“Hmm!”
Leon waved at Otto, signaling him to count the money, then took another cigarette from his pocket and lit it.
He wasn’t addicted to cigarettes, nor did he particularly like smoking.
But the taste of nicotine helped keep his mind clear, so whenever he discussed serious matters with someone or needed to think things through, he would light one.
While Otto counted the money, Leon carefully considered exactly how much information he should reveal to the other party.
From his own perspective, naturally, the more they knew, the better.
Only by understanding more would they be able to comprehend the terrifying nature of ghosts—existences beyond the realm of humanity—and thus react more strongly and provide him with more Wish Points.
But that didn’t mean that every person or organization benefited from knowing more.
Take the Ancient One and S.H.I.E.L.D.
as examples.
The Ancient One could project her consciousness across the multiverse and had an indescribable relationship with the God of White Magic, “Vishanti,” as well as the creator deity, “Eternity.” Her knowledge, life experience, and worldview were sufficient for her to believe the fact that ghosts came “from another world,” and she also had the means to easily verify it.
Therefore, he could simply tell her the truth.
But S.H.I.E.L.D….
Although they had also come into contact with the supernatural, they were, in essence, an organization established by ordinary humans.
When it came to true supernatural phenomena, their understanding was still extremely limited.
If you told them about supernatural creatures such as “ghosts,” they could still interpret them as mutated creatures or extraterrestrials.
But if you started talking about the multiverse, beings from other dimensions, and things like that…
Before the various gods and powerful figures of the Marvel universe appeared and started causing trouble, they absolutely wouldn’t believe it.
Not only would they refuse to believe it, they would instead think that you were trying to deceive them or that you had some ulterior motive, which would bring about a series of unnecessary problems.
As for Bullseye—or rather, Kingpin behind him…
The criminal empire established by Kingpin had close ties with the Hand.
His organization even employed ninjas, samurai, and onmyoji from the Hand.
Telling him that the killers were ghosts from another world shouldn’t be a problem.
After all, the people from the Hand possessed methods for summoning demons from Hell and allowing spirits to possess their bodies.
“Lord Leon, I’m done counting.
One million dollars in total!”
At this moment, Otto spoke from the side.
Leon looked at Bullseye in surprise, unable to understand what was going on.
Bullseye smiled and said, “If this cooperation goes smoothly, the boss wants to establish a long-term and mutually beneficial relationship with you.”
The implication was obvious:
If you really had the ability, you could earn Kingpin’s friendship.
But if you were giving him fake information just to scam money, then forget about ever hearing from him again.
Leon immediately understood the hidden meaning behind Bullseye’s words and smiled lightly.
“If the information turns out to be fake, just come back and find me.
As for the extra money, you can keep it.
Kingpin’s money isn’t easy to take.”
“Are you refusing the boss’s goodwill?”
Bullseye looked at Leon with a half-smile.
Leon took a deep drag from his cigarette and slowly exhaled.
The smoke became hazy beneath the lights.
Behind the misty veil, his eyes gradually turned cold.
“Don’t push your luck.
I’ve continued talking to you this long because I believe in making money through peaceful cooperation.
If this weren’t business, your attitude earlier would have been enough for me to tear you limb from limb!”
“Is that so?
I’d actually like to see how you’re going to tear me limb from limb.”
Having sensed the killing intent coming from Leon, Bullseye not only didn’t panic, but became excited.
He was a thoroughly rotten person.
When he did bad things, there was no complicated reason behind them.
He simply wanted to kill and destroy.
That was all.
However, he couldn’t defy Kingpin.
Although he was extremely eager to see this information broker, who had gained a small reputation in the underworld, make a move against him and fight him before torturing him to death, he didn’t dare forget Kingpin’s mission.
Therefore, after delivering that provocative remark, he immediately added, “Don’t be in such a hurry.
Once I finish what the boss assigned me, I’ll come back and settle our grudge.”
“Then take your stuff and get lost!”
Leon poured two hundred thousand dollars out of the briefcase, then placed a USB drive inside before casually tossing it toward Bullseye.
“Got guts!”
Bullseye wasn’t angry.
Instead, he praised Leon’s courage before picking up the briefcase and leaving.
In his eyes, Leon was already a dead man.
“Looks like I’ve been keeping too low a profile.”
Watching the figure disappear into the darkness, Leon sneered.
Perhaps the destruction of an underworld empire would create an even greater commotion.
“Otto, close up.
Time to sleep!”
Although he still had thirty thousand Wish Points left unused, making him unbearably eager to spend them, he remembered the painful experience of yesterday’s lottery.
After getting nothing but fragments from the draws, he had been so heartbroken that he couldn’t sleep for the entire night.
So he decided to wait until tomorrow before drawing again.
…
Fisk Tower.
In the top-floor office of the skyscraper named after himself, Kingpin was looking over the intelligence Bullseye had brought back.
A Demon King who had survived for a thousand years…
An immortal, ageless existence…
A body that surpassed ordinary humans…
A fear of sunlight and the necessity of eating humans…
As he went through the information one piece at a time, Kingpin’s expression grew increasingly solemn.
But in the end, a smile appeared on his face.
Although the enemy was an existence beyond his imagination, there were corresponding gains to be had alongside the danger.
And that was…
Thinking of this, Kingpin picked up the phone and dialed a number.
Perhaps because it was the middle of the night, it took a long time before the other side finally answered.
An unfriendly voice came through.
“Fisk, if you’re calling at this hour and you don’t have a good reason, then even if you are the king of the underworld, don’t expect me to let you off easily!”
“Of course, Mr.
Norman Osborn!”
“Then tell me what this is about.”
“I have something you’ll be interested in.
I’ll send it to your email in a moment.
Take a look for yourself.”
With that, Kingpin hung up the phone, a smile curling at the corners of his mouth.
…
The next day.
Leon woke up early with dark circles beneath his eyes.
Although not drawing from the lottery meant he wouldn’t have to experience the agony of being unlucky, having money but refusing to spend it made him just as restless and unable to sleep.
“I really miscalculated!”
Leon sighed helplessly, and then…
“Lottery.
Let’s start with a hundred puppet draws!”
[Ding!
You obtained a D-rank Puppet Fragment!]
[Ding!
You obtained a D-rank Puppet Fragment!]
[Ding!
You obtained an F-rank Puppet Fragment!]
[Ding!
You obtained an E-rank Puppet Fragment!]
[Ding!
You obtained an A-rank Puppet Fragment!]
…
A continuous stream of notifications announcing the acquisition of Puppet Fragments rang out.
Leon remained completely calm.
Now this was what a real system was supposed to be.
He had long since gotten used to it.
That C-rank Puppet he had obtained from yesterday’s ten-draw?
That had definitely been a hacked version.
However…
When the hundred draws were finally completed and not a single complete puppet appeared, the corner of Leon’s eye still twitched uncontrollably.
This was way too damn unlucky!
Although a certain number of Puppet Fragments could be combined into a complete puppet, there were two major problems.
First, the number of fragments required was considerable.
Second, the fragments had to belong to the exact same puppet.
But the problem was that there were countless characters across the myriad worlds.
Trying to collect enough fragments to complete a single puppet was practically harder than simply hoping to draw the complete puppet directly.
“These hundred draws were just to build pity.
Keep drawing.
I’m definitely going to get something good next!”