Chapter 25: Subject of Value
"So what?"
Oaks finished reading the evaluation report handed to him by Coulson and casually placed it on the table.
"Goose disappeared for over a decade without causing any chaos, but now that someone is watching it, you're getting nervous?"
"So, what do you mean?"
Coulson sighed in relief. At least Oaks was willing to communicate.
But he secretly wondered if all scientists had such big egos.
"Well, Dr. Woods, the threat posed by the Devourer... Goose is actually closely related to you as its current owner. In our investigation, you personally have no issues, but the level of control you have over Goose... is the main focus of our meeting."
Oaks raised an eyebrow. S.H.I.E.L.D. completely misunderstood the key point...
But it was also a good thing. At least he could have some peace for a while and accumulate some leverage.
However, in the face of an influential organization like S.H.I.E.L.D., relying solely on the identity of the "caretaker of the Devourer" might put him in a very passive position.
The Devourer listens to you? That's great. Why don't you help out with some missions that the agents can't handle?
You don't want to? We can't stand up against "The Devourer", but you, an innocent harmless?
It has connections and backing, what about you?
Don't underestimate the might of S.H.I.E.L.D. Sure, the Devourer might be fierce, but they have a close relationship with the Director. Putting a muzzle on it would be a piece of cake.
Once the Devourer is muzzled, it becomes an ordinary cat, right?
If the worst comes to worst, they can just call back its original owner and take it away. But a mere scientist, even with environmentally friendly research, if you offend S.H.I.E.L.D., what does your environmentalism count for?
They can slap you with any charge they want, take away your research and take you away.
Don't think that an organization as imposing as S.H.I.E.L.D can't do it. In terms of operating style, they are just as two-faced as Hydra, and that's not an exaggeration.
"Here's the thing, as a biologist, I have this... special research achievement."
Oaks's face showed a faint smile, which made Coulson feel a bit uneasy.
"You're aware of my achievements in plant research, right?"
Coulson turned his head and glanced at the green plants on the shelves, nodding cautiously.
"Yes, it's a great research achievement, but unfortunately, there's no Nobel Prize for biology."
"Plant improvement is my research focus, but as a biologist, I have also achieved some results in animal research."
Oaks placed Goose on the table between himself and Coulson.
"Goose, lie down."
Goose licked its mouth and obediently lay down.
"Oh? So, you're a skilled animal trainer?"
Coulson was somewhat unimpressed. He had his own dog that could do the same.
"Is it research in animal training?"
"Goose, who placed the listening device here last time?"
Coulson's eyes widened as Goose raised its paw and pointed at him!
"Where was the listening device placed?"
Goose jumped off the table and went to the side of the sofa, scratching the bottom edge—that was where Coulson had placed the listening device last time!
"Does this agent have anything environmentally unfriendly on him?"
Goose jumped onto the sofa and went to Coulson's lower back, causing him to instinctively cover it...
"Well, well, Dr. Woods, I believe Goose understands what you're saying!"
With a sigh, Coulson took off a gun from his lower back.
"Little one, you shouldn't touch it."
For Coulson's position, carrying a gun was just normal.
"But the Devourer is already highly intelligent."
"Well, you're right. Goose can even understand the news recently, so here's the deal."
Oaks shrugged his shoulders.
"You show Goose some information, anything will do. I won't look."
He turned away, and Coulson blinked his eyes. If it was like this...
Taking out his phone, Coulson showed Goose a message.
"Alright," he said.
Oaks turned back, and Goose meowed a few times at him.
"My dear Mr. Philip, your good credit record allows you to use this $5,000 credit limit. Please click the following link within 24 hours to verify your credit card number and identity ID. Failure to do so will affect your credit record."
"Wow, I didn't know your name was Philip. I must say, you really live up to the title of a senior agent, huh?
By the way, just $5,000? Do you need a loan? Your compensation must be really low!"
"Um... I'm not Philip, I don't know this person. It's just a scam message."
Coulson instinctively defended himself, but then he realized:
"You can really understand what Goose says?!"
"It works with other animals too, but only animals. Although humans are animals too, they are too complex."
"Sorry, Dr. Woods, but I need to be cautious about this matter."
Coulson made a serious phone call.
"Yes, May, get a few animals, anything will do. No, no, not fish."
After hanging up, Coulson knew that he had to reassess the young man in front of him.
"Dr. Woods, you should understand the importance of your research achievements.
In fact, I think it's more appropriate to call it 'ability'."
Oaks shook his head, rejecting Coulson's statement.
"It was an accidental experiment, an irreplicable scientific miracle."
"..."
Coulson's expression became even more serious. This meant that the value of this "ability" had shifted from the obtainable research results to Dr. Woods himself!
What did the ability to engage in complex communication with animals mean?
An animal trainer? A circus master? A pet rescue expert? A top veterinarian?
No, as a senior agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., he knew very well that the greatest value of this ability was intelligence!
Even in a highly advanced technological era, there were still vast areas of intelligence blind spots that technology couldn't solve.
Throughout history, humans have never given up on training animals for various purposes.
But those were actions that involved great effort and yielded minimal results, far from being successful.
S.H.I.E.L.D. had witnessed how powerful animal spies could be.
A former member of S.H.I.E.L.D., Dr. Hank Pym, also known as "Ant-Man," a brilliant physicist, had once invented a helmet that could command ants through brainwaves.
With this unique device, even without Pym Particles, Dr. Pym could provide powerful intelligence support in missions.
But as he fell out with S.H.I.E.L.D. and left the organization, both the miraculous Pym Particles and the brainwave helmet were no longer under S.H.I.E.L.D.'s control.
And that helmet could only command ants.
But now, Dr. Oaks Woods could communicate with animals and even engage in complex information exchange!
Just imagine, most mission targets would be alert to electronic devices and human spies.
But what about the stray cats and dogs, who spent their days fighting and sleeping at the door.
They might even find them cute and offer some help!
Coulson closed his eyes slightly, let out a sigh, and at that moment, someone knocked on the door of the shop.
Agent Melinda May, a level 7 agent, had arrived with the test subjects.
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