The Second Card Slot, Frank the Three-Cannon

On the ocean, a yacht drifted with the waves.

Hong Fei, wearing only shorts and sunglasses, lay on a lounge chair, letting the sun bake him.

His right arm was a bit swollen, and his back was covered in bruises. After applying the clear, emerald-green ointment, the pain had vanished, leaving only a cool sensation.

"You're really brave, fighting the Iron Man suit bare-handed."

If a beautiful woman in a bikini had said that, it would have been high praise.

Unfortunately, the speaker was a middle-aged man with a rough, fleshy face.

Seeing Hong Fei remain silent, Frank added, "The word 'reckless' can be returned to you."

After a long pause, Hong Fei said glumly, "You think the Iron Man suit is that powerful?"

"Isn't it?"

Frank tilted the bottle to his lips and took a swig. After a few gulps, he continued, "He's truly a genius. That suit alone is enough to turn an ordinary person into a killing god on the battlefield. You saw it yourself – bullets could only leave marks on it. I think unless you use high-powered weapons or close-range artillery to stun the pilot inside, there's almost no way to deal with him."

"Hmph, did I not shell him last night?"

"You're different. Someone who can beat me twice bare-handed isn't ordinary. Plus, you're ruthless, cunning, and will stop at nothing..."

"Enough!"

Hong Fei sighed in frustration. "Yes, I admit he's a genius, but he's definitely not the only genius in the world!"

"Oh? Who else, then?"

"You wouldn't know even if I told you. Besides, he's just one person. The technological advancement of this world has never relied on the intelligence of a single individual." Hong Fei clenched his fist, gritting his teeth. "When we get back, I'm setting up a research lab in Sokovia immediately. I'm going to tie all those guys up and make them work for me!"

"Who?"

Hong Fei: "Didn't I just tell you? You wouldn't know even if I told you!"

Frank pouted, tossed the empty bottle, and stood up. "Fine, I'm being too talkative. You just keep lying there. I'm going for a drink!"

Having eliminated Kingpin, Frank was clearly in a good mood. His usually stern face had softened slightly, and he even smiled occasionally, something rarely seen before.

Perhaps this was the power of hope.

Hong Fei closed his eyes. The sea breeze was gentle, and the sunlight was warm.

Last night, his physical condition had achieved a breakthrough. In addition to a comprehensive surge in stats, he had also received another pleasant surprise.

A second Skill Card Slot.

Changing Skill Cards took time. No matter how fast Hong Fei operated, there would always be a brief interval.

Having two slots operating simultaneously undoubtedly enhanced his combat effectiveness.

It was just a shame that none of the Skill Cards he currently possessed were the type to directly increase his combat power, including the one dropped by Kingpin last night.

[Passive Skill Card: Hidden Identity] (Blue)

"When engaging in illegal activities, the chance of your true identity being exposed is significantly reduced."

Hong Fei now had a total of four Skill Cards: two blue, one green, and one white. Two were passive, and two were active.

[Passive Skill Card: Wrath of Man] (White): "When severely injured, attack and defense increase by 20% for 30 seconds. Afterward, speed decreases by 40% for 10 minutes."

[Passive Skill Card: Hidden Identity] (Blue): "When engaging in illegal activities, the chance of your true identity being exposed is significantly reduced."

[Active Skill Card: Deceive Time, Confuse Masses] (Green): "After using this skill, any lies you tell have a low probability of gaining absolute trust from others."

[Active Skill Card: Rapid Memory] (Blue): "When activated, significantly enhances your memory capacity and speed."

He could only blame his opponents for being too weak, unwilling to drop any decent skills.

With two card slots, Hong Fei desperately needed a proper combat skill. This was something he would have to find a way to acquire from heroes or villains. At this point in time, Hong Fei didn't have many targets to choose from.

Additionally, Hong Fei felt he needed a weapon that was both sturdy and sharp.

If he had a blade in hand, even without a skill, he wouldn't have ended up grappling with the Iron Man suit like an idiot last night.

Although Kingpin had died a bit too early and a bit too quickly, the outcome wasn't entirely unexpected.

As long as one wasn't indecisive, hesitant, or overthinking, once they decided to kill, they should unleash all their thoughts and actions and go all out to kill.

When people are killed, they die.

Therefore, Kingpin didn't even have ashes left.

The only regret was that a villain like Kingpin wasn't suitable for intentionally keeping alive. If given even a moment's respite, he might suddenly spring a "surprise" on Hong Fei at any moment.

Otherwise, he would have definitely chosen imprisonment over death, just to figure out the drop rules for Skill Cards from the opponent!

As for which villain would be suitable for research, Hong Fei was still considering.

While Hong Fei and Frank were comfortably sailing out to sea on the yacht, the situation in New York was no less than a major earthquake.

Someone had fired cannons in the suburbs of New York City!

In a free country, occasional gunshots weren't exactly news, but no matter how free it was, people couldn't tolerate cannons being fired.

Three cannon blasts shook the sky, and flames and thick smoke billowed into the heavens.

Except for the hearing impaired and those who sleep very soundly, ninety percent of New York's citizens heard and saw what happened last night. Even those who didn't react then were stunned by the overwhelming news this morning.

As for reactions, the citizens were initially confused. Not everyone has heard real artillery fire, and many thought it was thunder on a clear day.

When the fires raged, these people were terrified and panicked.

The most shocked were the New York National Guard.

As a vital component of the US military's armed forces, their response after the shelling was even slower than the police department's.

By the time fighter jets were scrambled for reconnaissance, they found nothing but the mortars left five kilometers away.

The SWAT team and the National Guard conducted a grid search of the mountains overnight. However, by then, Hong Fei and Frank had already gone far away, turned a corner, and entered the ocean.

In the public eye, the person who died last night due to the shelling was a philanthropist and spice merchant. People naturally felt regret, but then they were surprised why anyone would be so bold as to use artillery to kill someone on the outskirts of the city.

However, in the eyes of the underworld, Kingpin's death immediately caused a huge uproar. It wasn't because Kingpin was particularly respected or feared; after all, no matter how powerful he was, he was now reduced to ashes.

The key point was that with Kingpin's death, his territory and warehouses instantly became ownerless.

During the day, the gangs endured. But at night, fierce competition erupted in the dark corners of the city.

News reports were filled with various analyses and arguments. Some called it a terrorist attack, others a gang war, and some directly pointed fingers at the police and military.

How did weapons like mortars get out? Why didn't the police find them in advance? Why was the military's response so slow? If someone were to bombard New York, would everyone just die in their sleep?

It wasn't just these directly targeted law enforcement agencies that were in a frenzy; the city and state governments were too. Politicians rushed to deliver speeches, while the ruling party's political opponents constantly appeared in the media to criticize and condemn. Clearly, this incident had become a nightmare for some and a carnival for others.

In short, if Hong Fei had been any more timid, the endless stream of news alone would have been enough to make him fearful.

"Stupid New Yorkers, last night I was genuinely eliminating a scourge for the people."

The police report made no mention of the underground area beneath the warehouse. It seemed these people were still searching for Hong Fei and Frank and hadn't noticed the secret beneath the warehouse at all.

But if they had directly bombed and ignited Kingpin's underground factory last night, would the smoke drifting into the city have made the New York citizens go wild?

After drifting at sea for three days, Hong Fei's injuries had healed. The yacht turned around and openly returned to the New York harbor.

Gazing at the city of towering buildings, Frank smirked and said, "This city looks a bit brighter than before. It seems our actions were quite effective."

"More than effective, they were brilliant!" Hong Fei laughed heartily. "You took out a kingpin of the underworld who would have extended his tentacles worldwide with just three shells, thereby saving countless individuals and families who might have suffered. Your merits are immeasurable! From today on, you're not just The Punisher; you'll have a brand new nickname!"

"What?"

"Frank the Three-Cannon!"

Happy Mid-Autumn Festival!