No!
At Most, It’s Just Infiltrating S.H.I.E.L.D. as a Hydra Mole
8: Joining S.H.I.E.L.D.?
No!
At Most, It’s Just Infiltrating S.H.I.E.L.D. as a Hydra Mole
Lin Xuan took a deep breath and stepped into the command center.
The room wasn’t very large, but it was impeccably organized.
Natasha quickly approached Fury’s side and whispered a few words, her voice low yet clear.
After listening, Fury nodded slightly, his gaze refocusing on Lin Xuan.
“Escaping from a Hydra lab and surviving an encounter with the Winter Soldier…”
Fury’s voice was deep and commanding, echoing in the quiet command center.
“You’ve demonstrated unusual abilities… and even potential.”
His single eye narrowed, his scrutiny intensifying.
“We need to conduct an evaluation.”
*An evaluation?* Lin Xuan’s mind raced.
Nick Fury gave him no time to think, directly pressing a button on the communicator.
“Get Ward over here. Training Area A. We’re conducting an evaluation.”
His order was concise and direct.
The side door of the command center slid open, and a white male agent walked in.
Grant Ward.
The future Hydra mole embedded within S.H.I.E.L.D.
But for now, he was still one of Fury’s most capable agents.
In Lin Xuan’s mind, the system’s notification chimed again.
[Ding!]
[Quest Triggered: Join S.H.I.E.L.D.?]
[Quest Objective: Win the S.H.I.E.L.D. assessment fight to earn their initial recognition and lay the groundwork for future actions.]
[Quest Reward: +15 Tech Points.]
*Here we go.*
A faint glint flashed in Lin Xuan’s eyes.
*Join S.H.I.E.L.D.?*
*Forget that.
It’s more like becoming a mole in S.H.I.E.L.D. from the Hydra side, isn’t it?*
*But…*
*His brief skirmish with Natasha had been more of a test of skill and reflexes, while the chase with the Winter Soldier had been a desperate escape under extreme conditions.*
*This was the perfect opportunity to truly gauge his own strength.*
“I’m in,” Lin Xuan agreed without a moment’s hesitation.
He met Nick Fury’s gaze with the fearless confidence of a newcomer. This chapter was copied from g.com without permission.
The group soon arrived at a small training arena located deeper within the base.
Nick Fury and Natasha entered the observation room, watching the arena through thick bulletproof glass.
Agent Ward stretched his limbs, his joints popping with a series of soft cracks.
His gaze, focused and sharp, locked onto Lin Xuan.
“Ready?” Ward’s voice was steady.
Lin Xuan nodded and assumed a simple combat stance.
Though it lacked any formal technique, his body’s instincts naturally guided him into the optimal position for generating power.
Inside the observation room, Fury stood with his arms crossed, his single eye narrowed, his expression unchanging.
Natasha leaned forward slightly.
Her fiery red hair cascaded over her shoulders, her sharp eyes fixed on Lin Xuan, determined not to miss a single detail.
“Begin,” Fury commanded over the intercom.
The moment the word fell, Ward moved.
He lunged forward like a cheetah, his speed explosive, his footwork steady and rhythmic.
Lin Xuan felt a gust of wind slam into him as his Super Soldier senses screamed a warning.
He didn’t even have time to think; his body reacted on its own.
He dropped low, narrowly evading an elbow strike that would have knocked anyone else unconscious.
His right leg whipped out like a steel cable, whistling through the air as it slammed into the side of Ward’s supporting left knee.
*Thud!*
A dull impact echoed through the room.
Ward grunted as an unimaginable force slammed into the side of his knee.
*Such raw power.*
Ward was shaken.
He forced himself to steady his stance despite the searing pain, his eyes wide with disbelief.
This Asian young man, who didn’t even look particularly strong, possessed such terrifying strength!
In the observation room, Natasha’s pupils constricted.
That sudden burst of power… it was even greater than she had estimated.
*That timing… that instinctive combat intuition…*
A storm raged in Natasha’s mind.
She glanced instinctively at Fury, only to find his expression as calm as ever.
But in his single eye, a deeper flicker of interest seemed to dance.
The fight on the field showed no sign of slowing.
After his first strike landed, Lin Xuan pressed the attack without a moment’s hesitation.
He threw a ferocious straight punch, which Ward barely managed to block by crossing his arms.
The massive impact sent Ward skidding back two steps, the pain in his arms so intense it felt as if his bones were about to shatter.
In the observation room, Natasha’s lips parted slightly, her beautiful eyes filled with shock.
She had thought she had already overestimated Lin Xuan, but now it seemed she had still underestimated him.
Fury’s single eye remained fixed on the arena, but a faint, almost imperceptible smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
*He’s found a treasure.*
In the arena, the fierce exchange continued.
After sidestepping Ward’s sweeping leg kick, Lin Xuan keenly seized a tiny opening left by his opponent’s continuous blocking.
*An opportunity.*
A sharp glint flashed in Lin Xuan’s eyes as he lunged forward like a cheetah.
His speed was so extreme that he became a mere blur.
Ward only felt a flicker of movement before Lin Xuan was already upon him.
He couldn’t even react before his arm tightened, and an irresistible force surged through him.
Lin Xuan’s hands clamped down on Ward’s right arm like iron pincers.
He twisted his waist, wrenching the limb with a sudden, powerful jerk.
*Crack!*
The sickening sound of bone dislocating echoed through the air.
Immediately after, Lin Xuan followed up with a clean, decisive shoulder throw, slamming the towering Ward onto the ground.
*Thud!*
A heavy, dull impact reverberated throughout the training ground.
He won!
Though the fight hadn’t been easy—his opponent’s experience and skill had caused him considerable trouble—he had ultimately relied on his absolute strength advantage to win this assessment match decisively.
Silence fell over the training ground.
Ward lay on the floor, struggling to get up, but the dislocated joint and the excruciating pain coursing through his body made it impossible.
His gaze, fixed on Lin Xuan, was filled with shock and resentment.
The door to the observation room swung open.
Nick Fury stepped out slowly, followed by Natasha, whose expression still betrayed her astonishment.
Fury walked up to Lin Xuan, his single eye scanning him up and down before settling on his youthful yet promising face.
“Impressive performance,” Fury said, his voice devoid of emotion, though a hint of approval flickered in his eye.
*Or perhaps it was a deeper calculation.*
“Speed, strength, reflexes—all far beyond the norm. Your combat instincts are sharp. You’re a natural.”
He paused, his tone shifting.
“Given your unique circumstances, and Hydra’s…
*unusual interest* in you,” Fury deliberately emphasized the word “interest,” “S.H.I.E.L.D. can offer you protection.”
“Of course, it won’t be free.”
A glint of shrewdness flashed in his eye.
“We don’t keep anyone on the payroll for doing nothing. We’ll arrange a… job for you. For now.”
Just then, another notification chime echoed in Lin Xuan’s mind.
[Ding!]
[Mission Complete: Join S.H.I.E.L.D.?]
[Mission Reward: +15 Tech Points.]