In fact.
It really is sheer silk...
…..
Huen~
A flash of blue light.
When Ye Li teleported back to Sunnyvale Manor and entered Barbara's room.
He saw her wearing a white, lacy nightgown, thin straps wrapped around her fair neck, and a lace hem draping over her soft, pale thighs.
"You came to see me alone... just to talk about this?"
Ye Li playfully tugged at the tie, feeling its smooth texture.
He had noticed that Natasha preferred black... while Barbara leaned toward white...
"It's fine to talk about this first, right~"
Barbara leaned sideways into his arms, the strap slipping from her shoulder. She pretended to be shy and pinched it back up with her fingers...
Ye Li: "..."
'...Was that move really necessary...? This outfit doesn't even cover what it's supposed to...'
…..
Whoosh—!!
A spindle-shaped black warship glided across the sky, slicing through the white clouds like an invisible blade.
Inside the cloaked spaceship.
"Whoa, as expected of an alien spaceship. This is seriously high-tech!"
Pietro and the Tang Detective trio from the investigation team curiously touched and examined everything.
"I haven't even gotten my driver's license, and now I'm piloting a spaceship!"
Peter and Ned had known about this assigned vehicle, but piloting it for the first time made them excited.
Ned: "Oh my God! Can you believe this, Peter?!"
"Enough."
Peter rolled his eyes. "It's in semi-autonomous mode. What are you even talking about?"
"It's because we don't know how to fully control it that we activated semi-autonomous mode!"
Ned nervously manipulated a few control sliders, his chubby hands slick with sweat.
"Alright, relax."
Peter reassured him.
"This spaceship is fast. We'll reach our destination soon."
"How much longer?"
"Uh... estimated time shows, there's still..."
Ned: "I feel like it's still a bit too long..."
Hearing this, Pietro reached out and pressed a button—
"Then let's speed it up even more—!"
"Ahhh!—! You damn speedster! What are you doing?! It's too fast!"
…..
Whoosh—!! Peng!!
The black shuttle surged forward again, blazing past SHIELD's Airborne Mobile Command Station (basically a fancy plane).
"Did…did something just fly by us?"
Agent Melinda, piloting the aircraft, froze when she heard the sonic boom.
…..
"Li, what are you doing? Just relax and let me handle it~"
"Ahem… After what happened at Kamar-Taj, I'd rather not do this that way…"
"Oh…"
Barbara tucked a golden strand behind her ear, then obediently rolled off of him.
She lay with her chin resting on his chest, asking sweetly,
"Li…you and Natasha…you've, um…"
"Yeah. Why?"
"She's an agent, you know. You don't…mind?"
"Of course…not. Why would I care?"
Hearing that, Barbara brightened, her blue eyes glimmering.
"Then…I'll show you something…"
"What?" Ye Li helped tidy the hair from her brow.
"You have to promise—not to get mad, okay~?"
She bit her lower lip, blinking adorably.
Smack!
Ye Li was immune to this routine. He slapped her soft backside lightly, pretending to scold her.
"Alright, little minx—what did you do this time?"
…..
To be honest—
He already had a pretty good guess…
He didn't even need the Mind Stone to read her thoughts.
…..
"Mmn…please have mercy, Boss…"
Barbara looked up with her big dewy blue eyes as she slipped something into his hand.
"Actually…I'm…an undercover agent… You don't…hate me, do you?"
Smack!
Ye Li: "Stop squeaking—speak properly."
Barbara pouted. "Mmm…"
Ye Li sighed, then looked down at what she'd given him—
Sure enough…
A SHIELD communicator.
This Mockingbird had finally decided to come clean.
…Truly commendable.
"Well, well—so you really were plotting against me~"
Ye Li flipped her over beneath him, pressing her shoulders down.
"Looks like I'll have to punish you on the spot!"
"Eh? That's not the reaction I expected!"
Barbara froze, blinking.
Then—
her seasoned agent instincts kicked in, and she realized—
"You—you—you knew all along, didn't you!"
Barbara puffed out her cheeks and lightly kneed his hip.
"You jerk! You thought I was easy to fool, didn't you!"
'Uh…'
Ye Li's face twitched.
He'd gotten so caught up in teasing her, he'd forgotten to act surprised…
'No…can't let her take the upper hand…'
Resolute, he straightened up and began a mock-serious interrogation.
"Talk! You SHIELD spy—what vital intelligence have you been transmitting?"
"Mnn… Nothing…important…"
Barbara's cheeks flamed red. She mumbled, sounding honestly embarrassed by her lack of accomplishments.
…..
S.H.I.E.L.D. sub-base.
Agent Hill's office.
[Director Fury, we have new intel from Barbara...]
Holding the communicator, Hill said solemnly: [...She's been exposed.]
[Is that so?]
[If she's exposed, so be it. It's impressive that President Ye took this long to catch on...]
The one-eyed man assumed that Ye Li had finally confronted Barbara and instructed Hill.
[Since she's exposed, have her return for another assignment. Coulson's newly formed task force is in need of people.]
[About that…]
Hill hesitated before saying: [At the same time she ended her undercover mission, she also announced that she's officially dating President Ye...]
[What!?]
The bald-headed man was completely stunned—
[Motherf—! Dating the mission target?! That's a major taboo for agents!]
[I remember she could recite the agent code backward! How could she do something like this?]
….
[Wait... The core members of the Ghost Spider Club all seem to be young women... Now even Barbara is involved...]
[... (Damn it)... Is that club president's 'handsome man strategy' really that effective?]
Nick Fury picked up a mirror and looked at his dark, bald head—
—Then silently put it down again...
... As a leader, looks aren't important!
Yeah... that's right! ... That club guy is just a freak...
…..
[Director!]
Motherf—man was still secretly comforting himself.
Hill then formally requested: [Barbara, as a core agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., is now tangled with the club's actual management. It raises serious doubts about her loyalty... I suggest we put her under strict surveillance!]
[Oh?]
Nick Fury raised an eyebrow: [I remember... you two had a pretty good relationship?]
[Exactly because of that, I need to take this even more seriously!]
Hill said with a serious expression: [I'll personally take time to monitor her… and check out what that so-called legendary president is capable of...]