At the same time, inside the Defenders’ temporary hideout, “Zhuge Qing” supported the unconscious Lu Xiaofeng and sighed softly.
“Everyone, Brother Lu forced the Return of Ten Thousand Swords, severely depleting his vital energy and leaving his life hanging by a thread. I must take him back to Mount Shu for treatment immediately.”
The others nodded in silence.
Jessica held her tongue for a moment, but couldn’t resist blurting out, “Will you guys ever come back to New York?”
“Most likely,” Zhuge Qing said with a subtle smile.
“My Zhuge ancestors divined that New York would eventually become a nexus of calamity. If fate wills it, we shall meet again.”
Pausing briefly, he added, “As for Bai Yifei…” He lingered for a moment.
“He has just consumed the power of the Blood Demon, and his foundation is unstable. He won’t show himself anytime soon. Once I return, I will immediately inform the major factions of the Mountain and Sea Realm. The Jiuli have resurfaced after a millennium of silence—I fear the world is headed for turbulent times once more.”
“Zhuge Qing, what exactly are the Jiuli?” Matt asked, brow furrowed.
“The Jiuli are sworn enemies despised by all in the Mountain and Sea Realm.” Zhuge Qing paused, exhaling slowly.
“In ancient times, the Demonic Emperor Chiyou led the Jiuli tribes across the Eight Desolations, only to be crushed at Zhuolu by the Yellow Emperor and his allies. The faction active today was founded by the survivors of that war.”
“They have stirred up trouble in the Mountain and Sea Realm for ages, using their ancestral Fiend-Sealing Blade to forcibly strip demon origins… The Mountain and Sea Realm has an absolute law: any remnant of the Jiuli must be slain on sight. If one lacks the strength, they must report it immediately. That is why I must rush back.”
“I see.”
The crowd nodded thoughtfully.
Having witnessed the Marquis of the Blood Wardrobe devour the Blood Demon with their own eyes, they understood better than anyone how dangerous this evil organization really was.
“Everyone, Brother Lu’s injuries cannot wait. I shall take my leave.”
Without another word, Zhuge Qing cupped his fists, picked up Lu Xiaofeng, and vanished into a streak of white light.
[Shock Value from Matt Murdock +465]
[Shock Value from Jessica Jones +743]
“Jiuli…”
Inside the abandoned warehouse, enveloped by the deep night, the Defenders remained in place, digesting the words they had just heard.
The Marquis of the Blood Wardrobe, the Blood Demon, Mount Shu, the Jiuli…
It felt as though the surface of the world was slowly peeling away, exposing a far darker and more dangerous core underneath.
“Everyone, maybe… we ought to do something,” Matt finally spoke after a long silence.
“Based on what Zhuge Qing said, New York is only going to get more dangerous. I don’t want to just sit around waiting for catastrophe to strike. So why don’t we team up and establish a cooperative mechanism specifically for threats none of us can handle alone?”
“Sounds practical,” Jessica said, crossing her arms and glancing around.
“I’m in. What about you guys?”
“I agree!” Luke Cage nodded firmly.
“I still need to keep an eye on Kingpin and the underground gangs,” Frank said, brow furrowed with hesitation.
“The alliance won’t have binding obligations,” Matt explained.
“We only coordinate when there’s a crisis too big for any single person to handle. Otherwise, everyone operates independently as usual.”
“Plus, if anyone faces a life-or-death situation or desperately needs backup, they can call for help at any time.”
“In that case… I’m in,” Frank agreed with a nod.
“Count me in too!” Danny Rand chimed in decisively.
“Then from now on, we’re in this together.”
Matt smiled, extending a clenched fist first.
The others exchanged smiles and offered their own fists.
Five fists pressed together firmly, forming a tight ring.
Then Jessica raised an eyebrow.
“By the way, what are we calling this team?”
“How about the Justice League?” Danny suggested eagerly.
“Too flashy,” Jessica said, shaking her head.
“If you ask me, how about… The Avengers?”
“That’s even flashier,” Matt replied dryly, then offered a suggestion: “The Defenders. Sounds grounded, and it fits.”
…
After half an hour of discussion, “The Defenders” narrowly won three votes to beat out “The Avengers.”
The majority ruled, and the name was finalized.
It was late at night, under a dark sky.
They agreed to meet once a week and then parted ways.
Frank was the last to leave.
As an expert in tracking and counter-surveillance, he carefully wiped all traces from the hideout and covertly set up several secret warning devices before dusting off his hands, ready to duck out.
Yet the moment he stepped outside, his footing froze.
It looked like an ordinary model—ubiquitous in America, at least one in every ten cars on the street.
Except this one was different.
It had undergone top-tier bulletproof armor modifications; even an RPG might not leave a dent in it.
Frank instantly tensed up, his right hand darting to his thigh holster like lightning to draw a Browning automatic pistol.
“It’s me.”
The black window of the Ford rolled down silently, revealing a dark face in the night that almost merged into the shadows.
The newcomer was none other than Nick Fury!
“Nick?”
Recognizing his former comrade, Frank slowly lowered his weapon, his expression deadpan.
“You never move without a clear target. Why are you showing yourself now?”
“Mount Shu and the Jiuli,” Nick Fury said, eyes narrowing slightly.
“Frank, you know as well as I do that SHIELD’s eyes and ears never miss a breeze.”
“If it’s already under your complete control, why bother coming here to ask me?”
Frank’s face remained cold and hard.
“Nick, save the old interrogation tricks. When it comes to digging up intel, I know the craft better than you do.”
“Fair enough.”
The corner of Nick Fury’s mouth twitched into a faintly mocking smile.
“I came because I want to hear it straight from you—the truth about Mount Shu and the Jiuli, and where those two from Mount Shu are right now.”
“Lu Xiaofeng and Zhuge Qing have already left.”
Frank’s brows furrowed slightly.
“Nick, I advise you to drop it. As strong as SHIELD is, it might not be able to keep a lid on this pool.”
“What do you know?” Nick Fury’s eyes darkened instantly.
“I know plenty, but I’m not planning on telling you,” Frank said flatly.
“If you really want answers, dig through Chinese classics and folklore yourself. The answers are right there.”
Before the words even finished landing, he turned on his heel and walked away, ignoring the shifting expression on the man’s face behind him.
“Frank!”
Nick Fury called out abruptly.
“About your family… I’m sorry. Believe it or not, as soon as I got the news, I dispatched a team, but I was still a step too late.”
Frank paused in his tracks.
After a moment of heavy silence, his voice scraped out, dark and low from deep below: “Blood demands blood. Anyone who had a hand in it won’t walk away.”
With that, he strode off, his solitary, sharp silhouette wrapped in thick intent to kill as he melted into the depths of the night.
Nick Fury stood there for a long time, gazing after the fading figure.
Only after a long while did he pull his gaze back and whisper to the agent beside him, “Drive back to headquarters. And bring Melinda in—I need to ask her something.”
“Director, what’s the mission this time?”
At SHIELD headquarters, a capable-looking black-haired female agent pushed open the office door, standing at attention as she spoke.
“Strictly speaking, it’s not field work,” Nick Fury said, slowly swiveling around in his chair.
“May, you’re Chinese-American. How familiar are you with Chinese mythology?”
“Chinese mythology?”
Melinda appeared slightly confused.
“Director, that covers a massive scope. From the creation of the world to the Investiture of the Gods, down to regional spirits and monsters—there’s no way to summarize it all at once.”
“Mount Shu, and the Jiuli.”
Nick Fury’s eyes turned sharp as blades.
“What do the legends say about those two names?”
“Mount Shu and the Jiuli?”
Melinda repeated them, pausing to think.
“For Mount Shu, my first thought is sword immortals. Legend says they fly through the air on swords and can take a life from a thousand miles away, swift as a swooping swan.”
“As for the Jiuli… my memory is a bit hazy. I only recall an ancient tribe named the Jiuli. Their leader… I think it was Chiyou, who fought a life-and-death battle against the Yellow Emperor.”
“Chiyou?”
A sharp glint flashed in Nick Fury’s eyes as he tapped his fingers twice on the desk.
“May, put aside whatever you’re working on. Find a team of scholars specializing in Chinese mythology and have them immediately compile every record related to the Jiuli and Mount Shu.”
“I want details. I want to know their origins, structure, operational style, and above all, their actual combat capability.”
Melinda froze in surprise.
“But Director… Mount Shu sword immortals and the Jiuli tribe are just stories from ancient books. They aren’t real organizations.”
“You’re wrong.”
Nick Fury’s voice was low and resolute.
“They have very likely existed all along.”
…
[Shock Value from Nick Fury +1245]
[Shock Value from Melinda +786]
Inside the Upper East Side villa, the system notification chimed once more.
Luke Lane sat up with a yawn and glanced at the wall clock.
Tick-tock!
The hands pointed precisely to 3:00 AM.
“That dark boiled egg really is a workaholic—digging through files at three in the morning.”
He rolled his eyes, rubbed his face, and mumbled, “Whatever, time to get up.”
His sleepiness completely dissipated, Luke Lane stretched, got up, and went into the bathroom to splash cold water on his face.
Once fully awake, he strolled over to the living room sofa, sat down, and pulled up the system panel to check his latest earnings.
[Shock Value: 837,463.29]
“As expected, stirring up big trouble is the real way to rack up points.”
Luke Lane perked up, all fatigue gone.
With a wave of his hand, a Shadowkhan Ninja appeared silently, presenting a freshly opened bottle of red wine.
He adjusted his posture, pulled up the system interface, and said in a light tone, “System, open a Bronze Treasure Chest to celebrate.”
The moment the words left his mouth, a beam of white light flashed.
[Item: Ghost Seal]
[Effect: Summons Shadow Soldiers]
[Description: From Grave Robbers’ Chronicles; obtained by Lord Shang of Lu from the belly of a giant python.]
[Note: Shadow soldiers borrowing passage—the living must stand back.]
…
[D-Rank 6-Star Card: Uncle Jackie]
[Skills: Kung Fu, Qi]
[Description: From Jackie Chan Adventures. An archaeologist and combat expert possessing both specialized knowledge and a tough physique.]
[Note: Bad day, bad day!]
…
“Lucky streak today,” Luke Lane chuckled, looking at the drops.
These two items fit seamlessly into his upcoming plans.
“System, open a Silver Treasure Chest next.”
Striking while the iron was hot, he didn’t hesitate.
Another white flash erupted.
[Item: Doll Camera]
[Effect: Curse]
[Description: From Doraemon; a product of future technology. Taking a photo creates a doll; any damage inflicted on the doll is instantly reflected on the original subject.]
[Note: Literal voodoo doll—takes effect immediately.]
…
[C-Rank 9-Star Card: Gecko Moria]
[Ability: Shadow-Shadow Fruit]
[Background: From One Piece. Formerly one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea. In his youth, he harbored grand dreams of sailing the seas, but after his total defeat at the hands of Kaido of the Beasts, one of the Four Emperors, he gave up entirely—relying on others to do everything while refusing to lift a finger.]
[Note: The Devil Fruit talent is top-tier, but the user’s laziness is so pathetic that a high-tier power was dragged down to mid-tier.]
…
“Today really is my lucky day.”
Luke Lane raised an eyebrow, excitedly pulling out the Doll Camera.
Fiddling with it for a moment, he found it more fascinating the more he looked at it.
Finally, he raised the camera, aimed it at a Shadowkhan Ninja, and snapped a picture.