Assassin's League Headquarters.
Smith Doyle brought John Wick and Pool back to the castle. Seeing Helen anxiously waiting for her husband, Smith patted John's shoulder and said:
"Go be with your wife; she must have been worried all night."
John Wick walked over to his wife. They embraced, and soon Helen thanked Pool.
Smith watched the approaching crowd and spoke:
"The Five Fingers of the Hand are completely eradicated and will never return. Spread the word; the Hand will soon be a thing of the past."
Hearing that Smith Doyle had eliminated the five leaders of the Hand, everyone expressed their admiration. Fox spoke:
"God, while you were taking down the Hand's leaders, they also launched an attack on us."
"A large number of Hand members and Jin Bing's subordinates attacked us, but we had an ambush in place. We wiped them out and captured Jin Bing alive."
Hearing that the headquarters was attacked, Smith Doyle was not surprised. But with Jin Bing and his subordinates involved, he smiled and said:
"It looks like the last target didn't require us to lift a finger. They walked right into our hands. It saved us some effort."
"As for Jin Bing, see if you can get some money and resources from him, then dispose of him."
Fox nodded and replied:
"Understood. We'll have someone handle it."
Smith Doyle then thought of the Dragon Bone matter and said:
"Get in touch with the Rand Corporation and have them transfer the abandoned building in Hell's Kitchen to us."
"Tell their leader that the Hand is no more, and they'll cooperate by handing over the land."
As for Rand, a company covertly controlled by the Hand, the current leader knew how to respect a victor.
"That building hides the Dragon Bone. Excavating it will be our focus from here on out."
Everyone nodded, knowing the importance of the Dragon Bone matter.
---
The Next Day.
Trident Tower.
Phil Coulson once again knocked on Nick Fury's office door.
As the door opened, Coulson walked in front of Nick Fury to report.
"Director, last night, the New York Energy Detection Department detected a massive, unknown energy fluctuation in Hell's Kitchen."
"Based on the agents' overnight investigation and nearby surveillance footage, we confirmed that last night, Assassin's League leader Smith Doyle fought the five leaders of the Hand and emerged victorious."
As Coulson spoke, he placed a tablet in front of Nick Fury.
Nick Fury opened the document on the tablet, which detailed how the Assassin's League used global bounties to hunt down the Hand, John Wick destroyed the Hand's flour factory in Hell's Kitchen, leading to the confrontation with the five leaders, and how Smith Doyle came to the rescue.
Additionally, it recorded the Hand and Jin Bing attacking the Assassin's League headquarters.
After reading through the document, Nick Fury opened a video file. The footage, though repaired by S.H.I.E.L.D., was still blurry, but it clearly showed Smith Doyle suddenly appearing in the middle of the street and unleashing an energy attack on the Hand's five leaders.
Upon seeing the footage, Nick Fury's previously relaxed expression turned serious. He immediately gave an order:
"Raise Smith Doyle's threat level to S-tier."
"Also, analyze the abilities he demonstrated and launch a full investigation into his past."
"I want to know everything about him, from his childhood to when he first exhibited extraordinary abilities."
To Nick Fury, Smith Doyle had been a formidable leader of the Assassin's League, but not much of a threat. With current technology, an enhanced Captain America wasn't considered a major danger. From Fury's perspective, Smith Doyle wasn't a threat but an asset for the future.
However, the energy attacks seen in the video were another matter entirely. The destruction caused was far greater than any grenade or shell.
Considering that Smith Doyle had been raised in the Assassin's League, a group trained in such an environment, if he ever turned rogue, his destructive potential would be terrifying.
Weapons could be checked for security, but someone who could unleash such power at will would be much harder to defend against.
And they still didn't know his limits. Could he unleash even stronger attacks? How many could he produce in a limited time?
Given these possibilities, Nick Fury had no choice but to raise Smith Doyle's threat level and prepare countermeasures.
Coulson nodded and said:
"I'll have agents conduct the investigation. We also have undercover operatives within the Assassin's League, gathering intelligence under the guise of admiration and writing stories about Smith Doyle's feats."
"Additionally, regarding how Smith Doyle rescued Tony, I was planning to find a breakthrough with Pepper Potts, but based on his abilities, it's clear he had the means to rescue Tony Stark."
"Also, the Assassin's League has started selling spots for wax bath treatments. It seems they're focusing on financial matters now, with the lab construction and purchase of scientific equipment."
Nick Fury thought for a moment and then said:
"While wax baths may not match our research, they still have their advantages."
"Reserve some spots for future use, and send some injured personnel there. On the one hand, we confirm its effectiveness; on the other, we try to crack it."
"What about the Assassin's League's research lab? Have we found any leading scientists or collaborators?"
Coulson shook his head and reported:
"Based on our investigation into the Assassin's League and the scientists involved, we haven't found any prominent scientists working in their lab. They haven't recruited any researchers either."
"However, in the financial sector, Fox has formed a few teams operating covertly, shorting Stark Industries' stocks and acquiring them."
"This seems like a direction to explore, but we'll need a capable agent for the job."
Nick Fury pondered for a moment before speaking again:
"Indeed, we need to pick an excellent agent to get close to them. Coulson, who do you think would be better for this mission: Mockingbird Barbara or Black Widow Natasha?"
—End of chapter—
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