Qin Li watched through reddened eyes as the last child faded away into the golden light. Each child had smiled and thanked him before vanishing. Overwhelmed with grief, he let out a heart-wrenching roar, collapsing to his knees. His fists pounded the ground repeatedly, causing tremors throughout the basement. "Why?" he cried. "Why couldn't I save you? And why would you thank me?"
Kneeling amidst the silence, Qin Li remained motionless for what seemed like an eternity. Eventually, Barton entered through the doorway. Surveying the destruction around him, he noticed Qin Li kneeling in front of the children's dangling bodies. Quietly, Barton signaled his team to lower each child carefully and take their remains out. Once the last child had been removed, Barton walked over and stood silently beside Qin Li.
After another long silence, Qin Li finally rose and asked, "Is everything outside taken care of?"
"It's done. Or, more accurately, the vampires were dealt with by you," Barton replied. He didn't press further, though he could guess the grim reason Qin Li had been there so long.
"Me?" Qin Li asked, puzzled. Then, recalling the phenomena when he lifted the sacred barrier, he realized it must be related. Shrugging it off, he added, "Forget it. Since it's done, let's head to my church for a drink."
"Perfect timing. My shift's over," Barton said with a faint smile, turning toward the staircase. As Qin Li reached the warehouse door, he glanced back briefly, as if trying to etch the memory into his mind, before stowing his weapon into his inventory and following Barton.
The hum of the car engine filled the silence as they drove. Qin Li closed his eyes, but the image of the children's souls dissipating lingered in his mind. Breaking the quiet, he asked, "Barton, do you think Heaven exists?"
"Heaven?" Barton replied. "I wouldn't know. If it does, it's got nothing to do with me. I doubt I'd have a place there."
"That's why I'm curious," Qin Li said. "Because Hell, I know, is real."
"Hell? And how do you know that for sure?" Barton asked, intrigued.
"Besides S.H.I.E.L.D., there's another group of sorcerers protecting this world. While I don't fully understand your methods, those sorcerers have been fending off invasions from other dimensions," Qin Li explained.
"Sorcerers? This world's turning more like a novel every day," Barton remarked with a wry smile. Then, as if recalling something, he added, "By the way, Fury might come looking for you. The commotion you caused was… noticeable. On our way here, we were suddenly engulfed by a golden light. And we were still 500 meters away. What exactly did you do?"
"Just a barrier to take care of a little pest," Qin Li replied nonchalantly. But his voice darkened as he added, "Damn it… by the time I arrived, those 20 kids were already…"
"You're not God. You can't save everyone. Besides, you warned us about this. If there's blame, it's on us, not you," Barton said firmly, trying to pull Qin Li out of his despair.
Qin Li knew Barton was trying to comfort him, to help him move on. Sighing, he explained, "The barrier vaporized that creature in an instant. Maybe I overdid it, though. The barrier expanded far beyond its intended range, then retracted and concentrated back in the basement. The children's souls appeared before me… each one smiled and thanked me before fading away."
Barton was stunned but didn't doubt Qin Li's words. After a pause, he said, "If that's true, why can't you let it go? Children's souls are pure—they wouldn't lie."
Qin Li didn't know how to respond. He stared blankly out the window at the bustling city streets. Seeing this, Barton fell silent, focusing on driving toward Qin Li's church.
When they arrived, Nick Fury was already waiting inside.
"Father Qin," Fury said as Qin Li entered, "next time you're about to cause such a massive event, could you at least give me a heads-up? That way, I can prepare for the complaints."
"Nick Fury? What could possibly get you, the great director of S.H.I.E.L.D., in trouble? Don't tell me you've gone soft in just a few days," Qin Li teased as he looked around the newly renovated church, nodding in satisfaction. Barton's earlier encouragement had helped him process the grief somewhat, and he decided he'd consult the Ancient One about souls later. For now, he couldn't resist poking at Fury.
"Don't push your luck," Fury said with a scowl, though his expression was hard to read. He held out a satellite photo. "Take a look at this."
Qin Li took the image. It was a map of New York, but at its coastal edge, a massive golden cruciform magic circle stretched across most of Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens. The scale was staggering, covering nearly the entire city.
After a glance, Qin Li tossed the photo aside. "Not my problem. Do what you want with it."
Fury chuckled bitterly. "And what am I supposed to tell them? That God Himself descended and blessed the city?"
"That sounds about right. Go with that," Qin Li said, nodding seriously as if giving Fury his blessing.
Fury stormed out, muttering angrily under his breath. Qin Li called after him, "Oh, and don't forget my million-dollar payment. Deposit it in my account!" Fury's steps faltered briefly before he stormed out even faster.
Once Fury left, Barton and Frank Castle, who had been quietly waiting nearby, gave Qin Li a thumbs-up. "Rarely do we see the boss take an L," Barton remarked, grinning.
Frank chuckled in agreement. Qin Li, pouring himself a half-glass of whiskey, swirled the amber liquid thoughtfully. "Don't be fooled. Fury never takes a loss. He just came to confirm if it was me. Now he has ammo to manipulate the council."
Barton, still confused, frowned. "Manipulate? What do you mean?"
Frank, catching on, smirked. "The old fox came here crying to get information. Now he'll go back and extort the council, acting like he barely keeps Qin in check. And of course, he'll demand more funding."
"Exactly," Qin Li said, raising his glass. "Even his angry exit was staged for their benefit. He wants them to know I'm not under his control and that they shouldn't provoke me. Though, inevitably, there'll always be one or two fools who think they can."
With that, he reached into his inventory and pulled out a Gerber knife, handing it to Frank. "Here. It works wonders. They screamed like hell."
Frank examined the blade, then sheathed it at his waist with a satisfied nod. "Thanks. By the way, about the armor?"
"Keep it," Qin Li said, finishing his drink. "Who knows when I might need it again? It's late. Let's call it a night. Barton, come by for drinks another time."
The group exchanged nods, and the night drew to a close.