Chapter 25

As the setting sun descended, Qin Li stepped out of Tony Stark's house. While still at Stark's, Tony had asked if he needed help, but Qin Li had declined. If Tony Stark had already created Mark 2, Qin Li wouldn't have minded his help, but given the current situation, Qin Li preferred to handle things alone. Otherwise, it would be absurd if Tony Stark died not from his snap, but at the hands of the Hand and Association.

Qin Li strolled leisurely through Los Angeles, heading towards his destination when an unfamiliar number called. He immediately answered.

"Father Li, this is Agent Romanoff. Have you arrived yet?" The voice of the Black Widow came through the phone.

"Romanoff? You're the one who took a day off the other day, right?" Qin Li pretended not to recognize her, casually referring to the time she came to see him while he was dealing with Black Egg.

"Yes, Father Li. Thanks for the day off you gave me, though I'm back to work now because of you," Natasha said flirtatiously.

"Alright, next time I'll help you and Director Fury request another day off, how about that?" Qin Li chuckled.

"Thank you, Father Li. But it seems they're cleaning up now. I don't know where they got their intel, but they said a brutal guy took one of their leaders' limbs and even revived him, and now he's mentally unstable," Natasha explained directly.

"Oh, you mean Murakami? He was foolish enough to come to my door asking for death. I had no choice but to fulfill his request. Some people just have strange demands; maybe no one ever indulged him before," Qin Li replied indifferently.

"It seems he wasn't fully dead. He may have revived at another base and provided intel. Did you share your plan with him while he was conscious?" Natasha asked, clearly expecting this outcome, but still seeking confirmation.

"Well, yes, when he was already delirious. We thought he wouldn't be able to say anything, but looks like he was pretending. It's not a big deal. I'm here now, aren't I?" Qin Li said, looking at the factory located on the outskirts of the city.

"Father Li, where are you now?" Natasha's tone turned serious, transitioning into work mode.

"I'm at the entrance of the factory. Any directions?" Qin Li asked.

"No problem. To the left after you enter is an office building. They're transporting goods there. You can deal with them first. The rest are still in the chemical plant, waiting for you as a 'gift.'" Natasha provided succinct instructions.

"Alright, I'll contact you again after I've dealt with the office building," Qin Li said, hanging up. He then retrieved his Shining Divine Will from his inventory and casually placed it behind him. It floated there, and Qin Li walked toward the office building as if strolling through his own backyard.

Before he could get close to the office building, members of the Hand and Association, who were moving materials, spotted him. Instead of warning or trying to dissuade him, they immediately opened fire, aiming at the floor in front of him, hoping to intimidate him into retreating. Qin Li, however, paid no attention to their threats and continued walking forward.

"Kill him! Quickly!" One of the handlers, who had been directing the operations, looked up at the gunfire and shouted heavily.

Qin Li crossed his arms and calmly said, "Holy Light Shield." A wall of light instantly formed, and all the bullets fired by the Hand and Association members hit the shield. They made a series of sharp clinking sounds before falling harmlessly to the ground. Despite the shield's impenetrability, the members didn't seem shocked, quickly reloading and continuing their fire.

"Damn it! Bring out the RPGs, fire a few shots at him!" the white subordinate shouted angrily.

A few men opened a supply box and pulled out three RPGs. They loaded them and fired the missiles, which came crashing toward the light wall like meteors. The deafening explosions raised a cloud of dust.

"Stop firing! Get ready!" the subordinate commander ordered, as the remaining members stopped shooting and began reloading, aiming through the smoke at Qin Li's location.

As the wind blew through the dust, Qin Li stood unharmed behind the light wall. He even shook his head in mockery, smiling.

The subordinate commander, furious, shouted, "Split into three teams! Keep up the fire suppression from the front, while the other two teams flank him!"

Before he could finish his command, Qin Li raised one hand, and another light wall appeared behind the office building. The two light walls seemed to be drawn toward each other.

The commander turned around, realizing what was happening. He shouted, "Retreat! Get away from the light walls..." But his words were cut short when Qin Li clenched his fist, as though grabbing something. The two light walls collided instantly, crushing nearly a third of the Hand and Association members into meat paste.

The remaining members, unfazed, attempted to charge and shoot at Qin Li, but as Qin Li lowered his hand, a force like gravity pulled them toward the point of collision. The moment the walls clashed, a brilliant golden explosion erupted, instantly vaporizing the remaining attackers. When the explosion subsided, half of the office building had vanished.

Qin Li was about to call Natasha to discuss the next steps when she beat him to it.

"Father Li, there was a massive explosion at the office building. Did you cause it?" Natasha asked.

Qin Li looked at the remains of the office building and nodded in satisfaction. "Yes, it got a little noisy. I just hope the 'gifts' they prepared for me haven't run away."

Natasha, crouched on a nearby abandoned building, her black bodysuit outlining her figure, stared at the satellite surveillance of the destroyed office building. When she heard Qin Li's words, she quickly switched to the chemical plant's feed. She saw people setting up machine guns on the rooftop and said to Qin Li, "They're still preparing your 'gift,' Father. I can see 10 M249s, eight RPGs, and about twenty assassins lying in wait outside. I'm not sure what's inside, but it should be something to your liking. Oh, by the way, head back to the main gate and go straight to the chemical plant."

"Sounds good, they're as good as dead," Qin Li sneered, cracking his neck.

"Well, I'll leave you to it, Father. I've got a job from the boss. Bye!" Natasha finished and hung up, then quickly descended the building using the rope she'd prepared.

Qin Li put away his phone and began heading toward the chemical plant.