Brazil, Ponsip Chemical Plant
The Sabretooth was chained to a steel pillar by five thick iron chains, each as thick as an arm, with densely engraved runes on the links. He struggled countless times, the skin on his wrists and ankles worn raw, revealing the blackened metal underneath. His self-healing factor desperately tried to repair it, but with each bit of repair, the runes would flash, scalding the newly grown flesh back into raw, chapped wounds.
" Kingpin!" he roared, his vertical pupils bloodshot. "You fat pig! Let me go if you dare! One-on-one!"
Kingpin sat on a folding chair ten steps away, a cigar dangling from his lips, the smoke drifting slowly upwards. He watched Sabretooth struggle in vain, expressionless, like a dog owner watching a leashdid mad dog.
"You chased me halfway around the world." Kingpin took the cigar out of his mouth, his tone unhurried. "From New York to Rio, from Rio to São Paulo. Do you know how much money you burned through my pocket?"
"You're the one who made me like this!" The Sabretooth suddenly lunged forward, the chains rattling and the steel pillar swaying. "I can't sleep without killing you."
"Then you're destined to have insomnia tonight, sir."
Kingpin and gestured with his chin toward the person in the shadows behind him.
A masked man in black emerged from the shadows. He wore a dark green Cloak with the hood pulled low, revealing only a pale chin and half a silver metal mask. The mask covered his right cheek, extending from his cheekbone to his jawline, its edges embedded in the flesh, making it impossible to tell whether it was a mask or part of his skin. His footsteps were light, almost silent on the concrete, but with each step, the air in the entire factory seemed to be compressed an inch.
The Sabretooth's vertical pupils contracted. He smelled something, something wilder, colder, and more terrifying than himself.
"Who are you."
The masked man did not answer. He walked up to the Sabretooth and raised his right hand. The hand was covered by a dark green glove, and the fabric at the fingertips was embroidered with extremely fine runes, exactly the same as the runes on the chains. He placed his palm on the Sabretooth's forehead.
The Sabretooth froze. Its healing factor seemed to be paused under that palm; the wound stopped healing, but the pain surged back twice as intensely. It opened its mouth, letting out a distorted scream. Its pupils rolled back, its limbs convulsed, the chains rattled several times, and then it remained completely still.
" Doom." Kingpin stubbed out his cigar on the armrest of his chair, slowly stood up, but his tone carried an undisguised smugness. "Thank you. This madman chased me halfway around the world; thanks to you, I finally got rid of him."
Doom withdrew his hand from the Sabretooth's forehead. He looked down at his palm; the runes on his glove flashed briefly before dimming again.
"Help you?" He turned his head, the eye peeking out from beneath his mask like two cold, green phosphorescent lights. "You think you're worthy?"
Kingpin's smile froze for a second.
"I'm here only for Reed Richards." Doom's voice wasn't loud, but every word felt heavy and oppressive. "What do you think you are in my eyes? Just your men, your few beat-up guns, and those street thugs?"
He walked over to the table in front of Kingpin. On it lay a photograph: Reed Richards at an academic awards ceremony, holding a trophy and grinning like a bookworm. Doom looked down at the photograph, his gaze lingering on Reed's face for a few seconds.
The photo spontaneously combusted without a flame.
The paper began to blacken, curl, and bubble from the center. The flame was a very pale blue, producing no smoke, and within seconds the entire photograph was reduced to a small patch of ash. Kingpin's eyebrows twitched, but he suppressed them.
"You help me deal with that S.H.I.E.L.D.. kid," Kingpin said, softening his tone to sound like he was negotiating a deal rather than asking for a favor, "And I'll provide you with plenty of information on Susan and Reed."
Doom remained unmoved, his eyes fixed on Kingpin. Kingpin's eyes narrowed, and he quickly changed his story.
"I've heard about your feud." Kingpin took a step forward, his massive frame swaying slightly. "I sympathize with what happened to you both after your trip to outer space. Reed and Susan are currently with S.H.I.E.L.D.., according to my people."
Doom moved. His movements were slow, but the next second he was standing in front of Kingpin, his mask almost touching Kingpin's nose. Something was churning beneath the dark green Cloak, as if the air itself was twisting.
" Kingpin." His voice, metallic and resonant, came from beneath the mask. "You'd better not try anything funny. I wouldn't mind if you lay on the ground like that mad dog, unable to even bark."
Kingpin's back was instantly soaked. He tried to back away, but his feet were rooted to the ground, and he couldn't move.
Doom looked at him for two seconds, then turned and walked into the shadows deep within the factory. The edge of his Cloak disappeared into the darkness, and his footsteps faded away as if nothing had happened.
Kingpin stood there, his two arms in casts hanging limply at his sides, motionless for a long time. Only when the pressure on his chest completely dissipated did he slump into the folding chair as if his bones had been removed. The back of his shirt was soaked with sweat, clinging coldly to the chair back.
He looked down at the clump of dust on the table and wiped the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand.
"Fuck."
The next day, at Kennedy Airport.
Lin Xiao leaned against a pillar next to the arrival gate, holding up a piece of cardboard with "Dr. Jane Foster" written crookedly on it. He had originally wanted to write "Welcome to New York," but thought it was too formal. He thought "I, the Emperor, am here to welcome you" was too rude, so he just wrote a name and drew a crooked sunflower next to it.
As the crowd surged out, he craned his neck and searched for a long time before finally spotting that familiar figure. Jane was wearing a khaki trench coat, her hair tied in a low ponytail, and she was dragging a small suitcase as she walked out side by side with a man.
The man was half a head taller than her, wearing a dark gray casual suit with the top button of his shirt undone. A half-mask covered his right cheek, running from his cheekbone to his jawline; it was silver, with edges embedded in his skin, making it impossible to tell whether it was worn or naturally there. He tilted his head and spoke to Jane, who chuckled at his words and raised her hand to tuck a stray hair behind her ear.
Lin Xiao's smile faded slightly.
Jane saw him. Her eyes lit up, she let go of the handle of her suitcase, ran over and rushed towards him, bumping into his arms, wrapping her arms around his waist, and burying her face in his chest.
" Lin Xiao!"
Lin Xiao put his arm around her, resting his chin on the top of her head, but his gaze went past her shoulder and landed on the man who was slowly walking towards them from behind.
Doom stopped two steps away. A faint smile played on his lips, as if he had seen something interesting. He nodded to Lin Xiao.
"And who is this?" Lin Xiao looked down at Jian, his tone casual, but the hand around her waist tightened slightly.
Jane lifted her head from his embrace, glanced at Doom following his gaze, then turned back to look at Lin Xiao's face. She stared for two seconds, and the corners of her mouth slowly curled up.
Are you jealous?
"No."
"You do." Jane tiptoed and whispered in his ear, "His name is Victor. I met him on the plane; he sat next to me. He's also very interested in astronomy, and knows more than I do. We chatted the whole way. Okay, stop being jealous, sweetheart."
Lin Xiao pursed his lips. Of course, he wouldn't admit to being jealous. But he let go of Jane, took half a step forward, and extended his hand to Doom.
Lin Xiao.
Doom looked at the hand for two seconds. Then he reached out and shook it. The hand was cool, even through the leather glove, and the grip was neither too tight nor too light.
" Victor." Doom released his grip, his tone flat. "I've heard so much about you."
The sound of Doupao exploded in Lin Xiao's mind at that moment.
"Ding--Target confirmed. Victor von Doom, codename Doctor Doom Latveria, a scientific genius with magical prowess. Combat strength rating: S. Danger level: Extremely high. This target is currently in a potentially hostile state with the host. Recommendation--"
Lin Xiao silently told himself to "shut up" and looked away from Doom's face.
S-level.
Lin Xiao frowned.
He's currently at A+. He knows better than anyone how much difference there is between A+ and S. An A+ Abomination almost ripped his heart out, and an S-class Doctor Doom, who also knows magic and strategy, is not to be underestimated; he's probably the biggest threat at this stage.
"Mr. Victor," Lin Xiao smiled, his smile open and honest, revealing no flaw, "Coming to New York for a few days?"
"We'll see." Doom tilted his head, his gaze sweeping over Jane before settling back on Lin Xiao's face. "I have some things to take care of. You go about your business, don't worry about me."
After he finished speaking, he gave Jian a slight bow, turned, and walked towards the airport exit. His pace was still unhurried, the hem of his shirt fluttering gently. When he reached the door, he paused, turned his head, glanced in Lin Xiao's direction, and then disappeared into the crowd.
Lin Xiao stood there, watching the figure disappear completely. Jian tugged at his sleeve and whispered, "He's a pretty interesting guy, don't you think?"
"Hmm." Lin Xiao looked down at her, a smile playing on his lips. "Interesting."
He added a sentence in his mind.
It's so interesting I want to send him off Earth right now.