Jianghu Matters Are Settled in Jianghu

The next day.

A new grave has appeared on the hill behind the X Academy.

There was no tombstone, only a sharpened wooden plaque stuck on the grave, with no words written on it.

The funeral was simple, and only a few people attended.

Professor X, Beast, Storm, Geggebu, and Bailey, a trio who were quite frightened by the turn of events.

For the Wasteland Deadpool out of his red and black bodysuit and into a black suit that he'd somehow gotten his hands on, with the sleeves a bit too short.

His face still looked like an avocado that had been run over by a car, but at least he didn't make a terrible blunder by telling a hellish joke in this situation.

Sing Sing stood in front of the grave and slowly took off his black felt hat.

He took out cigarettes from his pocket, placed one on the grave, and lit one for himself.

"You worthless scoundrel, greedy, lecherous, and cowardly as a mouse, you've never done anything decent in your life. Your only redeeming quality is that you can run fast. You're a complete scoundrel, embodying all the vices."

Sing Sing's voice was calm, devoid of sadness. "What a pity, he couldn't escape this time."

He threw the cigarette butt on the ground and crushed it out.

"Rest in peace. I'll have the Silver Peak Consortium burn your compensation money for you, with interest."

Sing Sing took a few steps back to Professor X's side. "Professor, do you remember that Mutants named Tunsley Tate?"

Professor X shook his head. "No. I have no memory of this person. Perhaps they are a newly awakened ability user."

This Vanisher is clearly not a wild Mutants.

Really.

A flash of malice crossed Sing Sing's eyes.

He guessed that this guy was most likely a pawn secretly cultivated by the Silver Peak Consortium, a ghost specifically used to carry out this kind of dirty work.

Arriving at a dead tree, Sing Sing took out his phone, and the call was answered after three rings.

"Director Wang, I messed it up." Old Zhou said calmly, turning to look at Slug's grave. "During the operation, the informant Slug was killed, and the witness Mark Mueller was rescued."

He neither shirked responsibility nor explained the process.

A mistake is a mistake.

There was a few seconds of silence on the other end of the phone.

Director Wang didn't get angry or scold, "The compensation for those who died in the line of duty will be three times the highest standard. Does he have any family members left?"

No... he's an orphan.

The Slug's lewd face flashed through his mind.

"Then keep the money and establish a fund for accidental injury and compensation for non-permanent staff. Anton will handle this," Director Wang continued. "As for your side..."

"This is no longer a simple business dispute between Silver Peak and us. I need funding, and... authorization," Sing Sing said directly.

"There's no upper limit to expenses; you'll be reimbursed for actual costs. I'll have Xiao Liu handle the invoices for you later."

Director Wang lowered his voice slightly, but it carried an air of authority.

"As for authorization... I haven't given you any authorization, and I know nothing about it. Agent Ling Ling Qi is currently studying in China. You, Stephen Zhou, are just a butcher who's been persecuted by the Silver Peak Consortium and is seeking personal revenge."

"What happens in the martial world, happens in the martial world."

Sing Sing understood.

The officer from the station handed him the knife and wiped the fingerprints off the handle.

"Understood."

"Oh, right, there's something else," Director Wang continued. "The security situation in New York hasn't been great lately. Comrade Ling Ling'er happens to be on annual leave there. If you run into each other, you can look out for each other."

Ling Ling'er?

Sing Sing's heart skipped a beat.

"Also, Ling Lingwu just arrived in Los Angeles a day ago, saying he wanted to investigate the North America semiconductor market and business environment."

The call ended.

Sing Sing stood there, then suddenly shook his head and smiled.

He raised his head and looked at the Slug's grave, his eyes no longer showing any of the previous dejection and self-blame.

Wang Pangzi has brought him all his savings.

One was responsible for a frontal assault, while the other was responsible for covert infiltration.

Silver Peak...

Your good days are over.

The X-Men base is located underground within the academy.

Sing Sing's eyes twitched as he locked onto Deadpool across from him. This guy was still chewing on pizza, and there was even half a crumb of shredded pizza stuck to the lower half of his mask!

Looking at that pizza, Sing Sing's anger flared up instantly.

"Comrade Wade."

Old Zhou looked serious, took out the paper of the China 749 Bureau's non-staff personnel practice assessment form, and flicked it.

"Given your extremely poor performance in this crucial security mission, which led to the escape of a key prisoner, the organization, after careful consideration, has decided to take serious disciplinary action against you."

Deadpool swallowed a large bite of pizza with difficulty, then immediately stood up straight in shock.

"The organization has officially decided to disqualify you from your official employment defense!" Sing Sing's words were piercing. "All seven insurances and three funds have been wiped out!"

"Rice, flour, and oil have been stopped! Shopping cards are gone! And you won't get a single thing—not movie tickets, seafood, meat, dried goods, custom calendars, blankets, thermos flasks... not even a single one! Even the two bags of scallions the bureau gave out for Chinese New Year—you won't get a single scallion root!"

"Oh my God! No--"

Deadpool clutched his chest, his knees buckled, and he knelt on the ground, tilting his head back as he let out a wail.

"Sir! This punishment is a million times more cruel than cutting off my little one! You're killing a noble worker's yearning for a better life!"

"But!" Sing Sing paused at the opportune moment, "The organization has decided to give you a special subsidy for third-party labor dispatch. Here, take this two hundred yuan."

As he spoke, Old Zhou took out a hundred-dollar bill and some change from his pocket.

Deadpool sprang to his feet, straightened his back, raised his head, gave a Young Pioneers salute, and then reached out to take it.

Even so, the two of them wrestled for a while.

"I swear to turn over a new leaf! For that sacred iron rice bowl! For that wonderful paid annual leave! I'll go and bring that grandson of a Mueller back right now, and I'll even confiscate the secret stash of money he hides in his underwear!"

Sing Sing raised one eyebrow. "New York is so big, where are you going to find it? With your useless brainstem?"

"I'm going to find those idiots in the Avengers' tight suits and borrow some high-tech tracking equipment!"

At this point, he turned and stared at the ball of air to his right.

"Dear readers, pay close attention! Deadpool is about to drop by the set next door! Remember to send him lots of little gifts and clicks to urge him to update! Otherwise, the author won't be able to afford my cameo appearance fee!"

After saying that, the guy hurriedly pressed the sizzling teleportation belt on his waist, and disappeared with a 'whoosh'.

Storm stood there, staring blankly in the direction Deadpool had disappeared.

She turned her head, her eyes filled with worry.

What did you just hear?

Small gifts and appearance fee?

It must be an auditory hallucination...

"Stephen, that 'Avengers'..."

Storm hesitated, "The name itself sounds menacing. Is this a dangerous violent group? Is it really wise to let him get involved with such an organization?"

"Who cares?" Sing Sing scoffed.

"That kid's mental state is far superior; his frontal lobe is in a state of intermittent convulsions, as medically speaking, and he's practically buddy with the telephone poles outside the door. Even if he really runs into some violent gang, who knows who'll drive whom insane."