Mrs. Gao leaned heavily on her crutches, her back hunched. She looked at the powerfully built man before her and rasped, "Righteous Knight? You're Chinese, aren't you? Someone like you wouldn't be here just for those foreigners, would you? I've seen enough to know that a younger man might have... aroused your interest."
Yang Xu, suppressing his annoyance at her bluntness, kept his stern expression. "I wasn't here for them," he said in a low, deep voice. "I just happened to see them and decided to help."
"But you know we don't appreciate that sort of thing!"
He tossed a bag of white powder at her feet.
Mrs. Gao's eyes widened. She understood immediately. "I understand," she said quickly. "I swear, I have no intention of keeping this—absolutely not!" She didn't deny her involvement but tried to change the subject.
Even though he knew Lao Deng was a traitor, Yang Xu continued his righteous act. "I don't care about that," he declared. "This stuff causes too much harm. It needs to be destroyed!"
A powerful aura surged from him, filling the factory. It was a clear threat—disobey, and face annihilation.
Mrs. Gao's face went white. She slumped further. The blind workers in the factory fell to their knees, paralyzed. Daredevil, already injured, coughed up blood.
Mrs. Gao, trembling, grabbed her crutches for support. "Please, sir, have mercy!" she begged. "I promise, I'll destroy it. I will."
Yang Xu nodded, and the crushing aura lifted. But Mrs. Gao still trembled, breathing hard. Everyone in the factory was gasping for breath, like survivors pulled from the water.
[Attack the lonely old man at night and gain 26 reputation points from Madam Gao]
[Attack the lonely old man at night and gain 32 reputation points from Matt Murdock]
[Night raid…acquired…factory…0.2…]
Yang Xu found the system message slightly ridiculous. He controlled his irritation and said calmly to Mrs. Gao, "I need your help."
Mrs. Gao, sensing his confidence, forced a smile. "My lord, command me. I will assist in any way I can!"
"I've found someone. A very mysterious person."
After a long pause, Mrs. Gao asked hesitantly, "Is that all?"
"That's all I can say," Yang Xu confirmed.
Mrs. Gao waited, then asked, "Could you give me some details? Their appearance, for example?"
Yang Xu replied, "All I know is that they're from an organization called Oracle. They like to hang around wealthy and powerful people, using their influence to collect the Legacy of the Gods to gain immense power. But I don't know who's been sent—name, gender, age, nationality... nothing."
Mrs. Gao gasped. "Oracle, the Legacy of the Gods?! Could it be the dragon bones?!" She tried to keep her voice steady. "What is this 'Legacy of the Gods'?"
Yang Xu, knowing she was testing him, played along. "It grants incredible power, but with terrible side effects. We need to secure and contain it."
[Strange insider information, gain 18 reputation points from Madam Gao]
[Strange insider information, gain 27 reputation points from Matt Murdock]
Yang Xu wasn't focused on the reputation points. His goal was to warn others about two mysterious organizations operating in America—to build a reputation so strong that it would intimidate weaker groups like The Hand, certain government agencies, and even S.H.I.E.L.D. This would also set the stage for his next moves.
Relieved that this powerful man wasn't after the dragon bones (which only sustained life, not granted power), Mrs. Gao composed herself. "We can search for the Legacy directly, bypassing this unknown person!"
Yang Xu disagreed. "That's difficult. The Legacy can only be awakened by the right person."
After a long silence, Mrs. Gao asked cautiously, "Can you tell me what this 'Legacy of the Gods' actually is?"
"Since I need your help, there's no need for secrecy," Yang Xu said. He paused, then said, "This Legacy is the Mountain Demonic Energy! Only someone strong enough can attract and awaken it."
Mrs. Gao's heart skipped a beat. She thought of a certain large, muscular man. But she changed the subject, asking, "The Mountain Demonic Energy?! Shouldn't it be a Legacy of the Gods? Why that name?"
Yang Xu replied pointedly, "There are always winners and losers! And the losers are always demonized!"
The meaning was clear. Mrs. Gao lowered her head. "I understand," she said quietly. "I will do my best to find the person who possesses the [Oracle] and the [Mountain Demonic Energy]."