At the police station, even though he felt sad and depressed, Commissioner Stacy still forced a smile and tried to start a friendly conversation with the balding agent in front of him.
"Agent Coulson, may I stay and help with the investigation ? You know, several of my good subordinates were sacrificed in this case, and I can't just walk away like this."
"I understand how you feel, Commissioner."
Coulson said with a smile."But this is a classified mission, so I can only apologize. You also know how strict these people are, so please don't make our job more complicated."
"I understand, I understand. If you need any help, don't hesitate to come to me."
"Actually, I could really use your help. Could you seal off the area around the station and keep the onlookers at a distance ? Also, bring some flamethrowers."
Seeing that George Stacy still seemed dissatisfied, Coulson paused and added.
"Commissioner, believe me, the world isn't as simple as it seems. There are many things and events that are difficult to explain scientifically. To avoid unnecessary casualties, it's better to leave these matters to professionals. What do you think?"
As he carefully reflected on the details of the case, it did seem that a supernatural atmosphere was present everywhere.
Commissioner Stacy couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat, his back drenched.
He managed to calm himself, said a few superficial words to Coulson, then turned around and followed his instructions.
Soon, other S.H.I.E.L.D. agents arrived as reinforcements, and Coulson immediately briefed them on the situation.
"The police station case is similar to the psychiatric hospital incident this morning. I have reason to believe the culprit is still among the corpses."
"Among the corpses ?!" The S.H.I.E.L.D. agents were horrified.
"Yes, I suspect some form of possession." Coulson said in a firm tone. "According to the psychiatric hospital's surveillance footage, anyone who touches the body turns into a different person. Therefore, we must not touch it, just turn everything to ashes !"
"Yes !"
Inside the building, Levi watched from a distance as the agents arrived with flamethrowers, and he knew that this experiment had come to an end.
"As expected from S.H.I.E.L.D., they found the solution quickly. I guess I'll have to burn the firewood in advance." he muttered.
Levi reached out and grasped the faint orb of light in his mind. He clenched it tightly, and the light shattered instantly. He could feel that, far away, the entity began to lose control and go on a rampage, becoming a force of destruction.
"Well then, it's time to shake up the Marvel world a little."
Back at the police station, under Coulson's orders, the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents who had arrived as reinforcements took the flamethrowers provided by the police, positioned themselves about three meters from the corpses, and pulled the trigger.
A blazing flame burst from the tiny barrel of the gun. The temperature, reaching thousands of degrees, instantly set the corpse ablaze.
Thick plumes of smoke rose and condensed into the ghostly silhouette of a woman suspended in the air.
The feminine figure seemed to enjoy the heat of the fire beside her. She spread her arms and smiled broadly, but the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents around her heard no laughter.
Such a strange scene made even elite agents uncomfortable. The most vicious terrorists could be taken down, but how were they supposed to deal with this kind of supernatural horror ?
"Boss, come take a look!"
"Calm down, I saw her."
Coulson, always attentive to the situation, had spotted the dark silhouette of the woman the moment she appeared. He quickly approached, snatched the flamethrower from the hands of a tense-faced agent, and ordered in a firm tone:
"Don't just stand there. Keep attacking !"
"Yes, sir !"
As the massive flames raged on, the corpses were quickly reduced to charcoal, releasing a foul stench.
Coulson remained unmoved, staring at the woman's ghost without blinking, until she revealed a look of both pain and joy, and slowly vanished without leaving a trace. He finally let out a sigh of relief.
"Okay, we're done here."
"Was that ghost really killed by us ?"
"Yeah, probably."
"Well, if it can be burned by fire, then there's nothing to be afraid of."
"All credit goes to the chief's wisdom. If you'd come earlier, you'd already be one of the corpses we just incinerated."
"Haha, how could that be ?"
Coulson shook his head and cut the conversation short. "Be serious. The mission isn't over yet. Stay here, and if you see anything strange, don't hesitate to burn it."
"Yes, sir !"
After a brief explanation, Coulson went to retrieve the surveillance footage and the list of patients at the psychiatric hospital, carefully comparing them while sitting in his car. He quickly discovered the identity of the woman.
"Is the cause really a patient from the hospital ? It looks like the case is more complicated than I thought." He furrowed his brow.
It was already evening when Coulson finished his business at the police station.
Coulson returned to the S.H.I.E.L.D. building and went directly to meet the famous director, the one-eyed bald Nick Fury.
A black eye patch over his left eye, a stern face, and an intimidating aura.
Upon seeing Coulson, Nick squinted his right eye and spoke in a deep voice, "I heard that eighteen officers are dead ? What exactly happened ?"
"Boss, it has been confirmed that it was a supernatural phenomenon."
Coulson handed the tablet to Fury.
"According to my investigation, the incident is linked to a woman named Brenda Dickens. She suffered from severe mental disorders and had self-destructive and suicidal tendencies."
Fury looked at the pale-faced woman displayed on the tablet and said, perplexed,
"But she seems like an entirely ordinary person."
"Yes. For the past twenty years, she showed no signs of witchcraft or magic. Until last night, when she was found dead."
Coulson continued slowly.
"According to the surveillance footage, the first person who came into contact with her body suddenly went insane, killed someone, and then committed suicide. It was like an epidemic: she infected one person after another, driving them mad in turn."
Fury sniffed lightly and said,
"So this woman died, turned into a ghost, possessed other bodies, and killed seventeen police officers?"
"Indeed. I saw her ghost with my own eyes."
"..."
Nick Fury took a deep breath.
"I remember there have been a lot of supernatural incidents in New York lately, like another me appearing in the mirror."
"Yes, the story of the [Man in the Mirror]." Coulson added.
"And there's also the [Headless Horseman] incident. Many people claim to have seen it at night."
Nick Fury remained silent for a moment, then said coldly.
"I have a bad feeling about all this... just like I did twenty years ago."
Ding ding.
The shrill ringing of the phone cut him off, and Nick Fury answered, clearly displeased.
"Nick Fury speaking."
As he listened to the voice on the other end, his expression suddenly changed, and he slammed the phone down forcefully.
"Director ?" Coulson asked nervously.
Nick Fury clenched his fist and slammed it against the table.
"Goddammit ! Tony Stark has gone missing !"