Chapter 31: Going to New York
"Should I draw a prize or not?"
When Li Chen returned home, he still felt an itch he couldn't scratch.
Resisting the urge to splurge was too difficult.
But after thinking about it, there didn't seem to be anything good to draw.
Mainly because the prizes in the pool were too few.
Currently, there were still only three worlds, Superman, One Piece", and "Re:Zero", available for drawing.
Transformers" had already started filming, but its release wouldn't be until next summer's blockbuster season.
Batman's solo movie was also in preparation and would similarly only be released next year.
Compared to movies, there were also games next year.
He asked about the progress; bayonetta" was almost finished, and among the nier" series, the one being made first was nier: automata", which was also making fast progress.
The slowest was stellar blade", since it had to be developed from zero.
Therefore, Li Chen was thinking whether he should save up.
"Forget it, let's do a ten-pull first to test the waters."
Li Chen thought to himself, preparing to quench his thirst.
Even if the ten-pull didn't yield good things, he still had ten thousand prestige points.
Thus, Li Chen had Rem prepare hot water, took a bath first, and all that was left was burning incense.
[Do you want to perform a ten-pull draw?]
"Yes!"
[Maybe next time!]
[Maybe next time!]
[...]
Li Chen watched the draw expressionlessly, feeling that it truly wasn't a good time.
[Congratulations to the host for winning: Boa Hancock's intimate undergarments.]
"No, is this proper?"
Li Chen looked at the piece of fabric in his hand that still seemed to carry a bit of warmth, completely speechless.
"Forget it, I'll wait until one-punch man" comes out before drawing again."
If it were the Empress's fragments, he would have accepted it, but he didn't expect to draw this kind of thing.
Sorry, he really wasn't lacking this.
Somewhat ticked off, Li Chen got up and simply went to find Psylocke.
Psylocke adapted very well, and Li Chen indeed hadn't misjudged her; she had something in her bones, and even grew to like this feeling.
One could only say that this was just how those islanders were.
Toward this, Li Chen felt not a shred of guilt. Of course he respected people, but were those islanders people?
As for their women, they were born to be like this.
If Psylocke wanted to blame someone, she should blame the identity and lineage she possessed.
However, Psylocke was also different from the other islanders.
Most islanders were relatively short; a woman like Psylocke with a height of 1.8 meters was truly too rare.
"Master, your phone."
Ram found Li Chen and turned a blind eye to Psylocke.
What Master wanted to do was Master's business, and all they maids needed to do was support him.
Furthermore, Master wasn't going too far either.
At least in Ram and Rem's eyes, Li Chen was just playing around.
Li Chen took the phone and glanced at it; it was a call from the White Queen.
During this period of time, Li Chen often went to the Hellfire Club to unwind, have a drink, and chat with the White Queen.
Only after that time had he never seen the Black Queenagain.
The other party gave off a rather mysterious feel.
"Emma."
"Li, how are things on your end?"
Li Chen glanced at it and said: "Speak."
He stroked Psylocke's head. Hearing the White Queen's voice, Psylocke felt a momentary flash of regret.
If she had accepted the White Queen's invitation back then, would things not have turned out like this?
But now, Psylocke had already gotten used to it, so the so-called regret was just for a fleeting second.
Human nature was really hard to describe, and human habits were also an extremely terrifying thing.
The White Queen's cold voice came through: "The Hellfire Club over in New York is going to hold a grand party, and they need senior executives to go over. Are you interested?"
"New York?"
Li Chen hesitated slightly.
Come to think of it, he had previously been to New York, but left after staying for just a day.
To him, that city was still very mysterious.
"I can't get away here in Los Angeles. You are the White Rook; you always have to fulfill some obligations."
"Then what do I need to do?"
Li Chen asked aloud.
He thought about it; anyway, he didn't have much going on right now, so it wouldn't hurt to go over to New York and take a look.
"Just host the party well. Of course, you also have to make a trip to Xavier's Genius Academy to recruit people for us."
White Queen Emma Frost subsequently said: "If you do well, I will have a reward for you, oh."
Li Chen laughed and said: "Oh? Can the reward be proposed by me?"
As if knowing what he was thinking, the White Queensaid: "That will depend on your performance."
Neither agreeing nor refusing.
An ambiguous atmosphere still hovered between the two of them.
Upon learning that Li Chen was going to leave, both Ram and Rem were somewhat reluctant to part with him.
While helping Li Chen pack his luggage, they felt somewhat sad.
This was the first time Master was going to leave them.
The only one rejoicing was Psylocke.
But she didn't dare run away either, because she had imagined to herself countless times that as long as she fled, Li Chen would catch her back.
Mhm, all of these were things she imagined in her own head.
Then she even fiercely pondered in her heart what would happen if she got caught...
One could only say that women had quite a way with imagination.
Just like many girls who like to imagine having a wicked mother-in-law who constantly bullies them, and then they would hide under the covers and howl in tears.
"Ram."
Li Chen pulled Ram over: "I will return as soon as possible, but before that, let me replenish your mana first."
Because he was going to be away for a few days, Li Chenfully replenished Ram's mana.
Leaving Ram with a rosy complexion.
...
The next day, Li Chen boarded a plane.
He didn't mean anything else by it, mainly just wanting to see if there would be any romantic encounters.
Whether in novels or film and television works, there were tropes like this.
The male and female leads chat happily, then start a joyful journey, maybe even starting a round in the air.
But as soon as he got on the plane, he regretted it. Where were these air hostesses? These were air grandmas!
Furthermore, he was sitting in first class, and the passengers next to him were separated by who-knows-how-many partitions, so chatting passionately was naturally impossible.
"Flying in America is not even half as good an experience as across the ocean."
At least the Flight attendants across the ocean were still very young and pretty, looking extremely pleasing to the eye.
These hags in America were not only aged, but their service attitude wasn't much to speak of either.
The airline's attitude was even more arrogant.
Li Chen might as well have flown by himself.
Soon, the plane took off, flying directly over a section of the "flyover zone".
The so-called flyover zone refers to these central regions of America. Compared to the East Coast and West Coast, the central region's development was relatively backward with many agricultural areas. Under normal circumstances, elites wouldn't go to the center at all, only glancing down at the ground when taking a plane.
Thus, the saying of the flyover zone came about.
This arrogant saying made the rednecks extremely angry, yet they were completely helpless.
To put it bluntly, how was this not a form of discrimination?
This was also Li Chen's first time looking at this continent; previously when he took off himself, he was too busy enjoying the thrill of Flight.
He couldn't help but sigh that America's terrain was truly good. Such a boundless, great plain—how suitable was it for farming?
If this uniquely endowed place had been given to Huaxia's ancestors, who knew how exhilarating that would have been.
Chapter 32 Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters
After getting off the plane, Li Chen walked out through the exclusive passageway, and people from the Hellfire Clubhad already arranged for a pickup.
This was also a Mutant. Upon seeing Li Chen, he immediately said respectfully, "White Rook, please get in the car."
Li Chen did not plan to stay in a hotel, and simply decided to stay directly at the Hellfire Club.
After all, whether it was the decoration or other aspects, the club was better than most hotels, almost comparable to a five-star one.
As the car started and drove along the road, Li Chenrealized that there was a huge difference between New York and Los Angeles.
Although Los Angeles was one of the top major cities in the nationwide in the US, it did not have many tall buildings, especially in the residential areas, which were basically small bungalows.
But New York was different. Just like Chicago, it was basically filled with tall buildings.
The reason Li Chen knew about the situation in Chicagowas because Metropolis in Superman was actually filmed in Chicago rather than New York.
Of course, in terms of other urban appearances, they were quite similar.
New York and Los Angeles were the largest cities in the nationwide in the US, but they were also the cities with the most homeless people.
People carrying dreams came to these two places, attempting to change their lives. However, after their dreams were shattered, they could no longer leave and could only become 'consumables'.
Countless homeless people emerged this way. They could only struggle near the execution line, with an average lifespan of only three to five years, and then they would leave this world forever.
What was pitiful was that they wouldn't find peace even after death...
Li Chen's gaze swept over these homeless people. He could do nothing, and he was no saint.
He was simply here to enjoy life.
Frankly speaking, these were all their own choices.
Just like those migrants, before running over here, did they not know that America was not heaven?
Of course they knew, they just chose to deceive themselves and numb themselves.
For such people, Li Chen had only two words.
Serves them right.
"We have arrived."
The Hellfire Club in New York was located near Long Island. It was quite quiet here, and of course very safe, because it basically belonged to a wealthy residential area.
Then, Li Chen picked up his luggage and entered directly from the back door.
A graceful bunny girl was waiting for him. Seeing this, she immediately walked over on her black-silk-clad legs, saying, "White Rook, let me take it."
She was also a Mutant.
"White Rook, this is the room where the White Queenused to live. I am your exclusive maid, and I can satisfy whatever you need."
The bunny girl wildly flirted with Li Chen by batting her eyes.
As a bottom-tier waitress of the Hellfire Club, if she wanted to climb up, she had to curry favor with these big figures.
Without a doubt, White Rook was definitely one of the most powerful figures in the Hellfire Club.
Unfortunately, Li Chen did not fancy her.
At Li Chen's position, he no longer looked down upon mere beauty, because he discovered that there were simply too many pretty people in this world, and beauty was sometimes worthless.
Take Hollywood as a whole; most of those who dared to come and chase their dreams had some looks, and among ordinary people, they would be hundred-percent beauties.
This made Li Chen somewhat immune to it.
Only appearance combined with other aspects, such as temperament, status, and strength, could bring Li Chensome desire for conquest.
Therefore, Li Chen told her to go out and checked the room himself.
The room was dozens of square meters in size, equipped with everything imaginable, and even more luxurious than a hotel room.
Opening the wardrobe to take a look, it was filled with clothes left behind by the White Queen...
Truly a woman's wardrobe.
After resting for a little while and having lunch, Li Chen set off in a dedicated Hellfire car.
Destination: Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters.
Mutants had once caused some incidents, but they didn't blow up, and then the human upper echelons signed an agreement with the Mutants.
Of course, Mutants had not forgotten their ideals; they still wanted 'autonomy'.
To some extent, regardless of whether it was the X-Men or the Hellfire Club, their goals were the same.
It was just that the Hellfire Club was more radical, while the X-Men were relatively moderate.
Moreover, since entering the new era, the X-Men had basically vanished from public view, no longer putting out fires everywhere as before and frequently appearing in the news.
It seemed they themselves had also realized that no matter how many people they saved, humans would not completely accept them.
Because people were afraid of the unknown, and they feared out-of-control power.
The more you displayed, the more terrified people became, so it might be better to keep a low profile and let the worldforget them.
If they wanted everyone to accept them, there was only one possibility, and that was for everyone to have Mutantabilities.
However, compared to the population of the entire world, the number of Mutants was simply too small.
Therefore, fewer and fewer people knew about Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters.
Mutants became low-key, quietly training children with Mutant abilities and then seeking some opportunities.
The Hellfire Club was a bit more high-profile than them because they walked a different path.
Right from the beginning, the Hellfire Club chose the path of controlling the elites of the entire world to achieve its goals.
The car drove all the way to Charles's Estate in Westchester. This was Professor X's private estate, which had been passed down through the Xavier family for ten generations.
Compared to those elites on Wall Street, Professor X was true 'old money'.
If it weren't for his personal financial strength, the days of Mutants wouldn't have been this comfortable.
Precisely because he had capital, he could swaggeringly train Mutants in New York State and maintain good relations with the higher-ups. Otherwise, if it were an ordinary person, they would have been eaten down to the bone long ago.
To this day, Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters was still operating.
The Hellfire Club had contacted them long ago, so Li Chen's arrival was completely unimpeded.
Sitting inside the car and looking out the window, Li Chensaw that the number of students at the X-Mansion was quite large—at least several dozen, spanning all age groups.
The estate was huge, even larger than Li Chen's estate in Beverly Hills; otherwise, it would have been impossible to run a school.
Coming in from the front gate, it took several minutes just to drive to the estate's door.
Outside were lawns and various training grounds everywhere, dazzling one's eyes.
"What a wealthy man!"
Li Chen sighed with emotion.
Rich people everywhere loved buying land, because everything else was fake, and only land was true and solid.
Things like stocks in the stock market were castles in the air, which could lose everything at any time.
But land was right here; others could never snatch it away.
This reminded Li Chen of a joke he had seen before: foreigners didn't like buying houses and preferred renting instead.
In reality, how could it be that they didn't like it? It was simply that they couldn't afford it...
In the realm of capital, land was all private. Those 'old money' families had long since bought up all the land cleanly, which was why they looked down upon the newly risen 'new money', thinking they had nothing except money.
Without a doubt, Professor X was an old-money figure, and at this moment, he was sitting in his wheelchair with a smile on his face, looking at Li Chen inside the car.
Chapter 33: Recruiting Mutants
Professor X's head seemed reflective as he sat in his wheelchair, looking at Li Chen with a kind smile on his face.
Li Chen got out of the car and found that he was much more disciplined than White Queen.
When they first met, White Queen directly tried to pry into him using Telepathy, but Professor X did not do so.
Perhaps Professor X also understood that since White Queen dared to send Li Chen over, she naturally wasn't afraid of this trick.
Behind Professor X, pushing his wheelchair, was Beast, though he hadn't transformed yet, he still looked very "wild".
"Professor X, hello, I am Li Chen."
Li Chen said.
"Li, thank you for coming."
Professor X smiled and nodded, shaking hands with Li Chen.
"Please come in."
The group walked into the Villa, and other Mutant children watched with curiosity.
Only a few "teachers" walked over.
Li Chen quickly recognized them.
The one wearing special glasses was obviously Cyclops.
And the dark-skinned woman in uniform should be StormOroro.
Of course, there was also Jean Grey, the charming and voluptuous red-haired Jean Grey.
Seeing Jean Grey, Li Chen thought of her three versions in film history.
The first version was the charming image in X-Men, just like how she looked now, which many people liked.
The second was Jean in Dark Phoenix, which belonged to the worst-looking version.
The third version was Grey from the Marvel Universe, this version had a girlish feel, and her superpower didn't awaken until Spider-Man Peter Parker grew up.
Undoubtedly, this version of Jean was the most likable, because she looked just like the girl next door, and anyone would want a girlfriend like that.
Through this point, Li Chen was also very clear that the universe he was in was not the 616 universe.
But this was also normal; the Marvel Universe had a Multiverse, and there was no help for not traveling to the Prime Universe.
And the Jean Grey in front of him now no longer looked young, but time had not robbed her of her appearance; instead, it seemed to have given her a layer of filter, making her even more mature and beautiful.
Just like a ripe peach, anyone would want to take a bite.
They greeted Li Chen and then continued to lead the students.
Li Chen followed Professor X and Beast into a spacious office.
"Li, what is your position within Hellfire?"
Professor X came behind the desk and asked curiously first.
Li Chen said: "White Rook."
Hearing Li Chen's words, Professor X and Hank were both somewhat surprised.
They looked Li Chen up and down: "I wonder what your Mutant superpower is?"
"I am not a Mutant."
Li Chen shook his head: "Professor Charles, it's not just Mutants who have superpowers in this world."
Professor X was quite calm: "I know, like the Inhumans."
The relationship between Mutants and Inhumans was very complex, and the two sides had been in conflict for a long time.
Afterwards, Professor X did not probe further into Li Chen's secrets.
Although they were very curious about how Li Chen, who wasn't a Mutant, became a high-ranking member of the Hellfire Club.
But Hellfire was just like that; no matter who you were, as long as you had ability, you could gain status.
"White Queen should have explained to you, we have students about to graduate, but they don't want to engage in ordinary jobs."
"As for whether the Hellfire Club can accept them, it depends on yourselves."
Hearing Professor X's words, Li Chen nodded.
That's right, he was here to recruit people for the Hellfire Club.
The X-Mansion played an educational and nurturing role, and the relationship between it and the Hellfire Club could be described in one word: both confrontation and cooperation.
Confrontation was because sometimes their philosophies differed, but cooperation was because both sides were Mutants.
Mutants help Mutants.
Just like now, many trained Mutants did not want to stay in the X-Mansion all the time; they longed to go out into society.
But because they had superpowers and were somewhat "ambitious yet incompetent", they didn't want to live ordinary lives and looked down on ordinary jobs.
If they were allowed to flow into society unchecked, some things would easily happen.
In case they couldn't survive because of the "culling line" and chose to commit crimes using superpowers, it would smear the Mutant community.
Professor X naturally didn't want such things to happen.
Therefore, he chose to cooperate with the Hellfire Club.
Letting the Hellfire Club recruit people, those Mutants who voluntarily joined the Hellfire Club would receive good treatment and at least wouldn't have to worry about falling into the "culling line".
Because the Hellfire Club already spanned the world and had branches in major cities across the globe, no one knew how much money they had, and there was no need to worry about failing to pay wages.
After all, even top billionaires like Tony Stark were senior members of the club.
And becoming a member naturally required paying "membership dues" every year.
For the Hellfire Club's revenue, this was just a drop in the bucket; there were plenty of places that truly made money.
In this world, as long as one had power and influence, one never had to worry about lacking money.
Wealth was an external possession, and power was the most important thing.
No matter what, the Hellfire Club was at least founded by Mutants; compared to other places, Professor X trusted the Hellfire Club more.
Li Chen quietly looked at the graduation list.
In fact, only a few people were graduating in this batch.
After all, the whole academy only had a few dozen students.
For the entire Mutant community, the X-Mansion was still too small to gather all Mutants.
And if they really did that, America would view them as a threat.
Gathering so many Mutants in New York, what on earth were they trying to pull?
"Shadowcat, Dazzler, Jubilee..."
Li Chen looked at the list and said: "Can you arrange for me to meet them?"
"Of course."
Beast nodded and asked Jean to call them all to a classroom.
Then, Li Chen went directly there.
In addition to the previous three girls, there were also two male Mutants.
They should have joined the X-Men, but since the new century, the X-Men were no longer active, so naturally there was no need to recruit them.
As soon as Li Chen walked in, he saw their apprehensive eyes.
Thus, he asked directly: "So, what are your dreams?"
This left several Mutants looking at each other in dismay.
Dazzler was a beautiful blonde beauty, about 1.73 meters tall. She raised her hand and said: "I... I once wanted to be a singer."
Alison Blair's mother was a freelance artist, so she had such a dream since childhood.
Her ability was to convert acoustic energy into various types of light energy, so after training, she used music to store acoustic energy, especially upbeat music.
Li Chen reached out and pointed at her, saying: "Join the Hellfire Club, and we will make you a heavenly queen."
"Moreover, I am the boss of a film and television company; if you want to make movies, you can."
Dazzler's eyes lit up immediately: "I'll join!"
Chapter 34: Arrogant Tony
With Dazzler taking the lead, the others also became active.
Especially the two girls, Kitty Pryde and Jubilee.
Perhaps every woman has a celebrity dream; they are naturally fond of the spotlight and love the feeling of being worshipped by thousands.
This is also why many young women harboring dreams come to strange Los Angeles and plunge right into it, even if they don't make a single splash...
But as long as you give them a chance, they will give everything.
In Hollywood, practitioners with even a shred of power never lack young and pretty women; perhaps this is why.
Kitty Pryde was still a bit apprehensive at first, but her eyes were glowing as she looked at Li Chen now.
"Can we really become stars?"
She asked weakly.
Her personality seemed a bit timid, but Li Chen didn't mind.
"I can arrange for you to enter the crew, but whether you can make it big depends on your individual efforts."
Li Chen said.
But just having this single chance was enough.
Kitty Pryde immediately nodded and said, "Then I'll join too."
With the two taking the lead, the others joined in succession.
Although Jubilee was somewhat hesitant, she went with the flow.
Anyway, if she wasn't happy later, she could leave at any time.
The Hellfire Club couldn't force them to stay either; this was also what Professor X told them—they could come back whenever they didn't want to stay.
However, Jubilee still had a good impression of Li Chen.
First, they both shared the surname Li, and both were Asian; they needed to huddle together for warmth here.
This was also why she didn't refuse.
She went straight to Li Chen and asked, "Sir, can I follow you?"
"What do you want to follow me for?"
Li Chen wondered.
"To be your bodyguard."
Jubilee said confidently.
This made Li Chen look her over: short black hair, an appearance that reminded Li Chen of Tracer from Overwatch.
And her outfit was rather flashy, with a pink shirt and a yellow jacket that looked very vibrant.
"So, what is your superpower?"
Li Chen thought for a moment and asked.
This woman didn't want to be a star, nor a singer, she only wanted to be a bodyguard...
Interesting.
"I can set off fireworks."
Jubilee immediately said, "The fireworks have great power after they explode, and I've also learned combat skills."
The fireworks she spoke of were actually releasing energy.
Li Chen thought for a moment and said, "I'm not a good person. Are you sure you want to follow me?"
"A good person wouldn't call themselves a good person."
Jubilee seemed to have set her mind on him.
Compared to going to a strange club, it was better to huddle together for warmth.
Li Chen's face was her target to follow.
This was the benefit of character modeling.
"Fine, I'll give you a monthly salary of ten thousand dollars, you just need to follow me outside."
Li Chen hadn't thought about bringing her home; after all, some things weren't suitable for outsiders to see.
"Thank you, boss."
Jubilee got into character quickly, and then she curiously asked, "Boss, what is your superpower?"
Li Chen stopped, glanced at her, and said, "Being rich."
"..."
Several people almost lost their composure, but upon closer thought, it made sense.
Super-money seemed more important than superpowers.
They all had superpowers, yet weren't they still "working for" Li Chen?
Woohoo! How tragic!
...
Having resolved the matter of the X-Mansion, Li Chen left alone first.
The few Mutants still needed to prepare before they could follow him, and they all had to head to Los Angeles.
After all, Los Angeles was the representative place of the "America Dream".
When returning to the Hellfire Club in Long Island, it was already evening.
If it weren't for Superman's constitution, Li Chen would have been exhausted working continuously like this.
But now he was still full of energy.
Because there was still the most crucial party tonight.
Although New York didn't have as many "celebrities" as Los Angeles, there were still plenty of big figures from all walks of life, especially elites from Wall Street.
Most of those with prestige had joined the Hellfire Club.
For example, Justin Hammer didn't even wear a mask, not worrying that others would recognize him.
Even he was like this, so Tony Stark would definitely not wear one.
Thus, in an instant, he became the focus of the entire venue.
After all, he was a party prince himself.
And for Tony Stark, he hadn't attended a party in a long time either.
Ever since returning to New York, he announced the closure of the weapons division, and then chose to go into seclusion to start building a real Iron Man Armor.
Although in the cave, the Iron Man Armor hadn't exerted much effect before he was rescued by the US military.
But he realized that he needed the Iron Man Armor to save himself at critical moments.
If he had the Iron Man Armor before being kidnapped, he could have saved himself in the raid and even counter-killed those guys.
Therefore, Tony Stark came to his senses that he must have the Iron Man Armor.
After building the Mark I, Tony didn't indulge in parties either, but began "actual combat".
He had to see what effect the Iron Man Armor could have in a real war.
Thus, recently Tony had been flying to the Middle East all day long.
The US military even had fighter jets crash, but the external reports claimed it was a mistake.
Right now, no one was paying attention to the Iron Man Armor yet; after all, Tony didn't swagger around wearing it in front of everyone.
Today was a relaxing day for Tony Stark.
He hadn't attended the Hellfire Club's dinner banquet in a long time.
By this time, Li Chen appeared wearing a Batman mask.
"Welcome, everyone."
Li Chen said, "Today the club has prepared drinks and various activities; everyone can move about freely."
This kind of party was equivalent to providing a social platform.
Tycoons were willing to attend such occasions precisely because they wanted to look for some "opportunities".
However, Tony Stark was clearly here to take a vacation.
He rejected other people's invitations, directly took a glass of wine, and walked toward Li Chen.
He walked with a swagger, a confident smile on his face.
"Are you the White King of the club?"
He was clearly inquiring, but it gave Li Chen a very "arrogant" feeling.
But this was Tony Stark, a self-centered idiot.
To be fair, Tony Stark at this time was not yet the Iron Manwho would later say "I love you three thousand times".
Although he put on the Iron Man Armor, his inner self hadn't changed; he was still that playboy.
Especially since Yinsen hadn't sacrificed himself to save him, but instead survived and came to New York with him.
Yinsen's destiny was changed, and Tony Stark's destiny was changed as well.
Just like Batman's line: "It's those pains that make us who we are."
Tony Stark hadn't experienced too much "pain" yet, so he hadn't been reshaped by it.
Li Chen didn't get angry either, nodding as he said, "That's right."
"Thank you for saving me. You can tell me whatever you want."
Tony still had that look as if the whole world belonged to him.
Though for him, he just didn't want to owe a favor; that feeling made him very uncomfortable.
Chapter 35 Spider-Gwen
"No need, I did not save you."
Li Chen shook his head: "Besides, I am not lacking anything."
Chatting with Tony Stark gave one the feeling of 'begging him'.
This also made Li Chen very unhappy.
Who is not a wealthy person?
But Tony Stark did not mind, just nodding and saying: "Let me know when you have thought about it."
Then, with a movement of his footsteps, he immediately headed towards a blonde beauty.
Thanking Li Chen was secondary; relaxing himself was the primary task.
Moreover, his so-called gratitude did not care whether the other party would agree or not.
Seeing Tony Stark leave, Justin Hammer, unwilling to fall behind, also came over to greet.
"Respected White Rook."
"Mr. Hammer, thank you for your contribution."
Li Chen gave him face.
Hammer Industries donated quite a lot of things to the Hellfire Club every year, sometimes cash, sometimes munitions.
Precisely because of this layer of relationship, Li Chen was so amiable to him.
Who would hate their own benefactor?
And this bunch playing with arms were truly wealthy; if it were anyone else, with the company's stock continuously falling, they would have already suffered severe damage.
But Tony Stark was still happily crafting the Iron Man Armor, as if unaffected.
Mainly because his health bar was too thick.
Even Justin Hammer, whose Hammer Industries was not as booming as Stark Industries, still had a considerable net worth.
After this, Li Chen was surrounded again.
As the White Rook of the Hellfire Club, no matter what identity these people had outside, they would ingratiate themselves with him here.
As for those women and socialites, they looked at him with passionate eyes, as if as long as he hooked a finger, they would obediently surrender everything.
Is this the feeling of power and status?
Li Chen felt very happy, and not a trace of fatigue remained on his body.
No wonder so many people wanted to acquire power; it truly was fascinating.
This feeling of being looked up to by thousands would give him the sensation that he was an emperor.
The White Rook was already like this, what about the White King?
"Boom!"
Just as everyone was clinking glasses and immersed in the joy of the party, the seemingly forgotten outside worldsuddenly sent over a loud bang.
This instantly sobered everyone up, and even more so, expressions of fear even surfaced on some faces.
Li Chen immediately spoke up: "Do not panic, no one is to leave the club, Hellfire will protect everyone's safety."
Hearing Li Chen's words, the tycoons and socialites gradually set their minds at ease.
Indeed, this was the Hellfire Club after all; was there anywhere safer than here?
However, there were still those with big guts who wanted to go check out the situation.
For example, Tony Stark was very daring.
In America, hearing the sound of an explosion meant one must run, because there was a high probability that a battle was taking place.
Of course, it was different in Huaxia; most people would go to join in the excitement after hearing it.
But after ensuring their own safety, there were still quite a few onlookers.
They ran towards the higher parts of the Hellfire Club, then stood on the balcony and looked outside.
The location of the Hellfire Club was very good, close to the seaside and the dock.
At this time, sharp-eyed people pointed at the dock and shouted: "Look over there, good heavens, a transport ship has sunk!"
This startling scene was discovered by everyone, instantly triggering discussion.
The bow of the ship was still on the surface of the sea, but the hull had completely sunk down, and even on the sea, it was burning with raging Fire.
Clearly, the explosion occurred from the ship; someone had deliberately blown up and sunk this vessel.
Using Super Vision, just like having a telescope, Li Cheninstantly saw the specific situation.
The bow of the ship was wobbling, but unexpectedly there were still people fighting.
Looking slightly clearer, one side of the fight was still wearing familiar ninja outfits.
This made Li Chen think of The Hand.
White Queen had said that The Hand had also developed into an organization that was a global group; although in the eyes of the Hellfire Club they were small ants, compared to other forces, they were already behemoths.
As for the other side of the fight, Li Chen did not recognize them.
At this time, countless chaotic sounds were transmitted over.
The police had already been dispatched, but it would still take time to get over.
But strangely, they did not request the X-Men to take action.
Perhaps this was because the X-Men had kept a low profile for a long time, and moreover, the X-Men did not want to manage this kind of matter.
But someone would manage it.
In Li Chen's line of sight, he saw a figure wearing a white tight suit flying over by swinging on spider silk.
After hearing the explosion sound transmitted over, Gwenhurried over immediately.
Not long ago, she had been bitten by a weird spider, so her body underwent changes.
She did not dare tell anyone, not even her best friend.
Amidst these changes, she discovered that her strength had grown larger, her speed had become agile, and she had all kinds of magical abilities.
For example, she could walk adhering to walls, just like being glued to them.
This made her think of the spider that bit her; did not spiders have this kind of ability?
Then, Gwen Stacy used her own genius ability, spending quite a bit of allowance money, to craft two spider silkshooters for herself.
After making herself a set of black and white battle attire, she put on the suit, deciding to do some good deeds.
Who told her to have liked reading superhero comics since she was a child?
The atmosphere of the Marvel World was influenced by Captain America Steve Rogers, especially in America, where the superhero culture was extremely rich.
Almost no one had not fantasized about becoming a superhero when they were children.
Therefore Gwen immediately crafted a tight suit battle attire.
Who would have thought that right upon her debut she would encounter such a big commotion.
She had just become familiar with swinging spider silkthese past few days, but she still rushed over without hesitation; she was too excited.
Just as she prepared to be a superhero, she encountered such a major event; was not this heaven helping her?
She definitely had to give herself a good title, or maybe call herself Captain New York?
Just when she was thinking excitedly,
"Ah!!!"
Gwen discovered a problem.
There were no tall buildings by the dock for her to swing spider silk from, let alone floating over to the sunken ship.
But at this time her entire person had already been thrown out, and having arrived mid-air, she frantically fired spider silk, but the distances were all too far, and the spider silksimply could not launch that far.
With no other way, her entire person could only smash down toward the sea surface.
Such a high distance and speed made her curl up together, recalling the physics knowledge she had learned in her mind—smashing down like this, even if it was the sea surface, it would definitely hurt a lot!
Just when Gwen resigned herself to fate, the imagined pain did not come.
I do not know when, she was embraced in a pair of large hands, and the warm aura gave her an inexplicable sense of security.
"Are you alright, lady?"
Li Chen's voice came over, and Gwen raised her head to look at him, instantly staring in a daze.
Chapter 36 Fated Encounter
"So handsome!"
Gwen was a bit infatuated for a moment, but she quickly came to her senses.
"No way, Gwen, you already have someone you like."
She admonished herself inwardly, thinking of that day in Los Angeles, when that person also 'descended from the sky' like this and saved her in a dark alley.
She must definitely not 'fall for someone else'!
Gwen did not recognize Li Chen because back then Li Chenwore superman glasses, but now he was wearing a Batman mask.
With various factors interfering to begin with, naturally Gwen could not recognize him.
"I'm fine."
Gwen said immediately: "Sir, can you put me down?"
"Of course."
Li Chen brought her back to the dock, floating over just like that.
"Can you let go of me?"
Gwen found that he was still holding her tightly, feeling somewhat helpless.
Li Chen let her go, but smiled and said: "I thought you would give me a grateful kiss."
"You're overthinking it."
Gwen suddenly said angrily: "I have someone I like?"
Li Chen was startled: "Really? Who is that?"
"He is in Los Angeles."
Gwen moved a little farther away from Li Chen, and then described: "He's of Asian descent, wears glasses... In short, he's more handsome than you."
Although Li Chen wearing half a mask was also very handsome, Gwen would definitely not fall for someone else.
Then, she found Li Chen looking at her with a smile.
Next, Li Chen took off the Batman mask, took out a pair of glasses from his chest pocket, and put them on.
"You mean, you have a crush on me? Gwen."
After Li Chen put on the glasses, his entire aura instantly changed.
Gwen was instantly stunned, at a loss: "I, I, I..."
"Wait no, how did you know it was me?"
She touched the mask on her face, and it hadn't fallen off either. Why did he know it was her?
"Just by taking one look, I knew it was you."
Li Chen didn't explain, but said rather romantically.
Afterwards, he closed in directly, lifting Gwen's white mask in one go, just like lifting a bride's veil.
Underneath the mask, Gwen's face was already completely red; she completely hadn't expected that their encounter would turn out to be like this.
Moreover, Li Chen had saved her once again; could this be fated?
"I thought you would give me a kiss."
Li Chen said again.
Gwen simply resigned herself to fate, closed her eyes, and kissed directly towards him.
Then, she felt as if she was going to faint from happiness.
Is there anything more thrilling than embracing and kissing the person you have a crush on?
But unfortunately, someone disturbed their good moment.
Ninjas of The Hand crawled up from the sea.
That sunken ship was completely beyond saving, and the people fighting with them had already left.
Lady Deathstrike, full of burning anger, suddenly saw Li Chen's familiar face; it was precisely he who had destroyed The Hand's stronghold in Los Angeles.
"It's you?"
Lady Deathstrike coldly snorted, interrupting the tenderness between Li Chen and Gwen.
Gwen snapped back to her senses and immediately put her mask back on with her back turned to everyone.
"What kind of people are you? New York is not a place where you can come and cause trouble."
Gwen, who had transformed back into Spider-Woman, immediately spoke to the people of The Hand.
She only needed to take one glance to know that these people were no good.
Lady Deathstrike coldly glanced at this girl wearing a bizarre costume and mocked: "This isn't something you can manage; your sense of justice should be placed elsewhere. This ship is ours, but it was blown up by Kingpin's people."
"If you have a sense of justice, why don't you go manage Kingpin?"
The Hand had always been at odds with Kingpin, and Kingpin had never let them off either, with both sides constantly engaging in overt and covert struggles.
Hearing the name Kingpin, Gwen fell silent for a moment.
Even she had heard of Kingpin's reputation.
"And now, we are going to settle accounts for what happened before."
Lady Deathstrike looked at Li Chen and revealed a cold sneer.
She was seen wearing a tight black combat suit, and at this moment, the nails on her hands instantly extended into'sharp claws' made of Adamantium.
She was a Japanese, and her father was a Japanese scientist who had once researched the technology of combining Adamantium with human bone skeletons. Thus, she inherited these technologies and also transformed herself into a cyborg through surgery. Just like Wolverine, her entire skeleton and the sharp blades on her hands were both made of Adamantium.
Moreover, she also possessed the same self-healing ability as Wolverine.
Without saying anything more at this moment, she charged straight towards Li Chen.
"Let me deal with her."
And this triggered Gwen's boyfriend-protecting buff.
After that kiss just now, she had already set her mind on Li Chen.
Moreover, if she wanted to become a superhero, she had to go through some trials.
Thus, the women fighting that Li Chen loved to watch the most appeared.
The newly debuted Gwen was clearly no match for Lady Deathstrike.
Not to mention anything else, Lady Deathstrike's Adamantium sharp claws alone were not something Gwencould handle.
Even though she was Spider-Man, if she was caught by Lady Deathstrike, it probably wouldn't feel good.
Therefore, Gwen instantly fell into a disadvantage, able only to dodge.
Li Chen was also worried she would get hurt, and could only teach her how to respond.
"Use your speed; her speed isn't as fast as yours."
Although Li Chen didn't really know how to fight either, his reaction speed was fast, and he had a super brain.
And Gwen's reaction speed was also extremely fast.
Although both were Spider-Man, compared to Peter Parker, the difference with Spider-Gwen was still very obvious.
Just like the difference between a man and a woman, a man's strength is greater than a woman's, and Spider-Manis the same.
But conversely, Gwen was much lighter and quicker in speed than Peter Parker.
As for Lady Deathstrike's speed, compared to others it wasn't slow, but her body was filled with Adamantium.
Her skeleton alone was heavier than Gwen's entire body weight!
Therefore, her speed couldn't keep up with Gwen, and she was inevitably dragged down by the Adamantium.
Sure enough, just as Li Chen had envisioned.
Because Lady Deathstrike couldn't keep up with Gwen's speed, she was instantly toyed with by Gwen.
The so-called martial arts of the world can only be broken by speed; Gwen did not easily get close to her, and even when she did get close, she would punch or kick her and then run away.
"Ah!"
Lady Deathstrike grew somewhat frantic.
The other ninjas of The Hand, seeing this, seized the opportunity to approach Li Chen and surrounded him.
But in just an instant, Li Chen threw all of them into the sea.
"Bang bang bang!"
Just like sandbags.
"Wee-woo, wee-woo!"
Just at this moment, the sound of New York police cars also rang out.
America, whatever else might be said, at least had a really fast police response speed.
"We should leave."
Li Chen said, and came over directly to embrace Gwen.
Seeing this, Lady Deathstrike slashed over directly with her sharp blades.
But she was directly caught by Li Chen.
"Clang!"
Adamantium was useless in front of him; it only produced the sound of metal colliding, unable to pierce in even a little bit.
"Off you go!"
Li Chen didn't even have the interest to kill her, and kicked her flying with a single kick.
Like a beach ball, she dropped directly into the sea.
After all, Gwen was still in his arms, and it wouldn't be good to let her mistakenly think he was a maniacal killer.
Chapter 37 Vanessa is Also a Member
When countless police cars arrived, the port had long since returned to peace.
"George, there are signs of a fight at the scene."
"Where are the people?"
A middle-aged police captain asked.
"They probably escaped from the sea."
The officer guessed.
George Stacy thought about it: "Go check the shipwreck first, and be careful."
"Captain George Stacy?"
At that moment, a slightly bald middle-aged man walked over with a friendly smile.
George Stacy looked at him and the Men in Black behind him with vigilance: "Who are you?"
Coulson pulled out a badge: "FBI!"
"We need to know the specifics of this matter as well."
Facing the assertive FBI, George Stacy had no choice.
"They've already run away."
"I know."
What they didn't know was that high up in the sky, Li Chenwas still holding Gwen.
"That's my dad."
The two of them were looking at Li Chen's 'father-in-law'.
"We won't see him today, we'll talk about it tomorrow."
Li Chen said.
"Tomorrow?"
Gwen was somewhat surprised.
Li Chen then asked: "Didn't you ask me to come find you tomorrow?"
This made Gwen blush; she just lowered her head and let out an 'En', agreeing to it.
In reality, she was a rather introverted girl who had been somewhat reclusive since childhood and had very few friends.
Precisely because of this, she was somewhat rebellious, loved playing music, and liked letting her imagination run wild, which made her so easily moved by a hero saving a beauty.
If it were those sea-goddesses who had been pursued and fawned upon since childhood, they wouldn't fall so easily.
"Let's go, I'll take you flying."
Li Chen didn't stay any longer. He saw the people from S.H.I.E.L.D., but he didn't want to contact them yet.
For an Agent organization that had been thoroughly infiltrated, there were simply no secrets to speak of.
Afterwards, Gwen grew excited.
"Honey, are you Superman?"
"Of course."
Li Chen laughed.
Gwen didn't actually know him very well yet; even his name was something she had just learned.
But this didn't hinder Gwen's adoration for him.
This kind of strength capable of breaking free from the shackles of gravity was quite literally humanity's most primal fantasy of a hero.
Li Chen held Gwen and flew a circle around the sky until Gwen was slightly oxygen-deprived, before bringing her back to New York.
"My home is right over there."
Gwen took off her hood, her face flushed with a blush.
"Li, come find me tomorrow."
"Rest assured, I will."
Li Chen didn't have much to do tomorrow anyway, so he could just stroll around New York.
He directly held Gwen and landed on her family's balcony.
Her home was just an ordinary building, the kind with two bedrooms and a living room.
Even though her father was a police captain, they didn't actually have such a great living environment.
"I'm leaving first."
Just as Li Chen finished speaking, Gwen suddenly grabbed him and kissed him directly.
"The one just now was my first kiss, I'm not used to it."
She explained briefly, let go of Li Chen, and ran straight inside.
Li Chen smiled, took off directly, and returned to the Hellfire Club.
However, this night was not very peaceful for others in New York.
...
"We succeeded. The people from The Hand are too bold, actually wanting to sell that stuff to New York."
Bullseye said to Kingpin with a look of disdain.
Kingpin was extremely oppressive. His two-hundred-kilogram weight sitting in the chair was like a mountain of flesh, yet he looked very powerful.
Even the usually arrogant Bullseye didn't dare speak too loudly in front of Kingpin, fearing he would be beaten to death with a single punch.
Bullseye had once seen with his own eyes Kingpin beat a person into a meat patty alive, just using his fists.
"A bunch of fools."
Kingpin said indifferently: "New York doesn't need those things, and those things don't make money at all."
What era is it, and they're still peddling those unprofitable things.
This was also where Kingpin looked down upon The Hand.
Whether it's firearms or avocados and the like... aren't they more profitable than powder?
But The Hand just loved harming people, and they couldn't even make big money.
Of course, most importantly, as the underground emperor of New York, Kingpin certainly wouldn't allow others to stick their hands in.
This was also the reason why they had been fighting with The Hand for so long.
He had no way to completely drive The Hand out, and The Hand couldn't defeat him either.
Kingpin waved his hand, telling Bullseye to step down.
Not long after, a woman wearing a red dress walked in.
The woman looked to be around forty years old. Although her face already showed a bit of weathering, she still retained her charm, and one could tell her beauty from her youth.
"Vanessa, how was the banquet?"
Seeing his wife, Kingpin instantly revealed a trace of a gentle smile.
Vanessa was the one who had walked with him from their youth to the present, and she was also an ambitious woman.
For this reason, she represented Fisk Corporation, joined the Hellfire Club, and became a member of the Hellfire Club.
"Not bad, I saw Lord White Rook."
With a trace of dissatisfaction on her face, Vanessa said: "I originally wanted to get acquainted with Lord White Rook, but your people made too much of a commotion."
If the banquet hadn't been interrupted, she might have been chatting happily with Lord White Rook, and acquiring the status of a senior member would have been effortless.
Because Kingpin's financial resources couldn't compare to Tony Stark's, she was only an ordinary member of the Hellfire Club.
"My dear, I couldn't let those damned bastards stick their hands in."
Kingpin spoke.
"Hmph."
Vanessa reminded him: "Without the shelter of the Hellfire Club, your empire would have collapsed long ago."
Kingpin by no means agreed with this point, but he wouldn't argue with his wife about this aspect either.
"I will help you become a senior member, you just need to be patient, Vanessa."
Vanessa didn't say anything more.
...
Meanwhile, the people of The Hand returned to the base in a disheveled state.
Lady Deathstrike touched her abdomen, where Li Chenhad kicked her.
According to her recovery speed, ordinary injuries would have healed on their own long ago, but she could still feel pain now.
"He is definitely not an ordinary person."
Lady Deathstrike reported this matter upward.
She had originally thought she could deal with Li Chen, but she hadn't expected to still end up in such a disheveled state.
Upon learning of this, the leader of The Hand immediately reprimanded her: "Our purpose is to open up the market in New York. With today's losses being so huge, you still went and provoked a new enemy."
"I will send Elektra over, you come back first."
Lady Deathstrike was very annoyed, but didn't dare do anything, and had no choice but to agree.
However, she didn't trust Elektra.
That was a bitch; if given the opportunity to betray The Hand, she probably wouldn't hesitate at all.
"I don't trust her."
Lady Deathstrike spoke up.
The leader of The Hand immediately said: "I will send Madame Gao over to take charge."
Madame Gao was one of the 'Five Fingers' of The Hand, holding a lofty status.
To this, Lady Deathstrike had no further objections.
With Madame Gao stationed in New York, there wouldn't be any unexpected incidents.
Moreover, Madame Gao had previously cooperated with Kingpin; perhaps considering past events, Kingpin might yield some benefits.
Chapter 38: The Little Cotton-Padded Jacket is Leaking Drafts
"Your Excellency White Rook."
"Some people claiming to be the FBI came over to investigate last night."
In Li Chen's room, the bunny girl who had led him in earlier came over to report the situation.
Li Chen had just woken up while accepting her service.
But I have to say, perhaps because the other party was not a professional maid, there was still a gap compared to the service of Ram and Rem.
At least she didn't know how to help Li Chen brush his teeth.
"The real FBI?"
"Fake."
Li Chen understood; it was probably S.H.I.E.L.D.
But there was no need to worry; if S.H.I.E.L.D. dared to pull anything, countless people would put pressure on them.
In Li Chen's view, S.H.I.E.L.D. actually didn't have much power.
Otherwise, they wouldn't have to borrow the FBI's reputation within America.
Their Agents were simply too bold.
Therefore, Li Chen didn't pay much attention to it, and after having breakfast, he set off.
Since he had promised Gwen, naturally he had to go over early.
The exclusive car of the Hellfire Club drove him all the way outside Gwen's home.
George Stacy felt a bit puzzled; his daughter was a bit abnormal today.
Not only did she get up early in the morning, but she also greeted him.
Ever since Gwen's mother passed away, she seemed to no longer acknowledge him as her father.
George Stacy hadn't thought about improving their relationship, but he simply didn't have time. As a big city, New York always had endless cases to handle.
As a chief, he was as busy as a spinning top and had no time to take care of his daughter's emotions.
Just like that, Gwen grew up a bit wildly.
He sneaked a glance and discovered that Gwen was actually putting on makeup!
"What's going on?"
George immediately thought of a possibility: "Could Gwenbe in a relationship?"
As the saying goes, a woman paints her face for those who please her. Although foreigners didn't know this phrase, the logic was the same.
Only when facing someone she liked would she meticulously dress up.
If a woman came out to see you and was too lazy to even put on makeup... then there was a high probability there was no hope.
This discovery made George feel heartache.
Even last night's case didn't make him feel this mentally exhausted.
But his daughter had grown up, and it seemed normal for her to date.
"No, I must vet him for her."
George, who was originally ready to go out, immediately stopped moving.
Before long, knocking indeed came from outside the door.
"Fuck!"
George felt that his guess had come true.
At this moment, he felt his heartbeat stop.
He saw Gwen rush out of her room, and only then did she realize: "Dad, why haven't you left yet?"
She was a bit nervous, not expecting that her old man, who should have gone out early, hadn't left yet.
George very much wanted to get angry, but he held it back: "It's not that urgent today. Who is knocking on the door?"
"My friend."
Gwen had no other choice, so she opened the door step by step.
She couldn't let Li Chen wait outside the door.
Now, whether Li Chen wore glasses or not, she could recognize him.
She felt he was more handsome without glasses.
But after wearing glasses, he had a bit more of an intellectual aura.
Today Li Chen indeed wasn't wearing glasses.
"Li, wait a moment. Don't come in yet, I'll be ready right away."
Gwen said immediately upon seeing him.
But it was still too late. George said loudly: "Gwen, since he's a friend, let him in."
George Stacy looked at the doorway with his eyes widened to the max.
He had already seen Li Chen.
An Asian. This made George frown while also letting out a sigh of relief.
As long as his daughter didn't rebelliously find a black guy, it was fine.
Asians were fine; at least they were honest.
Old white men like George Stacy had stereotypes about everyone else. In his stereotypes, Asians were good at studying, honest, and very easy to bully.
This was the result of long-term propaganda in America.
Even in Hollywood movies, the image of Asians was mostly like this.
Gwen had no choice but to invite Li Chen in: "This is my dad, George Stacy."
George suddenly discovered that in front of Li Chen, his daughter seemed to have become a good girl, not as rebellious as before.
This was a good thing!
His expression stirred, and he slightly approved of Li Chen.
"Aren't you still putting on makeup? I'll chat with him."
George said to Gwen.
Gwen very much wanted to retort, but wanting to leave a good impression on Li Chen, she could only glance at Li Chen.
She definitely didn't want Li Chen to think she was a bad girl.
"What's your name?"
Seeing Gwen enter the room, George couldn't help asking immediately.
However, due to professional habit, he was like interrogating a prisoner.
"You can just call me Li."
Li Chen wasn't afraid at all.
This made George somewhat surprised. If it were an ordinary person, seeing the clothes on his body, they would probably be scared out of their wits.
But Li Chen was truly neither humble nor pushy.
"How old are you? What do you do for a living?"
George immediately continued to ask.
"I'm not much older than Gwen."
Li Chen smiled: "As for work, I'm the boss of a Hollywood film and television company."
He took out his business card and showed it to George Stacy.
George Stacy instantly widened his eyes.
He took the business card and looked at it; it wasn't fake.
Starlight Pictures?
Anyway, compared to Gwen, this was also a big figure.
Gwen was just a college student...
If Li Chen knew that, he would only say: College life is great.
After learning of Li Chen's status, George Stacy's attitude instantly changed.
But he also began to worry, what if Li Chen was just playing with his daughter?
People hanging out in Hollywood, did they lack women?
"Li, do you really like Gwen?"
"Of course."
Li Chen said seriously.
"Alright then, if you bully her, I won't let you off."
George Stacy said seriously.
"I promise you, I won't bully Gwen."
Li Chen said solemnly.
Gwen heard their conversation clearly while doing her makeup.
She also didn't expect Li Chen to actually be the boss of a film and television company.
This made her think of what Mary Jane had said to her back then: in Los Angeles, if you randomly throw an apple, the person it hits might be related to Hollywood.
George Stacy finally watched the two go out.
Seeing his daughter smilingly arm-in-arm with Li Chen, he instantly felt his heart break.
It was hard not to have the feeling that the Chinese cabbage he had painstakingly raised had been eaten by a pig.
His own little cotton-padded jacket was truly leaking drafts.
But he quickly got over it; at least Li Chen seemed like a good person, it was just that the gap between Gwen and him was a bit large, and she would inevitably be bullied by Li Chen in the future.
Americans also had the concept of matching social status; after all, it was hard for two people with huge gaps in social status to find happiness.
Just like the once sensational golden boy and golden girl of Hollywood, Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman, at that time all newspapers said they were a match made in heaven.
But even so, their love could not stand the test and they divorced at the beginning of the century, causing an earthquake-like shock throughout Hollywood and even America.
The main reason for this was that Nicole Kidman's status and influence were far inferior to Tom Cruise's.
Everyone treated her as Tom Cruise's appendage, as Mrs. Cruise, rather than an independent woman, which made her extremely dissatisfied.
Chapter 39: Not Letting Gwen Go Home
"Li, are you really a film and television company boss?"
Sitting in the private car, Gwen asked with curiosity.
It was her first time riding in such a nice car, which made her a bit reserved.
This luxury car not only had a TV, but also a car refrigerator. Opening it, she saw expensive red wine placed inside.
But it was still early, and she didn't want to drink yet.
Li Chen laughed and said, "Of course, could this possibly be fake?"
"Then what has your company filmed?"
Gwen asked curiously.
Li Chen replied, "Superman is what we filmed. Do you read comics? One Piece is also produced by us."
"What?"
Gwen was instantly stunned: "I am a loyal reader of DC, do you even need to ask if I've read it?"
"MJ and I went to the theater twice to watch Superman!"
"And I also like watching One Piece, "From Zero" is just so-so."
Li Chen smiled. That was for sure, the target audience for "From Zero" wasn't girls like her, it was meant for otaku and high school students.
The setting of the male protagonist naturally gave them a sense of immersion.
"This is simply incredible."
Gwen was extremely excited, not expecting her boyfriend to be so awesome.
But immediately after, she fell silent.
"What's wrong?"
Li Chen hugged her and asked.
Gwen leaned into his arms and said in a low voice, "You are so amazing, but I'm just a college student."
"What's wrong with being a college student? College students have youth and vitality."
Li Chen laughed, then asked, "Gwen, what do you plan to do after graduation?"
"I don't know, maybe I'll do research."
Gwen hadn't thought about the future.
Li Chen immediately said, "Come to Hollywood, come to my company, and be my assistant."
Hearing Li Chen's words, Gwen pondered for a moment.
If it was like this, she could be together with Li Chen every day.
But she hesitated and said, "But my major isn't this."
"Who actually works in a job that matches their major?"
Li Chen immediately said, "As long as you are willing to learn, that's enough."
"Alright then."
Gwen agreed; she would go to Li Chen's company when the time comes.
But that would have to wait for a while.
Even for an internship, Gwen would have to wait until next year.
This also made Gwen cherish the current time even more.
Afterwards, she recovered her vitality and took Li Chenaround New York to sightsee.
As a financial city, New York didn't really have many scenic spots, but there were still quite a few special buildings.
For example, the Empire State Building where a giant gorilla once swatted planes.
There was also the home arena of the New York Knicks, Madison Square Garden, known as the birthplace of miracles, which was also considered the 'Holy Land of Basketball'.
But unfortunately, New York hadn't won a championship in decades.
Even Gwen complained to him, wondering if she would ever see a championship in her lifetime.
Li Chen laughed and said, "Don't worry, in a little over ten years, the Knicks will be able to win the championship."
There was no other way, who told him to have witnessed the miraculous performance of Big Head?
Averaging 32.6 points per game in the Finals, this was the highest scoring data for a point guard in NBA history.
Although it couldn't compare to Jordan... but the God of Basketball was only one.
"Really?"
As an old New Yorker, Gwen obviously didn't believe it.
After all, the current Knicks were too terrible.
Back in the nineties, the Knicks once had a chance, but unfortunately failed to seize it, and then they had been terrible ever since.
Gwen took him around to play everywhere, and Li Chentreated her to a big meal.
There were many places Gwen had never been to eat because she couldn't afford them...
Today she indeed ate to her heart's content, which made her like Li Chen even more.
There's no help for it, who wouldn't like a rich person?
Even though Gwen wasn't a gold-digger, she still liked her boyfriend to be wealthy.
Women all admire strength, and in modern society, being rich is often one of the expressions of power.
By evening, Li Chen and Gwen also went to Broadway, as if returning to the Golden Age.
That era when nobody watched movies and the only entertainment activity was Broadway theaters.
Because apart from them, basically everyone else was elderly...
Li Chen took a look and quickly lost interest, and Gwenwas the same.
Expensive and boring, not even as good as watching a movie.
No wonder it got eliminated.
Right now was the golden age of Hollywood.
Although a bunch of old white men thought Hollywood's golden age was in the last century, during the era when those so-called 'musicals' ran rampant.
Of course they thought that way, because they were young back then. Old people love to reminisce about their youth, wearing a filter and thinking how wonderful those times were.
In reality, times are developing.
Li Chen believed that the early 21st century was truly Hollywood's golden age.
With the sudden emergence of Titanic, this big ship smashed through the solid ice in every corner of the world, allowing Hollywood's movies to run unimpeded, shattering cultural isolation and discrimination.
This was something movies from other places couldn't achieve.
And it was something the golden age in the memories of those old white men couldn't do.
After watching the opera, Li Chen took Gwen's hand and left.
"Go to my place?"
Li Chen couldn't help asking.
Gwen's hand was very tender, and holding it in his palm was also very warm, making Li Chen somewhat tempted.
This made Gwen's body stiffen, and then she blushed and said, "George..."
"I will talk to George about that."
Li Chen spoke up. He could sense that it was still Gwen's first time.
Having stayed in Los Angeles for too long, Li Chen had thought that people in America were all as open as Los Angeles people.
But that was probably because of Hollywood...
In reality, there were open people in America, and conservative people just as well; Gwen was relatively conservative.
Yet facing Li Chen, Gwen still nodded with anticipation.
"Alright."
Li Chen immediately called George.
At this moment, George Stacy specially came home early, just wanting to call Gwen back.
As a result, he didn't wait for Gwen to come back, only waiting for Gwen's phone call.
"It's over."
George's heart ached. It was over; his daughter had really been snatched away.
"You're not coming back?"
"Don't be like that... Alright, make sure you don't let him bully you, otherwise I won't let him off."
"Damn it..."
George hung up the phone, but he also knew his daughter was already in college and he couldn't manage her so much.
In reality, although Gwen was rebellious, she was already very obedient.
As a police captain, he had seen too many girls who couldn't resist temptation, making mistakes at a young age and ultimately regretting it for life.
And Gwen at least was already able to decide her own life, rather than being tricked.
Mhm, hopefully she wasn't tricked.
That kid Li Chen looked less and less like a good person the more he looked at him!
Who takes someone out on the very first day and doesn't let them come back?
George Stacy really wanted to take out his pistol, go find Li Chen, and then bring Gwen back.
But in the end, he sighed and gave up.
People's joys and sorrows are not the same; just as Georgewas sighing, Li Chen had taken Gwen not back to the Hellfire Club, but to the Aman Hotel.
This was the most luxurious hotel in New York, located near Fifth Avenue, bearing a century of time's precipitation, and even the most ordinary room started at four thousand dollars a night.
In the past, Gwen wouldn't even dare to think about it.
But Li Chen directly booked a presidential suite, slowly stepping into it under the guidance of the butler arranged by the hotel.
Entering here, it felt as though the hustle and bustle of all of New York was isolated, and Gwen felt as if she were in a dream.
Chapter 40: What Do You Mean You Can Fly While Wearing a Bathrobe?
Gwen was coming to such a luxurious place for the first time, excitedly walking around the suite and wanting to check out every single spot.
After the wave of excitement passed, she finally saw Li Chen sitting on the sofa, looking at her with a smile on his face.
Gwen, who was normally very cheerful, instantly became nervous.
"I... I'll go wash up first."
Gwen hurriedly fled.
She knew what she was going to face, which was why she chose to run away to quickly ease her mood and mentally adjust herself.
Feeling the cold water wash over her body, Gwen finally calmed down.
She couldn't help but start looking forward to it as well.
She had been waiting for this day for a long time.
Perhaps the moment she met Li Chen in Los Angeles, it was already destined.
Therefore, after building up her psychological defense, she put on a bath towel and went out.
Li Chen was sitting on the sofa, smiling as he watched her come out of the bathroom.
He had also taken a quick rinse in the master bedroom's bathroom, but Gwen was clearly much slower than him.
At this moment, Gwen looked like a beauty emerging from a bath; her naturally cute little face was full of a rosy glow, and water vapor was radiating from her body.
Gwen herself was not the mature woman type; she was more like the girl next door, the childhood sweetheart type who played together from a young age.
Her height was around 1.65 meters, and her figure wasn't 'explosive', but rather gave people an ordinary, slender feeling.
However, the rebellious temperament on her body, along with her cuteness as a college student, actually made her appear very gentle.
This sense of contrast made Li Chen feel very thrilled.
She wasn't a good girl in the traditional sense, but she wasn't a bad girl either.
"Gwen."
Li Chen said with keen interest: "Can you put on your self-made suit?"
Gwen's face instantly turned completely red.
"That's used for fighting..."
"Isn't this also a battle?"
After Li Chen talked her into it every possible way, Gwenfinally agreed; she chose to satisfy her lover.
Ghost Spider had just debuted, yet she had to face this kind of thing.
Fortunately, Li Chen knew his boundaries and did not cause massive destruction.
Mainly because the texture was quite good... it wasn't that easy to destroy.
This made Li Chen marvel at Gwen's craftsmanship; she was truly a craftswoman.
This epic battle made Li Chen overjoyed; Gwen truly was a good girl.
To him, as long as Gwen didn't mess around, she was already a good girl.
Not to mention it was her first experience.
Moreover, Li Chen was finally able to fully showcase his skills.
This experience was different from Scarlett's; although Scarlett was a Hollywood actress, her body was too 'fragile', preventing him from fully letting loose.
Gwen's physical fitness was different; after being bitten by a spider, her physical fitness received a leaps-and-bounds enhancement, enabling her to withstand 20 tons of heavy objects bare-handed at her limit.
This extraordinary quality also allowed her to withstand Li Chen's... half-strength.
Under his full strength, she still surrendered quickly.
...
Gwen lay dazedly in Li Chen's arms: "Why is it different from what MJ said?"
"What's different?"
Li Chen stroked her blonde hair.
Gwen's blonde hair was natural, different from dyed hair, making it appear even softer and smoother.
However, Gwen's hair wasn't long, only reaching down to her shoulders.
The longest hair Li Chen had seen so far belonged to the Black Queen; it truly reached down to her waist.
Gwen replied softly: "MJ didn't say it would be this tiring."
"Haha."
Li Chen laughed: "Is it possible that your boyfriend is just too strong?"
"Hmph hmph."
Gwen let out a little pig-like snort, but she seemed very satisfied.
"Boom!"
Right at this moment, an explosion came from outside.
Neither Li Chen nor Gwen felt nervous; they just lifted their eyelids slightly.
Li Chen spoke up: "Is New York always this thrilling?"
Fun fact: New York was one of the cities with the highest crime rates in the nationwide in the US.
Of course, Los Angeles wasn't any better either.
Both cities were crawling with gangs; it would be a ghost if they were safe.
Gwen felt a bit awkward; after all, this was her hometown.
"I'll go take a look."
Without saying another word, her sense of justice flared up.
As the good neighbor of the people of New York, Spider-Man naturally wouldn't sit idly by at a time like this.
However, the moment she stood up, she collapsed right back into Li Chen's arms.
"It's all your fault, I have no strength left."
Feeling the soreness all over her body, she couldn't help but lament that Li Chen was a bastard.
He didn't cherish her at all.
"I'll carry you there."
Li Chen said.
He was also ready to go watch the show for fun.
Thus, he picked up Gwen and flew straight out.
Gwen hugged him tightly, and when they arrived at the scene, they discovered a red piece of scrap iron flying up into the sky.
"What is that?"
Gwen was dumbfounded at the sight.
Why can so many people fly?
She had done a lot of psychological preparation just for Li Chen's ability to fly.
After all, who wouldn't want to fly?
That's why she asked Li Chen if he was Superman, which was also a joke of hers.
But now seeing someone else being able to fly, she couldn't keep her composure anymore.
Moreover, not just this red piece of iron, below him, a 'behemoth' was also following and flying toward the clouds.
"Clearly, that's the Iron Man Armor."
Li Chen spoke up: "Just like a mecha."
Gwen wasn't a novice; upon hearing the word mecha, she immediately felt envious.
Although she was a girl, she also wanted to pilot a mecha.
"Then what should we do?"
Li Chen heard the temptation in Gwen's heart and smiled: "Don't you think this feels like a Hollywood blockbuster? And watching it from such a close distance."
"Right!"
Gwen's eyes lit up instantly.
And on such a special day.
Just thinking about it made her feel it was very romantic, and she didn't want to interfere anymore.
Then, Li Chen held Gwen and directly chased after them to watch from a close distance.
Jarvis instantly scanned Li Chen.
"Sir, an unknown entity is approaching at high speed."
"What is it?"
At this moment, Tony Stark was covered in sweat.
He truly experienced what it meant to lift a rock only to drop it on one's own feet.
The Iron Monger controlled by Obadiah Stane was precisely the Iron Man Armor he had forged in the cave.
He secretly hated that the nationwide in the US military hadn't taken this thing away back then, leading to nurturing a tiger that turned back to bite them.
The special operation launched by the nationwide in the US military and S.H.I.E.L.D. back then only sent a small number of G.I. Joe to rescue them; they almost failed to even save Yinsen, so naturally, they couldn't care about the Iron Man Armor.
With such a huge lump of iron, how could they possibly carry it away?
Who would have thought that in the blink of an eye, it ended up in Obadiah Stane's hands.
Tony Stark also felt incomparably distressed; ObadiahStane had watched him grow up, but now he had turned into this...
This kind of betrayal could not be measured by money.
And now, besides Iron Monger Obadiah Stane hunting him down, there was unexpectedly an extra unknown entity.
"Sir, it is estimated to be a human."
At this moment, even Jarvis wasn't certain.
"Could there be another Iron Man Armor?"
"No, data shows the opponent is wearing... a bathrobe."
Tony Stark: "Jarvis, are you kidding me?"
What Do You Mean You Can Fly While Wearing a Bathrobe?
Tony Stark felt completely unwell.