Heavy machinery rumbled outside the castle walls, their grinding gears and thudding pistons echoing through Blackwater Town's crisp air. Construction had begun in earnest, transforming the sleepy Sokovian landscape into a hive of activity. For a nation as small and impoverished as Sokovia, such a concentration of equipment was unheard of—but money, as they say, moves mountains.
When Sokovia lacked the necessary resources, they were imported. When local suppliers couldn't meet demand, shipments arrived from abroad. Money smoothed over every obstacle, and the Eastern construction crew had spared no expense. Alongside their own personnel, they hired locals, injecting temporary jobs into the struggling economy. The weak Sokovian government dared not interfere. After all, the project was backed by the World's five major arms dealers—and the Master of the castle was no less formidable.
Day by day, the site expanded. Hong Fei climbed to the castle's highest point each morning, surveying the ever-changing landscape. Explosions echoed through the mountains during the day, and at night, Dr. Helen Cho brought her own brand of fireworks to his chambers. Just last evening, they'd taken their clash to the skies, their silhouettes framed against the roiling sea of clouds beyond the glass.
The next morning, Yelena and Jessica appeared at his door, both sporting dark circles under their eyes. "Can you keep it down!" Yelena barked the moment she stepped inside, her voice sharp enough to cut glass. Hong Fei turned from the window, dissipating the steam curling from his palm.
"You live an entire floor away," he said, raising an eyebrow. "With rotating quarters, no less. How could you possibly hear anything?"
Yelena smirked, her gaze dropping pointedly. "I didn't just hear it. I saw it too."
Hong Fei cleared his throat. "Must be the renovations. Soundproofing's probably not up to par yet."
"Or maybe you're just too loud," she shot back. "Show some consideration. Do you realize it's just women living here?"
Hong Fei considered her point. Single women, at that. Letting them overhear was indeed inappropriate. "Fair enough," he conceded, then turned to Jessica. "What about you? Any complaints?"
The question was casual, but Jessica froze, feeling as though he might dissect her on the spot. "No, Boss! None at all. Zero objections."
Yelena snorted. "Of course she doesn't. She was practically glued to the window last night—mmph!" Jessica clamped a hand over Yelena's mouth, her face flushing crimson. "Boss, don't listen to her! We didn't see anything, I swear!"
Hong Fei knew better. He'd been cautious, keeping the lights off and the curtains drawn. Privacy was non-negotiable. "Enough wasting my time," he said curtly. "State your business or leave."
Jessica retreated behind Yelena, clearly letting the other woman take the lead. Yelena stepped forward, chin lifted with confidence. "I've decided to join your team."
"Have you now?"
"Yes. I've thought it through. I'm a good fit, and I've got the skills to back it up."
"What about the Black Widows?"
A sly smile crept across Yelena's lips. "I can handle both roles. Isn't that what you've always wanted?"
Hong Fei's expression shifted, a faint smile forming. "Do you really know what I want?"
"I do. Of course, I might be wrong, but I don't think it matters. Whatever you want, I'm fine with it." She took another step forward, her tone dripping with implication.
Behind her, Jessica wished she could vanish into the floor—or better yet, puncture her own eardrums. What kind of conversation was this? Was this really appropriate?!
Hong Fei's gaze raked over her from head to toe. "Are you stupid?"
"I don't care what you say—my mind's made up." She squared her shoulders. "You're strong. I can see it, and Jessica says the same."
He dismissed her with a flick of his wrist. "Go do your job. If joining's what you want, talk to Frank. Otherwise, stay out of my way." A beat. "If you're that bored, have Jessica take you flying."
Yelena opened her mouth to argue, but Hong Fei cut her off. "Jessica!"
"On it, Boss." In one smooth motion, Jessica clamped a hand over Yelena's mouth and hauled her out by the waist. The door clicked shut behind them.
Yelena wrenched free. "What the hell?"
Jessica exhaled through her nose. I just saved your life. "Listen, I know what you're after. It won't work."
"How do you know?"
"I—" Jessica's smile turned wry. If you'd been knocked out as many times as I have, you'd understand. She chose her next words carefully. "The Boss... has principles."
"Bullshit." Yelena tossed her hair. "Every man likes women, especially young, pretty ones. I'm both."
"Trust me, drop this. You'll regret it."
Yelena's eyes gleamed. "I like a challenge."
"It's not that kind of regret." Jessica groaned when Yelena smirked. "Not that kind of bitter, you idiot! I mean getting your ribs kicked in!"
Yelena burst out laughing. "Relax, I was testing him. He's rough around the edges, but decent, right?" She flexed her fingers. "And I can take a hit."
Wait till you see him rip someone's spine out, Jessica thought. Then you'll understand why we keep our distance.
They found Antonia waiting downstairs. The trio headed back to the castle, where Frank was drilling recruits. He paced like a caged tiger, hands locked behind his back, his glare freezing the squad into silence.
Jessica gulped. "Keep your mouths shut," she whispered. "Answer if he asks. Nothing else."
Yelena nodded. For all her flippant act, she was still a Black Widow—sharp as a razor. Antonia, ever the Taskmaster, didn't speak at all.
Frank's gaze snapped to them the second they stepped into view. "Done with training?" he barked before Jessica could speak.
She stiffened. "I, uh—just woke up."
"And instead of practicing, you're touring guests?" His voice could've cut glass. "Think you've mastered everything?"
"No, sir. My mistake." Her chin dipped.
Frank's snort was pure disdain. "Slack off again, and Hong Fei will nail you to the wall."
Jessica blurted, "Sir! Yelena and Antonia are reporting for duty. The Boss has already agreed to their request to join. I'll leave them with you—back to training now!"
She was airborne before the last word left her mouth.
Frank studied the newcomers. To his approval, neither flinched under his stare. "Find Ivan," he said at last. "He'll kit you out."
Here's your polished version with improved flow and natural English while preserving all content and paragraph structure:
"Go find Big Head—he'll walk you through the protocols. And remember: no problems? Don't bother me. Got a problem? Fix it yourself first. When there's work, move fast. No work? Stay out of the way. Want to leave base? Report it first."
A smirk twisted Hong Fei's lips. "Oh, and if you get yourself killed causing trouble out there? Don't worry. The boss will find someone to burn incense for you."
"Understood!" The welcome speech raised eyebrows, but both women snapped to attention before heading back to base to track down Ivan.
As the team's sole mechanic and battlesuit designer, Ivan handled all custom gear. He didn't even glance up when they entered. Yelena and Antonia waited in silence until he finally waved them over without looking up from his workbench.
"Need gear?" "Yes." "Specialties?"
The consultation took hours. Ivan scribbled notes, especially for Antonia—her neural chips required full system integration. After exhaustive testing, he finally shooed them away with a grunt. "Get out. I'll call you."
Next stop: Big Head's lab.
The place looked like a mad scientist's playground—bubbling green liquids, humming equipment, the works. Compared to Frank and Ivan's frosty receptions, Big Head practically glowed with enthusiasm. "Ladies! Sit, sit. Now, about our... unique team structure."
He leaned forward conspiratorially. "No corporate nonsense here. No clocking in. Rule one: what the boss says goes. Rule two: if the boss hasn't spoken, don't shove yourself in his face looking for pats on the head." His finger jabbed the air for emphasis. "He'll call you when needed. Jump the gun? You'll get ignored."
A meaningful pause. "The boss makes fast decisions. Visionary ones. He doesn't explain himself—and you shouldn't ask him to." Big Head's gaze lingered on Yelena. "Work hard when there's work. Enjoy downtime when there isn't. And downtime never means bothering the boss."
Yelena's smile didn't reach her eyes as she nodded.
"One more thing." Big Head adopted a sage-like tone. "Don't recognize something? Approve it first. Can't approve? Agree anyway. Understand the orders? Execute. Don't understand?" He spread his hands. "Execute while figuring it out."
Both women blinked.
Upstairs, Hong Fei rubbed his chin. When had Big Head started laying such impressively thick track for his own career advancement?
Downstairs, Big Head chatted for a long time before seeing the two off. The door had barely clicked shut when a voice whispered in his earpiece: "You've got your year-end bonus."
He bowed to the empty room. "Thank you, Boss!"