Chapter Sixty: The Icy Winds of Northrend Shall Devour Your Souls!

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Near Rand Tower.

Inside the Hand’s stronghold.

Through his ninja subordinates, Alexandra already knew the location of the dragon bones.

After negotiating with Kingpin and purchasing the place, the other four Fingers of the Hand returned to New York from around the world.

Not even Kingpin was aware that all five Fingers of the Hand had gathered right under his nose.

Alexandra, the Gambler, Madame Gao, Suwanda, and Murakami were all discussing the dragon bones.

“According to intelligence from my ninjas and Viper, the Beasts have already pinpointed the location of the dragon bones—it’s beneath the abandoned Rand Tower.”

“But recently, while investigating, our ninjas have encountered attacks from unknown individuals.”

“Danny? Jessica? Hydra or S.H.I.E.L.D.? Or has Kingpin perhaps noticed something?” Madame Gao inquired, ever cautious.

“No, I didn’t tell Kingpin the true purpose behind buying this building or our partnership. He doesn’t have the power to deal with our Beasts yet,” Alexandra replied. “Judging from the reports, our Beasts were all killed with a single, fatal blow—peacefully, at that.”

“Now I’m truly curious, which champion of justice possesses such strength? Danny may bear the title of Iron Fist, but that doesn’t change the fact he’s still a novice. Could it be the Stick?”

“But he’s hardly a concern—we’ve dealt with him so many times before,” Madame Gao said, a look of doubt on her face.

Alexandra nodded, agreeing with her.

Stick was formidable, but not enough to swiftly kill dozens of Beasts in an instant.

“Is it possible Kingpin noticed something? Or perhaps someone else knows about the dragon bones besides him?”

“Who else, apart from us, knows both about K’un-Lun and the secret of the dragon bones? And this isn’t yet the time for the Seven Cities to appear,” the Beast-master Gambler said, puzzled.

“As for the superhumans we know or have dealt with—Daredevil, and that Kingpin fellow—neither has the capability for this.”

“So, we must seize the dragon bones as quickly as possible, regardless of who covets them!”

The Hand had thrived for years, but the dragon bones the five founders originally stole were nearly depleted—insufficient for their resurrection ritual.

Madame Gao, ever calculating and inscrutable, could not shake the feeling that something was amiss.

“That’s not our greatest problem,” she said. “The real issue is we can’t take all the dragon bones at once. If we act hastily, Kingpin may notice our movements, which could draw S.H.I.E.L.D., Hydra, or those self-styled heroes—like flies, they’ll swarm instantly.”

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“No, Madame, now is our best chance. The recent Broadway unrest has drawn everyone’s attention. Kingpin is busy grabbing territory amid the chaos, and those so-called heroes are busy making trouble for him. If we move fast enough, this is our window,” Alexandra said, glancing at the others gathered.

“We need only be wary of a few individuals; the rest aren’t worth concern. We simply must act swiftly and seize this opportunity.”

“S.H.I.E.L.D. will likely be preoccupied with the Broadway turmoil; Punisher might also focus on that chaos. Or do you think those young vigilantes’ alliance will trouble us? Or the K’un-Lun novice?” someone asked.

“Alexandra, you forget the Holy Order,” another reminded her.

“Then let’s split up. This is our last chance,” Madame Gao decided after several minutes’ silence—she could wait no longer.

“If we are to act, let’s be ruthless and swift.”

“Understood!”

When Roald first learned the dragon bones’ location, he considered using the Space Stone to teleport in and take them. But, for caution’s sake, he decided to let Danny, the Iron Fist, break the seal first.

After all, seals often require strict conditions to open—who could say if it might need Danny specifically? Besides, by using the Hand, Roald had new plans in mind; Danny, Jessica, and the others made perfect pawns.

The Hand was just a minor episode—Roald had no intention of expending much effort on them.

In the Marvel universe, the lore was a patchwork: the so-called Seven Capital Cities of Heaven, tied to the dragon bones, referred to hidden metropolises scattered across the globe. Every eighty-eight years, these cities would merge, forming the heart of paradise.

Each of the seven cities was represented by a totemic animal—Crane, Monkey, Spider, Tiger, Dragon, Dog, and Tortoise.

The most famous dragons included Shou-Lao the Undying of K’un-Lun, the seven-headed demon serpent Xiang Yao, and the Mother Crane…

Likewise, the spider totem of the Seven Cities was Roald’s clue to draw out Hydra’s other eight heads—a plan he set in motion upon learning of the dragon bones.

He would release decoys, draw S.H.I.E.L.D.’s attention, and layer distraction upon distraction—saving himself endless time gathering intelligence, so he could swoop in and claim the prize at the end.

Everything was proceeding according to script.

The Hand’s every move was under Zazala and Erica’s surveillance. During Danny’s capture, Erica even lent a subtle hand.

With Erica’s covert assistance, the Hand found controlling the current Iron Fist, Danny, a simple task.

A week later, with Danny in tow, the Hand’s founders ventured deep beneath Rand Tower.

As the great door opened, a subtle tremor rippled through New York’s underground.

These dragon bones were also the city’s geomantic veins; disturbing them was akin to altering the very feng shui of New York.

“Stay alert!”

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As the seal gradually opened, Madame Gao could not conceal her excitement. She gripped her cane, stepped back lightly, and stood at the edge of the group.

A faint energy began to extend along her cane. She was constantly on guard, ready to strike down her companions at the first opportunity.

Dust billowed, the rumbling of the unsealing grew ever greater, and the ancient doors slowly yawned open.

After a slight pause, the tremors reached up to the surface of Rand Tower.

Many on the street above struggled to keep their footing. At the same time, the energy radiating from the opened seal triggered alarms on S.H.I.E.L.D.’s monitoring devices.

Just as the chaos on Broadway had begun to calm, another storm was erupting.

Once the doors were fully opened, all present beheld the dragon bones—hundreds of meters long, shining like jade!

None could suppress their excitement.

“Oh, once again I behold the hope of new life,” Madame Gao said, her voice so hoarse it sounded broken.

Yes, her.

She alone.

The moment the dragon bones were revealed, the other four Fingers ceased to be collaborators and became rivals.

Of course, the others harbored the same thoughts as the ever-watchful Madame Gao.

Murakami kicked aside the limp and battered Danny. The Five Fingers of the Hand and their followers spread out, keeping wary distance from one another.

A brawl was about to erupt!

As the doors swung wide, Kel’Thuzad, Erica, and Zazala materialized before the dumbstruck founders of the Hand.

All around, countless points of ghostly blue light flickered to life.

Roald, resting his hand on Frostmourne, stepped forward to face them.

A biting chill swept the chamber, sheathing the underground in hoarfrost.

“Insects, the winds of Northrend will devour your souls!”