Two Months Later - 1995 -
Chancellor Hui sat in his dimly lit office, sifting through a pile of documents while Advisor Ling stood silently before him.
Hui picked up a photo from the files. A picture of a dead man from the Iron Gang.
"I want all of them dead before Master Xu Wenwu returns." Hui ordered, his voice low but firm shifting his gaze from the photo to Ling.
"Do we know when the Supreme Commander will be back?" asked the advisor.
Hui shook his head, indicating no. "Have the spies located the next targets?" He inquired.
Ling hesitated for a moment before answering. "Yes.." he responded, his brow furrowed.
Noticing the pause, Hui pressed further. "What is it?"
Ling stroked his chin thoughtfully before speaking. "We've learned that the Iron Gang plans to sell a shipment of weapons in the coming days."
"A trap?" Hui asked, narrowing his eyes.
"Maybe" Ling replied cautiously. "But the bigger concern lies with the buyer."
"Who?" Hui demanded.
"Madame Gao... of The Hand." Ling answered calmly.
Hui rubbed his temple, feeling the weight of the new complication.
The Yami no te, better known as the Hand was an ancient and powerful organization.
Their five leaders had lived in the shadows for centuries, advancing their agenda through wars, crime and influence over powerful individuals.
In the underworld, they were likely among the top three organizations, thought Hui.
Madame Gao, one of their prominent leaders. Was particularly notorious for her control over the heroin trade.
And like nearly everyone entrenched in China's criminal underworld, she paid her dues to the Ten Rings.
"This opportunity is far too valuable to overlook.." Hui said, his voice steady and composed.
"We stand to remove several of the Iron gang members in one decisive stroke." he continued, his gaze sharp as he contemplated the possibilities.
After a moment of silent thinking, Hui rose from his seat with calm resolve. "We will seize this opportunity and eliminate as many of them as possible!" he said with authority.
"What of Madame Gao?" inquired Advisor Ling.
"We will wait for the transaction to conclude before striking." Hui responded, his tone unshaken. "And if the Hand dares to meddle in our affairs, we will eradicate them from China as well!" he finished, his words carrying quiet, unwavering confidence.
"Well received." said Ling, as Chancellor Hui escorted him to the exit with measured steps.
- At The Same Time in the Courtyard -
The conflict against The Iron Gang raging around them had accelerated everything.
Feng, Li (Death Dealer) and Midnight too, had been given their own opportunities to prove themselves in the field. Each of them, in turn, had returned successful.
Their hands stained with the blood of their first kills.
They were no longer just boys. They were full fledged operatives now. Bound by the ink of the Ten Rings and the weight of their actions.
"The Iron Gang..." Erik whispered softly thinking about them while sitting by himself in the courtyard.
From what I know, they were folded into the Triad a few years back. Nothin' but a bunch of hotheads who don't understand the vastness of the world.
About a month ago, they had the nerve to rebel. Refusing to pay their dues from the gun sales. Got warned, but still persisted.
Now they were 'bout to be wiped off the map for their stupidity. Erik sighed, looking at the training going on in front of him.
A lot of them had already perished.
At first, the Ten Rings orchestrated assassinations, making it look like accidents.
But it didn't take long for the Iron Gang to realize they were being targeted. And it wasn't hard to figure out by whom.
As a result, they started moving differently, trying to stay low.
However, they still needed to run their business and maintain their public presence. That's when the Ten Rings struck.
Booby-trapped cars, assassinations in their homes, during deals or nights out.. There was absolutely no mercy for them. Erik thought with a sigh.
All of this chaos erupted after Xu Wenwu departure, so the mess needed to be cleaned up before his return.
From the information Erik had gathered, Xu Wenwu departure wasn't just for minor excursions but for specific, strategic destinations.
One location stood out above the rest, Afghanistan. It wasn't just a random point on a map.
Afghanistan, a land steeped in conflict for centuries, now served as a pivotal focus in Xu Wenwu plans.
Erik had pieced together bits from overheard conversations and the few guarded words from Xu Wenwu himself.
The Ten Rings leader was likely engaging in something far larger than local power struggles or assassinations.
In 1995, Afghanistan was caught in the throes of chaos.
Despite being rich in natural resources like copper, iron ore, lithium, and rare earth elements, these remained out of reach due to the relentless conflict.
Erik figured that might be part of the reason Xu Wenwu had set his sights there.
But there was something else, something darker that came to mind.. The opium trade.
By the '90s, Afghanistan had become one of the largest producers of opium, with warlords and factions funding their operations through its trade.
Maybe Xu Wenwu saw opportunity in that.
Erik tried to make sense of the old memories. "Could be a power move." He thought.
"Man, whatever it is, I don't give a shit." Erik muttered to himself, brushing off the thoughts of Afghanistan and Wenwu schemes.
His mind had already shifted to his next mission. That's what mattered now..What he'd be asked to do next.
Erik casually rolled his shoulders, testing the stiffness in his muscles. Already focused on whatever was coming next.
- One Week Later - In a Warehouse Somewhere in China -
The Ten Rings had received intelligence through spies close to the Iron Gang about an upcoming arms transaction.
They had acquired both the location and timing of the deal. Which allowed them to position their assassins inside the warehouse in advance.
The strike team included Killmonger, Death Dealer, Midnight and seven other more seasoned operatives.
The warehouse, located in a desolate area with no cover for outside observers presented a unique challenge.
The isolation meant that hiding or approaching the location without being noticed was nearly impossible.
The risk of deploying a backup team was deemed too high, as any reinforcements would be exposed to an ambush in the open terrain surrounding the warehouse.
With no natural cover and the possibility of detection long before they could intervene. The decision was made to rely solely on the infiltration team.
Night had fallen, casting a heavy veil of darkness over the isolated warehouse.
Inside, the Iron Gang had gathered. Their figures illuminated by the faint glow of a few overhead lights.
The men stood in tense clusters. Positioned in front of a straight white truck, likely loaded with the contraband weapons.
There were about fifteen of them, oblivious to the danger lurking in the shadows.
After several minutes of tense waiting. The distant hum of engines broke the silence, followed by the sharp glare of headlights cutting through the dark.
The Iron Gang members shifted uneasily as the convoy approached the warehouse.
Moments later, the cars rolled to a stop outside the building, their doors opening in unison.
A group of about ten individuals emerged. Their movements disciplined, their presence ominous.
From the last car Madame Gao appeared, moving with quiet authority.
She wore simple Chinese garments, understated but unmistakably elegant.
A cane in her hand supported her graceful but deliberate steps. Her face, stern and old mirrored the cold calculation she was known for.
She already appeared much like her future self.
The two groups stood in tense silence as Madame Gao and Cheung came face to face inside the warehouse.
Cheung, the second-in-command of the Iron Gang. Had been sent to handle the deal in place of their absent leader.
With a calm, respectful demeanor, Cheung placed his right fist into his left palm and bowed slightly. A traditional gesture of respect toward the old woman before him.
Madame Gao, always a master of hiding her intentions behind a serene smile. Gave a subtle nod in acknowledgment. Her eyes however, remained sharp and calculating.
Two chairs had been set to the side. A small concession to civility amid the cold atmosphere of business.
Cheung gestured with his hand, inviting her to sit.
Madame Gao lowered herself gracefully into the chair, her movements slow but deliberate.
Cheung followed, taking his seat across from her. Behind them, both groups stood at attention. Iron Gang on one side, the Hand on the other—each man ready.
The weight of the moment hung heavy in the air, as both sides knew that despite the formality.. The slightest misstep could turn this meeting into bloodshed.
For several minutes, the discussion between Madame Gao and Cheung remained focused on the details of their transaction.
The exchange of money for weapons seemed like any other deal between two criminal organizations. Smooth, polite and deceptively simple.
However as the conversation began to shift, Madame Gao subtly steered it toward the looming shadow of the Ten Rings.
"You know.." Gao began softly, her voice carrying the weight of a wise woman.
"There was a snake in the village where I was raised. It mistook an elephant for prey." She paused, her tone carrying a false note of sadness. As though she pitied the long-gone creature.
"It died with its jaws wide open, clenched no more than around the elephant's foot.. Betrayed by ambition." Her eyes rested on Cheung, calm but unwavering.
Cheung, intrigued but not intimidated leaned forward. "Are we the snake... or the elephant?" he asked, his voice betraying some curiosity.
The old woman didn't answer directly, instead letting the question hang in the air like a thick fog. "You should prepare for what is to come." she advised, her words carrying a chilling weight.
"You might think you are strong enough, but their knowledge, and their knives are sharper than ever."
Cheung raised an eyebrow, unphased by the implied threat. "Is that why you wanted to meet? To warn us of what we already know?" His voice was steady, but there was a hint of mockery in his question.
The old woman simply shook her head, a slow and deliberate gesture.
She looked directly into Cheung's eyes, her expression one of mild disappointment as if addressing a child who had missed the point of a lesson.
"I only sought to pose a question.." she said, her voice softening into a deadly whisper. "How long before the Iron Gang's ambition... turns to me?" The tension in the air thickened as her words lingered.
"You've always possessed something others didn't … Our respect !" Cheung said, his voice tinged with agitation. He was trying to maintain his composure, but the tension in the room was palpable.
Madame Gao let out a low chuckle, her amusement evident as she eyed him. "Perhaps.." she mused, her tone almost mocking. "Yet… your leader is not the one who came to me."
Cheung's patience snapped. "Whatever!" he exclaimed, standing abruptly. "You know our situation. You know why he isn't here." His voice was sharper now, his annoyance clear. "Is that why we're here? To discuss our private affairs?"
Madame Gao, still calm, stood up as well her movements deliberate and slow. "No." she replied, her voice suddenly serious, the playful facade gone. "We are here to discuss your fate."
Cheung blinked, momentarily stunned by the shift in her tone.
Madame Gao's expression turned into one of feigned sorrow, a look that only deepened the unease settling over the room. "But" she added, her eyes narrowing. "It seems your fate is already sealed."
She glanced upward, her eyes locking onto something unseen in the air. And for a moment, the room was filled with an eerie stillness.
Then, without warning, the lights in the warehouse began to flicker, casting unsettling shadows across the walls.
A heartbeat later, everything plunged into total darkness.
The only sound that followed was the quickened breaths of the Iron Gang and the quiet hum of something far more dangerous lurking in the blackness.