Marvel Magic Case Files

Chapter 759 Death Premonition (First Update)

As the surface gates slowly closed, the surrounding fluorescent lights illuminated one by one, filling the base's helipad with the desolate, dusty smell unique to abandoned buildings. Agent Coulson's eyes quickly swept over the agents who came to greet him, but surprisingly, he didn't see the person he was looking for. "Where's Fitz?" he asked. "I've brought people to help him; these scientists need to liaise with him."

"He's following a lead on the boulder," Barbara shrugged.

Ever since Fitz saw the video of the boulder engulfing Gemma Simmons, the young physicist has been frantically searching for any clues related to the boulder. Sometimes he even resorts to ancient legends instead of scientifically analyzing its physical properties—a behavior many would consider mad. But they can also understand his actions—this happened just as the shy young couple, Leopold Fitz and Gemma Simmons, were about to tie the knot; no one could accept such a thing happening.

"I need him. Get him ready." Agent Coulson didn't explicitly expose Barbara's cover-up for Fitz, but instead winked at Barbara and Melinda May. "I'm going to take our guests to see the Rock now."

He stepped aside, allowing his comrades remaining at the base to see the figure slowly approaching behind him. In the blinding light of the assault transport ship, they could only see a large, blurry black shadow, a heavy, silent figure like a longsword. Salomon had already donned the armor crafted by Malbus aboard the Sky Carrier—armor made with vibranium alloy and Martian technology. While not as precious as the Uru metal powered armor, it was still incredibly formidable. The jet-black Baroque-style armor was trimmed with silver, the knight's helmet featuring narrow, blood-red visors and silver wings. Exquisitely carved golden eagle feathers unfurled from the energy backpack, sloping towards the silver-trimmed shoulder armor, seemingly merging seamlessly with the heavy shoulder armor. The breastplate protruded forward, forming a sharp angle at the collar. The legs were not heavily armored, resembling medieval knight plate armor, with exceptionally flexible ankles. The white robe around his waist was covered with runes, constantly radiating magical light, making the entire suit of armor resemble a fine work of art.

This was a suit of power armor for everyday combat, not the gear needed to face the most formidable enemies. Stephanie abandoned her banter with Daisy Jensen and looked at him with longing. Catherine walked proudly beside him, swearing with the heavy weapons squad to clear all obstacles for the monarch (she longed to be the standard-bearer, but Salomon believed such a thing was unnecessary for this battle).

"You're not here to fight, Salomon." Agent Coulson pointed to the jet-black longsword at Salomon's waist, adorned with magnificent gold laurel leaves, and the large-caliber firearm with a gold skull relief. "You're here for research."

"Perhaps." Once donned the armor, the sorcerer became much quieter, as if his humanity had been swallowed by the black armor, making him resemble a high-tech robot in knight's armor. "And who can say for sure what will happen next? The world you know is merely the tip of the iceberg, like a reckless child lighting a match at a gas station. I don't care about your lives, but I cannot tolerate the disaster that is about to unfold."

"What have you foreseen this time?" Coulson asked. Daisy Jensen was extremely displeased with Salomon's arrogance, yet she couldn't bring herself to be angry in the face of such a situation, because Coulson had already told her that everything Salomon took seriously could lead to an annihilation-level catastrophe. When he was serious, it was best not to question his decisions.

"Including Jia Ying?" Daisy had already questioned Coulson while they were still on the Sky Carrier, "Even if he used those methods?"

"If he decides to do that, it means sacrificing Jia Ying could save many people." Coulson nodded. "S.H.I.E.L.D. has made countless choices like this, and not every mission ends successfully. You are a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, and you will face similar problems in the future."

"This is none of your business, Coulson. Continue your work; leave the killing to us." His words carried a strong sense of confidence, seemingly unwilling to explain much to the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. Salomon switched off his loudspeaker and turned to the team's communications; the robust encryption ensured that those not on the channel could only hear a "tick-tock" sound. He gave instructions to Stephanie, ordering her to take a team to take over the warehouse storing the megaliths.

The boulder originally belonged to the Malik family, and he came here to erase any evidence linking him to them. However, he would not treat the Kree's biological weapons with frivolity.

All the armor is extremely airtight, and the air filtration system is capable of filtering out toxic gases. The Sisterhood's heavy weapons team is equipped with incendiary devices and plasma weapons, aiming for large-scale destruction. This is his response to the nanoscale parasites; he cannot allow even a single parasite to reach Earth, otherwise this biological weapon will become a terrifying disease that destroys the world.

"And one more thing." Just as Stephanie and her team followed the SHIELD field agents monitoring them into the base warehouse, Salomon made a request to Coulson, seemingly casually. "Keep your Electric Boys away from them," he said. "I can't guarantee they'll survive if that Inhuman strikes first."

Research on the monolith quickly began. Daisy Jensen and her Inhuman boyfriend initially intended to observe under the guise of supervision, but Stephanie's firm stance forced them to stay away from the research site and the monolith. They were replaced by the blond Barbara Morse and her husband (ex-husband) Hunter—a former SAS member, optimistic and humorous, though somewhat eccentric. After initial awkwardness, the young Englishman with a heavy London accent began telling jokes to the group of physicists—mostly about the difference between American and British English; he even asked Catherine what she usually called fries. In any case, Hunter at least eased the potentially tense atmosphere considerably.

"I thought the people you recruited were like those in Tom Clancy's novels." The sorcerer placed his hand on the hilt of his sword. "I like Hunter; I guess he's the kind of guy who swings his fists and beer bottles on the football field."

Coulson responded somewhat awkwardly, "Hunter did have a history of being arrested for participating in public violence... but that's not our concern. Why did you ask Skye and Lincoln to leave? I don't believe it's due to your hatred of the Inhumans. Is that boulder related to them?"

Salomon did not respond.

"I think limited intelligence sharing will help us cooperate, Salomon," Coulson said. "If there are enemies on the other side of the boulder, we can't be completely unaware of it."

"That boulder is indeed related to the Inhumans, but not as closely as you think. We're facing an alien civilization, perhaps even a warlord faction." With a hissing sound of leaking gas, Salomon removed his helmet. "This is a war, Coulson, not a place for your adopted daughter and her boyfriend to flirt, nor a place for you to display your humanity. I know you won't let us do this mission alone, so you'd better have your guns and compensation ready. Many people are going to die today."

The Hive's combat abilities are based on those in the comics.

(End of this chapter)