Marvel With Zanpakutou

Martial Arts Hall, second floor, guest lounge.

Unlike the simple, unadorned style of the first floor, the second floor’s décor could be described as understated luxury taken to the extreme. Just the huanghuali hardwood flooring alone was already worth a fortune, not to mention the complete set of top-grade rosewood furniture.

A preliminary estimate

The furnishings and decoration on this second floor were worth at least around one million U.S. dollars.

Fury’s expression was rather complicated.

No wonder downstairs, that Black guy had looked so dead set on squeezing money out of him. Now he finally understood exactly where all that money was going.

Chen Lin sat at the tea table, deftly opening the tea bowl, brewing a cup of hot tea. With a flick of his finger, he sent the teacup sliding across the table with just the right force. The crisp chime of porcelain brought Fury out of his thoughts.

"Former Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., now a most-wanted international traitor under the highest-level red notice, I wonder what business brings you to my humble little martial arts hall?"

"You... can recognize me?"

The moment Fury said that, he saw the other man give him a look usually reserved for idiots. Realizing at once he’d just spoken nonsense, Fury gave a bitter shake of his head and sighed.

"I thought my disguise was flawless. Looks like I was too arrogant."

"Spit it out, and don’t waste my time."

Chen Lin lifted the tea cup to his lips, taking a small sip. The unique fragrance and slight bitterness flowed through his mouth, after savoring it for a moment, he said,

"I already told you last time, don’t come bothering me again. Otherwise, bear the consequences yourself. Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten?"

"I remember, but this time is different."

When it came to business, Fury’s expression hardened, his tone serious.

"This time it concerns the survival of all humankind. I’m out of options, you’re the only one I can turn to for help."

"What’s it got to do with me?"

Chen Lin glanced at him sideways with a sneer.

"If the sky falls, there’s always someone taller to hold it up. For a matter as big as humanity’s survival, why aren’t you asking the Soul Society and those Shinigami? What are you doing at a little martial arts hall like mine?"

"I can’t reach the Soul Society."

Fury’s face darkened, though it was already quite dark to begin with, now it grew even darker.

"And if the Soul Society finds out about this, America might be finished."

"Let me guess, human experiments again?"

Though Chen Lin phrased it as a question, his tone made it sound like he was absolutely certain.

"...Not exactly, but close enough."

Fury’s voice carried a complicated weight.

"The root cause of this... is actually tied to me. And it involves the very foundations of the Shinigami. That’s why the only person I can seek help from is you."

"I refuse."

Setting down the teacup, Chen Lin smirked.

"I’ve no interest in meddling in such crap. The mess S.H.I.E.L.D. made, you can clean up yourselves. Don’t try to pressure me with grand ideals."

"But..." Fury tried to argue.

"I don’t want to hear it."

Chen Lin’s cold laugh rang out as he slowly rose from his chair, mockery and scorn plain on his face.

"Waving the banner of protecting humanity, while actually engaging in acts that could destroy it, and still trying to wrap others up in your so-called noble cause? Fury, don’t you think that’s ridiculous?"

"I was only... thinking of humanity’s best interests."

Fury’s face had gone pale. Countless words clogged in his throat, he wanted to defend himself, yet found no way to do so.

"Thinking of humanity’s best interests? Don’t make me laugh, Nick Fury."

Chen Lin sneered.

"You dress up your intentions with pretty slogans, binding humanity to your own bandwagon, when in reality, it’s all for your own benefit. You’d even risk dragging the entire world into the abyss. That’s your idea of ’justice’?

Do you really think I don’t know?

Ever since you learned of my abilities, you’ve sent wave after wave of people to test whether I’m a threat, even scheming to learn how I grow stronger, hoping to use technology to mass-produce it. That’s your ’justice’?

You talk so much about doing it for humanity, then why haven’t you shared the technology for your helicarriers to benefit humanity?

As for why alien races invade, don’t tell me you don’t know the real reason!

You’ve got some nerve. If it hadn’t been for a coincidence, I’d never have found out what you’re hiding in that laboratory deep in the Mariana Trench!"

They claimed it was to protect humanity’s safety, but in reality they engaged in sinister and filthy dealings, spending the whole day guarding against this, watching out for that. Everyone wanted to counterbalance, everyone wanted to control...

I’d like to ask you, Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., are you truly protecting humanity, or are you destroying it?

All the disasters so far... tell me, which one wasn’t caused by you people?

Every word was like a precious gem, every sentence scorching to the touch.

These words were like a rain of swords flying at Nick Fury, piercing his heart until it was riddled with wounds.

Fury opened his mouth weakly, but in the end closed it again, his whole figure seeming to hunch over slightly.

No matter how silver-tongued he was, no matter how skillful in argument, there was one question he could never avoid, up to this point, most of the major disasters had indeed originated from S.H.I.E.L.D., or rather... from him.

"I won’t deny it. In the past, I really did harbor selfish motives. No matter how you curse me, I won’t refute it." Fury took a deep breath, a hint of resolve flashing in his eyes. "But now, I only want to do my utmost to make up for my past mistakes."

"What’s that got to do with me?"

Chen Lin was unmoved, his tone still icy cold, "If you really want to make amends, then deal with it yourself. Asking me is worse than asking the Soul Society."

Faced with Chen Lin’s oil-and-salt-won’t-enter attitude, Fury was momentarily helpless, though he had his own troubles he couldn’t voice.

If the Reishi Project were to be discovered by the Soul Society, it wouldn’t just be a matter of whether they’d help him, if they could restrain themselves from destroying the entire United States, it would only be because the Head Captain had a good temper.

But the question was, did the Head Captain have a good temper?

According to existing intel, he was an old-fashioned, stubborn man. Once he was convinced of something, he would never change his mind lightly. Six-thousand-degree flames, destroying a nation would be child’s play.

Just as the two were at a stalemate, a disciple came rushing upstairs in a panic, shouting, "Master, bad news! A lot of people have surrounded our dojo outside, they’re demanding we hand over Nick Fury!"

"Heh, they’ve come after all."

Chen Lin glanced at Fury with disdain, mocking, "Looks like your disguise skills aren’t as great as you thought."

"This... this is impossible!" Fury’s face darkened, his voice filled with shock. "If they’d discovered me, they wouldn’t have waited until now to make a move!"

"Twenty million."

Chen Lin held up two fingers.

"What do you mean?"

Fury froze for a moment, not catching on.

"Twenty million US dollars. Cash."

Chen Lin lifted his teacup and took a sip. "Otherwise, I’ll just hand you over, saves me from bringing a heap of trouble onto myself."

"Fine, but I don’t have money right now."

Fury’s eye twitched. No wonder that Black guy downstairs was so obsessed with money, turns out he learned it from you.

"That’s fine."

Chen Lin said calmly, "I trust you. As the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., you must have a little stash somewhere. This time I’ll make an exception, you can owe me first."

"So that means... you’re willing to help me?"

Fury’s eyes lit up, speaking in surprise and delight.

"No. You misunderstand."

Chen Lin slowly set down his teacup, a cold glint flashing in his eyes. "I just hate it when someone barges into my territory without the owner’s permission."

His telekinesis spread through the entire dojo.

He had already sensed the arrival of that group. At first, he’d thought of negotiating with them, maybe even earning some extra cash.

Unfortunately...

The moment they entered, they didn’t say a word and immediately injured his disciples, then planted over a dozen bombs inside his home. Clearly, they never intended to talk peace.

Since that was the case, there was nothing more to say.

When people come knocking on your door looking for death, why bother stopping them?

If the tiger doesn’t bare its fangs, do they really think it’s just a sick cat?