The afternoon sun in New York, filtering through sparse clouds, lazily illuminated a quiet residential street in Queens. Compared to the chaotic data storm of Times Square, time here seemed to flow much slower. However, a small but persistent anxiety was clouding the heart of Mrs. Eleanor, who lived alone—her cherished calico cat, "Ginger," had once again slipped out the door while she was receiving a package, vanishing without a trace.
Just as Mrs. Eleanor, holding a bag of cat food, was anxiously calling out in her yard, almost in tears, a low engine rumble, out of place with the surrounding tranquility, approached from a distance.
Three black SUVs, with sharp lines and emblazoned with the simple yet striking "H.A." (Hero Association) emblem, came to a steady stop on the street in front of Mrs. Eleanor's house.
The car doors opened, and first to jump out were several operatives in the Association's standard dark gray uniforms. They moved swiftly and professionally, quickly but politely setting up a simple cordon, not to block any threat, but to prevent unnecessary onlookers from interfering.
Next to exit the vehicles were two "protagonists" with distinctly different demeanors.
One was the tall and burly "Iron Wall," wearing a special combat suit and with a steady expression. The other was the petite and gentle-looking "Cat Speaker," Allison, holding a canvas bag in her arms.
This peculiar combination immediately attracted the attention of the neighbors. People peered out from behind windows and from porches, curiously looking on. Some even recognized Iron Wall—not from his heroic battles against monsters in the news, but from his good-natured appearance at the community's last charity softball game, where he used his ability to build earthen walls to help children retrieve balls.
"Please rest assured, madam, leave it to us." Iron Wall nodded to a startled Mrs. Eleanor, his voice deep yet reassuringly strong. He wasn't on high alert as he would be facing a monster, but rather like a reliable neighbor who had come to help.
Allison had already squatted down, pouring the brought cat food into a small dish, while closing her eyes and lightly touching the ground, beginning to sense. A moment later, she opened her eyes and pointed to the old, leafy oak tree at the end of the street: "Ginger is in the tree, probably at the third main branch fork. She was 'scolded' by a squirrel and is afraid to come down, feeling a bit wronged."
Iron Wall looked up at the tall oak tree and nodded. He didn't use any exaggerated abilities, but simply walked to the tree, like a skilled arborist, estimating the landing spot. He extended his hand, palm facing a spot above the tree trunk, and a nearly transparent, circular energy platform about a meter in diameter quietly appeared, clinging to the bark, forming a stable temporary step.
"Hey, little one, don't be scared, come down." He looked up, speaking in a tone as gentle as possible, completely unfitting his large stature.
At the same time, Allison, at the base of the tree, continuously transmitted soothing messages of "safe," "home," and "treats" to the tree using her unique ability.
A faint rustling and a timid "meow" came from the treetop. After a few minutes, a small calico head timidly poked out from among the branches and leaves, looked at the friendly-looking energy platform below, and then at the girl beneath the tree who made it feel familiar.
With Allison's continuous encouragement and Iron Wall's stable "steps," Ginger finally gathered the courage to carefully step onto the energy platform, then was steadily caught by a smaller platform constructed by Iron Wall's other hand, and "teleported" down layer by layer.
When Ginger finally landed safely and leaped into Mrs. Eleanor's arms, the old woman cried tears of joy, constantly stroking her beloved cat, who she had thought lost, and repeatedly thanked Iron Wall and Allison.
"It's our duty, madam." Iron Wall smiled good-naturedly and retracted the energy platform.
"Ginger was just scared, she's fine." Allison also added with a smile.
The entire process involved no explosions, no flashes, no fierce fighting, only a kind of almost trivial, yet professional and efficient service filled with human warmth.
And this heartwarming scene, from beginning to end, was clearly recorded by a blogger living across the street, known online as "New York Eye," using high-definition equipment. He had originally only intended to film some curious footage of the Association's vehicles but unexpectedly captured such a "contrasting cuteness" moment.
He didn't hesitate for a moment. After a simple edit, he uploaded the video with a title and music to major social media platforms.
The title was: "Tough Guy, Tender Heart? Hero Association C-Class Hero 'Iron Wall' Leads Team to Help Old Lady Find Her Cat!"
The video began with Iron Wall's imposing, burly figure and the stern Association vehicles, giving a sense of "something big happening." Immediately after, the scene shifted to his "clumsy" gentleness as he carefully used an energy platform to bring the cat down, Allison's focused profile communicating with the cat, Mrs. Eleanor's touching moment of tears while holding her cat, and the spontaneous, kind applause and smiles from the surrounding neighbors.
The background music was a light and warm piano piece.
This video, like a warm bomb, was dropped into the internet, which had not yet fully recovered from the "Traffic is King" incident.
Within just one hour of its release, it garnered over a million views, and shares and likes soared like a Rocket.
"Oh my god! Iron Wall actually has this side to him! So heartwarming!"
"That girl is the 'Cat Speaker'! She was the one who found tommy before!"
"This is what a hero should be like! Not only can he fight monsters, but he can also help grandmas find their cats!"
"Look! This is professionalism! Even finding a cat is so organized and disciplined!"
"Is the Association going for a people-friendly approach? Love it, love it!"
"Compare that to a certain rich guy flying around in an iron suit and almost getting killed by pop-up ads, the difference is clear! (Dog head for self-preservation)"
"Wuwuwu, I cried watching this, it reminded me of my grandma's cat..."
The tide of public opinion almost unilaterally shifted towards praise and approval. The Hero Association's image, which had previously been somewhat distant due to its efficiency and mystery, was at this moment imbued with immense approachability. "Powerful yet approachable" and "professional and warm" became high-frequency terms in the comment section.
Even some media outlets and commentators who had previously reserved judgment on the Association published articles praising this as a "return and sublimation of the heroic ideal," believing that the Association had taken a tangible and powerful step in building a healthy interactive relationship between extraordinary powers and ordinary communities.
S.H.I.E.L.D., Trident Headquarters.
Maria Hill placed a tablet on Nick Fury's desk, which was playing the cat-finding video. "Officer, it seems they know how to manage their image."
Fury's single eye scanned the faces of the emotional and smiling public on the screen, as well as the small slogan printed on the inside of the car door—"With great power comes great responsibility, and even greater care"—which was inadvertently revealed at the end of the video as Iron Wall and Allison boarded the vehicle. (This was one of the internal Association slogans authorized by Kingpin.)
He snorted coldly, tapping his finger on the desk: "Managing their image? Hill, what you see is just the surface. Look at the process, the coordination, the camera angles! This is clearly a meticulously planned public relations operation!"
He pulled up data analysis: "The video's release timing perfectly followed the 'Traffic is King' incident, which highlighted the Association's professionalism; the content chosen, an extreme emotional resonance point; the personnel, a C-Class Hero known for defense and reliability, and a newcomer with special affinity; even the videographer 'New York Eye,' with a clean background, but whether the act of posting was entirely spontaneous is debatable."
"Kingpin isn't just flexing his muscles; he's systematically and comprehensively exporting his corporate culture." Fury's voice was cold, "He's telling everyone that the Hero Association isn't just a sword to deal with crises, but also the salt that integrates into the community. He's vying for the most crucial battleground: people's hearts."
In Stark Tower, Tony Stark also saw the viral video. He pursed his lips and said to Jarvis, "Hmph, a show. With that time, they'd be better off researching how to deal with the next, possibly more troublesome monster."
Despite saying so, he couldn't help but watch the video again, especially the scene of Iron Wall carefully constructing an energy platform to receive the cat. He had to admit that this kind of "down-to-earth" warmth was indeed something his cool Iron Man suit had difficulty providing.
And on the top floor of Fisk Tower, Kingpin calmly watched the public opinion analysis report about the video. On the screen, the curve representing public favorability was rising strongly.
["Community Care" Initiative Implementation Effect Assessment: Far exceeding expectations.]
[Association Public Approachability Index Increase: +15.7%.]
[Potential Qualified Applicants Submission Quantity Growth Rate: +23%.]
He closed the report, his gaze turning to the window. He didn't care about the praise on the internet or the doubts of certain individuals. What he cared about was the result, the tangible expansion of influence and consolidation of foundation brought about by this "corporate culture" output.
Helping an old woman find her cat, and defeating a ghost-level monster, held equally important strategic significance in maintaining the "order" and "stability" he pursued. The former, in fact, could more subtly dismantle potential resistance and weave a stronger web of identification.
This seemingly trivial cat-finding mission was like a precise cultural sowing. And the harvest season, it seemed, would not be too far off.
The video's popularity was still fermenting, and in a hidden corner of the online World, a new entry quietly appeared in an encrypted document named "Observer's Log":
"Target: Cat Speaker (Allison Green). Social interaction test (non-voluntary) passed. Affinity and public opinion guidance value confirmed. Potential assessment fine-tuned: B+ (social aspect). Recommendation: Maintain observation, seek next suitable 'sowing' opportunity."
The log was signed with a blurry cat's paw print, as if composed of data streams.