7 Chapter 7
Where to go?
There was no doubt, it was the newbie village for all adventurers: Hell's Kitchen.
Known as the most chaotic part of New York City, a veritable haven for criminals, it was a place often referred to as the Sin City of New York.
Despite comprising merely eight streets, a small area by any standard, it astonishingly managed to drive up the crime rate of the whole of New York to new heights.
Even Batman, if he were here, would exclaim it smells like home!
It could be said that a casual stroll down the streets would guarantee running into scum and villains.
For Zhou Cheng, who needed to vanquish criminals to harvest primal points, this place was an excellent 'vegetable garden.'
Moreover, the city's corruption was a highlight.
The police system, judicial system, and various government departments, all maintained good cooperation with major criminal forces.
In other words, causing trouble here didn't warrant much worry about getting caught.
Even the chances of running into Daredevil were higher than encountering those cops!
Considering all these factors, wasn't this place tailor-made for Zhou Cheng?
Zhou Cheng finally understood.
Why all those adventurers liked to stir up trouble in Hell's Kitchen at the start.
It truly was a perfect newbie village.
...
Night fell silently.
Like an invisible hand lifting the veil shrouding Hell's Kitchen, revealing its true nature.
Gang members, robbers, junkies, thieves.
All of them.
The criminals and scum hiding in corners emerged en masse like rats sniffing out carrion.
The time for the criminals' revelry had officially arrived!
Swoosh!
A faint sound of something cutting through the air could be heard.
In a quiet, deserted corner, a "big bird" soared by, with dazzling wings flapping at high speed.
Then, as quietly as a feather, it landed.
Anyone present would have been stunned because the winged figure descending from the sky was, astonishingly, a person!
"Damn, this is awesome!"
"Using Cap's classic line, I could fly all day like this!"
Having fully enjoyed the sensation of flight under the cover of darkness, Zhou Cheng was reluctant for it to end.
It couldn't be denied, the feeling of flight was exhilarating.
If it wasn't for pressing matters, Zhou Cheng would have hesitated to come down.
But now, it was time to get down to business.
With a mere thought, Zhou Cheng.
Swoosh!
The pair of wings on his back vanished as if they had never been there.
"Scumbags of Hell's Kitchen, you all need to be up to the challenge!"
Shaking his head to clear it, Zhou Cheng stepped out with determination, blending into the night.
He then began to stride alone through the streets of Hell's Kitchen, nonchalantly 'going for a walk.'
"What the hell, this is all you've got? Are you messing with me?"
"Please, I really have no more money, I've given you everything."
"No money? That's fine, you can pay with your body!"
"Damn it!"
Truly, Hell's Kitchen lived up to its reputation.
Zhou Cheng had barely turned two corners when he stumbled upon a crime scene at an alleyway junction.
Two men, looking no better than vagrants, each brandishing a dagger, had cornered a woman in business attire against a wall.The woman's purse was thrown onto the ground, discarded like trash.
Its contents spilled out, chaotically scattered.
The woman herself was akin to a startled bunny.
Crouched and trembling, she appeared helpless and pitiful, capable of nothing but panicked screams.
"Please, please don't!" she sobbed.
"Help! Help me!"
The woman frantically shook her head, screaming in desperation.
But instead of being intimidated, the two brutes only smirked with mocking laughter.
Where was this?
Hell's Kitchen!
Screaming was futile here.
"It's my time to step in!"
Watching the scene unfold, Zhou Cheng hesitated no longer.
He promptly donned the mask he'd prepared, one that matched the pair of wings he was about to deploy.
With that, he pounced into action.
"Stop right there!"
His voice rang out commandingly, freezing both thugs and the harried professional woman.
Perhaps none of them expected anyone but the Daredevil to meddle in Hell's Kitchen—the guy with the unhinged brain, especially someone else in a mask.
What was this, an imitation of Daredevil?
"Help, somebody help me!"
"Sir, please save me!"
The scene fell silent for a few seconds.
The professional woman, as if grasping for a lifeline, continued to call out to Zhou Cheng.
Yet under the threat of the knife-wielding thugs, she dared not make a move.
"So, kid, you wanna play Daredevil?"
"You better scram if you don't wanna die!"
The thugs were not intimidated by Zhou Cheng at all.
One mocked while the other threatened harshly.
"Bad luck for you guys to run into me today!"
Zhou Cheng chuckled coldly, activating his imperial armament.
Swish!
A pair of dazzling wings materialized on Zhou Cheng's back.
The scene quieted once more.
The thugs exchanged glances before they burst into laughter.
"Ha ha ha, what is this, a masquerade?"
"What kind of clown comes out of nowhere with a head full of screws!"
Cursing, the thugs approached Zhou Cheng with their daggers, intent on teaching him an unforgettable lesson.
Whoosh whoosh!
Suddenly, the sound of slicing air filled the area.
Two feathers, controlled by Zhou Cheng's will, shot out like swords.
They plunged into the thighs of the thugs.
"Ah!"
Two screams erupted simultaneously.
The thugs stumbled and fell, dropping their daggers to the ground.
Upon looking down, they saw feathers embedded in their thighs, blood pouring out and staining their pants red.
Their eyes bulged in shock.
Why would feathers shoot from those wings?
And how could they penetrate their thighs?
Was this even scientific?
Worse yet, when they touched it, it really was a feather!
Even worse, moments later, those feathers vanished as if they had never existed.
"Who... who are you!"
"What's going on!"
Both men were terrified and furious, trembling and sweating as they stared at Zhou Cheng.
"Get lost!"
Zhou Cheng had no interest in wasting words on them and simply snorted.
The thugs, in no position to linger, fled the scene as swiftly as they could with their injured legs.
