Inside the reptile-gene research laboratory on the 36th floor of Osborn Tower — a facility worth billions of U.S. dollars — Ryan stood in a pristine white coat like a spearhead before a massive natural-environment simulator.
The giant glass chamber, built from super-composite materials, boasted resistance to extreme heat, severe cold, corrosion, and impact.
Four-fifths of the simulator that had originally been configured for tropical lizards had been removed.
In its place Ryan had divided the interior into five equal regions representing the Five Elements and five cardinal directions.
One simulated area, strewn with cold mineral stones, housed Golden-backed Centipedes that fed on various metal-attribute poisonous insects.
Another was a thunderous rainforest where Green Lizards crawled about, exhaling a wood-Qi poisonous miasma.
A misty swamp held Black Shadow snakes that preyed on aquatic poisonous creatures. A steaming volcanic zone was overrun by Red Scorpions.
And a high plateau thick with Earth Qi hosted flickering jade-colored toads.
The natural-environment simulator — a multi-billion-dollar build by the Osborn Group — was formidable.
In less than two weeks it had already reproduced the Five-Elements domain Ryan needed.
Combined with the research files left behind by Professor Connors, the lab was producing rapid, startling results.
Many of the experimental subjects cultivated in the reptile-gene lab were naturally Zerg.
When those Zerg were placed into the Five-Elements environmental domain, the Golden Centipedes, Green Lizards, Black Snakes, Red Scorpions, and Jade Toads that Ryan had painstakingly bred for over a year began evolving at an accelerated rate.
Ryan occasionally nurtured them with his own blood, which contained a high concentration of Spiritual Qi.
Given that, it wouldn't take long for the Five Poisons to develop into Five Elements Spiritual Insects. At that point they could begin cultivating the Five Elements Di Sha Qi.
Even so, based on Ryan's current foundation, the amount of Five Elements Di Sha Qi required to reach the Di Sha Realm was enormous.
Breeding a sufficient number of Five Elements Spiritual Insects would cost a lot of time and money. Norman Osborn might not tolerate Ryan occupying this facility indefinitely.
A faint light flickered in Ryan's eyes as he watched the rapid growth of the insects; already he was calculating how to expand his control — how to take over the Osborn Group itself.
At the Triskelion, S.H.I.E.L.D.
Nick Fury, wearing a black trench coat, stood with his hands clasped behind his back at a window, listening to reports from Agent Coulson and Director Hill with an air of calm authority.
"The Cent family, ghouls, Frank, and a skeleton creature that can disperse into black mist," Coulson reported.
"So, the Cent family was basically cleaned out by the Sullivans?" Fury asked, his one remaining eye sharp.
"Yes, sir," Coulson replied. "Our intel indicates Frank joined the Sullivan Family seven days ago and became head of security at Presbyterian Hospital. In the past few days, he's gathered several former comrades and formed an action team. Our analysis suggests the Sullivan Family may be preparing to expand."
Coulson fell silent.
Hill's face, usually a mask of integrity, showed a flicker of something darker. "Should we move against the Sullivan Family—"
"No." Fury cut him off. "S.H.I.E.L.D.'s mission is to monitor and effectively control supernatural phenomena on a global scale. The New York underworld's turf wars aren't our purview."
"I've also received reports that the Irish Mob and the Russian Mafia are both unhappy with the Sullivan Family," Fury continued. "Someone else will probe their strength for us. We watch quietly."
Hill still looked restless. According to S.H.I.E.L.D. files, the skeleton creature Frank used to wipe out the Cent family was terrifyingly powerful yet controllable.
Ghouls were already on record at S.H.I.E.L.D. — even fully equipped agents need a full strike team to handle them.
But the skeleton demon Frank brought could easily annihilate dozens of ghouls.
If S.H.I.E.L.D. could obtain that skeleton and its control method, it would be a major asset.
Fury, seeing Hill's expression, allowed a small, confident smile. "Agent Hill, the underground has its own reasons for existing. It's intertwined with darker realms. We can't be hasty."
"Agent Barton has informed me that Black Widow — the Red Room's ace — has pledged cooperation with us. That's an opportunity to test her mettle."
He paused, then added, matter-of-factly, "Ryan—" he corrected himself and smirked slightly, "Ryan Sullivan is just a second-generation mobster; he's not our problem."
New York — Hell's Kitchen, Fisk Tower penthouse.
Kingpin's massive frame sank into an imperial chair. Behind him an albino, square-faced man stood motionless.
A villain with a target painted on his forehead idly tossed a tennis ball. In the ceiling corner, a man in a scorpion combat suit dozed.
An aristocratic young executive paced, delivering a report to Kingpin. When the update ended, Kingpin lifted his cane without emotion.
"Don't worry about the Cent family being wiped out," he said. "That's the Sullivan Family's business."
"But tell the Irish Mob not a single cent of the two-hundred million owed to me is to be missing," he continued. "Whether the Irish stir up a fight with the Sullivans — that's not our concern. They can create trouble, but they must keep those vampire bats in check."
He jabbed his cane for emphasis. "Also, Mr. Max, my patience is limited. The particle-accelerator project can't be delayed any longer. No one takes my money without delivering results."
"The matter of accessing parallel worlds cannot remain theoretical. I want human trials started as soon as possible. Sometimes you have to make sacrifices."
Kingpin's words hung in the room like a decree — cold, inevitable, and final.