"So, you need to gather all the magic power to wipe out Daolong in one decisive strike."
Anton fully understood why the 13th district sought his assistance.
In the original plot, Daolong was the old man's nemesis. He had once allied with the Holy Lord, only to be betrayed later. Seeking revenge, Daolong even revealed to his father the spell needed to seal the Holy Lord. In a particular episode of Jackie Chan Adventures, Jackie Chan and his allies ultimately defeated the Holy Lord using that very spell.
However, this didn't redeem Daolong.
Whether from his character setup or his actions, Daolong was an outright villain.
More importantly, the abilities he displayed in the storyline were exactly what made a great antagonist.
From summoning the Sombra Corps to transforming Valon's subordinates into demons with Qi magic, and even mastering the Holy Lord's spell, Daolong consistently demonstrated an exceptionally high level of power—perhaps even greater than the old man himself.
Had it not been for the fundamental rule that evil cannot triumph over justice, Jackie Chan and his allies would have been defeated long ago—perhaps even killed by Daolong.
Of course, as a proper villain, Daolong met an ending similar to the Holy Lord's.
After being arrested and later released from prison, he attempted to obtain the Memory Gem, a powerful artifact capable of time travel. However, during the struggle, he was left stranded in the past and never appeared again until the series finale.
As Anton reflected on this, he fully grasped why Jackie Chan had reached out to him.
Daolong's presence was an immense threat to the 13th district.
Neither the old man nor Johnny, the Ghost Rider, could guarantee the district's safety. That was why they needed the Dark Justice League—to eliminate Daolong with overwhelming force.
"Yes, exactly as you said. We hope to pool our strength and take down Daolong in one decisive move," Sheriff Black confirmed, nodding alongside Jackie Chan.
"We've narrowed down Daolong's whereabouts. After leaving Los Angeles, he went into hiding somewhere in Europe. Currently, we're tracking his movements through the World Security Council. Once we confirm his exact location, we'll strike immediately," Sheriff Black added before looking at Anton.
"Understood."
Anton nodded. "I'll remain in Los Angeles and wait for further updates until Constantine and Shazam arrive."
"Thanks a lot," Jackie Chan said, visibly relieved.
Anton's presence meant that not only was the Justice League aware of the situation, but even the Dark Justice League was actively monitoring it. Now, they just had to pinpoint Daolong's exact location, gather their forces, and eliminate him.
A week had passed since Anton arrived in Los Angeles.
By now, DC's latest film, Shazam, had been in theaters for four days. It had already grossed over $200 million worldwide, with projections suggesting it would surpass the $1 billion mark—a certified superhero blockbuster.
Anton had given his thoughts on the original script of Shazam, and while the main plot remained unchanged, the finer details had been refined with great care.
With outstanding performances from both lead actors, the film delivered a fresh take on Shazam, presenting him in an absurd yet entertaining comedic style.
Its massive success was no coincidence.
Anton was quite satisfied.
What pleased him even more was Shazam's soaring popularity, which had now surpassed the threshold required for redemption.
Without hesitation, he redeemed Shazam.
Looking at the Shazam clone beside him, Anton was slightly surprised. The clone he summoned remained in its transformed adult state and seemed unable to revert to his teenage form.
Of course, this wasn't a big deal.
Shazam could stay in his adult form indefinitely, so it wouldn't affect Anton's plans.
Just then, Anton received a message from the 13th district.
"We've located Daolong—he's in Italy."
Upon receiving the news, Anton immediately headed to the 13th district.
Anton, Johnny, Jackie Chan, Sheriff Black, and the others gathered at the base.
"Johnny, long time no see," Anton greeted him.
"Long time no see," Johnny nodded, his gaze carrying a hint of gratitude.
He had every reason to be thankful to Anton.
Without him, Johnny would have been condemned to serve as the Lord of Hell, a mere puppet under Mephisto's control. Anton had changed the course of his life.
Since the last demonic incident, Johnny had come to understand that his existence carried a deeper purpose. Ignoring the advice of his friends, he left the entertainment industry and became a special consultant for the 13th district.
At the same time, he also joined the Dark Justice League.
Working with the 13th district on various supernatural cases, Johnny eventually partnered with Jackie Chan, and the two became close—brothers in arms.
Although his life was no longer as fast-paced as before, Johnny felt fulfilled.
Most importantly, he had even reunited with his first love.
All of these turning points traced back to Anton's advice, giving Johnny every reason to be grateful.
"Anton, where are Constantine and Shazam?" Sheriff Black asked. "We've pinpointed Daolong's location. As soon as Constantine and Shazam arrive, we can move out and take down Daolong and his forces in one decisive strike."
Before he could finish speaking, Anton raised a hand to stop him.
"They're already in position," Anton said casually. "We leave for Italy now."
"What?"
"In position? When?" Jackie Chan and Sheriff Black exchanged bewildered looks.
Anton, checking the time on his watch, simply shrugged. "Relax, I wouldn't joke about this. I said they'd be there, and they will be. Who knows? They might even reach Italy before us."
Sheriff Black let out a sigh. What else could he do?
Since Anton had spoken with such confidence, they had no choice but to believe him.
The team wasted no time.
Including Anton, everyone boarded a special plane from the 13th district and set off from Los Angeles to Italy.
Notably, Xiaoyu had also joined them—despite Jackie Chan's initial objections.
Jackie Chan had strongly opposed letting Xiaoyu tag along on such a dangerous mission, but Anton found the idea amusing. With his persuasion, Xiaoyu successfully boarded the plane to Italy.
Naturally, this left her with a positive impression of Anton.
"Anton, don't worry, I'll protect you," Xiaoyu declared, puffing out her chest confidently.
"I am the Queen of Shadows!"
Anton chuckled. "Well then, I'm counting on you, Your Majesty."
In the original cartoon, Xiaoyu truly was a game-changer.
Even compared to Jackie Chan and Dad, she had an uncanny ability to turn the tide of battle.
Moreover, the Twelve Talismans seemed to favor her, frequently bestowing supernatural powers upon her.
As they talked, Anton's gaze fell on the backpack Xiaoyu was carrying.
She instinctively shrank her neck, as if caught in the act. Her guilty eyes darted toward Jackie Chan, Dad, and Sheriff Black, but when she saw that none of them were paying attention to her, she let out a quiet sigh of relief.
The Twelve Talismans were treasures of the 13th district, only to be used in the most critical situations.
Now that the 13th district and the Dark Justice League had joined forces to deal with Daolong, this was undoubtedly such a moment.
Thus, Sheriff Black and the others had brought out all twelve talismans.
What they didn't realize, however, was that the ones in their possession were fakes.
The real talismans had long been switched out—by none other than Xiaoyu.
"Hehe…"
Xiaoyu suppressed a mix of excitement and nerves.
She knew that once they arrived in Italy, members of the Dark Justice League would gather, and this was her chance to shine. If she played her cards right, she might even earn an invitation to officially join them.
Despite her extensive knowledge of the Dark Justice League, Xiaoyu wasn't actually a member.
Jackie Chan was.
She was merely his helper.
But as a headstrong kid with big dreams, there was no way she would settle for being just a sidekick.
Her goal was clear—to join the Dark Justice League, gain their approval, and, most importantly, earn Constantine's recognition.
Their final destination was Valle d'Aosta, a small town in northern Italy.
Nestled in the northwest, it bordered France to the west and Switzerland to the north, making it a key border region.
From Milan, the journey to the town wouldn't take long.
As the group disembarked, Anton's eyes suddenly narrowed.
Standing right in front of their plane, making an inviting gesture, was a familiar face—one with an unfortunate hairline.
"Coulson?"
Anton turned to Sheriff Black, the 13th district's lead officer, and asked, "Why is S.H.I.E.L.D. here to pick us up?"
"Huh? Didn't I tell you?" Sheriff Black replied. "S.H.I.E.L.D. was the one who helped us locate Daolong. Without their intel, we wouldn't have known he was hiding in a small town in northern Italy."
"Oh?"
Anton hadn't expected S.H.I.E.L.D. to be involved.
So they were the ones who found Daolong?
His brows furrowed slightly as he mulled it over.
They were heading to a town in northern Italy… and something about that rang a bell.
Then, it hit him.
In Avengers: Age of Ultron, the remnants of Hydra had a secret base in Europe—Baron Strucker's base. However, the movie never explicitly stated which town it was in, so Anton had never given it much thought.
Until now.
Seeing Coulson standing there, pieces of the puzzle clicked into place.
Could it be…?
Had Daolong aligned himself with Hydra?
That would be just like him.
In Jackie Chan Adventures, Daolong had a knack for getting tangled up with other villains.
He had transformed Valon's subordinates into demons under his command.
He had once teamed up with the Holy Lord to fight for the talismans—only to be betrayed by the backstabbing demon.
He had even clashed with the original leader of the Sombra Corps, the Shadowkhan King, Tarakudo.
Given his track record, it wasn't impossible for Daolong to have made a deal with Hydra.
After all… why else would he flee to Europe instead of staying hidden in the U.S.?
In Addition
The fact that Daolong managed to escape the U.S. and make his way to Europe, despite the 13th district's close surveillance, strongly suggested an undeniable connection with Hydra.
"Hello, everyone. This is our first time meeting, so allow me to introduce myself—I'm Phil Coulson, Director of S.H.I.E.L.D.," Coulson said, greeting the group. "This operation against Daolong has been authorized by the World Security Council, and S.H.I.E.L.D. will provide full support in all aspects."
After the brief introduction, his gaze landed on Anton—the long-absent wild card.
"I'm not even surprised to see you here," Coulson remarked with a smile. "Honestly, the Justice League is such an enigma at this point, I have no idea what other cards you're hiding up your sleeve."
"I'm the opposite of you—I am surprised to see you here," Anton replied with a casual shrug. "Also, a word of advice: don't waste your time trying to figure out things beyond your understanding. You'll be much happier that way.
"For example, I don't bother trying to understand S.H.I.E.L.D.'s existence, and that brings me great peace of mind. The best part? Since you're stationed in Europe now, I don't have to see you, which means I don't have to think about you. Very pleasant, wouldn't you agree?"
"..."
Despite the jab, Coulson—ever the professional—simply smiled and let it slide.
He knew that Anton, along with the Justice League, had long held grievances against S.H.I.E.L.D., mostly due to certain decisions made by Nick Fury in the past.
Frankly, if S.H.I.E.L.D. hadn't relocated its operations outside the U.S., things might have turned ugly between them. Given the number of recent incidents on American soil, the Justice League would have likely hit S.H.I.E.L.D. so hard, it'd be in shambles.
"Alright, enough small talk. Get in the car," Coulson said, gesturing toward the vehicles. "We've prepared all the necessary equipment. Once we're on the road, I'll brief you on the situation."
The group boarded the convoy provided by S.H.I.E.L.D.
Inside the lead vehicle, Coulson wasted no time getting to the point.
"Now, let me explain what you're walking into."
"The northern Italian town you're headed to—Valle d'Aosta—is far from ordinary."
"That place has been deeply infiltrated, and in particular, Bud Castle—one of the key locations in the town—is completely overrun with hostiles."
"In other words, you're not just dealing with Daolong. You're facing an entire terrorist faction with heavily armed forces."
Anton, leaning back in his seat, raised an eyebrow and cut in.
"Let me guess—Hydra?"
"Exactly," Coulson replied without hesitation, not the least bit surprised by Anton's deduction.
At this point, he expected nothing less from someone as deeply connected as Anton.
"It's Hydra," Coulson confirmed with a nod. "According to our intel, Daolong is now considered an honored guest of Hydra.
"They're up to something big.
"And when Hydra calls something a 'big event'... it's usually the kind of thing that puts the entire world at risk."
…
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