Luya recalled the figure of Kingpin.
In my memory, Kingpin is a supervillain. He doesn't have superpowers, but he's brilliant—and dangerous in all the ways that count.
Based on recent events, Luya guessed that his own performance in the boxing ring had caught the attention of the underground emperor.
But it's not a big deal.
Luya wasn't worried. Once his Motherland template unlocked more abilities, he was confident he could handle any villain thrown his way.
With that assurance, Luya didn't bother wasting words with the thugs in front of him.
Bray and his gang stared, their eyes wide with disbelief as Luya casually grabbed a streetlight. With a slight tug, the three-meter-tall pole groaned and ripped from the pavement. The electrical wires snapped, and the light flickered twice before going dark.
"Wh-what?" Bray stammered, his mind racing. Is this guy even human?
Bray was just a small-time gang leader—nothing more than a cog in the wheel of Hell's Kitchen. He had no idea extraordinary abilities like this existed.
Luya, for his part, had no desire to unleash his more devastating powers, such as his laser vision. He wasn't a killer. Simply flexing his strength would be enough to send a message.
Besides, powers like lasers were too recognizable. A show of brute force was safer—it could be attributed to countless others. Kingpin, for example, was a powerhouse in his own right.
The two siblings huddled nearby, stunned. They had heard stories about people with super abilities but never believed them—until now.
"Is he Superman?" the younger brother whispered, awe-struck.
The sister shook her head, her mind racing. She was just a kid herself, and even she couldn't fully process what she was seeing.
Bray, though still paralyzed by shock, was quick to react. Years of survival in Hell's Kitchen had sharpened his instincts. He knew when to fight—and when to surrender.
BAM!
Without hesitation, Bray dropped to his knees, bowing low in the traditional Tiger Landing stance.
"Sir! I made a mistake. I was blind—please, forgive me!" he begged, pressing his forehead to the ground.
"Boss?!" one of his men blurted in disbelief.
The other three thugs stared at each other, confused. Should they follow their leader and kneel too?
Luya stood there, still holding the uprooted streetlight. He hadn't expected Bray to fold so quickly—or so dramatically.
"Well, this is awkward," Luya muttered under his breath. I can't just beat the guy now—he surrendered so thoroughly.
If Bray had put up a fight, Luya would've been happy to pound him into the ground. But this…? This was embarrassing.
Luya sighed, planting the streetlight back into the ground with a sharp thud. Then he stepped toward Bray, motioning for Gwen to stay close in case things got messy.
"I ask. You answer," Luya said, voice calm but firm.
"Yes, sir! Anything you want!" Bray stammered, eager to please.
"What's your name?"
"Bray."
"And what do you do here in Hell's Kitchen?"
"I-I'm part of the Iron Stick gang. We, uh, collect protection money from local businesses," Bray confessed with a nervous grin, hoping to avoid any further punishment.
The fear he had felt about Kingpin was already gone. In Bray's mind, survival came first—and right now, living to see tomorrow meant keeping this guy happy.
If Luya asked him to call him "Daddy," Bray probably would.
Luya studied Bray for a moment, his expression unreadable. Then, with a glance toward the siblings still crouching nearby, he asked, "Why were you chasing those two?"
Bray hesitated, but there was no point in lying.
"They… stole from us," he admitted.
In Hell's Kitchen, theft wasn't uncommon. If you were caught with some clout, you might get roughed up and forced to pay restitution. But if you had no connections? Death was just another possibility.
"And what exactly did they steal?"
Bray scratched his head awkwardly. "…Two slices of pizza."
"Two slices of pizza?" Gwen repeated, incredulous. "You were going to kill them over pizza?"
Luya glanced at her but said nothing. He understood. In a place like Hell's Kitchen, the law of the jungle ruled. Even something as small as food could mean life or death.
He turned to the two siblings. "What are your names?"
The older girl answered without hesitation. "I'm Lu Xuan, and this is my brother, Lu Hao."
She knew their fates rested in the hands of this strange young man in front of her. Yet, unlike Bray, she didn't beg or kneel. Instead, she inched closer to her brother, ready to act.
"Brother," she whispered, "if things go south, run."
As she spoke, Lu Xuan slipped the crumpled pizza slices into her brother's pocket. They were all they had—but today was a special day.
It was Lu Hao's birthday.
That was why she had stolen the pizza in the first place—so her brother could have a small taste of happiness, even in a place as harsh as this.
Lu Xuan knew her brother had been eyeing pizza for days. He had never asked her to buy it, knowing they couldn't afford it. But she saw it in his eyes.
And now, no matter what happened, she wasn't going to let those slices go to waste.
Luya stood silently, lost in thought. This world—the Marvel universe—wasn't so different from the real world he had left behind.
He remembered growing up with his adoptive father, Ben Parker. Life had never been luxurious, but at least they had enough to eat. Here in Hell's Kitchen, survival was a constant battle.
Without a word, Luya reached into his pocket and pulled out a hundred-dollar bill. He handed it to Bray.
"Take this," Luya said calmly. "We'll call it even. You leave the kids alone, and we forget this ever happened."
Bray's eyes lit up. "Thank you, sir! Thank you!" he gushed, grabbing the money like it was his lifeline.
The two siblings watched in stunned silence.
Luya gave them a brief nod. "Get out of here—and stay out of trouble."
Lu Xuan squeezed her brother's hand and whispered, "Let's go."
As they slipped away into the shadows, Luya watched them go, a strange sense of satisfaction settling over him.
Maybe things wouldn't always be fair in Hell's Kitchen. But today, at least, they had a chance.
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[ This is Translated Version ]
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