Chapter 120: The Sorcerer's Stone

S.H.I.E.L.D. arrived faster than expected. Within two hours, a large contingent of agents had completely surrounded the site.

Researchers busied themselves with various instruments that Gu Chongyan could not comprehend, taking measurements of Thor’s hammer. Although he knew that with their current level of technology, they wouldn't discover anything even if they spent a year testing it, Gu Chongyan didn't say a word. After all, even if he did tell them, these people would still trust their own judgments more.

"So this is Thor's hammer?" Nick Fury, still wearing his signature cool trench coat, stood in the center of the crater, eyeing the hammer with skepticism.

Looking at the thick coat he wore, Gu Chongyan felt a sudden urge to ask if he was hot. However, the coat was made of some high-tech material; from a distance, it didn't look like much, but up close, one could feel a faint chill emanating from it—it wasn't just for show.

"If you don't believe me, you can try lifting it yourself." Gu Chongyan pointed to the inscription on the hammer. "See this line of text? It means, 'Whosoever holds this hammer, if he be worthy, shall possess the power of Thor.' In other words, only someone recognized by the hammer can lift it."

"Otherwise, no matter how much strength one possesses, it won't budge even an inch."

"Really?" Nick Fury gave him a suspicious glance, but he didn't reach out to touch it. This King of Spies, who had caution carved into his very bones, would never touch an unknown object without thorough assessment.

Though he wouldn't try, S.H.I.E.L.D. had no shortage of personnel. Agents queued up to attempt to lift the hammer, but the result was clear: not a single one could move it. After everyone had a turn, they brought in cranes, heavy-duty machinery, and other specialized equipment that Gu Chongyan couldn't name. But when it came to Thor's hammer, even the most advanced machinery was useless. The small iron hammer lay quietly in the crater, showing no sign of shifting.

Nick Fury even considered excavating the ground beneath it to see if it was somehow fused to the earth, but no matter how deep the agents dug, the hammer remained firmly fixed to the ground. After a full day of trying every conceivable method, Nick Fury had to admit that this hammer was truly no ordinary object.

"So, this really is Thor’s Mjolnir. But why would it appear in this place?" Nick Fury frowned.

Hearing this, Gu Chongyan only smiled, watching Nick Fury in silence.

Nick Fury’s face darkened as he realized what the silence meant. After shooting him a glare, he said, "You really won't move until you see the rabbit, will you? Follow me." With that, he turned and walked toward the black Chevrolet.

Gu Chongyan smiled in satisfaction and hurried after him.

Opening the trunk, Nick Fury took out a silver briefcase and handed it directly to Gu Chongyan. "This is for you. I think you can judge for yourself if it's worth it. This is the bottom of my reserves; there isn't anything left if you ask for more."

Seeing Nick Fury’s pained expression, Gu Chongyan grew curious. What kind of item could make him value it so highly? It couldn't be the Tesseract, could it?

The thought was dismissed as soon as it appeared. The Tesseract was S.H.I.E.L.D.’s lifeblood; even if Nick Fury didn't know about the Infinity Stones, he would never give it away.

While speculating, Gu Chongyan opened the case. He froze at the sight of its contents. He had anticipated many magical items, but he never expected this.

The silver case was lined with black velvet, and in the center sat a polygonal slot housing a fist-sized, transparent gemstone that glowed brilliantly under the surrounding lights. It was the kind of magnificent gem that would make countless women scream.

Gu Chongyan didn't scream, but the moment he saw the gem, he instinctively held his breath, his pupils dilating. His reaction wasn't due to the monetary value of the gem, but because it was a Philosopher’s Stone.

The Philosopher’s Stone was a unique product of the Marvel Universe and an incredibly rare magical artifact—so rare, in fact, that even Kamar-Taj only had records of it and had never actually possessed one.

As the name implies, the Philosopher’s Stone is a gemstone imbued with magic. The Marvel Universe had gone through several eras, and while magic was the product of past ages, the current era was dominated by science. Thus, magic had receded to the other side of the world, away from overt power. The Philosopher’s Stone was a gem formed from the residual magical energy left behind after the magical era had faded. Born from the compression of space-time and shifting cosmic eras, it possessed the oldest and purest magical power, with a value comparable to the Wand of Watoomb.

Even though he had intended to squeeze something out of Nick Fury, Gu Chongyan hadn't expected such an unexpected windfall.

Almost the instant he saw the stone, Gu Chongyan slammed the case shut. With a wave of his dragon-bone wand, he cast seven or eight sealing spells onto the case, then held it carefully as if it were a fortune in cash.

Watching Gu Chongyan’s seamless operation, Nick Fury’s dark face turned even darker. It was clear that this item was even more valuable than he had imagined; otherwise, Gu Chongyan wouldn't have lost his composure like that.

It wasn't that Nick Fury didn't know his goods—he simply didn't understand magic, and Philosopher’s Stones were so rare that even those in the mystical circles knew little about them. Furthermore, because these gems were born from epoch-scale compression, while they contained vast power, one required a high level of magical skill to channel it. An average person might sense the immense energy, but actually utilizing it was nearly impossible.

Watching the stone fall into Gu Chongyan’s hands, a flash of regret crossed Nick Fury’s eyes. But knowing full well that there was no chance of getting back anything that had landed in Gu Chongyan’s possession, he pushed the thought aside after a moment of hesitation.

"Alright, you have your prize, and you seem quite satisfied. Now, can you talk?" Nick Fury gave him a sharp look.

"Talk about what?" Gu Chongyan was still basking in the joy of his acquisition and hadn't fully returned to his senses. When he noticed Nick Fury’s increasingly ugly expression, he snapped back to reality, tucked the briefcase behind him, and hurriedly smiled.

"Of course, of course. Ask whatever you want. I guarantee I will tell you everything I know, without holding anything back."

Looking at the smile on Gu Chongyan’s face, Nick Fury felt even more wounded. This snarky brat was being so cooperative, which clearly meant he had made a killing. Seeing him profit felt worse than his own loss.