C89: S.H.I.E.L.D.
Seizing the opportunity, Danny Rand, the Iron Fist trained in the mystical city of K'un-Lun, channeled all the chi remaining in his uninjured hand. Without hesitation, he struck the precise spot where the Fire Cloud Evil God had been hit by the sniper's bullet—a calculated weak point.
The immense force of the Iron Fist nearly disrupted Li Ran's control over the manifestation of the Fire Cloud Evil God, a projection conjured through the enhanced spiritual medium formed by the C-level talismanic card.
…
*"Nothing is true, everything is permitted."*
On the first floor of the devastated Chinese restaurant, Wesley Gibson—trained by the Fraternity and mentored in the methods of the Assassin's Creed fired the final round from his silenced pistol.
Hearing the agonized roar of the Fire Cloud Evil God, a crooked smirk danced on Wesley's lips. His arm dropped limply to his side.
The silence that followed was unsettling.
Matt Murdock, Daredevil of Hell's Kitchen, focused on the fading vibrations below, and as Wesley's dying breath whispered the Assassin's Creed maxim, Matt's knuckles went pale on the billy club.
> \[Legend gained from Daredevil +1125]
The Fire Cloud Evil God staggered back, clutching the bullet- and chi-ravaged wound. To conceal his avatar's inhuman resilience, he feigned mortal weakness, dropping to one knee with theatrical strain.
"If it hadn't been for the earlier clashes... and the sudden arrival of that cloaked man—he called himself the 'Outrider'—none of you would've even touched me."
"Outrider?"
Li Ran's eyes narrowed, echoing the confusion of his companions. "Who is this mystery figure? Why would he ally with you?"
"You really want to know?" The Evil God's cracked lips curled into a mocking smile. "He came from a place called Penglai. Said the world would soon be reshaped. I already gave them the coordinates. Soon enough... you'll meet him yourself..."
His voice thinned. The sinister aura surrounding him flickered.
But then, in a surge of mystical energy, the Fire Cloud Evil God's eyes flew open—two eerie sparks blazing.
"Now I see. I *understand*! At last!"
Ignoring the defenders' caution, the Evil God crossed his legs, his hands forming mudras. Ethereal Sanskrit chants swirled in the air, and behind him rose the fifth manifestation of the legendary Tathāgata Palm technique—**"Welcoming the Buddha into the West"**—a technique known in secret Shaolin scrolls to invoke peaceful cessation through inner nirvana.
"It's a shame... I realized it too late."
With that, his head drooped, and the golden Bodhisattva image behind him dissolved.
> \[Legend gained from Daredevil +500]
> \[Fame gained from Jessica Jones +650]
> \[Fame gained from Danny Rand +750]
> \[Fame gained from Luke Cage +635]
> \[Legend gained from Madam Gao +890]
The long, brutal confrontation had ended—victory, hard-won.
Yet the group of defenders didn't celebrate. The cost had been steep—Wesley Gibson, Ah Xing, others who never made the headlines but gave everything.
At Wesley's quiet funeral in Hell's Kitchen, the grief was palpable.
"You were more than just a killer," Luke Cage said solemnly. "You died a hero."
Jessica Jones stared at the stone in silence, then tilted a bottle of Jack toward the grave.
"Here's to you. I don't know if you even drank... but I hope you'd approve."
Beside them, Li Ran stood with a heavy heart. He alone knew the truth—Wesley's coffin was empty. His soul had not passed on in the traditional sense. But his grief was convincingly worn.
"Master Ye," Matt said softly, sitting beside Li Ran with his walking stick in hand. "What will you do now?"
Li Ran, frowning, spoke the words he'd been rehearsing internally.
"I planned to return to Penglai. But the Outrider's mention—his knowledge of Penglai makes me fear something has already happened. I'll stay in New York and investigate."
Matt nodded grimly. "That may be for the best. He wasn't bluffing."
Even he—Hell's Kitchen's Devil felt unease about this Outrider.
…
**S.H.I.E.L.D. – New York Branch Headquarters**
"Enter."
Director Nick Fury, former Colonel and founding director of S.H.I.E.L.D., didn't lift his head from the dossier.
"You're slipping, Director," said Natasha Romanoff, aka Black Widow, as she strode in, smirking.
"I don't slip." Fury raised one eyebrow under his black eyepatch. "I calculate. But lately, there are variables outside even my projection models. Some... we created ourselves."
"You're talking about Banner," Natasha responded, dropping her smirk.
Indeed—Hulk's recent rampage across Brooklyn had been downplayed by the Pentagon, but S.H.I.E.L.D. had embedded operatives everywhere. Even General Ross couldn't keep secrets from *all* their agents.
Fury didn't answer. Instead, he slid the latest intel folder across the table.
"These threats have surfaced again. Some were buried for decades."
Natasha flipped through the photographs. Smoke-choked streets, shattered buildings, and one particularly damaged structure stood out: a traditional Chinese restaurant, half-collapsed, scorched with energy burns not from any known tech.
"These are from the Manhattan incident?"
"Chinatown, Lower Manhattan," Fury confirmed. "Our field agents got there within 20 minutes. The scale of destruction matches that of a Category Gamma-Level conflict."
"Gamma?" Natasha looked up. "But this isn't Hulk."
"No," Fury replied, tapping a photo. "It's something else. Something mystic."
Natasha's eyes narrowed as she examined the blurry image. Amid the ruins stood an Asian man in a traditional Tang-style tunic. His figure glowed faintly, his hand still radiating residual chi energy.
"And this man?"
Fury leaned forward. "He's the anomaly. Li Ran. Not in our files, not even flagged by the Raft, Wakandan surveillance, or the Strange Index. That's not a good sign."
"Then he's not from here."
"Or he's been kept off the radar deliberately. Which raises the bigger question—who's hiding him?"
visit patreon.com/Elguapotranslation to view 30+ advanced chapters
---