"Mind Reading Technique doesn’t necessarily rely on the eyes; your worry is quite unnecessary."
Tao Yu’s words made Fury subconsciously shift his position, increasing the distance a bit.
Then he looked over at Tony.
"Tony, I came this time seeking a relatively safe thawing method. Someone’s been frozen for decades—can you safely wake him up?"
"Huh? Frozen for decades? Have you been reading too much sci-fi? Given the complexity of the human body, being frozen for decades would only leave a corpse. Simple organisms, maybe."
Tony sneered mockingly.
Even if it were possible, it would require a combination of many other techniques. A simple direct freezing isn’t achievable.
But when Tao Yu heard Fury’s words, vivid images of ocean salvage operations and airplane wreckage flashed before his eyes.
Looks like Captain America has been fished out.
This Fury is pretty efficient—while doubling as his influencer persona, he’s already claimed ownership of Captain America.
"He’s different; he’s the success story of the Super Soldier Program, with physical capabilities far beyond the average person."
Fury’s statement caused Tony’s eyes to narrow, and he immediately understood who he was referring to.
"Exactly. He’s going to be part of my next plan."
"Let me get this straight—he’s not even awake yet, and you’re already signing him up for work? Fine, I’ll come up with a plan for you."
Tony nodded decisively, essentially agreeing to Fury’s request.
In truth, as long as you smooth Tony’s feathers, he’s quite agreeable.
"Now, regarding that freak investigation—have you got any leads?"
Tony countered Fury with a question, referring to the Big Boss.
"We have some. It’s certain the target is still near New Mexico. His precise intentions, however, remain unclear..."
This brought some unexpected delight to Tao Yu nearby.
Because the Abyss Aura surrounding the Big Boss muddled his attempts at divination, basic investigative methods like those used by Fury were more effective in uncovering clues.
The Big Boss is sharp, cautious, and always has backup plans and arrangements.
But Fury isn’t one to be underestimated; he managed to track down a few nuggets of information nonetheless.
Tao Yu muttered softly, his thoughts turning to Tōdō Akimichi’s scheduled reports. Apparently, this guy was deputized by the Hand-to-hand Combat Association to assist Anbrella. With Anbrella’s downfall, he’s temporarily handling affairs in New Mexico.
"It’s worth confirming."
Tōdō Akimichi is a model ninja with exceptional mission discipline.
Having learned some techniques for harnessing energy, his strength saw partial unlocking—more than sufficient for Earth’s standards. He’s a rare and highly sought-after talent that all sides are reluctant to part with.
"By the way, with Anbrella’s collapse, where will Lady Gao from the Hand-to-hand Combat Association choose to align herself next?"
Lady Gao’s factory was the very source of the catastrophic mess that hit Hell’s Kitchen.
Now she’s gone into hiding as well.
If she doesn’t retract her activities and still assigns Tōdō Akimichi to negotiate collaborations, it does indeed suggest the involvement of someone restless like the Big Boss!
For someone like the Big Boss, possessing intellect and research prowess, he undoubtedly needs a team of capable assistants. Ideally, he should integrate into a major player’s faction.
The Hand-to-hand Combat Association could very well become his choice.
Personnel like Tōdō Akimichi—polished and versatile from the Hand—to be deployed by his side would make perfect sense.
However, Tōdō Akimichi usually looks for timely opportunities to submit reports. He wouldn’t necessarily grasp the urgent intel needs demanded by others.
This time, though, he could be actively leveraged...
With a glance at Nick Fury, Tao Yu concluded that with Captain America newly thawed, he’d still require some time to acclimate. Although Fury had concealed the matter of the Cosmic Cube, it’s certain he would soon initiate intensive research on it.
The Cosmic Cube, containing the Infinite Gem, is challenging to divine. But it’s simple enough to keep an eye on Jane’s mentor, Dr. Eric Selvig.
"Researching this thing will take some time, but we could first flush out the Big Boss. After all, my Cube was loaned out for a reason..."
Loki has already been sent off, but getting him safely back will still hinge on the Cosmic Cube.
The hope is that Thanos sticks to his initial plan and temporarily grants Loki the Mind Scepter, imbued with the Mind Stone.
As for the subsequent Ziritans situation, there’s no need to open the door anymore—just take Loki’s scepter and send him back to Asgard.
If New York avoids this impending destruction, Loki won’t have to rot in confinement for as long. Indirectly, it’d be lending him a hand.
At that time, they could conveniently reclaim the Cosmic Cube alongside him.
"It’s unfortunate that dealings involving cosmic Original Stones are often unpredictable."
Tao Yu contemplated silently for a moment before smiling at Fury.
"Back then, I managed to save Tony, and I’m confident in my abilities when it comes to medical matters. If things don’t work out for Captain America, feel free to ask for my help. But first, could I get the intel regarding the Big Boss’s activities in New Mexico?"
"Of course, that was the agreement. Having strong external support like yours makes us feel quite reassured."
Fury motioned to Natasha to bring out a pre-prepared USB drive.
"To ensure smooth communication between both parties, we’ll assign a liaison officer—Natasha, that’ll be you..."
Fury’s words left Natasha visibly speechless; her body noticeably trembled.
She even felt her knees slightly buckle.
He’s truly good at delegating tasks, entirely oblivious to what kind of predicament she might soon face...