Chapter 23: Arriving at Kamar-Taj
"Director Fury has already made arrangements with China. Our group has permission to enter."
Coulson took several bottles of drinks from the refrigerator on the plane and placed them in front of Orion Cross and the others. "Sir, may I ask what we are going there to do?"
This was a S.H.I.E.L.D. transport Quinjet. It had no weapons installed, but it did have quite a few entertainment facilities.
Putting everything else aside, Pietro was currently sitting in his seat playing on a computer.
"Nick Fury didn’t tell you?"
Orion Cross accepted the juice, took a sip, and asked in return.
"He only told me that I might see things that would collapse my worldview."
Thinking of Nick Fury’s mysterious phone call a few minutes earlier, Coulson could not help feeling a little depressed.
"Oh? What else did he say?"
Orion Cross raised an eyebrow. It seemed that although Nick Fury had not come to see him personally, he was still paying attention at all times.
"He also reminded me that the records of this operation will be completely confidential and will not be entered into any files."
Coulson took a can of iced coffee from the refrigerator, returned to his seat, and began removing every communication and recording device on his body except the one used to contact Nick Fury, while also clearing out the contents that had already been recorded.
"Do you speak Chinese? If not, there may be a lot of trouble and confusion when the time comes."
Orion Cross smiled and asked.
"I do. The language with the largest number of users in the world is a required course for agents."
Coulson nodded and answered Orion Cross in Chinese.
"That’s good." Orion Cross nodded.
"And if that still doesn’t work, I also have simultaneous translation earpieces here. They can recognize dialects and local expressions from multiple regions of China."
Coulson lowered his head, opened a suitcase, took out several sets of devices, and looked at Wanda and Pietro. "Do you two little ones want them?"
Coulson could tell that Orion Cross seemed to treat these two children, whom he had not known for long, quite well.
While waiting for the transport Quinjet earlier, he had asked headquarters to look up the two children’s information.
Because of the war, their parents had passed away not long ago, leaving the two children isolated, helpless, and with no one to rely on.
Although Coulson was an agent, he was not cold and heartless. Naturally, he could understand Orion Cross’s actions.
"Thank you, mister."
Wanda took the earpiece and thanked him very politely.
"Thanks, bald uncle! I was just preparing to learn a few Chinese phrases in advance!"
Pietro stepped forward, took the earpiece, immediately put it on, then opened the computer and began searching for Chinese-language movies with an excited expression.
"..."
Bald uncle? The smile on Coulson’s face stiffened, and he subconsciously touched his head. "My hairline is just a little high. I’m not bald..."
...
On an open platform somewhere in the Himalayas, a Quinjet slowly landed.
Kamar-Taj had originally been nothing more than a remote little village.
But when one person attained the Way, even chickens and dogs rose to heaven.
Ever since the Ancient One inherited the position of Sorcerer Supreme several hundred years ago, Kamar-Taj had leaped up to become the center. Even the three Sanctums in New York, London, and Hong Kong, left behind by Agamotto in ancient times, were overshadowed by Kamar-Taj’s brilliance.
Aside from that, in the mundane world, Kamar-Taj was also a tourist destination, and its economic development was quite decent.
It could even be said that if not for Kamar-Taj’s extremely peculiar geographical environment, it might have become a world economic center on the same level as New York, London, and Hong Kong.
"Agent Coulson, do you believe in magic?"
After getting off the plane, Orion Cross asked this question.
"Uh, sir, this is not the Middle Ages. This is an era that believes in science."
Coulson froze when he heard this and answered subconsciously. Then, as if suddenly thinking of something, he carefully asked, "Sir, don’t tell me you came here to look for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry?"
"More or less."
Orion Cross nodded calmly. "But it’s much stronger than Hogwarts."
Strictly speaking, there was nothing wrong with calling Kamar-Taj a school of magic.
It was just that unlike the magic schools in the world of Harry Potter, Kamar-Taj did not emphasize bloodlines. It emphasized fate and affinity.
Moreover, the legendary magic passed down in Kamar-Taj was not merely for inheritance, but for protecting Earth from the invasion of other dimensions.
"This..."
Coulson glanced at Wanda and Pietro, who did not find this strange at all, then said in conflict, "Sorry, sir. I’m not a child. Something like magic is still hard for me to accept."
Orion Cross smiled. Coulson thought Wanda and Pietro believed in the existence of magic because they were young, but in reality, both of them had experienced it personally.
"Do you think magic and science conflict with each other?" Orion Cross asked.
"Don’t they?"
Coulson froze and asked back.
"Isn’t the essence of science to explain the logic and laws by which all things operate?"
"In the words of this place, that is called ’the Way.’"
"If magic also follows fixed logic and laws within the universe, then is it any different from what you consider ’science’?"
By the time Orion Cross said this, Coulson had already fallen into deep thought.
It seemed... that did make sense.
If magic also followed logic and laws, and could be verified, then magic itself would conform to the definition of science.
"The reason you currently believe magic does not exist is simply because you do not know what the rules of magic are. Perhaps today, you can broaden your horizons here."
Orion Cross, who was leading the way at the front, stopped walking and halted in front of a very ordinary wooden door.
Knock, knock, knock.
Just as Orion Cross finished knocking three times, a shimmering ring of light suddenly appeared out of thin air and rushed toward the four of them.
Orion Cross, who knew what it was, did not dodge. As for Coulson, he was frightened. By the time he reacted, it was already too late.
Whoosh.
The portal swept over the four of them, and Orion Cross’s group appeared inside a quiet, spacious, and bright room.
"You’re back."
A voice appeared behind everyone.
"Who?!"
Coulson, who had already tightened his grip on the handgun at his waist, heard the voice and hurriedly drew his weapon, turning around to aim at the source.