Hawk raised his whiskey, the ice cubes clinking softly in the glass, making a crisp sound.
Silence?
My dear Mayor, I merely temporarily shifted my 'passion' for fighting crime to another battlefield, such as destroying a competitor's stock price, or thoroughly enjoying my wonderful time at college.
He certainly wouldn't say it aloud, merely responding calmly, "It is indeed concerning. But a city cannot rely solely on vigilantes in spandex to maintain order."
"Precisely!" Mayor Duncan seemed to have found a kindred spirit. "We need a more systematic, more powerful force! For example, increasing police investment, upgrading equipment..." His tone shifted, and he looked at Hawk with a meaningful gaze, "Of course, we also need the strong support of socially responsible enterprises like Lane Capital. The charity gala is the first step in consolidating our strength. Hawk, that sponsorship... what do you think?"
Hawk set down his glass, tapping his fingertips lightly on the document. "Lane Group is willing to shoulder its social responsibilities. This figure, no problem."
He readily agreed to the astronomical sum, as if merely signing an ordinary check.
This made Mayor Duncan's smile even brighter.
"Good! Excellent!" Mayor Duncan personally refilled Hawk's glass, his tone becoming more intimate. "Hawk, seeing you reminds me of my younger days, full of drive and ambition. For men, focusing on career is a good thing. However..." With the concern of an elder, and even a hint of salesmanship, he continued, "Life also needs adjustment. Look at my Olivia, intelligent, independent, opinionated, an elite from Columbia just like you. She admires you, you know. You young people, you could communicate more... Career and love, they don't necessarily have to be mutually exclusive."
Hawk smiled faintly, with just the right amount of politeness. "Olivia is an outstanding student, Uncle Duncan's pride. It's my honor to have her admiration. It's just that, as you know, my old man is slowly handing over Lane Group to me. It's a lengthy process, and my energy truly needs to be highly focused. I even have to rely on donating multimedia classrooms to accumulate credits. Matters of the heart, I'm afraid, will have to be put aside for now." He raised his glass. "Please understand, Governor."
A flicker of imperceptible disappointment crossed Duncan's eyes. He also had no face to suggest his daughter help with the handover of Lane Group.
His face was quickly covered by a seasoned smile. "Understood! Of course, understood! It's good for young people to be ambitious! Then... I wish Lane Group, under your leadership, even greater success! Cheers to our cooperation!"
"Cheers to our cooperation." The two glasses clinked again, making a crisp sound, and the echoes of power and money intertwined in the private room.
After bidding farewell to Duncan, night had fallen deep.
Hawk yawned; there was one last gathering tonight.
He drove his car, heading to the address Emily Chen had sent him as agreed – a jazz bar popular with young people, located at the junction of Brooklyn and Manhattan.
Hawk had some impression of this place; he had been here with his classmates.
The atmosphere was ambiguous, the music lazy, but it was also close to the relatively chaotic fringe areas.
Hawk parked his car and had just reached the corner of the bar street when he saw Emily staggering out of a dimly lit alley, her face full of terror, her carefully styled curly hair a bit disheveled.
She saw Hawk, as if seeing a savior, screaming and pouncing on him, "Hawk! Run! They... they have guns!"
Before she finished speaking, two burly, fierce-looking men chased out from the depths of the alley, clearly holding gleaming handguns! One bald, tattooed man cursed viciously, "Bitch! You dared to peek at our deal! You're asking for death!"
Emily was scared out of her wits, clutching Hawk's arm tightly.
Hawk frowned, instantly shielding her behind him.
His movements were as fast as lightning. The moment the first drug dealer raised his gun to aim, Hawk shifted his body, precisely grasped the opponent's wrist, and twisted it fiercely!
"Snap!" A bone-chilling crack echoed, accompanied by a pig-like shriek, and the handgun clattered to the ground.
The second drug dealer, enraged and shocked, immediately raised his gun and fired!
Bang! Bang!
Hawk, with Emily, dodged slightly, and bullets struck the wall and a trash can, sparks flying!
He then pushed Emily behind a discarded car, contemplating how to deal with this situation discreetly!
"Waaah—ka—daaa—!!!"
Several powerful and strangely accented roars came from the fire escape above the alley and the manhole cover!
Immediately after, four huge figures, cloaked in tattered capes, descended like cannonballs from the sky!
Their movements were incredibly swift, carrying a unique damp scent of... sewers and a faint hint of... cheese...
The tallest and most robust figure, wearing a red eye mask, held a katana in each hand. His movements were full of power, and he roared, "Hey! Scumbags! You dare to cause trouble on Raphael's turf?!"
Before he finished speaking, his twin blades moved like lightning, instantly knocking the second drug dealer's gun away, then he slammed an elbow into him, knocking him unconscious against the wall.
Another, wearing a purple eye mask and wielding a wooden bo staff, moved with the most graceful agility. His staff danced impenetrably, easily fending off the counter-attack from the drug dealer Hawk had previously knocked down. With a precise pressure point strike, he subdued him: "Move with stillness, brother! Don't scare the civilians!"
The third, wearing an orange eye mask, was the most lively, wielding nunchaku. He excitedly shouted, "Cowabunga! Dudes! Let's get 'em!"
While doing so, he used his dazzling nunchaku to trip and disarm another drug dealer attempting to flee, his movements fluid and seamless.
The last one, wearing a blue eye mask, had a calm demeanor and wielded a katana. He did not directly participate in the battle but vigilantly scanned the alley entrance, guarding the rear, and calmly commanded, "Michelangelo, control your strength! Leonardo, watch your right! Raphael... don't be too aggressive! There are still civilians present!"
These four giant humanoid turtles! Their movements were as swift as lightning, their coordination seamless. In just a few breaths, they had knocked down and stunned all the armed drug dealers who had chased them out, their actions clean, crisp, full of power, and a... strange street style.