Qin Li didn't hesitate long and decided that participating in Tony Stark's evolving story might be interesting. He dialed Nick Fury. "Hey, good afternoon, Fury. I'll take the job. But apart from handling last night's mess, there's another issue—make sure the money is in place."
"Dammit, you're more like a vampire than the one you killed last night. A hole 60 meters wide and 30 meters deep—I should tell everyone I'm conducting nuclear tests?" Fury said grimly by the pit.
"Is it such a big deal? Director Fury, handling these matters should be a breeze for you. Just remember to send someone to take me there and don't forget the money," Qin Li said, hanging up before Fury could complain. He turned and waved at Jessica, who was coming down the stairs, signaling her to approach.
"This is the front door key. We don't get many visitors here, so just clean up every now and then," Qin Li handed Jessica the key and added, "If you get hungry, you can order takeout or go to the Chinese restaurant outside. For takeout, there's money in the drawer at the bar. If you go to the restaurant, just put it on the tab with Old Chen. I'll be out this afternoon for a job that'll take about ten days to two weeks, so you'll need to look after things here, including that kid..."
"Got it. The kid's name is Frank Nicks. He woke up once this morning and his condition seems stable now. After eating a bit, he went back to sleep." Jessica nodded, then continued, "Frank Nicks... Wait, isn't that the Punisher's son? Why didn't Fury protect his friend's son? Or did he do this on purpose? Never mind, I'll ask him when I get back from handling Tony Stark's business."
After settling everything, Qin Li stepped out of the church and noticed a fast food truck passing by. He waved it over.
"Old Jack, give me a burger!" Qin Li called out to the truck.
"Of course, Father Li. It's an honor to serve you!" Old Jack, still spry for his age, got out of the driver's seat, bowed slightly, and hurriedly made the burger. Within minutes, he handed it over.
"Still the same taste. Old Jack hasn't lost his touch! How much?" Qin Li praised.
"Father Li, no need for that. With you looking after my business, whether I stay in business is another matter," Old Jack insisted, refusing to take any money.
"Alright then. When you've got the time, come by for a drink. Consider this one on me," Qin Li said, not insisting on the payment. Old Jack laughed and agreed before driving off. Qin Li ate his burger, watching the Hell's Kitchen streets clash with the surrounding neighborhood, lost in thought. That is, until a black SUV stopped in front of him and honked twice. As the passenger window rolled down, a prematurely balding young man smiled and greeted him.
"Father Li, the Director sent me to pick you up."
"Hey, Coulson, you're being squeezed by Fury so much that I feel like you'll be bald before you find a girlfriend," Qin Li teased as he climbed into the car.
"You're right, Father Li, I'm struggling with the baldness issue too, but don't worry about the other thing—I already have a girlfriend. After this mission, I'm taking leave to go with her to a cello master's concert," Coulson chuckled, though his smile grew softer.
"Don't jinx it, Coulson. You've already set yourself up for trouble. Be careful, you might not make it through this mission. If you don't, I'll take care of your girlfriend," Qin Li said, giving him the middle finger.
Coulson didn't respond to the jibe, remaining calm. After they arrived at the airport and boarded the plane in first class, Qin Li turned to Coulson and asked, "You guys are that corrupt?"
Coulson smiled. "Not really, but we're taking advantage of Father Li's status. The Director wants everything to be the best."
"Fine~" Qin Li muttered under his breath. "If I hadn't asked, I'd probably end up as a consultant for Fury's schemes. That would be the end."
Coulson noticed Qin Li didn't seem to want to engage further, so he added, "Father Li, it's still 17 hours to Afghanistan. You can rest for now."
"Okay, I'll sleep for a bit. I'm exhausted from last night, and I haven't had enough rest," Qin Li replied, reclining his seat to nap.
"Father Li? Father Li, we're almost there, wake up!" Coulson gently nudged Qin Li awake.
Qin Li rubbed his eyes. "What's wrong, is there a hijacking?"
Coulson, trying not to look like he was about to snap, explained patiently, "Father Li, we're arriving at the destination."
Qin Li quickly woke up, feeling awkward as the other passengers stared at him. He tried to save face, "Alright, alright, I was just really tired. It's been a while since I've had such a good nap." He was curious why he'd slept so long without waking up or feeling hungry. After checking his personal panel, he found nothing unusual.
But when he looked at his buff status, he saw an abnormal condition labeled "Original Sin: Sloth" with no further details. What the heck? Why did he suddenly get a negative buff? He'd figure it out later. Deciding to ignore it, he laid back down and told Coulson, "Call me when we're off the plane."
Coulson didn't pay much attention, assuming it wasn't unusual since Qin Li seemed fine, and smiled, "No problem, Father Li." After about fifteen minutes, the plane made a slight jolt as it landed. Coulson woke Qin Li, and they headed straight to the pre-booked five-star hotel, where Qin Li let Coulson handle everything.
Back in his room, Qin Li immediately used Purification on himself. Suddenly, he felt famished but resisted the hunger, focusing instead on the "Original Sin" status. When he checked his buff, he found the new label: "Original Sin: Gluttony." What was going on? Skeptical, Qin Li used Purification again. But the status remained. What was happening? Was he somehow suffering from the seven deadly sins just by being in Afghanistan?