True power begins in the mind and spirit. In life, we face countless adversaries, but the only opponent who never leaves us is ourselves. Hong Fei hoped his team would reach beyond Earth's confines—not just physically, but in their thinking too. Limits were meant to be shattered.
The meeting concluded, and Hong Fei descended to the underground chamber. There, on a plain table, sat the Tesseract. Its deep blue surface pulsed with slow, infinite energy, casting pale light that lent an air of mystery to the room. He stood before it, silent and still.
Through the Eyes of Death, the Tesseract's radiant energy vanished. Instead, it appeared as a transparent glass box, its core a leisurely rotating blue gem. Hong Fei kept his hands to himself—he had no desire to join the Red Skull in exile.
After a moment's consideration, he extended a finger. A thin thread of energy coiled around it, and with a light tap, he connected his Dragon Power to the Tesseract. His brow lifted in surprise, and he immediately stretched out his other hand, palm open.
Space before his palm tore open—a dark streak that rapidly widened into a full Space Door. Beyond it stretched a sky dotted with clouds, and in the distance, the floating Sky Base in Sokovia. Hong Fei clenched his fist, and the portal snapped shut.
He repeated the process, opening doors to various locations across Earth. Each attempt flowed smoothly, though the destinations were all places he'd physically visited. To test the limits, he imagined locations beyond Earth. The result was underwhelming.
Undeterred, he visualized places he'd never been but had seen in photos or videos. The Space Door reopened. After extensive experimentation, he drew three conclusions.
First, he could access places he'd visited.
Second, for unfamiliar locations, the accuracy of his mental image determined the likelihood of success.
Third, the Space Stone's power handled the heavy lifting—opening portals cost him nothing. A remarkable ability. The Tesseract's reserves of space energy were vast; opening dozens of portals barely made a dent.
Unfortunately, no skill card appeared. He sensed there was more to the space energy, but a thick fog obscured the path to unlocking those abilities. For now, progress was stalled.
Hong Fei withdrew his Dragon Power, severing the connection. He pondered how to extract what he needed from the Tesseract. If it was an object, defeating or killing it wouldn't yield a skill card. Perhaps he could shift his approach—make it someone's weapon?
But then it might remain independent, still refusing to drop a card. Could he fuse it with a person? How would a gem bond with flesh? It wasn't like the Aether Particle... Then again, he could always quietly rough up Jane Foster later.
Loki could hold the Tesseract without suffering backlash. Maybe he could try fusing Loki with the Space Stone? With these thoughts swirling, Hong Fei sought out Dr. Erik Selvig.
The scientist shrugged apologetically. "No, I know nothing about it. The more I study it, the less I understand."
"Boss," he said, eyes bright with excitement, "you mentioned earlier that you knew its origin?"
Hong Fei nodded. "I do." His finger tapped the Tesseract's surface. "What you're seeing isn't just a cube—it's an energy container crafted by someone."
Dr. Erik Selvig blinked. "Like a battery?"
"You could think of it that way, though it never needs charging. All its energy comes from a gem sealed at its core." Seeing Selvig's confusion, Hong Fei continued, "The gem's energy is infinite, constantly radiating outward. What you're observing is that energy contained within this shell. The glow? That's restrained power coalescing. Right now, the cube's actively releasing energy—meaning it's already at full capacity."
"This... that's impossible."
"Healthy skepticism serves science well. My explanation remains theoretical, but make no mistake—there is a unique cosmic gem inside with limitless energy."
"What kind of gem?"
"Space."
"Space..." Selvig's gaze locked onto the Tesseract, the word leaving his lips like a mantra. After a long pause, he whispered, "Space Stone? What does that signify?"
"Exactly what it sounds like—control over spatial dimensions." Hong Fei stepped forward, channeling his Dragon Power into the cube. A portal ripped open before them, revealing the Arctic's frozen wastes.
Icy winds howled through the rift. Selvig stumbled toward the shimmering doorway, snowflakes stinging his cheeks. Still disbelieving, he stepped through. The moment his boots crunched onto glacial ice, reality hit him—the biting cold, the snow clinging to his eyelashes, the way his coat whipped violently in the polar gusts.
He scooped up a handful of snow and scrambled back through the portal just as Hong Fei sealed it.
Selvig waved trembling hands through the empty air where the portal had been, then stared at the melting snowball in his palm. Suddenly, he shoved it into his mouth, wincing at the cold. "It's real!"
"Trust your senses," Hong Fei confirmed. "Spatial manipulation defines the Tesseract's power."
Selvig's lips quivered with unspoken questions. Hong Fei raised a hand. "Don't get ahead of yourself. I shared this to focus your research. Your task? Develop equipment to activate the Tesseract, releasing its spatial energy in its purest form."
"You think... I can actually do this?" Selvig's voice cracked with excitement.
"That's for you to discover. At minimum, you'll advance theoretical understanding."
"Consider it done!" Selvig agreed instantly, already envisioning breakthroughs beyond Earth's current science. Then hesitation flickered across his face. "Boss... what exactly do you plan to do with the Tesseract?"
Hong Fei pretended to ponder. "Conquer the world, perhaps. What do you think?"
The next morning, Hong Fei activated the Tesseract again, transporting the entire group to Sokovia in an eyeblink. Their stunned expressions mirrored the impossibility they'd just witnessed, deepening their awe of Hong Fei's capabilities. He offered no further explanations—just nudged Dr. Selvig forward as their designated expert for questions.
The research facility for studying the Tesseract was established aboard the Sky Base, where security protocols could better contain its mysteries.
Beneath the castle, the underground area buzzed with relentless activity. A vast workforce toiled day and night, transforming the space at an astonishing pace. To any casual observer, the area seemed to shift and evolve daily, a testament to the scale and ambition of the Blackwater Town construction project. Yet completion remained distant, likely years away, as the intricate plans unfolded slowly.
Back in the castle, Hong Fei found himself once again sharing quarters with Dr. Helen Cho. Her dedication to her work bordered on obsession, leaving little time for interaction. They crossed paths occasionally, but for the most part, she remained absorbed in her research. Hong Fei, however, was far from idle. His focus lay on Dragon Power, a force that demanded constant attention and refinement.
He kept the portal to the Dragon Power dimension perpetually open, allowing its energy to flow into him like a steady stream. It coursed through every fiber of his being before returning to its source, an endless cycle of absorption and release. This process, though unconventional, steadily strengthened his connection to the Dragon Power.
Most of his days were spent sprawled on the balcony, his body soaking in the sun while his Soul ventured into the Dragon Power dimension. There, he immersed himself fully, blending with the energy in a way that felt less like cultivation and more like a natural progression. Yet the results were undeniable—his power grew slowly but surely, a testament to the potency of Dragon Power.
Meanwhile, at S.H.I.E.L.D. Headquarters in the Triskelion, Fury sat stone-faced as Hill delivered her report. Over two hundred Agents lost, hundreds of millions in damages—none of it seemed to ruffle him. Even the news that the Base could be repaired barely registered. But then...
"The Tesseract," Hill continued, "is our greatest loss. Without it, our new weapon development is at a standstill. All the resources we've poured into it—time, money, personnel—are effectively wasted."
Fury inhaled deeply, the motion aggravating the wound on his shoulder. His face tightened momentarily before settling back into its usual grim mask.
Hill went on. "Dr. Erik Selvig has gone missing."
Fury's head snapped up. "When?"
"Yesterday at noon. He vanished near a supermarket close to his temporary residence. We've combed the surveillance footage, but there's no sign of anything unusual... yet."
Fury's voice was icy. "It's them, isn't it?"
Hill nodded. "Highly likely."
Fury's eye twitched, and he fell silent. After a long pause, he spoke again. "First the Tesseract, then a weapon sample, and now Selvig. What is he planning?"
Hill's expression remained impassive, her tone steady. "He intends to use the Tesseract for energy weapons research."
"Exactly," Fury said, his voice low. "And that makes this a critical threat."
Hill's brow flickered briefly before smoothing out. Fury leaned forward. "He'll study the Tesseract, use our weapon sample as a blueprint, and Selvig will accelerate his progress. He's barely at his manor anymore—his Sokovian castle has been unusually active. Infiltrate it. Gather intelligence. And keep a close eye on the global black market for arms smuggling."
"Understood," Hill replied.
Fury stood up and let out a long sigh, saying, "Hill, you are the most outstanding Agent I have ever seen. I am handing this matter over to you completely; make sure no more problems arise."
Hill replied indifferently, "Yes, Officer!"