"I can't believe I'm actually on a mission with Captain America's companion. To be honest, I still feel like I'm in a dream."
On the highway to New Mexico, Coulson sighed with emotion to Fang Yuan as he drove.
"Actually, I find it even harder to believe that a Level 8 S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent has to rent a car for a mission," Fang Yuan remarked from the passenger seat of the pickup. "Don't you guys have fighter jets? The ones that can turn invisible?"
That's right, Coulson's Agent level was a full Level 8, making him a high-ranking official within S.H.I.E.L.D.
His harmless appearance was just a result of his personality, but in the field of espionage, Coulson was an absolute model of perfection.
"Oh, I actually did that on purpose. Driving gives me time to think about the mission."
Coulson explained to Fang Yuan.
"Otherwise, once we arrive, I'll be the Commander-in-chief and will have to jump straight into action."
Fang Yuan waved his hand and adjusted himself into a more comfortable position. "Fine, you're the one driving anyway."
"Um... is it true?" Coulson suddenly asked hesitantly.
"What?"
"I mean, did Steve Rogers really become Captain America because of you, Mr. Fang Yuan?"
Fang Yuan chuckled. "You could say that. When I first met Steve, he was just a scrawny kid from Brooklyn."
"It was during the war back then. Steve loved hanging around military camps and recruitment centers, so he was often picked on."
"But every time Steve was bullied, he'd choose to fight back. Do you know what his favorite thing to say was while he was getting beaten up?"
"What?" Coulson listened intently, feeling like he was watching a variety show about his idol.
Fang Yuan imitated Steve's tone. "I can do this all day!"
Coulson laughed. "That certainly sounds like something Captain America would say!"
"But even without me, and even without the Super Soldier serum, Steve already possessed the qualities of a Superhero," Fang Yuan said modestly. "I simply helped him onto the path he was destined to walk."
Although Fang Yuan was being humble, hearing this made Coulson feel much closer to him.
Since his idol was being praised, he was naturally delighted.
Coulson then brought up a recent hot topic.
"The news of Mr. Howard's resurrection hasn't been made public, but many guests saw it that day, and it's caused quite a stir among the elite."
"According to intelligence, most people at high-end galas lately are talking about Kamar-Taj." He curiously asked the person at the center of it all, "Is Kamar-Taj really going to recruit Outer Disciples?"
"Of course. Kamar-Taj can't stay secluded forever," Fang Yuan nodded.
"But didn't the Sorcerer Supreme say last time that learning magic requires great talent and takes many years?" As Fury's confidant, Coulson naturally knew a lot.
This question might have even been prompted by Fury himself.
"Normally, yes. But I never said the Outer Disciples would be learning spells the normal way."
Fang Yuan chuckled. "magic covers many fields. For example... the Awakening Serum."
"The Awakening Serum can improve one's physique. With long-term use, it can even activate human potential and grant superpowers!"
Exactly. This was Fang Yuan's plan—to sell drugs!
He had compound v from The Boys World, which could grant ordinary people superpowers. Fang Yuan certainly wasn't going to let this opportunity slip by.
Even Stan Edgar, the CEO of Vought Corporation, was willing to abandon the Superhero project to transform Vought into a pharmaceutical company. This alone proved that the profits from selling drugs were beyond imagination.
Although compound v was still unstable and Fang Yuan hadn't developed an upgraded version that was completely side-effect-free or could activate specific abilities, he had already created a detection device.
This device could detect whether a person would explode and die before they even took the compound v.
This way, Fang Yuan could ensure safety. With a little maneuvering, money and resources would come flying into his lap.
"If S.H.I.E.L.D. is interested, you can also attend the gathering on the 20th." Fang Yuan didn't mind official involvement; in fact, he hoped as many people as possible would show up.
Coulson nodded in understanding. "Alright, I'll pass that along to Director Fury."
This was one of the reasons people liked Coulson; he was always upfront about his little maneuvers.
They traveled west, arriving at the outskirts of a small desert town in New Mexico.
Strangely, this place that should have been deserted was now bustling with people.
A crowd of people had driven there and were holding a party around a large crater.
People of all ages were eating barbecue and taking turns posing for photos in the center of the crater.
The cause of all this was the hammer lying diagonally in the center of the crater.
It was a long-handled square hammer with mysterious and intricate patterns etched onto its surface.
"Sir, we've found it!"
Coulson first called Fury to report their progress, then began explaining the situation to Fang Yuan.
"Intelligence says this hammer fell from the sky two days ago, causing a minor earthquake. Fortunately, there were no casualties."
"The townspeople found it afterward, but strangely, no one can lift it. Since the news broke, it's become a tourist attraction, and many people have come to try their luck."
"But no matter what they do, they can't pick it up. Even if they dig around it, the hammer just keeps sinking further down."
"So, for a strange event like this, S.H.I.E.L.D. has to step in." Coulson smiled; he was well-accustomed to dealing with these oddities.
"What's the standard S.H.I.E.L.D. procedure for something like this?" Fang Yuan asked.
"Disperse the crowd, establish a perimeter, send in specialists to examine it, and find a way to contain it."
Coulson was very familiar with the routine, but then he suddenly realized something. "Wait, you're the real professional here, Mr. Fang Yuan. Where do you suggest we start?"
To his surprise, Fang Yuan simply rolled up his sleeves and walked toward the crater.
His voice drifted back from a distance.
"Let me try first!"
Coulson opened his mouth to speak. His consultants were truly more troublesome than the next.
Fang Yuan made his way through the crowd unimpeded and stood directly before mjolnir.
What?
Wait in line?
You're saying that to the Master of Talokan and the benefactor of the Stark family?
Take this fifty dollars and go think about what you've done.
Fang Yuan rubbed his palms together, gripped the handle with both hands, and pulled upward. But after a moment, the hammer remained motionless.
Even without a Character Template, Fang Yuan had enough strength to lift every person around that crater, but it was useless against Mjolnir.
"Hahaha!"
Mocking laughter erupted from the crowd. They had all tried, and even using a truck to pull it hadn't worked.
Fang Yuan curled his lip. He was a leader of Mutants and a savior of the DC world. How could he not meet Mjolnir's requirements of being righteous and worthy?
It couldn't be that it didn't recognize him just because he wasn't from the Marvel Universe, could it?
"This damn hammer is so stubborn," Fang Yuan grumbled inwardly, blaming his failure on the hammer's lack of intelligence.
"Even in this Universe, I'm still Captain America's mentor... Wait, Cap?"
Fang Yuan had a sudden inspiration. Cap could lift Mjolnir, so why not try the [Steve Template]?
Acting on the thought, Fang Yuan equipped the [Steve Template] and began his second attempt.
"Ugh... Argh!"
Fang Yuan pulled with all his might. The onlookers began shouting for him to stop wasting his time and let the next person have a go.
But right then, the hammer in Fang Yuan's hands suddenly wobbled twice. Every voice in the crowd went silent.
They saw it clearly: Fang Yuan had actually moved the hammer. It was only a tiny bit, but it had definitely moved!
They surged forward in shock. Everyone could see the mark on the ground where the hammer had shifted. The crowd erupted in gasps of amazement.
"My god, he moved it!"
"Good lord, how much strength does he have?"
But Fang Yuan shook his head. With the [Steve Template] only at 85% synchronization, this was the best he could do.
He estimated that to lift it like Cap did in Avengers 4, his synchronization would need to be in the 90s.
Once the shock wore off, many people tried to rush forward again, but Fang Yuan clapped his hands. "Party's over!"
"Official business! Everyone else, clear out!"
At his shout, the S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents who had been waiting nearby began clearing the area under Coulson's orders.
The crowd was reluctant, but they had no choice but to leave.
Coulson walked up to Mjolnir and tried to lift it himself. It didn't budge. He looked at Fang Yuan in astonishment. "Mr. Fang Yuan, is your strength really that great?"
"Of course not," Fang Yuan said with an air of righteousness. "This hammer has been enchanted. Only someone righteous, upright, and kind can lift it."
He feigned a sigh. "I could only move it a little. It seems I've been too affected by the unsightly affairs of the world."
Coulson was completely taken in. If what Fang Yuan said was true, then Fang Yuan was truly a rare, virtuous man.
He had thought only his idol, Captain America, could meet such criteria.
However, he caught the key phrase. "Wait, you said it was enchanted? Do you recognize this hammer, Mr. Fang Yuan?"
"I can only vaguely recognize the runes on it. As for where it specifically comes from, I'll have to go back to Kamar-Taj and ask."
"It's likely the work of some alien race—what people call 'gods.' When they visited Earth in ancient times, they were always perceived as deities."
Fang Yuan provided a hint.
"Though, even in mythology, there are quite a few gods who use hammers as weapons."
It was the first time Coulson had heard authoritative confirmation that gods were aliens, but he could accept it.
He began following Fang Yuan's train of thought. "Gods who use hammers? Hephaestus? Zeus? Thor..."
"Thor?"
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