American comics: May the Holy Light deceive you

Chapter 5 Transaction 1

The water for making tea hadn't even boiled when the doorbell rang.

Monica got up to open the door and brought back a middle-aged man with a high hairline and a smiling face.

Vega glanced at the other man and said sarcastically, "You came really fast this time."

Coulson ignored Vega's attitude and said seriously, "Lee, we all want that potion."

Vega: "Don't you want an amulet that can withstand a nuclear bomb?"

Coulson shook his head: "The amulet is not something we can get our hands on."

Nobody's a fool. The amulet was clearly prepared for a few major powers. Those who don't know the rules and try to take advantage of it will get punished.

Vega: "Heh, the old black slave isn't completely out of his mind yet. Go outside and wait."

Coulson: "Lee, don't you know what we're trading?"

Vega: "The rules can't be broken."

The rule of auctions is that the highest bidder wins, and there is an unspoken rule for private transactions after the auction.

According to the rules, the representatives of the five major powers came to trade first, followed by representatives of other countries, then official agencies such as S.H.I.E.L.D., and finally the representatives of the families.

Coulson was the first to approach Vega, which broke the rules. No matter what he could offer in exchange, Vega wouldn't know it now.

Coulson: "I'm sorry, but the potion you brought out is too important. I hope you can take a look at our stuff before deciding who to trade with, okay?"

"No problem." Vega agreed. It wasn't charity, so of course the highest bidder would win.

Reassured, Coulson breathed a sigh of relief: "Thank you. I'll go back to my room and wait for Ms. Monica's notification."

After Coulson left, Monica remarked, "Supernatural power is truly maddening."

Knowing that breaking the rules would lead to punishment from others, Coulson still came, demonstrating just how alluring supernatural power is.

Vega: "Ha, if there's a way, even the old black slave wouldn't want to break the rules."

S.H.I.E.L.D. has a military force stronger than most countries, but many supernatural events cannot be dealt with by technological weapons and ordinary agents.

S.H.I.E.L.D. has always had agents with superhuman abilities, but with the passing of the older generation and internal oppression and persecution, S.H.I.E.L.D. no longer has anyone capable of handling such situations. When faced with superhuman events, they can only resort to sacrificing human lives.

Nick Fury has always wanted to solve this problem, and now that Vega has produced a potion that can cultivate a superhuman, he certainly won't let this opportunity slip by.

Monica asked curiously, "Would you make a deal with S.H.I.E.L.D."

Vega shook his head: "Probably not."

Items that surpass current technology or possess extraordinary powers are collectively referred to as 084. According to regulations, all 084 items worldwide must be sent to S.H.I.E.L.D. for safekeeping or for research.

This rule is a joke to the five major powers, but other countries must abide by it, which is why S.H.I.E.L.D. possesses the largest number of magical artifacts in the world.

Making a deal with S.H.I.E.L.D. offers the best chance of getting something good, but S.H.I.E.L.D. is Vega's last resort.

Unfortunately, in Nick Fury's eyes, who is bursting with a desire for control and suffering from severe paranoia, Vega, who is not to his liking and has a mysterious background, is an unstable factor. He would never offer anything truly valuable to Vega in a deal.

As they were talking, the doorbell rang again. This time, it was the gentleman from Scotland Yard that Monica had mentioned yesterday.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Li. I am James Bond." The gentleman gave a name that sounded obviously fake, with a straight face. After shaking hands and greeting Vega, he placed the briefcase he had brought on the table and opened it: "This shield is the sacred shield of Imhotep of the Third Dynasty of ancient Egypt, more than five thousand years ago. My client said that if you know Imhotep, you should know how precious this shield is."

Vega certainly knew Imhotep, the designer of the pyramids, who was mythologized after his death and became the Egyptian god of medicine and the protector of the pyramids.

In the Marvel universe, Imhotep is also the founder of the Brotherhood of the Shield, the predecessor of both East and West S.H.I.E.L.D. and S.M.A.R.D.

Imhotep left behind a shield and a spear; the spear is in the east, while the shield has remained in the hands of the Brotherhood of the Shield.

The shield, the spear, and the Brotherhood of the Shield have never appeared in movies or TV series. Vega is skeptical that the shield was left by Imhotep, but the agent insists that it was.

It seems there are still many secrets in his world.

Vega reached into the box and picked up the shield, which was entirely gold, with many rings on its surface, a soaring eagle carved in the center, and hieroglyphs inscribed along its edges.

The moment his hand touched the shield, Vega felt a magical power attach to him, protecting his brain.

Unaware of any danger, Vega ignored it. He clenched his right fist, extended his index finger, and lightly tapped the shield. Feeling the force returning to him exactly the same as his own, a smile appeared on his face.

Vega raised his right hand and slammed it heavily onto the shield with seventy percent of his strength. The powerful recoil instantly deflected his fist.

He extended his index finger diagonally towards the shield, and then a golden energy ray shot out from between his fingers.

The energy beam struck the shield and was immediately refracted toward the roof, instantly piercing through the wall. Vega's smile grew even brighter.

After studying it for a while, and roughly confirming that the shield should indeed be Imhotep's holy shield, he put it down and asked, "This shield is quite impressive. How did you obtain it?"

Mr. Bond: "In 1980, an Italian collector sold it to a count, who later gave it to my consignor."

Vega: "What do you want to trade?"

Mr. Bond: "Mr. Li, could you please provide a detailed description of that medicine?"

Vega: "Of course, but only the buyer can know all the information about the potion. I can only tell you about one of its effects."

Mr. Bond paused for a moment before speaking, "My client wants to know how much his lifespan will increase."

Vega: "The potion can be used by everyone. The younger you are, the more lifespan you gain, and the older you are, the less lifespan you gain."

Most people experience an increase in lifespan of 100-300 years. If the body and the medication are even more compatible, lifespan can increase further, but this is highly unlikely.

Mr. Bond's expression remained unchanged after listening. He was silent for a moment before speaking again, "Can I exchange the shield for an amulet and potions?"

Vega: "Of course, but although I'd love to finish the deal with you right now, to be fair, I need to entertain some other people first."

While it's unlikely you'll find anything better than this shield, trading it without even looking at it is disrespectful to others.

Mr. Bond: "No problem, you can leave the shield here and continue your inspection. I'll go back to my room and wait for further instructions."