C83: 1 Trigger
"The Evil God, we've located Iron Fist and the others."
So fast?
Madame Gao's statement surprised Li Ran. The Hand's tracking capabilities had always been formidable, but even he hadn't expected them to locate the Defenders this quickly.
Fortunately, Ye Wen had already made contact at the Chinese restaurant. Thanks to Danny Rand better known in K'un-Lun legend as the Immortal Iron Fist—he had successfully reunited with Daredevil (Matt Murdock), Jessica Jones, and Luke Cage, the core of New York's underground metahuman resistance.
So, while this encounter would be sudden, it wouldn't end in a humiliating defeat like their last clash with the Huoyun Evil God known to the wider mystic world as a renegade from the Eastern Sect of Penglai.
With that thought, Li Ran, still possessing the body of the Huoyun Evil God in front of Madame Gao, asked with eerie calm, "Oh? Where are they?"
"Lower Manhattan—Chinatown," Madame Gao answered, head bowed as always.
"Chinatown?"
Repeating the location, the Fire Cloud Evil God turned to glance at the deceptively frail old woman beside him. Though she looked harmless, Li Ran was well aware that Madame Gao had centuries of experience. As one of the Five Fingers of the Hand, and an ancient wielder of chi-based dark magic, she was no ordinary criminal.
But Li Ran didn't care.
Whatever treacherous schemes Gao had planned under that placid exterior, it didn't matter. He would use her organization, just as he manipulated the form and fear of the Fire Cloud Evil God, to build his own legend in the underworld of New York City.
The malevolent gaze of the Fire Cloud Evil God bore down on Madame Gao. Under that pressure, she instinctively recalled the last massacre—a failed ambush where entire squads of Hand-trained assassins were annihilated. Sweat trickled from her temples.
Sensing her fear, the Fire Cloud Evil God smiled and turned his gaze away. "Let's pay them a visit," he said lightly, "and clean up some loose ends while we're at it."
Relieved, Madame Gao exhaled subtly and bowed even lower. "Yes, Evil God. I will make the arrangements."
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"How did you know the name Huoyun Evil God?"
"Axing told us," Luke Cage answered, his voice solemn.
Ye Wen gave a knowing sigh. "Of course. That sounds just like something Ah Xing would do."
"Master Ye," Matt Murdock asked quietly, "this Fire Cloud Evil God—what kind of threat is he really?"
That's the cue.
Ye Wen maintained a serene expression, though his heart stirred. "Tell me, what exactly did Ah Xing reveal to you?"
"He said this being once slaughtered monks in Penglai Temple and escaped to a place called Willard," Matt answered.
"Willard?" Jessica narrowed her eyes. "I looked it up. It's a psychiatric hospital on the outskirts of the city."
"Then he's basically a lunatic with a god complex," she added, folding her arms. "Honestly… not the strangest thing we've run into."
You've done your homework.
As the others relayed what they had learned, Ye Wen knew it was time to offer them the next piece of the puzzle.
"It wasn't just the massacre," Ye Wen began gravely. "The Fire Cloud Evil God also stole one of Penglai's sacred immortal techniques."
"Wait—immortal technique?" Matt leaned forward.
Luke Cage's eyes widened. "What did he steal?"
"Fo Yin Zhang," Ye Wen said solemnly. "The Buddha's Palm."
Gasps rippled through the group.
[Reputation from Daredevil +320]
[Reputation from Jessica Jones +225]
[Reputation from Luke Cage +275]
[Reputation from Danny Rand +170]
---
"So this is Chinatown?" the Fire Cloud Evil God muttered.
Behind him, Hand ninjas outfitted in their signature black armor and carrying weapons laced with chi flooded the streets beneath glowing red lanterns and pagoda-style eaves. Families rushed to shutter their shops, afraid of what this sinister presence heralded.
The Evil God sniffed dismissively. "A pale imitation of the motherland."
"Chinatown is not the mainland," Madame Gao rasped. "But it is where many descendants of Penglai and exiles of K'un-Lun now dwell. Some of them even remember what real power is."
As he was about to reply, a dusty grey soccer ball rolled to his feet.
"Grandpa, can you pass me my ball?"
The childish voice echoed between the buildings.
"I'll handle—" Gao started.
"No need."
With a flick of chi, the Fire Cloud Evil God launched the ball into his palm. He approached the boy, squatted slightly, and handed it back.
"Thanks, Grandpa!"
"No need for thanks, child." The Evil God's voice softened unnaturally. "By the way, have you seen any unusual people in the neighborhood lately?"
The child blinked. "Nope. Are you looking for someone?"
"Yes," the Evil God smiled. "They did something very wrong. Grandpa needs to remind them of the consequences."
"You'll find them! You look strong!"
"Haha, I think so too," he chuckled, tousling the child's hair. "But you should stay indoors, okay? Things may get… noisy."
Just then, one of the Hand's elite scouts—a Shadowblade landed silently beside Madame Gao and gave a single nod.
"They're inside the Chinese restaurant, just ahead," Gao said.
The Fire Cloud Evil God turned to leave, giving the boy's head one last pat.
As he walked off with a trail of black-clad ninjas behind him, one of the doors cracked open. A terrified mother rushed out, pulling her son inside and bolting the latch.
The storm had arrived.
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