The morning sun streamed through the bulletproof glass on the top floor of Fisk Tower, casting Wilson Fisk's massive silhouette onto the mirror-smooth floor.
In front of him, several holographic screens floated, displaying abnormal energy readings from around the globe, real-time updates on Hero Association members' statuses, and various reports compiled by Wesley.
The entire Hero Association resembled an increasingly sophisticated giant machine, and he was the engineer at its control center.
Suddenly, a slightly cheerful notification sound, out of place with the serious atmosphere, rang out in a corner of the system interface.
It wasn't the ear-piercing alarm signifying ghost-level or higher threats, but the regular sound effect for a common mission release.
However, the content of this mission made even Fisk, who was accustomed to major events, raise an almost imperceptible eyebrow.
New Mission Released (Association Internal Code: NY-2023-048-001)
Mission Type: Search and Rescue (Wolf-Class)
Mission Description: Find the lost pet cat, "tommy."
Target Location: New York, Queens, a residential street.
Mission Details: tommy, a three-year-old male orange cat, wearing a blue collar, went missing yesterday evening.
His owner is an elderly woman living alone, Marjorie Fisher, who is very anxious.
Mission Reward: Association Points x 1.
Special Notes: None.
...
A brief silence fell in the office.
Even Wesley, who was quietly reporting on the progress of the London branch's site selection, instinctively adjusted his glasses and looked at his Master.
Fisk's gaze lingered on "Association Points x 1" for a full three seconds.
Compared to monster-fighting missions that often rewarded dozens or even hundreds of points, this was a drop in the ocean, not even enough to buy a functional drink from the Association's internal vending machine.
"System," Fisk's voice was low, betraying no emotion, "Is there a logical error in the mission rating and reward calculation?"
"Reporting to Host, the calculation is correct." The system's neutral electronic voice responded instantly, "Based on multi-dimensional evaluation including threat level, mission difficulty, and potential social impact, 'finding a lost pet cat' poses an extremely low threat to public safety, the difficulty is limited to a small-scale search, and the social impact is minimal.
A reward of 1 point complies with algorithm rules."
Fisk nodded slightly; he understood this logic.
The system pursued absolute rationality and efficiency and would not change its standards because a mission was "insignificant" or "not heroic enough."
This was also part of the "professionalization" he advocated—any mission certified and released by the system, regardless of size, should be taken seriously.
But this scene was clearly incomprehensible to the outside World.
Almost simultaneously with the mission being released to all registered heroes, the Association's official APP forum and external social media exploded.
A screenshot of the mission was frantically reposted.
"??? I didn't read that wrong, did I? Find a cat? 1 point?" — 3.2k likes, 1.5k replies.
"Hahahaha, the stingiest mission in history is born! Is the Association short on funds?" — 2.8k likes.
"@Spider-Man @Daredevil @Sandman Big shots, it's time to boost your performance! 1 point is still a point! (dog head)" — 4.1k likes.
"Seriously, is this really a 'hero' mission? Isn't it a bit… demeaning?" — 1.9k likes.
"What do you know? To that old lady, finding tommy is a huge deal! Aren't heroes supposed to help those in need?" — 2.5k likes.
"Support! Heroes shouldn't just be about fighting; these heartwarming missions are great too!" — 2.1k likes.
The debate quickly escalated, with topics like #Hero Association Finds Cat# and #What Can 1 Point Buy# even briefly trending in the New York area.
Sarcasm, ridicule, support, debates about the nature of heroism… various voices mixed together, pushing this small matter into the spotlight.
S.H.I.E.L.D., Trident Headquarters.
Maria Hill looked at the public opinion monitoring report from the technical department, an indescribable expression on her face.
She handed the tablet to Nick Fury behind the desk.
"Officer, the Hero Association… released a cat-finding mission."
Fury's single eye scanned the screen, his face devoid of expression, but the corner of his mouth seemed to twitch almost imperceptibly.
He put down the tablet and snorted coldly: "Is it a smokescreen, or are they really so idle? Or… some kind of resource allocation test we can't understand?"
In his view, every move by Fisk could hold deep meaning.
But this cat-finding mission, its meaning so obscure, temporarily stalled his conspiracy-theory-filled brain.
Stark Tower top floor.
Tony Stark, wearing a vest, was adjusting a new nanotech armor design blueprint in front of a holographic projection.
His intelligent butler, Jarvis, timely inserted information.
"Sir, a new mission has appeared on the Hero Association's public platform, triggering widespread discussion."
"Oh? What's the big news now? Is that Fisk guy finally going to make a move on the Statue of Liberty?" Tony quipped without looking up.
"The mission content is to find a pet cat lost in Queens, with a reward of 1 Association point."
Tony's fingers, operating the holographic projection, suddenly stopped.
He turned his head, his face first startled, then bursting into undisguised laughter.
"Hahahahaha! Find a cat! 1 point! I knew it! I knew this Association that big guy started would sooner or later become a joke!" He laughed so hard he could barely stand straight, "Jarvis, flag this message, archive it!
Next time we have a meeting, I'm going to ask our esteemed Mr.
Fisk face to face if his 'hero professionalization' also includes helping people unclog sewers! Hahaha!"
Meanwhile, in Queens, Peter Parker was rushing to Midtown High School with his backpack.
During a red light, he habitually pulled out his phone to check the Association APP and saw the "find a cat" mission at the top of the mission list, with a particularly lonely-looking reward field.
Peter's mouth twitched, and he instinctively patted his empty wallet.
1 point… The image of himself in his Spider-Man suit, leaping across rooftops, going door to door meowing to find a cat, flashed through his mind.
Although he could go look, it was almost time for class.
"Forget it, forget it… I'll leave this 'performance' to someone else…" he muttered softly.
The light turned green, and he quickly put away his phone, merging into the stream of students going to school.
Just as ridicule and support flew across the internet, and various factions harbored different intentions, the internal mission acceptance indicator light of the Association quietly lit up.
The one who accepted the mission was not any hero renowned for their combat prowess, but a newcomer with the ID "Cat Speaker."
A few minutes later, at the corner of the quiet residential street in Queens designated by the mission, a girl who looked about sixteen or seventeen appeared.
She was wearing ordinary jeans and a hoodie, with a delicate face showing a few freckles beneath the brim of her hood, her eyes clear and gentle, and she carried a very ordinary canvas bag in her arms.
She was "Cat Speaker," real name Allison Green, a registered D-Class Hero of the Association, with an ability assessment of: limited emotional communication and information transfer with small mammals (especially felines).
Mrs. Marjorie Fisher, an elderly woman with white hair and red-rimmed eyes, was anxiously waiting at her door.
Seeing Allison approach, she paused, clearly not expecting the so-called "Association Hero" to be such a young girl.
"You… you're here to help find tommy?" Mrs. Fisher's tone carried suspicion.
"Yes, madam.
My name is Allison, and the Association sent me to help you." Allison's voice was soft, with a calming power.
She didn't say much, just knelt down, took out a delicate small bowl from her canvas bag, and poured some cat food that emitted a faint fishy smell.
Then, she closed her eyes, gently placed her palm on the cold ground, seemingly sensing something, and uttered extremely faint, almost silent, rhythmic syllables.
Mrs. Fisher and several neighbors, attracted by the online news and secretly filming from a distance, watched this scene with curiosity.
A few minutes later, Allison opened her eyes, her gaze directed towards a dense rhododendron bush in the backyard of a house across the street.
"Madam, tommy didn't run far.
He was just scared by a large dog passing by yesterday and is hiding under the rhododendron bushes in Mr.
Smith's yard across the street.
The pad on his right front paw might have been scratched by a small branch, and it hurts a bit, so he's afraid to come out."
Mrs. Fisher was half-believing, half-doubting.
Allison stood up, walked to the other side of the yard, and again uttered those gentle syllables towards the bushes.
A moment later, accompanied by a faint rustling sound, a chubby orange cat timidly poked his head out from between the branches and leaves, his blue collar particularly noticeable around his neck.
His right front paw was indeed slightly suspended, afraid to touch the ground.
"tommy!" Mrs. Fisher cried out in surprise.
Allison slowly extended her hand, continuing to soothe the frightened cat with that special "language."
The orange cat hesitated, but ultimately couldn't resist the temptation of the familiar scent and the kindness emanating from Allison.
He limped out and affectionately rubbed against her pant leg.
Allison carefully picked up tommy and returned him to the overjoyed Mrs.
Fisher.
"Thank you so much! Child! Thank you really so much!" The old woman, holding her beloved cat, found and returned, wept with joy, "I thought… I thought the Association wouldn't bother with such a small matter…"
"The Association's purpose is to help those in need, madam." Allison smiled, the sunlight falling on her freckled face, making her look especially warm, "No matter the size of the mission."
She took out the Association's dedicated mission terminal and operated it simply.
"Mission NY-2023-048-001: Completed." A negligible 1 point was added to her account.
In the distance, those neighbors who had originally come to watch a show quietly put away their phones, their faces showing a hint of shame and respect.
Some even started to applaud.
Online, live videos and photos quickly circulated.
While the mocking voices didn't completely disappear, they were largely overshadowed by more gentle comments.
"See! This is a hero! Not failing to act because a matter is small!"
"That girl's ability is so cool! Communicating with animals!"
"Tears in my eyes, the old lady crying while holding her cat…"
"The Association is serious; even for a 1-point mission, there are heroes who will diligently complete it."
S.H.I.E.L.D., Fury looked at the updated "Cat Speaker" ability assessment report, a glint in his single eye, calculating something again.
Tony Stark's laughter gradually subsided.
He looked at the photo of Allison smiling while holding the cat on the screen, pouted, and muttered, "Tsk… at least they still have some humanity."
On the top floor of Fisk Tower, Fisk closed the public opinion report regarding the mission's aftermath.
His face remained expressionless, but a faint trace of satisfaction seemed to flicker in the depths of his eyes.
Ding! Mission "Find the Lost Cat" completed.
Hidden mechanism triggered: "True Nature Revealed in the Details."
Effect: Public affinity for the Association slightly increased; attention to potential talents with special non-combat abilities increased; internal heroes' recognition of the "no mission too small" philosophy slightly increased.
A 1-point mission, like a small stone dropped into a lake, created ripples far exceeding its inherent value.
It unexpectedly showcased another side of the Hero Association to the World—not just a sharp sword against monsters, but also a heartwarming candle.
And at this moment, no one knew that the anxious Mrs.
Fisher, who had released the mission, after returning indoors with tommy and closing the door, her kind, anxious expression gradually faded, replaced by an almost imperceptible, nearly fanatical fervor.
She gently stroked tommy's soft fur and whispered:
"Alright, data collected… 'Cat Speaker,' emotional communication ability, potential… B-Class.
Where should the next 'seed' be sown?"
Outside the window, the sun was bright.
In the shadows of the city, something was quietly brewing.