Hong Fei had no intention of taking action against them. Not yet, at least. Facing the group of heroes who stood before him with barely concealed tremors, he simply smiled—a warm, amiable smile. Yet this seemed only to heighten the Avengers' unease. Tony sensed the tension in the air, but this time he'd learned his lesson. If his teammates weren't speaking, he wouldn't utter a word either.
Once everyone had lined up in front of him, Hong Fei pretended not to notice their discomfort. He narrowed his eyes slightly and said, "There's something I want to discuss with you today."
A collective sigh of relief rippled through the group.
"In light of the catastrophic destruction caused by the recent war in London and New York, and in mourning for the millions now displaced and in desperate need of aid, I've decided to make some adjustments to the Superpower Park plan."
The Avengers exchanged glances, their eyes alight with anticipation.
Hong Fei continued, "The core idea of Superpower Park is to harness the popularity of superheroes themselves as its primary operational driver. It uses profitable methods to address the challenges superheroes face in their daily lives, alleviating their concerns and guiding them to join the effort in maintaining and building a peaceful world. At the same time, it prevents certain mutated individuals from straying down dangerous paths and causing irreversible harm."
The group nodded in silent agreement.
"But after recent events, I believe we can do more."
"First," Hong Fei paused, his gaze sweeping over them, "where does Superpower Park's operating profit come from?"
Silence followed. Steve finally stepped forward and answered, "From the ordinary people who admire us."
"Correct," Hong Fei affirmed.
"Some admire you, some worship you, some aspire to be like you. This may not have been your original intent as superheroes, but it's the true value of Superpower Park. If no one cared about you, the park couldn't sustain itself, and profits would be irrelevant. As the saying goes, 'Take from the people, give back to the people.' Whatever we gain, we should use it where it's needed most."
"I don't want my share!"
Tony interjected, having grasped the point entirely. The moment he spoke, Hong Fei, Steve, and the others turned to stare at him. Tony smirked, clearly pleased with himself.
"Don't look at me like I'm some kind of hero. You all know I'm not short on cash. I've donated plenty before, and I can donate more if needed."
Hong Fei's lips curled into a faint, insincere smile. When no one else spoke up, Steve shook his head and said, "Tony, that's not the point."
Tony blinked, taken aback.
"What do you mean, 'not the point'?" Steve sighed.
"You weren't here earlier and didn't hear the two stories Hong shared with us. They carry profound lessons and have deeply influenced us."
Tony's eyes widened as he glanced around the room. Everyone nodded in agreement, even Rhodes, who looked at him with an expression that bordered on disappointment. Tony swore he'd never been on the receiving end of such a gaze, especially not from Rhodes and Steve.
"What... what exactly did I do wrong?" he asked, utterly baffled.
Steve glanced at Hong Fei, who gave a subtle nod. Taking the cue, Steve proceeded to retell the two stories to Tony in his own words, though his delivery was fragmented and clumsy. Still, he managed to convey the essence of Zi Lu accepting the ox and Zi Gong refusing the gold.
Tony soon fell into deep thought, and Hong Fei's eye twitched on the side. The stories, though clumsily recounted by Steve, had clearly struck a chord.
Seeing Tony still deep in thought, Hong Fei didn't bother waiting and pressed on.
"This time, I don't plan to touch your share in the Superpower Park project. Everyone gets their net profit after deducting all costs. My approach is straightforward."
"Take twenty percent from the remaining fifty percent of profits to establish a foundation for global aid work."
Steve frowned.
"Superpower Park hasn't even launched yet, but now..."
"I know," Hong Fei cut in. "That's why I've already prepared the initial capital over the past few days. The Superpower Foundation is officially registered. I'll inject the first sum of money in everyone's name—seven Avengers and ten people from my side, one billion each, totaling 17 billion. The funds will be split 40/60 and invested in London and New York respectively."
A collective gasp filled the room.
"I know some of you are wealthy, but most are middle class, and some are even struggling. I don't want anyone refusing. This isn't about handing out money to you—it's about carrying out aid work in your name. Don't tell me you have money; that's irrelevant. I just want to get this done."
Tony finally snapped out of his thoughts, pursing his lips but staying silent. If he gave up his share, would the others still feel comfortable taking theirs? If he insisted on footing the bill himself, would they have to scrape together their savings, take out loans, and still come up short?
"There are a few key points I need to clarify," Hong Fei continued. "First, the Superpower Foundation is a non-profit organization. I won't tolerate any individual or group interfering in its operations under any pretext. I'll disclose what needs to be disclosed. As members, you can access all information, but leaking it is forbidden. If discovered, you'll be immediately removed from the Superpower Park project."
"Second, the foundation's funds are for emergencies, not general poverty relief. It primarily addresses losses caused by superpowered team activities. Aid or compensation amounts will be independently assessed by the foundation. You can offer input, but I won't accept outside commentary."
"Third, the foundation's aid scope is global, not limited to specific countries. Fund allocation will be reviewed annually and adjusted accordingly. However, wars caused by force majeure, like the current one, can be treated as exceptions."
"Fourth, the foundation reserves the right to refuse aid for disasters frequently caused by local individuals or organizations. Charity isn't about cleaning up after certain governments."
"Fifth, the foundation doesn't accept external donations."
"Sixth, the foundation can halt aid at any time."
Hong Fei paused, letting his words sink in. The Avengers exchanged glances, their expressions varied.
Finally, he concluded, "The Superpower Foundation is indeed charitable, but not purely so. Now that you're all members, I'll be frank—its primary responsibility is to compensate for the collateral damage caused during your operations. This applies to you and those who follow—mutants, inheritors, and anyone who can barely be called a superhero. Of course, joining is a prerequisite. I've said my piece. Who approves? Who opposes?"
Silence hung heavy in the air. After a long moment, Tony raised his hand.
"I want to know—how are aid amounts and the decision to stop aid determined?"
"Good question," Hong Fei replied. "Everyone can participate in discussions and voting on those two matters, but I reserve veto power."
Tony's expression shifted, as did the others'. It was exactly what they'd expected.
Hong Fei wasn't about to be polite with them—no reason to be. The plan was his brainchild, and he'd be spearheading all future operations. Helping others was fine, but how he helped—or whether he helped at all—was entirely his call. Lose that right, and Master Hong might as well flip the table and walk away.
When no one spoke up, Hong Fei continued, "My vision for the Superpower Foundation is to build it into a massive, global organization. Fighting alone is pointless—integration and unity are the way forward. That's just a rough idea, though. The specifics are up to you to figure out. Once you've thought it through, give me a report."
He paused, then added, "If you don't know how to write it, just share your thoughts and let Coulson organize them. The year's almost over—get it to me by February. Goodbye, heroes."
With that, Hong Fei turned and walked out without a backward glance. His departure left the room in stunned silence.
The six regulations for the Superpower Foundation paled in comparison to the purpose and vision Hong Fei had just laid out. Questions flooded everyone's minds, but Hong Fei didn't care what they thought. Whether they liked it or not, he was going to make it happen—and he'd make it happen well. The Foundation's support would be the catalyst.
The war's aftermath was still fresh, a grim reminder of the need for a unified platform—one that transcended skin color, nationality, gender, and team affiliations. It was a turning point, and Hong Fei intended to shape it in a way that would be accepted by both the parties involved and the world at large.
Leaving the temporary S.H.I.E.L.D. base behind, Hong Fei returned directly to Sokovia. A day later, Big Head showed up, proudly presenting Bast's leopard skin as proof of his handiwork. He'd skinned it flawlessly, showcasing his skill—proof that his "Big Head" wasn't just for show.
That night, Hong Fei opened a portal. Big Head stepped through and soon returned, dragging a terrified white man behind him. He threw the man to the ground with a thud. The man grimaced in pain, looked up, and opened his mouth to speak.
Hong Fei waved his hand, silencing him.
"I've started doing good deeds, but your existence makes me deeply uncomfortable. After some thought, I decided I need to be at ease before I can fully commit to this plan. That's why I brought you here."
He leaned forward, his voice cold.
"Our hatred isn't that deep, but your attitude and tone back then have been gnawing at me ever since. You can blame me, hate me, even haunt me if you want. But tonight, someone's going to send you on your way."
With another wave of his hand, Big Head dragged the man out of the room.
Hong Fei had been curious about the scalping process, but seeing the man killed his interest. Before long, Big Head returned, holding something bloody.
"If you step through that door with that, I'll skin you next," Hong Fei warned. Big Head stopped just outside the threshold and chuckled.
Combined with what he was holding, it looked somewhat sinister and terrifying. Hong Fei glanced at it briefly, then turned away.
"Not bad. Good skill."
"Hehe, I learned it from a hunter," Big Head replied.
"Good," Hong Fei said. "Next time you make a low-level mistake that insults everyone's intelligence, you can practice on yourself in front of a mirror."
Big Head's smile vanished instantly.
"Hanging it up will scare the children; throw it onto that President's desk."
"Yes."
He got up and went to the balcony; the sky was cloudless for ten thousand miles. White Dragon hadn't come out for the past few days. Hong Fei had given it too much Dragon Power, and now it was lying quietly at the bottom of the lake.
The Dark Elves' main warship had been brought back. Now Shuri was conducting a comprehensive, large-scale inspection and test on it. The alien technology did not stop Shuri, that genius. Besides, even if there were problems, Hong Fei could drag a Dark Elf back from Asgard for interrogation.
Before fully mastering and becoming proficient in operating the main warship, Hong Fei would not leave Earth for the time being. And during this time, he also had to go to Kunlun to fight the Great Dragon. However, the New Year was approaching, and it was time for the annual distribution of red envelopes.
This time, in addition to preparing no less money than in the past, Hong Fei was also prepared to give them a big incentive. The granting function of the fusion card had long been usable. Now, the Dark Curse fusion card could help a person quickly improve their strength.
The problem was that after giving out this incentive, he didn't know if he would be able to gather the next one for a considerable period of time. After all, it required one main card and two sub-cards, a total of three fusion cards to perform it once, and he currently only had four fusion cards in total. Thinking of this, Hong Fei couldn't help but shake his head.
In the end, good deeds and bad deeds must be done continuously. Sparring shouldn't be slacked off either. After obtaining Dragon Power, his demand for skill cards decreased, so he couldn't help but start to slack off. It was time to let everyone feel the warmth of Master Hong again.