Hell's Kitchen, secret gathering.
This is one of The Hand's strongholds in Big Apple City. The Hand originated in the feudal era of Dongying centuries ago.
Some oppressed people fled to the Iga and Koga regions, where they honed their skills, and later, possibly influenced by Sun Tzu's Art of War from Huaxia, eventually formed ninjutsu.
Over the next hundred years, they continuously learned and trained. Most members were proficient in hand-to-hand combat, swordsmanship, disguise, concealment, and escape, and also possessed superhuman willpower, endurance, and combat power.
They were also expert spies and assassins, often providing professional services to the wealthy or warlords.
The Hand also possessed powerful magic secret arts that could revive the dead.
Then, it gradually developed into a notorious international organization.
A hand has five fingers, and The Hand also has five leaders, each corresponding to a finger. They are Alexandra, Madame Gao, Bakuto, Sowande, and Murakami, all elders from K'un-Lun, who were expelled for attempting to use dragon bone fossils to extend their lifespans.
At this moment, Madame Gao was leisurely sipping tea on the building's rooftop. Madame Gao was an old grandmother over fifty. If Madame Gao walked alone on the street, no one would imagine that such a kind and amiable grandmother would be the leader of a globally renowned assassin organization.
Ding-a-ling!
Madame Gao's phone rang. The caller was Tom, the leader of the Irish Gang.
Tom described the content of the conference call to Madame Gao and stated that many gangs were now dissatisfied with Chen Ye and Kingpin, proposing that The Hand's help was needed.
Madame Gao put down her teacup and answered the phone: "Okay, I understand. Chen Ye is indeed a problem; I've lost many clients because of him. I'll send people over, don't worry."
"You go to the meeting first and see what Chen Ye and they are up to again."
Then Madame Gao hung up the phone, a hint of coldness appearing on her face. If the Madame Gao from just now was a kind and amiable grandmother next door, then the Madame Gao now was like a cold, venomous snake.
Murakami, sitting opposite Madame Gao, looked at her changing expression and curiously asked, "What's wrong? Your face changed just from a phone call."
"It's those ungrateful dogs, Kingpin included, and this leader of the Irish Gang too.
He's already trying to bargain with me before Kingpin is even dealt with.
He doesn't even look at what kind of trash he is." Madame Gao said angrily.
"You've lived for so many years, can't you see through human hearts yet?
Human desires are endless; everyone is never satisfied and wants to gain more.
Look at us, aren't we the same? We all want to achieve immortality." Murakami said with emotion, looking at the sky.
Upon hearing this, Madame Gao also realized her lapse in composure and instantly reverted to the appearance of a kind grandmother.
Madame Gao actually didn't care who became the Master of Hell's Kitchen.
After all, for someone who has lived for so long like her, money and power are no longer highly valued.
Now, the only thing she truly valued was finding the legendary dragon bones and achieving eternal life.
However, at this stage, Kingpin and Chen Ye indeed had to be dealt with.
Ever since Chen Ye returned to Hell's Kitchen, Kingpin's desire to retire had grown stronger, leading to his control over Hell's Kitchen weakening.
This made it increasingly difficult for Madame Gao and her people to sell their goods, which was not what Madame Gao wanted to see.
"How about I make a move this time? I'm quite curious about Chen Ye's superpower." Murakami couldn't help but volunteer.
"It's rare for you, Murakami, to be so interested, so I won't decline. I'll send people to deal with Kingpin.
I remember he seems to care a lot about his wife. We'll send people to capture his wife and children then." Madame Gao's eyes lit up when she heard Murakami volunteer, and she quickly agreed.
"I will personally go with my disciple, Nobu, then." Murakami added.
Madame Gao's mood instantly brightened, as if Kingpin and Chen Ye were fish on a chopping board.
After all, with two of The Hand's 'fingers' personally making a move, and Murakami's disciple Nobu also present, plus hundreds of ninjas stationed in Big Apple City, such a luxurious lineup made it difficult to lose.
....
On the other side, Gustav, who had vented his frustration, also called the Mayor, asking him to deploy his ace troops for support.
Although the Mayor was corrupt, he still had a strong sense of professional ethics.
He immediately agreed to Gustav's request and arranged for special personnel to provide door-to-door service.
He leaned deeply into the soft sofa, lit a cigar.
He took a deep puff, then slowly exhaled, and accompanied by beautiful music, he began to fantasize about his family's bright future.
At this moment, the Mayor on the other end also made a call,
"Hail HYDRA!" It turned out that this Mayor was a member of HYDRA.
"Hail HYDRA!" Director Pierce on the other end of the phone first cautiously looked around, and after confirming no one was nearby, he responded.
Director Pierce was HYDRA's highest-ranking leader hidden within S.H.I.E.L.D., holding a position equivalent to that Black Egg within S.H.I.E.L.D.
"You usually don't call me unless it's urgent, so speak." Director Pierce spoke first.
"That Mutant in Hell's Kitchen has been quite troublesome recently.
I received news that there might be a gang war in a few days. We need your support."
The Mayor, of course, wouldn't say that he needed help because he had accepted Gustav's bribe, but rather that it was for the safety of Big Apple City.
Director Pierce on the other end, upon hearing this, how could he not know his colleague's intentions? He refused, saying, "If there's a problem, you can go to the Police. Small-scale skirmishes like this are not our concern."
The Mayor understood that Pierce, that bald man, was politely refusing him, but since he had taken so much money, if he didn't do something, he probably wouldn't have anyone paying him respects in the future.
So he quickly said, "I'm also thinking for the organization. If we can deal with Kingpin and that Mutant this time, my people can take control of Hell's Kitchen.
Then our HYDRA will have another stronghold in Hell's Kitchen. No one cares how many people die there."
Hearing this, Pierce was instantly tempted, but he still said, "We have strongholds all over the World. One more Hell's Kitchen isn't much, there's no need to care about the lives of a group of gangs. Unless...."
How could the Mayor not understand what this meant? He hardened his heart: "Fifty million, deposited into your private account, and the territory of Hell's Kitchen will be yours."
"Okay, I'll send Brock Rumlow to lead the team then. Hail HYDRA!" Director Pierce immediately responded seriously.
"Hail HYDRA!" The Mayor quickly hung up the phone.
"F*ck, this time I lost big. And 'Hail HYDRA,' my ass." The Mayor cursed.
In reality, people within HYDRA had little loyalty to the organization itself; they all joined HYDRA for their own benefit.
Gustav on the other side was anxiously waiting for the Mayor's call.
On the phone, the Mayor first said that Gustav needed to pay an additional 100 million U.S. dollars as a fee for the operation, saying that S.H.I.E.L.D. had taken over this matter.
This was a very mysterious department, and with them involved, Gustav could rest easy!
Upon hearing such a reply, Gustav was naturally overjoyed. Although the 100 million U.S. dollar fee made Gustav a bit pained, as long as Chen Ye and Kingpin could be eliminated, everything was worth it.