"You just said they won't have anything? Does that mean Michael is alive?" Skye, having finally calmed down, suddenly recalled Su Zhan's words and looked at him hopefully.
Su Zhan nodded. "At the very least, he's not dead. But whether that's a blessing or a curse… that's another question."
"Not dead? That's good. Before, the Clairvoyant kidnapped Michael's son to threaten him, forcing him to hand Coulson over. We thought we had planned for everything, but the other side was ruthless. There was an explosion, and we thought Michael was already…" Skye's voice trailed off, her worry evident.
"Blown to ashes?" Su Zhan finished for her, his tone gentle. "If it were an ordinary person, maybe. But Michael has the prion virus in his system. While it's not as potent as the Extremis virus, it gives him superior resilience. He definitely can't die so easily."
Skye breathed a sigh of relief. "That's good. Do you know where they are now? Let's save them quickly." The rest of the team looked at Su Zhan with anxious anticipation.
Su Zhan hesitated for a moment before answering, "I have a rough idea where Coulson is. I'll be responsible for finding him. As for Michael, I'm not sure of his exact location, but I can guarantee he's not in danger and that he'll return in the future. He might have to go through some things, but it's something he needs to face. At least… he won't be harmed."
He paused, thinking that perhaps Michael would become disabled after this ordeal. But since it had already happened, it was best to let things take their natural course. Saving him immediately might only prolong his suffering.
"Trust me, I'll bring Coulson back," Su Zhan promised, his tone solemn and resolute.
His confidence calmed the others, and they found themselves believing in him without reservation.
Seeing their spirits lift, Su Zhan left the room, ready to set out and find Coulson.
Coulson's situation was different from Michael's. He had been captured because the Clairvoyant wanted to uncover the secret of Coulson's resurrection. The torture he faced was primarily psychological, not physical, and in truth, Coulson himself was desperate for answers.
In the middle of an abandoned town built in the 1940s for nuclear testing and left deserted ever since, Coulson was held captive. The place was lifeless, surrounded by endless desert, as if forgotten by the world.
Coulson endured Eddison Po's relentless psychological torment. Po tried to break his will, but Coulson met every attempt with humor and defiance, never yielding. Still, the situation soon changed in a way Coulson could never have predicted.
A woman entered the room—Raina, the so-called "Girl in the Flower Dress." At the same time, Eddison Po received a call from the clairvoyant. During the conversation, Po suddenly died, poisoned by his own master's hand.
The Clairvoyant had decided to let Raina take over, hoping her unique skills would reveal the secret of Coulson's resurrection.
Raina was intelligent and undeniably charming. She knew how to use words and emotional intuition to find the cracks in a person's heart. She released Coulson from his restraints, offered him water, and spoke to him with the warmth of a friend.
Coulson's will was strong, but Raina's gentle persistence slowly wore him down. He knew he should be dead, yet here he was, alive, with a memory of a beautiful, healing experience. But doubt gnawed at him—was any of it real? He needed to know the truth: Had he really died? Why was he alive?
Under Raina's coaxing, Coulson finally agreed to lie on the machine designed to stimulate memory.
As the device activated, his memories began to shift. The peaceful recollection of a massage on a tropical island was replaced by a horrifying vision: He was in an operating room, his skull opened, and a machine was working furiously on his exposed brain, keeping him conscious. The pain was unbearable. Coulson screamed, begging for death rather than more suffering.
Raina watched, listening to his anguished cries and muttered pleas, carefully recording every word and detail. She was there to get answers, but as she listened, a pang of guilt struck her. Suddenly, she felt a strange sense of danger, as if something—or someone—was coming for her.
Trusting her instincts, Raina glanced at Coulson one last time, then turned and hurried out of the room.
She stopped abruptly outside the door, her heart pounding. There, standing in the hallway, was the last person she wanted to see.
"Beautiful flower girl, we meet again," Su Zhan said, his tone light but his gaze sharp.
Raina forced a smile, but it was strained and unconvincing. "It seems you still haven't seen the clairvoyant's true face. But that doesn't matter. As I said last time, I'll give you time and a chance. That promise still stands."
"Why… why?" Raina asked, her voice trembling.
"Why have I let you go so many times?" Su Zhan mused, studying her. "Maybe it's your unique charm. Although your skin is a bit dark, there's a different kind of beauty in you. At first glance, you might not stand out, but your character and temperament reveal a special allure over time."
He paused, voice softening. "More importantly, I know you're not truly a bad person. In this world, good and evil aren't always clear-cut-it depends on where you stand. You have ability, intelligence, and charm, but you're not malicious. And most importantly, you're no threat to me or those I care about. Why shouldn't I let you go?"
Raina listened, uncertainty in her eyes. She was just an ordinary person now, but Su Zhan knew she had another identity—one that might matter greatly in the future.
Without another word, Raina left, still unsure whether Su Zhan's interest in her was real, but grateful to be alive.
After she was gone, Su Zhan entered the room and found Coulson strapped to the machine, still shaking from the ordeal.
"Alright, alright," Su Zhan murmured, gently freeing Coulson and helping him sit up. He comforted him until Coulson's breathing slowed and his panic faded.
"Some memories aren't so important," Su Zhan said quietly. "Sometimes, not knowing is easier than knowing."
Coulson shook his head, his eyes resolute. "At least… now I know what happened."
Su Zhan smiled, helping Coulson to his feet. He wrapped Coulson in a protective field of energy, then lifted off, carrying him away from the abandoned town and back toward safety.