Chapter 22: Press Conference

Chapter 22: Press Conference

The gray-and-white combat suit of Taskmaster gleamed coldly under the lights.

Through the narrow gap in his helmet, a piercing gaze fixed directly on Kingpin's fake-smiling face.

"I've heard plenty about the bloodbath in New York. But let's make this clear—no matter how much you've lost, I expect every cent of my payment."

He spoke bluntly.

Fellow mercenary Batroc gave a whistle, clearly in agreement.

"Now that's the kind of talk I like to hear. We're risking our necks out here—don't tell me all we're getting is a 'next time, for sure'?"

Batroc leaned casually against the ornate, gilded conference table, his combat boots tapping rhythmically on the floor.

He looked like a street vendor haggling over prices—

Except what he sold was bullets and death.

They had come here for money. Naturally, they had to negotiate payment before going to work.

By contrast,

The wild and primal Kraven remained silent, like a statue of a beast.

He quietly fiddled with a thumb-sized animal fang, polishing it like a piece of prized jade.

While the others talked about money,

He simply smiled without a sound, showing he didn't care for cash.

Kraven had only one goal: to hunt Jiang Feng, the man who had become a terrifying legend.

The hunter knew full well—

That killer was no ordinary human, but a rare and worthy prey.

Just imagining him struggling in a trap was more thrilling than gold itself.

Even without Kingpin's bounty, Kraven would have come.

Of course,

If he could enjoy the hunt and walk away with a hefty reward,

Kraven certainly wouldn't refuse.

Kingpin leaned forward, his huge frame stretching the fabric of his white suit so tight it looked ready to burst—like a giant marshmallow on the verge of popping.

"Don't worry, everyone! The payment this time is coming from me, Tombstone, and Madame Gao. Rest assured, it'll be more than enough."

His thick eyelids narrowed slightly. Beside him, Tombstone and Madame Gao gave small nods.

"In that case, pay the deposit first."

Taskmaster's reply was short and sharp, revealing his deep wariness of the three underworld leaders.

He was no fool.

These three had all climbed over mountains of corpses to get where they were.

These cannibalistic types were known to devour their own allies.

When dealing with them, you had to guard against betrayal at all times.

Who knew—

The moment the job was done, Kingpin might try to burn the bridge and refuse to pay, or worse, kill them to avoid the bill.

In response,

Kingpin's smile grew even wider—like a Halloween jack-o'-lantern.

"Mr. Masters wants a deposit? No problem. We'll pay each of you one million USD up front. Once the job's done, the remaining nine million will follow."

"With your help, Hell's Kitchen will be that bastard's grave tonight!"

With that,

Kingpin pulled out his phone and swiftly completed the transaction.

The cold, hard cash landed in their accounts.

Taskmaster finally felt reassured and gave a slight nod toward the three crime bosses.

"With the five of them plus Bullseye and our crew, the target won't stand a chance."

Staring at the five powerful figures,

Kingpin's grin grew even more intense.

With a team of elite villains working together,

Plus Tombstone's men fully armed and ready,

And The Hand sending their elite ninjas to assist—

Tonight,

Hell's Kitchen would be turned into a deadly trap.

Not only that damn killer,

But also annoyances like the Punisher and Daredevil—

Could all be wiped out in one fell swoop.

Taskmaster's fearsome reputation brought Kingpin a great sense of confidence.

He could hardly wait—

To see what kind of spectacular show the legendary Taskmaster would put on.

Hammer Tower, Research Laboratory

For once, Jiang Feng's usually empty workshop had company.

"Not bad, Jiang. You're moving even faster than I expected."

Hammer swaggered in, heels clicking on the floor in gold-trimmed leather shoes, trailed by the thick scent of Cuban cigars.

This hedonistic playboy, normally buried in golf, yachts, and casinos,

Had—for once—put his indulgent lifestyle on hold.

Instead of partying,

He had come in person to oversee the work.

Why?

Because something big was about to happen in New York.

Bigger than the killing spree Jiang Feng had orchestrated.

"Building a suit of Iron Armor isn't hard for me.

If you'd provide more funding, I could go even faster—definitely in time for the Expo."

Jiang Feng feigned effort, laying out a half-completed suit of Iron Armor.

A new helmet had been added, making it appear more complete. Hammer personally tested its power.

Even though it was cobbled together carelessly,

The armor still performed excellently.

Hammer delighted in the firepower, destroying a line of metal dummies on the test range.

He was quite satisfied and gave high praise.

"More funding, huh… If you really can finish it before the Expo, that might be worth it."

Hammer's tone was a bit hesitant,

But his eyes never left the screen beside the workbench.

On it,

A world-shaking event was being streamed live.

That very night,

Tony Stark was holding a press conference,

Announcing the return of the Stark Expo with his own voice.

This was a tech event at the pinnacle of innovation—

And the explosive news caused waves of global reaction.

Journalists from everywhere, like sharks smelling blood,

Swarmed the venue with cameras and recorders in hand.

On-screen,

Tony descended from the sky in his Iron Man armor,

Striking a dramatic pose to thunderous applause.

Every movement radiated the dual charisma of a genius inventor and a superhero.

Yet no one could have guessed—

That this man was slowly dying.

Military forces, Oscorp, Roxxon Energy Group—

All were affected by the announcement.

Even hidden forces like S.H.I.E.L.D. and Hydra couldn't help but shift their attention to the livestream.

Watching the face he had only ever seen on screen,

Jiang Feng thought to himself:

"The plot is finally underway.

Next up: the trial… and the race in Monaco.

Just waiting for Whiplash to make his move."

Meanwhile, Linglong was infiltrating the military's database.

Jiang Feng knew Tony must have research on the Arc Reactor,

But with JARVIS in play,

He didn't want Linglong clashing directly with the local AI just yet.

So if he wanted to build his own power source,

Jiang Feng had to turn his sights on Whiplash.

"Tch! Go ahead, enjoy your night in the spotlight—

Tomorrow, you'll get what's coming to you!"

Hammer sneered at Tony on the screen,

His voice dripping with jealousy like a kid who just had his favorite toy stolen.

Tony stood triumphant, speaking eloquently to the crowd.

He had no idea what was coming.

He didn't know

That a carefully orchestrated trial was scheduled for the next day,

Aimed squarely at him.

Tony's suspicions had been correct all along.

Shutting down the weapons division had indeed angered the military.

His invincible Iron Armor had made them drool with envy.

So, to seize the technology that could reshape the world,

The military had decided to put Tony on trial—

Using the law as a weapon, hoping to force him to hand over his core tech.

Hammer Industries

Had already been chosen as their new partner.

Despite Hammer's carefree, incompetent persona—

In truth, he had been quietly preparing for this.

Sure, he had no real talent for tech,

Not even close to Tony Stark.

But when it came to reading the political winds,

Hammer was a master.

Recently,

He hadn't just been partying alone—

He'd been wining and dining with senators and generals, forming bonds over champagne and cigars.

Now,

Hammer had not only secured a spot on the military's VIP list,

But would also appear at the trial as a weapons expert—

A key piece in the military's grand scheme.