Jack ran straight out of the Triskelion. As expected, Nick Fury didn't chase him, likely planning to deal with him later.
He left S.H.I.E.L.D. safely, though it was a pity he didn't get to say goodbye to Maria Hill.
He hadn't expected Nick Fury to be so petty. Just for exposing his miserable childhood, the bastard actually fired him.
Jack thought he'd just be suppressed for a while, then naturally get accepted by HYDRA, skip tens of thousands of words of plot development, and finally become one of the snake heads.
"Pity, pity. I'll go home, follow my seniors' example, open a small shop, and take on all kinds of commissions."
Back home, Jack saw the millet porridge in the living room that he'd worked all morning to make with a pressure cooker.
"You're all awake? There's still some sour-and-spicy dried radish in the fridge. I'll go get it."
The two women glanced at each other and continued drinking their porridge awkwardly.
Jack brought out a large bowl of dried radish. Wanda Maximoff and Natasha Romanoff each took a little, then started chewing rapidly, spoon after spoon.
"From now on, we're family. You two should interact more. In the future, you'll be sisters sharing a bed."
"Shut up. Eat." Natasha tried to strike Jack viciously, but he dodged it.
Wanda stayed silent, only lowering her head and eating.
After brunch, Natasha got dressed and prepared to head out.
"Don't go to work today. Take the day off. Nick Fury already knows about us, and I've been fired. Work with me from now on."
Natasha turned around, looking at Jack with a complicated expression—half doubt, half shock.
"Even so, whatever happened between us shouldn't make you leave S.H.I.E.L.D. so suddenly. Speak. What exactly did you do?"
Jack leaned close and smiled faintly. "Don't you know what I did last night?"
Natasha blushed and shoved him away. "You'd better not have done anything stupid, or I'll cut your cock off when I get back."
Jack hugged Natasha before she could leave and kissed her proactively.
Natasha wiped the lingering silver threads from her lips. "I'll deal with you tonight."
After seeing Natasha off, Jack turned back and noticed Wanda peeking at him.
Caught, Wanda's legs went weak. She hurriedly carried hot water back to her room. Jack even heard the door lock.
Helpless, Jack went into last night's "torture room" and threw the bloodstained sheets into the washing machine.
"Wanda, remember to take the bedding out later and dry it in the backyard."
The backyard was a small courtyard Jack had bought. He'd fenced it off so outsiders couldn't see in, making it perfect for drying sheets.
"Wanda?"
"Ugh~ I heard you."
After hearing her reply, Jack took a large bowl of dried radish and headed out. He planned to visit the neighbor nearby to check in, so he brought the radish as a gift.
"Ding-dong—"
The door opened quickly.
"Brother Jack, you're here?"
Jack rubbed Peter Parker's head and handed him the radish.
"Take it inside. Remember to put it in the fridge."
"Thank you, Brother Jack."
Watching Peter head into the kitchen, Jack silently thought: Check-in.
[Check-in successful. Obtained Killing Intent Perception.]
Jack was thrilled. He'd finally gotten a skill.
The previous items—tactical goggles and a Desert Eagle—were all obtained from check-ins at S.H.I.E.L.D. After all, he'd been in this world for less than a month.
After walking a few steps, Jack heard a familiar voice.
"Jack, wait a moment."
Jack saw May run out, drenched in sweat. He strongly suspected she'd just been performing some forbidden magic.[FLAG: If this character is not May Parker, confirm name]
"May, what's up?"
She wore tight jeans and a simple crop top, looking conflicted.
"Jack, thank you for helping us during this time. I really don't know how to repay you, so please take this."
She handed him a pack of three pills, one per blister.
Jack took them awkwardly and coughed. "Uh… was the sound that loud?"
May blushed. "It… it was fine. Peter goes to bed early."
Jack smiled awkwardly. "Haha… What time does Peter sleep? I'll try to be later."
"Around nine."
"Okay, I'll be later." Jack quickly changed the subject. "By the way, have you found a job? If not, you can come work for me. I'm opening a small shop—still missing a receptionist. Six thousand a month."
May wanted to refuse, but the number made her hesitate.
At this moment, the woman in her thirties looked shy like a young girl.
"Is it really okay?" she asked, eyes full of hope.
Jack nodded. "Of course. The shop won't be busy. You'll just handle commissions, register information, and report to me."
May bit her lip, then nodded. "Then I'll try. Thank you, Jack."
"You're welcome. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have found such a reliable employee."
That afternoon, Jack rented a storefront across from Stark Tower. The rent was painful—thirty thousand a month for just thirty square meters.
He paid a thirty-thousand deposit on the spot. The remaining payment would be settled when the landlord returned.
Jack felt heartache. It was the first time he'd spent so much money.
"Looks like I'll have to take a walk through Hell's Kitchen tonight. Hopefully I catch a big fish. Otherwise, I'll need a second spot."
Jack's house in Queens had been paid for with cash taken from a gang's vault in Hell's Kitchen. Tonight, he planned another "withdrawal."
He didn't go home. Instead, he called the landline.
"Wanda, I won't be back tonight. If you're hungry, call the Chinese restaurant on the table and order a few dishes."
"Mm." Wanda smiled playfully. "You're not scared of Natasha's revenge, are you? So you don't dare come back?"
Jack snorted. "Me? Scared? Use less of that safflower oil from my medicine chest. Tomorrow night, I'll leave both of you completely defeated."[FLAG: 'safflower oil' may be a mistranslation]
"Alright. I won't be as weak as last time."
Hanging up, Jack grinned uncontrollably.
Night fell over Hell's Kitchen.
Jack turned off his phone, ignoring Wanda's calls.
Dressed in black, he activated his tactical goggles. In two minutes, the Desert Eagle fired nonstop. Everyone inside was eliminated.
He freed a well-built black woman from a cage. After thanking him, she fled.
Phones, necklaces, cash—Jack took everything.
"Two hundred sixty thousand? Not enough. I need at least four hundred."
An hour later, after the goggles recharged, Jack tracked another group until 3 a.m.
"Two headshots each. Just like the African server."
"Good harvest. Five hundred thousand."
Jack returned through the sewers and emerged near Stark Tower.
He decided to sign in.
[Sign-in successful. Obtained coordinates of the Destitute Stark.][FLAG: 'Destitute Stark' translation unclear—possibly Tony Stark in distress]
"Huh? Has Tony Stark already been kidnapped? That's not in the news."
Jack rested until morning.
By afternoon, he returned home and felt terrifying resentment surrounding the house, almost forming a red mist.
Avoiding it, he fled to May's house.
Peter opened the door.
"My school has no afternoon classes. Aunt May went to work."
Jack stayed, played games, ate dinner, then rushed back.
Standing outside his house, Jack stared at the red mist.
"I thought this was just grudge special effects only I could see. Turns out it's Chaos Magic."
"Go in or not?"
"If I go in, Wanda might tear me apart… though it'll probably just be my clothes."
"Hell. I have to face it sooner or later."
"Just do it. Worst case? I enjoy it."
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