New Recruitment Target: Punisher

Come to think of it... I hadn't had a proper meal since last night.

Last night, Carl had single-handedly slaughtered his way through Hydra's Caucasus Base.

Then he had flown nonstop for nearly four hours, crossing almost ten thousand kilometers to reach New York.

He had also completed the acquisition of The Daily Bugle this morning.

Afterward, Carl went to the hotel Zemo had reserved for him in advance.

Only after confirming that everything was proceeding exactly as he had envisioned in his plan did he choose to go to bed and catch up on some sleep.

So, to be precise, he had not eaten anything for an entire day!

Even though he had now joined the ranks of the "superhumans."

That still did not change the fact that he possessed an ordinary human physique.

Thinking about it, it's unbelievable. As the dimensional demon god of the Warp and the helmsman of a business empire worth nearly a trillion... I actually unknowingly pulled an all-nighter at work?!!

Carl grumbled to himself.

It seemed the plan to recruit talent had to be put on the agenda as soon as possible.

Otherwise, how was he supposed to enjoy life to the fullest in the future?!!!

After a quick wash-up, he took the elevator down to the restaurant for a meal.

"Hm?"

Just as Carl finished eating and prepared to return to his room for more sleep.

A conversation from not far away caught his attention.

"Frank, I'm so happy you chose to retire early. How about we take the children to Central Park for a picnic tomorrow..."

At a table against the wall, a blonde woman gazed lovingly at the sharp-haired man seated across from her.

"Dad, I want to ride the carousel!!"

Before the man could respond, a boy around ten years old threw himself directly into his arms.

Then another little girl followed suit, hugging his arm and shaking it as she pleaded coquettishly.

"That's right, the ice cream there is the best... Dad, can we go play there, pleeease~~"

Frank's eagle-sharp eyes immediately softened.

A doting smile spread across his stern face. He reached out and gently patted the two mischievous little heads before nodding.

"No problem. From now on, no matter where you want to go, Dad will stay by your side..."

As he said this, Frank suddenly seemed to sense something. He discreetly glanced in a certain direction from the corner of his eye, then slowly rose to his feet.

"Maria, wait here with the children for a moment. I'm going to the restroom and will be right back."

Then he quietly followed a figure out of the restaurant.

"Sir, may I ask why you were staring at my family just now?!"

The moment Frank stepped out of the restaurant, he saw his target standing there, smiling at him. His heart instantly filled with vigilance.

Clearly, the other party possessed formidable counter-surveillance skills.

Or perhaps he had deliberately lured Frank out!

If not for the fact that the man before him looked rather young.

Frank might have chosen a more brutal, yet simple and effective, method of questioning.

"Frank Castle, don't misunderstand. I bear no hostility toward you or your family..."

Carl gave a mysterious smile and said meaningfully.

"However, I can give you a piece of free advice. If you don't want to lose your family, then you'd better not take them to Central Park tomorrow!"

That was right. The man standing before Carl was Frank Castle, a super soldier who had received numerous medals of honor in war, mastered every kind of individual and team special combat tactic, and possessed exceptional tactical expertise.

And in the not-too-distant future.

After Frank's wife and children were brutally killed, he would choose to fight violence with violence, battling crime alone and becoming the Punisher, a figure feared by countless criminal organizations!!

Although the Punisher was classified as an antihero.

Carl greatly admired this man.

In his view, the Punisher was even more upright and pure than Captain America, who was revered by the world and praised as "Marvel's moral exemplar" and "Marvel's living saint."

A talent like this was worthy of his personal recruitment!

"Who are you... and why do you know me?"

A flash of murderous intent flickered through Frank's eyes.

The aura around him instantly became as bloodthirsty as a demon from hell, as though he might erupt at any moment.

There was no doubt that, for his family, this man could slaughter the entire world!

"If you want to know the answer, then wait for me here at the same time tomorrow."

Carl did not answer his question. Instead, as he turned to leave, he said, "Good luck. I hope that this time, you can save your family."

"Stop! Explain yourself before you leave..."

Frank immediately pounced at Carl like a leopard.

But before he could touch him.

The scene before his eyes underwent a world-shaking transformation.

He was suddenly standing in a sunlit park.

On the grass, "he" and his wife were enjoying a warm family picnic with their son and daughter.

However.

Tragedy soon descended upon them.

Just as his wife held up a camera to photograph their son and daughter riding the carousel, several gangsters suddenly rushed out of the woods and shot her dead on the spot.

Even Frank himself was severely wounded, collapsing in a pool of blood...

"Oh, no!!!"

The scene abruptly came to an end.

Frank, who had regained consciousness, immediately clutched his head and let out a pained howl.

Although what he had just seen was only an illusion, it still made him feel agony as though his heart had been torn apart.

Frank did not fear death. In fact, during his past missions, he had often kept company with it.

But he could not bear to face the sight of his wife and children dying miserably.

They were the only things he cherished deep in his heart, the one forbidden boundary that no one could ever touch.

For them, even becoming an enemy of the entire world would be worth it!!

However.

When he raised his head, intending to ask Carl what that illusion had been about, he discovered that no one was standing before him anymore.

A mutant?

Or a superpowered individual who had taken Compound V?

Carrying these questions, Frank returned to the restaurant with a heavy heart.

Seeing the expectant looks on his wife and children's faces, he ultimately did not voice his desire to cancel tomorrow's picnic at Central Park.

His long military career had deprived him of far too much time with his family.

This was the first time his wife had ever made a request of him.

So Frank did not want to disappoint his wife, nor did he want to disappoint his children!

Besides, there was currently no evidence that the mysterious man's words—or that illusion—would truly come to pass.

Still, just to be safe...

Frank decided to bring his 9mm Browning M1935 Automatic Pistol with him for protection tomorrow.

Weren't they just a dozen or so gangsters?

With advance preparation, that level of threat posed no danger to him at all.

Fine!

At most, he would bring a Gerber Combat Knife too!!!