The electric shock of the detonator drilled into our ears, a sound hidden beneath the screams and gunfire of hundreds of people.
If it were someone else, they wouldn't even notice the slightest warning.
"Run!"
Daredevil only managed to utter that one word.
Without thinking, he reached out and grabbed the collar of the bulletproof vest in front of him, kicked hard against the ground with both legs, and slammed Frank sideways against the side wall.
The thin sheet metal was no match for two strong, adult men; it was easily torn open with a large hole.
The two rolled out of the warehouse. The edge of the dock was empty, with the dark sea below.
Thump!
Seawater rushed into their mouths and noses, engulfing the two of them.
Behind them, the firelight illuminated the entire surface of the water as if it were daytime. The shockwave from the explosion swept across the sea above their heads, and metal fragments plowed through the water, flying away in the distance.
For Daredevil, who usually relies entirely on hearing instead of sight, this underwater explosion was an inescapable form of torture.
The seawater transmitted the shockwaves of the series of explosions without reservation, and the continuous loud noises made his head buzz.
What was normally an enhanced sense of perception became utter torture, as all external feedback was thrown into chaos.
Amidst this chaotic noise, he was left with only one coordinate to pinpoint his location.
The heartbeat of the man beside me.
Frank's heart was pounding, as rapid as the beating of a war drum—a normal physiological response to a surge of adrenaline.
But his heartbeat was frighteningly steady, showing no reverence for death whatsoever.
Daredevil increased the pressure on his hands, trying to drag the other person upstream.
Splash!
Frank twisted his hand in the opposite direction, breaking free from his grip, and pushed off the water to the surface without any hesitation.
Good grief, he doesn't even appreciate it. He probably still thinks he's in the way.
Daredevil held his last breath and followed, his left ear ringing and unable to hear anything, leaving only his right ear barely functioning.
The Radar Sense has shrunk considerably; what used to cover several kilometers is now reduced to only tens of meters, and it's filled with static.
The aftereffects of an ear explosion.
The two emerged from the water one after the other.
Frank didn't say a word. He grabbed a broken piece of the pier, climbed up, lay down on his back, and his heaving chest quickly calmed down.
Daredevil clung to a charred wooden stake as he climbed onto the pier, his body covered in cuts from the debris.
It hurts, it hurts everywhere.
He propped himself up on his knees and turned to look.
The image automatically formed in my mind: the warehouse was completely destroyed, leaving only a large burning crater.
Flames licked at the remaining steel frame, and billowing black smoke rose up, turning half the night sky a fiery red.
Inside, thugs, ninjas, weapon crates scattered everywhere, hundreds of lives lost—all reduced to charred remains and minced meat.
He tried desperately to find the survivors' heartbeats.
No, not a single one.
Just minutes ago, these people were fighting fiercely, but now not even a groan remains. This was the madman's grand finale.
Daredevil's mind flashed back to the last moment before the explosion; on the second floor, a gust of air rushed by rapidly.
That speed was abnormally fast; a two-legged human couldn't run that fast, unless it wasn't running at all.
Madame Gao.
He couldn't be sure whether the old woman was dead or alive.
"Hello."
Frank's voice came from behind me.
Daredevil turned around and saw the man sitting cross-legged on the pier, inspecting his equipment. His M60 was soaked in water, and the barrel was bent, rendering it completely unusable.
He casually tossed the heavy iron lump into the sea, where it sank to the bottom with a splash.
Daredevil turned to the Punisher, his voice hoarse. "What are you doing at the docks?"
"Kill."
"It's not your place to kill the people here."
Frank listened, sneered, and turned his head to spit a mouthful of bloody saliva into the sea.
His tone was full of contempt. "Not my turn? Then who is? You? You go out every night with two sticks, banging and beating people up, sending them to the police station, and then watching them come out the next day after paying bail to continue selling drugs? How many people could you kill with that kind of thing?"
Daredevil choked.
He was too exhausted to argue; the ringing in his left ear was constant, and the wounds all over his body were numb from being soaked in seawater. But his mind was racing with other thoughts.
How did this person end up at the dock? Where did he get this information?
Why specifically target the most densely populated areas with fire?
Everything seemed strange.
Where is that black man?
Frank rummaged through his remaining equipment and suddenly uttered this remark.
Daredevil was taken aback.
Black person?
There were countless Black people among the gang members involved in the brawl at the docks tonight.
But Daredevil knew that the Punisher would never care about the life or death of a lowly henchman.
Who are you talking about?
" Luke Cage, that big guy who owns the bar in Harlem."
Daredevil's muddled mind cleared up considerably.
Wait, something's not right!
This person never targeted the ninjas, nor the thugs; was the machine gun fire just a casual cleanup operation?
He's in Luke!
From the very first second they entered the city, their target was Luke.
How did you know Luke was in trouble?
Daredevil, using the wooden post for support, stood up and demanded, "This didn't make the news?"
"I have my own way of doing things, don't worry about it."
What do you want with him?
Frank reached into the lining of his bulletproof vest and pulled out a photograph.
The photo was soaked in seawater, and the edges were wrinkled and curled.
At the bar counter, Luke Cage stood behind the counter grinning, while a little girl on a high stool next to him held a glass of juice bigger than her face.
Frank handed over the photo, his movements anything but gentle.
Three days ago.
Daredevil took the photo. He couldn't see the image, so he could only touch the edges of the photo with his fingers, waiting for the other person to finish speaking.
"This big guy took a bullet for my daughter's friend."
Frank turned and looked at the sea. "I owe him a life."
Daredevil held the photo in his hand for a long time without saying a word.
How could a ruthless character like the Punisher say he owes someone a life?
They even turned the entire dock upside down because of that one sentence.
"He's been arrested."
Daredevil handed the photo back. "A madman in purple shoved him into a modified garbage truck filled with chemical waste. He headed west."
"West side?"
Frank took the photo and stuffed it back into his chest. "Chemical plant, Kingpin's old territory."
Daredevil nodded. "You know quite a lot."
"I've been investigating for three days."
Frank bent down, picked up a broken plank, placed it across the gap in the pier, and stomped on it. "And you, spent all night investigating?"
I was looked down upon.
The fearless man from Hell's Kitchen had his intelligence-gathering abilities openly scorned by a reckless man wielding a machine gun and indiscriminately firing.
Daredevil, unfortunately, couldn't come up with a rebuttal.
They're much faster than him.
From tracking clues to storming the stronghold, the efficiency was frighteningly high.
Frank checked the magazine, tucked the pistol back into his waistband, got up and walked across the gap using the plank he had built, heading towards the brightly lit city.
"Hey, wait a minute."
Daredevil limped after him.
"That's a trap. That madman captured Luke to lure me in. You're going alone..."
Frank, not wanting to wait for him, continued forward. "If you want to save people, hurry up and get on board, stop talking nonsense."
The sea breeze blew by, scattering the firelight from the dock behind him, making the pale skull flicker on and off.
He turned his head to the side, the firelight flickering on his cheek.
"If you dare block my way, I'll bury you in the grave with me."