The sun vanished completely behind the distant mountains, dragging the last remnants of sunset into gloomy oblivion. On the rooftop, Hong Fei flexed his fingers as the radiant aura surrounding him dissipated, revealing his true form. He stepped back into his newly arranged apartment where lights flickered on, flooding the space with artificial daylight.
Moving to the window, he gazed toward Queens.
"Arthur, Bronski's location?"
"He's crossed into New York State. ETA five minutes."
Hong Fei nodded, abandoning thoughts of visiting Mei. Business took precedence. Moments later, a quinjet's engines whined overhead before touching down on the building's roof.
Bronski emerged in black tactical gear, several armed operatives silently escorting two struggling prisoners behind him. The captives writhed against their restraints, defiance evident in every jerky movement. At the doorbell's chime, Bronski shouldered his way inside.
Hong Fei lounged sideways on the sofa, watching neon reflections dance across the floor-to-ceiling windows. Bronski approached.
"Boss, package delivered. Anything else before I go?"
Hong Fei turned.
"Hot date?"
"No sir. Need me for something?"
"Find Banner. Take him to meet Big Head."
Bronski's eyebrow arched.
"Boss, we might scrap. I can control myself, but Banner sure as hell can't control Hulk."
"Let them fight. Kill him if you can. Run if you can't."
"Copy that. Mission parameters?"
"Wetwork. Big Head will brief you."
Bronski gave a curt nod.
"Moving out then."
"Mm."
After Bronski's departure, two handcuffed men came stumbling through the doorway, propelled by unseen kicks. They crashed face-first onto the carpet, one yelping in pain. Hong Fei's lips curled.
"Gentlemen. What an unexpected reunion."
At the sound of his voice, the groaning figure snapped his head up. Recognition flashed across Danny's face before being drowned in a tidal wave of rage and humiliation. His bearded companion stole one terrified glance at Hong Fei before fixing his eyes on the floor.
Danny's glare could have melted steel.
"You," he spat through clenched teeth.
"You thieving bastard!"
Hong Fei blinked.
"Thief? When exactly did I—"
"You stole K'un-Lun's power!"
A burst of laughter escaped Hong Fei.
"Oh please. You can't even bring yourself to call it your power. What right do you have—" He gestured at their prone forms.
"—no, what courage lets you crawl in here and accuse me?"
Danny's forehead creased like crumpled paper as he writhed upright, panting from exertion.
"Semantics won't change what you are."
"Wrong again. I didn't steal."
Hong Fei extended his palm, golden Dragon Power coalescing into a miniature serpent that coiled around his fingers.
"I took it. Right in front of you. Bold as brass."
Danny's pupils dilated, pain darkening his expression.
Hong Fei chuckled.
"Surprised? Don't tell me you've been meditating so hard you missed the news."
The dragon spiraled up his arm.
"You know why they call me Dragon King. You've seen what I can do."
He leaned forward, voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper.
"Funny thing—turns out the Iron Fist can do more than make your knuckles glow. Who knew?"
Danny's face burned crimson under Hong Fei's mocking sneer, redder than a baboon's backside. Hong Fei clenched his fist, leaned in close, and gave Danny an appraising nod.
"You were right about one thing—you really are trash."
"You bastard!"
Danny lunged forward with a roar.
Hong Fei flicked his wrist downward. A shimmering golden dragon's claw materialized mid-air and slammed Danny into the floorboards. The sickening crack of snapping bone echoed as Danny's left leg twisted at an unnatural angle. Between screams, he coughed up thick ropes of blood.
With a dismissive wave, Hong Fei dissolved the spectral claw. He wrinkled his nose at the crimson streaks now staining his Persian rug.
"You're ruining my carpet."
Danny wheezed through the pain, straining to lift his head and glare. The only sound in the room became his labored breathing as the two men locked eyes.
Hong Fei suddenly chuckled and shook his head.
"That look could curdle milk. Even if you ate me alive, it wouldn't satisfy you, would it? Such petty grudges—very unprofessional."
He turned abruptly to the other man.
"Look at me."
Davos slowly raised his head.
Studying the Western features, Hong Fei's frown deepened.
"Funny how both Thunder God and his son ended up with foreign faces."
Davos' cheek twitched as he started to lower his gaze again.
"Eyes on me, you coward."
Though Davos clenched his jaw tight, his darting eyes betrayed him where Danny's glare had burned steady.
Hong Fei's lips curled.
"You've got something to say?"
Danny whipped his head toward his companion, but Davos turned away.
"Nothing? Then stay quiet."
Hong Fei conjured a revolver from thin air. With theatrical flair, he ejected the cylinder, displaying all six bullets before letting five drop silently onto the carpet. He loaded the remaining round, spun the chamber with a flick, and snapped it shut.
"Russian Roulette—revolver edition. You've seen the movies. Hell, so have I."
He grinned.
"Seems like perfect timing for a live demonstration. Simple rules—you take turns until the gun fires. One dies, one walks. Who's first?"
Silence.
Hong Fei sighed. "No volunteers? Fine, I'll pick."
He leveled the barrel at Davos.
Danny exploded.
"Me first! Just kill me and let him go!"
Hong Fei didn't even glance at him. He'd caught the subtle movement of Davos' lips before Danny interrupted—whatever the man had been about to say, it wasn't self-sacrifice.
With a knowing smirk, Hong Fei swung the gun toward Danny.
"Rules are rules; you cannot break my beautiful expectations for playing games."
He pulled the trigger without hesitation.
Danny flinched, eyes screwed shut as his whole body trembled.
Click.
The empty chamber echoed louder than a gunshot. Danny's eyes flew open, his chest heaving.
Hong Fei turned the barrel toward Davos with a smile.
"Your turn."
The instant he spoke, he pulled the trigger. Davos's words died in his throat—there was no time. He squeezed his eyes shut.
Click.
"Tsk. Empty again?"
Hong Fei shook his head, disappointed, before pressing the muzzle back against Danny's temple. Both men's faces gleamed with cold sweat.
Danny trembled like a madman.
"Do it! Kill me, you devil! You'll burn for this!"
Hong Fei's finger curled around the trigger, drawing it back slowly, deliberately. Their eyes tracked the movement—widening, pupils shrinking to pinpricks.
Click.
Hong Fei shrugged.
"Sorry. You live again."
"Shoot! Just shoot! Kill me!!" Danny roared. Veins bulged along his neck and forehead as sweat poured down his swaying body.
"I'd love to," Hong Fei sighed. "After all, I spared you last time. But the game won't let me. Your luck's holding—just like how even you became the Iron Fist."
Nothing breaks a man like killing him and crushing his heart.
"Ah—!!"
Danny's scream tore through the air, bloody spittle stringing between his lips. The gun pivoted toward Davos.
"Wait!"
Danny's voice cut off abruptly. Both men snapped their attention to Davos, who pointedly avoided Danny's stare.
Facing the barrel, Davos spoke fast, "I'm not with him. I didn't come for revenge—I want to join you!"
Danny's face twisted.
"Davos—what the hell are you saying?!"
Davos kept his eyes locked on Hong Fei.
"Every word's true. Sure, we've got history, but so what? I know your power. I don't want to fight you—I want in!"
"Davos!!"
Danny's voice cracked. His eyes went dull, lifeless.
Hong Fei arched a brow.
"Sure about this?"
Davos nodded frantically.
"Dead sure!"
"Good."
Hong Fei spun and fired without looking.
Bang.
The bullet punched through Danny's skull. The back of his head erupted—a grotesque firework of bone and brain matter. Warm flecks spattered Davos's cheek. His lips trembled as he turned, slow, toward the corpse.
Danny lay sprawled on the ground, eyes still wide. Staring at him.
In the stillness, a delicate stream of blood suddenly flowed from the bullet hole between his brows.
Davos shuddered violently.
Hong Fei tossed the gun aside and stood, brushing past him.
"Congratulations. You survived."
His footsteps faded.
Davos collapsed. The cold seeped into his bones, numbing him. His body convulsed—uncontrollable, violent tremors wracking his frame.