The Unlikely Alliance
Coulson suddenly groaned, "Director... We found out that Li Feng's wife's father, the richest man in Massa, has been restless in recent years, and maybe we can start with him..."
"You mean, knock the richest man in Massa City and make Li Feng bend to our will?" Nick Fury squinted, his voice deep and calculated. "This might work for the time being. Arrange for someone to keep an eye on Li Feng, prevent him from causing any trouble, and leave the rest to me."
"Yes," Coulson replied.
***
S.H.I.E.L.D. Headquarters.
Nick Fury stared at Li Feng's photo with a hawk-like gaze as he pointed at surveillance videos with his fingers. In the video, Li Feng's lips curled into a smile as he swiftly approached a gangster, using his bare hands to crush the man's skull. The scene froze as Li Feng raised his hand, manipulating the air to eliminate a mutant encased in ice.
"This level of lethality rivals that of Captain America," Fury muttered, his eyes filled with astonishment.
Fury wasn't particularly concerned about Li Feng's stoic personality. What piqued his interest was Li Feng's extraordinary abilities. These abilities mirrored those of Captain America during his early days.
If they couldn't bring Li Feng into S.H.I.E.L.D., there might be more uncontrollable elements in the future.
Nick Fury didn't hesitate any longer. He turned to his assistant and said, "Retrieve the personal information and phone number of the richest man in Massa City. I need to speak with him, and the call must remain confidential."
"Of course," the assistant replied.
Ten seconds later, the call was connected.
A calm voice answered from the other end, "This is my personal phone. Who are you?"
"My name is Nick Fury. I'm the director of the National Security Investigation Agency. Your son-in-law, Li Feng, is currently under our scrutiny. Listen carefully to what I have to say next." Nick Fury wasted no time and continued, "We know that you've engaged in 36 cases of bribery of officials, 25 instances of commercial false accusations, and 65 incidents of unfair market practices. Your company also has a business unit involved in money laundering. We know everything about you, including your mistress's affairs and her liaisons with wealthy individuals."
There was silence on the other end of the phone for a long moment before a resigned voice responded, "What do you want me to do?"
"It's simple," Nick Fury said with a sly smile. "I want you to make Li Feng's life difficult. Ruin his box office, disrupt his film shoots—anything that will make him want to quit making movies."
The voice on the other end of the line sounded incredulous, "Is it really that simple?"
"Of course, it can be more complicated." Nick Fury chuckled. "But I also want you to persuade your daughter to leave Li Feng."
"I don't have the authority to make decisions, and my daughter doesn't listen to me."
"Then do as I say."
Nick Fury ended the call without further ado.
The situation had been simpler than expected, with the richest man in Massa City showing no signs of resistance. It wasn't surprising, considering S.H.I.E.L.D.'s authority in the region. Even the President's personal security fell under their jurisdiction. What could a mere millionaire from Massa City do?
While the White Queen's father held significant influence locally and could be considered a formidable figure in Massa City, he still paled in comparison to S.H.I.E.L.D.'s power.
Nick Fury's direct and audacious approach was effective because of this power dynamic.
Meanwhile, Li Feng sat in his seat at the premiere, sipping wine, and reflected on his conversation with Coulson earlier. His resolute stance was primarily a result of his desire to protect his peaceful life from being disrupted by S.H.I.E.L.D. If they attempted to force their way into his life, he wouldn't hesitate to eliminate any threats.
He pondered the videos Coulson had shown him earlier. The resurgence of the Marvel universe marked a harbinger of impending disasters for the entire planet. In turbulent times, heroes would emerge, but Li Feng wasn't interested in being a hero who saved the world. Instead...
Li Feng's lips curled into a knowing smile. In the future, he planned to recreate significant events from the Marvel world by making movies. If he succeeded, his value would skyrocket, and he could lead a carefree life with his wife.
His films would make him renowned worldwide, and the profits would be immeasurable. He might even establish a "Marvel Cinematic Universe" within the Marvel world.
With this plan in mind, Li Feng took out his phone and called Feynman, the financial expert on his directorial team.
Feynman had been with Li Feng since the filming of "The Expendables" 123 and was known for his financial acumen.
"Hey, old man, I have something for you to handle. Is it convenient?" Li Feng asked.
"Of course, boss. What do you need?" Feynman replied.
"I'm planning to establish a new studio called Marvel Studios," Li Feng explained.
"Marvel is quite a unique name. How much investment are we talking about?" Feynman inquired.
"Use all the funds in the account. After the release of 'Die Hard,' merge all the personnel from the studio into the new company," Li Feng instructed.
Feynman was intrigued but asked, "Boss, what's the purpose of all this?"
"You'll understand soon," Li Feng replied before ending the call.
Back in Massa City, in an underground boxing ring, a fierce match with odds of 1:5 was underway. However, the audience consisted of only one person occupying the largest seat.
He was a slender, blond man dressed in a black bodysuit, and the scent of cigars clung to him. His eyes greedily followed the brutal contest in the ring as he cheered for the fighters.
This man was the new underground ruler of Massa City and the organizer of the underground fighting arena. With his rise to power, Massa City had undergone a dramatic transformation, leaving the old underground emperor's reign far behind.