In response to T’Challa’s questions and suspicions, Lin Rui furrowed his brow slightly. It seemed that a simple offer of help wasn’t enough to gain T’Challa’s trust, especially considering Lin Rui’s true identity wasn’t straightforward.
Of course, if Lin Rui were to reveal his identity as Phantom Knight right now, his words might carry more weight.
“You don’t need to be so concerned. Even if SHIELD discovers N’Jadaka’s identity and takes action to apprehend him, they won’t use him against Wakanda. In fact, neither I nor SHIELD nor even the rapidly developing Earth Federation, have any intentions of causing harm to Wakanda,” Lin Rui reassured them, emphasizing that he and the outside world posed no threat to Wakanda.
Upon hearing this, T’Challa and Shuri exchanged glances. It was evident that they had realized that the young genius standing before them was not as simple as their investigation had initially suggested.
After all, a mere scientific genius wouldn’t have access to SHIELD’s internal affairs or the Earth Federation, even if he had been a student of Tony Stark.
Moreover, Lin Rui’s words had unintentionally represented SHIELD’s and the Earth Federation’s stance, forcing T’Challa and Shuri to think more deeply.
To gauge the credibility of Lin Rui’s words, they employed their own lie-detection equipment alongside their personal judgment. The results confirmed that Lin Rui was telling the truth, with perhaps some omissions, but generally truthful.
“If what you say is true, then SHIELD should hand N’Jadaka over to us in Wakanda for us to handle. That might be the best way to earn our trust. I believe you can communicate with them effectively,” T’Challa proposed after recognizing that Lin Rui’s true identity was far from ordinary.
However, Lin Rui shook his head in response to T’Challa’s seemingly reasonable request.
“While it’s true that N’Jadaka is a lost member of your Wakandan royal family, he has more than one identity. He has committed crimes outside that rival Ulysses, so it’s entirely reasonable for SHIELD to detain and even prosecute him. Besides, are you sure you can handle N’Jadaka’s return to Wakanda? Given Wakanda’s social structure and the conservative mindset of its elders, the return of such a royal member would undoubtedly create significant upheaval.”
From Lin Rui’s perspective, SHIELD detaining or even eliminating N’Jadaka would be a favorable outcome. At least, this individual would no longer pose a threat to Wakanda. Given Wakanda’s traditional tribal society, revealing N’Jadaka’s existence to the elders could lead to unforeseen consequences.
Upon hearing Lin Rui’s response, Shuri’s eyes glittered with understanding. Clearly, she had grasped the implications of Lin Rui’s words.
Furthermore, T’Challa had only recently assumed the throne, and if N’Jadaka were to return to Wakanda, his identity and deep-seated resentment toward Wakanda made it highly likely that he would challenge T’Challa’s rule.
“Brother, he’s right. Perhaps we shouldn’t let others know about N’Jadaka’s existence,” Shuri stated, despite N’Jadaka being her cousin. However, for the sake of her brother’s rule and Wakanda’s peace, she was willing to make this concession.
T’Challa understood the situation that Lin Rui and Shuri were presenting. Still, handing over the Wakandan royal family member for external judgment was a decision he found difficult to make. After all, N’Jadaka harbored certain secrets from the past, including the reasons behind his father’s and T’Challa’s father’s actions that had led to his exile.
“If you still have some hope for N’Jadaka, then perhaps you should wait until Ulysses’ interrogation is complete before making a decision. There are some things you might learn from other sources,” Lin Rui advised, sensing T’Challa’s hesitation.
Although Ulysses seemed insignificant compared to N’Jadaka, his ability to steal a substantial amount of vibranium from Wakanda in the past, thanks to the opportunities provided by T’Challa’s uncle, was something that T’Challa should consider.
While Ulysses might not know N’Jadaka’s true identity, T’Challa could certainly deduce it based on his actions.
“Very well, I’ll trust you this time, hoping you won’t disappoint me. Although I understand you must have some hidden cards, remember that this is Wakanda, my territory,” T’Challa decided after some hesitation.
“Shuri, monitor the situation with SHIELD and the Earth Federation closely.”
“Understood, brother!”
With that, T’Challa left the laboratory, intending to personally interrogate Ulysses. Now that Lin Rui had provided some insights, T’Challa was determined to uncover the truth.
After T’Challa’s departure, Shuri’s gaze toward Lin Rui began to change gradually. Ever since discovering Lin Rui’s true identity, Shuri no longer underestimated the young genius who was even younger than herself. Moreover, now that she suspected Lin Rui was more than just a scientific prodigy, she was even more intrigued by him.
“Well, the matters between Wakanda, SHIELD, and the Earth Federation fall under political diplomacy. It’s your brother’s concern. Now, should we take a look at that suit you mentioned? Don’t think I don’t know you’ve already gone through the nanocore technology data,” Shuri said as she locked her eyes on Lin Rui and Bucky.
Upon hearing Shuri’s words, Lin Rui couldn’t help but wear an expression of resignation. Nevertheless, he nodded toward Bucky, signaling that it was time to reveal the Ant-Man suit. Lin Rui had initially intended to keep it from Tony for further study, but now, it was going to Shuri for examination.
Bucky, who had been somewhat bewildered throughout the conversation, finally reached into his pocket and took out the miniature Ant-Man suit. It appeared almost like a toy in his hand. However, he retained the remaining Pym Particles, as there had been no request to inspect them.
“Is this it?” Shuri’s eyes lit up as she took the small suit from Bucky’s hand.
In the next moment, she carefully took possession of the Ant-Man suit.
…
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