"Otherwise?"
Ron spread his hands.
His objective had been achieved. He wanted to see this place and bring Starlight along to break her false perceptions of superheroes and Vought Corporation in advance.
As for whether Starlight, who had always viewed superheroes as her life's goal, could instantly handle this revelation, that was no longer his concern.
"Are all heroes like this?"
Everything that had supported her dream of being a superhero turned out to be a lie. Starlight bit her lip and asked unwillingly.
"Do you think a truly upright and kind superhero could survive within Vought Corporation's environment?"
He countered with a question, then turned and walked out of the alley.
"Did you bring me here on purpose today?
So I could see others and think you weren't such an asshole?"
"You're overthinking it."
"I don't want to go home. Can you take me somewhere high up where no one is?"
Starlight, sad and silent, quickly followed, her voice low.
Everything tonight had hit her too hard. She even began to doubt the meaning of her efforts since childhood, falling into confusion, and pleaded.
"Using that ability you used last time."
"High up?
Given your body, there's nowhere nearby for you to jump and end it all.
Go back and try taking some medicine."
Ron kindly offered advice.
Although Starlight's offensive power wasn't great, her defense was excellent; even sniper rifles couldn't injure her.
"No, I just want to go to a quiet place."
"At a time like this, shouldn't men comfort women?"
Her mood was sorrowful and she needed comfort. Wasn't this the opportune moment the internet talked about for taking advantage? Starlight felt a deep resentment, wondering why Ron was so indifferent to her.
Hadn't Ron not yet obtained her?
"You left me last time, but I still had something to say.
I've never been in love before; that was my first time experiencing something like that."
"Hmm? Are you kidding?"
Hearing this, Ron looked back in surprise, raising an eyebrow.
The next second, Starlight hugged him, burying her head in his back, her low voice coming through.
"Let's go outside the city, to a deserted mountain outside the city. I want to be quiet for a while."
...
Ron didn't know if a woman needing comfort when sad was a good opportunity to take advantage.
Because he didn't do anything; the woman herself actively threw herself into his arms, seeking comfort.
Under the starry sky, on a deserted mountain.
He also confirmed Starlight's words.
The next day, around noon.
In a bustling urban area filled with skyscrapers, in a room on the fifth floor of a hotel opposite a building hosting a jewelry exhibition.
"It seems my initial 20,000-plus ability points had Starlight's contribution."
Standing by the window, Ron thought about last night. His appearance in this World must have created a butterfly effect.
Sometimes, small changes in certain things can create a chain reaction with huge impacts.
Moreover, his identity was not just some insignificant ordinary person. Under the butterfly effect he caused, Starlight, born into a religious family this time, had never been in love and dedicated herself to her superhero career.
"Hey, those robbers received news that the jewelry exhibition organizers would transport the jewels away early, so they decided to act ahead of schedule. They're coming fully armed to rob it right now."
Suddenly, an unpleasant voice came, and Queen Maeve beside him frowned.
"And you're actually spacing out?"
Staying up late was a woman's biggest enemy to her skin. Acting early meant everything would be over before nightfall, which put her in a good mood.
But she saw Ron, the protagonist of this promotional event, looking out the window, seemingly lost in thought. Dealing with robbers wielding heavy firepower was no joke.
Pulling his gaze back from outside, Ron scanned Queen Maeve up and down. She followed a similar path to Wonder Woman, with a beautiful face, heroic demeanor, and long brown hair draped over her smooth shoulders.
Facing Queen Maeve's displeasure, he replied indifferently.
"Nice suit."
Among the pile of colorful suits in The Seven, only Queen Maeve's suit was still somewhat appealing to him.
She wore a tiara on her forehead, a women's half-body battlesuit, and long boots below her skirt. It was serious yet beautiful, with a queenly aura.
"Suit? I'm talking to you about the robbers!
Those targeting this valuable batch of jewels will be carrying heavy firepower."
Ron didn't take her words to heart at all. She gasped twice in anger, emphasizing unceremoniously.
"Listen, don't think I'm concerned about you.
The company assigned me to work with you. If you die at the hands of robbers, my ability as a veteran member will be questioned, and I'll lose many fans!
Don't drag me down, got it?"
"Uh-huh, got it."
Ron still gave a perfunctory, airy reply.
Among The Seven, Queen Maeve was the only one who still had a conscience. When she first joined Vought Corporation, she was quite similar to Starlight.
Later, she suddenly witnessed too much hypocrisy and darkness, and realizing she couldn't change anything, she became depressed and severely disheartened, starting to go with the flow.
But she hadn't given up on being a superhero, cooperating with Vought Corporation's false publicity and work while doing her best to save people.
"You…"
Seeing Ron completely unconcerned, Maeve grew angrier, her face clouding over.
But just then, in a high-floor window of the opposite building, a robber, carrying a rifle and wearing a bulletproof vest, cautiously looked outside, then drew the curtains.
"Dark Star, Queen Maeve, they've gone upstairs on the opposite side and taken control of the exhibition hostages. You can proceed."
Ashley's voice came from the walkie-talkie on the table.
Unlike the late-night, deserted dock drug bust Vought Corporation arranged for Starlight, Ron's first action was to rescue the hostages at the valuable jewelry exhibition. Many of them were wealthy and influential people in the city, a great opportunity to make a splash, gain fame, and build connections.
"I hope your body can withstand Rocket launchers!"
With no time to say more, Maeve finally said with a mix of sarcasm and warning, opened the window, and was about to leap from the fifth floor to quickly reach the opposite side.
Bang~
A faint sound came.
"Hmm? Where is he?"
A strange sound. Stepping onto the window, Maeve heard it and looked back, finding Ron's figure gone from the room.
On the eighth floor, the large exhibition hall hosting the jewelry exhibition had been taken over.
Everyone was held hostage, guns pointed at them, herded to the wall. No matter how elegantly dressed, or what their status or power, they were now trembling in fear, crouching on the ground with their heads in their hands.
"No crying, and no screaming, or I'll shut him up forever."
Holding a submachine gun in one hand and firing two shots at the ceiling, the robber leader was tall and strong with the aura of a ruthless bandit. His exposed eyes were ferocious as he warned sternly.
Some of his subordinates pointed guns at the hostages, while others ferociously hammered the exhibition hall's glass, stuffing valuable jewels into velvet bags one by one.
But suddenly—Bang.
A handsome man, wearing a solemn and majestic black suit, appeared in the exhibition hall.
"Drawing the curtains, are you having a secret party?"
With his hands behind his back, he looked like an uninvited guest, casually scanning the room.
"Who are you?"
The robber leader's face changed drastically, and he shouted.
"Shoot him, kill this cross-dressing freak!"
His sudden appearance, coupled with Ron's attire, immediately identified him as one of those superheroes with superpowers, wearing strange costumes and disguises.
Da da da!
Immediately, twenty or thirty submachine guns were aimed at him, their muzzles spitting Fire.
Bullets capable of penetrating human bodies hit his body, immediately losing all their kinetic energy. The clear yellow casings fell, littering the floor, without even damaging his clothes.
"You robbers are too impolite."
Just asking a question resulted in a frantic hail of bullets. Ron, with his hands behind his back, was expressionless, his eyes glowing with deep red light.