1 Unveiling Shadows: Containing the Unknown
In a luxurious villa, a young man named Noah sat on the sofa, his face filled with confusion as he stared blankly at the television before him.
First, there's some good news and bad news.
He had most likely found himself transported to another world.
As an orphan, he didn't have many ties in his original world, so the sudden transition to a different reality wasn't entirely unbearable.
But there was also some good news.
It appeared that in this new world he had a promising background, evident from the grandeur of the 2,000 square meter luxury villa he found himself in.
Transforming from a corporate slave in his previous life to a wealthy young heir in this new world, He couldn't help but think that if this was a dream, he would soon wake up with excitement.
Filled with excitement, Noah accepted the fact that he had indeed crossed over into this new reality. After rising from the spacious bed, he eagerly switched on the television.
His life as a second-generation affluent was about to begin.
The mere thought of it sent shivers of excitement down his spine.
"Playboy Tony Stark Attacked and Mysteriously Disappears in the Middle East!"
The next news flashed on the screen:
"Commemorating the 67th Anniversary for the Heroic Sacrifice of Captain America."
Noah: "..."
The once cheerful Noah's smile gradually froze.
What in the world?
After going through the ordeal of crossing over and becoming an extravagant tycoon, only to find out that this was the Marvel Universe?
Damn it!
I want a refund!
Money may be valuable, but life is even more precious!
There's an old saying, "Better safe than sorry."
This wretched Marvel world is beyond chaotic. Perhaps only the SCP Foundation and the DC can compare to its level of chaos.
To be frank, even the Ultraman universe is safer than the Marvel universe...
Just as Noah was astonished by the dangerous Marvel universe he had crossed into, unfamiliar memories suddenly exploded in his mind.
After lying lifeless on the sofa for half an hour, Noah, who had regained consciousness, sat up.
Although these memories were fragmented, Noah managed to piece together his identity and background in this world.
In this world, he wasn't a second-generation wealthy heir, nor was he a second-generation elite. He was a second-generation underworld mafia.
What does it mean to be a second-generation mafia?
Noah's supposed father in this world was a notorious international smuggler, dealing not with drugs or human trafficking, but with weapons from various countries.
From small firearms and ammunition to materials for manufacturing nuclear weapons, the Evans family was involved in it all. They were a globally infamous organization.
As per his recollections, Noah discovered that just yesterday, his supposed father had successfully completed a smuggling operation in this world.
As for himself, he had officially ascended to the position of the new leader of the smuggling syndicate.
After absorbing these frustrating memories, Noah was once again on the verge of exploding with anger.
In his previous life, he may have experienced hardships, but at least his life wasn't toyed with so callously.
In this life, despite enjoying wealth and luxury, he couldn't accept having his life treated as a joke.
He refused to accept it.
"I suppose... I have no choice but to adapt. I'll take control of this situation, transforming the smuggling organization into something more... legitimate," Noah declared, mustering a newfound resolve.
With these thoughts in mind, he reluctantly embraced his bizarre background, acknowledging that he had no other option but to navigate this precarious existence.
[Beep~ Special Containment Procedure System activated successfully!]
[This system is dedicated to bringing the knowledge of SCPs to multiple universes, allowing people from different dimensions to experience the thrill and suspense of SCP!]
[Beep~ For more information about this system, please consult the instruction manual.]
Noah: "???"
Did the system just mention SCPs? Could it be the one I'm thinking of?
Noah was now in a state of panic.
If his speculation was correct, then the danger in this world just got bigger.
The Marvel universe was already dangerous enough, but if SCPs were added to the mix, who knows, maybe it could balance out... Yeah, right!
Who would be interested in SCPs? Which world would welcome SCPs?
SCPs are not specific to certain things or organisms. It can even be said that they refer to supernatural phenomena. Anything related to anomalies and the supernatural can be collectively referred to as SCPs.
"SCP" means "Special Containment Procedure"
With an excited heart and trembling hands, Noah opened the so-called system instruction manual.
[SCP System
Instruction 1: The only currency in this system is SCP Points! The source of acquiring them is the emotions people generate toward SCPs. The higher the world's attention on an SCP, the more SCP Points they generate.
Instruction 2: The host can randomly summon a SCP by consuming SCP Points, or spend SCP Points to select a specific SCP.
Instruction 3: The summoned SCP will be in a state of freedom and will need the host to be contained.
Below are the benefits of the SCP Popularization:
Benefit 1: After summoning a SCP, the system will provide rewards corresponding to the SCP summoned.
Benefit 2: After the host successfully recontains a SCP, they can directly gain the abilities or control over that SCP.
Benefit 3: The host will have their own containment space, which can be freely arranged or reclaimed.
Below are the novice rewards:
Reward 1: Randomly summon a SCP containment project once.
Reward 2: SCP Navigation Map (It will guide you to locate SCPs in their state of freedom.)
Reward 3: Revival Card x3 (As is well-known, a single life not enough when working for the Foundation)
Three instructions, three benefits, three rewards!
Excellent!
After reading the system, He secretly rejoiced in his heart.
Fortunately, the system didn't release all the SCPs at once.
Currently, there are over 8,000 but less than 10,000 known SCPs, including over a hundred high-dimensional Scps and over a thousand concepts.
What kind of concepts are these?
Let's understand by a simple example.
The Hulk can be considered a SCP, to some extent. However, in terms of danger and power, it would probably have a hard time making it into the top 3,000 containment projects.
Thanos, as the early antagonist in the Marvel Universe, already poses a threat to the entire universe. But in the realm of SCPs, the danger and power of Thanos probably wouldn't even make it into the top 1,000.
That's the horror of SCPs.
However, this thought didn't last long for him.
Because his butler arrived.
And he brought three "trusted aides" with him.
The butler, who was over 60 years old, entered with two graceful women behind him. There was also a middle-aged man with a balding head following the two women.
"Master Noah! You will take over the group tomorrow, so I have specially arranged these three trustworthy subordinates for you." The butler led the people to Noah, who was deep in thought.
Noah, who was contemplating how to use the system to become stronger, nodded absentmindedly and didn't pay much attention to the butler's words.
Trustworthy subordinates? What difference does it make compared to SCPs?
Being completely consumed by thoughts of SCPs, Noah didn't pay attention to the appearance of the three individuals brought by the butler.
Seeing Noah's lack of interest, the butler remained unperturbed and spoke with a smile, "Allow me to introduce them, Master Noah."
"This is Melinda May, your distant aunt, who is also a retired special forces soldier. She is trustworthy both in character and skill."
"Next to her is Natasha Romanova, a former Soviet agent. Rest assured, Master Noah, this lady has passed my test and is absolutely trustworthy."
Finally, the butler pointed to the bald middle-aged man and introduced, "Lastly, this is Phil Coulson, the most trusted subordinate of your late father. He is responsible for all the work of the group."
Noah: "???"
Initially, he didn't pay much attention, but upon hearing these familiar names, he was momentarily stunned, and then completely bewildered.
Iron Cavalry, Melinda!
Black Widow, Natasha!
And the newbie village chief, Coulson!
Noah was astonished.
He looked at the three people behind the butler with a gaze as if he had seen a ghost, and then cast a questioning look at the butler.
Are these the absolutely reliable subordinates you mentioned?
If Noah hadn't been absolutely certain of the butler's loyalty, he would have thought the butler had betrayed him.
Question: What should you do when all your trusted subordinates are actually undercover agents?
Before transmigrating, Noah had often made jokes about the entire Detective Conan series being infiltrated by undercover agents. It was truly a miserable situation.
And now...
Hmm!
How the tables have turned.
Noah had no idea how his dear old dad in this world had managed to provoke S.H.I.E.L.D.
Just a mere smuggling gang, how could it have attracted the simultaneous involvement of these three!
At this moment, Noah couldn't help but let out a long sigh.
With these three individuals as his subordinates, how could he live safely?
After the butler finished the introductions, Coulson, who was naturally friendly, stepped forward.
"Sir, you can ask me anything regarding the organization from now on. Rest assured, I'll make sure everything is arranged properly."
Noah: "..."
Looking at Coulson's loyal appearance, if Noah hadn't watched movies and TV shows, he might have actually believed this man's words.
"Arranging properly? Can I have a separate bedroom after I join?" Noah silently rolled his eyes at him, inwardly mocking.
Since these three people appeared in his house and continued to infiltrate, it meant they had some ulterior motive to accomplish through him.
That also meant that, for the time being, he was safe.
If he could use these three people to quickly become stronger and then continuously enhance his mysterious image under the watchful eyes of S.H.I.E.L.D., it would mean he could make S.H.I.E.L.D. serve as his scoring tool.
After all, the emotions of these plot characters could generate a lot of SP.
With this idea in mind, a bold plan emerged in Noah's mind.
With a meaningful gaze, Noah, who had already made up his mind, looked at the three individuals and said, "Ahem! In that case, the three of you shall follow me from now on. I will show you a more real world."
Upon hearing this, the butler quickly added, "Master Noah, Melinda and Natasha will be your personal protectors. Since you're of age, it's time for you to settle down. Both of them are reliable, and once I'm gone, they can take care of you."
After finishing his words, the butler gave Noah a knowing look.
Noah: "..."
Well, thank you very much!
Noah didn't reject the butler's kind offer.
Setting aside the identities of these two women, in terms of strength, they were among the best in the world at this stage.
Having them by his side as bodyguards wouldn't be bad at all, of course, as long as their intentions weren't to kill him.
After accepting Melinda and Natasha, the butler turned to Coulson and said, "Coulson, report your work. From now on, you'll directly take orders from Master Noah."
Coulson nodded, understanding that it was time for him, as an agent, to step forward. He began his report in a serious manner:
"Here's the situation! We recently had a deal worth ten billion. A terrorist organization from the Middle East placed an order with our organization to purchase a nuclear warhead. Unfortunately, their leader died a few days ago."
"Unfortunately, we haven't been able to find the nuclear warhead left behind by their leader. If we can't find it within a month, our organization will not only suffer heavy losses but also face a tarnished reputation internationally!"
After hearing Coulson's report, Noah suddenly realized something.
Now it made sense why S.H.I.E.L.D. hadn't wiped out the entire organization yet. They were probably searching for that nuclear warhead.
In other words, until they found the warhead, these three individuals in front of him should be at his disposal, and he didn't have to worry about his safety.
Thinking of this, Noah felt somewhat relieved.
After pondering for a moment, Noah casually said, "The matter of the nuclear warhead can wait. I have something more important to attend to right now. Let's discuss it in a few days."
Although Coulson was somewhat unwilling, he reluctantly nodded. But in his mind, he couldn't help but complain:
"I wonder what could be more important than losing a nuclear warhead."
After Coulson left, Noah looked at the two women in front of him and said, "You may leave for now. I'll call for you when needed."
Once the two women left, Noah eagerly opened the system.
"System! Use the random summoning opportunity to summon a SCP."
Noah silently spoke in his mind.
[Ding~ Congratulations, host, on successfully summoning SCP-307 - Spider Ivy]
[The SCP has appeared in the real world. Please contain it as soon as possible for the safety of the world!]
[Ding~ SCP-307 has been detected in the real world. The system is providing SCP-307 pre-containment benefits!]
[Ding~ Congratulations, host, on obtaining a temporary Foundation base ×1. The base is equipped with: base staff ×500, C-class armed personnel ×100 (on par with well-trained soldiers), B-class armed personnel ×10 (equivalent to Navy SEALs), C-class researchers ×10 (at the level of university graduates), B-class researchers ×3 (with a Ph.D. level of education), and an A-class researcher ×1 (at the level of a university professor). Additionally, several powerful weapons, means of transportation, and three small nuclear warheads are provided.]
[Ding~ Congratulations, host, on receiving the SCP-307 pre-containment special assistance. You can remotely control three metallic robots!]
[All benefits have been granted! Please collect the rewards near SCP-307.]
"Damn!"
Seeing such generous rewards before even containing the SCP, Noah stood up in excitement.
If he could obtain such rich rewards without even containing the object, then if he successfully contained SCP-307, wouldn't he become incredibly wealthy?
Noah's mind was racing with possibilities as he eagerly thought about his next moves.
Excited but forcing himself to calm down, Noah opened the SCP locator map.
"SCP-307 is in the Middle East? Isn't that place a desert?"
SCP-307 is a plant, albeit an unusual one. But why would it appear in the desert?
Noah looked at the coordinates on the map, feeling confused.
The Middle East was quite far from their current location.
"I originally planned to go tomorrow, but it seems like we need to expedite the process."
With this thought in mind, Noah called Natasha.
After Natasha arrived, Noah gave her a direct order, "Have Coulson arrange a plane to the Middle East as soon as possible. The sooner, the better. We're going to that area."
"Understood, Sir!" Natasha nodded expressionlessly.
"Going to the Middle East? Could it be that he has already used the nuclear warhead over there? But... how is that possible? How could he transport the warhead under S.H.I.E.L.D.'s nose? According to S.H.I.E.L.D.'s intelligence, he was just an ordinary person before today," Natasha thought worriedly.
Although she had many doubts in her mind, Natasha still faithfully conveyed Noah's instructions.
Not long after leaving the villa, Coulson, who had received Natasha's message, replied with a wry face, "I'll make the arrangements right away!"
Damn it!
After ending the call, Coulson couldn't help but curse under his breath.
Wasn't the plan to go tomorrow? Why did he change his mind so quickly?
Well, it was for the best. This operation could finally come to an end.
With that in mind, Coulson picked up another communicator and reported the situation to S.H.I.E.L.D.
Upon receiving Coulson's report, Maria Hill quickly arranged the operational deployment. They planned to have the armed forces of S.H.I.E.L.D. follow Noah and, during the transaction, wipe out both the smuggling organization and the terrorist group purchasing the nuclear warhead.
Although Coulson was an undercover agent, there was no doubt about his ability to act.
In less than half an hour, Noah and Coulson arrived at the nearest airport.
Outside the airport, Coulson asked with concern, "Sir, the plane is ready, but the Middle East is dangerous. Are you sure it's just the few of us going there? What if they turn on us during the deal?"
Coulson wasn't genuinely concerned about Noah's safety; he was testing Noah's attitude.
"Don't worry! I have people arranged over there, and after all, aren't we going to trade the nuclear warhead?" Noah looked at the seemingly kind-hearted man before him and explained meaningfully.
Under Noah's meaningful gaze, Coulson couldn't help but tremble inwardly.
"How is that possible?"
"Has he possibly figured out everything about us and our organization?" Coulson thought fearfully.
"It's just an illusion! It must be an illusion."
Coulson reassured himself in his mind, convincing himself not to be frightened.
But soon, Coulson thought of something even more terrifying.
His expression darkened, and even Melinda and Natasha felt a sense of unease.
This guy...
He's so calm. Is it because he has already made arrangements over there? But how did he bypass us and deploy people in the Middle East? The entire smuggling organization is under the control of S.H.I.E.L.D., so where did this manpower that Noah seemingly has come from?
Thinking about it, Noah's image in the minds of the three individuals became even more mysterious.
The three of them silently exchanged glances, sensing a growing sense of apprehension in each other's eyes.
The young man before them had become a puzzle, someone who seemed to have hidden depths. How could he deceive even S.H.I.E.L.D.?
After boarding the plane, the atmosphere became increasingly somber.
Until today, Noah's impression in the minds of the three individuals wasn't particularly good, but it wasn't too bad either. According to S.H.I.E.L.D. 's intelligence, Noah had never been involved in the affairs of the smuggling organization before today, and he hadn't committed any major crimes in recent years. In their minds, Noah was a harmless, upright young man, unaware of the dark secrets behind his family, a sunlit youth untainted by the muck and mire.
However, Noah's current actions and behavior cast doubt on their understanding of him.
Was this person truly as innocent as described in the intelligence?
.........
After a short nap on the plane, the group finally arrived in the Middle East.
They departed at noon and arrived at 8 p.m.
Noah glanced at his wristwatch.
Hmm!
It was already 8 p.m.
"What should we do now?" Coulson asked, feigning confusion as they stood outside the airport, attempting to gather information.
"They are already here!" Noah replied expressionlessly, looking at the deep darkness of the night.
No sooner had Noah spoken than six military-grade Hummers approached them and stopped in front of him.
"Sir, 6547 reporting to you!" A burly middle-aged white man, fully armed, stepped out of the vehicle.
Upon seeing this middle-aged man, Melinda's right hand instinctively rested on the grip of her weapon.
Even the battle-hardened Natasha discreetly positioned herself in the most advantageous spot.
"This man is formidable, at least on par with top-tier special forces!" Coulson evaluated silently.
Noah nodded and directly got into the car, opening the door. "Let's go! We're heading to the base."
As Melinda and Black Widow prepared to follow suit and get into the car, 6547 stood in front of them.
"You two, sit in the back of the other car!" 6547 commanded expressionlessly.
Melinda and Natasha, who were blocked, naturally became unhappy.
Just as the two of them were about to confront 6547, Noah's voice came from inside the car, cold and distant, "Listen to 6547."
The two women reluctantly complied, realizing that defying Noah's orders was not an option.
Natasha and Melinda hesitated as they were stopped by 6547. They were reluctant to let Noah out of their sight. However, their dissatisfaction wouldn't change anything. They had to support Noah now because the power dynamics had silently shifted. It was no longer them in control, but Noah.
Noah's demonstrated influence was enough to instill fear in the minds of the S.H.I.E.L.D. trio, enough to make them obedient and refrain from defying Noah's commands.
Once the car started moving, Noah curiously asked, "6547, how is the situation with SCP-307?"
"Reporting, Sir! We have identified and temporarily restricted SCP-307. The containment equipment has been sent by headquarters, and once you arrive, you can begin the official containment process," 6547 reported.
Noah nodded in acknowledgment.
SCP-307, the carnivorous evergreen vine, was a plant-like organism that resembled ivy. It extended tendrils toward warm-blooded animals, paralyzing its victims and dissolving their internal organs, muscles, and blood, eventually excreting them.
Successfully containing SCP-307 could only be achieved by remotely controlling robots for containment. Trying to handle it with manpower alone would be futile and result in more casualties, as the growth of the flesh-eating vine would become more rampant.
Although SCP-307 was a plant, it didn't possess the vulnerabilities of most plants. Known herbicides had little effect on it. It even exhibited strong resistance to fire. Its only weaknesses were an inability to attack cold-blooded creatures and extreme cold temperatures.
The S.H.I.E.L.D. trio, seated in the back of the vehicle, didn't feel particularly good at the moment.
Seated in the backseat of the Hummer, Natasha, a top-tier operative, covertly observed the C-class armed personnel in the driver and front passenger seats. Through her observations, she realized that these individuals were not normal humans; in fact, they weren't even humans who had been trained as biological weapons. They were clones!
After arriving at their destination, the S.H.I.E.L.D. trio stepped out of the vehicle with complex emotions.
"Did you all notice it too?" the three members of S.H.I.E.L.D. greeted each other without saying much.
"Yes," Coulson replied with a grave expression.
"Clones! Those soldiers are clones, and their appearances and physiques are unbelievably identical," Coulson said solemnly. "Our mission has now changed. This, Noah, undoubtedly hides deeper darkness and secrets within him."
"Enough talk. He's coming over," Melinda quickly reminded them as she continued to observe Noah and the others.
"Let's go. I'll take you to the base. The deployment is ahead," Noah smiled and invited the S.H.I.E.L.D. trio.
After walking for about 20 minutes along a small path, they finally arrived at their destination.
"This..." Coulson, after getting out of the car, stared in astonishment at the military base before his eyes.
How could there be such a developed military base in this desolate place in the Middle East? It was even more advanced than S.H.I.E.L.D.'s bases in the region.
Moreover, how did these people manage to establish such a massive military base in such a remote location?
As Coulson realized that things had far exceeded his expectations, he nervously glanced at Noah, then discreetly assessed the layout of the military base.
It was a military base divided into above-ground and underground sections. The above-ground portion consisted of a single-story building with a flat roof, covering an area of approximately 4,000 square meters. As for the underground portion...
Without having gone underground yet and personally witnessed it, Coulson decided to withhold his judgment for the time being.
"Something's not right!" Natasha, with her extensive combat experience, walked over to Coulson's side and pointed at a nearby valley. Her expression became serious as she said, "Don't you think the location of this base is odd? This place is completely unsuitable for a military base. On the other hand, that valley over there is the perfect spot for such a facility."
Natasha's words caught the attention of the other two, and they all turned to look at the nearby valley as she pointed it out.
The S.H.I.E.L.D. trio didn't believe that the builders of this base lacked competence. On the contrary, the fact that they managed to construct such a military base in such a desolate place was a testament to their architectural skills.
If their skills were not the issue, then why was such a common-sense mistake made?
There was only one reason for that!
The valley held a greater secret, or there were other factors that forced the architects to build the base outside the valley.
Realizing this, the atmosphere became even more tense for the S.H.I.E.L.D. trio. They silently exchanged glances, each recognizing the gravity of the situation.
Meanwhile, Noah, who had been observing their reactions, walked up to them with a slight smile on his face.
"What do you think of the base?" he asked casually, as if unaware of their suspicions.
Coulson, still trying to make sense of the situation, hesitated for a moment before responding, "It's impressive, Sir. The scale and design are beyond what we expected."
Noah nodded appreciatively. "I'm glad you think so. This base has been carefully planned and built to serve a particular purpose. But there's much more to it than meets the eye."
The tension in the air grew as the S.H.I.E.L.D. trio anxiously awaited Noah's next words.
"We will proceed underground now," Noah continued. "There's a hidden entrance that leads to the heart of the base. Follow me, and I'll show you what lies beneath."
With that, Noah led the way, and the S.H.I.E.L.D. trio reluctantly followed, their minds filled with questions and a growing sense of unease. They couldn't shake the feeling that they were stepping into the unknown, and that Noah held the key to unraveling the mysteries surrounding both the base and himself.
