Chapter 32: A Terrified Phil Coulson

Stark Industries Tower.
Underground parking garage.
In a secluded corner of the southwest section.
Phil Coulson sat in his car, eating a hamburger as he watched his target—Pepper Potts, the executive assistant to the president of Stark Industries—through the translucent window.
When he saw her get into her car, he quickly finished his hamburger in two or three bites.
As she started the engine and slowly pulled away, he followed suit.
The two cars kept a distance of over ten meters, weaving through the towering skyscrapers of New York.
Phil Coulson remained calm, prepared for a long-term surveillance.
Buzz!
Buzz!
His phone suddenly vibrated. Coulson casually took it out to check.
“An unknown number... from Colorado?”
He was reluctant to answer at first but then thought, maybe it was something important.
Although his phone wasn’t set with the strict permissions like his superior’s—where only a select few could reach him—his number wasn’t open to just anyone either.
Spam calls never made it through.
Most calls that got through were from people he knew or those with special business.
With that in mind, Phil Coulson answered.
Before he could speak, the voice on the other end blurted out:
“Is this S.H.I.E.L.D.? I want to report something!”
Phil Coulson: ...
He was momentarily stunned but quickly regained composure and replied with a gentle smile,
“Sir, you may have the wrong number. This isn’t S.H.I.E.L.D...”
“I know! It’s that long-named Department of Homeland Strategic Defense and Attack Assurance! Such a mouthful!”
“Abbreviate it to S.H.I.E.L.D., isn’t it much easier to remember?”
“Hmm!”
Phil Coulson silently repeated “S.H.I.E.L.D.” a few times and admitted to himself it was indeed much catchier than their official title.

“Your suggestion is excellent! I’ll definitely pass it up to my superiors!”
He genuinely praised.
To be honest, he too was slightly dissatisfied with that cumbersome name.
Every time he introduced himself, he had to say “Department of Homeland Strategic Defense and Attack Assurance,” which was truly cumbersome.
Of course, most of the time, when out in the field, they didn’t even use that identity—they often claimed to be FBI agents!
This was no fake identity.
In fact, they officially held FBI credentials, which was why Yu Fei was able to find information about him on the FBI website.
“Sir, may I ask what you want to report?”
Phil Coulson quickly steered the conversation back on track. Since the caller was indeed looking for them, he had to listen.
Of course, he intended only to listen.
He had no plans to personally intervene—besides being occupied with a critical mission, he couldn’t possibly handle everything.
—Did you really think an Agent Level 8 of S.H.I.E.L.D. was a mere cabbage?
The missions he took over were always highly important and of the highest level; most missions weren’t even qualified to come before him!
Still, since the call had reached him, if he found it valuable, he wouldn’t mind assigning it to a Level 5 or 6 agent under him.
If it wasn’t valuable... well, the FBI had plenty of people!
Phil Coulson listened absentmindedly to the call while keeping most of his focus on tracking Pepper Potts.
Until the caller said the next sentence:
“I want to report Umbrella Corporation! They’ve gone mad! They want to destroy the entire world!”
“Huh?!! What did you say?”
Phil Coulson nearly slammed on the brakes, took a deep breath, forced himself to calm down, then resumed following Pepper Potts.
But this time, he gave almost all of his attention to the voice on the other end of the line.
Phil Coulson’s expression turned serious.
“Sir, you must know, slander is a serious offense! You say Umbrella Corporation wants to destroy the world—do you have any evidence?”
“Of course! Have you heard of zombies?”
“Hm? You mean the zombies from movies and novels?”

Phil Coulson narrowed his eyes slightly, a bad premonition rising in his chest.
As expected.
The voice on the phone continued:
“More or less. Umbrella Corporation has developed an RNA virus called the T-Virus. This virus can transform all living creatures, including humans, into zombies!”
“Just like zombies in films and novels, these zombies are highly infectious. If bitten or scratched, within hours the victim turns into a zombie!”
“More importantly, the T-Virus original strain can spread through the air!”
“Not long ago, the T-Virus leaked from Umbrella Corporation’s Hive Laboratory underground in Raccoon City...”
“In less than five days, the city will become a zombie city. And that’s not the end—the T-Virus will spread through the atmosphere, eventually reaching the entire world!”
“I know it sounds unbelievable, but it’s true. Your phone should be able to receive videos, right? I’m sending you an experimental video from Umbrella Corporation. Please check it.”
Before long, a notification sounded on Phil Coulson’s phone.
He had already pulled his car to the side.
Pepper Potts, Tony Stark—none of that mattered anymore.
All Coulson wanted now was to find out if what was said on the phone was true.
“If this is real...”
Phil Coulson’s body trembled slightly.
At this moment, he even hoped it was a hoax.
Even being pranked would be better than the terrifying news he had just heard.
He slowly opened the video, and a clip appeared before his eyes.
“Hive Laboratory, T-Virus Experiment No. 3524...”
In a pristine white laboratory, a test subject was bound on a bed, hands and feet tied. A man in a white lab coat, fully encased in protective gear, approached with a blue vial.
“No, no, no! Please! Don’t! Don’t!”
The subject’s face showed terror, struggling wildly and begging, but it was all in vain.
The lab-coated man decisively injected the blue liquid into the subject, pushing it in with force until the vial was emptied.