The next evening, roars and gunshots echoed from a house in town. A short while later, a dozen men and women in shirts and shorts were shackled and put into the back seat of a police car with their heads down.
The muscular Sheriff James, in his police uniform, watched the police cars drive away and complained to his deputy. "Didn't these idiots think that so many strangers entering town at once would be conspicuous?" They sat on their lawn in broad daylight and did drugs. Their stupidity was beyond imagination.
"What kind of IQ can a drug addict have, James?" the deputy sheriff said happily, holding a cigarette and squinting. "I'll be very grateful to them for a big boost to my resume. The bonus next month can buy a good birthday present for my daughter."
"I won't let these idiots mess up my town," James stated.
The deputy agreed. After all, they had grown up in this quiet, peaceful town. The camaraderie between them, the sheriff and his deputy, was self-evident. If anyone dared to destroy this peace, they would mercilessly put a bullet through that person's head.
"Let's go to the Princess Bar for a drink. We should celebrate," James said, putting his arm around his old friend's shoulder and walking toward the police car.
The town returned to its peaceful state. Time passed quickly. A year went by in the blink of an eye, and a little commotion appeared. A storm was brewing in Madripoor.
Madripoor.
A port city-state with a population of four million, where the gap between the rich and the poor was vast.
As one of the commercial hubs of Southeast Asia, its commercial streets, centered around Hong Kong Bank and Malaysian Bank, were lined with hotels and shopping malls, making it extremely prosperous. The Supreme Hotel was considered one of the best in the world, and its royal palace was as luxurious as the Palace of Versailles.
But beneath the prosperity was a world of filth and chaos.
Historically, Madripoor was a gathering place for pirates. It had a strong pirate culture and refused to extradite any criminals, so it attracted a large number of fugitives. It was divided into an upper city and a lower city. The upper class lived a corrupt, modern life, while the poor lived in poverty and resorted to crime.
The entire port of Madripoor—criminals, the rich, middlemen, civilians, mutants, and more—were all gathered here. Under the control of its government, a delicate balance had been maintained, but it was now on the verge of being broken.
On the top floor of a luxurious building, a woman with golden hair, beautiful yet majestic, sat in the main seat of an oval desk. Dressed in a gorgeous green gown, she was surrounded by the lavishly decorated office, with wall lamps, a red carpet, and extreme luxury.
Behind her stood a group of fully armed soldiers in combat uniforms, guarding their leader.
Yes, she was the leader. No one knew her real name. The public knew her as Viper, the true ruler of all Madripoor. The so-called government officials were just following her orders.
Despite ruling a country in secret, Viper, a woman with a charming face, was serious and stared at the people in front of her.
There were four men and two women, wearing slim, highly defensive combat uniforms made of synthetic fibers and bulletproof vests. They had indifferent expressions. Though outnumbered, Viper knew exactly how powerful they were.
Each person was like a super-soldier, with physical strength far exceeding that of a normal human. They were also proficient in various skills, including firearms and explosives.
In the past six months, this group had suddenly appeared in Madripoor, stormed the government building to take control of the officials, and then attacked her and the Viper Gang's headquarters. In a short time, the Viper Gang had suffered heavy losses. Even Viper herself, an expert in creating poisons—some so potent they could corrode a gas mask—was almost captured or killed on that day.
Fortunately, her Viper Gang had inherited part of the HYDRA legacy, and its strength was not weak. It managed to resist the assault and wait for reinforcements to repel the mysterious group.
In the following six months, the two sides fought in Madripoor and other parts of the world. The mysterious group used assassination, infiltration, and other methods, causing her heavy losses. The key point was that the other side had not suffered any casualties, which was unbelievable.
Viper was a woman, but a very shrewd one. She knew that the other side was only after control of Madripoor, and her own power was not enough to stop them. So, she decisively initiated the first negotiation.
"I will only speak with your leader," Viper said. As a hidden ruler of a country, Viper was cunning and took the lead, making her first move.
On the other side of the long desk, another woman sat opposite her. She was also beautiful and mature, with short black hair.
Facing Viper's provocation, the woman curled her lips and looked at her with interest. "Ophelia Sarkissian, Mrs. Viper, no, Lady HYDRA, you are a smart person, but you'd better understand the gap between you and us."
"If you think you can use the explosives buried at the bottom of the building and..."
She paused slightly, and then, with a playful look, said, "the compound poison as your backup, then I advise you to give up those ideas."
Viper's expression recovered and became calm, but a flicker of doubt and surprise flashed in her eyes. Was this a simple bluff, or was this woman so confident that she could see through her meticulously laid plans?
Viper didn't know, but for some reason, looking at the expression of the woman opposite her, she felt that the latter was very likely. This group of people had even investigated her real name and her identity as Lady HYDRA. Could they be from a rival HYDRA faction? However, she had never heard of anyone being able to create such terrifying soldiers.
Viper gritted her teeth secretly. "If you win, I and my people will withdraw from Madripoor."
(End of Chapter)
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