Chapter 31: Kingpin Wants to Absorb Me, Does He Even Deserve It?
"There can only be one Master in New York."
After Lin Yao finished reading the last line of the contract, no one spoke in the conference room.
Sam Wilson, the S.H.I.E.L.D. representative, New Yorkmunicipal officials, Shuri, and Professor X had not left yet.
The ninety-day temporary agreement had just been signed.
The contract from Fisk Corporation was then delivered straight into Dawn House.
The timing was impeccably precise.
It was as if someone had been waiting outside the conference room all along, waiting for all parties to sign their names before pushing their own terms forward.
Matt reached out his hand.
"Let me see."
"No need."
Lin Yao flipped back to the first page.
Super Brain had already read through the 187 pages of content within a few seconds.
On the surface, the contract stated that it would help Dawn House tide over its crisis.
The Fisk charitable foundation would advance 200 million U.S. dollars in DODC victim compensation in advance.
Fisk Bank would open an independent account for Dawn House.
Twenty-four real estate, insurance, medical, and food companies in New York would resume cooperation.
Fisk Corporation would also assist Lin Yao in obtaining a legal identity and use its media outlets to repair his public image.
Sam frowned.
"That sounds overly generous."
"Keep reading the additional clauses."
Lin Yao projected the contract onto the conference room large screen.
The first additional clause appeared.
[Establishment of the Dawn House Joint Stabilization Committee.]
Out of the seven seats, Fisk Corporation would hold four.
Foundation budget, personnel expansion, baseconstruction, and external operations all required committee approval.
Item two.
[All technological achievements derived from DODC assets shall obtain priority commercial authorization from Fisk Advanced Defense.]
Spider Stabilizers.
Gamma control countermeasures.
V-Max mental defense model.
Qi-energy conductive alloy.
All of them were included.
Item three.
[Dawn House members shall undergo regular ability risk assessments.]
The evaluation data would be stored by medical institutions under Fisk.
Jean was singled out as the highest-risk target.
Her brainwaves, Phoenix energy, blood, and mental activities must all be uploaded to Fisk servers.
Item four.
[Before completing identity verification, Lin Yao needs to provide complete blood, cellular, and energy samples.]
Item five.
[Dawn House shall not interfere with the actions of Fisk Corporation and its cooperative organizations in maintaining New York order.]
As for the so-called cooperative organizations, the list was left blank.
In the future, any gangs, private armies, and underground laboratories could be temporarily filled in.
Item six.
[When a city-level crisis occurs, Dawn House members shall be subject to the dispatch of the Joint Committee.]
After reading all the clauses, Sam's expression darkened.
Kingpin wanted to control the funds of Dawn House.
Control the coming and going of test subjects.
Control all core technologies.
And acquire the physical data of Lin Yao and Jean.
Once signed, Dawn House would become a superpower armed force disguised in the charitable cloak of Fisk Corporation.
Shuri spoke up first.
"The Qi-energy alloy involves the material database provided by Wakanda."
"Fisk Corporation has no right to obtain authorization."
The S.H.I.E.L.D. representative also stared fixedly at the Spider Stabilizers and gamma countermeasures.
"Once these technologies enter private military enterprises, the risks will be uncontrollable."
The New York municipal representative gave a light cough.
"The contract belongs to a private commercial transaction."
"Dawn House can choose to refuse."
Lin Yao looked at him.
"At the same time the contract was delivered, twenty-four companies ceased cooperation with Dawn House."
"Bank audits were frozen."
"Insurance was canceled."
"Medical supplies were delayed."
"Municipal fire inspections were advanced to this afternoon."
A subtle change appeared in the municipal representative's expression.
Lin Yao caught it.
Super Brain quickly pulled up the electronic metadata of the contract.
The drafting party came from six law firms.
The final version was completed last night.
One of the reviewers used the New York municipal internal network.
The air in the conference room instantly grew a few degrees colder.
"Someone handed today's negotiation proposal to Fisk Corporation in advance."
Lin Yao put the access logs on the screen.
The municipal representative immediately said:
"This cannot prove that the municipal government was involved."
"I didn't say the entire municipal government was involved either."
Lin Yao looked at him.
"Find out who it was."
"If you can't find out, I will make the access log public along with your name."
Sam tapped on the tabletop.
"Fisk Corporation wants to use the government negotiation results to control Dawn House."
"This has already affected the ninety-day temporary agreement."
Matt quickly read through the additional clauses.
"If signed, the newly established victim protection trust will lose its independence."
"Fisk Corporation can also legally obtain all test subject data under the guise of risk assessment."
Jean looked at her own name in the contract.
A crimson glow flashed across the depths of her eyes.
"He wants to study the Phoenix."
"He wants to study you too."
Lin Yao pointed to the clause regarding his own cellular samples.
"Spider genes, gamma control, Phoenix Force, Saiyancells."
"After DODC falls, Kingpin is preparing to take over all the most valuable things."
Professor X looked at Jean's risk assessment clause.
"Any mental examination must be authorized by Jean herself."
Lin Yao glanced at him.
"Hearing those words come out of your mouth sounds quite agreeable today."
Professor X did not respond to the sarcasm.
Kingpin's contract had likewise crossed his bottom line.
Sam asked:
"How do you plan to reply?"
Lin Yao picked up the contract.
Right in front of all representatives from the government, S.H.I.E.L.D., Wakanda, and Xaviers School, he tore it right down the middle.
Rip!
The contract of over a hundred pages snapped into two halves.
He tore it once more.
The fragments were tossed back into the silver document box.
"Tell Wilson Fisk—"
"—if he wants to be the Master of New York, it's none of my business, but if he wants to cause trouble for me, he will regret it."
The official records of the conference room were still being saved synchronously.
Sitting in the external information room, MJ organized the core clauses of Kingpin's contract and Lin Yao's statement of refusal into a public document.
Matt asked:
"Are you planning to release it now?"
"Release a portion of it."
"The complete contract can serve as evidence of coercing Dawn House into handing over technology and victim data."
Lin Yao brought up the DODC capital chain.
Fisk Corporation made payments to Tombstone, The Hand, and V-Max equipment suppliers through twenty-seven shell companies.
Existing evidence was not yet able to prove that every single transaction was personally approved by Kingpin.
Seven transactions had already formed a complete chain of evidence.
The amount was 48 million U.S. dollars.
Payer.
Transit account.
Shipping company.
DODC equipment serial number.
All of them could correspond with one another.
"Make these seven public first."
The S.H.I.E.L.D. representative looked up.
"How much more do you have in your grasp?"
"Enough to keep Fisk Corporation busy."
Lin Yao did not hand over all the evidence.
S.H.I.E.L.D. could be cooperated with.
But they couldn't get all of his trump cards.
After Shuri finished checking the Vibranium transaction records:
"Wakanda can confirm that two of them involve stolen Vibranium."
Banner also provided verification from remote communication.
"Another transaction purchased neural equipment to modify Spider-Man's suppressor."
Sam looked at the municipal representative.
"Does anyone still think this is just ordinary commercial cooperation?"
The municipal representative did not answer.
Lin Yao had Ned open the public channel.
Major media outlets quickly connected.
James was originally still discussing Dawn Houseobtaining a temporary legal status, when the next second he received Fisk's contract and the seven fund records.
Lin Yao did not deliver a long speech.
"Fisk Corporation offered to help Dawn House resolve its identity, funding, and media issues."
"The price is handing over management rights, technology, member data, and the physical samples of Jean and me."
"I refuse."
The screen switched.
Seven DODC fund records appeared simultaneously.
"Whether Fisk Corporation directly participated in DODC human experiments will be determined by the investigation."
"Relevant evidence has already been handed over to the court, S.H.I.E.L.D., and Wakanda."
"From now on, anyone involved in destroying accounts, transferring equipment, and handling witnesses will become new evidence."
The live broadcast ended.
Yelena in the conference room looked at the surveillance terminal.
"You are forcing him to clear out his periphery."
"He has to clear it out."
Lin Yao said, "As long as he moves, the protection network will be exposed."
Matt tilted his head, listening to Lin Yao's heartbeat.
It was still steady.
"You didn't go kill Kingpin right away."
"He is worth more alive right now."
Lin Yao projected Fisk Corporation's organizational chart onto the tabletop.
"Banks, real estate, media, politicians, charitable foundations, private armies, DODC legacy."
"If you kill the person himself, these things will be transferred into The Hands of proxies."
"The newly signed temporary agreement will also suffer a blow because I attacked a legal businessman."
"Take the assets first."
"Then take the equipment."
"Then take the list and witnesses."
"Once his protection network is completely dismantled, he himself will become useless."
Matt fell silent for a few seconds.
"I still object to the last sentence."
"You handle the law."
Lin Yao said, "Don't worry about the enemy's funeral."
Yelena's terminal suddenly rang continuously.
Seven shell companies began transferring funds.
Three data centers remotely deleted servers.
Two Fisk financial executives booked plane tickets to leave New York.
An archive warehouse in Queens received an emergency evacuation order.
Watching the changes in intelligence, the S.H.I.E.L.D.representative truly realized for the first time the purpose of Lin Yao publishing those seven fund transactions earlier.
He wasn't simply exposing Kingpin.
He had turned Fisk Corporation's reaction into a tracking signal.
The world line threat map unfolded before Lin Yao's eyes.
Fisk Tower was located at the center.
Nineteen companies, four charitable foundations, three congressional assistants, two private laboratories, and one security force lit up one by one.
[Fisk crime syndicate protection network revealed.]
[Faction check-in progress: 15%.]
[Current core targets:]
[Fisk criminal directives.]
[Three DODC data cores.]
[V-Max mental device Master node.]
[Superpowered individual recruitment and control list.]
What Kingpin was truly preparing to establish was a private superpower ruling system to replace DODC.
He wanted to use the heroic reputation of Dawn House to whitewash his plan.
Use sixty-three test subjects to build profiles of powered individuals.
Use stabilizers and mental devices to control recruitment targets.
And finally package Lin Yao and Jean as the corporation's highest-tier military force.
"This is his real goal."
Lin Yao looked at the threat map.
"He wants to swallow up Dawn House."
"And then have us manage New York for him."
The top floor of Fisk Tower.
After watching the live broadcast of Lin Yao tearing up the contract, Kingpin slowly put down his wine glass.
The assistant stood to the side, not daring to speak.
The seven transactions made public were not enough to destroy Fisk Corporation.
The real trouble was that the internal cleanup of the corporation had begun.
Every transfer, deletion, and evacuation could potentially be tracked down by Lin Yao along the vine.
"Stop part of the destruction operation."
Kingpin ordered.
"It's already too late."
The assistant whispered, "Twelve companies have already initiated emergency procedures."
Cracks appeared on the wine glass in Kingpin's hand.
Lin Yao had deliberately released only a small amount of evidence.
The corporation's emergency response had instead exposed even more nodes.
"He is smarter than Metzger."
Kingpin loosened his hand.
"That's why I need to know what he cares about."
A photograph of Jessica Jones appeared on the tabletop.
She had previously investigated Dawn House through a middleman and deleted the full-face photos of all the children.
This time, Fisk Corporation directly issued a formal contract to her.
To investigate Lin Yao's residence, patterns of movement, personal relationships, and emotional weaknesses.
...
Nightfall descended.
Jessica lay prone on a rooftop two buildings away from Dawn House.
The telephoto lens was aimed at the office building.
She had just captured the image of Lin Yao and Jean side-by-side reviewing Fisk's network diagram.
Lin Yao in the frame suddenly stopped his movements.
Then slowly turned his head.
Across two buildings and hundreds of meters of night, his gaze landed precisely in the center of the lens.
Jessica's fingers froze.
She was very certain.
Lin Yao was making eye contact with her.
Chapter 32 Turning Jessica
At two in the morning on the third day, Jessica saw Lin Yaofly out of Dawn House again.
She threw her camera into the passenger seat and immediately started the car.
Three days ago, Lin Yao accurately looked into her lens from across two buildings.
Jessica thought her investigation was over at that time.
As a result, Lin Yao did nothing.
He didn't arrest her.
He didn't warn her.
He didn't even change his travel route the next day.
This instead made Jessica even more vigilant.
She knew she had been exposed long ago.
Lin Yao still let her follow, which meant he was observing her as well.
On the first day, Jessica filmed Lin Yao training.
In the underground training area of the industrial park, the fifty-times gravity equipment was rebuilt.
Lin Yao did not transform into a Super Saiyan, and only performed ki control inside in his normal state.
More than twenty ki blasts floated simultaneously.
Every single one bypassed the obstacles in the training ground and accurately hit different targets.
After it ended, he went to the children's area to fix a door that was broken by an out-of-control ability.
On the second day, she filmed Lin Yao saving people.
A test subject found from the DODC residual list went berserk in Queens, whose ability could overload all nearby electronic devices.
police had blocked off the street.
Lin Yao dropped from the air and walked in directly against the electromagnetic shock.
Three minutes later, he carried out the unconscious young man.
No interviews.
No reporters.
After handling it, he sent the person to the medical post arranged by Banner.
On the third day, she filmed an interrogation.
Frank brought back a Fisk chief financial officer who was preparing to leave New York.
The man was tied up in a warehouse, with the accounts of nineteen shell companies placed in front of him.
Lin Yao did not make a move.
Yelena was responsible for questioning.
Jean only judged whether the other party had a strong intention to lie, and did not touch his complete memory.
Until the other party refused to disclose an offshore account.
Only then did Lin Yao walk over.
One hand pressed on the metal table.
The entire table slowly caved in.
"Account."
The chief financial officer said it immediately.
Jessica filmed the whole process through a distant window.
She began to understand why the outside world feared Lin Yao.
This person really would kill people.
And he didn't shy away from threats at all.
But she had followed for three days and still hadn't filmed what Kingpin wanted.
No secret experiments.
No forcing test subjects to participate in battles.
Nor any so-called superpower private army.
On the afternoon of the third day, a conflict even broke out inside Dawn House.
Two adult test subjects started a fight over the usage time of the training area.
One of them could reinforce bones, and the other could release high temperatures.
The two almost burned down half a wall.
Jessica originally thought Lin Yao would directly suppress them.
Lin Yao did come.
One hand pressed on each.
The two enhanced humans were forcefully pressed to the ground.
Afterwards, each of them compensated half of the maintenance fee.
Their training qualifications were cancelled for three days.
If they fight again, the internal resource quota of Dawn House will be directly suspended.
No comfort.
Nor did he make everyone "understand each other".
After handling it according to the rules, Lin Yao turned around and left.
Jessica wrote a line of words in her notebook.
[Extremely strong desire for control.]
After thinking about it.
She crossed it out again.
Changed to:
[Extremely strong sense of rules, low tolerance.]
That night, Kingpin's contact sent a new request.
[Find Lin Yao's exploitable personal weaknesses.]
[Focus: Jean Grey.]
[Confirm the relationship between the two.]
[Investigate Lin Yao's degree of emotional dependence on the child members of Dawn House.]
Jessica stared at the last sentence for a long time.
Then she turned off her phone.
"Disgusting."
Just at this moment, a voice came from overhead.
"Cursing Kingpin?"
Jessica suddenly raised her head.
Lin Yao was already standing on the water tank behind her.
"You walk without a sound?"
"I flew over."
Jessica subconsciously grasped her camera.
"Preparing to snatch it?"
"Come with me."
"Where to?"
"Dawn House."
Jessica was stunned for a moment.
"You know who I work for, right?"
"I know."
"And you still let me in?"
"You've followed for three days."
Lin Yao turned and flew toward the industrial park.
"It's time to save you some gas money."
Ten minutes later.
Jessica entered Dawn House through the main entrance for the first time.
There was no welcome ceremony at the entrance.
Frank checked her weapons.
Yelena confiscated the electronic transmitter.
The phone and camera could be left behind, and the camera function entered a restricted mode.
Jessica glanced around.
"Are you guarding against reporters or spies?"
Yelena said:
"Mainly guarding against private detectives who still think they haven't been discovered after taking money."
Jessica rolled her eyes.
Lin Yao took her past the medical area, public living area, training area, and identity affairs office.
Previously she could only observe through a telephoto lens.
After truly walking in, she saw much more.
Independent medical files had been established for sixty-three DODC victims.
There were no combat courses in the children's area.
Adult test subjects could apply for combat training or learn normal working skills.
The application process for leaving Dawn House was even hung on the wall.
Jessica stopped in front of that process chart.
"You really allow them to leave?"
"As long as it's confirmed they won't intentionally expose the locations of other members, anytime."
"What if they talk about things here after going out?"
"Normal living information can be told freely."
"Core coordinates, defense structures, and member privacy cannot be sold."
Jessica looked at Lin Yao.
"What if they sell it?"
"Depends on the consequences."
"If it's serious?"
"Dealt with."
Jessica nodded.
"That's more like you."
When walking to the second building, the passage closed.
The red warning light lit up.
[Core area, external personnel prohibited from entering.]
Jessica looked up and glanced.
"I thought you really trusted me."
"Why should I trust you?"
Lin Yao retorted.
"You're still taking Kingpin's money."
"Then how dare you let me in?"
"What you can see is something I was never afraid of Kingpin knowing in the first place."
Jessica was silent for two seconds.
She finally understood why Lin Yao was so relaxed.
This tour was built on strict information isolation.
The core database, Phoenix data, Super Saiyan data, financial accounts, and true identities of personnel were all in locations she couldn't touch.
What she could see was only the part that Dawn Housewas willing to let the outside world see.
"Fine."
Jessica leaned against the wall.
"At least you're more honest than many politicians."
"Let's talk about work."
Lin Yao led her into an empty meeting room.
An offline computer was already placed on the table.
The first file was opened.
[DODC missing test subject list.]
Four hundred and seventy-three people.
Dead.
Transferred.
Missing.
Traded.
And a large number whereabouts unknown.
The second file was the payment records of Fisk Corporation.
The casualness on Jessica's face gradually disappeared.
"Where did these come from?"
"DODC, Tombstone, Yelena, Shuri, Banner."
"And things exposed when Kingpin destroyed his accounts himself."
Lin Yao put the nineteen shell companies on the same chart.
Super Brain began to re-sort them out.
"How long have you been investigating Kingpin?"
"On and off for a few years."
"Look here."
Lin Yao circled three real estate companies.
The bookkeeping of the three companies had no direct connection.
But in reality, they shared the same asset evaluation agency.
The boss of the evaluation agency was also a director of the Fisk Charitable Foundation.
The charitable foundation paid fees to an offshore consulting company every four months.
The consulting company then split the money into seven private accounts.
The holders of two of those accounts were already dead.
Jessica straightened her body.
"Dead people's accounts?"
"The identities are dead, but the bank cards are still active."
Lin Yao continued to pull down.
The funds finally fell into three private real estates in Hells Kitchen.
An abandoned hospital.
An underground parking lot.
And a boxing club that had been closed for six years.
Ten minutes.
The entire capital chain was laid out in front of Jessica.
She looked at the screen and didn't speak for a long time.
She had investigated these companies.
But backtracking from real estate, charities, and dead accounts to private real estate would normally take at least a few months of investigation.
Lin Yao only used ten minutes.
"Did your brain mutate too?"
"You can put it that way."
Jessica dragged her chair forward a bit.
"What on earth do you want me to investigate?"
Lin Yao closed some of the data.
"How much money did Kingpin give you?"
"One hundred and fifty thousand."
"I'll give three hundred thousand."
Jessica raised an eyebrow.
"Cash?"
"Clean money."
"Matt will make the contract."
"Aren't you afraid I'll take from both sides?"
"You can."
Lin Yao said:
"As long as what you give me is valuable."
Jessica smiled for the first time.
"A rich person's way of thinking."
"I used to be poor."
"Now it's enough."
Lin Yao pushed the DODC missing list in front of her.
"What I want is not some fake report."
"Investigate what he truly fears."
"Private real estate."
"Secret accounts."
"Where are the three DODC data cores kept."
"What enhanced individuals is he recruiting."
"And among these missing people, how many actually entered his facilities."
Jessica looked at the list.
The missing locations of dozens of them were concentrated in Hells Kitchen.
She quickly searched her old files.
Starting a few years ago, homeless people, low-income residents, and gang periphery personnel continuously went missing in Hells Kitchen.
police records listed many cases as voluntary departures.
Jessica always felt there was a problem with the data.
Now, after overlapping with the DODC list, a new pattern appeared.
"I have something."
She took an old hard drive out of her bag.
"Six private real estates that Fisk never uses publicly."
"Two offshore accounts not under his name."
"And forty-seven missing persons in Hells Kitchen."
"The final locations of eleven of them are all in this area."
A red circle appeared on the map.
Lin Yao glanced at it.
Less than six kilometers away from Fisk Tower.
"Why didn't you investigate further before?"
"I went in once."
Jessica said:
"Too much peripheral security."
"And someone inside can hear me approaching."
"An enhanced individual?"
"Very likely."
Lin Yao pushed the three-hundred-thousand-dollar investigation contract in front of her.
"Starting today, continue submitting reports to Kingpin."
"What?"
"Continue tracking me."
"Continue taking his money."
"Whatever he wants, you give him what you can."
"Things of true value should be sent back first."
Jessica stared at the contract.
"You want me to be a double agent."
"You're an investigator."
"Choose whatever name you like."
"I won't join Dawn House."
"I didn't ask you to join."
"Nor will I listen to all your commands."
"Just do things according to the contract."
Jessica picked up the pen.
"One last question."
"Why choose me?"
Lin Yao glanced at her.
"When filming Dawn House for the first time, Kingpinwanted the children's faces."
"You deleted them."
Jessica's action of holding the pen paused.
"You even know this?"
"You had three chances to film clearly."
"Not a single one of the photos finally handed over did."
"You will take money."
"And you still have your own connections."
"That's enough."
Jessica lowered her head and signed her name.
"I'm starting to kind of like bastards like you."
"As long as the investigation results are valuable."
Late that night.
Jessica returned to Hells Kitchen.
Following the capital chain sorted out by Lin Yao, she bypassed three surface real estates and finally locked onto an abandoned underground parking lot.
The elevator was already out of service.
She walked down four floors from the fire escape stairs.
The sound of metal dragging came from underground.
The air was mixed with disinfectant and the smell of blood.
At the deepest part, a row of heavy iron doors appeared in sight.
Faint breathing could be heard behind the doors.
Jessica took out her phone.
Took the first photo.
The man guarding the end of the corridor slowly raised his head.
The light fell on his skin.
The dark skin shimmered with a nearly metallic sheen.
Jessica narrowed her eyes.
The man stood up.
The concrete floor beneath his feet made a slight cracking sound.
Luke Cage.
Power Man
Chapter 33 One punch sends the Mighty Warrior flying
One more step forward, and I'll throw you out."
Luke Cage blocked the entrance of the underground passage.
Lying behind him were a dozen or so missing persons who had just been released.
Some still had DODC identification bands on their wrists.
Some had just pulled out their infusion needles.
Jessica stood nearby, holding a camera in her hand.
"I warned you."
"He doesn't have a very good temper."
Lin Yao glanced at the underground cell.
Eleven living people.
Three empty incubation pods.
Two already deceased test subjects.
Buried within the wall was also a transport passage leading to Fisk's old warehouse.
Ki perception had already finished scanning.
"Did you let the people go?"
Luke stared at Lin Yao.
"I found this place last night."
"The people here were scheduled to be shipped out early this morning."
"I dealt with the guards first."
He pointed to the corner.
Six Fisk private security guards were chained together.
Still alive.
"Now you're here."
Luke moved his shoulders.
"I heard you took all of DODC's people into Dawn House."
"They had a choice."
"I've heard that sentence many times."
Luke took a step forward.
"Street gangs also like to tell newcomers that they have a choice."
Lin Yao looked at him.
"What do you want to confirm?"
"Whether you'll take these people away."
"I'll ask them."
"If someone wants to stay in Hells Kitchen, I won't take them."
"If someone wants to go to Dawn House, I'll pick them up."
Luke obviously didn't completely believe him.
Kingpin had been spreading rumors these past few days.
Dawn House was annexing DODC's legacy.
Absorbing test subjects.
Building his own superpower army.
Lin Yao himself was able to suppress Hulk head-on.
For such power to fall into the hands of someone who had just established an organization was enough to make any street hero vigilant.
"That sounds very nice."
Luke raised his fist.
"I believe what I see more."
Lin Yao nodded.
"Then let's keep it simple."
He walked out of the underground passage.
"Take a punch from me."
Jessica cursed directly.
"Are you men all this stupid when solving problems?"
But Luke followed him out.
"Fine."
Hells Kitchen's streets in the early morning were very quiet.
The convenience stores on both sides were already closed.
A few punks were hiding in the distant alley entrance.
They recognized Luke.
And they also recognized Lin Yao, who had been appearing frequently in recent news.
The news spread quickly.
"The Golden God of War is here."
"He and Luke are going to fight."
A dozen or so windows opened quietly.
Lin Yao stood in the middle of the street.
He didn't transform into a Super Saiyan.
Nor did he release any ki aura.
"Get ready."
Luke planted his feet firmly.
His skin took on a metallic sheen under the streetlights.
"Come on."
Lin Yao raised his right fist.
Ten percent of his power.
He needed to hold back a bit more.
The moment the fist struck, Luke's expression changed.
Boom!
The air exploded directly.
The ground beneath Luke's feet cracked open.
His entire body flew sideways.
He crashed through the outer wall of the underground cell.
And smashed an abandoned truck to pieces.
Finally sliding dozens of meters along the street surface.
The streetlights along the way all vibrated.
The whole street fell silent instantly.
The punks at the alley entrance even forgot to smoke their cigarettes.
Jessica covered her forehead.
"I knew it."
The abandoned truck moved slightly.
Luke crawled out of the twisted steel plates.
The clothes on his chest were already torn to shreds.
An obvious red mark appeared on his skin.
No fractures.
No ruptured internal organs.
He looked up at Lin Yao.
"You call this a punch?"
"Ten percent."
Luke's expression became even uglier.
"You're bragging."
Lin Yao raised his hand.
Just before that punch made contact with Luke's body, the ki clearly shrank inward.
Luke had also felt it.
At the final moment, that power was shaved down by at least half.
If Lin Yao truly went all out...
He glanced at the neighborhood behind him.
He didn't continue thinking about it.
"Now it's my turn."
Luke rushed forward.
Throwing a punch at Lin Yao's chest.
Lin Yao stood without moving.
Bang!
The ground exploded with a circle of cracks centered on Lin Yao's feet.
His jacket billowed backward from the fist wind.
His body didn't retreat half a step.
Luke gritted his teeth and threw a second punch straight at his abdomen.
Still didn't move.
The third punch.
The fourth punch.
The power grew greater and greater.
Lin Yao only maintained his ki defense on the surface of his skin.
The ki completely locked the shockwave around the two of them, preventing nearby buildings from suffering further damage.
Luke stopped.
"Fine."
He shook his numb hand.
"I believe you can fight."
"What's the purpose?"
"The evidence is here."
Jessica walked out from the underground passage.
In her hand was a data disk just dismantled from the cell's server.
She plugged it into a computer.
A surveillance video popped up.
Fisk's private security guards were escorting test subjects.
One of the children resisted and was knocked down by a stun baton.
The right side of the screen showed the cargo serial number.
[ DODC Legacy Asset Transfer. ]
The next record was even more direct.
Fisk's offshore company paid $6.7 million to the underground facility.
Remarks:
[ Enhanced Individual Screening and Redistribution. ]
The last trace of doubt on Luke's face vanished.
"This place belongs to Kingpin."
"It used to belong to a DODC peripheral cooperative institution."
Jessica brought up the capital chain.
"After DODC fell, Fisk's people took over this place."
"Among the missing persons, some were re-screened as low-risk enhanced individuals."
"The useful ones stay."
"The unstable ones are sold to external research institutions."
Luke clenched his fists.
A faint cracking sound came from the wall.
"When I found this place yesterday, I thought it was just human trafficking."
Lin Yao looked at the rescued people down below.
"Now I know."
Luke stared at him.
"Are you planning to send them all to Dawn House?"
"Ask first."
Lin Yao turned around and walked back down.
The first man refused.
"My home is right in Harlem."
"I want to go back."
"Sure."
The second girl said softly:
"I don't have a home."
"When DODC caught me, I had already been missing for two years."
"Is there still room in Dawn House?"
"Yes."
The third person wanted to live in Hells Kitchen first.
The fourth was preparing to search for family.
The fifth was willing to accept Dawn House's medical care.
Lin Yao didn't persuade anyone to change their decision.
Fifteen minutes later, the eleven people completed their preliminary choices.
Four were willing to go to Dawn House.
Three were arranged safe housing by Luke.
The remaining four hoped to find family members first.
Luke stood by and watched the whole time.
No one forced them with guns.
Jean didn't appear here to read anyone's thoughts either.
Lin Yao didn't even ask if they were willing to participate in combat.
"You really let them choose for themselves."
"Dawn House has always been like this."
Luke was silent for a few seconds.
"Kingpin has been saying that you're preparing to build a superpower army."
"He wants everyone to believe it."
"That way, when he takes over DODC equipment, he can claim he's fighting another threat."
Jessica shut down the computer.
"And in that contract of his, he's already prepared to turn Dawn House into his own army."
Luke sneered.
"Sounds a lot like Fisk."
Lin Yao pointed at the underground cell.
"These people need a temporary safe house."
"Dawn House is being watched by too many people right now."
Luke said:
"I have three places in Harlem."
"There are two safe houses left by friends in Hells Kitchen."
"No electronic registration."
"Kingpin won't find them in a short time."
"Give me the locations."
Luke looked at him.
"This is cooperation, not you bossing me around."
"Fine."
"If your people mess around in Harlem, I'll kick them out."
"Talk after you can beat me."
The corners of Luke's mouth twitched.
Jessica laughed out loud.
"You've known each other for ten minutes, yet you already look like people who would cause trouble together."
Over the next hour, both sides exchanged intelligence.
Luke had been active in Harlem and Hells Kitchen all these years.
He knew which small clinics were willing to help street heroes treat injuries.
Which churches could temporarily hide people.
Which community organizations wouldn't tip off Fisk.
These networks were not large.
Yet they were more valuable than safe houses on a map.
Kingpin could buy out companies.
It was hard to buy off all neighborhood residents at once.
Luke also took out a missing persons list.
Over the past half year, twenty-three people had mysteriously disappeared in Harlem.
Seven of them had previously exhibited abnormal abilities.
Lin Yao used his Super Brain to cross-reference with DODC files.
Four entered secret facilities under Fisk's name.
Two were transferred.
The record of the last one pointed to a private banquet three days later.
"What is this?"
Luke glanced at it.
"Fisk holds private charity dinners every once in a while."
"Fundraising on the surface."
"The real deal is upstairs."
Jessica quickly searched the invitation list.
Arms dealers.
Private security companies.
Several foreign buyers.
And top executives from Fisk Advanced Defense.
Luke threw a photo searched from a security guard onto the table.
Four DODC weapons were displayed in the photo.
Mind-suppression guns.
Genetic resonance modules.
Enhanced armor cores.
And a piece of Vibranium component from Wakanda.
"Kingpin is preparing to sell DODC weapons at the banquet."
Lin Yao finished reading the list.
The world line threat map updated once more.
[ Fisk crime syndicate high-value transaction node appeared. ]
[ Faction check-in progress: twenty-two percent. ]
[ Target location: Fisk's private charity dinner. ]
In the telepathic communication, Yelena quickly received all the data.
She was silent for two seconds.
Then a young female voice came from her side.
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
Yelena chuckled softly.
"Because I suddenly remembered your family is very rich."
Kate Bishop, which was the second-generation Hawkeye's voice, immediately became alert.
"What does that have to do with me?"
"Interested in attending a real banquet?"
Chapter 34 Hawkeye sneaked into the banquet, I went straight in through the front door
Luxury cars were parked full at the entrance of Fisk Tower.
New York City councilors, real estate developers, fund managers, and media executives entered the lobby one after another.
Kate Bishop sat in the car, looking at the banquet promotional sign, and her mouth twitched slightly.
"He's hosting a charity banquet using DODC victims?"
Yelena was adjusting the miniature communicator in her earring.
"Rich people love nothing more than donating a little bit of what they stole back."
Kate looked at her.
"You talk as if you have no money."
"I spend other people's."
Jean's voice entered both of their consciousnesses.
"Telepathic communication is stable."
"The underground auction entrance has been confirmed, two floors below the main banquet hall."
"Kate is responsible for the legal identity, and Yelena is responsible for entering the core area."
Kate adjusted her dress.
The Bishop family name was enough for her to get an invitation.
Lin Yao walked down.
A black suit.
No golden aura.
Nor any weapons.
Kate was stunned.
"Wait."
"Is he sneaking in too?"
Yelena glanced over.
"He doesn't look like he's sneaking in."
Lin Yao walked toward the entrance.
The security personnel were just about to check the invitation letter when the electronic terminal lit up automatically.
[Lin Yao.]
[Special Representative of Dawn House.]
[Federal Temporary Protected Identity Number: Valid.]
[Ninety-Day Special Cooperation Framework Member.]
After the multi-party agreement was signed, the Federal Special Affairs Committee reissued a temporary identity code to Lin Yao.
It was enough for him to enter public occasions as a legal representative.
The security guards at the door clearly stiffened for a moment.
"Mr. Lin."
"Welcome."
Lin Yao walked into the hall.
Jean said in telepathic communication:
"There are seven sets of scans on you."
"Already handled."
Lin Yao gathered all his Qi back in.
His aura was suppressed to the level of nearly an ordinary person.
Thermal imaging, energy scanning, and superhuman detection equipment only obtained a set of inexplicable low values.
The people who were still talking in the banquet hall stopped one after another.
Soon, dozens of gazes converged at the same time.
Kate, who had just walked into the hall, saw this scene.
Not even Conquerors Haki was released.
Yet the sound of the entire banquet still quieted down.
"This is even more exaggerated than him punching Lukeaway."
Kate whispered.
Yelena picked up her champagne.
"When he punched through an armored car, others only needed to be afraid."
"Tonight, these people also have to consider whether to go over and shake his hand."
Lin Yao had already memorized the entire banquet guest list.
The Super Brain quickly classified the sixty-seven core guests.
Nine political figures.
Twelve real estate and financial executives.
Seven media heads.
Six military enterprise representatives.
Among the remaining people, fourteen had financial transactions with Fisk shell companies.
"Third table on the front left, gray tie."
Matt's voice came through telepathic communication.
"After you entered the door, his heart rate suddenly increased."
Lin Yao looked over.
Deputy Director of the New York Urban Renewal Committee.
The name had already appeared on the Fisk real estate blockade list.
"Noted."
"And the congressman's assistant by the second-floor railing."
Matt continued: "After hearing your name, he sent a message to someone."
Lin Yao glanced over.
The other party's finger was still pressing on the side of his phone.
The Super Brain quickly linked him to two Fisk charity foundations.
"The second one."
The two did not act immediately.
Tonight's most important target was underground.
The more nervous the people upstairs were, the easier it was to expose their relationships.
At the other end of the main banquet hall, Wilson Fiskappeared.
A white suit.
A purple tie.
Accompanied by corporate executives and several councilors.
"Mr. Lin."
Kingpin took the initiative to extend his hand.
"I didn't expect you to be willing to attend my charity banquet."
Lin Yao shook hands with him.
"You invited Dawn House."
"Of course I had to come and see how you plan to help the DODC victims."
Nearby reporters immediately swarmed over.
Kingpin's expression was calm.
"Fisk Corporation has established a 200 million dollar special fund."
"This city has experienced too much harm."
"We should all do something."
Lin Yao nodded.
"Indeed."
"For example, explain why two payments for DODC's purchase of Vibranium were transferred out from your shell companies."
The surroundings instantly went quiet.
The smile on Kingpin's face did not disappear.
"If you are referring to the previously public fund records, my legal team has already cooperated with the investigation."
"Large corporations have complex investment relationships."
"I personally do not participate in every payment."
Matt's voice came through.
"Heart rate is steady."
"This sentence was prepared in advance."
Lin Yao looked at Kingpin.
"What about the other five?"
Kingpin's gaze changed slightly.
But Matt heard it.
"It changed."
Lin Yao continued:
"Purchasing neural equipment."
"Paying for Tombstone's transportation costs."
"Remitting funds to the V-Max supplier."
"Five of the seven transactions went through the same layer of authorization."
"The authorizer's code name is W. F."
The reporter section immediately exploded.
An executive next to Kingpin experienced a sudden surge in heartbeat.
Matt raised his chin.
"That one on the right."
Lin Yao simultaneously noticed the other party's pupils contract and his fingers instinctively touching his pocket.
Aura perception captured the change in breathing.
"Mr. Fisk."
Lin Yao did not continue pressing Kingpin.
Instead, he turned to that executive.
"Do you know who W. F. is?"
The man's expression changed.
"I don't know all the internal codes of the corporation."
Matt said:
"Lying."
Lin Yao smiled.
"Very good."
"The third one tonight."
What was even more troublesome was that every person picked out was related to the real capital chain.
Basement Level Two.
Kate swiped her invitation card.
Yelena passed behind her and casually pressed a replication patch onto the second door lock.
The green light lit up.
"Welcome to the real charity banquet."
Behind the door were dozens of black weapon boxes.
DODC mind-suppression guns.
Gene resonance equipment.
Enhanced armor cores.
Vibranium components.
And two silver boxes labeled V-Max.
Kate's expression turned completely serious.
"Upstairs they are fundraising for victims."
"Downstairs they are selling the weapons that harmed them."
"That's why I don't like charity banquets."
Yelena plugged into the data terminal.
The auction list was quickly copied.
Twenty-one buyers.
Four foreign arms middlemen.
Three private research institutions.
Six security companies.
And the private agents of two local politicians in New York.
Jean's voice sounded.
"Send the list to Ned."
"Keep looking for three DODC data cores."
Yelena was just about to go deeper when she suddenly stopped.
"One person is missing here."
"Who?"
"The person in charge of auction security."
She pulled up the list.
[Benjamin Poindexter.]
Kate hadn't reacted yet.
Jean had already said:
"Bullseye."
Above the banquet hall.
Lin Yao also raised his head at the exact same instant.
A familiar aura entered the perception range.
The bullet that shot at him from three kilometers away.
The hospital and subway bombs.
Fisk-A17.
This aura, he remembered.
"Bullseye is in."
Lin Yao said in telepathic communication.
Jean was currently sitting in the Dawn House seating area on the side of the banquet hall.
"Location?"
"Second floor."
She just raised her head.
A playing card flew out from a gap in the crowd.
The edge of the card was spinning at high speed.
First brushing past the bottom of a champagne glass.
Changing angle.
Then hitting a metal tray.
Refracting a second time.
Finally passing by a reporter's shoulder.
The target pointed straight at Jean's throat.
The surroundings were full of guests.
If Lin Yao directly released large-scale power, it would instead drag ordinary people into it.
By the second-floor railing, Bullseye took off his waiter's hat.
The corners of his mouth curled up.
"This time—"
"Let's see how you catch it."
Chapter 35: The moment Armament Haki was activated, Bullseye's bullets were completely shattered.
The playing card was less than three meters away from Jean's throat.
Lin Yao raised his hand.
Two fingers pinched the corner of the card.
The high-speed spinning playing card stopped instantly.
At the same time, the sound of breaking through the air came simultaneously from four directions of the banquet hall.
Dinner knives.
Glass shards.
Steel balls.
Two special bullets ricocheted from behind the chandelier.
Bullseye never expected the first card to kill anyone.
That was just the beginning.
"Everyone, get down!"
Jean's mental communication instantly covered her team members.
Matt raised his head sharply.
In his hearing, the entire banquet hall had turned into a dense network of trajectories.
Seven dinner knives.
Twelve high-speed pieces of glass.
Nine steel balls.
Six special bullets.
And three metal playing cards that had ricocheted a second time.
Thirty-seven weapons.
From different directions, they simultaneously attacked Jean, several DODC witnesses, and Kate, who had just returned to the first floor from the underground auction area.
Bullseye stood behind the second-floor railing.
He had even calculated everyone's dodging direction in advance.
Whoever dodged to the left would take the second steel ball into their temple.
Whoever ducked down, the ricocheting bullet would pass along the surface of the table close to the ground.
If Lin Yao erupted with an aura blast, the hundreds of ordinary people in the banquet hall would be knocked over first.
At this very moment, the system prompt lit up.
[High-difficulty precision defense event detected.]
[Restriction condition: Protect a large number of civilians.]
[Restriction condition: Multi-target, multi-trajectory, continuous ricochet.]
[Event check-in conditions met.]
"Check in."
[Check-in successful.]
[Obtained: Armament Haki.]
A new power emerged from within his body.
There was no explosive feeling of Qi.
It was more solid.
More direct.
Lin Yao looked down at his hands.
Black coverage rapidly spread from his fingertips to the back of his hands.
The first bullet had already arrived.
Lin Yao raised his hand and pinched.
Snap!
The bullet head shattered into metal powder between his two fingers.
The second one shot toward Jean from the rear side.
Lin Yao did not turn back.
His aura perception had already locked onto the trajectory.
His palm grabbed backward.
The bullet fell into his palm.
His five fingers closed.
It shattered.
Immediately after, Lin Yao moved.
Without the golden aura of a Super Saiyan.
Only a residual shadow could be seen in the banquet hall.
The dinner knife had just completed its second ricochet when it was snapped by fingers covered in Armament Haki.
The glass shards were directly turned into powder upon being touched by his fist-edge.
Three steel balls passed through the gaps in the crowd.
Lin Yao pointed out three fingers in succession.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
All the steel balls changed direction, embedding themselves into the empty wall.
Kate had just emerged from the underground passage when she saw a bullet flying toward her, skimming the edge of a champagne glass.
She didn't even have time to raise her bow.
A black palm was already blocking in front of her.
Lin Yao grabbed the bullet.
His fingers gently rubbed.
The bullet head split in half.
Kate stared at his hand.
"Just now you..."
"Get down first."
Lin Yao disappeared.
The remaining nineteen weapons entered their final trajectory segment at the same time.
Matt closed his eyes, but he could clearly hear every collision.
One.
Four.
Nine.
Seventeen.
Twenty-eight.
Thirty-seven.
The last piece of glass shard was pinched between Lin Yao's fingers.
The entire process took less than two seconds.
Holding his blind cane, Matt didn't speak immediately for the first time.
"How many did he block?" Kate asked.
"Thirty-seven."
"All of them?"
"All of them."
The banquet hall was dead silent.
Hundreds of guests didn't even see clearly what had happened.
They only saw Lin Yao standing back in front of Jean.
Broken knives, shattered bullets, and metal fragments were scattered on the ground.
Kingpin stood beside the main table.
His gaze fell on Lin Yao's hands, which had returned to their normal color.
That layer of black power just now, he had never seen before.
Every time Lin Yao fought, it seemed like he was telling everyone—
His abilities had not reached their limit yet.
On the second floor, the smile on Bullseye's face had vanished.
Last time during the sniping from three kilometers away, he was still able to force Lin Yao to stay and protect the witnesses.
This time, he utilized his best skills in ricochets, angles, and crowds to the absolute limit.
Thirty-seven attacks.
Not a single one hit.
Lin Yao raised his head.
"Are you done fighting?"
Bullseye turned and left immediately.
Lin Yao stomped his foot.
There was no point of leverage.
Yet his body directly stepped on the air and rushed to the second floor.
Levitation combined with explosive speed appeared almost instantly in front of Bullseye.
Bullseye's pupils shrank abruptly.
Just as the dinner knife in his hand was raised, Lin Yao's fist had already arrived.
Armament Haki covered his right fist.
He did not use Super Saiyan.
Nor did he use his full strength.
Bang!
The bulletproof armor on Bullseye's chest dented on the spot.
The internal ceramic layer and metal fibers shattered simultaneously.
His entire body flew backward, crashing through the second-floor partition.
A mouthful of blood spewed from his mouth.
For the first time, he truly felt fear.
If this punch had been slightly heavier, he would already be dead.
Just as Lin Yao was about to strike, continuous alarms suddenly came from afar.
The underground auction area.
Yelena's voice came through the mental communication.
"Bombs!"
"Twelve of them."
"They're not ordinary timers."
"Connected to the life monitors of the personnel at the scene."
Kate's expression changed.
"I'm going down."
Jean quickly connected to the underground structure.
Twelve bombs were strapped respectively to the witnesses and experimental subjects brought in to participate in the secret transaction.
Among them were also two internal financial personnel from Fisk Corporation.
As long as Bullseye's heartbeat stopped, the bombs would detonate immediately.
Bullseye was obviously prepared long ago.
He looked at Lin Yao.
"Kill me."
"The twelve people downstairs will die together."
Lin Yao stopped his steps.
The corners of Bullseye's mouth curled up again.
"Weren't you very eager to kill me?"
"Come now."
Lin Yao glanced at him.
"You think this is a protective talisman?"
A wisp of extremely thin Qi had already fallen onto Bullseye.
Aura marking complete.
More concealed than last time.
As long as Bullseye was still active within New York, Lin Yao would be able to follow the residual aura to find his next resting spot.
"Peter."
The mental communication connected.
Peter, who had been guarding the perimeter of the building all along, directly smashed through the window of the underground parking level.
"I'm here."
"Kate, go disarm the bombs with him."
"Yelena, continue looking for the data core."
"Jean, you're responsible for isolating the blast wave."
Kate had already rushed into the underground passage.
"Received."
Bullseye obviously sensed something was wrong.
"Aren't you chasing?"
"Why chase?"
Lin Yao took a step back.
"You will take me to find the rest of the people yourself."
Bullseye's expression changed completely for the first time.
He abruptly felt for his collar.
He didn't find any tracker.
Lin Yao had already turned around.
"Run faster."
"Don't make me feel like you're worthless."
Bullseye didn't hesitate.
He smashed open the side door and disappeared from the dedicated evacuation passage.
Kingpin watched this scene from afar.
He didn't know what Lin Yao had left on Bullseye.
But he was very clear that matters had already deviated from his preset plans.
Even more troublesome was the banquet hall.
That assassination just now happened in front of all the reporters and political and business figures.
Lin Yao didn't kill anyone.
He didn't destroy the hall.
He didn't even let a single guest get hurt.
James's live broadcast team was also at the scene.
The camera completely captured the footage of Lin Yaocrushing bullets barehanded.
The charity banquet that originally belonged to Fisk was now left with only one name being discussed by everyone.
Lin Yao.
Underground second floor.
Peter had already disarmed the fifth bomb.
Kate cut a backup line and wiped the sweat from her forehead.
"Did Bullseye run away?"
Yelena didn't even raise her head.
"Ran away very well."
"Why?"
"Because Lin Yao let him run."
Kate's movements paused.
She finally understood.
Bullseye thought he had traded for his life by using hostages.
But Lin Yao had turned him into a mobile roadmap.
Upstairs, Lin Yao walked back into the banquet hall.
Kingpin looked at him face-to-face.
"I am very sorry about today's accident."
"You'd better be sorry for a long time."
Lin Yao said.
"Because next time, who I will find following him, even I don't know."
Kingpin didn't answer.
Just at this moment, a woman appeared in the evacuation passage on the other side of the second floor.
Short hair.
Leather jacket.
A complex tattoo was exposed on her right arm.
She had been hiding behind Bullseye's backup route just now.
No attack.
Nor did she help Kingpin.
She looked toward Lin Yao.
She raised both hands.
Sign language.
Lin Yao couldn't understand.
Jean's mental communication simultaneously transmitted the explanation.
"She says—"
"I know Kingpin's underground entrance."
The woman lowered her hands.
Her gaze still lingered on Lin Yao.
Maya Lopez.
Echo.