[TN: Alright, I'm going to sleep and then enjoy my movie. See you all next week.
"According to reports, the NYPD recently launched a raid against United Construction Company and arrested the company's owner, Wilson Fisk."
"United Construction Company was founded in 2000, with operations covering construction contracting, concrete, gravel production, sales, machinery and equipment leasing, etc. Around 2001, it began acquiring large amounts of land in Brooklyn, Queens, and other areas.
Most of the landowners were low-income residents.
This also included an area in Manhattan known as 'Hell's Kitchen,' which was being redeveloped for real estate."
"Information disclosed by investigators shows that during land acquisitions, the company engaged in coercion of local residents and bribery of housing officials."
"In its recent 'affordable housing' projects supposedly built for low-income families, multiple construction violations have already been discovered. No one knows how these plans passed regulatory approval."
"The company was also delaying handovers of affordable housing units. For some reason, neither residents nor officials raised objections—perhaps because of the criminal gangs behind the company."
"Surprisingly, the NYPD only raided the company because a property subsidiary illegally broke into a homeowner's residence."
"According to the victims, they were already being illegally detained. If the police hadn't arrived in time, it's hard to imagine what might have happened—"
"Two lawful citizens trapped in their own home by criminals—there's nothing worse than that."
"The investigation into United Construction Company continues, but rumors say that Wilson Fisk is also the underworld boss known as 'Kingpin.'"
"This crime boss had supposedly already been sentenced to death or life imprisonment decades ago. He is a convicted felon."
"But no one knows why such a felon—once sentenced to death—has apparently returned from the grave. Still, with the NYPD and the justice department pursuing this, I believe we'll get the truth."
"Meanwhile, Mayor Flor is said to be working actively with the state government and legislature to make up for the fatal mistakes of the judicial system—"
"A man who should have died escaped prison and has since taken countless innocent lives, leaving citizens to live in terror. I cannot imagine living in such a community.
Before Mayor Flor took office, people even assumed that everyone living there were criminals and called to cut welfare.
Now, it seems that welfare money was never actually used to improve the lives of low-income residents."
"Here, I support Mayor Flor—at the very least, Kingpin should face the justice that should have been carried out decades ago."
"I'd like to say that justice may be delayed but never absent. Unfortunately, those who lost their lives due to so-called 'delayed justice' will not be comforted by it."
"Delayed justice is not justice—it's a disgrace to civilization. The officials who betrayed the trust of citizens should stand trial as well."
News from New York spread across the globe, including to the newly established Roxxon Energy Corporation.
At company headquarters in Dubai, CEO Dario Agger rubbed his temples—
This was a troublesome situation.
For the past two years, he had been traveling worldwide to consolidate global businesses under the newly formed Roxxon Energy.
New York had seemed secure: he knew about Kingpin, the gangster boss, and had long thought Fisk's grip on New York was only growing stronger.
Dario's idea was to wait until Kingpin had climbed high enough, then let him come begging. He could step in later.
But this year, with the subprime mortgage crisis exploding, things shifted violently. Out of nowhere, Leo appeared, backed by that lowborn Anthony, and hijacked the New York mayoral election.
Losing control of New York was a serious problem—but Roxxon was a truly global company.
They still had Houston, London, Amsterdam, and Dubai—other global financial and trade centers.
"How interesting. Such a young man, daring to make such bold moves. Ambitious indeed."
If anything, these events reminded Dario that Leo was just like him—a man without regard for laws.
Earlier restraint had simply been a matter of patience before reaching his goals.
After all, why care about ordinary people? Dario never did. To him, they were failures, NPCs in a game.
As long as they followed his baton and were tossed some cash, they would grovel at his feet, crying and calling him 'father.'
It was just a pity about New York.
Dario dialed Tony's number.
[Dario: "My friend, have you seen the news? New York doesn't seem so safe right now."]
[Tony: "Yeah, I saw that new mayor—crazy guy. But if the TV reports are true, I think he's doing a pretty good job."]
Dario shrugged. He didn't bother arguing.
To him, Kingpin was just another loser. There were always plenty of people desperate to connect with Roxxon.
[Dario: "Survival of the fittest—that's how the world works. Anyway, the latest shipment of high-energy concentrated petroleum has reached Africa. With its higher energy density, your soldiers can now deploy."]
[Dario: "I'd love to see the U.S. government use it to crush those arrogant Somali pirates."]
[Dario: "Let's just hope the locals digging in Kilimanjaro don't end up linked with those pirates."]
[Tony: "I'll look into it."]
[Dario: "Are you moving your headquarters out of New York? I'd recommend Houston."]
[Tony: "I'll think about it."]
[ Dario: "Of course, it's a big decision—London, Amsterdam, Dubai… you should consider them too."]
New York, Stark Tower, Tony's private lab.
In front of him sat a half-meter-wide ring-shaped device. A larger version of the same design was in Stark Industries' research park. The computer screen nearby displayed its name—
[Arc Reactor Miniaturization Attempt – Result of Trial 33:]
[ – Discharge Duration: 12,043.558 seconds]
[ – Sustained Positive Output: 5,620.557 seconds]
[ – Energy Output Ratio: 0.99997]
[– Overall Evaluation: An inspiring failure]
The device had clearly just been tested, but the results were still far from Tony's goals.
Though Tony Stark strongly supported war for various reasons, he wasn't stupid.
He could back Roxxon's dominance over global oil, but could they really rely on oil forever?
Nuclear research was another joint project of Stark Industries and Roxxon, with Roxxon as financier.
Tony had wanted to talk with Dario about new ideas—maybe vibranium.
But when his old partner casually said "survival of the fittest", Tony suddenly decided to seek other paths. After all, the Iron Soldiers were under his and the Defense Department's control.
In fact, his control was even stronger.
"Jarvis, we need new inspiration. Move up the investigation into Captain Carter's whereabouts—
Oh, and has the satellite scan returned anything?"
[Jarvis: "Not yet, sir."]
"Alright, looks like I'm out of luck today. Prepare the plane to Washington."
[Jarvis: "Yes, sir."]
The lab lights shut off as Tony left, switching to privacy mode.
But not long after, the work-mode lights quietly flickered on again.