"Think it over before you push it. You only get one chance. After all, the floor was just mopped, and I don't want to have shoe prints on it."
Coulson took a deep breath.
Are you planning a transaction?
An idealistic access control system?
He had seen many strange things at S.H.I.E.L.D., but this was the first time he had encountered such an almost mystical setting.
Coulson adjusted his breathing and forced himself to clear his mind.
He looked at the door and silently thought to himself: I'm here to buy something, I'm a customer, the kind of customer who's like God.
A few seconds later.
He reached out again and gave it a gentle push.
Ding-a-ling~
The crisp sound of wind chimes rang out, and the glass door that had been so solid just moments before now seemed as light as if it didn't exist.
A faint scent of sandalwood wafted over.
"Welcome to the All-Heavens Gashapon Shop."