Hong Fei emerged from the shadows clad in black nano armor, the sudden appearance making Danny and Harold tense with suspicion. The ominous figure radiated such a palpable aura of menace that even his silhouette screamed danger. Danny instinctively moved to shield Harold, which only drew a scornful chuckle from the armored stranger.
"Danny," Hong Fei's voice dripped with mockery, "are you really that gullible, or just using him?"
Danny frowned, his thick brows knitting together. "What the hell are you talking about?"
Harold, however, understood immediately. A flicker of panic crossed his face before he schooled his features into wide-eyed fear. "Danny," he whispered urgently, "I think I recognize him. He was at the Rand Building."
Danny's posture shifted, muscles coiling for action.
Hong Fei tilted his head. "You're scrambling, but you're not wrong. I was there that night—along with five others. We wiped out most of The Hand's fools." His voice turned icy. "Though I never had the pleasure of meeting your children. Tell me, Harold... do they know about your little partnership with The Hand?"
Harold's cheek twitched. If not for Danny standing between them, he might have lunged—not at Hong Fei, but for answers. How did this man know?
The Hand's downfall had been public spectacle. News outlets dissected their crimes, victims testified, evidence piled up. Danny had seen the reports. Now, hearing Hong Fei's accusation, he turned slowly toward Harold, eyes narrowing in dawning realization.
Harold's eye spasmed again.
Before he could speak, Hong Fei pressed on. "Here's what I don't get. You controlled Rand Corp for years. Why wait until your kids were dead and the company ashes before 'finding' Danny, the majority shareholder?" He leaned in. "Unless you never wanted him found."
The words hung like a guillotine.
Danny staggered back a step, betrayal flashing across his face. "Is that true?"
Harold opened and closed his mouth like a fish gasping for air.
Hong Fei had no patience for theatrics. "Your children died because of Alexandra. The Hand was cornered at Rand Tower—S.H.I.E.L.D. had them surrounded. Desperate rats don't share their sinking ship." His voice hardened. "And let's be honest. By the end, The Hand was Rand Corp. You made a deal with Alexandra, but she saw you all as expendable. Your kids paid the price."
Upon hearing this, Harold gripped the chair tightly with both hands, his knuckles bleaching white. His lips trembled, but the fury in his eyes burned like acid. There was no pity here—The Hand dealt in betrayal, not honor. Their world had no room for noble sentiments like protecting the innocent.
Harold had no right to say such things. After a moment, he relaxed and stared at the ground without turning his head. "Danny, what happened back then was indeed my doing."
"What?!" Danny's voice cracked like a whip.
"That plane," Harold continued, his tone disturbingly calm, "I arranged it on purpose. I thought you were all dead. I didn't expect you to still be alive."
Danny's eyes widened, his entire body tensing as the light on his fist flared brighter. Harold suddenly turned to Hong Fei. "It was you who gave me the information, wasn't it? I'm curious—how did you know Danny was in K'un-Lun? And why do you know how to enter it?" Danny's head snapped toward Hong Fei, his gaze sharp.
Hong Fei blinked, caught off guard. "Why are you looking at me? He's the enemy who killed your parents. Shouldn't you be taking revenge?"
Danny's brow furrowed. "How do you know the method to enter K'un-Lun?"
"Is that the point right now?"
"I am the Guardian of K'un-Lun." Danny's voice was firm, edged with suspicion.
Harold chimed in, addressing Hong Fei. "You passed the message to me, deliberately guiding me to find Danny in K'un-Lun. You seemed to know he would come out. Could it be... you're a traitor to K'un-Lun?"
Danny's eyes narrowed dangerously, his fists glowing brighter. Hong Fei tilted his head, utterly baffled. "Isn't this a bit inappropriate? The man who ruined your family is right here. Instead of focusing on him, you're interrogating me?"
"Besides being Danny Rand, I am the Guardian of K'un-Lun. I have an obligation to protect its safety. I suspect you're the mastermind behind this. What are you after by luring me out?"
Hong Fei chuckled softly, then waved a hand dismissively.
Danny couldn't hold back any longer. He lunged forward, his fist glowing red as it shot toward Hong Fei. The air around it seemed to ripple with the force of the strike. Hong Fei's eyes gleamed, though he didn't activate his Eyes of Death. The wind from the punch hit him first, a testament to Danny's formidable strength.
With a resounding clack, the power of the Iron Fist exploded, the impact reverberating through the room like a cannon blast. Paintings on the walls shook violently. But Danny didn't look triumphant. Instead, he stared at Hong Fei's black mask, frozen, as if he'd seen a ghost. Hong Fei had caught his fist effortlessly.
"Interesting," Hong Fei mused, his voice calm. "You didn't use any force-generating techniques, yet you can deliver a punch with the force of an exploding cannon shell. Is this the Iron Fist?"
Danny snapped out of his daze and threw his other fist violently, aiming straight for Hong Fei's chest. But Hong Fei's waist shifted subtly. As Danny's fist grazed his armor, Hong Fei pulled in his chest and abdomen, guiding the special energy within the punch to dissipate harmlessly before it could fully explode. Then, with a twist of his waist, he swung his chest forward, causing the armor to collide with Danny's fist.
Immediately, Danny felt a similarly special force surge into his fist and arm, sending him stumbling backward. He steadied himself two meters away, his eyes wide with astonishment. "You cultivated 'Chi'?"
"Is that worth being surprised about?"
Danny's gaze hardened, his voice low and resolute. "You must be someone who came from K'un-Lun."
"And?" Hong Fei's tone was light, almost teasing.
"No one from K'un-Lun is allowed to leave. You're coming back with me!" The words barely left his lips before he lunged again, fists flying. This time, his style shifted—crisp, intricate moves that bore the unmistakable mark of K'un-Lun training. Hong Fei held back, matching him blow for blow, probing rather than pressing. He kept his speed and strength in check, letting the fight unfold at a measured pace.
Their fists and feet clashed in a flurry of movement, the two seeming evenly matched for a moment. Danny's technique was solid, his strength impressive—especially when channeling the Iron Fist's power. Each strike carried a raw, explosive force, just as Hong Fei had noted earlier. He didn't need to focus on generating power; it flowed naturally with every punch.
As they fought, Hong Fei's thoughts sharpened. The Dragon Power—had it truly given its all? Danny's moves, while not entirely systematic, bore traces Hong Fei recognized with near certainty. But the execution was stiff, mechanical. He hadn't mastered the art of simplifying complexity, of making the techniques his own.
And this was the modern Iron Fist? What had become of K'un-Lun's youth? Hong Fei's voice cut through the rhythm of their exchange, calm but biting. "You claim you want to protect K'un-Lun. So why abandon your duties as the Iron Fist and run away?" Danny's brow furrowed, but he stayed silent.
"For your parents, you left K'un-Lun. For K'un-Lun, you ignore the enemy in front of you. What are you even fighting for?" Danny's breathing grew heavier, his movements tenser. "Hesitant, indecisive—your moves are stiff, your force generation clumsy. Your character's weak, and your skills are worse. Is that dragon blind?"
"Shut up!" Danny roared, planting his feet firmly. His chest suddenly blazed with red light, the energy surging down his arms and into his fists. With a furious shout, he drove both fists toward Hong Fei's chest. Only now did Hong Fei sense a stronger energy pulse. He crossed his hands, Chi flowing through his knuckles as he reached up from below.
His fingers transformed into the razor-sharp claws of a tiger, latching onto Danny's wrists. The claws dug into flesh, and Danny cried out in pain. Hong Fei ignored him, pulling Danny's arms apart and twisting them into a crossed position. The tiger claws twisted further, forcing Danny's arms to follow.
Danny struggled, but every movement only intensified the pain. It felt like his arms might snap at any moment. Hong Fei held him locked in place, his voice cold and detached. "Single lock turns with The Hand, double lock buckles and binds. Did no one teach you this?" Danny clenched his jaw, refusing to answer.
Hong Fei released him, and Danny stumbled back, clutching his wrists. Ten dark bruises marred his skin. "Continue," Hong Fei said flatly. Danny glared at him, shook out his arms, and charged again. But before he could close the distance, Hong Fei's foot shot up.
He hurriedly changed his stance to block, but he was still too slow. The first strike hit his calf, the second his waist, and the third the side of his face. Bang! Bang! Bang! Three consecutive blows landed faster than Danny could react. The final kick sent him crashing into the wall, his head slamming against it with a solid thud.
Dizziness washed over him in waves. His calf burned with white-hot pain while his waist throbbed as if split by a blade. He hit the floor hard, the impact shuddering through his battered body.
Hong Fei slowly withdrew his leg, shaking his head with a disappointed sigh. "Honestly? Seeing you like this... it frightens me." He rubbed his chin, voice dropping lower. "Makes me wonder if Dragon Power's all it's cracked up to be."
Danny's vision swam with stars, his thoughts scattering like leaves in a storm. Yet Hong Fei's words cut through the haze with cruel clarity.
"I was wrong, you're not trash; you really are remarkable." The praise tasted like ashes in Danny's mouth. Shame and fury twisted tighter in his gut—hotter than any physical pain.