Undercover Setbacks

The approaching waiter seemed not to notice Al Swan's frenzy at all. His expression remained calm as he looked at him with gentle eyes and flawlessly polite manners, offering a white towel first.

Al Swan's crazed actions came to a halt, his outburst trailing off. He looked at the waiter before him for no reason, feeling irritated and disgusted by the person behind this waiter.

With a smack of his hand, he knocked away the white towel the waiter had offered, then snatched up the phone and held it to his ear. He sneered. "I still have some value left to exploit?"

Everyone knew that his conduct at the precinct had been improper. He had stolen credit, allowing The Multiplicity to escape. The Multiplicity then robbed a gun store, armed himself, and exchanged fire with the police, resulting in the deaths of seven officers. Under deliberate manipulation, every silent, unspoken accusation had been pinned on him.

When Al Swan said he had no future, he had not been exaggerating.

He did not know who was calling, but he knew that even reduced to a stray dog like this, he still had enough value for those people in high places to use.

"Al, your temper is still as bad as ever." A soft voice came through the phone, carrying nostalgia and teasing amusement.

"It's you, Snake."

Al Swan's gaze tightened, and his voice turned even colder.

He had not expected that, at this moment, the person calling him would not be an old friend, but someone he had always despised and refused to associate with.

"What do you want? I may be down on my luck, but I don't need a gang boss like you pretending to comfort me." Al Swan sneered. "What, do you need me to move drugs for you? Don't forget, even if I've been demoted, I'm still a cop."

"Al, you're no longer as glorious as you used to be." Snake sighed with feeling. Given Al's former arrogant and unruly personality, how could he have said so much? He would only have contemptuously told Snake to get lost before hanging up.

The fact that he had said so much this time only meant that Al was bluffing to keep up appearances.

"What do you want, Snake?" Al Swan's face darkened. He tightened his grip on the phone but did not hang up.

"Work with me, Al."

"Fine!"

Al Swan agreed decisively without the slightest hesitation, leaving Snake silent for a moment instead.

"As long as you kill Alex, I'll work with you." Al Swan sneered. That open, righteous kick from Alex still brought pain and humiliation to his chest whenever he moved.

"Don't try to fool me, Al. I can't bear the consequences of killing a Central City Brotherhood member."

"If you don't have the guts, why contact me?" Al Swan sneered repeatedly, hatred for Alex flashing in his eyes. Now, whenever he faced anyone from the precinct, he felt as though every one of them was turning their backs on him, silently laughing at and mocking him.

He could no longer face any gaze from headquarters. The cause of it all was Alex's kick, which had shattered his dignity and pride completely.

"I won't kill a Brotherhood member and invite unnecessary trouble. Al, your hatred should be dealt with by your own hand," Snake said meaningfully.

Al Swan's heart stirred. "Snake, you're still like a venomous snake. Fine, we'll cooperate. I'll naturally kill my own enemy."

"I need you at the Lower City Police Precinct."

"Fine!"

Alex's underground base.

After finishing his training in the various applications of bodily Magnetic Psionics and conducting all kinds of tests on his own body that defied human limits.

Alex quieted down. Standing before the glass display case, he pondered briefly before looking toward his superhero suit.

Alex did not possess the compassionate heart of some saint who mourned for the world. Nor did he, like Batman, wish to protect his city and cleanse it of evil. He was even less kindhearted than The Flash, Barry, with that Justice League conscience of his.

Everything he did was merely for himself. For his own enjoyment.

With the identity of a superhero, it would always be easier to communicate with other superheroes.

Besides, in the DC world, if he was not going to be a hero, was he supposed to become a supervillain? Even if Alex considered himself cold by nature, he had crossed into this world and retained the proud awareness that he was a divine dragon. How could he stoop so low as to become a supervillain reviled by everyone?

With that in mind, Alex considered his recent affairs. He needed to help Jack and the two undercover agents establish themselves in Lower City. Alex intended to seize a portion of Lower City's profits as startup capital for himself.

Alex had already spent nearly all of his money on the various modifications to build the underground base. If he did not get some money soon, he would not even have the capital to start a business.

He could use his superhero identity to help his undercover agents take control of part of Lower City's interests.

He turned on his computer and pulled up a map of Lower City.

As a superintendent of the Central City Police Department, Alex could effortlessly access the city planning layout for Lower City. However, Lower City was simply too chaotic, so whether this 1989 city planning map still held any truth today would require Alex's own calculations.

Fortunately, Alex only needed a rough idea. It would be enough to identify some more profitable gangs and help his undercover agents take them over.

In less than half an hour, Alex had formed a rough plan in his mind and began taking action.

He immediately called Undercover Agent No. 1, the most capable of them all.

"The time has come for you. I'll help you become..."

"No, boss! I'm on an airship fleeing to Thailand right now. Those bastards in Lower City were fucking ruthless. They nearly killed me, and that street got taken too. I can't help you anymore! Luckily, I grabbed all the money and ran in time. Boss, how about I bring back a batch of powder from Thailand, and you cover for me so we can get rich together?"

Alex hung up silently, expressionless.

Undercover Agent No. 1 had been driven out of Lower City, packed up and fled, escaped to Thailand, and planned to make a living trafficking drugs. Failed!

Alex then called Undercover Agent No. 2. Although No. 2 was not as capable as No. 1, he was steady enough. Once Alex handled the many problems himself, No. 2 would be the kind of subordinate who could hold down the fort.

"The time has come for you. I'm preparing to make a move on Lower City..."

"Fuck! Both my legs were broken, and they've already been amputated, and only now you're telling me your plan has started..."

Alex silently comforted Undercover Agent No. 2, promised to take out the person who had shot him, and transferred him a sum of money so he could find somewhere to retire in peace. Only then did he calm No. 2 down.

Undercover Agent No. 2 had been shot in both legs with a shotgun during a gang fight. His legs had now been amputated, leaving him disabled. Failed!

At that moment, Alex really wanted to light a cigarette in silence and watch the smoke drift away.

But smoking was harmful to health, and Alex had never had the habit. He could only exhale softly to calm himself and wonder whether he had misjudged people.

Clearly, No. 1 and No. 2 had both been highly capable. One had been forced to flee to Thailand to traffic drugs, while the other had both legs broken.

Alex frowned deeply. By the looks of it, Jack, Undercover Agent No. 3 and the most useless of the lot, was probably done for.

Given that Jack only knew how to play hip-hop, was timid and afraid of trouble, yet liked to act as though he was a loyal and righteous man, there was probably already grass growing several feet high over his grave.

With a heavy heart, Alex called Jack. Fortunately, someone still answered.

"Jack, what happened to you?!"

"Boss, I'm finished. I'm really finished this time!" Jack wailed over the phone, his voice trembling so badly with fear that Alex could practically feel him curled into a ball on the other end, crying in terror.

Alex's heart sank again. How could Lower City be this chaotic? His three undercover agents had fallen one after another!

"Don't worry, Jack. I'll avenge you. No one gets to touch my people whenever they please."

Jack's wailing abruptly stopped. He said weakly, "No, boss, you misunderstood."

"I've already become the boss of the biggest gang in Lower City!"

Alex: "???"