Inside the room, the atmosphere was eerily silent, and no one made a sound.
The Avengers felt as though a weight had been pressed onto their hearts.
Seeing the Ancient One this time did not ease their burden, but instead gave them a clearer understanding of the enemy they had to face.
Jackson Chen was like a serpent lurking in the darkness, calculating every move, ready to strike.
No one could guess where he was or when he would attack. It could be within seconds or hours.
Decisive, ruthless, absolutely brilliant, with a mind beyond ordinary men.
This was the Avengers' current impression of Jackson Chen.
They weren't facing someone with superpowers, yet it felt like there was no escape.
This wasn't a physical battle—it was a contest of wits.
"Listen, guys." Director Fury spoke with difficulty, breaking the silence.
"I don't know what you've seen, but you need to pull yourselves together."
"According to your analysis, he's a man who does what he says. Tomorrow, he will definitely make a big move in New York."
"So he's going to show up sooner or later, isn't he?"
"All we need to do is wait."
Captain America shook his head, replying, "No, Fury, you don't know what kind of person we're facing."
"He's terrifying. I've never encountered a genius like this."
"I even feel... a bit of fear, you know?"
Fury was startled. For Captain America to say something like that—who had they met? What had they learned?
Tony approached Captain America. "Steve, Fury's right. We don't know enough about him yet. The only thing we can do now is wait."
"When he makes his move, we'll have a chance to catch this bastard."
"Don't lose hope. Maybe he'll slip up."
Tony tried to lighten the mood with a joke, but no one laughed, and the tension in the room became suffocating.
Silence fell again as night engulfed New York.
Morning arrived, and the city slowly came back to life.
Both S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Avengers were tense and busy.
Because, no matter what, they had to confront Jackson Chen.
Though no one knew what his plan was or what methods he would use, the game had already begun, and they were in it.
"Fury, your men shouldn't be guarding the New York Bridge—it's too obvious," Iron Man complained, noticing the cluster of S.H.I.E.L.D. vehicles stationed there. The agents stood out more than the bridge itself.
"Tony, the New York Bridge is critical. I need enough people there to make sure nothing goes wrong, even if that bastard notices."
Fury fired back, then shouted over his comms: "Group Six, I told you to clear the police stations! Disperse the NYPD across the city—what are you doing?"
"Traffic jams? If you love directing traffic so much, report to the Department of Transportation tomorrow!"
"Helicopters! Get every helicopter I can mobilize. I need air support, understood?"
"Dammit!"
"Thanks, Captain, but I don't have time for your morning coffee!"
...
...
Outside the room, Thor and the others looked anxious.
They had spent all night discussing their strategy but couldn't figure out where Jackson Chen would strike.
"Guys, I think—"
Before Iron Man could finish his sentence, there was a loud "boom," and the ground shook violently.
A massive explosion followed by a wall of fire sent sirens blaring across New York.
Director Fury burst through the door, shouting, "That guy has—"
Before he could finish, a shockwave knocked him off his feet.
Iron Man's thrusters ignited, and he shot into the sky like a cannonball.
"Leave it to me!"
Before anyone could react, he had already disappeared into the skyline.
"Boom!"
Several more explosions erupted, engulfing half the city in smoke and flames.
Everyone's heart sank. Jackson Chen had targeted multiple locations.
Just then, Iron Man sent back a message.
"The explosion hit a bank. A lot of people are dead, and buildings nearby are collapsing. It's devastating—at least as strong as the bomb that hit our base."
"I haven't found that bastard yet," Iron Man's voice crackled through the comms.
"But I think you've just heard the follow-up explosions. The locations are confirmed, and it's all banks."
"And not just any banks—they're all world-class financial institutions!"
"If I'm right, that bastard wants to cripple New York's economic system and create widespread chaos."
"There are twelve of these banks in New York. My advice is we split up. If we can't find him, at least we can save some lives."
As soon as Iron Man finished speaking, another explosion thundered through the city.
Fury looked grimly at the group, "The location is confirmed—it's another bank!"
Everyone's eyes widened. Tony had been right. Jackson Chen's plan was to blow up all the major banks.
Thor shot into the sky, calling out, "I'll take the furthest. Hawkeye, I'll guide you. Benner, Natasha, Steve—you take the nearest ones."
With their tasks assigned, the team scattered in all directions.
"Boom!"
Another explosion rocked the city, this time closer than before.
Captain America's gaze locked onto the rising smoke, and he clenched his fists. Without a word, he sprinted toward the nearest location.
...
Mellon Bank—an institution standing strong for over 100 years.
Now, this ancient building, a symbol of stability from the last century, lay in ruins, flames and smoke billowing into the sky. The air was filled with the agonizing cries of people trapped within.
Sirens screamed from all directions.
The once-majestic five-meter-high entrance was now completely blocked by rubble. Lifeless bodies were strewn across the nearby streets, some crushed by falling debris, while others lay in pools of blood, barely clinging to life.
"Help! I don't want to die!"
"Please, save us!"
Desperate voices rang out from within the building. Despite its modern renovations, its security and evacuation systems couldn't withstand the devastation of the bomb. The structure teetered on the brink of collapse.
Captain America stood before the crumbling building, his face etched with determination. With a swift motion, he leaped, crashing through a second-story window.
Inside, chaos reigned. Dim light filtered through the wreckage, revealing the aftermath of the destruction.
Jackson Chen sat amidst the debris, his fingers tapping rhythmically on the shattered remains of a wooden table, a large boulder having cleaved it in half.
In front of him, a monitor flickered, displaying the live feed of Captain America diving into the ruins.
A slight grin tugged at Jackson's lips, his excitement barely contained.
"Destroying the economy here?" he whispered to himself.
"No... the real game is about to begin. And the protagonist has just arrived."