*Work?
Asylum?*
*Yeah, right…*
*I’ll just stay here for now, until I find a better place…*
Lin Xuan’s mind raced as he considered the terms Nick Fury had just laid out.
His current situation was dire.
He was alone, hunted by Hydra as a “test subject” that needed to be recovered, and now the Winter Soldier was on his tail.
S.H.I.E.L.D. might have its own internal turmoil, but at least on the surface…
*Staying here for a while…*
*Using S.H.I.E.L.D.’s resources and intelligence…*
*Learning about this world and improving myself seems to be the only, and best, choice for now.*
He needed time.
He needed a relatively safe environment to process the possibilities brought by the Xiongxin.
“I accept,” Lin Xuan said, meeting Fury’s deep, single-eyed gaze.
His voice was calm, yet filled with resolve.
The nearly imperceptible curve at the corner of Fury’s mouth seemed to widen slightly.
He said no more, simply turning to Natasha beside him.
“Agent Romanoff,” Fury’s voice returned to its usual low, authoritative tone.
“Take him to the Logistics and Equipment Department to get a standard-issue uniform.”
Fury’s gaze swept over Lin Xuan’s torn, dust-caked dark undershirt, his voice laced with an unquestionable command.
“I don’t want to see a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent walking around in a Hydra undershirt.”
Natasha gave a slight nod, her vibrant red hair swaying gently on her shoulders, her eyes still sharp.
“Understood, Commander.”
She stepped aside and gestured for Lin Xuan to follow, leading the way out of the training area.
One after the other, they walked through the futuristic alloy corridor again.
The walls glowed with soft blue light strips.
Occasionally, staff members in deep blue uniforms hurried past, casting curious or scrutinizing glances their way.
Natasha walked ahead with a seemingly casual air, her stride steady and posture erect.
But Lin Xuan could feel her sharp gaze never truly leaving him.
Her perception was like the most precise radar, constantly assessing his state, his emotions, and even the slightest twitches of his muscles.
This silent pressure was more nerve-wracking than the fight they had just finished.
Soon, they arrived at an alloy door labeled “Logistics and Equipment Department.”
Natasha performed another identity verification and requested temporary access for Lin Xuan.
A scanning beam swept over Lin Xuan’s entire body, and after confirming he carried no dangerous items, the doors slid open to the sides.
The interior space was spacious and brightly lit, with various standard-issue equipment neatly organized on metal racks.
A logistics officer, using the temporary authorization provided by Natasha and the body measurements from the scan, quickly brought Lin Xuan a brand-new tactical suit.
It was dark gray, made of a material that looked tough yet elastic, with a simple and practical design. logo was printed on the chest and shoulders.
“The private changing room is over there,” the officer said, pointing in a specific direction.
Lin Xuan took the tactical suit and walked into a small, separate compartment.
He closed the door, shutting out the outside world.
He quickly stripped off his tattered, sweat- and dust-caked Hydra undershirt and tossed it aside.
In the adjacent restroom, he gave himself a quick rinse.
The Super Soldier Serum’s powerful regenerative abilities had already healed most of the minor scratches and muscle soreness from the previous battle.
His physical condition was rapidly recovering.
After rinsing off, he dried himself.
Before putting on the new clothes, Lin Xuan sank his consciousness into his mind.
The cold System Panel floated clearly in his mental space.
[Name: Lin Xuan]
[Template: Optimized Super Soldier Serum (Preliminary Success)]
[Abilities: Enhanced Physicality, Accelerated Healing, Heightened Senses]
[Technological Means: Xiongxin]
[Technology Points: 50]
*50 Technology Points!*
*How should I use these 50 points?*
Analyze what?
S.H.I.E.L.D.’s technology was a treasure trove.
The agent gear he’d just seen?
Or the Quinjet’s engines?
Lin Xuan shook his head.
Neither seemed like a good bet.
Analyzing such conventional equipment would offer limited help in boosting his current strength.
But unlocking the *Xiongxin* required either an upgrade or the consumption of “Specific Rare Resources.”
What did the upgrade require?
And what did “Rare Resources” mean?
Vibranium?
The Cosmic Cube?
There was too little information to make a judgment.
*Or… use these 50 points to analyze myself?*
*Delve deeper into the mysteries of the optimized Super Soldier Serum?
See if there’s any possibility for further enhancement?*
*Or analyze…
Natasha?*
*Uh, never mind…*
The daring thought flashed through Lin Xuan’s mind, only to be immediately extinguished.
The risk was too high, and there was no guarantee he’d uncover anything useful—it might just be basic bodily data.
These 50 Technology Points had to be used where they would have the most impact.
*I’ll save them for when I meet Tony.*
Suppressing his chaotic thoughts, he quickly changed into the brand-new S.H.I.E.L.D. combat suit.
The uniform fit perfectly.
Its special material clung to his skin without restricting his movements, providing both protection and temperature regulation.
Slipping into the fresh clothes made him feel instantly more alert.
As his physical condition improved, it sent another strong signal—hunger.
From escaping the lab to the chase and the fight, he had burned through his energy reserves.
Now, his stomach was completely empty, and a wave of intense hunger washed over him.
Just as he stepped out of the changing room, he saw Natasha leaning against the opposite wall, arms crossed, as if she had been waiting for a long time.
When Lin Xuan emerged, she scanned him from head to toe.
She had to admit, in the well-fitting uniform, the young man looked much more presentable.
The disheveled look was gone, replaced by a sharp, keen edge.
“Follow me,” Natasha said, seemingly anticipating his condition.
“You need to replenish your energy.”
She pointed toward the other end of the corridor.
“The nutrient meals here… taste pretty good,” she added, a rare, “friendly” tip.
The two arrived at a clean, brightly lit staff cafeteria.
It wasn’t the lunch rush, so the cafeteria was sparsely populated.
Natasha skillfully grabbed a bland-looking vegetable salad and a glass of water.
Lin Xuan, however, showed no such restraint.
He headed straight for the window offering high-calorie, high-protein synthetic food.
*To hell with the taste,* he thought.
*Right now, I just want to stuff my stomach!*
Soon, Lin Xuan sat down across from Natasha, a mountain of food on his tray.
He grabbed his utensils and began to wolf it down.
His ravenous eating style stood in stark contrast to Natasha, who sat beside him, daintily taking small bites of her salad with elegant poise.
While Natasha appeared focused on her meal, her peripheral vision never left Lin Xuan.
*This mysterious young man who escaped from the Hydra lab…* Her mind raced.
*His physical condition is absurdly powerful, his combat instincts are terrifying… and now he’s showing such an astonishing appetite…*
*What is his true origin?
What kind of experiments did Hydra perform on him?*
*And what was Fury’s reasoning for keeping him at S.H.I.E.L.D.?*
A thousand questions swirled in Natasha’s mind, her gaze never wavering from its vigilant, probing intensity.