"She must have pulled a lot of strings, not just with us. It's understandable that Ms. Rashman doesn't trust us. How about we make a bet?" Chen Ye paused.
"What kind of bet?" Black Widow tilted her head, signaling Chen Ye to continue.
Pepper Potts and Deadpool also showed curious expressions.
Chen Ye continued, "First of all, Ms. Pepper Potts, I don't mean to treat Tony Stark's business as a trivial bet. If I've offended you, I apologize here. I have two hobbies: one is money, and the other is making friends. If we can rescue Tony Stark within a week, I hope to become friends with Ms. Rashman."
Pepper Potts waved her hand, indicating she wasn't concerned about it.
"Alright, if you find him, I'd be happy to be friends. But what if you lose? Even the FBI can't locate Tony Stark. How will you?" Natasha asked with interest.
"There is no 'if.' We will definitely rescue Tony Stark," Chen Ye said firmly, knowing Natasha was probing on behalf of S.H.I.E.L.D.
"We have our ways. But please bring any personal items Tony Stark has used recently, preferably with a strong scent," Chen Ye said, looking toward the door.
"No problem, I'll agree to this bet on behalf of Ms. Rashman. Happy, make sure to gather what they need by tomorrow. We'll take our leave now and look forward to your good news," Pepper Potts said as she stood up.
Seeing Pepper Potts leave, Happy quickly followed.
Only Natasha turned around slowly, casting a meaningful glance at Chen Ye's group as she reached the restaurant door.
Noticing Natasha's actions, Chen Ye frowned.
At this moment, Deadpool shouted beside Chen Ye, "I'm in love! Ms. Rashman is just too beautiful."
"Oh no, I forgot to get Ms. Rashman's contact information. Ms. Rashman, wait for me!" Deadpool hurriedly ran out.
"What's wrong, Chen? Is there something off about Ms. Rashman?" Pietro asked, sensing something was amiss with Chen Ye.
"Ah, it's nothing, Pietro. It's just that our peaceful days are coming to an end. Alright, I'm going upstairs to rest for a bit. We have to open up tonight," Chen Ye said, patting Pietro's shoulder with a slightly somber tone, slowly walking toward the apartment elevator.
Watching Chen Ye's suddenly heavy back, Pietro chuckled bitterly, "In a place like Hell's Kitchen, when have we ever had peaceful days? Can it get any more chaotic than Hell's Kitchen?"
Chen Ye paused for a moment after hearing this but didn't respond. His silhouette no longer seemed heavy.
As night fell, Chen Ye stepped out of the Good Luck Restaurant and hung the "Open for Business" sign outside.
"Good evening, Deadpool Dog. Keep an eye on your turf, will you?" Chen Ye greeted the dog Deadpool lounging to the right of the entrance.
The dog Deadpool rolled its eyes in a very human-like manner, stretched out its paw, and continued to lie there.
Chen Ye then looked around, nodding slightly at the clean streets surrounding him.
Hell's Kitchen had always been a hallmark of Marvel's New York, but it wasn't exactly a recommended tourist spot. If possible, it was best to avoid it for a lifetime.
This place was practically the epicenter of sin, akin to a toned-down version of Gotham City from the DC Universe. It only had 25 blocks, but the number of criminals here was no less than in Gotham.
Walking the streets of Hell's Kitchen, even in broad daylight, you might encounter anything from a white junkie asking for some cash or weed to a black guy in a hoodie with a gun looking to "borrow" money.
It's advised to carry some cash when entering Hell's Kitchen. With cash, the locals might just be after your money. Without it, they might be after your life.
As a joke, even God would have to pay a toll to pass through Hell's Kitchen.
Where there are criminals, there are also heroes to punish them. In Marvel, there's Daredevil, Spider-Man, Iron Fist, Luke Cage, and others.
In the past, Hell's Kitchen at night was filled with pimps, gangs, and all sorts of shady characters. Normally, no one in their right mind would wander Hell's Kitchen at night unless they had a death wish.
But in recent years, ever since Chen Ye took over the "Good Luck" restaurant, Hell's Kitchen had become more welcoming at night, at least on the street where the restaurant was located. Occasionally, you could see some ordinary, defenseless people coming to dine, though not many.
This was Chen Ye's small contribution to changing the Marvel Universe as a variable.
"Heh, still not the main character, haven't even conquered this little Hell's Kitchen yet. And soon, the alien war is coming," Chen Ye shook his head, mocking himself.
Chen Ye had been in the Marvel Universe for over twenty years. Unlike those transmigrators who immediately became the next Sorcerer Supreme at Kamar-Taj or gained superhuman strength to punch Thanos, he had no such luck.
In his previous life, Chen Ye didn't have an unsatisfactory life like other transmigrators. He wasn't cheated on by a girlfriend, didn't have a failed business, nor did he have any deep-seated grudges or get assassinated as a special forces soldier.
His parents were still alive, he had a cute little sister, his family was middle-class, and he was even an overseas returnee.
He just fell asleep and inexplicably woke up in the Marvel Universe, reborn as an Asian at the very bottom of society in Hell's Kitchen.
If he could return to his previous life in America, he'd be at the very bottom of the bottom.
If it weren't for the plot, people like Tony Stark, those high and mighty billionaires, wouldn't be so easy to meet.
Fortunately, Chen Ye wasn't one to complain about his fate. Now, he just wanted to protect his little corner of the world and maybe change Hell's Kitchen a bit.
In the future, if possible, he hoped to break the fourth wall and go back to see his parents from his previous life.
Thinking of this...
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