A familiar, thrilling torrent of power once again surged into her limbs.
Buzz—
It was as if an invisible energy furnace had ignited within her.
Every cell cheered, every muscle fiber was re-forged.
Her bones, at a mutated genetic level, emitted an imperceptible crunch, becoming tougher.
Her neural reaction speed, under the wash of mysterious power, broke through yet another limit.
This feeling… it was too wonderful.
So wonderful it could make one forget everything, forget fear, forget reason, forget whether the man standing before you was human or demon.
Power.
This was the only truth in a chaotic World.
Raven's body trembled slightly as her power rapidly ascended; an indescribable sense of satisfaction washed over her spirit, making her almost groan aloud.
But this time, deep within that extreme pleasure, a chilling coldness always lingered.
She could clearly feel an invisible shackle, with the infusion of this power, tightening another circle around her soul.
At the same time.
In Lynt's mind, a more wonderful sound echoed.
[Dual Cultivation Complete.]
[Yin-Yang Joyful Buddha Body triggered, Pure Yang Power feedback in progress...]
[Your overall strength increased: 1.1 times.]
[Based on the Dual Cultivation partner 'Raven Darkholme's' current strength level, U.S. dollar reward settlement in progress...]
[Reward formula: 100 U.S. dollars x Strength coefficient (Mutant leader level)...]
[Congratulations, you have received a U.S. dollar reward: $500,000.]
Five hundred thousand U.S. dollars.
A subtle glint flashed in Lynt's eyes.
Raven's strength had increased again.
Originally, she could only bring in about three hundred thousand in revenue; after these few "refuelings," her "output" had risen to a new level.
Truly an excellent partner.
He could feel the changes in his body.
That 1.1 times growth, though far less violent than Raven's 1.5 times, was like the purest nourishment, silently integrating into his foundation, making him stronger and more perceptive.
This was a growth like spring rain nourishing all things, slow, yet steady, and endless.
He looked at Raven, whose eyes were hazy and still savoring the afterglow of power, and suddenly spoke, his voice as calm as if discussing the weather.
"How do you feel?"
Raven suddenly snapped back to reality.
She instinctively clenched her fist.
Creak.
The beer can in her hand was easily crushed into a twisted metal disc, without even a sound.
The powerful sense of strength instantly gave her the illusion of being able to control everything.
But Lynt's calm gaze instantly pulled her back to reality.
Her power came from him.
All her sense of security was built upon this transaction with the devil.
Raven took a deep breath, suppressing the tremor in her heart, and looked up to meet his gaze.
This time, she did not avoid him.
"Who was the fourth person in the slaughterhouse?" she asked, her voice hoarse, yet exceptionally clear.
Four different fighting sounds came through the earpiece.
Sabretooth, Bullseye, Black Widow.
And a fourth, that dull, rhythmic, deadly gunfire.
A hint of surprise appeared on Lynt's face, as if he hadn't expected her to ask that.
He smiled, casually tossing the crushed beer can into the trash.
"Oh, that one."
"A kind passerby, Mr. Frank Castle."
"I just happened to send the news that 'a group of lawless scoundrels are celebrating here tonight' to a few of the underground bars he frequents."
"I didn't expect him to actually come, what a surprise."
Raven's pupils contracted once more.
The Punisher!
The urban legend that made the entire underworld tremble in fear!
He even calculated The Punisher into his plans!
How many more cards did he hide? How widely was his intelligence network spread?
Lynt looked at her shocked expression, seemingly finding it amusing.
He walked over, leaned close to her ear, and whispered in a voice only they could hear:
"Raven, you must remember."
"Chaos is not a chasm."
"Chaos is a ladder."
"The more 'protagonists' crowd onto the stage, the better the show, and the safer we, who are hidden behind the scenes, will be."
After speaking, he straightened up, patted her shoulder, and turned to walk towards the bedroom.
"Go to bed early, there's still a lot to do tomorrow."
"For example, going to be a glorious Stark shareholder."
Raven stood frozen, as if falling into an ice cave.
She watched Lynt's back disappear at the bedroom door, then looked down at the metal in her hand, crushed into scrap.
She suddenly understood.
To avoid being abandoned by this man, or even to control him in return, merely having great power was far from enough.
She needed to… become the irreplaceable… Queen… on his chaotic chessboard.
In the early morning of the next day, sunlight cut mottled shadows on the apartment floor through the gaps in the blinds.
The television was on, the volume very low.
On the news channel, a blonde female reporter stood outside the slaughterhouse's police tape, reporting on last night's tragedy with a somber and agitated tone.
"...Police initially determined this was a firefight caused by the breakdown of a thirty-million-U.S.-dollar black money deal between two major Hell's Kitchen gangs..."
"The scene was extremely gruesome; according to insiders who wished to remain anonymous, the bloodiness was comparable to a small war..."
"Currently, the Kingpin Group has not commented on the matter, while the leader of the other faction has been confirmed to be the fugitive serial killer 'Bullseye'..."
On the screen, covered bodies being carried out on stretchers flashed continuously, along with some pixelated, bloody crime scene photos.
The entire report made no mention of the existence of Mutants, S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents, or The Punisher.
Everything was perfectly concealed under the guise of a "gang firefight."
Lynt sat on the sofa, holding a glass of milk in one hand and a tablet in the other, watching with great interest.
"Look, how professional," he marveled, "S.H.I.E.L.D.'s public relations and damage control capabilities are indeed World-class."
Raven sat at the dining table, silently stirring her cereal.
She hadn't slept all night.
Lynt's words, "Chaos is a ladder," had revolved in her mind like a spell all night long.
She looked at the man leisurely watching the news, as if admiring his masterpiece, and the mix of fear, dependence, and possessiveness in her heart grew increasingly complex.
"Aren't you worried?" she finally asked.
"Worried about what?" Lynt didn't even lift his head, his fingers rapidly sliding across the tablet, "Worried about Sabretooth going back to complain? Or worried about S.H.I.E.L.D. tracing us?"
He put down his milk and turned the tablet towards Raven.
On the screen was not the news, but an extremely complex bank account backend interface.