Threatening You in the Name of the Law

It was not until Magneto and his lackeys vanished from sight that Xiang Qian finally put away the gun in his hand.

Facing a veteran terrorist—and one with whom he had a personal vendetta—Xiang Qian was not as relaxed as he had just appeared.

After wounding Pyro John with a single shot, the P226 in his hand had remained firmly aimed at Magneto. Despite Xiang Qian's reckless teasing, his nerves had been stretched to the breaking point; had even a single screw rattled in the laboratory, he would have opened fire without hesitation.

After Magneto left, Mystique departed immediately as well. Xiang Qian had used the excuse of the overwhelming number of U.S. soldiers outside the island to suggest that Raven stay with him, only to be rejected without mercy.

"The Hilton is practically turning into a carnival for global intelligence agencies. There are more agents watching you than there are soldiers on the other side," Mystique retorted snappily before shifting her appearance and leaving the lab.

Xiang Qian counted the progress of the file copy with listless boredom, simultaneously monitoring the drone footage through his electronic wrist projector.

More and more rubber boats appeared on the sea, heading toward Alcatraz Island from every direction. Mutants were no longer visible on the bridge; in their place were armed personnel advancing in skirmish lines.

Zooming in on the footage, one could distinguish the insignias of various agencies on the armed personnel: Army, Air Force, Marine Corps, FBI, SWAT, and so on. To have the armed forces of so many agencies acting in unison, there had to be coordination from the highest seat of power.

Xiang Qian knew that the riot incited by Magneto and the radical mutants had touched a nerve with the United States government. Although this riot only concerned internal American affairs, the severity of its aftermath was in no way inferior to the Statue of Liberty Incident at the turn of the century.

As the U.S. soldiers in the footage began to board Alcatraz Island one after another, the sounds coming from outside the door grew chaotic. The hole Juggernaut had smashed in the third-floor corridor floor allowed the sounds from below to drift up incessantly.

At first, it was just the sound of mutants venting their destruction throughout the building, but before long, following someone's shout of "The military is here, we're surrounded," the sounds of panicked cursing and screaming grew increasingly frequent.

Soon after, the gunfire became denser and closer, interspersed with the screams and pleas for mercy from the mutants, as well as the tactical commands of the military.

Xiang Qian turned a deaf ear to it all. He deftly pulled out the USB drive once the copy was complete, listened to the heavy footsteps in the corridor, and stepped back through a portal, returning to his hotel room. The soldiers storming the lab didn't even catch a glimpse of the sparks as the portal closed.

No sooner had he returned to his room than he heard a heated argument outside the door, which even the presidential suite's excellent soundproofing could not block out.

Xiang Qian methodically tidied his gear, changed into casual loungewear, and flung the door open just as the shouting outside reached its peak.

"Manager, what is happening? Is this the comfortable, enjoyable VIP treatment your hotel provides to its guests?" Xiang Qian didn't even look at the cluster of men in black suits who reeked of "agent" from head to toe, aiming his fire instead at the lobby manager who had followed them up.

The lobby manager no longer possessed the composure he had shown when checking Xiang Qian in. He knew that if the situation before him wasn't handled well, not only would the hotel's reputation plummet, but he would likely lose his job and be left with an indelible stain on his resume.

Without a court warrant or an emergency situation, allowing law enforcement to harass a hotel's VIP guest—a high-level client—meant the hotel's business would be finished.

The lobby manager couldn't even spare a moment to wipe the fine beads of cold sweat from his forehead, rushing to explain, "Please forgive me, Mr. Zion. Riots targeting Worthington Industries have broken out in the Bay; these FBI agents are here under orders to protect you. After all, as a key partner of Worthington Industries, they are concerned you might also become a target for the rioters."

Xiang Qian swept a meaningful gaze over the agents crowding the doorway. Although they wore the skin of the FBI, Xiang Qian easily caught the scent of S.H.I.E.L.D. on them.

The FBI took orders directly from the U.S. government. With the situation on Alcatraz Island still unclear, and with Worthington Industries not yet confirmed to be finished and his own cooperation agreement with the White House still in effect, the FBI would have to be insane to come and provoke him.

"My security team is professional enough; they are fully capable of ensuring my safety."

Seeing Xiang Qian move to close the door, the lead "FBI" agent grew anxious. "Mr. Zion, I don't think you understand the current situation. Your personal safety is facing a massive threat..."

"I think the biggest threat to me is you," Xiang Qian interrupted impatiently. "Listen, I am currently trying to maintain the utmost patience while speaking with you, but I have absolutely no desire to waste my time on you. Unless you have a warrant, get lost!"

The agent said sternly, "The California government has just issued a curfew. San Francisco is in a state of emergency."

"The temporary authority granted to you by the state of emergency only applies to public areas. Is this a public area?" Xiang Qian asked the lobby manager with a cold sneer. "Or does the manager intend to kick me out of here?"

"NO! NO! NO!" The manager was nearly terrified out of his wits. Letting the FBI agents come upstairs to meet Xiang Qian was already his greatest concession—it could practically be cited as a model of cooperation with government departments. But to ask him to sacrifice his career to offend a VIP guest and take the fall for the government?

If he had that kind of conviction, he wouldn't be a white-collar employee or a middle-class elite.

"Mr. Zion is our honored guest..." the manager stammered after a long pause. "I am terribly sorry for our hotel's negligence. I will have them leave immediately!"

With that, the lobby manager immediately picked up his internal walkie-talkie to call hotel security.

The lead "FBI" agent grew desperate. "Mr. Zion..."

Xiang Qian made a "shushing" gesture, making no effort to hide his annoyance and even disgust.

"I must remind you that my bodyguards come from an American-registered security firm. They all have carry permits and are the most professional, dedicated team in the industry. If you continue to pester me, I cannot guarantee they won't take more drastic measures."

"I spend tens of millions of dollars a year on top-tier lawyers. So, if you don't have a legal reason, even if my bodyguards kill one or two of you, I can ensure they remain unscathed. Conversely, if they so much as get a scratch, I can destroy your livelihoods."

"Are you threatening me?" the agent asked, his face darkening.

Xiang Qian let out a "ha-ha," his face devoid of a genuine smile, and said with a sinister edge, "Yes, you guessed it. I am threatening you—in the name of the law. If the ability to openly carry firearms is the first reason I like the United States, then this is the second."

"Free America, I love free America; especially since she allows a rich man like me to be even freer."

Xiang Qian slammed the door shut, leaving the agents with nothing but a mocking smile.