"Your kung fu is quite good; you can stay at the martial arts school," Chen Mo said to the men lying on the ground as he straightened his slightly disheveled clothes.
Hearing that they could stay, the men couldn't help but show their joy.
"I don't care what your status was in China. From now on, you are instructors at this martial arts school. Here, you must follow my rules," Chen Mo said seriously, looking at them sternly. "I don't want to have to personally kick anyone out one day!"
These men were martial artists who had smuggled into the United States from China to escape the war. They didn't speak English and had no skills other than kung fu, so they could only make a living doing hard labor at the docks.
To improve his combat skills, Chen Mo specifically sought out a group of martial artists who had just arrived in the United States and were struggling to make a living. He selected the four best fighters from among them.
Since they would be his subordinates in the future, Chen Mo had held back during the fight. The men quickly stood up and saluted Chen Mo with respect and gratitude in their eyes.
"Thank you for taking us in, Master! Rest assured, we will not disappoint you!"
Their responses were firm and resolute.
These martial artists had been prominent figures in their local areas back in China and were somewhat proud. However, their experiences in the United States had long since humbled them. In these war-torn times, they were content just to be alive and able to feed themselves and their families.
Chen Mo had taken them in during their most difficult and helpless times, making him their benefactor. Martial artists valued loyalty and gratitude, and they were deeply grateful to Chen Mo, willing to repay him with their lives.
Moreover, martial artists respected strength. Despite his young age, Chen Mo's abilities far surpassed theirs. Although his techniques were somewhat rough, with time, he would undoubtedly become even stronger, reaching a level they could only look up to. How could they not be filled with admiration?
Seeing the expressions on the martial artists' faces, Chen Mo nodded in satisfaction. They were genuine men of character and could be of great use.
The martial arts school had three floors.
The third floor was Chen Mo's private area, and others were not allowed to go up there.
The first floor was the open area, including the hall, training room, arena, changing room, and rest area. The martial artists were assigned to several guest rooms on the second floor.
This place was much better than the dirty and dilapidated slums they had been living in. Looking at the spacious and comfortable rooms in front of them, the martial artists felt a warm sensation in their hearts, and their eyes reddened with emotion.
Being able to openly run a martial arts school in New York meant that Chen Mo was no longer an "illegal resident." The issue of his identity was actually easy to solve.
Hydra had numerous spies in various countries, many of whom held high positions. Before leaving Norway, Chen Mo sent his real photo and fabricated identity, and they had already arranged a new identity for him, one that even the U.S. government couldn't question.
Within Hydra, Chen Mo also created a new identity for himself as the Red Skull's new assistant, a kung fu master from China. He was to assist the Red Skull in completing a secret mission in the U.S., and his identity was strictly confidential.
Upon arriving in New York, Chen Mo transformed into a wealthy Chinese businessman who had come to the U.S. to escape the war. He bought an entire building in Brooklyn at a high price and opened a martial arts school.
The Red Skull temporarily disappeared from Hydra's view, and Chen Mo took over Hydra's affairs, remotely directing operations. Dr. Zola and the newly appointed Guard Captain Major John were responsible for the base.
The worship and reverence for the Red Skull were deeply ingrained in all Hydra members. No one questioned his orders. Their mission was to follow the Red Skull's will and complete the tasks he assigned. After Chen Mo's purge, there were no dissenting voices.
The Red Skull's brief disappearance did not cause any chaos within Hydra. Base construction and various research projects continued as planned, and Dr. Zola made progress in his research on the Cosmic Cube.
Leaving the training room, Chen Mo walked to the sofa by the window and sat down, taking a towel handed to him by the old butler standing nearby.
"Eddie, are you comfortable living here?" Chen Mo asked as he wiped his hands and handed the towel back to the butler. The elderly man standing in front of Chen Mo, dressed in a well-fitted dark gray suit with neatly combed white hair and a kind and gentle expression, was none other than Eddie Albert, who had taught Chen Mo German and painting for a month in Liverpool.
"It's very nice here. The bed in the room is comfortable," old Albert said in his calm and gentle voice.
Before coming to the U.S., Chen Mo thought of old Albert, the only person in this world he could call a friend. Chen Mo had some concern for him, so before leaving, he went to Liverpool and found old Albert still painting portraits in the square.
Although Albert had received $10,000 from Chen Mo, his life hadn't changed much. Besides renting a cheap house to have a place to stay, he also helped some fellow countrymen who were struggling.
He still went to the square every day to paint portraits, but with financial security, his health had improved significantly. He often thought of the young man who had helped him and given him hope.
When Chen Mo appeared before him again, old Albert's hand trembled slightly, almost ruining his painting. Looking at the young man smiling at him, the usually stern old Albert couldn't help but smile.
"Sir, would you like a portrait?" old Albert asked with a smile.
"Why not?" Being with old Albert, Chen Mo felt completely relaxed. He didn't have to think about disguises, defenses, or schemes. He could temporarily relax and enjoy life, experiencing the cultural charm of old Europe.
This was the feeling of trust. Although they hadn't spent much time together, Chen Mo understood Albert's character. He was serious and meticulous in his work, optimistic and open-minded, kind and upright. He was a respectable old man who had experienced many hardships, making him indifferent to life and death, calm and composed. The only time Chen Mo saw him lose his composure was when Chen Mo disguised himself as Albert. Thinking of Albert's bewildered expression at that time, Chen Mo couldn't help but smile.
After finishing his current work, old Albert began to sketch a portrait of Chen Mo.
"Eddie, I'm planning to go to New York. Would you like to come with me?" Chen Mo asked, sitting still on a wooden chair.
Old Albert, holding a paintbrush, paused and pondered for a moment before replying.
"Does it include room and board?"
Chen Mo was always amused by old Eddie's occasional sense of humor. Usually serious and gentlemanly, his occasional jokes, whether funny or not, always made Chen Mo laugh. It was in this square that Chen Mo had initially hired old Albert with a daily wage of ten dollars, including room and board.
"Of course, ten dollars a day, including room and board," Chen Mo replied with a smile.
"Then congratulations, from today on, you have an excellent butler," old Albert said, putting down his paintbrush, standing up, and bowing gracefully.
It turned out that old Albert was born into a noble family in East Prussia, Germany. He received a noble education from a young age and had a talent for painting. After World War I, his family fell into decline, and Albert had to find his own way, transforming from a noble young master into a butler for a great noble.
After the nobleman passed away, nearly forty-year-old Albert decided to leave the castle and bravely pursue his dream of becoming an artist.
He never expected that after going full circle, he would return to his old profession as a butler. However, he couldn't think of any other way to help Chen Mo. Chen Mo had already learned most of his skills, and now his only strength was managing logistics and taking care of Chen Mo's daily life.
Nevertheless, Albert felt his life had been quite remarkable. He had enjoyed the luxurious life of a noble, experienced the vicissitudes of life, bravely pursued his dreams, and endured the hardships of living rough.
Perhaps Chen Mo would bring him an even more exciting second half of his life.