"You gave our enemy a quinjet." Fury's voice was cold, his gaze even colder, sharp as a blade. Coulson pursed his lips and said, "But we got Captain America." Fury: "That is the only reason you are still standing here talking to me." The result was undoubtedly excellent. Captain America was authentic.
Whether it was his appearance, his internal makeup, or even the DNA verification comparison, everything indicated that this Steve Rogers was the real one. No one could deceive Fury's one eye, especially with the personal assistance of the Skrulls. The addition of Captain America was like a shot of adrenaline for S.H.I.E.L.D..
Although no one would say it to Steve's face, his symbolic significance far exceeded his practical value, much like when he was pushed out to be a promotional poster boy for the U.S. military back in the day. The only difference was that now, people at least knew he could really fight. Fury asked again, "Why did they come into conflict?" Coulson shook his head: "It's unclear for now.
Hong Fei hasn't said anything, and the Captain doesn't seem willing to bring it up either. However, it's clear that the Captain detests him. I think it must be that his behavioral motives and style of doing things caused the Captain's disgust." Fury nodded slightly. What were Hong Fei's behavioral motives? One word: crazy! It was impossible to correctly guess his next move using ordinary methods.
Even trying to reverse-engineer his actions based on what had already happened made it difficult to figure out his true motives at first glance. Just imagine, who would race a tank through a nation's capital and start firing at the slightest disagreement? Can you imagine that the reason he did this was because he was surrounded by the Police?
Can you imagine that the reason he was surrounded by the Police was because he slaughtered hundreds of people in a Villa? Can you imagine that the slaughtered people were actually members of a transnational criminal organization? The cause and effect didn't really match up. A normal person would never make those choices, yet he went ahead and did exactly that. And then there was the Rand Building.
Wiping out The Hand was one thing, but what was the meaning of killing the S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents along with them? It was normal for a righteous superhero like Captain America to be unable to stand him; a conflict was inevitable. "And before that, why did he suddenly appear?" Coulson's eyes lit up immediately: "Director, that was also a very unexpected method.
Back then, after the Captain crash-landed the HYDRA plane along with the weapons into the ice field, the unconscious Captain was quickly frozen. His vital signs were frozen along with him. The aircraft was quickly buried deep in the blizzard-ridden ice field, so much so that subsequent searches yielded no results.
It wasn't until a few days ago that the Captain was found by Hong Fei beneath the ice. I heard he continued to sleep for five days after thawing out before waking up." Fury frowned: "How was he found?" "Uh, that's still under investigation." "Where was he found, and what about the plane?" "The location is still being investigated.
According to the Captain, that plane seems to have been taken by Hong Fei." "Frozen... So, the current Captain isn't as old as we previously imagined? He is still that young man in his twenties from back then?" Coulson nodded heavily, his expression excited: "That's right, Director. I didn't expect it either. The hero I've admired since childhood is actually younger than me!
But in my eyes, he will always be that respected Captain America!" Fury was not a fan of Captain America, but he understood Coulson's thoughts, and he hoped more people would share similar sentiments. Any organization, regardless of size, must have a leader. It can be nominal or spiritual, and the best situation is a combination of both. Steve was already an undisputed spiritual leader.
The newly formed Avengers needed a benchmark, and Steve Rogers was the perfect fit. Everything would have been ideal—if only that quinjet hadn't been given away. But what was done was done. There was no use dwelling on it. Fury shifted gears. "How's Stark holding up?"
Coulson shook his head slightly. "Mr. Stark isn't cooperating."
Fury's brow furrowed. "What's he doing now?"
"According to Ms. Pepper, he's still working on armor specifically designed to counter Hong Fei. He hasn't slept in days. The last time I went to give him an injection, he finally got some rest."
"He's got a serious grudge," Fury noted.
"Indeed," Coulson agreed.
"But we don't have time for him to waste like this. His armor can't be tailored to just one person. The threats we're facing aren't limited to Hong Fei." Fury paused, then issued a directive. "Go talk to him again. Tell him not to squander his talent."
"Understood."
The Avengers roster had grown by two since last time: Matt Murdock and Luke Cage. Their abilities were undeniably impressive. Matt possessed superhuman senses and formidable combat skills, while Luke's bulletproof skin and immense strength made him a walking tank. But raw power alone wasn't enough to earn a spot on the team.
The Avengers' criteria weren't just about combat prowess. They also evaluated character, psychological stability, and more. Matt Murdock was blind, but that wasn't a drawback—his enhanced senses more than made up for it. The real issue was his stubborn moral code. No matter the opponent, he refused to kill. It was almost laughable.
S.H.I.E.L.D. was an intelligence agency. When had you ever heard of an Agent who didn't kill? Even the administrative staff underwent regular combat training. If you hadn't mastered a few lethal techniques, how could you call yourself an Agent? What if you were captured? Would you just sit there helplessly? A qualified Agent knew when to be ruthless and when to hold back. The Avengers were no exception. If you weren't willing to kill, how could you claim to be seeking justice?
As for Luke Cage, his physical abilities were extraordinary. In an era dominated by kinetic weapons, his bulletproof body made him a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield. But his record was far from clean. Though his fugitive status had been cleared, he wasn't exactly a model citizen.
In another time, Fury would have never let these two join the Avengers—not even if he were broke and desperate enough to jump off the Triskelion roof. But circumstances had changed. The world was evolving, and so were their needs.
The World Security Council's push to recruit Hong Fei and others to bolster the Avengers' ranks was something Fury couldn't ignore. If he did nothing, he'd risk alienating his financiers. Every project, big or small, relied on funding to keep moving forward.
So, picking the best from the bunch, Fury made the decision and reluctantly allowed Matt and Luke to join the team. The Avengers now consisted of five members: Steve Rogers, Natasha Romanoff, Clint Barton, Matt Murdock, and Luke Cage. At the New York S.H.I.E.L.D. branch, Matt and Luke—two unlikely partners—officially became Avengers.
Their operational jurisdiction shifted from Coulson to Maria Hill. New York was more familiar territory for them, making it easier to shine here. That was the polite way of framing it. The blunt truth was they weren't valued — their names on the roster were enough for the higher-ups to tick a box, confirming the Avengers' headcount had increased.
Luke Cage sat by the bed, gazing at the bustling cityscape. He chuckled dryly. "Matt, looks like we've been sidelined." Matt kept his head down, his tone measured. "I wouldn't call it sidelining. We've always belonged to New York." Luke raised an eyebrow. "Then why'd they insist on us joining the Avengers? I never wanted any part of it." Matt sighed. "Luke, joining the Avengers is actually good for you. I'm the one who's least suited for it."
Luke frowned, unsure how to respond. He didn't understand Matt's obsession with his "no killing" principle. Agents had licenses to kill, and sometimes they even gained automatic law enforcement rights — rights granted by the law itself. Matt was a lawyer. Why was he fighting against the law now?
Luke stayed silent, but Matt seemed to read his thoughts anyway. He smiled faintly. "I don't believe one person should have the power of both judge and executioner. Even if it exists, I can't approve of it." Luke had heard this argument countless times, and it grated on him more than ever. Frustrated, he slammed the table, his voice low but sharp. "Then you should've stayed in Hell's Kitchen as a lawyer from the start!"
Matt remained calm, his tone steady. "I've already contacted a friend. Our law firm will be established soon." Luke stared at him, even more annoyed. "Then keep running out at night in that strange outfit of yours." Matt paused, his head dipping slightly. "If the police could catch them, I would." They parted ways on bad terms for the first time.
In Fury's eyes, apart from Natasha and Barton, the other three weren't close allies. Luke Cage and Matt weren't immediate concerns, but Steve Rogers was someone Fury absolutely needed to win over. After Coulson left, Fury personally sought Steve out. The two began discussing ideals, goals, and the noble vision of protecting the world. Steve was cooperative — not overly familiar, but not distant either. Fury considered this good news. It meant Steve had no ulterior motives and was open to hearing others' ideas.
This, Fury thought, was the essence of Captain America.
What Fury didn't know was that Steve was carefully analyzing every word he said. The one-eyed man in front of him didn't seem trustworthy. Could he be a member of HYDRA? Even as the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., it wasn't beyond the realm of possibility for HYDRA to infiltrate such a position.
Hours later, Steve stood and escorted Fury to the door. Once Fury was gone, Steve immediately relayed everything — the visit, the conversation — to Hong Fei. After hearing the details, Hong Fei could only chuckle helplessly. With the current Steve, working within S.H.I.E.L.D., he probably looked at everyone as though they were HYDRA, didn't he?