Chapter 173: Tony's Weapon, Natasha's Speculation

In the high-rise elevator of S.H.I.E.L.D., Coulson, dressed in a suit, stood holding a document, frowning as if contemplating a difficult problem.

Suddenly, Ding dong! The elevator bell rang. Coulson raised his head slightly, realizing it wasn't his destination. Then, he saw the elevator door open and a familiar figure enter—Black Widow Natasha, wearing a tight combat suit.

"Morning, Natasha."

"Morning, Coulson."

They greeted each other. Natasha looked at the lit floor button in the elevator and said with a smile, "Coulson, you're also looking for the director?"

"Yes," Coulson nodded. "You too?"

Natasha nodded in affirmation. Coulson nodded silently, and then, as if something suddenly occurred to him, he asked expectantly, "Natasha, how is the captain's recovery?"

Natasha felt Coulson's eager tone and smiled, "Coulson, don't worry, the captain is fine and recovering well. Maybe you'll get to meet him later."

Coulson's eyes lit up with expectation, and he nodded. If he had the chance, he would definitely try to get the captain's autograph. It was the dream of every Captain America fan.

Ding dong! The elevator beeped again, and Coulson and Natasha glanced at the floor, then exited one after the other. Both of them had the same destination—the director's office.

Bang bang bang! Coulson knocked on the office door, and soon heard a voice from inside, "Come in!"

Coulson opened the door and entered, followed closely by Natasha. They walked to the desk where Director Nick Fury, in a black trench coat, was seated. Coulson handed over the document he was holding and said in a deep voice, "Director, the wizard gold project has made progress. With Tony's participation, a wizard gold has been successfully synthesized. After inspection, from the material point of view, there is no problem—it's almost exactly the same."

"But," Coulson hesitated, "Tony mentioned that there might still be a problem with the wizard gold. According to his research, there is an unknown radiation on the wizard's gold. It has extremely special properties and cannot be synthesized. We don't know if it will have any impact."

Nick Fury said in a deep voice, "I remember that last time Tony went to see the wizard professor and successfully brought back some magic metal, which seems to be very valuable. This time, let him go again and see if he can get more information from the wizard professor."

Coulson shook his head helplessly, "Director, I explained this to Tony. This unknown radiation seems to be related to wizards. But Tony refused. He said he's been researching some weapons recently and won't meet the wizard until he finishes."

Coulson teased, "I wonder if it was due to the last large-scale evacuation at Vientiane Book Cafe. With Tony's character, if there's no solution, he won't meet the wizard easily."

Nick Fury raised his eyebrows. He knew Tony's arrogant character—after suffering a loss, he must take revenge. If Tony was researching weapons to meet the wizard professor again, it meant he was preparing for another encounter.

Then, he looked at Natasha and asked, "Natasha, how's the investigation into the resignation of all Vientiane Book Cafe staff? Any useful information?"

Natasha said calmly, "Director, all investigations are completed. I discovered something interesting."

"Oh?" Nick Fury asked, "What is it?"

"Director, I talked to all three staff members at Vientiane Book Cafe. They didn't provide any valuable information. But when I talked to the store manager May, I found out that the wizard professor was planning to build a private reception place. There was no other valuable information."

Nick Fury stared at Natasha, prompting her to continue. "I found that this dismissal was probably planned in advance by the wizard professor. According to May, the wizard professor didn't seem to focus on profitability. The book lovers weren't prioritized. It seems they were just tools during the transition period. So, the wizard professor will definitely use this book cafe in the future for something significant. I suggest we keep a close eye on Vientiane Book Cafe—it will bring us valuable information later."

Nick Fury nodded slightly, understanding. Natasha added, "The wizard professor is generous with his own people. He's not stingy. He gave each staff member a large compensation for their dismissal. May, the store manager, received a million dollars, supposedly for investment. If we establish a friendly relationship with the wizard professor, there's a good chance he'll be on our side, and we'll get a lot of useful information."

Nick Fury thought of his old boss Alexander Pierce's advice and nodded slowly. He was about to give Coulson orders when suddenly,

Buzz! Coulson's phone began to vibrate. Coulson and Nick Fury exchanged looks. When Nick Fury nodded, Coulson answered the phone, "What happened?"

His phone was specially made—ordinary calls couldn't come through. Only important calls could reach him.

"Sir, there's an abnormality at Vientiane Book Cafe. The machine is reporting large-scale energy changes. According to observation, the same phenomenon occurs here as in the maze house. All our agents are unable to observe the location of the Vientiane Book Cafe, and pedestrians around are avoiding the area. Including the agents we sent, just like those in the maze, they left involuntarily and walked to another location."

Coulson quickly reported the situation to Nick Fury. Natasha's face showed realization—she knew the wizard professor had other plans for the Vientiane Book Cafe.

Nick Fury listened and then ordered, "Coulson, continue communicating with the wizard professor to explore the situation. Try to trade for new potions, especially those that quickly restore the human body."

Hearing this, Coulson's eyes lit up with excitement. He nodded to show his understanding.

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