Frank, the Savage and Ruthless; Master Hong, Timid as a Mouse

"Next, we're going to put on a show for the arms dealer. You'll play the bad guy, and I'll be..."

"Why don't you play the bad guy?" Frank grumbled.

Hong Fei fumbled around on himself for a moment.

Frank couldn't help asking, "What are you looking for?"

"I'm looking for a mirror, so maybe you can get a clearer picture of yourself."

Frank's face instantly darkened.

In the end, Frank was still assigned the role of the armed militant leader by Hong Fei, while Hong Fei himself suppressed all his martial aura and turned into a completely ordinary young tourist.

As they changed clothes, Hong Fei added, "By the way, when are your old buddies getting here? We can't just be the two of us forever. That arms dealer is sharp; he'll start getting suspicious soon enough."

The old buddies he mentioned were Frank's former comrades.

Frank had served a long stint, passing through many units before ending up in the Marine Corps, where he'd retired. Many of his old comrades had also retired, and these people were rare resources.

Frank said grimly, "Can't rush it. We have to screen for people who are truly trustworthy. People change. I don't know if they're still the same toward me as before."

"Fair point. We don't need many—five or six will do. It's not like we're heading to a battlefield."

In the secret room, Tony was already awake. The bandage on his head had been removed by Hong Fei; there was no need to keep hiding his face here.

He struggled to force open his heavy eyelids, his gaze dazed.

After sweeping his eyes around the dim room, his focus gradually landed on his chest.

Beneath the bandages, two wires stretched outward, eventually connecting to a battery beside the iron bed.

Tony jolted in shock. He propped himself up weakly, tearing off the bloodstained bandage on his chest, and saw a circular metal device embedded in the flesh and bone right in the center of his chest.

Thump!

He flopped back onto the bed, eyes wide, gasping heavily, his face full of disbelief.

Watching through a hidden camera, Hong Fei, now dressed in casual clothes, gestured to Frank, who had shaved his head and wore a black mask. Together, they walked toward the secret room's door.

Soon, the sound of keys clinking came from outside.

With a grating noise, the door was pushed open a crack from the inside.

Tony turned over, leaning on his arm to look.

Boom!

Suddenly, a dull thud rang out, and a figure flew into the room, his body bent like a shrimp. He tumbled several meters before crashing to the ground with a thump, followed by violent coughing mixed with pained groans.

At the door, Frank, wearing a black mask, slowly lowered his leg.

Hong Fei lay on the ground clutching his stomach, feeling like his intestines were about to snap. Originally, they'd agreed Frank would just make the motion, and Hong Fei would push off the ground to fly in himself. But Frank had suddenly kicked with full force. Even though Hong Fei reacted in time, standing at the door, he couldn't exactly activate the Shinigami Eye and fight Frank—that would blow their cover completely.

Frank was settling a grudge, and Hong Fei immediately filed that away in his mental notebook.

Tony stared at Hong Fei in shock for a moment, then turned his gaze to the door. When his eyes met Frank's, he instantly saw a murderous intent brimming in them. The bulging frown lines on that shiny bald head made him look anything but a good man.

Frank stepped forward slowly.

"Tony Stark, the world's most famous arms dealer and weapons inventor. I saved you."

Frank's words stunned Tony for a moment.

Seeing this, Frank pulled out a few photos—images of the US military convoy under attack and Tony himself, bloodied and unconscious on the ground. Of course, the bodies of the armed militants were also in the shots.

"We killed those armed militants for you, performed surgery, and pulled you back from the jaws of death. We did save your life. Now I want to know—how will you repay me?"

Tony's expression shifted slowly as he understood Frank's meaning.

"I'm very grateful you saved my life. I think you might need money more than thanks. How about this: take the trouble to send me to a US military base, and I'll give you..."

Whoosh! Frank tossed another stack of photos onto the bed, cutting Tony off.

Tony looked down and saw pictures of the Jericho Missile and its explosion test scenes.

Frank jabbed a finger at the photo. "This missile is pretty good. Can you give me all its data?"

"No." Tony refused in a light, dismissive tone.

Frank's eyes showed no trace of cruelty, but he suddenly raised his arm and punched Tony square in the jaw.

Tony's vision exploded with stars, and blood trickled from his mouth.

Frank didn't waste words. He grabbed Tony by the neck and yanked him off the bed. No matter how Tony struggled, he couldn't escape the grip of that large hand.

The wires from Tony's chest dragged the battery across the floor, the rough pulling clearly causing him more pain. Hong Fei watched from the side, his heart racing, afraid Frank this thug might actually kill Tony.

Tony was dragged to the other end of the secret room. With a click, another light flicked on, illuminating a terrifying collection of torture instruments in the dark corner.

Before Tony could even panic, Frank shoved his head into a large water tank. He repeated this several times, until Tony felt his soul had left his body, leaving only a walking corpse.

Frank flung him aside, and Tony was thrown roughly to the ground.

Frank stomped down. Tony's abdomen convulsed in agony, and clear liquid spewed from his mouth.

"One month. I'll give you one month. Besides all the data, I want you to make one with your own hands. I'll meet any needs you have during that time. But if I don't see the goods in a month, I'll chop off your head and dump it at the gate of a US military base."

Frank finished speaking and turned to walk toward Hong Fei. He kicked him with his foot and said, "You'd better pray someone's willing to pay your ransom."

Hong Fei, terrified, immediately shrank into the corner, hugging his head and trembling.

With a clang, the iron door slammed shut again.

For a moment, the cell was filled with nothing but the two men's heavy breathing and muffled sobs.

After a long while, Tony recovered somewhat. He picked up the car battery, went back to his bed, and lay down again. Staring at the low ceiling, he said in a hoarse voice, "Kid, who are you? Do you understand English?"

Hong Fei curled up in the corner, silent.

"Whether you understand me or not, I have to tell you now: even if someone pays your ransom, that vicious bastard will still kill you."

Hong Fei suddenly looked up, his eyes overflowing with terror.

Tony glanced at him, curled his lips in disdain, and said, "Scared now? Spill it. Where are you from, and how did you end up here?"

"I..." Hong Fei hesitated for a moment, then said quietly, "I'm from New York. I just wanted to travel the world, but then someone knocked me out on the street here. When I woke up, I was already standing outside that door."

"New York?" Tony rolled over. "Then you must know me."

"Yeah, I know you. Tony Stark. A playboy..."

"Ha, right. The media's pretty accurate about that part." Tony sat up as he spoke. "Listen, kid. It's just the two of us in here now. In other words, we're in this together. Tell me—do you want to live?"

Hong Fei nodded quickly.

Tony said, "Good. I want to get out of here alive too. Come here."

Hong Fei slowly got up and cautiously approached Tony, as if afraid Tony might suddenly lash out and beat him.

Tony couldn't stand Hong Fei's dawdling. He reached out and yanked him close, their faces nearly touching.

Tony whispered, "Listen. Just now, when that bald bastard almost stomped me to death, an idea hit me. I've got a way out of here. But you know my situation—I need help. Can you do it?"

"I... well..."

Hong Fei's hesitant demeanor was infuriating. Tony slapped him on the head and said sternly, "Do you want to live or not? Do you ever want to see the sun again?"

Hong Fei was stunned for a moment.

He silently added this to his mental ledger, then nodded firmly. "I do!"

"Great. Then we're allies. From now on, you do whatever I tell you, and you don't ask why. We're short on time, and there are definitely cameras in here, so don't blow our cover in front of them. Once we get out of here, I'll throw us a huge party. You and me—we'll be the stars of it."

Hong Fei's expression showed eagerness, but inside, he was deeply contemptuous.

There's no way I'm going to your party dripping with capitalist decadence.