C97: Flaw
"Master Ye, are you closing up?"
"Yeah." Turning and nodding to the familiar faces of Chinatown, Ye Wen replied kindly, "I don't think anyone else is coming tonight. I'll close the door early and head back."
"Didn't you have a new apprentice recently? That dumb-looking white guy."
Ye Wen sighed. "I stopped teaching for now—my family opposed it."
"I know what kind of patience these foreigners have. But Master Ye, your kung fu is the real deal. If they're not coming to learn, that's their loss." The resident huffed indignantly, conveniently ignoring the irony of being a foreigner in New York's Chinatown himself.
"Maybe the guy ran into trouble." Ye Wen shook his head, not taking it to heart.
"Master Ye, want me to put out some word, bring in more students to your martial arts hall?"
"I appreciate it, but it's better to let things run their course." Smiling as he declined the offer, he exchanged a few more words with the resident before walking out into the evening-lit streets of Chinatown.
Though just a clone, Ye Wen maintained the rhythms of an ordinary life—leaving early and returning late—to preserve his civilian cover.
Then—
"Ahhh—!"
A scream echoed from a narrow, poorly lit alley. Ye Wen halted.
Seconds later, a panicked white man sprinted out of the shadows, clutching a woman's designer leather bag. Spotting Ye Wen blocking the exit, the man's face twisted into rage.
"Move, you yellow-skinned midget! Move or I'll kill you!"
The insult made Ye Wen narrow his eyes. He remained unmoving.
"Dumbass! You've got a death wish!"
Snarling, the man charged.
He didn't get far.
Ye Wen tilted slightly to the side. With a precise flick of his foot, he struck the man's leading leg. Off balance, the man crashed face-first onto the pavement.
[Famousness from Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. +10]
Inside a dimly lit antique store across town, Li Ran sat up straight.
"That confirms it. No way S.H.I.E.L.D. gives up that easily."
Back in the alley, Ye Wen didn't hesitate. Stepping forward, he dropped a sharp, controlled hammer-fist onto the thug's temple. The man slumped to the ground, unconscious.
[Famousness from Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. +20]
Ye Wen knelt and retrieved the bag just as a red-haired woman emerged from the alley's darkness. Limping slightly, her clothes disheveled, she froze upon seeing the fallen man—then looked up at Ye Wen with surprised eyes.
"You stopped him?"
"If this is your purse." Ye Wen offered the bag without ceremony.
"Oh my God, thank you! I didn't know what I was going to do." Her voice trembled with gratitude.
Ye Wen gave a faint smile. "Honestly, I think you could've handled it yourself."
"…What?"
The woman blinked, puzzled.
"Your movements," he said calmly. "Even restrained, they give you away. That kind of balance and body control isn't something average people have."
Her expression hardened for just a second—barely noticeable—before she straightened up, smoothing her tangled hair.
"I see. How did you figure me out?"
As a top-tier operative of S.H.I.E.L.D., Natasha Romanoff—codename Black Widow—prided herself on flawless field work. Disguises were second nature.
"Instinct," Ye Wen answered simply.
"Instinct?" she echoed, skeptical.
"You walk like a fighter. Even limping, your foot placement is precise. Your posture is still alert. That kind of training doesn't vanish."
Natasha's expression flickered. Years of espionage, field combat, and covert missions left their marks—apparently more visibly than she thought.
But the truth, of course, wasn't what Ye Wen claimed.
Inside the antique store, Li Ran—who remotely controlled the Ye Wen clone—watched everything. He smiled slightly as he observed Natasha's reaction.
She had been the bait.
That's right—the red-haired "victim" was none other than Black Widow herself.
Li Ran had suspected S.H.I.E.L.D.'s earlier maneuvers weren't random. But sending their ace agent, Natasha Romanoff, to directly make contact with the clone? That meant S.H.I.E.L.D. wasn't just curious. They were very interested.
Flattered, sure. But also wary.
They needed to play this right.
Back in the alley, Ye Wen tilted his head slightly. "So, would you care to tell me who you really are, ma'am?"
Natasha glanced down at the unconscious S.H.I.E.L.D. agent still playing the role of mugger. Her expression shifted back into professional mode. "Honestly, Mr. Ye Wen, I should be the one asking you that."
"What's your real purpose here in New York? And more importantly—where exactly did you come from?"
Even in the face of interrogation, Ye Wen's voice remained calm.
"I came to New York seeking truth. But during the search, I encountered some… complications. So I stayed."
"And where did you come from?" she pressed.
"I came from Penglai."
[Famousness from Natasha Romanoff +55]
visit patreon.com/Elguapotranslation to view 30+ advanced chapters
---