Hearing about exchanging the token for information, Xu Xialing's expression tightened. "John Wick, aren't you going too far?"
She took a step forward, her voice becoming cold and sharp in the still, sheet-covered room. "I gave you a Dragon Ball, a literal wish-granting object, in exchange for a promise. Now you'll repay me with just information on how you used it?"
Her eyes narrowed. "Even capitalists aren't this cruel. You deserve to hang from a street lamp."
John didn't feel embarrassed at all. His expression remained unchanged, his posture relaxed in the single sofa. In his opinion, this information was substantial.
At that moment, Xu Xialing genuinely wanted to punch his calm, neutral face. Her hands, hanging at her sides, clenched into fists for a brief second before she forced them to relax. She controlled her emotions, letting out a slow, quiet breath. "John, tell me something you can share."
John remained silent for two seconds, his gaze steady as he considered. "It seems you want to participate in this Battle for the Dragon Ball."
Xu Xialing looked at John. "Why, you don't plan to collect them again?"
John shook his head, a single, definitive motion. "My wish came true. I don't need to collect Dragon Balls anymore."
John then told Xu Xialing the Dragon Ball's origin and its relationship with the Fraternity.
"The Fraternity is an organization passed down for over a thousand years, and the Dragon Balls are sacred objects in our organization. If you collect all seven Dragon Balls, you can make one wish come true. The story of Aladdin's magic lamp was adapted from the Dragon Balls."
He leaned back, the old sofa groaning faintly under his weight. "After a wish is granted, the Dragon Balls automatically fly to different corners of the world. They hide themselves as stones, then return to their original appearance after time passes."
His expression grew more serious, his voice taking on a formal weight. "But the Fraternity examines owners and understands their wishes. If someone passes the test and their desires aren't filled with selfishness and destruction, the Fraternity will guide them to find the remaining Dragon Balls. Of course, if desires are evil and full of selfishness, that person will be eliminated."
Xu Xialing felt a cold shock hearing these secrets. She hadn't expected the Fraternity hid so deeply. She'd always believed her family background, her father's Ten Rings, was substantial, but the Fraternity matched or even exceeded it. They were so powerful they even dared to display the Dragon Ball openly and allow others to use it.
Even her father, Xu Wenwu, never removed the Ten Rings. Then she thought of John Wick, who had collected all the Dragon Balls under the Fraternity's guidance. Considering his current identity, she asked, "Will all users join the Fraternity?"
John smiled, a small, dry movement of his lips, and shook his head. "How can such favorable terms exist? Do you think the Fraternity accepts anyone?"
Then John asked, his voice returning to its neutral tone, "So have you decided? What do you want from me with this token?"
Xu Xialing's eyes shifted. She processed the new information. The Dragon Ball was the Fraternity's sacred object, and John was now a member. However, the Dragon Ball had just reappeared. It was very likely that even John might not know who possessed them yet.
Xu Xialing slipped the token back into her pocket. "I haven't decided what I want yet, but you must repay what you owe me."
Without lingering further, Xu Xialing turned and left the villa directly. She walked briskly to the car parked roadside, the slam of the car door echoing in the quiet street.
After getting in, Xu Xialing immediately instructed her subordinates over the phone, her voice hard. "Spread the word. The Dragon Ball price is raised to five million. Even credible clues are worth fifty thousand."
She smashed her hand against the dashboard, the impact sharp and sudden. "And don't bring any counterfeit goods. Dragon Balls are so hard that bullets can barely leave marks on them."
Fraternity headquarters.
Fox found Smith in his office, her face all business. "There's news from the London Assassin Brotherhood that I think needs serious consideration."
Smith looked up from his work. "What news?"
Fox said, "The intelligence officer received information about vampires. After today's investigation, it appears highly credible. He's asking how we should proceed. If they're truly legendary vampires, the people there might not match them. After all, bullets can't kill those creatures."
Hearing about vampires, Smith's mind immediately went to the woman in black leather, Selene. Could the three-star ball be in her hands? Simultaneously, he thought to himself, so it's the Underworld universe.
"What else did the intelligence say?"
Fox consulted her notes. "They say these vampires murder, keep blood slaves, drink human blood, and kill for entertainment."
Smith frowned slightly hearing this assessment. It didn't align with his knowledge of Underworld. After entering the new century, the vampires in that world had undergone a transformation. Not all of them had become virtuous, but they weren't all simple monsters, either.
"Have someone investigate. If it's truly as they describe, arrange for Alexei and Mr. X to go there and completely eliminate them."
He paused. "Also, have the weapons department produce a batch of ultraviolet ammunition. Vampires are vulnerable to it."
After hearing Smith's instructions, Fox nodded, making a note. "Boss, it seems you know this race."
Smith recalled the plot. It started because Alexander Corvinus had three sons. Two were transformed when one was bitten by a bat and another by a werewolf, resulting in the vampire and werewolf bloodlines.
The first vampire Marcus Corvinus and the first werewolf William Corvinus. Alexander Corvinus's bloodline had a characteristic of extreme resilience and strong adaptability. The guy was unlike an ordinary human, but apart from surviving, he had no special abilities.
However, his son William, who turned into a werewolf completely lost his mind and became a feral beast. Conversely, the vampire lineage grew stronger, even developing abilities similar to teleportation.
Moreover, the ability to obtain memories by consuming blood made them ideal for intelligence interrogation, especially for exploring S.H.I.E.L.D.'s secrets. They'd be valuable assets.
"I know some rumors about this race," Smith said, his expression unreadable. "Besides, there aren't only vampires there, but also werewolves."
Thinking of Lucian arresting people everywhere to find Michael, Smith added, "Since we're investigating, we should also investigate the werewolves. Werewolves are vulnerable to silver weapons. Produce a batch of silver bullets and deliver them. If the werewolves are also committing evil acts, we should eradicate them as well."
Fox nodded. "Alright, I'll arrange it immediately. Sending Alexei and Mr. X."
At that moment, Smith's personal phone rang. After Smith answered, he heard John's level voice.
"Boss, Xu Xialing left. She hasn't used the token to exchange her promise yet. I suspect she's planning something significant. But I told her the story about the Dragon Ball. Right now on the dark web, Dragon Ball prices have risen to five million."
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