Chapter 4: This is Hell's Kitchen

Looking at the introduction to the Sands of Time, Frank recalled the nightmare that changed his life.

He once had a happy family. After retiring from the military through a special process, although life wasn't too wealthy, it wasn't impoverished either. But all of this was destroyed in a gang shootout.

Frank's wife and daughter just happened to see the battle and were treated as enemies, shot to death. Every night, Frank would recall how good it would have been if he had brought enough weapons and gone on an outing with his family at the time. Now, this recollection finally had the possibility of being realized.

Excitement aside, Frank, who had carried out various dangerous missions for many years, still accurately grasped some points in the system description.

For example, the Genie's blessing—the blessing that filters effects above level 40 was both a protection and a restriction, and it was definitely done deliberately by the Genie. After all, the level of the Sands of Time was level 41. Frank didn't believe this was just a coincidence.

With this blessing in place, even if Frank took a shortcut to find the exchange or usage method for the Sands of Time, it would be useless. He believed that the Genie would likely filter the effect directly at that time. So, to complete the reversal, he either had to reach level 30 or complete the main quest.

As for Dormammu in the main quest, Frank didn't know who this guy was at all. But judging from the minimum challenge level and quest difficulty, this was definitely not a quest he could complete now. Fortunately, the existence of the system itself and the side quest chain could give him no small amount of help.

Even an ordinary person, after being able to get feedback on their training and learning at all times, would burst out with amazing strength and self-control, let alone Frank, the strongest human soldier.

Moreover, among all these changes, the most important thing was actually the Wish Shop. Although Frank didn't have a single Wish Point now, the three wishes per month could allow him to "freeload" a lot of information that couldn't be known through other channels.

Looking at the illusory lamp pot, Frank thought deeply and then spoke slowly, "I wish that the time Tony Stark becomes Iron Man will be after June 30, 2008!"

The lamp pot shook twice, and invisible particles in the air reorganized into a line of text.

【This wish takes effect and consumes 0 Wish Points.】

Which meant that Tony Stark becoming Iron Man was already in July or later!

Frank sat down and began to analyze the information he had already mastered.

Some time ago, Tony Stark was declared missing, with the location of his disappearance being Afghanistan. This news caused Stark Industries' stock to plummet, and news media around the world tracked and reported it for a long time, until it gradually subsided recently. Benefiting from the media's crazy bombardment, Frank, who didn't usually pay much attention to such news, also knew that Tony Stark was missing.

"So... this arrogant guy didn't die, and he will return in at least three months and declare himself Iron Man," Frank leaned back in his chair and muttered to himself. "It's March now; I have three months of 100% safe time. As soon as July hits, time will be very tight! I must act now!"

"I wish! Next, I will be able to come into contact with the special energy needed for a job transfer in Hell's Kitchen!" Frank continued to wish to the lamp pot.

【This wish takes effect and consumes 0 Wish Points. You have already come into contact with a certain special energy.】

"I've come into contact with it? When?"

The lamp pot didn't reply. Frank had to start recalling quickly.

Ever since his family died, Frank had become the Punisher after seeking fairness and justice in vain. He mainly looked for trouble with various gangs. For the past year, he had basically been doing this. So, from a probability perspective, one of the gangs in Hell's Kitchen had energy that could be used for a job transfer!

Frank racked his brains for a long time, but still couldn't find the corresponding information in his memory. He felt that the gangs he provoked were all the same; none were particularly special.

"I wish to obtain information related to the special energy I am most likely to obtain in the next three months!" Frank was very decisive in making his third wish. The time and location had been understood indirectly; the only thing left was the target!

【This wish takes effect and consumes 1 Wish Point (minimum points). Dragon Bone Fossil, a type of fossil containing life, curses, and other special effects, ###】

The free information given by the lamp pot was only one sentence. Subsequent related information required completing a wish. However, even if he could, Frank wouldn't do that. This wish regarding information triggered the minimum point requirement, which meant it wasn't worth a single point at all.

Plus the two clues that he had already come into contact with it and the target had appeared in Hell's Kitchen, Frank had the confidence to find that thing!

Moreover, even if he couldn't do it himself, Frank had a backup plan. He could get some news from that bald guy. Of course, it wasn't free; he would have to do some field work to pay it back later, and that field work had no salary. Fortunately, the field identities Nick Fury gave Frank were all one-time use. After all, the pension for a dead agent was not a small sum.

Over so many years, Frank didn't even know how many times his identity had died on S. H. I. E. L. D.'s side.

Speaking of this, Frank wanted to complain about S. H. I. E. L. D.'s financial mechanism—it was too outrageous. And what was even more outrageous was that the tax department hadn't made any moves for so many years. They really just let Nick Fury go on like this.

Taking out the well-maintained firearms from the drawer and swapping them with the ones he was already using, Frank prepared to go out.

According to common sense, even if he were to go out now, he should deal with the clothes stained with gunpowder smoke. But where was this? Hell's Kitchen!

This was a place that even Kingpin couldn't fully master. It had its own set of special rules, and under those rules, wearing clothes with the smell of gunpowder smoke wouldn't bring trouble; instead, it was a favorable condition.

"Where's Old Morgan?"

Frank walked into a building. As soon as he entered, he could feel at least three gun muzzles aimed at him. But it didn't matter; Hell's Kitchen had its basic rules. Killing and looting would have to wait until after they left this door...

The bartender glanced at Frank and lowered his head, continuing to wipe the cup that seemed as if it would never be wiped clean, with no intention of replying.

Frank felt something was a bit off. Just then, a voice came from behind him.

"Hey, kid, Old Morgan is dead." A burly man walked over with a shotgun. "This is my territory, Tire's, now!"

"Dead?"

"Or maybe alive. Anyway, he went to Kefite's banquet. You want to wait for him?" Tire slapped the shotgun on the table. "How about you come back in a few days?"

Kefite's banquet?

That was complete nonsense, because all the people who died at that banquet were killed by Frank, and he hadn't seen Old Morgan.

However, it didn't matter.

Tire's fingers tapped on the table until Frank looked up and spoke.

"I'm just here to buy information. As for who the information boss is, I don't care."

"Good, straightforward enough. I'll make the call this time and give you a 0.9% discount!" Tire was very happy to hear Frank say that. "What do you want to know?"

Frank tore off a sticky note from the side, wrote on it, and handed it over.

Tire opened it and saw two big words: Dragon Bone! ===== CHAPTER 5 =====