Fitz & Simmons

S.H.I.E.L.D. Technology Division.

"What? A Titanium Alloy Staff? Titanium Alloy Gauntlets? You want us to make them?"

At Black Widow’s words, Leo Fitz grew excited.

Having enrolled only this year, he had already received the highest praise from every instructor. Together with Jemma Simmons, with whom he was especially close, he was about to become one of the fastest graduates in S.H.I.E.L.D. Academy history—

In just one year!

Many exceptionally outstanding master’s and doctoral students spent four years at S.H.I.E.L.D. Academy and still failed to graduate.

A few days ago, he had been temporarily recruited into the Technology Division as an intern to work with a group of scientists studying a mixed liquid called Azeroth Signature Essence Wine. Fitz had made it clear that it had nothing to do with him.

His field was mechanical engineering, while Essence Wine fell under biochemistry, Simmons’s specialty.

Simmons had always been his assistant, but this time he had to be Simmons’s assistant instead. That left Fitz, weak-looking on the outside but strong at heart, rather unhappy.

And now they were actually being asked to manufacture high-tech equipment. That was his specialty. Simmons would be his assistant once again, and Fitz thoroughly enjoyed the feeling.

The two of them working together, just the two of them—it felt like heaven!

Fitz could not help glancing at Simmons.

Simmons was speaking with Black Widow, the legendary agent every male student at S.H.I.E.L.D. Academy wanted to sleep with.

What was so pretty about Black Widow, anyway?

Her face was not as big as Simmons’s, her chin was not as round as Simmons’s, her blonde hair was not as long as Simmons’s. Her waist was too thin, her breasts and butt were too big, and she was as cold as an iceberg. Did someone owe you two cents or something?

Simmons, on the other hand, always had a smile on her face. Even when she argued with him, she was so adorable. So adorable…

Why did so many people like Black Widow? What kind of taste was that? He really could not understand it!

"Agent Simmons, how is the Essence Wine research progressing?"

Black Widow cared greatly about the Essence Wine that had helped her recover so quickly. It was ten times better than the best emergency medicine in the Technology Division.

The only issue was that there seemed to be too little active ingredient.

To heal the injuries inflicted by Winter Soldier and Hydra assassins, she had gulped down an entire jar—dozens of kilograms.

It would have been one thing if it had actually been wine.

The key was that it had no wine flavor at all. It was like drinking plain water, filling her stomach until it bloated. Master Wang, that profiteer!

"Nine jars of Essence Wine have already been purified. Ninety-nine percent is water, roughly one percent is alcohol, and the active ingredient is only… less than ten micrograms."

At the mention of "Essence Wine," Simmons’s eyes lit up, and she nearly began dancing with excitement. "It’s a substance that does not exist on Earth, one that has never even been discovered in the entire history of science! The project team is analyzing it. We used equipment worth tens of millions and discovered that this substance is very strange. Calling it matter would be less accurate than calling it energy—pure energy compressed to the absolute limit…"

Black Widow’s lips twitched.

Ten micrograms?

Master Wang, I knew you were a profiteer, but I never knew you were this kind of profiteer!

Watering down wine was one thing.

But you watered it down with water?

Simmons continued, "Our research has hit a bottleneck. Ten micrograms is too little; we need more. Agent Romanoff, could you report this to the Director? Where did this come from? Could more be supplied? We need at least one hundred micrograms!"

Black Widow frowned slightly.

This little girl did not seem to understand the rules.

After the battle with Madame Gao, all information on Master Wang had been classified at Level 10. Other than the Director, no one had the authority to access it, including Agent Hill.

And an ordinary student was asking about it?

Even if they wanted to conduct research, the project team’s leader or deputy leader should have been the one to raise it!

"Ahem, Agent Romanoff, Simmons earned doctorates in both biology and chemistry at seventeen. Two months ago, the Academy’s instructors could no longer teach her anything. She is now the deputy leader of the Azeroth Specialty Essence Wine Project Team."

Seeing Black Widow’s displeased expression, Fitz hurriedly explained. He did not dare offend this legendary agent.

Black Widow was stunned for a moment, then raised an eyebrow.

She was a field agent who only took orders from the Director and knew little about the Technology Division.

But she knew the Director placed great importance on Essence Wine and had ordered the Technology Division to research it with all their strength. Everyone admitted to the project team was a scientist whose specialty matched the work.

Anyone serving as leader or deputy leader would be, if not top-tier, at least a first-rate scientist outside.

Simmons, a student who had only been enrolled for a year, had actually become deputy leader?

Did it have to be this unbelievable?

If she was so capable, what about Fitz?

Was it not a bit wasteful to have these two specifically make equipment for Master Wang?

No wonder the Technology Division head had looked unhappy when she went to discuss it earlier. He had not dared refuse the Director’s order, but he was probably muttering in private that the Director was a piece of shit, right?

Perhaps she should remind the Director?

Black Widow thought about it, then decided against it.

Kunlun Iron Fist had saved her.

Master Wang was Iron Fist’s disciple.

Having two second-rate scientists specially make high-tech equipment for them could count as repaying the favor.

"I’ll find a way." Black Widow’s answer thrilled Simmons.

Although they had to make the Titanium Alloy Staff and Titanium Alloy Gauntlets, the Essence Wine research would not be delayed. One of the research directions had been proposed by her, which was why she had been exceptionally promoted to deputy leader. Unfortunately, her salary and benefits had not changed—she was still classified as an intern. It would take years of saving before she could buy a car or a house.

Many people in the Technology Division had switched jobs. They only needed to sign confidentiality agreements. S.H.I.E.L.D.’s benefits were not as good as imagined. If she found a suitable next employer…

"These are the requirements."

Black Widow still had things to do and could not stay long. She handed a stack of papers to Simmons and left.

Fitz and Simmons immediately picked up the papers and began studying them.

"So long? So thick? So hard? There are also toughness requirements? It has to be solid? Titanium Alloy won’t work!"

"Add high-strength carbon fiber!"

"Titanium Alloy Gauntlets… I think we can add retractable claws to increase lethality, then add retractable cables to turn them into grappling hooks for climbing."

"We need to design them carefully so they don’t interfere with using the staff. That won’t be easy."

"How about tiny holes in the claws? Add pressure sensors so that when they receive enough pressure, they inject dendrotoxin and cobra venom?"

"The user is extremely strong, more than twice the Olympic Games weightlifting record? Could this be for Captain America?"

"He’s been dead for ages… I think it might be for a robot, or maybe a brown bear?"

"I prefer pandas… Build in an electric shock device. Give the Titanium Alloy Staff segmented controls so it can discharge high-voltage electricity… How many volts is Agent Romanoff’s Widow’s Bite again?"

"At least ten thousand volts, probably. How would I know such classified information? She won’t let me study her equipment. The staff’s killing power is limited. Add a retractable, detachable gun barrel so it can turn from a staff into a gun at any time, and it can also become shorter or longer!"

"Put an internal communicator in the gauntlets, intrusion detection and identification system chips, a capacitive screen, high-strength tempered glass, then add infrared and satellite missiles?"

"The budget’s getting a little high…"

"It’s fine. We’re not paying for it!"

"Then add miniature Freeze Guns and tranquilizer guns. Replace both ends of the staff and the gauntlet claws with Gold-Titanium Alloy!"

"Mm, and the latest intelligent system. Install dozens of apps, sixteen terabytes of storage, then add a subdermal neural connector. That would make it easier to use, allow remote control, and keep it from getting lost."

"Consumable parts must be removable and replaceable. Let’s prepare ten sets."

"Fifty sets."

The two spent a full two hours researching and drawing up the budget.

Then they froze.

"One staff and one pair of gauntlets cost more than thirty sets of field agent equipment?"

Thanks to "Soaring Along the Light’s Edge" for the 200 reward, "100 Ways to Discover Men Lying" for the 100 reward, and "Zhuangzi Dreaming of Butterflies" for the 300 reward!