Hopewell Sanctuary stood quiet in the gathering dusk.
Agent Coulson had returned, though this time he wasn't seeking Jason. Instead, he sat alone in the small chapel, his face etched with exhaustion as he offered silent prayers.
Unable to locate the elusive Hell's Butcher despite weeks of effort, he planned to conclude his investigation.
After all, Daredevil had been vigilantly patrolling the rooftops every night, which meant Hell's Butcher was unlikely to cause further trouble in the area.
The SHIELD director had already assigned him a new mission.
Intelligence suggested that a classified military experiment had gone catastrophically wrong, resulting in the creation of a green-skinned, inhumanly strong monster.
This creature possessed such overwhelming power that even an elite special forces unit had failed to subdue it.
The details had been deliberately suppressed by the project's director, General Ross, but for the sake of global security, SHIELD couldn't afford to remain uninvolved.
Director Nick Fury had decisively opted to intervene.
And this responsibility fell squarely on the shoulders of Level 8 Agent Phil Coulson.
He would depart for Brazil tomorrow morning.
According to SHIELD's intelligence network, the green behemoth was likely hiding within a beverage factory there—information that even General Ross wasn't privy to.
The director had assigned Coulson a specialized capture team equipped with oversized tranquilizer rifles. The plan was straightforward but effective: two shots to the back would bring down even this monster, allowing for live capture.
The reason Coulson had returned to Hopewell Sanctuary before his departure was that unresolved questions still troubled his mind, and he didn't want to leave with these lingering doubts.
Jason, leading the congregation in prayer, had noticed Coulson's presence but chose not to acknowledge him immediately.
After the vampire bloodbath he'd orchestrated recently, Jason felt invigorated. His power had nearly doubled, and he'd been spending his time hunting for more vampire nests with David's assistance.
These undead creatures were ideal targets—easy to eliminate, leaving no evidence behind, and guaranteed to be at least bronze-level in the system's hierarchy. The risk-reward ratio was far superior to targeting common street criminals.
As for the current state of Hell's Kitchen, Jason hadn't been paying much attention lately.
After the prayer service concluded, Coulson approached Jason with a forced smile.
Jason responded with exaggerated enthusiasm. "Agent Coulson! Since you fine folks from the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division arrived, Hell's Kitchen has become remarkably peaceful."
"I've heard that Hell's Butcher hasn't made an appearance in days. That must be due to your excellent work, right?"
Coulson opened his mouth to clarify that he'd had nothing to do with it, but Jason continued his effusive praise.
"I must say, you're vastly more effective than those incompetent police officers! Oh—forgive me, Lord—I don't mean to speak ill of them, but it's the unvarnished truth."
"Before your arrival, this place was literal hell on earth! Sometimes I wonder if the police department, city officials, or even the federal government genuinely care about this neighborhood."
"Murder, arson, drug trafficking, robbery, rape, and looting—I'm convinced Satan himself would feel right at home here. This is a forsaken corner of creation where residents struggle daily for survival."
"The fact that such conditions persist in America has nearly shaken my faith to its core! But thanks to your team's intervention, things are finally improving!"
Jason deliberately ignored Coulson's increasingly uncomfortable expression and maintained his look of sincere appreciation.
"You agents are like guardian angels! Though protecting citizens is technically your responsibility, and despite the fact that you somehow overlooked this district before, I still wish to express my profound gratitude on behalf of all Hell's Kitchen residents!"
Jason executed a solemn, respectful bow.
"Ahem!" Coulson broke into a violent coughing fit.
"Well... it is certainly our duty to protect civilians. It's not as though we intentionally neglected this area previously..."
"Please, don't concern yourself with that!" Jason quickly waved his hands dismissively. "Let bygones be bygones. Your continued protection moving forward is all we ask."
"You can't imagine how delighted my parishioners are that they can finally experience what passes for normal life in the slums. Though they still subsist on day-old bread and watered-down coffee, they no longer live in constant fear of gunfire erupting at any moment."
"The simple joy they feel watching the sunrise while having breakfast or commuting to work—it's immeasurable! Agent Coulson, thank you for preserving these small beauties and allowing those who might have perished in shootouts to experience such peaceful days."
"Rest assured, I'll organize a petition requesting formal government recognition for you and your hardworking colleagues!"
Coulson's expression had transformed into one of barely contained discomfort.
Jason smiled pleasantly. "So, what did you wish to discuss with me?"
After composing himself, Coulson replied, "I apologize for troubling you again, Father. I'm afraid I didn't fully grasp what you mentioned during our previous conversation about 'Hell's Butcher's origin seeming connected to Daredevil.' Could you elaborate on that statement?"
Jason's face registered surprise. "You haven't investigated that lead yet? Why not simply ask Daredevil directly? As Hell's Kitchen's self-appointed guardian, hasn't he been cooperating with your investigation?"
Coulson couldn't mask his embarrassment. He felt his professional pride crumbling under Jason's innocent questioning.
"No, no... we've had cordial discussions with Daredevil, but we simply wanted to... cross-reference information."
"Ah!" Jason nodded in understanding. "So, what specifically would you like me to clarify?"
Coulson fell silent momentarily before repeating his question. "You mentioned that Daredevil and Hell's Butcher's origins are somehow connected. What exactly is that relationship?"
Jason furrowed his brow thoughtfully. "I'm not entirely certain, but according to my parishioner's confession, he apparently witnessed something suggesting Daredevil inadvertently triggered Hell's Butcher's emergence."
"Triggered it how?"
"Through an act of violence, it seems."
"Who was the victim?"
Jason regarded Coulson's thinning hairline with barely concealed pity and shook his head. "I honestly don't know. In fact, I strongly suspect this particular confession came from an inebriated individual experiencing delusions. Perhaps you shouldn't place much stock in what I've shared—it could simply be a false lead."
Coulson lapsed into contemplative silence. He recalled Daredevil's evasive behavior and the vigilante's insistence on maintaining nightly rooftop patrols.
Could it be that the masked crusader was consumed by guilt and seeking redemption for past misdeeds?
The pieces seemed to align disturbingly well.
With his thoughts in disarray, Coulson departed the church.
Meanwhile, David had crucial information to share with Jason. He had thoroughly investigated the two corrupt officers, Jenkins and Isaac.
Though they did indeed work for Kingpin, their position was low-ranking, and they lacked the clearance to meet with Wilson Fisk personally.
Their primary responsibility involved transporting narcotics during night patrols—serving as vital links in Kingpin's drug empire by moving hundreds of kilograms of product from headquarters to six or seven distribution points.
Driving police vehicles meant they were never stopped or searched, even during late-night operations. The risk was virtually nonexistent.
David had successfully installed surveillance software on their phones. Tonight, a major transaction was scheduled—over 500 kilograms of methamphetamine valued at approximately $20 million.
For completing this single transport operation, each officer would receive a $50,000 bonus—equivalent to half a year's salary, tax-free.
David had uncovered additional explosive information as well...
After listening to the complete briefing, Jason's eyes gleamed with predatory anticipation.
Since both law enforcement and local gangs had been monitoring his movements lately, perhaps it was time to give them something more substantial to focus on.
Tonight, he would orchestrate a spectacle they wouldn't soon forget.