The sky was overcast, making one worry that a downpour could start at any moment, yet it was impossible to be certain, leaving people stuck in the dilemma of whether to bring an umbrella.
It was like trying to guess a woman's mood... you could never tell if it would rain or not.
Hopefully it wouldn't rain, especially not heavily, because rain was something criminals loved. It could quickly wash away all traces of their crimes. Matt Murdock... Daredevil... thought this as he finished his day job and prepared for his second shift.
As a blind man, if he hadn't undergone rigorous training from "Stick" since childhood, constantly pushing his body's potential and eventually developing a unique "biological radar" system that let him perceive his surroundings to the greatest extent without eyes, he would probably hate rainy days the most.
Whoosh!
Daredevil skillfully climbed onto a windowsill, carefully listening to sounds beyond several walls, trying to determine whether this was one of Kingpin's criminal strongholds.
He heard faint rustling and caught a peculiar scent in his nose.
Daredevil sniffed carefully, unable to identify exactly what it was. Maybe expired ketchup mixed with fresh honey? It wasn't unpleasant. Once you smelled it, you'd never forget it.
This had to be the place. He knew a powerful new drug had recently appeared on the market... one that extended lifespan with almost zero side effects. It was something all the wealthy were desperately chasing.
Naturally, because supply was limited while demand was endless, the black-market price for this drug had skyrocketed.
Weyland Corporation priced it at one hundred thousand dollars per pill... seven pills per course. Taking one pill a day for a week extended life by about two weeks.
But starting from the second course, the life-extension effect dropped by thirty percent. By the third course, it plummeted even further.
Even so, demand far outstripped supply. For a single pill, countless people were willing to take extreme risks... hiring professionals to steal, rob, scam, or ambush. They'd kill even an old man without hesitation.
This had caused people like Daredevil to see their workload double. During the day, he worked as a lawyer handling the endless messy cases surrounding the drug. At night, he donned his suit, grabbed his billy club, and fought the resulting wave of crime.
"Another crime triggered by ALIEN-1. I wonder which rich businessman Kingpin's men are targeting this time. Poor bastard." Daredevil thought silently as he hid his presence and slipped inside.
Everyone knew that while a drug extending life by a few weeks might not be worth major players going all out for, the possibility of ALIEN-2 and ALIEN-3... with stronger effects and longer life extension... made it a different story.
Getting the drug early for research and reverse-engineering it would be far better than being at someone else's mercy.
Even taking a step back, just those extra few weeks of life were enough to drive desperate old tycoons mad. Surviving a little longer might let them last until Weyland released the second or third generation, eventually achieving continuous life extension.
No one argued with more lifespan. When violence could secure more time, crime naturally surged.
Once Daredevil confirmed the deal involved bloodstained ALIEN-1 pills, he didn't hesitate. He smashed through the glass and charged in.
"Dammit, Daredevil! You again!"
A dart flew toward where Daredevil landed, but he had already drawn his billy club and knocked it away.
"Bullseye. Kingpin actually sent you? Is he dying or something? Otherwise, why would he care so much about a drug that only adds a few weeks?" Daredevil sensed it was his old rival Bullseye and immediately knew this would be trouble.
Bullseye was a massive man. The helmet on his head was marked with a bullseye symbol.
"You don't know shit. This is business! This new line is a blue ocean. It's way more profitable than weapons, human trafficking, or drugs. The current black-market price is already five hundred thousand dollars per pill! It'll only go higher!" Bullseye spat, his face twisted.
People like them chased massive profits, looking for every possible way to achieve their goals through crime.
"You like this drug so much, you should sneak into that place and try to steal the formula. Why don't you? Are you scared?" Daredevil assumed a fighting stance and lunged forward. In a few moves, he quickly took down several gang members and clashed with Bullseye.
Bullseye slashed at Daredevil's stomach. As Daredevil dodged sideways, Bullseye flicked his wrist, cutting horizontally while his other hand simultaneously hurled a dart.
He was Bullseye... expert at killing with anything around him, and his aim was deadly precise.
But Daredevil knew his old rival's tricks well. He rolled across the floor to avoid the attack. It wasn't graceful, but it worked.
Bullseye sneered. "What the hell are you talking about? Do you know what the Weyland skyscraper is like? It may look newly built with not that many high-tech gadgets, but its security level is way higher than Stark Tower or Oscorp Tower."
People had tried it before, but it was impossible to succeed.
High-tech layouts full of cameras could be hacked, but how did you deal with a bunch of eyeless Xenomorphs? Charge in screaming and fight them hand-to-hand?
That was called robbery, not infiltration. Zero technical skill.
Besides, you couldn't win. You'd probably end up joining the Xenomorphs yourself and turning against the next intruders, only making their numbers grow for no reason.
After thinking it over, Bullseye decided he wasn't suited for that kind of work. No amount of money from Kingpin would make him try.
A few million dollars a month? Not worth risking his life.
"That's true. But I heard Adam has started openly recruiting. They're gradually expanding the company's operations. You'd be perfect for applying. It would mean one less scumbag in the world." Daredevil tried to distract Bullseye, but it didn't work.
Bullseye stayed silent. His mind flashed back to Weyland Corporation's recruitment notice. Swearing on what little conscience he had left, he had never seen such a bizarre posting in his life.
Look at what it said in the employee benefits section: it openly listed "parasitism slots." The sheer honesty left countless people speechless.
Parasitized by a Xenomorph? Ugh. But when you thought about it... being parasitized instantly turned you into a superhuman with strength, speed, healing, enhanced senses, and extended lifespan across the board…
In this increasingly uncertain world where you never knew if tomorrow or disaster would come first, it was unexpectedly popular, dominating headlines for a long time.
Both were top-tier martial artists. After thirty-plus moves, neither had gained the upper hand.
Normally, their fight would have continued, but Bullseye soon couldn't keep going. He watched helplessly as Daredevil's billy club smashed a metal pill bottle containing over fifty pills, nearly going insane.
Four simple moves and a hundred million dollars... gone!
Bullseye decided to kill Daredevil, but he had to change plans and flee.
"If you'd come a little earlier or later, he wouldn't have escaped. I worked hard to find him." Daredevil watched Bullseye escape through a broken window and said helplessly.
"Don't compare me to you, Matt. He can't escape. He's destined to become one of us." Elektra walked in with graceful steps.
Daredevil tilted his head, sensing his college-era ex-girlfriend, and said helplessly, "You've changed a lot. The old you would never have said something like that. What do you mean 'become one of us'?"
"Exactly what it sounds like. You always like wandering around Hell's Kitchen. Don't tell me you don't even understand this." Elektra gave him no face. She was a very calm woman, but seeing Matt still made her want to lose her temper.
"Without a strong body or enough healing to handle situations, you shouldn't be running around alleys like a monkey. It makes me feel like I'm talking to a child who never grew up."
"My God, is that really you, Elektra? Not someone pretending? I actually heard concern for me from your mouth! It seems that person treats you well and has changed your personality. The good news is, you're still you... not a Xenomorph."
Daredevil backed away slowly, leaning against the wall and sensing the positions of the many Xenomorphs, ready to flee at any moment.
Elektra shook her head. "You misunderstand. Adam has no interest in someone like me. His vision is far beyond what you imagine. He doesn't have time to waste on me, not even a second."
She spoke very calmly, as if discussing something completely unrelated to herself.
"Then I guess I can breathe easier. A small fry like me doesn't have to worry about retaliation from him." Daredevil said. "Even after destroying his clients' valuable drugs that were bought and then stolen."
"You don't need to worry about that. Otherwise, why do you think I'm here? These drugs were bought by Norman Osborn. Whether he takes them himself or tries to reverse-engineer them, he's our client. He was robbed. In New York, we'll get them back."
"Impressive. Excellent customer service. You really are dedicated when it comes to business."
For a moment, Elektra genuinely couldn't tell if Matt was mocking her or praising her.
Soon, several Xenomorphs returned dragging a half-dead Bullseye and casually tossed him to the ground.
"I'm willing to join Weyland Corporation! I'll follow Adam! I've been sick of Kingpin for a long time!" Bullseye coughed blood and forced out the words. "I know Adam is sending troops to fight on alien worlds. He needs killers like me, right? World-class ones!"
Elektra nodded in agreement. "Well said. Then you can wait to become a Xenomorph and be sent to an alien planet."
"Wait! I meant I want to be a non-chest-bursting killer…"
"That's not up to me."
Bullseye was dragged away by the Xenomorphs again. Once taken back to the 93rd floor of the Weyland skyscraper, he would meet his new life.
"The war on the alien planet is intense? Even someone like Bullseye is being used?" Daredevil asked.
Elektra shook her head. "No choice. There are fewer and fewer vampires in the New York area. Casually putting some scumbag villains to good use is also an effective way to utilize resources and prevent waste."
Daredevil had a belly full of complaints with nowhere to vent.
He also sensed several Xenomorphs using claws sharper than knives to carefully pick up the scattered pills from the floor. If people from Oscorp saw this, they would probably feel very relieved.
He had heard Norman Osborn hadn't appeared publicly in a long time. Rumors said his health was failing. Maybe there was truth to it, and he needed this drug to extend his life?
"Before you get too wary of me, I have some unfortunate news: Stick has become a vampire. He's being hunted by Blade, Captain America, and others." Elektra said.
What?
Daredevil's expression changed. He looked utterly incredulous.
His and Elektra's martial arts teacher had become a vampire?
"Because he was dying and wanted to extend his life?" Daredevil couldn't help asking.
But becoming a vampire... wasn't that basically the same as joining the Eternals a while ago?
Vampires were Adam's favorite hosts. After cleaning out New York, Adam would definitely target vampires elsewhere in the world.
"I don't know. All I know is one thing: we have to kill him. Let him die with dignity instead of becoming a freak who survives on human blood." Elektra's voice was cold. This was the greatest mercy she could offer Stick.
"What about the Chaste that he led?"
"It disbanded two days ago. A large number of their people are being hunted and absorbed by the Hand."
Daredevil fell silent for a long time. The news was too shocking. His brain had crashed.
He watched Elektra turn and leave with her Xenomorphs, hesitated, then followed. Walking alongside several Xenomorphs felt extremely awkward.
Walking side by side with Xenomorphs without being attacked by these terrifying, lethally beautiful killing machines? It was like something out of a bizarre sci-fi story.
"Where is Stick now?" Daredevil asked, his muscles tense as he remained wary of the Xenomorphs beside him. Even though he had heard they were highly socialized and orderly creatures, it didn't stop him from instinctively staying on guard since he had never dealt with them before.
The Xenomorphs didn't even glance at him, as if he didn't exist.
"That guy is in New York, looking for traces of sorcerers."
"Sorcerers? Why is Stick looking for sorcerers?"
"Two possibilities. If he's looking for dark sorcerers, maybe he wants to use dark magic to remove his vampire bloodline. If he's looking for sorcerers from Kamar-Taj, it's to meet the Sorcerer Supreme. According to reliable information, Stick received training from the Ancient One in his youth." Elektra said without looking back.
This left Daredevil even more confused.
What was Kamar-Taj? Who was the Ancient One? He had never heard of them.
When the two reached the Weyland skyscraper, Daredevil finally learned the basics about this reclusive super-sorcerer organization from Elektra.
He stood at the entrance of the Weyland skyscraper, tilting his head and sensing his surroundings, capturing every tiny particle floating in the air. He couldn't see, but these minuscule things carried far more information than eyes ever could.
Daredevil could tell the area was built with extremely expensive materials... very solid and heavy. He had heard this was the famous Magneto's handiwork. He finally believed it.
What truly made Daredevil hesitate was that he sensed no negativity here. This was clearly an extremely clean, orderly, and well-managed place.
Connecting that with words like Adam and Xenomorphs felt strangely dissonant.
He also heard ordinary people coming and going from the skyscraper, talking about business? Oh, right... business involving the drugs.
"Why aren't you moving? Other people treat the Weyland skyscraper like a monster's nest, but it's not. This is a building with advanced architectural concepts, beautiful scenery, and one of the best green spaces in all of New York."
Elektra left him with that and walked up the steps into the main entrance.
Daredevil hesitated for a long time but followed her inside.
They took the elevator all the way to the thirteenth floor.
Along the way, Daredevil experienced the thrill of walking alongside Xenomorphs and riding an elevator with them. As for why Xenomorphs needed to take the elevator, only God knew.
Some ordinary people doing business in the skyscraper adapted to the environment far better than he did.
When they reached the conference room on the thirteenth floor, two people were talking.
Daredevil saw the owner of the place.
His first reaction was to use his radar-like ability to sense Adam. The result felt like slamming into a copper wall. He felt every nerve in his body screaming in unease. The next second, the barrier ahead seemed like a black hole, carrying a devouring pull that threatened to swallow his entire mind.
But when he focused again, nothing had happened.
"So, Mr. Adam, it's an honor to meet you. I bring greetings from my father. You are truly a genius and a generous man."
"Of course, I always am. If you're willing to join Weyland Group, you'll experience even more of my generosity. What do you think, Harry?"
Harry Osborn's face stiffened slightly. He had only said that half-sincerely and half out of politeness, but Adam didn't follow the script and immediately invited him to join.
Harry looked around at the Xenomorphs that sometimes walked by and sometimes stood like statues. Each one was at least two and a half meters tall, constantly radiating murderous intent. He felt his scalp go numb.
"Hahaha, look at your face. That was just a joke. Norman would never allow his son to join someone else's company." Adam laughed and patted Harry on the shoulder.
Harry forced a polite smile, thinking this wasn't just switching companies. This was something that could change the entire human species.
Elektra tossed the recovered batch of drugs to Harry. Harry caught them and hurriedly left.
Adam gazed at Harry's departing figure. "It seems Norman's condition is very bad. The rumors are true. He's about to die. Otherwise, he wouldn't send his heir to negotiate cooperation with me."
Elektra asked, "What kind of cooperation do they want? The Xenomorph secretions? That's not negotiable. You said so. Besides, as fellow biomedicine companies, conflict is inevitable sooner or later."
"Of course. Anything related to Xenomorphs is off the table. I'm thinking of something else."
Adam found it very interesting.
Because in this universe, there was Oscorp and an aging Green Goblin on the verge of death, but no Spider-Man.
Through subtle questioning, Harry had shared some information he considered worthless. He probably wondered why Adam was asking about his high school days. According to Harry, during a school-organized biology exhibition, Peter Parker had disappeared. Soon after, news of his death circulated.
This surprised Adam greatly. Only he knew how rare this was.
Even if the current Peter Parker was still a young child, that would be fine. Even if he was middle-aged... an old Spider-Man... that would be okay too.
But he had never expected that with the Green Goblin dying, Spider-Man had never even appeared. He had croaked before debuting?
"After months of hard work to stabilize things, the moment I prepare to build an intelligence network, I learn this… But how did Peter Parker die? Bitten by a radioactive spider and couldn't handle the venom? Or in this universe, will Spider-Man be Aunt May or Uncle Ben?"
It was entirely possible. Adam still didn't know this universe's designation.
Even if someone suddenly appeared one day and told Adam this was actually the Cancerverse and everything here would develop toward cosmic horror, he could accept it and start researching the possibility of parasitizing entities like the Many-Angled Ones and other Marvel cosmic horrors.
The strong never complained about their environment. Adam loved rising to challenges.
"What are you thinking about? I haven't seen you this focused in a long time. Not even when facing those Eternals." Elektra waved her hand in front of Adam's face, looking curious.
Adam looked up. "Don't tell Druig about this. If he finds out, he'll think I've had some new insight and will stop at nothing to find me and ask what new truth I've discovered."
Druig?
Daredevil memorized the name. Based on his understanding of Adam's faction, this was probably the Eternal who had defected mid-battle. After all, the guy had become very famous.
Lately, people analyzed online every day why he had betrayed them, but no matter how they analyzed it, they always reached one conclusion: Adam was truly remarkable, so they too wanted to follow such a remarkable person. If they could become a follower without chest-bursting or being sent to the battlefield, that would be even better.
Dammit, this was practically the embryo of an evil cult. Young and naive fanatics seriously fantasized about their idealized version of Adam, then prayed everywhere, wanting all the benefits while taking on as few obligations as possible.
Daredevil was lost in thought. The scenes here completely overturned his and many outsiders' perceptions.
"Matt Murdock, the defender of justice in Hell's Kitchen, the blind lawyer who fights cases for the poor. Welcome. But what are you thinking about?"
Adam wasn't a bloodthirsty tyrant. He seemed like a very down-to-earth superior. Daredevil thought this as he turned toward Elektra. The meaning was obvious: You told him?
"I didn't say anything, but it's not hard for him to learn about you." Elektra shrugged. After all, she had a Xenomorph in her chest that let Adam know her every move.
"You're quite famous, and you were once Elektra's lover. It would be hard not to notice you." Adam smiled and shook hands with Daredevil, like two ordinary people having a perfectly normal meeting. If not for the Xenomorphs acting as security, it would have felt even more ordinary.
"Thank you for taking care of Elektra, sir. At least you didn't let her sink too deep into the Hand. That's not a good place." Daredevil said.
"In my organization, you can at least believe one thing: I won't treat subordinates I acknowledge as mere tools. But for some people, I will do everything possible to capture them and squeeze out their maximum value... as tools."
"Like Bullseye?"
"Oh, he's already been parasitized and will soon be sent to the battlefield with the latest batch of Xenomorphs. I've already made a deal with Asgard's gatekeeper." Adam's tone was casual, like discussing what to eat for dinner.
Daredevil felt a chill. Once again, he recognized the gap between people like himself and people like Adam: an absolute indifference to human life when necessary. They could stop treating people as people.
That said, Bullseye really couldn't be considered human. He was profit-driven, had killed countless people, and did every dirty job for Kingpin. He deserved to die.
Adam poured Daredevil a glass of water. "Just drink this. I don't like tea, coffee, or other beverages. I haven't recruited enough people yet to handle serving water."
Daredevil touched the cup. It was scalding hot. Then he heard Adam drink the boiling water in one gulp and fell silent.
Xenomorphs were truly terrifying. He felt completely out of place here.
"Sir, if you'll forgive my rudeness, I really don't understand why someone of your status would allow Elektra to bring me here." Daredevil couldn't help asking.
Adam gave this young hero a surprised look. "You were brought by Elektra, so she's responsible for all your words and actions. I won't interfere."
Daredevil fell silent again.
"You thought this place was what? A concentration camp? Or an inquisition? That I'd ruthlessly eliminate anything that happens without my permission? Don't be ridiculous. If I had that kind of time, I'd rather think about more meaningful things... like which god I can take down or which extradimensional demon lord is worth killing." Adam seriously pointed out Daredevil's misunderstanding.
What was all this? Daredevil felt his experience was still too shallow. He had no common language with a big shot like Adam. They weren't even speaking on the same wavelength.
Gods? Demon lords?
Elektra felt embarrassed for her ex-boyfriend. There was no helping it. People who hadn't joined this faction or been parasitized by Xenomorphs simply couldn't understand many things here.
Druig had sensed Adam's profound mind and switched sides in minutes. It wasn't baseless recklessness, though it was tied to Druig's already stubborn personality and naive ideals.
Adam said, "I know you're looking for your mentor Stick and planning to kill him. Don't misunderstand... I have no interest in Stick. He's not worth my personal attention. But I am interested in the people behind him."
"What do you need me to do?"
"Just look for Stick normally. For certain reasons, if I went to find the Sorcerer Supreme myself, she might not see me." Adam said.
"So if I find the Sorcerer Supreme through Stick, she'll see you?"
"Of course not. That's why I don't plan to meet her personally." Adam pointed at Elektra. Daredevil immediately understood.
Using Xenomorphs as an intermediary. Nice. Daredevil decided to note this down when he got back. He had learned another important characteristic of Xenomorphs: they could be used like radio communication.
That was a cold joke. He wondered if Kamar-Taj even had Wi-Fi.
Daredevil very much wanted to ask why Adam knew Stick had once trained under the Ancient One, but after thinking about it, he didn't.
Elektra explained proactively, "There are many sorcerers in this world. Besides dark sorcerers, the vast majority come from Kamar-Taj. They learn a few tricks and return to the mundane world. Kamar-Taj never stops them."
So Kamar-Taj's existence wasn't top secret in this world. Many ordinary people probably heard about third-rate sorcerers during casual chats over drinks and dismissed it as bragging.
But finding a way to locate Kamar-Taj was the problem. Without approval from an internal sorcerer, outsiders couldn't even enter the gates.
Sorcerers who had left Kamar-Taj obviously couldn't help either.
Adam pondered. He needed to find a way to talk with the Ancient One... at least to confirm what this universe was about.
He couldn't keep being this passive. Adam didn't like passivity.
Of course, saying the Ancient One would be hostile toward him... honestly, it was possible. Because Adam's power was growing stronger. In theory, it belonged to Earth's strength, but it had already substantially affected Earth's stability. That was why Adam kept sending troops to fight for Asgard... a path he could switch to at any time.
Even if it really came to blows, Adam had assessed the forces he could mobilize. After thinking it over, he felt a fight wasn't impossible, but it was far too risky with too many unpredictable factors. He wouldn't do it unless absolutely necessary.
"Let me see, Ancient One. Are you male or female? If it's the female version, that's fine. If it's the male Yao version, that means more trouble. I'll need to make even more thorough preparations for the future, and adjust my development plans."
After confirming with the Ancient One, he should shift his focus somewhat from Earth outward... at least resolve matters on the Asgard side.
To this day, Adam had already sent over ten thousand troops, more than double what he had promised Thor.
It was time to collect on this debt. He had done so much for Asgard. The Asgardians needed to repay him properly.
^^^
If you'd like to read up to 50 chapters ahead, feel free to visit our patron: pat reon . com/XElenea