Neither S.H.I.E.L.D. nor Kingpin took the Sullivan Family—where Ryan was—seriously.
Even the total annihilation of the Cent Family only drew brief attention before being dismissed as another gang war in New York.
For Ryan, though, whether they underestimated him or not didn't matter.
After the Five Elements Spiritual Insects' cultivation at Osborn Group entered a stable phase, Ryan no longer stayed at the company.
In just half a month, he had used the reptile lab's equipment to accelerate the growth of the Five Elements Spiritual Insects while also studying Professor Connors' research data.
It had to be said—Connors' work had reached a remarkable level of sophistication.
Combined with the Decay Formula Frank had recovered from the abandoned station, both the Spider Serum and the Lizard Serum had limitless potential.
However, when it came to adaptability, both serums still required genetic debugging.
A one-in-a-billion case like Gwen—who became a perfect Spider-Woman after a single bite—was a statistical miracle.
Normally, creating a successful genetic warrior required an exhaustive process: screening, genetic debugging, insect cultivation, serum manufacturing, and finally, live injection trials.
Even then, the success rate was barely seventy to eighty percent, with each test subject and each dose costing millions.
For Ryan personally, these serums were secondary—mere tools.
But for building his own forces, they were invaluable. A batch of perfected soldiers could become an unstoppable power.
Still, producing those serums was tedious and time-consuming. Ryan wasn't about to waste his own energy on it.
Inside a sleek, black luxury car, Ryan leaned back casually while glancing at Frank, who was driving.
"Frank, I haven't seen much of you lately. How's the action team coming along?"
Without turning his head, Frank replied, "Boss, the team's ready. We can move anytime. Do you want to inspect them?"
Ryan waved a hand. "No need. If you think they're ready, that's good enough for me. For now, we're going to visit Professor Connors. He's a rare talent—worth meeting personally."
Frank hesitated. "Uh, Boss… maybe we should wait. Things aren't exactly safe lately."
Ryan frowned slightly.
Frank's hesitation caught his attention. As one of the most formidable single-combat fighters among humans, Frank was never the type to waver.
Since joining Ryan's side, he'd always acted with military precision and ruthless decisiveness.
For him to show hesitation now? That meant something serious.
After a short pause, Ryan said calmly, "Frank, talk. What's going on?"
Frank didn't mince words. "Boss, it's the Irish Mob and the Russian Mafia."
Ryan didn't respond immediately, but his expression hardened.
Under that silent pressure, Frank continued, "Recently, the Irish Mob enlisted some monsters from the Dark Underworld—Vampires. They've been causing trouble for our operations. And the Russians, apparently working with the Irish, have brought out someone called the Night Devil—one of the top assassins in the underground world."
Ryan raised an eyebrow. "All that over the two hundred million worth of goods?"
Frank shook his head stiffly. "No, Boss. It's about the thirteen seats in New York's underground council."
Ryan's lips curved slightly. "So Kingpin's dogs want to rise up, huh? Trying to wipe out the Sullivan Family and take our seat at the table. Typical."
After a moment, Ryan laughed softly.
"These idiots actually have the same idea as me. Tell me, can't you handle a few Vampires?"
"With the White Bone Bead you gave me, defense isn't a problem," Frank admitted. "But these Vampires are good at hiding—and there are a lot of them. Plus, that Night Devil from the Russians… he's trouble."
Ryan waved dismissively. "Then we'll handle it ourselves. Tonight, we pay the Irish Mob a visit. For now, we see Professor Connors."
"Understood, Boss," Frank said, his tone firm again. After that, he fell silent, resuming his role as the perfect driver.
As the city lights blurred past the car windows, Ryan's mind was already turning over the situation.
Vampires weren't something he feared.
After living in this world for more than two years, Ryan had a decent understanding of them. In essence, they were long-lived supernatural creatures—stronger, faster, and more regenerative than humans.
But they had far too many weaknesses: sunlight, silver, even garlic.
A well-prepared human could deal serious damage to ordinary Vampires.
In the modern world, they weren't nearly as dominant as legends made them out to be.
Their real strongholds were in Europe.
While the American Vampires had copied the structure of the Thirteen Bloodline Clans, their lineage was diluted and impure—outcasts compared to the European Dark Council.
So no, neither the Irish Mob nor their Vampire pets worried Ryan.
What concerned him slightly was the man behind them—Kingpin.
Or rather, the intricate web of influence that supported Kingpin.
In capitalist America, especially in a city like New York, the underworld and the political world were never separate. Both were intertwined through money and power.
Ryan knew Kingpin's influence extended deep — into the New York State Governor's office, the Gun Association, and even the U.S. Navy.
Taking down the Irish Mob meant crossing Kingpin.
And crossing Kingpin meant confronting the powerful interests behind him.
Fortunately, the Sullivan Family already had strong political connections.
The Mayor of New York was an ally—and a bitter rival of the State Governor.
If Ryan could align his moves with the Mayor's interests, political resistance would be minimal.
As for the Gun Association, they were easy enough to deal with.
As long as their profits remained untouched, they'd stay neutral—or even side with whoever seemed stronger. And if necessary, Ryan could always use the Gun Control Association as leverage against them.
The real problem would be the U.S. Navy's involvement.
But even that, Ryan thought, could be turned into an opportunity.
He planned to bring Professor Connors into his fold, and with the Lizard Serum nearing completion, there was a perfect way to approach the military.
Once that serum was perfected, Ryan could offer the U.S. Navy something no one else could—super soldiers with regenerative power.
And with that, even Kingpin's vast network would start to crumble.