Old Butler

"You're all fairly skilled. You can stay at the Martial Arts School." Chen Mo straightened his slightly rumpled clothes and spoke to the men lying on the floor.

The moment they heard they could stay, their faces lit up with joy.

"I don't care who you were in China. From now on, you are instructors at this Martial Arts School. Under me, you follow my rules." Chen Mo looked at them sternly and said in a deep voice, "I don't want to ever have to throw any of you out myself!"

These men were Boxing Masters who had smuggled themselves into the United States from China to escape the war. They did not speak English, and aside from martial arts, they had no other useful skills. They could only make a living doing hard labor at the Dock.

To improve his combat skills, Chen Mo had specifically gathered a group of Boxing Masters who had just arrived in the United States and were struggling to survive, selecting the four most skilled among them.

Since they would be his subordinates from now on, Chen Mo had held back. The men quickly got to their feet, clasped their fists in salute, and looked at him with eyes full of respect and gratitude.

"Thank you for taking us in, Master! Rest assured, we will never disappoint you!"

Their reply rang loud and firm.

Back in China, these Boxing Masters had all been figures of some standing in their local areas, each with a certain degree of pride. But their experiences since coming to the United States had long since stripped away their arrogance. In these war-torn times, they were already content simply to stay alive and put food in their own and their families' stomachs.

Chen Mo had taken them in when they were at their most desperate and helpless. He was their benefactor. Martial artists valued loyalty and gratitude above all else; a drop of kindness deserved a spring in return. They were filled with gratitude toward Chen Mo and wished they could sacrifice themselves to repay him.

Moreover, martial artists revered strength. Chen Mo was so young, yet his strength already far surpassed theirs. Although his techniques were somewhat rough, given a little time, he would surely become even stronger and reach heights they could only look up to. How could they not hold him in deep admiration?

Seeing the expressions on the Boxing Masters' faces, Chen Mo nodded in satisfaction. They were all straightforward men of true character, worth putting to use.

The Martial Arts School had three floors.

The third floor was Chen Mo's private area, and no one else was allowed up there without permission.

The first floor was open to the public and included the main hall, Training Room, Arena, Locker Room, and Rest Area. The Boxing Masters were assigned several Guest Rooms on the second floor.

This place was far better than the filthy, cramped, dilapidated Slums where they had lived. Looking at the spacious, comfortable rooms before them, the Boxing Masters felt an indescribable warmth rise in their hearts. Their chests felt hot, and their eyes even reddened slightly.

Since Chen Mo could openly establish a Martial Arts School in New York, he was naturally no longer undocumented. The matter of his identity had actually been easy to resolve.

HYDRA had numerous spies embedded in countries around the world, many of them in high positions. Before leaving Norway, Chen Mo had sent them a genuine photograph of himself along with a fabricated identity. They had already arranged a new identity for him, one that even the United States government could find no fault with.

At the same time, within HYDRA, Chen Mo had also arranged a new identity for himself: Red Skull's new assistant, a martial arts expert from China. He would be assisting Red Skull in carrying out a secret mission in the United States. Naturally, his identity was strictly confidential.

After arriving in New York, Chen Mo transformed himself into a wealthy Chinese man who had come to the United States to escape the war. He purchased an entire building in Brooklyn at a high price and opened a Martial Arts School.

Meanwhile, Red Skull temporarily vanished from HYDRA's sight. HYDRA's affairs were temporarily taken over and remotely directed by his assistant, Chen Mo, while Dr. Zola and the newly appointed guard captain, Major John, oversaw the base.

Reverence and fear for Red Skull had long been ingrained in every HYDRA member's bones. No one would raise any objection to his orders. Their mission was to obey their leader Red Skull's will and complete the tasks he assigned. After Chen Mo's purge, there were even fewer dissenting voices.

Red Skull's brief disappearance caused no disorder within HYDRA. Base construction and every research project continued in an orderly manner, and Dr. Zola's research into the Cosmic Cube had also made progress.

After leaving the Training Room, Chen Mo walked over to the sofa by the window and sat down, accepting the towel handed to him by the old butler standing nearby.

"Eddie, are you getting used to living here?" Chen Mo wiped his hands and passed the towel back to the butler. The elderly man standing before him, dressed in a well-tailored dark gray suit, his white hair combed neatly and his expression gentle and kind, was none other than Eddie Albert, who had taught Chen Mo German and painting for a month in Liverpool.

"This place is very nice. The bed in my room is very comfortable," Old Albert said in his calm, gentle voice.

Before coming to the United States, Chen Mo had thought of Old Albert, who was still in Liverpool. As the only person in this world Chen Mo could consider a friend, he had been somewhat concerned about him. Before departing, he had made a trip to Liverpool and found Old Albert still drawing portraits for people in the square.

Although Chen Mo had given him ten thousand dollars, Albert's life had not changed much. Aside from renting a cheap room to have a place to stay, he had also helped some fellow countrymen who were struggling.

He still went to the square every day to draw portraits, but with his livelihood secured, his health had improved greatly. He often thought of the young man who had helped him and given him hope.

When Chen Mo appeared before him again, Old Albert's hand trembled as he painted, and he nearly ruined the drawing. Looking at the young man smiling before him, Old Albert, who had always been reserved and unsmiling, could not help but smile as well.

"Sir, would you like a portrait?" Old Albert asked with a smile.

"Why not?" Being with Old Albert made Chen Mo feel completely relaxed. He did not need to think about disguises, vigilance, schemes, or calculations. He could loosen up for a while, enjoy life properly, and experience the culture and charm of old Europe.

This was what trust felt like. Though they had not spent much time together, Chen Mo understood Albert's character. He was meticulous and serious in his work, optimistic and open-minded, kind and upright—a respectable old man. Having endured so many hardships, he had learned to take life and death lightly, remaining calm and composed. The only time Chen Mo had ever seen him lose his composure was when Chen Mo had disguised himself as Albert. Remembering Old Albert's expression as though his entire worldview had collapsed, Chen Mo's lips curled upward.

After Old Albert finished the work in his hands, he began drawing Chen Mo's portrait.

"Eddie, I'm planning to go to New York. Would you like to come with me?" Chen Mo sat on a wooden chair, keeping perfectly still.

Old Albert was holding a brush and sketching on the drawing board. Hearing this, he paused, considered it for a moment, then spoke.

"Does it include food and lodging?"

Chen Mo was always amused by Old Eddie's occasional flashes of humor. Usually so meticulous and gentlemanly, whenever he cracked a joke, whether it was funny or not, Chen Mo could not help but laugh. Back then, it was here that Chen Mo had hired Old Albert for ten dollars a day, with food and lodging included.

"Of course. Ten dollars a day, with food and lodging included," Chen Mo replied with a smile.

"Then congratulations. From today onward, you have an excellent butler." Old Albert put down his brush, rose to his feet, and bowed elegantly.

It turned out that Old Albert had been born into an aristocratic family in East Prussia, Germany. He had received an aristocratic education from childhood and possessed considerable talent in painting. After World War I, his family fell into decline, and Albert had no choice but to make his own living, going from a young aristocrat to the butler of a great noble.

When that noble Master died, Albert, nearly forty years old, decided to leave the Castle and bravely pursue his dream of becoming an artist.

Even he had not expected that after going in a circle, he would ultimately return to his old profession as a butler. Still, he could not think of any other way to help Chen Mo. Chen Mo had already learned most of what he could do. Now, this was his only remaining strength: helping Chen Mo manage logistical matters and take care of his daily life.

Still, his life had been a remarkable one. He had enjoyed the luxurious life of an aristocrat, witnessed the rise and fall of the world, bravely pursued his dreams, and experienced the hardships of sleeping rough and living hand to mouth.

Perhaps Chen Mo might bring him an even more wonderful second half of his life.