The night deepened, and Hell's Kitchen grew even darker. With a street acting as the dividing line, the distance was filled with the brightly lit, bustling city, while here it was a barren land of dim light. The same humanity, but different classes; the external manifestation was so stark.
I first went to Matt Murdock's home; under my Telepathy, the room was empty. So I turned and headed toward Luke Cage. Unexpectedly, I ran into the two of them walking together on the way.
Matt and Luke Cage were walking with their arms around each other's shoulders, Luke Cage's thick arm draped over Matt's seemingly thin frame, and the two walked along the street, laughing and talking. After following them for several hundred meters on the rooftop, I suddenly accelerated, waiting ahead at the corner. When the two turned the corner, they saw me standing in the middle of the road they were traveling, and their laughter quietly vanished.
Luke Cage, born Carl Lucas, had hung out on the streets, served time in prison, and undergone transformation from a super-soldier experiment, possessing superhuman strength and an invulnerable body. Right now, he was hiding his identity, wanting to live the life of an ordinary person. I just didn't understand why he would come to New York to be an ordinary person; was he looking for trouble?
Matt Murdock, a lawyer, appeared to be a scholar on the surface, but in reality, he had long ago received the brutal training of Stick, mastered super sensory abilities, and become a powerful warrior; he had only recently begun to fight for justice, and for now, he had not been exposed. Both had their own secrets, and although they had met and enjoyed a pleasant conversation, they had not yet reached the point of being completely open with each other. Therefore, my sudden appearance made both of them assume I was coming for them individually.
"You go first!"
"You go first!"
The two, speaking simultaneously, were suddenly stunned and couldn't help but look at each other. I chuckled to myself. Luke Cage clenched his fists, blocked Matt behind him, and said again: "Matt, you leave first; leave this to me."
Matt was unwilling to leave, looked at Luke Cage's back in confusion, and then instead stepped forward a few paces: "Luke Cage, I guess he might be here for me."
Luke Cage also felt suspicious; did this scrawny-looking kid actually have so much guts?
"No way, look at his attire; does he look like someone who wants to hire a lawyer?"
"Kid, who are you?" Luke Cage demanded, blocking Matt's path.
Hong Fei smiled. "You needn't argue. I'm looking for both of you."
Luke Cage and Matt frowned in unison. Matt tapped his cane. "Sir, what business do you have with us?"
"Hmm. I hear you both fight well, so I thought I'd have a go at it."
Matt's eye twitched slightly. He kept smiling. "Sir, you must be mistaken. I'm just a plain, unremarkable fellow. And as you can see, I'm blind." He gestured towards Luke Cage. "Though Luke Cage looks strong, he doesn't know how to fight."
Luke Cage raised an eyebrow. I think I fight pretty well!
Hong Fei, of course, ignored him. He wasn't interested in arguing. He turned and pulled a gun, instantly firing. Gunshots echoed on the empty street, the nearby houses eerily silent.
Facing the muzzle, Matt instinctively wanted to dodge. But he thought of Luke Cage behind him. As he turned, he grabbed Luke Cage's wrist.
His strength was suddenly negligible. He couldn't pull the man. Instead, Luke Cage pulled him. Luke Cage shielded Matt, taking the brunt of the attack with his back.
The bullets tore through his clothes. They met his skin, but the expected impact never came. Instead, a sharp clanging rang out as sparks erupted, as if they'd struck steel. After more than ten shots, Hong Fei stopped firing and theatrically blew on the muzzle.
Matt, protected by those strong arms, was shocked. His super senses told him exactly what had happened. His sunglasses almost fell off.
Luke Cage's actions first shocked and touched him, then he couldn't help but feel that this guy Luke Cage was too stupid. He'd wanted to struggle with all his might, preferably rolling away with Luke Cage to avoid the bullets. He hadn't expected the bullets to spark off Luke Cage's back. Could a human even do that? He turned his head, revealing his surprise to Luke Cage. "Matt, listen to me, run further away first. I'll explain everything once I deal with this kid."
Luke Cage shoved Matt aside, his face a mask of fury. He ripped off his shirt, revealing muscles as hard and black as iron.
Hong Fei spoke again. "Don't be so eager, big black guy. I said I was looking for both of you. But what I meant was, I'll take you both on, one-on-one."
"You bastard! Matt's a lawyer!" Luke Cage was enraged. He strode toward Hong Fei. His fist was a weapon of immense power. Unlike the still-developing Jessica, Luke Cage expertly wielded his own strength.
He could lift about twenty-five tons. His fists could punch through ten-centimeter-thick steel plates. And he possessed a regenerative ability three times faster than an ordinary person. The air compressed under the force of his blow, rushing towards Hong Fei's face. Hong Fei sidestepped, easily dodging the attack. The fierce wind of the punch grazed his cheek.
Thud.
Hong Fei didn't retreat. Instead, he advanced, his feet planting firmly on the ground like suction cups. Power came from the ground, as they said. Only with a solid foundation could one unleash the body's full strength. His five knuckles curled inward, forming a tiger claw, arcing upward to strike Luke Cage's wrist joint. A pull, a push, and the force surged in along his fingertips.
Luke Cage felt as if five long needles had been driven into his wrist. Not just the pain of the flesh, but his nerves seemed to be severed in an instant. His strength drained away. His fist immediately loosened, his entire palm hanging limply from his wrist joint, as if the bones had been broken.
Hong Fei's leg muscles suddenly bulged, making a loud bang.
Then, the center of his back bulged from bottom to top. Beneath the skin, his spine opened section by section, like a dragon vein awakening, even emitting a clear crack, crack sound. His shoulder blades rose and opened like wings, and the force was instantly transmitted to his arms.
His right foot stepped forward, forming a perfect centerline with his left foot, his left hand pulled back to his ribs, and his right fist, hidden at his waist, shot out in an instant with a hiss, like a swordfish suddenly startled under calm water, or like a flood suddenly bursting through a sluice gate. The Azure Dragon emerges from the water, and the four seas are all shocked. The rotating, twisting fist was just like a drill bit, like a gushing spring, instantly erupting, and immediately struck Luke Cage's chest.
The sharp, clever force followed the drilling power, impacting his steel-like, tough skin.
Hong Fei stepped forward again. He pulled back his right fist and struck out with his left! Both fists struck the same point, the momentum of one after the other like overlapping ocean waves. As the second fist landed, Hong Fei felt a smooth flow in his hand.
Luke Cage's expression changed drastically. He stumbled backward, step after step. His footing suddenly became empty, and he sat down on the ground with a thud.
But he was seen clutching his chest tightly, his expression ferocious and painful, his mouth wide open, yet he couldn't make a single sound.