The Punisher

"My dad is the best."

Gwen was very proud. Then, thinking of something, she asked suspiciously, "What exactly is your position at the newspaper? You can report on whatever you want?"

"I'm a Gold Medal Reporter. If the editor-in-chief disagrees, I'll fire him."

Andrew smiled and used his chopsticks to place a spicy meatball in Gwen's bowl. In her improved mood, Gwen instinctively opened her mouth. The next second, the spice made her cough repeatedly.

Andrew burst out laughing. Gwen unhappily punched him several times. This guy only knew how to bully people.

After they finished laughing around, Gwen remembered something and said happily, "Osborn Group hired Doctor Otto to work for the company. Although physics is his greatest specialty, he's also quite accomplished in neurology.

"He plans to research the Artificial Sun and mechanical tentacles connected to brain nerves. They picked me to be his assistant. Heh, that position is incredibly sought-after. I never expected it to fall to me."

Andrew could not help glancing at Gwen. Girl, why are you so fated to run into villains?

Doctor Otto was Doctor Octopus, the one whose Artificial Sun research had nearly blown up New York.

If Andrew was not mistaken, Norman had assigned Gwen to Otto as a favor—because of Doctor Lizard, Osborn Group's stock price had crashed miserably. Norman was now desperate to draw investment and stabilize the market.

Under Andrew's "efforts," Rebirth Group had gradually become a giant corporation. Its investment was very important.

Gwen did not notice Andrew's gaze. After hesitating for a moment, she asked, "Andrew, could you teach me martial arts?"

"Why do you want to learn martial arts?"

Andrew's eyes flickered. After the previous disaster ended, he had discovered that Gwen possessed a power similar to Spider-Man's.

Fortunately, Andrew had concealed his aura immediately back then. Otherwise, Gwen would have been scared away long ago.

Gwen said, "I feel like New York isn't very safe. I want to learn some martial arts for self-defense."

"Sure. I'll teach you some self-defense techniques when we have time."

Andrew smiled. Although he did not know martial arts, with his Demon King level close-combat ability, teaching Gwen would be effortless.

Having resolved two worries in a row, Gwen was very happy and focused on enjoying her meal with Andrew.

At that moment, Andrew noticed a family eating nearby. The man of the family had short hair and a strong, capable build. One look told Andrew that he had served in the military. Andrew found him somewhat familiar and could not help looking at him a few more times.

The man noticed Andrew's gaze and abruptly turned his head toward him, his eyes as sharp as an eagle's. Anyone else would probably have been scared.

Naturally, Andrew was unaffected. He nodded at the man and looked away.

The man looked somewhat suspicious, then shook his head and turned back to his two children playing together. His face was full of happiness. It was obvious that he loved his children deeply.

Just then, a woman ran out of the woods nearby and shouted in terror, "Frank..."

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Before the woman could finish shouting, a group of Men in Black carrying long guns and handguns chased out of the woods. Then, gunfire erupted like popping beans. The woman screamed and fell forward, her back covered in blood.

"Ah!"

The nearby civilians immediately dropped to the ground or hid behind cover. One glance was enough to tell they were battle-hardened New Yorkers.

"Maria."

Seeing his wife fall, the man's eyes immediately turned red. As a special forces soldier, he did not follow his instincts and take cover. Instead, he ran toward his children, intending to shield them with his body.

Unfortunately, he was not fast enough. As the Men in Black raised their guns and prepared to spray bullets in their direction, the man could not help falling into despair. At that critical moment, everything around him suddenly became incomparably slow, as if it had been slowed down.

As the man stood there in shock, a voice sounded in his mind. "I increased the speed of your thoughts. However, your body cannot keep up with your thoughts, so you still cannot save them. In one second, they will die before your eyes."

The man hurriedly shouted with his consciousness, "Save them! Help me save them! I can give up everything."

"I can save them, and I can save your shot wife as well. But from this day onward, your soul will belong to me. You will become a general under my command and serve me with your life."

Andrew said slowly, "By the way, I am the Demon King of Hell. That is to say, if you agree, you will become Hell's Punisher."

Andrew had already recognized the man. He was Frank Castle, the future Punisher—a violent antihero who fought violence with violence and could slaughter an entire gang alone.

The Punisher was not only a powerful antihero but also a top-tier tactical Commander. Rebirth Hell needed talent like him.

Frank did not hesitate at all. He immediately agreed. "I agree."

"Your soul belongs to me now."

With those words, everything around them abruptly returned to normal. Immediately afterward, a figure appeared before Frank and his two children at an astonishing speed.

That figure was naturally Andrew. He opened his umbrella, and bullets struck its surface in dense waves, yet none pierced through. They all fell onto the grass.

"Andrew..."

Gwen climbed to her feet and wanted to grab Andrew's hand, only to discover that he was already standing in front of Frank. She was instantly stunned. Was he really that fast? And where did that umbrella even come from? She had not seen it at all before!

Without wasting words, Andrew charged into the Men in Black with his umbrella blocking the bullets. Then, he folded the umbrella and swung it down. Bang! Bang! Bang! One minute later, more than ten Men in Black lay on the ground clutching their arms and wailing.

"Of all martial arts under heaven, nothing is unbreakable; only speed is unbeatable."

Andrew placed the umbrella behind his back and spoke with the air of a martial arts grandmaster. Gwen clapped excitedly without stopping. Her boyfriend was unbelievably cool.

Seeing the bad guys defeated, the other civilians stood up and applauded. That had been far too cool just now. They could not even see the umbrella's shadow clearly.

"Maria, you can't die. I'll take you to the hospital right away."

Frank rushed to his unconscious wife, picked her up, and prepared to run outside. Andrew smiled. "Don't worry. She won't die. I promised you."

Hearing that familiar voice, Frank's body shook violently. This young man was actually the Demon King who had demanded his soul earlier?

"Go to the hospital first."

Andrew said to Gwen, who was walking over, "Gwen, take the two children and go to the hospital with him. I'll wait here for the police."

"Mm, leave it to me. Andrew, you were so cool."

Gwen kissed Andrew on the cheek, then went to comfort the two children, who would not stop crying. Frank gave Andrew a deep look before running swiftly toward the parking lot.

An hour later, the exhausted doctor walked out of the operating room. He removed his mask and said to the anxious Frank, "The patient is out of danger. I have to say, this is a miracle. The patient's vitality is extremely strong."

"A miracle?"

Frank knew very well that this was not a miracle. It was the Demon King's power. He said to the doctor, "Thank you, Doctor."