"...A few colleagues?" Coulson quickly understood what Shen He meant, murmuring, "I really hope none of my friends are on that list."
"Unfortunately," Shen He handed him a slip of paper, "every name on it is one of your friends."
Shen He wasn't exactly a die-hard Marvel fan, but since a long, interconnected storyline was rare, he had watched through the movies a few times when bored.
What he remembered most clearly was Coulson's good buddy, John Garrett—someone who, from the moment he appeared, didn't look like a good person. And in fact, he wasn't.
Then there was Pierce's assistant, Sitwell—a high-ranking S.H.I.E.L.D. agent who belonged to Hydra. These were the only names Shen He knew.
"When do I leave?" Coulson stared at the slip. "I really can't wait to punch him."
"Tonight. The sooner the better. I really hope that by tomorrow Hydra will be wiped out by our own hands." Shen He rose from the sofa, stretching. He took two steps, then suddenly turned back. "Coulson, once S.H.I.E.L.D. is gone, would you consider working for us in Chaldea? When it comes to protecting the world, we're much better at it."
"...I'll consider it, Mr. Shen." Coulson stood as well and shook Shen He's hand.
He did need time to consider his future—not just him, but everyone in S.H.I.E.L.D.
But right now, he wanted more than anything to ask his old friend why he had chosen to become a Hydra agent.
Lelouch gave Shen He a small nod and followed Coulson out.
"Mr. Lelouch, we haven't been formally introduced." Coulson extended his hand.
"Just call me Lelouch." Lelouch smiled as he shook it. "After learning about your work, I've admired you greatly. It's hard to imagine ordinary people choosing to give everything to protect the world."
Shen He's assignment for Lelouch—aside from following the plan—also included shaping Chaldea's external image.
And when it came to acting and persuasion, Lelouch could absolutely do it better, more naturally, and more logically than Shen He.
"Chaldea has no ordinary people?" Coulson asked, sounding merely curious.
"None." Lelouch slowly shook his head. "We recruit individuals with abilities from different worlds. We believe that protection requires power."
"Protection does require power." Coulson nodded in agreement, then added, "But you look really young—about the same age as my nephew in high school. Hard to imagine someone like you protecting the world."
Fury's instructions for Coulson—aside from communication—also included attempting to make deeper contact with Chaldea's other members and gather intel.
"You're mistaken. We are not protecting the world." Lelouch corrected him. "We protect human order. Good is part of that order, and so is evil. Once we intervene, the Master also acts according to his own preferences. That is part of human nature. Truthfully, even if Hydra ruled the world, it would not affect the existence or continuation of human order."
"Is that so? Then I suppose we should really be grateful Chaldea sent us a rather decent Master?" Coulson felt that some of his questions were finally being answered.
Like why Shen He's actions didn't resemble any organization's style, but instead followed personal whims.
"To be honest, even now I can't imagine what Chaldea is really like." Coulson continued. "You're unlike any organization we know. It feels more like a group of extraordinary individuals gathered around Mr. Shen, almost like a family rather than an organization. Is all of Chaldea like that?"
This was something they had never quite understood.
Teams that functioned like families weren't unheard of—but such bonds usually required years of working together.
Whereas Shen He's group felt more like strangers who, for some unknown reason, had formed deep trust overnight.
"It's simply because the Master has a good personality..."
After so many days here, Lelouch had gained a fair understanding of Shen He.
Not a weak man.
But someone who used sincerity to earn sincerity.
"So you do have a system?"
"Of course. Chaldea is not a loose organization..."
The two intelligent men, each with their own intentions, continued conversing step by step. Despite their age difference, they surprisingly shared many topics.
During this time, Coulson officially contacted the individuals on the list, telling them to meet at a coffee shop he specified, claiming there was something urgent to discuss.
Unexpectedly, everyone else seemed busy—only Garrett could make it on time.
"One is enough." Lelouch thought for a moment. It wouldn't affect the plan.
All they needed was a Hydra agent attempting to attack the captured Captain America.
"For me, Garrett showing up is all I need." Coulson stepped on the gas, speeding up. "We go way back."
The coffee shop was in downtown New York, quite popular. Even at this hour, it was still fairly full. Coulson and Lelouch entered at separate times and sat apart.
This was Lelouch's first time doing something like this. But in the car earlier, Coulson had taught him many spy techniques—like how to observe others with peripheral vision. Very useful.
Lelouch even considered undergoing some spy training. He was certain it would help with his revenge.
After waiting for a moment, Garrett walked in, going straight to Coulson's table and sitting opposite him.
"Coulson, what's so urgent? I've still got a pile of things to do."
Garrett was a slightly overweight middle-aged man. Even in this weather, he wore a high-neck wool sweater—to hide the third-degree burn scar on his neck.
"It's extremely important." Coulson looked at his old friend and spoke word by word. "It concerns our lives… yours and mine."
The two on that side were already talking. Lelouch sipped his coffee.
He didn't particularly like it, but in a coffee shop, drinking nothing would stand out.
The Holy Britannian Empire didn't seem to have this kind of spy intelligence system, but it was surprisingly effective.
Lelouch tried his newly learned technique, using peripheral vision to observe others—keeping his eyes fixed on an object while processing the image in his mind. It made his gaze look unfocused, like he was daydreaming.
Wait…
Everyone around him…
seemed to be daydreaming.
-----------------------
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