Chapter 40: Dominant Control, The Widow Falls Completely
Natasha's fingers tightened around the champagne glass.
She lifted her face, her tone maintaining the composure exclusive to an Agent.
"Mr. Lin has had too much to drink."
"In the assessment report S.H.I.E.L.D. gave me, the word 'cowardice' was erased long ago."
Lin Nuo chuckled softly.
"Is that so?"
His free hand covered her hand holding the glass.
The burning touch penetrated the cold glass.
Lin Nuo grabbed her hand and the glass together, forcibly pinning them against the backrest of the leather seat.
A few drops of champagne spilled, running down Natasha's fair wrist and soaking into the cuff of her silk shirt.
Lin Nuo's thumb pressed against the pulse on her wrist.
"Your heart rate has soared to 110 beats per minute."
"Is this also data written in the assessment report?"
Natasha's breathing faltered for a beat.
She tried to pull her hand back, but the man's strength was immense—it was a monstrous power that completely crushed her on a different dimension.
Lin Nuo leaned forward again, reducing the distance between them to zero.
"It's not that you aren't afraid of death."
His high-bridged nose almost brushed against Natasha's cheek.
The aggressive woody scent of his cologne completely surrounded her.
"You were just brainwashed by the Red Room."
"Thinking that treating yourself as a heartless consumable can cover up the fear of abandonment deep in your heart."
Natasha's pupils constricted slightly.
These words struck directly at the forbidden area she had sealed deep in her heart.
Her voice turned cold.
"Mr. Lin, prying into a lady's privacy is not a decent thing to do."
Her left hand quietly reached toward the tactical holster under her skirt hem.
Lin Nuo didn't give her a chance to reach for a weapon at all.
His knee thrust directly between Natasha's legs, forcefully pinning the leg she was trying to use for leverage against the leather seat.
This oppressive and overly ambiguous confinement posture made it extremely difficult for Natasha to even move.
Lin Nuo's breath hit her earlobe, sending an indescribable shiver through her.
"Trying to make a move in my car?"
"Do you think the fighting skills you're so proud of can last more than three seconds in front of me?"
The maybach began to slow down, smoothly driving into the underground garage.
The partition lowered, and the driver didn't even dare to look back, quickly getting out of the car to open the door.
Lin Nuo released Natasha's wrist.
He stepped out of the car, turned around, and looked down at the woman still huddled in the seat.
"Get out."
"Or do you want me to carry you up?"
Natasha straightened her disheveled shirt collar and stepped out of the car in her high heels.
The two entered the private elevator that went straight to the top floor.
The metal elevator doors closed.
This was an absolutely enclosed space.
The elevator was ascending at high speed.
Lin Nuo had one hand in his trouser pocket, his gaze wandering over Natasha without any attempt to hide it.
He suddenly spoke.
"Nick Fury sent you to my side to find out the details of that biotechnology."
"But did he tell you where your retreat route is once the mission fails?"
Natasha looked at her reflection on the elevator door.
"Agents don't need a retreat route."
Lin Nuo's tone was full of mockery.
"What an obedient dog."
The elevator door opened with a ding.
This was the top-tier panoramic flat in Manhattan.
Everything in sight was luxurious, with cool-toned decor.
Natasha had just stepped half a step out of the elevator.
Lin Nuo extended his long arm, his large palm directly gripping her waist, lifting her up entirely.
Natasha gasped.
"What are you doing!"
Lin Nuo didn't answer at all; he moved cleanly and decisively, pushing her directly against the huge dressing mirror by the entryway.
Her back hit the smooth mirror surface.
Natasha's Agent instincts finally exploded.
She used her waist for leverage, her left elbow striking directly at Lin Nuo's throat, accompanied by a sharp whistling sound.
This strike was fast, accurate, and ruthless, completely aimed at killing with a single blow.
Lin Nuo just raised his right hand, his five fingers opening casually.
The high-impact elbow strike was steadily caught in his palm.
Lin Nuo's thumb pressed on the nerve center of her elbow, applying a little force.
Natasha's entire left arm immediately went limp.
Lin Nuo took the opportunity to twist her arm, crossing her hands and pinning them above her head.
The man's body pressed against her seamlessly, pinning her completely in front of the mirror.
Lin Nuo lowered his voice, his thin lips pressing directly against her ear.
"The graduation test of the Red Room is to make you kill the girls you've eaten and slept with for years with your own hands."
Natasha's body trembled, her face turning extremely pale.
"Stop it!"
Lin Nuo's words were heart-piercing, completely ignoring her resistance.
"To erase the last bit of weakness you have as women, they even removed your uteruses on the operating table."
"Nick Fury knows this, but he doesn't care."
"He only thinks this is your most perfect bargaining chip."
"Because you have no attachments; if you die on any mission, no one will come to S.H.I.E.L.D. to seek justice."
The corners of Natasha's eyes turned red, and her voice revealed a rare loss of control.
"I told you to stop!"
No matter how well she disguised herself at S.H.I.E.L.D., she couldn't hide this festering scar that would never heal.
She had always felt that she was a monster with blood on her hands.
Lin Nuo turned his head.
He didn't continue to apply pressure, but instead slightly relaxed his grip on her wrists.
That burning palm slid down her slender arm, landing back on her waist, which could be spanned by a single hand.
His rough fingertips gently rubbed against the side of her waist through the thin silk fabric.
This extreme contrast of comfort made Natasha's tense nerves experience a brief moment of disorder.
Lin Nuo lowered his head, his lips brushing against her flushed neck as if barely touching it.
"They treat you as a useful knife; once it gets dull, they just break it and throw it in the trash can."
"But I don't want a knife."
The man's possessive breath landed on her skin.
"I want you."
Natasha's breathing was rapid, her chest heaving violently.
She pressed her hands against Lin Nuo's solid chest, but didn't use any strength to push him away.
Natasha bit her lower lip, her last bit of pride still stubbornly holding on.
"Is Mr. Lin pitying me?"
Lin Nuo let out a muffled laugh that vibrated in his chest.
He pinched her pointed chin, forcing her to meet his gaze.
"I never do business that loses money, and I have no extra sympathy."
"Your past, stained with blood, is nothing in my eyes."
"From the second you signed the labor contract with Star Umbrella, your past has been wiped clean."
Lin Nuo's thumb pressed heavily on her red lips, rubbing out an ambiguous mark.
"In the future, even if you want to kill, you can only kill for me."
"Even if you want to die, you must die here with me."
"Understand, baby."
The solid ice Natasha had built in the Red Roomcompletely collapsed under this man's unreasonable offensive.
In her decades of life as an Agent, for the first time, someone forcibly intervened in her life, pulling her out of the quagmire of being a "tool" and domineeringly branding her with his mark.
Lin Nuo lowered his head.
He unceremoniously sealed those red lips that still wanted to retort.
Unlike any hypocritical probing, this was a highly aggressive deep kiss.
Lin Nuo easily pried open her defenses, the high temperature of the man and his unique scent forcibly pouring into all of Natasha's senses.
Natasha's pride-worthy self-control completely crumbled, and she could only passively endure this demand.
Her legs gradually went weak.
If it weren't for Lin Nuo's large palm firmly gripping her waist, she wouldn't even be able to stand steady.
The whimper was swallowed by their intertwined breathing.
It was unknown how long it had been before Lin Nuo very restrainedly pulled back half an inch.
He looked at the top-tier Agent in his arms, her eyes hazy and her cheeks flushed red, his fingertips brushing over the corners of her lips, which were swollen from the kiss.
"Good girl."
"Keep that set of self-defense techniques for dealing with outsiders."
"With me, you only need to learn how to yield."
Natasha gasped for air, her heartbeat completely losing its rhythm.
She didn't have any thoughts of resistance.
In front of this man, all calculations seemed incredibly ridiculous.
Lin Nuo released her and walked to the bar.
He took out the silver storage drive that had popped up on the holographic control console from his suit pocket.
He tossed it casually.
"Take this and go back to finish your mission."
Lin Nuo's tone was lazy, but his words conveyed absolute control that brooked no resistance.
"Tell that one-eyed black egg that this is the sincerity of Star Umbrella Group."
Natasha's palms were hot, and she gripped the storage drive tightly.
The aggressive deep kiss just now had already crushed the defenses she had built in the Red Room into pieces.
This man didn't play by the rules at all, skipping the process of probing and directly stuffing this trump card, enough to overturn the existing biological world, into her hands.
"Boss, aren't you afraid that if I hand over the real thing and S.H.I.E.L.D. cracks your technology, they'll turn around and kick you out of the game?"
Natasha bit her lower lip, her voice soft and sweet; she didn't even realize that her tone carried a hint of submission.
Lin Nuo put down his glass, let out a deep, muffled laugh, and closed in on her again.
His tall and upright body pressed over, trapping her firmly between the mirror and his chest.
Chapter 41: Paid Undercover, Boss, You Really Know How to Play
Lin Nuo's large hand skillfully wrapped around Natasha's slender, willow-like waist, his rough fingertips directly flicking open the hem of her silk shirt and slipping inside without any obstruction.
The scalding heat of his palm pressed against the soft flesh of her waist, kneading it heavily with a punitive intent.
Natasha let out an uncontrollable whimper, and her body immediately went limp.
Her hands pressed against Lin Nuo's solid chest muscles, but she had absolutely no strength to push him away, her cheeks flushed red all the way to her ears.
"Baby, your horizons need to be broadened a bit more."
Lin Nuo lowered his head, his scorching breath hitting her earlobe, triggering a wave of intense shivers.
"In their hands, this thing is just a bottomless money pit."
"Without the core mutation formula in my hands, even if they researched it for a hundred years, they would only be able to create a pile of deformed flesh."
The man's movements did not stop; his fingertips roamed over her smooth back, igniting a trail of heat wherever they passed.
"Besides, you are my person now."
Lin Nuo pinched her pointed chin, his thumb pressing heavily against her flushed lips, rubbing them until they glistened with a suggestive sheen.
"Would an obedient dog ever bite its own Master?"
This blunt reprimand stole the very breath from Natasha.
This extreme, domineering protectiveness and possessiveness was a shock that she, a female Agentraised as a tool since childhood, had never experienced before.
"You are openly poaching from S.H.I.E.L.D."
Natasha tried to maintain the last shred of her professionalism as an Agent, but her eyes were brimming with moisture.
Lin Nuo's thin lips pressed directly against the side of her neck, and he opened his mouth to gently nibble on her snow-white skin, leaving an eye-catching red hickey.
"I'm not just going to poach from them; I'm going to make them obediently hand over their resources to me."
Lin Nuo pulled his hand back, patted her lower back, his tone dangerous.
"Go back and play your part well."
"If you dare to pull any tricks in front of that black egg, I have plenty of ways to punish you when you get back."
"I will lock you in this apartment and... you on the bed."
Natasha's legs went weak, and she completely surrendered.
"I know what to do, Boss."
One hour later.
S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters.
Nick Fury sat behind a massive black desk, his single eye staring fixedly at the silver storage drive on the desktop.
Natasha had changed back into a sharp black tactical bodysuit, her red hair tied up in a high bun, her hands behind her back, standing straight before the desk.
She spoke with rapid speed and full professional poise, showing no signs that just an hour ago she had been melting in another man's arms.
"Officer, this is the preliminary Super-speed Regeneration Factor theoretical model that Lin Nuo provided voluntarily."
"The technical department just finished a preliminary inspection; the data is exceptionally massive and entirely authentic."
Fury picked up the storage drive and tossed it in his hand a couple of times.
"You got Star Umbrella's core secrets this easily?"
"Agent Romanoff, did you use a honey trap on him, or did this Mr. Lin forget to bring his brain with him when he went out today?"
Natasha's expression was flawless, and she even maintained her heart rate at the steadiest level.
"Officer, Lin Nuo is an extremely arrogant and conceited tycoon."
"He doesn't take an Agent of my level seriously at all."
"The reason he handed this to me is to use S.H.I.E.L.D. as a shield."
"A shield?" Fury snorted.
"Yes." Natasha immediately pulled up a surveillance video on her tablet and projected it onto the wall.
The footage showed the night scene around the perimeter of Warehouse No. 1.
"Tonight, Lin Nuo took me to inspect a disused Stark Industries warehouse, and we encountered a heavy-firepower ambush by remnants of the Ten Rings."
"Three top-tier snipers used large-caliber armor-piercing rounds."
Fury leaned forward, exuding a sense of oppression. "And then?"
Following the script Lin Nuo had personally laid out, Natasha began to cast a fog of nine truths and one lie without changing her expression.
"Lin Nuo was prepared; he has an extremely dangerous underground security team hidden by his side."
"I didn't even see a shadow of that squad, but the three snipers hiding at the high vantage point had their throats slit silently."
She deliberately lowered her voice, creating an atmosphere of extreme gravity.
"Officer, the power behind Star Umbrella is definitely more than just the cash flow on the books."
"Lin Nuo threw this epoch-making technology to S.H.I.E.L.D. because he wants to use our hands to deal with the follow-up trouble from the Military and The Pentagon."
"He wants to tie us into the same chain of interests."
These words perfectly fit the persona of the madman Lin Nuo had displayed.
An old fox like Fury, who was naturally suspicious, was most susceptible to this kind of logic filled with interest exchanges and calculations.
"A businessman's petty tricks." Fury tapped on the desk.
"Does he think that by offering a little sweetness, S.H.I.E.L.D. will become his private bodyguard?"
"Not only that." Natasha timely threw out the next extremely lethal bargaining chip.
"Lin Nuo proposed an additional condition to me."
"He demands that I, as the sole representative of S.H.I.E.L.D., must be stationed at Star Umbrella Grouptwenty-four hours a day, following him closely to track all his movements."
"Otherwise, he will refuse to sign any subsequent technology-sharing agreements."
Fury's single eye rolled, staring intently at Natasha's face.
"Stationed there?" "Is he trying to turn you into a hostage to restrict our actions, or is he simply infatuated with you?"
Natasha curled her lips into a mocking, cold smile.
"Officer, he just wants to treat me like a vase to keep by his side, using it to flaunt his twisted sense of superiority that he can order around even a senior S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent at will."
"If this is the price for obtaining the subsequent genetic codes, I am willing to obey orders and endure this humiliation."
Fury was silent for a full half-minute.
He looked at the storage drive on the desk; the technology inside was of immeasurable value and could completely reduce the casualty rate of S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents by eighty percent.
"Very well, Agent Romanoff." "Your handling of this is perfect."
Fury finally made his decision.
"Since he is arrogant enough to want you by his side, then you will stay there."
"Get me the full details on that mysterious security team, and how many unannounced weapon blueprints Star Umbrella is hiding."
Natasha stood at attention and saluted, her voice extremely loud. "Yes, sir!"
The moment she turned and walked out of the office's metal door, Natasha's red lips curled slightly.
What Agents are best at is lying. And now, she was using this top-tier deception on her former boss without any psychological burden.
The rebellion had already taken root; from now on, she was entirely the sharpest exclusive blade in Lin Nuo's hands.
The night was deep.
On the Long Island Expressway, Natasha held the steering wheel of the black sports car with one hand and floored the accelerator.
The encrypted phone on the passenger seat lit up and vibrated. The sender was Lin Nuo.
[Done reporting? Come straight to the No. 1 Manor on the hillside of Long Island.]
Natasha picked up the phone, put on her Bluetooth headset, and dialed the number directly.
After a few beeps, the man's aggressive, low voice sounded in her ear, with gentle classical symphony music mixed in the background.
"Boss, the errand you assigned is done."
"The one-eyed black egg treated that storage drive like a treasure and even personally issued an order for me to'surveil' you around the clock from now on."
Natasha's tone carried a coquettishness and desire for credit that she herself hadn't noticed, and she blew a breath against the microphone with her red lips.
"Close?" Lin Nuo let out a magnetic, low chuckle on the other end of the line. "How close are you planning to get?"
Natasha's ears burned; her mind was filled with the domineering images of being forcibly restrained by him in the car and having her sensitive soft flesh kneaded in the apartment.
"That depends on how you plan to arrange my workstation, Boss." She deliberately softened her breathing, engaging in high-level verbal sparring.
"Your workstation isn't at the Star Umbrella headquarters; it's on my bed."
Lin Nuo's words were blunt to the extreme, a forceful possession that tore off all pretenses, leaving her no room for rebuttal.
Natasha bit her lower lip, her heart racing; this feeling of being dominated by absolute power made her throat go dry.
"Boss, I'm driving over now." "You'd better be prepared on how to entertain a senior S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent."
Just as she was full of anticipation for the banter to come, a crisp sound of wine glasses clinking suddenly came through the background audio on the other end of the line.
Immediately after, a coquettish, bone-deep, and intensely jealous female voice came through.
"Mr. Lin, how should we drink this romanee-conti you asked me to pick from the wine cellar later? I've even washed the wine glasses."
This was the voice of the Biology Director, Betty Ross! Natasha gripped the steering wheel tightly; her Agent's hearing allowed her to immediately detect the commotion on the other side.
Before she could ask, another voice cut into the phone call—a sharp, efficient female voice exuding a strong management aura.
"Boss, I have finished verifying all the restructuring reports for Stark Industries for the first quarter and placed them on your bedside table in the Master bedroom." "Do you need me to help you change and draw a hot bath in the bathroom now?"
This was the voice of the Global Executive President of Star Umbrella, Pepper Potts!
Natasha's breathing became ragged, and the sports car's tires left a wobbling trail on the road.
What was even more outrageous was that in the intervals between those two women with such strong auras speaking, a very thin, very weak, and even slightly timid, breathless girl's voice came through the microphone.
"Boss... about the mutation formula you taught me yesterday, there's still one floating point I haven't calculated clearly. Can you come to my room to guide me again tonight? I've washed my uniform..."
That genius intern from Empire State University, Gwen Stacy!
Natasha slammed on the brakes, and the sports car made a sharp screeching sound on the side of the road.
She gritted her teeth, her professional composure as an Agent nearly collapsing entirely. "Mr. Lin!"
Natasha spoke into the microphone, her voice completely changed in tone. "Are you throwing a party?!"
Lin Nuo let out a pleasant laugh on the phone. "Didn't you just ask me how I planned to entertain you tonight?"
Lin Nuo's tone was languid, yet carried an irresistible dominance. "There are a few good sisters tonight, waiting to see the newly hired legal Officer."
Chapter 42: I Want It All, Black Widow Breaks Down on the Spot
Natasha parked her sports car in front of the Roman-pillared gates of the Long Island Half-Mountain No. 1 Manor.
The night wind, carrying the slightly salty humidity of the Long Island bay, rushed toward her, but it could not disperse the turmoil churning in the depths of her heart at this moment.
She pulled out the car key, her slender fingers tapping unconsciously on the steering wheel twice.
The pride of a top S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent was simply a joke in the face of that man's one phone call.
The heavy, deep blue mahogany door was pulled open from the inside.
A butler dressed in a black tailcoat bowed respectfully.
"Ms. Lashman, the master is waiting for you in the main living room."
Natasha walked in her high heels, each step taken with extreme steadiness.
An Agent's instincts made her quickly assess the surrounding security layout.
It was so perfect that there were no blind spots; even thermal imaging and biological scanning probes were hidden behind expensive murals.
Passing through the foyer, her field of vision suddenly opened up.
Outside the panoramic floor-to-ceiling windows was the invincible night view of Long Island, while inside, the air was filled with the mellow aroma of high-end red wine and the faint scent of woody cologne.
Lin Nuo leaned lazily in the center of the custom-made giant leather sofa.
He was not wearing a suit jacket, only a black silk shirt with three buttons undone.
The collar was open, revealing a large expanse of his solid chest.
One of his long legs was crossed casually; one hand held a crystal glass filled with romanee-conti, while his other large palm rested extremely naturally on the back of the sofa.
And beside him, it was not the Shura field of tension for favor that Natasha had anticipated.
Betty Ross was wearing an extremely form-fitting, wine-red silk slip dress, sitting on the carpet to Lin Nuo's left with her legs bent without any restraint, her full figure rising and falling slightly with her breathing.
She held a tablet in her hand, reporting data from the biological laboratory to Lin Nuo, yet her eyes were tangled on the man like hooks.
Pepper Potts sat on the single sofa to the right, still in that cold and glamorous attire of a female CEO, only her fair neck still bore a few ambiguous red marks of extreme possessiveness.
She was reviewing the legal terms of an acquisition case, and when she occasionally looked up at Lin Nuo, the sharpness that belonged to her as a strong career woman had now turned into fanatical submission.
As for that blonde genius girl, Gwen, she was only wearing an oversized men's white shirt, which was clearly Lin Nuo's.
She was kneeling obediently beside the coffee table, head bowed, frantically calculating on a stack of draft paper, occasionally looking up timidly, longing to receive a word of praise from Lin Nuo.
The impact this scene had on Natasha was comparable to a miniature nuclear bomb.
Four top women from completely different fields and with completely different personalities were, at this moment, like planets orbiting a star; in the gravitational field constructed by this man, not even a spark of rebellion could be struck.
"Stunned at the door acting like a statue?"
Lin Nuo's lazy voice broke the silence, his black eyes locking straight onto Natasha.
"Come here."
These two words carried a powerful gravitational pull.
Natasha strode over with her long legs and stopped in front of the coffee table.
"Mr. Lin, for a legal officer's first day on the job, the welcome ceremony you arranged is truly special."
She maintained a perfect professional smile, attempting to control the situation with her Agent's disguise.
"Don't try that S.H.I.E.L.D. routine on me."
Lin Nuo directly put down the crystal glass, reached out with his long arm, grabbed her wrist, and gave a forceful tug.
The force was ridiculously large.
Natasha let out a cry of surprise, lost her balance, flew straight over the coffee table, and landed headlong into that broad, warm embrace.
She was forcibly pressed to sit on the man's lap; the man's body temperature, through the thin fabric of her combat suit, made her spine tingle with heat.
"On my turf, you only need to remember your identity—my exclusive toy."
Lin Nuo lowered his head, his thin lips almost touching her earlobe, and his large palm slid directly along her waistline to the back of her neck, unceremoniously pinching and kneading that sensitive soft flesh.
This unreserved intimacy and public declaration made Natasha's earlobes burn bright red.
She instinctively wanted to struggle, but the man's other hand had already firmly circled her slim waist, completely imprisoning her in this small space.
"Boss, the newcomer you just recruited has quite a temper."
Betty spoke up from the side with a coy laugh.
She deliberately straightened up and held the wine glass to Lin Nuo's lips.
"The third phase of live data for the Super-speed Regeneration Factor has come out; the Military sent people to probe today, but I blocked them all."
"Well done."
Lin Nuo took a sip of red wine from Betty's hand, but his gaze never left the tense Natasha in his arms.
"See that? Star Umbrella doesn't need vases that only know how to be jealous."
"I give you the top-tier resources, technology far beyond this era, and can even trample the entire World underfoot to serve as a stepping stone for you."
His fingers pinching Natasha's chin tightened slightly, forcing her to look around.
"Potts controls the hundred-billion-dollar empire after the restructuring of Stark Industries, Betty holds the biological key that can make all of humanity evolve, and Gwen will solve the deadlock of cross-species genetic fusion."
"And you, Natasha."
Lin Nuo's rough fingertips pressed against her full red lips, smearing a bit of ambiguous moisture.
"I want you to use S.H.I.E.L.D.'s intelligence network to drag out those scumbags hiding in the dark one by one and stuff them all into Star Umbrella's territory."
These words carried absolute dominance, smashing into the hearts of the four women.
There was no fighting.
Because the bait Lin Nuo threw out was too big, big enough to make these women, who were already extremely ambitious and talented, completely abandon those worldly entanglements.
Their interests, souls, and even bodies had already been forcibly bound to this man.
Potts closed the document, her voice filled with absolute obedience.
"As long as the boss needs it, the Star Umbrella legal department can submit a global technology cooperation memorandum to S.H.I.E.L.D. tomorrow morning."
"As long as Ms. Natasha cooperates, I can make that old fox Nick Fury concede sixty percent of the control in the contract."
"The algorithm is already close to perfect..."
Gwen bit on her pen, looking at Lin Nuo with eyes full of worship.
"Boss, as long as there is one more data deduction like yours, cell fusion can begin this week."
Natasha was trapped on the man's lap, listening to the words of the three women around her, feeling only that her perception was being frantically reconstructed.
She originally thought she was here to infiltrate the enemy's interior, but instead, she discovered she had been forcibly inserted into an interest group capable of overturning the World.
And the core of this group was the overbearing man who was currently holding her in his arms and kneading her at will.
"What? Scared silly?"
Lin Nuo turned his head, the tip of his nose brushing against Natasha's cheek, and that highly aggressive woody scent completely enveloped her.
"I'm just assessing..."
Natasha's throat went dry, her body gradually softening under the man's fondling.
"Whether the 'pie' Mr. Lin painted can actually feed so many people."
"That mouth of yours is only obedient when it's kissing me."
Lin Nuo let out a light laugh that made his chest vibrate.
He didn't care about the others at all, directly grabbing the back of Natasha's head and pressing his thin lips down.
This was a deeply predatory kiss, prying open her pearly teeth, his tongue driving straight in, swallowing all of Natasha's defenses and disguises into his belly.
Her mouth was completely filled with the scent belonging to this man, her breath was stolen, and Natasha could only passively endure this rough demand.
She tried to use her hands to push against Lin Nuo's solid chest muscles, but she couldn't muster any strength at all, instead, it felt like a powerless clinging.
Don't know how long it had been, Lin Nuo finally pulled back half an inch.
Looking at the top Agent in his arms, her cheeks flushed red and her eyes filled with the mist of being bullied, he wiped away the silver thread at the corner of her mouth with his thumb in satisfaction.
"Good girl."
Lin Nuo patted her waist, then turned his head to look at the other three.
"Potts, Betty, take Gwen to the study and finish tomorrow's briefing. Sleep at the manor tonight; I want to see the results tomorrow morning."
Lin Nuo's tone was an order that brooked no rebuttal.
Without any complaints, the three women stood up with extreme tacit understanding.
Betty even deliberately hooked Natasha's chin with her finger as she passed by, leaving behind a meaningful sentence.
"Newcomer, the boss specifically set aside time tonight to 'instruct' you; you'd better perform well."
As the heavy oak door of the study closed, only Lin Nuoand Natasha remained in the huge main living room.
The ambiguous atmosphere in the air instantly became incomparably thick.
Natasha wanted to get up and distance herself, but she was firmly pressed back onto his lap by Lin Nuo's large palm.
That scalding hand slid directly under the hem of her tight combat suit, unceremoniously pressing against the smooth, delicate soft flesh on her waist.
"Where do you want to run to?"
Lin Nuo's voice was extremely hoarse, carrying unmasked desire.
"Boss... I've already finished reporting the mission."
Natasha's voice trembled; facing this man, the composure she was so proud of had long since vanished.
"Is that so? But my review has only just begun."
Chapter 43: Complete Submission, Widow Explodes with God-Level Rewards
"What kind of review?"
Natasha's throat went dry, and she tried to maintain her composure using her last shred of professional training.
She was forced to straddle the man's lap, a position that was extremely humiliating yet carried an indescribable intimacy.
Lin Nuo's hot, large palm had already slid under the hem of her combat suit, his rough fingertips tracing circles on the most sensitive soft flesh of her waist without any hesitation.
Every inch of his movement felt like igniting a string of fine electric currents, making her tremble uncontrollably.
"Reviewing how long that skin of yours, which you're so proud of, can keep its mouth shut."
Lin Nuo let out a low chuckle that vibrated in his chest, his other hand gripping her slender chin and forcing her to look up and stare directly into his bottomless, dark eyes.
"You've received the most rigorous anti-interrogation training and can maintain absolute calm even at the moment your heart is pierced."
"But the Red Room never taught you what to do when a man doesn't want to pry intelligence out of your mouth, but instead wants to devour you completely, inside and out."
His words were blunt and explicit, like a scalpel, slicing open the thick ice Natasha had used to disguise herself for decades.
She could endure torture without changing her expression, but she couldn't resist this aggression that struck straight at her soul.
"Mr. Lin, this is not within my job scope." Natasha bit her lower lip, her voice carrying a tremor she hadn't even noticed.
"It is now."
Lin Nuo's thumb pressed heavily against her rosy lips, rubbing out an ambiguous mark.
"From the moment you walked into this manor, your only mission has been to please me."
He leaned down, his nose almost touching hers, his scorching breath spraying across her face.
"Tell me, when you went to see Nick Fury today, did you think of me?"
This question was absurd to the extreme.
How could a top-tier Agent think about such things while executing a mission?
"No." Natasha blurted it out almost instantly.
"Disobedient."
Lin Nuo's voice turned cold.
The fingers gripping her chin tightened slightly, and the movement of the large palm on her waist became highly punitive.
His rough fingertips pinched the soft flesh on her waist hard.
"Ugh..."
Natasha let out an uncontrollable whimper, and her body went limp immediately.
That tingling, numbing sensation instantly spread throughout her body, draining all her strength.
"I'll give you one more chance." Lin Nuo's thin lips pressed against her ear, his moist, hot breath making half her body go numb. "Did you think of me, or not?"
"...I did."
Natasha completely gave up resisting, squeezing these two words out through her teeth.
She felt like her cheeks were hot enough to fry an egg.
"That's right."
Lin Nuo chuckled with satisfaction and, as if rewarding her, gently bit her flushed earlobe.
This action made Natasha's body tense up, and an indescribable shiver shot from her spine to the top of her head.
Her self-control, which she was so proud of, was as fragile as a sheet of paper in front of this man.
"Baby, your body is much more honest than your mouth."
Lin Nuo's large palm slid up along her firm waistline, finally resting on her chest, which was heaving violently.
Through the thin fabric of her combat suit, he could clearly feel the heart beating wildly for him.
"Your heartbeat is out of control again."
His voice was hoarse, carrying undisguised desire.
"Do you know why?"
Natasha shook her head, her gaze already starting to unfocus, leaving only instinctive confusion.
"Because you crave to be conquered, to be pinned down by an absolutely powerful man, to let you forget that past stained with blood."
Lin Nuo's other hand gripped the back of her neck, forcing her to press even closer to him.
"Nick Fury treats you as his sharpest blade, and the Red Room molded you into a monster without emotions."
"They were both wrong."
The man's burning lips landed on the side of her neck, leaving a possessive hickey.
"You are just a little wildcat who needs to be well-loved by her Master and marked with a unique brand."
"No... I'm not..."
Natasha's breathing was completely chaotic; she pressed her hands against Lin Nuo's solid chest, but she couldn't muster any strength at all.
She felt like a butterfly caught in a spiderweb; the more she struggled, the tighter she was bound.
"Look at me."
Lin Nuo's command brooked no resistance.
Natasha was forced to meet those black eyes that seemed capable of swallowing everything.
"Tell me, from today on, whose person are you?"
This question was like a key, directly unlocking the deepest shackles in Natasha's heart.
Whose was she?
A tool of the Red Room? Or an asset of S.H.I.E.L.D.?
No one had ever asked her this question before.
In the eyes of those people, she wasn't a "person" at all.
"I..."
She opened her mouth, but couldn't make a sound.
"Hmm?" Lin Nuo's nasal sound carried a dangerous sense of oppression.
He didn't give her any more chance to think, directly lowering his head and fiercely sealing those red lips that still wanted to argue.
This was a highly predatory deep kiss.
Lin Nuo easily pried open her teeth, his tongue driving straight in, devouring all her defenses, pride, and disguises.
Her mouth was completely filled with the scent of this man, and her breath was thoroughly stolen.
Natasha's mind went blank.
She could only passively endure this brutal demand, her hands weakly clinging to the man's shoulders, like a drowning person clutching the only piece of driftwood.
Her whimpers were completely swallowed up in their intertwined breathing.
After an unknown amount of time, Lin Nuo finally pulled back by half an inch, with extreme restraint.
He looked at the top-tier Agent in his arms, her eyes unfocused, her cheeks flushed, and her eyes filled with the mist of being bullied, and satisfied, he used his fingertips to wipe away the silver thread at the corner of her mouth.
"Now, answer my question."
His voice was hoarse, like burning hot gravel.
"Whose are you?"
This time, Natasha didn't hesitate again.
The thick ice she had built up over decades in the Red Room and S.H.I.E.L.D. completely collapsed and shattered under this man's unreasonable offensive.
She bit her swollen lips, her voice as faint as a gnat, but carrying unprecedented submissiveness.
"Yours..."
The moment the words fell, the cold, mechanical notification sound arrived in Lin Nuo's mind as expected.
[Ding! Detected that the target "Natasha Romanoff" has suffered a complete collapse of her psychological defenses, achieving the "Complete Possession of Body and Mind" achievement!]
[Congratulations to the host for triggering a "Critical Possession Strike"!]
[Extracting the core destiny of this character's original counterpart... Extraction successful!]
[Congratulations to the host for obtaining an Epic-grade reward—Perfect Version: Longevity Serum!]
[Perfect Version: Longevity Serum: Eliminates all unstable factors, increases cellular activity by 500 times, stabilizes metabolic rate at the peak state of twenty-five years old, and grants super-speed healing ability and extreme immunity!]
[Congratulations to the host for obtaining an Epic-grade reward—Mastery of All Weapons (Passive)!]
[Mastery of All Weapons: Instantly Master the usage techniques and principles of all known and unknown human cold and hot weapons; from daggers to starship main cannons, one can achieve unity between person and weapon, wielding them as easily as one's own arm!]
A look of satisfaction flashed deep in Lin Nuo's black eyes.
He lowered his head, looking at the top-tier female Agentin his arms who had completely melted into a puddle of spring water, and patted her lower back with his large palm.
"Such a good girl."
His tone carried a lazy sense of reward.
"Since you're so obedient, Master will give you a little reward."
Chapter 44: Red Marks on the Waist, New MexicoObservation Point
Morning light filtered through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the Long Island No. 1 Manor, coating the interior in a layer of pale golden warmth.
On the large bed in the master bedroom, the lingering traces of last night still remained in the room.
Lin Nuo leaned against the headboard, his fingertips idly playing with Natasha's red hair.
This top Agent, once cold and decisive at S.H.I.E.L.D., was now curled up meekly in his arms.
Her back had beautiful lines, and on her fair skin, the fingerprints and red marks left from last night were particularly striking.
Natasha's breathing was light and steady.
Although she had been exhausted to the point of collapse last night, under this extreme sense of being controlled and fitted, she slept more deeply than ever before.
Lin Nuo closed his eyes, feeling the surging power within his body.
With the integration of the "Perfect Longevity Serum," every cell in his body was undergoing precise reorganization, and his life level had already transcended.
That innate, powerful sense of control made his perception of his surroundings exceptionally sharp.
"Don't pretend to be asleep if you're awake."
Lin Nuo chuckled softly, pressing his palm gently against the small of her back.
Natasha in his arms had her eyelashes tremble slightly, then slowly opened those long, narrow eyes.
She had no morning grumpiness at all; even though her body was sore and weak, she immediately sat up and skillfully helped Lin Nuo organize the clothes at the head of the bed.
"Good morning, boss."
Her voice was still a bit hoarse, carrying an unhurried laziness, but her eyes were clear, and she quickly entered work mode.
Lin Nuo took the warm water she handed him and asked casually.
"Is there any movement from S.H.I.E.L.D.?"
Natasha lowered her eyes slightly, hiding the undercurrents in her gaze.
"At four in the morning, the bureau's internal network monitored a high-energy data band."
"The coordinates are deep in the desert of New Mexico, and the fluctuation characteristics are extremely strange, like an energy overflow caused by a space tear."
"Nick Fury sent Coulson over."
She paused and looked up at Lin Nuo.
"Moreover, it's not just spatial fluctuations; there's also some unknown bio-energy reaction similar to a thunderstorm."
Lin Nuo held the water glass, his eyes playful.
Thunderstorm, space tear, New Mexico.
The plot line ultimately couldn't escape his prediction; Thorwas about to fall down.
He put down the water glass, wrapped one arm around Natasha's neck, pulled her close forcefully, and rubbed his thumb against the corner of her lips.
"This is a big deal; it seems we need to go take a look at that desert."
"Go there?"
Natasha was a bit surprised.
"It is currently listed as a Level 1 restricted area by S.H.I.E.L.D., and there is no commercial value around there. What do you want to do, boss?"
"Not only is it valuable, it's priceless."
Lin Nuo patted her lower back, signaling her to get up.
"Go have Potts come in, and call Betty too."
"I want to see the bidding proposals for all astronomical observation points in New Mexico within an hour."
Although Natasha had doubts, the sense of obedience branded into her bones meant she didn't ask another question.
She got up neatly, picked up the professional suit from the floor, put it on, and turned to walk out the door.
...
Half an hour later, private study.
Pepper Potts and Betty Ross both appeared before Lin Nuo.
Potts was wearing a slim-fitting dark gray suit, her hair was neatly arranged, and between her brows was the composure of someone controlling hundreds of billions in assets.
Betty was wearing a white lab coat, looking a bit sleepy, but her eyes, when looking at Lin Nuo, still carried undisguised fanaticism.
Potts pushed the tablet in front of Lin Nuo.
"Boss, this is the proposal you wanted."
"The Star Umbrella Charity Foundation under your name has just released an announcement, preparing to carry out a'Scientific Revitalization Plan' for an abandoned astronomical observatory in New Mexico, investing five billion dollars."
Lin Nuo scanned the proposal and nodded with satisfaction.
"Add another billion."
"I want to build it into the World's top interstellar physics research Base."
"Tell the local city government that as long as they approve the land, this money can be transferred by tomorrow."
"Five billion isn't enough?"
Potts was stunned for a moment, then smiled helplessly.
"Boss, that place doesn't even have a decent road; it's completely a desert."
"If we make this kind of useless investment, it will be hard to get it passed by the shareholders..."
Lin Nuo reached out and pinched Potts' delicate chin, forcing her to look up slightly, his gaze extremely overbearing.
"Shareholders? I am the only shareholder of Star Umbrella."
"As long as I want it, that place will be the center of the World."
His fingers slid along Potts' jawline and finally stopped by her ear, his voice carrying a seductive tone.
"You just need to execute. Do you understand?"
Potts' heartbeat suddenly accelerated, a flush appeared on her face, and that capable air in her eyes dissipated quite a bit.
"Understood, boss."
"I'll go handle it right now; by tonight, the land use rights will be yours."
Betty pursed her lips on the side and interjected, feeling a bit jealous.
"What about the biology laboratory?"
"I heard that besides the observatory, they also dug up quite a few ancient biological fossils there, and I want to go take a look too."
Lin Nuo turned his head, his large palm directly covering the back of Betty's hand, pressing her onto the desktop.
"The laboratory will move there with you. There will be a 'big shot' over there that needs us to take good care of."
Betty looked at Lin Nuo's aggressive black eyes and responded shyly.
"Everything as you say."
Watching the two busy figures, Lin Nuo walked to the floor-to-ceiling window and overlooked the entire manor.
Thor's hammer, that is the source of Asgard's power.
As for Jane Foster, that astrophysics genius, she is probably struggling to find data in the desert for that "anomaly" right now.
Natasha pushed the door open and entered, holding a top-secret document in her hand.
"Boss."
"S.H.I.E.L.D. has already sealed off a twenty-kilometer radius around the observation point."
"They seem very nervous about that thing; the Director is already personally sitting in command over there."
"Very good."
Lin Nuo turned around, casually took the document, and revealed a flamboyant smile.
"The tighter they seal it off, the more interesting this play will be."
He walked up to Natasha, his slender fingers hooking her chin, carefully scrutinizing this cold, stunning face that could make men go crazy.
"Since Director Fury is there, as S.H.I.E.L.D.'s'stationed Agent,' you should set off too."
Natasha was slightly stunned, then lowered her head, her voice soft and sweet.
"Boss, are you asking me to go too?"
"Not you, it's us."
Lin Nuo leaned close to her ear, his breath scorching.
"This time, I want to add some different seasoning to this mythological descent in front of everyone."
Natasha's body stiffened slightly, her ears turning red.
She knew too well what this expression of Lin Nuo's meant; that wasn't going to negotiate, that was going to hunt.
"Then how are we going to enter the scene?"
She asked in a low voice, trying to calm her rapid heartbeat.
Lin Nuo took out a thick document that had just been stamped with the Star Umbrella Group's official seal from the drawer and tossed it casually onto the table.
"Take this letter of intent for investment."
"We are going to walk right in under the name of'saving the local ecology and scientific research environment'."
"If that one-eyed dragon Nick Fury dares to stop me, I'll let him know what true dimensionality reduction strike is."
Chapter 45: Super-Sized Money, Taking You to See a Grand Show
New Mexico, Puente Antiguo.
Desolate yellow sand raged in the gale, and a few dilapidated scientific exploration vehicles were parked haphazardly in the desert.
Jane Foster crouched in front of that crude energy detector, her slender fingers tapping rapidly on the tablet, attempting to capture that strange atmospheric charge fluctuation.
Professor Eric Selvig wiped the sweat from his forehead, his expression despondent.
"Jane, the data is scrambled again."
"We've been guarding this place for a whole week, and apart from sandstorms, we haven't caught anything. If you keep persisting, we won't even have enough money to buy coffee."
Darcy was idly fiddling with a videotape on the side.
"Not only are we out of money, but my old Ford is also about to break down. Jane, if there's still nothing to find, why don't we go back?"
Jane Foster bit her lip stubbornly, her sea-blue eyes filled with persistence.
She was not the type to give up easily.
That kind of abnormal aurora and magnetic field was definitely not a natural phenomenon; there must be something—
Just then, on the horizon at the edge of her vision, several pitch-black, streamlined shadows approached from afar.
It wasn't a sandstorm; it was a motorcade.
Seven all-black bulletproof maybachs formed a steady queue, the powerful sound of their engines drowning out the wind.
The motorcade stopped steadily in front of Jane's campsite, their movements uniform, even the rhythm of the braking was perfectly synchronized.
The car doors opened, and over a dozen bodyguards in suits lined up in two rows, well-trained, establishing an absolute line of defense in this desolate no-man's-land.
A tall man stepped out from the middle car.
He was wearing a well-tailored custom dark gray suit; under the sunlight, the lenses of his gold-rimmed glasses flashed with a cold refraction.
Standing in the yellow sand, he looked as if he were in a top-tier office building in Manhattan. That cold, stoic temperament unique to a tycoon made Jane instinctively hold her breath.
Natasha followed closely behind, holding a thick stack of documents in her hand.
The capable aura of a professional woman she exuded made Darcy stare blankly.
Lin Nuo walked slowly to Jane's exploration vehicle. Without looking at anyone else, his gaze locked onto that pieced-together second-hand detector.
He spoke, his voice steady but carrying absolute certainty.
"Atmospheric charge density distortion—is this what you're looking for?"
Jane was slightly stunned and stood up warily.
"Who are you? This is a private scientific research site; unauthorized personnel keep out."
Lin Nuo smiled lightly, his posture suggesting he had heard some kind of joke.
"Scientific research?"
He turned his head to look at Natasha.
Natasha stepped forward and handed over a black business card bearing the Star Umbrella Group emblem.
"Dr. Jane Foster, this is our Star Umbrella Group CEO, Mr. Lin Nuo."
Jane frowned.
"Star Umbrella?"
This name was thunderous in the biomedical field; how could it appear in the field of astrophysics?
Lin Nuo didn't give the other party a chance to exchange pleasantries. He reached out and tapped the main control panel of the detector lightly, his tone indifferent.
"The sampling frequency of this machine is only five thousand hertz; it can't even capture the afterimage of that energy fluctuation. No wonder you've been guarding it for a week and gained nothing."
Jane's pride was stung by these words, and she retorted.
"This is already the highest configuration we could afford. If you are just here to humiliate us..."
Lin Nuo interrupted her.
"No, I'm here to invest."
He took a check out of his pocket, flicked it lightly with his fingertips, and casually placed it on the broken table nearby.
"Five billion U.S. dollars as the startup capital for the New Mexico Interstellar Physics Observation Base."
"As long as you nod, from now on, all research expenses here, equipment maintenance, and that grant application of yours that was withheld by the university will all be covered by me."
The scene fell into a dead silence.
Darcy's eyes widened, her mouth agape in shock.
Professor Eric suspected he was having auditory hallucinations.
Jane Foster looked at that string of zeros, and her heartbeat involuntarily quickened.
As a genius who had to beg for funding everywhere for her research projects, the temptation of this money was self-evident.
Jane steadied her breathing, trying her best to maintain a sense of professionalism.
"What do you want me to do?"
Lin Nuo stepped closer.
He entered Jane's personal space, and that aggressive woody fragrance rushed directly into her nostrils.
His slender fingers braced against the tabletop, half-encircling Jane between himself and the exploration vehicle.
He lowered his head, and that sense of oppression made Jane's breathing somewhat constrained.
Lin Nuo stared into her clear eyes.
"What I want is scientific results, not this junk."
"I want you to use the top-tier equipment provided by Star Umbrella to help me locate the exact source of that energy."
"As for what that is..."
Lin Nuo's gaze swept over her cheeks, which were flushed with embarrassment, and his voice dropped slightly.
"I will handle it; you only need to be responsible for the observation."
Jane felt a tug of emotion she had never experienced before.
The man in front of her was too overbearing, even carrying a dangerous sense that he would swallow her whole.
She instinctively wanted to step back, but there was already a table behind her.
Lin Nuo's large hand rested on the tabletop, locking her entirely within his embrace.
He coaxed softly.
"What do you say, Dr. Jane?"
"Stay here blowing sand with these antiques, or come with me and go see the top-tier cosmic wonder in this World?"
This kind of dimensionality-reduction-strike style of resource suppression instantly shattered the defenses in Jane's heart.
This wasn't just funds; this was the top-tier laboratory treatment she could only dream of encountering.
Jane tried hard to maintain her rationality.
"If you dare to lie to me..."
Lin Nuo chuckled, his fingertips brushing against her hair quite naturally, finally landing on her neck.
"I never lie to my women."
Jane felt a shiver run down the back of her neck, and her mind went blank for a moment.
Lin Nuo straightened up and signaled Natasha to handle the follow-up.
"Take the money first."
He turned around, gazing into the depths of the desert at the faint, dark red sky emerging.
Thor is coming.
Natasha walked over and whispered in his ear.
"Boss, the observation point over there has sent a signal; a strong charge reaction has appeared."
Lin Nuo smiled slightly.
He turned his head to look at Jane, who was still stunned, and reached out to pat her shoulder lightly, the force carrying an irresistible sense of control.
"Let's go, Dr. Jane, bring your equipment."
"The grand show is about to begin."
Chapter 46: Hoarding the Goddess, Leaving Thor to Eat Dirt Outside
The night in New Mexico was cold, the chill seeping through the sand and into one's bones.
Deep in the wilderness, a ten-kilometer radius of land had been forcibly cordoned off by fences.
At the very center, a heavy modular research vehicle was slowly unfolding.
This was no mere RV; it was a mobile laboratory built by Star Umbrella Group at a massive cost.
With its fully sealed, climate-controlled environment, the desert outside the floor-to-ceiling windows stood in stark contrast to the minimalist, high-tech interior.
Jane Foster sat before a high-precision biomechanical monitoring station, her slender fingers flying across the keyboard.
She still hadn't recovered from the transition from "begging for funding" to "owning a World-class laboratory."
"Dr., the data calibration is complete."
Unhurried footsteps sounded from behind her.
Jane turned around.
Lin Nuo was wearing a dark gray cashmere sweater with the sleeves slightly rolled up, holding a cup of freshly brewed coffee.
He walked behind Jane, his gaze landing on the screen.
Lin Nuo bent over, his body partially looming over Jane.
"The ionospheric interference here is greater than anticipated."
This proximity made Jane somewhat uncomfortable.
She tried to move her swivel chair, but Lin Nuo braced one hand on the back of the chair, blocking her retreat.
Lin Nuo's breath brushed against her ear, carrying a faint woody scent.
"Don't move."
Jane's body stiffened, and the stylus in her hand nearly slipped.
"Mr. Lin, I need space to record the data."
Lin Nuo's voice was deep and steady, devoid of any unnecessary emotion, yet it carried an undeniable, overbearing strength.
"Recording data is your task, but protecting you from interference is mine."
Outside the vehicle, several beams of bright light flashed.
Those were the security personnel sent by Nick Fury of S.H.I.E.L.D., attempting to approach the cordon.
Without turning his head, Lin Nuo issued an order into his headset.
"Natasha, issue them an ultimatum. Treat anyone who crosses the line as an illegal intruder."
Natasha's voice came through the communication channel, efficient and decisive.
"Understood, boss."
Jane watched the S.H.I.E.L.D. vehicles being forcefully driven back outside the window, a flash of shock in her eyes.
She had originally thought this was just the arrogance of a tycoon, but until this moment, she realized that this man held absolute control over this land.
Jane asked.
"Are those people outside here for this energy?"
"They are here for the truth, but I am here for you."
Lin Nuo's slender fingertips lightly tapped the peak of the energy fluctuations on the display screen.
"That source of interference has reached a critical point. Jane, are you ready to witness a miracle?"
Boom!
No sooner had he spoken than the ground trembled violently.
On the distant horizon, a blue pillar of light, so thick it was blinding, descended from the sky, piercing through the clouds and striking the ground.
A gale carrying sand and gravel battered the reinforced glass of the laboratory, alarms sounded, and red emergency lights began to flash.
Jane stood up abruptly, wanting to rush to the floor-to-ceiling window of the observation deck.
"It's that location! We have to go and see!"
Lin Nuo took a step across, blocking her path directly.
"Go where?"
His tall figure blocked the narrow aisle, like an insurmountable wall.
Jane was so anxious her face turned red, and she tried to get around him.
"That is an astronomical spectacle unseen in the physics community for decades! If I don't go to the scene, the data won't be complete!"
Lin Nuo reached out, grabbed her wrist, and deftly pulled her back to her original spot, then proceeded to press her against the edge of the lab bench.
He didn't use force, but the oppressive feeling made Jane's breath hitch.
"You are a scientist, Jane. You should know that at the center of such an energy surge, even a fully armed Agentwould be instantly carbonized."
Lin Nuo lowered his head, his gaze fixed directly on her eyes as he lowered his voice.
"Do you want to die? Or do you want to be locked here by me, holding the first-hand data I provide, and slap the faces of those peers who can only eat dust?"
Jane bit her lower lip, her heart racing out of control due to this close-range eye contact and the arrogance in his words.
"Why do you think I can get the data?"
A playful curve tugged at the corner of Lin Nuo's mouth.
"Because, other than this vehicle, there is no other signaling equipment capable of approaching the observation point."
"Star Umbrella has cut off all external communications here. You are the only person who can see the high-definition live feed through my internal network."
He extended his other hand and pressed a few buttons on the control panel.
The previously dark monitoring screen lit up instantly.
Under the infrared night vision camera, the landing point was clearly visible.
In the center of a huge circular crater, a strange hammer was stuck.
And at the edge of the crater, a strong man in a leather jacket, looking completely bewildered, was searching for something.
Who else could that person be but Thor?
Jane stared at the screen, her entire body leaning against it.
"Is that... a human? What is he wearing?"
Lin Nuo glanced indifferently at Thor's back on the screen.
"Just a lost hobo."
"If he stays there, he will only become a specimen for S.H.I.E.L.D. to dissect."
Jane looked at the man's situation on the screen, and her inner saintly compassion began to overflow.
"I'm going to help him!"
Lin Nuo let out a disdainful chuckle.
He stepped forward, trapping Jane in his arms from behind, placing his palm over the back of her hand to forcibly close the recorder for her.
"Your subject is astrophysics, not charity work."
He whispered in her ear, his tone cold, hard, and full of possessiveness.
"If you want to go out, I won't stop you."
"But once you step out of this door, you must put away those foolish thoughts and stay obediently by my side as my exclusive researcher."
Jane felt a fine shiver run down the back of her neck.
Lin Nuo's palm was pressed against her waist, the heat seeping through her thin lab coat, making her heart burn with turmoil.
Jane said with a trembling voice, though she dared not look directly into Lin Nuo's black eyes, which seemed capable of seeing through everything.
"You are holding me under house arrest."
"No, this is called protecting an investment."
Lin Nuo let go, walked over to the coffee machine, and picked up the coffee pot again.
He looked nonchalantly at the chaotic scene in the distance outside the window, his demeanor as relaxed as if he were watching an inconsequential circus.
"Until that guy picks up the hammer, you are safe."
Lin Nuo turned his head to look at Jane, who was still hesitating in front of the monitoring station, a trace of mockery in his eyes.
"What's wrong, Dr.? Are you more interested in that hobo who can't even find his way, than in this formula that could overturn gravitational constants?"
Jane looked at Thor on the screen, blocked by the cordon and appearing somewhat clumsy, and then looked at the terminal in front of her, which gathered the most cutting-edge physical data in the World.
At this moment, the tug-of-war between reason and instinct collided in her heart.
She had always been a proud scholar, and she had always disdained the childish behavior of Peter Parker, who only knew how to play hero games.
And the man before her, though suffocatingly overbearing, could precisely provide all the resources she craved.
Jane lowered her eyes, her voice growing smaller.
"...Is he really not in danger?"
Lin Nuo walked back to her side, extremely naturally brushing away the hair obscuring her vision, his fingertips lingering on her soft temple for a moment.
"As long as he hasn't picked up that thing, he's just a tourist getting sunburnt in the desert."
"Besides, even if something really happens to him, that's S.H.I.E.L.D.'s problem, not yours."
This logic was chilling, yet extremely persuasive.
Jane took a deep breath, forcing those irrelevant thoughts down.
She was an extremely rational woman, and here, facing top-tier equipment and this man who controlled everything, she truly had no reason to walk out.
Lin Nuo patted her shoulder, not too lightly or too heavily.
"Continue recording."
"I want to see the change curve of that energy fluctuation, even if it's just a jump in a decimal point."
Jane gritted her teeth and sat back down in the swivel chair.
"Fine, we'll do it your way."
The carriage returned to silence, with only the slight humming sound of precision instruments running.
Lin Nuo leaned against the tempered glass of the laboratory, arms crossed over his chest, his gaze passing over Jane's shoulder, fixed on the man in the surveillance footage who was trying to crawl through the barbed wire at the edge of the crater.
That hammer, Odin's contract.
In this observation point that he had physically isolated, Thor had become a complete hobo.
Natasha's voice cut in through the headset.
"Boss, S.H.I.E.L.D. personnel have gathered on the west side of the fence."
Lin Nuo said indifferently.
"Let them wait."
"Without my permission, not even a fly is allowed to enter this observation area."
He lowered his head, looking at Jane, who was burying her head in calculating formulas.
At this moment, she was highly focused, a thin layer of sweat seeping from her forehead, completely immersed in the ocean of knowledge Lin Nuo had constructed.
Lin Nuo reached out and gently rubbed the top of her smooth hair, his tone carrying a hint of playful coaxing.
"Just a few more hours, and the truth of this Universe will be completely laid out before you."