Hell’s Kitchen, The Site.
Late night at the apartment building was far from peaceful.
Though the dilapidated six-story red brick structure looked dead and ready to collapse from the outside, a startling metamorphosis was occurring deep underground.
“System, initiate the underground expansion project.” As Levi paid the 800 Containment Points, the apartment’s underground structure began to reorganize under the influence of spatial folding technology.
The once-narrow basement walls stretched outward as solid rock was silently annihilated by an invisible force field, replaced by high-strength silver-white alloy walls.
*Rumble—* [Underground Containment Zone (Level B1) expansion complete.] [New Additions: Standard Humanoid Containment Cells × 5.] [New Additions: Specialized Elemental Containment Cell (Fire) × 1.] [New Additions: Intermediate Energy Core Reactor (Inactive).] [New Additions: D-Class Personnel Quarters and Security Center.] Levi stood on the brand-new Level B2 platform, looking at the sci-fi metallic corridors.
He nodded in satisfaction.
The space here was three times larger than the apartment building above ground, fully utilizing spatial folding technology; there was no need to worry about digging into the neighbor’s sewer or a subway line.
At the end of the corridor, the specialized Fire Elemental Containment Cell emitted a faint red glow.
Through the thick blast-proof glass, the Burning Man could be seen suspended in the center of a magnetic field, looking like a decorative lamp that would never go out.
“Connect the heat energy it generates to the energy core.” Levi issued the command.
*Hummm—* Following a low hum, the previously dim lights of the base instantly became bright and stable.
The Burning Man’s angry roars were sealed within the force field, while the terrifying thermal energy it released was converted into clean electricity, piped continuously to every corner of the base.
“Waste utilization—perfect,” Levi said, clapping his hands.
“We’ve just saved a fortune on the base’s future electric bills.” Ada Wong stood to the side with her arms crossed.
Seeing her boss’s “frugal housekeeper” expression, the corner of her mouth twitched slightly.
“Sir, while we have energy and containment facilities, I must remind you of one thing.” Ada Wong pulled out a tablet and brought up a list.
“D-Class personnel are still human.
They need to eat, they need water, and they need life necessities.
Furthermore, a portion of our ammunition has been depleted—especially that gel, which is a consumable.
Also, while this apartment building serves as our cover, it still has utility bills, property taxes, and various maintenance costs…” Ada Wong paused, pointing out the cold reality.
“We are out of money.
To be precise, your bank account balance is currently 12 dollars and 50 cents.” Levi’s high spirits instantly froze on his face.
He, the Supreme Administrator of the Foundation, wielder of black technology and suppressor of anomalies, actually had to worry about a few hundred dollars for food?
“Cough…
that is indeed a problem.” Levi rubbed his nose awkwardly.
Though the system shop had everything, it only accepted Containment Points.
Using precious points to buy US dollars or burgers?
That would be a criminal waste.
“It seems I’ll have to find a way to get some funding,” Levi’s gaze turned pensive.
“In this world, there are many ways to make money, especially for people like us.” *** Meanwhile, at SHIELD Headquarters, the Triskelion.
The atmosphere here was a hundred times more somber than at the Foundation’s site.
In the briefing room, Nick Fury sat at the head of the table, flanked by Hill, Phil Coulson, and Rumlow, who had just finished receiving medical treatment.
The main screen was looping footage captured by Rumlow’s bodycam.
The image froze at the moment Ada Wong raised her hand to release the oxygen stripping field.
“What is the principle behind this?” Fury pointed at the screen.
“No projectiles, no obvious sign of equipment activation.
Just a hand gesture, and thirty meters of oxygen is stripped away in an instant?” “Has the Tech Division analyzed it yet?” “They have, Director,” Agent Hill reported with a grim expression.
“They say it’s not just stripping air away; it’s more like a molecular-level shielding that prevents oxygen from interacting with the human body.
This involves force field manipulation and micro-physics.
Our scientists say…
this is at least fifty years ahead of current technology.” “Fifty years…” Fury’s lone eye twitched.
“And then there’s that blue gel,” Phil Coulson added.
“We collected some samples.
Once it hardens, its melting point exceeds 5,000 degrees Celsius.
It’s incredibly light and can even absorb kinetic energy.
If used for body armor, it would be ten times better than our current Kevlar.” “Where did these people come from?” Rumlow gritted his teeth, clutching his chest.
“They call themselves the Foundation and claim to be containing anomalies.
That arrogant attitude…
Director, they didn’t respect SHIELD’s authority at all.” “They have the capital to be arrogant,” Fury said coldly.
“Possessing this level of technology yet remaining completely unknown until recently suggests they have massive ambitions.
The man in the trench coat—have we identified him?” “We have.” Phil Coulson pulled up a file—Levi’s identity information in this world.
“Levi, 22 years old, Chinese-American orphan.
Parents were ordinary small business owners who died in a car accident six months ago.
He inherited a derelict apartment building in Hell’s Kitchen.
No criminal record, no evidence of intelligence training.
In fact…
just two days ago, he nearly had his power cut off because he couldn’t pay his electric bill.” Looking at this unremarkable, almost pathetic file, the briefing room fell into a deathly silence.
“You’re telling me that this kid who can’t even pay his electric bill is the leader of a mysterious organization that commands black-ops tech units and suppresses fire monsters on a whim?” Fury slammed the file onto the table.
“Phil, was your intelligence system hacked?” “I wish it were,” Phil Coulson said with a bitter smile.
“But these are the facts.
Unless…
the real Levi died long ago, and this person is an impostor.” “Or, it’s just a disguise.” Fury took a deep breath, a look of resolve flashing in his eye.
“They took that burning man.
That means they have a weapon of mass destruction in their hands.
We cannot sit idly by.
Where is Natasha?” “She just finished a mission in Russia and is on her way back to HQ,” Hill answered.
“Tell her not to come back.” Fury looked at the photo of the Hell’s Kitchen apartment on the screen.
“Have her make contact with this Levi.
I want to know exactly what is hidden in that building.
Remember, this is an infiltration and a probe.
Do not initiate a direct conflict.
If the other side truly possesses that oxygen stripping technology…
a head-on clash will only result in heavy losses for us.” “Yes, Director.” *** The next morning, Hell’s Kitchen.
As the first light of dawn pierced the smog and hit the Site’s exterior walls, Levi sat in the first-floor lobby, staring miserably at the bills in his hand.
“Boss, what about breakfast for the D-Class?
I already told them to check the nearby dumpsters for expired bread, but that’s not a long-term solution.” Though Ada Wong spoke of their misery, she was leaning elegantly against a doorframe, holding a glass of high-end red wine she had acquired from somewhere.
“Don’t worry.
There will be bread, and there will be milk,” Levi said, rubbing his temples.
Just then, the noisy sound of engines and shouting drifted in from outside.
“Listen up, you paupers inside!
Boss Kingpin’s patience is limited!” *Crash!* The apartment’s flimsy glass door was shattered by a baseball bat.
Seven or eight tattooed gang members, armed with guns and clubs, stormed in aggressively.
The leader was a burly bald man with a gold chain around his neck.
“Levi!
You didn’t get beaten to death the day before yesterday, huh?” The bald man kicked over a chair and sneered.
“If you don’t cough up the protection money today, this building belongs to us!
And you’re going into the Hudson River to feed the fish!” Looking at the uninvited guests, Levi was stunned for a moment.
Then, his eyes lit up.
It was the look of a hungry wolf spotting a flock of fat sheep.
“Ada.” Levi stood up slowly and straightened his collar.
“It seems our startup capital has delivered itself right to our door.”