"Cleaners?"
Danny Rand repeated the word.
The expression on his face turned truly serious.
He waved his hand.
The cheongsam-clad secretary, who had been standing by with her hands down, understood and quietly bowed out, leaving the vast dojo entirely to them.
In the spacious dojo, only the three of them remained, along with the silent city night outside the window.
"Mr. Rodriguez, do you know what you're saying?"
Danny's voice deepened.
"'Chi,' 'Spirit of the Tiger God'—these words shouldn't come from someone like you."
Ava Ayala, beside him, didn't speak, but her posture had visibly changed.
Her shoulders were slightly lowered, and her center of gravity was pressed down.
It was the stance of a top predator, about to launch a fatal strike.
William had no doubt that if he said one wrong word, an invisible tiger claw would tear his throat in the next second.
A strong sense of danger stimulated William's nerves, but the smile on his face grew even more composed.
He knew he had successfully drawn the conversation into his home court.
He had Daredevil's recommendation as a stepping stone, and information sufficient to overturn their trump cards.
In this gamble, he was in an unbeatable position from the start.
"Of course, I do."
"Your fighting methods belong to the supernatural realm."
William spread his hands, a hint of appropriate regret in his tone, as if looking at two laymen using gold spoons to crack walnuts.
"But the way you handle the aftermath is still stuck in the physical World."
"You use checks to compensate for the damage caused by the arcane, like using a small band-aid to plug a dam's crack."
"It treats the symptoms, not the root cause."
William evaluated, enunciating each word: "And… it's very unprofessional."
"What do you want to say?"
This time, it was White Tiger who spoke, her voice cool and sharp, like a drawn blade.
"I want to say, you need professional service."
William's gaze turned to her, precisely catching a trace of fatigue deep in her eyes.
"Miss Ayala, as the inheritor of the White Tiger, every time you summon the power of the Tiger God, you are resonating with an ancient and powerful deity."
"This consumption is not just physical."
"May I ask, does your private Doctor understand 'Divine Erosion Psychological Counseling'?"
"Does your medical insurance include 'Soul Energy Depletion Replenishment Therapy'?"
Ava Ayala was stunned.
What William said was her deepest concern, something she had never mentioned to anyone, not even Danny.
After every battle, she would feel a void and fatigue originating from her soul, something modern medicine simply couldn't explain.
Seeing their reactions, William knew the fish had completely taken the bait.
He scrolled through two pre-prepared documents on his phone and handed them to Iron Fist.
"'Hero Partner' Annual Support Plan."
William's voice was magnetic, like a top luxury salesperson introducing their store's prized possession.
"This is not an insurance contract; it's a comprehensive logistical support agreement."
Danny took the phone and quickly browsed through it.
His expression grew increasingly surprised.
"Battlefield cleanup, including physical debris and energy residue… Media information suppression and memory alteration services (experimental)… Special equipment customization and maintenance… Supernatural injury specialized medical consultant team…"
Danny read aloud, his eyes filled with disbelief.
"How do you do it?"
"Trade secret."
William smiled mysteriously.
"I can only tell you that my company has top-tier technical consultants and resource channels. My 'founding patron' is a… philanthropist who is very interested in solving these kinds of problems."
He cleverly packaged Tony Stark's name, the big scapegoat.
"Your mission is to protect this City. And my mission,"
William's tone became incredibly sincere.
"is to protect you. To ensure that in every battle, you have no worries. You just need to throw punches; I'll handle the remaining bills."
Silence fell in the dojo.
Danny and Ava exchanged glances, both seeing wavering in the other's eyes.
The services William proposed were too tempting for them.
This was not just about saving money or hassle; it was a liberation.
A liberation that would allow them to break free from tedious aftermath work and focus on being heroes themselves.
"What's the fee?"
Danny finally asked the most crucial question.
As the CEO of a large corporation, he knew there was no such thing as a free lunch.
"For initial members of the 'Hero Partner' plan, we offer a very favorable annual service fee."
William held up one finger, "Five million U.S. dollars per person per year."
This price, for Danny Rand, was practically free. The cost of him handling one troublesome matter alone was more than this.
"I'll sign."
Danny signed his name on the contract with almost no hesitation.
What he valued was not the money, but the incredible professional capability and mysterious channels displayed by William's company.
Ava also signed immediately after.
She needed that "Divine Erosion Psychological Counseling."
Looking at the two signed contracts, William's heart pounded.
Two more big orders!
And recurring annual fee income!
Just then, the long-awaited, cold, mechanical prompt finally sounded in his mind.
Ding! Successfully promoted the "Hero Partner Annual Support Plan" to "Iron Fist" Danny Rand.
Extracting customer ability…
Congratulations, Host, you have obtained the ability — "Chi (Elementary)"!
Chi (Elementary): You can perceive and mobilize the faint life energy "Chi" within your body. Current effect: Significantly boosts vitality, delays fatigue, slightly enhances physical fitness. Can be improved through continuous meditation and exercise. Warning: Do not attempt to concentrate "Chi" in your fist before mastering its use, as it may result in hand fractures.
William almost laughed out loud.
Chi!
This was the foundation of the mysterious Eastern power in the Marvel Universe!
Although only elementary, its potential was boundless!
Before he could finish rejoicing, the system's voice sounded again.
Ding! Successfully promoted the "Hero Partner Annual Support Plan" to "White Tiger" Ava Ayala.
Extracting customer ability…
Congratulations, Host, you have obtained the ability — "Tiger God Affinity (Passive)"!
Tiger God Affinity (Passive): You carry a faint aura that makes felines feel comfortable and close to you. Effect: Felines within a ten-meter radius (including but not limited to domestic cats, stray cats, lions, tigers, etc.) have increased initial favorability towards you. Note: This ability is ineffective on the Tiger God himself.
The smile on William's face instantly froze.
What the heck?
Tiger God Affinity?
Commonly known as, catnip physique?
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