Chapter 90 Superheroes Also Need Routine Marketing
7:30 PM.
At the entrance of the Malibu Mansion.
A black Audi R8 parked steadily in the driveway.
The car door opened, and Tony got out first.
Immediately after, the passenger door was also pushed open, and Luca followed out.
Before the two even reached the entrance, they were already arguing.
"I said, wait for Jarvis's security test report to come out before injecting! What are you rushing for?!"
Tony gestured as he walked, his words full of resistance.
"I, the great Tony Stark, one of the smartest brains in human history, how could I become stronger just by getting a shot? Isn't that cheating?!"
Luca rolled his eyes from behind, taking larger strides than Tony and catching up in two steps.
"Cheating? You call this cheating?"
"Tony, the suit you wear can fly, fight, and shoot cannons. You're telling me that injecting a dose of serum is cheating?"
"What do you call that suit? A fair competition?!"
Tony was momentarily choked by this remark, but his instinct to stubbornly defend himself immediately kicked in.
"That's different! The suit was invented by myself! It was created with my own hands and brain! This is the power of technology!"
"I researched the serum myself too!"
Luca spread his hands with an innocent look.
"The formula I risked my life to develop over two months, how does it become an external force when it comes to you?"
"Th-That's still different!"
Tony pushed open the Villa door and quickened his pace, seemingly wanting to end the debate with distance.
But how could Luca let him off?
"Where is it different? Tell me, exactly where is it different?"
Luca followed him inside, casually tossing the keys onto the table by the entrance.
"When you built the suit, you used Dad's Arc Reactor technology, Jarvis's auxiliary calculations, and billions of dollars worth of equipment from Stark Industries."
"When I created the serum, I used Dad's Super Soldier formula, bound it with my own DNA, and personally injected it at the risk of being shattered into pieces."
"You tell me, why is yours called the power of technology, while mine is called an external force?"
Tony turned around to face Luca.
His mouth opened and closed, closed and opened.
Finally, he squeezed out a sentence.
"Because I'm afraid of pain when getting injections."
Luca froze for half a second, then burst out laughing.
"F*ck! Tony Stark is actually afraid of injections?!"
"Wait, I didn't say I'm afraid! I said I don't like it! Disliking and being afraid are two different concepts!"
Tony's old face turned red at a speed visible to the naked eye.
"Alright, alright, alright, you don't like it."
Luca couldn't stop laughing, then sat down on the sofa.
"The bravest Iron Man in the World, not afraid of missiles, not afraid of monsters, not afraid of falling from the sky, just doesn't like small needles."
"I suggest you record this passage and post it on Twitter. Your fans will definitely be moved, because they finally find out that you also have humanity."
"Shut up!!"
Tony plopped down onto the opposite sofa, huffily grabbed a bottle of water from the coffee table, and took a large gulp.
Luca didn't continue to pressure him either.
What needed to be said had already been said many times; Tony knew it very well in his heart, but his mouth just couldn't get past that hurdle.
"Fine, I won't rush you."
Luca leaned back and crossed his legs.
"But we have a deal. When Jarvis's test report comes out, if the data is fine, you will obediently take a shot tomorrow. No rebuttals accepted."
Tony was silent for a moment.
"I haven't finished reading Dad's notes yet."
"What?"
"I haven't read all of Dad's research records yet."
Tony's expression turned serious, and his tone became earnest.
"I want to fully understand the parts about the new element in the notes first. If I can find an alternative to palladium, I'd rather take the technological route to solve the problem in my chest."
"The serum is a backup plan, you keep it. But while I still have a choice, let me try my own way first."
Luca stared intently at Tony.
They had talked about this topic many times.
Every time Tony agreed, he would always go back on his word and then argue with him again.
He knew that was just Tony's personality.
He didn't want to admit that he relied on someone else's help.
Sighing slightly, Luca then nodded.
"Fine, but there is a bottom line."
"What?"
"At most one week, whether we've researched it out or not, the serum must be arranged. No bargaining accepted."
Tony raised an eyebrow and pressed his lips together.
"Six days!"
"Five days, final concession."
"Deal."
The two looked at each other.
Tony fished out a bottle of red wine from under the coffee table, unscrewed the cap, and poured a glass each for himself and Luca.
Luca took the wine glass, didn't rush to drink, and instead changed the topic.
"Right, I harvested an interesting thing today."
"What?"
"That assistant Potts found for me."
Tony raised an eyebrow, looking at Luca teasingly.
"Assistant? Didn't you say she was qualified? What, you've taken a fancy to her again?"
"Oh please, Tony, can you not think of romantic relationships for everything?"
Luca put down his wine glass, his expression turning subtle.
"After interacting with her, I perceived some things."
Tony was slightly stunned, his expression also turning serious.
"What things?"
"Her energy density has a problem. It far exceeds an ordinary human."
Luca reached out and drew a circle in the air.
"Ordinary people in my perception are like a cup of plain water, lukewarm and flat."
"But this woman..."
Luca paused for a moment.
"Is more like a shaken bottle of cola. It looks quiet on the outside, but there is a force suppressed inside that could spray out at any time."
Tony's brow furrowed.
"You mean she is also a Superpower?"
"Of course, 100% accuracy."
"Then why did she apply to be an assistant? Surely she doesn't really want to help you organize your schedule, right?"
"Of course not."
Luca took a sip of wine and smiled meaningfully.
"The resume is flawlessly perfect, the answers to questions are well-trained, and the emotional control ability is top-notch."
"This is not the level of an administrative assistant, but more like a professionally trained Agent."
"Alright, then who do you think sent her?"
"Not sure for now." Luca swirled his wine glass.
"The S.H.I.E.L.D. probability is not high; they are currently being made flustered and exasperated by us, so they shouldn't have the mood to play infiltration tricks."
"As for HYDRA... there is that possibility."
"Then why did you still let her pass?"
Tony was a bit puzzled and continued to press.
"If you suspect she's a spy, why not directly reject her?"
Luca glanced at Tony and sighed.
"Bro, you've learned so many underhanded tricks from me, how come you've become stupid again now?"
"You're the stupid one! Your whole family is... Never mind, we're family."
Luca was amused, but quickly explained.
"Think about it, if she's a spy, rejecting her will only make the other party send a new person, and we'll have to identify them all over again."
"But if we let her in, and right under my nose, I can grasp her every move."
"In addition, I've already memorized her energy fluctuation. As long as she appears near the Villa, I can perceive it from several kilometers away."
"Third, and the most important point."
Luca took a sip of wine, and his smile became unbridled.
"Regardless of everything else, she really looks quite good."
Tony: "..."
"Are you serious? You kept her just because she looks good?"
"Isn't this a very important reason?" Luca retorted righteously.
"Every day at work I have to look at my assistant's face. Then do you think work efficiency is higher looking at a pleasing face, or looking at a passerby's face? This is scientific common sense, alright?"
Tony opened his mouth, finding himself unable to refute.
Because he recalled that when choosing Pepper back then, aesthetic rating was also one of the important reference items.
Of course, he would never admit to such a thing even if beaten to death.
"Alright, suit yourself."
Tony picked up his wine glass and took a sip.
"But you have to be careful. Don't let others figure out all your trump cards while you're still standing there foolishly grinning."
"Rest assured, the men of the Stark family can never be counter-trapped. This is determined by genetics."
Luca stood up and stretched lazily.
"Alright, you study Dad's notes at home. The earlier the palladium poisoning issue is resolved, the better."
Tony was stunned, somewhat puzzled.
"You're going out? Where are you going at this hour? A date?"
Luca looked at him with an expression of disappointment in his failure to reach expectations.
"Bro, have you forgotten? Our superhero identities!"
Tony was even more confused.
"What about superheroes? There are no monsters today."
"F*ck! Who says superheroes only show up when monsters come?!"
Luca shook his head, showing a disappointed look at Tony.
"Have you forgotten our original intention for becoming superheroes? For what? For the company's stock!"
"We just established our superhero image a couple of days ago, and the hype hasn't died down yet. If we don't strike while the iron is hot and go out to show our faces at a time like this, how do you expect the citizens to remember us?"
"You think a superhero's influence falls from the sky? That's marketed out!"
The more Luca talked, the more excited he became, and the more bewildered Tony looked.
"Only those who understand marketing can do business well, Tony!"
"We must regularly go out on patrol, be seen by the citizens, and be photographed by the media."
"Today we saved a cat in this neighborhood, tomorrow we helped direct traffic at that intersection. The day after tomorrow we'll post a Twitter saying I love Los Angeles so much."
"With this combo punch, the stock will only get more and more stable."
Tony fell silent for a while after listening.
Damn it, in all these years alive, he'd never seen him go to work for a few days.
How come after becoming a superhero, Luca actually treated this as a job?!
But thinking of his own situation, he sighed.
Ultimately, he made a decision that exceeded Luca's expectations.
"You go."
"What?"
"I said you go."
Tony put down his wine glass, his tone turning calm.
"I want to hurry up and read Dad's notes. The palladium poisoning issue cannot be dragged out; for every day it's delayed, the risk increases by a fraction."
"You go patrol outside and farm some favorability along the way. Anyway, you're much better suited for high-profile work than I am."
Luca nodded and didn't say much else.
He could tell that Tony genuinely wanted to seize the time to research the new element.
Although usually stubborn and refusing to admit defeat with a dead duck's hard mouth, he never slacked off when it was time to be serious.
"OK, then take care of your health, don't stay up too late."
"Get lost! You're the one who needs to take care of your health."
Luca smiled and didn't say anymore.
Then he turned and walked towards the entrance of the underground garage.
A few minutes later.
In the laboratory.
Mechanical arms locked the suit components onto Luca one by one.
Finally, the black cape was fixed onto the shoulder armor.
The cape fluttered slowly under the traction of the force field.
Luca raised his head and took a deep breath.
"Jarvis, open the top passage."
"Opened, Mr. Luca. Tonight in Los Angeles, the temperature is 22 degrees, a gentle breeze, suitable for flying."
"That's right, also suitable for showing off."
"Apologies, I have no comment on that, sir."
Luca's feet left the ground, slowly ascending into the air.
Then!
"Boom!!"
He turned into a stream of light and rushed out of the Villa.
Inside the Villa, Tony was shaken by the sonic boom overhead, and his red wine almost spilled out.
"This bastard, why didn't he use the front door!"
After cursing, he turned and walked toward the experimental workbench.
"Jarvis, open Dad's notes. Continue from where we left off last time."
"Alright, sir."
The holographic projection lit up, and the yellowish handwriting emerged before his eyes.
Tony sat down and took a deep breath.
Then, he began to read through them.
Chapter 91: Hey, Spider-Woman
Los Angeles, above downtown.
8:00 PM.
The city lights spread out beneath his feet, and car taillights connected into a red river.
Luca floated at a height of about three hundred meters from the ground, with his arms crossed over his chest, and his cape fluttering in the wind behind him.
To be honest, flying at this altitude was quite comfortable.
The wind was gentle, the temperature was just right, and the view was wide.
The only downside was that it was too quiet.
Los Angeles seemed exceptionally peaceful tonight.
"Jarvis, help me scan the vicinity for any criminal activity."
"Scanning, sir."
"According to real-time communication monitoring by the Los Angeles Police, there are currently no major security incidents in the downtown area."
"The closest abnormal activity was a convenience store robbery five kilometers away, but the Police have already arrived to handle it. The suspect has been subdued."
"What? Not even leaving a single robber for me?"
Luca was a bit disappointed.
What happened to the promised superhero entrance?
Without villains cooperating, who was he going to look cool for?
"Jarvis, expand the range to the entire Los Angeles."
"Expanding search... Sir, near a commercial street in southern Los Angeles, abnormal energy fluctuations have been detected."
Luca raised an eyebrow, somewhat curious.
"Tell me, what type of energy?"
"Bio-energy. The fluctuation frequency is similar to Spider-Man."
Spider-Man?
Luca's interest was instantly piqued.
So far, he had only seen two Spider-Man.
One was Peter Parker wearing a robber's mask, and the other was Gwen wearing a pink, white, and black uniform.
It was unlikely to be Spider-Man; according to Jarvis's detection, the other party seemed to no longer be in Los Angeles.
Then there was only one candidate left.
"Very well, so it's Spider-Woman."
Luca adjusted his direction and flew toward the location of the signal source.
The speed was not fast, around Mach 2 or so.
He certainly didn't want to fly over and startle someone.
That wouldn't be a superhero entrance, but rather a meteorite hitting Earth.
...
Southern Los Angeles, a less prosperous commercial street.
At this moment on the street, an unlicensed van was frantically weaving left and right across the road.
Closely following behind the van were two roaring Police cars, their sirens deafening.
Inside the van, several men wearing ski masks were cursing loudly.
"Damn it! Another one is following behind!"
"Boss! Ahead is a dead end!"
"Shut up! Turn left!"
The van made a sharp turn abruptly, the screeching sound resounding through the street.
But just the next second after the car turned the corner.
"Swoosh!"
A white web descended from the sky and stuck to the roof of the van.
Immediately afterward, the web gave a violent tug!
The left wheels of the van instantly left the ground, and the whole vehicle was forcibly pulled off course!
"What the hell?!"
The driver gripped the steering wheel tightly, but couldn't control it at all.
The next second, a figure wearing a pink, white, and black tri-color uniform leaped down from the rooftop above.
Gwen completed a beautiful backflip, her feet landing steadily on the hood of the van.
"Bang!"
The people inside the car were all scared stupid.
Gwen bent down, tilted her head at the people inside through the windshield.
"Hey, guys."
"Rushing somewhere? What a coincidence, so am I."
Just as the words fell.
Gwen raised her right hand and continuously fired several webs, which magically entered the car from both sides.
The webs instantly glued their hands tightly to the steering wheel and the roof, unable to move.
"F*ck! My hands!"
"What is this?! I can't tear it apart!"
Gwen easily jumped off the hood, standing in front of the van with her hands on her hips.
The Police cars that chased closely behind also stopped one after another, and the Police jumped out of the cars with their guns drawn.
Seeing the scene in front of them, several Police officers looked at each other in dismay.
The van stopped in the middle of the road, the robbers were stuck like rice dumplings by the webs, and a woman wearing a strange tight suit stood in front of the car.
What is this situation?!
Gwen turned around and waved casually at the Police.
"You're welcome. These guys have already been packed up for you, just sign for them."
After saying that, she shot a web sticking to the wall of the nearby building, preparing to leave.
The exact moment she jumped.
"Yo, Spider-Woman."
A voice drifted down from above her head.
Gwen was stunned and raised her head.
Lucas Stark was floating in the air about twenty meters high, with his arms crossed over his chest, his black cape slowly fluttering behind him.
At this moment, he looked down at Gwen, a punchable yet handsome smile hanging on the corners of his mouth that made people want to take a few extra glances.
"Your way of catching bad guys is quite convenient. But I have a suggestion."
Gwen adjusted her hood, her tone neither hot nor cold.
"What suggestion?"
"Don't stand on the hood next time. A moving car is very dangerous. What if it flips when you stand on it? Even if you have Spider-Sense, you shouldn't take such risks."
Gwen raised an eyebrow.
"Coming from the mouth of someone who casually punches monsters into the ground, that argument has zero persuasion."
Luca was stunned for a moment, then burst out laughing.
"Fine, you got me. I really have no qualification to teach others to pay attention to safety."
He lowered his altitude and landed beside Gwen.
The two stood face to face at close range.
The height difference instantly showed.
Luca was 1.91 meters tall, and Gwen was around 1.7 meters or so.
She had to slightly tilt her head back to look him in the eyes.
This made her a bit annoyed.
Gwen didn't like looking up at people, which made her feel a notch lower in momentum.
"What are you doing here?" Gwen asked directly.
"Patrolling."
Luca spread his hands and said as a matter of course.
"Don't superheroes need to come out and show their faces regularly? Let the citizens see that we are still here. A sense of security is something that needs to be maintained."
"Fine, you call this patrolling?"
Gwen looked him up and down.
"You floating in the sky with your cape blowing like you're filming a commercial, you call that patrolling?"
"This is called high-altitude strategic reconnaissance," Luca corrected deadpan.
"The field of vision is broader, and the coverage is larger. Moreover, the fluttering of the cape is a natural result of aerodynamics, not me intentionally posing."
The corners of Gwen's mouth twitched, and she almost couldn't hold back a smile.
"Who are you kidding? The cape is clearly controlled in its fluttering direction by your force field."
Luca was slightly stunned.
Goodness, your observation skills are quite strong.
You even noticed that.
"Cough."
Luca dry-coughed and quickly changed the subject.
"Uhm, why are you still in Los Angeles? Aren't you from New York?"
"I'm an exchange student," Gwen answered briefly.
"Studying at a university here for a few months."
"Oh, so classes during the day, and catching bad guys at night?"
"Why not?"
"Of course you can. Work-study style. Though they don't pay wages."
Just as the two were chatting idly.
The situation around them began to change.
After dealing with the robbers from the van, several Police officers noticed the two people standing on the roadside.
One wearing a black battle armor with a cape, and the other wearing a pink, white, and black tight battle suit.
The Police instantly recognized them.
"F*ck! It's Superman! And Spider-Woman!"
The news spread faster than web silk.
In less than five minutes, citizens from the nearby neighborhood began to swarm toward this side.
Several young people who were originally shopping in the convenience store rushed over first, holding up their phones and taking wild pictures of Luca and Gwen.
"Superman! It's Superman! And Spider-Woman!!"
"Oh my god! They are together! Are they on a date?!"
Chapter 92: Are You Two Dating?
The crowd grew larger and larger.
Shortly after, several news vans bearing different television station logos also rushed to the scene upon hearing the news.
Reporters jumped out of the cars carrying cameras, thrusting their microphones directly in front of the two.
"Mr. Superman! Is your appearance today a routine operation of the Justice League?"
"Ms. Spider-Woman! What is the relationship between you and Mr. Superman?"
"May I ask what the Justice League's next steps are?"
Facing the swarming cameras and microphones, Luca Stark was far too accustomed to it.
He smiled and raised his hand to wave at the surrounding crowd.
"Hello everyone! It's nothing major, just a routine patrol to ensure that every street in Los Angeles is safe."
He pointed at Gwen next to him.
"I don't need to introduce her much, right? Spider-Woman. A core member of the Justice League."
"Tonight, she subdued several armed robbers single-handedly, perfectly coordinating with the Police's operation."
Luca Stark gave a thumbs-up to the camera.
"To be honest, she arrived much earlier than I did. By the time I rushed over, the bad guys had already been packaged up and delivered to the Police by her."
"So, tonight's true hero isn't me—it's her, and it's all of you busy Police officers!"
These words caught Gwen somewhat by surprise.
She thought Luca Stark would take the opportunity to steal the credit or say some glib words.
She didn't expect him to proactively cede the credit to her in front of the media.
Although she knew this might also be some kind of marketing tactic,
she had to admit that this tactic made it hard to dislike him.
The effect was obvious.
The reporters immediately turned their cameras toward Gwen.
"Spider-Woman! What is your evaluation of Mr. Superman?"
Gwen froze for a moment, her expression somewhat subtle.
She fell silent for a moment, then said,
"He talks too much."
The crowd froze for a moment.
Afterward, the surrounding citizens and reporters all burst into laughter.
Luca Stark chuckled along, not feeling offended in the slightest.
"That's right, I do talk a lot. But you have to admit, every single thing I say is very useful."
Gwen couldn't help the corners of her mouth curling up.
"You say it's useful just because you say so? Then I might as well say your cape is too long—aren't you afraid of tripping when you walk?"
"Sorry, I don't walk; under normal circumstances, I fly. Besides, that's not called tripping, it's graceful grounding."
A few loud laughs and whistles came from the crowd.
A young girl shouted out in the crowd,
"Are you two together?!"
Luca Stark and Gwen simultaneously looked in the direction of the voice.
Then, with tacit understanding, they spoke almost simultaneously.
"No."
"We're not."
Yet right after finishing, the two looked at each other at the same time.
Their gazes intersected in the air for a fraction of a second.
Gwen was the first to look away, pretending to adjust the web-shooters on her wrists.
Luca Stark faced the camera with an unchanged expression.
"Everyone, don't jump to conclusions. We are just teammates. Very pure, righteous teammates who share nothing between us but revolutionary friendship."
Beneath her mask, Gwen rolled her eyes.
Can you please not use the word 'pure' when you speak?!
Why does anything coming out of your mouth sound like innuendo?
Besides, you and the word 'pure' are a hundred thousand miles apart, aren't you?
The interview lasted for another few minutes.
Luca Stark's way of dealing with the reporters was the same as last time.
It was both accessible and left room for ambiguity; it answered questions without revealing any truly valuable information.
Gwen had been quietly listening from the side all along.
She had to admit that this guy's mouth skills were truly formidable.
In front of the public, he was like a fish.
Just when you thought you had caught him, he would slip right through your fingers and swim away.
After the interview concluded, the reporters packed up and left, fully satisfied.
The citizens also dispersed one after another, but almost everyone had a smile on their face as they left.
A night of interacting face-to-face with superheroes was enough for them to post on social media for a whole week.
The street gradually quieted down.
The streetlights shone on the two figures, casting long shadows.
After observing their surroundings, no one was around, and it was very safe.
Gwen seemed to have made up her mind about something.
The next second, she took off her hood, revealing a head of blonde hair.
This was her first time revealing her true face—or rather, the first time showing her appearance in front of Luca Stark.
She pressed her lips together and glanced at Luca Stark.
Yet she found that Luca Stark was very calm, and instead stared intently at her with a serious expression.
This made Gwen somewhat confused.
What is this supposed to mean?!
Could it be that I look really ugly?!
"Are you really here to patrol?"
"Of course. Do you think I'm here to hit on you?"
Gwen paused for a moment, her heartbeat accelerating slightly.
"You're overthinking it."
"I really am overthinking it." Luca Stark nodded, his tone sincere.
"However, if I run into you again during the next patrol, I won't be surprised."
"That sounds like you know my patrol route."
"I am Superman. I can hear conversations dozens of kilometers away. Do you think I need to deliberately investigate your route?"
Gwen pressed her lips together and didn't reply.
Yet she had to admit that this bastard's way of speaking had a certain charm that made people lower their guard.
Even though you knew he was playing tricks, you always felt that being played by him wasn't a big deal.
This feeling made Gwen somewhat vigilant, yet at the same time... a bit curious.
"I'm leaving," Gwen said.
"I still have classes tomorrow."
"An exchange student's life is truly hard. Listening to the Professor chant scriptures during the day and coming out to catch bad guys at night."
"Still more fulfilling than certain people whose lives consist of partying by day and partying by night."
Luca Stark was amused by this remark.
"If you ever need help, you have my contact info."
"I know."
Gwen shot out a web, her body swinging gracefully into the air.
Just as she was about to vanish over the edge of the rooftop, Luca Stark heard a very soft sentence.
"Your cape really looks cool today. Even though I don't want to admit it."
Luca Stark froze for a moment, then chuckled softly.
He wondered if she had said it intentionally for him to hear.
But with his hearing, a whisper at this distance made no difference from being spoken right beside his ear.
"Jarvis."
"At your service, Mr. Luca Stark."
"How is today's patrol score?"
"From a public relations perspective, footage of tonight's interaction between you and Spider-Woman has been reported by at least twelve media outlets. Social media buzz is expected to see a significant boost tomorrow morning."
"From the impact on stocks, I predict that Stark Industries' pre-market trading tomorrow will see a two to five percent increase."
"Very good."
Luca Stark's feet left the ground, and he slowly rose into the air.
"Then let's continue tomorrow."
Chapter 93: Damn, What a Monster This Guy Is
The next morning.
Malibu, Stark Villa.
When the sunlight streamed in, Luca had already been standing on the terrace for twenty minutes.
With his eyes closed and his arms slightly spread, he let the morning sunlight evenly cover his entire body.
Every second, energy permeated into his cells.
This feeling was hard to describe.
It was like drinking a cup of coffee; the warmth slid all the way from his throat down to his chest cavity, and then spread through all his limbs and bones.
"Sir, your energy reserves this morning have recovered to ninety-seven percent." Jarvis's voice came from the balcony's loudspeaker.
"Very good, another sunny day."
Luca opened his eyes and stretched his neck.
Footsteps came from behind, followed by the sound of Tony poking his head out from the top of the stairs.
"Are you photosynthesizing again?"
"Good morning, Tony." Luca didn't even turn his head.
"What time did you go to sleep last night?"
"Didn't sleep."
Luca turned around.
Tony stood at the top of the stairs with a nest of chicken-coop-like hair, his eye sockets as dark as if he had been punched twice.
"Dad's notes are more complicated than I imagined." Tony took a sip of coffee, his expression twitching in pain.
It was hard to tell whether it was because the coffee was too bitter or because he stayed up too late.
"He made a bunch of annotations I couldn't understand on the new element's arrangement model, and he even used his own invented symbol system."
"Wait, you said you couldn't understand?"
"I said temporarily couldn't understand. Temporarily. These two words are very important."
Luca smiled and then asked.
"Alright, then, what is your palladium concentration today..."
"Twenty-three percent." Tony preempted.
"Still within the line. Don't make a fuss."
Luca curled his lips.
"OK."
He didn't ask further, picked up the suit from the sofa, and threw it over his shoulder.
"I'm heading to the company."
"So early? When did you fall in love with going to work? This is even more surprising than you never attending parties again."
"Today is the new assistant's first day reporting."
"Oh~"
Tony dragged out his tone, his tone sounding malicious the moment one heard it.
"That shaken cola of yours."
"I plan to take her on a tour of the company. Familiarize her with the environment, understand the business, and by the way..."
"By the way, test which brand of cola she actually is."
Luca winked at him.
"You understand me more and more, Tony."
"No, I just understand the species known as scumbags." Tony walked toward the underground garage holding his coffee.
"Don't play too hard. If she really is a spy, pushing her too far might cause the other party to expose themselves early, and that wouldn't be fun."
"Rest assured." Luca pushed open the door and threw back a sentence.
"My sense of boundaries is first-class."
"Your definition of a sense of boundaries is different from the Oxford Dictionary."
Bang!
The door closed.
...
Stark Industries headquarters building.
Nine o'clock in the morning sharp.
Jessica Drew arrived at the company early.
At this moment, she was standing in the reception area of the lobby, wearing a grey professional suit skirt, her hair tied in a low ponytail, and her makeup so light it was almost invisible.
The whole person looked capable and professional, practically without a single flaw.
How should I put it, just like what an administrative assistant should look like.
People came and went in the lobby, every passing employee swiping their access cards with hurried footsteps, and no one spared her an extra glance.
This was very good for her.
As an Agent, not being noticed was the best disguise.
After returning to the safe house last night, she spent a few hours reviewing the details of the interview.
That handshake made her ponder for a long time.
The moment Luca held her hand was very strange.
She guessed that was scanning.
Or rather, analyzing and judging.
In the end, she came to a conclusion.
This person's eyes and mouth were not saying the same thing.
The mouth was flirting, and the eyes were dissecting.
"Be careful of him," the contact person said on the phone.
"Luca is harder to deal with than Tony. Tony Stark's danger is out in the open; everyone knows he's a genius."
"But Lucas Stark's danger is hidden behind a smile, and you never know what he is thinking."
"You have only one mission, which is to stay by his side and figure out the boundaries of his abilities. Frequency, intensity, weakness. All the data."
"This mission has no room for failure."
Jessica was very clear about the weight of this last sentence.
In the organization, having no room for failure was a technical term.
Translated into plain language, it was also very simple.
That is: if you mess up, don't come back.
So no matter what happened today, she had to keep her composure.
"Miss Jones?"
A voice interrupted her thoughts.
Pepper Potts walked out of the elevator, wearing a light blue suit skirt, holding a tablet computer in her hand.
Behind her was Happy Hogan, a person Jessica remembered.
Happy Hogan, the bodyguard of the Stark family.
Although given the current situation, it wasn't known who was protecting whom.
"Good morning, Miss Potts." Jessica immediately smiled and nodded.
"Welcome to Stark Industries." Pepper responded with a smile.
"Luca hasn't arrived yet, he..."
Before she finished speaking, the lobby door was pushed open.
Lucas Stark walked in.
Jessica noticed that the moment he walked in, the two female receptionists at the front desk sat up straight at the same time.
Even more ridiculously, the one on the left subconsciously touched her hair to showcase her beauty.
"Morning." Luca came before the group and waved at Pepper.
"My new assistant has arrived?"
"Earlier than you." Pepper sighed helplessly.
"I'm the boss, bosses don't need to arrive early. Bosses only need to appear at the most appropriate timing. For example... now."
He turned to Jessica, his gaze sweeping from her face to her feet, and then back from her feet to her face.
"Suit skirt. Low ponytail. Light makeup." Luca nodded.
"Very professional. But tomorrow you can change into a set with a brighter color. Gray makes people sleepy easily."
As soon as these words came out, Pepper raised an eyebrow.
"Luca..."
"Just kidding." Luca raised both hands.
"Let's go, Miss Jones, I'll take you for a tour."
After saying that, he walked toward the elevator, completely without any intention of waiting for anyone.
Jessica glanced at Pepper.
Pepper gave her a "you'll get used to it" expression.
Happy whispered something to Pepper nearby.
Pepper was stunned for a moment, then replied: "I know, but that's his department, I can't control it."
Jessica listened silently to all this, nodded thoughtfully, and then quickly caught up with Luca.
To be honest, there was one thing she had always felt deeply about.
Her Superpower had always been very powerful, and her physical fitness even surpassed Captain America.
Not to mention various other abilities, which was also the reason why the organization gave her the Spider-Woman codename.
This had always made her confident in her strength, after all, this was the foundation of her power.
But since coming into contact with Luca, she felt very insignificant.
Her perception couldn't detect Luca's physical condition at all, as if the other party had isolated all probing.
For her, this was bad news.
This meant Lucas Stark was more than one tier stronger than her.
Therefore, with her weak perceptive ability, she fundamentally couldn't understand the other party's condition.
Damn, what kind of monster was this guy?!
Chapter 94: No Room for Failure
For the next forty minutes, Luca took Jessica through more than half the building.
Starting from the executive office area on the 42nd floor, all the way down.
R&D Department, Marketing Department, Legal Department, PR Department.
At each department, Luca would introduce it in a sentence or two, and then observe Jessica's reaction.
He watched very carefully.
When passing by the R&D Department, Jessica's pace slowed down, and her gaze lingered on the experimental equipment for a long time.
When passing by the security center, her gaze quickly swept over the model label of the access control system.
This was very unusual; after all, an administrative assistant didn't need to pay attention to such things.
This made Luca even more certain of Jessica's identity as a spy.
And with all these details added together, the answer didn't need to be guessed anymore.
But Luca didn't show anything on his face.
While passing by the Marketing Department, he even stopped to chat with a blonde female employee for a few minutes.
During this time, he saw out of the corner of his eye that Jessica was sizing up the location of the fire escape at the end of the corridor.
Was she confirming the escape route?
Well, a very standard Agent habit.
I have to say, it's getting more and more interesting.
"Miss Jones."
Luca stopped at the door of his office, swiped his card and pushed the door open.
"The last stop. Your main work area from now on."
The door opened.
Luca's office occupied half a floor.
The floor-to-ceiling windows faced the Pacific Ocean, and sunlight filled the room.
Yesterday's office was just for recruitment.
The current one was where Luca usually stayed at work.
The desk was very clean, with only a computer and a small tray holding a whiskey bottle.
On the right was a huge bookshelf crammed with various technical journals and patent documents.
On the left was a sofa, next to which was a small bar counter.
Jessica looked around and finally let her gaze fall on Luca.
"I have to say, this place is huge," she said.
"Thank you, I think so too."
Damn it, how did those words sound ambiguous no matter how one listened to them.
Jessica rolled her eyes and decided not to take the bait.
Luca walked around behind the desk and sat down, leaned his chair back, and propped his feet on the desktop.
"Alright, the official tour is over. Now let's talk about something serious."
"Pepper should have told you about your daily work content. Schedule management, document organization, meeting minutes, business trip arrangements."
"It's all clear," Jessica nodded.
"Very good, but those are the basics."
Luca picked up the red wine from the table and poured himself a glass.
"But since you are my personal assistant, there should be some... work outside the basic duties."
Jessica's smile remained unchanged, but her body unconsciously tensed up.
"Like what?"
"Like..." Luca stood up holding his wine glass, walked around the desk, and slowly walked in front of her.
Luca was more than ten centimeters taller than her. Looking down from this angle, the expression on his face had a condescending playfulness.
"We just finished patrolling, and now my shoulders are a bit sore."
"What?"
"I said," Luca turned and sat on the sofa, put the wine glass on the coffee table, and then leaned back.
"My shoulders are sore. They need a massage."
Jessica was stunned for a moment.
What the fuck! Is he asking me to give him a massage?!
"Mr. Stark, this is not within my scope of work."
"Your scope of work is defined by me."
"My contract says personal assistant."
"The contract also states 'and other reasonable work tasks assigned by the direct supervisor'. Page four, Article 7, second line from the bottom. You should have read it yesterday."
Jessica didn't speak, already speechless.
That's right, she had indeed read it.
And she knew that this kind of clause was a legal grey area.
If it went to court, employees could claim this was not within a reasonable category.
But the problem was, she couldn't go to court.
Are you kidding, even her real name was fake, wouldn't going to court be a joke?
Luca watched her facial changes and felt confident inside.
When an ordinary female employee is asked such a request by her boss, her normal reaction should be anger or fear.
But Jessica's first reaction was not emotional fluctuation, but thinking and calculating instead.
This showed that she was weighing the pros and cons.
"If you feel this job is not suitable for you—"
Luca picked up the wine glass and took a sip, his tone lazy.
"The door is over there. The password is the door you walked through when you came, you should still remember the way. Go to the HR Department for resignation procedures, Pepper will help you process it."
Jessica stood in place, trying hard to maintain calm.
Really going to leave?
Going away on the first day of work before the mission has even started?
What to say when going back to the contact person?
"Report, the target asked me to massage his shoulders, I refused so I retreated."
???
She could imagine the expression on the contact person's face when hearing this.
"There is no room for failure."
But if she stayed...
Just a shoulder, just massaging shoulders, it's not like anything is being done to her.
Right?
She had received combat training, infiltration training, anti-interrogation training.
At seventeen, she could lie in minus twenty-degree snow for six hours to monitor a target.
Therefore, what is a shoulder massage?
Only... she had never touched a man.
Of course, pushing, tussling, and throat-locking during missions were things she had done countless times, not counting those.
But this kind of close physical contact with an ambiguous meaning.
Damn it, even her first kiss was still there.
An ace Agent cultivated by the organization for so many years, proficient in combat skills, good at everything.
Only she was never taught how to deal with a playboy asking her to massage his shoulders.
"Miss Jones?" Luca's voice sounded again.
"Are you okay? Or are you already navigating in your heart from here to the nearest subway station?"
Jessica took a deep breath.
"Sorry, I'm fine."
She walked over and put her briefcase on the coffee table.
Then she stood behind the sofa, stretched out both hands, and placed them on Luca's shoulders.
Through the fabric of the shirt, she could feel the muscles underneath.
No, how could it be so hard?!
What kind of physique is this? The effect of the Super Soldier Serum?
Or something else?
While pressing, Jessica rapidly analyzed the information transmitted back after the touch.
These things were more direct than the scanning results of any instrument.
This was the first-hand intelligence the contact person wanted.
But how should I put it, her earlobes were burning.
Damn Lucas Stark!
Why did she have to do this kind of thing?!
"You can use a bit more strength." Luca closed his eyes, his tone sounding like he was getting a spa.
"You've received training, right? Your technique is quite professional."
"I studied a bit of sports rehabilitation in college," Jessica lied without changing her expression.
"Sports rehabilitation?" Luca let out a chuckle.
"On your impeccable resume, I didn't see this item."
"Extracurricular activities are not written on the resume."
"Is that so. Then your extracurricular activities are quite rich."
Right at this moment, the office door was suddenly pushed open.
"Luca, the materials for the eleven o'clock meeting you..."
Ethan walked in carrying a stack of documents, looked up and saw the scene on the sofa, and his movements froze.
His boss was leaning on the sofa with his eyes closed, and a dark-haired woman was standing behind him massaging his shoulders.
Ethan pushed his glasses, and the expression on his face went through three stages.
Confusion, understanding, and then regret over why he had pushed open this door at this time.
"Uh... sorry to interrupt."
Ethan turned around and wanted to leave.
"Don't run, Ethan." Luca opened his eyes and said with a smile.
"Come in."
Ethan stiffened at the door, tightening the folder in his hand.
He quickly made some psychological preparations.
I am an adult, I am a Doctor of medicine.
I have performed open-chest surgery for people in a cave in Afghanistan, and this kind of scene shouldn't make me feel uncomfortable.
But the problem was, performing surgery and bumping into one's boss being massaged by a woman were two social accidents of completely different magnitudes.
"Ethan, come over."
Luca beckoned, his smile very gentle.
"Let me introduce you."
Ethan braced himself and walked in, his eyes staring dead at the documents in his hand, not daring to look toward the sofa even once.
"This is Jessica Jones. My new assistant. Jones, this is Dr. Ethan. The core researcher of our biotechnology lab, and the man who saved my brother's life in Afghanistan."
Jessica's eyes flashed, and she nodded politely.
"Hello, Dr. Ethan."
Ethan finally raised his head and managed to squeeze out a smile.
"Hello, Miss Jones. Welcome to Stark Industries."
Then, he quickly placed the documents on the desk, so fast as if he was afraid of being scalded.
"The meeting materials are here, I'll first..."
"Ethan." Luca called out to him.
"Hmm?"
"You're blushing."
Ethan's face upgraded from slightly red to beet red on the spot.
"I am not. This is... facial vasodilation caused by the high temperature in the laboratory. A very normal physiological reaction. It has nothing to do with the current scene at all."
Luca held back his laughter and didn't expose him.
"Alright, Dr. Ethan. Your physiological reaction is very professional. Go back and continue your facial vasodilation."
Ethan felt as if he had been granted amnesty, and turned to walk towards the door.
When walking to the door, he looked back at Luca, and then didn't say anything more.
When the door closed, the force was a little bigger than usual.
Jessica noticed Ethan's final look.
This person was not a threat.
A typical scientific researcher, introverted, social skills approximately zero.
But Luca clearly trusted him a lot.
"Your researcher?" Jessica spoke.
"He's just like that."
Luca stood up from the sofa and stretched his shoulders.
"Smart as hell, but like a rock socially. Not a bad heart though."
Luca walked back behind the desk and sat down, flipping through the documents Ethan had just put down.
"Not bad. The technique can score eight points."
Jessica was stunned for a moment.
"Thank you. What are the two points deducted for?"
"Your hands were shaking."
Jessica started.
This was a very small detail, but Luca saw it.
This guy did it on purpose.
From beginning to end, from the inexplicable massage request to the current comments, it was all purposeful probing.
She took a deep breath, and a well-proportioned smile hung on the corners of her mouth again.
"Probably because it's my first day at work, I'm a bit nervous."
"Probably." Luca didn't follow up with questions, his gaze already landing on the documents.
"Alright, first help me go through the materials for the eleven o'clock meeting, and mark the key points."
Jessica sat down in the chair opposite him and took the documents.
Luca sat in the swivel chair, holding the materials for the eleven o'clock meeting in his hand.
But only twenty percent of his attention was on the documents, and the remaining eighty percent was on the woman in front of him.
Jessica's speed of organizing documents was unreasonably fast.
The way she used a highlighter to mark key points didn't look like an administrative assistant either.
She knew what the key points were.
An assistant who just started on her first day shouldn't know these things.
Luca raised her spy confirmation degree in his heart from ninety-five percent to ninety-nine percent.
The remaining one percent.
Was left to the small probability that there might actually be an ordinary person in this World with a perfect resume, superhuman abilities, mutated physical fitness, and who happened to apply for an assistant position.
But he was not in a hurry.
He knew too well how this game was played.
You know who she is, she doesn't know that you know.
This is your biggest trump card.
The more anxious you are to flip your cards, the smaller your chances of winning.
Take it slow.
Let her think she is infiltrating, while she is actually in the palm of his hand.
"Where is the eleven o'clock meeting room?" Jessica's words interrupted his thoughts.
"Floor 38, Area B meeting room."
"Do I need to go prepare in advance?"
"No. Just come with me."
Luca stood up, took the folder, and looked back when he reached the door.
"By the way, Miss Jones."
"What?"
"Tomorrow, change into a brightly colored set of clothes. This is not a joke."
He pushed open the door and walked out.
Jessica sat in the chair, blankly watching his figure disappear at the end of the corridor.
This guy was much harder to deal with than described in the file.
But a mission is a mission, there was no other choice.
She stood up, took her briefcase, and followed.
Chapter 95 "I am Spider-Woman!"
On the campus of Los Angeles University, the afternoon sunlight spilled onto the lawn.
Gwen Stacy held a few professional books and walked quickly along the tree-lined path.
The events of last night left a deep impression on her.
However, her mood was not bad.
After all, she could be considered to have a teammate fighting side by side with her now; she was no longer alone.
Thinking of Lucas Stark, Gwen couldn't help but smile slightly.
Although this guy had a very obnoxious mouth and spoke frivolously,
when standing by his side, there really was a feeling that made one feel very at ease.
Just as Gwen was letting her mind wander,
"Hum!"
suddenly, the spider-sense deep in her brain screamed rapidly!
This feeling was very strange.
It was as if someone was holding a needle and fiercely stabbing it into the back of her head!
This could only mean one thing: it was very dangerous right now!
Gwen quickly stopped in her tracks, her muscles instantly tensing up.
Afterwards, she began to vigilantly look around her surroundings.
The surroundings were full of coming and going students, chatting and laughing, looking completely normal without any abnormalities.
But she still wasn't at ease; spider-sense would definitely not make a mistake.
"Miss Stacy."
Just at this moment, a deep and hoarse male voice suddenly came from behind her.
Gwen quickly turned around.
She saw a middle-aged man wearing a gray trench coat standing less than two meters away from her.
The man wore a pair of glasses, and his appearance was very ordinary, the type that would instantly disappear if thrown into a crowd of people.
But the way he looked at Gwen was like a venomous snake staring at its prey.
"Who are you?" Gwen hugged the books in her arms tightly, her gaze turning cold.
The man smiled slightly and pushed up his glasses.
"Who I am is not important. What is important is that I know who you are."
The man took a step forward and lowered his voice.
"The fireworks show in downtown was very wonderful. That uniform really suits you, Spider-Woman."
Hearing this title, Gwen's pupils shrank abruptly.
Damn it! Exposed!
But how could this be?!
Clearly, she had always been very careful and had never taken off her mask in front of anyone!
Except in front of Luca last night!
Could it be that Luca betrayed her?
No, impossible.
Although this guy was a scumbag, he was definitely not a petty person who would stab others in the back.
"I don't understand what you are talking about."
Gwen wore a cold face, putting on an expression of looking at a mentally ill person.
"I'm just an ordinary exchange student. If you harass me again, I'll call the campus Police."
The smile on the man's face deepened, as if he completely didn't care about Gwen's threat.
"You can call the campus Police, Miss Stacy."
"But I think, New York Police Department Director George Stacy probably wouldn't want to see his precious daughter get dragged into some dangerous trouble, right?"
Damn it, this guy was threatening her with her family!
Gwen's gaze became incomparably sharp, and killing intent was already emanating from her body.
"What on earth do you want to do?"
The man spread his hands and made a relaxed posture.
"Don't be nervous. We're just very interested in you. Possessing miraculous abilities, you shouldn't waste them on such boring things as catching petty thieves."
"HYDRA sends its regards to you, Miss Stacy."
Leaving these words behind, the man took a deep look at Gwen, then turned and walked into the crowd, quickly disappearing from sight.
Gwen stood in place, her hands and feet ice cold.
HYDRA.
Of course she had heard of this name.
That day on the battlefield, Luca and Tony had already mentioned this terrorist organization hidden in the dark.
To think they had set their sights on her!
And they even investigated her true identity!
Even knowing who her father was!
Gwen walked quickly into the teaching building and hid in a restroom.
Leaning against the sink, she looked at her pale self in the mirror and panted heavily.
Big trouble.
If it was just targeting her, she wouldn't be afraid at all.
But the other party mentioned her father.
She guessed that HYDRA was definitely a bunch of lunatics without a bottom line.
Therefore, they were capable of doing anything.
Gwen trembled with her hands and pulled out her cell phone from her pocket.
The screen lit up, storing a number without a remarks name on it.
This was the private number Luca left her that night.
"If you run into trouble, find me anytime."
Luca's words echoed in her ears.
Gwen's hand hovered over the dial button, lingering and not pressing it down.
Really going to call him?
But this was clearly her own trouble.
The Stark Brothers were already the focus of the whole World now, and they themselves were also facing countless dangers and schemes.
If she dragged the other party into this, would it bring them even greater trouble?
Furthermore, what right did she have to ask others for help?
Just on the basis of having fought together once?
Gwen gritted her teeth and ultimately shoved the phone back into her pocket.
"No, I can solve it myself."
She looked at herself in the mirror, her gaze once again becoming strong.
"I am Spider-Woman, I am very strong!"
...
Time came to eight o'clock in the evening.
Los Angeles, a private club in Beverly Hills.
Tonight, a top-tier commercial charity gala was being held here.
Those who could get an invitation letter were all prominent political and business tycoons in California and even the entire U.S.
Just at this moment,
a stretch Lincoln slowly stopped in front of the red carpet at the entrance of the club.
The car door opened.
Lucas Stark took the lead in getting out of the car.
Tonight, he wore a dark night blue custom suit without a tie, his shirt collar slightly open, possessing a casual sexiness.
As soon as he appeared, the camera flashes instantly lit up like daylight.
"Mr. Stark! Look over here!"
"Mr. Superman! May I ask if you are here to attend the charity auction tonight?"
Luca smiled and waved to the reporters, then turned around and very gentlemanly extended his right hand.
Immediately following, a foot wearing high black heels stepped out.
Jessica Drew held Luca's hand and got out of the car.
Tonight's Jessica was simply so beautiful that people couldn't look away.
Following Luca's unreasonable request to wear brightly colored clothes, she changed into a burgundy deep V backless evening gown.
This dress perfectly fit her body, displaying her voluptuous and explosive figure to the fullest.
Especially that deep cleavage on her chest, which was enough to make any normal man unable to look away.
Jessica linked arms with Luca, wearing an impeccable smile.
But only she herself knew how much she wanted to twist off the neck of the bastard beside her in her heart.
On the way to the club, the spacious back seat had practically become her place of suffering.
"Miss Jones, you are sitting too far away from me."
Luca leaned against the seat, holding a glass of champagne in his hand, his gaze scanning back and forth over her unbridledly.
"As a personal assistant, you should always stay within your boss's reach. Sit a little closer."
Jessica gritted her teeth, forcibly holding back her anger as she shifted ten centimeters closer to him.
"Closer." Luca raised an eyebrow.
Jessica took a deep breath and shifted another ten centimeters, their thighs almost touching each other.
"Very good." Luca nodded with satisfaction, then suddenly leaned closer to her.
The distance between the two shortened to only a few centimeters.
Jessica could smell the faint scent on the other person.
Her body instantly tensed up, and an Agent's instinct almost made her throw a punch.
"Your collar seems a bit crooked."
Luca reached out, his slender fingers brushing as if absent-mindedly across the fair skin of her chest, helping her tidy up the edge of her gown.
"Do you need the boss to personally help you tidy it up? This is extra employee welfare after all."
Jessica's ear roots instantly turned red, and then she leaned back slightly, dodging his hand.
"Thank you Mr. Stark, I can do it myself."
"Call me Luca." Luca withdrew his hand, his smile meaningful.
"Also, your task tonight is to follow closely behind me. Whatever I tell you to do, you do. If you behave like a wooden dummy, or make me feel unsatisfied..."
Luca swirled the wine glass in his hand, his tone becoming breezy.
"Tomorrow you can go to the finance department to settle your accounts and leave. Stark Industries does not keep assistants who lack tact."
Damn it, using firing as a threat again!
Jessica crazily greeted the eighteen generations of Luca's ancestors in her heart.
This damned scumbag!
Capitalist! Vampire!
If not for the mission, if not to figure out the details,
she definitely would stuff that glass of champagne into his throat!
"I understand, Luca."
Jessica squeezed out a sweet smile, her tone incomparably gentle.
"I will behave well."
Chapter 96: This Is a Fatal Weakness!!
End of flashback.
The two walked on the red carpet.
Luca tilted his head slightly and whispered in Jessica's ear.
"Smile more naturally, darling. Your expression right now looks just like an Agent getting ready to assassinate the President. Relax, tonight is a good day."
Jessica was startled inside.
An Agent assassinating the President?
Did this guy just say that offhandedly, or did he notice something?
She quickly adjusted her breathing, making her smile look more sincere, and pressed her body more softly against Luca's arm.
"Okay, Boss."
Entering the clubhouse hall.
The dome was resplendent and magnificent, classical music played melodiously, and socialites holding wine glasses were everywhere.
As soon as Luca appeared, he instantly became the focus of the entire room.
After all, he was currently the hottest superhero in the World, a walking traffic code.
Several pot-bellied business tycoons and two high-ranking Military officials in Military uniform immediately walked over to greet him.
"Oh! Luca! Nice to see you!"
"Mr. Superman! Last night's performance was simply fantastic!"
Luca exchanged pleasantries with them with ease, wearing a just-right smile on his face.
Jessica stood obediently by his side, playing the role of a vase assistant, occasionally helping him change to a new glass of champagne.
"Luca, seriously."
A white-haired Military lieutenant general lowered his voice and asked with a face full of curiosity.
"Now that you possess such powerful strength, are there really no side effects? Or rather, is there any limit to this kind of strength?"
Hearing this question.
Jessica, standing to the side, instantly perked up her ears.
This was precisely her most important mission! Figure out Luca's ability weaknesses!
Luca glanced at the lieutenant general, then deliberately put on an appearance of being drunk and burped.
He put his arm around Jessica's waist, pulled her closer into his arms, then leaned in front of the lieutenant general, lowering his tone mysteriously.
"General, seeing that we are old friends, I will only tell you alone."
Luca's gaze became somewhat hazy.
"You guys think I am truly invincible? In fact, it is not like that at all."
"The energy consumption inside my body is extremely fast. I must be exposed to the Sun for at least two hours every day to maintain body functions."
"If I encounter rainy days, or don't see the Sun for several consecutive days, my strength will drastically decrease. At night, I can't even unscrew a bottle cap."
Hearing these words, the lieutenant general widened his eyes in sheer disbelief.
And Jessica on the side had already started to feel wild joy in her heart!
Weakness! This was the fatal weakness!
So he needed to rely on solar energy!
As long as his light source was cut off, or a war of attrition was conducted against him at night, he was just trash!
Great, great, great, this truly came without any effort!
Jessica forcefully suppressed her inner excitement and firmly engraved this important intelligence into her brain.
Luca glanced at Jessica's slightly trembling eyelashes and sneered inwardly.
Remember it, remember it.
Remember more.
When HYDRA picks a rainy night to come and trouble me, I will let you all know what a humanoid walking Sun is called.
"What about Tony?" another business tycoon curiously chimed in.
"His armor is simply incredible. Does it also not have any weaknesses?"
Luca waved his hand with a disgusted expression on his face.
"Tony is even more ridiculous."
"You guys really think that set of armor is perfect? In fact, its energy system is extremely fragile."
Luca leaned in closer, his voice so quiet that only a few people around could hear.
"The backup energy core of the armor is actually placed in the second safe of the Malibu Mansion underground garage."
"That safe doesn't even have an advanced combination lock installed; the password is Pepper Potts's birthday, 0529."
"If someone sneaks in and takes the backup energy away, then the armor will turn into a pile of scrap iron in less half an hour of flight. He is just a turtle hiding in an iron shell."
Jessica's heartbeat was getting faster and faster.
Good grief! Is this guy an idiot?!
Secrets of this level, and he actually blabbed about them casually at a cocktail party?!
Could it be because he was drunk, coupled with his usual unbridled personality, that he was so unguarded?
Regardless, this was definitely the intelligence HYDRA dreamed of!
As long as they got the backup energy, they could crack the secret of the Iron Armor!
Jessica was already starting to plan the route to sneak into the Malibu Mansion in her mind.
At this moment, Luca was holding a wine glass, using his peripheral vision to appreciate the excitement flashing in Jessica's eyes.
He was almost unable to hold back his laughter.
Go get it, dear assistant lady.
There was indeed something placed in the safe, but there was no backup energy.
Instead, it was a miniature high-voltage electric shock bomb newly developed by Tony, plus a whole can of concentrated skunk spray.
As long as the password was entered correctly, the moment the safe opened.
It was guaranteed to make you feel wonderful to heaven, and by the way, make you exude a charming scent for the next month.
"Oops, I seem to have had too much to drink."
Luca rubbed his temples and pressed most of his body's weight onto Jessica.
"Miss Jones, help me over to that sofa over there to rest for a bit. Help me massage my temples by the way."
Jessica staggered a bit from being weighed down by him.
But because she had obtained major intelligence in her heart, she suddenly felt that Luca wasn't so annoying anymore at this moment.
"Alright, Luca."
Jessica supported him as he walked to the sofa in the corner and sat down.
Luca closed his eyes and leaned his head against the back of the sofa.
"Use some force, Miss Jones. If your massage feels good, I'll give you a raise tomorrow."
Jessica stretched out her hands and gently pressed his temples.
"Okay, Boss."
She gazed at Luca's handsome face and sneered inwardly.
Laugh all you want, Stark.
You stupid playboy.
Once HYDRA gets everything, I will snap your neck myself.
Luca closed his eyes, feeling the strength of Jessica's fingers, and also sneered inwardly.
Massage away, little spy.
Massage a bit more.
When you go to open the safe, I will personally hold a camera to film your miserable state, and then send it to Tony as a joke.
It just so happens that Tony has been worrying recently that no one is going to trigger the trap he designed.
Chapter 97 Black Lace?
At eleven o'clock at night, the party finally ended.
Luca put on a look of unsteady footsteps, leaning most of his body against Jessica.
The two slowly walked out of the clubhouse doors.
As the night breeze blew, feeling Luca's weight, Jessica was somewhat speechless.
She was a Superpower user after all, so why did Luca still feel as heavy as Mount Tai to her?
At this moment.
A black Rolls-Royce was already parked at the bottom of the steps.
Happy Hogan stood by the car door wearing sunglasses, dutifully playing the role of a bodyguard.
Luca released his hand embracing Jessica's waist and straightened his body.
Then he reached out to tidy up Jessica's wind-messy hair, his movements flippant yet natural.
"Good job, Miss Jones. Your performance tonight is very much in line with my expectations for an assistant."
Jessica took a deep breath and squeezed out a smile.
"Thank you for the boss's praise. This is what I should do."
"Very good, maintain this attitude."
Luca walked over to the car door, one foot already stepping inside, when he suddenly stopped and turned back to look at her.
"By the way, when you come to work tomorrow, dress a bit more sexy."
Jessica was stunned for a moment, not understanding what he meant.
"What?"
"Like black lace, or a leopard-print hip-hugger skirt or something."
Luca looked her up and down and curled his lips.
"I'm already tired of looking at this gown. Stark Industries' aesthetic standards need continuous updates, understand?"
Having said that, without waiting for Jessica's reply, he dove straight into the car.
With a bang, the car door closed.
The Rolls-Royce quickly drove into the night.
The smile on Jessica's face vanished into thin air instantly.
She stared fixedly at the taillights, her fists clenching with a cracking sound.
Black lace? Leopard-print hip-hugger skirt?!
This damn scumbag! Pervert! Scum among capitalists!
What did he take Stark Industries for? A nightclub?!
Jessica hacked Luca into pieces a hundred times in her heart, then turned and walked toward a dark alley at the corner of the street.
Confirming that there was no one around, she groped out a communicator only the size of a lighter from the interlayer of her handbag.
Pressing the button, she waited for a few seconds.
"Report the situation, Spider-Woman."
A low voice of the contact person came from the communicator.
"There is a major breakthrough."
Jessica lowered her voice, her tone full of undisguised excitement.
"I've obtained the fatal weaknesses of Lucas Stark and Tony Stark."
The other end of the communicator fell silent for a moment, and then the breathing became hurried.
"Speak!"
"Luca's ability relies entirely on solar energy. As long as it encounters cloudy and rainy days, or a war of attrition is conducted against him at night, his strength will decline drastically. He admitted himself that at night he can't even unscrew a mineral water bottle cap."
"That's fantastic!"
The contact person's tone was somewhat excited.
"I knew it, there are no monsters without weaknesses in this World! What about Tony Stark?"
"The backup energy core of the armor is hidden in the safe of the Malibu Mansion underground garage. The password is 0529. As long as the core is taken away, the armor will be scrapped in less half an hour."
Jessica paused and asked, "Do I need to sneak into the Villa tonight and try that safe?"
"No, don't move yet."
The contact person immediately vetoed the proposal.
"The Stark Brothers are the focus of the global stage right now, and the Villa's security system must be very strict. If we act rashly and alert the enemy, it will ruin the big picture instead."
"Your current task is to continue lurking by his side. Continue to gather intelligence in the next two days to see if there are any omitted details. Once the organization formulates a meticulous plan, we will deliver a fatal blow."
"Understood."
"Good job, Spider-Woman. Long live HYDRA."
"Long live HYDRA."
Jessica cut off the communication and hid the device away again.
Walking out of the alley, she let out a long breath.
The mission was progressing very smoothly, which put her in a great mood.
However, thinking about tomorrow morning's matter, her brows furrowed again.
Should she follow that damn scumbag Luca's request or not?
If she didn't do it, he would definitely use dismissal to threaten her again.
But wear a leopard-print hip-hugger skirt to work?
Good lord, she was a decent Agent!
"Damn Lucas Stark, sooner or later one day I'm going to shove high heels down your throat!"
While cursing in her heart, Jessica reached out and hailed a taxi.
On the other side.
The Rolls-Royce drove steadily on the streets of Los Angeles.
Inside the carriage.
The Luca who was drunken-eyed just a second ago was already crossing his legs, his eyes clear.
Happy glanced through the rearview mirror and couldn't help complaining.
"Sir, the way you pretended to be drunk just now was simply identical to Mr. Tony. Honestly, did the people of the Stark family all go to Hollywood to study acting?"
"Don't compare me with that old man Tony."
Luca rolled his eyes.
"He was truly drunk, while I was tactically tipsy. This is called IQ crushing, understand?"
Finishing his words, Luca took out his mobile phone and sent a text message to Tony.
[I've already helped you publicize the trap in the safe. Remember to fill the spray, and it's best to add some pepper.]
In less than ten seconds, Tony's reply popped out.
[Fack. Don't joke with the laboratory. I'm calculating the new element arrangement model left behind by Dad. If you send this kind of boring text message again, I'll dismantle your limited-edition sports car and make it into a toilet.]
Luca gazed at the screen and couldn't help letting out an evil chuckle.
He could imagine Tony with a chicken-nest head, drinking coffee while swearing.
"Happy, U-turn at the intersection ahead, go to XXX University."
Luca put away his phone and instructed.
"Go to school?"
Happy was stunned for a moment, then began to banter.
"What are you going to school for so late? Are you planning to go back and retake college physics?"
"No, it's to pick up a girl."
Luca gazed at the night view outside the window, his tone relaxed.
In the afternoon, he specifically checked; Gwen was helping the Professor sort out data in the school laboratory today and wouldn't be able to come out until very late.
Since he wanted to build a friendly and charming superhero persona.
Then developing a relationship with Little Spider along the way was very reasonable.
For instance, picking her up for a midnight snack couldn't be more appropriate.