Not long ago, Fury had been a patient being rescued from a hospital bed. Now, thanks to his "good friend" Darcy, he was an injured man being sent to brawl with a gym full of super-muscle-bound brutes.
The so-called Dueling Ladder, he soon discovered, was a specialized entrance for those who didn't want to work their way up the conventional way. As the Snake Lady's most capable subordinate, Johnson naturally shared her burdens, and this gym was his personal project. Eighty percent of its muscular patrons were once aimless young men with big dreams and little direction. Under the "educational" guidance of the super-muscle-bound Johnson, they had successfully reformed themselves into... well, this.
Never mind the other pretty boys who might have wandered in. When Johnson saw the old and frail-looking Fury, he clenched his fists, a hungry glint in his eyes.
Don't worry, this is the magical world. General fractures and the like are healed in half a day.
By the time Fury finally met the Snake Lady, he was carried up to her floor. Every bone in his body felt like it had been shattered into a thousand pieces. If he hadn't managed to gasp out that he was there to discuss official business with her, he probably wouldn't just feel like his bones were broken; they would have actually been broken.
Two of the muscle-bound men unceremoniously threw him onto the plush carpet of the top floor. Johnson stood impassively at the elevator entrance, showing no intention of helping.
Fury, the dignified director of S.H.I.E.L.D., could only pick himself up off the floor.
"Darcy," he muttered through gritted teeth, "I swear I'll kill you."
He staggered to his feet. The top floor was a very long corridor lined with bookshelves on both sides. It was clear the Snake Lady was a person who loved to read.
"This way," Johnson said with a stern face, redirecting Fury, who was already heading in the wrong direction.
Unlike the bustling department store below, there was another, more exclusive shop-like area here. A sign that read "Silver Hand Johnny" hung beside an ornate door.
Pushing the door open, he entered a room filled with several high-end display cases. Behind them stood employees dressed in even more immaculate attire. One of them, wearing a monocle, saw Johnson and teased, "Your new guest?"
"Here to see the Snake Lady?" Johnson glanced at the employee dismissively. The employee simply shrugged.
There were other guests in the room. Unlike the lively scene below, these people were all silent, wearing hooded wizard robes that concealed most of their faces. Hearing that someone was looking for the Snake Lady, a few of the hooded figures turned to look at Fury.
Johnson continued forward, reaching a door at the end of the shop. He said to Fury, "The Snake Lady is inside."
Fury nodded and pushed the door open to enter. Johnson stood guard right outside.
After the door closed, Fury looked back and saw nothing but a solid wall. He silently turned his head, realizing he could only move forward.
"I don't remember you on the appointment list."
A voice came, and he followed it with his eyes. Sitting on a luxurious sofa was a man in a light purple shirt, his legs propped up on a table, casually flipping through a book.
"Snake Lady?" Fury asked uncertainly.
The man closed the book, slightly raised his head, and looked at Fury. "You can't do magic, can you?"
Revealing Fury's identity in a single sentence, he stood up, his figure teleporting directly in front of Fury. The sudden proximity was jarring. Only someone with Fury's steel-like psychological fortitude could resist the urge to pull out a gun.
"You should know that people like you are not welcome here," the man's gaze swept up and down Fury as he circled him. "Who are you?"
"Nick Fury," Fury's gaze followed him steadily. "Director of S.H.I.E.L.D."
"I've already stated my business," Fury frowned. "And you are?"
"You're asking for my name?" As if hearing something amusing, the man stopped, smiled, and said, "Credence Dumbledore."
"Obviously, you're not the Snake Lady," Fury raised an eyebrow. "I'm here to see her."
Credence raised his hand, and all of Fury's concealed weapons flew out from his person in an instant, attaching themselves firmly to the wall. Fury looked over abruptly, his expression turning grave.
"Alright, Credence."
A gentle voice drifted into the room. Credence lowered his hand and turned, his expression softening with tenderness. A woman with an Asian face, dressed in an elegant long blue dress, slowly walked out.
The moment Fury saw her, he couldn't help but widen his eyes. This person looked exactly like the Helen Cho S.H.I.E.L.D. had investigated. The only difference was probably their temperament.
"Nagini," Credence smiled gently. "You don't need to bother with these troublesome matters."
Nagini naturally came to stand beside Credence.
"Sorry, you look a great deal like someone I know," Fury made an excuse for his gaffe and returned to business. "Can I ask you a question, ma'am?"
Nagini looked at this Muggle standing in her office and said, "Silver Hand Johnny does not participate in non-magical world affairs. I think you've come to the wrong place."
"I'm sure I haven't," Fury moved his injured arm and said, "An hour ago, I was in Washington, dealing with a major event that could kill millions."
"Putting all that aside, disregarding the fate of millions," Fury said with uncharacteristic sincerity, "I need three minutes to know this answer."
His earnestness made Nagini fall silent.
Fury continued, "A matter concerning the magical world. I need to get an answer." He stared at Nagini, not out of any inappropriate desire, but because he didn't want to miss a single subtle expression. "John Wick. Who is he?"
He got what he wanted. He saw the expression of the legendary Snake Lady change. Nagini's gentle facade could not be maintained.
A cloud of black mist exploded. Before Fury could react, his body had already hit the wall hard. A large hand choked his throat, lifting him off the ground.
In the black mist, Credence's eyes glowed with dark energy as he growled:
"Who allowed you..."
"To speak the Wizard King's name directly!"
The launch entered its final countdown. The World Security Council went to S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters to sign and execute Project Insight. Alexander Pierce personally welcomed the representatives.
"How was the flight?"
"Very good, but the road from the airport here wasn't great."
"Sorry, S.H.I.E.L.D. can't control everything," Alexander chatted idly.
A representative next to him interjected, "Including Captain America."
Alexander glanced at him, a fleeting dissatisfaction in his eyes. A subordinate handed him an identification badge, explaining, "The identity verification here relies on biometrics."
Watching the representatives put on their badges, a smile appeared at the corner of his mouth, which he quickly hid. All aspects of S.H.I.E.L.D. were preparing. Without obstruction from Steve and his group, the remaining agents wouldn't be suspicious.
Steve and Natasha split up, leading Falcon and Agent Hill to take control of S.H.I.E.L.D. As everyone knows, being labeled the safest is like a curse. Steve used only a small trick to successfully control the broadcasting system.
Unaware of all this, Alexander was about to celebrate with champagne when he heard Steve's voice.
"Attention S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, this is Steve Rogers."
"You've heard a lot about me these past few days. Some of you were even ordered to hunt me down."
Steve gave an unscripted speech over the broadcast, and everyone in the S.H.I.E.L.D. building stopped what they were doing.
"But I think you should know the truth. S.H.I.E.L.D. is not what we thought it was. It has been infiltrated by HYDRA, and their leader is Alexander Pierce."
He dropped a bombshell. Even the members of the World Security Council paused, looking at Alexander, who was about to pop the champagne. The fake smile on Alexander's face gradually disappeared. Sure enough, celebrating too early always leads to trouble.
As Steve spoke the truth, the HYDRA agents within S.H.I.E.L.D. had already begun to act. They knew the plan was exposed and began to occupy the launch sites in advance. The World Security Council was brought under HYDRA's control.
With the first shot fired in the control room, the war officially began. S.H.I.E.L.D. was about to fall into chaos.
In the S.H.I.E.L.D. equipment warehouse, a green-skinned alien gradually transformed into a black man. He moved his neck, looked at his companion who had turned into a white man, and asked, "For our new home?"
Passing verification, they opened the warehouse. S.H.I.E.L.D.'s weapons were displayed before them without reservation.
Three helicarriers took off.
The person holding the phone looked at the address on the phone, then at the helicarriers in the sky. He casually put the phone in his pocket, the camera's red dot lit up for a moment. He strode forward.
"MOSS, infiltrate."
"Gate takeover complete, sir. There is a disturbance inside."
"I can see that."
John walked through the gate and said lightly, "But we are not heroes either."
"Seal all exits, MOSS."
With his command, the originally open gates began to close.
John's voice sounded after they closed.
"Let me see who wants to play games with the Wizard King."