Perhaps fearing Russell would be bored, Shawn even placed several magazines and newspapers on his office desk.
The magazines were Maxim, specifically published for male readers.
They belonged to the same category as Playboy magazine.
The only difference was that Maxim was slightly more restrained than Playboy.
At least it didn't directly publish nude photos of women.
There were several issues of Maxim on the desk, but without exception, they were all back issues; not a single current one.
Like the magazines, the newspapers were also from previous days, missing only the current day's.
Although the landlord, Shawn, was a spendthrift, when it came to saving money, he was unusually frugal.
Since there were no commissions to handle, Russell simply picked up the newspaper on the desk and started browsing it with a bored expression.
"The Truth Behind the Capture of the Villain Rhino, the Birth of a New Hero!"
"Searching for the New Hero, Who is the Mysterious Female Swordswoman?"
"The Rise of Female Power! Invisible Woman, Spider-Woman, Mysterious Female Swordswoman May Form a New Hero Team!"
...
What Russell was currently reading were various reports about the capture of the Rhino.
The Rhino, who should have been the protagonist, was unceremoniously relegated to the background in front of the mysterious female hero.
The headlines in the newspapers were more exaggerated than the last, and the content was more explosive.
One newspaper even swore that the one who defeated the Rhino was not a new female hero at all, but a man with cross-dressing tendencies.
A man with cross-dressing tendencies?
As expected of the media, they'll say anything for traffic.
Although there were many related reports, there was no useful information in them.
Even the Rhino, who was already in the hands of the NYPD, couldn't describe what the person who defeated him looked like.
After reading the newspapers on the desk, Russell picked up the Maxim magazines.
Maxim magazine lived up to its reputation as a men's magazine; most of the content was tailored to men's tastes.
Especially the selection of cover girls and female models.
The issue Russell was holding was from December of last year.
The cover girl was a pair of blonde twins with voluptuous figures and charming, attractive faces.
At first, he was drawn in by the twins.
However, when he took a closer look at the figures and faces of the twin girls, he suddenly remembered something.
Maxim magazine... twin girls... December issue...
Wait!
Could this be Tony Stark's Maxim cover girl home run!
Thinking of this, Russell opened the 'second'-hand computer prepared by landlord Shawn and searched for Tony Stark's name online.
Although he was a genius inventor, searching for Tony Stark's name primarily brought up his various gossip news.
Actresses... female models... female entrepreneurs... female secretaries...
Russell wasn't interested in knowing which actress or female model Stark had recently hooked up with.
So, he changed his search term and started looking for news about Stark Industries.
After changing the search term to Stark Industries, he quickly found the information he wanted.
"Stark Industries Secures New Military Order, 'Jericho' Missiles to Equip US Military Base in Afghanistan!"
"Terrorists' Nightmare! Stark Industries' 'Freedom' Series Pinnacle 'Jericho' Missile Officially Released!"
...
Indeed!
That guy, Tony Stark, is going to Afghanistan to sell missiles again!
Shortly after transmigrating to this world, Russell knew that this was not the widely known cinematic universe.
However, this did not mean that the fate of superheroes would become completely different.
Take Captain America, for example.
Aside from being dug up earlier, Steve Rogers' life trajectory hasn't changed much.
At least, that's how it seems for now.
Rogers is still the Brooklyn kid who received the super soldier serum, the greatest contributor to defeating Hydra, and was eventually frozen for decades.
If Rogers' turning point was the enlistment physical examination the night of the Stark Industries Expo, then Stark's turning point was the kidnapping incident in Afghanistan.
Without being kidnapped, Stark would not have become Iron Man.
A certain parallel universe has already proven this point with facts.
After browsing the news about Stark Industries selling Jericho missiles to the US military base in Afghanistan, Russell closed the page.
Although he knew Tony was about to face kidnapping by the Ten Rings, he had no intention of interfering.
Not only that, he was even considering whether to take this opportunity to short Stark Industries' stock and make a 'small' extra profit.
Just as he was considering whether to contact his stockbroker, the system suddenly popped up a message.
"Reward: Inner Symbiote Armor; Status: Not Activated; Activation Condition: Prevent Tony Stark from becoming Iron Man due to the kidnapping incident; Activation Effect: Upon activation, obtain the Inner Symbiote Armor!"
...
The Inner Symbiote Armor is the armor worn by Tony in the comic 'Superior Iron Man', also known as the Symbiote Armor, or White Can Armor.
Among Tony's many armors, this is the only silver-white set, aside from the unpainted Mark 2.
The Inner Symbiote Armor is made of fully liquid smart metal, and the donning method is instant solidification and bonding.
Compared to other armors that require technical elements for initial binding, the Symbiote Armor is much more convenient in terms of donning.
More importantly, the Symbiote Armor can be activated via telepathy.
The basic material extracted from the symbiote also has a certain repair capability, similar to the self-repair of the nano-armors Mark 50 and Mark 85.
Because it's plated with a layer of chromium, the armor looks shiny, high-profile, and 'sexy'.
Deadly sexy, that's Tony's own description.
Russell holds reservations about this.
Although the Inner Symbiote Armor is not the most powerful of Tony's many armors, it is definitely the most special.
Because this is the armor worn by the villainous Tony, who was estranged from his friends and family!
Although he doesn't know how the system will deliver the Inner Symbiote Armor reward, the activation condition for the reward has been met, and Russell would never miss out on this set of armor.
White Inner Symbiote Armor, black Venom symbiote!
Black and white match, perfect!
After closing the reward information popped up by the system, Russell took out his phone and booked a first-class ticket to Afghanistan for tomorrow.
After booking the ticket, he contacted the Continental Hotel in Afghanistan through the Continental Hotel in New York.
Booking a room, booking a vehicle, booking firearms and ammunition, a map of the US military base in Afghanistan...
He hadn't even left yet, but Russell had already prepared to stay in Afghanistan for a few days.
There are many ways to prevent Tony from becoming Iron Man due to the kidnapping incident.
Kidnap Tony in advance... prevent the Ten Rings' kidnapping... rescue him and Ethan before Tony builds the Mark 1...
As long as Tony doesn't meet Ethan, or Ethan doesn't die, he won't become Iron Man because of the kidnapping incident.
PS: Thank you to Alex Bingfeng and Hao Xiang Chi Hanbao for the tips, thank you for your support~~
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