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New York, the economic capital of the world. Rows of tall buildings, dazzling LED billboards. Today is another peaceful day—not!
On the bustling downtown streets, the wail of sirens echoes every half hour, a testament to the city's "free" and lively atmosphere.
In truth, ever since Tony Stark had publicly revealed himself as Iron Man over a year ago, New York had been relatively stable. Criminals now had to consider the possibility that the billionaire playboy might suddenly drop from the sky in his ridiculously cool steel suit and blast them into the next life.
Although everyone knew that Tony Stark rarely bothered with "small crimes" like bank robberies, the sheer, overwhelming power he represented was enough to deter many criminal organizations.
It was a testament to the current slogan: "In 2011, technology will make the world a better place!"
Iron Man, a king crowned by technology. His deterrent as a superhero was, in some ways, more effective than the entire city's police force.
At that very moment, Tony Stark, the man of many titles—Iron Man, Playboy, Billionaire—was in a famous New York nightclub, surrounded by a group of scantily clad dancers and models.
"Tony, do we really have to have our business meetings in a place like this every time?" his friend, U.S. Colonel James Rhodes, said, exasperated. He was trying to push his way through the crowd of women to get to Tony, his neat, majestic officer's uniform completely out of place.
"The location is non-negotiable," Tony teased, swirling a glass of red wine. "It's you who should change. That uniform is killing the mood."
"I just snuck out of the base," Rhodes said, but he took a glass of wine from a passing waiter and clinked glasses with Tony. The lights flashed, the music pulsed. After a drink, Rhodes relaxed, a look of intoxication on his face as he began to blend in with the crowd.
"So, what's so urgent that you had to see me in the middle of the day?" Tony asked casually.
"Right, business," Rhodes said, suddenly serious. "You've been looking for people with extraordinary abilities for the past six months, right?"
"That's right," Tony nodded calmly. He had no intention of hiding his plans to form a superhero team from his friend. If it weren't for Rhodes' military status, he would have already been a member.
"How's it going?" Rhodes asked.
"Not bad. I have two or three candidates already," Tony said, though his casual tone couldn't hide a hint of helplessness. In truth, he had only found one candidate himself. The other two had been suggested by the director of S.H.I.E.L.D. Still, the person he had found was exceptional, both in mind and strength. It was a small comfort. In a world of billions, people with powers beyond the ordinary were still incredibly rare.
"What do you think of that new hero in loguetown, the silver-haired goddess?" Rhode asked, intrigued. "The one who defeated the Abomination."
"Of course," Tony said, spreading his hands. "I had J.A.R.V.I.S. look into her that same night. There's not much information, but I can confirm that she lives in loguetown."
On the streets of Times Square, crowds of people bustled about. Christmas tree decorations were everywhere, and a festive atmosphere had enveloped the entire city.
"Leo, what do you think of this?" Nami asked, wearing a Santa Claus hat and pulling on his sleeve.
"It looks good," he said.
"Senior, what about mine?" Kayla asked, touching the reindeer bell on her neck. It made a clear, sweet sound.
"It looks good," he said.
The whole day had been like this: Nami and Kayla dragging him through the bustling commercial streets. The two beautiful girls had become a scenic attraction in their own right.
Although being surrounded by beautiful girls was a nice experience, Leo hadn't forgotten the real reason they were there.
"Okay," he said, stopping at a crossroads. "I'll go this way, and you two go that way."
"Huh?" Nami's smile vanished.
"Why?" Kayla asked, a question mark on her face.
"Nami, did you forget?" he said, gesticulating. "You came here to do research for the class trip. The streets are too big to see everything together. It's better to split up. And with the two of you together, you'll be safe."
Nami's mind went blank. She had been so caught up in the moment that she had forgotten her own excuse. It had come back to bite her.
"Senior, I…" Kayla started to say something, but Leo just smiled at her.
"Please, Kayla. You and Nami, take care of each other."
She wanted to say, You're the one who's not safe, but the words wouldn't come out. She had no choice but to agree. "Okay."
"Then it's settled," he said, and with his schoolbag in hand, he walked off down the street alone.
The two beautiful girls were left standing there, looking at each other. How had things turned out like this?
Leo walked down the street, taking pictures and recording videos with his phone. He walked for a long time, until a particular building caught his eye.
It was a memorial hall.
Travelers and their children were going in and out. Some of the children were holding plastic, five-pointed star shields, their eyes filled with excitement and longing.
It was the Captain America Memorial.
As the first superhero in human history, Captain America's influence was undeniable, even though he had been gone for over half a century. In the military, he was still considered the benchmark for all soldiers.
Leo had heard about the memorial, but this was the first time he had seen it. It was a New York landmark. He stood in front of the stairs, hesitating, wondering if he should go in, when a tall young man walked out.
The young man was wearing slacks, a jacket, and a baseball cap pulled down low over his eyes. He was looking down, so Leo couldn't see his face. But from his position at the bottom of the stairs, Leo had a clear view.
"Mr. Rogers?" he asked in surprise.
The young man froze for a moment, then looked at the boy in front of him and nodded slightly.
It was the man the memorial was dedicated to—Captain America, Steve Rogers.
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