In American comics, I gave Aunt Mei a backdoor at the beginning

I started my career as an American tycoon in American comics, and vowed to be a capitalist full of positive energy…

When Hawke saw the gentle and elegant, girlish immaturity, exuding a mature charm, at the most charming age of 30, and also a widow, Aunt May, the Holland brother version,

Hawke decided that he would accept Peter Parker as his nephew!

In American comics, I gave Aunt Mei a backdoor at the beginning.
1 Natasha, I hope you can bring some good news
December 1, 2007
S.H.I.E.L.D. Headquarters – Triskelion Building
Natasha Romanoff’s high heels made a discreet click on the synthetic floor, so smooth it reflected her reflection, blending perfectly into the deep, low hum that permeated this area deep within the Triskelion headquarters.
A massive mechanical structure works tirelessly within the invisible walls and ceiling, providing power and protection for this behemoth floating on the Potomac River.
The cold air carries a clean smell that comes from precise filtration, and every breath reminds you where you are—the heart of one of the world’s most powerful and mysterious intelligence agencies.
The physical file in her hand felt unusually heavy. The dark gray hard cover had no identifiers, only a constantly changing encrypted matrix watermark made up of letters printed in the corner – the highest level of authority mark of S.H.I.E.L.D.
The heavy composite armored door of the director’s office slid open silently to the sides, revealing the space inside.
The huge floor-to-ceiling window occupies the entire wall opposite the door, but at this moment it seems to be covered with a layer of flowing inky night.
The real dusk outside is completely isolated and blocked, and only the internal intelligent light source casts a cold and precise beam of light, cutting the room into geometric blocks with distinct light and dark.
Nick Fury stood with his back to the door, like a statue in front of the flowing darkness in front of the window.
The lines of his broad shoulders were tense, and the hem of his black leather windbreaker did not move, as if it had merged with the foundation of the huge building beneath his feet.
“Excuse me, Chief.” Natasha’s voice was steady and clear.
Fury didn’t respond immediately.
Time in the office seemed to be stretched and stagnant. Only the tiny flashing lights on the central control console, representing intelligence nodes around the world, proved that the passage of time had not completely stopped.
After a few seconds, he slowly turned around.
And that single, all-seeing eye, penetrating the light in the room, was fixed precisely on Natasha and the ominous gray file bag in her hand.
“Natasha, I hope you have some good news.” His voice was low and hoarse, like sandpaper rubbing against the surface of rock.
“I’m afraid this isn’t the ‘good news’ you were expecting, Chief.” Natasha raised her eyebrows and took a few steps forward, her steps light.
She placed the heavy file folder in the center of Fury’s massive desk, constructed of high-strength polymer and metal alloy.
The tabletop was as smooth as a mirror, reflecting the cold geometric light and shadows of the ceiling grid lights. The file bag fell on it like an abrupt and unwelcome stain.
“Newly marked target, internal codename – ‘Traveler’, priority: highest, risk level: extremely high.” She enunciated each word clearly. “Identity confirmed: Hawk Lane.”
Fury’s eyes were instantly fixed on the file bag as if attracted by a magnet.
“Ryan? Is that Ryan?” He looked at Natasha, with genuine surprise in his voice.
“Yes, it’s the Ryan family who made their fortune from mining.” Natasha nodded, her movements concise and neat.
Without waiting for Fury to sit down, she skillfully extended her slender fingers and lightly brushed them over the file bag.
A faint blue light scanned her fingerprint, and the bag opened silently.
Several specially encrypted virtual light screens that could only be displayed on the devices here were immediately projected from the desktop, suspended in the air, with detailed and clear content.
“Hawk Lane, male, 20 years old, sophomore economics student at Columbia University.”
A photo of an ID card appeared on the light screen in the upper left corner.
The young man in the photo has soft golden brown hair, slightly curled, hanging casually on both sides of his full forehead.
His smile was warm and unclouded, revealing neat, white teeth. His light brown eyes were clear and bright, like warm sunlight shining through honey, almost giving people a sense of innocence and youthfulness.
A typical rising star, carefully crafted by a favorable environment and elite education.
“As for his family,” Natasha’s voice was calm, as if she were reading a perfectly normal report, “he is John Lane’s adopted son and the only recognized legal heir.”
This is public information and anyone can check it.
“John Ryan…” Fury chewed on the name and finally sat down heavily in the sturdy chair. The backrest of the chair groaned slightly under the pressure.
The wealth empire behind that name was like a cold tide, instantly flooding the corners of the office.
“The Ryan Group, which made its fortune in the mining industry, is a global business giant.”
His deep voice held a hint of confirmation. “Lion Industries, Lion Mining, Lion Construction, Lion Capital… they’re top tycoons on par with the Stark Group. I heard one-third of the buildings on Wall Street were built by his family.”
His eyes swept across Hawke’s vibrant face on the screen. “How could a dandy boy born with a silver spoon in his mouth, blessed with a bright future… be associated with such a high-level threat?”
“Just seventy-two hours ago, in Busan, South Korea.” Natasha’s fingers quickly swiped across the air, and the content on the upper right corner of the light screen was instantly refreshed.
Several blurry but powerful images dominate the screen: a shocking scene of ruins.
The huge twisted and broken metal structures were like the skeletons of monsters, randomly stabbing into the gray sky;
The remains of the concrete buildings were torn and shattered by some violent force, and scattered in piles;
The charred marks were like hideous scars, covering the surface of every larger piece of wreckage;
The shock wave of the explosion had obviously wreaked havoc here.
Feilu novels, Feilu will make you look good!
Automatically subscribe to the latest chapter
APP audiobook (free)
Premium audio, popular voice actors, offline listening
ActivityRegister as a Filo member and receive 200 points![Register Now]2 Hawk Lane (Old Version)
“One of the top-secret research bases, codenamed ‘Witch Project’, has been completely destroyed.”
Natasha’s voice remained steady, but her speech speed quickened slightly, revealing the seriousness of the incident. “The official preliminary classification is a ‘gas pipeline serial explosion accident.’
However, our satellite retrospective analysis shows that before the base lost its last signal, its internal defense system had recorded traces of high-intensity, short-duration energy conflicts and destruction patterns…”
She paused, as if searching for the most accurate description. “…Satellite records indicate that two beams of high-energy heat waves appeared repeatedly at the scene. These waves are highly atypical and do not match the characteristics of any known explosives or laser weapons.”
Natasha’s fingers danced again, switching to the next picture that had been magnified to a very high magnification and repaired by an algorithm.
This is a bird’s-eye view from a surveillance camera on the outskirts of the base that narrowly escaped complete destruction.
The image is extremely blurry, noisy, and full of snow and tear marks left by electronic interference.
The focus is on the edge of a relatively intact area near the main entrance and exit of the base.
A figure in a dark trench coat is moving quickly out of the picture through the dense smoke and scattered building debris.
The hood of the windbreaker was pulled down very low, almost completely covering his face, leaving only the well-defined jaw exposed.
“But we captured this in the remaining, heavily damaged fragments of external surveillance data streams.”
Natasha lightly touched the head of the blurry figure with her fingertips.
“Although his facial features are unrecognizable, his identity can be determined through gait analysis and body contour comparison. The primary basis for identification is the subtle light reflection characteristics of the extremely rare custom-made Patek Philippe Starry Sky watch on his wrist…”
She paused for a moment, making sure Fury’s eyes were fully focused.
“…cross-verification targeting rate exceeds 97.8%. Target identity confirmed: Hawk Lane. He appeared at the edge of the explosion center during the evacuation window after the attack.”
Fury leaned forward slightly, his single eye fixed on the blurry but focused figure on the screen, his pupils seeming to shrink imperceptibly.
The air in the office seemed to be filled with heavy lead, and invisible pressure seeped down from the ceiling.
“That’s not all, Director.” Natasha’s voice sank, like an undercurrent beneath the ice, carrying a biting chill.
She called up the last light screen, which was a highly encrypted summary of the biometric tracking report. The red “Lost Target” logo kept flashing at the top, which was extremely dazzling.
“The core assets, or rather, the ‘products’ of the ‘Witch Project’ base—Gu Ziyun, one of the first-generation individuals, and Shin Shiya, a second-generation individual in the final stages of commissioning.”
Two photos of young women were displayed side by side next to the report.
Gu Ziyun’s face was slightly pale, his eyes were as empty as dusty glass beads, and he had an inhuman sense of alienation;
Shen Shiya was younger, and there was even a hint of childishness on her face, but her eyes were just as deep and unfathomable.
Natasha slowly came to her conclusion.
“All fragmented evacuation route analyses, port and airport surveillance screening results, and even all records of abnormal energy fluctuations in the surrounding area… all activated tracking vectors, their final convergence points to Hawk Lane without exception. We have reason to believe that he took them away.”
Dead silence.
Absolute silence enveloped the entire office. The flowing dark curtain wall outside the window seemed to have stopped undulating, solidifying into a thick sheet of lead.
Fury’s hand rested on his knee, the fingers curling slightly. “Does Pierce know? After all, this project was supported by him when he was in power.”
Natasha heard this and shook her head: “I haven’t reported it to him, but he can see what’s happening in South Korea and should be able to guess the general idea.”
Fu Rui narrowed his exposed eye slightly. After a long silence, he said softly, “But he didn’t come to me, which means he still wants to act in secrecy and doesn’t intend to share everything about the witch’s plan.”
“But at the beginning, no one within our company could have imagined that this plan would develop to this stage.”
“A tiny country was able to develop such a super weapon. Pierce refused our participation before, but now is our chance.”
After mumbling to himself for a while, his gaze returned to Hawkline.
A twenty-year-old college student with a resume as clean as a blank sheet of paper.
As the sole heir to one of the world’s richest men, his life should be confined to top universities, luxurious parties, family charity dinners, and the beds of various actresses and supermodels.
How could he possibly be in a supernatural weapons research and development base half a world away, secretly sponsored and closely guarded by former S.H.I.E.L.D. leader Alexander Pierce?
How could he have escaped unscathed from such a devastating explosion and the ensuing chaos?
More importantly, how could he take away those two “witches” who were hailed as “weapons” and whose danger level was privately rated as “mobile disasters” by SHIELD?
Doubts were like cold poisonous snakes, entwining Fury’s tense nerves.
He stared at Hawk Lane’s sunny smile on the screen, which seemed to be defenseless against all the dangers in the world.
This face, his blurry figure appearing at the edge of the explosion ruins, and the two missing girls, formed an extremely disturbing puzzle full of a strong sense of fragmentation.
Behind this smile, is it incredible innocence, or… a bottomless disguise?
The slight buzzing sound of the heavy alloy door opening in the office suddenly broke the almost suffocating silence.
The door slid open silently, and Phil Coulson walked in hurriedly. His dark suit, which was always meticulous and looked as if it had been carefully ironed, could not hide the strong sense of urgency on his face.
He held a transparent data tablet as thin as a cicada’s wing tightly in his hand, and his fingertips turned slightly white due to the pressure.
“Director!” Coulson’s voice had lost its usual composure, revealing a sense of urgency and tension. “Emergency intercept! From the NSA Deep Web!”
3 Aunt Mei: Oh my God, what have we done? (Old version)
Coulson walked quickly to the desk and, without even a nod to Natasha, thrust the data-slate in Fury’s direction.
The datapad slid gently across the smooth surface of the table, stopping precisely in front of Fury.
The screen automatically activated, and a dazzling white light exploded in the dim office, illuminating Fury’s face, which was as cold and hard as a granite sculpture.
At the top of the screen, a line of bold, scarlet headlines glared like congealed blood:
Ryan Foundation Charity Dinner – Final Confirmation of Guest List
Fury’s eyes were like cold probes, scanning downwards quickly.
The list is filled with the names of political and business celebrities and giants from all walks of life, each of whom represents remarkable power and influence.
However, his gaze was as if drawn by an invisible magnet, fixed on the two names in the middle of the list.
The two names were automatically highlighted by the system, with glaring red warning boxes flashing around them:
“Gu Ziyun!”
“Shen Shiya!”
In the prominent position of the host, the name of the host of this dinner was clearly printed:
Hawk Lane
Fury’s eyes moved slowly between the three names, from Gu Ziyun, Shin Shiya, and finally fixed on “Hawk Lane”.
Time seemed to be infinitely stretched and distorted at this moment.
The simulated flowing night outside the window seemed to have stopped fluctuating, and even the never-tiring indicator lights on the console seemed to have frozen and flashed.
The pupil of Fury’s intact eye suddenly contracted.
After a moment, his gaze returned to the virtual screens on the table that were floating quietly and emitting faint light.
Hawk Lane’s light brown eyes, which appeared extremely clear and sunny in the photo, were now looking back at him quietly across time, space and data.
At this moment, something suddenly flashed through his mind.
A month ago, he personally approved the entry of a four-member combat team from South Korea, three women and one man. The leader was named Enfei, a petite girl with a stern face.
It was Alexander Pierce who came to my house in person, so I didn’t take it seriously at the time and just signed the contract.
Later, there was breaking news that the Ryan Group’s high-level meeting room was raided by unknown persons and a fierce battle broke out. The fighting was fierce and there were heavy casualties. In the end, their lives were saved at the cost of almost the annihilation of the bodyguard team.
Fury frowned. As the world’s top agent, he connected all these things together in an instant.
He only learned about the supernatural forces at the battle scene in the Ryan Group’s conference room later.
The four-man combat team was hired by Bates Capital, the old rival of the Ryan Group.
At the same time, he also knew that Bates Capital was one of Alexander Pierce’s white gloves, and Alexander had long coveted the Lane Group’s mining assets around the world.
Just as he was thinking, Coulson’s voice sounded again: “Director… When we were investigating the wreckage of the Busan base… and searching for information inside the server… we found a name…”
“‘king’.”
“The King…” Fury frowned slightly and repeated in a low voice, “Is he one of the street heroes who has been active in Brooklyn in recent years?”
Coulson pursed his lips and said nothing.
Obviously, there is no evidence to prove that there is or is not a connection between the two.
Natasha’s attention was also drawn to this. What kind of script was this?
The super-rich transform into a crime terminator at night?
Bruce Wayne? Natasha thought of this character who only existed in comics.
Of course, the “King” of Brooklyn is just a hero who fights street crime, but the man who committed a shocking tragedy in South Korea is obviously not a small-time crime.
Are these two “kings” the same person?
Fury didn’t look at Hawk Lane’s sunny smile again, and his single eye turned to the thick, simulated darkness outside the window.
The temperature in the office seemed to drop by several degrees suddenly, and the tone was cold:
“How outrageous…”
……………………………………………………………………………
New York late at night, Manhattan, Steinway Building, penthouse.
The night is like expensive velvet, gently wrapping this immortal city standing in the clouds.
Beneath your feet lies a flowing river of stars—billions of lights converge into a never-extinguished sea of light between the Hudson River and the East River.
Hawk Lane leaned against the back of the bed, the amber liquid in the crystal glass in his hand swaying slightly with the movement of his wrist.
The surroundings were messy, and the light cut through Aunt Mei’s naked back on the messy bed.
Sweaty brown hair stuck to the bend of her swan neck. When she stood up, the velvet quilt slipped off, and her exposed skin suddenly tightened. She suddenly felt Hawke’s young fingers still on her waist.
Fragments of memory from two hours ago came flooding back: his hands lifted her up and pressed her against the cold French window, his sweaty back drawing a vortex of mist on the glass.
“Oh my God, what have we done…” Aunt Mei stood up slightly, her eyes filled with shock. She moved her lips silently, grabbed the wrinkled cup and covered her chest with it. She curled up her toes, and the Persian carpet fluff tickled the soles of her feet. “This is crazy…”
She swore to God that she had only “accidentally” run into this man who often appeared in the headlines of the economic and entertainment sections. She didn’t expect that he would say that he knew his nephew, Peter Parker, and could help her get into Midtown Science and Technology High School through the back door, but all she needed was a chance to have dinner together.
Feeling something strange beside him, Hawke turned around.
“Crazy?” Hawke touched his chin and smiled. “Well…how should I put it? Aunt May, you’re already a widow, so I can’t let you be a widow any longer! And since Peter Parker is your nephew, he’s also my nephew!”
Aunt Mei: ???
She opened her eyes wide, listening to the vicious words in disbelief!
It was also this contact that made Hawke marvel at how well Aunt May maintained herself.
During this period, Peter Parker was not yet in high school, and Aunt May was in her thirties, but her skin was glowing white, moist and elastic, which was the most attractive time for a woman.
That kind of intellectual and elegant temperament is even more heart-beating and charming.
Turn on lazy reading mode
4 This admission letter was hard-earned! (Old version)
Aunt Mei was stunned. She looked closely at the twenty-year-old man in front of her. The vigorous vitality emanated from every pore. The new stubble on his chin was a turquoise color, and his smile was sunny, like the rising sun.
Thinking back to how I had been widowed for years, how empty I had felt for years, and the intermittent joy I had experienced two hours ago…
A string suddenly snapped.
The silk shirt fell from her shoulders like a white flag of surrender.
In the night light, the straightened instep swayed in the air again…
An hour later.
Aunt Mei stood at the entrance, adjusting her collar, with new scars on her neck overlapping old ones.
Aunt Mei is wearing a long navy blue trench coat, and the white shirt underneath makes her upper body look unusually plump. The double-row belt design at the waist raises her waistline while showing her personality. Her waist is as slender and soft as a willow.
The smooth lines of the trousers underneath make Aunt Mei’s figure look more defined, and the trousers are stretched tight against her plump buttocks, which are big and round, with an amazing curvature and a clear visual effect.
“Aunt Mei, are you really not staying here overnight?” Hawke had already stuck to her from behind, fitting her S curve so tightly that it could be called an “S”-bend buckle.
Aunt May waved her hand and quickly refused. Seeing that Hawke did not force her to stay, she finally breathed a sigh of relief. After all, she was not a girl in her twenties and could not stand such a toss.
After all this, she just felt that Hawke was too strong, strong in every aspect!
After I go back, I must take time out every day to exercise and do some exercise, otherwise next time…
Aunt Mei blushed suddenly while thinking about it, and spat inwardly, wondering why she would look forward to the next time.
When I entered the elevator, my phone vibrated.
The screen lit up with a text message from Peter: [Aunt May! Midtown High School sent out their acceptance letters!!! When are you coming home? I made blueberry muffins.]Seeing the confirmation message from Parker, I thought of his happy smile behind the screen.
Aunt Mei felt relieved, but also sad: Peter, you have to study hard, this admission letter was hard-earned!
Then, she seemed to have made up her mind, took out her phone, sent a text message to Hawke, and then deleted Hawke’s contact information:
“Mr. Hawke, thank you for your help. I think I’ve repaid you. Let’s not contact each other anymore!”
On the other side, after seeing Aunt May off, Hawke walked to the glass window alone. Seeing the text message from Aunt May, he smiled and said, “Have you repaid me already? Haha, I’ll never be able to repay the General’s kindness in my lifetime…”
Hawke’s twenty-year-old face seemed too young, his golden-brown hair looked soft and harmless under the warm light in the room, and his light brown eyes reflected the brilliance of the city.
A physics teacher at a university in my previous life…
This thought was like a stone thrown into a deep pond, creating ripples in his consciousness.
The figure standing on the podium, talking about the foundations of quantum mechanics to hundreds of students and a dozen top physics professors who came to the podium to admire him, and who was privately teased by students for being a bit “bookish”, has long become as vague as a nightmare from the previous life.
An unexpected laboratory accident, or in other words, the “ticket” activated by the system, threw him from the familiar and stable reality into the bizarre and dangerous Marvel universe.
Fortunately, he landed in a high enough position—John Lane’s adopted son and only offspring, the undisputed heir to this vast business empire.
John Lane, an old man with a tough hand and sharp eyes, provided him with material foundation and protection that ordinary people could hardly imagine.
More importantly, after Hawke cautiously revealed his abnormalities that far exceeded the scope of a “genius boy”, he chose to trust and support him unconditionally.
The confidence for all this comes from the “golden finger” that traveled with him deep in his consciousness – [Annual Fortune Wheel].
A cold, precise, emotionless system.
Every year at midnight on your birthday, the roulette wheel is activated on time.
Twenty grids, all shrouded in fog, and the reward will only be revealed when the pointer stops.
The prizes range from ordinary items, to cards that summon characters, to permanent knowledge infusion, to super powers that give him extraordinary strength.
Twenty years, twenty rotations.
On my first birthday, I got an ordinary pen.
On my second birthday, I won a Glock pistol with unlimited bullets.
On my 3rd birthday, I drew Diamond Brain [Not Upgradeable], a very practical passive ability. The word “Not Upgradeable” shows the absolute defensive ability of this ability in terms of mind and spirit.
4th birthday, 1 finished serum of desperate virus, and a 100% success rate.
On his lucky 5th birthday, he gained the most used ability at present – flight level 1, which can currently achieve the fastest subsonic flight.
I drew a skill card on my 6th birthday. The function of the skill card is to upgrade the skills that have been drawn.
When he was 7 years old, he won a pair of authentic Balenciaga stockings. When the seven-year-old Hawke gave the stockings to a female intern who had just joined the company, he was severely beaten by his father.
When I was 8 years old, I drew a new category: Character Card: Business Elite – Andy.
When he saw the person on the card who looked like actress Liu Tao, his brows twitched. He had watched the hit drama Ode to Joy in his previous life.
The day after he used the skill card, his father suddenly told him that he sponsored a female student from China named Andy and served as her host family.
So, 8-year-old Hawke and 18-year-old Andy started living a shameless life…
On my 9th birthday, I drew a skill card.
On his 10th birthday, the ability he drew was his current core output skill – Heat Ray level 1.
His 11th birthday was an unlucky day, as the first thank you in his life was printed on his forehead.
12 years old, Soul Soothing Level 1, a practical little soul skill that comes in handy when Andy cries because of being bullied by him.
13 years old, thank you for your patronage…
14 years old, thank you for your patronage…
Two years of nightmare…
15 years old, hacking skills level 1, a necessary skill for the protagonist, no need to elaborate.
Three things to do when reading: read, collect, and reward!
5 Concept of Immortality (Old Version)
At 16 years old, comprehensive enhancement [one-time, non-upgradeable], bone density, muscle fiber, nerve reaction speed, cell activity, self-healing ability…
Pushed to the theoretical limits of mortal man.
This allowed him to smash the skulls of three professional mercenaries with his bare hands during a business kidnapping, so fast that the bodyguards couldn’t even see his movements.
At the age of 17, I drew Energy Absorption Level 1.
This is also Hawke’s core ability at present. It was also in this year that Hawke experienced some dramatic stories, which prompted him to put on a tights and do something exciting and righteous.
In fact, he originally wanted to name himself “Hungry Ghost”, but was later criticized for being too stupid, so he changed it to “King”.
In his opinion, possessing this ability means that the ability to protect oneself has been greatly enhanced.
Although the energy absorption of level 1 is not as good as that of the Black Emperor, there is definitely no one in the little Brooklyn who can be his opponent during this period of time.
The ability drawn at the age of 18 is Hawke’s second favorite ability at present, male skill enhancement level 1.
A perfect rite of passage, a gift from God.
After acquiring the ability, Hawke immediately used it on his sister Andy…
Andy, who was already the financial director at the time, took a week-long vacation for the first time and spent the whole week in bed with him…
At the age of 19, I drew a mediocre skill card. So far, I have three skill cards.
The ability he drew at the age of 20 is incredible, and it is also the most awesome ability Hawke has drawn so far.
【Concept of Immortality (Cannot be upgraded)】
No matter what form of life you are,
As long as there is a carrier under the omnipotent universe to record you,
As long as you haven’t been forgotten,
As long as there are people chanting your name,
As long as there are traces of your existence,
You won’t really die.
To this end, the excited Hawke held a yacht party for a full three months, gathering various well-known supermodels and second- and third-tier actresses from many countries, and it made headlines in the entertainment and economic sections every day.
After all, the ability description says, “As long as there are traces of your existence…”
Hawke naturally wanted to leave many traces, all kinds of traces, which certainly included his own genes…
During this period, no one even paid attention to the gossip about playboy Tony Stark.
In short, it’s like living a life of drunkenness and dreams… Anyway, I won’t die…
However, the peaceful days were broken a month ago.
Bates Capital, the greedy vulture on Wall Street, finally showed its fangs after several failed hostile takeover attempts of several mines under Lane Mining.
No longer content with financial games, they directly hired a… monster squad.
The attack occurred during a time period when John Lane convened an important meeting of corporate executives.
The opponent’s attack was precise and brutal.
This is a four-man team. Their movements are faster than humans and their strength is so great that they can tear through concrete walls with their bare hands.
The strangest thing is that they actually have some kind of telekinetic ability. When bullets are shot at them, it is as if they hit an invisible wall and are instantly crushed into metal pancakes.
Fortunately, Hawke happened to be in the company at that time. He rushed into the conference room and used his body to resist and absorb most of the shock wave, successfully covering the evacuation of John Ryan and most of the senior executives, otherwise the consequences would be unimaginable.
Ryan’s mercenaries and bodyguards suffered heavy casualties.
Blood, twisted steel, strange energy fluctuations lingering in the air…
All this was like an icy needle, piercing Hawke’s carefully maintained calm appearance.
Anger burned in his chest, but even stronger than the anger was a cold determination because someone had touched his bottom line.
This time, Hawke, who has become “immortal”, is not afraid of anything.
Hawke used information from some informal channels and his own hacking skills to lock down the attacker’s location.
As the superhero “King”, he launched a ruthless counter-hunt in the underground world of New York.
Among these four:
Do-hoon was chopped into pieces, his healing speed unable to keep up with Hawke’s damage rate, and he was thrown onto the train tracks and crushed into a pulp;
Park Sung-mi was split in half, with one half buried at a construction site and the other half sinking into the Hudson River;
He Xiumin’s head exploded from the heat ray, and he was eventually roasted into a pile of charcoal…
The four-member team was killed until only the last person was left. Hawke used the most cruel means to torture the team’s captain – the woman who caused him a little trouble: Enfei.
She was completely defeated by Hawke’s strength.
She raised her head with difficulty, sporadic words bursting out of her mouth with fear: “We are… the Clay Doll Squad… base… Busan… transformation… witch… Gu Ziyun…”
“Witch Plan”!
A name, a place, a vague outline emerged.
Hawke’s investigative abilities are beyond ordinary people’s imagination.
He used the Ryan Group’s server nodes around the world as a springboard and used a skill card to upgrade his hacking skills to level 2.
In this way, he broke through the peripheral databases of multinational intelligence agencies, scraped off fragmented information, and, together with the secret capital flows of Bates Capital that Andy tracked through special financial channels, he finally outlined his target –
Hidden deep underground in Busan, South Korea, is the “Witch Project” base, which is secretly funded by former S.H.I.E.L.D. Director Alexander Pierce and is developing superhuman weapons.
By investigating the flow of funds over the past few decades, they discovered that Bates Capital, which had been against them and attempted to split up and absorb the Ryan Group, was actually Alexander’s white glove.
So, it was Alexander, the former leader of S.H.I.E.L.D., who wanted to secretly devour Ryan.
As for the reasons, the first reason is: Who would complain about having too much money?
The second reason is that this is not the first time Alexander has done this.
In fact, in his early years, he relied on his power to abuse his influence for personal gain and secretly acquired or controlled some multinational companies.
One is to provide financial support for some of their own actions;
The second is to serve as one’s own intelligence channel.
“So this is how Hydra slowly developed.”
Hawke was also shaking his wine glass at that time.
He needed to extinguish this minor threat and give his opponents a small American shock.
6 72 hours ago (old version)
The key is that he became interested in the program itself…or rather, in the program’s core “product.”
He did not tell John Ryan and Andy the specific action plan, only saying that he was going to “deal with the tail of Bates Capital.”
The time came 72 hours ago.
Hawke’s actions were as swift as lightning.
With the super quality brought by [comprehensive strengthening],
High maneuverability brought by flight,
[Energy Absorption] Nearly immune to base defense weapons and the abnormal function of filling oneself,
In addition, the [Heat Ray] has the power to cut through the alloy gate like a hot knife through butter.
Hawke created a precise “natural disaster” inside the base.
The target is directly aimed at the core testing area.
Then, he saw her.
Gu Ziyun.
The first witch.
Combat power level: T0.
She walked out amidst the ruptured liquid in the culture tank and the red light of the alarm, like a magical blade that had just been tempered and unsheathed.
His eyes were hollow and cold, but his movements were inhumanly smooth and deadly beautiful.
There were no words, just the pure, long-suppressed killing instinct.
The shock wave generated by telekinesis was enough to tear apart a tank, and the air condensed into an invisible blade at her fingertips.
This is a tough battle!
Hawke swore that this was definitely the strongest opponent he had ever encountered, no doubt about it.
They are dozens of times stronger than the four-man combat team that appeared in New York, the Clay Doll Group, the four of them combined.
It’s outrageous!
Hawke was in a tough fight.
His energy absorption field was under tremendous pressure, and the heat rays were deflected again and again by the opponent’s strangely flexible posture and powerful telekinetic shield.
The opponent’s strength, speed, telekinesis, and combat intuition have all reached terrifying levels.
In order to resolve the battle as quickly as possible, Hawke had to use the two skill cards in his reserve.
Heat Ray lv1→lv2
Energy Absorption Level 1 → Level 2
“Buzz!”
Hawke instantly became furious and released an energy pulse burst that covered half of the core area, forcibly interrupting Gu Ziyun’s continuous attack rhythm.
Just as her body was stiffened by the energy impact, Hawke approached!
His fist was so fast that it left an afterimage and hit Gu Ziyun’s crossed arms hard.
The immense force caused the alloy ground to crack under her feet. A fierce close combat ensued!
The speed and telekinesis that Gu Ziyun was proud of seemed to be at a loss under the comprehensive suppression of Hawk, whose prediction, strength, speed, and energy defense had reached the pinnacle.
“Bang!” A side kick at a tricky angle, the energy contained in the explosion kicked Gu Ziyun heavily and sent him flying, hitting the thick alloy wall, leaving a human-shaped dent.
She slid down and knelt on one knee, gasping violently and spurting blood from her mouth.
For the first time, those empty eyes showed a violent fluctuation of emotions – shock, unwillingness, and a hint of… confusion?
Hawke stood before her, looking down at her, his breathing slightly rapid but his eyes still cold and sharp.
He held out his hand, a dangerous energy wave pulsing on his palm: “You can continue until I completely break you, or…”
His voice was low, but it carried an undeniable penetrating force. “Come with me. Leave this cage, leave those who treat you as a tool. I need strength, but I won’t treat you as a consumable. You can… choose to be yourself.”
Gu Ziyun raised his head, and his blood-stained cheek looked particularly fragile in the flashing red light of the alarm.
Those empty eyes stared at Hawke, as if trying to discern the truth from his words, and weighing the cost of resisting again.
The obedience program that was forcibly instilled in her body and the desire for freedom clashed violently.
After a moment of dead silence, her tense body relaxed little by little, and the fierceness in her eyes slowly faded away, leaving only deep fatigue and a faint curiosity about the unknown…?
She asked a question:
“Can I go… to a nightclub… and drink fake alcohol?”
Hawke almost lost his composure when he heard this question, his mouth twitching. He wanted to ask, “Isn’t real wine enough? I can afford it!”
But in the end, I nodded. Fake liquor is easy to get drunk, and Gu Ziyun must have a high metabolism. Real liquor won’t make her drunk at all, so I want to try fake liquor…
Gu Ziyun didn’t say anything, but just lowered his eyelids, which was considered as his agreement to Hawke’s proposal.
Finding the second-generation witch Shen Shiya is much easier.
She looked a year or two younger than Gu Ziyun and was locked up in a more “comfortable” but also more strictly guarded observation room, like a delicate doll.
Hawke, who had read the original novel, naturally knew that this second-generation witch was a more terrifying existence than the first generation.
Not only does she possess a physical body and melee combat abilities that are no less powerful than those of the first generation, but she also greatly enhances her telekinesis level.
But at this moment, her eyes were clear but filled with deep fear, like a frightened deer.
Hawke showed no force.
He used gentle and powerful soothing words and a simple promise:
“Don’t be afraid. There’s a big world out there, with sunshine, ice cream, and freedom. Do you want to go with me and see it?”
The girl’s defenses crumbled in the face of pure kindness.
She nodded timidly and took Hawke’s outstretched hand.
Hawke violently removed the micro-trackers implanted in their bodies, and used the disguised identities and cargo ship routes prepared by Andy to quietly bring the two girls with astonishing powers back to the United States… The whole process was like a sophisticated magic.
When the private plane landed at a secret airport in the suburbs of New York, John Ryan and Andy were already waiting in the hangar.
John saw two girls following Hawke, one cold and the other timid. He raised his eyebrows slightly, then strode forward and hugged Hawke tightly: “You’re glad to be back.”
His eyes swept over Gu Ziyun and Shen Shiya, with scrutiny but no hostility, “Are these two…?”
“Gu Ziyun, Shin Shiya.” Hawke introduced them. “They need a fresh start.”
He didn’t go into too much detail.
Andy smiled knowingly, his eyes glancing at the remaining marks of restraints on Gu Ziyun’s wrists and Shen Shiya’s clear but uneasy eyes, and said calmly, “Welcome to New York, ladies.”
7 What were you doing with that aunt just now? (Old version)
In American comics, I gave Aunt Mei a backdoor at the beginning: 7 What were you doing with that aunt just now?
[Picture: Shen Shiya]Right now.
Hawke looked at the lights of New York outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, playing with an exquisite copper lighter in his hand.
His fingers flipped deftly, and the lighter jumped, flipped, disappeared, and reappeared between his fingers, so fast that only the afterimage could be seen.
“King…” He whispered to himself, with a slight curve at the corner of his mouth.
He had come up with this code name three years ago and used it to fight crime on the streets of Brooklyn.
This identity was also continued in this operation.
The phone screen lit up, and it was an encrypted message from Andy:
Everything is ready. The list has been ‘leaked’ as planned. Bait in the water.
Hawk Ryan smiled slightly, picked up the remote control on the table and clicked it lightly.
The huge floor-to-ceiling glass curtain wall instantly turned into a screen, on which continuously scrolling global financial market data and several encrypted communication windows.
The city lights outside the window were still brilliant. Outside the door, footsteps were heard, very light, with a kind of feline caution.
Gu Ziyun stood at the door of the study, wearing the fitted casual clothes that Andy had sent. His face, which had been washed clean of blood, looked pale under the soft light.
She was holding a tray with a cup of steaming coffee and a sandwich on it. Her movements were a little stiff, and it was obvious that “serving” was more unfamiliar to her than killing.
“Put it on the table.” Hawke didn’t even look up, his fingers tapping rapidly on the virtual keyboard, processing a report on Bates Capital’s recent suspicious capital flows.
Gu Ziyun put down the tray as he was told and did not leave. His eyes swept over the complex data streams on his screen and the file summaries marked “high priority”.
She said nothing, but Hawke could sense the power within her lying in a low, dormant state, like a dormant fire.
“At the base, they only teach you how to destroy,” Hawke finally stopped his fingers, picked up the cup and took a sip, “No one teaches you how to live, or think about ‘why’.”
Gu Ziyun’s eyes fluctuated for a moment, but he remained silent.
“Andy will arrange everything for you. Identity, housing, and basic life skills training.”
Hawke pointed out the window. “The rules of the world outside are different. Strength isn’t the only way to get there. Observe, learn, and execute with precision when I need you.”
His tone was flat.
Gu Ziyun’s lips moved slightly, and he wanted to ask when he could go to a New York nightclub to try the fake liquor in the big city. But after thinking about it, he shut up and just nodded slightly as a response.
After a while, another much lighter sound of footsteps was heard.
Shen Shiya poked her head in like a curious little bird.
She changed into a pink sweatshirt with a cartoon cat pattern on it, her hair was simply tied up, and her face showed the nervousness of being in a new environment and a hint of uncontrollable excitement.
“Mr. Hawke?” Her voice was soft and sticky, with a distinct Korean accent. “Sister Andy said…we can have our own room? Really? A big one? With a view of the lights outside?”
Her eyes were sparkling, filled with the simplest imagination of “freedom” – a space that belongs to her, without any surveillance cameras.
Hawke’s expression cracked into a smile.
The girl’s innocence was like an untainted mirror, reflecting the darkness of the base.
“Yes, Shiya. It’s a very big room. Do you like lights? The whole city will glow at night.” He pointed to the huge floor-to-ceiling windows.
Shen Shiya looked in the direction of his finger and uttered a small exclamation: “Wow… just like in a TV show!”
She turned to Hawke and mustered up the courage to ask, “So…what should I do in the future? Sister Gu said we should listen to you…”
She glanced cautiously at Gu Ziyun beside her.
“Just be yourself, Shiya,” Hawke said gently. “Get familiar with your room first. Andy will teach you the basics of life.”
“Want to draw? Or read a book? Either is fine.”
“Your ability is very special. Perhaps… we can slowly figure out how to make it more interesting rather than scary.”
He emphasized “interesting” rather than “useful”.
What this girl needs is guidance and a sense of security, not being thrown into a cold task immediately.
Shen Shiya’s eyes lit up even more: “Drawing? Is that really possible? I… I’ve only ever secretly drawn on paper before…”
She nodded vigorously, a pure smile spreading across her face, “Thank you, Mr. King!”
She obviously remembered the code name Hawke had casually given her and thought it was both mysterious and cool.
“I have another question!” Shen Shiya raised her arms like a good student.
“hold head high?”
“What were you doing in the room with that aunt just now? Your voice sounded a little shy.”
When Shin Shi-ya’s innocent voice was heard, the atmosphere on the scene suddenly became silent. Gu Zi-yoon on the side quietly took a few steps back, covered his eyes and turned his head away in embarrassment.
Hawke blinked and said, “The sound insulation alone cost me $200,000…”
Gu Ziyun quietly interrupted: “But for us, it is still somewhat clear. But Mr. Hawke, you are really strong!”
After saying that, he gave a thumbs up.
“Fu…that’s just an ordinary leopard print aunt…”
Hawke suppressed the American curse that had come out of his mouth, forced a smile, and took out a stack of US dollars from the drawer and threw it to Gu Ziyun, “You two go stay out for one night, and I’ll arrange new accommodation for you later.”
After driving the two out, Hawke breathed a sigh of relief. His house had good feng shui, and young models and actresses often came in and out to ask him to bless it. He couldn’t let them eavesdrop on his room every time, right?
The phone vibrated again. It was Andy’s encrypted message:
The fish has taken the bait. Bates’ vultures, sensing the blood of Busan, are attempting to cover their tracks and relocate assets. The ‘leaked’ list has caused a stir among the target population. Preliminary assessment suggests S.H.I.E.L.D.’s attention has been drawn.
8 Obviously, she wanted to take a shortcut (old version)
Hawke put down his phone, regained his serious expression, and walked to the floor-to-ceiling window.
Andy’s efficiency was as amazing as always.
The “King” signature that Hawke deliberately left in the main server of the Busan base, and the top-of-the-line watch that “accidentally” appeared when the base was destroyed, were like huge rocks thrown into a calm lake.
Bates Capital must be in a state of panic right now. It may have to face the risk of Alexander Pierce’s fierce criticism and the exposure of its secrets, while also desperately trying to cover up its tracks. It may even become desperate and do something even more stupid.
This is exactly what Hawke wants—chaotic enemies are more likely to make mistakes and easier to eliminate completely.
The intervention of S.H.I.E.L.D. is a key part of the plan.
If he hadn’t drawn the ability of [Conceptual Immortality], he might have continued to keep a low profile and might have only secretly attacked Bates Capital.
But with the concept of immortality, he seemed to have great capital and dared to pull the tiger’s whiskers of S.H.I.E.L.D. and touch the butt of Hydra.
The description of the concept of immortality clearly states that the scope of coverage is the entire omnipotent universe.
Then it can be understood that at least it would take an omnipotent cosmic God to personally eliminate oneself, otherwise it would be difficult to die.
Not to mention that this is most likely a movie universe, even if you look at the entire Marvel Universe, how many almighty universes are there?
None of the most powerful figures in the movie universe could erase him. Even if Thanos collected the Infinity Gauntlet and made himself disappear for a short time, he would return again in no time.
What’s more, at this time, Tony is just a playboy, Captain America is still lying in the ice, Doctor Strange is studying his neurology, and Captain Marvel is still in some corner of the universe…
What can SHIELD do to him?
Skrulls? Hawkeye and Black Widow?
Or should we just send out a hundred Quinjet fighters to fight them directly?
Not false at all!
This time, the assassin sent by Bates Capital did indeed annoy Hawke.
It just so happens that this incident is related to both SHIELD and HYDRA, so it is necessary to give them a warning.
Nick Fury’s one eye never misses any clues about supernatural or supernatural events, especially those involving biological weapons programs.
In Hawke’s opinion, Hydra hiding in the dark is more dangerous than S.H.I.E.L.D.
Who knows if Hydra still has projects of the same level as the Witch Project? How many are there?
Hawke needs the “attention” of the king of agents, and he needs S.H.I.E.L.D.’s huge intelligence network and deterrent power to muddy the waters and share the pressure from Hydra and even deeper forces for him.
But he currently has no intention of revealing his identity as king to S.H.I.E.L.D., and the time has not come yet, so he can only use this trick of “holding the lute half-covered”.
I’m going to tell you that I am the “King”, but if you ask me if it is true, I’m sorry, I don’t admit it!
Let SHIELD track down the “King” and the wreckage of Busan. Hawk Ryan is still the heir to that business empire.
Hawke’s fingers tapped mindlessly on the table, a steady and cold rhythm.
“The next target is you, Bates Capital…” Hawke picked up the slightly cold coffee, his light brown eyes reflecting the data and reports on the screen.
There are a lot of negative information about Bates Capital, ranging from intimidation and blackmail to murder and arson…
There are also many commercial crimes.
Hawke packaged it all up and sent it to Andy.
Later, when he was about to go to bed, his phone suddenly vibrated. He glanced at it and saw a message from Adriana Lima among the 9999+ unread messages.
“Dear Mr. Hawke, are you asleep?”
Hawke casually replied, “Asleep.”
“Mr. Hawke, I’m downstairs, please let me go up! Please!”
Hawke stuck his head out to look downstairs, and sure enough, a woman wrapped in a coat was standing in the wind, sighing.
“Come up, password 004321.”
Yes!
Downstairs, Adriana jumped up excitedly.
He rushed into the lobby, entered the password under the security guard’s surprised gaze, and got into the elevator.
Adriana Lima.
A supermodel from Brazil, a Victoria’s Secret Angel, a contracted model for Victoria’s Secret underwear… and one of the many supermodels at Hawke’s yacht party…
After a while, Hawke opened the door for Adriana, and a charming woman, wrapped in a thick coat, walked in with a smile on her face.
I have to say that she is only 25 years old, but she is full of the charm of a mature woman, but her eyes are full of the innocence of a girl.
As soon as she entered the door, she threw away the coat that wrapped her, revealing a slim black skirt that outlined her slender waist and perky buttocks. Her round and slender legs, wrapped in a pair of black fishnet stockings, were particularly attractive.
“haven’t seen you for a long time.”
Hawke smiled slightly and welcomed her in.
“It’s been a long time since we last met. What has our young and handsome Mr. Hawke been busy with lately?”
In fact, he and her were not that familiar with each other. At most, they had fought a few times. Now that Adriana was so attentive to him, if nothing unexpected happened, she was trying to throw herself into his arms again!
really.
Ten minutes later!
In the corridor of the bathroom, the sound of Adriana’s high heels hitting the floor could be heard.
…
Two hours later, Hawke looked down at the charming Adriana Lima, stroked her delicate face with his hand, and finally pinched her smooth chin, saying with a smile:
“Okay, tell me what you want. I’m in a good mood now, so it’s okay if you make a slightly unreasonable request.”
Adriana is worth several million dollars, and she is still young and has a long career ahead of her.
Although this amount of assets is nothing compared to the surname Ryan, she is not a peripheral girl that anyone can applaud.
When Adriana came to see him, Hawke knew that this woman wanted something.
But for Hawke, any problem that can be solved with money is not a problem.
Adriana looked at Hawke with resentment. Was it necessary to say such a thing so bluntly?
It’s fine as long as everyone knows it. What’s the point in bringing it up?
I can do it, but you can’t say it!
However, Adriana noticed that Hawke was becoming increasingly impatient, so she quickly told him what had happened.
Adriana is currently at the rising stage of her career and was recently selected by the world’s top men’s magazine “GQ” as a candidate for the cover girl of this issue. Although she is very confident, her opponents are also very strong.
Obviously, this is another lost lamb who wants to take shortcuts.
9 The Most Dazzling Student (Old Version)
The Lane family happened to be one of the directors of the magazine’s publisher, and she wanted Hawke to write a letter of recommendation.
“You’re really ambitious!” Hawke smiled and said, “It’s a small matter, no problem.”
After saying that, he stood up, picked up a pen and paper, and in a few minutes he wrote a letter of recommendation and handed it to Adriana:
“Is that okay? If not, I’ll go home and ask the old man to write you a letter.”
“Okay, okay.”
Adriana took the recommendation letter and smiled happily.
She was very clear-headed. For such a small matter, it would be enough to ask Hawke, the son of the director, to write a letter of recommendation. If Hawke really wanted to find old Ryan, she would be ignorant of her own limitations.
“OK.” Hawke nodded and said, “Goodbye then.”
He turned around and was about to send Adriana away.
“Wait a moment.”
Adriana grabbed the corner of Hawke’s clothes.
“What’s wrong?” Hawke asked puzzledly, “Anything else?”
“I haven’t thanked you properly yet!”
“Wasn’t it before?”
“That’s just a courtesy.” Adriana tossed her long hair, her eyes charming and seductive. “The real thank you hasn’t even begun yet! You solved something that’s been bothering me for a long time. How can I thank you?”
Polite?
Is this the legendary polite way of getting on board in the entertainment industry?
I learned something new.
As for Adriana’s words of thanks…
Hawke pondered for a moment and said:
“Then thank you!”
Under the night sky.
Manhattan is still brightly lit.
The night is full of flashing neon lights and is particularly enchanting.
The lights illuminate the entire city, with the hustle and bustle of traffic. Thousands of streams of light merge into an eternal fountain of light, winding freely among the crowds, shining brightly.
It is indeed the city that never sleeps.
And off the coast of New York, due to the pull of the tide, the endless waves on the sparkling water surface hit the coast again and again.
The next day.
The fiery red sun rises from the horizon, radiating dazzling golden light.
As time passed, fine golden light gradually fell on the faces of Hawke and the other man.
And Adriana showed no signs of waking up.
The torn Victoria’s Secret and black fishnet stockings on the floor of the room fully illustrate how tired the two people are.
Hawke tilted his head to look and saw Adriana was still sleeping.
A smooth and slender beautiful leg was exposed outside the quilt. She smiled gently, retracted her hand into the quilt, put her arm around Adriana’s slender waist, buried her head in her hair, took a deep breath, and the refreshing fragrance lingered on her nose.
I couldn’t help but hold Adriana down and feed her a “breakfast”…
After washing up.
“I should go now. I’ve been missing all night, and my family must be worried.”
Adriana put on the women’s clothes that Hawke kept in his house.
A black suit with a deep V neckline, revealing the white shirt underneath, highlights her plump figure.
She wore a black straight skirt and black stockings, with a perky butt and long, well-proportioned legs, full of the allure of an OL.
Supermodels are worthy of being supermodels. They are walking clothes racks. Any clothes will look very suitable on them.
Adriana said goodbye to Hawke, carrying her Prada bag.
“Give me your phone.” Hawke’s words were full of unquestionable meaning: “Exchange contact information, and keep in touch when you have time.”
Of course Adriana wouldn’t refuse.
First of all, the Ryan family is one of the most powerful families in America. If she can get in touch with this family and keep it going, it will be of great benefit to her and her family.
Second…
Standing downstairs of the Steinway Building, Adriana couldn’t help but gently stroke her waistline belly, blushing a little, and couldn’t help but muttering softly, “How can he be so powerful? He’s even crazier than if he’s on drugs…”
If she knew that Hawke had already output twice before her, she would probably admire him even more!
After Adriana left, Hawke was dressed.
A perfectly tailored dark grey cashmere suit, paired with a light blue shirt, no tie, and one button casually undone at the collar, exudes both elite temperament and youthful vitality.
At this moment, he is one of the most dazzling students in the Department of Economics at Columbia University, nicknamed “the eye of the financial storm” on Wall Street – Hawk Lane.
On the Columbia University campus, ancient stone buildings are intertwined with modern glass curtain walls, and the air is filled with the mixed scent of books, coffee and crushed autumn leaves.
This is a palace of knowledge and capital, as well as an arena for identity.
And Hawk Lane is undoubtedly the natural protagonist on this stage.
“Hey, Hawke! Can you lend me the notes from last night’s investment club meeting so I can copy them?” A blonde girl with a hot body came over with a smile, her tone familiar.
“No problem, Emily, I’ll send you an email later.” Hawke responded with a gentle and polite smile.
“Ryan, are you really going to ‘condescend’ to attend the Finance Camellia Club this afternoon? I heard that you refuted the senior’s model in just ten minutes last time.”
A girl with an Arab face, holding a thick economics book, asked with a hint of admiration and ridicule.
“Academic exchanges and such are not important. I just really like Professor Emilia’s snacks.” Hawke blinked, causing a low chuckle.
The charm of his personality lies not in his exaggerated publicity, but in his effortless composure, profound knowledge and the elegance engraved in his bones.
A large part of this is brought about by past life experiences and learning careers.
Coupled with the huge wealth and mystery represented by the surname Ryan, he became the focus of countless eyes on campus.
The girls privately discussed what brand of suit he wore today, while the boys speculated about the investment trends of the family behind him.
He moved through the crowd like a steady yacht gliding through a noisy ocean.
When the bell rang, Hawke declined several classmates’ invitations to have lunch together and walked steadily towards a small lounge on the top floor of the business school building that was not open to the public.
This is one of the Ryan Family Foundation’s “safe houses” on campus.
10 Counterattack (Old Version)
When I opened the door, Andy was already waiting inside.
Andy changed out of his professional suit and put on a comfortable but high-quality off-white cashmere sweater and slim-fit trousers. His long hair was casually tied up, revealing his elegant neck.
“The campus prince is back?” Andy looked up, a smile playing on his lips. His gaze was sharp yet gentle. “It looks like the market is good today. The attention index is at least in the triple digits.”
Hawke took off his suit jacket, draped it casually over the back of a chair, and walked over to her.
“How is Bates Capital’s public opinion guidance going?”
“Going according to plan.”
Andy handed him a cup of coffee, and her fingertips inadvertently brushed across the back of his hand, leaving a subtle touch:
“Several mainstream financial media outlets, citing ‘anonymous sources’, have begun hinting at Bates Capital’s exposure to certain shady projects in East Asia. Evidence of Bates Capital’s dealings with mafia and overseas criminal groups has begun to appear online.”
Hawke nodded, took a sip of his coffee, and his eyes fell on Andy’s face.
Freed from the absolute tension of work, she now displays an intellectual laziness and deep charm.
“Where are they?”
“Ziyun,” Andy said with a hint of seriousness in his voice when he mentioned the name. “She’s adapting. She’s learning at an astonishing rate, especially in combat techniques and weapon handling, which are far beyond expectations. But life skills… are like a newborn beast. We gave her basic lessons, starting with recognizing money and taking the subway. She spends the most time in the shadows of the apartment, and her vigilance never drops. As for Shiya…”
Andy’s expression softened. “She was very happy. Like a real child discovering a new world. I bought her a full set of painting supplies, and she spent the whole day painting the scenery outside the window, and… you. It’s quite abstract, but you can tell it’s her version of ‘Mr. King.'”
Andy opened the tablet and showed a painting with bold colors and naive lines: a black figure in a long trench coat stood on the top of a tall building, with the background of star-like city lights.
Hawke looked at the painting and pursed his lips: “Hmm… my most handsome face was perfectly avoided by her.”
And what greeted him was a beautiful eye roll from Andy.
“Protect this purity; it is her most precious part and may also be her most powerful weapon in the future.”
“I see.” Andy put down the tablet, walked to the window, and looked at the campus below. “Bates must be in a mess right now.”
“And they seem to be following someone’s instructions and are trying to quickly transfer core assets through several offshore shell companies. Their methods are very crude and leave a lot of traces behind.”
“That’s exactly what we want.” Hawke walked up behind her, his voice lowered. “Let them panic, let them make mistakes, and expose all their ‘tails’. In one month, I want the name Bates Capital to completely disappear from the landscape of Wall Street.”
He reached out his hand, and his slender fingers gently stroked the back of Andy’s neck, which was exposed after her long hair was tied up. The skin there was delicate and warm.
Andy’s body stiffened slightly, then relaxed, and a deeper trust and tacit understanding flowed silently.
She didn’t look back, but just leaned back slightly, so that her back was close to his chest.
“You have to be careful. Provide more bodyguards during this period. Be careful that the other party will do something desperate. But it won’t last long.”
“I know.”
Hawke’s hand slid from the back of her neck to her shoulder, slowly turning her around.
The distance between the two people was instantly shortened, and their breathing could be heard.
The sunlight highlighted his chiseled jawline, and his light brown eyes were as deep as the abyss.
Andy didn’t resist, but just raised her watery eyes and looked at him.
The air seemed to freeze. She was not an innocent girl, but Hawke’s aura of absolute power and fatal attraction could easily destroy her self-control, which she was proud of.
She tilted her head slightly, not flinching, but like a queen ready to take on a challenge: “Instructions?”
Hawke’s lips curled up, but he didn’t answer, just lowered his head suddenly…
“…Hawk…this is…” Andy panted between kisses, trying to remind him that although this was a hidden safe house, it was still inside the school.
“Safe house! Very safe!” Hawke’s voice was nasal.
Andy’s last line of defense of reason collapsed.
Suit jackets, cashmere sweaters, shirts… were stripped off one by one and slid silently onto the thickly carpeted floor.
The sunlight filtered through the blinds, casting the shadows of two people on the ground.
After the storm, there is a chaotic calm.
In the following days, the sky of Wall Street was ignited by invisible flames.
Ryan Capital, the huge financial machine under the Ryan Group, operates efficiently and ruthlessly under the command of business genius Andy.
The first step is to escalate the public opinion storm:
Financial media that originally only made “anonymous hints” began to publish investigative reports and in-depth analysis with names named.
Bates Capital’s past carefully concealed connections with the gray areas of East Asia and even criminal groups are like a Pandora’s box that has been opened, and a large amount of detailed and outrageous “evidence” has been continuously thrown into the public eye.
On social media, labels such as “blood-debt” and “financial gangster” of Bates Capital spread wildly, causing public anger and panic.
11 Ryan’s Bitch! (Old Version)
In the second step, Ryan Sr. mobilized official resources to urge the SEC, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, and the Department of Justice to quickly launch a formal investigation into Bates Capital based on the anonymous but extremely detailed reporting materials they received.
Freeze accounts, summon senior executives, conduct surprise inspections of offices…
A series of drastic measures followed one after another, leaving Bates Capital no chance to breathe.
At the same time, the market also made the most real reaction: negative news came like an avalanche, severely damaging investor confidence.
Investors in Bates Capital’s hedge funds began to withdraw their funds frantically, like sharks smelling blood or frightened deer.
The huge redemption pressure instantly drained Bates Capital’s liquidity.
At the same time, in the futures and options markets, the short-selling force against Bates Capital suddenly increased several times, accurately and fiercely sniping its heavily invested stocks and bonds.
The third step is to break through the fortress of Bates Capital from the inside!
Bates Capital is not a monolith.
Under tremendous pressure and the irresistible conditions offered by the Ryan family through secret channels.
Including immunity, huge amounts of cash and new positions, several core partners of Bates Capital finally couldn’t stand the pressure.
Not only did they stop resisting, they also turned against the company and secretly handed over more secret transaction records, illegal operations and even evidence of high-level corruption within the company as a “letter of surrender.”
These fatal blows from within completely disintegrated Bates Capital’s organizational structure and will to resist.
December 23, 2007
The trading hall at Bates Capital’s headquarters in Midtown Manhattan, once ablaze with lights and filled with the clamor of ego and money, is now shrouded in a cloud of gloom.
The glaring red numbers jumped wildly on the screen, representing a huge amount of money evaporating every second.
“Asshole! Ryan’s bitch!” Richard Bates, chairman and CEO of Bates Capital, slammed his fist on the desk.
His eyes were red and bloodshot, his hair was messy, and his expensive suit was wrinkled. He had long lost his former elite style.
“Investigate! Find out who the traitors are! I want them to pay the price!” He roared at several subordinates who were also in a state of panic.
“Richard, it’s too late!” The Chief Risk Officer’s face paled as he watched the forced liquidation orders and account freeze notices constantly pop up on the screen. “Customers are frantically withdrawing their funds! Banks are withdrawing loans! The stock price… the stock price has fallen below the issue price! Short selling… God, it’s like they knew all our cards!”
“Those reports…the evidence…” another partner’s voice trembled. “They’re too detailed. It’s impossible that there’s no insider! We’ve been betrayed! We’ve been stabbed in the back by our own people!”
Panic spread like a plague.
The traders looked dejected as they watched the net value of the funds they managed plummet, but they were helpless to do anything.
The phone rang one after another, all with debt collection, questioning and bad news of termination of cooperation.
The air was filled with despair.
The once arrogant financial elites are now like a group of stripped vultures, watching in vain as their nests collapse in the raging fire.
The end result was that Bates Capital suffered a series of setbacks under the attack of the Lane Group, a large number of assets were sold off, and the main beneficiary was Hawkline.
In just twenty days, Bates Capital felt like going through a long and cruel torture.
In response to the bank run and regulatory pressure, Bates Capital was forced to sell off its core assets at fire-sale prices – including a large amount of real estate, private company equity, and even some precious art collections.
These high-quality assets were like flesh and blood thrown into a shark tank, instantly triggering a frantic scramble among Wall Street vultures.
Among these contenders, the acquirers who acted the fastest, most ruthlessly and with the best conditions all pointed to a series of extremely secretive offshore funds and shell companies that were ultimately inextricably linked to the Ryan family.
Andy is like a skilled hunter. He not only shoots the prey accurately, but also arranges the most effective division and transportation team in advance.
A large number of high-quality assets that had been held by Bates Capital for a long time and whose value was seriously underestimated quietly flowed into the capital map controlled by Hawke at astonishingly low prices.
This was a carefully planned “taking advantage of the fire” and the gains far exceeded expectations.
Having lost its core assets and liquidity, and being strangled by internal traitors and external regulators, Bates Capital is now dead in name only.
Partners jumped ship one after another, employees resigned in large numbers, offices were sealed off, and funds under the company were liquidated.
The once invincible financial giant, like a fortress on the beach, completely collapsed and turned into dust in the face of the huge waves raised by the Ryan family.
Unable to sustain themselves, the executives of Bates Capital turned to their master, Alexander Pierce, for help…
In a secret, abandoned warehouse with almost no electronic equipment, Richard Bates dialed his number using a disposable encrypted phone.
His fingers trembled violently with fear and anger.
The line was connected, and a cold, tired voice with undisguised irritation came from the other end: “Bates? I told you not to contact this number until I get back from Korea!”
“Mr. Alexander! Save us!” Richard’s voice was filled with tears, and he had completely lost his usual composure. “The Ryan family! That little devil Hawk Ryan! We’re done! He’s biting us like a mad dog! The SEC, the media, short selling, internal traitors… We can’t hold on any longer! If this goes on, we’ll all go to jail! We might even die inexplicably!”
There was silence on the other end of the phone for a few seconds, only the sound of heavy breathing could be heard.
Alexander Pierce was in unprecedented trouble at the moment.
The most important base of the “Witch” project, which Hydra spent a huge amount of money to build, was destroyed with precision by a mysterious force a few days ago, causing heavy losses. A large amount of precious research data and equipment was destroyed, and many core researchers were either dead or missing.
Nick Fury, like a shark smelling blood, has found some information that should not have been exposed so quickly.
His rhythm has been completely disrupted.
Pierce himself is also involved and is using all his strength to cover up traces, divert attention, and quell internal doubts. This internal refers to the two internal departments of “S.H.I.E.L.D.” and “Hydra”.
12 If the team loses its focus, it will be hard to lead! (Old version)
Is Bates Capital important to him? Of course it is!
But compared to his current situation, what happened to Bates Capital was just like the two apple trees that burned when his 8,000-square-meter back garden caught fire.
“Richard,” Pierce’s voice was filled with cold fatigue and impatience. “Listen, I don’t have the resources to deal with your feud with the Ryan brat right now! You will bear the consequences!”
“But……”
“No buts!”
Pierce interrupted him rudely and roared:
“Give up your illusions. Bates Capital is a shell that’s gone. Listen, my final instructions to you are: use the last remaining channels you still control to completely destroy any information of value to us in the core database. Then, use ‘old channels’ to transfer any clean, transferable cash to the Swiss account as quickly as possible. After you’ve done this, please pray to the damned Jesus that you survive, then find a place to hide and await my next message. Remember, clean up your mess before you die. If you leave any clues leading to us… I will drag you up from hell and devour you alive.”
Pierce’s voice was like a poisoned ice pick, piercing Richard’s last glimmer of hope.
“This… this is too cruel! Mr. Alexander! We are working for the organization…”
“The organization doesn’t need losers, let alone the risk of being exposed!” Pierce’s voice suddenly rose, carrying an undeniable coldness. “Bates Capital is just a pawn, Richard, an exposed pawn that has lost its value. Now, execute the order and disappear. This is your last use.”
“Beep, beep…” The phone was hung up mercilessly.
The cold busy tone echoed in the empty warehouse like a death knell.
Richard Bates stood in the darkness, shaking like a leaf in the wind.
He understood that he and the company he had worked for half his life had been abandoned by his owner like garbage.
The once powerful and decadent life has now turned into fear and despair that penetrates deep into the bones.
Richard stumbled back, leaning his back against the cold wall. He slid slowly down to sit on the ground, his hands tangled in his hair.
He felt extremely aggrieved at the moment. It was obviously you who first instructed the plan to annex the Ryan family. It was also you who agreed to let the Clay Doll Group enter the country to assassinate the top executives of the Ryan Group, and it was you who was in charge of it.
How come you don’t recognize me when you pull up your pants?
But on the other end, Alexander Pierce, who had hung up the phone, looked at the waste in front of him and sighed heavily.
He suddenly realized that Hydra’s situation was no longer the same as before. Now it was facing such a major crisis. The Bates family had always been loyal. If he abandoned them at this time, what would the other members of the organization think?
Will it be disheartening?
If the team is distracted, it will be difficult to lead!
He sighed, picked up the phone again, considered his words, and called back.
At this moment, Richard Bates, who was already in despair, saw the familiar number on his mobile phone, his eyes lit up, and he quickly picked up the call, fearing that the call would be hung up the next second.
“Richard, I just lost my composure.”
Upon hearing this, Richard immediately stood up, looking very flattered: “No, no, it’s all for the organization.”
“Well, it’s good that you know. Last time you hired the Clay Doll Group through me to assassinate the Ryan family, but they failed. I should have formulated measures at that time, but I underestimated the enemy, and I am also responsible.”
“No, no, no, Mr. Alexander, it’s all my fault that I didn’t investigate the Ryan family’s background clearly. It’s all my fault.” Richard was silent and kept taking the blame on himself.
Alexander shook his head. “It’s too late to say anything. Listen to me. I will arrange for you to leave the United States. I will guarantee your safety. I believe that the assets you have transferred during this period are enough for you to live comfortably in any country for a lifetime… Okay… That’s it…”
“Beep—”
Richard was about to say something when he heard a busy tone on the phone again.
At this moment, the Triskelion Building
Nick Fury, who was still working overtime, saw the communicator in front of him ringing. When he saw the three words “Pierce”, his eyes narrowed slightly.
That’s right, Alexander Pierce thought about it and realized that the only person who could properly protect the Bates family and was very reliable was Nick Fury. He planned to entrust his promise to the Bates family to him.
At the same time, he will also give Fury some information he wants to know, such as some research results of the Witch Project, hoping to exchange this for Fury’s suspension of investigation.
He believed that Nick Fury must be interested in the witches known as the Moving Scourge.
Although the destroyed Busan base was the earliest, largest and most important base built by the Witch Project, it produced T0 and T1 witches such as Gu Ziyun, Shin Shiya, and the Doll Group.
But it is not the only base of Hydra and the headquarters.
This company is the original founding organization of the Witch Project. Its predecessor was the Gene Editing Corporation. It holds a large number of finished witch combat forces. It is an organization as old as Hydra and is entrenched in East Asia and Europe.
“Hello, Pierce.” Fury’s voice was as cheerful as usual, as if he was just answering a casual call from an old friend, but his single eye narrowed sharply, like a searchlight locking onto a target.
“Nick,” came Pierce’s voice, trying to maintain composure, but the fatigue and irritability that he deliberately suppressed, like an undercurrent beneath the surface, could be heard clearly by Fury.
“Still working overtime so late? You’re really working hard for world peace.”
Fury grinned, revealing his white teeth, and leaned back in his chair. “Serving the people. And you, Alexander, sound like you just ran a marathon? By the way, how are you handling things in Korea?”
There was silence on the other end of the line for half a second. Pierce practically gritted his teeth and said, “…We did run into some rough water. Nick, I need a favor from you. It’s personal.”
He decided to go straight to the point.
“Oh?” Fury’s tone rose, a hint of curiosity. “The ‘personal favor’ that made Senior Pierce ask for must be quite significant. Tell me about it?”
“Bates Capital is finished.” Pierce’s voice deepened, carrying a heavy, declarative tone. “Richard Bates and his core team are in deep trouble. That little wolf cub, Hawke, from the Ryan family, bit too hard, and they can’t hold on any longer. Now they’re surrounded by wolves outside, and the inside is… crumbling. I need your help to get them safely out of the United States and find them a place to quietly ‘retire.'”
Fury touched his dark head and said “hiss…” with a bit of embarrassment.
13 The Warlords (Old Version)
“Alexander, you know, international personnel transfers are especially troublesome… But don’t worry, I’ll do my best…”
He spoke slowly, leaving enough room for the other party to increase the stakes.
Pierce cursed inwardly, “This greedy one-eyed dragon! When he said ‘I’ll do my best’, that meant I wouldn’t do it for you!”
But…damn it, now I can only rely on him.
Fury must have sensed the connection between Bates Capital and me…
Pierce took a deep breath, as if making up his mind. “Nick, I know this request is a bit… unusual. Of course, I won’t ask for your help in vain. We’ve been dealing with the aftermath of some… ‘failed projects’ lately, and we just happened to come across a batch of research data and preliminary analysis reports on ‘special ability individuals’, codenamed ‘Witches’. This is… highly sensitive information, but it has enormous potential. I thought, with your interest in ‘expanding the boundaries of human potential’, it might be of some value.”
Fury was secretly surprised: Is Pierce really being pushed into a corner? But this is indeed significant.
Fury’s fingers tapping the table paused for a moment, the only sign of “interest” he gave.
There was a subtle hint of inquiry in his voice. “‘Witch’? Sounds… quite fantastical. Can you be more specific? You know, I always… well, be reserved about things that sound far-fetched.”
“It involves genetic enhancement, neural potential development, explosive strength, and superpower development,” Pierce chose his words carefully. “It includes physiological data from some successful cases and in-depth analysis of failed cases. While not as ‘perfect’ as the final product, the groundbreaking ideas and exploration of limits within it will definitely provide you with a whole new perspective on the ‘Avengers’ plan. The core information… I’ll arrange a completely secure encrypted channel and send it to your designated address within 24 hours.”
Well, not bad! Although Fury didn’t know much about the Witch Project, he knew a little bit that the products of the Witch Project were very powerful, but the disadvantage was that the cultivation cycle was too long and had to start from the embryo stage.
It takes at least ten to twenty years to cultivate a child to maturity in age, mentality, and ability, which is a very high time cost.
But the advantage of Fury getting these materials is that they can be cross-checked with the ongoing super soldier program to find out the gaps and fill them in, which is very likely to speed up the progress.
So he thought about it for a moment and decided to agree to his request.
“Alexander, you’re always so generous.” Fury spoke every word clearly. “Protecting a few financiers in urgent need of retirement, allowing them to safely leave the United States and find a beautiful place to retire… I’ll take the job. As for your research materials, I don’t want to wait 24 hours, I want them now. You know I’m very enthusiastic about anything that can enhance our ability to deal with ‘special situations’. Happy business?”
Hearing what Nick Fury said, Pierce cursed in his heart: Damn Hawk Lane! Damn Busan! Damn Fury!
But now we have to keep Nick calm. Even if we don’t give him the information now, he will be able to dig out some of it sooner or later with his dog nose.
Just consider it as… stop loss!
“…Happy business, Nick.” Pierce’s voice was heavy as if cutting flesh. “The information will be delivered on time. As for Bates… I’ll leave it to you. Make sure they are safe.” His last sentence was a stern warning.
“Don’t worry, Alexander,” when Fury saw a huge compressed package coming from an unknown IP on the screen, which contained all the information and research results about the Witch Project, his smile widened and he hung up the phone neatly.
Hearing the busy tone coming from the microphone, Pierce slammed the satellite phone in his hand to the ground, and the expensive communication equipment instantly broke.
Heavy losses!
In the Triskelion Building, Nick Fury looked at the extinguished call screen, and the smile on his face disappeared instantly, replaced by a cold sharpness.
He pressed the intercom button. “Hill, I’m sending you an encrypted file, codenamed ‘Witch,’ with top priority analysis. Also, activate the ‘Safe House Transfer Protocol,’ target: Richard Bates and his core team, location: Hong Kong, China. Act quickly…”
Steinway Tower, Penthouse
Outside the huge floor-to-ceiling windows is the entire brightly lit city of Manhattan that never sleeps.
Hawk Lane stood quietly, wearing only a dark silk robe and holding a glass of vintage port.
He had just concluded an encrypted call with a Swiss bank, confirming that the last large sum of money stripped from the “ruins” of Bates Capital had safely flowed into the offshore company he controlled.
Andy stood not far behind him, also wearing a simple silk nightgown, with her long hair loose and a blush on her face.
The tablet in front of her displayed real-time news that Bates Capital had officially filed for bankruptcy protection.
“The Bates Capital matter is finally over.” Andy breathed a sigh of relief.
Hawke turned around, took a sip of the mellow Potter, and raised a cruel arc at the corner of his mouth: “The end? No, this is just the beginning.”
At this time, there was a knock on the door.
Andy got up and opened the door.
The person who walked into the room was Gu Ziyun. She walked in naturally, dragging behind her a petite woman wrapped in a coat.
As if dragging a tattered doll, he casually threw Enfei, wrapped in a coat, onto the cold, smooth marble floor.
The coat fell open, revealing a scarred body wearing a thin hospital gown.
Enfei curled up, with new and old scars on her exposed skin, her delicate face was as pale as paper, with fear and pain deep in her bones.
She trembled subconsciously, but forced herself not to make a sound when her body touched the cold ground.
The pair of eyes that were once cruel now only had a glint of panic in them. They stared at the edge of the carpet, not daring to look up at the owner of the room.
Andy closed the door and walked back to Hawke, his eyes calmly scanning Enfei on the ground, as if he was evaluating an object.
Gu Ziyun walked naturally to the bar, poured himself a glass of water, leaned on the edge of the bar, and watched everything with indifference, as if what was happening before his eyes was just a daily trivial matter.
The huge floor-to-ceiling windows reflect the dazzling night view of Manhattan, which is in sharp contrast to the solemnity inside the house.
Hawke didn’t speak immediately.
He took another slow sip of port wine, the rich liquid sliding down his throat. His eyes, like invisible shackles, slowly fell on Enfei, with an almost indifferent pressure.
The air in the room seemed to freeze, with only the sound of Enfei’s suppressed, subtle breathing.
14 Scarce Resources (Old Version)
“Enfei.” Hawke’s voice was not loud, but it pierced the silence like an ice cone and clearly penetrated into Enfei’s ears.
The sound of this name coming out of his mouth made Enfei’s body tremble violently.
“Why do you think I let you live?” Hawke walked slowly and took a few steps closer. His tall figure cast a huge shadow under the light, covering Enfei who was curled up on the ground.
Enfei’s teeth were chattering and an indistinct whimper came from her throat.
She didn’t dare answer.
Is it mercy?
A backup intelligence source?
Or is even more cruel torture waiting?
Every possibility made her shudder.
“It’s not pity.” Hawke seemed to see through her thoughts.
“Although your ability seems like a joke in front of me, it is also considered a scarce resource in this world.”
His eyes swept over her scarred arms. The witch’s healing ability seemed like a joke to him.
His gaze finally rested on her face, which, despite the torture, still retained its exquisite beauty. He said, “Besides, death is too cheap for you. Things of value should be put to good use.”
Hawke handed the wine glass to Andy behind him, put his hands in his robe pockets, and looked down at her condescendingly: “I’ll give you a chance, Enfei.”
A faint, disbelieving light flashed in Enfei’s eyes, but was then overwhelmed by deeper fear.
“Work for me,” Hawke said in a firm voice. “Become a tool in my hands. A sharp, obedient tool. Prove your worth, prove you’re worthy of the life I’m giving you.”
He bent down slightly, the overwhelming pressure almost suffocating Enfei. “Now, you have a chance to prove yourself. A ‘pledge of allegiance.’ Done. Once you pass the assessment, you’ll become my employee, enjoying the corresponding treatment and protection. You’ll live a very happy life in this sunny city. No one will force you to do anything you don’t want to do, except me, of course.”
“If you refuse…” Hawke paused, then said lightly, “Gu Ziyun will be here to help you end your suffering very efficiently. I promise that the process will be much shorter than what you experienced in the interrogation room, but it will definitely not be pleasant.”
Eun-fi’s heart was beating wildly, almost bursting through her chest.
Work for him?
Become a tool of this devil-like man?
Betray the Busan base?
Every thought made her feel dizzy and went against everything she had been taught since childhood.
But the words “live on” and “live better” were like a flickering candle in the darkness, faintly but stubbornly attracting her.
She remembered Hawke’s overwhelming power, the cold, controlling look in his eyes during the torture, the intertwined physical and mental pain… A strange, twisted emotion quietly grew.
He was so powerful that he could even make a witch like Gu Ziyun surrender. He was so powerful that it made her despair, and also made her develop a morbid sense of dependence in her despair – obeying the strong might not be the worst choice?
Especially when this strong man gave her a way to survive, even if it was a way full of thorns and required her to sell her soul, not to mention, listening to his description, it seemed that she could live a good life.
The seeds of Stockholm quietly sprouted in the soil of extreme fear and despair.
Her breathing became rapid, and her body was no longer just shaking with fear, but also mixed with an intense inner struggle.
She looked up, getting her first real, clear look at Hawke’s face.
That handsome and cold face looked like a sculpture under the light, his eyes were deep, as if they could devour everything.
“I…” Her voice was hoarse, dry, and almost inarticulate. “I… don’t have a choice, right?”
“You have a choice.” Hawke straightened up, his tone cold, “Life or death. Choose.”
Eun-bi looked past Hawke and saw Gu Zi-yoon leaning against the bar.
Gu Ziyun’s eyes were still as empty and indifferent, as if he was looking at a dead object.
She knew that if she said “no” or hesitated for a few more seconds, this legendary woman in the witch group – Gu Ziyun, would definitely kill her like squeezing a bug.
“I…” Enfei took a deep breath, which seemed to drain all her strength. She closed her eyes and said hoarsely in a tone that was almost relieved but also full of complete submission: “I choose to live. I am willing to work for you, Mr. Hawke. I am willing to… prove my worth.”
“Very good.” There was no surprise on Hawke’s face, as if everything was under control.
He picked up the wine glass from Andy’s hand again, his tone returning to its previous calmness. “Ziyun, take her to treat her injuries, clean her up, and change into clean clothes. Let her rest for a night. Tomorrow, give her the briefing on that task, which is easier than crushing an ant.”
Gu Ziyun nodded and walked towards Eunfei who was lying on the ground.
Eun-bi instinctively flinched when Gu Zi-yoon approached, but under Hawke’s cold gaze, she forced herself to relax and let Gu Zi-yoon help her up.
Before leaving the room, she took one last look at Hawke. Her once unruly eyes now only showed complete submission and a hint of indescribable complex emotions.
The door closed gently.
Andy looked at Hawke, “Are you sure you want to keep her? A monster from Busan?”
Hawke swirled the port wine in his glass. The deep red liquid reflected an eerie luster under the light, reflecting his deep eyes.
“Monster? Andy, in this world, power isn’t good or evil. The key lies in who holds the reins.” He looked out the window at the endless prosperity. “Bates Capital may have collapsed, but the greedy vultures will never disappear. We need more ‘claws’ that can tear them apart. She’s sharp and beautiful… Most importantly, she already knows what the consequences are for betraying me or disappointing me.”
He drank the wine in the cup: “And this fear will become the strongest collar.”
15 What? What can I do? (Old version)
The next day, December 24th, Christmas Eve
The Wall Street Journal’s headline was as sharp as a knife: “Bates Empire Collapses, Lane Capital Quickly Harvests”
Like a bomb dropped into deep water, the aftermath spread across the Columbia University campus in the early morning, sticky and heavy.
When Hawk Lane walked into the campus in the morning light as usual, he immediately became the moving focus.
“Hey, Mr. Reaper! Do you want some ‘bankruptcy liquidation’ sugar with your breakfast coffee?” A familiar buddy whistled across the lawn, causing a burst of laughter.
Hawke gave a slightly teasing smile. “Just don’t add Bates. It’s a bit sour right now.”
He walked with a spring in his step, as if the acquisition that shook the financial world was just an A+ in class.
When his figure appeared on the cobblestone walkway, he instantly attracted the attention of the sparsely walking students and professors.
The buzzing sound suddenly became denser like a swarm of disturbed bees.
Those inquiring, reverent, jealous, and calculating gazes, like countless fine needles, silently pierced from all directions.
Today, in everyone’s eyes, he has become a young king who has just returned victorious from the thrilling capital struggle.
Bates Capital—the name that finance students once looked up to and the capital company that graduates dreamed of getting an offer from—became the most prominent sacrifice under Hawke’s throne.
His first class was macroeconomics, and when he walked into the lecture hall, the atmosphere suddenly became tense.
Professor Finch pushed his glasses up, his eyes glancing at Hawke seemingly unintentionally. “The case we’re discussing today happens to involve, in part, the concepts of ‘market efficiency’ and ‘moral boundaries’… especially in certain… lightning-fast operations.”
He bit the “lightning style” very clearly.
The eyes of the entire classroom were focused on Hawke.
Hawke found a seat, feeling the gazes of the audience. He turned his gaze back at the professor and spoke loudly, “Professor, isn’t the core of market efficiency the timeliness of information and the speed of decision-making? As for ethical boundaries… I thought business schools believed more in ‘maximizing value within the rules’?”
Professor Finch choked and snorted, “You’re so sharp-tongued.”
He cleared his throat again, suppressing all the noise in the classroom. “So, what do you think of the eternal debate on ‘market efficiency and moral boundaries’—hostile takeovers, Ryan?”
The corners of Hawke’s mouth twitched unconsciously, and he cursed inwardly, “This pedantic old scholar.”
Professor Finch paused, his eyes lingering on Hawke’s face for a moment, then he swept across the silent classroom and continued:
“Regarding the acquirer’s exploitation of market panic, information asymmetry, and even… a carefully orchestrated liquidity trap to rapidly dismantle and cheaply acquire the core assets of a functioning but temporarily troubled company…”
Professor Finch’s voice was low, but each word was clear and carried a cold, metallic quality. “Hawk Lane, and all the students here, do you think this is the result of the cold, rational nature of optimizing resource allocation in the capital market, or is it pure plundering of the dark side of the rules?”
Absolute silence.
Almost the moment the words fell, more than a hundred eyes in the lecture hall were uniformly focused on Hawk Ryan.
Admiration, curiosity, exploration, scrutiny, contemplation, criticism… countless complex emotions are interwoven into an invisible giant web.
Hawke sat in his usual middle front seat, his back straight as a pine tree.
He could clearly feel the weight of those countless gazes, like actual pressure falling on his shoulders.
He raised his eyes slightly and met Professor Finch’s cloudy eyes on the podium, which contained a certain judgment. He opened his mouth slightly, but ultimately did not speak.
Because in theory, or purely academically, the acquisition of Bates Capital involved cruel and even illegal means that cannot be justified.
But the reality cannot be simply summed up by the theories in books.
For example, the book does not contain any information on how to fight back after being assassinated by a super-powered person.
I didn’t even tell you what to do if you were targeted by Hydra?
what to do?
Call the police?
So Hawke simply remained silent, as if silently asking: So what? What else can be done?
The bell for the end of get out of class rang like salvation, and the harsh noise of chair legs rubbing against the ground broke the cramped silence of the classroom.
Hawke put away the notebook on the table. As he stood up, a warm breeze mixed with the scent of expensive perfume and youthful hormones gently enveloped him.
“Hawk!” His voice was as sweet as melted maple syrup, with just the right hint of panic.
A petite figure in a tight white tennis skirt with cascading blonde hair fell towards him as if tripped by an invisible obstacle on the ground.
Hawke reacted extremely quickly, and before she actually fell, his strong arms had already firmly grasped her waist.
It feels elastic and soft to the touch.
Blonde hair brushed against his jaw, carrying the sweet scent of expensive shampoo.
“Oh my God! I’m sorry, I’m sorry! This damn floor!” She raised her delicate face, which was the size of a palm. Her sapphire eyes were filled with fear and pity, and her cheeks were just the right amount of blush.
“I’m Katherine Miller, thank you so much!”
Hawke’s eyes swept over the deeper neckline that was exposed due to her bending over, and a gentle smile appeared on the corner of his mouth: “It’s okay, Katherine. Be more careful next time.”
The arm was withdrawn without a trace.
“Wow! I actually saw the legendary Hawk Lane so close?”
Katherine’s cheeks flushed and her blue eyes sparkled.
“I just transferred in yesterday from the math department! My god, you’re like a financial rock star with that Bates thing!”
She held out her hand, very enthusiastically.
Hawke smiled and shook her hand, feeling the warmth of her palm. “Welcome to the Economics Department. I’m not a rock star, but the market just needs a little… adjustment.”
His word choice was precise and had a touch of youthful humor.
After exchanging contact information, Catherine skipped out of the classroom, as happy as if she had received an autographed photo of Michael Jackson.
At this moment, there was a light “click” sound, and an extremely sharply sharpened HB pencil rolled precisely to the edge of Hawke’s shoe.
16 Wow, Teacher? (Old Version)
A hand with distinct joints and delicate skin reached out to pick it up.
“Sorry.” The voice was cold, with a hint of Asian accent.
The owner of the hand stood up.
That was an Asian girl.
Her long, black hair fell to her waist, like a waterfall, making her face look as delicate as porcelain.
She has an extremely well-proportioned figure. Wrapped in a well-tailored dark green knitted dress, her curves are smooth and restrained. She is neither ostentatious nor emanates a subtle yet fatal attraction.
Her eyes were large, with slightly upturned corners, and her pupils were a deep amber color. At this moment, she was looking intently at Hawke, her long eyelashes resting quietly like butterfly wings, with a breathtaking innocence and curiosity.
“It’s okay.” Hawke’s gaze lingered on her face for a moment, then he gentlemanly stepped aside to let her pass through the narrow aisle first.
The girl nodded slightly, an almost imperceptible curve at the corner of her lips: “My name is Miu, Kobayashi Miu. I’m new here.”
The voice was still clear and cold, but the ending seemed to have a barely perceptible hook.
When she bent down to pick up the pencil, her soft hair slid down like silk, and a faint fragrance quietly dissipated into Hawke’s nose.
Sweet gardenia scent.
“Hello, Miyu, welcome to Columbia University!” Hawke smiled politely.
“Hello, Mr. Hawke, can you help me look at this model? I think your understanding of liquidity is super cool.”
Kobayashi Miu picked up the pencil and rubbed her hands in front of her body, seeming a little nervous.
His eyes held just the right amount of curiosity and a hint of subtle exploration.
Hawke raised an eyebrow at her. “‘Super cool’? That’s a refreshing comment, but fluidity itself isn’t cool. The key is how you make it flow for you.”
He smiled, looked at an economic model on Miyu’s laptop screen, and began to explain.
For the next half day, Hawke felt like he had fallen into a bush of “campus beauties”.
At the corner of the corridor, I “accidentally” met Samantha, a black girl with a healthy wheat-colored skin and a hot body that is as hot as a Victoria’s Secret Angel. She raised her head, her face was too delicate to look like a black person, and her smile was very contagious.
She generously took Hawke aside to discuss the potential of emerging markets, and Hawke responded patiently, but Samantha was a little disappointed that he remained distant.
She is indeed beautiful, but unfortunately there are not many black girls who can make Hawke look up, unless he has no choice;
On the stone steps, a tall red-haired girl in tight jeans and knee-high boots was struggling to carry a box full of heavy economics books up the stairs.
The exaggerated curves outlined by the tight jeans and the plump breasts that almost burst through the buttons of her shirt trembled with her “strenuous” movements, carrying an undisguised primitive temptation.
This is Abby, the red-haired girl with amazing curves and a sweet smile.
The helpful Hawke naturally helped Abby move her heavy box of books to her dormitory, and then taught her German classical economics for two hours.
Before leaving, Abby said to Hawke with a face full of ugliness: “Hawk… classical economics… your research is really in-depth…”
I avoided everyone and left the girls’ dormitory building, passing by an open-air cafe not far away.
A mature girl with a mysterious temperament and wearing a neatly cut windbreaker cast an ambiguous look at him through her coffee cup, one that was filled with scrutiny and interest.
She was wrapped in a perfectly tailored black windbreaker, with only her slender snow-white ankles exposed.
Dark chestnut curly hair was casually draped over her shoulders, covering half of her face, leaving only her perfectly defined jawline and a pair of gray-blue eyes as cold as an icy lake.
She held a slender cigarette between her fingers. The smoke blurred her outline, but added a mysterious sense of danger.
When Hawke passed by, her icy eyes raised lazily: “Hawk?”
Hawke stopped and turned to look the girl in the eye.
When they looked at each other, he was a little surprised. Isn’t this the Queen of the Sea, Mera?
The one pooping on the bed?
“Hello, who are you?”
Hawke was confused and uncertain inside, but he appeared polite on the surface.
“Vivian, my new actuarial science teacher, you’re the most famous student in the Economics Department, and even in Columbia University. Of course I have to pay you a visit.”
Vivian gave a charming smile.
“Wow, an actuary?” Hawke exclaimed, but in his heart he was thinking: Wow, teacher?
What secret service agency came up with this brilliant plan? They really understand him!
Hawke looked at Vivian, who called herself “actuarial science teacher”.
Full of lazy and dangerous aura.
Hawke smiled and said, “I thought your first stop would be the dean’s office.”
Vivian exhaled a puff of smoke, her gray-blue eyes half-disappearing through the swirling mist. “The dean is so boring. I’d rather meet… the ‘Legend’ himself first.”
She paused, her fingertips tapping lightly on her coffee cup. “Especially someone who was able to turn Bates Capital from a ‘financial giant’ to a ‘bankruptcy liquidation case’ in less than a month.”
Hawke shrugged: “There are always surprises in the market. I just happened to be on the right side.”
“Correct?” Vivian chuckled, her voice low and magnetic. “Or…did they use some special means?”
The air suddenly froze for a second.
Hawke’s expression remained unchanged. He leaned forward slightly and lowered his voice, “Teacher Vivian, if this is a professional question, I suggest you change the case. After all, arbitrarily accusing students is not a good teaching method.”
Vivian did not respond immediately. Instead, she slowly put out her cigarette and stood up. The hem of her windbreaker swayed slightly with her movements, revealing the faint lines of her slender legs.
“Don’t worry, I’m just assuming.” She took a step closer, her red lips almost touching Hawke’s ear, her warm breath carrying a faint smell of tobacco. “I’m just curious…how long your ‘luck’ will last.”
After saying that, she took a half step back, revealed a meaningful smile, turned around and left, leaving behind a sentence: “Welcome to my class!”
Her high heels tapped a crisp rhythm on the stone floor until her figure disappeared around the corner.
Hawke stood there, his fingertips unconsciously stroking the earlobe where her breath had just brushed against him.
Five people.
Hawke counted silently in his mind.
17. Let’s exchange ideas in depth, Professor? (Old version)
In American comics, I gave Aunt Mei a backdoor at the beginning: 17 Let’s exchange ideas in depth, professor?
[Picture: Vivian]Five decoy bombs coated with different colored honey were dropped precisely in his path.
The first four:
Youthful sports sweetheart——Catherine,
The Asian academic master full of taboo temptations——Kobayashi Miu,
Samantha, a black beauty exuding sunshine and wild charm,
Abby, an explosive figure that challenges the laws of physics.
Each type precisely points to his different “preferences”.
This lineup is simply the “School Beauty 101” of the intelligence community with precise deployment.
He handled it with ease.
Responding to Katie’s adoration with cordial humor,
Gave slightly sharp guidance to Miyu’s academic research,
Responding to Samantha’s enthusiasm with equal vigor,
He graciously agreed to Abby’s request for help and diligently assisted.
Hawke enjoyed this “feast” carefully prepared for him, accepting everyone who came and seeing through everything without saying anything.
As long as you’re not sick…
Especially the last one, Vivian, the actuarial science teacher!
This person is definitely not an unknown person. As for the evidence?
Here’s what she looks like!
Even if it’s not Queen of the Sea Mera, it must be some other important character.
I secretly wrote down her name and planned to investigate it after I got back.
In the afternoon, the sun is shining brightly.
Hawke knocked on Professor Emilia’s office door.
Unlike Professor Finch’s seriousness, Professor Emilia’s office is bright and spacious, with vibrant green plants and a faint aroma of baked snacks floating in the air.
“Ah, our ‘eye of the financial storm’ is here?” Professor Emilia put down her exquisite bone china teacup. She was wearing a well-tailored off-white suit and smiled. “How did Finch perform that ‘moral judgment’ this morning? Did he crucify you?”
Hawke plopped down on the sofa across from her and picked up a sweet cookie she pushed towards him. “Professors also pay attention to gossip? Professor Finch might be having a bit of indigestion.”
Emilia chuckled softly, with the charm of a mature woman. “Indigestion? He was choked by your style of attack. But I like your sharpness. That old man Finch’s questions are really… full of pedantic scholarly naivety.”
She didn’t look at Hawke again, her long fingers unconsciously wrapped around the dark blue ribbon tied around the neck of the port wine bottle.
The ribbon twisted and untwisted between her white fingers like a restless snake.
Hawke didn’t respond, but walked over to the desk, picked up one of the empty glasses, and poured some bourbon.
“The capital market,” Emilia said, finally turning around after a while. The light shone into her deep brown eyes, a mixture of wisdom and a hint of indescribable madness. “Its laws have never been written on parchment, but inscriptions engraved on the blades of the victors, Hawke.”
“Some people, like you,” she lowered her voice, a frosted quality, “are born knowing how to make… capital flow more turbulently and more recklessly.”
Emilia stood up, the tips of her high heels sliding silently across the carpet, then very slowly rubbing up the legs of Hawke’s perfectly tailored trousers.
The subtle friction is clearly transmitted through the worsted wool.
Hawke turned slowly and saw interest and inquiry flickering in Amelia’s eyes.
“Honestly, Hawke, you’ve been chewing Bates’ fat meat beautifully. But the old foxes on Wall Street are all wondering who will be the next snack that will whet your appetite?”
Hawke slowly took a cookie and met her burning gaze: “Snack?”
He raised his lip with a hint of cynicism. “Professor, you’re more professional than I am in the game of capital. And…” “I told you before, the position of CEO of Lion Capital is much more exciting than being a university professor.”
Hawke needs a financial expert to take charge of Lane Capital. This person must not only be experienced, but also bold and radical, and must be a desperate financial madman.
Emilia is the most suitable candidate in his eyes.
Although Andy is a business genius, his strength lies in his comprehensive and stable abilities, no weaknesses, and comprehensiveness. In the two years since he took office, the entire Ryan Group has been built to be unbreakable.
But if she is required to dominate the financial market, it would be a bit difficult for her, as she is better at business, operations, management, finance and risk control.
Hearing Hawk’s invitation again, a spark flashed in Emilia’s eyes. Her high heels hit Hawk’s thighs and she moved closer.
“Hawk Lane, after the collapse of Bates Capital, everyone on Wall Street said you were cold and precise, like a machine.” She opened her red lips slightly, and her warm breath brushed against his ear. “Tell me, where will your next move be made?”
Hawke looked at her face, a mixture of wisdom and charm, so close to him, and helplessly spread his hands. “Professor, I don’t have a target for now. I attacked Bates Capital because of a personal grudge…”
But suddenly his voice deepened: “But it’s not absolute. Can we… have a deeper exchange of ideas, Professor?”
Emilia looked at his face.
The strange fire in her eyes suddenly became more intense, as if dry firewood was thrown into it.
She rushed forward, her body slamming into Hawke’s arms with a resolute force, her hands clutching the front of his expensive shirt tightly.
“Don’t call me professor!” She growled through gritted teeth, her hot breath spraying on his jaw, mixed with the unique mellow sweet aroma of port wine, “In front of you, I’m not that damn professor!”
She stood on tiptoe and pressed hard against Hawk’s protruding Adam’s apple, leaving a subtle but distinct stinging sensation with her canine teeth.
“Tell me!” Her voice was broken and trembling due to the intense movement and some suppressed madness. Her body was tightly pressed against his body through the thin clothes. “Bates is just an appetizer, right? Tell me, Hawk Lane… who is your next target to devour?”
The sunlight filtered through the blinds, casting dappled shadows between the two of them.
18 Tony Stark (Old Version)
The air in Manhattan is filled with the sweetness and luxury unique to the festival.
The “Winter Stars” charity dinner on the top floor of the Ryan Building is undoubtedly the most dazzling social event of the Christmas season.
Hawk Lane, the new king of Wall Street who had just sent Bates Capital to its grave a few days ago, was standing at the entrance of the banquet hall, wearing a perfectly tailored midnight blue velvet suit. His smile was as bright and dazzling as a carefully polished diamond, exuding unquestionable control.
Beside him, Andy was wearing an icy silver backless long dress, like condensed moonlight, her beauty was sharp and calm.
The guest list can be described as a “Christmas wish list” of power and wealth.
Tony Stark’s signature flashy red supercar is parked downstairs. Even before he arrives, his aura has already penetrated the ceiling!
When he enters the scene, he brings with him the spotlight effect, but he is always accompanied by Pepper.
Norman Osborn with his young son Harry Osborn, the father and son, one old and one young.
General Ross was wearing a neat military uniform, the medals on his chest were a record of the smoke of war in the past, and he scanned the entire audience with sharp eyes.
Military, political and business giants gathered together, and the sound of their conversations was like exquisite background music.
Hawke met Tony, who was immediately surrounded by singing and dancing. He greeted Pepper, who looked a little gloomy beside him, and then smiled brightly:
“Uncle Tony, I’m so glad you could come. I heard that your PowerPoint presentation on the new weapons set a new record for the longest press conference? I hope tonight’s charity auction can help you regain some of your ‘efficiency’.”
Tony heard the uncle’s name and laughed dryly before changing the subject:
“Efficient? Ryan, you played the Bates game swiftly, accurately, and ruthlessly, leaving no trace. I call this ‘deep explanation’, ensuring that investors…well, potential buyers, understand what they’re buying. By the way, I heard you’ve been very interested in ‘special security’ lately?”
Tony glanced meaningfully at a spot not far behind Hawke.
There, Gu Ziyun and Shin Shiya stood quietly, like two shadows blending into the background.
Gu Ziyun wore a simple black dress, her eyes were as calm as water;
Shen Shiya was wearing a dashing white trouser suit, exuding the sharpness of youth.
Their appearance, like two stones thrown into a calm lake, caused invisible ripples among a certain group of people.
“Did the news spread so quickly?” Hawke spread his hands. “They are just two ladies with naturally strong bodies.”
There is no impenetrable wall in the upper echelons of the United States. All kinds of news about the products of the Witch Plan have already reached the ears of these ferocious capitalists like the wind.
Who doesn’t want to be incredibly strong? Who doesn’t want to be invincible?
Who cares if he is a “demon man” or a “witch woman”?
At this time, a “Russian female billionaire” named “Natalia Romanova” was holding a glass of champagne, with dazzling red hair, swaying her figure, and chatting and laughing with an energy tycoon in a charming manner.
A command came from the tiny headset in her ear: “Natasha, target status?”
Natasha tilted her head slightly and whispered in Russian, her voice barely above a whisper: “Targets Gu Ziyun and Shin Shiya are on alert. Hawk Lane… he smiles like an angel.”
Inside the Quinjet, parked in the stratosphere with its optical camouflage activated, Fury was speechless upon hearing Natasha’s analogy. “Please enjoy his handsomeness after the mission is over. Keep an eye on him. Stark and Osborn are here too, so don’t let the situation get out of control. Especially Ross. I think he’s almost ready to go ‘recruiting’.”
In a corner of the screen, General Ross was talking in a low voice with a senior official of the Ministry of Defense, glancing in the direction of Gu Ziyun from time to time.
General Ross is the person in charge of human experiments in the military. He is also very interested in super-powered people and various biological experiments. In addition, the US military stationed in South Korea is also under the jurisdiction of General Ross.
Fury suddenly felt that General Ross might know more about the Witch Plan than he did!
Norman Osborn, holding a glass of wine, walked up to Hawke with a formal smile on his face. “Mr. Ryan, congratulations on your success. How’s the Bates inheritance being digested? I heard that Ryan Industries’ stock price has been rising so much recently that even Osborn Industries is feeling a bit…pressure?”
The words are full of hidden thorns.
Hawke’s smile remained unchanged as he responded calmly, “Mr. Osborn, you’re overly kind. The market always favors efficiency and innovation. Speaking of which, the industrial sector is just a sideline for Osborn; your breakthroughs in cutting-edge biotechnology are truly impressive. I wonder how your ‘physical enhancement project’ is progressing? It sounds very promising.”
He steered the conversation into areas about which Osborne himself was particularly reticent.
Norman’s eye twitched slightly, and his tone turned cold. “Trade secrets, Mr. Ryan. But those two… special assistants beside you? They have very unique temperaments. Which security company’s new products are these?”
“They’re my personal ‘risk advisors,'” Hawke said casually, his eyes meaningful. “They specialize in dealing with some… non-traditional business risks. After all, the world is sometimes more complicated than the rules of the game on Wall Street, right?”
He glanced meaningfully in General Ross’s direction.
At this time, Harry Osborn broke away from the socialites surrounding him and walked curiously towards Shen Shiya in the quiet corner.
A friendly smile graced his young face. “Hi, you’re special. I’m Harry Osborn. You look… cool.”
Shen Shiya looked up at him, her eyes clear but scrutinizing, and she responded briefly: “Shen Shiya.”
Her eyes passed over Harry, as if piercing through him, looking at something hidden deeper.
“Are you sick?” Shen Shiya suddenly said something shocking, and even Gu Ziyun looked over in shock.
“Uh… what?” Harry seemed to be choking.
“nothing.”
Shen Shiya smiled and shook her head. She could see that the young man in front of her seemed to have some disease, but it had not been triggered yet. Unexpectedly, the old man named Norman next to him was already terminally ill.
But this has nothing to do with her. Mind your own business, eh, that’s what Mr. Hawke said.
Harry felt a little uncomfortable being stared at by her, and his smile froze a little.
The crystal chandelier reflects the dazzling light, and the champagne tower flows slowly as the glasses clink.
“It seems the collapse of Bates Capital has made the champagne tonight particularly delicious.”
The crisp sound of high heels hitting the ground came from behind, accompanied by a faint scent of roses and gunpowder, interrupting the confrontation between Hawke and Norman.
“Mr. Hawk Lane.”
He turned around and saw a woman with flaming red hair. She was wearing a deep V black dress that outlined her graceful curves. Her red lips were slightly raised and her eyes contained a charming light.
Seeing this, Norman nodded and smiled at the two of them and then walked away.
19 Natasha’s “Smith Squat” (Old Version)
“Natalia Romanova.” Natasha extended her hand, her Russian accent lazy and sexy. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”
Looking at the angelic face in front of him that looked exactly like Scarlett Johansson’s, Hawke almost laughed out loud.
He took her hand, gently stroking her palm with his fingertips, and his smile deepened. “Ms. Romanova, your name… seems more suitable to appear in the files of an agent in Moscow than at a dinner party on Wall Street.”
Natasha’s eyelashes trembled slightly, but her smile remained unchanged. “The boundaries between finance and intelligence are sometimes blurred, aren’t they?”
“Indeed.” Hawke leaned forward slightly, his voice low, “Just like your goal tonight – are you here to steal my trade secrets, or…” His eyes lingered on her red lips for a moment, “…something else?”
Natasha chuckled and lightly traced his tie with her fingertips. “Maybe I’m just curious about what kind of man could destroy Bates Capital in three weeks.”
“You can’t pry into a man’s secrets, Ms. Romanova.” Hawke shook his head slightly and chuckled, “Unless you give me your secret in exchange.”
“A fair deal.” Natasha raised her glass with a smile, seeming to be very interested in Hawke’s deal, and even thinking about what secrets she had.
Suddenly, Romanova seemed to have an idea. She tapped Hawke’s chest ambiguously and said softly with a hint of seduction in her voice, “Actually, I’m an international intelligence broker. If Mr. Hawke has any valuable intelligence, I can sell it for a good price, or I can exchange it for intelligence of equal value.”
“Wow, cool!” Hawke made an exaggerated expression. “Well, I have a secret. I wonder how much it would sell for?”
Romanova showed an interested expression and made a “please” gesture.
Hawke glanced around cautiously, as if he was really afraid of the secret being leaked. He then cleared his throat and whispered:
“I’m… 185cm tall, 100kg, eight-pack abs, 25cm tall…”
“Wait a minute…” Natasha was amused. She suddenly moved closer and asked curiously, “Are you really 25 centimeters?”
Looking at Natasha approaching, Hawke took a closer look. This woman was really beautiful, with big watery blue eyes, a high nose bridge, rosy lips, a sexy and seductive temperament, and a half-smile on her face that was a little cute.
“Guaranteed genuine, no deception.”
“Hmm.” Natasha took a sip of her mojito in a charming manner, and parted her red lips. “Mr. Hawke, I don’t think this is the place to discuss matters. I’d like to discuss this issue in depth.”
She casually picked up a piece of egg tart, and with her moist red lips, she gently took a bite of the egg tart, revealing an intoxicated expression. The seductive look she gave Hawke was quite charming and attractive.
This made a young man like Hawke feel a little embarrassed and curse inwardly. He was worthy of being a fairy who had lived for so long. He really became more relaxed as he got older.
Two hours later, in the Ryan Building gym.
Natasha was made to cry…
She was taking a shower in the bathroom at this time.
The cell phone outside rang. Hawke, wiping his sweat, took it, looked at it, and handed it into the bathroom.
“It’s a guy named Coulson calling.”
“knew.”
Natasha took the phone, “Hello, Coulson.”
“Where are you? I can’t find you. Why does your voice sound a little strange? It’s become a little hoarse.”
“It’s nothing serious. I just choked while drinking. My throat feels a little uncomfortable, but it’s not a big deal.”
Natasha covered her throat and coughed.
“I’m in the gym upstairs. I just drank too much and came here to sober up.”
“Sobering up in the gym?” Coulson, who was in charge of supporting the team outside, looked confused. What was going on?
“Yeah, I just did some Smith squats! I’m in the shower right now.”
Hawke was listening outside and couldn’t help but admire Natasha’s professionalism. She did do Smith squats for a while, mixing truth with lies, and even a silly girl couldn’t tell the difference.
Of course, Coulson also knew that Natasha was a fitness fanatic. When she was not on a mission, she often went to the gym to lift weights. Smith squats were also a common exercise, which mainly targeted the gluteal muscles, outer thighs and adductor muscles.
Although it was a bit strange, I didn’t ask any more questions.
After finishing the call, Natasha finished her shower, walked out holding the wall, and gave Hawke a fierce look.
After getting dressed and packing up, they walked into the elevator together.
“Well, Mr. Hawke, can you reveal to me now how you managed to manage Bates Capital in just over half a month?” Natasha straightened her hair, her eyes full of charm.
Unfortunately, Hawke is now in sage time and is not affected by any debuff unless he is given another minute to recover.
“Just good luck.” Hawke shrugged, but calmly took a step back. “However, if S.H.I.E.L.D. was interested in my ‘luck’, Director Fury could have just asked me out for coffee instead of sending the famous Black Widow to my bed.”
Natasha’s pupils suddenly contracted, and she was stunned for a moment, but her smile remained perfect: “It seems that Mr. Ryan’s intelligence network is quite terrifying.”
Hawke shook his head. “For example, I know you have a tiny communicator hidden in your ear, a ceramic dagger on your right leg strap, and your perfume—” he lowered his head slightly and sniffed the side of her neck, “—is mixed with a trace amount of neurotoxin. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work on me.”
Natasha’s smile finally froze for a moment, but she quickly recovered: “It seems that tonight’s ‘game’ is more interesting than I thought.”
“Game?” Hawke chuckled. “No, Natasha, this is not a game.”
He suddenly reached out and clasped her waist, pulling her into his arms, his lips almost touching her earlobe. “As agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., you should know that this world is quite dangerous.”
Natasha’s breathing hitched slightly, but the next second, her fingertips were already on his throat. “What about you? Hawk Lane, whose side are you on?”
Hawke didn’t dodge, but smiled: “I stand on the side of maximizing benefits.”
Suddenly, the elevator stopped before reaching the top floor.
20 Stock lines and men’s abilities are completely similar (old version)
The elevator’s down indicator light suddenly lit up, and the metal door slid open silently to both sides.
The dazzling light from the crystal chandelier outside the door poured in, illuminating Hawke and Natasha who had not yet completely separated in the elevator car, as well as the two figures outside the door who were about to step in.
Tony Stark, his tie hanging loosely around his neck, his white dress shirt unbuttoned with three buttons, revealing his strong chest.
One of his arms was half-hugging, half-supporting a blonde, blue-eyed, hot supermodel, whose cheeks were flushed with a charming blush, the shoulder strap of her dress had slipped down one arm, and her eyes were blurred.
Tony stepped into the elevator and looked up at the scene inside, especially Hawke’s hand still clasped around Natasha’s waist, and the almost close and ambiguous atmosphere between the two of them. He paused and his signature, slightly ruffian smile of understanding suddenly appeared on his face.
“Wow…” Tony drawled, his eyebrows raised high, his eyes ambiguously scanning between Hawke and Natasha, finally fixing on Natasha’s stunning face and hot body, “Sorry to interrupt your… ‘deep communication’? The elevators in the Ryan Building are of really good quality. Made by Stark Industries, right?”
He helped the model into the elevator and the door slowly closed.
The small space was suddenly filled with the smell of high-end perfume, alcohol, and an indescribable tension.
The supermodel seemed to be even more drunk. She leaned on Tony, looked at Natasha curiously, and smiled foolishly: “Tony…this Russian sister…is so beautiful…”
She reached out as if to touch Natasha’s red hair.
Tony quickly pressed down her restless hand and winked at Hawke, “Looks like Brother Hawke has made quite a haul tonight. This lady’s charm… wow, much more captivating than the candlestick charts on Wall Street.”
He openly admired Natasha, his eyes carrying the explicitness of a stalker. “Would you mind sharing your contact information, beautiful lady? I think there are many interesting places in New York worth exploring besides Hawke.”
The charm on Natasha’s face did not change at all. She gently broke free from Hawk’s hand, and Hawk let go. He leaned leisurely against the elevator wall, with an expression of watching a good show on his face.
Natasha smoothed her messy hair, turned to Tony, raised her red lips in a perfect arc, and there was a hint of lazy provocation in her blue eyes.
“Mr. Stark,” her Russian accent sounded particularly mellow and charming at the moment, “New York is indeed very interesting. But I heard that Stark Industries’ stock price has been fluctuating recently… a bit violently?”
She tilted her head slightly and asked innocently, “It’s like a Wall Street candlestick chart, right? Exploring your company’s stock chart is probably much more exciting than exploring yourself.” She paused and added, “Especially for a man who expounds endlessly.”
“Pfft…” Hawke couldn’t help but chuckle.
The smile on Tony’s face froze for a moment.
The response of this “Russian female billionaire” was sharp and a bit sarcastic. It accurately hit the pain point of being ridiculed in front of Hawke for the lengthy press conference, and also questioned his ability?
This is rare in Tony Stark’s history of moving around in New York social circles.
“Oh?” Tony immediately adjusted his expression, putting on a cynical smile again, and countered, “So Miss Romanova is quite knowledgeable? Then she should know that stock trends and men’s abilities are exactly the same. Violent fluctuations bring endless fun, while stability means boredom and… transitory.”
He glanced at Hawke meaningfully. He felt that although Hawke was young, he was definitely not as strong as him.
Natasha was about to continue speaking when the elevator shook slightly and arrived at the top-floor banquet hall.
The elevator door opened again, and the bright lights outside and the noise of the banquet hall instantly poured in.
There were two people standing at the door.
Norman Osborn had a blank expression on his face, his hawk-like eyes scanning the four people in the elevator sharply:
The disheveled Tony and the drunk supermodel beside him, as well as Hawke and the recognizable red-haired beauty Natalia Romanova standing side by side, seemingly intimate but with a subtle aura.
All eyes at the banquet followed Osborne to the elevator, and the place suddenly became quiet. Some people even looked at the couple’s female companions, Andy, and Pepper Potts, who had a sullen look on her face.
Harry Osborn stood half a step behind his father. His gaze once again passed over the crowd and fell on Shen Shiya who was quietly guarding in the distant corner.
Shen Shiya seemed to sense his gaze and looked back at him coldly. That look seemed to be able to penetrate the soul, making Harry’s heart skip a beat and he subconsciously avoided her sight.
Norman’s gaze stayed on Natasha in particular for two seconds longer, as if evaluating something.
The air in the elevator also solidified at this time.
Tony obviously didn’t expect to bump into the Osborn father and son as soon as the elevator door opened, especially Norman’s scrutinizing gaze made him a little uncomfortable.
He subconsciously wanted to push the drunk supermodel in his arms away a little to appear a little more respectable.
Hawke was the first to react.
His face instantly returned to that impeccable party host smile, as if all the embarrassment and temptation in the elevator had never happened.
He walked out of the elevator naturally and stood in front of Norman and his son, just blocking their view of Natasha in the elevator.
“Mr. Osborne, Harry,” Hawke’s voice was steady and enthusiastic, as if they had just met by chance, “the climax of the dinner has just begun. Did you miss any exciting auction items?”
Norman’s gaze shifted from Hawke’s face and returned to Tony, who was half-supporting and half-carrying the supermodel out of the elevator. The corners of his mouth curled up in an extremely cold and obviously sarcastic arc.
“Wonderful?” Norman’s voice was low, but clearly heard by everyone present. “General Ross just photographed something that looks like a ‘half-clawed brass knuckle’. It’s said that magicians can use it to open portals. But compared to your show, it seems insignificant.”
His eyes flickered meaningfully between Tony, Hawke, and Natasha. “The CEO of Stark Industries left the charity dinner with his female companion, and then emerged from the elevator with Mr. Ryan and this… ‘Ms. Romanova’? This plot is much more exciting than the auction. It seems that there was a special… Stark smell in that elevator.”
This remark was full of sarcasm, not only mocking Tony’s romanticism, but also hinting at the chaos that might have just occurred in the elevator, and also involving Hawke and Natasha.
The atmosphere suddenly became tense.
21 For the great cause of S.H.I.E.L.D. [Please give flowers and collect] (Old version)
Tony cheekily made a “yeah” sign to some flashing lights, unfazed.
Hawke’s smile remained.
Natasha was like a perfect vase, with a proper smile on her face, as if she didn’t understand English sarcasm, but a cold light flashed quickly in the depths of her eyes.
The elevator door slowly closed behind him, isolating him from the floor below.
In the air on the top floor, the fragrance of champagne seemed to have a hint of gunpowder.
Hawke went straight past Norman to appease the other guests.
He didn’t even need Shen Shiya to see that Norman Osborn’s genetic disease was already terminal.
Otherwise, the founder of a top consortium, a tycoon who has worked in the business world for a lifetime, would not be as naive and act like a clown as a stupid college student.
The breathtaking confrontation in the banquet hall on the top floor seemed to be still before my eyes.
Natasha Romanoff had already left the party, washed off her makeup, changed into a black combat uniform that was easy to move in, and tied her red hair simply behind her head.
She was in Coulson’s car, reporting to Nick Fury in the Quinjet through a highly encrypted communication channel.
“The target, Hawk Lane,” Natasha said in a calm, professional voice, without a trace of the flirtatiousness she’d experienced at the dinner party or the tension she’d felt in the elevator. “Not only did he completely see through my disguise—Natalia Romanova, international intelligence broker—but more importantly…”
Natasha paused, and this pause made the air on the other end of the communication stagnant for a moment.
“He is fully aware that I am an ‘Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.’ and, Director, he is aware of your existence and that you are the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., Nicholas Joseph Fury.”
Inside the Quinjet:
Fury’s sharp gaze seemed to penetrate the screen and fixate on Natasha.
His knuckles on the console were slightly white from the exertion.
Coulson, who was next to Natasha, gasped and sat up straight subconsciously, his face full of disbelief.
“He even knows my full name?” Fury’s voice was low. “Exactly how? Natasha, every word.”
“The original words were: ‘However, if S.H.I.E.L.D. was interested in my ‘luck’, Director Fury could have just asked me out for coffee instead of sending the famous Black Widow to my bed?'”
Natasha accurately repeated Hawke’s words in the elevator, every syllable clear and distinct. “He directly mentioned my code name, your full name, and the name of the organization.”
The fighter plane fell into dead silence.
There was only the low roar of the engine in the background.
Fury slowly leaned back in his chair, his one eye fixed on Natasha on the communication screen, as if he was digesting this extremely shocking information.
Coulson looked utterly bewildered. “This is beyond our wildest dreams! Director, are we taking any action?”
Fury was silent for a moment, his fingers tapping mindlessly on the console, a signature movement when he was thinking at high speed.
But it seemed like nothing was found, and his gaze once again focused on Natasha’s face:
“Agent Romanoff, midway through the dinner, for a period of two hours and seven minutes, your communicator signal was completely silent. Explain.”
Fury’s voice was filled with unquestionable questioning, which was a key part of the mission report.
There was no expression on Natasha’s face, but the communication screen seemed to be subtly still for three seconds.
Even Coulson held his breath and looked at Natasha. Was she really doing Smith squats at that time?
Natasha raised her eyebrows, her voice still steady and professional, even with a hint of official business:
“Commander, the communicator was silent because I was in the core security area of ​​the Ryan Building during that time. Any active signal transmission would be detected and located by the advanced shielding system inside, greatly increasing the risk of exposure. Maintaining silence is a requirement of standard covert operation procedures.”
She paused, as if stating an objective fact, and continued:
“As for the specific activities, as described in the mission report, they were ‘necessary contact’ intended to gain the target’s trust, establish specific channels, and conduct close assessments. Hawk Ryan himself apparently viewed this as a… ‘warm-up’ before negotiations. This operational link provided the conditions for obtaining intelligence on his knowledge of S.H.I.E.L.D.”
She spoke extremely tactfully, using words precisely to avoid direct description, but the combination of words like “establishing specific channels,” “necessary contact,” “close assessment,” and “warm-up,” combined with the two missing hours, made the meaning clear.
Coulson coughed tactically and looked out the window with a somewhat vague gaze.
The corner of Fury’s single eye seemed to twitch slightly.
An extremely rare emotion called “speechless” briefly passed across the gloomy face of the director of S.H.I.E.L.D., who was known for his coldness and control.
Of course he understood what Natasha meant.
She worked for two hours straight for the mission, for the great cause of S.H.I.E.L.D., and Hawk Lane.
And it sounds like Hawke was the one who took charge of this “warm-up” and used this opportunity to have a complete showdown.
There was silence for a few seconds, and the atmosphere inside the fighter plane became a little stagnant.
Fury’s fingers stopped tapping.
“Target…performance in the ‘warm-up’ state?” Fury finally spoke, his tone returning to calm, but the question was extremely sharp and crucial, as it involved a further assessment of Hawke’s physical and mental state.
He needed to know whether Hawke was the prey letting down his guard in that situation, or the hunter in control.
Natasha’s answer was firm and unwavering, without the slightest hesitation. “He remained alert and in control throughout the entire process, maintaining his vigilance. Director, it was more like a… stress test… conducted by him. This further confirms the conclusion that the neurotoxin perfume was ineffective against him.”
A hint of understanding and deeper fear flashed in the depths of Fury’s single eye.
It is true.
At that moment, Hawk Ryan’s mind was still as clear as ice, and he even regarded Natasha as a stage to show his strength.
Then, Fury precisely cut to the next key point: “During that ‘close assessment,’ Agent Romanoff, describe the target’s physical characteristics, habitual movements, unconscious preferences, reactions to specific stimuli…anything. Even the most subtle, seemingly insignificant information.”
22 Hawke demonstrates extraordinary physical reserves [seeking flowers and collection] (old version)
This is very important information. Sometimes a very small habit can be a fatal trump card.
The battlefield for top agents is everywhere, especially in bed. When the target is in an extremely relaxed or engaged state, even if he remains highly vigilant, it is still easy for him to expose his true self.
There was silence inside the fighter plane, and Coulson pricked up his ears, expecting Black Widow to extract some golden fragments of intelligence from that “necessary contact.”
Natasha was silent.
Not the precisely calculated pause of a mission debrief, but a rare, almost audible pause where her mind drifted away.
On the communication screen, her usually calm face seemed to change for a moment, so subtle and fast that it was impossible to catch.
“During the assessment,” Natasha began, her voice still steady, but with an indescribable fluidity, as if describing a piece of art worthy of admiration, “target Hawk Lane demonstrated exceptional physical reserves. His core muscle control and explosive power are perfectly coordinated, and his dynamic balance is at a top level.”
She paused, as if recalling the details. “Technically, he possesses both strength and precision. His tactical movements…are aggressive but not reckless, demonstrating a deep understanding of human mechanics and biological structure, and a mastery of the human body’s weaknesses. His rhythmic control is a masterful skill, as is his ability to exploit the environment and exert psychological pressure.”
Coulson’s jaw dropped open slightly. The description sounded… like a battle briefing, but with an oddly admiring tone?
He stole a glance at Fury.
Fury’s face darkened even further, like a piece of cold cast iron.
“Agent Romanoff,” Fury’s voice was as low as thunder, each word tinged with ice. “I’m asking if you’ve observed any intelligence details that might help us analyze his psychological state, potential weaknesses, or background clues. I’m not asking you to write a physical assessment of his performance in bed!”
Fury almost uttered the last few words through gritted teeth.
Natasha seemed to suddenly realize it and came out of her unconscious state of “professional appreciation”.
Her face instantly regained the absolute calmness that an agent should have, as if the previous comment had never appeared.
“Reporting to the Director,” her voice became cold and objective again. “The target maintained high concentration throughout the entire process, with their defense mechanisms fully activated. No slackness, unconscious habits, or exploitable physical or psychological weaknesses were observed. Their willpower was extremely strong, and their awareness of the environment never decreased.”
She added decisively, “Apart from the objective description of his physical functions and combat prowess mentioned above, no valid intelligence has been obtained.”
The fighter plane fell into silence again.
Coulson cleared his throat tactically, feeling the air so thick it made it difficult for him to breathe.
He didn’t dare look at Fury, nor did he dare look at Natasha beside him.
Fury’s one eye stared at Natasha, as if his gaze wanted to penetrate her and see what was hidden beneath her calm appearance.
A feeling called “absurdity” surged in his heart.
Hawk Lane… is he that bad?
It was so powerful that even his top agents were intoxicated by it!
For the first time, he had some doubts about Natasha, and he decided to try someone else. Fortunately, Hawke’s alma mater, Columbia University, arranged for two outstanding new agents to go in.
However, during the period when the Bates Capital incident occurred, multiple intelligence agencies had placed spies in Columbia University to contact Hawke, but SHIELD has not yet obtained their complete list.
But no matter what, SHIELD must move faster than other intelligence agencies.
After thinking about this for a few seconds, he slowly leaned back in his chair. His voice was emotionless, yet filled with immense pressure.
“Understood. Complete the mission report with all the details. Agent Romanov, after the mission, you are required to write an extremely detailed operational review. Every point of contact, every line of conversation, every observed detail, regardless of whether you deem it valuable. Also, double the amount of physical training.”
He paused, his single eye flashing coldly, and added meaningfully:
“Especially the Smith squats… add another hundred.”
He leaned forward slightly, his single eye fixed on Natasha on the communication screen:
“Now, arrange a meeting as he asked, the sooner the better.”
Fury did not say “negotiation” but “meeting”, which not only responded to Hawke’s original words in the elevator, but also showed that S.H.I.E.L.D., or he, Fury, was willing to start a dialogue in a relatively equal manner.
Communications cut off.
Coulson didn’t dare to breathe and secretly glanced at Natasha. There was nothing on that beautiful face except the professional coldness after the mission was completed.
And only Natasha herself knew that in the “extremely detailed” review report that Fury requested, all she could write about the two hours of “necessary contact” was probably still the “physical assessment” that was objective to the point of praise but had no intelligence value, because that was the only “detail” she could clearly recall.
The rest of his sensory memories had long been overwritten by a heart-pounding sense of control and extraordinary skill, imprinted deep within his bodily perception rather than in his agent’s analysis log.
After a moment, Natasha took a deep breath and called up Hawk Lane’s private contact information. The number was not public information. It was entered into her mobile phone by Hawk himself after she passed the “necessary contact”.
She took a deep breath and typed on the virtual keyboard with her fingertips, choosing precise words:
Mr. Hawke, my boss is very interested in your coffee invitation. Are you free tonight?
Message sent.
Almost instantly, the reply popped up:
Natasha, that’s incredibly efficient. It seems your boss needs this conversation more than I thought.
[Tonight at 9pm, “Tears of the Muse” across from the Bates Building.][The rooftop terrace is reserved for me.][By the way, let me ask you again, regarding the Smith squat, are you satisfied with my performance?]Naked flirting, with a sense of control and playfulness.
Natasha looked at the words on the screen and seemed to hear Hawke’s low voice and his faint smile.
Her decision to respond in a more direct, more Hawke-esque way was itself a tentative one.
23 Natasha’s Experience Report [Please give flowers and collect] (Old version)
Her fingertips hovered over the virtual keyboard for a moment, then typed out her reply:
[Arrangements confirmed, Mr. Hawke. 12:00 AM, Muse Tears rooftop terrace.]As for your question…
[Satisfied? Hawke, you underestimate yourself.]Your ‘concentration’ runs through the entire process, your control is breathtaking, and your precision leaves no room for escape.
[The sense of strength is undeniable, but what is even more impressive is the damned maturity and patience. ][The rhythm is firmly controlled by you, and every attempt is predicted and dismantled by you, turning into a deeper suppression.]The most terrible thing is, Hawke, at that moment, your eyes remained as clear as an ice pick, as if you were simply assessing the extreme reaction of a delicate instrument.
【Honestly…outstanding.】
send.
It wasn’t the cold “physical fitness assessment report” given to Fury, but rather a report with a lazy, afterthought-like sense of reality, with every word tinged with color.
Hawke’s reply followed immediately, with the pleasure of letting his prey flutter in his palm:
I’m very grateful for your ‘first-hand user experience report’. Such honest and vivid feedback is very helpful to me.
[It seems that the expected effect has been achieved, both in terms of data and experience.][By the way, if Ms. Natasha Romanoff ever wants to revisit this extreme training… my private gym is always open.]This was no longer just flirting, but bordering on provocation and an unbridled invitation.
Natasha’s fingertips curled slightly, then regained their composure, and expressionlessly forwarded all the chat records with Hawke, along with the meeting confirmation, to Fury.
This was also part of the intelligence gathering effort, showing Fury Hawke’s attempts to break down her defenses, and her own response to that offensive.
No personal comments are added, just pure objective information transmission.
A few seconds later, Fury’s reply popped up coldly:
[Received. Arrived on time.][Agent Romanoff, focus on the mission.]No comment was made on Hawke’s ambiguous remarks, but the last four words carried a heavy weight.
Natasha closed all communication interfaces and merged back into the shadows of her combat uniform.
She methodically began going through her equipment, making logistical preparations for the evening’s meeting.
The movements are precise and efficient, as always.
But in her brain, which was as precise as an instrument, Hawke’s deep voice seemed to still echo: “…the door is always open.”
This wasn’t a love talk, but more like another test of the boundaries of her will.
My replies were like adding fuel to the fire.
In tonight’s meeting, Fury will face Hawke directly, and her situation as a bridge, or in other words, a “tool” being used, will be even more delicate.
Hawke Ryan must not be seen as just a twenty-year-old boy.
He is like an unfathomable cold pond. Beneath the calm surface lies a cold calculation that can devour everything and…an irresistible and dangerous charm.
On the rooftop terrace of Tears of Muse, the smell of gunpowder becomes even stronger beneath the aroma of expensive coffee.
Natasha needed to make sure she wasn’t letting any personal, physiological memories cloud her judgment.
She could do another hundred Smith squats, but absolute mental calmness was the training she needed most at the moment.
The hands just coincided with midnight, and the lighted terrace on the top floor of Tears of the Muse seemed to have become a floating island on the Manhattan skyline.
The night wind carried the slightly salty water vapor from the Hudson River, stirring up the aroma of expensive coffee and cigar ashes, but it could not dispel the invisible smoke of gunpowder that filled the air.
The bright lights of the city spread out in the distance, outlining the sharp silhouettes of the carefully trimmed potted plants on the edge of the terrace, and also illuminating the three figures at the lonely glass round table in the center.
Nick Fury, wearing his signature black leather coat, was like a reef formed by the night sky, his one-eyed hawk-like sharpness examining the young man opposite him.
Natasha Romanoff stood silently like a perfect shadow, half a step behind Fury, her combat uniform blending into the darkness of the corner.
Hawke himself is the only discordant note in this tense atmosphere.
He leaned leisurely in a modern armchair with smooth lines, his dark suit flowing with silky luster under the carefully designed lighting, and his fingertips casually played with an unlit cigar.
In front of him was a cup of espresso that had barely been touched, the curling steam quickly dissipating in the cool night breeze.
“Director,” Hawke’s voice was low and pleasant, breaking the silence with a hint of laziness, as if he was simply greeting a late friend. “The scenery of Manhattan at midnight, coupled with your unique temperament, always has a unique flavor.”
His eyes swept across Fury’s tense face, finally stopping at Natasha, and the corners of his mouth curled up, “Ms. Romanoff, the night scene suits you very well tonight.”
Natasha’s eyelashes did not move at all. She mobilized all her willpower, compressed and archived those physiological memories, and locked them firmly in the read-only memory area.
“Mr. Ryan, ‘King’?” Fury’s voice was low and oppressive. “Busan was blown to the sky, and Bates Capital was crushed by you like an ant. You detonated a financial nuclear bomb right under my nose, turning half of Wall Street upside down. Now, tell me, whose game are you playing? Or are you the one playing chess?”
His single eye locked onto Hawke, trying to penetrate that elegant and composed facade.
Hawke chuckled:
“Director, if I didn’t know your identity, I would have thought you were the Chairman of the Federal Reserve or the SEC… You even control the financial markets. Isn’t that too broad? And the word ‘game’ isn’t quite accurate. I prefer to call it ‘risk elimination.’ Bates Capital’s level of danger has already threatened social stability. I’ve simply accelerated its metabolism.”
His tone was flat, as if he was talking about the weather.
“Don’t give me official jargon!” Fury said gravely. “And those two girls, Gu Ziyun and Shin Shiya, they’re weapons! Dangerous weapons! You’re playing with fire! Biological weapons, the bloodbath on Wall Street… You’ve become the epicenter of all the trouble!”
The smile on Hawke’s face deepened, but there was no warmth in his eyes.
“Director, your intelligence network is as efficient as ever. As for the center of the trouble…”
He stood up gracefully and walked to the edge of the terrace.
Looking up at the roof of the Bates Building opposite, I could vaguely see a few well-dressed but distraught figures on the helipad on the top floor of the Bates Building.
It was the core members and several executives of the Bates family, surrounded by SHIELD agents, who were hurriedly walking towards the standby helicopter, carrying several suitcases, obviously preparing to escape from this sad place.
“Sometimes trouble needs to be cleared away before the waters can calm down again.”
Fury followed his gaze upwards, his pupils suddenly contracting.
He realized something, and a chill instantly ran up his spine.
24 Art is an explosion! [Please give flowers and collect] (Old version)
“Hawk Lane! What the hell do you want to do?! There…”
At this moment, Hawk Lane slowly turned around and faced Nick Fury, an extremely cold smile blooming on his handsome face.
His voice was clear, calm, and had a chilling ritual quality that echoed clearly across the cold terrace at night:
“Because, Director Fury…”
Hawke’s gaze seemed to fall directly on the panicked Bates family member about to board the plane.
“…Art is an explosion.”
The moment he finished speaking—
boom!!!!!!!!!!!!!
A huge roar was heard!
On the top floor of the Bates Capital Building, the expensive helicopter and the surrounding helipad area were completely engulfed by a suddenly expanding, extremely dazzling orange-red fireball and billowing smoke!
The shock wave of the explosion instantly shattered all the reinforced glass on the top floor. The fragments sprayed into the sky like deadly hail, reflecting countless light spots under the moonlight and lamplight.
You can even feel the shaking under your feet, and you can see with the naked eye that the top structure of the building has collapsed and twisted horribly!
The sound of the explosion hit Fury’s eardrum!
He took a sudden step back, staring at the top of the Bates Building with his one eye, his pupils dilated with extreme shock, his face filled with incredible anger and the humiliation of being blatantly provoked.
He couldn’t believe it!
This well-dressed and elegantly-spoken young man, the darling of Wall Street, actually ordered the explosion of the top floor of a skyscraper right in front of him, the director of S.H.I.E.L.D., with a casual but extremely arrogant line!
And this is the target that SHIELD has declared to protect!
This is no longer a fight in the financial field, this is a naked, terrorist-level murder!
Right under his nose!
“You…you lunatic!” Fury’s voice was hoarse with extreme anger, and he subconsciously reached for the pistol at his waist.
Hawk Ryan, however, remained standing there, the cold smile on his face unchanged, as if what he had just admired was not a destructive fireworks display that claimed more than a dozen lives, but a true art performance.
His voice was eerily calm. “Bates’s script ends here. Their greed, stupidity, and the hidden dangers they left behind have all been completely erased in this ‘final performance.’ Please tell former Director Alexander Pierce: You’re welcome.”
He adjusted his suit cuffs gracefully, as if he had just flicked off a speck of dust.
“As for the two girls you’re concerned about,” Hawke’s gaze refocused on Fury’s face, twisted with rage, with a hint of unmistakable warning, “They are now my assets. Your company need not bother with anything. Any attempt to disturb their peaceful lives—or, in other words, to disturb my ongoing work—will result in a scene that may be more ‘artistically impactful’ than this little fireworks display you saw.”
“The meeting is over.” Hawke nodded slightly, ignored Fury’s eyes that were almost spitting fire, and turned to leave.
Leaving the cafe, Hawk Lane’s face was calm, like a gentleman who had just finished enjoying a grand opera. He disappeared into the crowd along with the countless panicked people under the Bates Building.
In fact, Andy did not quite agree with Hawk’s action at the beginning, thinking that the killing was too extreme. He even talked about a set of Buddhist theory of cause and effect. Hawk shut Andy up in time.
This is no longer a simple business war. The Bates family was the first to cross the bottom line and found the Clay Doll Team of the Witch Project to wipe out the entire Ryan Group, including Andy.
Hawke was just returning the favor, what crime had he committed?
You say I’m guilty?
Come on, look me in the eyes and say it!
Heat ray warning!
In the end, Hawke managed to sleep with Andy, allowing her to put her mind at ease.
And being responsible for blowing them up into the sky is the token of allegiance that Enfei needs to pay.
Under the heavy protection of S.H.I.E.L.D., sneaking into the roof of Bates Building to plant explosives is very difficult, but Eun-fi is worthy of being the captain of the Doll Team. She is a T1-level witch in the Witch Project, second only to Gu Zi-yoon, Shin Shi-ya, and the noble man.
With a superhuman body, super self-healing ability, and powerful telekinesis, he is extremely capable even among people with super powers. He has also received professional military and espionage training.
So she is quite adept at doing this kind of thing.
At this moment, Nick Fury, the king of agents who had seen many storms, felt a little difficult for the first time facing such a young yet dangerous opponent.
The declaration “Art is explosion” stayed in his ears for half a second and then disappeared with the wind.
But what he was more interested in at the moment was what Hawke wanted to convey to Pierce through him: You’re welcome!
What does this mean?
Is this simply an attempt to sow discord? Or does Hawke have deeper intelligence?
He sighed and thought about the Avengers plan he had been planning for many years.
“We need to speed up!”
Natasha behind him was also shocked. Doing such a thing in front of Nick Fury was simply crazy to the extreme.
Bang!
It was not the sound of an explosion, but the crisp sound of some kind of ice breaking deep in her heart.
This madness, like a meteorite dropped into the lake of her heart, instantly broke through the rational ice on which Natasha depended for survival.
She had experienced countless lives and deaths and seen all kinds of madness, but Hawk Lane’s madness was different.
It is wrapped in the elegant suits of Wall Street elites, expressed in the most appropriate language, and executed with the most precise manner.
There was a fatal attraction for her, like an apex predator drawn to another, more powerful and unpredictable predator.
“Damn it…” Natasha cursed in her heart and forced her eyes to focus on the billowing smoke still drifting from the top of Bates Building after the explosion in the distance.
But that madness still ran through her spinal cord like an icy electric current, bringing with it a trembling feeling that was almost paralyzing.
She was…excited.
This excitement was extremely faint, hidden under the cold rationality, but she captured it clearly.
Like the deadliest virus, once you become aware of its presence, you have already been infected.
The whisper of “the door is always open” is no longer just a test of the boundaries of will, but more like an invitation to the abyss.
25 What else do I need to do? In addition to the task [Seeking flowers and collection] (old version)
In the American comics, I gave Aunt Mei a backdoor at the beginning: 25 What else do I need to do? In addition to the task [Please ask for flowers and collection][Picture: Enfei]The explosion on the top floor of Bates Building that shook the Manhattan night sky and announced the complete end of a financial dynasty seemed to still linger on Enfei’s retina.
The shrill alarms, the screams of the crowd, and the sound of glass fragments falling like a rainstorm are still clear in her extraordinary sensory memory.
At this moment, in the shadow of a building in Manhattan, I only felt a strange, unreal feeling as if I was walking on clouds – the mission was accomplished.
Clean and neat, leaving no traces.
Take a deep breath, and then take another deep breath.
Such a simple task, yet it makes me so nervous!
Enfei thought with some self-mockery.
Her thin hospital gown was transformed into a perfectly tailored off-white silk shirt and a dark gray high-waisted pencil skirt, which perfectly outlined her petite yet explosive figure.
The soft black hair was carefully groomed and fell on the shoulders, making the pale face look even more delicate, with only a trace of panic remaining deep in the eyes.
We drove to the Steinway Building. Hawke’s study was brightly lit. Outside the huge floor-to-ceiling windows, the night sky in the direction of the Bates Building seemed to still have a faint strange red glow.
Hawke seemed to have just arrived home and was standing in front of the French window.
When Enfei saw his tall figure, her heart began to beat uncontrollably again.
She tiptoed into the room and stood a few meters away from Hawke, her hands folded in front of her subconsciously, her posture reserved yet with a hint of imperceptible flattery.
She completed the task, but she was still afraid.
“Hawk…Mr. Hawke.” Her voice was softer than she thought, with a slight tentative tremor.
Hawke turned slowly.
His eyes fell on her, from head to toe, and the scrutinizing look made Enfei subconsciously hold her breath and almost want to lower her head.
“Enfei, you have accomplished the mission very well. SHIELD’s protective measures are useless in front of you. Not bad.”
Hawke’s voice was light, and he was generous with his praise. It was like a warm current that instantly flowed through Enfei’s cold limbs.
Her tense shoulders relaxed slightly, and she even felt a hint of joy? A kind of humble joy of being recognized.
“Mr. Hawke.” She mustered up her courage, looked up at him, and asked cautiously, “Are you satisfied?”
Those once cruel eyes now sparkled with anticipation and anxiety.
Hawke took a few steps closer, and Enfei’s body trembled slightly, but she did not retreat.
“The efficiency exceeded my expectations. I’m very satisfied.” Hawke commented, taking in her brand new clothes and carefully groomed face. “It seems Ziyun has taken good care of you.”
“Yeah,” Eun-bi nodded quickly, like a child eager to demonstrate their worth. “Sister Zi-yun bought me a lot of clothes. They’re… very comfortable and beautiful. I’ve never worn clothes like this before.”
There was a hint of novelty in her tone.
Hawke looked at her almost clumsy honesty after her hostility faded away, and said with a smile: “As long as you like it.”
He paused, looking at Enfei, who seemed to be hesitant to speak, and asked, “Any more questions?”
As if receiving some kind of permission, Enfei asked a series of questions, filled with long-suppressed curiosity and an urgent need for confirmation:
“Mr. Hawke, will I…will I live here from now on? Or…is there somewhere else?”
“I…what else do I need to do? Besides…the mission?”
“Sister Ziyun, does she… does she also work for you? She and Shen Shiya…”
She asked somewhat incoherently.
Hawke listened to her questions patiently without interrupting.
Only after she finished asking did he slowly speak:
“You will have a luxurious and comfortable residence nearby, living with Gu Ziyun and Shen Shiya. Get familiar with the pace of life in New York as soon as possible, and I will arrange an identity for you.”
“Your responsibilities are clear: carry out the tasks I assign you. The rest of the time is your freedom to do whatever you want—study, have fun, enjoy the sunshine.”
“Ziyun and Shiya are my core employees. You are at different levels, but you both work for me. In addition to your generous monthly base salary, you also receive additional compensation for completing tasks. If you encounter any problems that can be solved with money, don’t come to me. Go to Ziyun. She is currently my assistant.”
Enfei listened carefully, and every word seemed to be engraved in her heart.
“I understand, sir.” Enfei’s voice became calmer.
She took a deep breath, as if to encourage herself: “I will obey, I will do everything you ask me to do.”
Hawke nodded. “Your new task is to take care of Shen Shiya. She’s young and immature. You need to teach her how to live, take care of herself, and develop her abilities.”
“Gu Ziyun will be my assistant, and Andy is quite busy with work, so Shen Shiya will be handed over to you for now. But I must remind you first, you must build a good relationship with Shen Shiya. She is very likely the most powerful witch in history, surpassing Gu Ziyun.”
Eun Fei’s pupils shrank slightly. Is she stronger than Gu Ziyun?
Although she was a little bit unbelieving, she obeyed Hawke’s words and nodded immediately like a chicken pecking at rice.
Hawke was relieved.
He had read the original novel. Shen Shiya not only got rid of the witch’s biggest weakness – the head, but her abilities were also greatly enhanced.
It was easier for her to crush the clay doll group than to crush an ant. The difference was ridiculously huge.
If Shen Shiya could now skillfully use her abilities, there was an 80% chance that I would not be her opponent.
Hawke picked up his suit jacket from the back of the chair and said to Enfei, “Let’s go. I’ll take you to your new place.”
Hawke was in the driver’s seat and Eun-fi was in the passenger seat.
When the car windows are closed, the bustling and noisy night outside is blocked out, and the interior is filled with soothing classical music and the cool aroma of premium leather.
The car drove smoothly into the night streets of Manhattan.
Enfei’s body tensed slightly, her hands resting on her legs, her fingertips unconsciously twisting the soft material of her skirt.
The enclosed and private space inside the carriage amplified Hawke’s indescribable powerful aura.
She secretly turned her head and looked at Hawke.
His profile was clearly defined in the dim light of the carriage, and he was handsome to the point of being sharp.
A bold idea, a mixture of flattery, temptation and a throbbing that she herself could not explain, suddenly seized her.
26 A five-minute drive took an hour [Request for flowers] (Old version)
Eunbi’s body moved.
Carefully, with a touch of cat-like lightness and hesitation, she slowly leaned her body towards Hawke.
Her shoulder gently pressed against his arm, and through the thin fabric of his shirt, she could feel his solid muscles and body temperature.
Hawke didn’t move, holding the steering wheel with one hand like an experienced driver.
Enfei’s heart was beating like a drum.
She mustered up more courage and gently leaned her head on his arm.
Strands of hair brushed against his neck faintly.
Still no response.
This silent acquiescence seemed like encouragement.
Enfei raised her head and looked up at Hawke’s face so close to her.
There was no fear in her beautiful eyes at this moment, only sacrificial concentration and a kind of confusion after being tamed.
Her hand, with a slight tremor, rose very slowly and carefully touched Hawke’s hand on his thigh.
Her fingertips first gently stroked the back of his hand, feeling the warmth and strength of the skin, and then, with a desperate courage, she gently and tentatively inserted her fingers between his fingers.
Hawke’s fingers finally moved.
Instead of pushing her away, he tightened his grip slightly and wrapped her slightly cool little hand in his palm.
This subtle response seemed to ignite the long-suppressed fire in Enfei’s heart.
When the light stopped, she no longer hesitated, leaned up, and awkwardly pressed her soft lips against the corner of Hawke’s mouth.
It was a kiss full of youthful exploration and strong attachment.
Hawke’s eyes reflected Enfei’s nervous and eager face at the moment.
He looked down at her, his eyes calm, but the pressure of controlling everything did not weaken in the slightest.
After a moment, Hawke pushed Eunbi away.
The moment Enfei was pushed away, she was flustered and thought she had done something wrong. She subconsciously wanted to retreat: “I’m… I’m sorry, sir, I…”
Her words were cut off as Hawke pointed out the window and said, “The light is green.”
The five-minute drive took a full hour before the car stopped at the entrance of a low-key and luxurious apartment building.
Hawke looked at Enfei in his arms, impressed by his superb technique. She was still gasping for breath, with flushed cheeks, misty eyes and even a hint of water in them, as if she was appreciating a piece of art that he had just branded.
“Your new place has arrived.”
Enfei woke up as if from a dream, her cheeks burning and her heart still beating wildly.
She obediently straightened her wrinkled shirt and skirt, and when her fingers touched her slightly swollen lips, she felt another wave of palpitations and inexplicable throbbing.
She didn’t dare look Hawke in the eye again and obediently opened the car door.
Hawke also got out of the car and took Enfei into the apartment elevator and went straight to the top floor.
The fingerprint unlocked the door and it slid open silently.
What comes into view is a high-end apartment with a wide view.
Outside the huge floor-to-ceiling windows is the dazzling Manhattan skyline.
“The houses here…are very expensive…”
After looking at it curiously for a while, Enfei said this carefully.
Hawke’s mouth twitched, and he just felt a little funny. He patted Enfei on the shoulder and said, “Five thousand dollars a month. The rent will be deducted from the salaries of the three of you.”
Then he pointed in the direction of one of the bedrooms and said, “That’s your room.”
Enfei took a deep breath, turned around, and instead of going to the bedroom, she approached Hawke again.
This time, she didn’t hesitate.
She stretched out her slender arms, wrapped them around Hawke’s thin waist, and rested her cheek on his chest, listening to his steady and strong heartbeat.
Then, she stood on tiptoe and kissed his Adam’s apple.
This is an extremely bold and suggestive move.
Hawke’s body seemed to stiffen for a moment.
Then, he chuckled softly, raised his hand suddenly, grabbed the back of Enfei’s neck, and forced her to raise her head to accept his kiss again.
At the same time, a strong arm passed through her legs and lifted her entire petite body horizontally.
Eun-bi exclaimed and instinctively hugged his neck tighter.
Hawke held her in his arms and strode towards the bedroom.
The bedroom was equally spacious and cold. Outside the huge floor-to-ceiling windows was the dazzling lights of the entire city, and in the center was a black bed of astonishing size.
Eunbi was thrown onto the soft duvet.
Before she even had time to feel dizzy, Hawke’s strong body had already covered her, and the shadow completely enveloped her.
All clothes are as fragile as paper in the face of absolute force.
The neon lights of the city outside the window were like flowing ribbons, casting a cold shadow on the entangled figures.
After an unknown amount of time, the storm subsided.
The only sounds left in the room were the two people’s heavy breathing.
Hawke stood up and walked towards the bathroom connected to the bedroom.
Soon, the sound of rushing water was heard from inside.
Enfei curled up exhausted in the middle of the huge bed, her body still sore and with a strange aftertaste from being thoroughly used.
The cold air in the room and the dazzling world outside the window reminded her of the reality that she was trapped in an expensive cage.
The sound of water stopped.
Hawke came out with a towel wrapped around his waist, and water droplets rolled down his well-defined muscles.
“How do you feel?” Hawke asked softly, his tone very confident.
Enfei also struggled to sit up and wrapped herself in the sheets.
Her face was still stained with tears and flushed with lust. Her black hair was messily stuck to her sweaty forehead and neck. Her eyes were filled with a fragile and submissive look after being destroyed. She said, “Very… OK…”
Hawke smiled, at least half of it was due to the best coming-of-age gift he drew in 18 years old. He really wanted to say: When I was 18 years old, I put my hands in my pockets and didn’t know what an opponent was!
She lay down, enveloped in Hawke’s lingering scent, and sank into dreamless darkness.
27 We were watching a horror movie last night! 【Please give me flowers】(Old version)
The Manhattan skyline outside the window faded from neon and was dyed with the gray-blue of the morning light.
Eun-fi woke up in a state of exhaustion mixed with aches and pains and a strange satisfaction.
Hawke was no longer beside him, and the other side of the bed was cold.
Fragments of last night’s memories flooded into her mind like a storm, making her cheeks flush instantly and her heart beat uncontrollably.
She sat up, wrapped herself tightly in the sheets, and looked around the cold and luxurious bedroom, which was filled with the strong atmosphere of Hawke. A sense of unreality lingered.
She stood up carefully, the soreness in her private parts reminded her of the intensity of last night.
She put on her wrinkled shirt and skirt, stepped barefoot on the soft, cool carpet, and pushed open the bedroom door.
In the living room, Hawke was sitting on the sofa drinking coffee, wearing only pajamas. The morning light outlined the lines of his sturdy upper body, full of tension.
Enfei was hesitating, not knowing how to start, when she heard the “beep” sound of fingerprint unlocking and deliberately lowered voices from the hallway.
“Ah, I’m finally back. I need to catch up on some sleep…”
“Hey, Eunbi?”
“Mr. Hawke!…Uh, Enfei, you’re here too?”
Gu Ziyun and Shin Shiya walked in with tired looks on their faces.
When Gu Ziyun saw Hawk in the living room and Eun-fei who was obviously coming out from the bedroom, his eyes flickered and he quickly looked away, trying to hide Shin Shi-ya behind him.
Shen Shiya was completely unaware of this. She yawned loudly and looked at the two of them with innocence and curiosity.
Hawke turned around, took a sip of coffee, and glanced calmly at the two of them: “Playing late? Coming home at this time?”
Gu Ziyun immediately became like a cat whose tail was stepped on, hesitating: “No… I didn’t go anywhere… I was just… strolling around…” Her eyes were wandering and she didn’t dare to look at Hawke.
Shin Shi-ah, however, was a sincere child. Facing Hawke’s gaze, she added honestly, “Zi-yoon went to a nightclub! The lights were so bright and the music was so loud! Zi-yoon can’t get drunk at all!”
She paused, as if remembering something, and looked at Gu Ziyun with a bit of confusion, “But unnie, you seem to have forgotten to pay? The manager said to put it on the bill…”
Gu Ziyun’s face instantly turned red, and he wished he could find a hole to crawl into: “Shin Shiya! Shut up!”
Hawke’s brows didn’t even twitch, as if he’d expected this. He put down his coffee cup and said calmly, “Send the bill to my house?”
Gu Ziyun shrank his neck and muttered softly: “Send it to Columbia University…”
Hawke’s eyes widened, and he stood up with a bang, almost knocking the sofa over. His eyes twitched: “Go pay the bill right now. If my teachers and classmates knew that I drank in a nightclub and didn’t pay, would I still be able to hang around?”
Gu Ziyun laughed awkwardly and nodded repeatedly.
Hawke glanced at Gu Ziyun, and there seemed to be some blood splatter on the corner of his clothes.
“What is that?”
Gu Ziyun looked at the corner of his clothes and waved his hand.
Shin Shi-ya spoke first: “When we were drinking, there were a few men who wanted to touch me, and Ziyun taught them a lesson.”
Hawke turned his gaze to Gu Ziyun, who smiled innocently and said, “Don’t worry, no one is dead.”
Hawke then let go of Gu Ziyun and looked at Shin Shiya, who looked confused and still trying to recall the details. “Follow Eunbi from now on.” He pointed at Eunbi, who was still a little embarrassed. “Let her teach you some rules, especially basic common sense like ‘paying money.'”
Shen Shiya immediately nodded happily: “Okay, okay! Hello, Enfioni!”
She smiled and said hello.
Then, her clear eyes darted between Enfei and Hawke, finally landing on Enfei’s slightly messy hair, slightly swollen lips, and the faint red mark on her neck. She asked innocently:
“Ah! So Enfione and Mr. Hawke were hanging out together last night? Why did you come out of the same room? Enfione looked a little tired.”
She pointed at Eun-bi, then at Hawke, who was wearing pajamas, with a look of pure curiosity.
The air froze instantly.
Gu Ziyun rolled his eyes and covered his face.
Enfei’s cheeks instantly turned red as if blood was dripping out, her eyes darted around in panic, and she wished she could disappear on the spot.
Hawke paused and looked at Shen Shiya expressionlessly.
“Watch a movie.” Hawke broke the silence first.
“Yes! A movie! A horror movie! We were so scared we couldn’t sleep well!” Enfei reacted immediately and quickly chimed in, trying to save the awkward situation. “It’s a very long movie…”
Shen Shiya tilted her head, looking at this and then that, her eyes full of doubt, “Really? I don’t believe it.”
The three people’s obviously unnatural reactions made her feel that things must not be so simple. However, seeing Mr. Hawke’s unquestionable expression, she temporarily swallowed her doubts and just muttered quietly, “What kind of movie is so scary… and it can also make people tired…”
Hawke ignored Shen Shiya’s muttering, put down the coffee cup, and walked straight to his master bedroom, as if the awkward moment had never happened.
“Wash up and change clothes. I have classes today.”
Columbia University.
Economics Department lecture hall.
The old professor on the podium was talking about the “Law of Diminishing Marginal Utility” with saliva flying.
“So, who can tell me why diamonds are more expensive than water, but the total utility of water is much higher than that of diamonds?” The professor pushed his glasses.
Silence.
“Because of scarcity and marginal value.” A low and pleasant voice sounded.
Swish! All eyes were focused on the window seat at the back of the classroom.
Hawk Lane rested his chin on one hand, his posture relaxed.
“Bingo!” The professor’s eyes lit up. “Mr. Ryan, can you elaborate?”
Hawke spoke eloquently, with clear logic and precise wording, making the boring theories sound like Wall Street insider information.
The only sounds in the classroom were his voice and the girls’ suppressed gasps.
“Wow… Mr. Hawke is so handsome… and his voice is so nice…”
“Yeah, yeah, I came to this class just to see Hawke!”
“I heard that he and Professor Emilia…”
“Shh! Stop talking nonsense! He and Emily from the cheerleading squad are a couple, right? Last time someone saw him picking her up in a sports car!”
“Jenny, the beauty from the Art Academy who’s such a great dancer, also came to see Hawke!”
“That Olivia from the student council looks at him in a strange way! She’s the mayor’s daughter, so she definitely has the best chance! Is this man toxic? A harvester? When will he harvest me too?”
“I heard that the new girls in the Economics Department all transferred in for Hawke, and they’re all campus beauties!”
Among them, the two rookie S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, the Asian-American academic master Miu Kobayashi, and the sports sweetheart Katherine Miller, were also in the classroom. They would occasionally glance over Hawke, trying to discover something.
28 Fury: We are humanity’s last barrier! [Request flowers] (Old version)
After looking at each other, they decided that Catherine would launch the attack first.
But unexpectedly, as soon as the bell rang and Hawke had just packed up her things, a figure rushed over faster than her.
“Hawk!” Emily Chen, the blonde, blue-eyed, and hot cheerleader, jumped in front of him like a happy little bird and took his arm affectionately. “We have a rehearsal this afternoon. Come and see me?” She blinked her curled eyelashes and her voice was so sweet that it was sickening.
This scene left Catherine, who had not yet approached, speechless.
Before Hawke could speak, a light cough was heard beside him.
Student Union President Olivia Dunn was holding a folder, wearing a smart professional suit and a cool temperament.
She pushed her gold-rimmed glasses, her eyes glancing at Emily holding Hawke’s arm. Her tone was businesslike yet sharp, “Hawk, my father wants to discuss the sponsorship details for the annual New York charity dinner with you in person. Is this afternoon free for you?”
Olivia Duncan, daughter of New York City Mayor Elliott Duncan.
Emily immediately pouted and hugged him tighter, “I was the one who asked Hawke out first!”
Olivia’s eyes flashed behind her glasses: “Business comes first, Chen.”
Hawke, who was sandwiched in the middle, had a faint smile on his face, like a spectator.
He raised his hand, and his slender fingers pinched Emily’s waist lightly and imperceptibly, causing her to cry out softly and instantly lose her momentum.
At the same time, he looked at Olivia and said with a hint of amusement: “Of course we have to give Mayor Duncan face. No problem this afternoon.”
Olivia curled the corners of her mouth in satisfaction, glanced at Emily, turned and left, her high heels clicking.
“Hmph!” Emily said angrily, “Let’s go to the old place tonight!” After saying that, she stomped her feet and ran away.
Hawke shook his head. Just as he left the building, his phone rang. It was Professor Emilia: “Hawk, I’ve accepted your offer to become CEO of Lion Capital. I’m about to submit my resignation from the academy. Also, regarding that dynamic game model you proposed last time, would you be able to come to my office after class to discuss it? I’d like to ask you some details.”
The text was followed by a small flame emoji.
Hawke raised his eyebrows and tapped the screen with his fingertips: It’s my honor.
at the same time.
Triskelion Building, Nick Fury’s office.
Outside the thick bulletproof glass window, the morning light of Washington DC was dazzling, but it could not illuminate the solidified haze in Nick Fury’s one eye.
The office was filled with invisible smoke and cold silence, which was far heavier than the explosion last night.
Fury stood with his back to the door, like a silent black statue, in front of the huge floor-to-ceiling window. His sight seemed to penetrate time and space, fixed on the orange-red mushroom cloud over Manhattan last night, which was still repeatedly played on the news and symbolized his shame.
His fingers tightened unconsciously, and the muscles on his dark face were as tense as steel.
Fooled!
Being blatantly provoked!
The moment he, the director of S.H.I.E.L.D., declared protection to Alexander Pierce and even the entire intelligence community, Hawk Ryan used a shocking explosion to blow his promise and the Bates family to pieces.
This wasn’t a failure, this was a slap in the face, loud enough for the whole world to hear.
“Hill.” His voice was hoarse.
“Sir.” Maria Hill immediately appeared behind him, her face equally stern, holding a report she had just received.
“Casualties confirmed?”
“Seven core members of the Bates family, three executives from Bates Capital, and our four field agents who were escorting them… all confirmed dead in the explosion.”
Hill’s tone was calm, but deep in his eyes was a simmering rage and self-blame. “The scene was precisely destroyed by high-energy explosives, leaving no trace of any value. It was textbook cleanliness, but Hawkline’s movements throughout the day can be traced. He likely didn’t do it himself.”
Fury turned around slowly and said, “With the power of the Ryan family, it’s not difficult to find a few professionals, but it’s not easy to do it without leaving any trace under the nose of S.H.I.E.L.D.”
He walked over to the huge holographic console and slid his fingers across it, calling up the logos of several highly confidential projects around the world: “Activate top priority monitoring, target: Hawk Lane, ‘King’, internal code name: ‘Traveler’.
Collect all the records of the King’s battles in Brooklyn and other places, including videos, photos, and witness testimonies, and submit them to S.H.I.E.L.D. for analysis and archiving!
All relevant intelligence, regardless of level, is reported directly to me.
Activate the Sky Sword Bureau’s backup communication channel. I need their support in low-Earth orbit to target any out-of-specification energy bursts, especially those with a frequency similar to the Busan explosion.”
He paused, his eyes growing darker. “Also, the research results and data from the ‘Witch Project’ must be immediately verified with the existing Super Soldier Project to expedite human testing.”
Hill quickly wrote down the instructions, but hesitantly said, “I understand. But Chief, is there really nothing we can do about Hawk Lane?”
Fury looked up at Hill and replied without hesitation, “Yes, this world is so realistic. Even though we are the most powerful intelligence agency in the world, there are still many things we can’t handle!”
“His father, John Lane, is just like Howard Stark back then. He can even enter and leave the White House at any time…”
“Remember the human experiments that we found out about the Osborne Group?”
“And there’s also the major disaster caused by Roxxon Energy Group’s biological experiments!”
“In the end, it all came to nothing!”
“Even if we get evidence against Hawkline, the end result will most likely be the execution of a scapegoat who is terminally ill and willing to sacrifice his final days for hundreds of thousands of dollars.”
“But no matter what, I hope you remember that we will always be humanity’s last line of defense, shouldering the heavy responsibility of protecting humanity. This will never change!”
Hill’s eyes were determined as if he was about to enter the palace, and he stood at attention immediately: “Yes! Sir!”
“But there’s one more thing,” Hill said again, looking at Fury. “Pierce’s side…”
Hearing this name, Fury seemed to lose his temper instantly, his mouth twitching violently. He could only wave his hand helplessly: “Get ready for a storm.”
As soon as he finished speaking, as if to confirm his words, the highly encrypted dedicated phone on Fury’s desk made a sharp, continuous, alarm-like beep.
The glaring name “Alexander Pierce” danced on the screen.
Fury took a deep breath, and all the emotions on his face disappeared instantly, leaving only an unfathomable indifference.
He signaled Hill to keep monitoring the communication and pressed the answer button.
“NICK FURY!!!”
What came from the other end of the phone was not a rational voice, but the roar of a wounded, enraged, and completely out-of-control beast. The voice was hoarse and distorted, with a crackling noise like high-voltage electricity. It was obviously coming through some unstable encrypted channel, and there might even be background noise of smashing communication equipment.
“What the fuck did you do?! You promised me! You promised me! A promise like shit!!”
29 Furious Alexander Pierce [Request Flowers] (Old Version)
Pierce’s voice trembled with extreme anger and disbelief, and every word seemed to be poisoned:
“The Bates family! Under the ‘protection’ of your fucking SHIELD agents! Less than a few hundred meters away from you! Blown into the sky! By that madman! Blown to pieces right before your eyes! Nick! Nick Fury! Answer me! How do you explain it?! Is this your ‘safe house transfer protocol’? Transferred to hell?!”
Fury listened quietly, and even when Pierce paused for breath, he could hear the other’s heavy breathing, as if on the verge of collapse.
He did not immediately refute or defend himself.
When Pierce’s roar was temporarily interrupted by a violent cough, Fury spoke in a steady tone:
“Alexander, calm down.”
“‘Calm down’?!” Pierce’s voice suddenly rose, almost breaking. “You want me to calm down?! I’m telling you, I don’t care about the lives of the Bates family! But I made a promise to the Bates family, and it’s my promise that matters to me! And now, my reputation has been destroyed along with the Bates family! Right before your eyes! Nick! Tell me, is this a show you staged yourself? To get the information I gave you about the ‘witch’? Are you in cahoots with that lunatic?!”
At this moment, Fury’s mind flashed with lightning. Hawk Lane’s light but malicious instructions when the dust from the explosion filled the sky flashed through his mind.
The time has come.
He interrupted Pierce’s uncontrolled accusations, his voice still steady, but with a penetrating power: “Pierce, ‘The King’, or, Hawkline, let me bring you a message.”
There was a sudden silence on the other end of the line.
Fury repeated it clearly, each syllable carrying an icy weight: “He said, ‘You’re welcome.'”
“…”
There was a suffocating silence that lasted for several seconds.
It was as if the person on the other end of the phone line suddenly disappeared, or his soul was instantly frozen by these words.
Even the heavy breathing stopped abruptly.
Then, Fury keenly caught an extremely slight, almost imperceptible gasp.
Was that extreme shock? Then, Pierce’s voice suddenly erupted, more frantic and uncontrolled than any previous roar, even with a hint of cowardice?
“Wha…what?! ‘You’re welcome’?! What the hell does he mean?! Thank him for what? Thank him for killing the person I was protecting?! Nick Fury! Are you fucking kidding me?! You’re trying to shirk responsibility?! How could that lunatic ask you to give me a message?! He doesn’t even know me!!”
Pierce’s voice is like a runaway train, hurtling madly towards the abyss of self-destruction.
His denial was too hasty and his reaction too intense, going far beyond the scope of simple anger caused by heavy losses.
It was a panic-stricken counterattack after a secret was discovered by someone.
Fury’s single eye narrowed into the most dangerous slit, and all his doubts at this moment condensed into an icy edge.
“Alexander,” his voice deepened, carrying a sense of all-knowing oppression, “Your reaction… is very interesting. Let me guess… Bates knew some of your secrets? And Hawke happened to know them too? But he killed Bates because of a personal grudge, which also helped you solve this problem. So, he told you not to thank him?”
“…What the hell do you mean?! Nick!” Pierce’s voice was noticeably choked, followed by an even more frantic roar. But to an experienced old fox like Fury, the panic forced to be concealed in the roar was no longer hidden. “You were incompetent and let him take advantage of the situation! Don’t even think about putting the blame on me! How the hell should I know what that lunatic is thinking?! Why did he say that?! What on earth does he want to do?!”
Pierce’s heart was beating wildly in his chest, almost bursting out.
Hawk Lane’s “You’re welcome” was like a bolt of lightning that split his deepest nightmare. “Thank you”? Thank you for what? Thank you for clearing out Bates, the hidden danger that might expose Hydra’s connection?
Pierce knew that Bates would never reveal any information about Hydra even if he died, because his two precious illegitimate children were in his hands, so how did Hawke know?
How do you explain “you’re welcome”?
Could it be that Hawk Lane really knew about Hydra?! This thought made his blood run cold!
But he couldn’t admit it! Not a single word could be revealed! Fury, the old fox, was already beginning to suspect him!
“I don’t know what he was trying to do,” Fury’s voice remained icy, slicing through Pierce’s defenses with the precision of a scalpel. “But I know he did it. And he did it in the most humiliating way possible. As for why he specifically asked me to bring a message to you… Alexander, perhaps you know this better than I do.”
“That’s enough!” Pierce interrupted abruptly, his voice distorted by the forced suppression, “Fury! This is not over!”
Snap!
Beep…beep…beep…
The call was hung up by Pierce, and the busy tone echoed harshly in Fury’s empty office.
Fury slowly put down the microphone. There was no anger on his face after being threatened, only cold contemplation and more firm suspicion.
Pierce’s rage was real, but his panic, his over-interpretation of the words “you’re welcome” and his desperate attempts to distance himself from them, and especially his almost embarrassing hasty hanging up at the end…
All of this points to the same possibility: Alexander Pierce has a deeper secret that he cannot tell outsiders.
The words “You’re welcome” were like a key that opened the door of doubt in Fury’s heart about Pierce’s true position.
He looked out the window at the glaring sunlight, a cold light flashing in his one eye. “Hawk Lane… who are you? How big of a game are you playing? Pierce… what shadow are you hiding under?”
He turned and issued a new order to Hill, who had been listening silently and with an equally solemn expression: “Highest priority, encrypted order, target Alexander Pierce. I need all of his travel records, communication records, financial flows, and any potential intersections with any anomalous biological research projects and related entities over the past thirty years. Highest authority, direct access, no approval required.”
30 A fierce game with Professor Emilia [Request for flowers] (Old version)
When Hawke pushed open Professor Emilia’s office door, Emilia was standing with her back to him, bending over and looking for something at the bottom of the bookshelf.
The dark brown tight dress perfectly outlines her mature and plump curves. The bent waist and raised arc form a silent invitation in the quiet air.
“I thought you’d be earlier, Hawke.” Without turning around, she knew it was Hawke who entered, and there was a lazy smile in her voice.
“I just sent away two enthusiastic friends.” Hawke locked the door with his backhand. The light click was particularly clear in the quiet room.
He walked to the large desk and leaned back casually, his eyes sweeping over the complex mathematical model document spread out on the desk – the draft of the dynamic game model he proposed.
Emilia finally stood up, holding a bottle of excellent red wine and two goblets.
She turned around with an expression that was unique to intellectuals, a mixture of scrutiny and temptation.
“Lion Capital’s offer is very attractive, Hawke. It far exceeds the platform and… compensation that Columbia can offer me.”
She placed the wine glass on the table and expertly opened the bottle, letting the crimson liquid slide into the glass.
“The CEO position means absolute decision-making power? Including the Ryan family’s master and young master?”
“Absolutely.” Hawke took the wine glass she handed him and gently brushed his fingertips against her skin, causing a subtle electric current.
“Lion Capital needs a leader who is truly visionary, decisive, and… knows how to find the optimal solution within complex rules. You are that optimal solution, Professor Emilia.”
“Call me Emilia.” She raised her glass, her eyes burning. “For a new career? Or for… the in-depth discussion that’s about to begin?”
She glanced meaningfully at the model on the table.
For the next hour or so, the atmosphere swung delicately between academic rigor and undercurrents of sensuality.
The two of them huddled in front of the model diagram, Hawke analyzing the evolution of Nash equilibrium in dynamic markets, while Emilia used precise terminology to point out the potential pitfalls in setting the model parameters.
The pen quickly sketched on the paper, and the fingers sometimes touched each other, and sometimes pointed at key nodes together.
The air is filled with the sparks of wisdom and the rich aroma of red wine.
The discussion gradually deepened, extending from the model itself to the operational details of Lion Capital and its hostile takeover strategies for several target companies. Emilia seemed to have an undisguised interest in the term “hostile takeover.”
Hawke promised sufficient equity shares and salary packages, while Emilia bargained elegantly, demanding to join the core decision-making circle and have an independent executive team.
“Well, one last question,” Emilia put down her glass, walked around the desk, and stood in front of Hawke. The two were so close that they could feel each other’s breath.
Her slender fingers touched the buttons of Hawke’s shirt, her eyes hazy. “Regarding this model’s ‘core variable’—its dominant player—can it maintain… um… absolute control in any game?”
Hawke’s lips curled up in a controlled arc, and he suddenly reached out to hold her waist and pull her into his arms.
“That depends on whether this variable is willing to obey.” Before he finished speaking, he lowered his head and sealed her lips.
Academic documents were swept to the floor.
Model drawings fell in chaos.
The red wine was knocked over during the intense movement, and the deep red wine, like the blood of desire, spread out a mess on the expensive Persian carpet.
In front of the bookshelf filled with economics classics,
On the edge of the messy desk,
On that large office chair that symbolizes knowledge and authority,
A fierce game of “dominance” and “obedience” unfolded.
——————————————
That evening, Hawke appeared in a private room at a stylish yet intimate club in Midtown Manhattan.
New York Mayor Elliott Duncan was already waiting there. This veteran politician was calm and composed, with a professional smile on his face, but his eyes were as sharp as an eagle.
“Hawk, I’m glad you’re on time.” Mayor Duncan stood up and shook his hand vigorously.
“Your father was also a frequent visitor to this club. He was young and promising.” The words contained a hint of the Ryan family’s wealth and influence.
“Uncle Duncan, you’re too kind. My father often mentioned your courage back then.” Hawke responded with a smile.
The topic of the talks was the upcoming annual charity dinner in New York City.
In name, it is to raise funds for the “Urban Youth Development Fund”, but in reality it is a stage for political and business celebrities to consolidate relationships, demonstrate their strength, and exchange interests.
The Ryan family, represented by Hawke, is the number one sponsor invited by the mayor.
“Here’s the preliminary plan,” Mayor Duncan’s assistant handed over the document. “As a ‘Diamond Sponsor,’ Ryan Group enjoys a seat at the main table, an opening speech, exclusive naming rights… and final veto power over all details of the banquet. Accordingly, we expect this sponsorship amount.”
He reported a number that would make ordinary people dumbfounded.
Hawke glanced at the document and did not immediately answer the question about the amount. Instead, he cleverly changed the subject:
“The dinner is so grand, the security and guest list need to be absolutely secure. Especially since Brooklyn seems to be a bit volatile lately?”
Mayor Duncan sighed, picked up his glass, and genuine worry appeared on his face. “That’s exactly the second thing I wanted to talk to you about, Hawk. The crime rate in Brooklyn, especially in downtown, has skyrocketed in the past few months. Drugs, violence, gang fights… It’s basically a lawless place!”
He lowered his voice, his voice filled with official helplessness and a hint of anger. “Did you know? The ‘King’ who once intimidated those bastards has practically vanished from the face of the earth! His silence has given those scumbags from the Hand and Big Foot a glimpse of their opportunity, and they’ve more than doubled the size of their drug processing plant! It’s a blatant provocation! The police… alas, have had little success.”
The mayor only mentioned Brooklyn, and didn’t mention Hell’s Kitchen, which is even more troubled than Brooklyn, because that place is already recognized as hopeless…
31 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles? [Request flowers] (Old version)
Hawke picked up the whiskey, and the ice cubes in the glass collided gently, making a crisp sound.
Silence?
My dear mayor, I’m just temporarily shifting my ‘passion’ for fighting crime to another battlefield, such as destroying a competitor’s stock price or enjoying a good time on campus.
He wouldn’t say it, of course. He just calmly agreed: “It’s indeed worrying. But a city can’t rely solely on vigilantes in straightjackets to maintain order.”
“That’s absolutely right!” Mayor Duncan seemed to have found a kindred spirit. “We need a more systematic and powerful force! For example, increasing police manpower and upgrading equipment…” He then shifted the subject, looking meaningfully at Hawke. “Of course, we also need the strong support of socially responsible companies like Lion Capital. The charity dinner is the first step in rallying that force. Hawke, what do you think of that sponsorship?”
Hawke put down his glass and tapped his fingertips on the document. “Lion Group is willing to assume social responsibility. This number is no problem.”
He readily agreed to the astronomical figure as if he were just signing an ordinary check.
This made Mayor Duncan’s smile even brighter.
“Great! Great!” Mayor Duncan personally filled Hawke’s glass, his tone becoming more intimate. “Hawk, seeing you reminds me of my youth, full of energy and ambition. For a man, it’s a good thing to prioritize your career. But…” He spoke with the care of an elder, even a hint of sales pitch, “Life needs some variety. Look at my Olivia. She’s smart, independent, and opinionated. Like you, she’s an elite from Columbia University. You know she admires you. You young people, why don’t you talk to each other more? Career and love can go hand in hand.”
Hawke smiled faintly, his manners perfectly suited. “Olivia is exceptional, and Uncle Duncan’s pride. It’s an honor to be admired by her. But as you know, my father is slowly handing over the Ryan Group to me. This is a lengthy process, and it truly requires intense concentration. Even my academic credits rely on donated multimedia classrooms. I’m afraid I’ll have to put my feelings aside for now.” He raised his glass. “Governor, please understand.”
A subtle hint of disappointment flashed across Duncan’s eyes, and he was too embarrassed to ask his daughter to help with the handover of Ryan Group.
His face was quickly covered with a sophisticated smile. “I understand! Of course I understand! It’s a good thing for young people to be ambitious! Then… I wish the Ryan Group will reach new heights under your leadership! Happy cooperation!”
“It’s a pleasure to work with you.” The two wine glasses clinked together again, making a crisp sound, and the lingering sound of power and money echoed in the private room.
After saying goodbye to Duncan, it was already late at night.
Hawke yawned. There was one last party for the day.
He drove to the address Emily Chen had sent him as agreed—a jazz bar located on the border of Brooklyn and Manhattan that was popular among young people.
Hawke had some impression of this place, having been there with his classmates.
The atmosphere here is ambiguous and the music is lazy, but it is also close to a marginal area with relatively chaotic public security.
Hawke parked the car and just walked to the corner of the bar when he saw Emily stumbling out of a dimly lit back alley, her face full of fear and her carefully styled curly hair a little messy.
When she saw Hawke, she rushed over as if she had seen a savior, screaming: “Hawk! Run! They…they have guns!”
Before he could finish his words, two burly, fierce-looking men rushed out from the depths of the alley, wielding gleaming pistols! One of the bald, tattooed men cursed viciously, “Bitch! How dare you peek at the transaction! You’re courting death!”
Emily was terrified and clung to Hawk’s arms.
Hawke frowned and instantly protected her behind him.
He moved as fast as lightning. The moment the first drug dealer raised his gun and aimed, he turned his body to the side, accurately grabbed the other’s wrist and twisted it hard!
“Crack!” A teeth-grinding sound of broken bones was heard, accompanied by a pig-slaughtering scream, and the pistol fell to the ground.
The second drug dealer was shocked and angry, and immediately raised his gun and shot!
Bang! Bang!
Hawke dodged slightly with Emily, and the bullets hit the wall and the trash can, sparks flying!
Then he pushed Emily behind an abandoned car and was thinking about how to handle it in a low-key manner!
“Wow—ka—da—!!!”
Several powerful and strangely-toned roars came from the direction of the fire escape and manhole cover above the alley!
Then, four huge figures wearing tattered cloaks dropped from the sky like cannonballs!
They moved with incredible speed, carrying with them a… damp smell unique to sewers and a faint… smell of cheese…
The leader was the tallest and most burly, wearing a red eye mask and holding a katana in each hand. He moved with a sense of power and roared, “Hey! Scum! How dare you run wild in Master Raphael’s territory?!”
Before he could finish his words, his two swords were as fast as lightning, instantly knocking away the second drug dealer’s pistol, and then he elbowed him hard against the wall, knocking him unconscious.
The other wore a purple eye mask and wielded a wooden staff. His movements were the most graceful and agile, and he wielded the staff with such precision that he easily blocked the counterattack of the drug dealer Hawk had knocked down earlier. With a precise acupressure point, he subdued the man. “Use stillness to control movement, brother! Don’t scare the civilians!”
The third one, wearing an orange eye mask, was the most lively. He held nunchakus and shouted excitedly: “Kawabangga! Guys! Let’s start fighting!”
While using dazzling nunchakus to trip and disarm another drug dealer who was trying to escape, his movements were smooth and fluid.
The last one wore a blue eyepatch and had a calm demeanor, wielding a samurai sword. He didn’t directly participate in the battle, but instead vigilantly scanned the alley entrance, guarding the rear. He calmly commanded, “Michelangelo, control your strength! Leonardo, watch your right! Raphael…don’t be too aggressive! There are civilians present!”
These four giant humanoid turtles! Their movements were as swift as lightning, and their coordination was seamless. In just a few breaths, they had knocked down all the armed drug dealers who had pursued them, knocking them unconscious. Their movements were clean and sharp, full of power and a kind of… weird street style.
32 The Female Reporter in the Sewer [Please Give Me Flowers] (Old Version)
Emily’s eyes widened in horror as she looked at the four giant turtle warriors falling from the sky. Her mouth was open and she was completely speechless. She quickly ran from behind the car to Hawke and just grabbed his arm.
Hawke’s face didn’t show Emily’s fear, but instead a hint of amusement and scrutiny.
Ever since he knew about the existence of a Bigfoot gang and a man named Shredder in New York, he knew that there were four little turtles at a certain point in the city’s underground sewers.
He looked at the giant turtle with a red eye mask and a bad temper, who was the leader. “Raphael?”
The giant turtle with the red eye mask—Raphael—sheathed his katana, snorted heavily, and replied in a muffled voice, “You’re quite knowledgeable, kid! You know my name!”
He glanced at the unconscious drug dealers on the ground and the Big Foot Gang emblem. One of the drug dealers had the logo exposed under his collar and spat in disgust.
“It’s those Big Foot Gang scum again! They’ve been getting more and more rampant lately!”
At this moment, Leonardo, the calmest giant turtle with a blue eyepatch, walked over. He put away his samurai sword and nodded to Hawke with a relatively gentle and polite attitude: “We are the…guardians of this city. You can call us…uh…”
He seemed to be choosing his words.
“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles!” Michelangelo, the orange-eyed turtle holding a nunchaku, answered excitedly and made a Bruce Lee-style signature move.
Donatello, the purple-eyed turtle holding a long stick, pushed up his nonexistent glasses and added, “Technically, we are mutants…”
“Hey! Donny! Get to the point!” Raphael interrupted him impatiently.
Leonardo shook his head helplessly and said to Hawke, “Don’t mind my brothers. We noticed that you are very skilled and… you are special.”
His blue eyes rested on Hawke for a moment, as if pondering how he dodged the bullets, and as he observed, he said, “We do need a reliable human to assist with one thing.”
Hawke raised an eyebrow: “Oh? You can tell I’m reliable at first glance?”
To describe this incident, four people are needed. No, the smartest of the four turtles – Donatello with the purple eye mask – comes forward to explain.
“Hawk Lane, you are the superhero active in Brooklyn – the king!”
Emily, who was holding Hawk’s arm tightly, widened her eyes again and looked at Hawk beside her in disbelief, her face full of surprise.
“When the king first appeared, we began secretly investigating his true identity. Three years of investigation is unlikely to yield nothing, especially since you were assassinated two months ago. Since then, the king has been silent, and I have a rough idea of what’s going on.”
Donatello stroked his nonexistent beard and said with certainty, “Add to that your ability to dodge bullets just now, and the result is obvious.”
Hawke looked at the four turtles with surprise, but he didn’t say anything. He asked, “So what do you need?”
Leonardo pointed to the deep sewer entrance. “Our base has been taking in a woman for the past few days. She’s been unconscious, and it seems she was attacked while tracking clues to the Big Foot Gang and the Hand. We feel she needs someone safe and familiar with the aboveworld to take care of her and provide assistance. It’s not convenient for us to show up for too long.”
There was a hint of worry in his tone.
Hawke’s mind moved: “Who is this lady?”
“She said her name was April O’Neill.”
Donatello interrupted, “A reporter. She had some… unflattering pictures in her camera.”
April O’Neill? The gang-hunting reporter?
Hawke instantly understood why these turtles were looking for him.
His status as a top student at Columbia University, the eldest son of the Ryan Group, and even… the “king” all make him the right person to deal with such difficult people.
The coincidence was almost deliberate, as if fate had thrown the plot line of “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” directly in front of him.
Hawke glanced at Emily, who was still in shock and secretly observing the four giant turtles, then looked at the deep sewer entrance and nodded to Leonardo.
“Lead the way. I’m going to go see this reporter lady.”
Under Leonardo’s guidance, Hawke, with Emily, who was still frightened but full of curiosity, bent down and crawled into the sewer entrance that exuded dampness and a faint smell of cheese.
The passage was wider than expected, but the environment was not comfortable at all.
Emily clutched his arm tightly, stumbling on the slippery cement floor in the high heels she had carefully chosen for her meeting with Hawke. Her eyes were filled with uncertainty. “Hawk, are you really the ‘king’?”
Hawke turned his head, pursed his lips, and after two seconds of silence, nodded.
“Wow!” Emily jumped twice excitedly, causing the two balls to vibrate violently, attracting Hawke’s attention. “Hawk, tell me, am I the first person in our school to know about this?”
Hawke quickly looked away, looking at Emily’s burning gaze, and said helplessly, “Only you, my dear cheerleader.”
“Yeah yeah yeah!” Emily’s excitement accompanied her.
After passing through several forks in the road, a relatively open space converted into a living area appears before your eyes.
Fitness equipment and old sofas were piled up in the room, and some strange decorations and incomprehensible signs were hung on the walls.
The most eye-catching thing is a simple bed made of discarded wooden boards and cushions.
A woman was lying quietly on the bed.
Even in such a strange environment, she still exudes a brilliance that cannot be ignored.
Her long dark chestnut hair was scattered on the pillow, her skin was a healthy wheat color, her facial features were deep and gorgeous, with an extremely aggressive wild beauty. She was indeed strikingly similar to the actress Megan Fox in Hawke’s memory of his previous life – April O’Neill.
Her breathing was steady, and she looked to be in a deep coma or sleep. Her brows were slightly furrowed, as if she was under some kind of stress even unconsciously.
33 Big Foot Gang [Seeking Flowers and Collection] (Old Version)
[Pictured: April and actress Megan Fox. The left picture is from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles era, and the right picture is from the Transformers era]Donatello pointed to a digital camera on the bedside table, its casing bearing visible signs of impact. “This is her equipment. The photos inside… captured something. It feels important, and dangerous.”
Hawke walked forward, his eyes landing on April’s face.
At this moment, as if she felt being watched, April’s thick eyelashes trembled a few times, and she let out a muffled moan in her throat and slowly opened her eyes.
Those brown eyes were filled with confusion and chaos at first, and the pupils were a little out of focus in the dim light.
She subconsciously raised her hand to rub her eyes, but it caused discomfort somewhere in her body, and she hissed in pain.
Her eyes swept across the unfamiliar, graffiti-covered concrete ceiling and the huge pipes, and finally stopped at Hawke’s face, which was close at hand and looking down at her.
The confusion quickly faded, replaced by professional sharpness and incredible horror.
“You… Hawke Lane?!” April’s voice was hoarse from just waking up, but surprisingly clear. “Hawk Lane from the Lane Group?!”
She struggled to sit up, and the movement caused possible injuries, which made her grimace again, but her eyes were fixed on Hawke’s face like nails, full of curiosity.
Emily exclaimed softly and subconsciously shrank back behind Hawke.
The four turtle men also exchanged glances. Raphael crossed his arms and snorted coldly, while Michelangelo peeked in curiosity.
“It’s me.” Hawke looked calm and did not deny it. As a reporter, it would be outrageous if he didn’t recognize him.
“Ms. O’Neill? How are you feeling?”
However, April had apparently put her physical discomfort behind her for the time being.
The reporter’s instinct instantly overwhelmed the fear and pain.
She ignored Hawke’s question, and her brown eyes swept over a hot girl behind Hawke like a searchlight – Hey, Emily Chen, the cheerleader of Columbia University who had an affair with Hawke Lane?
Then it suddenly turned towards four giant cloaked, human-shaped turtles.
“Oh my God…you…you really exist?!” She exclaimed, her face filled with a mixture of shock, excitement, and a kind of enthusiasm that “a major exclusive is right in front of me.” “Urban Legend…Guardian of the City…Oh my God! Am I dreaming?!”
Then, her gaze quickly returned to Hawke, and she fired questions at him like a barrage of bullets, her thoughts jumping at an astonishing rate:
“Mr. Hawk Lane! Why are you with them? Where is this place? The sewer base? What is your relationship with them? Are you their surface contact? Or… wait!”
She suddenly remembered what happened before she lost consciousness. Her pupils suddenly contracted and her tone became anxious. “Big Foot Gang! And the Hand! They… they were doing large-scale transactions at the docks! I saw strange markings on the boxes they were moving! Like some kind of biochemical mark! I took a picture! My camera…”
She struggled to find the camera again, completely ignoring her physical condition, and her occupational disease broke out completely.
“Ms. O’Neill!” Hawke’s voice was a little deeper, with an unquestionable sense of authority, which instantly made April, who was chattering, pause.
He held her shoulders firmly, looking her straight in the eye. “Your camera is safe. But you need to calm down now.”
Hawke leaned forward slightly, closing the distance between them.
His voice was not loud, but it reached April’s ears clearly:
“You’re injured. Your ‘exclusive’ is certainly important, but you need to ensure your own safety first. What you filmed has put you in extreme danger. There are at least two of New York’s largest underground gangs out there who want you dead.”
April was intimidated by the calmness in his eyes and the severity in his words, and the barrage of questions got stuck in her throat.
She thought of the gun muzzles and those ferocious faces she saw before she fainted, and her body shuddered involuntarily.
“As for why I’m here?” Hawke’s gaze swept over the silent Leonardo and Donatello beside him with a hint of amusement. “Perhaps you can understand it as… fate, or perhaps some ‘Guardians’ believe I can provide some necessary assistance.” His tone was meaningful. “For example, ensuring that a female reporter with dangerous intelligence is not silenced before she can uncover the greater truth. And how to properly handle those photos and information that are too sensitive to handle.”
Hawke’s voice was calm, but April could keenly detect the power and control it contained.
This is no ordinary dude.
The Hawk Lane in front of her seemed to have some huge, indescribable difference from the image of the young and handsome heir in the financial magazines and the playboy in the entertainment headlines.
The young master of the Ryan Group…why would he hang out with these turtle people?
The indifference in his words towards the gang threat…
The matter-of-fact tone he used when he mentioned “dealing with hot information”…
And the look in his eyes as he looked at her at that moment, was it a kind of… understanding as if he knew the secret?
Countless question marks exploded in April’s mind, more surging than the simple excitement of the news before.
Her keen sense as an excellent reporter told her that she might have accidentally stumbled into the center of a vortex that was bigger, more secretive, and more dangerous than the Big Foot Gang’s transactions.
One of the key figures in the vortex is Hawk Lane, who should be chatting and laughing at a top cocktail party in Manhattan.
She took a deep breath, forced herself to suppress the reporter’s urge to ask questions, and tried to regain some professionalism, but her voice still carried a subtle excitement and inquiry: “So, Mr. Ryan, how are you going to help me?”
Hawke looked at the professional light flashing in April’s eyes, which was forcibly suppressed but still blazing, and gently released his hand that was pressing on her shoulder and stood up straight.
34 April’s Wonderful Fantasy【Request Flowers】(Old Version)
The dim sewer light cast deep shadows on his chiseled face.
“First,” he said calmly, “you need a safe place to recover. Second, we need to talk about what’s in your camera, and… what exactly did you see.”
He turned his gaze to Leonardo and Donatello, “I thought these friends might have some key information to share?”
April’s gaze followed Hawke and once again turned to the four silent and massive mutant turtles.
In the silence of the sewer, the only sounds were the faint sound of dripping water in the distance and Emily’s nervous breathing.
April swallowed and looked around. There was a billionaire, several mutated city guardians, and herself, a reporter who was exposing the truth and upholding justice and peace.
Wait a minute, she looked behind Hawke again, oh, there was also an ordinary cheerleader Emily Chen.
It’s obvious—she’s a supporting actress with no role!
This lineup is exactly the same as the plot of the online novels I love to read.
April looked up at Hawke again. In the plot, the billionaire openly assisted in obtaining evidence of the crime, covered for reporters and city guardians, and finally succeeded in sending the criminals to prison!
At the end of the novel, the billionaire falls in love with me, a small reporter, and they finally get married and I marry into a wealthy family and become a rich wife.
Well… the Ryan family… let’s just make do with it…
Thinking of the end, she even burst out laughing.
Hawke and several turtle people looked at April, whose expression suddenly became “unpredictable”, and the corners of their mouths twitched.
As if she had sensed the strange looks from the others, April finally reacted and quickly laughed dryly to ease the awkwardness. Then she got into the mood and asked, “A safe place?”
April repeated unconsciously, her eyes scanning this strange space filled with graffiti, pipes, and… a giant mutant turtle. “Isn’t this… safe enough?”
“Short-term, but not long-term,” Hawke said bluntly. “The environment here isn’t suitable for humans to rest for extended periods, and it’s inconvenient to move around. More importantly, the target is too large. What we need is a controllable fortress on the surface.”
He turned back to Donatello. “Doctor, you mentioned her camera. Can you show me the pictures? We need to assess the threat level.”
Donatello nodded, deftly operating the camera connected to the homemade computer screen.
Several blurry but powerful photos were projected onto a relatively clean wall.
The photo was taken at night in the dock area. The light is dim, but it is enough to make out:
The Bigfoot Gang’s iconic triangular emblem is clearly printed on several shipping containers.
A group of people wearing uniform black uniforms, moving quickly and obviously well-trained, were quickly moving some heavy metal boxes.
The most crucial picture: A metal box accidentally opened a crack during transportation, revealing a viscous liquid inside that emitted a faint green fluorescence!
On the wall of the container, a unique biochemical symbol that looks like a twisted tentacle is disturbing.
What’s even more creepy is that several figures were captured in the corner of the photo: they were abnormally large, their movements were slightly stiff, their exposed skin took on an inhuman, reptilian texture in the dim light, and their eyes were hollow and ferocious—biochemically modified humans!
It’s very similar to the rhinoceros and warthogs in the movies Hawke watched in his previous life! But it looks more powerful and more intelligent!
Everyone present gasped.
“It’s ‘Wild Can’!” Michelangelo blurted out, his voice carrying a rare solemnity, and he even forgot to swing the nunchaku in his hand.
“That lunatic Shredder is still working on this thing?!”
“‘Wild Jar’?” Hawke frowned. He had heard of this name in some legends. It was some kind of dangerous biochemical agent that could induce biological mutation or enhancement.
“This thing is even more unstable than the last one,” Donatello pointed at the twisted tentacle symbol in the photo. It was a fusion of the Hand’s symbol and the Bigfoot’s triangle emblem. “Look at this combined symbol. Bigfoot and the Hand are truly deeply aligned. They’re shipping large quantities of this dangerous mixture! April has captured key evidence!”
“Have they completed the deal?” Leonardo asked in a deep voice. This was the core of the strategy.
April tried to recall, her head splitting. “I… I don’t know. I was discovered just as I was taking these photos. They appeared like ghosts… so fast! One of them… was wearing a metal mask and almost crushed my camera with just one hand… and then I was shot…”
“Metal mask…a hand…” Raphael’s voice became low, filled with deep hatred, “Schreider! He was there in person?!” The joints of his hand holding the knife turned white due to the force, and the air was filled with violent atmosphere.
At this depressing moment, the homemade sensors installed by Donatello throughout the base emitted a sharp, continuous scream!
On the computer screen, dense red dots were approaching at high speed from multiple directions like a flood.
“Highest level alert! Massive enemy forces! The sewer system has been infiltrated! The surface manhole has been breached! Objective: Annihilate!” Donatello’s voice was filled with unprecedented tension. “The number exceeds the estimated number by three times! And… the readings show more than a dozen high-energy heat sources! It’s Shredder’s biochemical human army!”
“Kawabangga! They’re having a party without inviting us?! How rude!” Michelangelo screamed and jumped up, his nunchaku dancing like a windmill.
“Protect the civilians! Prepare to meet the enemy!” Leonardo unsheathed his two swords in an instant, the blades flashing a cold light in the dim light, “Raphael, left wing! Mickey, right wing! Donnie, protect the rear! Hawke, take them both to cover!”
He spoke very quickly and his eyes were as sharp as an eagle.
Before he finished speaking!
“Boom! Boom! Boom—!”
Many pipe walls above the base were violently blown through!
Gravel and sewage fell like rain!
In the thick smoke, dozens of black shadows cut in at high speed like ghosts, and the cold blades reflected the cold light. They were the elite ninjas of the Big Foot Gang who were not afraid of death. They cooperated tacitly and blocked multiple retreat routes in an instant.
At the same time, devastating crashing sounds were heard from the main entrance and several weak points of the base!
35 Bio-human Attack [Please give flowers and collect] (Old version)
The heavy alloy gate was torn open!
More than ten biochemically modified humans, who were two and a half meters tall, with muscles as knotty as rocks, sickly blue-gray skin, eyes burning with violent red light, and wearing simple but heavy armor, came in like an out-of-control battering ram!
The heavy footsteps shook the entire base! They let out a deafening, inhuman roar, charging forward with the power to destroy everything!
This is Shredder’s real war machine!
Hawke’s eyes widened. “Could this creature have appeared so early in the history?” Could it be that the alien Lange had already appeared?
The battle instantly became intense!
The narrow space was filled with explosions, sword flashes, and roars!
Leonardo’s two swords turned into two blue lightnings, and his body was as agile as a ghost, twisting and turning among the ninjas and cyborgs.
His knife accurately blocked poisoned darts and cut through the fragile joints of the cyborgs, and every swing of the knife was deadly efficient.
Raphael roared like a burning spirit of revenge, charging towards the densest group of enemies.
His two swords opened and closed wildly, with a sharp sound that tore through the air, and each slash contained enough power to cut through steel!
A cyborg tried to block with his giant arm, but Raphael’s blade pierced through the armor with sparks flying everywhere and embedded deeply into his thick arm!
“For Splinter!” he roared, knocking a cyborg back several steps!
That’s right, at this moment Splinter had already died under Shredder’s knife!
Michelangelo is the most elusive orange tornado. The nunchakus in his hands are like living things, clanging incessantly as he blocks attacks from all directions.
He uses pipes, discarded tires and even the bodies of ninjas as springboards to move through narrow spaces at extreme speeds.
“Hey! Big guy, look over here!” He deftly tripped a ninja and poked a cyborg’s knee with the tip of his stick. His movements were full of the improvisation and violence of street fighting.
Donatello is the team’s tactical core and defensive guardian.
His long staff could be extended and retracted freely, sometimes piercing through the siege of ninjas like a spear, and sometimes blocking the offensive steps of the cyborgs like sweeping across an army.
The computer on his wristband flashed a stream of data frantically: “Caution! The cyborg’s energy core is in the chest! Overheating will cause it to explode! Ninja… has an EMP device!”
Hawke carried the terrified Emily and the pain-stricken April to a sturdy shelter made of a scrapped giant water pump and placed them there.
“Stay still!” His voice was low, and at this moment he used his little skill at the right time – spiritual comfort.
Sure enough, the two women’s emotions gradually calmed down, and they looked at Hawke with eyes full of relief.
He raised his head and scanned the battlefield, lingering especially on the cyborgs that were emitting dangerous energy fluctuations.
It’s time to intervene!
A biochemically modified human ignored Michelangelo’s harassment, roared, picked up an abandoned metal cart, and smashed it into Raphael’s back like a catapult!
Raphael was fighting the two ninjas in front of him with all his strength and was completely unable to return to defend!
“Raphael! Behind him!” Leonardo shouted anxiously, but he was out of reach.
At this critical moment!
Hawke moves!
His figure left a faint afterimage on the spot, and instantly crossed a distance of more than 20 meters! Not blocking, not dodging!
He appeared directly behind Raphael, raised one arm, and faced head-on the metal cart weighing over a thousand pounds that was whistling towards him!
“Bang–!!!”
A dull and heart-pounding sound!
The imagined scene of blood and flesh flying everywhere did not appear.
Hawke is like an insurmountable mountain!
His feet were firmly planted on the ground, and the concrete beneath his feet was even slightly cracked!
The violent kinetic energy impact was like a drop in the ocean!
At the moment of impact, an extremely faint, almost imperceptible wave appeared on Hawke’s skin surface – energy absorption!
The terrifying kinetic energy that was enough to smash ordinary people into pulp was instantly dissolved and swallowed by his powerful body and energy absorption!
The cyborg seemed stunned for a moment, its simple brain unable to understand the situation before it.
“Thanks, buddy!” Raphael roared without turning his head. As the pressure suddenly decreased, he slashed forward even more violently.
Hawke didn’t stop.
A cold light flashed in his eyes, and his right fist, which had absorbed powerful kinetic energy, slammed into the chest of the stunned cyborg with a sound of breaking wind!
“Bang!” Like a heavy hammer hitting a drum!
The thick chest armor of the cyborg that could withstand ordinary bullets was visibly dented!
The huge body was knocked off the ground by the pure force, flew backwards, and knocked over the two ninjas rushing towards him from behind!
This is just the beginning!
Hawke, like a ghost on the battlefield, began to deeply intervene in the battle.
Faced with the violent punches of the cyborgs and the explosive shurikens thrown by the ninjas, Hawke no longer completely dodges or resists them head-on.
He chooses his moments precisely, connecting with these attacks with his palms, forearms, and even chest!
Every time it touches your skin, it will ripple slightly!
The shock wave of the explosion, the kinetic energy of the fist, and even the corrosive high-temperature steam ejected from the gaps in the cyborg’s armor were all efficiently absorbed and stored by him!
He is like a walking black hole of energy, turning the enemy’s fierce attacks into his own use.
Hawke, who absorbed a large amount of energy, felt unparalleled power surging in his body. Suddenly, three cyborgs charged at him from different directions at the same time, and their heavy footsteps made the ground tremble.
Hawke’s eyes fixed and he stopped dodging!
He stomped his feet on the ground, crossed his arms in front of his chest, and then pressed down hard on the ground!
“BOOM——!!!”
A visible circular shockwave erupted violently with him as the center! Like thunderclaps from the sky!
The shock wave carried the violent energy he absorbed and transformed, sweeping across an area of ten meters in an instant!
The two modified humans in the front were blown away by the pure energy explosion, and crashed into the pipe in the distance like a broken sack, making a huge metal twisting sound!
The third cyborg was stunned by the shock wave and staggered.
A large number of ninjas around were like fallen leaves swept by a hurricane. They were blown away with screams, and their weapons fell out of their hands!
The entire battlefield came to a standstill!
Even the turtles felt a strong wind blowing in their faces and had to steady themselves.
36 Smoke without Wounds【Request Flowers】(Old Version)
“Wow! That’s so cool!” Michelangelo shouted excitedly.
“Concentrate!” Leonardo shouted, but there was also a flash of shock in his eyes.
Hawke greatly relieved the pressure on the Ninja Turtles. He was like a mobile fortress and energy turret. His fighting style was simple, efficient, and powerful. His style was very different from that of the Ninja Turtles, but they complemented each other perfectly.
However, the enemy is too crazy!
A cyborg, whose arm had been severed by Raphael and had fallen into a complete frenzy, ignored the excruciating pain and the constantly flowing green blood. Its chest and severed arm suddenly burst into an extremely dazzling, unstable green light! Donatello’s computer let out an eardrum-piercing scream!
“The energy readings are off the charts! The core is out of control! He’s going to self-destruct! The equivalent is extremely high! Get out of the way! Get out of the way quickly!” Donatello’s voice was filled with despair!
It let out a final, shrill roar, dragging its broken body and rushing forward at a speed that burned its life!
The terrifying energy fluctuations caused by the self-explosion caused the air to distort!
“No!” Emily closed her eyes in fear.
April also felt the suffocation of death.
Raphael and Leonardo are a little further away, and Michelangelo is entangled by a group of ninjas!
Hawke narrowed his eyes slightly!
Of course you can’t hide!
Behind them are two defenseless women!
A critical moment!
Hawke doesn’t retreat but advances!
He rushed towards the self-destructing cyborg like a hunting cheetah!
“boom–!!!”
A deafening explosion! Far more violent than any previous explosion!
Green destructive energy mixed with flesh, blood and metal fragments exploded!
The entire sewer base shook violently, the pipes above collapsed, and sewage poured down like a waterfall!
The dazzling light and thick smoke swallowed everything!
“Hawk!” Emily and April screamed at the same time.
“Man!” Michelangelo’s heart sank.
But there is a saying that smoke does no harm.
As the smoke slowly dissipates…
A figure still stands at the center of the explosion!
It’s Hawke!
He was covered in wisps of green smoke, his clothes were torn, and his naked upper body was covered in flowing green liquid.
Blocked!
Feeling the energy filling up his body again, Hawke snorted softly. Even if his energy absorption at level 2 was not as good as the Black Emperor’s, it was still not something that a small minions could shake.
He absorbed most of the explosion energy and the deadly shock wave!
However, the energy of the upward impact could not be absorbed, causing the pipe to burst.
Emily and April were knocked to the ground by the gust of air.
When the two looked around, a shocking scene appeared before their eyes.
There was a charred pit under Hawke’s feet, but the range was only within half a meter around him. The expensive clothes on his body turned to ashes, revealing his muscles that were both strong and beautiful, like carefully carved out edges.
“Cough cough…” Hawke felt the burning gazes of the two women and coughed twice tactically, and hot steam rose from his body.
“Hawk! How are you?!” Leonardo asked anxiously, while struggling to chop down the enemy in front of him.
“I’d better get some clothes right away!”
Hawke half-jokingly glanced at the enemies who were temporarily halted by the explosion, “It’s not over yet. These flies are too troublesome. The combat space is narrow, and there are two of them who are a burden!”
Although the explosion cleared the core area of enemies, it also completely destroyed the bunkers, exposing the position. The structure of the base was severely damaged and could collapse at any time!
“We can’t stay here any longer! The base is about to collapse! Everyone evacuate! Route B! Quick!” Leonardo made a quick decision, “Take them with you! Hawke, follow us!”
Raphael violently chopped off the last few ninjas who blocked his way. Hawk picked up the two women with his left and right arms, and followed the turtles to retreat.
The other three turtles are responsible for covering the rear.
“This way! Quick!” Donatello pointed to a narrow passage that was half-collapsed, full of twisted steel bars and dripping sewage.
The group braved the falling debris and water flow. Hawke put the two women down and everyone went into the passage together.
The pursuing ninjas attack madly again!
Suddenly, Hawke caught a glimpse of a group of ghostly ninjas taking advantage of the momentary gap in the turtles’ firepower, performing dazzling somersaults and slides, trying to break through the side defenses and approach Emily and April behind him. His eyes narrowed slightly, and a red-gold light shone in them.
At this moment, the air in the entire space suddenly heated up, carrying an ominous sign that the metal was about to melt.
In an instant, two blinding red-gold rays of light shot out from Hawke’s deep pupils!
The light was so pure and blazing, as if two small suns were instantly ignited and compressed into a beam of light, shooting forward with the power to burn everything!
“laugh–!!!”
A sharp, air-tearing whistle sounded, far exceeding the violent sound of an ordinary laser, more like an ultra-high-pressure furnace venting its uncontrollable energy!
Two beams of light with a diameter of about two fingers, like the world-destroying dragon breath spewed out by a giant dragon in mythology, locked onto the shoulder armor of the two ninjas in the front and the weapons held high in their hands with incredible precision.
The beam did not touch the target, but the extremely high temperature it contained far exceeded the melting point limit of the ninja’s thin armor.
The hard alloy shoulder armor softened, melted, and vaporized instantly like ice thrown into a steel furnace!
A terrifying perforation with smooth edges, shiny red color, and emitting blue smoke suddenly appeared, and the remaining metal on the edge dripped like melted wax.
The ninja’s tightly grasped katana or shuriken would break in half the instant the beam passed by!
The fracture is not a smooth cut, but a hideous shape that appears to have been melted, twisted, and even partially vaporized by the high temperature.
The front end of the broken weapon seemed to be blown away by an invisible force, and fell to the ground with a scorching red-hot trajectory.
After the beam penetrated the armor and weapons, the residual force acted mercilessly on the ninja’s flesh.
The shoulder instantly carbonized and blackened, accompanied by a teeth-grinding “sizzling” sound and a pungent smell of burnt protein, and thick smoke rose.
37 Heat Rays [Seeking Flowers and Collection] (Old Version)
The severe pain caused by the huge kinetic energy and high temperature prevented the two ninjas from even uttering a complete scream. They could only squeeze out an inhuman, short and shrill wail from the depths of their throats. Their bodies fell backwards as if they were hit by a huge hammer, completely losing their ability to fight and twitching in pain on the ground.
Hawke’s gaze did not linger!
His red-gold gaze was like a tangible, burning blade, following the falling figure of the ninja, sweeping coldly and swiftly behind him!
Wherever the beam of light reached, even the hard reinforced concrete ground groaned in pain.
“Zizi–Puff!” Two charred gullies several inches deep, emitting billowing white smoke, were plowed out in an instant. The cement on the edges of the gullies was instantly melted, crystallized, and vitrified, flashing a dark red light, like the scars of hell imprinted on the ground.
The air was thick with the smell of ozone and the dust of burning rocks.
This devastating sweep was like an invisible scorching barrier, forcing the pursuing ninjas to retreat!
The blazing beams of light brushed past their toes, forcing them to roll and dodge due to the scorching heat and air waves. Their offensive collapsed in an instant, and their eyes were filled with horror and confusion at the sight of an unknown and terrifying force.
The four turtles who were being carried away by Hawk almost dropped their jaws to the ground.
“Oh my god! That… that’s… a high-energy laser weapon? It’s in my eye?” Donatello exclaimed, his voice rising and changing in pitch with shock. “But this energy density… this instant vaporization effect… is beyond my understanding of energy weapons!”
Leonardo, the leader, suppressed his inner shock. He stared intently at the remaining light trails from Hawke’s eyes and the two deep grooves on the ground. His voice was low and solemn: “Unbelievable… It’s a humanoid self-propelled particle cannon! Accurate and deadly…”
The hot-tempered Raphael was also stunned for half a second, which was rare. His eyes under the helmet were as big as copper bells.
He cursed: “Holy Mother of…!”
He looked at the horrible wound on the shoulder of the wailing ninja and the charred remains of his weapon, then looked at the gully on the ground and spat bitterly:
“Damn it! It’s a living incinerator!”
Michelangelo’s mouth opened into a big “O” shape, and he even forgot to swing the nunchaku in his hand.
“Brother Hawke, are your eyes filled with stellar cores?!”
He gestured exaggeratedly in front of his eyes with his hands, his shock mixed with childish excitement.
“Swish! Swish! Two red lights, bang! Pah! The ninja fell to the ground, and the ground was covered in flowers! So cool! This is definitely the hottest “killing eye look” I have ever seen!”
Emily, who was hiding, gasped when she saw this scene and subconsciously covered her mouth.
“Oh… my God…” Her voice trembled, “Mr. Hawke… who… who is he?!”
She felt that her worldview had been refreshed again.
April, a veteran reporter, couldn’t hide her shock, but she quickly regained her professionalism.
While using the camera to record video evidence, he took out a recorder and quickly dictated everything he saw:
“The renowned Hawk Lane is actually a psychic. He’s displayed the ability to project super-high heat energy rays! The temperature is so high it can instantly melt through alloy armor and weapons, and cause deep damage to the ground! The power is astonishing! The attackers are completely stunned!”
Her voice was filled with incredible certainty, yet also with a wariness of unknown forces.
At this moment, the heart-pounding red-gold light in Hawke’s eyes slowly faded away, leaving only a faint ember on his retina.
He glanced expressionlessly at the ninjas who were forced to retreat and were still in shock in front of him, as well as the two charred gullies on the ground that were emitting smoke. The devastating blow just now seemed as insignificant to him as a blink of an eye.
The battlefield fell into an eerie silence, with only the faint groans of the fallen, useless ninjas and the subtle crackling of molten slag cooling in the gullies on the ground.
Looking at the surprised people and turtles, Hawke clapped his hands speechlessly: “What are you doing? Get out of here!”
Only then did a few people react and quickly ran away along the passage.
Hawke saw several people running away, then he turned around to look at the base filled with smoke and almost in ruins. A red light flashed in his eyes, and two heat rays accurately cut off a huge pipe supporting the entrance to the passage!
“Boom!” The pipes and a large amount of rubble fell down, completely blocking the entrance for pursuit.
Behind him came the angry roars of the cyborgs and the sounds of ninjas digging.
Hawke took advantage of the complex terrain along the way, occasionally using heat rays to melt key nodes to create obstacles and shake off the group of annoying flies.
Four giant turtles, Leonardo, Raphael, Michelangelo, and Donatello, covered in scars and stains, scanned the dark riverbank vigilantly.
April sat on the cold concrete edge of the well, her chest heaving violently, her panting particularly clear in the silence, her eyes fixed on Hawke.
Hawke’s naked upper body looked like an ancient Greek sculpture in the hazy moonlight, with clear muscle lines and steam rising from his body, as if there was a furnace inside him.
On the side, although Emily’s face was covered in dust and she was still in shock, the look she gave Hawke was full of undisguised amazement and a certain spark.
He obviously felt the two gazes focused on him, which were completely different in nature but equally scorching.
Hawke casually flicked his wrist, as if he had just done some warm-up exercises, and broke the silence with a joking tone:
“Tickets to the ‘appreciation show’ are free, ladies, but the location for appreciation is… a bit low-brow.”
He looked around at the damp and dark environment and shrugged.
“I have to say, Mr. Hawke, you’re much more attractive than your image in magazines and on TV.” April pursed her lips, unable to take her eyes off Hawke’s body as she chose her words.
Hawke took the large, slightly worn hoodie that Michelangelo had dug out from somewhere and handed to him, quickly putting it on to cover up the eye-catching body.
As he dressed, he said, “Looks good? I understand that I’m not as handsome as the ones on TV or in magazines.”
38 Natasha warns, SHIELD attacks [Request flowers] (Old version)
In American comics, I gave Aunt Mei a backdoor at the beginning: 38 Natasha warned, SHIELD attacked [asking for flowers] pictures and text
April smiled, took a deep breath, and didn’t continue the topic. She raised the data disk in her hand and said:
“We need to talk.” Her eyes swept over Hawke and the four turtles one by one. “About these photos, about Shredder, and about that damned ‘Wild Jar.'”
Her eyes locked on Hawke again, with a reporter’s instinct to explore the truth.
“Dear Mr. Hawke, although it may be a bit rude, I still want to ask, your ability to absorb explosive energy and emit lasers from your eyes, are they also the result of some kind of human experiment?”
The four turtles’ attention shifted, and Michelangelo blew a silent whistle, breaking the brief silence. “Wow, Ms. Reporter is really direct.”
Raphael impatiently tapped the ground with the hilt of his knife, sending sparks flying. “Listen, sweetheart, now’s not the time for a press conference! Shredder’s minions could catch up with us at any moment!”
“Calm down, Raph!” Leonardo shouted in a deep voice. He turned to April, his blue headband fluttering slightly in the wind. “April, we understand your shock and doubts. Hawke saved all of us, including you.” He pointed to the data disk.
Hawke didn’t answer April’s question immediately. He waved his hand to indicate that everything was fine.
“I believe Ms. April has no other intentions, she is just simply curious. I can satisfy your curiosity: No!”
April nodded, and it seemed as if a taut string had loosened slightly.
Whether it is true or not remains to be investigated, but at least given the reputation of the Ryan family, his words have a certain degree of credibility.
“During the years I’ve been king, I’ve often had to deal with the Big Foot Gang, the Hand, and other criminal forces in Brooklyn. Believe me, no evidence you have can defeat them!”
He pointed at the data disk in April’s hand, “The most it can do is expose them and temporarily stop them.”
Hawke knew too well how tenacious these villains were. Even though Shredder in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles was eventually imprisoned, he still escaped and even released the alien Lang.
And his final outcome was that he was taken care of by Lange!
This profoundly illustrates that the most effective way to deal with such boss-level villains is to eliminate them physically!
Pure violence against violence!
At this time, a large truck was approaching from a distance, and its light just happened to shine on the people who were resting.
The four turtles instantly stood up, took out their weapons, and prepared to attack.
The two girls also stood up nervously and stepped back.
Everyone thought it was another reinforcement from the Big Foot Gang.
At this time, Hawke waved his hand and calmed them down.
As the truck approached, everyone realized that the person sitting in the driver’s seat was an Asian girl who looked only about twenty years old.
“You came pretty quickly.” Hawke praised Gu Ziyun, looking at the sleepy face.
Gu Ziyun rolled her eyes, but when she saw the four turtles… and people next to her, all her sleepiness disappeared instantly and her jaw almost dropped to the ground.
Pointing at the four turtles, his eyes widened and he stammered, “What…what…what…is this?”
As if they were used to it, or perhaps they had anticipated it, the four turtles didn’t care at all. The most outgoing, Michelangelo, stepped forward very gentlemanly: “Dear lady, my name is…”
“Bang——”
Before he could finish, Michelangelo was punched by the boss Leonado: “Hurry up and retreat, stop talking nonsense.”
After that, he turned to Gu Ziyun and said, “Sorry, we call ourselves Ninja Turtles. We are causing you trouble so late.”
The corners of Gu Ziyun’s mouth twitched, and he waved his hands quickly, looking at Hawke beside him with a strange look, as if to say: No wonder you asked me to drive the truck here, what the hell is this?
December 27, 1:00 AM, Triskelion Building, S.H.I.E.L.D.
A shrill alarm shattered the tranquility of Triskelion headquarters.
Deep in the underground command center, Nick Fury stared intently at the huge satellite monitoring screen in the center. This was the satellite sharing channel from S.W.O.R.D.
On the screen, a coordinate point was flashing a dangerous red light, and next to it was a waterfall of complex energy reading analysis data.
“Energy signature comparison results?” Fury’s voice was as low as thunder, carrying an unquestionable sense of oppression.
“Analysis complete, sir,” a technical agent said with a hint of disbelief. “It’s highly consistent with the readings from the Busan core explosion remnant…! Over 92% match!”
Fury slammed his fist down on the console, making a dull thud.
“Hawk!” The name came out from between his teeth, filled with long-suppressed anger.
“What did you do this time? Hmm? No matter what you did! This time, I will definitely catch you red-handed!”
“Target coordinates locked!” Fury made a decisive move, his voice echoing throughout the command center. “All Quinjet fighters on standby in the air, proceed immediately! Synchronously deploy ground rapid reaction forces. Codename: Operation Iron Curtain, Target: Traveler!”
The order spread like an icy tide. The base erupted in a frenzy, the roar of engines approaching from afar. Dazzling searchlights ripped through the night, and Quinjet after Quinjet, like black reapers, swooped down on the scene.
Heavy armored vehicles and fully armed special agent teams on the ground followed closely behind, raising clouds of dust.
Inside the cabin of one of the Quinjet’s fighters, Natasha Romanoff, S.H.I.E.L.D.’s top agent known as Black Widow, inspected her equipment with a blank expression.
But her peripheral vision was fixed on the touch screen of her personal encrypted communicator, as if she was going through some intense ideological struggle.
After a moment, she overcame some of her thoughts and quickly tapped on the screen. A concise message was instantly sent out:
[Satellite locked, retreat!][Debt of Favor +1.]The recipient of the information was Hawke, who was currently listed as the top arrest target by S.H.I.E.L.D.
A few seconds later, Natasha’s encrypted channel flickered quietly, and a reply arrived:
[Roger that, Smith squat enthusiast. Favor noted.][Can I owe you one more? Please help me find out: Where is the headquarters of the Big Foot Gang? What company is it disguised as?]39 “Hawk: A Trillion-Dollar Vision” [Request Flowers] (Old Version)
The red warning light in the cabin shone on Natasha’s face. “Smith squat enthusiast?” The corners of her delicate mouth unconsciously raised a little.
Hawke’s next message popped up immediately:
【Tell me when you find out.】
[As for S.H.I.E.L.D.’s party… they might be the only ones attending.]Big Foot Gang Headquarters, Dark Dojo
The cold metal walls reflected the faint blue light.
Shredder, the absolute ruler of the Big Foot Gang, clad in his signature sharp armor, was kneeling on the cold floor of the dojo in a nearly motionless posture, like an oppressive steel statue.
Several screens were floating in front of him, silently broadcasting a battle taking place in an abandoned sewer project outside New York. The images were intermittent, with occasional freeze-frames.
But among them, apart from the four turtle men who were funny but had amazing fighting power, Shredder’s eyes were on one of them.
He seemed to have a super strong body, and many energy attacks had no effect on him. Even the energy wave with high heat and high impact that was released from him at the end made him feel very scared even through the screen.
Who is this?
Unfortunately, the video is too blurry to accurately capture the facial features, and because of the battle, many people’s recording equipment is offline.
A subordinate dressed in a high-tech ninja suit knelt on one knee, his voice trembling with concealment, “Master, our reinforcements will be here soon.”
Shredder’s mask-covered head turned slightly, his cold eyes focused on the blurry figure.
“Have you found out who it is?” Shredder’s voice came through the voice changer, low and smooth, but containing a chill colder than steel.
“The energy readings… are very unique, Master.” Another technical ninja nervously operated the console. “They are different from any known extraordinary individuals or technological weapons in our database. However…” He paused and pulled up a comparison waveform graph. “The core frequency band… has… a partial match with the residual energy from the Busan incident.”
“Busan…” Shredder chewed on the place name. No one could see his expression under his mask, but the temperature in the entire dojo seemed to drop several degrees. “It’s our company’s Witch Project.”
Even he was surprised that they were able to blow up the organization’s most important base.
On the other side, a truck carrying several people had driven into the factory building of an abandoned factory.
The three people and four turtles got out of the car one after another.
Hawke waved the musty air and said to the four turtles, “You settle down here first. I’ll take care of things outside.”
The Four Turtles had no objection to this. Their image was definitely not suitable for going out to investigate intelligence openly. They were relieved to have the assistance of Hawke, a big shot.
The second-in-command, Raphael, stepped forward and said solemnly, “Mr. Hawke, thank you very much for your help. We have a deep hatred for Shredder. If you uncover anything, we’d be happy to be the vanguard. After this is over, if we’re still alive, if you need us for anything, please let us know.”
The other three turtles also nodded seriously.
The meaning is very clear. Shredder killed their teacher who was both their father and their teacher. His hatred value was already full. Today he was rescued by Hawk. Hawk is their savior.
As long as Hawk tells them where Shredder is, they will go right up and kill him, no matter their life or death!
Hawke smiled and said, “Don’t worry, they’ve also offended me. I’ve already had someone investigate the Big Foot Gang’s headquarters.”
After saying goodbye to the four turtles, Hawke asked Gu Ziyun to go back first, and asked her to tell Eun-fei that there would be an important task in the near future and to be on standby at any time.
After Gu Ziyun nodded and disappeared into the night, Hawk was about to get on the truck and leave with the two girls.
April’s inquisitive blue eyes immediately locked onto Hawke.
“Mr. Hawke! Wait a minute!” She stretched out her hand, her fingertips almost touching his arm, then withdrew it reservedly, her face filled with a reporter’s unique and persuasive smile. “Look, tonight is so exciting, and I participated in the whole process. This is definitely an exclusive that will shock the world! Let me follow you? I promise not to cause any trouble, just record it! And that exclusive interview…” She clasped her hands together and made a pleading gesture, “Please! Just once! I know you are low-key, but your story is definitely worth it…”
Hawke paused, his eyes fixed on her vibrant face.
He was silent for a few seconds, and the invisible pressure almost froze the smile on April’s face.
“Action?” Hawke’s voice was low and steady. “April, that’s not a news report. That’s a battlefield. Bullets and energy beams can’t tell who’s a reporter.”
Hawke’s refusal was clear, especially since he had a burden with him. He had been a street hero for several years and knew that carrying a burden with him was a very life-threatening act.
For example, in the battle environment just now, even Hawke found it difficult to take care of the two women and carry the entire game at the same time, and he had to rely on the four turtles to support part of the battle.
If it weren’t for these two burdens, he would have killed the other party long ago. Why would he have to run away?
April wasn’t easily repulsed. She took a deep breath and changed her strategy. “Then… an exclusive interview is fine, right? I swear! We’ll just talk about business! Your investment philosophy, business strategy, your views on the global economy… The public has the right to know the thinking behind a figure like you who drives our times! Look, I even have a few titles in mind, like ‘Hawk: A Trillion-Dollar Vision’, ‘Hawk: The Ryan Family’s Business Philosophy’…”
She kept on rattling off some headlines that sounded quite “serious” in the style of financial magazines, but her eyes were filled with cunning and expectation.
40 Tonight, you are mine from head to toe【Request flowers】(Old version)
Hawke looked at the persistent female reporter in front of him and thought that she had indeed helped tonight and was not completely unreliable.
He needs to consider his relationship with the media, and sometimes it is necessary to create a controllable and positive business image.
“Only economics and commerce.” Hawke looked directly at April. “Not a single word is allowed to cross the line. All content must be reviewed by my team before it is published.”
“Absolutely! I promise!” April instantly burst into great joy, as if she had won the jackpot.
The huge excitement overwhelmed her mind, and she almost instinctively took a step forward, stood on tiptoe, and gave Hawke a quick and loud “boo” on the cheek!
“Thank you, Hawke! You’re awesome!” Her cheeks flushed, and her eyes flickered when she realized what she had done, but her excitement quickly overwhelmed her shyness. “I… I’ll wait for your notification!”
After saying that, he quickly ran to the passenger seat of the truck like a frightened yet happy little rabbit, fastened his seat belt, and waited for Hawke obediently.
The air seemed to freeze for a moment.
Emily stood a few steps away, taking it all in.
There was no expression on her delicate face, but the way she crossed her arms, her slightly pursed lips, and the soft “hum” clearly conveyed a strong sour taste.
Hawke’s eyes turned to Emily, catching a flash of jealousy.
The corners of his mouth curled up and he walked in front of her.
Emily looked up at him, the sour feeling still there. She was about to say something, like “It seems our Mr. Hawke is still as charming as ever”, but she was suddenly grabbed by Hawke’s waist and pulled into his arms.
“Are you jealous?” Hawke’s deep voice brushed against her ear with heat. It was no longer the businesslike manner he had just used when facing April, but rather an intimacy full of possessiveness.
Emily stiffened slightly, then softened in his arms, the sour taste miraculously dissipating.
She looked up and suddenly realized that no matter how enthusiastic April was, all she got was a cold business interview. And she…
“No, I’m just a clueless reporter.”
Emily’s voice regained its usual laziness and a hint of pride, as if she had regained the confidence she had when she was the cheerleader captain at Columbia University. “She can only get the interview… But tonight, from head to toe, every minute, you are mine.”
Suddenly, Hawke’s phone vibrated. He turned around and clicked on the message.
[Natasha]: The coordinates you want: ************ point to an abandoned subway station renovation area deep in lower Manhattan.
[Natasha]: A company in sheep’s clothing: TCRI, is a cutting-edge biotechnology and space physics research institute. It was previously reported by many people as the hub of the Big Foot Gang’s money laundering, but due to insufficient evidence, the case was eventually dropped.
[Natasha]: Favors +2. Good luck, and don’t die too soon. —Creditor.
Hawke’s mouth curled into a cold arc.
TCRI…Shredd is more entertaining than he thought.
Biotechnology, space physics? But from these two fields, he was sure that Shredder must have hooked up with the alien Lang.
Thinking this way, I pondered it for a while and decided to wait until dawn.
TCRI is also a well-known unicorn company on Wall Street, especially in the past two years, it has achieved remarkable achievements in biotechnology.
Being reported by multiple people, it’s likely a front for the Big Foot Gang. As for the evidence…
Does Hawke need that thing?
Hawke wants this piece of meat!
But at this moment, S.H.I.E.L.D. has already rushed to the battlefield. If they knew that the Bigfoot Gang has such a high level of technology, would there be any meat to eat?
Now, we first need to know all the factories and laboratories of TCRI, both openly and secretly, before we can take the next step. However, time waits for no one. If we want to dig out the information we want to know as quickly as possible, we can only ask professionals for external assistance.
At this time, the ruins where Hawke fought against the Bigfoot Gang
S.H.I.E.L.D.’s Quinjet fleet, like angry steel vultures, tore through the night sky and roared to the sky above the coordinates.
The dazzling searchlight beam instantly illuminated the battlefield below, which had just experienced devastation, as bright as day.
The ground forces’ armored vehicles followed closely behind, their engines roaring as they blocked all main passages. Fully armed agents poured out like a tide, their tactical flashlight beams sweeping across the ruins.
“The target area has been blocked! Repeat, the target area has been blocked!” The commander’s report came from the communication channel.
Nick Fury stood at the hatch of the lead Quinjet, overlooking the devastated scene below: molten metal, collapsed structures, scattered fragments of bizarre ninja equipment, and some twisted, ominous modified limbs…
His hawk-like single eye scanned the scene sharply, and found that there was no one there except the wreckage.
“The travelers have escaped!” came the report from the ground team.
Fury’s fists clenched silently.
Another step too slow! He always manages to slip away like a loach!
However, at this moment, infrared thermal imaging and motion sensors simultaneously captured unusual activity.
“Sir! Unidentified individuals have been spotted rapidly approaching the battle zone! There are so many of them!” The technical officer’s voice grew tense. “Are they… cleaning up the mess? Cleaning up any traces and recovering some of the equipment wreckage!”
Fury’s brows were twisted into knots.
Cleaning up the battlefield right under S.H.I.E.L.D.’s nose?
What a courage!
He immediately connected to the encrypted communication: “Hand, have you found the scan results of those toys? Who are those people cleaning down there?”
The languid yet efficient voice of SHIELD Agent Victoria Hand came over the communicator: “Energy residue analysis points to one of the previous combat entities, but the newcomers’ equipment is a mixed bag, with characteristics of cold weapons and high-energy biological reactions. Database comparisons have matched some of these features with a ninja organization called the ‘Big Foot Gang’ in the New York underworld. However, the recovered equipment fragments have even stranger signals, like… um… something that doesn’t belong on Earth? Interesting.”
41 Fury: Hawke, I have completely seen through you [Request flowers] (Old version)
“Bigfoot?” Fury’s eyes narrowed. “So the Bigfoot are helping Hawk clean up the mess?”
Logic instantly formed in his mind: Hawke had accomplices! These were the people who would support his retreat and clean up any traces! After the Busan incident, they had suspected Hawke of having an organization behind him, and this scene seemed to confirm that.
Bigfoot Gang? Alien Technology!
Is this Hawke’s trump card?
He felt a little relieved at this moment, feeling that he had completely seen through Hawke. If Hawke were in front of him now, he would sarcastically say: “Do you think you are the only earthling who has come into contact with aliens? Funny!”
Natasha, who was also in the channel, twitched her lips. This line of thinking was a bit outrageous…
“Attention all units!” Fury’s voice echoed through the loudspeaker throughout the blockade area, cold and full of unquestionable authority. “Unidentified personnel below! You are surrounded! Lower your weapons immediately, give up resistance, kneel on the ground with your hands on your head and surrender! I repeat, lower your weapons, surrender immediately! This is your only warning!”
The cleanup operation below had clearly stalled.
Those swift-moving figures in dark ninja uniforms, as well as some larger modified cyborgs with metallic or unnatural luster on their skin, seemed a little at a loss under the strong light.
Several Quinjet fighters circled at low altitude, the machine guns and micro-missile launchers on the weapon racks unlocked, locking onto the target below.
After a brief standoff, Fury saw the reaction he expected: a small number of ninjas on the edge hesitated and slowly dropped their short swords or recovery tools to the ground, raised their hands stiffly, and slowly knelt down. They lowered their heads, their posture looking like surrender.
“Sir, some targets have surrendered!” reported the on-site commander.
But Fury’s one eye was fixed on his companions around the surrendered ones, especially the biochemically modified humans who stood silently like steel statues.
The surrenderer’s movements were too deliberate and slow, and the surrender area was too concentrated, more like… a bait to attract attention!
“No!” Fury’s intuition and years of experience instantly sounded the highest alarm. “It’s a trap! Everyone fire! Repeat! Fire!”
His orders were almost synchronized with the other party’s actions!
Those “surrendered” ninjas suddenly raised their heads, with no fear in their eyes, only cold murderous intent and mockery!
Their kneeling bodies shot up like springs, their hands tightly grasping sharp shurikens or miniature bombs that they had not actually thrown away!
At the same time, the modified bio-humans who had been silent all this time let out low, inhuman roars, and the metal armor on their bodies instantly deformed, revealing energy weapon mouths or biological claws flashing with dangerous light!
What’s even more terrifying is that some of the biochemical people suddenly expanded into a circle of pale purple energy shield on their bodies!
“Swish, swish, swish—!”
“boom!”
“Da da da da—!”
The ninja’s hidden weapons and bombs shot towards the nearest SHIELD soldier’s position like a swarm of poisonous bees, while the energy beams and biological acid of the modified cyborgs shot fiercely at the Quinjet hovering at low altitude!
The combat skills of SHIELD’s agents and soldiers are also top-notch. They opened fire the moment Fury gave them a warning, and energy weapons and live ammunition intertwined into a dense web of fire that poured down!
The scene instantly changed from eerie calm to bloody purgatory!
“Damn it!” Fury roared, watching a Quinjet being hit on the flank by dense energy beams and climbing urgently with black smoke billowing.
“Kill them! Dead or alive!”
On the chaotic battlefield, Natasha’s figure shuttled through the flames of the explosion like a ghost.
She fired accurately with both guns, headshotting a ninja who was trying to attack her teammates from behind, while deftly avoiding a beam of scorching biochemical energy.
Her cold gaze swept over the ferocious cyborgs, and she quickly assessed this unexpected new enemy in her mind: “The Big Foot Gang… unexpected… It seems that the trouble Hawke has caused is far greater than we imagined.”
“Boom!”
The poison-tipped shurikens and micro-bombs of the Big Foot ninjas and the energy pulse guns and armor-piercing bullets of the SHIELD agents crossed each other in the air, and the exploding flames instantly engulfed the corners of the ruins.
The modified bio-humans let out inhuman roars, their arms split open, revealing rotating energy muzzles or glands spraying corrosive acid, and their lavender energy shields vibrated and flickered violently in the hail of bullets.
As soon as the battle began, the Big Foot Gang caught S.H.I.E.L.D. off guard with the unique skills of their elite ninjas and the powerful assault power of their modified cyborgs.
Those elite ninjas were like poisonous snakes blending into the shadows, taking advantage of the complex terrain of the ruins to move at high speed and appear and disappear mysteriously.
Their precise throwing skills and close-range assassination were coordinated well, and instantly several exposed SHIELD commandos fell to the ground with injuries.
The smoke bomb exploded in their hands, further disrupting S.H.I.E.L.D.’s vision and formation.
Even more terrifying are those modified cyborgs.
They bravely launched a group charge, fearlessly carrying their energy shields. Energy beams streaked through the night sky, easily melting through the weak points of the armored vehicles.
The strong acid sprayed on the bunker, making a terrible “sizzling” sound and emitting pungent white smoke.
Their physical strength is also extremely amazing. One cyborg overturned a light armored vehicle, causing the surrounding agents to scream and retreat.
A Quinjet that was circling too close at low altitude was unfortunately hit by several concentrated energy beams on its side engine. Alarms shrilly sounded, and the plane climbed away in a panic, trailing billowing black smoke.
The lavender energy shield they used was extremely tough, and conventional small-caliber weapons and energy pulses only caused ripples when hitting it.
This allowed the core combat force of the Bigfoot Gang to force their way forward in the initial stage despite the firepower. The goal of clearing the battlefield seemed to become secondary, and severely damaging S.H.I.E.L.D. became the main purpose.
Fury saw it clearly from the command plane, and the cold light in his one eye became even brighter.
“Hand! Analyze their energy shield frequency! All units, keep your distance and prioritize fire on the ninjas that aren’t protected by shields! Aerial units, blow up the bunkers around those tin cans and expose them!”
After all, SHIELD is one of the most powerful intelligence and special services organizations on Earth. After a brief period of confusion and tactical adjustments, its strict command system and overwhelming technological advantages quickly emerged.
42 Cyclops who was caught in the crossfire【Request for flowers】(Old version)
The ground forces quickly retreated and reorganized, establishing a defensive line with armored vehicles and more solid bunkers.
Fire support teams armed with heavy weapons were deployed to high points, and shoulder-fired anti-tank missiles and Gauss rifles emitted a dull roar.
The goal is no longer precise point shooting, but saturation bombing of areas where cyborgs gather.
The remaining Quinjet fighters no longer attempted low-altitude sweeps, but quickly climbed to a safe altitude.
The belly weapon bay door opened, and more powerful miniature air-to-ground missiles and precisely positioned laser-guided bombs fell like raindrops.
Exploding fireballs continued to burst out in the bio-human charging formation, the shock waves made their shields flash violently, and even tore some of the peripheral bio-humans directly into pieces.
Victoria Hand’s voice rang out over the channel at just the right moment: “Shield frequency analysis complete! Connecting to the target lock system… now!”
The machine guns of several Quinjet fighters instantly adjusted their firing modes, firing energy bombs carrying a specific vibration frequency.
When these energy bullets hit the shields, they no longer caused ripples, but melted the shields like heating butter.
After a few flashes it completely fails.
In response to the cyborgs who lost their shields, SHIELD agents threw out special magnetic adsorption electric grids and high-voltage electric batons to restrict their movements.
A powerful nerve-numbing gas specifically designed to deal with biologically enhanced targets was also carefully released into specific areas.
Without the cyborgs to attract the main firepower, the ninjas exposed in open areas or areas covered by precision-guided weapons suffered a sharp increase in casualties under the lock of SHIELD snipers and high-tech reconnaissance equipment.
Natasha’s figure was like a deadly ghost in the chaos, and every flash was accompanied by the fall of a ninja.
The shield collapse was the turning point.
Without the protection of the turtle shell, the biochemically modified humans became clumsy targets in the face of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s heavy firepower.
Missiles and bombs blew their huge bodies into pieces, and exploded metal parts and disgusting biochemical tissue fluids sprayed everywhere.
Elite ninjas who have lost their cover will find it difficult to fight against the organized, well-equipped, and tactically skilled SHIELD agents and soldiers.
The noise of the battle gradually died down after more than half an hour.
On the ruins filled with smoke, the flames were still burning, making crackling sounds.
The bodies of the Big Foot Gang lay scattered all over the place, the ninjas’ black uniforms were soaked in blood, and the remains of the modified cyborgs were smoking and emitting a mixed stench of burnt and chemicals.
SHIELD also paid a price: more than a dozen agents were killed, more than thirty were injured, two Quinjet fighters were severely damaged and barely returned, and several light armored vehicles were destroyed or paralyzed.
Fury’s figure appeared at the edge of the ruins, his face ashen.
He looked at the devastated battlefield and the bodies of the fallen agents, his teeth clenched.
“Clear the battlefield! Every piece of debris, every drop of blood, every corpse, examine it carefully! I want to know where these bastards came from and what their relationship to the travelers is! The first phase of Operation ‘Iron Curtain’ has concluded, and we are now entering the ‘Evidence Recovery’ phase!”
For the next three hours, the ruins became a vast open-air laboratory and morgue.
SHIELD’s professional forensics team, wearing protective clothing, carefully collected all possible information:
Fragments of ninja weapons, bearing unique forging marks.
Transform the cyborg’s metal skeleton, biological tissue samples, and implanted energy core remnants.
Broken communicator fragments, trying to recover data.
Bullet holes and explosion marks left on buildings are used to reconstruct the battle process.
All bodies were numbered, photographed, and subjected to preliminary autopsies.
Fury personally supervised the battle on the scene, scanning every corner like a one-eyed hawk.
The air was filled with a nauseating mixture of the smell of disinfectant, burning, and blood.
Fatigue began to creep onto the agents’ faces, but Fury’s orders were unquestionable.
Finally, a technical agent’s voice, tinged with a hint of tired excitement, rang out over the encrypted channel: “Commander! A damaged recorder has been found embedded in a reinforced concrete block in Area B7! Preliminary analysis suggests it’s a combat recording device belonging to a ninja or cyborg. It’s severely damaged by the impact, but the data storage unit may be salvageable!”
Fury immediately rushed to the area.
Technicians are carefully using a laser cutter to peel the twisted and deformed metal cube out of the solidified cement.
After intense rescue data extraction and restoration, an extremely blurry, snow-covered video clip lasting only a few seconds was restored.
The picture is shaking violently and the camera angle is very low, as if the recorder is suffering from impact or moving quickly.
The background is a chaotic battlefield, and you can vaguely see the backs of several… uh… giant turtles and a human figure moving at high speed.
Then, at the last moment before the picture was about to be interrupted, the camera captured the front of the blurry figure, and two red-gold rays that were so hot that they seemed to be able to ignite the screen were clearly visible, violently gushing out from his eyes like angry dragons!
boom!!!
The video ends here, and finally freezes on a shocking scene where heat rays burst out, the air in front is violently distorted, and the target is destroyed in an instant.
The entire temporary command center was in deathly silence.
Everyone was stunned by this brief but impactful scene.
Fury stared at the fiery red light frozen on the screen, the shock in his one eye quickly replaced by deeper doubts.
“Coulson,” Fury’s voice, terribly low, broke the silence. “Extract the core frequency band of this energy waveform and cross-reference it with the energy release data of ‘Cyclops’ Scott Summers at the X-School.”
He paused, his eyes scanning Hawke’s blurry silhouette on the screen, and added, “Also… compare it with the physiological energy signature database of all recorded Kree, Skrulls, and other alien creatures. Especially those related to body modification projects.”
Fury turned around and looked at the sky gradually turning white outside the window, his fingers subconsciously touching an old-fashioned pager on his waist.
“Mutants? Or some more dangerous alien creation?” He muttered to himself, his brow furrowed. “Hawk… what exactly are you? Busan, the Bigfoot Gang, and this power… I’ve got your secrets.”
Late at night, Hawke’s penthouse, master bedroom.
Outside the huge floor-to-ceiling windows is the dazzling city night view, like a spreading starry sky.
There was no main light on in the room, only the floor lamp in the corner emitting a hazy and ambiguous glow.
The air lingered with the scent of expensive champagne and lust.
The big bed, which was so soft that one could sink into it, was a mess.
43 Foreign Aid: Sefer [Request Flowers] (Old Version)
The expensive silk sheets were crumpled and tattered, and Emily’s business suit skirt was tossed carelessly on the expensive Persian rug, next to her torn stockings.
Emily lay on Hawke’s sweaty chest, her long golden hair spread out like seaweed, with a few strands sticking to her cheeks and neck, which were flushed charmingly.
She was breathing slightly, her body still trembling slightly from the extreme pleasure, her eyes were blurred and satisfied.
The moonlight outlined the graceful curve of her smooth back, extending all the way to her suggestive waist.
A moment later, Emily had fallen asleep in his arms, breathing evenly.
Hawke carefully pulled his arm away and tucked the quilt in for her.
Then he picked up a uniquely shaped, unmarked encrypted satellite phone on the bedside table, rubbed his fingers on the cold metal shell, and dialed a number.
After the line was connected, there was silence for a few seconds. Then a lazy, magnetic, and slightly cynical female voice sounded. In the background, there seemed to be the crisp sound of ice cubes hitting crystal glasses:
“Well, well… who’s disturbing a lady’s solitude so late at night? Mr. King?”
The owner of the voice is Sever, the top hacker and intelligence queen who controls everything in the world of speed and passion.
Her tone was full of familiar teasing, as if she could see through the airwaves and see the other person.
Hawke’s lips curled up slightly. Sever was one of the very few people who knew his identity as a king.
Sefer’s intelligence network is quite mature and covers the world.
“Severus. Disturbing the lady? From what I remember, you preferred the chaos of the midnight show.” His voice carried a familiarity that came from a long-lost reunion.
“Heh,” Sever chuckled, her voice lazily with a hint of sharpness, “Chaos is my stage. But you, little friend Hawke, I haven’t heard from you for so long, I thought you were finally tired of being a weirdo in tights.” She deliberately emphasized the word “little friend” and brought up the old matter.
Hawke leaned against the cold French window.
“School couldn’t teach me how to blow my enemies to the ground, Cypher. Time has taught me many things.” His voice held a hint of maturity and strength. “For example, how to make a woman who once thought I was ‘too young and boring’ re-evaluate her perspective.”
There was silence on the other end of the phone for a moment, and the sound of ice colliding also stopped.
Hawke could almost imagine Cypher’s eyes narrowing slightly.
“Oh? The Bates family that was blown up?” Seve’s voice returned to that lazy tone, but if you listened carefully, there was a hint of inquiry and vague interest underneath.
Hawke pursed his lips and said with a smile, “I can understand that your intelligence ability has weakened, Sever, or that you don’t pay as much attention to me as before?”
Seifer snorted softly. “It sounds like Hawke has grown not only taller but also bolder in the past three years. Tell me, what skills has he learned?”
Hawke chuckled and didn’t directly answer her probing question.
“Whether you’re capable enough will depend on whether you can take on my ‘assignment’. However, catching up can come later, Sever. I need your professional services now.”
“Finally getting down to business?” Sever’s tone shifted instantly, his laziness vanishing, leaving only the cold, efficient efficiency of a top intelligence dealer. “What’s the price of this ‘assignment’?”
“TCRI,” Hawke spat out the name. “I want everything about it. Every registered, hidden, or disguised factory, laboratory, and research facility in the United States. The exact coordinates, responsible persons, project code names, and security level lists. The more detailed the better, and the sooner the better.”
The sound of Seve tapping quickly on the keyboard came from the other end of the phone, like cold raindrops.
“TCRI… interesting. Their firewall is like an onion, layer upon layer, with poisonous stings.” She seemed to be quickly assessing the difficulty. “All over the United States, digging deep… this is not a free afternoon tea, Hawke.”
“I never take free afternoon tea,” Hawke said firmly. “Make an offer.”
Sefer seemed to be calculating. After a brief pause, he announced a figure: “Five hundred thousand dollars. Within two hours.”
“Deal.” Hawke didn’t hesitate at all. He picked up the tablet with his other hand and used his fingers to perform the transfer operation on the screen.
“That’s straightforward.” Sefer seemed pleased with his decisiveness. “But I must warn you, kid, if you mess with someone of TCRI’s stature, you could get yourself into trouble.”
“I’m used to that fishy smell,” Hawke said calmly. The tablet screen showed that the fingerprint verification had passed. “The money went through.”
Almost immediately, a gentle notification chimed from Seve’s end. “Got it. Their efficiency has truly improved.” She chuckled suggestively. “Then, within two hours, the ‘list’ you requested will be delivered to your designated secure cloud. I can personally deliver it to you…if you’re still in New York?” The last sentence took on that lazy, suggestive tone.
“Just send the list. ‘Personal’ service. Wait until I confirm the quality of your work.” Hawke’s voice was a little playful, but more of a final word that left no room for doubt. “Keep the line open, Cypher.”
“Looking forward to your feedback, Hawke…” Sever’s voice disappeared in the buzzing of the encrypted line.
Hawke put down the satellite phone, and the cold screen reflected his deep eyes.
Outside the window, the city lights were still bright, but a silent war against the behemoth TCRI had already begun quietly by the queen hidden in the shadows of the Internet after he gave the order.
Emily turned over at some point and mumbled in a daze: “…Who’s calling? In the middle of the night…”
“An old acquaintance.” Hawke walked back to the bed, lay down, and naturally put his big hand around her. “A very efficient expert, my external aid.”
He cast his eyes towards the dark ceiling, waiting for the list worth half a million dollars.
There is no doubt about Sever’s ability. Two hours is enough for her to uncover a corner of TCRI.
He thought about it, looked at the time, hesitated for a moment, and still shamelessly sent a message to Natasha.
44 Cosmic Cube【Request Flowers】(Old Version)
In American comics, I gave Aunt Mei a backdoor at the beginning: 44 Cosmic Cube [Request for flowers] Picture and text
[Pictured: Cipher, “Fast and Furious”]New York
Originally, Fury planned not to come to this city for a year. Not only was there a place that made him sad, but there was also that hateful kid from the Ryan family who made him sad.
But there’s nothing I can do, it’s work! Fury comforted himself like this.
S.H.I.E.L.D. Mobile Command Center
On the big screen, multiple surveillance images were transmitting in real time the post-war ruins of the first phase of Operation Iron Curtain – twisted metal, collapsed concrete, extinguished circuit sparks, and some unidentified fragments scattered around the edge of the core explosion point, flashing with strange light.
“Sir!” A technical analysis director wearing protective clothing called Fury hurriedly through encrypted communication with a hint of incredible excitement in his voice.
Behind his goggles, his eyes were fixed on a palm-sized piece of strange metal and biological material composite in the isolation box in his hand. It was emitting a faint, unstable purple fluorescence.
“While we were clearing the perimeter of the main destruction zone, we discovered a batch of…abnormal residues!”
Fury’s image appeared in the corner of the technical director’s helmet display. “Anomaly? Explain clearly.”
“It’s not currently known technology or product!” the technical director spoke rapidly. “The material can’t be immediately classified. It’s a fusion of unprecedented biopolymers and energy-conducting alloys. Preliminary scans show its internal structure… is alive? Or rather, highly adaptable biological activity! More importantly, we found the remains of a destroyed device base near some of the debris. The residual energy spectrum… points to an extremely efficient spatial phase modulation technology, but one completely beyond our understanding!”
The technical director transmitted a real-time multi-dimensional spectral analysis image and a high-definition fragment scan image.
“The on-site Alpha scanners nearly overloaded. The energy signature doesn’t match any known country, organization, or even suspected alien technology in our database. Its… design logic, sir, it doesn’t resemble human technology at all.”
Fury’s breathing seemed to stop for half a second on the other end of the communication.
His single eye was fixed on the strange diagrams and fragmented images on the screen.
“Location?”
“Locked down! All debris and associated equipment wreckage have been marked and are being packaged in the highest sterile, radiation-free isolation by the Ostrich Team. They are being transported to the ‘Cube’ via Ghost transport.”
The technical director answered decisively.
“Very good.” Fury’s voice lowered, but the weight of it made the technical director’s heart tremble. “Top priority, highest confidentiality level. I want to see them in the ‘Cube’.” The communication was cut off.
A few hours later, in the deepest analysis room of the ‘Cube’.
Fury stood outside the thick, multi-layered explosion-proof glass wall, watching the researchers inside, wearing the highest-level biochemical protective suits, carefully operating the precision instruments and analyzing the fragments that emitted an ominous glow.
The chief scientist reported via internal communication, his voice trembling with excitement:
“Director, the preliminary reverse engineering results… are a true treasure trove!” The scientist pulled up a complex holographic model.
“The gene editing blueprints and biological tissue synthesis plans contained in these fragments far exceed our existing ‘super soldier’ projects!”
“They point to adaptations to extreme environments, such as vacuum, deep sea, high radiation, ultra-fast regeneration of biological tissues, and even… energy symbiont interfaces!”
“Imagine implanting temporary organs for our deep space agents that can survive the vacuum of space for hours! Or creating a multifunctional bio-gel for battlefield first aid!”
“And then there’s the space technology aspect. That’s the real ‘game changer!'” The scientist magnified the model of the space phase module. “Although Bigfoot’s application is primitive, the core principle involves microscopic space folding and the generation of stable sub-dimensional channels! Director Fury, what does this mean? It means we have the opportunity to develop a truly practical short-range tactical space jump engine for the Quinjet, and even create instantaneous deployment capabilities for future aerospace carriers!”
Fury watched the flashing data streams and models in silence, his fingers tapping unconsciously and rhythmically on the edge of the console.
The alien civilization that provided these technologies instantly transformed from a vague image in his mind into an entity with terrifying technological strength.
Bigfoot Gang? A bunch of idiots guarding a gold mine and just bashing rocks!
“Project codename ‘Shattered Shell,'” Fury’s voice broke the silence, carrying unquestionable authority. “Unlimited resources allocated, authority elevated to ‘Omega.’ But remember two things: First, complete stripping! Any code, structure, or biological sample contaminated by Bigfoot or potential alien influence must be incinerated and purified! We must establish a completely ‘clean’ S.H.I.E.L.D. technology tree. Second, security is increased tenfold! This is now the frontier of Earth’s defense! Even a fly that flies in will have its entire ancestry tracked down!”
Looking at the unimaginable technological blueprint on the screen, Fury picked up his coffee cup and took a deep breath. Then, as if thinking of something, he asked the doctor in front of him, “The Cosmic Cube, if we weaponize its energy now, I mean, if we combine it with the alien technology we have obtained, can we speed up the process, or even make a leap forward?”
The chief scientist lowered his head and pondered for a moment, seemingly recalling the energy parameters released by the magical Cosmic Cube. Finally, he nodded and said, “Director, I think this will speed up the process, but whether it can be significantly improved still needs to be verified.”
Upon hearing this, Fury smiled a long-lost smile. “Then, simultaneously activate the weaponization of the Cosmic Cube’s energy. At the same time, try to understand the deeper purpose of this stone.”
The scientist nodded and then turned and left.
At this moment, Fury picked up the cup of bitter liquid in front of him that had remained unchanged for thousands of years, and it seemed to have a hint of unusual meaning at this moment.
The ecstasy brought by this pile of “garbage” from alien ruins rushed through the nerves of this veteran strategist like electricity.
This feeling is indeed a hundred times more exciting than discovering a whole box of unopened, legendary extinct Montecristo No. 1 cigars in an underground vault.
Plus, you can rediscover the power of the Cosmic Cube through alien technology!
At this moment, Fury felt that the scales of luck were tilting towards him!
“Project Shattered Shell”, Fury felt that the name he chose was too appropriate and too perfect.
By prying open the hard shell of this alien technology, S.H.I.E.L.D. will gain an overwhelming advantage.
Bigfoot Gang?
A bunch of pathetic, stupid monkeys using nuclear weapons as hammers!
Behind them, there must be a powerful alien entity – an unknown civilization that is highly aggressive or at least extremely generous.
Of course, he prefers the former.
Fury’s voice echoed in the silent analysis room, with unquestionable determination:
“Initiating a covert investigation into the Bigfoot Gang, activating the ‘Perspective Mirror’ network. Target: All known and potential Bigfoot Gang leaders. Expanding the search to include all unusual contact points, funding flows, technology sources, and communication records from the past five years… I want to know how they got this alien connection!”
“Yes, sir.” Hill responded immediately, his fingers moving quickly on the console.
At this moment, Natasha Romanoff, who was standing in the shadow behind Fury, felt the special communicator on her wrist vibrate very slightly, as if she had been bitten by a mosquito.
She remained calm, and while adjusting her stance, her eyes quickly scanned the micro display screen hidden inside the wristband.
An encrypted message from Hawke, with only a few simple characters and a preset code name.
Content: Delaying the investigation into the Bigfoot Gang.
45 Looking forward to the next Smith squat… [Please give me flowers] (Old version)
Natasha’s expression was natural, but she was cursing Hawke in her heart. Did he really treat her as his subordinate?
If I wasn’t looking forward to the next Smith squat…
But Hawke’s actions were indeed faster than she expected. It was obvious that he had also set his sights on the Big Foot Gang, or rather, something deeper behind the Big Foot Gang.
Fury turned around and glanced at several core commanders and senior agents behind him with his one eye, including Hill, Natasha, Coulson, and several other senior agents who were qualified to carry out this mission.
“This investigation,” he said in a low voice, “requires absolute secrecy and utmost efficiency. The candidate…”
He paused, examining everyone present with a sharp gaze.
Hill is a superb executor, but her workload is saturated;
Several other senior agents have their own missions or are on Fury’s “suspect list”.
Fury’s gaze finally landed on Natasha.
She has extraordinary abilities and a complex background, but she is completely in control of herself.
Although his performance in the Hawke incident was not satisfactory, he seemed to be one of the cleanest candidates who could leave immediately.
Natasha felt Fury’s gaze and her thoughts raced.
The investigation is delayed, and you have to take the lead to control the pace.
It is almost impossible to prevent a comprehensive network scan of the same level as “Perspective Lens”, but there is still room to manipulate the “selection” and “rhythm” of the investigation.
She didn’t speak immediately, but took half a step forward calmly, her eyes fixed on the data stream of the Big Foot Gang’s core members scrolling on the main screen.
A plan took shape instantly.
After a few seconds, she let out a very slight, uncertain inhale.
The sound was particularly abrupt in the silent analysis room.
Fury glanced over.
“Romanov?”
Natasha seemed to hesitate, her brows furrowed slightly as she pointed to a name that quickly flashed across the screen. “Chief, this person is… Carlos ‘Razor’ Montoya. He’s the tech broker for the Bigfoot Gang’s Chicago branch.”
Fury looked at the file of the unremarkable South American man. “What happened to him? The records show he was just a middleman.”
“His profile is very ‘clean,’ consistent with the identity of a low-level technology trafficker.” Natasha’s tone was professional and cautious. “But last year in Budapest, when I was dealing with the ‘Nightingale’ smuggling network, I intercepted one of his encrypted communications. The sender used the Ghost protocol, which went through seven layers of jumps, and the recipient’s ID was completely wiped out. However, the encryption shell used by one of the abnormal jump points… Its underlying code features are extremely similar to a certain unactivated experimental encryption module I found in the log of a backup server of Ryan Technology when I was chasing ‘Viper’ in Brazil three years ago. It’s very similar.”
As Natasha spoke, she pulled up the action record at that time and showed it to Fury.
“Ryan?!” Fury frowned.
The name itself is enough to set off his sensitive nerves, especially when it comes to high-end alien technology and potential leaks!
“Similarity doesn’t mean a direct connection, Director,” Natasha added immediately, appearing calm and objective. “It could just be that Ryan Technology borrowed and modified an open source project from its early years, or it could just be a coincidence. But the problem is—” She changed the subject, pointing to Montoya’s name on the screen, “This encrypted shell appeared on the ghost communication jump point of a low-level broker who seems to have no connection with the core of the Big Foot Gang, and the time point was exactly around the time I intercepted the communication. And Hawkline, also known as the Traveler, is well known to everyone. He and the Ryan family have a huge intelligence network and top resources. If…”
She didn’t finish her words, but her meaning was clear: If Hawke or his forces had already infiltrated or contacted even the most peripheral members of the Bigfoot Gang through some extremely secretive channels, then S.H.I.E.L.D.’s use of the “Perspective Scope,” a large-scale, high-intensity network scan, would be tantamount to announcing, right under the nose of Hawke’s possible surveillance network, “Look! S.H.I.E.L.D. has discovered that the Bigfoot Gang has alien treasures, and we are fully committed to tracking down the source!”
Fury’s expression turned extremely grim. He seemed to have seen Hawke’s face, a bit rogue yet extremely shrewd, hiding in the shadows of a data stream, watching SHIELD’s actions with mockery, and perhaps even using SHIELD’s investigation results to take the lead, or… set a trap.
That “damn Ryan kid” could definitely do it!
Natasha’s words precisely tied together his deepest concerns and the most sensitive actions at the moment.
“Your concerns are…very valuable, Romanoff.” Fury’s voice was as if pulled out of an ice cellar. “Any trace of Hawke is enough to increase the risk rating of this investigation.”
He was silent for a few seconds, his mind rapidly weighing the options.
Letting Hill use the “perspective mirror” to conduct a comprehensive scan is the most efficient, but it will cause too much noise and the risks are uncontrollable.
Anyone else?
Who can guarantee that they have no close ties with the Hawke or Ryan family?
Who can guarantee that there will be no problems under the huge temptation of alien technology?
Fury’s single eye finally locked onto Natasha, with scrutiny and a hint of forced reliance:
“Change of plan. The Periscope network will temporarily only be used to support peripheral intelligence gathering and physical clue tracking. Direct deep scanning of the Big Foot Gang’s core network nodes will cease.”
Fury made a decision.
“Natasha Romanoff, you will be responsible for conducting an independent infiltration and investigation mission. The objective remains the same: trace the source of the Bigfoot Gang’s alien technology. However, the method of operation has been changed to ‘Lone Star’ mode. You may mobilize necessary resources, but all operations must be conducted in a manner that prioritizes secrecy and counter-reconnaissance.”
The so-called Lone Star model is a single line: reporting only to Fury;
Offline: maximize physical contact and minimize electronic traces;
Low speed: Prioritizes obtaining absolutely reliable intelligence that cannot be detected by third parties.
46 What new tricks can the grown-up king come up with? [Request for flowers] (Old version)
“Understood, Director.” Natasha’s voice was calm and powerful. “I will infiltrate like a shadow and ensure that the investigation path is undetected by anyone. The operation will begin immediately.”
She nodded slightly, turned and left, her steps still silent.
Fury looked at her leaving back, then irritably picked up the cup of coffee and took a gulp.
A bitter smell permeated the air. I thought I had found a gold mine, but it turned out that a cunning and poisonous snake had long been lurking in the pit.
Natasha’s “discovery”, although only a speculation based on similarities, was like a thorn in his heart, forcing him to choose the most conservative, slowest, but also possibly the safest path: his most elite and cautious agent, Natasha, would act alone like a ghost.
Natasha walked out of the absolute isolation area of the “cube” and in an empty corner, the micro-device on the inside of her wrist sent a confirmation signal: Done.
After receiving the message from Natasha, Hawke widened his eyes and was a little surprised!
So fast? She’s Black Widow indeed!
————————————-
Two hours passed in the city night.
Hawke did not wait idly. With his recovered strength and lingering passion, he and Emily once again indulged in the waves brought by each other.
As Emily fell into a deep sleep again with satisfaction and fatigue, the encrypted satellite phone beside her pillow vibrated at the perfect moment.
Hawke got up quietly, walked to the window and answered the phone.
“It’s time for the customer satisfaction survey, Hawke.” Cypher’s voice was a little tired, still lazy. “Your ‘shopping list’ has been packed and stored in your encrypted cloud.”
Hawke immediately picked up the tablet and logged into the cloud.
A staggeringly detailed list was in plain sight: TCRI’s seven compliant factories, two secret factories, four compliant laboratories, and three secret underground research facilities in the United States, with precise coordinates, satellite image coverage, key persons in charge and their background networks, code names and brief descriptions of major ongoing projects, security level assessments, and even estimated patrol rotation times… Sefer’s intelligence capabilities were terrifying, and this assignment far exceeded expectations.
“How is it? Are you satisfied with the teacher’s efficiency and quality?” There was a hint of self-seeking in Sefer’s voice. The sound of wine glasses clinking could be heard in the background, as if he was rewarding himself.
Hawke’s eyes swept across the description of the “Sentinel-level” security protection of the underground research facility on the screen, and a satisfied smile appeared on the corner of his mouth.
“Precise, efficient, and far beyond expectations. Sev, your work,” he paused, his voice low and firm, “is as always…perfect! Flawless!”
He used the word that in certain circles represents the highest praise.
“Flawless?” Cypher chuckled on the other end of the phone, like a cat being scratched. “I like that comment. But, kid, you know what? It’s 3:47 in the morning, my beauty sleep time.”
She deliberately dragged out the last syllable. “Perfect work deserves perfect compensation. Five hundred thousand is the basic amount. What about overtime pay? What about mental damage compensation? My beauty is priceless.”
Hawke could almost imagine her leaning on the plush sofa, shaking her wine glass with a sly look in her eyes.
He relaxed his body, leaning back against the cool window glass, his voice taking on a rare touch of ease and teasing:
“Beautiful Ms. Sever, your beauty is enough to dim the stars, and staying up late only adds a touch of dangerous charm. As for the overtime pay…” He paused deliberately, “I thought that the ‘perfect’ evaluation just now was the highest level of spiritual comfort for you? Or, do you expect me to express my gratitude in another… more ‘personal’ way?”
A very light inhalation came from the other end of the line, followed by Sever’s voice with a dangerous smile: “Oh? Another way? Tell me, Hawke… kid. Three years have passed, and you’ve become bolder and more eloquent? I want to see what new tricks the grown-up king can come up with.”
“It takes time to prepare these tricks, Cypher. I guarantee you’ll get your money’s worth.” Hawke finally withdrew from the risky attempt, but the warmth in his tone remained. “Keep the signal open and wait for my news. This ‘list’ is just the beginning.”
“Hmph, you little jerk who kept me on suspense.” Seve snorted lightly, his laziness tinged with a hint of regret for not having had enough fun. “Alright, considering your relatively sincere compliments, I’ll put the overtime pay on the books. Remember, you owe me a personal review of your impeccable service. I hope the next time we contact each other isn’t at three in the morning.”
Without waiting for Hawke’s response, she cut off the communication cleanly.
Silence returned to the room, leaving only the sound of Emily’s even breathing.
Hawke put down the cold satellite phone, his eyes becoming sharp as an eagle again.
He once again glanced over the astronomical list of $500,000 worth of debt, and his mind was already clear about the outline and weaknesses of TCRI.
——————————————————————————–
Sunlight penetrates the huge floor-to-ceiling windows, illuminating the office of the chairman of the Lane Group in the heart of Manhattan.
The air is filled with the aroma of top-quality coffee beans.
Hawke, wearing a perfectly tailored dark suit, sat at the head of the table.
In front of his desk sat two women with powerful auras.
On the left is Andy, CEO of Ryan Group.
She was wearing a neat trouser suit today and was quickly flipping through the tablet in her hand. The screen showed complex financial data and market analysis reports.
On the right is Emilia, the incoming CEO of Lion Capital.
At this moment, she is different from the professor image she had at Columbia University. Instead, she is wearing a custom-made beige suit, with her blonde hair tied up, revealing her elegant neck line and a pair of highly designed diamond earrings.
47 Action Starts【Request Flowers】(Old Version)
Hawke sent the two of them the information, which was a list of TCRI’s core assets and financial weaknesses that had been preliminarily screened and analyzed—a condensed version of the essence of Sefer’s intelligence.
“Two beautiful ladies,” Hawke said. His voice was not loud, but it instantly lowered the tension in the entire conference room. “Target locked: TCRI.”
Andy looked up, his brows furrowed slightly, but he didn’t interrupt.
Emilia’s eyes flashed, and her body leaned forward slightly, like a female leopard that had found its prey.
“No prelude, no testing. Immediately and with all your strength, go short.”
As Hawke finished speaking, Andy and Emilia were both stunned for a moment and looked at the information carefully.
But after a long look, apart from some financial issues, Andy didn’t find anything unusual about TCR. So he asked carefully, “Hawk, do you have any inside information?”
Emilia also looked at Hawke and said, “Tcri is a well-known unicorn with a market capitalization of $4 billion. It’s still very strong.”
To be honest, from the perspective of the two people, shorting TCR at this time is definitely not a good choice.
Hawke took a sip and said with a smile, “Just treat it as inside information. This will be a perfect… ‘hostile takeover’! Just do as I say.”
Andy and Emilia looked at each other and nodded: “Don’t worry, the group will provide Emilia with all the assistance.”
Emilia nodded: “Thank you very much, Mr. Andy.”
Subsequently, at Hawke’s suggestion, Lane Capital created hundreds of overseas companies and thousands of overseas accounts, and then began to short TCRI.
To this end, Emilia prepared 50 million US dollars of funds in the first wave, with a five-fold leverage.
Leveraged $250 million in funds.
Although such a huge amount of funds is far less than the market value of TCR, it has also reached 6.25 points. Under extremely covert operations, a short position was established.
In the afternoon, in a completely dark safe room in the Ryan Group building.
There were no lights on, only dozens of screens on the operating table emitting a faint blue light, reflecting Hawke’s calm and focused face.
On the huge main screen were the coordinates of the underground secret laboratory marked as “Titan Crucible” on the list provided by Sefer – located deep in an abandoned mine in Nevada.
Several split screens nearby displayed real-time satellite thermal images, images from a limited number of surface monitoring probes around the laboratory, and blueprints of complex building structures.
Hawke’s fingers danced across the virtual keyboard so fast that they left afterimages.
He was writing a highly customized virus worm that would target the independent, physically isolated industrial control systems and security networks within the laboratory.
Location: Abandoned mine in Nevada, outside Titan’s Crucible
Gu Ziyun and Eunfei, wearing lightweight black tactical suits with optical camouflage, lurked in the shadows at the edge of the mine.
The light tactical eyepieces in front of them clearly displayed the laboratory structure blueprint and real-time path guidance shared by Hawke.
“Ziyun, Enfei, target confirmed: Titan Crucible. Coordinates and schematics have been synchronized to your tactical eyepieces.” Hawke’s voice reached the two executors clearly through the encrypted channel. “Ziyun, the main ventilation shaft is used as a backup access point. Objective: physically destroy the main power switch group on the east side. Enfei, target: the backup diesel generator cluster on the west side. Use the ‘buzzer’ to paralyze its control core. Then follow my instructions and sever the physical connection at the same time.”
“Got it.” Gu Ziyun responded concisely, and his figure was like a cheetah blending into the night, sneaking silently towards the huge ventilation shaft marked by Hawk.
“I understand.” Enfei replied softly, and her figure floated like a ghost to the west, where there were several inconspicuous reinforced concrete buildings, which were the locations of the backup generators.
Inside the safe house, Hawke’s fingers danced on the control panel, as if playing a silent prelude to destruction.
He retrieved a carefully prepared malware package, targeting the laboratory’s satellite relay nodes for external communications and the core gateway of the internal control system.
“Network intrusion initiated… countdown 5 seconds.” Hawke’s voice was calm.
On the screen, the light bar representing the progress of the network intrusion began to advance.
4…Gu Ziyun had already pried open the reinforced grille of the ventilation shaft and slid into the depths of the dark passage like a civet cat.
3…Enfei avoided two careless patrolling guards and accurately attached a coin-sized ultra-micro electromagnetic pulse device, also known as a buzzer, to the core position of the generator’s main control board.
2…Hawk’s software successfully bypassed the last logical firewall.
1…”Execute power outage! Cut off the network!” Hawke gave the order.
Gu Ziyun made a lightning-fast move in front of a red-marked node deep in the ventilation shaft!
The hand knife, infused with her powerful strength, accurately cut off the key connecting hub, sparks flying!
The main power line on the east side was physically cut off instantly!
Sizzle!
Enfei pressed the start button, and a ball of sparks instantly burst out from the generator cluster control panel in front of her. All the indicator lights went out, and the backup power supply was completely paralyzed!
Buzz… The network node icons of the laboratory on the main screen changed from green to red, and finally turned completely gray!
The virus released by Hawke was like a greedy piranha, instantly devouring all data streams of the internal monitoring, access control, and alarm systems, and completely locking them down!
“Power and internet cutoff complete. Monitoring system disabled. Action window: 28 minutes and 30 seconds.”
Hawke’s voice remained calm. He quickly switched screens, retrieving the physical location and access protocol for the lab’s core database server. “Ziyun, target area A7, server array room. Enfei, clear the path and maintain security. I’ll remotely copy the data; you ensure the interface equipment is connected.”
“Understood!” Like unsheathed swords, the two executors followed the navigation in the eyepiece and quickly rushed into the underground world which was silent due to power outage and only had the faint green light of emergency lights.
The cameras they wear transmit real-time images back to the command center.
48 Schrader wants to call the police? [Request flowers] (Old version)
The interior of the “Titan Crucible” fell into a dead silence and darkness, with only the emergency escape sign emitting a faint green light.
The air was filled with disinfectant, blood, and some indescribable smell of corruption that belonged to biological experiments.
Gu Ziyun walked in front and violently broke open a heavy alloy door. A huge experimental field appeared before his eyes – a violent bone armor monster that had broken free from some of its restraints was making a deafening roar!
“roar–!”
It turns out that behind the door is not a passage, but a huge enclosed experimental field!
A huge monster with twisted muscles and skin covered with irregular bone armor is being bound in a huge restraint device.
The power outage had apparently destroyed the restraining field, and the monster was struggling to break free from its last shackles.
It sensed an intruder and turned its head sharply, its compound eyes flashing with violent murderous intent and corrosive mucus dripping from its mouth.
“Ziyun!” Hawke’s reminder came from the headset.
Gu Ziyun reacted instantly, rushing to the core terminal array deep in the laboratory at an extremely fast speed, and roughly inserted a special “key” device with a physical interface and data transmission module into the main port of the server.
“The interface is connected…Acquiring permissions…Starting remote copy.”
After doing all this, Gu Ziyun turned her head to look at the giant beast that was rushing towards her madly, revealing a bloodthirsty light, and her figure shot out like a cannonball!
The movement was extremely fast. Before the sharp claws of the bone-armored monster could swing towards him, he made an incredible turn to avoid it. The slender fist, with a sharp sound that tore through the air, hit the most vulnerable bone joint of the monster accurately!
A teeth-grinding sound of bones cracking was heard!
The monster roared in pain and its attack paused.
Gu Ziyun’s figure has been wrapped around the monster like a maggot, and his pure physical strength and fighting skills have been exerted to the extreme. Every attack accurately hits the monster’s nerve nodes or weak defenses.
At the same time, a heart-pounding energy fluctuation came from the other side.
Enfei clenched his hands, and the invisible powerful mental force field smashed down like a giant hammer, crushing an arthropod biochemical beast that rushed out from the shadows at an astonishing speed directly to the ground, and green body fluids splashed everywhere!
Hawke ignored the fierce battle on screen.
He was in the safe house, his hands becoming a shadow on the control panel.
On the screen, a blue light band representing data flow cascaded down like a waterfall, pouring into a virtual storage device flashing with encryption symbols.
TCRI’s most core and darkest biotechnology information, space distortion experiment data, unregistered biological transformation sequence maps, unethical human experiment reports, amazing research results on space distortion and unstable wormhole theory, laboratory personnel lists, black accounts of funding sources…all of them were exposed in Hawke’s eyes.
boom!
On the other side, Gu Ziyun seized the flaw exposed by the monster after it was injured and hit its jaw with a ferocious knee strike. The huge force almost blew off its entire head!
The monster’s huge body fell to the ground with a loud bang, twitched a few times and then became motionless.
Enfei also dealt with the last few small guard beasts, and the telekinesis field isolated the splashing corrosive liquid.
“Copying completed! Physical erasure program started!” Hawke immediately gave the order after confirming that the data transmission was correct.
Ziyun and Eunfei looked at each other and quickly evacuated the server room.
According to the last coordinates sent by Hawke, Gu Ziyun placed several high-energy thermobaric bombs on the key support structures and energy core nodes of the laboratory.
Enfei used telekinesis to throw some deadly biological sample cans accurately near the bomb placement site.
“withdraw!”
The two figures rushed out quickly.
Boom boom boom——!!!
The violent explosion came from deep underground, and the strong vibration could be felt even on the surface.
Flames mixed with thick smoke spewed out from the cracks in the camouflaged facilities, announcing the complete destruction of the “Titan Crucible”.
All illegal evidence, dangerous experimental subjects, and this expensive den of crime were physically erased.
Inside the safe house, Hawke watched as the last signal representing the laboratory on the screen completely disappeared, and a window on the main screen showing the structural diagram of the “Prism Dome” laboratory opened – that was the next target.
“Target ‘Titan Crucible’ cleared, data acquisition complete. Mission accomplished.”
Hawke confirmed with the two executors, then cast his gaze towards the coordinates of the Prism Dome. “Rest for four hours. Next stop: Montana.”
Twelve hours later, the Prism Dome laboratory suffered the same fate.
Power and network outages, real-time weakness command, Gu Ziyun and Eun Fei’s powerful surprise sweep, Hawke’s precise remote data theft, and finally physical destruction.
Although there were twists and turns in the process, and the space-flickering experimental subject caused Eun-fei to suffer a little, Gu Ziyun’s powerful telekinesis suppressed and destroyed it, and the result was still perfect.
Inside TCRI’s high-level meeting room, the screen showed a gloomy-looking Schreider, and the atmosphere was terribly low.
Two top-tier laboratories, both expensive and located in top-secret locations, were silently destroyed, their core data wiped out. Who was the enemy and how did they do it?
They couldn’t even find any decent signs of the attack. The scene was only complete ruins of the explosion and completely erased electronic traces.
They said we were conducting illegal human experiments and space weapons research in the wilderness, and then our lair was raided by an unknown force?
This is undoubtedly digging one’s own grave.
They could only suppress their raging anger and boundless fear, limiting the investigation to the most trusted small circle within the organization. At the same time, they frantically strengthened the security of other facilities, licking their wounds like trapped animals, wondering when the next destruction would come.
49 High-end business wars often adopt the simplest methods [Request for flowers] (Old version)
Ryan Group Building, Safe House
On the main screen, the image of the satellite ashes after the destruction of the “Prism Dome” has just faded, and the new coordinate point is being marked.
TCRI has a large biopharmaceutical complex in Pennsylvania. This is not an illegal factory or a secret laboratory, but a formal large-scale factory and one of TCRI’s model factories.
Hawke’s fingers drummed on the keyboard, preparing to plan his next strike.
This time the blow will be delivered by Hawke himself!
The objectives and subjects of mission execution are planned according to different strategic purposes.
Attacking TCR’s secret laboratories is just to steal their scientific research results and all the information, while attacking their open factories is to make money and reap the rewards!
At 11 o’clock that evening, Hawke flew from New York to Pennsylvania, which was a very short distance.
Binzhou is a remote small city.
Hawke’s figure stopped high in the sky.
Looking at this large factory located on the outskirts of this small city, the factory is brightly lit at this moment. The huge production area, R&D center, and warehousing and logistics areas are connected, just like a city that never sleeps.
This is one of the important pillars of TCRI’s public business and an important cover and money laundering channel for its huge illegal income.
“The stock price has gone up a bit.” Hawke looked at the TCRI stock market closing price displayed on his phone and nodded with satisfaction.
The fact that Schreider has been able to bring TCRI to where it is today shows that the company is at least quite capable in terms of technology, not to mention the support of alien technology.
Their business can fill the gap in biotechnology of Ryan Group.
As the saying goes: high-end business wars often adopt the simplest methods.
The brave will die of overeating, and the timid will die of starvation.
Don’t care about life or death, just fight if you don’t agree.
At this moment, an encrypted communication request sounded in the miniature bone conduction headset next to his ear.
“Emilia.”
Hawke frowned slightly, but answered the call immediately.
“Hawk, I couldn’t reach you this afternoon.” Emilia’s voice, tinged with anxiety, penetrated the encrypted channel. “Something seems amiss during the day. According to your intelligence, I’ve shorted TCRI’s stock heavily, but the paper loss is approaching $10 million!”
Hawke was still observing the factory. He had anticipated the losses, because based on the current actual situation of TCR, if nothing unexpected happened, short selling would definitely result in losses!
But as a qualified capitalist, he still had to go through the necessary procedures. His voice remained steady: “Explain.”
“Market confidence is much stronger than we expected!” Emilia spoke quickly. “To be honest, the negative financial information you gave me is relatively insignificant. On the contrary, they just announced ‘positive results’ from a Phase II clinical trial of a new immune-boosting drug. Their stock price is rising instead of falling, and short-selling pressure is enormous.”
Hawke, however, didn’t care. He said, “It’s only $10 million. Relax, Emilia. It’s still a long way from bankruptcy.”
Emilia: “…”
Are all rich people so reckless?
It’s only 10 million US dollars.
“My dear young master, please tell me about your investment ideas and I will help you sort them out.”
Emilia suddenly felt that Hawke had a new love. Could it be that Columbia University had a new beautiful professor?
So he wants to find an opportunity to kill himself so as to make room. If Hawke loses all the 50 million US dollars, he will be criticized by the public, and will she be poured with cement and sunk into the Hudson River?
“Emilia, it’s okay!” Hawke said patiently, “Let me be frank with you. I have inside information. TCR is going to be in trouble. It’s almost tonight. I’m going to eat this piece of meat. Don’t worry about it.”
“Inside information? Bad luck tonight?”
Emilia hesitated.
Hawke, high in the sky, glanced at his watch and added, “It’s 11:30 pm now. The unlucky time is probably between 12 and 1 am.”
Emilia on the other side heard this and her mouth twitched. She felt it was a bit outrageous: “Is it so accurate?”
If someone else said this, she would just smile slightly. There are people everywhere in the market who say they know inside information.
But it was Hawke who said this, and considering Hawke’s identity…
“Then… aren’t you afraid that the SEC will cause trouble for you?”
“SEC?” Hawke laughed. “Beautiful Miss Emilia, how many divisions does the SEC have?”
Well, she really didn’t understand the life of the rich and powerful.
“I told you, relax. It will fall so low that you won’t have time to close your position, and you’ll just have to watch your account skyrocket. Continue to maintain your short position, or even… leverage it. Get ready to reap the rewards.”
The communication was silent for a few seconds. Emilia took a deep breath, as if trying to draw strength from Hawke’s absolute confidence: “…You better be right, Hawke.”
“I never make mistakes on this kind of thing.”
After ending the call, he refocused his attention on the Binzhou factory below, but this time, his original precise deployment was overturned. That method was too slow, too gentle, and not shocking enough!
What he wanted was a disaster that would make the whole world hold its breath on the midnight news! A hellfire that would instantly evaporate half of TCRI’s market value!
A more brutal and visually impactful plan took shape in his mind.
Time: 00:30.
The Binzhou factory in Hawke’s sight corroborated the factory blueprints he had previously found. After confirming the strike location, his figure suddenly rose, soaring into the sky…
The moonlight and city lights spread out under his feet, and the TCRI factory looked like an exquisite sand table model.
Hawke’s body paused slightly in the air, then dived down like a meteor!
The extremely strong body tore through the air, making a dull scream!
The target is the core of the factory, a huge bioreactor complex and an adjacent high-risk chemical storage tank area!
He precisely avoided the office areas and staff dormitories on the edge of the factory. A large number of casualties among irrelevant personnel would lead to unnecessary in-depth investigations and concentrate the destructive force on the production core.
The moment he approached the factory building—BOOM!!!
Hawke’s lv1 level flight can only reach subsonic speed, but if it flies from top to bottom and uses gravity for acceleration, it can reach Mach 3!
Hawke, at a violent speed of Mach 3, like a human armor-piercing bullet, smashed through the outermost layer of the solid alloy roof!
The huge shock wave instantly shattered all the glass within a radius of 100 meters, and twisted metal fragments shot out in all directions like a storm!
The surveillance footage shook violently at this moment, capturing a blurry figure wrapped in smoke, dust and sparks crashing into the factory!
Hawke fell into the core area, his feet stepping on the twisted metal floor, splashing sparks.
The shrill alarm sounded frantically at this moment, and panicked figures flashed in the distance.
“The capitalists are here to reap the rewards!”
50 Next Target【Request Flowers】(Old Version)
The depths of Hawke’s pupils were burning as fiercely as two small suns!
He did not deliberately control the fineness of the rays, and suddenly opened his arms!
Buzz—boom! boom! boom! boom! boom!
It was no longer precise cutting, but violent sweeping!
Two incredibly thick beams of blazing light burst out violently from his eyes like whips of divine punishment!
Wherever the beam of light passed, the huge stainless steel bioreactor was easily melted and torn apart!
The boiling culture medium and high-pressure steam mixed with priceless biological agents gushed out like a broken dam!
The dense alloy pipes that transport high-risk chemicals melted, bent, and exploded like wax strips in the face of high-temperature rays!
Propane, ethanol, chlorine…all kinds of deadly chemical vapors spread instantly!
Hawke’s target was precisely those huge liquid raw material and solvent storage tanks!
The heat rays directly bombard the weakest welding points or bottom of the tank!
Dazzling fireballs exploded one after another!
The chain reaction begins!
The terrifying shock wave generated by the explosion and the flames that were strong enough to melt steel instantly engulfed Hawk’s position!
He stood in the center of the storm, not only was he not injured at all, but a layer of imperceptible energy ripples like water waves appeared on the surface of his body!
The shock wave and high-temperature flames rushed into his body madly as if attracted by an invisible vortex.
This feeling made him squint his eyes slightly, as if he was enjoying a feast of energy.
After a few seconds, he suddenly opened his arms!
“Give it back to you!”
The absorbed violent energy mixed with his own strength, and exploded in all directions with him as the center!
A translucent energy shock ring visible to the naked eye spread out instantly!
It was like being flattened by an invisible giant hand!
The core factory building, which had already been damaged by Hawk’s impact and heat rays and was in a precarious situation, completely collapsed under this devastating energy explosion!
The load-bearing columns twisted and broke, the huge steel beams bent and collapsed like noodles, and the factory roof, which was tens of meters high, collapsed with a deafening roar!
A fireball that was ten times more powerful than the previous one, mixed with thick smoke, shot up into the sky, instantly lighting up the entire night sky of Pennsylvania!
Just as the entire core production area turned into an irredeemable sea of ​​fire, Hawke’s figure soared into the sky, hovering hundreds of meters in the air, looking down at his masterpiece.
The firelight illuminated his grim face.
But he didn’t leave immediately.
He saw in the chaos below that a team of factory emergency rescue workers were trying to get to the edge of the fire and try to control the fire from spreading to the liquid chlorine storage area at the edge of the plant.
If liquid chlorine leaks on a large scale, the consequences will be unimaginable and will immediately trigger the highest level of biochemical disaster response.
Hawke’s mind moved, his pupils flashed red, and a heat ray that was much thinner and more precise than before, but with highly concentrated energy, was instantly shot out!
The shot was aimed at the key supporting structure of a section of the fire isolation wall between the liquid chlorine storage tank area and the core fire scene!
Swish—crack!
The supporting structure melted silently!
The thick fireproof isolation wall, which was originally expected to prevent the spread of fire, let out a mournful cry and collapsed inwards due to the impact of the internal explosion and the imbalance of its own load!
The raging flames lost their last obstacle and roared like a wild beast that had broken free from its reins, rushing towards the deadly liquid chlorine storage tank area!
High in the air, Hawke could clearly see the desperate escape and terrified screams of the crowd below.
The temperature in the liquid chlorine storage tank area has begun to rise, and wisps of chlorine’s unique yellow-green smoke have begun to seep out from the safety valve…
Hawke did not stop, his figure turned into a blurry stream of light, instantly disappeared in the northern night sky, and flew towards New York.
Time: 00:59.
Within minutes of his departure, a huge fireball mixed with highly toxic yellow-green chlorine smoke shot up into the sky, forming a creepy mushroom cloud-like column of smoke!
The extremely shrill chemical plant disaster alarm resounded throughout the entire area!
The shrill sirens of fire trucks came from all directions, but facing the double hell of the core area and the high-risk chemical area, the rescue seemed so pale and powerless!
The devastating explosion, fire, and possible high-risk chemical leak at the TCRI Binzhou factory, along with countless cellphone captures of the chaotic scenes and flames shooting into the sky from the factory’s direction, instantly flooded local social media and news websites, even late at night.
The next morning, Wall Street opened
TCRI’s stock, which had risen slightly the day before due to “positive clinical data”, plummeted 30% at the opening!
The news of the destruction of the Binzhou factory exploded in the market like a bombshell.
This is not an illegal secret laboratory that no one knows about, but TCRI’s open, important production base worth hundreds of millions of dollars!
The losses cannot be concealed!
News headlines were filled with pictures and videos of factory destruction:
“TCRI flagship factory suffers devastating attack!”, “Unknown terrorist attack severely damages biotechnology company!”, “TCRI stock price collapses!”
Investors sold off frantically, and selling pressure surged.
Emilia looked at the green K-line on the screen, which was falling sharply. Green represents a decline in US stocks. The anxiety on her face had long been replaced by ecstasy.
Her fingers flew as she continued to increase her short positions during the market crash, greedily sucking on the panic in the market.
“Fall! Fall faster!” she roared, and the losses in the account were reversed instantly, and astronomical profits accumulated at an astonishing speed.
“Hawk…you lunatic! A perfect lunatic!”
TCRI’s public relations team hastily issued a statement attempting to characterize the attack as a “serious security incident,” using vague terms and denying any terrorist attack.
But the scene of destruction and the “inhuman force” described by witnesses made the statement seem extremely pale, and instead intensified market speculation and panic.
After a brief struggle, the stock price continued to fall.
Location: Ryan Group Safehouse
Hawke looked at the images of the factory ruins broadcast on the financial news channel and the horrific stock price chart of TCRI on the screen next to it, with no expression on his face.
Amelia sent a terse, coded message: “Harvesting. Continue?”
Hawke replied with a “hmm”.
Then they turned their attention to another target – TCRI’s large precision instrument manufacturing plant in the suburbs of Houston, Texas, which is known as a “precision furnace” among factories of the same level.
51 If you hold back for a moment, you will lose more; if you take a step back, you will get angrier. [Request for flowers] (Old version)
At this moment, the safe house’s intercom rang rapidly.
When the call was connected, Andy’s voice was almost shaky, with obvious trembling and fear: “Hawk! What are you doing?! This time you’re playing too… too big!”
The serious voice of the news anchor could be heard in the background; it was obvious that she was also watching the same “disaster live broadcast”.
Hawke could even imagine Andy on the other side of the screen, his hands shaking so much that he couldn’t pick up the coffee cup, his eyes wide open.
His tone was as relaxed as if he were discussing a weekend picnic. “Oh? You mean the one in Binzhou? Did you see it? Was the visual effect okay?”
“Visual effects?!” Andy’s voice rose an octave. “Is this a visual effect problem? The whole factory is blown up! There are police, fire trucks, FBI, and Department of Homeland Security vehicles everywhere! And those experts are analyzing something like a ‘suspected meteorite impact’ and an ‘industrial safety accident’. It’s giving me the shivers!”
She took a deep breath, her tone filled with worry. “The most important thing is, Hawke! Are you sure you didn’t leave any traces? What if, I mean what if, they find any clues…”
Andy is one of the few people who knows Hawk’s abilities, so as soon as the news came out, he realized that it was Hawk who did it!
Who would have thought?
In order to reap TCRI in the financial market, Hawke actually took action at the physical level.
“Andy,” Hawke interrupted, speaking softly, “relax a bit. Do you think any traces could be left in a place that’s been thoroughly baptized by Mach 3 shock waves, radiation at temperatures exceeding a thousand degrees Celsius, and a chain reaction of chemical explosions? Especially in that core location?”
He paused, then added in an almost teasing tone, “Besides, even if a high-definition satellite or drone captured some… uh… blurry light or shadow, who would believe it was a person? They would simply chalk it up to an optical phenomenon from an explosion or a sensor malfunction. Don’t worry.”
There was silence on the other end of the phone for a few seconds, and Andy seemed to be digesting this “absolute confidence”.
Hawke could even hear the sound of her munching on potato chips.
“Really… we won’t be discovered?” Andy’s voice finally calmed down a little, but still contained doubts.
“One hundred percent.” Hawke said firmly.
“Huh…” Andy let out a long breath, the sound of chewing potato chips getting louder. “But… seriously, Hawke, you were too ruthless! TCRI’s stock price is plummeting! Did Emilia make a killing?”
In the background, the financial news anchor was excitedly reporting the news that TCRI had plummeted at the opening and its market value had evaporated in an instant.
“Operation Harvest is underway.” Hawke looked at the real-time profit data sent by Emilia on the screen. The numbers were jumping wildly. “This is just the beginning.”
“Tsk tsk, poor TCRI. By the way, what is your grudge against them? I’ve never heard you tell me.” Andy’s tone had completely changed to that of someone who was just looking for fun.
“What’s the grudge?”
Hawke recalled the night before, when he was chased by a group of minions and a bunch of cyborgs.
It is said that if you endure for a moment, the more you think about it, the more you lose; if you take a step back, the more you think about it, the angrier you get.
Hawke had never suffered such a loss before. He was so angry that he stood up and cursed: “Damn it!”
“Pfft…” Andy on the other end of the phone burst out laughing and asked, “Then…our respected CEO, which factory do you plan to visit next?”
Hawke looked at the “Houston” mark on the map and said casually, “Hmm… Texas barbecue is said to be good. I heard there’s a ‘melting furnace’ over there, but the temperature might not be high enough. I’ll go add some firewood to it.”
Andy couldn’t help but remind him, “Hawk Lane! Be careful not to roast yourself!”
“Don’t worry,” Hawke stood up and walked to the huge French window of the safe house, overlooking the gradually waking city. “Remember, we know nothing. We are just happy spectators.”
“Yes, mysterious boss!” Andy drawled out.
After hanging up the call, silence returned to the safe house.
Late that night, in the suburbs of Houston, the “Precision Furnace” factory
The same script is being played out again.
The inside of the factory was like being thrown into an invisible crusher… the sophisticated production line equipment was twisted into scrap metal;
The core’s laser-etched center was completely melted;
Server arrays storing critical manufacturing process data and molds were physically pulverized into slag;
Even the giant transport vehicles were reduced to a pile of twisted metal.
This time, even the news helicopter camera was shaking. In the shaky picture, the fortress that symbolized TCRI’s cutting-edge manufacturing capabilities was coming to an end in the most tragic way.
The fig leaf of “safety accident” and TCRI’s last bit of market credibility were completely burned to ashes.
Panic, like the most deadly virus, completely destroyed investors’ psychological defenses in the darkness before dawn.
The next day, the opening bell on Wall Street sounded like the death knell for TCRI.
Collapse!
The market crashed as soon as it opened!
There was no resistance, no hesitation, only hysterical escape.
On the screen, the curve representing TCRI’s stock price was a completely out-of-control free fall, and the speed of its precipitous drop was suffocating.
“Fall! Fall further! Faster!” In the trading hall of Ryan Capital, Emilia and more than a dozen traders’ fingertips were dancing on multiple keyboards, so fast that only afterimages were left.
On the account management interface, the profit figures were jumping wildly at a dizzying speed, soaring up a lot with each refresh, and the glaring green color almost overflowed the screen.
Today’s earnings once again easily broke nine figures, and are still climbing tirelessly!
“Panic disks! All panic disks! Eat! Eat them all!”
“Bounce back? Smash it down!”
“Block trade channel! Connect me to it! Buy as many shares as you can! Premium? No, floor price! Buy at the floor price!”
Clear, cold, and millisecond-precise instructions spit out from her mouth, turning into an invisible financial noose, tightly wrapped around TCRI’s neck, accelerating its suffocation.
The huge capital flow of Lion Capital is like a giant shark in the deep sea that smells blood.
Taking advantage of the golden opportunity of the complete market collapse and liquidity depletion, they quietly and aggressively swept up all the available TCRI shares on the market at an astonishingly fast speed.
The price per share is as low as picking up waste paper from a trash can.
This lightning-fast capital hunt was astonishingly efficient.
While the “elites” on Wall Street were still in shock over the series of catastrophic events at TCRI and were still analyzing the identity of the so-called “unknown hostile forces”, Lane Capital had already completed the most critical cut in the chaos.
The dust has settled.