28: Chapter 28 The Mad Dog in the Courtyard, a Modified Trophy

"Chirp."

Several dark red biological metal threads extended from the Bloodtrix once again, piercing into the puddle of Venom that was only half its original size on the ground.

This time, there was no violent devouring suction.

As Lynn's thoughts shifted, the massive genetic database within the Bloodtrix transformed into a series of cold, forceful electronic commands. These commands flowed through the metal threads and flooded into Venom's microscopic cells.

Venom trembled violently.

Its independent consciousness, originally filled with hunger, greed, and chaos, was like a small boat in a vast ocean under the impact of the Bloodtrix's cosmic-level data stream; it was instantly scattered and erased.

In its place, the Bloodtrix forcibly branded a single underlying code into the deepest part of its genes.

[Submit to Lynn—Absolute Loyalty].

In just five seconds.

The command rewrite was complete. The dark red threads retracted.

The puddle of black slime on the ground stopped squirming. It no longer emitted that eerie and uncontrollable aura; instead, it became a quiet, dormant substance resembling pure black liquid metal.

"Come here."

Lynn looked at the unconscious Russian mutant giant on the carpet and issued the first command.

The liquid metal on the ground instantly turned into a shadow, accurately pouncing onto the giant's chest and burrowing into his body through his mouth, nose, and pores.

"Ugh, ahhh—!"

The unconscious Russian giant snapped his eyes open, letting out a Beast-like roar.

The black substance rapidly covered his entire body. Accompanied by the tooth-aching sound of bones popping, the giant's already two-meter-plus frame expanded again, reaching nearly three meters in height!

Muscles like black rocks bulged high. His skull became elongated, his pale eyes had no pupils, and his massive mouth, split to his ears, was filled with sharp, interlocking shark-like fangs.

The Venom Hound was born.

"Roar!"

The moment the Mad Dog awakened, its violent killing instinct made it look at Frank standing nearby. It dropped to all fours like a black prehistoric Beast and lunged at Frank, its claws tearing through the air.

Frank remained expressionless, instantly drawing the Ion Laser Gun from his thigh and pulling the trigger.

"Swoosh—!"

A faint blue high-energy beam instantly pierced through the Mad Dog's left shoulder, leaving a charred blood hole the size of a bowl.

But the Mad Dog's offensive did not stop at all.

The deep, bone-exposing wound actually healed completely in less than a second under the surge of black slime! It pushed through the laser gun's fire, opening its bloody maw, seemingly about to crush Frank's throat.

"Kneel."

An extremely calm voice rang out in the office.

Thud.

The Mad Dog's massive, violent body slammed onto the floor less than half a meter away from Frank.

The underlying genetic code within its body was forcibly activated the moment it heard Lynn's voice.

There was no hesitation, no resistance.

This black monster, capable of instantly tearing apart an armored vehicle, obediently retracted its fangs and claws. It crawled to Lynn's feet on all fours like a true house dog, pressing its terrifying head tightly against the carpet.

Frank lowered the laser gun and looked at the docile monster at his feet, a flash of intense shock crossing his eyes.

He had seen Kingpin's Rhino, but that kind of mutant created by drugs was simply a defective product compared to the alien monster before him, which possessed terrifying strength, extreme recovery, and absolute obedience.

"Boss, this thing..."

"Its name is Mad Dog."

Lynn leaned back on his throne and tapped the Mad Dog's head with his toe. The Mad Dog let out a pleasing low whimper.

"From now on, it's the watchdog of the Crimson Court. If anyone dares to break the rules in Hells Kitchen, shut the door and release the dog."

Lynn glanced at the rainy night outside the window. The alien symbiote that others would cherish as a treasure or avoid like the plague was, in his hands, merely a consumable for which he could rewrite commands and mass-produce at any time.

"Go, take it to the Underground Room and lock it up. If it gets hungry, feed it a few death row inmates." Lynn waved his hand.

The Mad Dog obediently stood up and followed behind Frank, walking out of the office like a silent God of Death.

...

At the same time. Washington, S.H.I.E.L.D. Triskelion Headquarters.

Fifth floor underground, top-secret isolation training room.

"Bang! Bang! Bang! Crash!"

With a heavy, standard right hook, a special military sandbag weighing two hundred pounds was punched open, spilling iron sand all over the floor.

A man wearing a white tank top, with blond hair and blue eyes, and muscle lines like an ancient Greek sculpture, stopped his movements. He panted heavily, sweat sliding down his resolute face.

Steve Rogers.

Captain America.

Having just awakened from a seventy-year frozen sleep, he was still trying to adapt to this new World full of electronic screens, airplanes, and skyscrapers.

The training room's metal door slid open.

Nick Fury, wearing a black trench coat, walked in. He held a thick top-secret file in his hand.

"It seems you're recovering well, Captain." Fury glanced at the ruptured sandbag on the floor.

"After sleeping for seventy years, I have to stretch my muscles and bones."

Steve picked up a towel to wipe his sweat. "Officer, you didn't come to see me hit a sandbag, did you? Is there a new mission? Is the World in crisis again?"

"In a way, yes."

Fury walked up to Steve and handed him the file. "Welcome to the 21st century, Captain. There are no Nazis here, but there are some things that are even harder to deal with."

Steve opened the file.

The first page was a candid photo. In the photo was a four-meter-tall demon god with four dark red arms and bone spikes all over its body.

The second page was an aerial view of a scene. Hundreds of mobsters and ninjas had been shredded and burned to ashes, and an entire street had been vitrified.

The third page showed Kingpin's crushed head and a newly stamped asset transfer agreement.

The title of the file consisted of four blood-red characters: [Crimson Court].

"He has established an absolute dictatorial underground empire in the heart of New York City."

Fury's voice was low, filled with deep helplessness. "The NYPD is terrified. The top Agents I sent out didn't even have a chance to fight back. If we use the military or missiles, the entirety of Manhattan would be buried with him."

Steve looked at the bloody photos, his brow furrowing deeper and deeper. His pure moral compass from the last century could not tolerate such slaughter and dictatorship that treated human life like grass.

"This is insane. What about the law? The government is just watching him take over a city?" Steve looked up, his gaze sharp.

"The law is ineffective against him. Physical firepower is also ineffective against him."

Fury took a deep breath, his remaining eye looking at Steve. "That's why I need you, Captain."

"You need me to defeat him?"

"No. I need you to 'negotiate'."

Fury shook his head. "S.H.I.E.L.D. is currently planning a project to deal with supernatural threats. You go see him and find out his bottom line. If possible, persuade him to join us, or at least, have him give up that bloody way of ruling."

"Use words to persuade a butcher?" Steve closed the file.

"You are Captain America. You represent this country's spiritual bottom line and justice."

Fury patted Steve's shoulder. "Go to Hells Kitchen, Captain. Let him see that violence isn't the only thing that has the final say in this World."

Steve was silent for a moment.

He turned and walked toward the training room's locker.

Opening the locker door, a circular shield painted in red, white, and blue with a silver five-pointed star in the center stood there quietly.

"I will go see him."

Steve picked up the invincible shield made of Vibranium, his voice as firm as iron.

"If words are useless, I will make him understand that justice never compromises."