Just one month later, Luke finally received the invoice from Nick. According to him, two copies were sent to Hebron and the Holy of Holies respectively.
There is no other way. Even Nick Fury, who has the highest authority, has to check the dangerous goods collected and preserved by S.H.I.E.L.D. over the years. After screening them, the subsequent information descriptions, defects, defense methods, etc. have to be sorted out together.
After completing this step, there is the more troublesome next step, which is to set a price for these items.
When Nick thought about this, he felt that this cooperation was a bit ridiculous. Since SHIELD started collecting these items, the successive SHIELD directors had never thought of putting a price on them and then selling them.
These were all items that S.H.I.E.L.D. had not been able to sell in the past!
Nick Fury set this historic precedent.
Not only does Nick need to evaluate each of the dangerous goods in the first batch of sales orders and tentatively give a price based on their value, but he also has to work hard to persuade some of the objections above and make this transaction with Hebolun as reasonable and legal as possible.
After all, even though S.H.I.E.L.D. is a closed-loop organization, it would be difficult for him to conceal such a large-scale move from the higher-ups for long. One or two dangerous goods would be fine, but the first batch had already sorted out 43 items.
Most of these dangerous goods were stored in certain heavily fortified bases and even studied by SHIELD researchers. If they were all gone suddenly, even the most insensitive researchers would still be suspicious.
Nick shifted his focus to the higher-ups, changing the sale to a partnership. Funding for managing these hazardous materials would continue to be allocated annually, and the technological products produced by Heberon would be prioritized for S.H.I.E.L.D. After subtly mentioning that this partnership might include a yearly allocation of dragon bone potion, all previous objections and arguments became negotiable. Ultimately, Nick's application was approved with remarkable efficiency.
The various shady transactions and profit distribution involved are omitted. But at the moment of passing by, Nick, who had dealt with these old-timers with similar personalities, felt a long-lost feeling of mental and physical exhaustion.
Honestly, for something like this, it's usually discussed over and over again, and if it takes six months or a year to actually get it done, it's considered efficient. This shows how much effort Nick put in.
Considering that after Luke and the Master have selected the items, they will have to take each other to inspect the goods together, and the other party may have objections to the price marked by SHIELD when placing an order, Nick also thoughtfully provided a bargaining link.
As long as the price doesn't fall below his psychological bottom line, the deal is considered a success. If both parties disagree on the price and repeated negotiations fail, the deal can only be put on hold.
After all, this was Nick's first time doing this kind of transaction, and using the new currency. The only things that gave him a glimpse into the new currency's current purchasing power were the mages' expensive dimensional materials and Heberon's technological products.
Especially the materials that the mage takes from various dimensional worlds. You have money to buy them, but the other party also needs to evaluate your overall strength and technology to see whether you can use and utilize these materials correctly.
The transaction threshold is frighteningly high.
Nick had no objection to this, considering he had participated in drafting and perfecting the rules. This was also where his anxiety arose. If S.H.I.E.L.D. didn't catch up quickly, the threshold for trading might become lower, but more likely, it would become higher and higher, eventually reaching a point where he would lose confidence and accept failure.
Luke took a quick look at the cargo list and the corresponding video footage, but did not see any familiar objects such as the Cosmic Cube or the Obelisk.
Luke wasn't too disappointed after failing to buy at the bottom. He knew full well that Nick wouldn't put these valuable items on the shelves without fully understanding the purchasing power of the new currency. Especially since Nick had seen the power of the Tesseract.
If Luke were in his position, he would make the same choice.
But this step was a good start. Luke's eyes fell on the list of goods, and he began to think. Even if there wasn't anything he wanted on it, he would still buy a few. This would protect Nick from being hurt by the transaction amount not meeting his expectations, and it would also be a little reward for Nick's hard work.
Well, just deduct it from Nick's credit balance.
…
Three-wing building.
"Do you think I did the right thing, Agent Hill?" Nick, who had handled everything with such swiftness and determination, sat in his office chair, a rare feeling of regret welling up in his heart. Although he knew that this regret wouldn't change anything, wouldn't help, and would even create hidden dangers in the future, he couldn't help but think about it.
"What do you mean?" Agent Hill, who was standing upright in front of his desk and reporting to his superior, asked in a serious tone.
"This transaction with Heberon." Nick did not hide this operation from Hill. With Hill's authority, he was able to know these secrets.
"You already have the answer in your mind, don't you?" Hill looked at his boss holding a small black metal box that looked like a ring box in his hand, and watched him gently stroking the box with his fingers. He had a thoughtful look on his face and gave an answer that made Nick smile bitterly.
"Yes." Nick wiped away the regret and wry smile on his face. Under Hill's gaze, his expression regained its determination and composure. "Now that you've made up your mind, there's no need to hesitate any longer. Thank you very much for your advice, Agent Hill."
"You don't need me. You can quickly recover." Hill shook her head. She supported Nick's approach. Now that they had reached the door to a higher level, they couldn't give up halfway just because of the fatigue and difficulty of climbing the stairs. Besides, they were stuck in the middle. They had to go either up or down.
There may be a new situation moving forward.
The future is hard to predict.
At least it has chosen to go down. The status and power of SHIELD will definitely decline endlessly in the future. It is very likely that it will be abolished and a new organization will be established on its corpse to take over its duties.
"Has he been contacted?" Nick asked about the business.
"We've made contact, but sir, I need to remind you that he is no longer the person you once knew." Hill nodded, hesitated for a moment, and added.
"I know. But we need his strength now, don't we?" Nick said helplessly. "I'll bring the captain with me, don't worry."
…
night.
An abandoned warehouse in the deserted suburbs.
When Nick and Captain America Steve pushed open the rusty, creaking metal door, a deep male voice sounded from the darkness of the warehouse.
"What happened that made you so anxious to see me, Nick?"
As the voice was spoken, a man wearing a black tight vest that outlined his smooth, solid, and powerful muscles, and camouflage pants, exuding a cold and dangerous aura, walked out of the darkness and exposed himself to Nick and the others.
"Frank, my old friend. I need your help." Nick saw the man appear in front of him, a smile appeared on his calm face, and he said softly.
"I'm not an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., Nick," said Frank Castle.
"I don't intend to recruit you into S.H.I.E.L.D." Nick shrugged.
"Who is this? The captain? Frank Castle." Frank's eyes swept over the man who made him feel extremely dangerous, but also gave him a sense of security and harmlessness.
"Steve Rogers." Captain America also greeted.
"Let's get straight to the point, Frank. I need your strength right now. Your overall qualities and strength have been assessed as a Level 10 agent. Whether it's psychological quality, combat proficiency, weapon mastery, or combat effectiveness, you've reached the pinnacle of human individual combat capability." Nick interrupted the two men's pleasantries and looked at Frank seriously with his one-eyed gaze. "Perhaps you might consider it."
"Do you need my fighting power?" Frank's amused gaze lingered on Captain America for a moment, and he looked at Nick.
"To be precise, we need your enhanced combat power." Nick said calmly.
"Strengthening? Those super soldier plans?" Frank's face showed some disapproval.
"Of course it's not that imperfect and immature abandoned plan. It's a better one, a single-soldier energy device from Heberon. I really don't want to explain it to you by this name, because its maker called it the Mind Ring." Nick signaled to the captain next to him with his eyes.
Captain America raised his right hand immediately after receiving Nick's signal. An inconspicuous metal ring on his right index finger suddenly flashed with a warm golden light, and then a layer of golden energy clothing spread all over the captain's body along the ring.
A warm, yet gentle, light illuminated the dark warehouse, casting a small golden glow. A golden, seemingly tangible energy shield suddenly extended from the ring and was tightly grasped by the captain.
"No injections or medicine are required. Just wear it, and it will bring you incredible strength. Believe me, old friend, it will enhance your combat effectiveness to a more terrifying level, far beyond that of humans." Nick took out a black metal box from his pocket and opened it in front of Frank, revealing an inconspicuous metal ring inside that was exactly the same as the one worn on Captain America's finger earlier.
"Has Heberon's technology become so powerful?" Frank raised his eyebrows in surprise.
"I'm afraid that Heybollen's technology is far beyond your imagination. There is a lot of information that I can't tell you for the time being. But if we reach a cooperation in the future, you will be exposed to a wider world, old friend." Nick raised the black ring box in his hand.
"What price should I pay? Obey you? To be honest, I don't have a good impression of any of your official organizations. If you want me to listen to those masters, I refuse." Frank shook his head.
"No, you don't have to listen to those people, you just need to listen to me. Just like we cooperated on the battlefield before, fighting side by side." Nick denied Frank's words.
"It seems that you want to build a private army?" Frank became interested.
"The situation is too complicated. I can only ask, are you willing to accept this condition? Wear the ring and you will become my teammate and a collaborator in concerted action." Nick said with a serious expression.
"I don't do dirty work." Frank picked up the ring in the box, but didn't put it on his finger immediately. Instead, he looked at Nick and said softly.
"Those won't require you, your and the captain's power. We have to deal with higher-level threats that ordinary agents and soldiers can't fight against." Nick gave an affirmative answer.
"Then let me experience it and see if this ring is really as magical as you said." Frank smiled and put the ring on his finger out of trust in Nick.
boom!
Bright red energy spurted out from the ring like real blood, wrapping Frank inside. At the same time, Frank, who was covered by the red energy, let out a muffled groan of pain.
"Why do I feel like something is wrong?" Nick was pushed back two steps by the surging energy. He put one hand in front of his eyes to block the dazzling red light, while his sixth sense, which was sensitive to danger, was frantically warning him.
"Something's not right," Captain America said seriously. He stared at Frank, who was undergoing a transformation, and asked Nick, "Didn't Luke tell you how to handle this situation?"
"He didn't say that." Nick shook his head.
"Have you carefully studied the instruction manual of the Mind Ring?" Steve asked again.
"I don't use the ring," Nick said, "but I did give it a quick read, and there wasn't any relevant information. When you, Captain, put on the ring, the energy reaction didn't seem that strong."
"What does red represent?" Steve asked.
"Red? Let me think, anger, revenge, fighting... Shit!" Nick looked at Frank, whose face was distorted and wrapped in a layer of red energy, and shouted at him anxiously: "Will! Frank! Use your own will to control this energy! Don't let it run wild in your body!"
"Damn it! He can't hear now. Can you take the ring off his hand, Captain?" Nick's eyes swept towards Steve who was standing in front of him. He didn't expect that such an accident would happen when a good thing happened!
Is there something wrong with the Soul Ring?
"I can try, but it's better to have a definite solution." Steve held up the energy shield in front of him.
"I'll contact Luke right now," Nick said, pulling out his communicator.
Uh uh uh!
Frank's bent body suddenly lifted up, and his skin suddenly cracked into many hideous wounds. Warm blood sprayed on the clothes and energy suit on the surface of his skin. Under the astonished gazes of Nick and Captain America, the two of them had some incredible reactions.
The blood-red energy clothing turned into a blood-like energy liquid, and then little by little, as if time was flowing backwards, it was rolled back into Frank's body along the wound.
At the same time, the hideous wounds on his body were healing rapidly at a speed visible to the naked eye.
The violent energy seemed to be tamed at this moment, and everything became quiet, as if the previous danger had been safely passed. This made Nick, who was holding the communicator, a little unsure whether he should make the call.
Maybe I was making too much of a fuss?
Perhaps it is because the wearing process of mind rings with different powers is different?
"Frank? Old buddy? Are you okay?" Looking at the calm Frank, Nick thought for a moment and put down the communicator in his hand temporarily. Under the protection of the captain, he approached tentatively and called Frank carefully.
Just when Nick wanted to get closer, Frank, who had been standing quietly in place, suddenly raised his lowered head under his gaze. His face was still distorted and hideous, and his eyes were blood red, his red pupils filled with madness and rage.
On his forehead, it looked like a pool of bright red blood was seeping out from under his skin, leaving a strange red mark on his skin.
"Hurry, run!" Frank used his remaining clarity to struggle to remind himself, and then his entire consciousness was completely replaced by another boundless rage and crazy desire to fight.
Two blood-red guns condensed from the void in his palms. The muzzles of the guns were raised, and blood-red bullets were fired. They turned into an illusory blood shadow in mid-air, like some kind of beast, biting the captain Steve who was coming towards him.