Chapter 18: Son's Assist, Becca Wavers
That was her lover carved into her bones, the only hope supporting her to survive in this cage.
"I can give you freedom." Lin An looked into her eyes, casting the bait she never dared to dream of, "You can leave here, go back to him, and tell him you are still alive."
Freedom?
Go back to Billy Butcher?
Becca felt her heart being gripped tightly by an invisible hand, almost unable to breathe.
The temptation of this promise was simply too great, so great that she almost wanted to abandon all reason and hatred and nod in agreement immediately.
But...
Her gaze subconsciously drifted to the stairs on the second floor.
There, a small figure was hiding in the corner, with only a small blonde head poking out, watching everything happening downstairs with a pair of azure eyes identical to Lin An's, in terror and curiosity.
Ryan.
Her son.
Also the son of this demon.
If she left, what would happen to Ryan? Would Billy Butcher accept a child with the blood of his enemy? And how would this man treat Ryan?
Lin An followed her gaze and also saw the child.
Holy shit, he really does exist!
He complained frantically in his heart, but his face revealed a more complex expression—one of guilt, tenderness, and a trace of the clumsiness of a father.
"As for Ryan..." Lin An's voice became even softer, as if afraid of scaring the child, "He can choose for himself."
"He can go with you and live in the World of ordinary people."
Lin An paused, his gaze falling on the child, his tone full of seduction.
"Or... if he is willing, he can stay and follow me. I will teach him how to control his power and how to become a real hero. A hero... ten thousand times better than me."
Becca was completely stunned.
She looked at the man in front of her, looked at the seemingly incomparably sincere emotion in his eyes, and then looked at her son upstairs who was at a loss.
Her worldview, the hatred she had persisted in for eight years, was completely turned upside down at this moment.
Just then, the child who had been hiding at the top of the stairs seemed to summon all his courage and walked out of the shadows.
He ran downstairs, not running towards Becca, but directly to Lin An.
He tilted his head, looking at this legendary father who was much taller than him, and asked a question that caught everyone off guard with a voice that was childish yet incomparably clear.
"Are you... really my dad?"
Lin An's performance reached its peak at this moment.
On that handsome face, various emotions such as pain, remorse, and self-reproach instantly solidified, replaced by a kind of blank, almost fragile shock, as if he had been pierced by a sudden question.
He looked at the child who was looking up at him with the same blue eyes as his own, his Adam's apple rolled uncontrollably, his lips moved, but he couldn't say a word.
Holy shit.
This kid... is an ally!
Lin An was already overjoyed in his heart; this was simply a god-tier assist!
He had originally prepared to spend more effort, using cheesy lines like 'a father's love is as heavy as a mountain' to pry open Becca's defenses, but this child used a straight shot to silence the final boss.
Well done, son! I'll buy you a full set of Lego later!
On the surface, however, he looked as if his disguise had been completely shattered by this sentence. A layer of mist quickly covered those blue eyes, and his body trembled slightly, as if he had used all his strength to squeeze out two broken syllables from his throat.
"I..."
He slowly squatted down, making himself level with the small figure.
This action made his tattered battle suit look even more disheveled, and for the first time, it didn't seem so oppressive.
"I... am."
Lin An's voice was terribly hoarse. He reached out as if to touch the child's cheek, but his hand stopped abruptly in mid-air, then retracted as if electrocuted, clenching tightly into a fist.
He lowered his head, his voice filled with thick, inseparable self-loathing: "I... am a terrible father. I don't deserve... to be your father."
This series of reactions, in Becca's eyes, was interpreted in a completely different way.
He did not deny it, nor was he ecstatic. He was just... guilty.
He was afraid, afraid that he, a "monster," would stain the child's pure World.
Ryan obviously didn't think that much; he was just a child.
He often saw this omnipotent father on TV, saving the city and receiving cheers from the masses.
Becca had never told him about that dark past, only saying that his father was very busy and... didn't like them, which was why he didn't come to visit.
At this moment, this hero who only existed on TV was crouching in front of him, looking so sad and so heartbroken.
A child's sympathy is the purest.
Ryan reached out his small hand and cautiously grabbed Lin An's fist, which was almost as big as his head.
"Mom said you were just too busy."
Ryan's voice was childish but incomparably serious, "You are still a hero."
Lin An's body shook violently.
He slowly raised his head, looking at Ryan's clear eyes filled with trust and admiration, and could no longer "act".
He pulled the small body into his arms, buried his face deeply in the child's soft blonde hair, his shoulders heaving violently, emitting a whimper like a suppressed Beast.
Of course, not a single tear fell.
But this scene of "genuine emotion" completely crushed Becca's last line of psychological defense.
She looked at the father and son hugging tightly, looked at the man who once made her fear him to her bones, who was now holding his son like a helpless child.
The hatred she had insisted on for eight years melted and collapsed at this moment, like an iceberg exposed to the scorching sun.
He had really changed.
No... he hadn't changed.
In Becca's mind, Lin An's words from just a moment ago flashed uncontrollably.
A lab rat...
Burned with fire... cut with knives...
No parents, no friends, no name...
So... he was never a demon.
He was just a poor wretch who had been tortured and imprisoned since childhood, filled with trauma inside, unable to control even his own body and thoughts.
The mistakes he committed were the fault of those capitalists who treated him as a weapon.
Thinking of this, the overwhelming hatred in Becca's heart strangely transformed into a trace of... sympathy.
Even, a trace of a woman's innate, overflowing maternal love.
She was not only Ryan's mother; at this moment, she seemed to see that lonely, helpless little "John" who grew up in a cold laboratory.
Lin An held Ryan, observing Becca's expression from the corner of his eye.
Very good, there was no more hatred on that face, only a complex expression mixed with pity, confusion, and maternal instinct.
It was time to close the net.
He released Ryan, rubbed the child's hair, and stood up, looking at Becca again.
"Becca." His voice returned to calm, but with a hint of unprecedented tenderness.
"I'm sorry for making you and the child suffer here for eight years. Now, you are free."
He turned around, looking at the gate he had broken.
"I will arrange for someone to send you to any place you want to go. I will also immediately send people to look for Billy Butcher's whereabouts. I will explain all of this to him personally. I will..."
"Wait." Becca suddenly spoke up to interrupt him.
Lin An turned his head, with just the right amount of confusion on his face.
Becca took a deep breath. She glanced at Ryan beside her, then looked at Lin An, her eyes struggling incomparably.
But in the end, reason overcame emotion.
"Ryan... he cannot see Billy Butcher." Becca's voice was a bit dry.
"Why?" Lin An feigned misunderstanding.
"Billy Butcher... he hates you super-people. If he knew about Ryan... knew that Ryan's body flows with your blood, he definitely wouldn't accept this child, and he would absolutely never forgive us!"
You're wrong about that, the Cuckold Hero's brain circuits aren't something normal people can understand.
Lin An almost couldn't hold back his laughter. He turned his head away to forcibly hold it in. Becca, oh Becca, you really are thinking for others.
"And..." Becca opened her eyes, her gaze falling on Ryan, full of worry.
"Ryan... his body is different from other children. I don't know when his power will go out of control. I can't teach him, I can't protect him."
She raised her head and looked directly into Lin An's eyes, as if she had made an incomparably difficult decision.
"Only you can teach him." Becca said word by word.
"Only you can teach him how to control his power, how to... not become a real monster. Letting him stay with you is the best choice for him."
Done!
Lin An made a 'Yeah' gesture in his heart, turned his head back, but his face revealed a troubled and moved expression.
"Becca, you... you are too kind."
Becca interrupted him, not daring to look directly into Lin An's eyes, "Ryan needs a mother. If you don't mind... I can come to take care of him occasionally."
"Of course." Lin An nodded immediately, his voice filled with the joy of "getting back what was lost", "I certainly don't mind! Becca, Ryan, let's go home."
...
Half an hour later, the silver Pagani Zonda parked steadily in the underground garage of a top-tier apartment near Vought Tower.
Lin An personally opened the car door for Becca and Ryan.
"This is an apartment prepared by the company for executives. The security system is top-tier, and no one will disturb you."
Lin An explained while leading them into the exclusive elevator, "It's close to the company, so I can come back to see you at any time."
Becca held the still somewhat timid Ryan, looking at the crystal-clear mirror inside the elevator, smelling the high-end fragrance in the air, feeling as if she were in a dream.
Eight years of cage life had made her almost disconnected from modern society, and everything in front of her made her feel strange and unreal.
The elevator door opened to a flat with luxurious yet warm decoration.
"You guys rest here for a while and get familiar with the environment."
Lin An brought them to the living room and pointed to the huge refrigerator that occupied almost an entire wall.
"Everything is inside. Take whatever you want to eat. Oh right, don't drink the milk; that's mine."
He came to his senses and felt that what he had just said was a bit strange.
Damn, Homelander's instinctive habits.
He cleared his throat and changed his words: "I mean, there is a coffee machine and juice in the kitchen; you guys feel free."
Ryan was curious about everything in his new home and had already broken free from Becca's arms, running around cautiously on the soft carpet.
Becca looked at her son's back, then turned to look at Lin An, with a hint of worry and request in her eyes.
"About Billy Butcher..."
"Rest assured." Lin An gave her a reassuring smile, "I will use all of Vought International's intelligence networks to find him immediately. You will be able to see him very soon."
He walked up to Becca, his tone incomparably sincere.
"Once I find him, we... will sit down and have a good talk."
Chapter 19: Catching the Little Black Cat, Forcibly Kissing Black Widow
After Becca and Ryan were settled, Lin An walked out of the apartment, and the elevator door slowly closed behind him.
He leaned against the cold metal wall, pulled out his phone, and dialed Madelyn's number directly.
The call was answered almost instantly.
"Boss!" There was a sense of high-octane excitement in Madelyn's voice.
"Find someone." Lin An was concise, not bothering to waste words with her.
"Billy Butcher. I've sent you the photo. Use all of Vought International's intelligence networks, whether it's CIA informants or street thugs. I want to know where he is and what he's doing in the shortest possible time."
"Understood!" Madelyn didn't have any questions and immediately agreed, "What should I do after finding him? Do you need me to send someone..."
"No need." Lin An interrupted her, "Just find him and send me his location."
He paused, and a smirk curled the corner of his lips.
"I want to meet him personally. After all, we have some... personal grievances that need a good chat."
Hanging up the phone, Lin An tucked it back into his pocket.
Having handled this matter, he drove his flashy Pagani back to his luxury apartment in Manhattan.
He unlocked it with his fingerprint, and the heavy solid wood door slid open silently.
Just as he stepped inside, Lin An stopped in his tracks.
Something was wrong.
In the air, besides the scent of post-rain cedar he was familiar with, there was an extra trace of a scent that didn't belong there.
More importantly, he heard a faint heartbeat.
It was right in his bedroom.
Besides himself, there was a second person in this luxury apartment.
The corners of Lin An's mouth curled up wildly.
Heh.
This scent, besides that red-headed beauty delivered to his door by the black egg, who else could it be?
This Black Widow is truly dedicated.
To think she actually snuck into his home to investigate while he was away?
Interesting.
You've finished investigating, so... next. It's my turn to investigate you.
Lin An pretended not to notice anything, took off his coat as usual, threw it casually onto the sofa, and then walked toward the bedroom while loosening his tie.
"Egg? Egg? My little kitty, Daddy's home. Where are you?"
He called out in a sickeningly sweet tone.
In reality, there was no cat in the house at all.
He just wanted to see how that hidden ace Agent would react while he searched around.
Natasha, hiding under the five-meter-wide custom-made bed in the bedroom, had her muscles instantly tensed to the limit.
Egg? A cat? He even keeps a cat?
She had just snuck into his private residence this afternoon while Homelander was away.
As a result, after searching for a long time, she found that apart from the fridge being packed full of milk, there was absolutely nothing unusual in this guy's house.
She held her breath, not daring to make a sound.
Lin An walked into the bedroom with a doting smile on his face and began his performance.
He first pulled open the massive wardrobe door and rummaged through a pile of Armani and Givenchy haute couture suits.
"Little rascal, did you hide in Daddy's clothes to sleep again?"
He didn't find anything.
He walked over to the sofa, bent down, and lifted the soft leather cushion: "Or are you playing hide-and-seek with Daddy again?"
Still nothing.
Natasha, hiding under the bed, already had a fine layer of cold sweat seeping from her forehead.
This man's actions had no logic, making it impossible for her to predict anything.
Every step he took closer, her heart beat more violently.
Finally, Lin An strolled to the side of the bed.
The smile on his face became increasingly radiant, carrying a playful sense of a cat toying with a mouse.
Then, he suddenly lowered his head and poked his face into the narrow shadow under the bed.
Their gazes collided abruptly within a distance of less than half a meter.
"Found you!"
Lin An's voice was filled with the joy of finding his "beloved pet."
Natasha's body shrank back uncontrollably due to the sudden fright, and the back of her head hit the bed frame with a "thud."
"Huh?" Lin An's expression instantly changed from joy to a perfectly executed look of surprise and confusion, "Why is it you?"
It's over.
Those were the only two words left in Natasha's mind.
She knew she had been exposed, and there was no point in hiding any longer.
She gritted her teeth and had no choice but to bite the bullet, crawling out from under the bed in a disheveled manner, standing up straight, and brushing the non-existent dust off her bodysuit.
"Boss." She forced herself to squeeze out a professional smile, her brain working at high speed to find a reasonable excuse.
"I came to help you clean the room. I saw some dust under the bed, so... I wanted to help you clean it up."
"Clean the room?" Lin An crossed his arms, leaned against the bed frame, and examined her with great interest.
Natasha wasn't wearing her professional skirt suit today, but had instead changed into a pure black tight-fitting combat suit.
It outlined her incredibly explosive figure to the fullest, full of wild aesthetic appeal.
"Really?" Lin An's gaze wandered over her body unscrupulously.
"Then why are you dressed like this to clean? Cosplaying as a sexy housekeeper? Is this a new service for your life secretaries? Do you need extra pay?"
These words were full of the vulgarity and offense of American-style humor.
Natasha's cheek twitched uncontrollably, and cold sweat slid down her temple.
"Or..." The smile on Lin An's face gradually faded, and his eyes became sharp.
"You aren't a life secretary at all, but a corporate spy sent by a competitor?"
Upon hearing the four words "corporate spy," Natashaactually felt a sense of relief.
Fortunately, he didn't think of S.H.I.E.L.D.
As long as S.H.I.E.L.D. wasn't exposed, there was still room for maneuver.
"Of course not!" She immediately denied it, her tone firm, "I am absolutely not a spy!"
"Not?" Lin An took a step forward, closing in on her, his imposing figure bringing a strong sense of oppression, "Then how can you prove it?"
He lowered his head, almost brushing against her ear, and spoke in a seductive whisper.
"Or... are you actually my fanatical fan? Hmm? Sneaking into your idol's home, smelling the scent of your idol's sheets, to satisfy your own small, perverted fantasies?"
This sudden twist left Natasha completely stunned.
What the hell kind of tactic is this?
Immediately, she realized it was a good excuse.
If she denied it, she would have to explain why she appeared here sneaking around in night-ops gear, which would only make her suspicion as a spy heavier.
But if she admitted it...
Natasha looked at the handsome face inches away, feeling the scorching body temperature radiating from him, and steeled her heart.
She took the step down that Lin An provided, lowered her head, put on a shy and adoring expression, and her voice became soft and sweet.
"I... I have always... followed you in the news. You saved New York, you saved Mr. Stark... You are a true hero."
"I... I admire you so much, that's why I wanted to work at Vought International, I wanted to be closer to you. Today... today was a momentary impulse, I'm sorry, Boss!"
These words were spoken with such sincerity that even she almost believed them herself.
"Oh?" Lin An raised an eyebrow, his expression instantly changing from cloudy to sunny, "So that's how it is."
He laughed, laughing like a child who had just received a beloved toy.
"Hey, my little fan, you should have said so earlier!"
Before Natasha could react to what he meant, Lin Ansuddenly reached out, wrapped his arm around her waist, and pulled her entire body into his arms!
The next second, a scalding, intensely aggressive kiss slammed onto her lips.
"Mmph!"
Natasha's eyes widened instantly, her mind going blank.
She instinctively wanted to struggle, wanted to raise her knee to give this bastard a hard blow to his lower body.
But reason held her impulse back tightly.
She had just admitted she was his fanatical fan! If she resisted violently now, wouldn't that be equivalent to blowing her own cover on the spot?!
This bastard! He did it on purpose!
Just at the moment she was fighting an internal battle, Lin An's offensive became even more unscrupulous.
He pried open her teeth, his tongue driving straight in, wildly sweeping across every inch of territory in her mouth.
At the same time, the large hand wrapped around her waist also began to act up, climbing all the way up along the curves of her bodysuit.
Finally, it accurately covered those full, perky peaks.
A sense of suffocation and unprecedented humiliation instantly swept over Natasha's entire body.
She felt like she wasn't an ace Agent, but a little white rabbit trapped by a giant python with no power to resist.
A full three minutes.
Until she felt the air in her lungs was about to be sucked dry, her legs were weak, and she was about to be unable to stand, Lin An finally let her go.
He licked his lips, with a lingering, wicked smile on his face, looking at the flushed, dazed Black Widow in front of him.
"Tastes not bad." Lin An nodded with satisfaction, then gently hooked her chin with his finger, admiring her disheveled and sexy appearance.
He said slowly. "This is a reward for being my fanatical fan, but remember next time, don't hide under the bed."
"Just lie on the bed and wait for me."
Chapter 20: Supporting Tony Stark
10:00 AM the next day, in the press conference hall on the first floor of Stark Industries headquarters.
The area below the stage was packed with reporters from all major media outlets across the U.S. Lenses of all sizes crisscrossed and flashed, and the blinding white light illuminated the hall.
Everyone craned their necks to look at the podium, like a pack of starving wolves waiting outside a sheep pen.
Tony Stark did not stand behind the podium; instead, wearing a slightly oversized black suit with an open collar and no tie, he sat cross-legged directly on the floor in front of the stage.
He held a half-eaten cheeseburger in his hand, chewing as he scanned the room with the restless gaze characteristic of someone just recovering from a serious illness.
There was no other sound in the hall except for the continuous clicking of camera shutters.
"I don't see the great industrial system my father left behind."
Tony swallowed the burger in his mouth and leaned into the microphone, sending these words clearly to every corner of the room.
"What I see are the weapons we created, killing the young men who protect this country."
He stopped chewing and straightened his back, staring straight ahead.
"So I have decided that Stark Industries will immediately shut down its weapons manufacturing division."
These words sent the entire press conference hall into a frenzy.
Reporters pushed forward like madmen, countless microphones held high, almost poking directly into Tony's face.
"Mr. Stark, will this affect the company's stock price?"
"How will you handle the Military orders for Stark Industries?"
"What is your actual mental state after being kidnapped in Afghanistan?"
The on-site security personnel tried desperately to maintain order, but the scene remained chaotic.
Standing to the side, Obadiah Stane's cheek muscles twitched. He strode onto the stage, reached out to snatch the microphone from Tony's hand, and forced a smile to smooth things over.
"Everyone, please settle down. Tony has just gone through a terrifying kidnapping; he is really too tired and needs to rest now."
Obadiah shouted at the top of his lungs, trying to suppress the reporters' barrage of questions.
On the surface, he feigned deep anxiety, but deep down, he was already overjoyed.
With that sentence Tony, that idiot, just released, Stark Industries' stock would definitely plummet.
Those greedy guys on Wall Street would definitely smash Stark's market value to pieces.
Then he would be able to crazily absorb the retail shares on the market at an extremely low price, turning Stark Industries entirely into his own possession.
Just as Obadiah beckoned for security to forcibly drag Tonyaway, the heavy double walnut doors of the press hall were pushed open forcefully from the outside.
The violent impact drowned out the noise of the entire room.
Everyone's gaze swept over the crowd toward the doorway.
Still in that iconic Stars and Stripes suit, Lin An flicked his cape and strode into the venue with his long legs.
That dazzling blonde hair and tall physique, combined with the formidable aura radiating from his every movement, made him incredibly conspicuous as he walked through the crowd.
"It's Homelander."
"Why would he come here?"
The reporters' lenses immediately turned, clicking frantically at Lin An.
Lin An ignored the flashing lights and walked straight through the crowd to the podium.
He looked down at Tony, who was sitting on the floor, and then reached out to take the microphone from the stunned Obadiah.
"Stark Industries' stock does not need to be sold off."
Lin An's voice carried through the amplification equipment to the entire room, his deep voice filled with absolute confidence.
He turned around, looking down from above at the reporters who had quieted down.
"Vought International will acquire all shares of the weapons manufacturing division that Stark Industries is about to divest at a 10% premium."
The hall fell silent instantly.
Everyone was so stunned by this bombshell that they forgot to ask questions.
A full acquisition plus a 10% premium was definitely not a small matter; this was a staggering amount of capital worth tens of billions of dollars.
Vought International was actually willing to spend so much money to take over a mess that was destined to be eliminated; this move was simply beyond the scope of normal human understanding.
Lin An looked at the dumbfounded crowd below and was very satisfied with the effect.
He was certainly not crazy; after all, he was spending Vought International's public funds to boost his own reputation and build his persona, and while he was at it, binding himself to Tony Stark, a top-tier billionaire—this deal was a win no matter how you calculated it.
"At the same time, Vought International will form a joint New Energy and Superhuman Security Initiative with Stark Industries."
Lin An did not give the reporters a chance to ask questions and immediately threw out a second bombshell.
"With Mr. Stark's wisdom and Vought International's power, we will provide true peace and security for this World. I, Homelander! Tony Stark's best buddy, Vought International will always stand behind Stark Industries!"
The hall erupted with cheers that nearly blew the roof off.
Tony looked at the tall back blocking the view in front of him.
He was a brilliant but extremely insecure person.
He knew that by announcing the closure of the weapons division today, he was essentially declaring war on all of Wall Street, the Military, and the company's board of directors.
He had long been prepared to fight alone and be condemned by everyone.
But he never expected Homelander to not only step up but also throw out tens of billions in hard cash, forcibly pulling Stark Industries back from the edge of the cliff and bearing all the pressure for him.
Tony sniffed hard, lowered his head, opened his mouth, and took a big bite of the now-cold burger in his hand.
"This is a brother for life."
Standing to the side, Obadiah felt a ball of fire burning in his chest at this moment.
He stared wide-eyed at Lin An's profile, his molars grinding with a clacking sound.
His meticulously planned, perfect takeover scheme had been completely ruined by a single sentence from this damn cape-wearing bastard.
Obadiah's fingers tightened, and with a crisp cracking sound, the glass of celebratory champagne he was holding was crushed by him.
Sharp glass shards pierced his palm, and blood dripped onto the carpet through his fingers.
He endured the pain without making a sound, and while everyone's attention was on Lin An, he kept a straight face and quietly withdrew from the center of the flashing lights, walking quickly toward the backstage.
Lin An on the podium turned around and extended his right hand toward Tony.
"Get up, Mr. Stark. The floor is cold."
Lin An bent down and offered his hand in front of him.
Tony grabbed his hand and used the leverage to stand up.
He brushed the dust off his backside and looked up at Lin An.
"That's quite a grand gesture you made. Didn't the Vought International board of directors eat you alive for it?"
"They wouldn't dare."
Lin An shrugged.
"Because I'm the boss now."
Tony grinned and gave Lin An a firm hug.
"Good brother!"
The system notification sound in Lin An's mind was ringing non-stop.
[Capitalist's Gift triggered. Publicly supporting Iron Man, shocking the global media. Gained 50,000 Popularity Points.]
[Capitalist's Gift triggered. Changed the stock market trend of Stark Industries. Gained 30,000 Popularity Points.]
This wave of traffic was truly satisfying to consume.
While maintaining a smile for the cameras, Lin An quietly activated his super hearing, radiating his attention outward.
He locked onto a utility room at the end of the backstage corridor.
Obadiah's heavy, labored breathing and suppressed curses were clearly transmitted into Lin An's ears.
"You idiots, you trash."
Obadiah was roaring while clutching an encrypted satellite phone, the veins on his neck bulging out.
"I paid you so much money, and not only did you fail to kill Tony, but you also brought that menace Homelander here."
A voice with a heavy accent came from the other side of the phone in English, offering excuses.
"Shut up, I don't want to hear excuses."
Obadiah rudely interrupted the other party.
"The situation has changed now; Vought International has intervened. I don't have time to play slowly anymore."
He gritted his teeth, his chest heaving violently.
"Go to the desert and bring me back the scrap metal and blueprints that you picked up in the cave, the ones Tony left behind."
He paused and continued to issue orders into the phone.
"No matter what method you use, I want it done with the fastest speed."
"I want to launch the iron monger project ahead of schedule."
The curve of Lin An's mouth on the podium widened even further.
iron monger.
This old bald guy really is a thoughtful good person; he's delivering an experience pack right to my door.
Lin An had absolutely no intention of exposing Obadiah.
Stifling this kind of small-time villain in the cradle would at most be considered internal corporate power struggles; it wouldn't earn much attention.
What he wanted was a full-network livestream.
What he wanted was to tear that huge steel monster into pieces like dismantling a toy, on the bustling streets of New York, under the gaze of tens of millions of eyes.
This isn't a villain; this is a walking traffic pool.
Letting them grow fat before slaughtering them—this is the highest level of harvesting leeks.
In the afternoon, in the CEO's office on the top floor of Vought Tower.
Lin An leaned back in the large leather executive chair, his legs crossed and resting on the desk.
The office door was pushed open, and Natasha walked in carrying a cup of steaming hot black coffee.
She wasn't wearing her tight-fitting suit today; instead, she had changed into a white silk shirt with the collar buttoned up tightly, with a fitted black suit jacket over it.
Her gait was slightly awkward, and it seemed her legs lacked strength.
Although the punishment last night did not go to the final step, Lin An's brutal methods still made this ace Agentsuffer greatly.
Now, whenever she saw Lin An's face, her muscles would tense up uncontrollably.
"Boss, here is your coffee."
Natasha placed the coffee cup gently on the table, her eyes lowered, not daring to look up.
"Put it there."
Chapter 21: Superhero Battle Royale
Lin An picked up his coffee and took a sip, his gaze falling on a document on the table.
It was the daily report for The Seven that Madelyn had just delivered.
Lin An flipped through the report, raising his eyebrows in satisfaction.
Hughie was really doing a good job as a supervisor.
The Deep had saved a yacht that had run aground on Miami Beach today, and while he was at it, he performed a dance with dolphins, causing his Twitter followers to skyrocket by 300,000.
Black Noir and Maeve had taken down a gang drug den that had been entrenched in Brooklyn for years, and the live video had over 50 million views on YouTube.
Translucent had it the worst; he was forced to work as a traffic controller in Times Square for a day, and because he wasn't wearing any clothes, he was chased and called a pervert by several middle-aged women, but unexpectedly, he gained a wave of haters among the youth.
[Ding, Popularity Feedback Mechanism settled.]
[The Deep contributed 15,000 popularity points.]
[Black Noir and Queen Maeve contributed 35,000 popularity points.]
[Translucent contributed 10,000 popularity points.]
The continuous influx of popularity points put Lin An in a great mood.
His gaze continued to scan downwards, finding another document.
It was the preliminary proposal for the "Search for the Next American Superhero" audition program.
"Fuck! What kind of shit is this written here?"
Lin An casually threw the twenty-page "Search for the Next American Superhero" proposal into the trash can, which made a dull thud.
Natasha, standing by the desk, twitched her eyelids, maintaining a respectful posture without saying a word.
Lin An leaned back in his boss chair, rubbing his eyebrows irritably.
The brains of Madelyn and these Vought Internationalexecutives had been thoroughly pickled in the greenhouse of capitalism.
Let's see what kind of garbage is written in this proposal.
Talent show? Selling sob stories about background? Doing volunteer work at an orphanage?
Fuck that.
Is this supposed to be selecting a Superhero, or selecting the Top Ten Most Touching People in the United States?
What I want is a traffic frenzy that can ignite the entire World and make everyone go crazy for it, not a family ethics program for old ladies to watch at 3:00 PM on a Sunday.
"Call Madelyn in for me." Lin An tapped his fingers on the desktop.
In less than a minute, Madelyn rushed into the office, trotting in her high heels, with fine beads of sweat on her forehead.
"Boss, are you not satisfied with the proposal?" Madelynglanced cautiously at the trash can.
"Very unsatisfied!" Lin An sat up straight, crossing his hands on the desk.
"Madelyn, your vision is too small. One million dollars in prize money? An apartment in Queens? Are you trying to brush off a beggar? What kind of trash can this attract? A bunch of street thugs who can breathe fire?"
Madelyn swallowed: "Then what do you mean..."
"Listen up." Lin An held up a finger.
"First, double the prize money! One million is too cheap. Tell the whole World that the final winner will receive a $100 million no-responsibility signing bonus from Vought International. A penthouse in Manhattan, plus a private jet for travel."
Madelyn gasped.
$100 million?! This is just throwing money away for the sound of it!
"Second." Lin An held up his second finger, a wicked smile curling at the corners of his mouth.
"I just spoke with Tony from Stark Industries on the phone. The winner will not only be able to join The Seven but will also receive a custom-made suit or weapon tailored personally by Tony Stark. Stark Industries' cutting-edge technology combined with Vought's resource allocation—this is the real top-tier setup."
Even Natasha, standing to the side, couldn't help but widen her eyes slightly.
$100 million plus custom weapons and armor from Stark Industries?
With this condition thrown out there, let alone those super-powered individuals hiding in the shadows, even Agents within S.H.I.E.L.D. would probably be tempted to sign up.
What exactly is this madman trying to do?
Lin An took in both of their reactions, feeling very satisfied.
This is the effect he wanted.
Heavy rewards attract brave men.
There are plenty of hidden talents in the Marvel Universe; if you don't use enough bait, how can you fish out those big fish to farm experience and popularity for yourself?
"Third, and the most important point: the tournament format."
Lin An stood up and walked to the huge floor-to-ceiling window, overlooking the steel forest of Manhattan. "Delete all those talent shows and background interviews. Superheroes are made through fighting, not through self-introductions."
He turned around, his blue eyes flashing with excitement.
"Rent a deserted island in the Pacific Ocean. Throw all the applicants who pass the initial selection inside! Set up high-definition drones on the island for 24-hour, all-around, no-blind-spot live streaming across the entire web."
"Seven days, no rules, no referees. They can use any means—alliances, betrayals, sneak attacks, whatever they want. I only want the ten people who are still standing at the end."
"I want the audience around the World to watch how they slaughter each other in the mud, watching how they fight for that $100 million and a spot in The Seven. This is the most real reality show. This is truly—a Battle Royale."
There was a deathly silence in the office.
Madelyn felt her legs turning to jelly. Where is this a talent show?
This is clearly a legalized gladiator massacre!
Locking a group of super-powered thugs on an island, making them kill each other for huge rewards, and streaming it to the whole web?
If anyone dies, those politicians and human rights organizations will tear down the doors of Vought International!
"Boss..." Madelyn's voice trembled, "This... this is too extreme. If someone dies during the live stream..."
"Those who are afraid of dying can press the surrender button." Lin An sneered, interrupting her, "If they don't even have that much survival ability, do they deserve to be called Superheroes? As for the mouths of those politicians, shut them with money. Shut them with ratings. As long as the show is hot enough, even if half the people die, those Vampires on Wall Street will cheer for us."
He walked up to Madelyn, looking down at her.
"Go do it. At 8:00 PM tonight, I want to see the global trailer for this show playing on a loop on the big screens in Times Square. Call it 'Superhero Battle Royale'. Do you understand?"
"U-understood." Madelyn didn't dare to refute, bowed her head, and exited the office.
Lin An sat back in his chair, his mouth dry from the excitement of his plan.
With this move, not to mention Earth, even that one-eyed old man in Asgard would probably be unable to resist taking a look.
"Natalie."
"Yes, Boss." Natasha immediately stepped forward.
"Go get me another drink." Lin An licked his lips.
"Would you like coffee or red wine?"
"Whole milk, warm."
Natasha was stunned.
Whole milk? This cold-blooded tyrant who had just planned a global massacre show actually liked to drink warm milk?
But she didn't ask anything and turned to walk to the bar in the corner of the office.
Lin An watched her swaying back, secretly complaining in his heart.
Damn, the instincts of this body are really stubborn.
He wants to drink milk whenever he gets excited.
The original owner, that pervert, liked to drink breast milk, but he, Lin An, didn't have such a special fetish.
He could only settle for whole milk to suppress that evil fire.
Chapter 22: Butcher and iron monger teaming up?
8:00 PM.
New York, Times Square.
This is the World's busiest intersection, with neon lights flashing and voices roaring.
Suddenly, all the giant electronic billboards in the square went black simultaneously.
The noisy crowd subconsciously stopped in their tracks, looking up in confusion.
Three seconds later, all the screens lit up at once.
A stirring and tragic symphony swept through the entire square like a storm.
On the screens, there were no flashy special effects, only Lin An.
He was wearing his iconic Stars and Stripes suit, hovering above the clouds at an altitude of ten thousand meters.
The dim moonlight spilled onto his shoulders, making him look like a compassionate yet powerful god.
The camera zoomed in, giving him an extremely oppressive close-up.
"This World is becoming dangerous."
Lin An's deep, magnetic voice echoed over all of Times Square, and even synchronized across the globe to every corner via the internet.
"Alien threats, hidden Terrorists, and even the greed within our own hearts. Vought International has always been protecting you, but I alone cannot watch over every corner of this World."
He stared directly into the lens, his azure eyes seemingly capable of seeing through everyone's soul.
"We need new blood! We need true powerhouses!"
"I don't care about your past, I don't even care if you are a Mutant shunned by society, as long as you have a heart that cherishes peace!"
Below the screen, lines of scarlet characters slammed out like bombs.
[100 Million USD Signing Bonus]
[Manhattan Penthouse]
[Stark Industries Custom Armor]
[Core Seat in Vought International's The Seven]
Incredible gasps erupted from the crowd. Some covered their mouths, others were frantically recording with their phones.
"As long as you are strong enough." Lin An in the screen curled his lips into an arrogant smile. "One month from now, on a nameless island in the Pacific Ocean. Fight until the end and prove your value to me."
"You will be the next American hero."
The image froze on Lin An's perfect face, then transformed into the Vought International logo and the registration website.
Boom!
The entire Times Square was completely boiling.
Screams, whistles, and crazy discussions almost flipped the surrounding skyscrapers.
Top floor of Vought Tower.
Lin An held a glass of warm whole milk, standing in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, overlooking the city plunged into fanaticism beneath his feet.
In his mind, the system's notification sounds had connected into a shrill buzzing.
[Capitalist's Gift triggered: Launched a global super-powered audition, causing a World-class sensation, obtained 100,000 popularity points!]
[Capitalist's Gift triggered: Publicly accepted Mutants, causing violent shocks in political and civilian circles, obtained 50,000 popularity points!]
[Capitalist's Gift triggered: Offered a sky-high bounty, greatly stimulating the greed of super-powered individuals, obtained 80,000 popularity points!]
230,000!
Lin An looked at the frantically jumping numbers on the panel, feeling so good his scalp tingled.
This was just a trailer! When the full feature started, and the Battle Royale officially began, that popularity would definitely explode the panel like a nuclear blast!
Just as Lin An was immersed in the pleasure of harvesting traffic.
Far away at the S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters in Washington.
Nick Fury stood in front of a giant screen, his only remaining eye staring fixedly at the looping trailer.
"Madman." Fury gritted his teeth, his black face so gloomy it was about to drip water. "He is openly recruiting a private army! 100 million USD, Stark armor... He wants to gather all the dangerous elements in the World together!"
"Director." Agent Hill walked over quickly, holding a report. "Less than ten minutes after Vought International's registration website went online, over ten thousand people have already submitted applications. Our servers intercepted the data, which includes a large number of registered super-powered individuals and Mutants, and even a few felons on S.H.I.E.L.D.'s wanted list."
"Is there any news from Natasha?" Fury asked coldly.
"No." Hill shook her head. "She cut off active contact. The security system at Vought Tower has been fully upgraded; we cannot monitor the internal situation."
Fury took a deep breath, resting his hands on the console.
Homelander's move was too ruthless.
It was an open conspiracy. He placed all the darkness under the spotlight, using money and fame as bait; S.H.I.E.L.D. had no authority to interfere in a legal "reality show."
"Have Barton prepare." Fury issued the order. "Arrange a fake identity for him. He must infiltrate that island; I want to know what the hell Vought International is trying to do."
Meanwhile.
Westchester County, New York.
In the Underground Room of the Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters, Professor Charles sat in his wheelchair, looking at the TV screen in front of him, his brows locked in a frown.
He sighed, "Pushing Mutants in front of the World's cameras to slaughter each other will only intensify humanity's fear of us."
He could feel the minds of countless young Mutants around the World violently restless because of this trailer.
Pandora's box had been completely opened by that guy called Homelander.
...
Vought Tower.
Lin An finished the last sip of milk and handed the glass to Natasha behind him.
"The taste is not bad, remember to add some sugar next time." Lin An said casually.
The office door was knocked.
Madelyn walked in, the expression on her face somewhat strange.
"Boss, the number of registrations on the website has exceeded 100,000, the technical department is urgently expanding the server capacity." Madelyn reported.
"Expected." Lin An sat back in his chair. "Tell me something I don't know."
"It's about Billy Butcher." Madelyn stepped forward, placing a tablet on Lin An's desk.
Lin An's gaze instantly sharpened.
Finally found him.
This mad dog hiding in the dark was the hidden threat he had to solve right now.
"Where is he?"
"He is in an abandoned car yard in Brooklyn." Madelynswiped the tablet to bring up a somewhat blurry surveillance photo.
In the photo, Butcher, wearing his iconic black trench coat, was smoking while leaning against a scrapped Ford sedan. He had a face full of stubble and a sinister look in his eyes.
But this was not the reason for Madelyn's strange expression.
"Boss, the intelligence department discovered..." Madelynpaused. "Butcher is not alone. For the past few days, he has been trying to contact an arms dealer in the underground black market."
"An arms dealer?" Lin An raised an eyebrow. "He wants to buy a few broken guns to deal with me?"
"Not an ordinary arms dealer." Madelyn swallowed, zooming in on the corner of the photo.
In the shadows behind Butcher, one could vaguely see several huge metal boxes covered with tarps.
On the boxes, a blurry but unmistakable logo was printed.
Stark Industries' Ten Rings logo.
"Our informant said that Butcher spent all his savings to buy a batch of'special goods' that had just arrived in New York from a Middle East buyer."
Madelyn looked at Lin An, her voice very low.
"Those are the fragments of the iron monger prototype armor that Obadiah Stane dug out of the desert."
Lin An looked at the photo and was stunned for two seconds.
Then, he leaned back in his chair and let out a low, irrepressible laugh.
Butcher plus iron monger?
What kind of divine crossover is this?
This experience pack actually knows how to team up on its own?
Lin An stood up and twisted his neck, his bones making a crisp cracking sound.
Well then... there was still an octagon match to fight before making up with an old friend.
"Cancel tomorrow's meeting." The smile on Lin An's face became cruel and excited. "I'm going to see this old friend in person. By the way... I'll help him check the goods."
Chapter 23: Pepper's
Vought Tower, President's Office.
Lin An had just put on his signature spandex suit and was flexing his wrists in front of the mirror, his joints popping crisply.
Very good, in excellent condition.
He could already imagine the scene later: descending from the sky and, on that face of Butcher's filled with shock and hatred, crushing his so-called awesome iron monger armor with one foot.
Thinking about that scene, it felt great.
"Boss, do you need me to prepare the car?"
Natasha stood to the side, having changed back into that black spandex suit convenient for action, outlining her stunning curves to the fullest.
There was no expression on her face, but the eager-to-fight desire in her eyes could not be hidden.
This top Agent was clearly full of anticipation for the upcoming "live-fire exercise."
"No need." Lin An waved his hand, a cruel smile curling at the corner of his mouth, "To deal with a mad dog, you don't need such a big spectacle. I'll just fly over myself, quick and decisive."
He was just about to open the floor-to-ceiling window to leap directly from the hundred-story building and enjoy the thrill of freefall.
But a harsh cell phone ringtone rang out at an inopportune moment.
Lin An frowned, feeling a burst of annoyance.
Who the hell was so blind, choosing to call right when he was about to go out to beat a dog?
He picked up his phone, and seeing the name "Pepper" displayed on the screen, half of his annoyance dissipated, replaced by a trace of confusion.
It hadn't been a few days since they parted at the press conference; what did this Stark Industries manager want now?
He pressed the answer button, not having had time to speak.
"Homelander! Help! Come and save Tony quickly!"
On the other end of the line, Pepper Potts' voice was choked with tears, filled with unprecedented panic and fear, with harsh alarm sounds mixed in the background.
"He's dying! Obadiah... that bastard Obadiah! He stole the reactor from Tony's chest!"
The smile on Lin An's face froze instantly.
What the?
So fast?
Obadiah was making his move already? According to the original plot, wasn't it supposed to be a few days later, waiting for the iron monger armor to be completely finished before showing his true colors?
His brain spun rapidly, and he instantly understood the crux of the matter.
Damn it, it was him.
It was him who had intervened at the press conference, using tens of billions in funds to ruin Obadiah's merger plan, completely pushing him to the edge.
This old bald man was desperate, not caring about any foolproof plans, choosing to use the most brutal method to steal the reactor, preparing to forcibly start the iron monger.
Butterfly effect, this damn butterfly effect.
"Address." Lin An's voice instantly became calm and short, without a shred of nonsense.
"Malibu! His beach Villa!" Pepper was sobbing uncontrollably on the other end.
"Stay steady, I'll be there soon."
Lin An hung up the phone without even glancing at Natasha beside him.
He stepped back sharply, then like a cannonball fired from a chamber, crashed directly through the bulletproof floor-to-ceiling window in front of him!
Crash—!
The huge glass curtain wall shattered instantly, turning into crystals filling the sky, refracting dazzling light in the sun.
Lin An's figure turned into a golden-red stream of light, ignoring the bursts of exclamations from the streets below, instantly piercing through the clouds, speeding towards the West Coast at a terrifying speed exceeding the speed of sound.
Screw Butcher.
That experience pack could be raised a bit longer; if Tony Stark, this number one cash machine, died now, the loss would be huge!
...
California, Malibu.
Inside Tony Stark's mansion, the alarm sounded shrilly.
Pepper knelt on the ground, scrambling to try to stuff an old spare reactor into the hole in Tony's chest, but that thing's energy was simply not enough.
Tony Stark lay slumped on the sofa, his face pale as paper, his lips slightly purple from lack of oxygen.
He gasped for air heavily, every breath like a fish thrown onto the shore, filled with despair and pain.
In the bowl-sized hole in his chest, wires and metal brackets were exposed, flashing with dangerous electric sparks.
"Useless... Pepper..." Tony's voice was so weak it seemed like it would cut off at any moment, "That... is an old model... not enough energy..."
"Don't speak!" Pepper's tears were like beads with broken strings, hitting the cold floor one by one, "Homelander is coming soon! He must have a way!"
Tony smiled bitterly, "What's the use of calling that guy? To send myself to see God more quickly?"
Just then.
Boom!!!
A deafening loud noise, as if a meteorite hit the ground.
The whole Villa shook violently, the chandelier on the ceiling swinging wildly, dust falling down.
Pepper and Tony looked up in horror, only to see a terrifying humanoid crater on the floor in the center of the living room.
Lin An slowly stood up from the pit, patting the non-existent dust off his body.
He glanced at Tony, who was slumped on the sofa, breathing more out than in, then looked at the old reactor held in Pepper's hands, raising an eyebrow.
"Just this?" Lin An's tone carried a hint of American humorous teasing.
"Tony, I thought you had some big trouble, but it turns out you just forgot to charge? Where is your backup power? You didn't take it to charge some young model's phone, did you?"
"Buddy, now... is not the time for jokes..." Tony squeezed out a sentence with difficulty.
"Of course I know." Lin An put away his smile, strode to his front, and looked down at him.
"The one Obadiah took is your only core, right?"
Tony closed his eyes and nodded weakly.
"Idiot." Lin An evaluated unceremoniously, "Exposing your lifeline to an old fox who has wanted to kill you for a long time; your kindness has killed you!"
He paused, looking at Tony's dying face, calculating rapidly in his heart.
Using Heat Vision to act as a power bank for his chest directly? No, it was too terrifying, and the energy attributes didn't match; it might just roast him.
The only way now was to let Tony create that brand new Arc Reactor himself.
"Listen, Tony." Lin An squatted down, looking directly into his unfocused eyes.
"You haven't reached the time to die yet. Your dad, HowardStark, that arrogant old bastard, left you a graduation gift."
"What?" Tony's consciousness was already beginning to blur.
"A brand new element." Lin An's voice was clearly transmitted into his ears.
"He discovered it long ago, but was limited by the technology of the time and couldn't create it. He hid the blueprint, hid it in a place you see every day but never paid attention to."
"Think about it, what did your dad like to show off the most? What was his proudest work?"
Tony shuddered, his unfocused pupils suddenly contracting, bursting with a glimmer of survival.
He thought of it.
That park planning model of the 1974 Stark IndustriesExpo that he had seen since he was a child!
His father said during his speech that technology is the key to opening the future. And the layout of that model was not any park planning at all; it was an atomic structure model!
"Jarvis..." Tony shouted with all his strength, "Bring... bring the Expo model... over..."
In the next few hours, a miracle of life was staged.
With Pepper's help, the dying Tony commanded the robotic arms, dismantled the model, scanned the structure, and used the particle accelerator in the Villa's Underground Room, managing to synthesize that brand new, blue-glowing triangular reactor in the last second before his energy ran out!
When Pepper's trembling hands installed that brand new "heart" into Tony's chest.
Hum—!
A surging and stable energy instantly flowed through Tony's whole body.
He sat up from the sofa sharply, like a drowning person reborn, greedily breathing in the air.
His pale complexion quickly returned to a rosy color, and those dim eyes also lit up with the light of a genius again.
He came back to life.
Tony looked down at the brand new, powerful triangular reactor on his chest, then looked up at Lin An, who was standing to the side, arms crossed the whole time, watching the show like it was nothing.
He was silent for a long time, then asked hoarsely:
"Buddy, how did you know?"
"About my father, about that new element... all of this."
Lin An looked at him, his face revealing that iconic, signature smile that seemed capable of gracing every magazine cover.
He spoke slowly, his voice carrying an arrogant tone that sounded like it was a matter of course.
"Oh, come on, Tony."
"I am Homelander."
He tilted his head slightly, his blue eyes flashing with a playful light.
"The all-knowing, all-powerful Homelander."
Chapter 24: Lin An's Proposal, Iron Man's Magnificent Debut
[Gained intense shock and gratitude from Marvel Universe core character Tony Stark, Popularity Points +30,000!]
Lin An was stunned for a moment, then secretly rejoiced; this trip hadn't been in vain.
It seems plot characters really give high Popularity Points.
Tony stared at him blankly. After several seconds, it was as if all the strength had been drained from his body, and he leaned back onto the sofa.
Omniscient, omnipotent.
In the past, if he had heard such words, he would have only treated them as a huge joke.
But now, he believed.
This man, as if truly like a god, understood all the secrets in this World.
"Fine, fine." Tony raised his hands, making a gesture of surrender. "I concede. You win, you omniscient bastard."
He took a deep breath, stood up from the sofa, stretched his limbs, and felt the powerful energy brought by the new energy core.
That near-death weakness was swept away, replaced by an unprecedented feeling of fullness.
He walked up to Lin An, patted his shoulder, and his expression became uncharacteristically serious.
"Hey, I owe you my life again."
Lin An was delighted inwardly, preparing to hear what kind of earth-shattering words of gratitude this tsundere billionaire would say.
However, Tony changed the subject and reverted to his usual playful and irreverent demeanor.
"But debt doesn't weigh you down when you have too much of it. Anyway, I already owe you so much, one more doesn't matter. So, I won't thank you."
Lin An almost choked on his own saliva.
Damn it, this train of thought—it's truly you, Tony Stark.
"You're right." Tony's eyes suddenly turned cold, and in those re-illuminated eyes, a raging fire burned.
"I was too kind. I thought closing the weapons department would solve everything. Now it seems that some people simply don't deserve my kindness."
He turned around and strode toward the entrance of the Underground Room.
"Next, I'm going to kill that bastard."
"That's the real you, Iron Man."
Lin An gave a thumbs up toward his back.
Tony's footsteps paused.
He turned his head, a trace of confusion on his face, which then turned into a sudden, pleasant realization.
"Iron Man?" He chewed on the word, his eyes growing brighter. "Iron Man... Hey, this name is actually pretty fucking good! It has a metallic texture, it's tough, and it's direct!"
He grinned at Lin An, revealing a set of white teeth. "From now on, I'll be called Iron Man. Brother, you really understand me. Seriously, if I were a woman, I'd definitely make you happy tonight."
"Cough! Cough, cough!"
Lin An was shocked by his risqué comment and started coughing violently, waving his hands repeatedly.
"Stop! Halt! I am a one-hundred-percent straight man, thank you! If you have that kind of heart, just introduce me to more busty young models in the future!"
"That's good." Tony laughed heartily, walked over, put his arm around his shoulder, and shook him vigorously.
"I was actually a bit worried that you were so nice to me because you had your eyes on my sexy ass."
Lin An twitched his lips, feeling that his facial expression control was about to lose control.
This damn American humor; he really couldn't get used to it for a while.
What on earth is in the brains of these Americans?
He quietly broke free from Tony's arm and watched as the other man strode into the underground workshop filled with various high-tech suits, looking like he was about to storm out immediately.
"Wait." Lin An spoke up to stop him.
Tony turned back, his face showing confusion. "What's wrong? You aren't trying to persuade me to calm down, are you? I'm telling you, no way! That old bald guy, Obadiah, must die today!"
"Of course I'm not trying to persuade you." Lin An shook his head, a smile even more excited than Tony's appearing on his face.
"I just think your method of revenge is a bit too... low-key."
"Low-key? Me! The playboy of New York!" Tony acted as if he had heard something absurd.
"That's right." Lin An walked to his side and reached out to pat the brand-new silver suit.
"The betrayal of an old friend, the fall and rebirth of a genius, the first appearance of a righteous hero... My god, Tony, this is simply a textbook-level Hollywood script!"
He looked at the bewildered Tony and coaxed him, "At such an important historical moment, if only the three of us know, don't you think it's too much of a waste?"
"This kind of thing should be announced to the whole World!" Lin An's voice began to become passionate, like a general conducting pre-battle mobilization. "We want the audience of the whole World to witness the birth of Iron Man with their own eyes!"
Tony was completely dumbfounded. "You mean... live streaming?"
"BINGO!" Lin An snapped his fingers. "I'm going to use all of Vought International's public relations channels for a global simultaneous live stream! We're going to let everyone see how you wear this iron shell and tear that ugly thing called the iron monger into pieces like opening a soda can!"
The more he spoke, the more excited he became, as if he had already seen the scene of Popularity Points exploding on his system panel.
"Think about it, Tony!" Lin An hooked his arm around his neck and lowered his voice.
"After this battle, guess what will happen to Stark Industries' stock price? It will absolutely skyrocket like it's riding a Rocket! You'll not only be able to take revenge, but you'll also be able to take over the mess left by that old guy Obadiah, gaining both fame and fortune!"
"Oh, right." Lin An added, "Don't forget, I am also a major shareholder of Stark Industries. If your stock price rises, my money increases too. So, you must listen to me on this."
Tony stared blankly at his good brother, whose eyes were shining and who exuded the stench of a capitalist. After a long while, he shrugged helplessly.
He finally understood.
His savior, this omnipotent "god," probably had as his greatest hobby being a star, showing off, and enjoying the feeling of being in the spotlight of the whole World.
However... so what?
Anyway, he was going to kill Obadiah, so having hundreds of millions more viewers watching didn't seem to make any difference.
"Fine, you're the boss." Tony spread his hands. "Who made you my savior and major shareholder? But don't you dare steal my spotlight."
Done!
Lin An nodded with satisfaction and took out his mobile phone.
"Miss Pepper, please come over." He waved at Pepper, who was still dazed not far away.
"I need you to immediately contact major global media outlets and tell them that in half an hour, Vought International will conduct a joint first live-fire exercise with Stark Industries regarding the'Superhuman Security Project' at the Stark Industries Arc Reactor headquarters."
Pepper opened her mouth, completely unable to keep up with the pace of these two men.
Lin An didn't give her a chance to ask questions and had already dialed Natasha's number.
"Natalie."
"Yes, Boss." Natasha's calm voice, as always, came from the other end of the phone.
"Immediately! Right now! Get our top drone filming team for me! Bring all available high-definition equipment, coordinates at the Stark Industries Arc Reactor! Remember, I want movie-level cinematography, all-encompassing, no blind spots!"
Lin An hung up the phone, a cruel and excited smile appearing on his face.
"Alright, Tony." He looked at Iron Man, who had already started putting on the suit.
"The stage is already set for you. Let's go, let the whole World hear the roar of this Iron Man Suit!"
Chapter 25: Recruiting the Strongest Worker, Iron Man
Stark Industries, Ark Reactor headquarters.
This place had already been temporarily converted into a press conference venue that was the focus of global attention.
Vought International's PR team was shockingly efficient. After one phone call from Lin An, it took less than twenty minutes to set this place up as a perfect stage.
Satellite news trucks from major media outlets around the World swarmed in like sharks smelling blood, packing the area around the headquarters building.
Countless cameras were aimed at the makeshift podium, the flashes bright enough to turn night into day.
Backstage, in a temporary lounge.
Tony Stark was moving his metal joints with some awkwardness.
The brand-new Mark 2 armor hadn't yet been painted in his favorite flashy red, and it possessed a cold, silver metallic texture all over.
The streamlined design was full of the beauty of power and technology.
"Hey, I'm just saying," Tony said to Lin An nearby through the built-in communicator, his voice carrying a slight metallic hum, "are you sure you want to make such a big scene?"
"I just want to twist off that old bald guy's head, not attend The Oscars."
"Trust me, Tony." Lin An leaned against the wall, arms crossed, looking relaxed.
"Today's viewership ratings will definitely be much higher than The Oscars."
"Besides, don't you think this outfit is cool?"
"Metal, technology, revenge—it's the ultimate romance for a man."
He looked Tony's armor up and down as if admiring a perfect piece of art.
"Still, it feels like something is missing." Lin An touched his chin, thoughtful.
"Missing what?" Tony asked.
"More firepower?"
"Or faster flight speed?"
"No, no, no." Lin An shook his head, walked up to him, and wore the sincere smile that a capitalist has when seeing a top cash cow.
"You're missing a title."
"A title?" Tony's electronic eyes blinked, clearly not following Lin An's train of thought.
"Exactly." Lin An patted his cold metal shoulder and said earnestly, "Look, I'm the boss of Vought International now. I keep a super-powered team called 'The Seven' under my wing. They clock in every day to earn me popularity and dollars."
"But honestly, even all those guys combined don't have as much buzz as you do alone."
Lin An leaned in closer, lowering his voice like a devil tempting Adam to eat the forbidden fruit.
"My The Seven is still missing the most crucial center position."
"How about it, brother? Any interest in just hanging your name on it?"
"You don't need to clock in, you don't need to go on missions; you're still the free billionaire, playboy, and genius inventor."
"You just need to go out there and use my 'Homelander' title, and occasionally do some joint marketing with me."
Tony fell silent.
The blue reactor on his chest glowed quietly.
He looked at the blonde man in front of him; there was a light in the other man's eyes he was very familiar with—it was the greed and excitement of a businessman seeing a huge business opportunity.
But Tony wasn't disgusted.
Because this man had just pulled him back from the gates of hell and shelled out billions of U.S. dollars to help him stabilize his crumbling company.
Just hanging a name, that's all.
Compared to saving his life and billions in real money, what did that count for?
"Fine." Tony's answer was crisp and clear. "Don't mention just hanging a name, even if you made me wear that sissy stars-and-stripes spandex of yours, I'd accept it."
"Who told you to be my big creditor now."
The smile on Lin An's face instantly became ten times brighter.
Success!
In his mind, the cold system prompt exploded almost instantly, as if he'd won a hundred-billion lottery.
[Ding!]
[Detected that the host has successfully recruited an artist, a core plot character of the Marvel Universe—Tony Stark!]
[Binding agreement generating...]
[Congratulations, host! You will permanently receive 50% of the popularity generated by "Iron Man" as a commission!]
[Marvel protagonist halo, now added to your luxury package!]
Holy shit!
Fifty percent!
Lin An almost couldn't help but laugh out loud on the spot.
This wasn't just recruiting a Superhero; this was directly controlling the number one money-printing machine of the Marvel cinematic Universe!
Thanos is nothing!
With Tony as this endless popularity perpetual motion machine, the Kryptonian bloodline that required ten million popularity points to redeem was not far away!
He forcibly suppressed the ecstasy in his heart, maintained his outward calm, and slapped Tony's shoulder hard: "Good brother, loyal!"
"From now on, you are my brother from another mother!"
"Alright, alright, enough with that." Tony waved his metal arm impatiently.
"The reporters outside are about to go crazy. When are we starting?"
"My energy core is already hungry and thirsty."
"Now." Lin An grinned, revealing a mouthful of white teeth.
"The show begins."
...
Press conference venue.
When Lin An and that mysterious silver Iron Man walked onto the stage side-by-side, the whole place went silent for three seconds, followed immediately by an avalanche of shutter sounds and gasps.
"My God! What is that?"
"Is it a robot? A new weapon from Stark Industries?"
"Who is that iron guy next to Homelander?!"
Lin An ignored the noise below, picked up the microphone, and cleared his throat.
His voice was clearly transmitted through the amplification equipment to the scene, and also through the live broadcast signal to every viewer in the World watching this broadcast.
"Good afternoon, everyone." Lin An wore his signature smile, the one that could make any young girl's heart beat faster. "I know everyone has a lot of questions, such as who this... er, 'iron buddy' next to me is."
He made a small joke, drawing a wave of good-natured laughter from the audience.
"Before introducing him, I have an important matter to announce."
Lin An's expression turned serious.
"As everyone knows, the superheroes under Vought International represent the top superhuman combat power in this America."
"And today, I will be very honored to announce to the whole World!"
He turned sideways, gestured to the silver Iron Man beside him, his voice suddenly rising, full of passion and power.
"The newest member of The Seven, and the absolute core of our team, my close friend, a true hero—"
"Iron Man!"
Boom!
"Iron Man" was like a blockbuster bomb, setting off a monstrous wave across the World!
Countless viewers watching the live broadcast, whether they were white-collar workers sitting in offices or couch potatoes lying on sofas, couldn't help but jump up from their chairs.
Iron Man?
This name is too cool!
Simple, direct, full of power!
Lin An was very satisfied with this effect; he handed the microphone to Tony beside him.
"Now, the stage is yours, Iron Man."
Tony took the microphone, and the silver metal mask slowly rose, revealing his World-famous, cynical face.
He scanned the audience, his gaze finally locking onto a main camera in front, as if trying to see through the lens and pierce through some rats hiding in the dark corners.
"That's right." Tony's voice came out through the armor's speakers, carrying a cold, metallic texture.
"I am Iron Man."
He didn't give anyone a chance to ask questions; his voice suddenly turned cold, filled with undisguised killing intent.
"Just an hour ago, a director of Stark Industries, Obadiah Stane, broke into my home, stole the Ark Reactor I rely on for survival, and wanted me dead."
"Now, I have survived."
"So, Obadiah." Tony said to the camera, word by word. "This dirty game you started, it's over."
"I, Iron Man, am here to pass final judgment on you."
"The location is right here."
"The time is right now."
"Come out and die!"
...
Meanwhile, in a secret hangar not far from the Stark Industries headquarters.
Obadiah Stane was standing under a huge shadow.
On the huge screen in front of him, Tony's arrogant face was being broadcast in real-time.
"Judge me?"
Obadiah looked at the screen, trembling with anger, veins bulging on his bald head.
He couldn't figure out how Tony survived.
How did he manage to build that armor, which looked highly technologically advanced, in such a short time?
And Homelander!
Why was that damn caped bastard mixed up with him!
"Boss, we... we should leave!" The few technicians next to him were so scared their legs went soft.
"They've already found us! If we don't leave now, it'll be too late!"
"Leave?"
Obadiah turned his head sharply, his eyes bloodshot, like an angry bull.
"Why should I leave?"
He pointed at the high-spirited Tony on the screen and roared hysterically: "Who does he think he is?"
"God? Does he think that by putting on an iron shell, he can judge me?"
He turned around, spread his arms, and fanatically embraced the hideous monster behind him, which was several times larger than the Mark 2 armor.
That was the iron behemoth pieced together from countless armor fragments and heavy weapons—iron monger!
"Power? This is true power!"
A morbid, fanatical smile appeared on Obadiah's face; he was blindly confident in this masterpiece that had cost him countless efforts.
"He wants to judge me in front of the whole World?"
"Good! Great!"
"I will tear him and his ridiculous toy to pieces in front of the whole World!"
He turned abruptly and smashed the surveillance screen in front of him with one punch.
"Activate iron monger!"
"Target, Stark Industries headquarters!"
"I want the whole World to see who is the true Iron King!"
...
Press conference venue.
Tony's gunpowder-filled declaration of war plunged the entire scene into dead silence.
All the reporters widened their eyes, even forgetting to breathe.
What kind of practical exercise was this?
This was clearly a global live broadcast of a private vendetta to the death!
Just then.
Boom—!!!
A loud noise descended from the sky, and the whole building seemed to shake!
The glass dome in the center of the press conference venue was smashed by a huge black shadow!
Countless glass fragments fell like rain, and the crowd screamed in terror, scattering and fleeing.
An iron giant, several times larger than the Mark 2 armor, fell heavily in front of the podium with an incomparable sense of oppression!
Its thick mechanical legs stomped two deep craters into the ground, and the hideous weapon system on its back flashed with dangerous red light.
iron monger, has arrived!
"You wanted to see me, Tony?"
From under the iron monger's mask came Obadiah's voice, distorted by electricity and filled with resentment and madness.
"I'm here!"