Killing Through American Comics: Starting from the Black Robe
Novel SummaryAt first, Li Qi thought he had transmigrated to some obscure DC universe. The only difference was that in this world, the primary job of a superhero was to be a superstar. Why should with great power come great responsibility? Why must having superpowers mean helping the weak, or not bullying them? His debut film grossed over $100 million, he held multiple records at Godotkin University, was the perfect lover of a Hollywood actress, the leader of the female superheroes, the youngest captain of the Seven, the guardian of Earth, and an adventurer across the multiverse… Li Qi thought this was absolutely right. That way, it wouldn't stop me from bullying you all. —"Some say that when police rescue hostages, the casualty rate is usually around 20%. But for superhumans, this rate is as high as 60%. This shows that superhumans are not good at rescues at all, just amateurs. But I'm different!"...
Chapter 1 You are the real heroes
This is the Los Angeles Channel 7 news helicopter! Reporting to you live... BOOM!!!"
"Whoa! Folks, I solemnly declare, this is not a special effect! Not a special effect!"
"There is an intense police pursuit happening on Westwood Boulevard! The thugs in the black Ford SUV just pulled out an RPG. May God bless that police car that was hit."
"Look! The thugs actually have a second RPG! The police are done for, who will..."
"Oh my god!!! A Superhero is here!!"
Clang!! A Bronze sword, wrapped in a deafening sonic boom, instantly streaked across a hundred meters of sky. Amidst the excited shouts of the reporter in the helicopter, it caught up to the speeding Ford SUV and sliced it in half in one stroke.
The car body rolled over to both sides with a roar. The thug in the middle of the back seat didn't even have time to scream before being sliced clean in two along the cut, blood spraying out like a fountain.
Immediately after, a young man wearing a cyan-gold suit with an antique-style Bronze breastplate over it descended rapidly from the sky, landing on one knee and cracking the ground in a circle.
"It's Bronze! Our Superhero, Bronze!"
Passerby recognized the newcomer.
Instantly, whistles, applause, and cheers erupted.
Hearing fans calling his name, Arthur didn't deal with the criminals immediately upon rising. Instead, he turned his head to face the crowd, flashing that standard smile—voted one of the world's top ten most charismatic male smiles by People magazine—instantly triggering a wave of screams.
"Relax, everyone. I'm here, so the danger is gone."
Arthur waved to the bystanders to reassure them, his tone firm.
Then, he tilted his chin slightly, professionally positioning his best profile toward the live feed camera in the helicopter.
After doing all this, under the gaze of many eyes and cameras, he finally walked calmly toward the scene.
By now, the surviving thugs had struggled to their feet.
Seeing Arthur approaching, two of the fierce thugs raised their AR-15s with sinister glares and pulled the triggers without hesitation.
Rat-tat-tat-tat...
Tongues of fire spat madly, and a dense rain of bullets hit Arthur.
Cling-clang, cling-clang...
Twisted, deformed brass bullet heads were constantly deflected off his body, falling weakly to the ground with crisp sounds.
Arthur smiled, his pace never stopping.
"Fuck! Fuck!"
Seeing this, the two thugs completely broke down, shouting as they dropped their rifles and turned to run.
But it was too late.
Arthur had already reached them, clapping his hands together.
Two dull thuds of "bang" overlapped.
The two thugs' heads shattered like overripe watermelons.
He turned toward the last thug.
That man's face was full of terror. Trembling uncontrollably, he picked up the RPG rocket launcher from the ground, aimed it at Arthur, and cried out: "Don't come over here!!"
Arthur shook his head.
Before the other could pull the trigger. Hum—
He appeared instantly at the thug's side, gripped the man's wrist with his fingers, and twisted it casually.
"Ah!!!"
A shrill scream pierced the sky. The thug's arm was twisted into a pretzel at a grotesque angle, and white bone spurs tore through the skin of his elbow, protruding significantly.
With a "clatter," the RPG rocket launcher fell to the ground, and the crisis was resolved.
Afterward, the police chief, who had almost met God, brought a group of officers to Arthur and said with deep gratitude: "Thank you, Bronze! Thanks to your timely arrival this time! You are the best Superhero!"
"No, Chief." Arthur put on a serious face, patted the chief on the shoulder, and said solemnly to all the police present: "It's not me, it's you. You are the true heroes!"
Click! Click! Click! The sound of camera flashes was incessant.
Reporters from various news outlets, like a school of sharks that had smelled blood, had arrived upon hearing the wind and surrounded Arthur.
Arthur, with his arm around the chief's shoulder, displayed his best state in front of the various lenses, just as his agent had required.
"Bronze, here! Here! Smile this way."
"Bronze, give us a cool expression."
"Perfect! Bronze, pose with your sword again."
After a round of photos, the Vought TV reporter asked first: "Bronze, why are you always able to arrive at the crime scene in the first instance?"
Arthur was well prepared, saying with a sincere tone: "Los Angeles is my hometown, the place where I grew up. I love this city deeply. As long as I'm not tied up with something else, I patrol the city, help the weak, and fight crime. This time was the same."
The Vought TV reporter's eyes lit up: "Bronze, do you mean you spend most of your day protecting the safety of this city?"
"That's right, it's my duty." Arthur nodded without hesitation, then changed the subject, smiling relaxedly: "Of course, occasionally I do have my own time. You know, like dating and such."
At the end, he winked his left eye at the camera.
"Whoa! Bronze is so responsible!" "This is a true Superhero!" "I really want to date him!"
Whether it was the reporters on the scene or the live audience, everyone felt Arthur's words were very genuine, and they couldn't stop praising him.
The reporter from the Los Angeles Times had the loudest voice, cutting through the other sounds to ask: "Bronze, you aren't the guardian of Los Angeles and don't get a penny from the city government, yet you unselfishly fight crime constantly. In contrast, Steel Claw, who signed a 400 million security contract, is often nowhere to be found and has even caused more than one scandal involving the accidental killing of civilians. How do you view this?"
Hearing this, the Vought reporter's expression changed.
Arthur's expression remained unchanged as he replied: "Steel Claw is an excellent Superhero and a senior I have always admired. He has made significant contributions to this city, and I still have much to learn from him. As for those bad rumors, facts have already clarified the past, so I don't need to explain further. Next."
After speaking, Arthur didn't wait for a response and casually pointed to another person.
The reporter from Fox News was very accommodating, turning to ask: "Bronze, your first movie, bronze: lethal weapon, has accumulated a global box office of 100 million. Will there be a sequel? Have you started planning it?"
Arthur smiled absolutely sincerely this time: "I am very grateful for the support of the audience and fans, which allowed my first movie to achieve such great results. Of course, there will be a Bronze 2. In fact, we are carefully polishing the script now, and it will be released next year."
He paused, emphasizing his tone: "Believe me! This time our film team will only be more dedicated. Bronze 2 will definitely be even more brilliant than bronze: lethal weapon!"
The Fox News reporter asked again: "Your first leading lady, Anya Taylor-Joy, publicly confessed her love for you in an interview yesterday. Bronze, what is your reply? Will the leading lady for the second one continue to be Anya?"
"I am very honored. As for the leading lady for the second one, the script isn't even finished yet." Arthur brushed it off simply and pointed to the next person.
"Bronze, I heard you are planning to attend Godolkin University? Why?"
"Yes. In the profession of being a Superhero, I still have a lot of professional knowledge to learn. Besides, if I can't enjoy university life, it would be a regret in my life."
"Bronze, Lamplighter has officially withdrawn from The Seven. Do you have any intention of joining?"
"Of course, becoming a member of The Seven is the dream of every Superhero."
Arthur answered a few more questions and was about to end the interview. Suddenly, the roar of jet engines came from the sky. Two scorching exhaust flames tore through the sky.
Soon, a burly man wearing a yellow suit and a jetpack descended from the sky. With a full beard and smelling of alcohol, it was the guardian of Los Angeles, the SuperheroSteel Claw.
"It's Steel Claw!" "He finally had time to show up." "It's already too late."
Steel Claw was late. When he landed, the people around could clearly smell the alcohol on him.
The media, preparing to pack up, surrounded him without hesitation and questioned him: "Steel Claw, why are you late again?" "Between alcoholism and saving lives, which do you think is more important?" "How do you evaluate the more competent Superhero, Bronze?" "The Los Angelescity government recently intends not to renew the security contract with Vought. As the person involved, Steel Claw, what is your take..."
Steel Claw, not knowing if he had drunk too much or was just annoyed by the reporters' questioning, turned bright red from his neck to his face.
In another setting, he would definitely have given these loud-mouthed guys a taste of his power. But now, facing the cameras, he could only force a smile and raise his voice to explain: "Everyone! Everyone! In the two years I have served as the guardian of Los Angeles, the crime rate in this beautiful city has dropped by twenty-four percent! That's twenty-four percent! Data doesn't lie, it's enough to prove everything. OK?"
"But that's Bronze's credit, isn't it?" someone retorted loudly.
A flash of anger crossed Steel Claw's eyes, but then he laughed it off: "Bronze is a good Superhero. I have a very good relationship with him. We have always been close partners and even better comrades-in-arms. Like this time, Bronze was closer and arrived a step earlier."
"Hey, my friend, thanks to you this time." Saying this, Steel Claw strode up to Arthur, opened his arms with a hearty look, and was about to go for a warm hug.
Arthur's mouth twitched, then quickly smoothed out, and he returned the hug without refusing.
Click! Click! Click! Under the illumination of countless flashes, Arthur and Steel Claw hugged each other like Superheroes fighting together in a movie, full of camaraderie.
Afterward, the two even draped their arms around each other's shoulders like buddies, posing for the cameras.
After the clamor ended. After signing autographs one by one for the fans who had been waiting for a long time on the side, Arthur bent his knees slightly and took off into the air amidst the crowd's exclamations, disappearing in an instant.
But it wasn't long before the roar of a jetpack came from behind him.
Steel Claw caught up, his tone stiff, completely devoid of the earlier warmth, and opened with: "Kid, we need to talk."
"Sure." Arthur curled the corner of his mouth.
BOOM! The dust on the ground suspended in the air in an instant, sweeping outward in all directions.
Arthur landed from the air and looked around. This was an abandoned factory area, with only waist-high wild grass and rusty old warehouses all around, remote and deserted.
Steel Claw landed right after. Once they reached a place with no one around, he immediately tore off his previous disguise, approached with eyes full of rage, grabbed Arthurby the collar, and said viciously: "Kid, you've crossed the line!"
Arthur expressionlessly glanced at the hand with bulging webs and protruding knuckles at his collar, then looked up and asked uncomprehendingly: "What do you mean by 'crossed the line'?"
Steel Claw became even angrier when he heard this. Three Steel Claws instantly extended from his knuckles, and the sharp tips pressed against Arthur's neck.
Arthur felt the cold touch on his neck and reminded him: "Hey, buddy! Calm down! Calm down!"
Steel Claw didn't listen. His rough, bearded face leaned in, looking ferocious, and he emphasized forcefully, word by word: "This city is mine! This place is my turf alone! I have tolerated you for a long time. From today on, you are not allowed to save people! You are not allowed to fight crime! And you are not allowed to appear in front of the media! Understand?"
Arthur, of course... understood.
Although he had already learned about the degree of anthropomorphism of the Superheroes in this world, hearing it so clearly from Steel Claw, the guardian of the city, he still shook his head slightly.
"I don't understand. Saving lives, fighting crime, saving the world—aren't these things that we Superheroes should do?" As Arthur said this, the hidden camera on his suit had already quietly turned on.
Hearing this, Steel Claw acted as if he had heard a huge joke and couldn't help but mock: "Unweaned BABY! Naive! Stupid!"
"Superheroes? Haha! Remember, our fucking responsibility is not to save those high-as-fuck idiot civilians. It's to fucking make money! Make money for the Vought Group! Make money for ourselves! Do you understand now?"
Arthur believed at this moment that if he argued any further, Steel Claw, whose eyes were full of malice and killing intent, would definitely tear him in half.
As expected. This guy isn't Wolverine, and he's not even a Sabertooth.
When Arthur first heard about his abilities, he was curious and inquired about the guy. The result... alcoholism, drug use, promiscuity, hypocrisy, irritability, irresponsibility, and he had even committed quite a few acts of indiscriminate killing.
It could be said that he had gathered too many flaws, which were the complete opposite of the glorious image of Wolverine in the movies he starred in himself.
Of course, Arthur's character and his image in his personal movies also had some discrepancies. But well... 'This way, I have a reason to kill you.'
Arthur's eyes shifted, and he replied in the most righteous tone: "No! I don't understand! What you are talking about is not what a Superhero should do. You have completely fallen, Steel Claw!"
"Then go to hell!!" Steel Claw felt no scorching sensation from being illuminated by the light of justice; he only felt incredibly irritable. He wanted to kill and dismember him right now!
But Arthur's movements were faster. He kicked Steel Claw in the knee. Steel Claw couldn't dodge in time, and with a heavy "bang," he knelt on one knee, smashing a deep pit into the ground. The three sharp Steel Claws that were about to stab into Arthur inevitably dropped.
Chapter 2: You Are Softer Than a Woman
"Ah!!!"
Steel Claw let out a roar, his Steel Claws extending from his other hand, stabbing forward violently, vowing to pierce Arthur's chest.
A sharp, whistling wind rushed past. Just as the sound wave was about to reach its peak, it came to an abrupt halt the next instant.
Arthur reached out with his left hand and firmly gripped Steel Claw's wrist.
The latter first gritted his teeth, trying to exert force, and then was dumbfounded.
Under his disbelieving gaze, his own palm was actually being pushed back bit by bit.
Bronze's strength was even greater than his.
"You..."
Steel Claw widened his eyes, wanting to say something.
But Arthur didn't give him the chance; he reached out with his right hand and tightly gripped his neck.
"Guh... guh... guh..."
Steel Claw's breathing stalled, his face rapidly turning red. He struggled desperately, but he couldn't escape the hand on his neck, which was harder than an iron clamp.
He could only watch helplessly as he was lifted up bit by bit and brought in front of Arthur.
"Now, it's time for you to die," Arthur said in a flat tone, increasing the force in his hand.
If it were an ordinary person, they would already be dead by now.
But Steel Claw was a fairly capable Metahuman, so killing him would require more effort.
Steel Claw smelled the scent of death. His other hand, which had been struggling in vain, finally reacted, and the Steel Claws on it stabbed violently toward Arthur.
In the few movies Steel Claw had filmed in the past, his six Steel Claws were described as being able to cut through any metal, similar to the level of Adamantium.
Arthur didn't know how much of that was exaggerated.
To be safe, he flicked his right arm and threw Steel Clawaway.
Boom—
Like a cannonball fired from a chamber, Steel Claw flew backward, smashing several large craters into the ground, and finally landed on the wall of an abandoned factory a hundred meters away.
The wall cracked in response, bricks shattered, and dust flew, completely engulfing him.
As Arthur walked over, he vaguely heard black-style rap cursing, followed by the sound of gunfire.
"Damn bastard!!"
It was unclear who Steel Claw was yelling this at.
Soon, a person was thrown out from the dust, whistling as he crashed toward Arthur.
Arthur didn't even look; he threw a punch, blasting the person into a mist of blood.
He shook the blood droplets off his hand, accelerated, and charged straight into the factory.
"Come on!"
Inside the factory, Steel Claw was crouching with his knees bent, arms spread wide, ready in his classic attack stance from the movies.
Seeing Arthur enter, he let out a loud roar, waving his Steel Claws as he lunged forward.
Arthur simply tilted his head, easily dodging the Steel Claws, then stepped forward, swinging his right fist with the momentum.
Bang!
Steel Claw took the hit squarely on the head, instantly seeing stars, and stumbled backward.
Arthur didn't say a word; he stepped forward, grabbed Steel Claw's shoulder, and with his other hand, accompanied by a sharp gust of wind, struck him repeatedly.
One punch!
Two punches!
Three punches!
At this moment, there was more than just Arthur and Steel Claw in the abandoned factory; there was a group of black gang members who clearly weren't on the straight and narrow.
They stared blankly as Steel Claw and Arthur suddenly crashed in one after the other, and then proceeded to fight in an unadorned, straightforward manner, which looked completely devoid of the aesthetic seen in movies.
However, every collision between the two was like a giant beating a drum, making the factory hum and the ground tremble slightly.
Time and time again, it gave them a sense of heart-pounding terror.
"Su... Superhero is here!"
Someone woke up from their high state, saw this scene, and couldn't help but scream in terror.
Seeing that the firearms in their hands couldn't harm the two of them at all, the group of black gang members didn't care about their stash and hurriedly fled.
Arthur ignored these people, dodged Steel Claw's stiff and awkward counterattack, and knocked him down completely with another punch.
Steel Claw lay on the ground, wailing.
Arthur rotated his right wrist, walking beside him while commenting:
"You are softer than a woman."
Indulging in alcohol and lust all day, neglecting training—even with a superpower foundation, his practical combat ability had long since collapsed.
It was more than enough to bully ordinary people, but upon encountering a Metahuman of the same level, he immediately revealed his true colors.
How could Steel Claw admit this fact?
"No! I am the invincible Steel Claw! When I became famous, you were still suckling in a woman's arms! I will not be defeated!"
Steel Claw struggled to climb up, and one could see the injuries on his face rapidly recovering under the power of his self-healing superpower.
In an instant, he raised his Steel Claws high and charged at Arthur again with unsteady footsteps.
Arthur leaned to the right and hooked his foot. With a "thud," Steel Claw fell flat on his face again, his six Steel Claws inadvertently leaving deep gouges in the concrete floor.
This time, Arthur didn't give his opponent another chance.
He lifted his left hand and flipped Steel Claw over, face up.
Without waiting for Steel Claw to resist, he pressed his entire body down, his left knee firmly pinning Steel Claw's right arm, making it impossible for him to move a single bit.
Then, he gripped Steel Claw's left arm with both hands, locking his fingers between the opponent's fingers, fixing the extended Steel Claws in place so they couldn't retract.
"No! No! No!"
In the next few seconds, Steel Claw watched helplessly as his left hand was forcibly bent over.
Then, it was aimed at his own chest.
Arthur exerted force downward with both hands.
Facts proved that the pair of Steel Claws described in the movies were indeed very sharp.
Steel Claw watched with eyes splitting from rage and terror as his own Steel Claws pierced through his battle suit and were slowly inserting themselves into his own chest.
"Fuck! Fuck! Fuck..."
He was very afraid, repeating profanities in his mouth, his voice trembling more and more, until he finally completely collapsed, weeping and begging for mercy:
"I was wrong, spare me! Los Angeles is yours, I sincerely apologize. Really, I swear to God!"
Arthur paused slightly.
Seeing the hope in the eyes of Steel Claw, whose face was covered in snot and tears, he smiled at him.
Then...
Squelch!
The three sharp claws pierced through his heart.
Steel Claw's pupils contracted sharply, and soon, he stopped breathing.
His self-healing superpower could not save him from a fatal wound.
It was all over.
Arthur clapped his hands, slowly stood up, and closed his eyes slightly.
Others couldn't perceive it, but not long after Steel Clawdied, a force was overflowing from his body, continuously pouring into Arthur's body.
This wasn't some kind of superpower; it was Arthur's unique cheat.
He wasn't a local; he was a transmigrator.
Once, while playing a Marvel universe game, Arthur had just finished setting up his personal hero talents, maxing out his physical-side talents, and striving to become the toughest man in all of Marvel, when suddenly his vision went black, and he transmigrated into this current world where Superheroes were debuting, a world that was similar to but not quite Marvel.
Accompanying this was the cheat of the physical-side talents he had already set up.
The cheat was very simple.
Every time he killed a Metahuman, he could absorb their power and strengthen his own various abilities.
Not only that, if the opponent possessed a physical-side superpower he didn't have, he could extract one of them and make it his own.
For example, just now, Arthur had absorbed Steel Claw's self-healing superpower.
Thus, as a Metahuman with the codename "Bronze," his abilities now included the following:
Super strength, super defense, flight, psychic barrier, and the newly acquired self-healing.
Chapter 3 Superhero? Superstar!
Steel Claw was dead.
This was not the first Superhero Arthur had killed.
Originally, when he had just transmigrated here, he thought he had arrived in some obscure, numbered DC Universe.
Superman had simply turned into Homelander, Wonder Woman was replaced by Queen Maeve, and Aquaman had become The Deep.
However, as he looked through various video news, he discovered that there were actually elements like Captain America—Soldier Boy, who was popular during World War II and the Cold War; the Crimson Countess, who had a much thinner figure compared to the Scarlet Witch; a relative of Spider-Man with widened eyes; and the Hulk sisters who repeatedly destroyed their boyfriends' lower bodies, among many other Marvel elements.
Not only that, but upon seeing that the Superheroes of this world were no longer unlicensed violent vigilantes, but rather, under the operation of capital, had become Superstars who were sought after by the world and always under the spotlight.
Numerous Superheroes not only filmed movies and TV shows but also endorsed various commercial products, completely embodying an entertainment-first style.
He realized that he had transmigrated into a completely different, or to be more precise, a more realistic Superheroworld.
Unlike those righteous and glorious Superheroes in Marveland DC, the Superheroes here were frighteningly honest.
"With great power comes great responsibility?"
For Superheroes like Steel Claw, that was simply a huge joke.
That was fine too.
Arthur had no psychological burden when killing these people and could enjoy the feeling of constantly becoming stronger with peace of mind.
At the beginning, his superpower was nothing more than the ordinary ability of flight.
And the standard equipment for the vast majority of Superheroes in this world: a superpower of defense that was immune to bullets.
After he methodically killed a few Superheroes with serious moral decline in secret, he successively gained Super Strength, Mind Shielding, and all his superpowerstats improved.
As for the origin of the Superhero title "Bronze".
It was simply the result of his management team and a highly paid stylist suggesting he wear a Bronze-gold battle suit and carry a Bronze sword (in reality, the sword was made of hard steel alloy).
His superpower had nothing to do with "Bronze" itself.
There was no help for it; the competitive pressure for Superheroes in this world was even greater than that of ordinary stars in Hollywood.
Facing realistic setbacks such as movie box office failures, plummeting approval ratings, and becoming outdated, there were not a few cases of Superheroes going bankrupt.
Although these people, relying on their superpowers, would not fall below the execution line.
But compared to their past lives of debauchery, it was definitely worlds apart.
Arthur's superpower had no impressive external manifestation, so if he wanted to stand out among the crowd of Superheroes, he naturally had to find another path.
As for whether he himself had also gone astray on the path of being a Superhero.
He could only say, "When in Rome, do as the Romans do."
Who would turn away from piles and piles of cash?
Furthermore, the feeling of being sought after by thousands of people was indeed quite nice.
Surely no one really thought he spent most of his day fighting crime and protecting the public, right?
Steel Claw actually said one thing that was correct.
Some of the public in America were indeed quite moronic.
Facts proved that Arthur's team was very professional, and he himself was very professional too.
Additionally, the production team that filmed his first solo movie was also very professional.
This led to his proud achievement of reaching 100 million at the box office upon his first appearance on the big screen.
One had to know that Superhero movies were currently very popular and severely homogenized.
Except for The Seven, which had massive fan traffic support, it was very difficult for other Superheroes to film a movie with a box office of over 100 million.
Arthur had such an achievement right from the start.
No wonder a reporter just asked him if he had any intention of joining The Seven.
If it were Steel Claw, whose popularity was clearly declining severely, no one would ask him at all.
As the highest popularity Superhero organization in this world, The Seven was equivalent to the Avengers in Marvel and the Justice League in DC, so of course Arthur was interested.
After all, this could make his value skyrocket.
However, there was one point.
"I heard Homelander doesn't smoke, drink, take drugs, throw parties, or gamble; he's more of a saint than a saint. Under his nose, it's a bit hard to do things."
Arthur thought this way, then immediately shook his head.
It was still too early to tell, so there was no need to think too much.
There was still some cleanup work to be done at the moment.
This time after killing Steel Claw, Arthur thought about it and decided not to distribute the newly gained power evenly to all aspects of his abilities, but to invest it all into superpower defense.
He had finally figured it out.
In this era where a large number of Superheroes reigned and various superpowers bloomed in strange ways, being able to fight wasn't the most critical thing; having the toughest body, being able to last until the end, and having the last laugh was the key.
Soon, although there was no concrete data visualization, Arthur could still clearly feel that his skin hardness, muscle strength, bone density, and so on—from his eyelids and eyeballs down to his internal organs—his body's defensive power was increasing in every aspect, from the inside out.
He took Steel Claw's pair of Steel Claws to experiment, stabbing them into his own arm with full force.
After a stalemate of five or six seconds and a sizzling sound, it barely pierced his epidermis and was stuck in his muscle.
Arthur pulled out the Steel Claws, and his newly gained self-healing ability immediately activated.
In an instant, the wound on his arm recovered as before, without a single flaw.
"Not bad."
Arthur, whose self-preservation ability had advanced another step, nodded in satisfaction.
He looked at the corpse of Steel Claw on the ground.
Next was to handle the aftermath.
But before that, there were still some loose ends to deal with.
Arthur soared into the sky, with a "bang," he smashed through the factory ceiling and flew into the high altitude.
He hovered in the air, looking down, his gaze scanning, and soon he found those black men who had not run far yet.
These witnesses could not be let go.
Arthur's gaze was indifferent, and he immediately swooped down.
After only a few breaths, the rhythmic sound of "fuck you" rang out again.
In the following time, Arthur turned into a diligent porter, flying back and forth, bringing all the black men's corpses back to the factory.
This was their secret ice-making base, and there were a few barrels of oil placed in the corner, which just happened to save him the trouble.
A few minutes later.
Raging flames ignited from within the factory, quickly swallowing Steel Claw and the group of black men's corpses, and finally completely engulfing the entire factory.
Arthur looked at the huge fire and smiled lightly.
Steel Claw discovered an ice-making den, and while fighting to the death with the criminals, unfortunately sacrificed himself; before dying, he used his last bit of strength to detonate the oil barrels, perishing together with the criminals.
Such a Superhero-style death could be considered letting him off easy.
As for whether the outside world would question it.
Steel Claw was already dead.
Since that was the case, whether it was for Vought Group or the Los Angeles city government.
A Superhero who died in the line of duty would undoubtedly bring much greater economic benefits than other ways of dying.
Moreover.
Arthur still had a video of Steel Claw in his hands.
If someone really kept investigating and finally discovered the truth.
He still had a trump card, didn't he?
Boom!
Something seemed to have ignited again in the factory, and larger flames shot straight into the sky.
Arthur took one last look, then ascended into the sky and flew away.
Chapter 4: Madam, Please Behave Yourself
Arthur was right as expected.
Thanks to the massive fire at the factory, that very night—not even waiting for the next day—all the major television stations, newspapers, and radio stations in Los Angelesscrambled to report the news of Steel Claw's death in the line of duty.
Vought TV even worked overtime to edit a documentary commemorating Steel Claw, playing it continuously on their channel to honor this perfect Superhero who, according to their promotional materials, was great, selfless, dedicated, family-oriented, and possessed a heart of gold.
Many Superheroes also filmed videos, solemnly mourning Steel Claw in front of the camera.
Among them were Homelander, Queen Maeve, and Translucent...
Oh right, and Bronze.
Which is Arthur himself.
Compared to those Superheroes in the videos who had never interacted with Steel Claw before, he was the best friend and best comrade-in-arms that Steel Claw had personally acknowledged while alive, and was absolutely the most qualified person to deeply mourn him.
So, Arthur not only filmed a video, but he was also solemnly invited to Steel Claw's memorial service to speak on stage as his closest comrade-in-arms.
Although it was a bit grim, Arthur accepted it anyway.
The event invitation was not unpaid.
Besides, this could greatly increase his exposure and fame.
Thanks, buddy Steel Claw.
Giving me benefits once wasn't enough, you could even give them a second time.
Truly worthy of being my "closest comrade-in-arms."
...
Vought Group and the city government moved quickly.
On the day of Steel Claw's memorial service, Los Angeleswas enveloped in "sadness," and thousands of citizens paid for tickets with heavy hearts to enter the Staples Center to commemorate the true Superhero in their minds.
It was as if the Steel Claw who had been criticized multiple times just a few days ago—the one who drank and did drugs every other day, was irresponsible, and had committed multiple counts of manslaughter—had never existed.
It wasn't that no one sneered at Steel Claw's death.
However, under the powerful media brainwashing of Vought Group, most of the unthinking public only remembered the various "achievements" of Steel Clawduring his lifetime, and their hearts were suddenly filled with gratitude.
Similarly, under the banner of upholding Superheropolitical correctness, those who did not conform would only be labeled as outcasts, becoming a tiny, unwelcome minority in the eyes of others.
Arthur, still in his Bronze-gold combat suit, sat in the front row with a group of socialites, the deceased's family, and Hollywood stars, listening with a "deeply pained" expression as guest after guest went on stage to deliver speeches in front of Steel Claw's charred coffin.
"Steel Claw was a good man, a responsible person, a Superhero who dedicated his life's work to saving the world..."
"Our country has lost one of the brightest stars of our time. He was a giant of his generation, and more importantly, he was a loyal husband, son, Christian, and patriot..."
"He dedicated his life to fighting drug crimes. Even until death arrived, he was still doing so..."
"He was humble, upright, kind, responsible, and never pointed his Steel Claws at the people. He was also a very caring person who loved small animals..."
"He had a kind soul, a heart of gold, he loved his family, loved life, and his neighbors all liked him..."
Off-stage, Arthur was pursing his lips tightly, his brows furrowed.
Must not laugh.
Definitely must not laugh.
If he laughed now, his career would be over.
It's just... it's really funny!
Arthur didn't know how those people who went on stage to speak could hold it in.
If Steel Claw were really as these people on stage described, how would he not know?
Arthur listened to those socialites praising Steel Claw with one "upright" after another, and "caring" after another, while his mind kept flashing back to Steel Claw's ferocious face, full of hostility, constantly saying "fuck you."
As expected, the real world is just too absurd.
No, there is something even more absurd.
Sitting to Arthur's left was Steel Claw's widow, the former supermodel Miranda Jackman.
It was one thing that she was wearing a white lady's suit instead of the conventional black clothing while wiping away tears and crying.
But why, as she cried, did her body start to lean onto his shoulder?
Sister, this is being broadcast live!
Can't we find another place?
Arthur didn't dare to move for a moment, only able to let that head of brilliant blonde hair tremble continuously under his chin.
Given this Steel Claw widow's former profession, her appearance and figure were indeed quite seductive.
If others saw this...
Whatever you fear comes to pass.
Just at this moment, the director aimed the camera at them.
Seeing this, Arthur could only solemnly reach out, his eyes filled with sincere concern, and patted Steel Claw's wife's shoulder comfortingly.
Miranda leaned even closer to Arthur, sobbing even harder.
A round of applause immediately broke out at the scene.
The people around them looked at Miranda and Arthur with angelic gazes, their faces full of understanding and relief.
Fine, his level of enlightenment is still too low.
Still need to work harder.
Afterwards, it was his turn to speak.
Amidst the polite applause at the scene, Arthur embraced Madam Miranda lightly and then walked onto the stage.
He didn't rush to speak, but first walked around Steel Claw's coffin.
This thing was transparent.
He could clearly see Steel Claw's charred corpse.
Brother, you died so miserably.
What? This is my masterpiece?
Don't worry, I won't hold it against you.
I will take care of your wife for you.
After saying goodbye to his close comrade-in-arms, Arthurfinally walked to the microphone and spoke in a heavy tone:
"Just two days ago, my good brother, my inseparable comrade-in-arms, the kind and honest senior who taught me so much, was still patting me on the shoulder, sincerely proud of my success in fighting crime. Who would have thought that after that turn, it would become a final farewell."
"I don't want to believe this fact. I can't believe it... I have lost the best comrade-in-arms, I have lost the lighthouse of life that guided me to keep moving forward. For these two days, I have been very dazed, not knowing what I should do, completely lost in life's direction..."
Originally, Arthur's agent said he would find a professional to write the eulogy, and he could just read it when he went on stage.
He refused.
He was not one of those Superhero peers who were academically illiterate.
In his past life, under nine years of compulsory education, he had rich writing experience.
Applied to the present, this was definitely much better than those speeches like "He was a good man" or "He had a heart of gold."
And look, Miranda Jackman was staring blankly at him from off-stage, crying even harder.
At the scene, many people also had red eyes, unable to help shedding tears.
Feel the dimensionality reduction strike from across the ocean, you academic underachievers!
Finally, Arthur narrated with great emotion:
"Until today! Until I saw Steel Claw's proud head, even facing death, even with fire on his body, never bowing his head to evil, did I truly understand!"
"Look! Steel Claw has already stated his ambition clearly; even death could not shake his will."
"I have completely awakened! I will no longer waver! Steel Claw has already taken the first step and gone to meet God with an open heart. Then I, who am still alive, should inherit his legacy and swear to defend the cause of justice to the death!"
"Finally, in front of Steel Claw's remains, I swear to everyone..."
"I will never live under the same sky as evil!"
Arthur's voice fell.
Steel Claw's widow, Madam Miranda Jackman, wept with joy on the spot.
Immediately after, the applause at the memorial service pierced the sky.
Chapter 5: Mrs. Miranda Jackman: I Forgive the Killer
"Well done!"
"Bronze, your speech was brilliant!"
"America needs heroes like you!"
"Bronze, your image fits our company's products perfectly. Are you interested in an endorsement deal..."
As Arthur walked off the stage, many people in suits greeted him warmly.
He responded politely to each one.
His agent, Monica, was backstage at that moment.
After exchanging business cards with the person interested in an endorsement and setting a meeting time, this woman in her thirties with Latin features and an elegant air walked quickly to Arthur's side in her high heels, saying with great satisfaction:
"Arthur, your speech just now was brilliant! The moment you finished speaking, your approval rating went up by 1.5 percent."
Monica said, handing him a tablet.
On the screen, supported by Vought data, his real approval rating was climbing at a striking angle.
For the Superheroes of this world, popularity is the standard by which their value is measured.
The higher the approval rating, the greater the commercial value.
The greater the commercial value, the more qualified you are as a Superhero, and eventually, you might even be able to join The Seven.
That's right.
As the most famous Superhero team, the selection criteria for The Seven aren't based on how strong your superpower is, or how much crime you've fought, or how many people you've saved.
They only look at one thing.
Your popularity, your commercial value, and how much profit you can generate.
When Arthur first understood this, it completely reshaped his worldview.
One can only say that it's truly a capitalist society, capable of turning Superheroes into an industry.
In this regard, the capitalists of Marvel and DC are still too unqualified.
Why haven't you developed this industry?
During World War II, Captain America's tour with his big muscular butt was going quite well at the beginning, wasn't it?
Why did it get worse as time went on?
It's such a disgrace to capitalists!
Arthur didn't feel any aversion to the current operating model for Superheroes.
The people in this land were accustomed to and enthusiastic about the current social model.
As a superficial child of God, representative of "Christ loves me," citizen of the chosen nation, and patriot, why would he worry about unnecessary things or meddle in others' business?
One must respect local customs, after all.
Anyway, for a visitor like him, making big money, enjoying life, while simultaneously improving his superpower, enjoying the feeling of getting stronger, occasionally playing the hero to save a damsel in distress, fighting crime, and reaping the psychological and moral satisfaction—that was already pretty good.
To some extent, as a Superhero, his mindset was indeed compatible with the locals.
Perhaps this is the true reaction of an ordinary person after gaining a superpower.
Those Superheroes in Marvel and DC who throw themselves into saving the world and are willing to sacrifice themselves are the rare ones, right?
Without any psychological burden, Arthur was getting along swimmingly in this world.
"Hey, Bronze."
Just then, a short, fat man wearing a cheap Superherocostume, his belly as big as a woman ten months pregnant, squeezed past others, came up to him, and greeted Arthurwith a fawning expression.
Arthur glanced at him.
This Metahuman, so fat he was about to burst out of his uniform, was a drinking buddy of Steel Claw's before he died—or more accurately, a sidekick who followed Steel Claw around.
Arthur nodded. "Shuttle."
He had no interest in paying him much attention; after giving a casual reply, he continued walking and returned to his seat.
Then, in her grief, Miranda Jackman leaned against him again, seeking comfort.
Arthur could only sigh softly, playing the role of looking after his comrade's widow well.
Not far away, Shuttle was also sighing, though his gaze fell on Miranda from time to time.
Arthur originally thought there wouldn't be anything new at this memorial service.
It turned out there was a big finale.
When he helped a grief-stricken, unsteady Miranda Jackman back onto the stage to give her speech.
The content of Mrs. Steel Claw's speech was quite normal at first—nothing more than thanking the guests, recalling past memories with Steel Claw, and praising him as a good husband and a good Superhero.
However, at the end, her eyes filled with tears, and she said emotionally:
"On the cross, our Savior said: 'Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.' Therefore, I choose to forgive the killer who took my husband's life. I forgive him, because this is what Christ would do, and this is what Steel Clawwould do."
"My husband, what he always wanted to save were the lost lambs like the one who took his life."
"The response to hatred is not hatred. We know from the Gospel that it is love—always love. Love our enemies, love those who persecute us."
"Thank you, everyone."
Arthur didn't know how the others felt hearing this.
He only felt that his life had received a great revelation.
So, the thing called "love" has this way of being expressed.
But then again, Miranda forgave the killer, and this real killer seems to be him.
That's great; he doesn't have any burden or guilt left at all.
After all, the wife chose to forgive him.
That wasn't all; the great Mrs. Steel Claw seemed to feel that the forgiveness wasn't strong enough.
After the memorial service, in Steel Claw's Beverly Hills mansion.
An activity regarding forgiveness was proceeding more deeply.
Inside the luxurious bedroom, a huge portrait of Steel Clawand Miranda, looking incredibly loving, hung on the wall.
Below the frame hung Steel Claw's relic: the six Steel Claws that not even flames could melt, so that the widow could see the object and think of the person at any time.
At this moment, Mrs. Miranda Jackman was crying very sincerely.
Furthermore, looking at her husband's relic and portrait, her body, which had been so sad and weak that it required support, erupted with astonishing strength.
After a while.
The lights downstairs turned on.
Arthur, wearing a loose bathrobe, opened the refrigerator, took out a bottle of A-Train brand energy drink, and was about to take a gulp.
His phone suddenly rang.
Seeing that the caller was Monica, he answered it casually, took a sip, and asked: "What's wrong?"
Monica, who had been so excited at the memorial service, was now furious.
"Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!"
She cursed a few times on the phone, then quickly said,
"Turn on the TV, switch to Vought TV. That bitch! Right now, Vought programming is all about her face, which deserves to be shot! And that old, corny speech of hers!"
Arthur was confused, but he still followed his agent's instructions and turned on the TV in Steel Claw's home.
Chapter 6: Starlight Is a Bitch
A 110-inch television with a borderless immersive experience flashed on.
Right across from it, that 300,000-dollar sofa exclusively designed by a French master had now welcomed a new owner.
Arthur sat down casually and turned on the television, just as the screen switched to the Vought TV channel, where an interview was currently broadcasting.
"I was born with a superpower, and my mom was so happy when she found out. She took me to all the Little Hero Miss pageants..."
Arthur finally knew who the bitch that deserved to be shot, according to Monica, was.
Starlight, a Metahuman who had been active in front of the screen since childhood, or rather, a child star.
[Writing this here, I hope readers remember our domain name, the first choice for reading Taiwanese novels is Super Awesome].
What was her superpower again? Discharging electricity?
Arthur had forgotten.
He wasn't familiar with her.
Their only connection was that during his adolescence, he had been invited to join a Superhero team called the "Young Patriots".
Starlight was a member of this team back then.
He refused without even thinking at the time.
The Young Patriots?
Just hearing the name sounded pretty lame.
Coupled with the fact that this teenage Superhero team had a conservative style, advocating for "patriotism" and "traditional American values".
He was even less interested.
With that kind of time, he might as well work solo.
Arthur continued watching.
"...In the Q&A session, they always asked what my dream was. My answer has always been to save the world."
Arthur raised an eyebrow.
On television, Starlight, wearing a white and gold costume that was very old-fashioned and didn't even show any cleavage, sat in front of the camera looking very sincere.
She continued speaking, her face carrying bewilderment and steadfastness:
"The judges all laughed when they heard it, as if they thought my answer was naive. But I was sincere."
"Since when did having dreams and being naive become the same thing? If not to save the world, why else would I enter this industry? This is what I have always wanted to achieve."
"Therefore, I have always hoped to join The Seven."
The interview ended there.
"Did you see that! That bitch! A bitch whose face is written with hypocrisy, whose mouth tells lies, who dresses herself up as a virgin, and who shouts Jesus when she fucks! She stole your limelight! She stole the limelight that should have continued to rise after your memorial service!"
On the other end of the phone, Monica was furious and cursing continuously.
Arthur watched as the host and guests of the Vought program on TV praised Starlight's remarks in turn, and shrugged, saying:
"Maybe she was telling the truth?"
"The truth? Save the world?"
Monica gave a couple of "heh heh"s, the sarcasm almost overflowing from the phone.
Arthur gave a light cough, feeling that the other person had cursed him in as well.
Fine, he was just saying it casually.
Steel Claw could pretend to be a good guy in front of the camera, let alone anyone else.
Whether what Starlight said was the truth or not didn't matter; the problem now was...
Arthur asked: "So, Starlight is now the hottest candidate for The Seven?"
"That bitch!"
Monica had now regarded Starlight as the spokesperson for the word "bitch".
After habitually cursing again, she frowned and said: "I can't believe there are so many blind people who listened to her nonsense and had their favorability toward her surge. According to my latest intelligence, among the 18-49 age group in the Midwest and conservative Christians, her approval rating has increased by 2.5 percent."
"As expected! The ones supporting her are a bunch of jean-wearing, low-intelligence in-breeders!"
Uh... Monica was from a blue state, so it was quite reasonable for her to say this.
Arthur silently gave a thumbs-up in his heart and asked again: "Looking at it this way, the gap isn't that big."
Monica shook her head: "This is just the newly added portion. She is already quite popular among teenagers, middle-aged and elderly women, and people of color; her base is huge. Also, the exceptionally fierce feminist wave in recent years has given her massive points. Many people have started criticizing The Seven for having only one female member as unreasonable, believing it is discrimination against women."
As the birthplace of the feminist movement, the spiritually and physically outstanding great America could be considered the final BOSS version here.
Arthur knew the power of this thing all too well.
In contrast...
Monica analyzed: "Arthur, you have already proved your excellent commercial value in your first movie. In addition, your external conditions are even more outstanding, and your approval rating among all young girls remains high, but it's much worse among other demographics. Especially the Chinese community."
"Arthur, you are clearly one of them, how come your approval rating is still lower than Starlight's? It's really strange."
Strange?
Not strange at all, okay?
Arthur waved his hand: "This is completely normal."
Ever since he recognized the major source compositions of Chinese Americans in America, he would already be very grateful if these guys didn't hold him back.
"Fine."
Although Monica was puzzled, she didn't ask further.
She said very anxiously: "Originally, this Steel Clawmemorial service could have boosted your approval rating, but right at this moment, Starlight that bitch popped up. Except for Los Angeles and California, more discussions elsewhere were still about her idiotic remarks."
When all is said and done, it's just that Steel Claw's influence is too low.
If it were the memorial service of a member of The Seven, the ratings definitely would have exploded through the roof.
Look at you, Steel Claw, why didn't you work harder while you were alive!
If you had worked a bit harder, Monica wouldn't have this kind of trouble right now.
Arthur himself was quite calm.
Unlike certain Superheroes who had a demon-like obsession with personal approval ratings.
Having become famous from a single movie with skyrocketing income and no messy expenses, he wasn't as fervent about The Seven as the outside world thought.
He was too young.
He was only eighteen, and even in the current Superherocircle, seniority had to be respected.
A-Train, who was also young and history's first Black member of The Seven, had only joined six years ago.
Arthur's Asian identity was sometimes an advantage and sometimes a disadvantage.
He hadn't held any expectations for the new opening in The Seven resulting from Lamplighter's retirement.
It's just that Monica still wanted to give it a try, so they might as well try it; anyway, it wouldn't affect anything.
But looking at it now, the result of the selection was already decided.
Arthur looked at the Vought program on TV and said in a calm tone: "Vought TV has unreservedly reported positively on Starlight. Not only in prime time, but also in other timeslots and programs in rotation. This already explains one fact, Monica."
Monica was silent for a moment, and finally said: "Fuck! They've already preselected Starlight!"
This rhythm was clearly building momentum for Starlight.
"Wait for next time." Arthur smiled gently and said.
Compared to immediately joining The Seven, he was more interested in universities where Metahumans gathered.
There, one could not only see all kinds of people with superpowers.
More importantly, there were plenty of talents there.
Arthur had never doubted the trouble-making level and ideological sliding speed of American youths, especially Metahuman youths.
Chapter 7 Caught in the Act
Monica managed to adjust her state of mind reasonably quickly.
As Arthur's housekeeper and nanny, although she was feeling very unhappy right now, she hadn't forgotten other important business:
"By the way, Arthur, your admission application has been approved. Principal Indira Shetty called me personally to say that both she and the school board are very welcoming of you attending Godolkin University, and they promised to invest the school's best resources in you moving forward."
Arthur picked up the TV remote and was casually changing channels. Upon hearing this, he asked offhandedly, "Principal Indira Shetty?"
Monica quickly introduced her: "Principal Indira Shetty, a PhD in behavioral psychology, who has been engaged in Superhero-related research and only recently became the principal of Godolkin University."
Arthur's finger on the remote paused slightly.
On the TV screen, a commercial for whiskey endorsed by Queen Maeve was playing.
He laughed and said, "I guess that counts as being in the right field."
Monica's mood improved instantly as she said, "It is precisely because of her expertise that she is so clear about your value, Arthur. For a new principal like her, what could better prove her ability and worth than personally cultivating a member of The Seven? I have to say, Arthur, that decision you made back then was truly far-sighted."
"Far-sighted? What do you mean?" Arthur continued to change channels.
Monica said admiringly, "I specifically looked up the information. Queen Maeve, A-Train, and The Deep all graduated from Godolkin University. Queen Maeve and A-Train were ranked No. 1 at Godolkin University back in their day. The Deep... er, although he was a bit weaker, he was No. 6 when he graduated. Yet they all became members of The Seven. It is easy to see that Godolkin University has a lot of connections and resources in this regard."
"No wonder you wanted to go to Godolkin University. I completely understand now; you planned this all out in advance, Arthur."
What did I plan?
How come I don't know about it?
Arthur was taken aback.
He just wanted to go to school and make some "new friends."
Why did it sound like, from Monica's perspective, he had carefully prepared and plotted to secure a spot in The Seven in advance?
To be honest, if Monica hadn't mentioned it, he really wouldn't have known that three members of The Sevencame from Godolkin University.
But it had to be said, this was indeed the path with the highest success rate outside of auditions.
Seeing this, Arthur couldn't be bothered to refute her further and simply gave a couple of non-committal responses.
Monica, on the other hand, was getting more and more excited as she talked, clearly happy that she could manage such an excellent Superhero talent.
"Oh right, I almost forgot." She suddenly remembered something, her tone shifted, and she chuckled, "Anya, that little Hollywood flame of yours who starred in your first movie, couldn't get through to your phone, so she called me just now asking if you had any time to catch up."
"She must have seen your interview from a couple of days ago and is worried that you won't cast her in your second movie, so she wants to 'tighten her grip' on you properly. So, do you need me to help arrange a time, a place, and some auxiliary tools?"
As an agent from Hollywood, Monica was long accustomed to such matters.
In her daily work, handling an artist's private life was naturally an important part of the job.
Over the years, she had never made a mistake in her cleanup work.
Arthur trusted her completely.
Even after becoming famous, he had never thought about replacing her with an agent who had more connections.
Arthur checked his phone's call history.
Anya Taylor-Joy had called several times.
At that time, he was being tightly constricted by the white python that Miranda Jackman had transformed into, unable to break free at all.
Arthur looked upstairs and replied, "In a few days; I'm busy right now."
Monica understood immediately: "Busy? You're... I understand. But I must remind you, this moment is very sensitive, so absolutely do not let anyone take any evidence!"
She couldn't stop him even if she tried.
The only thing she could do was repeatedly remind her artist never to leave behind any video or photographic evidence.
"Don't worry..."
Arthur was halfway through his sentence when his gaze suddenly shifted.
"Alright, that's it."
He hung up the phone.
A minute later.
In the pitch-black, spacious dining room.
Click!
The lights suddenly turned on.
A short gasp of surprise sounded instinctively, then was hurriedly suppressed.
But it was already too late.
"Shuttle."
Arthur calmly looked at the short, stout man standing before him, naked and looking like a thief caught in the act.
His gaze shifted from the man's unsightly, bloated naked body to the complete, smooth, and undamaged wall behind him.
The corners of Arthur's mouth twitched slightly as he said, "Compared to Shadowcat, your current appearance is actually more realistic."
There's no such thing as someone walking through a wall and having their clothes come along with them.
Shadowcat?
Who is that?
Shuttle was a bit confused by Arthur's words.
But he couldn't be bothered with that right now.
Caught red-handed and scared out of his wits, he stammered, "Um... I went through the wrong place! Yes, I went through the wrong place! I'm leaving right now!"
After saying this, he turned around in a panic like a startled fat rabbit, heading straight for that solid wall.
However, he had only run a few steps.
A sonic boom rang out.
The next second, Arthur's hand reached out from behind like an iron clamp, firmly gripping Shuttle's shoulder and rendering him unable to move.
"Do you think I'm stupid?" Arthur's calm voice came from behind him.
Shuttle struggled desperately to no avail and could only turn his head with a mournful expression, begging repeatedly, "I'm sorry! I'm very sorry! Really! I didn't mean to do anything else! I just... came to pick up some of Steel Claw's leftover stock. Anyway, he won't be using it anymore, and it would be a waste just sitting there."
Arthur raised his eyebrows slightly: "Leftover stock?"
Shuttle's eyes darted around, and he stammered an explanation: "It's... it's some high-quality enhancers. They're very expensive, and it's a pity to just leave them there. I just... wanted to come and take some. Now I don't want them anymore; I'll give them all to you, Bronze! I know where they are; I'll take you to get them."
Arthur understood.
Shuttle was here to collect the inheritance of his "old friend."
Truly worthy of being called cronies.
"I don't use these," he said indifferently.
Shuttle was stunned.
Someone who doesn't use enhancers?
Is he getting too carried away with his acting?
Of course, he only dared to complain in his heart. On the surface, he quickly flattered him, "As expected of Bronze. So... can I leave now?"
Arthur laughed.
He pointed to the bathrobe he was wearing and said, "Do you think you can leave?"
Late at night, the Superhero Bronze and Steel Claw's widow are alone in a room, and they have even changed their clothes.
If this got out, anyone could imagine what had happened.
Shuttle finally realized this and immediately shivered all over, saying, "I swear to God! I will never say a word about what happened tonight! I..."
Arthur interrupted him indifferently, "Can a junkie's oath be trusted?"
Shuttle was truly panicked: "I..."
"Shh—"
Arthur reached out and covered his mouth.
"Mmph—"
Shuttle struggled desperately.
However, his strength was nothing compared to Arthur's.
"Relax... relax..."
Arthur leaned in close to Shuttle's ear and comforted him.
He certainly wouldn't entrust his future to a notorious junkie.
Monica had just reminded him.
Now, it was naturally time to deal with it once and for all.
So...
Arthur placed his hands firmly on both sides of Shuttle's head. Without waiting for him to speak again, he tensed the muscles in his arms and twisted sharply.
Crack!
A bone-chilling, tooth-aching crisp sound echoed in the dining room.
Shuttle's neck bone was instantly snapped, his pupils dilated, and he collapsed softly like a pile of mud.
Chapter 8: Everything is God's Plan
Another Metahuman died.
However, compared to Steel Claw, Shuttle's fame was pitifully low, ranking alongside D-list celebrities; he didn't even qualify for a memorial service.
For a long time, no one even cared whether he lived or died.
This guy brought it on himself.
After mastering a budget version of the ability to pass through all objects, like Shadowcat, Shuttle didn't hesitate at all and, in a very "unassuming" manner, started doing quick-money theft jobs.
Then he got caught, his approval rating plummeted to the bottom, and he never received any more film or television roles.
Over the years, Shuttle could only shamelessly follow behind Steel Claw, eating scraps.
Once Steel Claw died, he intended to turn his life around.
As it turned out, he was unlucky enough to run into Arthur.
And died instantly.
Afterward, Arthur briefly checked the clothes Shuttle had left outside the house, digging out a mobile phone and a wallet.
The phone had a passcode lock, so he couldn't open it for the time being.
Arthur didn't mind and flipped through the wallet.
A dozen banknotes, two credit cards, a stack of club membership cards, and a... check.
Arthur looked at the check; the amount was one thousand dollars.
As for who gave it...
"Samaritan's Embrace?"
Arthur was somewhat surprised.
"Since when did 'Rubber Man' and 'Phantom Cat Man' hook up?"
If he remembered correctly, "Samaritan's Embrace" was a Catholic charitable organization that had always received funding from Vought and organized Metahuman charity events across the country every year.
It was famous enough that even Arthur, who didn't follow religion, remembered it.
Of course, the bigger reason it left a deep impression on him was Ezekiel, the leader of "Samaritan's Embrace".
He could be called a modern-day "Luffy" or "Mr. Fantastic," stretching his arms out very long every time he gave a speech, preaching that "Metahumans are children of God" and "all homosexuals deserve to die."
"Since when did Shuttle have financial dealings with Ezekiel? Could it be that he provided Ezekiel with some young boys?"
No matter how you looked at it, these two were not from the same circle.
This was the only connection Arthur could think of.
As for Ezekiel opposing homosexuality.
Sorry, but who made him a genuine priest.
Arthur shrugged, about to deal with Shuttle's funeral arrangements.
"Darling."
Miranda's sweet voice rang out, accompanied by approaching footsteps.
Arthur turned back to look.
Miranda was wearing one of Steel Claw's white shirts, not even buttoned up, and walked over with a cat-like strut.
Arthur immediately thought of the leading lady's honey-colored legs in the opening of Transformers 3.
Also a former supermodel, the Miranda before him was not inferior in the slightest.
However...
"Ah!!"
She screamed instantly, clearly having seen the corpse on the ground.
But soon, without needing Arthur to remind her, she covered her mouth herself and asked in a slightly trembling voice:
"Darling, did a thief break into the house?"
Arthur stood up and explained: "It was indeed a thief, and a case of an acquaintance committing the crime at that."
Miranda had calmed down by now.
After all, a real Superhero was by her side, so she had no need to be afraid.
Hearing Arthur say this, she quickly trotted over, snuggled into his arms, took a quick glance at the naked corpse on the ground, and asked without looking a second time:
"An acquaintance? Who is he?"
"Shuttle."
"Shuttle?!! Did he discover us..."
Miranda's emerald green pupils suddenly dilated, and for a moment she was somewhat panicked.
Arthur took the opportunity to pull Miranda's curvaceous body into his arms, let out a long sigh, and said in a tone full of self-reproach:
"All of this is my fault..."
"No! Darling, you are not wrong!"
Miranda stopped being panicked as soon as she heard this.
She hurriedly stood on tiptoe, covered Arthur's mouth with her red lips, let go after a moment, and looked at him with a firm and eager gaze, saying,
"I am not wrong either. This meeting of ours is God's arrangement!"
Arthur was slightly stunned: "God's... arrangement?"
Miranda kissed Arthur a few times in succession: "That's right. At my husband's memorial service, when I was at my most helpless in life, God made me fall in love with you at first sight, darling."
Arthur: "..."
Originally, he had no sympathy for Steel Claw.
But now, hearing his wife say this.
Rarely, he actually felt a trace of sympathy.
"I have let Steel Claw down. While his body is not yet cold, I am already with you, Madam... Sigh!"
Miranda was very moved: "Darling, don't worry. Although my husband has left me, if he knew that I was no longer drowned in grief and had found a new love, who is also his best friend, he would definitely sincerely wish us happiness."
No, he would definitely jump out of his coffin and kill us.
"Darling, you are so good to me! You even went as far as to kill Shuttle. I must repay you properly."
Miranda did what she said.
Before Arthur could say anything, he felt his robe tugged, and Madam Miranda had already knelt down.
Right next to the body of Shuttle, her husband's friend from his lifetime?
It felt... a bit unique.
Arthur's palm slowly pressed down toward the Madam's blonde hair.
Three days time.
Under Madam Miranda's guidance, Arthur toured the mansion that Steel Claw had spent most of his life working to buy, from big to small, in every aspect.
During this time, he didn't forget to take Shuttle's corpse and fly all the way to the Pacific Ocean to feed it to the sharks.
Afterward, under Monica's arrangement, Arthur met with Anya Taylor-Joy, who was also a blonde beauty and younger, and comforted this new Hollywood starlet well.
"Oh! My Superhero..."
"Move aside! Your Superhero is going to save the world!"
Arthur righteously spread Anya's long legs and quickly stood up.
Anya's body couldn't help but tip over, her ear-length, wavy blonde hair instantly covering half her face.
She wasn't annoyed at all.
Back on set, this was what she liked most.
Anya's shoulder strap slipped, and she crawled over infatuatedly, skillfully helping Arthur put on his battle suit.
Soon, a deafening sonic boom sounded.
Arthur shot into the sky.
He really was going to save the world.
A shooting had occurred at a nearby high school, and it was just the moment for his heroic entrance.
Look!
He didn't even care about his private affairs; compared to other Superheroes, he could definitely be called competent, right?
A few minutes later.
"It's Bronze! He's come to save us!"
"Bronze, can you give me an autograph? Sign it on my bra; I want to wear it when I sleep."
"I want one too! Me too..."
Arthur quickly knocked down the two student criminals, spread his hands, and smiled at the various young girls rushing up:
"Of course, no problem. Who has a signing pen..."
On his last day in Los Angeles, Arthur spent it mingling with the people.
After that, it was a new location and a new beginning.
Chapter 9 Kate
New York, Godolkin University.
Another school year had begun, and the previously quiet campus quickly came alive.
The new school year speech from the Principal of Godolkin University was currently playing on a loop over the campus broadcast:
"I am Principal Indira Shetty, welcome to Godolkin University. Since 1965, we have been committed to cultivating the best and brightest young Superheroes. Here, you can join the School of Performing Arts and become a household superstar; or you can choose the School of Crimefighting, and become a guardian of major cities across the United States."
"Whether you want to walk the treacherous streets or the red carpet, Godolkin University can make you thrive... Zzzzt—"
The broadcast stopped abruptly, turning into a harsh crackle of static noise.
Andre, a freshman, looked at his right hand, then raised his head to glance at the large iron loudspeaker overhead that had suddenly caved in, looking momentarily dazed as he muttered:
"Oh my god! I swear, I just wanted to make it a bit quieter."
"Great job."
Luke, who was walking by and looked sunny and handsome, gave him a thumbs-up.
Andre was startled and hurriedly denied, "No no no no, that wasn't me."
Luke smiled and said, "Relax, no one saw it except me. I must admit, you did a great thing. It was way too noisy."
"Really?"
"Of course!"
Andre instantly felt relieved. Looking at the white youth in front of him, he reached out his hand and said:
"Andre Anderson."
"Luke Riordan."
Luke grasped Andre's hand and followed up with a warm hug.
After letting go, Andre asked, "So, Luke, are you also a freshman this year?"
Luke nodded, "Just like you, Andre."
"School of Crimefighting?"
"Of course, this has been my dream since I was a kid."
Andre raised an eyebrow, his tone carrying a trace of banter, "Save the world?"
Luke scratched his head somewhat sheepishly, "If I say 'yes', you won't make fun of me, right?"
"Of course I will!"
Andre burst out laughing, then patted Luke heavily on the shoulder and said,
"Because my dream is that too!"
Andre and Luke walked side by side down the walkway displaying many Superhero bronze statues. As they talked, their relationship quickly grew close.
A few minutes later, when Andre saw the Polarity bronze statue standing to the side and shining brightly in the sunlight, he was slightly dazed.
When he came back to his senses and looked at Luke, he found that the other party was also in a daze.
He looked in Luke's direction and immediately understood, gently nudging Luke with his elbow:
"She's pretty, isn't she?"
"Uh... Yeah, indeed."
Luke pulled his gaze back from the exquisite-looking girl not far away who had long, straight blonde hair and wore gloves, replied to Andre, and then couldn't help looking over again.
Taking all this in, Andre whistled and said with a smile on his face,
"What a dangerous beauty. Judging by her appearance, she should also be a freshman. Luke, if I were you, I should make a move right now."
Luke turned back: "Now?"
Andre spread his hands: "Based on my past experience... Of course!"
"OK!"
Luke's drive to act was still full-on.
He was about to take a step.
Suddenly!
Boom—
A deafening muffled thunder suddenly came from the sky.
Luke, Andre, and the surrounding Metahuman students all subconsciously raised their heads.
Soon, under the dazzling sunlight, a black shadow was flying across the sky at an extremely fast speed.
With a whoosh sound, before everyone's eyes could follow, the black shadow descended from the sky in a flash, landing steadily on the lawn of the Godolkin University campus and stirring up a cloud of dust.
"Just in time, within the scheduled time."
Arthur slowly stood up and looked around; it was indeed Godolkin University.
He took out the phone in his pants pocket and checked the time. It took him about four hours to fly from the West Coast to the East Coast.
This speed was a bit faster than a commercial airliner, and incidentally saved a sum of ticket money.
Perfect.
At this time, the surrounding people gradually looked away.
The most common thing at Godolkin University was Metahumans.
Although most Metahumans could not fly, there were always a few on campus, and people were already used to it.
Luke and Andre didn't look away, because they saw that the newcomer was walking toward the girl wearing gloves.
Arthur was here for the first time and didn't know the way, so he casually found the nearest person and asked, "Classmate, excuse me, how do I get to the principal's office?"
Kate was holding a pile of textbooks. Hearing this, she turned her head, looked at the person who fell from the sky for a few glances, with strong surprise in her eyes, but still answered naturally on the surface, "You asked the wrong person."
Arthur understood immediately: "Freshman?"
Kate looked at her own attire: "Don't I look like one?"
Arthur gave a thumbs up: "Indeed, you look much younger. You feel more like a high schooler... No, a middle schooler!"
When Kate heard Arthur say she was a high school student, her eyebrows and eyes were already curving up.
When Arthur said she was fourteen or fifteen years old, she completely couldn't hold it back anymore, smiling brightly as she said, "Has anyone ever told you that you are very pleasing to girls?"
Arthur touched his chin and asked doubtfully, "Is that so? This is the first time I've discovered I have such a superpower."
There was no helping it, he always preferred being passive.
"So your superpower is this. Looks like I need to stay away from you."
Kate stepped back a few steps with a "vigilant" look.
Of course, if one ignored the fact that her brows were full of smiles.
Arthur chuckled, "You've already fallen for it, and it's too late to back off now."
Kate looked "suddenly enlightened": "No wonder I just said so much."
The conversation ended.
The two looked at each other and smiled knowingly.
Arthur took the lead in extending his hand:
"Arthur."
Seeing this, Kate subconsciously glanced at her tightly covered right hand first, then relaxed, and said with a smile on her lips,
"Kate Dunlap."
One big and one small, the two hands shook together.
Afterward, they didn't separate immediately.
Holding Kate's small hand, Arthur asked with confusion,
"So, you didn't recognize me?"
"You are..."
Kate pursed her lips, looking at Arthur with an innocent and puzzled expression.
Arthur: "..."
Although he wasn't wearing his iconic battle suit today, he was in normal casual attire.
But his face had at least made headlines in major media and appeared on the cover of "People" magazine.
As a result, Kate had no idea who he was at all.
Is there really a law that when a Superhero takes off their uniform and puts on glasses, others can't recognize them?
Or was he not very famous here on the East Coast?
It seems he still needs to work harder.
Ring, ring, ring!
The cell phone ringtone sounded.
On the other end of the phone, Monica asked quickly, "Arthur, have you arrived? Principal Shetty and Professor Brink, who used to cultivate many students like Queen Maeve and A-Train, are waiting for you in the principal's office."
Arthur certainly couldn't say that he was having a great time chatting with a beauty.
"Right there."
While handling her, he made a gesture to Kate for future contact.
Kate simply handed out her phone and gave Arthur a "you know" look.
Arthur silently entered his cell phone number and turned to leave.
Kate put away her phone, her gaze following Arthur's back for quite a while, and her mood was quite good.
Chapter 10: As Long As Everyone Is Happy
Arthur left, Cate left, and Luke and Andre were still standing there.
Andre felt that this was silly.
He rubbed his chin awkwardly, breaking the awkward atmosphere, and asked, "Who was that guy?"
Luke, also not wanting to seem awkward, immediately turned his head, though he hadn't clearly heard what Andre said: "Oh, oh... what?"
Andre understood perfectly and repeated it: "I mean that guy who just dropped from the sky, looking all cocky."
Luke returned to his normal state, thought for a moment, and recognized the person: "He is Bronze, a very famous Superhero in Los Angeles, whose first movie recently broke 100 million in box office. I heard he is also one of the hot candidates for The Seven."
"Whoa!" Andre exclaimed immediately, "How did such an impressive person end up here?"
Luke's expression was a bit complex: "Because just like me, he is a freshman."
"Fu—ck!" Andre opened his mouth wide, looking disbelieving.
After a while, seeming to have processed it, he finally couldn't hold back and said repeatedly: "So, that guy you called 'Bronze' has not only already starred in a movie with 100 million in box office! But he might also join The Seven! Are you sure he's the same age as us?"
Andre couldn't help but think about what he was doing at eighteen.
Oh, he was registering for college.
Before that?
Nothing more than messing around, using his superpowerto pick up girls, throwing parties, and occasionally doing some interview shows his father arranged.
Of course, don't think it was anything like The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon or The Ellen DeGeneres Show.
Although he had some popularity on social media, he couldn't compare at all to Bronze, who was already qualified to compete for a spot in The Seven.
"Fuck! I don't even know if I'll be able to star in a movie before I'm thirty, let alone have it break 100 million at the box office."
For the first time, Andre deeply understood what it meant to be'someone else's kid,' feeling quite defeated.
Luke instead comforted him: "Bronze is just an exception, Andre. Queen Maeve and A-Train both made their names after graduating from Godolkin University, and we will be just like them."
Andre clearly listened, smiled, and bumped fists with Luke: "Thanks, brother."
Luke smiled and proposed a reward: "Just remember to treat me to a deluxe combo at Vought-A-Burger."
"No problem." Andre readily agreed, then thinking of something, he sighed, "Luke, your rival in love is strong!"
"No, I haven't..." Luke stopped halfway through his sentence, suddenly pausing.
Seeing his newly made good brother silent, Andre patted his shoulder understandingly and said: "Luke, just as you said, Godolkin University is a new beginning. Since you like her, just snatch her when the time comes."
Luke was a bit nervous: "I don't even know her name yet."
Andre patted his chest: "Don't worry, there are only so many people in this school; I'll find it out for you within a day."
Luke hugged Andre again: "Thank you, brother!"
Andre hugged him back: "Who else would we be if not brothers!"
A pair of deep-bonded brothers was being born on the Godolkin campus.
On the other side, after Arthur asked the right person, he finally arrived smoothly at the Principal's office.
He knocked on the door politely.
"Come in." A pleasant, steady female voice came from inside.
Arthur pushed the door open and entered. At a glance, rather than an office, it looked more like an office suite that took up an entire floor, yet it was only for one person's use.
Looking at the interior decor and furnishings, all kinds of ornaments and furniture were fully equipped, and there was even an exquisitely crafted wine cabinet standing in the corner.
If this were back in Arthur's previous home, it might have been investigated by the authorities.
But this was a capitalist society, so everything seemed perfectly reasonable.
"Bronze, or should I say, Arthur, a freshman at Godolkin University, welcome to our big family. When we first heard the news that you were enrolling, you surely couldn't know how happy we were."
When Arthur had just stepped through the door, Principal Indira Shetty had already risen from behind her desk, taking the initiative to come forward in a friendly manner to welcome him.
She was an elegant woman who was clearly well-educated.
Following her was a white-haired professor with the demeanor of an English gentleman.
Seeing this, Arthur extended his hand and responded with a smile: "It is also my honor to join Godolkin University, Principal Shetty. Also, just calling me Arthur is fine."
A trace of surprise flashed in Indira Shetty's eyes, and she said with genuine tone: "I have to say, Arthur, your first impression on me is quite amazing. After all... you know, energetic teenagers are always synonymous with trouble, especially Metahuman teenagers. Not to mention someone who achieved fame as young as you."
After finishing, Indira Shetty made a joke: "To be honest, Arthur, if you had perfunctorily patted my hand at this moment and lifted your chin to say 'Godolkin will be proud of me,' I wouldn't have been surprised at all."
The old professor on the side praised: "This shows that Arthur has already embarked on the path of a mature Superhero."
To this, Arthur spread his hands to liven up the atmosphere: "Do you need me to do it again according to what you said, Principal? Although I'm not majoring in the Performing Arts school, I consider my acting skills to be quite good."
The atmosphere indeed livened up.
Indira Shetty laughed even more happily: "No one would doubt the acting skills of a lead actor in a 100 million box office movie. By the way, I almost forgot, this is Professor Brink."
She turned to the side and reached out her hand, solemnly introducing the person beside her: "Professor Brink, Dean of the School of Crime Fighting; he has been studying the Superhero industry for many years, holds three doctoral degrees; and has been on the New York Times bestseller list for four consecutive years as the author of 'Our Inner Hero,' a must-read for every Superhero. You should have heard this famous quote."
Professor Brink smiled and said: "To be a true hero, it is not for glory, but..."
Arthur picked up the sentence: "For sacrifice?"
Indira Shetty snapped her fingers with an "as expected" look: "Exactly."
Professor Brink's gaze towards Arthur became increasingly appreciative.
Both of them assumed Arthur had read the book Our Inner Hero.
In reality, he hadn't read a single page.
As for why he was able to finish that last sentence.
He couldn't help it; he had watched too many American comic book movies. After all, isn't the highest realm of a Superhero sacrifice?
Black Widow sacrificed herself by jumping off a cliff to obtain the Soul Stone; Quicksilver was killed by bullets while covering Hawkeye and a little boy's escape; Iron Man finally snapped his fingers...
Except for Quicksilver, who was really a bit ridiculous.
Dying by being hit by bullets in the current world would definitely be laughed at by speedsters like A-Train.
The others' deaths could be called heroically tragic.
Professor Brink's famous quote was correct, it's just that in the current era...
Heh.
Arthur thought he was also a bit ridiculous.
Of course, having already integrated into this era, he wouldn't stand up and refute it.
Local Superheroes, regardless of anything else, were first-class at maintaining a glamorous external image.
As long as everyone is happy, right?