Chapter Forty-One: I Am the Crimson Baron

Damn, what a mix-up this is! Now that Agent May has gone to his house, she’s definitely not going to find the person she’s looking for… But the real question is, why is S.H.I.E.L.D. looking for him at this time? Could it really be just routine protection…? Zhong Shenxiu’s eyes flickered as he thought rapidly.

To be on the safe side! No matter what S.H.I.E.L.D. has discovered, or what other plans they might have, Zhong Shenxiu certainly doesn’t want Agent May to show up at his house right now.

At the very least, he’d prefer she waited until he got home, so he could pretend to be that inarticulate, clueless persona he’d established. After all, as far as S.H.I.E.L.D. is concerned, he’s just a money-loving healer with no resistance to chaotic magic.

“Magic… True Sight.”

Concealed in a corner, Zhong Shenxiu quietly released a wave of chaotic magic toward Agent May, who was frowning on the street below.

[Name: Melinda May]
[Combat Power: 31]
[Abilities Available: Heart of an Agent (Pseudo), Chance of Acquisition: 1%]
[Combat Advice: Just a seasoned ordinary agent—easy to handle—]

He couldn’t help but chuckle at that last assessment. Easy to handle. Reading it, Zhong Shenxiu felt reassured.

With a thought, swathes of chaotic magical energy gathered around him, as if with a will of their own. In this world saturated with chaotic power, Zhong Shenxiu could, just like Wanda before him, manipulate magic and float through the air.

Despite his plump, balloon-like form drifting overhead.

But matched with the 16.666-degree tilt of his chin and those eyes radiating divine disdain—it was quite the intimidating sight.

So much so that when Agent May saw him, she immediately tensed, every muscle coiled as though facing a mortal enemy!

“Melinda May, trespassing in my Crimson Domain—do you realize the gravity of your crime?” Zhong Shenxiu controlled his tone, infusing it with as much majesty and coldness as possible.

He wanted to sound like a true deity.

The greater the aura, the more convincing the deception—this, Zhong Shenxiu understood well.

But May truly was a seasoned elite. She drew her pistol in a flash, leveling it at him, though her unsteady breathing betrayed her inner tension.

“Who are you?”

“Me? Who am I…”

Zhong Shenxiu suddenly smiled, his belly quivering, yet the confidence in his eyes and his leisurely manner made it seem as though he hadn’t even noticed the gun pointed at him.

This left May at a loss; she couldn’t help but think to herself:

Damn, I’ve met a tough one this time…

After so many years as an agent, she’d dealt with plenty of mysterious and supernatural events—but someone who could maintain such a powerful presence under the barrel of a gun? She could count those encounters on one hand.

“I am the Crimson Baron!” Zhong Shenxiu declared, casting a glance at May, like a god dispensing enlightenment to a mere mortal.

“Now speak—why have you invaded my domain? If your answer satisfies me, perhaps I’ll spare your life.” Leaning back in midair, the crimson chaos magic instantly formed a comfortable throne beneath him.

Satisfied that his persona was firmly established, Zhong Shenxiu let his true intentions slip, as though by accident.

“I only wandered in by mistake… Since I’ve disturbed you, I’ll just go now…” With that, May began to back away, trying to put distance between herself and Zhong Shenxiu.

Her years as an agent screamed at her—this man was not to be trifled with!

But as a professional, she could never reveal her true mission. So she chose to deflect.

“Hmph!”

Perhaps displeased by her lie, Zhong Shenxiu’s cold snort boomed like thunder, exploding in May’s chest!

Almost on instinct, she pulled the trigger. A yellow-red tongue of flame burst from the black muzzle with a bang—the custom-made S.H.I.E.L.D. sidearm fired its first round.

But then…

Just as the bullet was about to strike the Crimson Baron, it began to slow—imperceptible at first, but soon coming to a complete halt, floating harmlessly in midair.

The so-called Crimson Baron stood unmoved, as if the bullet was nothing more than a child’s toy.

May’s eyes nearly popped from her head in shock. Disbelieving, she tried to fire again and again, but Zhong Shenxiu gave her no chance.

“Thunder Spear!”

As his magical shield faded, he swept his arm, sending a spear crackling with gray lightning hurtling toward May at even greater speed.

BOOM—

The thunder ceased.

By the time May regained her senses, she was collapsed on the ground, her body paralyzed, unable to move.

The Crimson Baron now stood beside her, those divine, emotionless eyes gazing down upon her.

Is the gap really this vast…? In all her years as an agent, May had never felt so powerless.

“Do you take me for a child? This is the Crimson Domain—no mere mortal can trespass so easily. Speak! Are you with Dormu or with Katachi?”

Zhong Shenxiu invented two names out of thin air to lend credibility and throw S.H.I.E.L.D. off the scent, then pressed her for answers.

But she remained stubbornly silent.

With a thought, Zhong Shenxiu formed a blade of chaotic magic and, without hesitation, severed May’s gun hand.

The fierce pain drained the color from her face, but she still refused to speak.

Fine, looks like intimidation won’t work. Zhong Shenxiu thought to himself—these S.H.I.E.L.D. agents are certainly dedicated.

But no matter. With May’s worsening, potentially fatal injury, and the fact that they were still on Ingram Street, Zhong Shenxiu was confident his healer persona—the “good cop”—would soon make an appearance.

Then he could ask whatever he wanted.

For now, he needed to disperse the chaotic magic shrouding Ingram Street and let Coulson and the others inside.

But first, one more act was required.

He still had to accomplish his true aim—distracting S.H.I.E.L.D.

“If you won’t talk, then die…”

His words broke off abruptly. May forced her eyes open to see a red mass drifting toward the Crimson Baron.

“Why do you disturb me?”

The Baron sounded annoyed, but May was sure he wasn’t speaking to her.

Who was he talking to? That red glow?

Is this how they communicate?

Despite her paralysis and agonizing pain, May’s training as an agent compelled her to glean every scrap of intelligence.

“The ritual is over!?”

For the first time, she saw human emotion—urgency—on the face of this godlike man.

A ritual. A forbidden domain.

Suddenly, it all became clear. May felt she was close to uncovering the reason behind the anomalies on Ingram Street.

“Where’s the next ley line?”

“Moscow?”

“…Fine, I’m heading there now.”

After this frantic exchange, May watched as the Crimson Baron simply left!

His corpulent form shot through the air like a cannonball, vanishing into the distance, looking truly anxious. The mysterious red glow enveloping Ingram Street faded away with him.

Exhaling deeply, a surge of relief and exhilaration at surviving washed over May.

She didn’t have to wait long… As consciousness began to slip away, that familiar figure—Coulson—finally arrived.

Gritting her teeth, May managed to croak, “Ritual… next… Moscow…”

And at last, she slipped into merciful unconsciousness.