Benevolence Society

"You're saying someone has been building a force under my banner? That's impossible!

They don't even know that test site belongs to me!"

Oaks frowned. He visited Little Rainforest often—only to collect experimental data, but he couldn't have missed any social organization forming there.

"Well..."

Coulson and Melinda exchanged a glance, seeing the gravity of the situation in each other's eyes.

"Then... if this isn't a force you established, Dr. Lin, things just got complicated."

Melinda shrugged. Today was full of surprises.

"Just call me Oaks."

Oaks waved a hand, then thought it over carefully before speaking uncertainly:

"Could it be... their leader is a Latino man with a crippled left leg?"

"That's right. Does that ring a bell?"

Coulson's eyes lit up:

"From what we've gathered, this organization is called the Benevolence Society. Their leader is Blaze Clark, a former mercenary who ended up in the Slums after being disabled in combat..."

"Wait, hold on!"

Oaks nearly blurted out a curse:

"What did you say the organization is called?"

"The Benevolence Society, Mr. Oaks."

"..."

Oaks pressed a hand to his forehead, a throbbing headache setting in.

This infamous extremist group... it had absolutely nothing to do with him!

"Have they done anything extreme?"

"Well, aside from extreme xenophobia, there's no sign of violent crime yet."

Coulson looked at Oaks with a strange expression as he fell into an odd state upon hearing the name. He couldn't help but worry:

"Are you alright, Mr. Oaks? This organization..."

"I think I need to meet their leader."

Oaks spoke abruptly, still holding his forehead in that peculiar pose, which almost made Coulson and Melinda laugh:

"So, you've remembered how this organization is connected to you?"

Judging by his reaction, Coulson would bet his life that the Benevolence Society had something to do with him.

"It's loose ends I left behind out of softness."

Oaks lowered his hand from his forehead. In that short time, he had already made a decision:

"Even if I didn't start it, since it began because of me, I have to take responsibility."

Hearing this, Coulson and Melinda exchanged a faint smile.

Oaks' attitude showed he was someone who took responsibility—a rare trait among those with special abilities, and one that benefited society.

"May I ask what exactly happened?"

Coulson was still curious, and it also affected his mission report:

"From our investigation, this organization is simply extremely xenophobic. They don't allow anyone they don't trust into their territory, which is around your Ecological Test Site—

of course, we understand the reasons. But one of our excellent social agents ended up hospitalized investigating this—

the people there have some extreme methods of protecting secrets, which is why I said earlier it might affect our assessment of you."

"Then come along."

Oaks sighed:

"That Ecological Test Site, I call it 'Little Rainforest.' It had already achieved its experimental goals half a year ago, and I had collected enough data."

He stood up and grabbed a long trench coat from the coat rack:

"But back then, that peculiar order in the Slums was already forming... so I didn't shut it down.

I thought it could at least help more people, but now it seems it's caused quite a bit of trouble."

Oaks put on the trench coat, his expression turning cold:

"If I find out that organization has been idle enough to commit any crimes..."

He looked at Coulson and Melinda, a cold smile on his face:

"What I gave them, I can take back—with interest."

"Mr. Oaks, you can't carry out vigilante justice."

Coulson stood up as well. Though he wanted to see what Oaks was capable of, this clearly wasn't within regulations:

"Sorry, Mr. Oaks, but if there really is a problem, it's best to leave it to us."

"I'll drive, Coulson. You'd better brief Oaks on everything about the Benevolence Society."

Melinda fished Lola's keys out of Coulson's pocket and smiled:

"Little Rainforest is an ecological miracle—other eco-parks and whatnot don't even come close... If it can be preserved, it'd probably be a good thing for both the Slums' people and order."

"Thank you, Ms. Melinda. I'll consider it."

The tension between the agents and the person under investigation had unexpectedly eased, as their forms of address made clear. Both Coulson and Melinda found it surprising and fortunate.

Veteran driver Melinda took the wheel, terrifying countless Hip-Hop Tribe and Street Racers along the way. When they parked, they were right next to Little Rainforest.

"What the hell are you people doing here!"

No sooner had Oaks stepped out than several menacing black men rushed over:

"Outsiders aren't welcome here! Leave now, or we won't be polite!"

"We're from a government agency."

Coulson wasn't about to explain the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division to them—they weren't worthy:

"We want to see your leader."

"Leader?"

The lead black man sneered:

"Government trash actually cares about the Slums now?

We're just a spontaneous gathering. What leader? Do I look like a leader to you? Hahaha!"

The black men burst into laughter as if they'd heard a great joke.

"No leader? Then what's this young man off to do?"

Melinda had somehow appeared behind the group.

A scream rang out. The black men spun around to find a young black man pinned with his arms twisted behind his back by Melinda.

"Damn it, let Little Jack go, you bitch!"

"Hey! You're in deep trouble now! I bet you won't make it out of this street!"

"Someone else, go send word!"

The black men clamored but didn't swarm like those from other blocks would.

Not because they didn't want to—but because they didn't dare.

Coulson was calmly wiping his sidearm with a silk handkerchief.

"Enough!"

A low voice, not loud but seeming to resonate with the surrounding environment, rang out. The slum dweller about to run for help froze.

Oaks kept one hand in his pocket and pointed the other at the fenced-off Little Rainforest:

"Go fetch Blaze Clark to see me.

I created this Little Rainforest, and I can take it back—

If you're ready to face winter, feel free to ignore me."