Facing Hawkeye's accusation, Jason remained unfazed. "I've killed many people, but who among them was innocent?"
"Even if they were guilty, do they all deserve the death penalty? Even for serious crimes, they still deserve to be tried according to the law..."
Jason shook his head. "If the law could effectively judge every evildoer, I wouldn't be here. The real purpose of the law is to maintain order, not to punish crime. It maintains the order of the upper class while judging the crimes of the lower class!"
He turned to gaze at the sunset. "I don't know if SHIELD views me as malicious or benevolent, and frankly, I don't care. But please don't interfere while I cleanse this world. Besides, if SHIELD itself is guilty, it will become my next target for cleansing!"
He gave Natasha one final, meaningful look. "Find Dreykov, correct your mistakes, and complete your redemption!"
With that, he turned and walked away.
Hawkeye watched his retreating figure and thought to himself, Don't be so arrogant, boy! You want to cleanse SHIELD while we're still burdened with sins? Who do you think you are? We're an organization that maintains world peace, for God's sake! Hmph, next time I get the chance, I'll definitely put an arrow in you!
Coulson, monitoring the exchange from a distance, frowned deeply.
One of his subordinates informed him that Iron Man was about to leave the surveillance area.
Coulson considered for a moment before ordering, "Let him go for now."
The primary issue at hand was Black Widow and Hawkeye.
The Budapest operation had essentially served as Black Widow Natasha's pledge of allegiance to SHIELD. After that mission, the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division had officially accepted her into their ranks.
But now, with questions surrounding that mission, they faced a significant problem.
Even worse, Hawkeye was implicated as well. What a mess! Two of their ace agents were in trouble!
Of course, Coulson wanted to trust his teammates, but his Director...
"Coulson, as an agent you must be skeptical of everything!"
Damn!
Recalling the Director's teachings, he felt a migraine forming, but regardless, he needed to report the situation.
"Dudu..." The phone rang.
"Coulson, how's the operation progressing? Did you apprehend that damn poisoner? Don't disappoint me again..."
"Sir, we have a situation..."
After listening to Coulson's account, there was a prolonged silence on the other end of the line, followed by an enraged roar.
"Damn it~Fuck!"
...
Jason activated the system and noticed the column "Creed: Kill to gain redemption" flashing on the panel.
Soon, a notification sound emerged from the system.
[Congratulations on unlocking the system gift function: When the host obtains sources of upgrades, bloodlines, skills, and abilities, he can choose to bestow them upon others. Note: The recipient must be a believer of the creed.]
Shit, Jason silently complained. I barely have enough for myself, and now I'm supposed to give it to others? Besides, there aren't many people who qualify to believe in this creed. Don't you have plenty of lives that could be used for it?
Darkness had fallen by the time he returned to Hopewell Sanctuary.
After dinner and a shower, he stretched out comfortably on his bed.
Near midnight, the other woman he'd been expecting for some time finally arrived.
She nimbly leapt onto the balcony of Hopewell Sanctuary, carefully entered the inner chamber, and slipped through Jason's half-open door. "Master, I've arrived."
"Good. Close the door."
The Bride of Nine Spiders who's real name is Alessa Geomi had obviously taken care with her appearance, trading her previously gaudy, smoky makeup for a purer, more charming look.
"Come, sit on the bed and tell me... about the Hand's situation."
As a subordinate of Madam Gao from the Hand, she was intimately familiar with its internal workings.
"Master, I've just learned that the Hand has a shocking conspiracy!"
...
In an undisclosed luxury manor, within a massive office. "Click!"
"Hiss... mmm!"
Kingpin took a long drag from the large cigar he'd just lit, but his face showed no pleasure.
His right-hand man Wesley stood beside him, frowning. "Boss, are we really withdrawing from New York?"
Kingpin's eyes darkened. "Wesley, the world has changed."
"It's just one more masked vigilante. We already had Daredevil before. We weren't afraid of him!"
Kingpin shook his head. "Wesley, the reason why we—or any criminal organization—wield power isn't because we have money, guns, or manpower. It's because we operate outside the rules while others remain bound by them.
Daredevil is formidable, but he still operates within certain parameters—the rules of morality. But Hell's Butcher is different. He ignores the rules even more completely than we do!"
Kingpin fell silent for a moment before continuing. "The powerful figures of the past were all constrained by rules, which provided us the fertile soil to thrive. Now, there's a rabid beast with gnashing teeth who disregards all rules and is feeding on us, and we can't stop him. If he continues to exist, I guarantee the criminal organizations in New York will face their darkest era because of him!"
Wesley took a deep breath. Could one masked vigilante truly be so devastating?
He couldn't help but glance toward the adjacent room where Vanessa, Kingpin's new girlfriend, was staying.
My boss, is it that the enemy is too powerful, or have you become weak?
He wanted to speak but held his tongue.
"Brrr….Brrr..."
The phone rang suddenly.
Kingpin remained motionless. Wesley instinctively answered. He immediately recognized the voice on the other end—Madam Gao from the Hand.
Kingpin gestured, and Wesley activated the speakerphone.
A shrill elderly woman's voice emanated from the device: "Kingpin, the Hand has suffered devastating losses. We demand vengeance!"
A few hours later, in a secret chamber.
Kingpin stared with surprise at Daredevil, who was chained and struggling before him.
The Hand had actually captured him?
As soon as Daredevil spotted Kingpin, he began shouting, "Kingpin, it's you! You bastard, what did you do to Elektra, you devil!"
"Who would have thought that the famous Daredevil was actually a blind man?"
Glancing at the discarded mask on the floor, Kingpin couldn't suppress a sigh.
He studied the vigilante's face again. "And you, a blind man, are actually a lawyer! I must say, this revelation shocked me almost as much as hearing the Hand had captured you!"
"You bastards, where's Elektra? What have you done to her?" Daredevil roared.
"A street vigilante who breaks the law yet makes his living upholding it. This world is more fascinating than I imagined. When you're in court sending guilty people to prison, do you ever think about yourself? Do you consider that one day you might be among them?"
"Where's Elektra, you son of a bitch!"
Kingpin grew impatient. "Elektra, Elektra, Elektra. Are women so important to you? Are you a superhero or a hopeless romantic?"
Daredevil calmed slightly and snorted. "What would a cold-blooded crime boss like you understand? She was being controlled by someone when she betrayed me. I need to save her! If I can't even protect the woman I love, what kind of hero am I?"
Kingpin suddenly fell silent. I understand. I understand all too well!
The Hand used a woman to manipulate you. Their methods are truly despicable.
He unexpectedly felt a strange sense of kinship with his enemy...
"Kingpin, you're not actually sympathizing with him, are you?"
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