Chapter 28 - The Ten Rings' appearance

Hello, dear readers! Here's chapter 28!

For those of you waiting for the true cultivation elements of this novel, it's coming in a few chapters. Anyway, enjoy the read!

Announcements:

-Don't hesitate to Follow, Review, Favorite, Power stone, share etc. (Depends on the platform you're currently reading on) if you like my different novels. It helps a lot with growing the number of readers.

-If you want to see some illustrations of places, characters, etc. from my novels, go check my Instagram: www.instagram.com/calmwandereroriginal/

-Planetary Tier patrons: 'Angelo Meßmer' for the second month. Thank you very much for your support!

-Free patrons: 'Eduardo Tolentino', 'ya_smerti' and 'Dylanshadow'. You guys are great!

-I've set up a Stripe page, so if you feel like making a one time donation of any amount, don't hesitate to swing by. Thank you in advance! https://buy.stripe.com/4gwdTHfLo2fR2Xu6oo

-If you prefer having something 'tangible' for your donation, you can visit my patre0n page.

My patre0n: patre0n.com/CalmWanderer (11+ advanced chapters available)

Enjoy the read! :)

If you wish to read a similar type of novel, I'm writing an original novel in my own created universe: The Knight's Multiverse. The name of the novel is '[The Knight's Multiverse] - A Knight's Journey: A Cultivator's Journey in a Superhuman's Modern World'.

Synopsis:

After Damian Knight sacrificed himself to save a woman and her daughter, he gets reincarnated in a parallel Earth with three Perks by an unknown Entity. Using those Perks to help himself and his loved ones grow stronger, he will have to deal with many threats on his journey, whether the 'Superheroes' in the light or the Underworld (Crime Syndicate) in the dark. Fortunately, a few key people will help him on his journey, helping him embark on his cultivation's path in this Universe.

'Choices have consequences.'

[If you want to access my novels, click on my name (Calm Wanderer), then on Original Works.]

************************

South Brooklyn, NYC, USA.

Ben's P.O.V.

When the two heard the woman's voice, they simultaneously turned back to see three people coming toward them. Natalia had a cheerful smile on her face, but Ben noticed the relief in her eyes as her gaze fell on him, or more precisely his injuries. Behind her was Flint Marco with what Ben was starting to understand was his usual irritating grin. 

The silver-eyed man did not know him enough to accurately know what 'Sandman' was feeling. Although, from the discreet sigh he let out, he could guess that the man was happy to see them alive, confirming even more for Ben the choice of taking him on the team. The last person was obviously Kate who only had eyes for Cross, eyes that were misty with tears of happiness and relief at seeing him.

To be fair, when Ben turned his gaze slightly toward the green-eyed man, he could see him doing his best to not let his own tears run along his cheeks. Seeing the sight made him reminisce about the time when he just started 'wooing' May, bringing a small smile to his face. He thus lifted his right hand and patted the other man's shoulder while saying.

"Go to her, kid." Cross then briefly gazed toward him before nodding and dashing toward the woman he seemed to have strong feelings for. When the two met, the muscular man embraced her tightly, while also being visibly careful not to hurt her with his high strength. "I'm so glad you're okay..." Ben heard her muttering before the green-eyed man responded softly. "Me too, believe me!" His teasing remark made the two chuckle together before they started whispering sweet nothings to each other.

As the two had their happy reunion, Natalia and Flint reached him, after which the former commented on the couple's actions. "It really makes one envious, uh?" Flint nodded while Ben cocked his eyebrow at her remark, noticing the look in her eyes as she gazed at them. 

Instead of sharing his opinion on that particular subject, he questioned her. "You told me earlier that you got some things from the sniper?" Turning her face back toward him, she replied. "I did. It's meager but better than nothing. The man himself was pretty average. An average-looking face, brown hair, brown eyes, and around 5ft10."

"Did you get a match in the SHIELD's database?" Shaking her head, she replied. "Nothing concrete. But from the surgery marks on the sides of his head, he should have gotten face surgery, so finding him that way would be a waste of time." "Dentals, then?" Nodding her head she stated. "I've sent 28 and 25 to get the body. They'll wait there till some Agents come to get the body and perform an autopsy."

Cocking his eyebrow, Ben asked with some confusion. "What about Rumlow? If the guy is behind it, the body will definitely disappear." Rubbing her face with her left hand, the woman then turned her gaze toward the ocean water before replying. "I know..." Turning her gaze to him, she added. "But I contacted some people I moderately trust in SHIELD to deal with it."

With a curious tone, he questioned. "Moderately?" Giggling briefly at his question, she answered. "The only one I trust completely in SHIELD is Clint and now you. Fury is definitely on our side, but I can't quite trust someone so paranoid and with so much means to apply that paranoia on the world." Scratching his chin absentmindedly, Ben started to imagine what a guy like Fury was capable of with SHIELD behind him and shuddered at the idea.

Refocusing his gaze and mind on the redhead, he replied seriously. "I see your point." With an amused smile brought about by his response, the woman then continued. "The rest of the organization is divided into three categories." Intrigued, the man asked which ones and she responded. "Moderately trustworthy, not trustworthy and enemies." 

"Damn, dude! What the fuck is with your shitty organization? I thought it'd be pretty cool, what with the Boss guy's nice attitude and everything. But it's a fucking shit show." Chuckling at Marco's way of describing the situation, Ben replied. "Shit Show might be a bit too much, but I won't deny that we'll have to be careful from now on."

"No, Boss guy. If I gotta watch my back from friendly fire, then that's what I call a shit show." Shaking his head, the silver-eyed man retorted. "Whether it is or it's not, at least you now know who you can trust and who you can't." Nodding his head, the other man enumerated while extending a finger each time. 

"Boss guy, Strict Lady, Scaly Cross, and Kate." "Why is Kate the only one who gets to be called by her real name?" Ben asked, exasperated. "That's because I ain't found a name for her yet. Those things take time." In a deadpan voice, the silver-eyed man retorted. "As if." Before he waved his hand and stated.

"It doesn't matter in any case. Nat, you were saying something earlier? About the body?" Nodding at his question, the young woman replied. "Right. Besides the non-helpful features, the man had a tattoo on his right wrist." She paused for a second, furrowing her brows before continuing.

"The tattoo was in the form of a golden ring with the Roman numeral ten inside." Unlike the confused look on Marco's face, Ben understood the implication of that particular tattoo, prompting him to have the same reaction as the female agent in front of him. After a brief moment of silence, the silver-eyed man asked.

"Do you think it's really them?" Shrugging her shoulder slightly, she replied. "It's a possibility. We did destroy a few important cells a few years back. That ought to have pissed them off." "But isn't it awfully convenient?" "I thought so as well, but that's the only clue we've got." "Did you get anything else?" Nodding her head, she responded.

"I got his phone before he threw it away. But if it's them, I doubt there'd be anything worthwhile inside." Shaking his head, Parker replied. "You never know. He may have left something for us to follow inside it." Bowing her head briefly in assent, she retorted. "It's worth a shot." "Do you have someone to deal with it?"

A smile of confidence surfaced on her face as she retorted. "I'll do it myself. Unless you forgot, I'm quite good at breaking into things, whether they are electronics or real places." Chuckling at her quip, he joked back. "That's true. And if I remember correctly, you're even better at breaking things."

Rolling her eyes at him, she retorted with an amused smile. "Are you still harping on about that time I broke that car in Syria? I told you many times it was the only way to escape those people following us." Cocking his eyebrow, Ben did not comment on the excuse she used many times in the past, but instead turned his gaze toward Flint, who was having a strange reaction on the side. 

Indeed, the man kept moving his gaze from one to the other with a knowing smile on his face. Narrowing his eyes, the muscular was expecting the worst from the other man, but he was slightly relieved when he only stated. "Oh keep having your mysterious spy conversation. I'll just be here waiting and bored to death."

A discreet wink from him made Ben understand that he had given the young man too much credit. 'It seems that the punch... I mean his personal training needs to be fiercer than I thought, or he won't learn how to behave.' He thought half-amused and half-annoyed at the young man's antics.

"Sorry about that, kid. It's been a while since I've got to work with rookies. I forgot that you need to learn everything from the beginning." As the one considered the best Green Beret Captain in years, the man knew when to recognize his mistakes. Many men in the military, mostly petty officers and up, died or had their men killed because they could not admit the fact that they were wrong.

It was a lesson that was branded into him by his last instructor, the one whom he considered having shaped the soldier he is today. Or, at least, the soldier he was before retiring. In any case, he would not let his annoyance at the young man's unruly attitude be in the way of the smooth running of his new team. He would just teach him thoroughly and with 'practical' examples the fact that annoying his Captain was a bad idea, all the while making him better at close combat. Two birds with one stone.

While chuckling inwardly at the idea, he continued, noting offhandedly the surprised look on the other man's face at his sudden apology. "We were talking about a terrorist organization called the Ten Rings." With a surprised look on his face, Flint asked. "Isn't that the one who kidnapped Iron Man? But I heard he went and shot them all dead."

Nodding his head, Ben said. "That's the one. As for the bases, I don't know. I was retired at that time, so I didn't have any access to that kind of intel. But from what happened in the past, destroying a cell would make ten others pop up somewhere else. Those people are like cockroaches." He then turned toward Natalia who responded to his implied question.

"Stark did destroy many cells with his suit. But from the intel we got since, the organization is far from being done for. I didn't look it up specifically since I haven't had to deal with them recently, but once we get you guys to the safe house, I'll search for any info." Nodding his head, Ben replied. "Thanks." Waving his appreciation away, she retorted.

"Even if it wasn't for you, the people behind that sniper put a target on my back. So, I'm just helping myself." Knowing the woman's stubbornness, Ben knew not to insist on showing his gratitude and instead mentioned a point that the two seemed to have forgotten.

"How do we deal with Marco, Cross, and Kate's situation? Can you get a hold of Fury?" Shaking her head, the redhead replied. "Not yet. I've tried a few times before coming here, but it seems he's still in that meeting. In any case, we'll just bring everyone to your safe house, and by tonight, we'll have a more permanent solution."

"You know SHIELD best." He paused before asking. "Should we leave then?" "Wait! Before that, I'll inject you with something." Cocking his eyebrow, the silver-eyed man replied. "What is it?" With an amused smile at his suspicious tone, the female agent explained herself. 

"It's a healing serum. It works by increasing the body's healing factor." Feeling intrigued, Ben stated. "That sounds powerful! How come you didn't give me one before the mission?" Shrugging her shoulders, she replied. "I would have, but it's still in its testing phase, which means it's very rare. And I've only got one of those. It's actually what I used when we found your injured body a week ago. And since you had not only no visible side-effect but also became a Supe after using it, the doc said you'd be one of the only ones authorized to use it in case of a non-emergency situation. At least for now."

Feeling enlightened after knowing that information, Parker exclaimed. "That makes sense! Since when do we have that kind of technology, though?" After he took off his police jacket, the redhead showed him the item she had in her right hand. It was a kind of pistol with a tube full of red liquid set on the metallic item in the location of what would be a normal handgun's barrel. Only a small part of the tube was visible at the back of the device. 

"I'll inject the serum in your right arm." Waiting for his authorization, she started moving only after he gave her an 'okay' nod. Grabbing his right wrist with her left hand, she stuck the pistol to the bottom of his biceps, where the shape of a vein was visible to the naked eye. Once the device was in place, she pushed the trigger, which inserted the needle in his arm and transferred the serum into his bloodstream.