# Chapter 7: Recruitment[1]
Lin Chen was reviewing his financial situation when his phone rang again.
The caller ID showed the same number from the gang leader, and he answered with mild curiosity about what additional information they might have gathered.
"Boss, that Daisy girl you were looking for—she's standing outside a mobile phone shop right now," the gang leader's voice came through with barely contained excitement. "Looks like she's in some kind of trouble with the owner."
Lin Chen sat up straighter, his enhanced hearing picking up background noise from the caller's location that suggested they were conducting surveillance from a nearby position.
"Send me the address immediately," Lin Chen instructed.
"Right away, boss!"
Lin Chen ended the call and waited. Within moments, his phone chimed with an incoming text message containing a street address in Manhattan, along with a brief note that the situation appeared to be escalating quickly.
Lin Chen stood up, closed his shop's security shutters, and locked the door behind him. The address was relatively close to New York University, which made sense given Daisy's student status. More importantly, it was only a short walk from his current location in Queens.
The late afternoon sun was casting long shadows across the city streets as Lin Chen made his way toward Manhattan.
His enhanced physical capabilities meant he could cover the distance much faster than normal human travel would allow, but he was careful to moderate his speed to avoid drawing unwanted attention from pedestrians or security cameras.
Soon, he arrived at the street mentioned in the text message.
Across from him stood a small electronics shop with a modest storefront display of mobile phones, tablets, and various accessories. Through the large front window, Lin Chen could see two figures engaged in what appeared to be a heated argument.
One was a middle-aged man with graying hair and an expression of frustrated anger—clearly the shop owner.
The other was a young woman who matched perfectly with the description he had been given: mixed Asian heritage, approximately seventeen or eighteen years old, with shoulder-length black hair and an intelligent face that suggested both determination and current distress.
Lin Chen observed the situation for several minutes, his enhanced senses allowing him to pick up fragments of the conversation even from across the street. The shop owner was accusing the girl of theft, while she was vehemently denying the accusation. However, her body language and the defensive way she was holding a small mobile phone suggested that the owner's suspicions might not be entirely unfounded.
A computer genius who resorts to shoplifting, Lin Chen thought with amusement. Either she's in more desperate financial straits than I expected, or she has some interesting moral blind spots.
The situation was clearly escalating. The shop owner was becoming more agitated, and Lin Chen could see him reaching for what appeared to be a phone—probably to call the police. If Daisy ended up in police custody, it would significantly complicate his recruitment plans.
Lin Chen crossed the street and approached the shop entrance just as the owner was grabbing Daisy's wrist with obvious anger.
"You're still trying to deny it!" the owner was saying loudly. "Fine! I'll call the police right now and let them sort this out!"
Daisy's confident demeanor cracked slightly at the mention of police involvement. For someone with her background and probable immigration status complications, any interaction with law enforcement could have serious consequences.
Just as the owner was reaching for his phone with his free hand, Lin Chen stepped forward and grasped the man's wrist with careful control.
"How much does it cost?" Lin Chen asked in a calm, authoritative voice. "I'll buy it for her."
Both the shop owner and Daisy turned to stare at him in surprise. Lin Chen presented exactly the image he had intended—a well-dressed young man with an air of quiet confidence and obvious financial resources.
The shop owner blinked in confusion, clearly not having expected this development. "Seventy-seven dollars," he said after a moment's hesitation.
Lin Chen smoothly extracted a crisp hundred-dollar bill from his wallet and handed it to the owner. "Keep the change."
The owner examined the bill carefully, checking for signs that it might be counterfeit. Satisfied that it was genuine currency, his angry expression transformed into a much more pleasant smile. He released Daisy's wrist and returned to his position behind the cash register.
"Thank you for your business," the owner said, his earlier hostility completely forgotten in the face of an easy sale.
Daisy remained frozen in place, staring at Lin Chen with a mixture of confusion and cautious gratitude. She clearly had no idea why a complete stranger had just paid for her alleged theft.
"Let's go," Lin Chen said with a slight smile. "Are you planning to stay here all day?"
Daisy hurriedly followed him out of the shop, her mind obviously racing to process what had just happened.
Once they were walking down the street together, Lin Chen decided to address the obvious question directly. "Why did you steal the phone?"
Daisy's cheeks flushed with embarrassment, but she answered honestly. "I really wanted this particular model, but I don't have enough money. I thought maybe I could just... take it without anyone noticing."
Lin Chen nodded, understanding her situation better now. Based on his knowledge of her background, Daisy was essentially an orphan who had been supporting herself for years. Her father was a dangerous Inhuman who had abandoned his family, and her mother had been too involved with Inhuman politics to provide proper parental support. The fact that Daisy had managed to get into New York University at all was probably due to academic scholarships rather than family financial support.
"Why did you pay for me?" Daisy asked, looking up at him with curiosity and wariness in her dark eyes. "I don't know you, right?"
Lin Chen smiled and decided to start with a bit of harmless teasing. "You're very beautiful. I'm willing to spend seventy-seven dollars to help such an attractive young woman."
Daisy's cheeks turned an even deeper shade of red, and she looked away with obvious embarrassment.
Lin Chen immediately shifted to a more serious tone. "Actually, I'm joking. The real reason is that I want to hire you to work for me."
The sudden change in his demeanor was like an emotional roller coaster for Daisy. She had been processing the compliment and trying to figure out if this stranger was attempting to flirt with her, only to discover that he had an entirely different agenda.
"I know about your exceptional computer abilities," Lin Chen continued. "Your skills are valuable enough that I'm willing to invest in securing your services."
Daisy felt a strange sense of disappointment at learning that his interest was purely professional, but she pushed that feeling aside to focus on the practical implications of his offer.
"What kind of work are you talking about?" she asked cautiously. "I won't do anything illegal or immoral."
Lin Chen guided her toward a nearby alley where they could speak more privately. "I need you to help me monitor the internet for information about superhuman conflicts happening in and around New York City."
"I want real-time intelligence about enhanced individuals, unusual incidents, and anything else that might indicate superhuman activity in the area."
Daisy frowned in confusion. "Why would you want to know about that kind of thing?"
Instead of answering verbally, Lin Chen took a few steps back and then launched himself upward in a single powerful leap. He landed gracefully on the fire escape of a building nearly ten meters above ground level, then dropped back down to street level with cat-like precision.
Daisy's eyes widened in shock and excitement. "You're a superhero?"
Lin Chen considered the question seriously. He had certainly acted heroically during the Abomination incident, and his intentions were generally oriented toward protecting innocent people.
While his methods might not always align with traditional superhero behavior, he was comfortable with accepting that designation for now.
"You could say that," he replied with a slight nod.
Daisy's entire demeanor changed immediately. The cautious wariness disappeared, replaced by genuine enthusiasm and excitement. "So that would make me like a superhero's support team member?"
It was natural for someone her age to fantasize about being part of something larger and more meaningful than ordinary life. The idea of supporting a real superhero was clearly appealing to her sense of adventure and desire to make a difference in the world.
Lin Chen shrugged. "If you consider me a superhero, then yes, you would be part of my team."
Daisy's eyes lit up with genuine joy, and she straightened her posture with obvious pride. "I can definitely handle that kind of work!"
Despite her young age, Daisy's figure was already quite mature—something that didn't escape Lin Chen's notice, though he was careful to maintain professional boundaries.
"What about payment?" Daisy asked, her practical side asserting itself despite her excitement.
Lin Chen coughed slightly. "All jobs have a probationary period. I need to evaluate your capabilities before we discuss long-term compensation."
While he had significant financial resources now thanks to his underground fighting winnings and the money recovered from the loan sharks, Lin Chen was thinking strategically about future expenses. He would eventually need better equipment, a more suitable base of operations, and resources for expanding his activities. Every dollar saved now could be invested in building his capabilities later.
"Five hundred dollars per month during the probationary period," he offered. "After you prove yourself, we can discuss a base salary of one thousand dollars plus performance bonuses."
Daisy's eyes widened with excitement. For someone from her impoverished background, five hundred dollars per month represented more financial security than she had experienced in years.
Her mind was already calculating possibilities. "What about room and board?" she asked hopefully. "After all, if I'm going to be monitoring situations in real-time, it would be more efficient if I didn't have to commute back and forth to campus."
The suggestion made sense from her perspective—living arrangements provided by her employer would save her the cost of university housing and meal plans, allowing her to save most of her salary for future needs.
"Agreed," Lin Chen said after a moment's consideration.
Daisy's face broke into a genuinely sweet smile. "Okay, boss!"
Lin Chen had a moment of doubt about whether he was being too generous with his offer. Daisy's enthusiastic acceptance suggested that she would have been willing to work for significantly less compensation. But the investment was worthwhile—securing the services of someone who would become one of the Marvel most capable intelligence operatives was worth far more than the relatively modest salary he was offering.
More importantly, he had successfully recruited her before S.H.I.E.L.D. or any other organization had become aware of her existence and capabilities.
They made their way back to Lin Chen's shop in Queens, with Daisy chattering excitedly about the possibilities of her new position. She was clearly thrilled at the prospect of being part of something important and meaningful, even if she didn't yet understand the full scope of what Lin Chen was planning.
When they arrived at the convenience store, Lin Chen unlocked the security shutters and led Daisy inside. The ground floor was clearly set up as a retail space, with shelves of merchandise and a cash register near the front entrance.
"The living space is upstairs," Lin Chen explained, leading her up a narrow staircase to the second floor.
The upper level was a small but comfortable apartment space with a kitchenette, a sitting area, and a single bedroom. Daisy looked around with interest, taking in the modest but clean accommodations.
"This is where we'll be staying?" she asked, then paused as she noticed something. "But why is there only one bed?"
Lin Chen realized he hadn't fully thought through the logistics of having a live-in employee, especially a young woman. His enhanced capabilities meant he actually needed very little sleep, but Daisy was still completely human and would require proper rest.
"I lived alone here before," he explained somewhat awkwardly. "I only have the one bed setup currently."
Daisy looked at him with a mixture of curiosity and mild concern about the sleeping arrangements.
"I've ordered a second bed and a complete computer workstation," Lin Chen said quickly. "There's empty space in the side room where we can set up your equipment and sleeping area. Everything should be delivered within the next day or two."
Daisy nodded, seeming satisfied with this explanation. "That works for me. When do I start?"
"Tomorrow," Lin Chen replied. "Tonight you can get settled in, and we'll begin your real work once your equipment arrives."
As Daisy began exploring her new living situation with obvious excitement, Lin Chen reflected on how much his circumstances had changed in just a few days. He now had financial resources, superhuman abilities that continued to grow, and his first recruit in what he planned to build into a formidable organization.
But he also knew that S.H.I.E.L.D. was likely already investigating him. But he don't care what they do.
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[1] This fanfiction is not translated but written by myself for readers and my own imagination. thanks for reading all of you.