Tony Stark was a remarkably intelligent man. From just a few words, he could tell that he had been under surveillance by S.H.I.E.L.D. The agents must have been lurking nearby, though their true purpose seemed to be merely shadowing him. The real threat, however, came from the so-called Snake Shield Bureau, which Luo Chen had mentioned later.
The Snake Shield Bureau had not yet crossed paths with Luo Chen, but he had already deduced that, if they were targeted, it would mean certain death unless they were entirely eradicated.
"Luo Chen was originally just an orphan. There's nothing special about him. He's quite ordinary in terms of race and assets—he could be considered one of the less fortunate people on the street. Apart from being a little handsome, there's nothing extraordinary about him!" Tony Stark remarked. "Yes, he's only a little handsome. Compared to me, he doesn't even come close."
"The only thing that might draw attention to him—and lead him to be entangled by the Snake and Shield Bureau—might be his super ability. Shield on!" Tony continued, a tone of realization creeping into his voice. "From that perspective, I have a battle suit. Could I also become a target of the Snake Shield Bureau?"
"Yes, sir, logically speaking, that makes sense," J.A.R.V.I.S. confirmed, agreeing with Tony Stark's assessment.
"But now, within S.H.I.E.L.D., we already know about a few people—there's that braised egghead Nick Fury, the rookie village chief Phil Coulson, and the so-called 'Black Widow' named Natasha Romanoff. But what about this Snake Shield Bureau? We know far too little about them!" Tony Stark complained.
However, Luo Chen's diary barely mentioned the dangerous Snake Shield Bureau, leaving Stark frustrated and uncertain. "But if we keep reading, maybe we'll uncover more about this Snake Shield Bureau!" Tony said. "For now, we can only wait for more information. As more truths about this world are revealed, I'm sure things will start to make sense."
The world, it seemed, was beginning to show its true, complicated nature—one that Tony could not fully comprehend.
Meanwhile, across town, several S.H.I.E.L.D. agents exchanged perplexed glances. They were aware that they belonged to S.H.I.E.L.D., but the Snake Shield Bureau? That was completely unfamiliar to them.
"What is this Snake Shield Bureau?" Hawkeye Barton asked, his tone tinged with confusion.
"I've heard of the Spear Bureau, but this Snake Shield Bureau..." he trailed off.
The Spear Bureau was an organization under the command of a mysterious eastern power. Its operations were somewhat similar to S.H.I.E.L.D.'s, but it was far more secretive. Barton had worked with them on several missions, but aside from some names, he knew little about them.
"This Snake Shield Bureau sounds like a joke," Natasha Romanoff, the Black Widow, remarked. "In Luo Chen's diary, there are often nicknames used. For example, Nick, you're referred to as the 'Braised Egghead.' He calls me 'Widow Sister,' which is clearly related to my Black Widow moniker. So, this 'Snake Shield Bureau' could either be an organization we don't know about or a nickname for an organization we're familiar with!"
Nick Fury's eyes lit up at the suggestion. As S.H.I.E.L.D.'s director, he prided himself on being aware of every significant organization, especially those that might threaten world peace. The idea that the Snake Shield Bureau could just be a code name for something familiar made sense.
"But what organization would be symbolized by a snake? A snake and a shield..." Phil Coulson pondered. He couldn't think of any organization that fit this description. There were tribes, organizations, and even mythologies associated with snakes, but none of them seemed to align with Luo Chen's description of a dangerous organization—one that might even target S.H.I.E.L.D.
"The most famous organization with a snake symbol is HYDRA," Barton said with a smirk.
Everyone laughed. They were all aware of HYDRA, but it was a relic of the past, finished during World War II. Its leader had perished along with Captain America Rogers, and the group had seemingly vanished without a trace. Over seventy years had passed, and there had been no sign of HYDRA's return.
"Could it really be HYDRA?" Natasha asked, her tone skeptical. After all, they all believed that HYDRA had been eradicated.
"However, based on Luo Chen's diary, it's clear that he fears and despises this organization. Given his perspective as an outsider, it's likely that HYDRA—if it is indeed HYDRA—still holds some dark, malevolent power. We might be headed toward chaos, which is why Luo Chen is so terrified," Coulson explained thoughtfully.
After the laughter died down, Coulson continued, "It makes sense. We should keep an eye on this Snake Shield Bureau, investigate quietly, and see if any organizations match this description."
Nick Fury nodded. "We'll do that. S.H.I.E.L.D.'s mission is to protect world peace, but the truth is always far more complicated than we expect."
As the team continued to deliberate, a shift in the atmosphere was felt. Nick Fury, Phil Coulson, and the rest of the S.H.I.E.L.D. team understood that something larger was at play—something that they could not yet see in its entirety.
They had barely scratched the surface of the threat posed by the Snake Shield Bureau. And as they readied themselves for the future, they couldn't help but wonder: Could this mysterious organization be connected to the ever-present shadows of HYDRA?
Only time would reveal the true danger lurking beneath the surface.
The world was changing, and soon, Tony Stark, S.H.I.E.L.D., and the rest of the world would need to face whatever came next.
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