Finding a way to train the Soul, or rather, mental strength. This was another goal Hong Fei had set for himself. Powerful mental strength could help him combine his Soul with Dragon Power faster; for every extra bit of control he gained over Dragon Power, his strength would grow visibly by that same amount!
The boost Dragon Power provided to skill cards was quite significant, and the magnitude of this increase grew along with his level of control. Therefore, this was a path of growth that could keep pace with the improvement of his physical fitness and energy.
After ending his stance, Hong Fei paused for a moment, allowing Rapid Regeneration to slightly repair the wounds inside his body before opening his eyes. Fury and the other two stood to the side without moving. It wasn't that they didn't want to leave, nor was it that they didn't dare to leave; it was just that they could only "walk" now!
The cars were mostly blown to bits, and the quinjets were also totaled; other than using their legs, they had no other way to leave. But how could walking ever be faster than flying? There weren't many S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents left.
Big Head used a single mental burst to knock all the Agents unconscious, then he gently landed beside Hong Fei, supporting Hong Fei's arm with both hands and saying, "Boss, you were really so cool just now!" Perhaps only he could say such bootlicking words in such a serious tone.
Hong Fei turned his head to scan the area; Yelena and Natasha were gone, Tony's armor was no longer in the sky, Ivan wasn't there, and neither was Antonia. Seeing this, Big Head said, "Boss, Frank just called them all away. They are all blocking General Ross's army. General Ross's army has absolutely no way to break through the blockade. Mr. Frank is also very impressive."
Hong Fei looked up at the sky. In the distant sky, Frank stood, overlooking the earth, deterring fighter jets and helicopters from approaching while directing the blockade line on the ground. Six people, six suits of armor, were able to stop General Ross, along with his army of hundreds including tanks, armored vehicles, and other equipment, from advancing even an inch.
While there was certainly an advantage in equipment, Frank's tactical thinking and command ability were also displayed to the fullest. For Fury and General Ross, this battle was inherently restrictive.
Frank intentionally kept everyone very close to General Ross's army; this was not only to facilitate attacks but also to make over-the-horizon long-range strikes hesitate for fear of collateral damage. Otherwise, not to mention whether the missiles could hit the flying enemies, the soldiers under General Ross within the strike range wouldn't be able to escape regardless.
The belly of this mountain had been hollowed out, and it was possible it would collapse entirely after a few bombings. The personnel still inside the mountain who hadn't evacuated would surely kindly greet the ancestors of Fury and General Ross up to the eighteenth generation.
"Frank has even more impressive aspects; his intelligence gathering and infiltration capabilities are stronger. If you ever want to assassinate someone in the future, you could consider asking him for help—of course, provided you aren't afraid of him twisting your Big Head right off." Hong Fei smiled and added, "Besides, this small number of people doesn't fully reflect Frank's capabilities.
In the future, we can have him take all 120 of his men out to work; by then, you will understand on a deeper level what a command-type talent is." Big Head shrank his neck. Back when he was first captured and brought back, Frank had beaten him up too.
Hong Fei took a light breath, feeling a slight tearing sensation in his lungs, but it was much better than before.
He strode toward Fury and the others with deliberate steps. Only Agent Hill remained standing, shielding her injured colleagues. When she raised her chin in defiance, he offered her a mocking bow. "Beautiful lady, step aside."
Her eyelid flickered. "I can't let you near them."
"I only want the prize, not their lives."
Fury's voice cut through the tension before Hill could reply. "Stand down, Agent."
She retreated one precise step, but her glare never wavered from Hong Fei. Even outmatched, duty kept her rooted—ready to spring.
Hong Fei closed the distance. Fury clutched his impaled shoulder with one hand while kicking the nearby case forward with his boot. The lid sprang open, revealing the Tesseract's eerie blue glow.
A satisfied nod. Big Head scrambled to snap the case shut and hug it to his chest like a child with stolen candy. Fury's jaw worked, powerless.
"See how simple that was?" Hong Fei spread his hands. "All this drama for nothing." Coulson ducked his head, stealing a glance at Steve's still form.
Hill understood the Tesseract's value—the years of research, the stakes—but she didn't question Fury's call. Defeat was defeat. Today, S.H.I.E.L.D. got played.
Hong Fei's hand shot out. He wrenched the sword free in one brutal motion.
Blood arced through the air. Fury snarled through clenched teeth, his palm already slick with crimson as he pressed it to the wound.
"My property," Hong Fei said, examining the blade. "No objections to reclaiming it, I trust?" Fury trembled, silent. "Ah, and this toy—" He scooped up the fallen energy gun. "—I'll borrow for study. Again, no objections?"
When Fury turned his face away, Hong Fei tossed the weapon to Big Head. Together they launched skyward, leaving the mountain behind. Hill rushed forward, tearing strips from her jacket to staunch the bleeding.
Below, General Ross's forces had formed a defensive perimeter—though "defensive" was generous. The smoldering tanks, the bodies sprawled in the dirt, told the real story.
Frank and his six stood untouched, holding the line without slaughter. Their orders: containment, not annihilation.
The moment Hong Fei's silhouette appeared against the sky, Ross's pupils dilated. Fury's strained voice crackled in his earpiece: "We lost. Pull out. Now."
Ross's face purpled. "Fall back!" he roared at his men. "All air support—abort mission!"
Hong Fei landed like a meteor in the heart of the formation. Soldiers froze, gaping at the man who'd dropped from the heavens.
He raised both arms. Dragon Power surged anew, twin currents blasting left and right—cleaving a path through men and metal alike. Tanks skidded sideways, treads snapping; armored vehicles screeched as invisible force wrenched them off-course.
His hands joined together in the air again, a ball of golden light coalesced between his palms. With a roar that shook the earth, he hurled it forward. The dragon-shaped energy tore through the landscape—uprooting soil, splintering trees—before slamming into a tank mid-turn.
The explosion lit up the valley.
A thunderous explosion, flames erupted, and fragments of various sizes splashed rapidly in all directions. A moment later, a twisted cannon barrel fell from the sky. Soldiers on an off-road vehicle saw this and immediately jumped out and ran wildly. The vehicle was indeed crushed directly, and after a second of silence, it exploded.
With Hong Fei as the starting point, three straight, clear paths were suddenly smashed open to the left, right, and front. At this moment, the soldiers who received the retreat order had no heart to fight; those with vehicles hurriedly got in, and those without turned around and ran with all their might.
Among them, one armored vehicle in particular was running the fastest, and in the blink of an eye, it was already hundreds of meters away. Hong Fei turned his head and waved at Antonia. "Lend me your bow and arrows; I need explosive arrowheads." Antonia handed the bow and arrows over without a word. Hong Fei held three arrows, nocked them to the string, and drew the bow.
The three arrowheads flashed with red light, aimed directly at the bottom of the armored vehicle. With a release, the arrows whistled through the air. They accurately wove through a group of people and vehicles, finally striking deftly under the chassis of the armored vehicle. Instantly, the arrowheads burst. Flames and Impact erupted simultaneously.
The powerful force pushed the armored vehicle directly into the sky, and then the vehicle rolled under inertia and crashed into the ground. Fortunately, the vehicle did not explode. A skill card flew into Hong Fei's body. Hong Fei returned the bow to Antonia and looked at Yelena: "Where is Natasha?" "I am." Yelena's faceplate opened, revealing Natasha's face. "Good grief, did you defect?"
Natasha rolled her eyes at him: "Of course not. Yelena lost, so she lent me the armor." Hong Fei couldn't help but laugh: "What's the difference? Aren't you still coordinating with Frank's command to strike your S.H.I.E.L.D. allies?" Natasha also smiled slightly: "If you don't say anything, no one will know." "And what about Yelena?" "I let her leave first." "And you?"
"Don't worry, I will let Fury know that I have been captured." Hong Fei nodded. Frank descended from the sky, and Hong Fei immediately stepped forward: "Commander, you were amazing!" "Get lost!" "Alrighty!" Seeing that Hong Fei really turned and left, Frank couldn't help but sigh inwardly and asked proactively: "Did you get the item?" "Of course." Hong Fei pointed at Big Head.
Big Head hurried to open the box in front of everyone; the faint blue cube appeared, and everyone's eyes were filled with bewilderment. "What is its use?" Hong Fei: "I don't know yet." "Then what was your purpose in robbing it?" This was Frank.
Ever since he agreed to form a team with Hong Fei, when facing actions Hong Fei initiated, he wouldn't ask beforehand, nor would he ask during the operation, but after it ended, he would certainly ask for a clear explanation. Hong Fei didn't hesitate: "Life is like a journey; don't care about the destination, care about the scenery along the way and the mood while watching it."
"Speak like a human." "When doing things, the goal isn't necessarily the only thing that's important; the process itself is very meaningful." Frank was silent for a while and said: "So you just wanted to rob?" "You could say that. But I prefer to call it: providing free training opportunities for S.H.I.E.L.D. and the fledgling Avengers." Natasha rolled her eyes all the way to the sky.
Frank snorted coldly: "You always have a way with words." "I only speak logic because it makes sense." Hong Fei turned to look at the chaotic battlefield and added: "Big Head, are you done?" Big Head held his breath for three seconds, then said quickly: "Done! Boss! All data has been obtained!" "Very good." Snapping his fingers, Hong Fei said: "Let's go home!"
The group lifted off in perfect formation, soaring into the sky.
On the dusty road below, Yelena froze mid-step, her boots kicking up a small cloud of dirt. She squinted at the retreating figures, then spat a vicious curse into the wind.
The last silhouette vanished into the horizon as her fist clenched around the strap of her pack.
The group then lifted off and flew away. On the road not far below, Yelena's ragged breath hissed between her teeth as she watched them disappear.