Chapter 187 Global Consumption Downgrade
Manhattan, Mango Tower.
Mango Mobile Company's first-half shareholders' meeting was held as scheduled, with all shareholders, including Tony and Qin Mo, in attendance.
Inside the conference room, Tony pointed at the large screen: "In the second quarter, phone sales have declined..."
"Sales declining?"
"That shouldn't be. We haven't been stingy; all the features that should be there have been upgraded without a single one missing."
"It has nothing to do with phone quality." Tony shook his head and pulled up some data on the large screen:
"Everyone, please see, not only are our company's product sales declining, but consumption worldwide is also being downgraded.
This downgrade is not only happening in daily consumption but also reflected in the choice of shopping channels. Middle-to-high-income consumer groups are starting to downgrade from middle-to-high-end department stores to more cost-effective large discount retailers.
It seems... it seems all the money is flowing to one place."
"Wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, and these people don't consume, which leads to insufficient overall social consumption demand."
"Especially the Japanese; they were blackmailed by the Illuminati for one trillion U.S. dollars in ransom, and the country is almost bankrupt."
"The quality of life for the citizens is worrying; many glamorous idol girl groups... have no choice but to enter the adult film industry to make a living."
"The situation in our Great America is equally dire."
"This..." Qin Mo's expression was conflicted. After a few moments of silence, he sighed, "This is truly... what should be done."
It was indeed as Tony had guessed; a portion of the funds was all flowing to one place—the System Mall.
And it only goes in, never out, or rather, the speed of going out cannot keep up with the speed of going in.
There's no way; the System's charitable expenses are far less than Qin Mo's efficiency in making money.
Charity only costs a little money; Qin Mo plundered nearly a trillion U.S. dollars from just three HYDRAfactions.
Not to mention demanding 1.9 trillion U.S. dollars in ransom from the four permanent members of the Security Council (YouTube), Rome, and Japan, directly collapsing these countries' economies.
No wonder consumption is being downgraded.
"Our company's lowest-priced phone product currently retails for 500 U.S. dollars."
"Given the severe global economic situation, I suggest developing a relatively low-end product to make up for the lost market share."
"How about a retail price of 350 U.S. dollars?"
As soon as he finished speaking, a shareholder from the U.S. telecommunications company quickly asked, "Stark, what about the profit margin at this price? Will there be no profit?"
Initially, Mango Mobile Company only had two shareholders, Tony Stark and Qin Murdoch. Later, to build a sales network, a portion of the shares was diluted and distributed to major telecommunications companies.
It's business, after all; you can't hog everything.
Only by expanding the pie and binding all parties with mutual interests can one grow stronger.
"Approximately a 5 percentage point reduction in profit margin," Tony explained. "The net profit margin will drop to 20%."
"Falling that much?"
In the eyes of big capitalists, there is only profit; everything else is nonsense.
"Although the net profit margin has decreased, it can compensate for the lost share due to consumption downgrading."
"Overall, the profit that a low-end product can bring us will only be more, not less."
"Everyone." Tony leaned his hands on the conference table: "I've said my piece. Who is in favor, and who is against?"
Hearing this, the shareholders pondered for a moment and finally passed the proposal unanimously.
Seeing this, Tony nodded: "The first-half dividends will be paid to everyone as scheduled. Meeting adjourned."
The meeting ended, but the shareholders did not leave immediately; instead, they gathered around Qin Mo, exchanging pleasantries.
"Councilman, my wife and daughter are both your staunch fans. Could you sign an autograph?"
"No problem, no problem."
Watching Murdoch, surrounded by the shareholders like stars around the moon, immediately stirred an inexplicable competitive spirit in Tony.
In the two and a half years of developing the nano-suit, Iron Man's popularity, while not rapidly declining, certainly couldn't compare to Murdoch's current popularity.
Especially with the frequent kidnappings of political figures and celebrities for ransom appearing worldwide recently, New York State, due to Murdoch's presence, had maximum security.
This made Murdoch's popularity almost explode, leaving Captain America far behind.
Many citizens had already spontaneously petitioned for Murdoch to run for Governor of New York State.
If it weren't for the age restrictions for running for governor, Tony seriously suspected that the passionate residents of New York State would very likely carry Murdoch into the state government.
When one plan failed, New York citizens came up with another: calling for Murdoch to run for Mayor of New York City.
This was because running for Hua Shi Ren requires candidates to be at least 35 years old, running for Governor requires at least 30 years old, while Mayor only requires being at least 18 years old.
After the shareholder representatives left one after another, Tony stepped forward and teased, "Have you heard? The Mayor of New York City can't even sleep soundly now."
"Huh? Why?" Qin Mo was a bit confused.
"It's all because of you," Tony chuckled.
"Your fanatical followers are scrutinizing the current Mayor every day, even digging up what kind of diaper he wore when he was three and posting it online."
"His Honor the Mayor's hair has turned White with worry."
"Hey." Qin Mo spread his hands: "My term as councilman still has half a year left; the timing doesn't match, unless... His Honor the Mayor has a scandal and steps down then."
"That's actually possible." Tony nodded in agreement.
"These politicians now all have dirty secrets; with your followers, they'll be exposed sooner or later."
"By the way, what's wrong with you?"
"What's wrong with me?" Qin Mo asked, puzzled.
"Dr. Zhao," Tony complained. "I've already paid for her living expenses, why did you stand Dr. Zhao up?"
"Oh, that." Qin Mo looked a little helpless.
"You know, I've been protecting the Hua Shi Ren at the White House for the past few days. I just got back yesterday. So, I'm planning to go to Dr. Zhao's house tonight."
"That's good." Tony advised with the air of an experienced man: "It's rare to find a woman so devoted to you; don't miss out."
Qin Mo wagged his finger: "No no no..."
"It's not just one woman, oh, it's all women who are devoted to me."
"Fuck!" Tony gritted his teeth: "Get out."
Every time he thought of this, Tony wished he could kill Murdoch.
Why did this kid have it so good?
While studying magic at Kamar-Taj, Tony met seventeen princesses from Europe. During their chat, he learned that all these princesses had a thing with Murdoch.
And S.H.I.E.L.D. Director Maria Hill, and Dr. Zhao Hailun, who idolized him.
This kid also had Skye at home.
It seemed all women in the world loved Murdoch; he was practically a human succubus.
Thinking of this, Tony called out, "Wait."
"What now, big brother? I'm very busy; I still have to go to Dr. Zhao's house later."
Tony glanced around, making sure no one was present before asking in a low voice, "How exactly do you do it?"
"Don't they fight?"
"You want to know?" Qin Mo chuckled.
Seeing this, Tony immediately understood: "I'll pay, but you must tell me truthfully and not hide anything."
Qin Mo thought for a moment, then shook his head: "Let's forget it. I'm afraid you'll feel inferior."
Chapter 188: One Qi Transforms into Three Pure Ones
Coming out of the bathroom, watching Murdoch open a portal and leave, Tony sat on the sofa in dejection, his face full of self-pity.
"This can even curve?"
"F*ck! No wonder so many women are so devoted to him."
Tony could figure out the Nano Armor, but he couldn't learn this curving trick, he really couldn't!
The reason he could develop the Nano Armor in just two and a half years was partly because of Dr. Zhao Hailun, a nano expert, and partly because he used the White Can Armor as a reference.
Learning magic at Kamar-Taj was mostly due to Ancient One's excellent teaching quality.
Of course, his magic talent wasn't bad either.
The only thing Tony truly couldn't learn was this so-called bedroom technique: Revolving King.
"F*ck."
Tony really wanted to slap himself twice.
He was told he might feel inferior, but he insisted on seeing it with his own eyes.
Well, now not only were his eyes harmed, but his soul was also polluted.
And he even paid for it!!!
F*ck, 5 million could get him a magazine cover girl.
When he thought that Murdoch was currently at Dr. Zhao's house… Tony quickly took out sleeping pills from the drawer and swallowed three or four at once.
He urgently needed to sleep and calm down.
Manhattan, West Village apartment.
In the spacious and bright apartment kitchen, Zhao Hailun wore a light blue hip-hugging skirt, her figure perfectly outlined.
"Idol, just a moment longer, dinner will be ready soon."
Thinking that she could finally conquer her idol tonight, she was so excited that she started imagining what positions to use.
Even though she was inexperienced, she hadn't eaten meat, but she had seen plenty of clips.
Now, her body had undergone a second development, but Zhao Hailun clearly wanted more, such as immortality.
Why did she feel this way? It stemmed from a woman's sixth sense.
And whether her wish came true or not, just conquering her idol was no loss for her; how many women wanted to conquer their idol but didn't even have the chance?
She was practically winning big.
In the living room, Qin Mo was lying on the sofa, staring blankly at the ceiling—browsing the system store.
[Heavenly Mandate Divine Ability: One Qi Transforms into Three Pure Ones, can split into three clones with the same strength as the main body. The main body has absolute control over the clones and can recall them at any time.]
[Price: $10 trillion]
It was this item, the most expensive and bug-like product in history, that made Qin Mo stare blankly for two and a half minutes.
He was staring not because One Qi Transforms into Three Pure Ones wasn't strong, but because it was too strong.
It was ridiculously strong.
Three clones with the same strength as the main body—the value of this didn't need any special explanation.
Imagine, Qin Mo is in a one-on-one fight with OAA, and suddenly three clones as powerful as he are summoned, turning the one-on-one into a group brawl.
Wonderful, absolutely wonderful, simply marvelous!
"Buy, buy, buy, purchase One Qi Transforms into Three Pure Ones."
"Ding, purchase successful, thank you for your patronage…"
The moment he acquired the Heavenly Mandate Divine Ability, Qin Mo inexplicably felt as if he had been copied and pasted three times…
Even if they were his own clones, they were still expendable.
Immediately after, Qin Mo sent the three clones separately to the Earth-616—to collect Phoenix Force Shards, and to the Pocket Universe to decorate his personal dimension.
The last clone was sent through the Omniverse Gate to other Worlds, to scout ahead.
For many years, being busy earning money, Qin Mo had never used the Omniverse Gate.
He wanted to see what other Worlds were truly like, and if they were as he imagined.
If he encountered any danger, at most he would lose a clone, saving even a Revival Coin.
After arranging the clones, Qin Mo's gaze suddenly paused—the store balance remaining was 45.6 trillion.
So much money…
With the system's unscrupulous money-grabbing nature, it only dared to refresh items priced at 10 trillion.
He couldn't spend it all, simply couldn't spend it all.
His gaze shifted downwards, and the moment he saw the second item, Qin Mo's lips curled into a sneer.
[Revival Coin, Price: $1 trillion]
[Non-transferable, only effective for self, can revive in full health after Death.]
Indeed, as he had previously guessed, the system had refreshed the Revival Coin again.
"Bro System, do you know what it means to be at the end of one's rope?"
In Qin Mo's opinion: the system had simply run out of money-making tricks; these items had no novelty whatsoever.
If you have the guts, refresh something like—the Queen of the Women's Kingdom, a foolish yet beautiful ex-wife, a celestial sister…
See if I'll hire them or not.
Skipping the Revival Coin, Qin Mo continued to look down.
[Qian Donkey, a magical mount that can temporarily reduce the strength of any being who sees it by 60%, commonly known as the Qian Donkey's Skill Exhaustion technique, Price: $10 trillion]
Qin Mo: "…"
"Bro, I take back what I just said, this Qian Donkey… is quite novel."
Any being who sees the Qian Donkey will have their strength temporarily reduced by 60%, meaning before the fight even begins, the enemy is already severely wounded, with only 40% of their strength remaining.
A conceptual god, no doubt.
Even at 10 trillion, it was worth the price.
"From now on, anyone who dares to be my enemy will be in a severely wounded state."
The enemy weakens while I grow stronger, which means Qin Mo has become even more powerful!
"Purchase Qian Donkey."
"Ding ~ Purchase successful, already stored in the Pocket Universe, thank you for your patronage, welcome next time…"
Having successively acquired One Qi Transforms into Three Pure Ones and Qian Donkey, Qin Mo's strength greatly increased, and his confidence soared.
"I really want to go fight OAA."
Isn't there a saying: emperors take turns, next year it's my turn.
If he defeats OAA, Qin Mo also wants to sit on that title of being above all things.
However, when he remembered that he hadn't even collected all the Phoenix Force Shards, Qin Mo could only choose to be cautious.
He hadn't truly stepped into an invincible realm yet; he couldn't get ahead of himself, it wasn't time to be arrogant.
When he clears the 35.6 trillion balance in the store, then he'll find an opponent to fight.
Forget it, he'd better fight Dr. Zhao first.
Lately, he had ridden too many foreign women; it was indeed time for a change of taste.
"Idol, dinner's ready."
Hearing this, Qin Mo got up from the sofa; indeed, it was time for dinner amidst such a beautiful evening.
Two hundred thousand words of passion… please use your imagination…
Zhao Hailun fell into a deep sleep, a hint of pain and a smile on her lips. Qin Mo, adhering to his principle of never staying out overnight, washed up before returning home.
The immortality Dr. Zhao sought, Qin Mo had already given her. That much omniverse-level essence was enough to keep a human eternally youthful.
See, he was just that kind.
Of course, this was out of instinctive male-female affection, not a transaction like with those princesses.
In sparring sessions tainted with transactional colors, Qin Mo wasn't so generous; even omniverse-level essence shouldn't be wasted like that.
Besides, one against seventeen, indulging occasionally was fine, but doing it every day was quite boring.
…
Milky Way Galaxy, the vast and boundless cosmic deep space.
Chitauri army mothership, command room.
Loki was calculating how much longer it would take to reach the area near Midgard.
Seeing that it would take another two and a half months to reach the suitable area, Loki was completely stunned.
"No, why will it take so long?"
The Chitauri army's deputy commander stepped forward: "Commander Loki, because there are no space jump points near Earth."
"We can only fly there slowly."
Loki asked in confusion: "Can't I go to Earth first and then open a space portal with the Tesseract?"
"It is possible." The deputy commander paused: "But what if you fail?"
"To be safe…"
"Aminos!" Loki roared.
"I'm going to Midgard first, you idiots can fly slowly."
Chapter 189 Uncle~
It was another sunny morning, and Qin Mo woke up in Skye's arms.
The life he yearned for but couldn't attain in his previous life, he now experienced every day.
And even with this, he often had to switch things up.
Humans, indeed, are never satisfied.
Especially men; perhaps they only become honest when they are hung on a wall.
No wonder people often say: Men will be men.
As Qin Mo sat on the bed lamenting about life, his phone's SMS notification suddenly rang.
[Loki: Uncle, I've arrived in Midgard. I have urgent intelligence to report to you.]
[Same place, meet.]
[Loki: Okay, I'll be there right away.]
About ten minutes later, at the old Chinese restaurant.
In the Asgard private room, Loki, in a green trench coat and holding the Mind Stone, sat upright in a chair.
Seeing Qin Mo push the door open, Loki quickly stood up: "Uncle, you're here."
Compared to Thor, Loki's address of "Uncle" made Qin Mo feel extremely pleased, like a glass of iced Coke on a hot summer day, chilling to the bone and uplifting.
The God of Stories calls me Uncle!
This is like finding a woman; appearance and figure are important, but identity also provides attack speed bonuses. If she wears black, white, or flesh-colored clothing, she can be so fast that she appears as a blur.
Loki's identity as the God of Stories made this "Uncle" full of value.
"Sit," Qin Mo asked knowingly, "Why did you come back alone? Where is Thanos's army?"
Loki chuckled, "They'll need some more time. I snuck back to report the situation to you."
"Sanos is sending twenty thousand Chitauri troops this time. You'd best prepare in advance."
"You're thoughtful," Qin Mo nodded.
There's no need to prepare; it's just a matter of some foreigners getting injured or dying, which will better highlight the impact of a hero's arrival.
Such intangible things as popularity and influence need to be constantly maintained.
Otherwise, he'll become like Iron Man—an outdated superhero.
"When do you plan to make your move?"
"Uncle, can I get a serum advance first? I'm worried my strength isn't enough and might affect your plans."
"Your current strength is just right. There aren't really any decent superheroes in Midgard anyway."
Qin Mo knew exactly what Loki was thinking.
This kid certainly had ability and methods; he even thought of having three hundred Chitauri soldiers rob banks, gold shops, and museums...
He's truly a talent.
Because of the flapping wings of Qin Mo's little butterfly, not only has consumption been downgraded, but people now love money more than before.
However, Loki has not yet fully committed.
He still needs to be tested for a while.
"Alright," Loki lowered his head, his fingers continuously rubbing the Mind Stone.
His flickering eyes seemed to be pondering whether the Mind Stone would be effective against this Uncle.
In an instant, a burst of green energy appeared.
When Loki looked up, his face was filled with a helpless expression: "Just let him go. If you keep playing, the node where I was born will be destroyed by you."
Qin Mo said indifferently, "You're not even willing to call me Uncle."
The 'big' Loki, with a slight struggle in his expression, said, "Uncle, stop playing."
This "Uncle" was the most satisfying title Qin Mo had heard recently—comparable to "Dad."
"Uncle, I know what I'm doing; I won't break it."
You know nothing, Loki rolled his eyes.
"Otherwise, what do you want Uncle to do?" Qin Mospread his hands like a bear, "I can't just sit at the end of time and stare blankly like you."
"Besides, Uncle, I'm saving your father, your Mother, your brother, Asgard, and you."
Such sincere words finally moved Loki.
"You'd best do as you say. I'm watching you."
Noticing that the God of Stories was about to leave, Qin Mo smiled, "What, big nephew, are you leaving already?"
"Before you go, settle the bill."
"What bill?" Loki reacted, incredulously saying, "You're making me pay for eating at your Chinese restaurant? I haven't even touched my chopsticks."
This person is utterly absurd.
He is so powerful, yet he is uniquely fond of worldly money; he's truly incomprehensible.
"Not that. Uncle, I've helped you save your father and your Mother. Shouldn't you, the God of Stories who shakes the heavens, show some appreciation?"
The God of Stories stood stunned, "It's paid?"
"Big nephew, we, as uncle and nephew, must settle accounts clearly. What you should give, you must give. What I shouldn't take, Uncle won't take a single cent."
After a long silence, the God of Stories pulled out a storage pouch from his pocket.
"Inside are thirty thousand Infinity Stones. This is all that's left in the Time Variance Authority."
Taking the storage pouch, Qin Mo weighed it with satisfaction. Thirty thousand candy-like stones, enough to snack on for a while.
"You can go now, big nephew. Uncle will take good care of your brother Odin."
The green light slowly receded, and Loki was clearly a bit confused: "Uncle, where were we in our conversation?"
"We were talking about what action you're planning."
"Oh, in a few days, I'll first familiarize myself with the terrain and see where it's best to open a portal."
Opening a portal is secondary; the main thing is to mark the locations of banks, gold shops, and museums in advance, then use the Mind Stone to control a few Midgardians, rent a warehouse, and store the stolen items.
Or, before the Chitauri arrive, first sweep all the banks in Midgard clean.
"Then be careful not to be discovered by Thor."
"Ah!" Loki exclaimed in surprise, "Isn't that guy attacking the Nine Realms? Why would he come to Midgard?"
"He misses a girl, that's why."
"Oh, right," Qin Mo suddenly thought of something, "Your father released your sister early. Next time you return to Asgard, it's best to be careful."
"My sister?"
Loki chuckled, "Uncle, did you make a mistake? Asgardonly has two princes. Besides Thor and me, Mother and Father have no other children."
Qin Mo patted Loki's shoulder, "Go get busy."
"As for your sister, you'll understand what's going on next time you return to Asgard."
"See you. Remember to settle the bill."
Staring at Qin Mo's departing back, Loki ultimately couldn't muster the courage to use the Mind Stone to control the other party and seize the golden serum.
This Uncle is most likely immune to the Mind Stone.
"Forget it. Before the Chitauri arrive, I'll just rob all the banks in Midgard during this time."
"With the Mind Stone, I don't even need to rob; I can just walk into the vault and take as much as I want."
No sooner said than done, Loki transformed in an instant, changing into another appearance. As the God of Mischief, Loki naturally understood the principle of concealing his tracks.
No one would ever suspect that he was the one who did it.
As Loki left the old Chinese restaurant, Qin Mo's lips slowly curved into an arc in the Lamborghini Centenario parked on the roadside.
"Big nephew, you'd best rob the Garden Bank as well. Otherwise, Uncle would really have no reason to demand compensation from you."
Because he couldn't openly rob, Qin Mo had hardly ever entertained the idea of robbing a bank.
At most, he merely incited the HYDRA family to take out bank loans, indirectly fleecing the banks.
And Loki's upcoming actions...
"Interesting, interesting."
Chapter 190 Bank Vault Robbery
Empire Bank, Manhattan Headquarters.
As usual, staff members arrived at the bank for work, and old Johnson, who was in charge of managing the vault, came for a routine inspection accompanied by two security guards.
"Check, check, check, always checking!"
"What the hell are we checking?"
"Seriously, I, old Johnson, have worked in this bank for most of my life. Do you really think I'd steal something from the vault?"
To old redneck Johnson's complaints, the young security guard could only try to appease him.
"Uncle Johnson, it's the bank's requirement. It's early in the morning, and there's nothing we can do."
The vault door slowly opened, and old Johnson was still muttering, "Go ahead and check, go ahead and see for yourselves what's missing..."
Before he could finish, all three froze in place, as if struck by lightning, their eyes wide with disbelief.
The stacks of gleaming U.S. dollars and gold, once piled high, were now completely gone.
The entire vault was empty.
Not a single banknote remained.
The first to react were the two security guards. They simultaneously grabbed old Johnson's arms, twisted them behind his back, and pressed him firmly to the ground.
"Where's the money? Where's the money that was inside?"
Old Johnson cried, "How the hell should I know where the money went? Don't hold me down, it's not like I can run away! Go check the surveillance footage!"
"Right, right, right."
The white security guard reacted and looked at the Black security guard.
"You stay here and watch him, I'll go inform the Director."
Following the arrival of the Empire Bank Director, NYPD, and FBI, the theft from the Empire Bank vault quickly became a trending news topic.
Just as people were focusing on the Empire Bank theft, Garden Bank, New York Bank, and Wells Fargo Bank successively reported similar incidents, claiming their bank vaults had been robbed.
Suddenly, all banks, big and small, across New Yorkfollowed suit, all taking their surveillance footage to report thefts.
The Mayor of New York felt as if the sky was falling.
He was already being targeted by certain fanatics who threatened to remove him from office and make Murdoch the Mayor.
Now, it seemed, they didn't even need to lift a finger!
If the case couldn't be solved quickly, the powerful capitalists behind these banks alone could send him to prison.
He wouldn't see the light of day for the rest of his life.
With almost no hesitation, Mr. Mayor ordered a city-wide lockdown and, at the same time, sought assistance from S.H.I.E.L.D.
Originally, he had prepared to ask Murdoch for help, but considering that Murdoch's Garden Bank had also been robbed, the Mayor decided not to touch that unlucky subject for now.
At this time, Loki, the instigator, had happily departed for the next city—Washington.
Manhattan, Garden Bank Tower.
Temporary Shareholders' Meeting.
Qin Mo sat in the major shareholder's seat, like a volcano on the verge of erupting, causing everyone to lower their heads.
"Tell me, why was the vault robbed?"
"Speak."
"Mr. Senator, it's not just our bank; Empire Bank and New York Bank were also robbed."
Before Qin Mo could speak, the shareholders had already started cursing: "They can go to hell, are you going to die with them?"
"I don't care why other banks were robbed; I just want to know what the security team was doing? What's the point of us paying to hire you?"
After venting, the shareholders looked at the major shareholder's seat: "Senator, do you have any information?"
Qin Mo shook his head.
"It's too soon. Let's wait for the investigation results from the NYPD, FBI, and S.H.I.E.L.D."
"Sigh, that's all we can do for now."
That afternoon, the Mayor, accompanied by NYPD Director George Stacy and S.H.I.E.L.D. Deputy DirectorCoulson, held a press conference.
"Fellow citizens, through the combined efforts of Director George, Director Coulson, and the New Yorkgovernment, the culprit behind the major bank robberies has been identified: Hiddleston..."
"This person has now departed for Washington."
"The NYPD, in collaboration with the DCPD, is working tirelessly to apprehend this individual. A reward of 500,000 bounty will be given to anyone who provides information about this person."
To enhance the authenticity of the press conference, the authorities directly released the surveillance footage.
After the press conference, Hiddleston, the transformed Loki, quickly became a superhero on the internet due to his exceptionally handsome appearance.
"What a handsome man, he stole so well!"
"Confirmed, the person upstairs is an idiot. All your savings were lost."
"I have no savings, and I owe the bank thirty-eight thousand."
"Where are the netizens from New York State? Didn't you claim New York State is the safest state in the U.S.? Speak up!"
"Incompetent Mayor, I suggest letting King take over."
"He is indeed incompetent, but his wife is quite good-looking."
"No pictures, no truth. Bring the pictures!"
Scrolling through the online comments, Qin Mosuddenly felt a sense of returning to his keyboard warrior days in his previous life: the exhilaration of commenting on everything.
The Keyboard Warrior's Creed — Oppose for the sake of opposing.
No matter if you're right or wrong, or if what you say makes sense, I'll just oppose it.
Interspersed with: He's mad, he's mad, he's really mad.
Finally concluding with: Ah, yes, yes, yes... to wrap it up.
Then, he would satisfactorily close the comment section.
The theft from the Garden Bank vault had no impact on Qin Mo. Not only was he not sad, but he even felt a bit like laughing.
If Loki hadn't robbed Garden Bank, he wouldn't have had an excuse to demand compensation.
He would let Loki run rampant for a while, and once that guy had robbed all the banks on Earth and grown fat, then he would demand exorbitant compensation from Loki.
It was as if Loki was working for him.
As Qin Mo drove away from the Garden Bank Tower, he received a call from Tony.
"King, how much did you lose? Why don't you come over to my place? Big brother will find some girls to comfort you?"
"I'm recording this."
"Bye bye."
Taking advantage of Tony's joy over the successful development of the nanotech armor, Qin Mo prepared to put some pressure on him.
This was a matter involving the grudges and entanglements between Tony Stark, Howard Stark, Steve Rogers, and James Barnes.
It was also an old story from his previous life, where the Iron Man faction and the Captain America faction attacked each other, yet neither could convince the other.
Even after many years, an assassination that still generated immense traffic: the Winter Soldier's assassination of the Howard couple.
Beside the Hudson River, HYDRA Base.
The place where Winter Soldier Bucky was held.
"Boss, are you planning to hand him over to Stark?" Zolasuddenly asked.
Qin Mo shook his head: "Sell him to Peggy Carter."
Zola fell silent, utterly speechless.
Truly worthy of being the boss, he's messing with Rogers and Carter, and after messing with them, he's now messing with Bucky.
"The Winter Soldier, he's a pitiful person."
Hearing this, Qin Mo glanced at Zola sideways: "Dr., at the very least, a person should not, should not be as shameless as you."
"Don't tell me you don't know why the Winter Soldierbecame the Winter Soldier."
During World War II, Bucky fell off a cliff during a mission and was personally transformed into the Winter Soldier by Zola.
"Hehe."
Zola chuckled dryly.
"After being whitewashed by you, I almost forgot the absurd things I once did."
"How much are you planning to sell him for? Little Carter... she should still owe you a lot of money, right?"
Qin Mo said softly.
"No money? Let her take out a bank loan then."
Chapter 191: Capital Sets Up a Game
Manhattan, Mango Tower.
After Peggy Carter regained her youth, she joined Mango Company as the President's Assistant, officially starting a new life.
As the first Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., she accumulated extremely rich experience during her many years in office.
It was precisely because of this that Qin Mo gave her full authorization and trust.
Experienced workers should be utilized to their fullest potential.
However, having the founder of S.H.I.E.L.D. serve as an assistant was somewhat overkill, or even a waste of her talents.
"Miss Peggy, this is the group's payroll from last month; it needs your signature."
After signing quickly, Peggy Carter casually asked, "How much was my salary last month?"
"Miss Peggy, your annual salary is 600,000 U.S. dollars, which translates to 50,000 U.S. dollars per month."
"Thank you, you can go now."
After the finance person left, Peggy Carter happily opened her computer, preparing to buy herself some more clothes—clothes suitable for a young woman in her twenties.
Since she had completely bid farewell to her identity as that legendary woman and adopted a new identity, she naturally had to start a new life.
After adding dozens of outfits to her shopping cart, Peggy admitted: she had previously misunderstood Murdoch.
She had thought Murdoch was like other capitalists, greedy and shrewd.
"50,000 U.S. dollars a month, that kid Murdoch is indeed quite generous."
For a Great America citizen, a monthly salary of 50,000 is definitely considered high pay.
However, when she thought about the 5 billion U.S. dollars in foreign debt she still owed, the smile on Peggy's face instantly froze, leaving only confusion about the future.
"Oh my god! I actually have to pay back 4.16 million every month! If interest is included..."
It's never-ending, she'll never finish paying it back in her lifetime.
Compared to the enormous debt she carried, the President's Assistant's monthly salary was just a pittance.
Realizing this, Peggy murmured to herself, "My monthly salary isn't even enough to cover the interest?"
"Was I set up by capital?!"
Sure enough, Murdoch was indeed a capitalist, and a top-tier one at that, easily confining her for the rest of her life.
But who could she blame?
It was all her own choice.
Yet, this kind of life was not what she wanted at all; she wanted to rekindle her romance with Steve!
Years of Agent experience quickly pulled Peggy Carterout of her confusion, and she secretly made a decision: to become a deadbeat.
No money, just one life.
Why should she pay back money she owed by her own ability? At worst, she'd give her life back to Murdoch.
However, recalling Murdoch's miraculous methods, Peggy slumped into her chair.
"The thought of being a deadbeat, I'll just think about it; if I actually do it, he'll definitely make my life worse than death, and I won't even be able to die."
How could a weak woman like her resist Murdoch, who was like a god?
Unless she offered herself—marrying him and becoming family, then she naturally wouldn't need to repay the debt.
"How could I have such a thought?!"
Just then, a line of text suddenly appeared on the computer screen, making Peggy sit up sharply.
"Should I call you Peggy, or Peggy..."
Peggy quickly typed to ask: Who are you exactly?
"Who I am is not important, this gentleman~ you should recognize him, picture.jpg"
Seeing the shirtless man in the picture clearly, Peggy Carter exclaimed, "James Barnes? He's still alive?"
This situation was just like when the High Table sold Steve's whereabouts to Nick Fury.
"Not 998, not 668, only 1 billion pounds, and you can reunite with an old friend..."
A familiar feeling once again impacted Peggy's brain cells; she suddenly felt: this World was so strange.
First, there was the High Table selling Steve's whereabouts, then the Illuminati kidnapping various political figures, and Murdoch, who made her young again with a massive 10 billion...
And bank vault thefts across the U.S..
These seemingly unrelated individuals all had the same goal—money, they only wanted money.
Peggy Carter seemed to have grasped something, yet not completely.
Previously, she had suspected that Murdoch was connected to the High Table, but she had been unable to confirm it.
Now, the High Table was using the same old trick.
Taking a deep breath, Peggy typed quickly: I don't have that much money; I still owe 5 billion.
"??? 5 billion? Are you kidding me? Even if you sold yourself, you wouldn't be worth 5 billion!"
Although she felt offended, Peggy didn't dwell on the topic, instead typing: Can you make it cheaper? I really don't have that much money.
"We'll give you three days; once the money arrives, we'll immediately release Mr. Barnes, or prepare a coffin for Mr. Barnes in advance."
"Of course, you can also exchange Mr. Barnes's life for the secret of your regained youth."
Seeing this, Peggy fell into a struggle.
On the surface, the other party offered three choices, but in reality, there was only one way: to pay the money.
Neither she nor Steve would stand by and watch Barnes be killed by the High Table, nor would they dare to reveal the secret of regaining youth.
Murdoch was far more terrifying than the High Table.
After much thought, Peggy slowly typed: Okay.
Then she stood up and left directly; she was going to find Steve to discuss a solution.
Why not ask Tony?
She was only Tony's aunt, not his birth mother; she had already bothered him so much, she should be content.
There was even less hope for Murdoch; Tony said that kid kept a laboratory and was so poor he wouldn't even part with a used Mazda.
And since it concerned Bucky, only Steve would sincerely help.
After all, in this new era, only the three of them old-timers remained.
Following the address Tony had given her earlier, Peggydrove to an apartment in Brooklyn, waiting for Steve to return.
As night fell, the man she had yearned for all these years finally appeared.
"Steve."
The familiar voice made Steve tremble, thinking he was hallucinating.
And when he clearly saw the woman standing at the door in a burgundy suit, her blonde curly hair just like at that dance seventy years ago.
Steve was in a daze for quite a while before he recovered.
"Peggy?"
A few months ago, Steve had personally carried his beloved's coffin, watching her laid to rest.
This one before him... was most likely fake.
"You're not Peggy, who are you really?"
Recalling the frequent bank vault thefts across the U.S. recently, Steve sneered.
"You shouldn't have come to me."
Peggy Carter clearly didn't expect her beloved to react this way; seeing Steve prepare to act, she had no choice but to reveal a secret only they both knew.
"You have a birthmark on your little chicken."
Hearing this, a hint of embarrassment flashed across Steve's face.
After years apart, Peggy rushed straight into her beloved's arms, embracing him tightly.
Only Steve quietly grumbled, "You could have chosen a different secret."
Just as passion was about to ignite, Peggy pushed Steveaway and quickly pulled a photo from her pocket.
"The High Table came to me about Bucky's whereabouts; they're asking for 1 billion pounds."
"Bucky?!"
Seeing Steve's reaction, even more excited than seeing her, after hearing about Bucky's whereabouts, Peggy Carter sighed.
She was tired, let it all be destroyed.
You two gay guys can go ahead.
Chapter 192 Saving Private Bucky
New York, Brooklyn.
Inside Steve's rented apartment, a disbelieving gasp suddenly rang out.
It was a mix of shock that Bucky was still alive and awe at the astronomical sum.
"One billion pounds?"
"Yes." Peggy nodded. "The same price S.H.I.E.L.D. paid for you… back then."
Steve gave a wry smile. "Peggy, I was missing for sixty-five years, and Congress only compensated me 2.65 million. One billion pounds, I wouldn't earn that much in my next lifetime."
After a pause, Steve asked, "Do you still have any money?"
Although asking a woman for money was embarrassing, to save Bucky, he no longer cared about his so-called pride.
Peggy showed a similar wry smile. "I still owe 5 billion!"
"How much? 5 billion? Why so much?"
"What do you think happened for me to become young again?"
For a moment, the two fell silent.
It wasn't that they didn't want to destroy the High Tableand rescue Bucky, but this organization was extremely mysterious.
To this day, major intelligence agencies worldwide still haven't found any clues about the High Table.
It was like a ghost, coming and going without a trace.
Originally, after years apart and reuniting, they should have been passionate, but because they were broke, this star-crossed couple's faces were filled with confusion about the future.
After a long time, Steve looked up. "How's your relationship with Howard's son? Can we ask him for a loan?"
Peggy sighed. "I still owe him 5 billion…"
Hearing this, the two sat on the sofa and fell silent again.
Only at this moment did they realize how important money was.
If they were rich enough, why would they be so troubled? They could just throw 1 billion pounds at the High Table and get Bucky back.
But precisely because they had no money, they couldn't even save their closest comrade.
After a long while, Steve hesitated. "What about a bank loan? With my reputation, I should be able to borrow a good amount."
Among the superheroes in Great America, Councilman Murdock's popularity was unrivaled, followed by Captain America.
After all, he was the memory of several generations.
Comparable to a spiritual totem.
Peggy shook her head. "A while ago, major banks experienced a large number of bad debts. Now, loan policies are tightened. Even for you, it would be very difficult to borrow that much."
Steve nodded; he knew about this.
It seemed that before several families went bankrupt, they borrowed hundreds of billions from banks and then disappeared.
To this day, the banks still haven't found anyone.
Speaking of which, the banks in New York were quite tragic. First, hundreds of billions in loans couldn't be recovered, and then the bank vaults were emptied by a mysterious thief.
It was said that many banks were starting bankruptcy liquidation and were selling off assets at a discount.
After much fruitless thought, Steve pulled out his Mango Phone, stared at one of the numbers, hesitated for a moment, and finally dialed.
"Councilman Murdock, can you lend me some money?"
"How much?"
"One billion…"
"One billion U.S. dollars? Captain, what do you need so much money for? What happened?"
"Councilman, it's 1 billion pounds."
Hearing this, there was a long silence on the other end of the phone before he said, "Captain, 1 billion pounds is no small sum."
Steve's voice choked, almost on the verge of tears. "Councilman, please! I'll spend the rest of my life working for…"
"Account number."
At this moment, in Steve's eyes, Councilman Murdock's image was almost equivalent to God.
No, even more glorious and magnificent than God.
God wouldn't rashly lend him 1 billion pounds to save Bucky, but Councilman Murdock did.
He lent it to him without hesitation.
Such an upright and kind Councilman was constantly slandered by that Black Devil Nick Fury; it was simply outrageous.
Hanging up the phone, Steve tightly hugged Peggy. "Quickly contact the High Table; we're going to save Bucky."
Peggy looked utterly resigned; they ultimately couldn't escape Councilman Murdock's clutches.
Their lives were destined to be spent working like oxen and horses to repay the debt.
The thought of spending the rest of her life worrying about repaying money made Peggy grit her teeth.
"I can't live like this anymore!!"
Meanwhile, on the other side.
Qin Mo put his Mango Phone in his pocket and looked at Zola, asking, "Dr., are we a little bit bad?"
To force Captain America into such a state, crying and begging for money, was indeed a bit excessive.
Zola shook his head. "I might not be human, Boss ~ but you're a real dog."
"If you were HYDRA's boss back then, you would have unified the world long ago, and perhaps even reached the moon by now."
Shamelessness wasn't enough to describe the Boss's degree of shamelessness; he was simply inhuman.
The Boss came up with the idea, and the Boss played the good guy.
As for the 1 billion pounds lent to Captain Rogers, it was just going out for a stroll and then coming back.
It was a matter of moving money from one hand to the other.
Zola couldn't help but sigh: Fortunately, this was an insider; otherwise, he would definitely self-destruct, resolutely not giving Councilman Murdock a chance to trick him.
The examples of being tricked by the Boss were too numerous to mention. Wasn't he, Zola, coerced onto the pirate ship?
There were also Pierce, Baron Strucker, Gideon Malick, Vampires, Skrulls, Captain Rogers, Peggy Carter, Winter Soldier Bucky…
Tony Stark, of course, had been tricked for several years already.
Oh, right, and that Asgardian who recently robbed bank vaults across the U.S. — however happy he was now, he would be just as miserable in the future.
The poor Asgardian still didn't understand — money targeted by the Boss, even if it's already in your pocket, every single cent and penny, doesn't belong to you.
Seeing the Boss eyeing him with ill intent, Zola secretly cried out, "Not good!" and quickly flattered him.
"Your glory will surely illuminate the world."
He almost forgot; the Boss could read people's minds, and even he, a robot, was not immune.
"Dr., I'm throwing Winter Soldier into Snezhnaya. You're responsible for the transaction with Captain and his wife. Don't forget to tell them the cause of Howard Stark's death."
"You want to see how they choose?"
"Hmm, I'm quite curious."
Tearing open a spatial rift, Qin Mo threw Winter SoldierBucky into Snezhnaya.
"Go get busy."
…
European continent.
After dozens of insane crimes in Great America, Lokiawkwardly discovered that banks had gotten smarter and no longer kept cash and gold in their vaults.
And with S.H.I.E.L.D. and the FBI watching so closely, Loki had no choice but to find another place to rob money.
After much inquiry, he learned that besides Great America, the wealthiest places in Midgard were the various countries in Europe, so he came here.
Now, he couldn't care less about the Chitauri; his mind was entirely focused on how to efficiently steal money.
Let the Chitauri fly slowly.
"Going to bank vaults is clearly too slow. It's better to check out the national treasuries."
Loki, the God of Mischief, once again transformed into the mysterious thief and began to stir up trouble in various European countries.
All just to quickly accumulate enough money to buy a golden serum from his uncle and break through to a higher realm.
Then, he would beat up Thor to get revenge for years of being toyed with by him.
The thought of pinning Thor to the ground and spanking him made Loki's breathing quicken, and a sinister smile spread across his face.
"My foolish brother, I hope you'll enjoy this surprise."
Chapter 193: Secretly Punch a Few Holes
Manhattan, Silicon Alley.
Mango Motors, Headquarters.
Under the leadership of Bruce Banner, and after two and a half years of research and development, the first batch of mass-produced Mango Cars finally successfully launched.
"Dr. Banner, you've worked hard."
Qin Mo patted Banner's shoulder. He was always friendly towards high-value assets that could generate huge profits.
He was different from those bosses who wished to crush their employees at their workstations.
That wasn't a capitalist; that was a landlord.
As long as enough profit was generated, Qin Mowouldn't mind if employees didn't even come to the office.
Bruce Banner pushed up the frames of his glasses: "Boss, this is what I should do. Without you, Betty and I might still be wandering around."
"Hey." Qin Mo smiled: "How's Little Snail doing lately?"
Hairo Banner was the first son of Bruce Banner and Betty Ross Banner. In Great America, most married women chose to take their husband's surname.
At the mention of his son, Dr. Banner's face beamed with happiness.
"The little guy can walk now, but he has too much energy. He doesn't want to sleep until midnight."
Qin Mo chuckled: "It's good for children to be lively. Oh, right, where's Thor?"
At the mention of Thor, Banner gave an embarrassed laugh: "He... seems to be on a date."
"Boss, please talk to him when you have a moment. That guy is indiscriminate; more than half of the female employees have had an affair with him. If this continues, it's bound to cause problems."
Qin Mo paused for a few seconds, then shook his head.
"Let him be. As long as he's happy."
Thor suffered so much in the original timeline; what's wrong with him enjoying himself now?
As everyone knows, Asgardian King Odin has three children: his eldest daughter Hela, his eldest son Thor, and his adopted son Loki.
Compared to Thor, Loki, the adopted son, was more like Odin—this was Hela's assessment of her two younger brothers.
Qin Mo deeply agreed with this.
If you don't believe it, just look at what Thor was doing right now.
He was constantly hanging out at the Mango Motorsfactory, flirting and sleeping with the factory girls.
And what about Odin and Loki, the father and son?
Odin was stealing money in the Nine Realms outside of Midgard, while Loki was robbing bank vaults in Midgard.
They were truly a father-son team in action.
"Alright." Banner didn't dwell on the topic and instead pointed to the mass-produced car with the number 001.
"Boss, want to try it?"
"Sure." Qin Mo opened the car door and was suddenly drawn to a cardboard box on the back seat.
"Dr. Banner, what's this?"
"Uh." Banner scratched his head awkwardly: "Inside the box are... Thor's condoms."
"Holy shit!" Qin Mo exclaimed: "This stuff—you can buy it by the box?"
As a great, omnipotent, cosmic-level powerhouse, Qin Mo never used such things when sparring with his girlfriends.
True intimacy meant there should be no barriers between them.
Banner looked up at the sky, unable to face his boss: "There are quite a few female employees who've had an affair with Thor."
"That kid!" Qin Mo suddenly had a mischievous idea.
As Thor's uncle, he had the responsibility and obligation to contribute to the continuation of Asgard's lineage.
And so.
This large box of 'little kid-killers' was secretly poked with several holes by a certain someone using his supreme power.
Qin Mo couldn't wait to see—Odin's expression next year when he found out he was a Grandpa.
As for whether doing this was immoral?
Immoral be it. For the sake of enduring friendship between Midgard and Asgard, Qin Mo—silently bore this heavy responsibility.
As long as there were no black women among the female employees who had an affair with Thor, it would be fine.
Otherwise, all of Asgard would be 'inked.'
No, Asgard already had Heimdall; whether it was 'inked' or not seemed unimportant now.
After drifting a few laps on the racetrack in the Mango Car, Qin Mo was extremely satisfied with the car's condition.
"Dr. Banner, go to finance right now to collect your bonus. You won't miss out on your year-end dividend either."
Bruce Banner took a deep breath, calming his inner excitement.
The global economy was currently in a downturn, and the situation was extremely severe. Even many banks had gone bankrupt. It was truly not easy to find a high-paying, stable job.
"After the car launch, I'll give you a long vacation to spend quality time with your wife and child."
"Thank you, Boss."
"I have other matters to attend to; no need to see me out."
Due to Qin Mo's previous audacious maneuver—manipulating the three major HYDRA families to take out bank loans—a large number of banks experienced capital deficits.
And Loki's complete looting of various bank vaults was like the last straw that broke the camel's back, directly causing many banks to go bankrupt.
For those that didn't go bankrupt, their stock prices plummeted severely.
Seizing this opportunity, Qin Mo planned to select suitable banks to acquire shares, preparing for future bank bankruptcies.
Of course, it certainly wouldn't be under his own name.
Hell's Kitchen, Kingpin's stronghold.
Accompanied by a subtle spatial fluctuation, Qin Mo's figure suddenly appeared in Kingpin's office.
"Master." Kingpin quickly rose.
"Sit." Qin Mo waved his hand: "How did the matter I instructed you on last time turn out?"
"Master, because the Yakuza are of Asian descent, acquiring banks in Great America might be troublesome. So, I selected a few suitable 'white gloves' from the Mafia to handle this."
"Mafia?" Qin Mo raised an eyebrow: "Can their identities pass the review?"
"No major problem. Even if they have a criminal background, they are white, after all. You know how Great America is; they'll be discarded anyway in the future."
"Alright then." Qin Mo nodded: "Proceed according to your plan, and be careful not to leave any loose ends."
"If one day you accidentally get implicated, don't blame me for being heartless."
Only assets that create value are good assets; those that don't should get as far away as possible.
Kingpin quickly lowered his head: "Rest assured, no one knows I've pledged allegiance to you."
"Oh, right." Qin Mo suddenly remembered something: "Pick a few disobedient pawns and give them to Daredevil, lest that guy keeps an eye on you."
"Remember, times are advancing; there's no future in staying in the underworld. Once you go legitimate, you might even become the Mayor of New York."
Whether in the comics or the Daredevil series, Kingpinsuccessfully became the Mayor of New York.
And for Qin Mo, after becoming the Hua Shi Ren, he would also need a group of politicians to rally support.
Hua Shi Ren Ellis, Security Council Secretary Pierce, Councilman Gideon Malick, Senator Stern, and others were, after all, getting old.
By the time Qin Mo became the Hua Shi Ren, these old timers would likely have already exited the political stage.
Naturally, he would need younger politicians like Kingpin.
"Mayor? Master, can I do it?"
Kingpin's face first showed confusion and bewilderment, then quickly shifted to a fervent craving for power.
Qin Mo patted Kingpin's shoulder, pouring out encouragement.
"Believe in yourself; you are the best."
Chapter 194: The Giant Thief? The Master of Settling Accounts!
Mysterious Thief Rampages Across Europe!
John Bull Royal Bank Vault Robbed, Tons of Gold Vanish Into Thin Air!!
Global Economic Growth Stagnant, Who Can Tell Me Where the Money Went?
Inside the Safety Council Building, at an emergency Council meeting, Minister Pierce was speaking, pointing at a large screen.
"Councilors, representatives of the Council, according to intelligence gathered by S.H.I.E.L.D., the S.P.E.A.R. Bureau, and MI13: the suspect who robbed various bank vaults is believed to possess shapeshifting abilities, teleportation abilities…"
"At the same time, the scepter in the suspect's hand has the function of controlling people's minds."
"In the past month, dozens of agents have unfortunately been captured by the suspect during the arrest process."
"The current situation is extremely grim, and we have reached a critical moment of life and death."
"After discussion by the Security Council, we call on all countries to promote digital currency, reduce the issuance of paper money, and transfer gold to a safe place as soon as possible."
What constituted a "safe place" was the top priority of this meeting's discussion.
Having been immersed in the World of fame and fortune for many years, none of those present were young, and they naturally understood that transferring gold was easy, but getting it back afterward would be difficult.
"Now, I invite the Councilors to express their opinions."
As soon as he finished speaking, John Bull Councilor, who had once unseated Nick Fury from his position as S.H.I.E.L.D. Director, slammed his hand on the table and spoke first.
"Everyone, as we all know, Captain Britain is the most powerful superhero in the World…"
He was halfway through his sentence when a light, vodka-scented taunt from the Snezhnaya Councilor rang out.
"If Captain Britain is so awesome, why was the Royal Bank vault robbed?"
"Huh? Speak!"
John Bull Councilor's face turned beet red, and he glared fiercely at the Snezhnaya Councilor, choosing to sit down and simmer in his frustration rather than express his anger.
Captain Britain's power existed entirely in legends.
And for the vast majority of the time, Captain Britainwas not on Earth, or rather, not in this Universe.
More importantly: there was a lot of shady business surrounding the theft of the Royal Bank vault.
The John Bull government publicly claimed that several tons of gold were lost, and this number had a wide range of manipulation… too wide.
One is a number, and nine is a number.
The exact figure, it was feared, only the Hua Shi Renwho led this operation knew how much gold was actually lost.
In any case, everyone involved in this operation, including John Bull Councilor, received a substantial reward.
The Snezhnaya Councilor, hiccuping and with a hazy drunken look, said, "I'm sure everyone knows that both Great America and Europe have been robbed."
"What does this show?"
"This shows that your places are not safe at all; only our Snezhnaya is the safest place."
A certain great Eastern country silently raised its hand.
Seeing this, the Snezhnaya Councilor was stunned for a few seconds before muttering, "Even the Rabbit's place is safer than yours."
At this moment, the Indian representative suddenly stood up.
"I object! How many people do you have there? Only a populous country like ours is the safest place in the World."
The meeting venue immediately erupted in laughter.
"Even lizards have to cover their butts when they walk in your country. Put gold there? Will it smell of curry?"
"A curry smell is minor; I'm afraid it'll pick up E. coli."
"Hahahahaha."
In the Councilor's seat, Qin Mo smiled silently, acting as a spectator, enjoying this grand show.
He had no idea that Loki's robbery of bank vaults would have such a terrifying impact, forcing countries to start discussing placing gold in secure, heavily guarded locations.
"How much did this kid steal, exactly?"
For a whole month, Loki committed dozens of crimes in Great America, and after moving to the Europecontinent, there were daily news reports of vault thefts.
It was definitely an astronomical figure.
But it was less than ten trillion, otherwise Loki would definitely have returned—to buy the Golden Serum.
However, when Qin Mo used his telepathy to read the consciousness in John Bull Councilor's mind, a monstrous wave immediately surged in his heart.
"Holy crap, you can play it like that?!"
These old foxes are too damn clever! They could even think of manipulating the vaults.
Sure enough, there's nothing new under the Sun.
Mysterious Thief? No, Loki is a master of balancing accounts.
In Great America, Loki did indeed steal a lot of money and gold.
After all, the crime spree was too short, and Great America's politicians simply didn't have time to plan… or rather, the planning hadn't even begun when Loki left.
After moving to the Europe continent, Loki directly became the balance-sheet savior for various national politicians, single-handedly clearing decades of vault deficits.
"Tsk tsk tsk, I learned something new."
Those who play by the rules indeed have dirty hearts.
As Qin Mo was reflecting, the meeting had already devolved into a chaotic mess, even livelier than a wet market.
"Bang."
Pierce, holding a small wooden gavel, struck it heavily.
"Silence."
After an hour and a half of bickering, the Gao Lu Ji (nickname) Councilor suddenly proposed, "Instead of transferring the gold to a safe place, why not gather all the global superheroes and capture the mysterious thief alive?"
Hearing this, the Snezhnaya Councilor sneered contemptuously.
"Are you deaf, or is your brain not working? Didn't you hear the Minister just say that the opponent has a scepter that controls people's minds?"
"Gather all the global superheroes? You're just sending them to their doom. What if, what if all our superheroes are controlled by the opponent?"
"Huh? Speak!"
The Gao Lu Ji (nickname) Councilor rolled his eyes, paused, and then looked at the seat not far from him, asking.
"Councilman Murdock, what do you think?"
Qin Mo pondered for a few breaths and slowly began, "Release news to the outside, saying that the gold will be transferred to… a certain location, gather global superheroes, and wait for the opponent to come."
Whether Loki could be caught was actually not important.
What was important was—with so many high-end individuals gathered, he would surely be able to entice a few to work for him.
"Real gold?" the Gao Lu Ji (nickname) Councilor asked.
"As you wish," Qin Mo shrugged.
"Good." John Bull Councilor slammed his hand on the table: "I second Councilman Murdock's proposal."
"Agreed."
"Seconded."
How many people truly meant it when the resolution was passed unanimously, was unknown.
But Qin Mo knew: when Loki first started committing crimes, everyone genuinely wanted to catch the mysterious thief, after all, they were all afraid of their country's vaults being stolen.
But now!
These old foxes wished the mysterious thief would wander around their countries a few times to clear years of bad debts and then profit even more from it.
In their eyes, Loki was not a thief, but a god of wealth who saved them from suffering!
"Good." Pierce began to summarize.
"By resolution of the Security Council, the 'gold' will now be transferred to Snezhnaya, and at the same time, all countries will dispatch superheroes to secretly accompany it."
"This operation will be fully overseen by SnezhnayaCouncilor — Aminosky."
"Meeting adjourned."
When the meeting's contents reached S.H.I.E.L.D., Deputy Director Coulson quickly pulled out his phone and dialed Captain's number.
"Captain Rogers, are you still in Snezhnaya?"
"Still looking for… someone. What's wrong, Coulson?"
Coulson heard this and quickly said.
"That's good. The Security Council has issued a mission, requiring superheroes from all countries to secretly go to Snezhnaya. I'll go with Natasha and the others to meet up with you as soon as possible."
"Alright."