Chapter 225
New York, Underground Black Market. Old George was wiping wine glasses as usual.
A middle-aged man wearing sunglasses and slightly bald sat down at the bar counter in front of him. "I want to buy some information!"
"A batch of goods departed from Pier 3 in San Francisco two days ago. I want to know the buyer and the cargo owner."
"That's against the rules. Are you from the CIA or the Federal Intelligence Bureau?" The Old Bartender, who had once served Deadpool, glanced at the middle-aged man with a distinct agent aura.
"I think you've come to the wrong place!"
Phil Coulson took off his sunglasses, revealing a smiling face. "Two thousand feet above us, a fully loaded F22 fighter jet is on standby. I need the information within one minute, or the missile from that plane will land on your head!"
*Ding.* the Old Bartender stopped wiping the wine glass and placed it on the bar counter. His eyes stared fixedly at Coulson, revealing fierceness in his gaze.
"Mr. Agent, I'm afraid you don't know the significance of the High Table!"
That's right, this Underground Black Market has been established for a long time, and the High Table is behind it – the Organization that has Continental Hotels all over the world. Boss Tang is one of the Major Shareholders of the High Table.
This is also why this black market remains strong after the turmoil in the New York Underworld.
The harsh words from the Old Bartender naturally wouldn't be taken seriously by Coulson.
"Forty seconds left!!"
Coulson's expression was indifferent. He held a pocket watch in his hand, timing it.
"San Francisco Fisherman's Wharf! Tomorrow evening, another batch of goods is set to depart from San Francisco Fisherman's Wharf!"
After saying this, the Old Bartender felt as if his entire body's strength had been drained.
Coulson paused the pocket watch, a smile on his lips, staring at the Old Bartender, a little suspicious. "You answered too quickly. Shouldn't you ask clearly what kind of goods I'm looking for? Or rather, are you lying to me again!"
"Shit! Fuck you!" the Old Bartender angrily pushed his head towards Coulson, roaring in a low voice:
"Listen, you son of a bitch, I don't know who you work for, but you're dead for sure.
Fuck, that's the Big Boss's goods. Nobody knows what's inside, but the ones receiving the goods are Huaguo people. Are you satisfied now?!"
"If you're satisfied, leave this place. Get the hell away—"
"Big Boss?! Is it Huaguo Tang?" Coulson pressed. the Old Bartender glanced at him with a mocking expression. "The Big Boss is the Big Boss. As for who it is, I don't know!
I serve the High Table, not the Big Boss!"
"Thank you!" Phil Coulson placed a green US dollar bill on the bar counter and said after politely thanking him.
"This is a tip!"
"Oh right! One more thing, for the sake of secrecy, you need to come with me. Don't worry, we will guarantee your safety!"
"Do you think you can take me out of here alive?!"
the Old Bartender's hand quietly reached under the bar counter. There was an old double-barreled hunting rifle there.
To be honest, he originally thought he wouldn't need this thing. He had been in this Underground Black Market for five or six years, and no one had ever dared to cause trouble here.
"If I were you, I'd put down the gun in my hand!"
Phil Coulson tapped the table. "It's okay if you don't come with me. I will release the information through our channels, saying that you betrayed Huaguo Tang!"
"Shit!" Hearing Phil Coulson's words, the Old Bartender looked at him with eyes like he was looking at a malicious devil.
"Don't worry, we have the Witness Protection Program. We can absolutely protect your safety!"
the Old Bartender was like a snake grabbed by its weak point. Helplessly, he could only follow Phil Coulson out of the black market.
Just as they left, a big man wearing a leather jacket stood up from the corner.
"Leader Lucien! The fish is on the hook!"
"Officer, the target has a batch of goods departing from San Francisco Fisherman's Wharf tomorrow night!"
Phil Coulson exited the Underground Black Market, took out his mobile phone, and made a call.
"Is the information accurate?"
Federal White House World Security Council Secretary-General Nick Fury answered the phone in front of the President.
"Hawkeye secretly retrieved the Mind Reader from S.H.I.E.L.D. I will confirm the accuracy of the intelligence as soon as possible!"
"Okay! Notify Natasha Romanoff. If the information is accurate, act immediately. Pay attention to keeping the action secret, do not reveal identity. What I want is evidence!"
"Yes, Officer!"
After Nick Fury hung up the phone, he looked at Francis opposite him.
"Mr. President! Tang has a batch of goods departing tomorrow. This is our chance!"
Nick Fury stared at Francis with his single eye, his eyes gleaming.
"Once the information about his collusion with Huaguo is confirmed, then we can obtain evidence of him betraying the Federation's interests. At that time, even the Sacred Shield Brotherhood behind him won't be able to protect him!"
Francis sat on the sofa, silently smoking a cigarette.
Tang Song's existence, for him, was ultimately a threat.
Tang Song's current power and influence are expanding too quickly.
The so-called criminal evidence against Tang Song that the CIA and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) previously possessed can't restrain him at all now.
Over the past year, Nick Fury led the intelligence agencies of the CIA and the military, investigating Tang Song for a long time.
They vaguely found that many matters had his shadow behind them.
And recently, Tony Stark suffered a terrorist attack, which surprisingly implicated a transnational smuggling case involving arc reactors.
However, what he wanted was not to arrest Tang Song, but to hold evidence that could truly restrain Tang Song.
As for this dark-skinned person in front of him, he had investigated for over a year, repeatedly bypassing him to investigate the terrorist attack incident at the state guest house.
How much did he actually find out?
Francis's mind was filled with twists and turns, but his face showed no expression.
"Secretary-General Fury, go ahead and do it. If you can get the evidence, I will let Ross support you in terms of personnel!"
Nick Fury received the Federal President's promise and left the White House satisfied.
Nick Fury is a person with a strong desire for control. Although he had cooperated with Tang Song several times, and Tang Song had also provided them with help multiple times.
However, in Nick Fury's view, Tang Song was undoubtedly a hidden danger to Federal Security.
Therefore, over the past year, he had been collecting evidence, wanting to send Tang Song to prison.
And incidentally, regain the position of S.H.I.E.L.D. Director. Since Alexander Pierce can concurrently serve as the Secretary-General of the World Security Council and S.H.I.E.L.D. Director.
Why can't he?
Just as he left, an encrypted phone call was made from the White House Office.
"Hello, I am Tang Song..."
Leon Military Base, Tang Song stood in front of the Space Gate, reaching out to tease Xiao Hei. After answering the phone, his face wore a very gentle smile.
......
Under the night sky, a Quinjet took off from a certain secret base. Natasha Romanoff led a rapid response special forces team directly subordinate to the World Security Council, quickly taking off and rushing towards San Francisco Fisherman's Wharf Port 35. This rapid response special forces team is an ace combat team, and its command authority belongs to the Secretary-General of the World Security Council.
Even the current S.H.I.E.L.D. Director Maria Hill has no authority to mobilize this combat team.
Strictly speaking, currently, only the current Secretary-General Nick Fury possesses the command authority for this team.
The Quinjet circled among the clouds, hidden and invisible.
"Submarine!"
Arriving at the target point, Black Widow looked at the surveillance on the Quinjet, her complexion a little solemn. She had not expected that the buyer would actually come by submarine to pick up the goods.
"Can our radar sonar lock onto this submarine!"
"This submarine should be coated with anti-radar sonar coating. We didn't detect them when they entered the harbour just now!"
On the Quinjet, a computer expert from the rapid response special agent team rapidly tapped his fingers on the keyboard, shaking his head towards Black Widow. "Let's not wait, capture them! Remember, capture the leader alive! Do not damage that equipment!"
Black Widow's original plan was to catch them red-handed, preferably catching a big fish from the Huaguo side.
But looking at the current situation, once the submarine goes into the sea, they would have no way to track it.
She simply issued the order directly! *Click click click!* The armed security personnel of the rapid response team all loaded their guns.
"First blow up their submarine, don't give them a chance to slip away!"
Black Widow gave the order. The Quinjet's pilot gave an OK gesture. The Quinjet has a turbine engine on each side, allowing the fighter jet to take off and land vertically and hover, and also has the ability to control balance. There are two jet engines on the upper rear part of the fuselage. The weapon is a machine gun on the lower part of the fuselage. It possesses visual invisibility function.
It dived down directly, pressing the machine gun's firing button towards the submarine exposed on the sea surface.
*Tatatatata—*
The onboard machine gun bullets hit the submarine's outer shell, immediately opening a skylight on the submarine.
...…~ "They're here!"
Sali, hidden on the dock, led a team of card soldiers. He looked at the diving Quinjet and made a gesture towards the rest of the team.
The battlegear layer on his back automatically transformed, quickly forming a simple electromagnetic skateboard device.
The dark magic skateboard carried him directly into the air, flying to the side of the Quinjet. Two cigar-sized missiles were directly launched towards the Quinjet.
"Boom!"
The Quinjet's onboard machine gun was clearly automatically controlled by a computer and had a certain anti-air network of fire. It directly turned the machine gun's muzzle and swept and exploded the two cigar missiles!
However, in these short few minutes, a team of card soldiers had already flown over, riding dark magic skateboards.
"Single-person flying device!"
Black Widow looked through the porthole at the dense network of fire formed by several card squad members riding dark magic skateboards against the Quinjet, her eyes narrowed.
The Quinjet, as S.H.I.E.L.D.'s standard fighter jet, its combat capability naturally wouldn't be destroyed by a few single-person combat devices.
Whether in terms of firepower or speed, it was enough to crush these single-person skateboards. But the direction these skateboards flew from proved that the other side was well-prepared.
"This is a trap!" A thought flashed through Black Widow's mind.
The network of fire set up by the four onboard machine guns of the Quinjet caused the card squad circling in the air to scatter and dodge.
However, the combat advantage of single-person weapons lies in their flexibility. No matter how flexible the Quinjet is, it's still a large target!
Just as the Quinjet was using anti-aircraft guns to shoot mosquitoes, the sound of water breaking on the sea surface rang out.
"Missile!"
The beeping alarm sound in the Quinjet cabin echoed throughout. Black Widow saw through the porthole that on the sea surface, two more dark black submarines surfaced.
Four short-range missiles were shooting towards their fighter jet. Black Widow's scalp tingled instantly. Without thinking, she directly activated the parachute device!
"Boom!"
This S.H.I.E.L.D. Quinjet turned into a fireball in the sky.
*Splash!* Black Widow's entire body crashed onto the sea surface. This distance was not enough for her parachute to open. At this height, it was like hitting concrete!
Even with Black Widow's physical body strength, she was still a little dizzy.
By the time she woke up, she was already lying on the experiment table.
"This is a live sample injected with a secondary version of the super serum. First, take blood and compare it with a regular sample."
In a daze, Black Widow looked at the shadowless lamp above her head. A mosquito-bite-like pain transmitted from her arm to her brain.
They are taking blood? Her remaining consciousness was a little blurry. Then she fainted.
......
The Helicarrier circled above the Harbour.
Nick Fury's dark face showed no expression. He stood by a tower bridge, looking at the sea surface.
"Officer, the casualties situation has been confirmed. Agent Natasha's whereabouts have not been found."
Phil Coulson came to Nick Fury's side.
"Also, Director Hill called, asking about the specifics of this secret mission."
Phil Coulson carefully observed his old officer's expression.
Looking at the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents salvaging the Quinjet wreckage by speedboat, for some reason, Nick Fury took one look, and his heart felt completely cold.
"I'll explain to Hill. Just say we are clearing out Hydra."
...…
"Ugh!"
Natasha Romanoff woke up from her coma. She opened her eyes and saw the white ceiling.
She tried to lift her hand, only hearing a clattering sound of chains.
Feeling the sense of oppression in her mouth and her bound hands and feet, the battle-hardened Black Widow was not overly panicked.
She tried hard to lift her head, surveying the surrounding environment.
An empty bedroom, the layout was very elegant. On the white ceiling above her head was a luxurious square crystal chandelier.
She was currently tied to the bed, her hands, feet, and neck were all restrained.
Her mouth was also stuffed with **.
A slightly cool touch told Natasha Romanoff that she was currently completely naked.
Natasha Romanoff tried hard to recall what happened before she fainted.
The fighter jet was attacked by missiles. She parachuted out urgently. Because the height was too low, the parachute pack did not open.
She didn't know what happened next.
Natasha Romanoff tried hard to wiggle her heels, touching the bed frame, wanting to confirm the material of the bed frame.
She had undergone rigorous agent training. Among her skills, she was a master of escape techniques.
Given enough time, she was absolutely confident she could escape this level of restraint.
"Don't bother. This bed is made of alloy material. You can't break free!"
A voice suddenly sounded in the room. Natasha Romanoff's whole body stiffened, and then she started making muffled sounds.
Tang Song casually pressed the remote control by his hand. That specially made alloy prison bed slowly rose up like a hospital bed.
Natasha Romanoff's upper body slowly tilted back, and the thin blanket covering her body also slipped off.
*****************
However, obviously, as a super agent, Natasha Romanoff wouldn't care about these details.
Her eyes stared fixedly at Tang Song, who was reading a document in front of her with great interest.
"Ugh ugh..."
Natasha Romanoff wanted to speak, but saliva flowed directly out through the holes in the thing in her mouth.
"Don't worry, Agent Natasha. We are old acquaintances after all.
S.H.I.E.L.D. and I are also old friends. Haven't seen each other for over a year, and you actually investigated me...
It's truly disheartening.
counterfeit money business, smuggling business, and my two training camps. Ugh, you really did find out quite a bit.
Doesn't Nick Fury know curiosity killed the cat?"
"Ugh ugh ugh..." Black Widow struggled fiercely with her hands.
"Don't worry! I will let you go back. Of course, help me take a gift to Nick Fury!"
Tang Song got up and walked to the bed, patted Natasha Romanoff's fair and tender face. While Natasha Romanoff's mouth was drooling, she glared hatefully at Tang Song.
Tang Song's finger slid across Black Widow's face. His right thumb was originally the black jade thumb ring transformed by Xiao Hei.
Now it had become a thumb ring carved from a whole piece of yellow jadeite. A yellow gemstone was inlaid on the thumb ring.
The gemstone seemed to merge with the jade. Under Tang Song's true essence control, it emitted a faint yellow radiance.
At this moment, streaks of yellow radiance were injected into Natasha Romanoff's mind.
"After you go back, do me a favor. Nick Fury, yes, shoot him in the head! Aim for the head. If one shot isn't enough, shoot two more times!"
Tang Song leaned down and whispered softly in Natasha Romanoff's ear. After burying a thought/will into Natasha Romanoff's mind, he got up and walked out of the room.
So big, so white. What a pity, Boss Tang isn't very interested in a Black Widow.
Especially since this poison spider is old enough to be her grandmother.
...
Not long after Tang Song walked out of the room, *click click*, the mechanical locks of the chains restraining Natasha Romanoff opened simultaneously.
Natasha Romanoff pulled her hands free, wrapped the blanket around herself, and chased out the door barefoot.
The empty villa was decorated very luxuriously, but there was no sign of anyone.
Natasha Romanoff returned to the bedroom with an uncertain complexion. On the sofa by the bed, her various equipment were placed: handgun, widow's bite, clothes.
Natasha Romanoff quickly got dressed and rushed out of the villa.
......
"Boss, the observatory has already observed the phenomenon of the convergence of the nine realms that you mentioned!"
Tang Song stood on the second-floor balcony of the villa, watching Natasha Romanoff's retreating back.
On his wrist, Red Queen spoke.
convergence of the nine realms!
Tang Song was startled. So fast! According to the information Thor brought from Asgard,
During the convergence of the nine realms, space-time chaos occurs. At that time, on earth, one could clearly see several planets hanging in the sky, as if they were close at hand.
Asgard, Vanaheim, Nidavellir, Alfheim, Midgard, Jotunheim, Svartalfheim, Helheim, Muspelheim.
The nine realms are located in different dimensions. Whenever the convergence of the nine realms occurs, the space-time between dimensions will intersect. According to Thor's statement,
The last convergence of the nine realms, the frost giants of Jotunheim took the opportunity to invade earth. Odin led the soldiers of Asgard through a bitter battle and only then drove the frost giants back to their old den, and seized the secret treasure of the frost giant race, the Casket of Ancient Winters, and picked up a younger brother.
And this time the convergence of the nine realms, if Tang Song remembered correctly, was the time in the original plot when the dark elves attacked Asgard. The leader of the dark elves seemed to have killed Odin's queen!
The dark elves are also a race among the nine realms, living in Svartalfheim.
Back then, in the troll black market, he had even seen a dark elf, seemingly a branch that had drifted to earth.
At their peak, the dark elves were a race that could contend with the Aesir.
If the leader of the dark elves hadn't been careless and was tricked into losing the aether, the incarnation of the reality stone, it's truly unknown who would have won.
The aether, I wonder if it will be as helpful to him as the mind stone.
Tang Song stroked the mind stone on his thumb. Continuous light of the soul was tempering his spiritual sense and consciousness.
His divine soul under this tempering was growing hundreds and thousands of times faster.
Compared to true essence power, the cultivation of the divine soul is the most difficult for a Cultivator.
According to the cultivation method of the Jambudvīpa World, after condensing fiendish qi and refining astral qi and forming the core, Tang Song could only initially grasp the method of condensing and refining divine soul.
But with the enhancement of the mind stone, Tang Song's divine soul even had the illusion of being able to exist independently of the physical body, and the illusion of his spirit becoming pure yang.
In terms of status, several infinity stones are existences comparable to innate spiritual treasures in the Jambudvīpa World.
After obtaining the mind stone, Tang Song somewhat understood the Ancient One's confidence in sealing earth's dimension.
When the strength of an existence reaches a certain limit, accurately describing it becomes an almost impossible matter, because language is always pale in the face of strength.
In the classification of high-level strength, multiversal level is a very grand concept, equivalent to a collection of parallel worlds. The Ancient One holding the time stone, their strength can reach single universe level, while the gods symbolize the power level of skyfather. This is also why they were never the Ancient One's Rival.
The power of the time stone might not be the strongest among the infinity stones,
But if someone is eager enough to learn and talented enough to master the time stone, it's equivalent to him having infinite time to learn, to strengthen himself. It's simply like a cheat designed specifically for a top student.
This convergence of the nine realms is his chance to obtain the aether.
Tang Song rubbed his hands. Above his head, the radiance of yin yang qi rose.
Continuous light of the soul poured into it. The magic tools within the yin yang qi, one by one, seemed like stubborn stones nodding, their spirituality gradually emerged.
The ghoul white bone banner, great desolation bell, sword pill, numerous magic tools, under the continuous tempering of the light of the soul, each greatly increased in spirituality, vaguely showing signs of giving birth to divine sense and evolving into magic treasures.
This is the ability of the mind stone developed by Tang Song, instead of being used by Loki to control people.
Speaking of which, it's funny, even this control ability isn't permanent.
As for the aether, which is the reality stone, this gemstone doesn't have a strong presence in the Marvel World, but it is a very powerful gemstone.
Turning illusion into reality, creating things out of thin air. In Tang Song's understanding, this is a bug comparable to mastering time.
It's a pity the dark elf race is also useless. With the aether in hand, they could still lose.
Judging from their defeat by Odin, the ability the aether displayed in the hands of the dark elves was merely skyfather level combat strength.
I wonder if the aether falls into his hands, could he manifest those few innate spiritual treasures from the Jambudvīpa World out of thin air?
(end of chapter)