**
After seeing off Coulson, Link tidied up the room, brewed himself a cup of coffee, and began reflecting on everything that had happened since his arrival in this world. His super brain was functioning perfectly, and there were no noticeable mistakes.
As long as he refrained from displaying overt superhuman abilities, he would be fine. Abilities like X-ray vision and super hearing were entirely undetectable, and there was no way for others to find out.
Feeling reassured, he made a quick call to check on the progress of his new apartment before heading to bed for an early rest.
Several days passed, and Coulson's call finally came through, instructing Link to meet at a certain building in New York.
Riding his motorcycle, Link quickly arrived at the location. After Coulson escorted him inside, he realized this was S.H.I.E.L.D.'s New York branch.
He recalled that this was the very place where Captain America had been thawed out before he ran to Times Square.
After a brief tour, Coulson handed Link a badge. Upon inspecting it, Coulson demonstrated a neat trick: S.H.I.E.L.D.'s ID could transform into credentials for other agencies, with all the information being completely legitimate. Link was thoroughly impressed, marveling at S.H.I.E.L.D.'s advanced technology.
The power S.H.I.E.L.D. wielded was immense, and Link found it all very fascinating, much more intriguing than his previous work at the police station.
"Can I call you Link?" Coulson asked.
"Of course," Link nodded.
"Our cover story for you is that you'll appear to the outside world as a professional gambler," Coulson explained. "You recently won over twenty million dollars in Las Vegas, and afterward, you resigned from the police force to pursue a career in gambling."
"Your mission will be to participate in various high-stakes games and gather intelligence," Coulson continued.
Link hadn't expected S.H.I.E.L.D. to assign him to something like this. He asked, "Aren't you supposed to handle global security? Why are we gathering intel on regular people?"
Coulson smiled. "You don't fully understand how we operate, nor do you grasp the full scope of this world. In the next few days, your job will be to study some materials here."
"Since gathering intel requires you to have in-depth knowledge, the director has specially authorized you to become a Level 6 agent, granting you access to some classified files, including information on 084."
"084?" Link maintained a neutral expression, though he was aware that this code referred to mysterious objects, many of which were of extraterrestrial origin.
"You'll understand once you start reading," Coulson said, leading Link to a private office where he could study the documents.
Link dived into the material, absorbing information quickly—though not too quickly. Computers logged usage times, and he didn't want to raise any suspicions.
---
"How's Link doing?" Nick Fury asked during a remote video call with Coulson.
"He's doing well. He's a fast learner and has accepted his first mission," Coulson replied. "Though we haven't yet tested his combat abilities, his marksmanship is impeccable. He hit every target, both stationary and moving, dead center."
"At least we know his shooting skills are solid," Fury mused. "Once Natasha returns, I'll send her to New York. She can test his combat skills. If he passes, his overall strength will be impressive."
"If we ever initiate the Avengers project, he could be a candidate."
"I understand," Coulson said, fully aware that as a Level 7 agent, his leadership and operational skills had earned him Fury's trust, ranking him above agents like Hawkeye and Black Widow.
---
After a few days, Coulson checked in on Link's progress, finding that he had absorbed a significant amount of information. The stereotype about Chinese people being fast learners seemed to hold true here.
Once Link had completed his studies, Coulson called him to the combat training room, where a woman in S.H.I.E.L.D. battle attire was waiting.
"Let me introduce you to Natasha Romanoff, a fellow Level 6 agent specializing in intelligence gathering," Coulson said. "She's also highly skilled in combat, and today she'll be conducting your evaluation."
Link's mind immediately identified her as Black Widow. In the movies, she was born in 1984, but if it were the comics, she would be an elderly woman by now.
While these thoughts ran through his mind, Link didn't hesitate. He took off the jacket provided by S.H.I.E.L.D., tucked his tie into his shirt, unbuttoned his cuffs, and rolled up his sleeves.
He stood in front of Black Widow, saying, "Agent Romanoff, shall we begin?"
Before the words were even out of his mouth, Natasha sprang into action, launching herself into a flying scissor kick aimed at him. Link reacted just as quickly, ducking low and driving his shoulder into her waist, shoving her aside.
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Black Widow's agility was impressive. She adjusted her position mid-air and smoothly rolled upon landing, dispersing the force.
She realized immediately that Link had held back. His reflexes and speed were top-notch, and the fact that he wasn't going all out signaled to her that he was a formidable opponent.
With that in mind, she grew more serious, while Link moved in to engage her. The two exchanged a variety of combat techniques, engaging in a fast-paced struggle for several minutes.
Despite Black Widow's superior experience, Link's stamina held out better, and sweat began to show on Natasha's brow.
Coulson, observing from the sidelines, finally called for a halt. "Alright, that's enough. Link, you've passed the evaluation."
Natasha, catching her breath, admitted, "He's stronger than me."
"I'm a man, so I have the advantage in stamina. But if this were a real life-or-death situation, I lack the experience," Link responded truthfully. Though he had the skills, he was well aware that he was no match for Black Widow's years of expertise.
Still, Link knew he needed to keep training to master various combat techniques, ingraining them into his muscle memory.
---
With Link's combat abilities evaluated, Nick Fury was highly satisfied. Link was now on par with agents like Hawkeye and Black Widow, and his expertise in psychology only made him more valuable.
"Link, you've completed your training and are ready for your first mission," Coulson told him about a month later. "Your apartment is ready, so move in as soon as possible."
"Oh, and buy yourself a nice car while you're at it," he added.
"Wait, do I have to pay for the car myself?" Link asked.
"Of course. You're a millionaire now, remember? Besides, you'll need to fund your own gambling stakes, but the good news is you won't have to surrender any winnings," Coulson replied with a smirk.
"Great," Link sighed. "Does this count as paying to go to work?"
"Not at all. You'll receive a salary, benefits, and all the perks of being an agent. Plus, you'll be making money while on the job—we know your skills," Coulson said. "Now, don't worry. We'll arrange your first gambling mission soon."
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