Fermentation

News of unknown origin spread with uncanny speed, reaching almost the entire underground world in just a few tens of minutes.

Many people didn't believe it at first, dismissing it outright.

"Starting a war with vampires? And The Mechanic, who's been so famous lately? What a joke. How could he possibly fight vampires? He's such a good boy."

Someone posted on a specialized black market website, filled with sarcasm and mockery, ridiculing Donnie as a model citizen who rarely caused trouble. They claimed he didn't act like a high-level Mutant, making things easy for the authorities, who didn't know what to say.

But the rumors grew, their influence expanding, and within just a few hours, they had stirred up a massive storm!

An unknown individual uploaded a video, claiming it was footage of Donnie's bloody battle with the vampires!

Many were alarmed. Various factions and top international hackers were shocked and mobilized their resources to verify the video. They dispatched computer experts overnight to authenticate its veracity. The video was blurry, but Optimus Prime was clearly visible due to his distinctive appearance. In the footage, Optimus Prime wielded a rocket launcher in one hand and a Vulcan cannon in the other, devastating everything in sight, the killing intent palpable even through the screen.

Some hackers were intensely curious about the uploader, attempting to track them down and expose who dared to do such a thing, and what their position was at the time. Were they Donnie's accomplice, a vampire, or a third party? But they failed; the uploader was cunning and had meticulously erased their traces immediately.

Some factions sensed a conspiracy and remained cautious, opting to observe the situation.

Regardless, many understood that Donnie was up to his old tricks again, and this time, it was something big! He had single-handedly purged a vampire stronghold! This was a resounding blow, and no one knew how the vampire clan would retaliate.

This night was destined to be sleepless. News of Donnie's fierce battle with the vampires spread like wildfire through the underworld. Many major powers received the news, reacting with worry, laughter, or even outright jubilation.

"Ha! That fool. Are vampires easy to provoke? What a suicidal idiot. It's a shame, though; a high-level Mutant is quite valuable," Kingpin, corpulent and slumped on a sofa, sneered repeatedly.

Fury of S.H.I.E.L.D. rubbed his forehead and issued an order: "Monitor closely. If necessary, deploy elite agents to assist Donnie and clean out those vampires. They've been too active lately; let's make them behave."

Magneto had been awake for days. Standing before a massive, peculiar instrument, he heard the news and was unfazed. "Vampires? A bunch of scum. Good practice for young Donnie. If he can't handle this, he's just a weakling... Never mind, send someone to help him."

The official response was the swiftest. They immediately announced to the media that the massive fire was caused by a drunkard accidentally igniting alcohol. The fire had been extinguished, and it was confirmed that no one was injured or killed.

It was also on this night that Donnie's nickname, "The Mechanic," became widely known.

Donnie was oblivious to all this. He had believed the massive fire would destroy most of the evidence. Even if any remnants were discovered, he assumed the authorities would pretend not to notice. If anyone tipped off the vampires, it would at least delay his exposure, allowing him time to prepare.

The vampires might not swallow this insult. If another fight broke out, it could very well involve the vampire army, escalating into a major war.

Donnie was pressed for time and needed to arm himself quickly. Engaging with vampires, while seemingly chaotic, wasn't a major issue as long as he wasn't bitten. The vampire clan was renowned worldwide. Apart from their ancestor, who existed only in myth and legend and whose depth was unknown, their pure-blooded descendants could be killed.

It wasn't until Coulson called him to inquire about some matters that he realized how quickly things had escalated.

"Mr. Donnie, it's not just the major agencies that know now; this incident has practically spread throughout the entire underground world, and many have become familiar with you because of it," Coulson said, his tone still gentle, explaining the situation to Donnie. S.H.I.E.L.D. had also tried to find out who was behind the leaks but failed; they couldn't track down the person responsible.

Donnie was both surprised and somewhat understanding.

"Someone is targeting me; I just don't know who," Donnie said.

He wasn't foolish, but having only recently entered this extraordinary world, he still habitually judged many situations with his mortal mindset. This required extensive experience to mature him, otherwise, he would be tricked, relying on luck. An experienced veteran who had been through much wouldn't rely on luck; only a naive rookie with insufficient experience would.

People like Coulson, who had spent most of their lives navigating schemes and calculations, treated the assessment of interests and losses as an instinct.

Thinking back, from the random administrator he found, to the ambush on the road that supplied him with a large amount of heavy weaponry, and finally to confronting the vampires, someone had been plotting against him, even arranging for people to deliver weapons to him mid-way, as if fearing he didn't have enough firepower.

Not to mention that magical phrase, "For the glory of the vampires"...

Someone was secretly instigating him to go to war with the vampires.

"Mr. Donnie, do you have any leads? We can use our resources to help you find the person behind this," Coulson, adept at psychology, keenly grasped Donnie's inner thoughts. He understood that what Donnie needed most urgently wasn't to know who that person was, but rather a force and background he could rely on.

Even if this force and Donnie were mutually beneficial, both sides would accept it.

S.H.I.E.L.D. was quietly observing Donnie, understanding what kind of person he was. To use a rather inappropriate term, he wasn't a good person; killing and destruction were no longer significant matters for Donnie, but he was inclined towards neutral and lawful. As long as there wasn't a deep-seated grudge, he was someone who could be reasoned with.

Otherwise, Donnie could have gone to Professor X or Magneto, where he would have had more freedom, and they would have gladly accepted such a kinsman. Donnie didn't have to stubbornly cling to his house. After all, it was in New York City, with numerous cameras on every street. A person living in a metropolis implicitly agreed to be secretly observed. This wasn't limited to Donnie; almost everyone living in a big city, once they left their homes, was exposed to cameras. Everyone knew this.

Therefore, there was an unspoken understanding between the official agencies and Donnie. They no longer interfered with Donnie's house, fully respecting his privacy, and Donnie, in turn, did not openly cause trouble in front of official personnel. This was a mutually comfortable arrangement.

In fact, within the official circles, there was a considerable number of people who had a favorable impression of Donnie, this newly emerged Level 4 Mutant. They advocated for a proactive approach, aiming to recruit Donnie and bring him into government agencies, even potentially forming a special task force centered around him.

Of course, individuals like General Ross certainly harbored immense malice towards Donnie.

This wasn't to say that official personnel were easy to deal with. Look at the current situation; which high-level combatant was as easy to get along with as Donnie? Professor X's place was practically an independent kingdom. Magneto resided in isolation overseas, completely ignoring the official channels. The Super Soldier Program had repeatedly encountered setbacks. It was incredibly difficult for official agencies to recruit an extraordinary combatant.

They were desperately yearning for a trump card that could suppress everything.