Early Morning
The sky was just beginning to lighten.
Figures of pedestrians gradually appeared on the streets, familiar faces greeting each other as the busy, ordinary day began with the hustle and bustle of vendors calling out.
Some observant passersby noticed that a shop, renovated a month ago but never opened for business, was finally opening its doors early today.
People gathered around, whispering and speculating about the shop that seemed out of place in its surroundings.
Brooklyn wasn't a wealthy area. In fact, most of the residents were ordinary working-class people.
Opening an antique shop in such an economically struggling neighborhood was not exactly a wise choice, so it was no surprise that people were gossiping about it.
The owner of this shop was Wang Ye.
Opening this antique shop was part of Wang Ye's plan to conceal his true identity. His new identity suggested he was once a wealthy landowner, and naturally, his home would have many valuable antiques.
Although he had escaped here, even a starved camel is still bigger than a horse—running a small antique shop was more than manageable for him.
Fortunately, while the Red Skull was searching for the Cosmic Cube, he also seized many rare and priceless treasures, which Wang Ye was now putting to good use.
Wang Ye had asked Jon to specifically prepare this shop in Brooklyn for the very purpose of creating the attention-grabbing effect he was seeking. Otherwise, how would the Super Soldiers, always walking with their heads down, ever notice this place?
He moved a reclining chair from the back storage room and placed it next to the cash register. Stretching lazily, he comfortably reclined, crossed his legs, hummed a little tune, and puffed away on a cigar.
He chose to ignore the murmuring pedestrians outside. What caught his attention, however, were two sneaky figures in the alley across the street.
In the alley, two sets of eyes greedily eyed the antique treasures inside the shop.
After a while, the two exchanged a few words. One hurried off while the other stayed behind to continue watching the shop.
Wang Ye squinted, observing their every move.
Hidden in the dark corners near the shop were dozens of Hydra's top agents, secretly assigned to protect Wang Ye's safety.
Jon proudly called this: "The safety of the boss comes first. Though no one can harm him, we still have the responsibility to protect him. Otherwise, we would lose our purpose for existence!"
Wang Ye could only helplessly agree with his ever-loyal deputy's stubborn attitude toward his safety.
As a result, dozens of top agents were now secretly standing by in the vicinity.
About fifteen minutes later, the man who had left earlier returned, accompanied by six others. They gathered in a huddle, whispering eagerly.
Their expressions grew more excited, their eyes glowing with greed—so much so that the dark alley almost seemed to be lit by their gaze. They had no idea that while they were scheming, they were being watched by dozens of cold, calculating eyes from their blind spots.
After some discussion, the two scouts stayed behind to continue keeping watch, while the six newcomers, led by a scar-faced, buzz-cut leader wielding a machete, set off in a swaggering, confident stride toward Wang Ye's antique shop.
The agents in the shadows prepared to act but were immediately stopped by a glance from Wang Ye. They silently withdrew and resumed their positions, hiding once more.
The thugs had no clue they had narrowly avoided death and swaggered toward the shop, acting as though they owned the world.
On their way, they didn't try to avoid the other pedestrians. Those who saw them quickly moved away, not wanting to get involved.
Under everyone's watchful eyes, the thugs boldly entered the antique shop.
"Pay the protection fee!"
The buzz-cut leader slung his machete over his shoulder, grinning a menacing smile filled with greed.
The thugs behind him quickly spread out, surrounding Wang Ye, who was lounging on the chair.
Passersby outside gathered curiously to watch the spectacle.
"How pitiful. They just opened, and already the Scorpion Gang has come to claim their protection fee!"
One woman in a headscarf, carrying a basket, looked pityingly at the shop.
"Yeah, the Scorpion Gang has been watching this shop for a while. Looks like the boss is in trouble now. Even if he survives, I bet he'll lose all his valuable stuff inside!"
Another woman, similarly dressed, clicked her tongue and shook her head, clearly fearful of the Scorpion Gang.
"Should we go find the patrolling soldiers?"
A young, skinny man overheard them and immediately thought of calling the police. In his mind, criminals were always afraid of the police!
"Are you joking? The police don't have time for this nonsense!"
A bearded middle-aged man glanced at the skinny youth and feigned surprise, shaking his head.
"Yeah, the world's in chaos. The gangs are growing stronger, and their power has already reached a certain level. Even the government turns a blind eye. You should just mind your own business before they hear you!"
The young man clenched his fists, understanding the situation.
The war on the frontlines had drained most of the elite troops, leaving only a handful to fend off the rampant gangs that spread like a virus, leading to their rapid growth and the collapse of order.
He looked at the gang members inside the antique shop, clearly determined. After taking a deep breath, he straightened his frail body, squeezed through the crowd, and walked toward the shop with difficulty.
"Protection fee?"
Wang Ye didn't even lift an eyebrow at the thugs. After taking a puff of his cigar, he casually replied, "Are you from the government tax department?"
The leader, accustomed to being backed by the Scorpion Gang, was enraged by Wang Ye's mockery. He pointed his machete at Wang Ye with a vicious glare.
"Do you know that the Scorpion Gang controls all the streets around here? Since you've opened your shop here, you have to follow the rules. You'll pay the protection fee today, whether you want to or not! Otherwise, my brothers will take matters into their own hands!"
He greedily eyed the antiques in the shop, completely disregarding Wang Ye. The leader was used to intimidating people and believed that, in the end, they would all pay up.
"Oh? Is that so impressive?"
Wang Ye smirked, sizing up the thugs before him. Suddenly, he noticed a skinny young man squeezing through the crowd outside, heading toward the shop. Wang Ye immediately recognized him as the pre-serum Steve Rogers—the future Captain America!
"I don't want to give you my money. In fact, I think you should hand over all of your money right now to compensate me for my emotional distress!"
Wang Ye stood up, calmly eyeing the six thugs. He slowly took a golden, diamond-encrusted baseball bat out from the cash register and looked at them with mocking eyes.
(End of Chapter)
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