Chapter Summaries

S.H.I.E.L.D. agents Phil Coulson and Melinda May questioned Robbie Reyes about his uncle Eli while Old Wang and Skye concealed their involvement. Coulson decided not to investigate Old Wang further, then received orders to return to headquarters as the Director prepared to move against Hydra.

• Old Wang, Skye, and Robbie kept up their cover when Coulson and May arrived to question Robbie and his brother Gabe about Eli.
• May asked Old Wang about his medical work and K'un-Lun, but he claimed to know little and left with Skye.
• Skye worried that S.H.I.E.L.D. suspected Old Wang, but he dismissed the danger and said they would eat, then return to New York.
• After questioning Robbie and Gabe, May concluded they were hiding something and recommended surveillance of Old Wang.
• Coulson declined to pursue Old Wang for now and received orders to return to headquarters because the Director planned to move against Hydra.

Old Wang tried to persuade Robbie to leave with him by warning that Hydra would come after Robbie and Gabe, then offered to train Gabe with Essence Wine and martial arts. Robbie agreed to go with Old Wang, leaving the Ghost Rider’s recruitment within reach.

• Old Wang explained that he had come for the Darkhold and wanted to recruit Robbie, the Ghost Rider, to his cause.
• Old Wang warned Robbie that Hydra would trace him and Gabe after learning about the Ghost Rider, putting Gabe in danger.
• Old Wang offered to give Gabe Essence Wine and teach him martial arts so he could defend himself, but said he would soon return to New York.
• Robbie realized he and Gabe could move with Old Wang and volunteered to go with him.

Robbie, Gabe, Skye, and Old Wang traveled toward New York, where Skye learned that Tony Stark had gone missing and Stark Industries stock had crashed. At S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters, Egghead ordered Natasha to investigate the Iron Fist and the Hand, then assigned Coulson and May to deal with Stark’s disappearance.

• Robbie persuaded Gabe to leave with him, repaired Skye’s truck, and set out for New York with Skye and Old Wang.
• Skye saw the news that Tony Stark had disappeared in Afghanistan and Stark Industries stock had fallen sharply, then considered selling Essence Wine to raise money for a stock purchase.
• Coulson and Melinda reported their findings to Egghead, who analyzed the Winter Soldier and the possibility that Captain America had survived.
• Egghead searched S.H.I.E.L.D.’s records and concluded that the Iron Fist might be connected to K’un-Lun and its mysterious qi.
• Egghead ordered Natasha to investigate the Iron Fist and the Hand, and told Coulson and May that Tony Stark had gone missing.

As S.H.I.E.L.D. mobilized to find the kidnapped Tony Stark, Old Wang realized that the events of the Marvel era were beginning and declared that he would save the world. In Afghanistan, Tony woke in a cave with a device embedded in his chest and learned that an old man had saved his life.

• Coulson told Egghead that terrorists had likely captured Tony Stark in the Middle East, and Egghead ordered S.H.I.E.L.D. to find him.
• Egghead said Peggy Carter had urged him to find Tony, prompting Melinda to take a personal interest in the search.
• Old Wang reflected on the coming threats to the world and declared that he would save it, before his hunger interrupted the moment.
• Tony woke in a cave in Afghanistan, pulled out a breathing tube, and discovered a strange device wired to a battery in his chest.
• The old man told Tony not to move and said he had saved his life.

Old Wang and Skye discussed how to make money and settled on selling rare goods from Azeroth across the Marvel universe. The chapter ended with Old Wang proposing they open a shop called the Azeroth Souvenir Shop.

• Skye urged Old Wang to find a way to make money, while he reassured her that Darkhold Laboratory could eventually become profitable.
• Old Wang explained that Lucy, Eli, and the others were studying the Darkhold’s dangerous knowledge and had begun researching the Framework.
• Skye proposed selling Old Wang’s Essence Wine and offered to find customers in exchange for a share of the profits.
• Old Wang considered selling Azeroth’s rare goods, including Well of Eternity Water Essence, equipment, materials, potions, and knowledge.
• Old Wang suggested opening a shop with Skye and named it the Azeroth Souvenir Shop.

Skye and Old Wang planned to open the Azeroth Specialties Shop and considered hiring Robbie as its deliveryman and security guard. They settled on a ten-year contract paid in Essence Wine, then Old Wang called Hong Jie to help find a storefront, offering her a massage in exchange.

• Skye wondered whether Azeroth was a hidden place or another dimension, then helped rename the shop Azeroth Specialties Shop and became its sales clerk and cashier.
• Old Wang proposed hiring Robbie as the shop's deliveryman and security guard, paying him in Essence Wine because Robbie needed money to help Gabe keep drinking it.
• Skye bargained for Robbie to receive one drop of Essence Wine a month and jokingly suggested a hundred-year contract, but Old Wang settled on ten years.
• Old Wang topped up the Well of Eternity Bottle with erguotou after realizing that giving away its contents could deplete it.
• Skye pointed out that finding a storefront in New York would be difficult, so Old Wang called Hong Jie and offered her a massage technique; Hong Jie suggested he work public relations for her instead.

Old Wang opened a Chinatown shop with help from Ruan Qinghong and settled into a routine while training Gabe, but he realized his Darkhold Laboratory was nearly out of money. As he prepared for an expected customer, Natasha investigated The Hand and turned her attention to Chinatown and Mr. Wang.

• Old Wang used Ruan Qinghong’s help to secure a storefront, where Skye ran the shop, Robbie handled deliveries, and Old Wang trained Gabe.
• Robbie gave Old Wang a call from Eli, who explained that the Darkhold Laboratory had nearly spent its thousand-dollar fund and still lacked food, equipment, and money for electricity.
• Old Wang promised to send the scientists more money, then counted the days and decided the real customer should arrive soon.
• Old Wang called Skye over and began telling her the story of Jiang Taigong Goes Fishing.
• Natasha investigated The Hand, learned about its far-reaching operations and Madame Gao’s Qi skills, then decided to look for Mr. Wang in Chinatown.

Natasha investigated Mr. Wang’s history and concluded that he might be connected to the Kunlun Iron Fist, so she visited his specialty shop to approach him carefully. There, she was surprised by the shop’s odd wares and by someone who had approached her unnoticed.

• Natasha spent three days investigating Mr. Wang and learned about his martial arts training, healing work, and ties to Skye, Robbie, and Gabe.
• Natasha decided Mr. Wang was her best lead to the Kunlun Iron Fist and chose a gentle approach rather than surveillance or force.
• Natasha visited the Azeroth Specialties Shop and observed Robbie and Gabe practicing while Mr. Wang lounged outside.
• Natasha inspected the shop’s dubious tiger-themed products and declined an offer of Indian God Oil.
• An unseen person picked up a box of Durex and addressed Natasha as Agent Romanoff.

Natasha visited Old Wang's shop, claiming she wanted treatment for her injuries, while Old Wang concealed that he had saved her. After examining her, he praised her mysterious rescuer and asked whether she had Iron Fist's contact information.

• Old Wang closed the shop temporarily as Natasha arrived, while Skye stayed behind and Robbie took Gabe home.
• Old Wang recognized Natasha as the Black Widow, and Natasha relaxed before pretending she had come to buy something.
• Natasha claimed her injuries were serious and asked Old Wang to examine her, while Skye grew jealous as he checked her wounds.
• Old Wang said Natasha had survived only because an exceptional expert had treated her, then asked whether she had that expert's contact information.

Natasha tested Old Wang’s ability to heal her injuries while probing for information about the Iron Fist and K'un-Lun. Old Wang offered her medicinal wine, and she arranged for S.H.I.E.L.D. to buy all ten jars, leaving her injuries—and the wine’s true effectiveness—unresolved.

• Natasha asked Old Wang to treat her injuries, hoping to learn more about his connection to the Iron Fist and K'un-Lun.
• Old Wang said the injuries were too severe for him to heal effectively, then offered her Azeroth Signature Essence Wine as a cure for one million.
• Natasha considered the cost and whether the wine could heal her, then called Egghead to arrange payment.
• Old Wang revealed that the wine was diluted Erguotou mixed with a tiny amount of Essence Wine, while Skye had raised its listed price tenfold.
• Egghead overheard Old Wang mention the ten jars and told Natasha to buy them all at a fifty percent discount.
• Natasha accepted the deal, and Old Wang agreed to sell all the jars.

After selling ten jars of Essence Wine to S.H.I.E.L.D., Old Wang told Skye to send most of the five million dollars to Eli, Lucy, and the others, then use the remainder to improve their living situation. The trio discussed Essence Wine’s effects and Robbie’s plans as Ghost Rider, and Old Wang asked Skye who Robbie was targeting.

• Natasha paid five million dollars for ten jars of wine, and Old Wang told Skye to transfer all but one million to Eli, Lucy, and the others without leaving a trace.
• Old Wang let Skye spend the remaining million on a car, electronics, clothes, cosmetics, shop rent, and an apartment, but she found it was not enough for everything she wanted.
• Skye asked about Natasha’s physical condition, and Old Wang said she had likely undergone modification but remained far weaker than Winter Soldier.
• Skye worried that their Essence Wine supply was dwindling, and Old Wang explained that he and Skye could still benefit from drinking it while Gabe only needed a little and Robbie did not need it.
• Old Wang supported Robbie’s careful revenge missions as Ghost Rider, with Skye gathering information and helping protect his identity.
• Old Wang said they would keep selling Essence Wine and asked Skye who Robbie had targeted.

Natasha and Hawkeye fought off a Hydra ambush, then rushed to warn Master Wang, only to learn he had already captured the attackers. The chapter ended with Old Wang asking how much S.H.I.E.L.D. would pay for the seven Hydra agents.

• Natasha recognized a traffic jam as an ambush and came under fire from Hydra snipers and armed agents.
• Hawkeye arrived with more than a dozen S.H.I.E.L.D. agents and helped Natasha defeat the Hydra attackers.
• Natasha decided to head to the Azeroth Specialties Shop to protect Master Wang and warned Hawkeye that he was a martial arts master S.H.I.E.L.D. needed to recruit.
• Natasha called Master Wang and learned that he had captured seven Hydra agents alive and wanted to sell them to S.H.I.E.L.D.

Old Wang was confronted by seven armed men demanding the medicinal wine Natasha had bought, but he subdued them and had Skye tie them up. Natasha and Hawkeye arrived to find the Hydra agents captured, and Old Wang asked Natasha to pay him for both the capture and his damaged door.

• Old Wang recognized the men targeting him as connected to the blind drug-trafficking organization in Hell's Kitchen and went inside with them at gunpoint.
• Skye returned and mistook the commotion inside for something sexual before Old Wang called her in to tie up the men.
• Old Wang dislocated the seven men's hands and feet, gagged them, and prevented them from killing themselves.
• Natasha and Hawkeye arrived with S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, suspected a trap, and kicked open the shop door.
• Old Wang showed Natasha the captured Hydra agents and demanded payment for their capture and compensation for his broken door.

After fighting off Hydra agents, Old Wang negotiated an $8 million payment and three conditions with S.H.I.E.L.D., including an intelligence exchange. The chapter ended with Skye receiving S.H.I.E.L.D.'s New York criminal files and Old Wang asking her to send the Madame Gao dossier to Robbie.

• Natasha inspected the battered shop and agreed with Egghead to take the seven captured Hydra agents for $8 million.
• Old Wang demanded surveillance equipment, access to S.H.I.E.L.D. commissions, and an intelligence exchange, offering information about Hydra's origins in return.
• S.H.I.E.L.D. transferred the money, and Old Wang allocated funds to Eli and Lucy, equipment, and liquid reserves.
• Skye downloaded S.H.I.E.L.D.'s files on New York gangs and criminals onto Old Wang's external drive.
• Old Wang found the folder on Madame Gao and told Skye to send it to Robbie.

Whitehall abandoned his failed operation against Master Wang and turned Hydra’s attention to The Hand, while Nick Fury sought Master Wang’s help against Hydra. After giving Fury only Hydra’s origins, Old Wang decided to investigate The Hand himself and pursue becoming a true Iron Fist.

• Whitehall canceled the operation against Master Wang, ordered Hydra to investigate The Hand’s Five Fingers, and demanded that Pierce and Garrett retrieve an 084 Box.
• Nick Fury told Natasha to study the medicinal wine, interrogate the captured Hydra agents, and investigate The Hand with Barton; he assigned Leo Fitz and Jemma Simmons to assist with the wine and Master Wang’s equipment request.
• Fury privately worried that Hydra had infiltrated S.H.I.E.L.D. and decided to establish the Avengers Initiative, then called Master Wang to ask about Hydra.
• Old Wang told Fury that Hydra began as a cult seeking to return Hive to Earth, but withheld further intelligence unless Fury offered something in exchange.
• After the call, Old Wang resolved to help Robbie deal with The Hand and considered becoming a true Iron Fist by obtaining Shou-Lao’s power.

Robbie learned that Madame Gao and the Hand controlled a brutal drug operation in New York, then went to confront her. He entered the hidden factory as Madame Gao recognized that someone terrifying had arrived.

• Robbie accepted Master Wang’s shop job after learning he would receive a monthly drop of Essence Wine.
• Robbie read an email describing the Hand’s crimes and Madame Gao’s control of New York’s drug trade.
• Robbie decided Madame Gao had to die and headed to her factory in Hell’s Kitchen.
• Zhou Cheng reported to Madame Gao on the New York drug trade, Rand Corporation, and Wilson Fisk’s growing independence.
• Madame Gao sensed a terrifying intruder, and Robbie kicked open the factory door with chains wrapped around him.

Robbie attacked Madame Gao’s drug factory as Ghost Rider, but he chose to rescue innocent blind people when the factory caught fire, allowing Madame Gao to escape. As Madame Gao fled for the airport, K’un-Lun’s Iron Fist confronted her.

• Madame Gao ordered her men to shoot Robbie, but his Hellfire chain burned one attacker while she deflected his strike and escaped.
• Robbie refused to kill the brainwashed blind people surrounding him, and Madame Gao’s group vanished while he broke through their blockade.
• After oil drums exploded and fire threatened the blind workers and nearby residents, Robbie turned back to save them.
• Skye alerted Wang, Black Widow, and others to the fire and Madame Gao’s movements, while warning Robbie about witnesses and his lack of a disguise.
• Madame Gao fled toward the airport with Zhou Cheng, but a masked man incapacitated her other men and identified himself as K’un-Lun’s Iron Fist.

Madame Gao mistook Old Wang for an Iron Fist who could help her reach the Dragon Bone Fossil beneath Manhattan, but she realized his qi came from elsewhere. Old Wang killed Zhou Cheng and defeated Madame Gao with Jade Lightning, leaving her burned to a human-shaped lump of charcoal.

• Madame Gao recognized that Old Wang possessed qi but not the power of Shenlong Shou Lao, and Old Wang introduced himself with fantastical titles.
• Madame Gao attacked Old Wang with her cane while Zhou Cheng aimed a gun at him.
• Old Wang dodged Zhou Cheng’s bullet, struck him down, and killed him.
• Old Wang fought Madame Gao, shattered her cane to reveal a sword, and drove her back with a palm strike.
• Old Wang summoned Jade Lightning, which followed Madame Gao’s sword and electrocuted her into a charred lump.

Black Widow and Hawkeye defeated Madame Gao’s Triad forces, while Skye reported that Zhou Cheng and Madame Gao had been killed by Wang and a masked Iron Fist. Natasha interpreted the news as a chance for S.H.I.E.L.D. to cooperate with K’un-Lun and planned what the agency could offer in exchange.

• Natasha and Hawkeye fought through Madame Gao’s Triad members and killed Scythe and Nine-Spider Bride, though both agents were injured.
• Skye told Natasha and Hawkeye that Wang had killed Zhou Cheng and that a masked man had used azure lightning to kill Madame Gao and take her body.
• Natasha concluded that Iron Fist and K’un-Lun were seeking cooperation with S.H.I.E.L.D. through Wang and Skye.
• Natasha considered offering K’un-Lun classified files, technology, and Item 084 artifacts, while arranging money and improved support for Wang and Skye.
• Natasha and Hawkeye changed disguises and drove back to Triskelion Headquarters to report to the Director.

Old Wang captured the burned but still living Madame Gao and planned to extract her memories through brain-mapping research. He warned Robbie’s growing Spirit of Vengeance against indiscriminate killing, then set Skye and Lucy to investigate The Hand and recruit scientific help.

• Old Wang photographed Madame Gao’s charred body, stored her, and brought her to the Azeroth Specialties Shop with Robbie.
• Skye realized Madame Gao was still alive, and Old Wang explained that the Dragon Bone Fossil let her revive unless her head was cut off; he ordered her tied up.
• Robbie said the Spirit of Vengeance wanted to purge evil and grow stronger, so Old Wang warned that Ancient One would intervene if it killed indiscriminately.
• Old Wang told Skye to investigate The Hand’s leaders and associates, Wilson Fisk, and Rand Corporation, then asked Lucy about her team’s memory-uploading research.
• Old Wang studied the Darkhold’s memory-extraction spells and decided brain mapping was the best way to obtain Madame Gao’s memories.
• Old Wang considered recruiting Pym-Hank, Tony Stark, Banner, Leo Fitz, Jemma Simmons, and Reed Richards, and asked Skye to investigate several of them.