C6: Cautious
Unfortunately, there was only one bottle of Chameleon Tea, and its effect duration was far too brief.
Otherwise, Li Ran's theft plan could have been far more composed and seamless akin to the silent heists of the Phantom Thief in Gotham's whispered legends.
Though he harbored some regret, Li Ran's movements remained decisive.
Jin Bing's subordinates, who had just left, could return at any moment for inspection. If he waited any longer, his escape wouldn't be as easy as slipping through Wilson Fisk's grasp when he's distracted by Daredevil's meddling.
Li Ran approached the mannequin and removed the iconic white cape draped across its shoulders. While the display replica of the Phantom Thief Kid might have been fake, the cape itself was the real deal. Beyond its showy appearance, the oversized garment was an essential tool transforming into a glider much like the folding capes used by the likes of Moon Knight or even Batman.
With practiced precision, he converted the cape into a compact glider in a matter of seconds.
Casting one last glance at the room behind him, Li Ran grabbed the cane beside him and vaulted through the jagged remains of the shattered window.
Bang—
The howling wind stretched the glider's wings into a wide arc as he descended.
Although the glider's design was rudimentary compared to what someone like Tinkerer might engineer, the material was surprisingly durable likely sourced from Reed Richards' unstable molecule fabric.
Guiding it with skill, he carved an elegant curve through the air, drawing a line in the Manhattan night.
Seconds later, Li Ran landed in a deserted graffiti-filled alley. The moment his feet touched ground, he folded up the glider and secured it.
His eyes shifted to the cane in his grip. At first glance, it appeared ordinary but being one of Wilson Fisk's personal items, it was almost certainly anything but.
Running his fingers along its surface, Li Ran located a barely noticeable raised button near the top. He pressed it. Instantly, he felt a faint vibration in his palm and then a beam surged forth, blasting a precise, circular hole into the opposite alley wall. Smoke hissed from the charred edges, like remnants of a S.H.I.E.L.D. plasma test.
Good thing he never intended to confront the Kingpin head-on.
Peeking cautiously toward the smoldering wall, Li Ran exhaled in relief.
He knew better than to overestimate his own power. If he'd taken Fisk on directly, the smoldering hole might not have appeared in the wall but in his chest.
Li Ran was under no illusions. His current physique wasn't like Luke Cage's, who could shrug off high-caliber rounds. He certainly couldn't tank a laser.
With a mix of awe and wariness, he stared at the cane. Then, without hesitation, he tossed it into a nearby heap of trash.
Its ability to fire a focused energy blast was enticing but Li Ran knew better than to hold onto something built by a man like Fisk. Who knew what other contingencies it carried? A hidden tracker? A timed self-destruct? A viral injection?
Best not to take the risk.
Besides, with the system he possessed, Li Ran was confident that superior tools would come his way. One day, he'd find a weapon worthy of standing alongside Mjolnir or the Ebony Blade.
Without looking back, he exited the alley.
Moments later, a figure emerged dressed in a black tactical suit, his face masked in cold precision.
Bullseye.
With silent efficiency, he retrieved the discarded cane from the trash and scanned the alley. His gaze landed on the scorched, circular imprint on the wall clearly caused by high-energy discharge.
Pulling out his phone, he made a call.
"The target was extremely cautious," Bullseye reported, his tone flat. "He discarded the cane immediately."
On the other end, Wilson Fisk's deep voice growled: "Then bring the cane back. And from this moment on, spread the word across all of Manhattan. Whoever captures the Phantom Thief Kid... earns the favor of Wilson Fisk."
Fisk's authority wasn't built solely on personal strength it stemmed from the vast criminal empire he'd painstakingly constructed, rivaling the reach of Hydra or the Hand.
Anyone daring to cross him had to face relentless retaliation from rival gangs to government operatives, and especially from the vigilante Daredevil, who never stopped challenging his dominion.
Now, a new name had been added to that list of enemies.
—Phantom Thief Kid.
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[Fame from Fisk and his guards +0.3]
[Fame from Fisk and his guards +0.4]
[Legend from Bullseye +25]
[Fame from Fisk and his guards +0.1]
[Fame from Wilson Fisk +50]
At that very moment, Li Ran, walking through Hell's Kitchen, couldn't hide his satisfaction as system notifications flickered before his eyes.
That final burst of 50 fame from Fisk alone confirmed his hunch: provoking the Kingpin was as risky as it was rewarding.
Fisk had lived up to his reputation a villain feared across both Marvel and DC's criminal underworlds. And his fury now added tremendous weight to Li Ran's legend.
Li Ran even considered the possibility of provoking Fisk again though he quickly reminded himself not to get too arrogant.
Shaking his head, he suppressed the chaotic thoughts. His gaze turned to the system's data panel his "Legend" stat had surpassed one thousand.
The temptation to open a new treasure chest surged within him.
Yet he knew that Hell's Kitchen, the domain of vigilantes and violent turf wars, was no place to gamble with fate. Just being in proximity to Elektra or Punisher could be hazardous enough.
Even if a [Dark Iron Chest] could contain a D-Rank card, experience taught him that D-Ranks varied wildly in usefulness.
Take the E-Rank card [Nohara Hiroshi] he'd drawn it offered nothing but an aura of foot odor. Meanwhile, another E-Rank, [Mitsui Hisashi], granted solid basketball talent still mostly useless here.
Stifling his urge, Li Ran quickened his steps, eager to exit Hell's Kitchen.
But suddenly, a familiar figure walking toward him made him slow down.
Wasn't that the man who had recently visited Old Jack's antique store?
Frowning slightly, Li Ran took in the man's hurried pace and desperate expression.
Something didn't sit right.
Why would that man, of all people, appear now in this part of town, looking so broken?
To intervene or let it go?
Li Ran stood still, his eyes darting between the system's flickering data and the man's receding silhouette.
In the end, a past conversation with Old Jack and the sorrow in his voice echoed in Li Ran's mind.
And just like that, he made his decision.
He turned and began to follow.
---