S.H.I.E.L.D. agents set up a blockade around the church ruins to prevent civilians from entering. Natasha and her team were on high alert, patrolling the area and collecting useful information. Some black blocks found at the scene were carefully packed into sealed bags for further analysis.
"Sir, we've located a living subject and—" an agent stepped forward to report, but Natasha, already on the move, cut him off.
Her expression turned grim as she approached the agent, her eyes widening in disbelief.
"Wow, I can't believe it," Natasha said with a hint of exasperation.
Deadpool lay on the ground, still writhing and struggling despite being bound tightly. His face was as terrifying as ever, an unsettling sight for Natasha. It was evident that Duye had been unable to kill him, only causing him to recover more slowly.
Natasha watched in disgust as Deadpool was restrained and prepared for transport. Although she had no idea how he ended up there, she knew he had witnessed the dark creature, adding a layer of mystery to the situation.
Xu Mo stood on the balcony of his high-rise, gazing out at the endless night. The white hole in the sky flickered faintly, a remnant of the recent battle.
A sudden whoosh filled the air as a white light streaked across the sky. Xu Mo's hand moved swiftly, pinching two fingers together. In his grasp was a card—a blue-eyed white dragon.
Before long, Kaneki Ken leaped onto the balcony, his arrival marked by a gust of wind.
"Thanks, Kaneki," Xu Mo said, patting his shoulder. He looked slightly troubled. "I didn't expect Duye to be so powerful. I apologize for asking him to handle Hebao."
Kaneki Ken, looking somewhat uncomfortable, replied, "It's fine. I need a quiet place now." His discomfort was evident.
"Sure, there's..." Xu Mo started, but Kaneki Ken cut him off.
"Let me into the warehouse. It's quiet enough there."
"Alright," Xu Mo agreed, and with a wave of his hand, Kaneki Ken vanished into the warehouse, a space designed to adapt to the needs of its occupants.
The system's warehouse was not merely a barren black room; it could be transformed according to the preferences of those inside, making it a highly customizable environment. However, staying there for too long could be isolating, as it was a solitary space.
The blue-eyed white dragon had its own residence, so Xu Mo didn't press for a conscious summons. The warehouse was a fitting place for Kaneki Ken during his evolution.
"Seems like I was holding back earlier," Xu Mo mused, scratching his head. "I wonder if Kaneki Ken's evolution will be complete soon."
After Kaneki Ken left, Alice appeared next to Xu Mo, her expression one of concern. "Xu Mo, you're exposing yourself by doing this."
"Exposing myself? What do you mean?" Xu Mo asked, adjusting the crystal ball's projection.
Alice paced back and forth, her voice tinged with frustration. "You allowed the blue-eyed white dragon to be seen by S.H.I.E.L.D. They're not blind, you know."
"And?" Xu Mo asked, uninterested.
Alice's frustration grew. "It means you'll likely have a group of black-clad agents knocking on your door tomorrow morning. They might even shut down your company."
Xu Mo chuckled, connecting touch points on the projection to display the aerospace carrier.
"Director Fury is quite agitated. He's mobilized all the major assets over Manhattan and is ready to deploy large-scale weapons. Fortunately, this is all within the scope of the Telescope Technique."
Alice's face showed a mix of irritation and disbelief. "You're not taking this seriously. You'll be in trouble soon."
Xu Mo smiled and tapped the crystal ball, projecting an image of Nick Fury.
Alice sighed, recognizing the futility of further argument. "Fine, but don't say I didn't warn you."
On the aerospace carrier, Nick Fury held a copy of the Juvenile Jump comic magazine, specifically a Yu-Gi-Oh edition, and pointed at a scene featuring the blue-eyed white dragon.
"Coulson, you're telling me this silver and white monster is a character from the comics?" Fury's voice was flat, his expression unreadable.
Coulson responded, "Director, after comparing the two, there's a 90% similarity. So yes, this monster appears to be the blue-eyed white dragon."
Nick Fury's eyes narrowed. "You're suggesting this comic artist has the power to bring comic characters to life?"
Coulson nodded. "That's the conclusion we've reached."
"If that's the case, he must be a god among us, or at least possess powers far beyond normal human capabilities," Fury mused, staring out the floor-to-ceiling windows.
Coulson hesitated, then said, "If he's not a god, then either he's seen the blue-eyed white dragon and depicted it in his work, or he possesses the dragon and creates comics based on it."
Nick Fury considered this, his single eye closing in contemplation. "Which scenario seems more plausible?"
Natasha entered the room, leaning on the table with a charming smile. "I'd go with the first option. It's more likely he saw the dragon and then drew it."
"No, I lean towards the second option," Nick Fury said quietly. "If he had the power to summon such a dragon, it suggests he has more influence than S.H.I.E.L.D. itself. This dragon could potentially destroy entire aircraft carriers."
Hill interjected, "Shouldn't we consider detaining him?"
Fury shook his head. "We need to be cautious. If he's as powerful as we suspect, a direct confrontation could be disastrous. We might end up triggering a situation worse than we anticipate, especially if the Fantastic Four refuse to ally with us."
Nick Fury, always calculating, preferred not to act recklessly. He would only engage in high-risk operations when success was highly probable.
"Natasha, I want you to infiltrate the company discreetly and raise Xu Mo's risk level to eight. No actions without further orders."
As Natasha prepared for her mission, Alice and Xu Mo continued their conversation.
"See, Alice, this is human strategy," Xu Mo said, showing her the projection.
Alice, unimpressed, replied, "This reasoning seems forced. It's not convincing."
"It's simple," Xu Mo countered. "He waits until a team is in place and then makes his move. For now, he's just a minor player."
With that, Xu Mo turned off the projector, ushered Alice out to join Gali, and prepared for bed.