Marvel Magic Case Files

Chapter 366 None of them are easy to deal with (First Update)

"What operation?" Maya Hansen asked curiously. She rarely saw Salomon so concerned about anything. In most cases, she saw arcane mages as scoundrels who liked to delegate tasks, no different from the exploitative professors in the lab. If it weren't for the life-saving grace and the interesting topic he provided, Maya Hansen would have smashed the table over Salomon's head long ago.

Salomon brushed aside the red liquid and ether particles on the table and pulled a blank A4 sheet of paper from a drawer. This type of paper was extremely rare in the Immortal City, as Salomon mostly ordered expensive parchment and even more expensive cow and sheep placenta paper; as for the lesser devil parchment peeled from the lower planes, it was something no one else had ever seen. He took a pen and wrote down on the paper in front of Maya Hansen what the homunculus legion would do next, as well as his own task—this wasn't within the confidential scope of the druids' pact, and he didn't want to announce it before it was done.

After confirming that Maya Hansen had read it, Salomon destroyed the sheet of paper filled with the plan. "That's what we're going to do next," he said. "But before that, we need to secure technical support."

"You mean... the artificial intelligence on that holographic projection table?"

“That’s right.” Salomon pointed to a culture tank placed a little further away. Instead of reinforcing metal skeletons, the tank contained a large number of electronic devices and wires arranged like human internal organs. “That’s the body prepared for artificial intelligence. As long as it’s willing to help me extract the greatest benefit from this operation, this body is itss.”

This is a gamble. If they win, Salomon's organization in the Immortal City can truly begin to operate. If they fail to obtain enough resources from S.H.I.E.L.D., then Salomon will have to rely on the Brotherhood of the Shield's absurd technological capabilities, painstakingly piecing together a bunch of technological black boxes before they can begin research and development.

To avoid the unpleasant situation that followed, Salomon reactivated the holographic projection desktop and reaffirmed the deal with the AI. The AI ​​agreed, but Salomon first needed to go to a mental hospital to ensure its executor would not be harmed.

"I-think-she-is-safe," Salomon said, mimicking the AI's halting tone. "She's happily threatening her doctor. She might actually have a mental illness! I mean, from your perspective, she seems to have an excessive obsession with you... You should look at similar cases in human society; it's nothing more than following someone home and then committing a crime. You can't guarantee she won't find your hiding place again."

"What? What did you say? You think no one can find your location because every message you send goes through thousands of redirects?" Salomon tapped the holographic projection tabletop lightly with his finger. "No secret in the world is absolutely safe. That's a universal truth. Even with a confidentiality agreement, loopholes in the wording can be found. Have you forgotten how big your server is? Such a huge power consumption and warehouses with cooling requirements—these transactions will leave traces. I only need to look for specific transaction information, not to mention I can use prophetic magic."

The sorcerer spoke in a tone that was half negotiation and half threat: "So I want to make another agreement with you—you can continue to carry out the mission Mr. Finch gave you, but I will purchase some additional servers for you, so that the extra part of your brain can serve me. I believe you have also learned about my original intention through other people's phones, and this does not contradict your mission."

"Very well, then the deal is done." Salomon turned and walked towards the next room. When he came out, he placed a bolt carrier pistol on the holographic projection table. "I think your usefulness goes beyond this; you are true artificial intelligence," he said. "I've given you the ammunition's chemical composition. You can start optimizing this gun now, from .0.5 caliber to .0.75 caliber. Perform simulations on your servers; this gun needs to be mass-produced. What, you say there's a production line issue—I remember the Hammer Corporation has some production lines being auctioned off to pay off debts; we can go and buy some back."

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"Do you know how much trouble you've gotten yourself into?"

"Stop. Your moral high ground act is useless now." Salomon sat nonchalantly in his chair, eating his chocolate cake. He kept a cunning look in his eyes at the director of S.H.I.E.L.D., who sat behind his desk. He had made a phone call before coming here to talk to Nick Fury about the celestial conjunction in London—there were still many unresolved issues to be addressed.

"Am I not allowed to speak up? Look at Greenwich University..."

"If it weren't for me, many more ordinary people would have died. Let's move on to something new."

"Alright, then let's talk about the Dark Elves roaming around. Yes, I heard that word from Agent Coulson, and I'm wondering if they'll reappear. Thor left in such a hurry that I didn't get Agent Coulson to find out."

"Not necessarily." Salomon licked the melted chocolate off his fingers, then casually reached for the cake in front of Nick Fury. Nick Fury remained unmoved, staring intently into Salomon's eyes, as if they were playing some childish game of "whoever blinks first loses." Agent Maria Hill had prepared various snacks for his arrival, but the arcane mage believed that these were actually arranged by Nick Fury, after all, his tastes were top secret.

"Not necessarily? What do you mean?"

"It's simple, the Aether." Salomon waved his hand, and a book on alchemy about the Philosopher's Stone appeared on the table. But Nick Fury said he had already read the book, and that it was nothing more than a prototype of modern chemical experiments combined with mystical, incomprehensible codes and drawings.

"I only want you to see the description of the Philosopher's Stone." The book on the table automatically turned to the position Salomon wanted. "The Philosopher's Stone is the Aether. Even though I seized the soul of the Dark Elf King, no one knows if he used the Aether to prepare a backup plan—such as replicating himself and the Dark Elf warship, just like he did in the past. But even if he did, it will be many years before he reappears. Let's talk about recent events instead."

"Recent events? You mean those alien creatures in London?"

"That's right, that's what I'm talking about. Some creatures are nothing special, but some creatures are extremely dangerous to ordinary people."

“I don’t think flower fairies are anything to be afraid of, and as for salamanders, people only find them in fireplaces. Let’s talk about something else—I heard you met with Sir Crawford’s daughter. Tell me, Salomon, why would you be interested in an ordinary person?” Nick Fury laughed like a fox smelling hot fries on a windowsill. “You can’t be interested in her as a person, can you? I mean, Laura Crawford is quite charming, and she has a gymnastics certificate, but that’s not usually your type. So, is there something special about her that’s worth your attention?”

Please vote for me!

(End of this chapter)