Ch.165 Is a Gun Really Faster Within Seven Steps?

On a S.H.I.E.L.D. plane.

Skye sat by the bar, her computer displaying the architectural plans of Oscorp Industries.

Tonight, she would team up with Peter Parker to infiltrate this building and steal some important documents.

In fact, after Ronan had spoken to her, she had tried using her hacking skills to break into Oscorp's network and databases.

Unfortunately, on the computers that were connected to the internet, she only found some superficial information.

For example, who was in charge of a certain research project, or who was in the team.

Any deeper information was nowhere to be found on those computers.

This meant that the company either stored its data in very old-fashioned paper documents or on computers that were never connected to the internet.

"Skye."

Just as she was deep in thought, a voice came from behind her.

Skye instinctively closed her laptop screen and turned to look.

Phil Coulson was standing there.

"Phil, what's up?"

Skye turned around.

However, Phil Coulson didn't answer her question. Instead, he walked around the bar, poured two glasses of wine, and handed one to Skye while holding the other.

It was clear he had something to discuss with her.

"Nothing much. I just feel like you've been a bit distracted lately."

"If you're facing any difficulties, you can share them. We're all here to help."

By now, Skye had integrated into the team and become one of its members.

After going through various trust issues and doubts, she had finally found her place.

"No, it's nothing."

"I'm just investigating my parents' background through some other channels."

Skye smiled, masking her expression.

This wasn't exactly a lie, as it had always been her obsession.

"Is it that person?"

Upon hearing this, Phil Coulson's expression immediately turned serious.

Ever since Grant Ward reported that Skye had been in contact with Ronan alone, Phil had been on high alert.

Even though Grant Ward had since defected from S.H.I.E.L.D. and revealed himself as a HYDRA agent, Phil still believed the intel.

Because the first rule of being an undercover agent is to never lie about things that don't concern you.

As a top agent and undercover operative, Grant Ward clearly understood this.

"Yes."

Skye didn't hide it and simply nodded.

She didn't go into the specifics because she had promised Peter Parker to keep his secret.

"Dealing with him is like making a deal with the devil."

"I've interacted with him a few times. While he's not exactly a bad person, he's not a good one either."

"At the very least, he seems like someone who enjoys playing with us, watching us perform like clowns for his amusement."

Phil Coulson looked at Skye very seriously, sharing his assessment of Ronan.

Or rather, his assessment of "Mr. Fantastic."

Every time Phil met "Mr. Fantastic," he felt a peculiar sensation.

Although the other party hid it well, Phil's sharp instincts picked up on it.

It was like a superior being watching ants struggling to carry food back to their nest.

The human might either destroy the ants' hard work or, out of pity, help them carry the food to the nest's entrance.

Either way, it wasn't a pleasant feeling.

"But he knows about my parents, doesn't he?"

"Isn't that why I've been investigating for so long?"

Skye looked up at Phil Coulson, her eyes burning with determination.

Yes, whether she joined the Rising Tide or later S.H.I.E.L.D., her goal had always been the same.

To find out about her origins.

And now, the answer was within reach.

"But at what cost?"

"What price will you have to pay?"

Phil Coulson countered.

Skye opened her mouth, about to mention Ronan's request, but then she remembered Ronan's warning.

If she revealed the details, the information about her parents would be sealed forever.

Ronan hadn't explicitly stated how he would monitor her to ensure she didn't spill the details, but Skye didn't dare take the risk.

Yes, she didn't dare.

Maybe Ronan hadn't used any special methods and was just bluffing to keep her from revealing the deal.

But who could guarantee there wasn't a "what if"?

What if those sorcerers really had some special means?

"We just made a deal. I don't have to give up anything."

"And tonight, he'll tell me everything I want to know."

Skye pursed her lips, deciding to keep the details of the deal to herself.

"Skye, some secrets aren't as simple as..."

Looking at Skye, Phil Coulson couldn't find the right words to dissuade her.

Stop her?

No, Phil couldn't do that.

This was something Skye had been dreaming of for over twenty years. How could he stand in her way?

But Phil knew very well that this matter wasn't as simple as it seemed, at least based on what other agents had reported.

Skye's identity definitely hid a huge secret.

He wasn't sure if Skye could handle the truth.

"Alright, Phil, the agreed time is almost here."

"Thank you for your concern, but after searching for so long, I'm finally about to get an answer."

"So, I'm sorry..."

Skye downed her glass of wine, picked up her laptop and jacket, and left the bar.

In just over an hour, it would be the time she had agreed to meet Ronan and Peter Parker.

Watching Skye's retreating figure, Phil silently put down his glass.

"Did it not go well?"

At this moment, Melinda May appeared behind Phil Coulson.

She had overheard the entire conversation.

"Not exactly a failure, but..."

"Young people always have their own ideas, don't they?"

Phil shrugged. He had expected Skye's reaction.

Not everyone could understand the emotions Skye was going through, especially after everything she had experienced.

"Ever since Grant Ward betrayed the team, she's been a bit distracted."

"Maybe she's looking for something to take her mind off things."

Phil naturally knew about the relationship between Skye and Grant Ward.

From the moment Skye joined the team, Grant Ward had been her mentor. They had spent a lot of time together.

Plus, after going through life-and-death situations together, it was only natural for feelings to develop.

"Are you sure you want to bring him up?"

Melinda May looked at Phil with some displeasure.

After all, the people standing here weren't just teammates with Grant Ward—some had even deeper connections with him.

"Alright, my bad."

"I always bring up things I shouldn't."

Phil raised his hands, admitting his mistake.

He had forgotten that Melinda May had once been close with Grant Ward.

"Never mind. What do you plan to do about Skye?"

"Are you just going to let her go meet that Mr. Fantastic?"

Melinda May didn't press the issue.

After all, they had known each other for a long time and understood each other's personalities.

"No, no matter what, she's still my team member."

Phil downed his glass of wine and took a deep breath.

"Notify the others to track Skye's vehicle signal."

"If necessary, we'll step in to help her!"

——

9:58 PM.

After waiting for half an hour, Skye finally saw a familiar face.

Ronan rode his bike, wobbling over from a distance.

Well, along the way, Ronan had "educated" three groups of unruly troublemakers.

One of them was a guy who had been practicing knife skills for two and a half years. After Ronan demonstrated what real knife skills looked like and gave him a new bald hairstyle, the guy decided to quit knives and take up basketball instead.

Ronan was quite satisfied with this outcome.

With basketball and the natural talent for rap that came with being a certain demographic, plus some singing and dancing skills, the guy could definitely become a top star in the U.S.

Maybe he'd even thank Ronan someday.

"Hello, good evening."

Ronan casually tossed his bike into his pocket dimension and got into Skye's car.

Fortunately, this action was in Skye's blind spot, or she might have doubted her own eyes.

"Good evening."

"Where's... Spider-Man?"

Skye greeted him and glanced around curiously.

She didn't see Peter Parker anywhere.

Thud.

Just then, there was a sound from the roof of the car.

"There, he's here."

"After all, he's Spider-Man. It's normal for him to take unconventional routes."

Ronan shifted his position, a hint of helplessness flashing across his face.

Originally, he hadn't planned to come tonight, as this was Peter and Skye's business.

However, Peter didn't fully trust Skye and seemed a bit uncomfortable being alone with a girl.

So, he insisted that Ronan come along.

Ronan thought about it and decided, why not? After all, he still needed to tell Skye about her origins and fulfill their previous deal.

Might as well get everything done at once.

"Hey guys, did you miss me?"

Peter Parker's voice came from above as he hung upside down from the roof.

Once he put on that suit, Peter transformed from a shy kid into a chatterbox.

It was like the mask had some kind of magic.

There was another person with the same symptoms—wonder if they were related.

"Get in here already. I'm sure Skye has some gear for you."

Ronan rolled his eyes as he opened the window.

This chatterbox trait was truly incurable.

Without another word, Peter flipped in through the window, moving with agility.

Seeing Peter's movements, Skye just pursed her lips and didn't say much.

"I've checked the building's blueprints and found a few entry points."

"Next, put on this earpiece. I'll guide you on where to avoid security cameras."

"If you encounter any cameras you can't avoid, I'll handle them."

With that, Skye pulled out two earpieces from the side.

Peter took one and put it on.

Ronan, however, raised an eyebrow.

"Do I need an earpiece too?"

In Ronan's view, since he wasn't participating in the operation, the earpiece was unnecessary.

"Up to you. Sometimes, I might need your expert input."

Skye shrugged.

What nonsense! What nonsense is this!

Where's my lawyer?

What do you mean by "expert input"?

Do I look like someone who spends their days picking locks and breaking into places?

Ronan rolled his eyes but eventually put on the earpiece.

"Peter, you'll enter through the side ventilation shaft. There will be at least three guards there."

"If you want to get through quickly, knock them out forcefully."

"If you want to be stealthier, wait for them to pass and then sneak in."

"Once you're inside, I'll guide you through the earpiece."

Skye was very considerate. She worried that if she gave too many instructions at once, Peter might forget, increasing the risk of failure.

So, she decided to guide him step by step once he was inside.

Peter didn't hesitate. After nodding, he put on his mask and disappeared into the night.

Beep beep beep.

At that moment, a red dot appeared on Skye's computer screen, representing Peter's location.

The speed at which he moved was something Skye hadn't expected.

"Don't be surprised. He can go even faster."

"He's just a rookie right now. He still has a lot to learn."

Ronan glanced at Skye's expression and explained.

Given Peter's potential, he was capable of much more than this.

Maybe he'd find him a suitable mentor to help him grow.

"Guys, I'm in."

"What's next?"

Peter's voice came through the earpiece.

"Peter, go through the ventilation shaft, take a right at the third turn, and pass the fourth room. That's the tenth floor."

"You're three floors away from the target on the thirteenth floor."

"But the area above the tenth floor is highly secured, with sensors even in the ventilation shafts."

"So, you'll have to make your way up from the tenth floor."

Skye quickly relayed the instructions through the earpiece.

Peter didn't hesitate and followed Skye's guidance, moving through the ventilation shaft.

In less than five minutes, Peter had entered an office through the ventilation shaft.

"Peter, about fifteen meters to your right, you'll see a staircase."

"There are security cameras in the staircase, but I've disabled them for you."

"The disablement will only last about eighteen seconds, so you'll need to cover three floors in that time."

"If you exceed eighteen seconds, an alarm will go off."

At this point, Skye hesitated.

Eighteen seconds was an extremely tight window.

"Eighteen seconds?"

"Okay, I can do it."

With that, Peter's red dot started moving again.

A distance of a few meters was nothing for Peter.

"Five seconds, I'm disabling the cameras now."

"5... 4... 3... 2... 1..."

"Go!"

As soon as Skye said "Go," Peter shot out like an arrow.

He didn't take the stairs like a normal person. Instead, he fully utilized his Spider-Man abilities, practically flying through the air.

"Time's up!"

As Skye hit the enter key again, Peter had already reached the thirteenth floor.

Hearing Peter's playful voice through the earpiece, Skye couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief.

Success.

Meanwhile, Ronan glanced behind him and shook his head.

Some people never learn.

"You guys keep working. I'll go handle the tail for you."

"As a spy, if you can't even handle a tail, you need more training."

With that, Ronan patted Skye's shoulder and disappeared.

Skye turned around sharply, understanding what Ronan meant.

The "tail" he referred to was definitely her teammates!

However, Ronan was still sitting in the back seat.

"You..."

Skye was stunned.

"Don't be surprised. He's already gone, and I'm staying behind as a hostage."

"After all, he doesn't want your people to notice that the car suddenly has one less person on the infrared cameras."

Ronan shrugged, his words leaving Skye confused.

What did that mean?

Meanwhile, the real Ronan had already arrived at another car.

"Skye is still in the car. There are two people inside."

"They seem to be communicating. Should I sync their conversation?"

A young male agent spoke up.

This was none other than Skye's teammate, Leo Fitz.

"Sync it. I want to know what they're talking about."

Phil Coulson said in a low voice.

He wanted to know who Skye was working with.

"No need."

"If you want to know, I can tell you."

At that moment, an unfamiliar voice suddenly reached their ears.

As seasoned agents, Phil Coulson and Melinda May, who was in the driver's seat, immediately drew their guns.

But when they turned around, they saw a man wearing an Iron Man mask, with one arm around Leo Fitz and the other around Jemma Simmons.

"Long time no see, Phil."

"It seems you haven't learned your lesson from our last encounter."

Ronan tilted his head, his tone teasing.

Back then, Grant Ward and Skye had secretly followed Ronan, only to be outsmarted by George Stacy and "successfully" thrown into jail.

Fortunately, S.H.I.E.L.D. wasn't in its current state at the time.

Otherwise, they might not have had anyone to bail them out.

"It's you!"

Phil Coulson immediately recognized the voice.

And, of course, the mask.

In the entire world, there was only one person who would wear an Iron Man mask and have that voice.

Mr. Fantastic!

"Yes, it's me. Seems like you haven't changed much."

"Isn't someone missing from this car? Where's that big white guy from before?"

Ronan glanced around as if he didn't know.

Suddenly, he seemed to remember something.

"Oh, sorry. I forgot he was a HYDRA spy."

"After HYDRA was exposed, he must have betrayed you, right?"

Ronan spoke as if he had accidentally reopened an old wound, offering an insincere apology.

"What else do you know?"

"Or did you know from the very beginning?"

Phil Coulson looked at Ronan in shock.

While it was true that Grant Ward had defected, this information was top secret.

Not only was it unknown to outsiders, but even within S.H.I.E.L.D., some people were unaware.

Even though S.H.I.E.L.D. was now just a shadow of its former self.

"Of course I knew from the beginning."

"I also know that he shot and killed a high-ranking agent of yours."

"And he's hiding..."

At this point, Ronan abruptly stopped.

Tsk, better not say too much.

"Where is he hiding?"

At this moment, Leo Fitz, who was being held by Ronan, became agitated.

He had never believed that Grant Ward had truly defected. In fact, he thought there might be some unspeakable reason behind it.

So, he had always held onto the hope of saving his "friend."

"Tell me, where is he?"

"I just want to know..."

Slap!

However, before Fitz could finish his question, Ronan's hand shot out and grabbed his throat, cutting off his words.

"Ugh..."

The immense pressure immediately made Fitz feel like he was suffocating.

He couldn't speak, and even breathing became a luxury.

"No!"

Jemma Simmons, who was next to him, screamed. She wanted to stop Ronan, but he pressed her down with his other hand.

"I've never liked hitting women, so I'll let this slide just once."

"If you move again, I can't guarantee what will happen."

Ronan's voice, like a demon's whisper, floated into Jemma's ears.

Hearing this, Jemma froze, not daring to move.

"And you."

"There are three things I hate the most in life. First, people talking bad about me. Second, people talking bad about me behind my back."

"As for the third, it's something I just added."

"That's being interrogated."

Ronan turned to look at Fitz, who was still being choked.

Well, principles can be flexible, right?

"Gah..."

On the other side, Fitz was almost out of oxygen.

"Let him go, or I'll shoot!"

Melinda May clicked off the safety on her gun. If it weren't for the risk of ricochets in such a confined space, she would have fired already.

"They say that outside seven steps, a gun is accurate."

"But within seven steps, a gun is both fast and accurate."

"So, I want to test whether you can shoot me first or I can kill them first."

"If you agree, then pull the trigger, and let's conduct an interesting experiment."

"Let's see if I die..."

"Or if they die first!"