If you want to help me financially, you can do it on
https://ko-fi.com/neverluckysmile
Brock was different from anyone else in the current Superhero Alliance.
If we're talking about financial hardship, then maybe only Spider-Man was in a similar situation. But even then, there was a huge difference.
Spider-Man hadn't graduated yet. As a student, being broke was normal, and he didn't think of it as some unbearable burden.
But Brock was different.
He had experienced the peak of life, and then its lowest depths. He was a full-fledged adult. Sure, you could call him a loser, but even as a loser, he still held a proper moral compass.
In short, he was complicated. But also very real. So real, in fact, that he would straight-up ask whether superheroes earned a salary.
Arthur didn't feel that measuring superheroes by whether they got paid was insulting.
In fact, if a person can't even save themselves, then what right do they have to talk about saving others?
"When poor, focus on self-preservation; when rich, help save the world."
Only when you're warm and well-fed can you spare the energy to worry about others.
And when it came to superheroes, their baseline was even more demanding, not only do they need food and clothes, but also peak physical condition, combat training, and special powers. That's the minimum just to qualify for facing off with bad guys.
Otherwise, imagine mid-fight with a supervillain, and you suddenly faint from hunger.
At best, that's just a joke.
At worst? A tragicomic disaster.
So along the way, Arthur genuinely started thinking: How should superheroes get paid?
Should he just hand out a fixed salary?
Would someone like Tony Stark care? Would T'Challa care? Definitely not.
They had more money than they could ever spend. To them, giving them cash was like waving a toy sword in front of Guan Yu's shrine, not just pointless, but kind of insulting.
They'd probably start wondering whether Arthur had lost his mind.
So… that wasn't an option.
But if he simply excluded them from the payment plan, that would also be a problem.
First, it might make them feel awkward. Getting left out of monthly business? That'd feel strange.
Second, the paid heroes might start feeling inferior. Same superheroes, but some were being "sponsored" by Arthur while others weren't.
If that idea took root, the sense of equality in the Superhero Alliance would collapse.
Some would become Arthur's loyal employees, seeing him as a boss. The whole idea of a unified Alliance would be reduced to a joke.
So that wouldn't work either!
"Then maybe… the only viable solution is a point system." Arthur thought hard.
Each member of the Superhero Alliance would have an internal point account.
Points would generate monthly, and special events or combat participation would result in additional points based on performance.
Points could then be exchanged for useful items, or even cash, within the alliance.
Arthur continued drafting this idea mentally, but soon shook his head.
"No good! Looks reasonable, but it's actually the worst idea."
Because once a point system is in place, value balance becomes an issue.
Take Tony Stark as an example. What could he possibly care about that would require points to access?
Let's say he wanted to study the spaceship salvaged from the Dark World, and had to redeem points just to get lab access. That would make no sense, it's already something he's doing to help the base.
So… what is there that people like Tony or T'Challa can't buy with money, but must redeem with points?
Nothing.
Camp Lehigh Has None! Neither Does Arthur!
Right now, Camp Lehigh was still in its honeymoon phase, its golden era, where everyone got along, and there was no division between "us" and "them."
But the moment a point system was introduced, division would become inevitable.
Because points represent benefits, and once benefits enter the picture, they inevitably override everything else. Ideals would be forced to step aside.
Sure, it was perfectly normal for regular researchers to work for compensation.
But if superheroes started operating on a point system too…
Then the worst-case scenario, the absolute worst, would become reality!
"Unless the Superhero Alliance eventually grows to hundreds or thousands of combat personnel, the point system will only shatter an already immature alliance. It'll fall apart from the inside out!"
Arthur was deep in thought when he suddenly glanced at Brock, and chuckled.
He realized he might've been overthinking everything. A simple matter had been made unnecessarily complex. Classic overengineering.
But there was a much simpler solution: Just set up a media company in the name of the Superhero Alliance. It would act as a cover for Brock.
During the day, he'd be a sharp-tongued talk show host. At night, he'd become the guardian darker than the shadows.
That setup… was honestly kind of badass.
When the time came, the media company could be run by proper professionals.
Brock wouldn't need to worry about the operations, he'd just focus on doing what he was good at.
Then at year-end or quarterly, the company would distribute dividends. Since Brock alone couldn't consume all the profits, the rest would be funneled straight back into Camp Lehigh.
As for why only Brock would receive dividends?
Because he's actually working. It's a legitimate reason that nobody could argue with!
Arthur grinned. "This could work!"
He was fully convinced now. Meanwhile, Black (the car) had already pulled up to the curb.
[Sir, we've arrived at Shule Apartments.]
Arthur nodded, glanced at Brock.
Brock also said to Arthur, "Wait for me!"
Then he opened the door, and vanished. Arthur summarized the thoughts he'd just had, and sent the plan to Natasha.
Her reply came quickly: "It could work, but it's too complicated. Why not just have him help me instead?"
Arthur: "...He used to be a talk show host."
"Exactly! That means he's great with writing and copy! Send him to help me out, I'm totally buried over here. Once I'm done handling things, then he can take over the media gig."
Arthur curled his lips and suddenly asked:
"By the way… how is your salary being handled?" He had honestly never thought about it before.
After a brief pause, Natasha replied: "...You know, I just realized, I don't actually get a salary."
"So how much were you planning to pay me per month?"