That's the situation."
Coulson relayed everything he had seen and heard, as well as his conversations with Zhao Yu and Peter, word for word, to Fury.
Fury stood with his back to him, gazing out the floor-to-ceiling window, and said faintly, "So, what's your opinion?"
"I think it's not bad."
Coulson chuckled.
"Not bad?" Fury turned around. "Tell me."
"Through our conversation, my first impression of him was one of calmness," Coulson said. "Of course, it could be a disguise. He doesn't seem like an eighteen-year-old; rather, he's like someone with deep experience, at least forty or even older, to give me that feeling."
"Compared to the information we've gathered, it's certain that something unknown has happened to him, or he's always been very good at hiding it."
"How strong he is, what abilities he possesses, we don't know. But the child named Peter mentioned a word that I believe is very important—Cultivation."
"Cultivation, you say?" Fury stroked his chin. "Have you looked up the meaning of that word?"
"In some fragmented ancient legends of the East, this word appears very frequently," Coulson said, clearly having done his homework. "Legend has it that a few ancient people from a certain Eastern ethnic group trained themselves through certain methods, gradually acquiring powerful strength. Modern martial arts or combat can also be considered a form of Cultivation."
"Are you saying they Cultivate martial arts and combat?" Fury asked.
"Perhaps, perhaps not." Coulson shrugged. "From Peter Parker's actions in that incident, we can see that he is proficient in combat. But he only took half a month for his physique to grow far beyond ordinary levels, and martial arts don't have that effect."
"Zhao Yu is very mysterious, inscrutable. But if we can make a deduction based on his actions and the actions of people related to him," Coulson continued, "Peter Parker's actions, I think, are impeccable. And we know that the incident was an accident for Peter Parker, so we can rule out any intentional arrangement. So, Peter Parker did this out of his true nature. And he is Zhao Yu's...disciple. From this, we can conclude..."
"Zhao Yu's guidance?"
"At least Zhao Yu didn't teach him how to do bad things," Coulson added.
Fury nodded slightly.
"Secondly, his act of taking in Mr. and Mrs. Ben. Of course, we might think it was because of Peter that he did this. But I've observed carefully: Mr. and Mrs. Ben look rosy-cheeked and mentally sound; they seem to be doing very well at that 'Ghost Farm.'"
Fury continued to nod.
"Then there's the 'Ghost Farm.' He may have cast a power over the farm that obscures and affects ordinary people's senses. But this power is harmless; it's just to prevent disturbance, I experienced it myself. We know that many people, if they suddenly gain a power beyond ordinary people, their psychology will undergo a transformative change, wantonly releasing their desires and breaking the rules of the World. He hasn't done that."
"So?"
"So I think he's harmless for now," Coulson said.
"Then maintain observation." Fury's face showed a thoughtful expression. "It would be best to get closer to him—Peter Parker's change is very valuable to us."
Coulson nodded.
...
"Can I join?"
A slender girl with black hair and brown eyes appeared at the school gate simultaneously with Jessica.
It was dismissal time, and Peter intended to fulfill his promise to take Harry and a few others to the farm to see Zhao Yu.
"Cindy Moon, nice to meet you, Peter." The girl extended her hand.
Peter, bewildered, shook her hand and looked at Jessica, who was with her.
Jessica spread her hands. "I told her about this, and she..."
Cindy interjected, "I like sports, and also martial arts and combat." As she spoke, she struck a karate starting pose, looking heroic and spirited.
"I know you, Peter. You're amazing. You single-handedly stopped the riot in the city. I watched the video; you're incredibly strong. If you hadn't been concerned about the safety of those who were controlled, you wouldn't have been injured!"
The girl looked at Peter with burning, passionate eyes.
Jessica's eyes widened. "Hey, Cindy, what do you mean? Peter is mine!"
The two girls immediately started arguing.
Harry, standing nearby, chuckled and nudged Peter with his arm, whispering, "Dude, your luck with the ladies is here."
Mary stood silently with her arms crossed.
While Peter was exasperated, he also felt a hint of secret delight. Two girls, both lovely and pleasing to the eye, were actually... Hehe. As a restless teenage boy, it would be strange if he didn't feel a little smug.
"Okay, okay."
Peter quickly pulled the two glaring girls apart and said, "Aren't you friends? Well, I don't think it looks good to be like this at the school gate, does it?"
"Hmph!"
The two girls snorted and turned their faces away.
Peter touched his nose, gave Harry an exasperated look, and then said, "Let's go now."
Harry, Mary, Peter, Jessica, and Cindy, the five of them, all got into Harry's sports car. Harry and Mary sat in the front, driver and passenger seats, while Peter was squeezed between the two girls in the back.
Seeing the two girls still glaring at each other, Peter felt extremely awkward and quickly changed the subject: "My master's farm is not far, about four or five kilometers, we'll be there soon..."
"Ghost Farm, I know." Harry looked at Peter's restless demeanor in the rearview mirror and chuckled, saying, "The reporters said there are ghosts there, making it impossible for people to approach."
"Are there really ghosts?"
Jessica looked scared, tightly clutching one of Peter's arms.
Cindy, not to be outdone, also hugged Peter's other arm tightly.
Now Peter couldn't even touch his nose.
"That's a rumor." Peter suppressed his embarrassment and said, "It's just to avoid being harassed by reporters. You should understand, too."
Harry laughed, "They're mainly focused on you; we're fine."
"Even if Peter draws the fire, reporters still harass us. My dad has been a nervous wreck these past few days..." Jessica complained.
"You should get used to it," Harry said. "We're good friends, and things like this might happen again in the future. If there's another riot like that day, Peter won't be indifferent, will he?"
"I knew it." Jessica said weakly, "I don't like being in the spotlight. If Peter becomes a big hero, those nosy reporters will definitely harass us again."
Mary, however, was enjoying it. "I think it's fine."
"Of course you think it's fine. You want to be a star, after all." Jessica pouted.
"Alright, don't you think we've strayed from the topic?" Harry said. "I remember I was just asking Peter about the Ghost Farm."
Peter smiled. "Anyway, we're almost at the farm, so I'll explain first."
"Master said it's a formation." He broke free from the two girls' arms, gesturing as he spoke. "You can think of it as a type of magic array, like the magic arrays in novels. Its purpose is to disturb the senses of intruders, confuse them, make them hallucinate, and cause them to return to their starting point on their own."
"Formation? magic array?!"
"Yes." Peter scratched his hair. "Anyway, I don't understand it either. Every time I ask him, my master, he tells me I'll understand later. Which means I don't understand now."
"It must be very profound," Harry said. "The media and newspapers say that the entire farm is impenetrable, with no blind spots. I heard the Ghost Farm is one hundred acres. This... formation... is quite remarkable."
As they spoke, the sports car finally arrived at the farm gate.
Three girls and two boys, five teenagers, got out of the car.
"This is it," Peter said. "When you go in with me, don't go more than two meters away from me, or you'll get lost too."
"You won't get lost?" Cindy curiously examined the farm gate, which looked no different from other farms, or even more dilapidated.
"I have... permission from my master. You can think of it as a kind of permission; anyway, I don't understand it either. You just need to know that I can enter and exit freely." Peter didn't mention anything about the Cave World. Zhao Yu had instructed him not to tell anyone about it.
"So now?"
Harry spread his hands.
"Let's go."
...
"Hey, guys."
Entering the farm, Peter repeatedly urged, "I haven't told Master that I'm bringing you. When we see Master, you have to help me, okay?"
Harry was taken aback. "You didn't tell him?"
Peter scratched his hair. "You don't understand how terrifying my master is... He just loves to slap the back of people's heads. I'm already scared of him slapping me."
Harry looked at him speechlessly, then burst out laughing. "Oh, Peter, you're so pathetic. Alright, I think the ladies and I will help you, don't worry."
"At most, I'll get hit one more time..." Peter mumbled, then said, "Remember, don't let me fight alone!"
"Actually, I really want to see that—terror!" Harry exaggerated. "What's our young hero's daily life like? Ladies, aren't you curious?"
The girls giggled and said, "Curious."
Peter's face fell.
...
Zhao Yu, of course, knew that strangers had come to the farm, and he also knew that Peter was the one leading them. He was already so familiar with Peter's aura that he couldn't be more so, and the remaining four unfamiliar auras also carried the vibrant energy of youth.
Zhao Yu knew that they were most likely Peter's friends.
He came out of the Villa, stood with his hands behind his back by the small lake, until Peter and the others arrived.
"Master..."
Peter scratched his hair.
He clearly knew that his master must have known he was bringing friends over. Just like with him and his aunt and uncle back then, his master had known all along.
But knowing is knowing, even if it's just burying your head in the sand.
Now he felt like he had been caught red-handed doing something wrong.
Zhao Yu turned around, said nothing, and with a stern face, raised his hand and slapped him.
"Ow! Master, can you go easy! Give me some face, alright? My friends are here!" Peter staggered, rubbing the back of his head, and immediately complained.
"Did I say you weren't allowed to bring friends over?" Zhao Yu said. "Didn't you think to greet me first and make some preparations? It's very impolite, you know?"
"Uh..." Peter opened his mouth, then slumped dejectedly. "Alright, I was wrong."
Zhao Yu then ignored him and smiled at the several bewildered teenagers standing aside. "Welcome, Peter's friends. I am Zhao Yu, Peter's master."
"Hello... uh... Master." Harry quickly said, "We... I'm sorry, we caused you trouble."