Marvel's Shendu: Dominating the Multiverse

Chapter 31 Operation Plan

"Is the research finished?"

The Holy Lord entered Tony's laboratory and saw him lying in a chair. The equipment he had seen last time was now lying quietly, not in use.

Tony didn't greet Shendu when he saw him arrive: "You came in right at the end of the time, and now you're asking me what I'm doing here?"

He looked the Holy Lord up and down again, narrowing his eyes: "I feel that you are different from before, but I can't quite put my finger on what the differences are."

The Holy Lord glanced at the time; there were still ten minutes until he met up with Steve. "So, what have you found out from studying my blood?"

Tony waved his hand defiantly and said, "The sample size is too small to produce any results at the moment. If you're willing to give me a few more vials of blood now, I'm sure I can get more results."

"You're too greedy. Be careful of the backlash if you keep researching it." Shendu glanced at the dark gold dragon pattern on Tony's wrist.

Tony noticed Shendu's gaze and put on his coat to cover the dragon tattoo.

He still remembers the situation: after the Holy Lord's blood was scanned in the instrument, the test tube exploded without any warning when it was taken out.

Some of the blood from the test tube splattered onto his wrist.

A burning sensation shot through his wrist, as if it were being corroded by some kind of strong acid. By the time he finished treating it, a dark golden dragon pattern had appeared on the spot where the blood had splattered.

The Holy Lord raised an eyebrow.

Tony tried to change the subject, saying, "So, without Stark Industries' help, S.H.I.E.L.D. must be in complete chaos by now."

"No, everything is fine at S.H.I.E.L.D." Shendu replied calmly.

Tony curled his lip: "Come on, you don't really think I don't know what's going on inside S.H.I.E.L.D., and that using my identity is very useful, do you?"

Shendu didn't speak. He knew that Tony couldn't possibly be without informants within S.H.I.E.L.D., and that Stark Industries might have tampered with all the cameras in S.H.I.E.L.D.

"Have you figured out how to hand over the darts to me?" Tony didn't delve into the matter of his identity being stolen; he was more concerned about the darts.

The Holy Lord glanced at the time: "Soon, someone will deliver it soon."

Not long after the Holy Lord's voice fell, there was a knock on the laboratory door.

"Sorry I'm a little late," Steve's voice came from the doorway.

The Holy Lord smiled and said, "It's not late, the timing is just right."

Tony looked at Steve outside the door, then at Shendu: "What's going on here? Did you choose this meeting place?"

Steve chimed in, "It wasn't Valon. I chose this spot. Natasha said you were interested in these darts."

Steve handed Tony a bag containing the six darts they had acquired earlier.

Tony raised an eyebrow at Shendu, took Steve's bag, and opened it to take a look.

After seeing that Tony had received it, Steve said, "I didn't feel comfortable having someone else bring this, so I brought it myself. Now that you've received it, I can leave."

Steve looked at Shendu again, giving him a knowing look: "I'll be waiting for you at the S.H.I.E.L.D. entrance."

After Steve left, Tony put the darts into the storage device, and now there are two empty slots.

"It doesn't feel like enough. Do you have a way to get more?" Tony asked Shendu.

The Holy Lord did not answer; he was now lying in the chair where Tony had been.

About three minutes later, Steve reappeared at the lab door, this time with two darts in his hand: "I almost forgot, Natasha gave me two earlier and asked me to bring them with me."

The Holy Lord stood up and raised an eyebrow: "Natasha's share almost went to waste."

Shendu didn't stay in the lab for long. After discussing the next steps with Tony, he headed to S.H.I.E.L.D.

As soon as I arrived at the entrance of S.H.I.E.L.D., I saw Steve talking to the guards at the door.

Steve saw the Holy Lord arrive and waved for him to follow him.

The Holy Lord followed him to a small room.

After confirming several times that no one around could hear their conversation, Steve sat down in a chair with a helpless expression.

"Every agent in S.H.I.E.L.D. has their own private room, and this room is mine."

The Holy Lord looked around and saw that, apart from a few of his usual clothes and equipment, there was only that conceptual vibranium shield that could always fly back into his hand.

"Why choose this place?" the Holy Lord asked.

Steve sighed. "I feel like I've been exposed."

The Holy Lord suppressed a smile and feigned shock: "Expose? With your composed nature, it would be difficult for you to expose yourself."

Steve shook his head: "I also find it strange, and I can't figure out what behaviors caught their attention."

He glanced at the corner of the room and recalled, "These past two days, whenever I've done anything related to the Mind Stone, something unlucky has happened to me, like someone deliberately tripped me up."

The Holy Lord stroked his chin, frowned, and pretended to think, saying, "What you said is indeed strange, and it's very likely that you've been exposed. However, why would ordinary agents stop you? Logically speaking, given their level, they shouldn't have access to information at the level of the Mind Stone."

Steve listened to the Holy Lord's analysis and laughed, "You, who were so quick-witted before, were able to discover the mole's true purpose. How come you can't even figure this out?"

Steve pointed to the ceiling: "It's obvious the problem is up there. Fury also discovered the mole's purpose and strengthened the protection of the Mind Stone."

Steve paused, his tone turning grim: "Frey also covets the Mind Stone's power. Anyone who tries to get close to it will be suspected by him, including me."

"Then, do you have any way to get closer to the gem?" Shendu mimicked Steve's somber tone.

Steve handed a permission card to Shendu: "This is the highest-level permission card. Only Fury and I have it in the entire S.H.I.E.L.D. Now that Stark Industries' equipment within S.H.I.E.L.D. is back to normal operation, their surveillance of me will only intensify."

"You mean, you want me to go?" the Holy Lord asked.

"More or less."

Steve pulled a piece of paper from his combat suit and handed it to Shendu: "This is the location of the gem that Natasha has been investigating. I'm in charge of drawing Fury's attention."

The Holy Lord took the note; it contained a simple map and some other special symbols—codes used by the Shadow Legion.

"Attract Fury's attention?" Shendu tucked the note into his pocket. "Are you sure you have the luck to successfully attract his attention?"

Steve gave a wry smile: "At least I'm still Captain America now. As long as I appear where I shouldn't be, Fury's attention will definitely be drawn to me."

Steve looked into Shendu's eyes, his tone suddenly becoming serious: "Vallon, I believe you because you are more clear-headed than 99% of the people in S.H.I.E.L.D., but I must remind you, the Mind Stone is not a toy. Its power to bewitch is beyond imagination, and Fury is a good example."

The Holy Lord laughed and said, "I understand perfectly well, but you should also be careful of traitors from third parties. They will definitely not sit idly by once we take action."