Ch: 506-513
506. A Paris Trip Set in Stone (Happy New Year!!!)
Three dark orbs, under everyone's gaze, rapidly circled the gagged, pale-faced, now one-armed Purple Man.
During the process, mysterious purple mist continuously seeped into Purple Man's body.
In the blink of an eye!
Carrie reached out; the three dark orbs whizzed back into her hand. At the same time, she now held a matryoshka-like puppet box.
The outside of the puppet box was vivid and lifelike.
It was Purple Man.
And he was upside-down, mouth sealed with tape, and missing an arm.
Maria Hill and the others stared in stunned silence.
"This..."
"magic prison!"
Carrie stowed the puppet sealing Purple Man, said as much, then glanced at Jessica before looking to Maria Hill and waving. "Then, until next time, Ms. Hill!"
With that... Carrie turned toward the corridor outside and, in an instant, vanished without a trace.
Right then.
Locke's phone rang.
"Hello!"
It seemed to be Carrie calling from outside, the clamor of chaos around her. "Locke, where are you guys? I'm outside—can't see you."
What a drama queen!
Locke chuckled inwardly. "We're still inside. Don't worry, we'll be right out."
With that.
Locke hung up.
Gwen, standing nearby, asked curiously, "Didn't Carrie come to the restroom with Jessica? How'd she end up outside?"
Locke raised an eyebrow.
Before he could invent an excuse, Jessica beside him quickly explained to Gwen, "I asked Carrie to go out."
Gwen looked at Jessica inquisitively.
Jessica gave an embarrassed smile. "I forgot to bring a pad. Carrie happened to show up, so I asked her to buy one for me. Then another girl came in and gave me one."
Gwen nodded. So that was it.
Jessica breathed a silent sigh of relief.
At the same time... proud of her quick thinking in helping Carrie out, she mentally gave herself a thumbs-up.
"Director."
Barbara Morse walked up to Maria Hill. "The Military's here."
"Move—now!"
Maria Hill told Barbara Morse, "Take the blood and pull out immediately!"
This was blood S.H.I.E.L.D. had obtained through her networking; she couldn't let the Military have it. With their track record—over a decade trying to replicate the super-soldier serum and still nothing to show for it—yet they guarded the formula like treasure and refused outside help.
The Purple Man incident had been the same.
When Maria Hill first heard about Purple Man, she'd kept knocking on their door for joint research. The Military let her see him once—and then nothing, stringing her along.
Now?
Purple Man might be gone, but they had his blood and a fresh, on-ice severed arm. That absolutely couldn't fall into Military hands.
So... after saying her piece, Maria Hill turned to Locke and the other high-schoolers. "All right, it's almost wrapped up here. Time for you to go. I'll have an Agent escort you out."
Locke looked at Maria Hill. "My honorary citizen?"
Maria Hill's mouth twitched.
Seven people minimum had died in the stadium today because of his visit, and he wanted honorary citizenship?
Still... Maria Hill smiled. "Next time you head somewhere, give us a heads-up, and before summer ends you'll have your honorary citizen status."
Locke extended his hand, smiling. "Deal!"
Hill chuckled and shook his hand. "Agreement made."
"Of course!"
Locke said. Given how agreeable Hill was, his earlier decision to have Carrie lop off an arm for S.H.I.E.L.D. hadn't been in vain.
See?
This was the proper way to build relations.
If Maria Hill had been Director from the start, Locke figured he and S.H.I.E.L.D. could have enjoyed a long—maybe even post-apotheosis—honeymoon period.
All that damn Nick Fury's fault.
Once again, Locke mentally hauled out Nick Fury—whose grave had sprouted not just weeds but probably saplings—and gave the corpse another good flogging.
Soon.
Locke, Gwen, and Kem—who was chirping nonstop with Cindy about what they'd just seen—reached the parking lot.
Over there, Carrie, holding a pack of pads, hurried over.
"Carrie, you missed the big show."
"Yeah."
"Just now..."
Before Carrie could finish, Cindy and Kem grabbed her left and right arms and, all mysterious, launched into a vivid retelling of Dark Sovereign Syndra's appearance for Carrie, who'd missed it while buying pads.
Some of their adjectives even made Carrie's ears flush slightly.
Watching them, Locke sighed inwardly.
In a word.
His mindset simply wasn't strong enough yet; he still needed a lot more training. Back in the day, after the Peerless Assassin finished a job, his favorite thing to do was drop by the local assassins' bar, listen to everyone brag about him, and—without batting an eye—jump right into the chorus of self-praise.
In the end, Chester refused to go to bars with Locke anymore.
As Chester put it, Locke had truly inherited his mantle: a face as thick as a city wall.
Locke, however, had a different take. Experience proved that a bit of flattery—just the right amount—could spark a person's drive and confidence far better than keeping a low profile.
That was the real reason he loved hearing people boast about him.
Chester scoffed at the theory, claiming he didn't believe a single word—no, not even a punctuation mark.
"Kem?"
"…Dad?"
While Kem and Cindy were giving Carrie a vivid, full-throated account of the Dark Sovereign as they saw her, a strong yet worried voice rang out nearby.
The moment Kem turned around, she was greeted by a solid dose of fatherly love.
"Ow!"
Kem yelped, then—feeling the eyes of her classmates—tried to wriggle free, whispering, "Geez, Dad, let go! Please, my friends are watching."
Brian Mills, former Langley Agent and devoted father, quickly released his wildly squirming daughter, wiping his face. "Sorry, Kem, I panicked."
Kem sighed; she'd long since built up an immunity to her dad's over-protectiveness. Looking up, she said, "I'm fine, Dad, really. The guy who tried to attack us? Locke booted him right out."
As she spoke,
Kem pointed toward Locke, who was standing with Gwen.
Meow?
Feeling Mr. Mills's gaze, Locke mentally twitched, then shook the man's outstretched hand.
"Thank you."
"No need, Mr. Mills."
Locke shrugged. "After all, that attacker was coming for me in the first place."
He had to set the record straight.
If he didn't, God knew whether Brian Mills might decide he'd been protecting Kem and launch a full-scale investigation into the "Hero."
That could not happen.
Getting scrutinized by a fanatic dad? No telling what flaws the man might dig up.
Luckily,
he'd already decided that this summer he would ship Kem off to Paris for some "experience." He'd even found the perfect excuse; he only had to wait for the date.
If he didn't send her to Paris, the girl would never learn just how ugly people's hearts could be.
Gwen chimed in, "Mr. Mills, don't worry, we're all fine—no need to stress."
As she spoke,
other parents arrived.
George reached the scene as well.
Since this wasn't one of his three precincts, word had reached him a bit late. Seeing Gwen, he looked relieved; when he heard Ms. Maria Hill was also on site, his expression eased further.
And… listening to Gwen say the attackers were all innocent victims, George turned serious. "You're sure they were controlled by… whoever that was?"
Gwen nodded, then asked curiously, "Dad, didn't Ms. Hill tell you—"
Before she could finish,
damn—no,
Hill's call came through.
A moment later
George hung up and looked at Gwen. "The Dark Sovereign's here too?"
Gwen nodded. "Yes, Dad. If it weren't for Ms. Syndra today, things could've gotten way worse."
Mind control was disgusting.
Gwen shuddered at the thought. If the Purple Man had controlled her, what if she'd hurt Locke—or worse, blown her own secret identity?
George opened his mouth; that wasn't what he'd wanted to ask.
But
"Forget it."
He shook his head at Gwen and Locke. "Need me to send someone to drive you home?"
Gwen glanced at her classmates being fussed over by their parents—Sam, Jessica, Carrie—and waved him off. "We're okay, Dad. Go handle your work."
With that,
she took Locke's hand and walked toward the three students standing a little apart, looking rather alone.
She was the student aide—
the professional kind!
Chapter 507: Dr. Connor is about to be discharged
Someone died at the stadium.
The game is GG.
As a qualified student assistant, how could Gwen possibly leave her friends and her boyfriend to go home first at a time like this?
This wasn't Gwen's style.
Moreover... seeing Sam, Jessica, and Carrie seemingly being excluded, she didn't even have the interest to say another word to George. She pulled Locke and went straight to the three of them.
Locke spoke first, asking Sam, "What's the word on the game?"
Sam gave a bitter smile. "I have a... not-so-wonderful premonition."
Simply put, this final battle was likely going to be ruined.
Although it was just one game, for Sam, it was the last one.
Locke said, "It probably won't..."
Sam looked at Locke with some curiosity.
Locke smiled. "Do you think something like what happened today will be widely reported? The truth?"
Sam wasn't stupid, at least not in this regard. He was just worried about his game a moment ago. Now, hearing Locke say this, his eyes immediately lit up. "That's right!"
If it were a common, perfectly normal terrorist attack, then without a doubt, let alone this High School Football Super Cup, even the real Super Bowl would have to be reconsidered.
This looked like an ordinary terrorist attack, but the real culprit was only one person.
And... that culprit had been snatched away by someone else.
So, from any perspective, this incident was destined not to be widely publicized.
The media wouldn't comply?
Let's put it this way.
Locke had doubted the combat effectiveness of S.H.I.E.L.D. and even Hydra from the beginning, but when it came to blocking information, Locke had full confidence in S.H.I.E.L.D. from the start.
S.H.I.E.L.D. might be bad at fighting, but when it comes to blocking information, if S.H.I.E.L.D. says they are second, no one would dare claim to be first.
Gwen said from the side, "Fortunately Syndra came over, otherwise, Jessica might have been controlled by that guy."
Hearing this, Sam's face immediately showed a look of lingering fear. He squeezed Jessica's hand and said gratefully, "Yeah, we should thank Ms. Syndra."
Jessica nodded. "Yes, but she left too quickly."
While they were talking.
Not far away, several soldiers stepped out of a black SUV. Leading them was the Lieutenant Colonelwho used to be by General Ross's side.
Just then.
Cindy, Kahn, Kem, and Betty also came over.
Also coming over was the football coach who was looking for Sam.
After a while.
After Sam finished his conversation with the coach, he thought for a moment with a frown, then walked over and said to everyone who seemed to be waiting for something, "The coach said the game has been moved to next weekend."
Locke smiled. "That's not bad."
Sam nodded. "However, I didn't expect it to be so soon."
Cindy smiled and waved her hand. "Alright, why think so much? Anyway, we definitely can't play today. It's a rare weekend where everyone is gathered like this, and after such an incident, let's go. Let's eat together to calm our nerves."
Betty raised her hand. "I think Cindy's suggestion is very good."
Seeing this, everyone looked at each other, then agreed on a place to eat in a few words. After that, they left the somewhat messy scene in small groups.
By the time Locke and Gwen returned to Starlight Tower, it was almost two in the afternoon.
Entering the door.
Locke placed the shopping bags containing the clothes Gwen had bought during the group shopping trip onto the sofa.
Gwen, walking in behind him, was on the phone with Pepper.
Pepper had also heard about the chaos at the stadium in the morning. However, just as Pepper was about to go online to find out more, the information was undoubtedly starting to disappear without a trace.
Fortunately, Pepper knew Gwen had gone to the stadium today.
So, she called to ask for inside information.
Information, after all, is exchanged in this way.
Gwen didn't hide anything from Pepper, who had given her a lot of knowledge and help in investment and could be considered both a teacher and a friend. She told Pepper exactly what happened at the stadium today.
Then... after Pepper heard that Syndra had appeared there, she became even more interested. From getting out of the car to taking the elevator, it seemed she was going to continue the long phone conversation.
He really should have brought Carrie back; that way, he could better nurture Carrie's mindset.
Locke looked at Gwen, who was vividly describing her perception of Syndra and even using psychology to deduce Syndra's true identity. He couldn't help but chuckle in his heart, walked to the bar, and with a pop, opened a new bottle of bourbon.
The next second.
Locke looked at Gwen, who had walked over to the balcony. With a flick of his right hand, a Russian nesting doll appeared in his hand, hidden by the bar so Gwen wouldn't see it.
"Heh."
Locke looked at the Purple Man, who was sealed into the Russian nesting doll, touched it, and then applied slight pressure with his right hand.
Instantly!
Locke only felt a shrill scream in his ear, followed by a soul being directly swallowed by the Land of Light Dimension. Then, opening his right hand, the Russian nesting doll that was just in his hand had turned to ash.
He turned on the faucet, and in a short while, the sink was immediately clean.
It's the same old saying.
An enemy is better off dead. Locke never liked to talk nonsense while an enemy was alive, and he never thought about capturing an enemy and not killing them, but imprisoning them instead.
Countless plots where heroes or villains escaped and completed a counter-kill because they were soft-hearted or had a brain fart were deeply etched in his mind.
Locke didn't want the sealed Purple Man to find some way to escape when he wasn't paying attention and then come back to trouble him.
Although the possibility was infinitely close to zero.
But... with Locke, it's either zero or it's there. So, the Purple Man was better off dead. Moreover, after he died and his soul went to the Land of Light Dimension, Locke could better host a banquet for this new guest.
The most important point.
If a Russian nesting doll suddenly appeared at home and Gwen happened to find it out of curiosity one day, what then?
It was better to send him to the Land of Light Dimension. Not only was it peace of mind, but it was also convenient; he could go find this new guest anytime, anywhere, to chat about where he got the nerve.
Soon.
Gwen ended her call with Pepper and walked in from the balcony, making a surprised expression as she sat on a bar stool. "Wow, it's the first time I've realized Pepper is so gossipy."
Locke wiped his hands with a towel and picked up his bourbon again. "Wasn't she before?"
Gwen shrugged. "At least not like today. Oh right, tomorrow, let's go to the Military Rehabilitation Center in New Jersey together."
Locke looked at Gwen with curiosity.
Gwen reminded him, "You forgot, tomorrow is the day Dr. Connors is discharged. Dr. Connors doesn't have any relatives. Oh, I also made an appointment with Kem for the afternoon."
"Kem?"
"Yeah."
Gwen stood up from the bar stool and stretched. "I plan to bring Kem along this afternoon to go to Dr. Connors' apartment and clean it up."
Locke smiled. "Can't you just hire a cleaner?"
Gwen shook her head. "No, it's a matter of attitude."
"What attitude..."
Locke said as much, then thought of something and smiled. "True, the doctor generously gave you those three percentage points of equity. It's not too much to personally go and clean up once."
Yeah.
Not at all.
Gwen gave Locke a direct eye-roll. "I can't say I'll accept it."
It's the same old saying.
No reward without merit. Gwen felt that in Dr. Connors' lab, her contribution was at most worth two points, which she deserved. But the other three were not hers to take, although Gwen didn't quite understand why Dr. Connors wanted to give them to her.
Locke smiled. "Didn't Dr. Connors already sign yesterday?"
The Human Recovery Serum was successfully produced.
It was a miracle.
Whether for the Military or for Osborn. So yesterday, at Osborn Industries, Norman Osborn couldn't wait to hold a press conference. After announcing this exciting news at the press conference, he also didn't break his promise and announced that he would gift the five percentage points of equity he held to Dr. Curt Connors and Ms. Gwen Stacy, who had made outstanding contributions to this experiment.
Of course.
That's just talk. Afterwards, because of Dr. Connors' reconfirmation, these five percentage points of equity were merged and given to Gwen Stacy. Furthermore, the income tax had already been paid immediately. It was just waiting for Gwen's signature to officially take effect.
However, it was just a matter of one signature.
Locke asked curiously, "Did the doctor still not tell you the real reason?"
Gwen looked up. "He did."
Locke raised an eyebrow.
Gwen sighed. "But I feel the doctor's reason is a bit too far-fetched. He said something like, me having two and him having three still looks like five, but the effect is actually different from one person having five."
Locke raised his eyebrows.
So that's how it is.
The doctor... who said Dr. Connors was just a scientist? This explanation is full of shrewdness.
Locke looked at Gwen curiously. "Didn't you ask your best friend?"
"You mean Kem?"
"No, Pepper. You can ask Pepper. Maybe Pepper won't think this reason is nonsense."
Chapter 508: The Probability of Green Hulk's Birth
One equity share is three points.
One equity share is two points... or, added together, one equity share is five points.
Who can bring the greatest benefit is not the issue at all.
Let's put it this way.
On the board of directors of a listed company like Osborn, the weight of a director with three points of equity and a director with five points is completely different.
Clearly.
Dr. Connors is thinking about concentrating power to achieve great things.
Of course.
Dr. Connors' position is that he only wants to focus on his own research, but it would naturally be best if a company director supported him.
Soon.
Gwen returned after a second call with Pepper, and then Gwen sighed: "I feel like there's no difference between three and two, or five."
Locke smiled.
"There is still a difference."
"What?"
"Five points is greater than both three and two!"
"..."
The next day.
New Jersey Veterans Rehabilitation Hospital.
When Locke and Gwen arrived at Dr. Connors' ward around ten in the morning, they saw many Doctors who, as they had for the past few days, appeared to be making rounds but were actually consulting in advance about the effects and contraindications of the Human Recovery Serum.
Upon seeing Locke and Gwen enter, the Doctors tactfully stopped bothering Dr. Connors. After wishing the soon-to-be-discharged Dr. Connors well, they turned, nodded politely with a smile to Locke and Gwen, and left the ward.
Gwen brought over the breakfast she was carrying and looked at Dr. Connors, who was already dressed, lying on the hospital bed wearing glasses, looking even more scholarly: "Didn't you tell them, Doctor, that it will be at least two years before they can probably use it?"
Dr. Connors rose from the bed with a smile. Because his severed arm had returned, he looked even more energetic and bright than before: "I did. Two years is actually just a blink of an eye in the eyes of many patients with limb defects."
Gwen smiled: "They should thank you, Doctor."
"Wrong!"
Dr. Connors' expression turned serious: "They should thank our team. The Human Recovery Serum is not my credit alone, and if it weren't for Gwen, I would probably still be that monster."
Gwen smiled.
Locke spoke up at this point: "Alright, Gwen, we're here to pick up Dr. Connors from the hospital."
Dr. Connors laughed heartily, then seemed to remember something: "By the way, Gwen, did you go next door to see Dr. Banner?"
Gwen gave an 'en': "When we just came in, the Doctors were here with you, so Locke and I went next door to check on Dr. Banner first, but it seemed like no one was there. Has Dr. Banner been discharged?"
As she spoke.
A weak voice came from outside the door: "I wanted to be discharged."
Gwen turned to look.
Dr. Bruce Banner, whose face was somewhat pale and whose spirit seemed a bit withered, limped in under the anxious gaze of Betty Ross. He gave a bitter smile: "But they won't approve my discharge."
Saying that.
Bruce Banner shook hands with Locke, who was standing at the door, and then looked at Dr. Connors: "Old friend, I envy you."
Dr. Connors shook his head: "You're the Military's darling. How could the Military let you leave before you've fully recovered? Besides... I'm the one who should envy you."
As he said the last sentence, Dr. Connors paused and gave Bruce Banner a 'you know what I mean' look.
Damn it!
We agreed back then to be lonely old bachelors together.
And the result?
Bruce Banner quietly, without a word, directly escaped bachelorhood.
Goodfellas.
This gave Dr. Connors a feeling of being cheated, even to the point of wanting to transform back into Dr. Lizard once more to roar and smash the Bruce Banner in front of him.
Locke crossed his arms and stood with Gwen, watching Bruce Banner and Dr. Connors bicker.
Red Hulk has appeared.
So... what about Green Hulk?
Locke pondered whether Green Hulk would be nipped in the bud after this turn of events. He also wondered if Bruce Banner could still transform into Bruce Hulk Banner again.
He probably would!
Locke thought to himself. After all, based on past experiences, what's meant to come will surely come.
For example, Jessica would become Superwoman.
For example, Dr. Connors would become the Lizard.
So if nothing unexpected happens, Bruce Banner will still become Green Hulk; it's just a matter of time.
After a while.
During the bickering with Bruce Banner, Dr. Connors had also simply packed his things. He had a small handbag and refused any help, stating that while he was hospitalized, he had thought about walking out of the hospital on the day of his discharge, carrying his own bag with the hand he had lost and regained.
"Goodbye!"
Dr. Connors hugged Bruce Banner: "I look forward to our next meeting when you've also been discharged."
"I will be."
Bruce Banner said: "I still have to talk to you about the compensation for my laboratory."
Dr. Connors laughed loudly: "Compensation? I have no money. The Military has already stated they won't hold me responsible. As for you, I have nothing to offer in return, but if there's anything you need from me, just say it. The only thing of value I have is the knowledge in my head."
Yes.
The Military dropped the charges against Dr. Connors.
After all, it wasn't Dr. Connors who caused the destruction to the Military, but the Lizard Monster, and the Lizard Monster was gone. Most importantly, while the Military obtained the Human Recovery Serum, General Ross had also gained a lot.
So... right now, General Ross, whose status was more than just stable—it could be described as indestructible—was in a very good mood. After his transformation on the second day, he was even more delighted.
Compensation? What compensation? Is the Military short of that little bit of money?
"By the way."
As Locke, Gwen, and Dr. Connors walked toward the hospital entrance, Locke asked curiously: "Why didn't I see General Ross?"
Dr. Connors said: "The General went to Afghanistan."
Gwen blinked: "Went to Afghanistan?"
Dr. Connors laughed and looked at Gwen: "If you got such a big toy, wouldn't you go test its power?"
Not to mention, General Ross is a well-known hawk in the Federation.
In short.
After that first transformation, General Ross was impatient and stated he wanted to personally go to the Afghan battlefield to test Red Hulk's power. If it weren't for the people at The Pentagon feeling that transformation was somewhat unscientific and keeping General Ross for two days...
Heh.
General Ross would probably have rushed to Afghanistan on the day of his transformation.
Of course.
Even with the extra two days, The Pentagon was trembling because during those two days, General Ross, eager to go wild on the battlefield, couldn't go three sentences without threatening to transform and tear down The Pentagon. It wasn't until General Ross's wife was invited to the scene that he went from threatening to tear down The Pentagon every three sentences to every ten sentences.
An hour later.
They arrived at Dr. Connors' apartment.
Opening the door.
The apartment, which had been vacant for nearly two months, was cleaned thoroughly. It couldn't be called spotless, but it looked as good as new.
This was the result of Gwen dragging Kem to work for nearly three hours yesterday.
Dr. Connors put his handbag on the sofa and then saw a group photo placed on the bar.
A photo of the laboratory members.
However, in this photo, only he and Gwen were still alive.
Dr. Connors touched the photo with his brand-new arm, seemingly thinking of something: "By the way, Gwen, the insurance company compensated them, right?"
Gwen said: "They did. The highest personal accident coverage, three million."
Dr. Connors slightly recovered from his sadness: "That's good."
The insurance wasn't bought by Osborn Industries. Instead, an insurance salesman had found Dr. Connors eating alone outside and moved him with his pitch, which led Dr. Connors to buy it.
Dr. Connors felt the insurance agent made sense. In a lab, experimental accidents are normal. Buying insurance is good preparation for the unexpected.
So... "I heard that after the compensation was paid, the person who sold the insurance was fired."
"Haha."
Gwen said so, and then thinking of the one who sold Locke insurance, she looked at Locke curiously: "The one who sold you insurance also paid out several new cars to you in a very short time, didn't they? Why weren't they fired?"
Locke smiled: "How much is one car? Besides, I'm a major client of Silver City Insurance Company. Can it be the same?"
Although Locke could now be called a god among men.
He was still buying insurance.
Personal accident insurance, personal pension insurance... in short, Locke bought everything he could. Again, it's better to be safe than sorry. As long as he buys enough insurance, no matter what happens to him, it can be considered a huge profit.
Of course.
If Locke were in China, he certainly wouldn't dare to buy as recklessly as he did here.
After all... they don't compensate for this, and they don't compensate for that.
Who could stand it?
Presumably, if the real Superman went there, he would be rebuffed by the insurance companies, saying he violated the agreement of truthful disclosure before purchase, and they would be sorry that he couldn't obtain any compensation.
At least here, if the other party doesn't pay, Locke can turn around and sue them for another huge profit...
509. Locke has private money
Soon.
A week passed in the blink of an eye.
It was the same stadium.
Unlike last week, this time, everyone entering had gone through strict security checks, ensuring that not even a small folding fruit knife could be brought in.
Similarly.
Those who entered were still wary; at the start of the game, although their attention was on the fierce rugby match on the field, some of their attention was also on their surroundings.
They wanted to prevent another deranged assassin from appearing, just like last week.
However... Locke and his classmates didn't have such a burden; after all, they knew the truth, so all their energy was focused on the Midtown High School rugby team, which was tearing through the field with an unstoppable offense...
Every time Sam Malik ran on the field, he would glance at the VIP seats in the stands, and it seemed that each time he saw Jessica sitting in the VIP seats, he would become even more energized.
Undoubtedly.
This scene drew teasing remarks from Cindy, Kim, Betty, and a group of other girls towards Jessica.
After a week, having unburdened her secrets to Carrie, or rather, having been taught some hidden tips by Carrie, Jessica, who had just returned to school and was still being observed to see if she was still depressed, had now re-integrated into the group.
What Carrie taught Jessica was actually what Locke had taught Carrie at the time.
Embrace the ordinary, but don't get used to it.
Cindy covered her mouth and quipped, "Tsk tsk, are you sure we're here to watch a game and not to see a public display of affection? God, Jessica, why don't you just marry Sam already?"
After all, at their age, they could register at City Hall.
Jessica looked at Cindy, smiling with a serious expression, "Do you think I haven't thought about it?"
Cindy was slightly stunned, her eyes widening, "What? Really?"
Jessica gave a mischievous smile, "I'm just kidding."
Cindy: "..."
Gwen, watching this harmonious scene from the side, like the matriarch of their small circle, turned to Locke, who was sitting next to her with his legs crossed, wearing sunglasses, and watching the game, and said, "This is the rhythm of life, isn't it?"
Locke nodded.
In life, how could it be full of adventure and excitement twenty-four hours a day? Plainness and ordinariness are the main rhythm, but people just like to find fun in this ordinary rhythm.
For example... Locke's Paris trip gift package specifically concocted for Kim.
During halftime, as the cheerleaders from both sides once again took to the field to rally the crowd, Kim, sitting behind Gwen, tapped Gwen's back and shared a funny story she had encountered: "I won a prize last night."
Gwen and the others turned their heads to look at Kim: "Won a prize?"
Kim nodded: "Yeah, a luxury five-day, four-night trip to Paris, all-inclusive, including food and accommodation!"
Gwen's mouth dropped open in surprise.
"Really? Is it a scam?"
"Unlikely, I won it in a live draw, and look at the ticket."
Kim said, taking out the special prize ticket from her bag that she had won last night when she joined a new gym and handed it to Gwen: "And, the plane tickets and everything were booked on the spot."
"What?"
"No way."
"Wow, with that luck, you should buy a lottery ticket."
"I think so too."
The classmates listened to Kim's words, then looked at the enlarged and bolded words "Luxury Five-Day, Four-Night Trip to Paris" on the prize ticket in Gwen's hand, and couldn't help but be surprised and envious.
Gwen looked at the details on the prize ticket, and the Prince de Galles Hotel listed there also left her astonished: "This hotel is five-star, and one night costs about fifteen hundred US dollars. Oh my goodness, what kind of gym is this, so extravagant?"
Kim shook her head: "I don't know. It was acquired last year, renovated for a year, and just opened a few days ago. They say the owner is a Wall Street playboy who doesn't lack money and used the grand prize to attract attention. I thought the grand prize was rigged, but I didn't expect..."
Alright.
Gwen initially had serious doubts about whether this gym was a scam, after all, just the cost of one day's hotel stay was probably more than the money Kim paid, let alone four nights.
However, if it was a Wall Street playboy, then indeed, he wouldn't lack money.
Gwen handed the prize ticket back to Kim: "Well, congratulations."
Kim took back the prize ticket, glanced at Locke sitting next to Gwen, and said to Gwen, "To be honest, at first, I thought it was Locke's prank. After all, you know Locke has been telling me to go to Paris from the beginning."
Locke, who had been sitting silently, looked up at Kim and smiled, "I just think Paris suits your temperament very well!"
Good heavens.
Is his intuition that accurate?
Fortunately... this time, to send you to Paris to experience the treachery of human nature, I made thorough preparations.
Yes.
That gym, located near Kim's home, was Locke's masterpiece. Ever since he decided last year to throw Kim into Paris to experience the treachery of human nature, Locke had been meticulously planning.
It could be said that.
Kim, who had always been uninterested in fitness, was inexplicably drawn to getting a gym membership and participating in the drawing, all orchestrated by Locke.
He had even hired a criminal expert known as the "Puppet Master" in the criminal underworld to personally handle it, spending a hundred thousand US dollars, just to ensure Kim would receive this "human nature experience card" to Paris without any guard or suspicion.
As for the hotel?
Ha.
Locke only booked one night; anyway, Kim wasn't likely to stay for the full four nights, so there was no need to waste money.
Furthermore.
Locke could say that, at this moment, all his financial power had been handed over to Gwen. Gwen knew his current assets better than he did.
The money in the Unrivaled Assassin's account had decreased, and without taking on new jobs, it was better to be a bit more frugal.
To Locke's explanation, Kim replied.
"Do you think I believe you? When you told me to go to Paris, I always felt your motives were very impure!"
"Haha!"
Locke chuckled, "What bad intentions could I have!"
I just want you to experience the hardships of life, that's all.
"Really?"
"Of course!"
Locke shrugged, his eyes clear: "Truer than pure gold."
Kim raised an eyebrow and looked directly at Gwen: "Gwen, why don't we go to Paris together this summer?"
Gwen, who had been smiling and looking at Locke's clear eyes, heard this and looked at Kim.
Cindy's eyes lit up beside them: "Then I'm going too! I want to go to Paris with my best girlfriend!"
Kim's brow twitched as she looked at Cindy, who was always trying to snatch her position as Gwen's best friend, and said, "Cindy, I'm Gwen's best friend. You're second."
Cindy ignored Kim and looked at Gwen: "Gwen, how about it? Shall we go to Paris too?"
Locke's brow twitched. Seeing Gwen about to speak, he secretly thought, "Oh no," and quickly said, "No need, Gwen and I have already planned our summer activities."
Are you kidding?
The trip to Paris was a program he had specially arranged for Kim at great expense.
If Locke...
No.
If Gwen also went along, would there still be any fun?
Locke had sworn that this summer, no matter what, he would make Kim thoroughly experience what it means to face the treachery of human nature and what it means for trouble to arise from one's own actions.
If Kim didn't have the "best friend" buff with Gwen, it wouldn't be this troublesome.
Cindy heard this, leaned forward, and looked at Locke: "Where is Locke planning to take our student assistant? It's not some secret island, is it?"
Locke chuckled and looked at Cindy: "Do you think I would choose the ocean?"
What if the Poseidon came again?
Moreover... let alone the ocean, Locke had racked his brains for this summer trip. This time, he absolutely couldn't let his disaster-prone physique follow him like a shadow.
So.
After much thought, Locke came up with a country that would absolutely make his disaster-prone physique shy away!
The East Country!
With the River Crab Divine Beast suppressing its fate, the disaster-prone physique, under suppression, would certainly not be able to unleash its power.
Moreover... the public security in the East Country is already among the best. At night, even in a second-tier city, the lights would probably be brighter and more brilliant than those in Greater New York.
"The East Country!"
Locke smiled at Kim: "I've already bought the tickets, so, sorry, Kim, it seems my dream of going to Paris with you is shattered. Or, would you like to wait?"
Kim gave Locke a direct eye-roll: "I don't want to go to Paris with you. I feel you have ulterior motives, Locke. You have a problem, a big problem."
Didn't you still fall for it obediently?
Locke thought to himself, his smile radiant.
Cindy and Kahn exchanged glances, then looked at Locke curiously: "Where in the East Country are you going? What date? I'll check flights when I get back, we can go together."
"Suzhou and Hangzhou!"
Locke said: "I didn't pay attention to the date. I'll send you the flight information later."
Isn't there a saying, "Above there is paradise, below there are Suzhou and Hangzhou"?
Moreover, as a true East Country native in spirit, if he still went to places like the Imperial Capital or the Demon Capital, what essential difference would that make from those ordinary, clueless foreigners?
Rural homes, small bridges, flowing water—that's what one should see.
Gwen, listening to Locke and Cindy's confident conversation, blinked internally.
Going to the East Country?
Why didn't she know about it?
After all, she was in charge of the finances, and she knew exactly how much money was being spent.
Could it be... Locke had a secret stash of money?
...Happy New Year!!!
Five hundred and ten, the money of the East is worthless
The competition for the High School Football Super Bowl was actually a foregone conclusion.
After all, the Midtown High School team, led by Sam Malik, knew the truth about the attack that happened here last week, while the other team did not.
No matter how high their morale, they would still be affected by the attack, fearing another one.
So.
Midtown High School won.
Without a doubt.
However, Gwen's attention was not on the foregone conclusion of the match, but on Locke.
Gwen had only one thought in her mind: Locke... has a secret stash of money?
Gwen felt that this was not good, not because she was against Locke having a secret stash, but because it would easily lead to problems when declaring taxes each quarter.
It would be very bad if the IRS targeted them.
No one dares to owe the IRS money; if Locke having a secret stash led to the IRS showing up with tanks for a 'friendly' visit, that would be a huge joke.
Especially since Locke was about to receive the title of Honorary Citizen.
Yes.
Maria Hill kept her word; this week, Locke and Gwen received inside information from George that Locke had been selected for this year's Honorary Citizen list.
This made George somewhat dazed.
Although an Honorary Citizen doesn't have any real power, he, as an old New Yorker, had worked hard and diligently for many years to protect the safety of New York City, yet he never earned the title of Honorary Citizen.
And Locke?
A Texan, who had been in New York for less than three years, and now, good heavens, he was transforming into an Honorary Citizen of New York City.
How could this be fair?
The most crucial thing was that George clearly knew there was foul play involved, but for various reasons, he couldn't report it, which made George, who upheld justice and was incorruptible, feel even more uncomfortable.
After the celebration banquet for the football players, upon returning home,
Gwen took off her coat, then, with her arms crossed, walked over to Locke, who, as always, poured himself a drink as soon as he got home, staring at him intently with piercing eyes.
Locke, who had just opened the bottle cap, looked at Gwen's strange behavior, raised his head, and hummed.
Gwen extended her right hand, making a 'give it to me' gesture.
Locke smiled at this.
"What?"
"Your secret stash!"
Gwen spoke frankly, looking at Locke, "Darling, if you don't want to give it, that's fine, but you have to tell me the amount. Taxes are due soon, and if the IRS finds out, we'll be in trouble. Besides, you're about to become an Honorary Citizen of New York City; it would be embarrassing if this came out."
A dignified Honorary Citizen of New York caught evading taxes—Gwen could guarantee that the media, who had been frustrated by being unable to report last weekend, would certainly highlight this story, perhaps even serializing it until the end of the year.
Locke blinked, looking at the serious Gwen, whose face was clearly etched with the expression, 'I'm doing this for accurate tax reporting, not for your secret money,' and he couldn't help but laugh.
The next second.
Locke still took out a bank card from his pocket.
Gwen was slightly stunned, looking at the unfamiliar bank card, especially the very Song-style 'Dongguo Bank' on it, and blinked. She looked up at Locke, "You even got a Dongguo bank card?"
Locke sipped the bourbon in his glass and nodded, "Yeah, aren't we going to Dongguo for vacation this summer? Having a Dongguo card will make things more convenient then."
"But... when did you get it?"
"Hmm?"
Locke thought carefully for a moment, then looked at Gwen, "Probably, before I even came to New York."
"Huh?"
"I got it when I went to Dongguo with Chester for business."
When in doubt, blame Chester.
Anyway, no matter what he said, if Gwen asked Chester, Chester would always reply, "Yes, that's right, that's how it is."
To be precise.
This card was obtained by Locke when he went to Dongguo for an international business transaction. There was no other way; the other party offered too much money that time, and it was because of that transaction that Locke came to New York with enough money to fully purchase the apartment he was currently living in.
That order was given by a Dongguo person, who placed an urgent order. After Locke accepted it, he asked Locke to prioritize his order, promising to pay double the amount after it was completed.
Locke did as he was told.
Then, after the matter was settled, the guy blocked Locke and, relying on being in Dongguo, thought Locke wouldn't dare to go after him.
But... Locke went. After all, he was a working man, and someone was trying to default on his hard-earned money. Who the hell could accept that? After it was all done, Locke deposited all the compensation he received in Dongguo into a Dongguo bank.
There was no other way; Locke wanted to bring it over, but the amount was too large, and Dongguo had foreign exchange controls. Locke didn't want to pay so much in intermediary fees all at once, so he withdrew a portion and left the rest in the bank.
Gwen flipped through the ordinary Dongguo bank card in her hand and asked curiously, "How much money is in it?"
Locke didn't even look up, "Probably only one or two million."
Gwen's mouth slightly opened.
Only... one or two million?
Locke saw her reaction and smiled, reminding her, "Dongguo currency isn't worth much."
Gwen came back to her senses, remembered the exchange rate, nodded, and then, hearing Locke's latter half of the sentence, glanced at Locke, "Who says it's not worth much? Every single international student from Dongguo at our college lives in a villa, and their first car is a new luxury car worth over a hundred thousand US dollars."
Locke chuckled.
That was true, and Midtown High School had quite a few international students from Dongguo.
However, except for a few international students who were good at socializing, most of the Dongguo international students stayed within their small circles, seeming very exclusive.
Locke had no desire to interact with these people, so his opportunities to meet them were relatively few.
Gwen thought for a moment, then reached out and handed the bank card back to Locke.
Locke saw this, "Don't you want it?"
Gwen shrugged, "The federal and Dongguo tax systems aren't connected, so keep it. I was just worried that it was another federal card of yours, which would make our tax reporting inaccurate."
Even if converted to US dollars, two million was only a few hundred thousand.
That was only enough for a few bottles of good quality Thunder Bourbon.
It wasn't even enough for Locke's annual, no, half-year liquor bill.
Gwen thought to herself, and besides, what she cared about was never whether Locke had a secret stash, but whether Locke would tell her about it. So, after placing the bank card on the table, Gwen flicked her ponytail, "I'm going to take a shower... coming with me?"
Locke raised an eyebrow, finishing the drink in his glass, "Coming!"
A new day.
Midtown High School.
The last month before summer vacation always made countless students feel as if time was slowing down, but this didn't stop them from already imagining how they would spend their summer vacation.
Most of them planned to travel somewhere, then come back to work and continue earning money for their future college tuition.
Gwen would also return to Osborn Bio-Industrial this summer to continue her part-time job in Dr. Connors' lab. Although Gwen had decided to accept the five points of equity, it didn't mean she didn't need to earn money anymore.
After all, people always need something to do.
In Gwen's words, "Laziness has inertia. Once you get used to resting, laziness will cling to you like a devil. By the time you want to break free, laziness will have formed a cage, trapping you."
Locke deeply agreed with this!
So Locke was also encouraged by Gwen and planned to have the Peerless Assassin take on a few orders after their summer trip to Dongguo, as he hadn't had any business all year.
However, compared to most students who were already looking forward to their summer vacation in a month, Locke and Gwen were as busy as ever.
For example, the Student Council Knowledge Bowl Team Competition.
And... the school's Summer Dance. Summer vacation was almost here, and this dance was the most anticipated event for students before summer vacation, besides their summer travels.
However, organizing this dance was easy for those who knew how, and difficult for those who didn't.
After all, the Midtown High School Student Council was not short on money. And, leveraging the Student Knowledge Bowl platform, Gwen contacted Pepper. Without even needing to meet, a single phone call was enough to secure a ballroom at a Stark-owned hotel as the venue for the Summer Dance.
"What about the graduation yearbook?"
"Let the graduation committee handle it; we'll just cover the printing costs!"
Locke chuckled, "It's still the same as last year. The graduation committee's affairs will be handled by the twelfth-grade student assistants and their team, and we won't participate at all."
When it comes to graduation-related matters, if done well, people won't be grateful, and if done poorly, people will complain. It's not worth the trouble.
Moreover... this wasn't a task.
For things that weren't tasks and didn't concern him, Locke never worried about them.
Locke said to Gwen, "Don't forget, it's almost our turn to have a showdown with Trinity again on the Student Council Knowledge Bowl platform. That guy, what's his name, Richards, said he was going back to practice his hand speed. I wonder how his practice is going."
At this point, Locke couldn't help but laugh even more.
Without a doubt.
Reed Richards' intelligence and knowledge were definitely top-notch, but his hand speed was lacking. Locke still felt that the outcome of this competition would be equally undisputed.
Even if that guy mastered the Sunflower Acupoint Tapping Technique, he wouldn't be able to surpass Locke in terms of hand speed...
511. Richards is too small
In the luxurious building that the Maria Stark Education Fund had lent to the Student Union Knowledge Competition Alliance, where the Hudson River could be seen as soon as the door was pushed open, thunderous applause erupted and showed no signs of stopping.
On the competition stage.
Reed Richards turned his head to glance at the scoreboard.
Twelve to eleven.
Not bad... No.
It was still twelve to zero.
On the Trinity Student Knowledge Competition team's side, Reed Richards' face was extremely grim... Susan and Ben couldn't help but sigh.
Unlike Reed Richards' almost explosive expression, Susan and Ben were in a much better mood. After all, this was not a failure of strategy; it was purely, just like last time, a complete loss due to reaction speed.
What could they do if their reaction speed wasn't as fast as others'?
This time, they had pressed the buzzer almost the moment the examiner read out the question.
But... Susan and Ben looked at Locke, who was slowly getting up from the main seat, and Gwen, across from them, as if they were monsters. Every time, either Locke or Gwen pressed the buzzer first.
Locke, however, thought this was quite normal.
After all, Reed Richards was a bachelor, which gave him a bonus in reaction speed, but at the end of the day, he was still an ordinary person. How fast could an ordinary person's neural reaction speed be?
No matter how fast, could it be faster than Locke, the God on Earth, or Gwen, the Spider-Woman?
To put it simply.
Reed Richards thought that after training, he could improve his neural reaction speed, but if his hands and feet couldn't keep up with his nerves, it was still useless.
Actually, it was better to be open-minded. At least this time, countless New York media outlets were broadcasting live, so even if Locke once again whitewashed his opponent, everyone would at most feel pity, not contempt.
But... Reed Richards seemed unable to accept it, and not only that, but as he watched Locke stand up and walk towards him, preparing to shake hands, he snorted coldly, almost slamming his hand on the table.
"Sorry!"
Locke directly ignored Reed Richards' unwilling gaze, and with a gentlemanly smile, he said to Susan, who would become Reed's wife in the original plot, "Another lucky win."
Reed Richards' eyes narrowed slightly.
Susan glanced at Reed Richards out of the corner of her eye. Seeing that he made no move, and feeling the media reporters below, she quickly extended her right hand and shook Locke's hand: "Congratulations, Locke, I look forward to next year's competition."
Locke smiled: "Likewise, I'm also very much looking forward to the next competition."
Upon hearing this, Reed Richards snorted coldly again, then turned and left the stage.
Locke raised an eyebrow.
"Reed..."
"Reed..."
Susan and Ben were both stunned, looking at Reed, who had left directly, feeling a sense of disbelief.
Gwen, Cindy, and Helen Cho and others were also slightly stunned by the sight.
This person... lacks magnanimity.
Last week, you decisively defeated other teams twelve to zero, and the captains of other high schools all smiled and shook your hand, even offering their blessings.
Good heavens.
When it was your turn, you just walked off the stage like that.
And it was in the finals?
This narrow-mindedness, it's too much.
Seeing Reed not looking back, Susan's face showed a hint of embarrassment. She quickly turned around and apologized to Locke, Gwen, and the others.
Locke smiled and expressed understanding: "Geniuses, you know, always have temperaments that are out of the ordinary."
Reed Richards.
The magnanimity of this Mr. Fantastic... was not great; this was not the first day he had known that.
Let me put it this way.
In the original plot, this Mr. Fantastic, Reed Richards, could get along with the former African-American director of S.H.I.E.L.D., Nick Fury. It could be said that they were kindred spirits, and also birds of a feather.
Moreover... this Mr. Fantastic, Reed Richards' persecution complex, was even worse than Nick Fury's.
Let me put it this way.
This Mr. Fantastic could, solely based on his belief that Dr. Bruce Banner and the Hulk might pose a threat to Earth, directly find a way to banish Bruce Banner and the Hulk to another planet.
Nick Fury's persecution complex mostly stayed on a verbal level, while this Mr. Fantastic would put his ideas into action.
At this moment, the host, who was also bewildered by this scene, quickly reacted and came forward to smooth things over, telling the audience to wait a moment. After a break, Pepper Potts, the manager of the Maria Stark Education Fund, would present awards to the team competition champions.
Soon.
Pepper Potts took the stage, first congratulating the winning team, then speaking about Maria Stark's hopes for education during her lifetime and the vision for this education fund. Then, she and Locke and the others took a group photo in front of the enlarged prize check.
In the office.
After Pepper Potts entered the office, she covered her forehead and couldn't help but laugh: "Was that really the captain of the Trinity High School team?"
Locke, who had followed her in, shrugged: "No doubt about it!"
Pepper poured herself a glass of bourbon, then offered one to Locke, and took a sip: "If this wasn't the first year, and the media invited weren't relatively familiar, this would have turned into a joke."
Although the first-place prize money was more than double the second-place prize money.
But... even if they lost, it shouldn't have led to him just giving up and walking away, good heavens. If unfamiliar media had been present, and after being photographed and reported, it would have immediately become a laughingstock.
Locke sat on the sofa: "I just called Orrin, and he's also very angry, saying that Reed Richards isn't usually like this."
Pepper also said, "Exactly, I was there last week too, and he seemed quite gentlemanly and polite."
Gwen laughed: "Maybe it's because he didn't win. After all, this is our second match against him. Perhaps he feels that as a California genius, losing to us is a great loss of face."
"Heh heh!"
Gwen let out a cold laugh, as if remembering something. She walked over to her desk, then, among the pile of documents on the desk, she found a file, opened it, glanced at it, then closed it, and threw it directly into the nearby trash can.
Thump.
The document landed squarely in the trash can!
A perfect score.
"This is..."
"Reed Richards' research fund application."
Pepper walked back, calming her inner impulse: "Originally, I thought this research project had good prospects and met all the requirements, but no, it's a no!"
You almost made me look foolish!
Then go apply for free research funds elsewhere. Do you really think the money in my foundation comes from thin air?
It's still the same saying.
If unfamiliar media had been present just now, and if it had been publicized like that, good heavens, it wouldn't matter if people at Stark Industries gossiped. But if it caused any bad reputation to be attached to the Maria Stark Education Fund, that would be the biggest problem.
Locke and Gwen exchanged glances but said nothing.
Pepper was the manager of the foundation, and it was her own business which student's research she sponsored for free.
And... Pepper said so, still seemingly not quite appeased, and looked at Locke: "I don't remember you suggesting a background check before the competition started?"
Locke apologized.
Seeing this, Gwen looked at Pepper and said, "Pepper, you can't blame Locke. The character report had no issues. We just thought Reed Richards was a bit too competitive, and we didn't expect him to act this way."
Pepper seemed to realize her tone and also apologized: "Locke, I didn't mean to blame you."
Locke smiled: "It's fine."
Even if there was blame, it was fine. Locke wasn't going to take this matter to heart.
In a word.
Without Pepper's sponsorship, the Student Union Knowledge Competition would not have been held with such grandeur, and Locke would not have received the hidden mission reward.
Just for this reason, Locke would not take anything to heart.
Pepper took a deep breath, still seemingly very unappeased, and looked at Locke again, saying, "May I, as the foundation, make the first suggestion?"
Locke smiled: "Of course, the Student Union Knowledge Competition Alliance, you have a board seat there, Pepper."
Pepper said, "Good," then directly stated, "I propose to ban Reed Richards from participating in any Student Union Knowledge Competition Alliance events. If, in the future, it expands to college-level knowledge competitions as planned, the same applies: permanently ban his participation!"
And that wasn't all!
Pepper had already decided to call and text the heads of other education funds to discuss this matter once she returned.
Hmph!
You almost made me lose face, so I might as well put it out of sight, out of mind.
Did they really think her nickname, "Little Pepper" (Xiao La Jiao), Pepper Potts, came out of nowhere, called out by others for no reason?
What a joke. If Pepper Potts was truly just a pretty face with no intelligence, even with Howard Stark's high regard at the time, she would never have been able to laugh all the way to today after Howard Stark's death.
The flowers around Tony Stark came and went, but she, Pepper Potts, always remained.
Pepper Potts could guarantee that from today until far, far into the future, no matter how talented Reed Richards was, no matter how much of a genius he was, no investment institution would ever invest in him.
You're so temperamental, are you?
Fine.
Then you can play by yourself, slowly!
Gwen looked at Pepper, whose face was clearly unhappy, and said nothing.
Locke, indifferent to the situation, nodded: "Alright, then, this weekend, after the team competition ends, let's hold a board meeting to discuss the individual competition, which will be held once every other weekend and can maintain its popularity until the end of summer vacation. And while we're at it, bring up your suggestion at the meeting. I'll support you, Pepper!"
Chapter 512: A Classic Case of Knowledge Changing One's Destiny
Actually... when the Student Council Knowledge Competition League first started, it was intended to hold both the team and individual competitions during the summer vacation, but Locke vetoed the team competition.
Why move it to summer vacation?
Wasn't he going to travel?
Locke was no study fanatic; it could even be said he had zero interest in studying. However, he was very interested in using studying as a means to earn points—extremely interested, in fact.
But there was a prerequisite.
It had to be during the official school term. Expecting Locke to sacrifice his own vacation time for studying was purely a pipe dream.
It went back to the same saying.
There's a proper time and place for everything depending on one's age. Most importantly, without the academic atmosphere of a school, Locke couldn't bring himself to study.
However... Locke certainly wouldn't give that as his reason. The reason used to convince the League's board of directors was more formal: the team competition was different from the individual one. Team members could be of different ethnicities and might include international students. If the team competition were held during the summer, it might disrupt the students' original plans.
In that case, it would be detrimental... The individual competition was different. Besides, compared to team events, the citizens of the Federation actually preferred watching individual duels.
Heroism, after all!
Therefore, the team competition was set to conclude on a weekend just before the summer vacation. This left exactly one week for the news of the high team prize money to ferment for a bit. Then, riding that wave of popularity, the individual competition would take place throughout the summer under the slogan: 'Knowledge can change your destiny!'
As for Pepper wanting to sanction Reed Richards?
Locke had no objection to that.
A person must always take responsibility for their actions.
Did Reed Richards not know what kind of negative impact his sudden, angry departure would have on the Knowledge League?
Of course he did.
Perhaps Reed Richards didn't know, but that was no excuse.
Again, not everyone is your father. Once you leave home, no one is going to coddle you. If you do something wrong, even if you claim ignorance, it cannot serve as a justification.
They stepped out the main doors.
Locke and Gwen got into the car and headed toward the restaurant where they had agreed to meet their teammates—the others had already arrived.
In the car.
Gwen blinked and said with a hint of wonder, "Locke, tell me, if you lost, would you be like Richards?"
Locke gave a 'ha' and laughed. "I won't lose!"
"Why?"
"No reason. I don't like losing, so I won't lose."
In this life, he had never known defeat!
He was blessed by fortune.
Locke wouldn't allow himself to lose, nor would he lose on purpose. Call it superstition, but he felt that if he lost once, his 'golden body' would be broken, which was very dangerous.
Gwen shook her head. "I'm saying, IF!"
Locke didn't even think about it. "There are no 'ifs.' There's nothing to discuss on this topic. I will win, and I will keep winning."
Gwen couldn't help but smile.
"You have a lot of blind confidence, you know?"
"Can't help it. No one can grant me a defeat!"
"..."
Gwen watched Locke glance over with a brilliant, almost arrogant smile. She opened her mouth, but finding nothing to say, she could only change the subject. "That's the first time I've seen Pepper so angry. Heavens, when you were talking to her, even I felt a bit scared. It felt like Pepper was like a volcano on the verge of erupting."
Locke laughed heartily. "Now you know the nickname 'Pepper' is well-earned."
Gwen pursed her lips and nodded. "I've seen it now. It's just a bit of a pity."
Pepper had made it very clear just now.
She might as well have said:'Since you made me unhappy for a moment, I'll make you unhappy for a lifetime.'
With Pepper's calls and messages sent out, it was essentially a total dead end for Reed Richards' path in scientific research. After all, no one would risk offending Stark to help a Reed Richards.
What?
A top-tier genius from California?
The Federation had plenty of things, and geniuses were a dime a dozen. Even the Master of Stark Industries, Tony Stark, was a genius among geniuses.
Locke shrugged at Gwen's words. "That's not necessarily true!"
Gwen looked up at Locke. "You think Richards still has a chance?"
"Sure."
Locke said seriously, "Maybe his daddy is rich."
Gwen rolled her eyes. "Stop it. Richards' family isn't wealthy at all."
Locke smiled. "I didn't say his biological father. Maybe he'll find a'sugar daddy' benefactor?"
Gwen blinked.
What a shame.
Locke thought of Doctor Doom, who sponsored Richards' research in the original plot.
Doctor Doom had kindly sponsored Richards when he was hitting walls everywhere looking for investment. And what did he get in return? Doctor Doom was taken down by a mutated Richards.
Speaking of which... from a certain perspective, Richards could be considered a rebellious son who committed patricide.
When no one would invest, he clung to Doctor Doom, calling him 'benefactor' and 'father' with every breath. But after the mutation, he turned on Doctor Doom, calling him a 'villain' and 'heretic' while telling him to go die.
Tsk tsk.
Honestly, what kind of things do these Federation people worship?
Yet another character with twisted morals being called a superhero.
Thinking this, Locke shook his head in silence.
Soon.
They arrived at a restaurant on the Manhattan waterfront, not far from the competition venue.
"Locke!"
"Gwen!"
"Over here."
From a distance, Cindy saw Locke and Gwen get out of the car and waved her hand enthusiastically.
After getting out, Locke glanced at his somewhat dirty audi, handed the keys to the valet, and took two franklins from his wallet. "Help me wash the car."
They walked over.
Locke and Gwen pulled out chairs.
Zhao Helen crossed her arms and looked at the latecomers with a smile. "Why so slow?"
Locke gave a helpless smile and recounted the incident of Pepper getting angry and planning to sanction Richards as an interesting anecdote.
Cindy raised an eyebrow. "Serves him right. He has no grace at all!"
Kahn added from the side, "Yesterday, when he beat his opponent, his smile was so bright. What, he only wants to win and can't handle losing? What kind of dream is he living in?"
"Exactly, a sore loser!"
"Pepper did the right thing."
Harry, who had also come along to make up the numbers but had correctly answered over a dozen questions, said, "I'll mention this to the Osborn investment department later. No applications from Reed Richards are to be approved."
Kahn gave Harry a thumbs up. "Dominant!"
Cindy followed suit. "That's how it should be. His mindset is too small. Even after Locke won, he went over to encourage them to keep trying next time."
Clearly.
The group also couldn't stand Reed Richards' behavior of storming off earlier.
Who was he trying to show that long face to by leaving like that?
Us?
Was our win unfair, or was your loss humiliating? What kind of person has no sense of sportsmanship? If it weren't for their good upbringing and the fact that their Captain, Locke, didn't care, they probably would have started cursing at Holy Trinity directly.
"Alright, alright."
Seeing that it was about to turn into a denunciation rally, Gwen quickly spoke up to soothe everyone, then bluntly shifted the topic. "Didn't we agree we were here for a victory celebration?"
As she spoke.
The Punch was served.
Locke asked the waiter for an empty glass. Then, looking at Kahn, Harry, and Matt, he decided to ask for four. In front of everyone, he opened the mineral water bottle he had brought and divided the contents equally into the four glasses.
Locke and Cindy were used to it.
Zhao Helen and Jane looked at each other in confusion.
Cindy covered her mouth, leaned toward Zhao Helen, and whispered a few words.
Zhao Helen and Jane Foster suddenly understood.
Then... Zhao Helen seemed to find something amusing. Looking at Locke, she teased, "I thought our Chairman Locke was fearless?"
Locke put away the water bottle, picked up the 'Water of Life' vodka, smiled at Zhao Helen, and raised his glass from afar. "Am I not?"
"Don't you prefer bourbon?"
"It's all the same!"
In public, he still needed to be mindful of his image. Although George no longer caught him for drunk driving, Locke could swear that if he let his guard down and drank bourbon openly outside, Georgewould not miss the opportunity.
Furthermore... Gwen answered for Locke, giving him a white eye as she said to Zhao Helen, "He's quite restrained now. After all, he's about to be an honorary citizen. If New Yorkers found out their honorary citizen started drinking at age twelve, they'd probably explode."
"I didn't start drinking at twelve."
"...Then what age?"
"Ten!"
Locke stated the age he started drinking, raising his eyebrows!
Gwen was dumbfounded. "Are you actually proud of that?"
Locke shrugged. "I'm not proud, but I won't be ashamed of it either!"
Gwen was speechless at Locke's reply.
Seeing this, Cindy raised her Punch glass. "Everyone, I propose a toast. To the perfect conclusion of the first half of our year. Cheers!"
"Cheers!"
"Cheers!"
Everyone sitting at this table was a genuine example of knowledge changing one's destiny.
The prize money from the High School Knowledge League Competition and the Midtown High Board of Directors.
Not to mention, today's prize money was even more substantial than Midtown High's.
Put it this way.
Even if the people here had nothing at the start of the semester, by now, the one with the lowest net worth among them had at least three hundred thousand... Happy New Year!!!
513. Summer vacation arrangements for several people
With money, come dreams.
Without a doubt.
Cindy's opening toast had loosened everyone's tongues, and they were all sharing their holiday plans.
Locke, Gwen, Cindy, and Kahn, the unshakeable foursome, had already booked their tickets to the East.
Helen Cho, twirling her hair, looked at Gwen and Cindy, "The East? That's quite close to me. Oh, perhaps you could add a stop in Seoul? Seoul is also very nice, and I could be your tour guide."
She was going back to Seoul for the summer holiday.
However, she wouldn't stay too long. Helen Cho wasn't used to all the complicated rules and customs there. Although she could speak Korean, when she went back, she only spoke English. The reason?
English doesn't have as many honorifics, and besides, if she only spoke English, at the very least, it would filter out the academic underachievers, preventing them from coming over and flaunting their age.
It was disgusting!
Cindy's eyes lit up. She glanced at Gwen and nodded, "That's a great idea! The East does seem quite close to your place. So, it's settled then. Perfect, we can fly back together when the time comes."
Gwen also said, "I told Dr. Connors about your idea, and he said it's a good one. He's also looking forward to meeting you. I can take you to meet Dr. Connors then!"
After the press conference for the human rehabilitation serum, Osborn's stock price soared.
At the same time, more of Osborn's medical research was disclosed. Norman Osborn even intentionally increased the proportion of research in medical technology.
Harry, standing nearby, also said, "That's fine. I can take you to the executive dining room for lunch."
Gwen turned to look at Harry, a "are you serious?" expression on her face, "Harry, I'm also an Osborn shareholder now, you shouldn't be thinking about lunch, but rather how to make Osborn achieve even greater glory!"
Everyone burst into laughter.
After Gwen decided to accept the five percent stake, that five percent share immediately transformed her, and she entered Osborn's board of directors.
Initially, the other shareholders had somewhat underestimated Gwen.
But... after Gwen met with Pepper Potts, who had come to see her, in her shareholder's office, those people no longer dared to underestimate her.
After all, Gwen was someone who could chat and laugh with the famous "Little Pepper" Pepper Potts of Wall Street and become best friends with her. Could such a person be a young woman who seemed to know nothing?
Hearing this, Harry quickly made a gesture of surrender and gave a wry smile, "Gwen, I was wrong. I've been working very hard. You know, after your summer holiday, you all went traveling, but I liked putting on a suit and working full-time at Osborn Industries."
Gwen heard the hint of powerlessness and bitterness hidden in his playful words. She smiled and said, "I believe in you, Harry. You're already doing great. At least, Ms. Margery in HR says so."
Harry's eyes brightened, "Really?"
Gwen nodded, "Of course. However, she said it would be even better if you didn't always pretend to be a thirty-something adult."
"Mr. Osborn said that makes you seem more steady and authoritative."
"That's an old-fashioned view!"
Kahn chimed in, patting Harry's shoulder and raising an eyebrow, "Look at Locke. Which student in our school isn't afraid of Locke?"
Locke looked up and spread his hands, "Hey, how did the topic get to me? As everyone knows, I'm a hands-off boss. Besides banging on tables at meetings and signing documents, I basically haven't done anything else."
Cindy, holding her punch, took a sip and added to Locke's words, "You also forgot that whenever you do work, it's usually about expelling a few students."
Kahn shrugged at Harry, "See? If all else fails, learn from Locke. Bang on tables and sign documents at meetings, and occasionally find a few troublemakers to expel. Trust me, your authority will naturally follow."
Gwen couldn't help but roll her eyes at Kahn's words, "Kahn, don't lead Harry astray. Harry, definitely don't listen to Locke. Osborn is no longer a startup company. As long as it remains stable, relying on the human rehabilitation serum is enough to generate sufficient profits."
Harry gave Gwen a grateful smile and nodded, "I'll keep that in mind."
Cindy said, "It's okay, Harry. On the board, I believe Gwen will be on your side."
Gwen said, "Of course." Harry was Mary Jane's boyfriend, and Mary Jane was her friend. If she wasn't on Harry's side, whose side would she be on? Raising her punch, she said to Harry and the others, "Cheers! May our respective summer holidays be enjoyable!"
"Cheers!"
"Cheers!"
Everyone raised their glasses again in unison, and the clinking sound was crisp and pleasant.
"Matt!"
Locke put down his glass and asked Matt Russell, who had followed him for three competitions and was considered a veteran, "Do you have any plans for the summer holiday?"
Matt put down his glass and said, "I'm planning to see if I can find a hospital for my aunt to have surgery during the summer."
"Aunt?"
"Is it Andrew Dane, your cousin's mother?"
"Yes."
Matt nodded and explained to everyone that his aunt, Andrew Dane's mother, had always been in poor health. Last year, her condition worsened, and the hospital said she needed surgery.
And the cost of that surgery was quite expensive.
Of course.
That was for Matt last year. For Matt this year, even after paying the full surgery fee, he would still have eighty or ninety thousand dollars left.
Matt said that when he was little, and his aunt was still healthy, she took great care of him. Because his parents were often away on business trips, his aunt was the one who looked after him.
Paying for his aunt's surgery out of his own pocket, Matt was willing and had no regrets at all.
As for why Andrew Dane's father didn't pay?
When asked this question, Matt shook his head helplessly, "Mr. Dane is a drunkard. Sometimes, he even steals the money we give my aunt for medicine to secretly buy alcohol."
Everyone looked at each other.
This touched upon other people's family matters.
Locke crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair, "Have you chosen a hospital yet?"
Matt nodded, "I've chosen one. As soon as school is out, I'll go back and take my aunt to be hospitalized."
"Alright."
"If you have any difficulties, you can tell us."
"Right!"
"If you need any help, just say the word!"
The earliest members had already shared three battles with Matt, and the latest, like Helen Cho and others, had two battles with him.
Moreover... Matt's actions made them admire him.
After all, that was just his aunt, not his biological mother.
One could only say... Matt Russell was a good person. When things got tough, he truly stepped up; he was someone you could rely on!
Matt Russell expressed his gratitude for everyone's continuous words and knew that Locke and the others weren't just paying lip service. If he truly needed help, they would genuinely step up.
Locke's judgment of people wasn't bad.
At the very least... ungrateful people would never be allowed into his circle of friends.
Besides that.
It seemed that, apart from Helen Cho and Jane Foster who were somewhat poor, everyone else present didn't lack money. From a certain perspective, they could all be financially independent for a long time.
However, if this trend continued until they graduated from college, Helen Cho and Jane Foster would also be pretty much on par, having earned a million dollars from knowledge competition prize money.
Everyone's gaze fell on Jane Foster.
Jane leaned back in her chair, knowing it was her turn. She spread her hands, "Texas, no doubt!"
As she spoke.
Jane made a gesture of tipping a cowboy hat, indicating it to Locke.
Locke raised an eyebrow and returned the cowboy hat gesture.
Jane said to everyone, "Locke gave me the number of the top female cowgirl in our region. I plan to use this summer holiday to transition into a qualified cowgirl as well."
Locke laughed, "Ms. Auguras is very strict, but I have faith in you, Jane!"
Jane could even conquer a barbarian thunder god.
Conquering a cowgirl should be no problem.
Moreover, Locke was also very happy to see a cowgirl emerge in his circle who shared a bit of common language with him. At least, whenever Locke talked about cowboy sports, Gwen wouldn't always discourage him, claiming that cowboy sports were an unknown sport in New York.
Over time.
Locke no longer had even a shred of the superiority he felt as the leading young cowboy of Texas.
God could attest.
If other feelings of superiority had even 0.11% coming from the system's help, then becoming the leading young cowboy of Texas was entirely Locke's own credit.
One hundred percent, pure-blooded kind!
Gwen smiled and raised her glass, "Alright then, let's raise a toast to our future cowgirl, Ms. Jane Foster!"
"Cheers!"
"Cheers!"
Everyone stood up again and clinked their glasses.
Just then.
Mary Jane got out of a nearby car, smiling and greeting Locke and the others. Then, she walked behind Harry, massaging his shoulders, and looked at everyone, smiling, "Oh my, I thought you were already done."
She had come to pick up Harry.
Harry had just texted her, saying he had been drinking. Unlike Locke, Harry was the typical type who would turn red after just one drink. In this state, if he accidentally encountered the NYPD...
That would be a huge problem!