CHAPTER 23

C23 : Mourning for the Famous Philanthropist Mr. Kingpin

"Let's invite renowned entrepreneurs, philanthropists, members of the New York City Council, and mayoral candidates…"

——Speech by Wilson Grant Fisk.

A middle-aged man in a high-end, custom-made suit, broad-shouldered and powerfully built, made his way to the stage with a steady, confident stride.

His imposing frame seemed as dangerous as a beast, but the smile on his face was as warm as a spring breeze.

"I speak on behalf of the citizens who love this city deeply.

Whenever I see the chaos in Hell's Kitchen and the suffering of the people living in it, my heart breaks.

I swear, I will rebuild it.

It is our duty to restore the glory of New York!"

Russell had no intention of killing Kingpin anymore.

Not because his speech was stirring or moving, but because Kingpin was simply too dark.

From Russell's perspective, Kingpin's soul was a bottomless abyss, exuding a constant, suffocating aura of sin.

The evil embedded in his soul was like nothing Russell had encountered before.

Even the Kingpin from Earth-1610 seemed insignificant in comparison.

A conservative estimate would place his evil at over 443 attribute points.

For context, an average mafia leader typically falls between 5 and 20 points.

"This is your final chance, Mr. Fisk," Russell thought.

With a quiet sigh, Russell activated the Time Stone.

Kingpin's past unfolded before him.

He had murdered his father as a child, joined the mafia, and later ascended to gang leadership, committing countless murders, arson, and even orchestrating his wife's death.

It would be better to kill him outright than to absorb his energy, as Russell's panel was still being upgraded and couldn't filter out such immense negativity without affecting his mood.

Having made up his mind, Russell acted swiftly.

Invisible energy penetrated Kingpin's mind, silently tearing into the critical arteries in his brain.

Kingpin staggered in pain, his massive form collapsing to the floor.

"Mr. Fisk!"

"Mr. Fisk, what happened?"

"Call an ambulance!"

Panic spread throughout the crowd as Russell quietly exited the scene.

Next, Russell would meet Mark Murdock.

In this particular universe, Russell was a client of the lawyer Mark Murdock, and a comrade of Daredevil.

Mark had helped Russell acquire his certification before the panel's first upgrade.

Spending nights in Hell's Kitchen was now a regular routine for Russell, during which he had aided Daredevil multiple times.

"Mark Murdock, I hope you're a lawyer, not a mob boss," Russell mused.

Despite being from different universes, Russell was not inclined to kill Mark if he could help it.

Russell waved down a taxi.

"Take me to Nelson Murdock."

"Nelson Murdock? Never heard of him. Can you give me a better address?" the driver replied.

Russell's heart sank, but he handed the driver a generous tip.

"No need to take me anywhere."

He switched taxis a few more times, receiving the same response each time.

If the firm existed, Mark would still be a lawyer and not a mafia boss. But that didn't necessarily mean Mark wasn't involved in criminal enterprises.

Still, Russell sighed and gave up on the search for the time being.

He took a moment to calm himself, focusing on the sounds of New York City.

"Murdoch! There's something suspicious about Kingpin's death. The killer might still be on the scene. Why did you let them go?" Russell heard someone shout.

Is Daredevil part of Kingpin's operation?

Russell sighed deeply.

"Mark, you wouldn't blame me if I killed one of your variants, would you?"

"Did you kill the boss?" A bodyguard, dressed in black and looking like a Kingpin loyalist, emerged from the crowd, accusing Mark Murdock.

"Bang!"

The sound of gunfire filled the air.

"No matter how high your status, you don't point at Mr. Murdock!"

In a flash, Kingpin's former subordinates split into three factions: one backing Mark Murdock, another opposing him, and the third standing neutral.

"Bang!"

From twenty blocks away, Russell fired a shot, an invisible force condensing into solid form, passing through a portal and striking Mark's forehead.

Mark Murdock collapsed.

Gunfire erupted again.

Once the chaos subsided, Russell casually brushed off his clothes and left, disappearing into the night.

Dinner time awaited.

As for the Spider Silk Organization, Russell wasn't interested in investigating it directly. Like the vampire situation, he left it to Gwen.

Once it was uncovered, Russell would make the final call.

With a golden flash, Russell appeared in the living room of Gwen's house.

"Good evening, George."

"Good evening, Gwen."

"Good evening, Russell," Gwen and George greeted in unison.

Gwen had become accustomed to Russell's frequent visits. Ever since he'd learned the portal spell the day before, it seemed he couldn't stop traveling through portals everywhere.

During dinner, Russell noticed George seemed to be glancing at him oddly, much like Helen from Earth-404.

"Gwen, are you still planning to go out tonight?" George suddenly asked.

The previous night, when Gwen had explained her whereabouts, she had also confided in her father about her secret identity as Spider-Man.

"Yes," Gwen nodded.

"Dad, you said Spider-Man can help more people," Gwen reminded him.

George frowned. "I did say that, but right now, Spider-Man is seen as a criminal."

"Dad, I've explained it. I didn't kill Peter. He died because of the side effects of the lizard serum," Gwen responded, her tone tense. It was hard for her to accept that those closest to her didn't believe her.

"I believe you, Gwen," George reassured her.

"The police need evidence, but you don't want me to reinvestigate."

"I don't want anyone to know that the monster was Peter," Gwen whispered, caught between honoring her friend's memory and the truth of Spider-Man's innocence.

"There's a spell that can make everyone forget Spider-Man 'killed' Peter Parker," Russell interjected.

"But there's one issue—the file can't be deleted."

George thought for a moment. "As long as no one remembers, I can close the case and seal the file."

Gwen looked at both of them, her gratitude evident. "Thank you, Russell. Thank you, George."

George turned to Russell. "Should we do this now?"

Russell checked the time and shook his head. "Tomorrow. It's nearly four in the morning in Nepal. Gu Yi is still asleep."

Gwen's eyes pleaded. She wanted to act now.

George hesitated but eventually nodded. "Alright, just tonight. Nothing will happen."

Gwen cheered and dashed to her room, changing out of her school uniform and into her Spider-Man suit.

New York's friendly neighborhood Ghost Spider was back tonight!

Russell chuckled. "She's still just a kid."

Suddenly, Russell decided to add some mischief into the mix.

He turned to George and used his newly acquired telepathic ability:

"Gwen, I have a task for you. Investigate the Spider Silk Organization."