Night shrouded New York, and the city's dazzling lights radiated vigorous life. The wealthy indulged in extravagant, decadent pleasures, while those in the slums enjoyed the warmth of family.
Hell's Kitchen, New York's land of sin, had not found the expected peace even after Kingpin's death. This special district, rife with chaos and crime, was still being quietly eroded block by block as gangs, drug dealers, and street thugs sprang back to life like weeds after a wildfire.
Matt Murdock sat alone in the law office. His highly developed, keen senses allowed him to hear all kinds of sounds nearby, and if he concentrated, he could even extend his perception across an entire block—
"What are you doing..."
"What, buddy? Don't get in the way, or I'll blow your head off!"
"Come on, then!"
"You want a taste of pain?"
Matt clenched the documents in his hand. He had abandoned the identity of Daredevil long ago. Since Kingpin's death, the blind lawyer had resolved never to put on that red devil suit again. Perhaps Foggy and his assistant Karen leaving had finally awakened him to the fact that using violence to fight criminals only treated the symptoms, not the cause. While punishing criminals, Daredevil himself had also been breaking the law.
Though he had made up his mind, Matt still could not suppress the urge in his heart whenever he heard a crime being committed. His hatred of evil made it impossible for him to stand idly by in the face of criminals and violence.
"New York Police Department! Spread out! Stop!"
The arrival of the police defused what had been an imminent violent clash. Matt nodded and let out a long breath. Perhaps this was the best solution. Daredevil's appearance would only make things worse!
Matt forcibly suppressed the emotions surging within him. With Kingpin's fall, Hell's Kitchen had at least regained a superficial peace. The blind lawyer stopped dwelling on it and focused on preparing the litigation documents for later.
Having given up his life as the vigilante known as the "Devil of Hell's Kitchen," Matt now provided charitable legal aid, serving ordinary people who could not afford high-priced attorneys. This counted as another way to fight evil.
"Frank, is that you?" Matt frowned as he organized the documents. He seemed to hear a familiar set of footsteps.
"Your ears are still as sharp as ever, big-shot lawyer!" A tall, burly man climbed in through the window from the fire escape and casually sat on the sofa. "You got any liquor here? Whiskey on the rocks!"
Matt got up, took a bottle of beer from the refrigerator, and tossed it to Frank on the sofa. The burly man known as the Punisher caught it with ease and precision, twisted off the cap, and drank heartily.
"Could you use the door next time? Stop climbing through the window every time." Matt had quite a few complaints about Frank's way of visiting.
"I'm not like you, Matt. The whole New York Police Department is hunting me. Those damn cops think I killed Kingpin and made me their number one wanted man!" Frank drained the beer in one gulp. Being saddled with such a blame for no reason made him furious!
Matt shook his head with a smile. "Actually, I thought it was you at first too."
Frank had once been a member of the Marines. When he returned home after leaving the service, he witnessed his family being brutally murdered. The immense psychological trauma drove him to cleanse Hell's Kitchen of evil forces on his own. Matt had met him during that time. The two initially engaged in several fierce clashes, but after learning the truth, Daredevil saved the severely wounded Frank and even voluntarily became his defense attorney.
"Although that guy's brutal style is a lot like mine, I hadn't gotten around to making a move on Kingpin before he beat me to it."
Frank toyed with the gun in his hand. He was now notorious throughout Hell's Kitchen. Compared with the vanished Daredevil, this cruel and extreme Punisher had remained committed to fighting the gangs.
After calculating the time, Matt said, "You wouldn't have come looking for me without a reason, Frank. What did you find this time?"
"Look at you now, Matt Murdock, the righteous big-shot lawyer!" Frank's tone was mocking. He had not expected Matt to give up being Daredevil. "Remember what I told you before? Someone's planning a huge conspiracy. Kingpin is dead, but The Hand is growing stronger by the day. They've secretly taken control of a company called Midtown Circle Financial. I found a lot of red-clad ninjas stationed there. That's highly unusual!"
Matt fell silent for a moment. His girlfriend Elektra had been killed by The Hand. Those Japanese ninjas had tried to turn Elektra into a powerful weapon called the Black Sky. During the fierce pursuit and battle, Elektra had tragically sacrificed herself to save him.
This was the deepest pain in Matt's heart. It was precisely because of this that he had chosen to put down Daredevil's suit and helmet and return to an ordinary life.
"The Hand... I thought they had already left Hell's Kitchen." Matt's smile was bitter as he buried those painful memories deep within his heart.
"No. They just went into hiding. It seems they've been carrying out something in secret all along." Frank laid out the clues he had recently uncovered. He hoped to get Matt's help; those elite ninjas of The Hand, trained through brutal methods, were truly hard for him to handle alone.
"What are you planning to do?" Matt asked.
"There's a Hellfire Club in Hell's Kitchen. It's a den of all sorts, the best place to gather intelligence." Frank revealed an unfriendly smile. The Punisher's methods of gathering information were certainly not going to involve polite visits.
"I have court at three. I'm defending a child who lost both legs... Well, I wish you luck with your investigation." Matt stuffed the documents on the desk into his briefcase and picked up the cane beside him. "You can stay at my place for a while. Remember to lock the window before you leave. Security isn't very good around here."
"You don't want anything to do with this anymore, do you? Matt Murdock, are you really willing to forget your old life and become some big-shot lawyer who speaks for justice and defends the poor!?"
Frank rose to his feet, a trace of anger in his voice. He hoped Matt could pull himself together and continue being Daredevil, the man who fought evil. Hell's Kitchen needed someone like that!
"You think the law can judge those evil people? I thought you'd seen the truth long ago, Matt. The law can't punish those scumbags who do whatever they please. In Hell's Kitchen, gang bosses walk in and out of police stations as if they're returning home. They still enjoy fine red wine and beautiful prostitutes in prison, and even the guards bow and scrape before them! Those people receive no punishment, and they won't repent before God, either. That's why I show no mercy, because every last one of those pieces of trash deserves to go to hell!"
Frank's voice was icy, like a cold bullet striking Matt's heart with a thunderous blow. After all his hesitation and struggle, that impulsive feeling surged up inside the blind lawyer once again.
"Frank, I'm sorry. I can't do it!" After a long while, Matt gave his answer and walked out of the shabby apartment.
Frank, standing where he was, let out a sigh. It seemed he would have to find another helper. In any case, a new group of people had recently emerged in Hell's Kitchen: Harlem's Black hero Luke Cage and private investigator Jessica Jones. They all possessed extraordinary abilities.
No matter what, he would visit the Hellfire Club tonight first. Hopefully, that owner would know what was good for him and give Frank an answer that satisfied him.
The Punisher, a skull emblazoned across his chest, climbed out through the window once more. His burly silhouette disappeared into the dim night.
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