In Coulson's worldview, S.H.I.E.L.D. was a shield meant to protect Earth and humanity—not a weapon for killing.
That's why, even when facing super-criminals, Coulson's principle had always been "capture, not kill," focusing on rehabilitating their morals and mindset.
Given that Coulson radiated "good guy" energy inside and out, the idea of harming his own teammates was unthinkable.
Now, though Coulson's IQ wasn't above 250, he could tell Li Feng was emphasizing that Melinda had to be examined by him after using the mask.
Coulson thought for a moment, glanced at the mask in his hand, and asked sternly, "Are there other unknown side effects to using this mask?"
"I'm afraid you might not understand, so I'd better explain it to the user myself," said Li Feng, who had just started the RV, scratching his brow as he got up from the driver's seat and called out to Melinda in the distance, "Hey, sis, I heard you can operate all kinds of vehicles. Come try out my RV and help me see if there's anything that needs improving."
As the only woman in the vehicle—Melinda—heard Li Feng's reckless words, her face twitched: "Sis? Asking for a beating, aren't you? The only improvement this RV needs is a signature flag. So, my suggestion is to nail your big face to the front. That way, you can cool your head in the breeze, and everyone will know at a glance whose RV this is."
While silently cursing, Melinda glanced at Coulson, who gave a slight nod, then quickly took the driver's seat, gritting her teeth as she muttered, "What do you want me here for? I don't buy that 'improving the RV' nonsense."
Coulson shrugged, amiably indicating that he had nothing to do with the "sis" business—this was all Li Feng's idea. As for what exactly that idea was, he didn't want to get involved.
Handing the mask to Melinda, Coulson whispered, "This is the Night God's mask, but it has side effects. Besides granting you extraordinary strength, it will drain your life force and amplify the emotions you've been suppressing." He paused, glancing at Li Feng before continuing, "There's another side effect. Austin said I wouldn't understand and that he needed to explain it to you personally."
Watching Melinda, who looked like she was about to grind her teeth to dust, Li Feng felt like he was hallucinating—he could almost hear the sound of her molars cracking under the pressure.
Swallowing hard, Li Feng hesitantly added, "It might... create an inner demon."
"Inner demon?"
"Inner demon?"
Coulson and Melinda echoed simultaneously, though their tones were entirely different. Coulson looked utterly baffled, clearly not understanding and hoping Li Feng could elaborate—what kind of demon was an "inner demon"?
Meanwhile, Melinda, well-versed in Chinese culture, looked shocked. Especially since Li Feng wasn't just some ordinary guy but a genuine practitioner—albeit one who practiced Western magic. This "inner demon" probably wasn't just some psychological condition a therapist would diagnose.
"You're right," Li Feng said, scratching his brow with a hint of resignation. "It's the inner demon that arises in Eastern practitioners."
Truth be told, when it came to the topic of inner demons, Li Feng felt nothing but frustration all over.
Logically, even though he cultivated his magic using Eastern techniques, both his spells and the way he wielded his power leaned toward Western magic. Inner demons shouldn't even be a thing—after all, no one had ever heard of a mage suddenly developing one mid-practice.
And yet, after using the mask, here it was. What could Li Feng do? Helpless and fearing that the inner demon might drive him to his demise, Li Feng had no choice but to give up on the powerful Mask Card learning device—at least until he figured out what the hell this inner demon was.
But then another problem arose: when he wasn't using the mask, the inner demon seemed to vanish completely. No matter how hard Li Feng searched, it just wouldn't show up.
When he did use the mask, the inner demon appeared, but Li Feng knew all too well that under the mask's influence, he couldn't even compare to Bruce Banner turning into the Hulk. At least Banner retained some shred of rationality—himself? Not a damn bit. All that was left was bloodlust and violence.
In this state, Li Feng couldn't even suppress the inner demon, let alone study it. The only way he could regain brief clarity was by indulging the deepest desires of his heart.
But what Li Feng truly yearned for was to go home. The problem was, if he had the ability to return home, why would he be in such a hurry to practice magic? If he could just gather his wife and kids around a warm hearth, cultivating magic steadily as a family, would this inner demon nonsense even be an issue?
Left with no other options, Li Feng began considering how to make others manifest their inner demons so he could study them. The method was simple: have someone with pent-up negative emotions use the mask—like Melinda right now.
Understanding the potential consequences, Melinda narrowed her eyes in thought and asked, "Does the inner demon remain after taking off the mask?"
Li Feng shrugged, recalling the protagonist from The Mask, and said, "I've personally seen someone use the mask, but whether it was because their usage was brief or because their suppressed emotions were tied to a longing for love, I didn't see any inner demon. Just a love-crazed romantic." Pausing, and worried Melinda might back out, he added, "There was also a street thug, though I don't know what his deepest desires were. He was evil, sure, but still no inner demon. And lastly—"
Li Feng suddenly chuckled, as if remembering something. "There was also a super-intelligent, loyal dog. Even after putting on the mask, it remained devoted to its owner. No inner demon there either."
Melinda, her poker face unreadable, examined the mask carefully before saying coolly, "Short usage time? Got it."
Nearby, hearing that even a dog could use the mask, Coulson's face darkened. He couldn't help but interject, "Osborne, I really think this mask should be handed over to S.H.I.E.L.D. for safekeeping. It's too dangerous. What if a mole who loves digging tunnels gets its paws on it? If it helps dig subway lines, fine—but what if it tunnels straight from the North to the South Pole?"
"That's… quite the imagination," Li Feng said, giving Coulson a thumbs-up while rolling his eyes. "Hand it over to S.H.I.E.L.D.? What's next? Letting a breeding-obsessed pig use it? Have it lie on an assembly line, popping out piglets every few seconds to solve world hunger?"Li Feng couldn't help but grumble, "Why don't you go ahead and critique every single prop I've collected while you're at it? That way, you might as well tell me I'm standing at ground zero of a nuclear explosion." He patted Coulson on the shoulder and added, "Come on, Coulson, just go cool off somewhere. Stop daydreaming or worrying about things that aren't even happening."
Just as Coulson was about to try persuading him further, Ward, who had been monitoring the surveillance feed in the vehicle, suddenly called out, "Sir, we've found Bob."
"Where?" Task-focused as always, Coulson had no choice but to set aside his conversation with Li Feng and hurriedly walked over to Ward. Glancing at the surveillance footage, he asked, "When was this recorded?"
Ward checked the timestamp on the video and replied with slight frustration, "This is from three days ago. The location is a small town in the suburbs of Texas."
Li Feng walked up to the video screen, stroked his chin, and asked, "Looks like he left the town. Can we find out where he was heading?"
Ward shrugged, glanced at Coulson, and only after Coulson gave a slight nod did he tap a few keys on the keyboard, bringing up a map of the area near the town. "Desert," he said. "The direction Bob took leads to nothing but desert."
"Alright, at least we know the last place Bob was seen," Coulson turned to Li Feng and said, "Now, please take us to the town first. Let's see if there are any clues left behind."
Li Feng rolled his eyes. "Bob's been trained into an agent by you guys. What kind of clues do you expect to find?"
As he spoke, Li Feng glanced at the surveillance footage again, mentally sketching the scene while opening a portal.
There was no helping it—portals were just like that. They could only be opened if the user had been to the destination or had a clear mental image of where it led. Since Li Feng had never been to Texas, he had to rely on the surveillance footage to cast the spell.
Melinda, gripping the steering wheel, saw a glowing gate suddenly appear in front of her. Just as she instinctively moved to hit the brakes, she heard Li Feng's amused voice from behind: "Welcome, S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, aboard this express ride to Texas. Though we don't serve drinks, we'd still appreciate a five-star review."
A portal?
Remembering the last time she'd seen Li Feng open one, Melinda eased off the brakes. Suppressing the urge to facepalm—or punch Li Feng—she stepped on the gas instead. Couldn't he have given a heads-up? Or was he just trying to scare her?
A ride where the passengers had to drive themselves, and he still wanted a good review? Maybe in the next life.
Still, portals were undeniably convenient. One press of the accelerator, and they went from New York to Texas in an instant.
After passing through the portal, Melinda parked the RV smoothly, stood up, cracked her knuckles, and shot Li Feng a look before turning to Coulson. "What now?"
Coulson tilted his head in thought, clapped his hands to snap his dazed-looking team out of their "Where are we? How did we get here?" stupor, and said, "First, search the town for clues. Then, follow the direction Bob took and see what we can find."
Nearby, Li Feng rubbed his chin and pointed at the computer. "Leave someone behind to check if there've been any strange news reports in Texas lately. Bob didn't come here for no reason—he must have some purpose."
Coulson considered it, then nodded at Ward. "You stay in the vehicle and help out."
With that, Coulson led his fully armed team and the scientists loaded with equipment out of the RV.
Inside the vehicle, a bored Li Feng sipped a beer, silently watching Ward diligently scour the internet for news. Just as Li Feng was contemplating whether to take advantage of the absence of others to turn Grant Ward into another subordinate, he suddenly came across a news report about a guy with a flaming skull appearing on the city streets.
Ghost Rider.
Recalling the iconic image of Ghost Rider, Li Feng spat out a mouthful of beer onto Ward's back. Facing Ward's bewildered expression, he awkwardly said, "Call Coulson back. I think I've figured out why Bob is in Texas."