Marvel Magic Case Files

Chapter 172 Digging a Trap Step by Step (Second Update!)

When Kamar-Taj discovered Roxanne's disappearance, they weren't too surprised, because Salomon had already explained before Roxanne's return that S.H.I.E.L.D. might come looking for her, and that Johnny Blaze would stop his reckless, soul-burning behavior due to this pressure. It would be perfectly feasible to talk to Johnny then.

S.H.I.E.L.D.'s other control methods were ineffective against Ghost Rider; they could only control Johnny Blaze. But what Salomon hadn't expected was that S.H.I.E.L.D. couldn't even control Ghost Rider's human form—this was bad news. "What the hell are you talking about?" Salomon raised his voice, attracting some attention. He quickly pulled Coulson towards a secluded corner.

"Johnny Blaze is gone? You'd better explain yourself." Salomon asked gravely. "I was planning to go to Trisolaris to find Nick Fury in a few days, but now I feel I need to know immediately. What exactly did you say to Ghost Rider's human vessel?"

"Don't you watch the news?" Coulson retorted.

"I won't look."

"Then you wouldn't know how badly Houston was destroyed." The agent shook his head. "Although Captain America wasn't injured, many buildings were damaged. This is classified information, but it's something the World Security Council needs to know. Director Fury couldn't withstand the pressure, especially since this involves Captain America; he had to report some details to the World Security Council."

"And what about Roxanne?" Salomon asked.

“We did have people protecting Rosanne,” Coulson said somewhat awkwardly. “We also arranged for Johnny Blazer to meet with Rosanne. I know what you mean by that look. We did eavesdrop, but we didn’t hear them talking about where they were going. Perhaps higher-ranking agents could find Johnny Blazer’s trail, but my clearance isn’t high enough to know this much.”

"I think I understand what you mean." The arcane mage loosened his tie, looking somewhat agitated. "You mean, Ghost Rider might still be in S.H.I.E.L.D.'s hands, just disappeared from the sight of ordinary agents, so Rosanne's explanation to you low-level agents is that Ghost Rider has vanished?"

“That’s right, that’s what I mean.” Coulson nodded. “In fact, what I’m telling you is also authorized, because this is intelligence far beyond my level. Director Fury guessed you would come to him—if you had gone to Trisolaris headquarters at that time, you would have only seen me. Even Agent Maria Hill doesn’t know about this. If you want to know more, you’ll have to follow Director Fury’s instructions.”

"I'm starting to hate mysticism." Salomon picked up a glass of champagne from the tray, ignoring Coulson's warning about minors not being allowed to drink. "I'm now certain that Ghost Rider is somewhere in a S.H.I.E.L.D. base, and Nick Fury has found a way to control him. Did he freeze Johnny Blaze? But I still have to remind you, Johnny is Johnny, and Ghost Rider is Ghost Rider."

"What do you mean?"

"Ghost Rider is inherently an evil spirit, and unless you learn magic, you can't contain it." The sorcerer downed his champagne in one gulp, instantly feeling much better. He specifically mentioned magic not for any other reason than for the fragment of the Book of Ebony. Although he now possessed the original, he couldn't be certain that S.H.I.E.L.D. hadn't kept a copy. This idea had just popped into his head—if Ghost Rider was truly with S.H.I.E.L.D., he could use Ghost Rider to test whether a copy of the Book of Ebony truly existed.

If S.H.I.E.L.D. did indeed use some method to restrain Johnny Blaze, then Ghost Rider would definitely resist; even a vibranium cage couldn't contain him. To prevent Ghost Rider from escaping, S.H.I.E.L.D. would investigate magic—real magic—and the Book of Ebony, which Agent Coulson had found, would become the best research material.

If a copy exists, given S.H.I.E.L.D.'s stealth capabilities and the unpredictable high status of the Book of Ebon, only S.H.I.E.L.D. itself, leading the arcane mages, can find the book. Kamar-Taj would then only need to keep an eye on the Agamotto crystal ball to locate the person who learned the magic from the Book of Ebon before anyone else could attempt it. The arcane mages would then naturally find the copy's location. As for the agents and scientists who might go mad and lose their lives, Salomon can only say that it was S.H.I.E.L.D.'s decision, because the copy left behind by S.H.I.E.L.D. led to this situation.

Although Salomon didn't want the clone to exist, he had to bear the consequences of his choices, both for himself and for S.H.I.E.L.D. As for the reprimands he might receive for this scheme, that was a matter for later; he wouldn't regret it.

"Are you going to offer magical assistance?" Whether Coulson sensed Salomon's malice or was simply playing dumb, he avoided mentioning the copy of the Book of Iborne and instead shifted the topic to Salomon.

"Is Ghost Rider with S.H.I.E.L.D."

"I don't know, my permissions aren't high enough."

"Alright, if Ghost Rider isn't with S.H.I.E.L.D., Kamar-Taj won't need to provide you with magical assistance; if Ghost Rider is indeed with S.H.I.E.L.D., then we might wait until it escapes before capturing it." The arcane mage waved his hand, spouting a bunch of nonsense. He didn't even bother with formalities with Coulson. "S.H.I.E.L.D. cannot investigate magic; that's the bottom line."

"Okay~"

"So, good luck." Salomon gestured for Coulson to go and fetch his girlfriend. "You should tell your girlfriend your story."

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"When we get back, you'll have to do some spear training with me." Athena looked a little dissatisfied, even her hand holding Salomon's arm was clenched tightly. "I didn't expect to run into spies at an art fair."

"There must be more reasons than that, right?" Salomon seemed somewhat frightened. Athena had repeatedly demanded that he take up a shield and spear for combat, and this combat was entirely Spartan-style military training. After a whole day of training, he would be so exhausted that he could barely lift his fingers. Over time, this training had become a form of punishment, the kind of training Salomon least wanted to undergo.

"And a female spy and a witch!" Athena's cheeks puffed up with anger. "I've heard that you're living with a witch now, and you don't even go back to Kamar-Taj at night."

"That was only for a short time! And I have absolutely no connection with the female spy!"

"You had dinner at the witch's! And you still say you did nothing wrong!"

Salomon listened to Athena's rebuttal in disbelief. He couldn't make sense of it at all. Having dinner with Bayonetta was wrong? Well, he finally understood why Kasirius had told him never to reason with an angry woman, even if she was a goddess. To avoid suffering more in the subsequent military training, Salomon wisely chose to remain silent.

Why aren't you saying anything? Do you know you're in the wrong?

"Spare me, Athena!" Salomon roared, "The witch is my chosen companion."

"But I disagree!" Athena said, somewhat angrily. "You just need a mature woman! I've already found you Vanessa!"

"My criteria for finding a partner is someone like you; not everyone has long legs."

"Oh, never mind then. You do have some good taste."

Please vote for me!

(End of this chapter)