Different Agendas

Midtown Circle Financial, top-floor conference room.

"Isn't the boss behind you planning to come see me in person?" A middle-aged woman in a white shawl asked, her brows faintly furrowed. Her lightly wrinkled face carried the imposing authority of someone long accustomed to power.

"That is hardly an appropriate attitude for business negotiations. Why would The Hand cooperate with a mysterious person who will not even show his face?"

Wesley, dressed in an immaculate suit, sat in the conference room with a refined, courteous smile on his face. His voice was unhurried. "I can fully represent my boss's position, and we are very sincere. I hope Ms. Alexandra will believe that."

The person facing Wesley was none other than the head of Midtown Circle Financial, a woman with a rather legendary life story. This middle-aged woman named Alexandra had always been a prominent figure among New York's upper class. It was said that she had built a massive real estate company from nothing, with extensive operations and businesses everywhere. Yet in stark contrast to her vast enterprise, she kept an exceptionally low profile, rarely appearing in public or even attending social gatherings.

Of course, Wesley knew more than just these surface-level details. This middle-aged woman, who had amassed enormous wealth in less than a few decades, was actually one of The Hand's five leaders. She came from the mysterious Eastern organization known as K'un-Lun and had devoted her life to pursuing the illusory goal of immortality.

"Your boss certainly has a high opinion of himself. When Kingpin worked with us, he did not dare hide behind the scenes and command everything remotely." Alexandra's expression was cold. She was not particularly interested in this so-called collaboration.

Now, all of The Hand's resources were focused on Danny Rand. As long as they captured K'un-Lun's last guardian and used the power of his Immortal Iron Fist to break open the underground door, the hope of immortality would be within reach. Compared to extending her own life, Alexandra did not care about any business deal, no matter how profitable it was.

After all, what could be more precious than life? Wasn't their boundless thirst for life the very reason they had been expelled from K'un-Lun all those years ago?

"Business is not actually important. The Hand has countless business partners. What my boss hopes for is a closer relationship with The Hand—for example, preferential access to your resources, or even your intelligence network."

Wesley sat upright and stated his purpose with a serious expression. To be honest, before the two sides had established a fully trusting partnership, he was truly afraid that making such an unreasonable demand would get him cut down in a fit of rage.

But no matter what, the boss came first. No matter how rude the demand, Wesley could only carry it out faithfully as his agent. That was one of the reasons he had become Kingpin's trusted confidant.

"Haha, your boss is quite an interesting man." Alexandra gave a perfunctory laugh, then prepared to rise and leave.

She had no time to waste on such trivial matters. She had originally thought that someone capable of bringing down Kingpin would at least be a worthwhile partner. Now, it seemed he was merely an arrogant fool who did not know his own limits.

"What about Danny Rand as a gift to show our sincerity?" Wesley did not try to stop her. He simply tossed out the words calmly.

When Alexandra halted and spun around to stare at him, Wesley knew the information his boss had provided was indeed correct. For The Hand, the K'un-Lun guardian who bore the title of Immortal Iron Fist was currently the most important person of all.

"How much do you know?" Alexandra asked coolly, a flicker of killing intent flashing in her eyes.

"The Hand's five fingers. Ms. Alexandra is the supreme leader. Madame Gao, Sowande, Murakami, and Bokuto, who have worked with us before, are all on their way to New York. As for the connection between The Hand and K'un-Lun, I know a little about that as well."

Wesley calmly met the icy gaze of The Hand's supreme leader. Now that he knew her secrets, either he would become The Hand's partner on behalf of his boss, or he could simply vanish from the face of the earth.

Running errands for powerful people was a high-risk profession too. Wesley smiled bitterly to himself.

"Who is your boss?" Alexandra finally began to take the mysterious man behind the scenes seriously. There were very few people who understood The Hand's history, and even fewer who knew about K'un-Lun and Danny Rand's identity as the Iron Fist.

"You may call him King, or Mr. K." Wesley helplessly gave his boss's alias. By now, he was used to his boss's peculiar sense of humor.

"Then what does he want? Everyone has their own interests, don't they—what does he want from The Hand?" Alexandra had developed a hint of interest in this person.

"Black Sky," Wesley stated his demand. "My boss wants to learn about The Hand's most powerful weapon..."

"That is not some cheap trinket mass-produced on an assembly line." Alexandra was somewhat surprised. She had not expected that to be what he wanted.

"My boss pursues individual strength, so he is very interested in Black Sky." Wesley smiled faintly. "In return, he will hand Danny Rand, along with several other troublesome people, over to you."

Alexandra fell silent for a moment. She did not have much time left. According to the medical examination report from several days ago, many of her organs were on the verge of failure, and her life was nearing its end.

The Dragon Bone they had stolen from K'un-Lun had already been used up. The last tiny amount had been used to resurrect the dead Elektra and transform her into Black Sky. Death, which she had gradually forgotten over the years, now clung to her body like a frigid wind. That overwhelming terror invaded her heart, causing Alexandra to lose her usual calm rationality. To excavate new Dragon Bone, she was even willing to destroy all of New York!

"If your boss can deliver Danny Rand to me, I can agree to let him become The Hand's sixth finger." Alexandra made her decision. Danny Rand was currently the key to opening that door, and she could accept paying some price for him.

"Then..." Wesley rose and extended his hand with a smile. "May our cooperation be fruitful."

"I hope that next time, I can meet your mysterious boss." Alexandra shook his hand, her gaze meaningful. From this moment onward, The Hand would conduct a full investigation into the boss behind Wesley.

A mysterious man who knew of The Hand's origins and secrets made Alexandra deeply uneasy. If time had not been so pressing, she would never have agreed to his request for cooperation. Instead, she would have sent Black Sky Elektra to erase this unstable factor completely!

Watching Wesley leave, Alexandra's eyes darkened. Cooperation was only temporary. Once Danny Rand was in her hands, she could open the underground door and excavate new Dragon Bone. When that happened, New York's foundations would collapse, and countless people would be buried with it.

That mysterious man calling himself Mr. K might be the most suitable scapegoat.

Alexandra stood before the enormous floor-to-ceiling window, gazing at her reflection in the transparent glass. A fanatical expression surfaced on her face. Time had gradually aged her once-youthful body. Her elastic skin had lost its vitality, fine wrinkles covered her smooth face, and her internal organs were beginning to fail.

Yet all of that would change again once she obtained the Dragon Bone and turned it into a serum!

That miraculous substance possessed immense life energy. It could bring the dead back to life and restore youth.

Alexandra gazed out at the steel forest in the distance. Soon, this prosperous city would cease to exist, vanishing in a catastrophe like the ancient city of Pompeii, once home to a brilliant civilization.