Sometimes things are just that strange. While others are at their wits' end, progress suddenly appears out of nowhere, embodying a certain sense of life's absurdity. Peter sat down, feeling somewhat odd, and asked Matt in return, "So what are you guys doing here then?"
"Helping Elektra recover her memories. Her mind is stuck on the day she went to investigate and confront the Hand, only to be captured by them."
Matt adjusted his dark glasses and explained to Peter. Even if the Hand's brainwashing ritual is broken, the victim won't remember anything that happened during the period they were indoctrinated. This was precisely why the Hand's dark rituals were so effective at maintaining absolute secrecy.
In fact, one could argue that expecting Elektra to tell Matt and the others where the Hand was located was less practical than asking the Silver Samurai. At least the latter didn't seem brainwashed—and being a bit dim-witted, he might actually spill the beans.
Peter thought of Daken and X-23, whose fates were uncertain—though they were likely dead—and asked, "How did you break it? We—we just brought back someone brainwashed by the Hand; maybe we can use the same method."
"Well, uh, that happened last night—" Matt adjusted his glasses again, picked up his coffee, and took a sip. "You know, Peter, a light rain fell over Manhattan last night. The weather has been very hot lately, and that rain made the area around Hell's Kitchen quite cool. It was on such a rainy night—"
"I don't really want to interrupt your beautiful memories of last night, but can we fast-forward a bit?"
Peter couldn't help but cut Matt off. Even Elektra called out "Matt," prompting Matt to nod apologetically and continue, though he looked like he wanted to keep reminiscing. "Yesterday I encountered Elektra. She was sent by the Hand to fight me. We fought for a long time, and both of us were seriously injured. Throughout the process, I called her name over and over, recalling our past, hoping she could remember who I was."
In that instant, Peter thought of many classic plot tropes. "And you woke her up at the final life-or-death moment?"
"No. During our fight, we fell off a roof together. Her head hit a windowsill, she passed out, and when she woke up, the brainwashing was gone."
Peter: "..."
Letting out a helpless sigh, Peter couldn't help but shake his head. Matt also knew there was nothing noteworthy in the explanation. As things stood, they still couldn't find the Hand, so he turned the question back to Peter. "What about you? What happened on your end?"
Peter proceeded to recount the events that had just transpired, followed by the intelligence he had gathered regarding the "Beast." He summarized the Hand's likely objective: to force Matt to break his no-kill rule, lead the Hand, and subsequently become the vessel for the Beast's descent.
"So, if we coordinate with that... Mysterio helmet you mentioned, and hire Deadpool, we could put on a show for the Hand. We make them think an assassin killed Elektra, then in a fit of rage, I kill the murderer, making the Hand believe I've fallen—"
Matt began to contemplate the plan. In essence, this grand performance wouldn't involve any actual deaths. Elektra would be an illusion generated by the Mysterio helmet, and the assassin would be Deadpool in disguise. As long as Matt acted with enough sincerity and fury, the Hand theoretically wouldn't be able to tell the difference.
However, Elektra, listening in, voiced her objection.
"It's too... deliberate, don't you think? Where did this assassin come from? Why would he want to kill me? It's all too forced, not natural enough, and there are far too many loopholes. The Hand already knows I've defected. This might be their plan; they might even hire an assassin to kill me themselves. What then?"
"This is just an idea for now."
"So the safest way is to play it for real. Only if I am truly killed by an assassin will the Hand be convinced."
Both Matt and Peter "looked" toward Elektra. Matt tilted his head, unable to comprehend her logic.
"Though—I don't remember it very clearly—I am certain the Hand possesses means to resurrect people. Not making them undead, but true resurrection. So, if I die, and they want you, Matt, to become a member of the Hand, you can use your membership as the price for them to resurrect me—"
"No, absolutely not. How am I supposed to know if the Hand's resurrection ritual carries extra risks? What if you don't come back? What if you—"
"This plan has another advantage," Elektra added. "The assassin doesn't have to be Deadpool. It can be someone else."
"I will not kill anyone!"
A roar from Matt interrupted Elektra. He took a deep breath. "I know. I know you, Stick, and the other members of the Chaste want me to abandon my no-kill rule, become one of you, and fight the Hand to the death. But—I can't do it. I'm sorry."
The interrupted Elektra whispered an apology and left the room. Peter watched her leave before looking back at Matt. After a moment of silence, Matt let out a long breath. "You probably think I'm a bit pedantic too, right? Even you just try your best to avoid killing enemies; you aren't like me, refusing to kill anyone at all."
Peter simply nodded in understanding and asked, "Can I ask why?"
"Because this is Hell's Kitchen. Killing, hurting, trafficking, injustice—all of these constitute the very fabric of Hell's Kitchen. If I want to completely oppose Hell's Kitchen—not just Fisk—then I cannot become a part of it. I must be fundamentally different from them."
"If Daredevil is a vigilante who kills, if Matt Murdock is a lawyer who will use any means necessary for justice, then whichever version of me it is, I am merely a part of Hell's Kitchen rather than its opposite. That's how it is."
From a certain perspective, the responsibility Matt Murdock felt as Daredevil was narrow; everything he did was focused on struggling against the entity that was Hell's Kitchen. The vast world outside was irrelevant to him, and he had no power to intervene in it.
Peter thought for a while, then asked, "How have you maintained that until now?"
"I haven't always maintained it. I had an ex-girlfriend named Karen. She was an assistant for Foggy and me—a very kind lady. But she passed away. She was murdered by Bullseye. I was so furious that day I nearly lost my mind. I almost killed Bullseye, pushing him off a roof. He was paralyzed, his spine shattered—"
"Then how did he recover?"
"Supposedly there was a Japanese doctor who operated on him, strengthening his spine with some kind of metal—"
"Adamantium," Peter interrupted. "And if he was injected with Adamantium, Bullseye must have also been implanted with a healing factor. He is the assassin who wouldn't arouse any suspicion. Kingpin would certainly love to see Daredevil fall."
Matt fell into thought, then sighed again.
"Then there is only one problem left. I don't trust the Hand's resurrection ritual, and Elektra believes Mysterio's illusions won't fool the Hand."
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