**
"You can't escape. You've been placed under a bounty. Assassins will keep coming for you, and they'll kill you!" The tracker finally spoke, and Link understood that he had been targeted.
Curious, Link asked, "How much am I worth?"
"Three hundred thousand dollars!" The tracker didn't hold back the information, then smiled wickedly. "You're as good as dead."
"Where was the bounty posted?" Link inquired, adding, "I don't need the employer's name. I just want to know where the bounty was placed, deal?"
"The Continental Hotel," the assassin answered, then sneered. "You planning to pay a visit?"
"Pop! Pop!" Link fired twice, finishing the man off. He crouched down to search the body and found two spare magazines, some cash, and two gold coins.
Inspecting the coins, Link's curiosity was piqued. Does this world really have a Continental Hotel too?
He turned away, pocketing the gun, and left. Returning to his car, he made a call to Coulson. "Do you know anything about the Continental Hotel?"
"I do. Why do you ask?" Coulson replied.
"Send me the address. I want to check it out," Link said, without mentioning the bounty on his head. With nothing better to do, he figured he might as well investigate.
"No problem, I'll send it over." Coulson ended the call and quickly sent the location. He wasn't overly concerned for Link. Link's skills in both shooting and hand-to-hand combat, combined with his expertise in psychology, meant he was rarely in real danger. Just like he didn't worry about Hawkeye or Black Widow, he felt confident about Link.
Link didn't have a code name yet because those weren't given by S.H.I.E.L.D.; they had to be earned through action.
Glancing at the message, Link floored the gas pedal and headed straight for the Continental Hotel.
Soon, he arrived. The hotel was situated on a triangular plot, with the main entrance at one corner. The entrance was relatively narrow.
Link parked at the front, handed the keys and a tip to the valet, and walked inside.
The first thing he noticed was the reception desk, where a bald black man wearing glasses stood behind the counter. Just like the Continental Hotel he knew, the receptionist here was likely Charon, the trusted assistant to Winston, the hotel's manager.
Walking up to the desk, Link asked, "How do I meet your manager?"
"Do you have an appointment, sir?" Charon, familiar with most of the regulars, was surprised by the stranger's request.
"No, but I think Winston will want to see me. After all, I've just been placed under a bounty by your organization," Link replied with a smirk. "I need an explanation for this."
Charon's pupils contracted. This was the first time someone with a bounty on their head had walked in, calmly demanding an explanation.
"One moment," Charon said, picking up the phone and dialing. After a few seconds, the other line answered. "Sir, a guest with a bounty request wishes to meet you."
"Oh?" Winston was just as surprised. It was the first time someone had shown up like this, but clearly, this person had the confidence to do so.
"Very well, bring him to the garden," Winston instructed before hanging up. He pondered who this person could be, given the number of bounties posted daily.
Charon hung up and said, "Please follow me. Mr. Winston will see you."
Link followed, and they soon arrived at the hotel's rooftop garden. Winston sat at a long table, smoking a cigar and sipping tea. The sun was shining pleasantly.
Link approached directly, standing right next to Winston, making Charon visibly nervous. After all, this man wasn't part of their community and might not know the hotel's rules.
However, Link didn't do anything reckless. Instead, he opened Winston's cigar box, picked out a cigar, and held it under his nose to take in the aroma.
"Nice quality," Link remarked, cutting the end of the cigar before sitting opposite Winston. "So, tell me—was it Santino Antonio who placed the bounty on me?"
Lighting the cigar casually, as though he owned the place, Link spoke as if he were in control.
Winston chuckled, "You've got guts, young man."
"No, you've got guts, taking bounties on just anyone," Link retorted, taking a long puff and savoring the smoke before releasing it in perfect rings. "Santino is as good as dead. And he'll pay dearly before that happens. People need to know I'm not someone they can toy with."
Winston raised an eyebrow. "Ah, now I remember you—Lin K. You're that Chinese guy. Yes, we posted a bounty on you, but rest assured, no one is allowed to kill within the Continental Hotel. However, once you step outside… who knows?"
Link laughed softly but continued smoking, mulling over whether to use his S.H.I.E.L.D. status. If he did, it would resolve the issue quickly, but it would also blow his cover as a professional gambler, a role he'd come to enjoy.
And Coulson had advised him to stay out of the Hand and Hydra missions, allowing him to maintain his current persona.
After another drag, Link said, "So, you're not planning to retract the bounty?"
"Of course not," Winston replied. "A bounty can only be retracted by the employer, and that comes at a cost."
"Fine, tonight I'll be back. I hope you're prepared," Link said with a grin. "We'll all deal with the consequences."
Winston stared in disbelief. "Are you joking?"
"Not at all. You'd better be ready. I'll use you as my stepping stone. I realize now—I'm missing a title. This will be my moment of fame."
"..." Winston was speechless. The man before him seemed like a lunatic. "Do you realize what you're saying?"
"What's the difference?" Link shrugged. "I've already been marked for death. While the bounty is only three hundred thousand dollars, it'll be a constant headache. Since I can't avoid it, why not just eliminate the source of the problem? Doesn't that make sense?"
"Thanks for the cigar." Link stood up, cigar still between his lips, and pulled two gold coins from his pocket, tossing them onto the table. "Clink, clink."
It sounded almost like a tip. "Be sure to have plenty of people ready. If there aren't enough, I'll be disappointed."
With that, Link walked away.
Charon watched his retreating figure and then turned back to Winston. "Sir, what now?"
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(Chapter end)