Chapter 38 – Morning News Frenzy
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The morning air in New York crackled with a nervous energy, television screens flickering in diners, taxis, and convenience stores alike as the latest breaking news blared from every station.
"Last night, the figure known as Jack Hou—now infamous for his brazen territorial takeovers—has once again expanded his control over Hell's Kitchen. In a single night, two of known crime syndicates with their top commanders have fallen, their organizations dismantled in what can only be described as a violent purge. Once more, the mysterious golden barrier has emerged, marking what many now call 'The Golden Peach'—a territory that, despite its bloody origins, has become the safest haven in the city."
The anchor, a well-dressed man with neatly combed hair, shifted slightly in his chair, his expression torn between professional neutrality and personal intrigue.
"Public opinion on Jack Hou remains divided. While many hail him as a necessary force against crime, others question the long-term consequences of his unchecked actions. Some experts worry this might inspire more rogue meta-humans, leading to an increase in unregulated vigilante activity. Others, however, point to the undeniable improvements in the territories he claims. Crime rates have plummeted, businesses thrive, and tourism has spiked in Hell's Kitchen, with many flocking to see the so-called 'Golden Peach' firsthand. But should we be comfortable with a self-proclaimed ruler setting his own laws?"
The scene cuts to a political analyst, a middle-aged woman with glasses adjusting her papers before speaking.
"The issue is accountability. He's no different from the police in terms of enforcing order, but unlike law enforcement, there's no oversight, no rules he follows beyond his own moral compass. If tomorrow he decides he doesn't like a shop owner or a journalist, what stops him from erasing them? Nothing. That's the danger."
A different segment shows a protest outside City Hall.
"Filthy mutant criminality is on the rise! Jack Hou is just the beginning! We need registration, regulation, now!" a man in a suit shouts, holding a sign reading Mutants = Threats.
A counter-protester, a young woman, shouts back, "You're ignoring the real criminals! What about the fact that a human trafficking ring was exposed under our city, and all you people care about is Jack Hou's powers?! Why aren't you angry that this was happening under your noses for years?!"
The news cuts away, leaving the debate unresolved.
Inside the small but rapidly growing office of The Daily Bugle Online, the camera feed flickered to life. The bold red LIVE sign flashed at the corner of the screen as the one and only J. Jonah Jameson leaned forward onto his desk, hands clasped together, brows furrowed in barely restrained frustration.
"Alright, folks, let's get one thing straight—this city's gone insane. Absolutely, certifiably, insane."
He slams his fist against the desk, rattling the coffee cup next to his microphone.
"A week ago, we had crime bosses running the streets like they owned them. Now? Now, we've got some golden-eyed lunatic declaring himself king of Hell's Kitchen like it's his birthright! And people—PEOPLE—are just letting it happen!"
He throws his hands up in exasperation.
"I mean, don't get me wrong, I hate Wilson Fisk as much as the next guy. The man's as crooked as a politician at a casino, with a casing of an angel to the public, and I'm not scared saying that. But at least we knew what kind of criminal he was! Now, we've got some mystical kung-fu monk waltzing in, making entire crime syndicates disappear overnight, and we're just supposed to trust that this is fine?!"
He points directly at the camera.
"Let me remind you people—this Jack Hou, this so-called 'Golden Peach Guardian,' he doesn't have a badge. He doesn't have a department holding him accountable. He doesn't have a city council, a superior officer, nothing. He answers to no one but himself. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is the biggest problem of all!"
Jameson leans back slightly, rubbing his temples before continuing, voice calmer but no less intense.
"Now, I know what some of you are gonna say. 'Oh, but Jameson, crime rates have dropped! The streets are safer! Hell's Kitchen hasn't been this peaceful in years!' Yeah? Well, you know what else was peaceful? Soviet Russia! North Korea! Dictatorships all over the world! You give one man too much power, and you tell me where it ends. You tell me what happens when Jack Hou decides that someone innocent doesn't belong in his little empire! Who stops him? Who calls him out? Nobody! That's the problem, folks!"
Jameson slaps the desk again for emphasis.
"You want me to support him? You want me to say he's a hero? Fine! He can prove it! Let's see him step out of the shadows! Let's see him show his face, tell us his background, let us hold him to the same standards as everyone else. You know who did that? Iron Man! Tony Stark walked up to a podium and said, 'I am Iron Man.' You know what that means? That means if Iron Man screws up, we know who to blame!
But Jack Hou? He's a ghost! A mystery! And I don't trust ghosts running around my city! Until the day he steps forward, tells us who he is, where he came from, and why he should have this much power—he's a meta menace!"
The Bugle's signature logo flashed across the screen as Jameson pointed one final time.
"Mark my words, folks, unchecked power never ends well. You might be clapping for him now, but one day, you're gonna wish we asked these questions sooner."
And with that, the broadcast ended.
…
The chaos Jack Hou unleashed onto New York wasn't just on the streets—it had now fully infected the internet. It didn't matter which platform people used; the digital world was ablaze with opinions, arguments, conspiracy theories, and the inevitable wave of memes.
A Facebook user posted a series of photos on with the caption:
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Kevin Martinez:
"Okay, I know we're all supposed to be scared of this Jack Hou guy, but hear me out—his territory is the cleanest and safest place I've been in New York. I took my little sister to a restaurant there last night, and tell me why the owner just straight up left the register open while serving us???"
100K Likes | 350 Comments
Comments:
- Samantha L.: "Wait, is this real? People leaving their cash unattended in Hell's Kitchen???"
- John R.: "I was there last weekend and saw a dude drop his wallet. Before he could even bend down, one of those creepy clones picked it up, dusted it off, and handed it back. I don't know if I should be impressed or scared."
- Mike T.: "So what I'm hearing is... we all moving to the Golden Peach?"
- Tina K.: "Bro just made a whole crime-free zone like it's a Sims City."
- Melissa D.: "I get it, Jack Hou is handling crime in his own way, but this is still terrifying. Who's in charge if something goes wrong? What if he changes his mind?"
- Isaiah J.: "Exactly. Just because he's doing good now doesn't mean he'll always be good. Absolute power corrupts absolutely."
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The post became a battleground, torn between people amazed at the Golden Peach's transformation and those deeply unsettled by the idea of one man controlling an entire piece of the city with no oversight.
Over on Twitter, things were predictably even more chaotic. The hashtag #GoldenPeach and #JackHou were both trending, along with a third unexpected tag—#JJJWasRight.
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@realNYCWatchdog:
"J. Jonah Jameson was spitting FACTS. Y'all celebrating this dude like he's Batman, but Batman doesn't OWN Gotham. Jack Hou literally claimed Hell's Kitchen like it's a kingdom. #MetaMenace"
@GoldenPeachStan:
"Y'all really defending Kingpin and corrupt cops just to hate on a guy who made New York SAFER? Crazy. #JackHou #GoldenPeach"
@DebateBro9000:
"Okay but WHY is this conversation now about healthcare??? I just saw someone try to connect Jack Hou to the price of insulin. WHAT IS HAPPENING?"
@ActualMetaX:
"Meta-humans don't owe you an explanation. Y'all mad that a powered individual finally took control instead of being hunted like animals. #GoldenPeach #MutantPride"
@CaptainObvious:
"So we're just NOT gonna talk about how Kingpin was running human trafficking rings and the media ignored it, but the second Jack Hou stops it, he's the problem???"
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And, of course, some random debate about Jack somehow led to an entirely unrelated discussion about cats vs. dogs, whether pineapple belongs on pizza, and the ethics of using staff properly because it's Twitter.
Meanwhile, on Reddit, several communities had already turned Jack Hou into an urban legend in real-time. In r/UnresolvedMysteries, someone posted:
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r/UnresolvedMysteries
Posted by ConspiracyLurker420
Who TF is Jack Hou? NO Background, NO Birth Records, NO Social Security Number??
"So I work in city records, and I was curious about this Jack Hou guy. Went digging. NOTHING. No birth certificate, no social security, no past addresses. It's like he didn't exist before this year. Either we got a real meta-human who wiped his past, or some deep-state experiment gone rogue. Thoughts?"
u/GovtSleeper:
"Y'all ever think he's a time traveler? Man dresses like he walked straight out of some ancient fantasy novel. What if he's from the past or the FUTURE?"
u/FiskFangirl:
"Y'all need to chill. Wilson Fisk was doing MORE for this city than this Jack freak ever could. If you were ACTUALLY from New York, you'd understand that Fisk kept order."
u/GoldenPeachProphet (account suspended):
"I don't care if he's an alien, a god, or a ghost. This is the most entertaining thing to happen to New York since we got a flying metal suit billionaire."
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Back in his newly acquired home, Jack lounged lazily on his silk bed, scrolling through the digital chaos, munching on some chips he stole from his own kitchen. A clone stood next to him, reading tweets out loud.
"Boss, we got some guy saying you're a time traveler."
Jack snorted. "Oh yeah? Damn, they caught me. I totally went back in time just to buy a silk hanfu and whoop Wilson Fisk's ass."
The clone continued, "Some dude on Reddit thinks you were made in a lab."
Jack took another bite, nodding. "Honestly? Not even mad at that theory. I'd be flattered if I was a government science experiment. Makes me sound way cooler."
Another clone chimed in. "JJJ called you a Meta Menace now."
Jack grinned, stretching his arms behind his head. "Man's got balls. Gotta respect it. But if he wants me to do an Iron Man-style press conference and go, 'I am Jack Hou'—he can wait his turn."
He tossed his phone aside, laughing to himself.
"I got a whole city to play with first."
**A/N**
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