GUARDIAN OF THE MARVEL REALM

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There was no doubt now—Fury had fully reclaimed his post.

It was just that the new leadership of the S.H.I.E.L.D. Bureau was clearly not the same old-fashioned regime; it had undergone major cosmetic and ideological surgery.

"You came earlier than expected." Shen He's eyes flicked to the two unfamiliar men behind Fury. "But from the looks of it, your circle hasn't been too kind to you lately."

Qi Mu Nanxiong had already informed him telepathically—these two weren't SHIELD agents, but military liaisons.

Predictable.

Those without real power often resorted to manipulation and surveillance. In political language, it was called "checks and balances."

"Thanks to you," Fury said, skipping pleasantries, "When can we have Loki? Thor already found his girlfriend."

Too much cover-up would only alarm the World Council. Best to follow the loose script.

That script painted Shen He as pressured by Asgard to release Loki, but out of goodwill, he offered the handoff to Fury—letting the man claim the credit.

"You can take him whenever. Just prepare a proper cage. We'll personally escort him." Shen He's gaze sharpened slightly. "Don't let him slip. No one knows what he's plotting."

Fury's eyelid twitched. For a moment, he wanted to reject the handoff.

But Loki was key to the deal he'd just struck with the World Security Council—his return would unlock both budget and political capital.

"I've got the cage. We'll use the sandbox core base—an old S.H.I.E.L.D. stronghold. It should be secure." Fury sounded more like he was trying to convince himself than Shen He.

He was used to operating within limitations—red tape, secret deals, shifting allegiances. After everything he'd seen recently, Fury had changed.

"Then it's your call now," Shen He replied nonchalantly.

After all, Loki would escape—this entire affair was a choreographed loss of custody. Just let the World Council take the heat.

"I'm not just here for him." Fury's eyes flicked toward the villa. "Aren't you going to invite us in?"

They were still standing outside. Shen He had made no move to let them past the gate.

"You're just here to ask about Barton." Shen He smirked.

"Qi Mu Nanxiong is here too?" Fury tensed instantly, eyes narrowing at the door while his mind went deliberately blank.

Qi Mu was, to him, the most dangerous. A living anti-agent.

"Fury." Shen He's tone dropped cold. "Don't ask about Hawkeye. Even Coulson is out of the loop. This is a Chaldean principle issue. I have one demand for you—and the people backing you—stay out of it. That's more than advice."

With that, Shen He turned, walked in, and shut the door in their faces.

Fury didn't know the scope of the alien invasion.

Worse, Shen He had explicitly told Coulson and the others to keep him in the dark.

It wasn't distrust—Fury's status was just… too ambiguous these days.

Eventually, he left.

But not alone. Agent Hill had been reassigned. Now only the girl remained loyal to him.

Building a new intelligence network always required trusted personnel.

Back inside the villa, Shen He ran a hand across his face. Too many masks, too many roles.

Had it not been for his strength upgrades and boosted mental clarity, this level of planning and acting would've burned him out.

"One of those two has a third identity." Qi Mu's calm voice echoed telepathically. "He's not just military. He's Ten Rings."

"The Ten Rings?" Shen He's brows rose. Then he sighed. "Poor Fury. He's in deeper than he thinks."

Spies, double agents, traitors—this world's intelligence infrastructure was riddled with holes. Even the World Council couldn't find loyal subordinates.

That the Ten Rings had embedded in the military showed they weren't nearly as feeble as the movies implied.

"Let's go, Qi Mu," Shen He shook off the thought. "Time to eat."

That same night, after Fury's departure, the Virtual Reality Company issued an announcement:

Due to government insistence on seizing Loki and rejecting Chaldea's recommendation for an internal trial, Chaldea would permit Loki's transfer to a designated location by government authorities. All negotiations with Asgard would now be handled externally.

The statement barely sparked public debate.

After all, Chaldea had already confirmed that Loki hadn't mentally controlled a large number of citizens.

But sharp minds saw the subtext.

This was a strategic passing of the buck.

Fury even appealed personally to the World Council to retain Loki at Chaldea.

He was, unsurprisingly, denied.

Despite knowing the risks, the Council was hungry for power—they'd prepped research labs and called in scientific teams. As soon as Loki and the scepter were secured, testing would begin.

The next day, before the transfer, Thor returned—Jane was safe, and he now knew the full story.

"I want to escort Loki myself," Thor said. "He may be a criminal, but he's still Asgardian. He's still my brother."

If he were staying at Chaldea, Thor might've rested easier. But he feared what human hands might do to him.

Jane had warned him—experiments were likely.

"Alright," Shen He said with a weary sigh.

Sometimes, he truly believed Thor was the ultimate brother-simp.

The moment Jane recovered, all his fury vanished. Now his main concern was Loki's wellbeing.

The final decision: Thor and One Side would handle escort.

By morning, Virtual Reality HQ was surrounded by reporters.

That was Fury's doing.

As he put it—Hawkeye knew sandbox base security. The escort was bait.

A trap in plain sight. "If you want to break him out, come now."

Unfortunately for Fury, Shen He already had a hunch what would go down.

"One Side." Just before departure, Shen He pulled him aside and whispered, "If Loki tries to escape—just act like you're stopping him. Then let it happen."

Enough time had passed. Hawkeye and company were surely ready.

They just needed the signal—and Loki was the key.

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