Chapter Thirty-Seven: Calling for Reinforcements

"It's you—what's going on?" Jessica naturally remembered who Gu Zhongyan was; after all, he was the one who helped her overcome her post-traumatic stress. Now, the most important thing in her daily routine was remembering to wear that green leaf, making those familiar with her think she’d suddenly become an environmental activist.

"No time to explain. There's chaos in Hell's Kitchen—I need your help," Gu Zhongyan's voice came through the leaf.

"What kind of help?"

"Fight!" replied Gu Zhongyan.

"What?" Jessica frowned, wondering if she'd misheard.

Then Gu Zhongyan continued, "An organization called the Hand is wreaking havoc in Hell's Kitchen. I must stop them from causing further destruction."

"So, I'm preparing to take the initiative, but the Hand has many members. I need someone to fight alongside me. I hope you'll join me."

"I need you to go to a bar called Luke's Bar. Find their owner, Luke Cage, tell him what's happening in Hell's Kitchen, invite him to join us, and bring him to Liberty Island. That's where our final battle with the Hand will take place."

Jessica Jones's frown deepened, her face full of confusion.

"Wait, aside from not knowing whether Luke Cage will actually listen to you and help fight some underground organization on Liberty Island, when did I ever say I'd help you?"

Gu Zhongyan responded calmly, "You may refuse, of course. But I must remind you, the Guardian Spirit exists only because of me. Once I die, the Guardian Spirit will disappear as well."

"So, whether you help me or not is your decision."

"Shit!"

Jessica cursed, "That's a threat!"

"No, I'm just stating facts. Whether you help me or not, it's up to you."

Jessica's face darkened, and she couldn't help but punch the bed. With a loud bang, the sturdy bedframe split in two.

"Fuck, fine, let's say I agree. But what about Luke Cage? How can you guarantee he'll agree?"

"I can't guarantee it. I only know he's a good man, someone who's defended his home before. If he once stood up, maybe he'll stand up again this time."

"Alright, time is short. No more talk—see you on Liberty Island," Gu Zhongyan said quickly, disconnecting from the Guardian Spirit amid Jessica's string of curses.

"So, we're going to Liberty Island to fight—why there?" Matt asked.

"Because it's the most open space in New York. The Hand has many people; if we fight in the city, countless civilians will be caught in the crossfire, leading to massive casualties."

"Besides, the military hasn't acted so far, probably due to ties with the Hand. If we fight in the city, I'm worried whether the police and military will side with us."

"If they really are colluding, we'll be surrounded."

"Liberty Island is open, surrounded by the sea, so we don't have to worry about ambushes. And when we fight, the whole world will be watching."

"Under the world's gaze, even if the military and the Hand are colluding, they won't dare act recklessly. It'll minimize the pressure on us."

Gu Zhongyan's eyes grew cold. "Moreover, since the Statue of Liberty is the embodiment of America's free will, then the torch she holds ought to light the way to hell for those animals in the Hand."

"Let's go. No more words, we need to prepare on Liberty Island. Take Stick's hand—give me your hand."

With that, Gu Zhongyan extended his hand. The two were puzzled, but followed his instructions, hand in hand. Matt placed his other hand into Gu Zhongyan's.

Gu Zhongyan grasped Matt with one hand, waved his wand with the other, and chanted an incantation.

"Summon followers!"

Matt and Stick felt the world spinning; the next moment, the sound of ocean waves and distant noise filled their ears.

With their super hearing, they instantly realized they had arrived at Liberty Island.

Liberty Island, located at the southern tip of Manhattan, about four hectares in size, is home to Bartholdi's "Statue of Liberty" and the Immigration Museum—one of New York City's most famous landmarks.

A gentle sea breeze caressed the forty-six-meter copper statue, as visitors from around the world gathered to admire its grandeur.

"Cool! So that's your magic? Teleportation? Was that how you got to my place just now?" Matt couldn't help but ask.

"Yes," Gu Zhongyan nodded. "But now isn't the time for that discussion."

"If we're going to fight here, I need to return and make some preparations. In the meantime, please evacuate all the tourists from Liberty Island. I don't want to have to protect defenseless civilians during the battle with the Hand."

"Can you do that?"

"That's illegal—we have no authority..." Matt frowned, immediately raising human rights and legal concerns.

Before he finished, Stick picked up his blind man's cane and started toward the crowd, saying, "Don't worry. Before the fight, there won't be a single civilian left on Liberty Island."

Gu Zhongyan had no doubts about Stick's efficiency; this man would stop at nothing to achieve his goals. If asked to kill a child, he wouldn't hesitate, let alone merely evacuate civilians.

Seeing Matt's disapproval, Gu Zhongyan quickly interjected, "Alright, Matt, extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures. We're doing this for their safety."

"You've dealt with Jessica before. If she and Luke Cage arrive before I return, please explain the situation to them for me."

"Those two—one possesses immense strength and can fly, the other has impenetrable skin. With them, our odds improve."

"Will they really come?" Matt asked uncertainly.

"I don't know—let's hope so. If they do, they'll certainly be useful," Gu Zhongyan replied.

"You know Jessica—besides her super strength, she can fly."

"Luke Cage is similar to you and Jessica. After a lab accident, he gained skin that ordinary weapons can't pierce. He's also a highly skilled street fighter. If you two fought, it's hard to say who would win."

Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage—the four members of the Defenders, and now he'd summoned three.

If he had more time, and if he knew whether Daniel Rand, the Iron Fist, had returned to New York, he might have truly assembled the full Defenders this time.