As the Flash movie wrapped up and entered the final stages of frenzied production, another film being simultaneously shot by DC, Justice League vs. Avengers, was still in the midst of filming.
Despite Quentin Shell holographic projections allowing for simultaneous shooting and special effects, this film, blending many real-world elements and featuring a vast array of characters, was quite cumbersome to shoot.
Moreover, with actual superheroes from the Justice League like Venom, Ghost Rider, Spider-Man, and the Ninja Turtles set to cameo, Jim was committed to perfection, crafting a groundbreaking film carefully without concern for going over budget.
For a guaranteed profitable project, Jim next task was to ensure that this project would be memorable.
Anton paid some attention to this before fully entrusting the project to Jim.
It worth noting that during the filming of this movie, Tony Stark, who had been out of the news, couldn't help but tweet vehemently, sparking a flurry of spectators and collective cheers online, heightening anticipation for the film.
Anton retweeted this tweet, adding his own comment.
Tony was so angry he smashed a cup.
Happy times are always short-lived. Just as Anton finished work with the Flash crew and returned to New York, he saw a report from Z in his inbox, which made him look perplexed.
It concerned Jason Wynn.
Jason had reported to the Men in Black headquarters, mentioning a strange person appearing around him recently, seemingly monitoring his movements.
Jason believed this frequently encountered individual harbored ill intentions, possibly someone he had crossed during his military service, and hoped that the Men in Black organization could intervene to ensure his safety and allow him to investigate the matter.
After some thought, Anton decided to visit the Men in Black headquarters and consult his deputy.
"What the situation?" he asked Z. "This person monitoring Jason Wynn movements, it isn't one of our people, is it?"
"Our people aren't that stupid," Z shook his head. "Jason Wynn was a senior military officer, a spy by training, with high counter-surveillance capabilities. I never had anyone physically tail him, just monitored his activities online, as it the digital age, and surveillance is everywhere…"
He paused, looking somewhat helpless at Anton, "These days, hardly anyone uses such an outdated method as physical tracking to investigate someone."
"That makes sense," said Anton. "So, who is this person?"
"Actually, we had already noticed something off about this person before Jason Wynn reported it to us, and had started investigating him."
Z slightly frowned, speaking while he activated a projector.
The projection displayed an image of a person.
Simultaneously, Z played a surveillance video for Anton to see more clearly.
It was footage of the odd figure tracking Jason Wynn.
"This guy is dressed in rags, like a beggar, with a hood covering his entire body and face, making it hard to ascertain his real identity. Also, we haven't determined exactly when he started appearing around Jason Wynn."
Z concluded, sounding incredulous, "This guy seems to appear out of nowhere, and then vanish into thin air."
"Appears out of nowhere and vanishes into thin air?" Anton mused for a moment and nodded. "If that the case, then continue the investigation until we find out his identity. I will also use my contacts to synchronize the search for this person."
"Understood," Z nodded, then asked, "Anton, this person is clearly connected to Jason Wynn, and you've been investigating Jason Wynn for a while now. What exactly has he done to warrant such attention?"
Z question was well-founded.
Though Jason Wynn was originally a high-ranking military officer, he wasn't truly on Anton level.
Who is Anton?
The director of the Men in Black, a member of the Justice League, controller of the Daily Bugle, DC Comics, Wayne Enterprises, closely associated with the World Security Council, and maintaining good relations with the U.S. government and military.
Anton stood at the pinnacle of multiple pyramids, from wealth to power, all within his easy grasp.
Jason Wynn might appear to hold a certain degree of power and status, but compared to Anton, he was insignificant.
It took only a word from Anton to transfer Jason Wynn from his original position to a regular agent within the Men in Black, without any means of resistance, let alone the option to resign.
The Men in Black are considered a semi-secretive unit.
In such a unit, resignations are not permitted unless in the case of death.
Of course, resigning isn't entirely impossible.
But clearly, it not something Jason Wynn could manage.
Overall, Z really couldn't understand why Anton was so focused on such a minor figure.
"He special."
After some thought, Anton explained, "You know, there are always some people in this world who get caught up in whirlpools they can't control because of their ambitions.
Jason Wynn is one of them. Actually, this matter has nothing to do with us I'm only investigating because Batman commissioned it."
"Batman?"
Z expression immediately turned solemn, realizing the gravity of the situation. He nodded decisively, "Don't worry, I'll do everything I can to find that guy."
"That it for today."
After saying that, Anton left the Men in Black organization.
He drove home.
On the way, his thoughts were scattered.
Someone was targeting Jason Wynn.
Who could it be?
Anton had a guess in his mind, but he wasn't sure how accurate it was, though he felt it was very close to the truth.
"Spawn, Al Simmons."
In the original plot, Al Simmons would return to Earth from hell on the fifth anniversary of his death to seek revenge on Jason Wynn.
Although the revenge was successful, it was all too late.
His girlfriend had ended up with his best friend, and they were married with a three-year-old daughter.
Now, only half a year had passed, and the situation hadn't cooled down yet.
However, his head was probably a bit green.
In any comic book movie adaptation, there always a bit of cuckoldry involved, a typical American trope.
"Could it be you?"
Anton pondered.
After arriving home, he instructed the Continental Hotel to track down Al Simmons whereabouts in New York.
Simultaneously, using his own authority, he accessed the military database to pull up Al Simmons records.
Anton gaze locked onto a name in the data.
Wanda Blake.
This Wanda was not the other famous Wanda, but Spawn girlfriend, Al Simmons.
American creativity really isn't that rich.
Anton couldn't help but criticize again.
Too many people share the same name.
In a series of comics, animations, and dramas, the recurrence of names among major characters was like the four big families in previous web novels: Lin, Ye, Xiao, and Chu.
If it really was Al Simmons returning from hell, then not only would he go after Jason Wynn, but his girlfriend Wanda Blake would also be a target of his observation.
With the Men in Black watching over Jason Wynn, Anton only needed to approach from another angle.
As he pondered, an idea struck him.
By his side.
Shazam made his entrance.
Although the movie Spawn was a flop, the content it involved was not just any ordinary plot.
It dealt with a lord of hell, akin to Mephisto.
To some extent, the lord of hell in Spawn was even more terrifying than Mephisto.
Despite the disappointing portrayal in the film, the setting required Anton to take it seriously.
He decided to deploy his own forces, the Dark Justice League, the strongest magical force.
Shazam, with his nickname of the magical Superman, was rightfully involved in this matter.
In the next moment, a teleportation halo enveloped Shazam, transporting him to the location specified in the records.
New York, a certain place in Brooklyn.
Shazam figure appeared in the dark alleyway.
Wanda Blake.
Originally living in Los Angeles, Spawn girlfriend decided to leave that place of sorrow after Al Simmons death and moved to New York.
According to the records, Wanda Blake had met an old friend in New York.
This "old friend" was naturally Al Simmons partner and best friend, the very person who had cuckolded him.
The two now harbored ambiguous feelings for each other, having become boyfriend and girlfriend.
Wanda had gradually moved on from Simmons death, actively embracing a new life in a new place.
It seemed Simmons had indeed returned too late.
As Shazam contemplated, his brow suddenly furrowed, sensing a trace of demonic energy nearby, and he swiftly took flight.
By this time, it was already evening.
Not far from where Shazam had been, inside a certain house,
Wanda Blake was at the doorstep welcoming her boyfriend home, the two sharing a close kiss, both faces filled with happiness.
They were completely unaware that in a dark corner, a hideously ugly, ragged, and foul-smelling vagrant was blankly watching them.
Rather than watching both, his gaze was fixed solely on Wanda.
This vagrant eyes stayed locked on her from beginning to end.
Only when Wanda boyfriend returned home did his expression slightly change.
"Bark! Bark! Bark!"
Suddenly.
The barking of a dog drew Wanda and her boyfriend attention.
"What the matter?"
Wanda was surprised this little dog was a pet she and her ex-boyfriend had deeply cared for.
Having been raised for so many years, it was well-behaved and didn't usually bark without cause.
The dog, excitedly barking, charged toward the vagrant in the corner.
Simmons, curled up in a corner, watched the dog rushing towards him and tears of excitement streamed down his face.
It recognized him.
"Who there?"
However, a stern shout snapped Simmons back to reality. Looking up, it was his girlfriend, Wanda.
"Who are you? Stay away from my dog!"
Wanda looked frightened.
Clearly, she instinctively felt repulsed by the ugly vagrant before her.
Simmons stared blankly at Wanda, opened his mouth, but said nothing.
"If you don't leave, I'm calling the police!"
Wanda scooped up the dog from beside Simmons, gave him a cold look, and then turned and left.
The door shut tightly.
She and her boyfriend returned inside the house.
Under the lights.
Simmons, peering through the window, saw the two figures behind the door embracing each other wantonly, clenched his fists, filled with hatred.
However, this hatred wasn't directed at the man and woman before him, but at the person responsible for all this.
"Jason Wynn!"
Simmons hatred was overwhelming.
Clomp, clomp, clomp!
Suddenly, strange footsteps sounded.
"Ha ha ha ha ha ha!"
Even stranger laughter, which annoyed Simmons inexplicably.
Turning his head, he saw a fat figure standing before him like a mountain, surprisingly a circus clown.
"It you!"
Simmons recognized the person: "What exactly do you want?"
"I told you, you're already dead."
The fat clown laughed, "Simmons, accept the reality, you're now a minion of the lord of hell, you're no longer human."
Simmons fell silent.
He had anticipated this, yet he never dared to accept the reality.
"Your body is buried in Los Angeles."
The fat clown continued, "If you want, I can accompany you there, dig up your body to have a look, and let you give up completely."
"What do you want to do?"
Simmons gaze sharpened as he stared intently at the fat clown in front of him, repeating his question, "Tell me, what do you want to do?"
"It not what I want to do, it what the demon lord wants to do."
The fat clown replied, "Haven't you realized yet that you have become different from others?"
"Different?"
Simmons was taken aback.
Then, as if sensing something, intense pain swept through his body, causing him to let out a earth-shattering scream unexpectedly.
"AAAAAAAHHHHHHHH—"
His agonizing cry alarmed the residents nearby.
Especially in the house, where Wanda and her boyfriend were enjoying their dinner.
The two opened the door to see a grotesquely fat circus clown with a sinister smile, looking down at a hideously ugly vagrant.
The vagrant was kneeling on the ground, supporting himself with his hands, sweating profusely, and wailing in pain.
Ssssss!
A strange noise erupted from within the vagrant.
Suddenly.
What happened next horrified Wanda and her boyfriend to their core.
Ssssss!
Spine-like metallic projections extended from the vagrant back, and then, the layer of metal began to flow like liquid, covering his entire body and forming an enclosed suit of armor.
The armor, though metallic in sheen, seemed more like it was made from flesh and blood, with bone spurs on the elbows and knees chilling to the bone, especially with the sudden appearance of a red cape on the back, making it all the more demonic.
"You... what are you..."
Wanda and her boyfriend swallowed hard, unable to hide the terror on their faces.
The armored man turned to look at them, his eyes filled with complex emotions.
They were too frightened to notice this.
"Finally..."
"You have finally awakened."
The fat clown, seeing this, was very satisfied with the man transformation, "Come, join me to fulfill your mission."
As soon as he finished speaking, another voice rang out.
"Fatso, did you really think nobody on Earth cares anymore?"
A cold voice reached their ears: "I'm here today, let see where you can go."