"That can wait." Lance's eyes shifted through the crowd of agents, staring into the distance, right at a black sedan parked askew by the roadside. Lance's voice rose slightly, firm. "Consul Han! Please come here."
In the distance, Consul Han, who was having a serious conversation with Lee, looked up in surprise. Upon seeing Lance, Consul Han's face brightened instantly, the tension on his forehead seemed to evaporate, and Lance quickly walked over.
Several SHIELD agents reacted, wanting to intervene, but Coulson just sighed deeply and waved his hand. "Let it be. We still want to live."
You can't stop a Consul, especially when he is called by Lance White.
"Mr. Lance!" Consul Han grasped Lance's hand, looking at him with a mix of relief and anxiety. "The monsters... what happened to them?"
As an official, Han still felt awkward using the word "monsters." Consul Han's lips almost trembled, holding back another word.
"All taken care of, almost cleaned up." Lance replied flatly, his eyes sweeping over the ruins still dripping with black liquid in some corners. "Just need to find the remains, destroy them, and then it's done."
Lance turned to Han, looking at him with a sharp yet friendly gaze. "By the way, Consul Han, are you familiar with the cultural relics in this area? There's something I need to confirm."
"I've checked them several times before the exhibition started, so I know them quite well!" Consul Han sighed, staring at the messy exhibition space. Next to him, Lee could only hold his head. Shattered glass, broken cabinet frames, and dust scattered across the marble floor. Their hearts felt like they were being squeezed—these precious cultural relics, which were supposed to showcase the face of Chinese culture, were now reduced to fragments at the feet of monsters. There was no place to complain, only the bitter taste to swallow.
Lance squinted, scanning the ruins. "Are there any cultural relics related to Japanese culture?"
Consul Han blinked, thinking quickly. "There are three—a statue, a painting of a woman, and a jade scepter. All of them—"
Before Consul Han could explain further, Lance cut him off, his voice sharp, "Where is the painting of the woman?"
"In the display cabinet, northwest corner." Consul Han hurriedly pointed towards the dark end of the hall.
"Show me."
"Uh, okay." Consul Han nodded slowly, his steps hesitant on the cracked floor.
Lee reflexively patted Han's shoulder. "Consul Han, I'm coming too."
Carter snorted, stepping forward. "I don't want to miss out either."
Coulson opened his mouth, the intention to stop them flickering across his face, but in the end, he just sighed and followed behind, his eyes alert.
In the northwest corner of the exhibition hall, a row of display cabinets lay scattered on the floor, crushed under chunks of cracked concrete. Some wooden carvings were broken, shards of glass stuck in the dust.
"The cabinet at the bottom." Consul Han pointed while holding his breath, as if afraid the debris would collapse again.
Lance raised his hand. The Rooster Talisman's levitation spell made the pieces of concrete and glass rise slowly, spinning left and right, as if an invisible wind was clearing the obstacles. Dust danced in the air, revealing a dull glass display cabinet.
Behind the broken glass lay a painting of a woman. The paper was worn, the colors faded, and the edges torn as if bitten by time.
"This is a painting of the Consort Yang Guifei, getting ready at night," explained Consul Han softly, as if reading from a treasured manuscript. "It is said that the painter was a Japanese envoy to the Tang Dynasty. This person painted Yang Guifei, but the background is not Chang'an—it is a view of Kyoto."
Lance raised an eyebrow, his voice half-mocking. "The Consort Yang getting ready at night? Interesting. What does that have to do with Tamamonomae?"
Consul Han swallowed hard. "The envoy brought this painting to Fuso. In some ancient Japanese records, this painting is believed to enchant anyone who gazes at it for too long. Its owner fell ill, even forgetting to eat. Eventually, rumors spread that the image transformed into the legendary fox spirit—Tamamonomae."
Lance let out a small laugh, sounding colder than satisfied. "I see. No wonder some call it Tamamonomae, while others say it's Yang Guifei."
Carter took a half step back, his voice hoarse. "So... this painting... is a monster?"
Lance shrugged, indifferent to the dust still swirling on his shoulder. "I suppose so. The monsters are summoned by it."
In an instant, Consul Han, Lee, and Carter all stepped back simultaneously, as if the painting could leap out and bite them.
Only Coulson took a step forward. "Mr. White, this object is too dangerous..."
"Dangerous objects should be kept in a safe place, not in a broken museum like this." Lance rolled his eyes, bent down, and picked up the painting with two fingers as if it were trash. He quickly rolled it up and tossed it into his dimensional pocket. "Inspector Lee always says that only magic can counter magic. So don't dream of containing a monster with police tape."
Lee glared. "Hey, when did I say that?"
Lance gave a small grin, patting Lee on the shoulder as he stepped back. "Just a minor detail."
Carter still looked pale. Coulson opened his mouth, but Lance was quicker, raising his hand as if to say goodbye.
"I still have to deal with this. So... see you later."
A blue portal crackled in the air. Cold wind swept through their hair. In the blink of an eye, Lance had vanished—leaving behind fine dust, a broken cabinet, and three museum employees staring blankly at the spot where he had stood.
...
...
...
[Name: Balrog
From: Devil May Cry
Introduction: A hand and foot tool that seals the power of Balrog, King of Fire Hell. Increases kick strength, adds punch speed, and inflicts fire damage on every attack.]
Lance let out a long sigh, slightly frustrated. "Oh, what a pity… this isn't King Cerberus…" Lance murmured quietly, his voice seemingly drowned out by the system interface still open in front of him.
------------------------------
[Announcement: A New Novel Has Been Added!
The Puppet Maker in the World of Naruto
A man who is a scientist, researcher, and expert mechanic in robotics dies in a massive explosion that occurs in his laboratory while developing an advanced robot project. However, instead of experiencing death as he thought, the man awakens in another world—a strange place with vast stretches of desert.
There, the man is surrounded by people who can jump high, calling themselves ninjas. The confusion he initially felt grows as he realizes that this world is not unfamiliar to him. This is the world of Naruto! However, there is one thing that surprises him.
"Isn't this Sunagakure? Why am I not in Konoha? This poorest village... Oh my God, this is serious!"
Now, in the midst of a new life filled with danger and uncertainty, the scientist must find a way to survive in Sunagakure, a harsh place full of limitations. With his robotic knowledge, can the man change his fate in this ninja world, or will he fall along with the village?]
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