Chapter 319: Shadow Generals Assemble in Hell's Kitchen
Harry would never have normally agreed to cooperate with the Mandarin, but the thought of Spider-Man having the support of "Destiny" made him decide to negotiate. However, the terms were useless to Harry—the Mandarin essentially wanted everything for nothing.
"If that's all, I cannot agree to this deal," Harry said, his face darkening.
"Is that so? Then perhaps I should reveal that the famous Green Goblin is actually Harry Osborn! Hahaha!" the Mandarin sneered.
This was why he was certain Harry would comply; he knew the Goblin's true identity.
"You!" Harry clenched his fists. He couldn't fathom how he had been exposed.
"Relax. Once you agree, we will be the firmest of allies. And allies do not betray one another," the Mandarin said with a look of absolute confidence. Harry was left feeling a mix of rage and helplessness; his identity could never be made public. If it were, he would face arrest and Oscorp would be dismantled.
"Well? What is your decision?" The Mandarin leaned back on his dragon throne, leisurely crossing his legs.
"I agree." Harry could only endure. He couldn't gamble on whether the Mandarin actually had proof. If he lost that bet, he would fall into a bottomless abyss.
"Excellent. A wise choice. Here's to a successful partnership—let's kill them!" The Mandarin could already envision the deaths of Destiny and Iron Man.
Harry nodded and left on his glider. There was no joy on his face; no one likes being blackmailed, especially not Harry Osborn. Returning home, he began smashing his belongings with a baseball bat.
"Damn it! Curse you!" Harry threw the bat aside and collapsed onto the sofa. If the Mandarin continued to use this threat against him, what would he do? He walked to a mirror and stared at his reflection. As he gazed longer, the face in the mirror slowly shifted into that of his father, Norman Osborn.
"Father..." Harry whispered.
"Harry, you are my son," a voice seemed to ring in his ear.
Harry's eyes snapped open as he looked around. "Who's there! Father? Is that you? Come out!"
Silence followed. Harry crouched on the floor, staring at the ground in deep thought. Suddenly, he stood up, a look of madness in his eyes. "Hahaha! Yes... I am Harry Osborn." Anyone who crossed him had to die. He began formulating a plan—a plan to kill the Mandarin. First, he needed a reliable ally...
The Spy in the Shadows
Meanwhile, the Mandarin sat stroking his rings. "Serus, you did well."
"It is my honor to serve you," Serus said, stepping out from the shadows.
He was the pawn Silas had planted—the Shadow Assassin, Serus. After the Mandarin's defeat by Silas and Stark, Serus followed orders to remain undercover. After a purge of the organization, Serus had successfully passed the Mandarin's tests and was now his indispensable right-hand man.
On Silas's command, Serus had informed the Mandarin of Harry's identity and provided the photographic evidence. The plan worked perfectly: the Mandarin used the leverage for funding, while promising to help kill Spider-Man to keep Harry from flipping the table.
"With this funding, we can finally expand. Serus, go recruit more men. We are restarting the Extremis virus experiments!" The Mandarin's trust in Serus was absolute. Unfortunately for him, Serus was, and always would be, a Shadow Assassin.
Hell's Kitchen
Night had fallen. Rei sat alone on a rooftop. She realized her physical abilities had improved significantly; she could now leap onto a ten-meter-tall building with ease. A voice in her head kept calling out to her—"General Ikazuki"—making her feel restless. She had canceled her plans to return to Japan; she needed to find the truth behind this mask.
She watched two armed thugs rob a convenience store. The clerk didn't even protest, as if they were used to it. Rei now carried a katana on her back—a gift from Frank for self-defense. She felt much more comfortable with cold steel than firearms.
"Hmm?" Rei frowned. She spotted Big Daddy and Hit-Girl, the ones who saved her the night before, heading toward the store.
As she watched them, Matthew Murdock and Jenny appeared nearby.
"There are quite a few people around tonight," Matthew noted. His enhanced senses were even sharper than the other generals.
"Indeed," Jenny smiled. She recognized the woman who had been shot, the strange middle-aged man, and the young girl. She also felt a familiar aura coming from Rei—specifically from the mask she wore.
"An old friend has arrived, and there's another on the street corner to the left," Matthew said.
John stepped up beside Jenny. "Long time no see, you two."
"Wow, Captain John! Long time no see~" Jenny greeted him playfully.
On the left corner, a man in a red skin-tight suit stepped into the area.
"I have a bad feeling about this. I swear on my crotch, something big is about to happen," the man in red muttered.
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