Seeing the fully armed John Wick, Smith knew he had also come for revenge against Viggo. Glancing at Viggo's dead body, he said:
"You're late."
The shock in John Wick's eyes didn't subside. Along the way, aside from a few gunshot victims on the first and second floors, all others had been killed with cold weapons or even bare hands. Such power was terrifying.
Precisely because he had once been in the same line of work, John Wick understood how powerful and dangerous Smith was—especially the bullet split in two. It confirmed for him that this man possessed the power to guard the Dragon Ball.
"What do you need me to do next?"
Smith thought for a moment before speaking:
"Finish what you started. I'll contact you in a few days."
Watching Smith walk away, John Wick thought of his car, which he still needed to retrieve, and left without lingering.
Not long after they left, the clean-up crew from the Assassin's Brotherhood arrived and began their work.
———
Assassin's Brotherhood Headquarters
As Smith pushed open the door to the conference room, a man nicknamed Cross came up to embrace him:
"GOD, you've given us quite the surprise."
Smith returned the embrace with a smile:
"It's my duty."
Cross led Smith to the head seat and announced:
"This position is now yours."
Smith didn't hesitate or act modestly—he sat down right away.
Seeing this, Cross returned to his seat. Across the table, Mr. X spoke up:
"After 18 years, the Assassin's Brotherhood has a new leader: Smith Doyle."
"Let us welcome our GOD!"
Applause followed.
> Clap. Clap. Clap.*
Smith raised his hands slightly to quiet them and then said:
"Thank you all for your trust in me, entrusting me with the leadership that has been vacant for 18 years."
He had lived in the Brotherhood for 18 years and knew the organization inside out. The higher-ups had trained him with everything they had. He still didn't fully understand why he had been chosen as the new leader, but he suspected it was due to the death of Sloan and the disappearance of the Loom of Fate.
Whatever the case, now that he had been chosen, he wouldn't let them down.
"I will always remember the mission of the Brotherhood."
"To cleanse the world of its evils, I will lead you forward without hesitation."
"As for our next objective—beyond our usual information gathering on threats to society—our primary target will be the High Table and its network, including the Continental Hotel."
His blunt mention of the High Table as a target won immediate support.
"No problem. We've long wanted to take them down."
"GOD, how do you want to proceed?"
Seeing their unity, Smith said:
> "Fully investigate the High Table's headquarters and the areas controlled by the twelve Elders."
"This time, we will dismantle them from the top down."
"As for the Continental Hotel and similar platforms for assassins—they must also be removed."
---
News of Smith Doyle becoming the new leader of the Brotherhood spread quickly through the organization. The intelligence division immediately began investigating the High Table and the Continental Hotel.
---
Next Day – S.H.I.E.L.D., Triskelion Building
Agent Phil Coulson walked into the director's office with a file in hand.
"Director, our undercover agent in the Brotherhood has sent critical intelligence regarding a major organizational change. I need to report it to you."
Nick Fury took the file and read through the contents.
"After 18 years, the Brotherhood has a new leader?"
"I thought after Sloan died and they adopted a council system, they'd never choose another leader."
"And they're targeting the High Table? Interesting."
Finishing the file, Fury asked:
"You've read the intel too. What do you think?"
Coulson replied:
"It's good news. The High Table has grown too powerful and needs to be trimmed back."
"While they aren't a major threat to us, their growing influence could destabilize society."
"And because their Elder seats are inherited by blood, our undercover agents can't rise high enough to influence things."
Fury nodded. S.H.I.E.L.D. typically didn't care about normal gangs, but the global reach of the High Table made it worth their attention.
They also understood why the High Table existed—completely eradicating crime syndicates was impossible. Having a controlling power could at least reduce chaos.
It was a "fatten-the-pig" policy—let them grow, then strike when necessary.
Coulson added:
"The Brotherhood's assassination skills are excellent. They're unlikely to cause widespread collateral damage."
"No matter who wins or loses—or if they both fall—we benefit either way."
Fury agreed, then asked:
"What do we know about this new leader? Could he be a problem?"
The Brotherhood drew more attention from S.H.I.E.L.D. than the High Table for several reasons—its ancient history, its mysterious abilities like the bullet-curving technique, and its now-destroyed Loom of Fate, once designated as an 084 object.
Though once obsessed with the secrets behind their wax-bath healing and other techniques, advances in modern tech had diminished their relevance.
—End of chapter—
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