Chapter 106 The Out-of-Control Mecha Army
Stark Expo, the site of the Hammer Industries press conference.
Hundreds of Iron Man Armors, like a silent steel torrent, each gleaming with a cold, matte finish.
"Shit, is Hammer Industries that powerful?"
Norman Osborn, who had originally come to watch the show, was the only one who truly understood the bitterness in his heart.
As fellow defense contractors in the Military industry, Osborn Group had always lagged behind Stark Industries and Hammer Industries for years.
Last year.
Stark Industries closed its weapons research and development department, publicly declaring it would no longer sell arms, and its defense share was quickly divided by Hammer Industries and Osborn Group.
He thought he could leave Stark Industries behind, but unexpectedly, Tony Stark directly threw out two trump cards: the miniature Arc Reactor and the Mark Armor.
He instantly took a commanding lead over them.
Only the second and third places were left to fight among themselves.
Now, Hammer Industries has experienced a technological explosion, with land, sea, and air armors that are even more excessive than Iron Man's.
"Is Heaven trying to destroy my Osborn?"
Osborn secretly made up his mind that he must quickly find new profit points, otherwise, there was a high probability that he, as chairman, would be removed by the board of directors.
Damn you, Hammer, you really are damn it.
Wouldn't it be better for everyone to squeeze the toothpaste together and happily make money from the government and the Military?
Releasing so many armors at once, does that make you, Hammer, look impressive, huh?
Not only was Osborn greatly shocked, but the Tony trio watching the live broadcast were also surprised.
"Jarvis, did King go to the press conference?"
Tony still thought that King, due to lack of money, had reluctantly sold the underlying technology of the White Can Armor to Hammer.
This was very consistent with the speed at which he spent money.
Otherwise, with Hammer's idiot IQ, he would never be able to develop an Arc Reactor in this lifetime, let alone land, sea, and air armors.
This name is really trash…
"Sir, Mr. Murdoch is currently engaged in disaster relief."
"Disaster relief?"
"Yes, this afternoon, a severe Fire broke out in the Adirondack region of New York State, and Mr. Murdochhas been busy with disaster relief efforts."
"Alright."
Tony wasn't planning to move; with Murdoch there, it was just a small Fire, easily extinguished.
However, Hammer Industries' actions put more pressure on him.
More pressure also meant more motivation.
He must quickly break through nanotech and implement it into the next generation of Mark Armor.
As for why Hammer possessed the Arc Reactor, Tonycouldn't figure it out for a while.
At this moment, at the Hammer Industries press conference, Justin Hammer was demonstrating the functions of the land, sea, and air armors to the audience.
"Just a light press…"
Hundreds of armors simultaneously activated the machine guns on their shoulders, and infrared crosshairs precisely aimed at the audience.
"Hahaha." Hammer laughed, "Just kidding, everyone. The armors manufactured by our Hammer Industriesabsolutely lead the industry in safety performance."
However, no matter how he tried, the infrared crosshairs never moved, still aiming at the audience.
"Ivan?" Hammer whispered through his earpiece, "My remote control is broken."
"Boy, it's not broken."
As soon as he finished speaking, the armors, which had already formed a circle around the venue, simultaneously activated and fired at the audience.
After one round of shooting, at least a hundred people died.
The audience immediately fell into chaos, with panicked screams and desperate cries for help intertwining, almost tearing off the roof of the entire venue.
Senator Stern roared, "Hammer, what in the world are you doing? Are you out of your mind?"
The Military's procurement of Hammer's armor was spearheaded by him, but now an accident had occurred.
Stern didn't even need to think about what would happen next; he would most likely be removed from Congress.
Damn you, Hammer, I'm going to kill you.
Hammer stood on stage, so anxious he was almost in tears: "It wasn't me, it wasn't me, I didn't do it."
He just followed Ivan's instructions to control the armors on site and did nothing else.
Although he didn't know why this was happening, he understood that if he couldn't resolve it quickly, he, Justin Hammer, would definitely be finished.
This was clearly an act of Terrorists.
Moreover, all the guests he had invited to the VIP section were prominent political figures and celebrities from various states.
If anything happened to these people, the forces behind them could crush Hammer into dust.
Just then, the large screen on the stage lit up.
On the screen: Ivan Vanko, with a toothpick in his mouth, was teasing a pet bird while smiling and greeting.
"Hello, audience of Great America."
"I only want Tony Stark to come. If the Great Americaauthorities send one more person, I'm sorry, you will all die."
Someone on site had just tried to break out of the encirclement and was instantly riddled with bullets.
"Now, be good, don't be late."
Limited by Hammer Industries' resources, Ivan had originally planned to build 1000 armors to deal with that man.
Now, only three hundred have been built.
However, it's not a big problem.
With nearly a thousand audience members and political figures and celebrities in the VIP section as hostages, Ivan believed that man would not act rashly.
Tonight, Hammer's part in the show was over; the next protagonist was him, and he would show how he would deal with Tony Stark.
If he came, he would face failure and Death.
If he didn't come, then that would be just perfect.
At that time, being disgraced would be a minor issue; the entire Stark Industries would never recover.
In less than a minute, through the live broadcast, global audiences entered gossip mode.
Upon learning that Terrorists had appeared in New York, the mayor's first words were: "King, quickly go and invite King over."
The mayor's secretary hurriedly responded: "Mayor, King was invited by the governor to help with disaster relief…"
"Fuck! Quickly notify the White House to request support! Call S.H.I.E.L.D., the FBI, everyone! Quickly!"
If it were ordinary Terrorists, the NYPD would be enough to handle it, but at this time, inside the Stark Expo, hundreds of armors were controlled by Terrorists.
Never mind the NYPD, even if a U.S. military armored regiment came, it would be difficult to resolve in a short time.
Cutting off someone's career is like killing their parents.
Damn you, Hammer, don't let me catch you.
Stark Industries Park, Nanotechnology Laboratory.
Tony was putting on his foldable Mark Armor; due to his focus on conquering nanotech, the Mark Armor upgrade work had already been suspended.
He wanted to wear the White Can, but he didn't have enough authorization.
The White Can Armor… it was as if it had recognized a master, only cooperating with research, and nothing else.
"Damn it, a Fire had to happen at this time." Tonycursed.
With King not around, he felt inexplicably panicked. The enemy was simply too well-prepared, leaving him alone to face nearly three hundred armors.
Although he was arrogant, he wasn't foolish.
If the nanotech armor was successfully developed, he could try… the feat of 1VS300.
Even without a chance of winning, Tony still had no thought of escaping. The enemy had specifically named him to come, so how could he back out?
Tony Stark, he would never be inferior to anyone in his life!
Chapter 107 Timing is Important
Adirondack Region, New York State.
On a scorched piece of land, two figures held hands, surrounded by several reporters holding cameras, capturing the vitality within the ashes into fleeting light spots.
"Murdoch," Governor Andrew said, "You saved the Adirondacks."
Years of good habits developed in front of media cameras allowed Qin Mo to handle all this with ease.
"As a member of New York State, Mr. Governor, this is what I should do."
Andrew held Murdoch's hand and looked at the camera, saying, "This is our New York State's child."
Click, click, click, the flashlights started flickering again without stopping.
The political show ended, and after the news workers gradually left, Governor Andrew said earnestly:
"Compared to an Assembly Member, I recommend you run for New York State Senator instead."
Without waiting for Murdoch to speak, the Governor continued.
"An Assembly Member's term is only 2 years, and all must be re-elected at the end of the term. A total of 435 Assembly Members are elected across Great America. In 2 years… you simply won't have time to do anything."
"It's better to train for a period in New York State."
"Then run for Congress Senator when you're thirty… A 6-year term is enough for you to achieve something great."
Andrew truly admired Murdoch; he was powerful, came from a good background, yet loved this land. Who in Great America wouldn't envy New York State for having Murdoch?
"Mr. Governor, I will seriously consider it."
For Qin Mo, an Assembly Member was just a stepping stone, a foundation for serving as a Security Councilmember. The extent of power was not as important.
Actually, he was quite grateful that the Governor said these things; this person truly hoped he would stay in New York State.
While the two were chatting, Andrew's phone suddenly rang non-stop.
"What? Terrorists in the city? Requesting King to provide support? He's still busy…"
At this moment, Qin Mo also received a distress call. Just as he was about to move, he was stopped by Andrew.
"Murdoch, it's not appropriate for you to show up at this time…"
After glancing around to confirm no one was present, Governor Andrew whispered.
"The other party is looking for Stark. What if, what if because of you… even if the other party only kills one person, someone will blame it on you."
"This will become a blemish on your political career."
Qin Mo expressed his gratitude for the Governor's kindness: "Thank you for telling me this."
"There's an ancient saying in the East: 'It's not my intention to be enfeoffed, but I wish the sea to be calm.' Mr. Governor, I don't want to regret today's absence in the future."
At this moment, the exquisite acting Qin Mo displayed deserved an Oscar for Best Actor.
Governor Andrew was stunned for a few seconds before smiling and saying, "Go, don't leave any regrets."
Seeing Murdoch soar straight into the sky, the Governor couldn't help but sigh: What a good child… Great America currently lacks such a Hua Shi Ren who thinks for the people.
But the more such a person is, the less suitable they are for politics, unless Murdoch is not as simple as he appears…
"A dark belly beneath a simple exterior, how interesting…"
… …
Life Technology Lab.
Closing the Mark faceplate, Tony took a deep breath. Just as he was about to leave for the appointment, the White Can Armor next to him patted his shoulder.
In Tony's astonished eyes, a crimson light flashed across the White Can Armor, and then it flew directly towards the venue.
"Dr., why do I feel like there was a person inside the White Can Armor just now?"
"Oh?" Zhao Hailun said, "Actually, I also had that feeling just now."
"It really seemed like there was someone," Ethanechoed.
Dividing the story into two, on the other side.
Ivan Vanko, wearing his new armor, had already arrived at the Hammer Industries press conference venue, quietly waiting for Tony Stark to arrive.
Sometimes, your enemy understands you better than you understand yourself.
Ivan firmly believed: the other party would definitely come.
At the press conference, Jane Foster also firmly believed that a certain person would definitely come.
Da Xiong Mei Daisy leaned against her best friend: "Why isn't your boyfriend here yet?"
"He will definitely come."
Daisy lowered her head helplessly; her best friend had already been 'drugged' by her idol, the kind beyond cure.
Sure enough, not long after.
A silver-white humanoid armor, trailing a fiery exhaust, descended from the sky. The White Can Armor's feet slammed into the stage floor.
Clang!!!
"Tony~~ Stark."
Ivan smiled, "I thought you would run away."
Although the armor in front of him was a different color from the red and gold armor Stark usually wore, Ivandidn't suspect much.
In his heart, among all the heroes in the world, besides that man, there were only him and Stark.
That man was indeed powerful, but in terms of intelligence, he might not be as good as him and Stark.
(●—●)
For revenge, Ivan had meticulously planned for over half a year. Now, it was finally time to kill his enemy with his own hands. Today, he would gang up on Tony Stark.
Three hundred armors were his confidence.
"Stark, I will take back everything that belongs to me, and you will eventually have nothing."
Hearing this, Qin Mo finally couldn't bear it anymore. The faceplate on the White Can helmet automatically disappeared, revealing his dashing and handsome face.
This old fellow was too deeply immersed in the victim's perspective, beyond salvation. After being trained by Starhawk for a period, he would then make further plans.
Killing was the worst option. Reasonably utilizing all available labor to earn money was what a qualified capitalist should do.
As a seasoned capitalist warrior, Qin Mo always stood on the side of profit.
"It's you." A trace of panic flashed in Ivan's eyes.
Murdoch, as Great America's new generation of superhero, had never been defeated since his debut.
A person's reputation is like a tree's shadow; his legend had long since deeply impressed people with every victory.
"Since you're meddling, don't blame me…"
Ivan's words abruptly stopped. His three hundred armors opened fire, unleashing a barrage towards the audience…
Amidst the roar, he seemed to hear the dull thud of bullets tearing through flesh, seeing exploding blood mist…
However, in a split second.
The surroundings of the press conference were suddenly frozen. Cold air swept in like a tsunami, and shattered glass, bullets, and three hundred armors were all covered in frost.
Even the flowing time seemed to have its gears frozen, experiencing a momentary slight stutter…
"Hoo~" Qin Mo exhaled a breath of cold air.
In the previous situation, he had many ways to solve it, such as pausing time, imprisoning space, disintegrating bullets and armors…
But all these methods were, without exception, too overpowered.
From now on, he would try not to show off too much, what if he scared away the purple sweet potato monster?
Then how would he run for Hua Shi Ren?
"You… you…"
Ivan Vanko stood motionless, clearly having completely given up resistance: He was so well prepared, yet still lost to Murdoch.
Today's defeat was not due to a lack of fighting ability.
Who told him he didn't have such an awesome friend…
Chapter 108: Joys and sorrows are not the same
At the Hammer Industries press conference.
From the moment Qin Mo arrived in the White Can Armor until the crisis was completely resolved, only two and a half minutes passed.
The Hammer mecha ice sculptures surrounding the venue, the audience present, and global viewers watching through the live broadcast once again witnessed Murdoch's power.
Upon discovering the crisis was resolved,
Senator Stern, a HYDRA operative, rushed from the VIP section to the center of the stage the moment he saw his chance, finding the perfect spot to perform...
He neither blocked Murdoch nor prevented himself from appearing frequently on camera, showing his profound skill.
"Let us give our warmest applause to Mr. Murdoch for saving us!"
Clap, clap, clap, clap, clap~
Not long ago, when his boss arrived, Rumlow, with his agile movements, infiltrated the venue, and now, he also got to appear before a global audience.
He personally arrested Justin Hammer.
Human joys and sorrows are not the same; Hammeronly felt the surrounding noise was extremely loud.
Just a moment ago, he was enjoying the greatest glory of his life at the center of the stage, standing in the spotlight, pointing fingers and wildly disparaging Tony Stark.
Now, he was being arrested in front of a global audience.
The contrast in his circumstances was truly a Worldapart.
Before the press conference, he was the most dazzling star in the World.
After the press conference, he... really wanted to cry.
Hammer knew he was finished; if not for this damned live broadcast, perhaps there would still be a chance to resolve the disaster by spending money.
It would just mean spending a little more to pave the way.
In Great America, the law is merely a weapon devised by the powerful to confine ordinary citizens, ineffective against big capitalists.
If a big capitalist is sanctioned by law, there is only one possibility: not enough money was paid.
This has already become an unwritten rule.
Compared to his freedom for the rest of his life, Hammerwould have no objection even if it meant exchanging all his lifelong wealth for it.
But it was precisely this live broadcast, for which he had spent countless sums of money to arrange, that firmly nailed him to the pillar of shame, with even the evidence readily available.
Having been exposed to public view, how could he use his financial power to defend himself? Although he wouldn't die because of this, his freedom was gone.
The silver handcuffs were so dazzling, hurting his eyes, so he quickly looked up, pretending to gaze at the night sky.
Don't lower your head, tears will fall.
Before being escorted into the prisoner transport vehicle, Hammer turned back and glanced at the massive Hammer Industries press conference banner above the venue...
At least, he had once enjoyed glory.
That was enough.
With Justin Hammer and Ivan Vanko personally arrested by Rumlow, it was time to celebrate the superhero saving the World.
"King! King! King!"
The lingering smell of blood in the venue could not dampen the audience's enthusiasm.
The frozen armors bore witness to King Murdock's power and glory.
Outside the venue, the rescue team, led by the New York City mayor, exchanged glances and then let out a sigh of relief.
Fortunately, Murdoch was there; they wouldn't have their careers affected by this terrorist act.
Also because Murdoch was there, they didn't get a single bit of credit for this once-in-a-lifetime event.
Simply because that man was too fast.
From his arrival at the venue to the complete resolution of the crisis, the entire process took less than two and a half minutes, giving them no opportunity to show their faces to the global audience.
What a bother...
Nick Fury rushed to the venue, and upon learning that the problem had been resolved, he quietly approached everyone.
"Ahem, everyone has worked hard. The aftermath can be handled by S.H.I.E.L.D.."
This was not just credit; it was the cornerstone for his promotion and salary increase.
Unexpectedly getting such a massive achievement made Nick Fury's heart instantly filled with a mix of conflict and reluctance.
He was conflicted that the longer Murdoch stayed in S.H.I.E.L.D., the more unstable his position as Directorwould be, but he was reluctant to let go of the endless achievements S.H.I.E.L.D. would gain with Murdocharound.
Indeed, there is no way to have the best of both Worlds.
If only there was someone who could both bring in more achievements and pose no threat to him... how wonderful that would be.
Recruit, keep recruiting.
As long as he recruited fast enough, he would surely find a perfect employee that fit his desires.
If Captain America were still alive, how great that would be; with Captain America's noble sense of morality, he would surely be easily controlled by him.
How could he be like Murdoch, whose influence was so great that the S.H.I.E.L.D. Director couldn't suppress it at all.
For the past six months, Nick Fury always had the illusion of living in the other's shadow, as if he were the Deputy Director.
Fortunately, he only needed to endure another six months.
Once Murdoch became a congressman, then the entire S.H.I.E.L.D. would return to his control.
S.H.I.E.L.D. does not allow such a formidable existence.
Inside the venue, Qin Mo winked in the direction where Jane and Daisy were standing, then waved goodbye to his fans and the audience.
His bid for Congress was secure.
As secure as it could be.
Praise Justin Hammer, for the global live broadcast equipment he spent a fortune on, capturing his heroic figure.
Praise Ivan Vanko, for the performance stage he spent half a year building, which became a testament to his glory.
If not for the strong support of these two, Qin Mo's heroic appearance would not have become so widely known.
The Hammer Industries press conference ended in a particularly absurd way, but its impact had only just begun.
Without any speculation, shareholders already understood: when the market opened tomorrow, Hammer's stock price would plummet like a Curry three-pointer, falling thousands of miles.
The kind that couldn't be saved.
But still, the same saying...
Human joys and sorrows are not the same.
For shareholders, Hammer Industries is now the end of the World, but for Qin Mo, who was well-prepared: it's time to get rich!
He was about to accumulate 100 billion...
That night, countless people would find it hard to sleep.
There were fervent fans who witnessed their idol turn the tide through the screen, and ordinary people who learned of Murdoch's existence for the first time.
And there were the Eternal, sent by Arishem the Judge, who were searching for the new Celestials...
London, at Eternal member Sersi's house.
All ten Eternal members living on Earth were present; originally, they were celebrating their reunion after many years apart.
Now, however, they were all staring at the television in unison.
"Ajak, could he... be the new Celestials who descended upon Earth?"
Before Ajak could speak, the Black Eternal had already pulled up the suspect's information.
"King Murdoch, twenty-four years old, Anglo-Saxon, born in Manhattan, New York City..."
"Which means he is human, not the new Celestials we are looking for."
Hearing this, the Eternal fell silent.
"Ajak, Arishem the Judge My Lord," the Black Eternalgestured, "Did he tell you how to identify the Celestials?"
"This..." Ajak said helplessly, "Arishem the Judge My Lord didn't say."
The Eternal, in essence, are one of the servants created by the Celestials; their life levels are inherently different, so how could they identify a creator-level Celestials...
"I think it would be better to go meet him; perhaps we'll have an answer after meeting him."
"Seconded."
"Seconded."
Seeing that all her people agreed, Ajak could only nod.
"Alright, then we'll go meet him."
Chapter 109: A big poop?
Winter is Coming?]
[Justin Hammer Imprisoned, Hammer Industries in Turmoil Without a Leader]
[The Kid from New York State — King Murdoch]
[Recommend Selling Hammer Industries Stock]
As dawn broke, a series of explosive news stories, after a night of brewing and spreading, forcefully occupied the front pages and push notifications of major information platforms.
While people tacitly acknowledged the downfall of Hammer Industries, they didn't forget to praise Murdoch, and at the same time, lamented: Being a superhero is truly difficult.
Look, it was just last night.
Murdoch first extinguished the Fire in New York State, then rushed back to the city to combat Terrorists; it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call him a God among men.
He was truly a model worker.
"Fuck, what is NYPD doing?"
"And those FBI are all woodworms, they have time to interrogate wild dogs, but no time to protect our safety."
"Great America is what it is today, all thanks to our idol."
"Yeah, what if our idol gets too tired?"
...
Hyde Garden, Villa No. 1.
Due to being too exhausted last night, Qin Mo decided to take half a day off, rewarding himself for half a year of hard work.
Secretly setting Fire was indeed mentally tiring...
After playing the superhero, he then went to appease his excited girlfriend, Jane Foster, only returning home in the early hours of the morning to continue his intimacy with Skye.
Although he was naturally a scoundrel, he never spent the night out, which could barely be considered a redeeming quality.
Like a stray cat accustomed to wandering, with restless genes etched into its bones, yet always returning home punctually every dusk.
This was why Skye suspected him of cheating but never explicitly pointed it out.
Durability was one reason, and another was that he valued his home more than anything.
After their usual morning sparring and exercise, Skyewashed up and changed into a black suit.
"I'm going to the office, bye bye."
At this moment, the young girl Skye evolved into a career-driven leading lady, making Qin Mo seem like an idle accessory.
As usual, after breakfast, he took Kanna's small hand and went for a stroll in the park.
Since the profits from shorting Hammer Industries had not yet arrived, there would likely be no other work arrangements today.
"Little Qin, you need to find me a few sisters-in-law."
Hearing this, Qin Mo squatted down, using both hands to knead Kanna's chubby cheeks.
"Kanna, how many do you think are appropriate?"
The purple dumpling counted on her chubby little fingers: "One, two, three… seven, seven."
"Why seven?"
"That way, every day of the week, I'll have a different sister-in-law to sleep with."
Upon hearing this, Qin Mo was instantly speechless: "So, I'm finding wives just to sleep with you…"
Kanna nodded heavily: "Mm."
"Then you'll have to work hard, help me introduce a few more wives."
"How about Thor? I like hugging him to sleep."
"Thor?" Qin Mo pursed his lips.
"As long as you're happy."
If only little Kanna had been a different gender, he would definitely have shown the little fellow why flowers are so red.
After years of hard work and struggle, he had finally found two and a half wives; how could he give up so easily?
Kanna was an exception, since she was his sister.
After playing wildly with Kanna all day, Qin Mo carried the 'powerless' little one home to 'recharge'.
After half a year of planning, the chunk of meat torn from Hammer Industries finally arrived, and at this moment, the system store balance held a full 1000 big targets.
After bathing, changing clothes, burning incense, and praying.
In the study on the third floor, Qin Mo specifically poured a glass of iced cola, drank half of it, and then opened the store interface.
Phoenix Force Shard, Price: $2 Billion
Current Holdings: 3/49
"That's it?"
"Bro, you're a bit weak."
He could only console himself with the thought that after buying this shard, he would have 4 Phoenix Force Shards, bringing him one step closer to its complete state.
As his gaze shifted downwards, he continued to drink iced cola.
Fairy Force Yang: Price $100 Billion
"Pfft~"
All the iced cola that had just entered his mouth was sprayed out; Qin Mo rubbed his eyes hard before confirming that he had not misread it — it really was that thing.
"Fairy Force? Yang?"
"How could it be so cheap?"
Without any hesitation, he quickly clicked on the detailed description of the item.
Fairy Force, born during the Universe's Big Bang, at the very beginning of all things, like the Phoenix Force, it possesses infinite power.
Characteristic: Insatiable Hunger
Abilities: Teleportation, Telepathy, Reality Warping, Molecular Manipulation, Mastery of All Sorcery, and the Ability to Create Never-Before-Recorded Spells
Mental Defense is Impregnable, Can Freely Read or Control Others' Minds
Once swallowed by the Fairy Force, its power will be completely utilized by it.
After being sealed by the Fourth Celestials with their lives, the Fairy Force split into two parts: Yin and Yang.
The Yin part accounts for 60% of the energy, inheriting the Fairy Force's volatile, insatiable, and uncontrollable hunger.
The Yang part accounts for 40% of the energy; the hunger is controllable but perpetually unsatisfied.
A long time later.
Qin Mo read it word by word, dozens of times over: "No wonder it's so cheap, the Yang only accounts for 40% of the complete Fairy Force's energy…"
Saving up 100 billion…
The system really laid a big one.
Compared to the Phoenix Force's distant complete state, and the still-elementary Chaos Magic, 40% of Fairy Force energy…
Is it a loss or not? That depends on how you look at it.
40% of Fairy Force energy is definitely more powerful than Chaos Magic (Elementary), and the elementary stage costs 50 billion.
Compared this way, it's not a loss.
Theoretically, a complete Phoenix Force only costs 98 billion; comparing it this way, 40% of the energy is definitely a huge loss.
But this line of thinking only exists in theory.
Due to the existence of other Phoenix Force hosts, it's impossible to buy all the shards through the store.
"100 billion, 100 billion…"
Subconsciously lighting a cigarette, Qin Mo took out paper and pen from the system space and began to draw and write.
It is speculated that the peak states of Phoenix Force, Fairy Force, and Chaos Magic are highly likely to be at the Omniversal level…
Then, the Fairy Force Yang, which accounts for 40% of the energy, might help him break through to the Super-Grand Universal level.
"Super-Grand, Super-Grand…"
Currently, there are only a handful of beings at the Super-Grand Universal level, such as the Living Tribunal.
It can almost be called, second to none.
A semi-invincible state.
Thinking of this, Qin Mo's breathing became rapid, only because he understood that the Super-Grand Universal level meant: entering a semi-retirement life.
However, Fairy Force Yang's hunger is controllable, yet perpetually unsatisfied.
In short, once he obtains this power, he will experience a feeling of:
Not yet hungry to the extreme and still within controllable limits, but no matter how much he eats, he will never feel full.
In short, it's hunger.
The hunger of never being full, yet not reaching the point of being ravenous…
"Buy, or not buy, wait for something else to refresh?"
Chapter 110: Under One Person, Above Billions
Night had fallen, and all was silent.
Lying in a bathtub filled with ice, Qin Mo let the icy water cover his chest.
Perhaps the cold was too invigorating, or perhaps the night itself carried a healing magic; his tangled nerves were slowly unraveling, inch by inch.
As the chill permeated his soul, all disturbances were frozen into the present tranquility.
His pursuit and yearning for strength finally led him to a decision: "Purchase Fairy Force Yang."
"Ding! Purchase successful."
In that moment, the allure of the pay-to-win system was fully displayed.
Without any arduous cultivation, he had reached a realm never before attained by others: below one, above billions...
He even inexplicably felt that if he accidentally blew a breath, he could scatter the entire Multiverse.
This was an unprecedented power, transcending time and space, capable of arbitrarily erasing timelines and altering causality without consequence.
When he first entered the Multiverse, Qin Mo had only allowed himself half a day off, but now, all of this…
It was worth a full six months of vacation.
Of course, the vacation was for himself; his subordinates still had to be busy… it would be best to reward them with double the workload to celebrate his breakthrough to a new realm.
The slight elation in his heart had not yet fully bloomed.
Along with the overwhelming power came an all-consuming hunger…
It wasn't the chaotic, devouring kind of hunger.
Instead, it was exactly like his previous life when he dieted, going without dinner for six months; every night, his stomach would be empty, with a dull but exceptionally clear hunger.
He could endure it, yet in the dead of night, it would be infinitely magnified, stubbornly reminding his body: So hungry...
Truly, so hungry.
If Dormammu were to descend upon Earth at this moment, Qin Mo would undoubtedly swallow him whole without a second thought, just to fill his belly.
After entering this new realm, the World he perceived seemed to have changed.
To give a simple example:
Before acquiring Fairy Force, everything he perceived, based on strength, was categorized into light points of varying brightness.
After acquiring Fairy Force, these light points transformed into a full menu.
Like a well-behaved child who isn't picky, he wanted a bite of everything and could eat anything.
He was truly Kanna 2.0.
When the hunger suddenly struck, Qin Mo quickly got out of the bathtub, casually threw on a bathrobe, and teleported to Kanna's snack stash.
Dried fish, chocolate, candy, shredded beef, fruit smoothies...
Without hesitation, Qin Mo shoved everything he could see into his mouth, even skipping the chewing.
But no matter how much he ate, the hunger remained, like a Shadow, showing no signs of dissipating.
Just as he was furiously eating.
Little Kanna, who had just fully recharged and woken up, startled by the noise, pattered her Short Legs to the entrance of the snack storage room and gently pushed. The door creaked open a crack.
The moment she glimpsed the scene inside.
Her round, dumpling-like face immediately fell, and a misty layer welled up in her large, Water-blue eyes.
"Little Qin, you're stealing my snacks again."
Her soft, sweet voice was laced with grievance, like a kitten whose tail had been stepped on—angry yet unwilling to truly blame, she could only hold back and accuse.
"Heh heh." Qin Mo swallowed the beef jerky and held up a bag of snacks, gesturing: "How about we share some?"
"Mm!"
The purple dumpling immediately beamed, scurried over, and sat beside Qin Mo. The two figures, one large and one small, began to share the snacks.
"Little Qin, this is delicious, try it."
"This one tastes good too."
"Mmm~"
Much later, both of them lay contentedly on the snack bags. Kanna might have truly been full, but Qin Mo still felt an emptiness in his stomach.
He suddenly realized that this feeling would accompany him for a long time.
Unless, he broke through again.
Only by becoming a supreme existence, comparable to the Marvel creator OAA, could the hunger be completely resolved.
The reason he stopped eating was because Qin Moremembered: he was broke again!
Shit! Motherfucker!!
All the money he had painstakingly saved for half a year was gone in an instant.
System Mall Balance: Zero.
He was truly penniless.
He didn't even have enough funds to purchase the fourth Phoenix Force Shard that had refreshed simultaneously.
Thinking about it, what was the point of resting?
He still had to earn money.
Just then, Thor's voice rang out like a roar: "Kanna, you're stealing snacks again!"
"Huh?" Kanna instantly darted behind Qin Mo, trembling: "It wasn't me, I didn't."
As she spoke, her chubby little hand didn't forget to gently poke Qin Mo's back, signaling for help.
"Oh, she's just a child, still growing. Kanna, go wash up and sleep."
After helping the little one get away with it, Qin Mowent to his study, took out paper and pen, and began to plan other ways to make money.
There was no other way; the assets under HYDRAwould eventually be completely cut off. He couldn't just sit around and do nothing, he had to find more lucrative projects.
To fund his path to advancement.
Justin Hammer was in prison, and Hammer Industries… forget it, manufacturing doesn't make big money, unless it's mixed with internet concepts.
But how could a weapons company be connected to the internet?
He couldn't exactly crowdfund new weapon development, could he?
Hammer Industries, out!
The dividends from Mango Phone hadn't arrived yet this past half-year. Tomorrow, he'd urge Tony to settle the dividends; at least he needed to buy the Phoenix Force Shard.
Buying one more would bring him closer to the complete Phoenix Force.
Perhaps, a complete Phoenix Force would be enough to counteract the constant hunger from Fairy Force.
Mango Car, currently not only unprofitable but also requiring continued investment in research and development…
Qin Mo rubbed his head, his thoughts gradually drifting: "I wonder how Lockdown's earnings are…"
Based on his understanding of space pirates, Lockdownprobably hadn't robbed much money in the past six months.
Still, better than nothing.
Even one U.S. cent, it's still money.
…
Earth-616, Titan.
Dark Order Headquarters.
A burly purple figure stood before a hexagram array, casting a spell to summon something. His deeply furrowed face was filled with surprise.
A year ago, following Death's instructions, he had sought out the whereabouts of Chaos Magic and Fairy Force.
Who would have thought he'd actually find the Fairy Force… Indeed, he, Thanos, was the luckiest child in the Universe.
Not long ago, a portion of the Fairy Force, sealed by the Celestials at the cost of their lives, had broken through the seal and escaped.
Although its destination was unknown, this incident revealed the location of the sealed place.
The remaining portion of the Fairy Force was still trapped within the seal, like a lamb awaiting slaughter.
He needed to inform My Lord, the Death, to quickly find a way to retrieve this portion of the Fairy Force from the seal.
Finally, after an unknown period of time.
The figure he had been longing for appeared within the hexagram magic array.
"Thanos?"
Death herself frowned, a hint of unfulfilled resentment on her face.
She was in the middle of a romantic moment with her lover when Thanos suddenly summoned her, so naturally, she wasn't in a good mood.
"My Love, I found the Fairy Force."
"What?"
P.S.: In the comics, the Cosmic Heart, which others couldn't find, only Earth-616 Thanos could find.
Even in his solo series, Thanos could find the legendary Reality Controller.
Truly a lucky purple sweet potato.
Chapter 111 Call Me Councillor (Part 1)
Perhaps it was because he had expectations...
Or perhaps successfully stepping into the Super-Grand Universe level ensured Qin Mo's personal safety in the Marvel Universe, where Super-Grands are as common as dogs.
He truly took half a year off for himself.
Half a year passed in a flash, and Qin Mo welcomed another change in his identity: Assembly Member.
In Great America.
Assembly seats are allocated proportionally to each state's population, and New York State has 26 Assembly seats.
King Murdoch, known as the "Child of New York State," successfully secured one of these seats without any surprise.
With the support of Great America's Hua Shi Ren and the great capitalist Tony, and being a leading figure among the new generation of Superheroes himself, his successful election was normal.
Losing would have been the surprise.
Among the other 25 Assembly Members, Qin Moencountered an acquaintance and client: William Smith.
He was the employer who suspected his wife of having an affair, only for the affair partner to be his own sister.
"Assembly Member Murdoch, I haven't had a chance to thank you..."
Smith paused mid-sentence, then leaned in and whispered, "We are living very comfortably now."
"Congratulations," Qin Mo said sincerely.
When he completed the commission, he specifically wrote a suggestion in the file: it's better if you all live together.
This successfully allowed Smith to live openly with his sister-in-law, under the same roof, along with Mrs. Smith and his sister-in-law...
The U.S. people really play it wild, making him, this White pig, seem a bit out of touch with the times.
So-called upper-class society is truly rotten to the core.
After the inauguration speech.
Due to legal restrictions in Great America that prevent Congress Members from simultaneously holding government positions, Qin Mo returned to New York to complete his resignation procedures.
S.H.I.E.L.D. Tower.
Nick Fury personally led all S.H.I.E.L.D. high-ranking officials to enthusiastically celebrate Murdoch's successful election as an Assembly Member.
The grandeur was comparable to an Independence Day celebration.
"Coulson, the banner is a bit crooked, move it up a bit. There are too few flowers, go buy more. The red carpet must be laid all the way to the conference room."
Having served as S.H.I.E.L.D. Director for many years, Nick Fury had never been as diligent and perfectionistic as he was at this moment.
He wished he could personally handle the celebration ceremony for Deputy Director Murdoch.
Most of the S.H.I.E.L.D. high-ranking officials understood the truth: the Deputy Director's power was too great, seriously affecting the Director's position and control over S.H.I.E.L.D..
Now, the Deputy Director had successfully been elected as an Assembly Member.
Everyone understood why the Director was so happy; they even subconsciously felt sorry for those Assembly Members.
With Assembly Member Murdoch there, the other Assembly Members must surely feel a lot of pressure.
This was like a phoenix appearing among turkeys; though standing on the same patch of grass, its plumage emitted a dazzling light—not a light of deliberate showiness, but one of refined brilliance.
When that familiar century-old car stopped in front of the S.H.I.E.L.D. building, the front desk agent quickly dialed to report.
"Director, the Deputy Director is back."
Nick Fury sternly rebuked, "What Deputy Director? Call him Assembly Member!!"
The front desk agent hung up the phone with a pout, muttering, "Hmph, he only acts tough at home. If he has the guts, go confront the Deputy Director."
As that handsome figure entered the lobby, the front desk agent instantly switched to a beaming smile.
"Assembly Member, welcome back."
"You worked hard," Qin Mo said with a smile.
Assembly Member? Not bad!
After two years of hard work and struggle, he was finally one step closer to becoming the Hua Shi Ren.
At the elevator entrance, the Quick Reaction Special Forces team members, led by Rumlow, had been waiting for a long time.
"Director..."
"Director..."
Seeing the reluctant expressions on his subordinates' faces, Qin Mo asked with a smile.
"Why did you all come down?"
The team members exchanged glances and silently pushed Rumlow forward: "Director, we want to continue following you."
The relationship between a leader and subordinates is one of mutual achievement; during Qin Mo's tenure as Deputy Director, his subordinates had a very comfortable time.
Naturally, they hoped to continue following him.
Patting Rumlow's shoulder, Qin Mo did not explain much: "Go do what you need to do, Rumlow, you arrange something for tonight."
He preferred the surprise of a sudden announcement rather than explaining everything now.
The process for his appointment as a Security CouncilMember had been completed, only awaiting public announcement. He wondered if Nick Fury would still be able to smile when he learned of the appointment.
You thought I left, but I didn't.
Before, I was just the Deputy Director; now I am your direct superior.
Seeing their boss enter the elevator.
"Director," Rumlow said with tears in his eyes, "Have a good journey."
"Get out."
At the elevator entrance on the next-to-top floor, the moment the elevator doors opened, the S.H.I.E.L.D.high-ranking officials, led by Nick Fury, all began to applaud.
"Assembly Member Murdoch, welcome home."
Nick Fury's smile at this moment was incredibly sincere, heartfelt, and devoid of any pretense.
Seeing this, Qin Mo's lips curved into a slight arc.
"Thank you all, I am very honored to have been colleagues with you all over the past two years..."
The resignation process went smoothly, even faster than when he first joined S.H.I.E.L.D..
Watching Murdoch drive the century-old car completely disappear from sight, Nick Fury lay back in his chair, relieved.
"He's gone, he's finally gone."
"Hahahahaha!!"
At such a joyous time, one naturally had to drink to celebrate.
Nick Fury, who had never gotten drunk during work, was so happy in his office that he drank three full bottles of Bourbon whiskey.
Simply because he was truly too happy.
These two years had truly been unbearable.
He, Nick Fury, was clearly the S.H.I.E.L.D. Director, the boss, the top leader.
However, no matter where he was.
Whether within S.H.I.E.L.D. or at meetings elsewhere, everyone would only ask: Has Director Murdoch not arrived?
Heaven knows, Murdoch was only the Deputy Director, only the second-in-command.
It was one thing that Hua Shi Ren Ellis had a very good personal relationship with Murdoch.
But the Secretary of State, the Speakers of both Houses, the Military, the FBI, the CIA, they all only remembered Director Murdoch, and no one cared who Nick Fury was.
Is this a life a person should live?
No, it's not!!!
Nick Fury's eyes were blurry with drunkenness, so excited that he drooled, and he fell asleep with a smile, hugging the wine bottle...
"He's gone, he's finally gone."
That afternoon, the appointment letter, signed by Great America's Hua Shi Ren, passed by both Houses of Congress, and appointed by the Security Council, was escorted to the S.H.I.E.L.D. Tower.
Since Director Nick Fury was drunk and asleep, Deputy Director Maria Hill received the appointment letter.
Natasha, Agent Mei, Coulson, and others, seeing this, immediately urged her.
"Hill, quickly see what's written inside?"
Hill looked troubled: "This isn't really appropriate."
"Oh, come on, Fury is asleep anyway. You're in charge of the agency now, and we all support you."
As Deputy Director, Hill had a good relationship with the agents. She finally gave in and opened the appointment letter.
The next second, everyone gathered around.
They only saw the appointment letter state:
"By approval of the Security Council, King Murdoch is hereby appointed as a Security Council Member, with full responsibility for S.H.I.E.L.D.-related matters..."
Chapter 112 Call Me Councillor (Part 2)
Approved by the Security Council, King Murdoch is hereby appointed as an Assembly Member of the Security Council, with full authority over S.H.I.E.L.D.related matters..."
"Oh my god," Natasha, a fan of official positions, sighed.
"Is this another promotion?"
Last year's experience leading the team to find Hulkmade Natasha realize that a small agent had no human rights and must become a Director.
Hearing that Murdoch was about to leave, she had already prepared for the relevant work, ready to run for Deputy Director of S.H.I.E.L.D..
For no other reason than to be able to sleep peacefully after work, without being called in for overtime.
"Goodness," Coulson exclaimed.
"Murdoch's promotion speed is like a Rocket, terrifying!"
Compared to Murdoch, who was already an Assembly Member at the age of 25, he was only hoping to become Deputy Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. in his middle age.
This was also the result of the Director's special mediation after he left.
It was only a hope, not a 100% certainty of being elected.
The person most impacted by the appointment letter was Hill; others might not know, but she knew why Murdoch joined S.H.I.E.L.D..
She had practically dragged him over.
Just to work with her ex-boyfriend White during the day and continue sparring after work, hoping to develop feelings over time.
But she never expected that her unintentional act back then...
Would lead her ex-boyfriend into politics, becoming the youngest Assembly Member in Great America's history, and simultaneously serving on the Security Council, with full authority over S.H.I.E.L.D....
"This..."
Hill put away the appointment letter and looked at her colleagues: "Which of you... will go tell Fury?"
The few people gathered together instantly dispersed.
Natasha cleared her throat: "Ahem, Hill, you know, I'm still preparing to run for Deputy Director right now, so it's not suitable..."
Coulson's eyes widened at her words.
"You're also running for Deputy Director?"
"Yes," Natasha said halfway, then suddenly reacted: "What do you mean 'also running for Deputy Director'? Coulson, could it be you too?"
"It's exactly as you think."
Coulson spread his hands, quite helpless: "Fury told me that after Murdoch leaves, he wants me to serve as Deputy Director..."
"F*ck!" Natasha cursed, "Then why did he still take my money..."
"Uh."
Witnessing Fury's audacious move, the atmosphere grew strange, and the few people fell silent simultaneously, not speaking for a long time.
They had seen someone play multiple people, but promising the same position to two subordinates at the same time was truly outrageous.
Finally, Hill looked at the bystander—Hawkeye Clint Barton.
"Barton, will you give the appointment letter to Fury?"
Hawkeye, who had been silently watching the drama from the beginning, pointed at himself speechlessly: "Me?"
He hadn't expected to get caught up in the drama himself.
This was a tough job.
Everyone in S.H.I.E.L.D. knew the reason Fury was currently dead drunk—it was to celebrate Murdoch's departure.
Celebrating that S.H.I.E.L.D. was about to break free from that invisible restraint and fall back into the hands of its true controller. One could say that now was Fury's happiest time.
And this appointment letter was undoubtedly a dagger dipped in ice, piercing through this brief jubilation...
Making all the celebrations a joke.
Looking at his old friends' earnest gazes, Hawkeyenodded helplessly: "Alright, I'll deliver it. You all... remember to take care of me in the future."
Anyway, he didn't hold much hope for a promotion.
As long as he secretly placed the appointment letter in Fury's office, no matter whether Natasha or Coulsonwas elected Deputy Director, they would owe him a favor.
"Don't worry, don't worry," Natasha immediately guaranteed.
"Absolutely," Coulson swore, patting his chest.
"Sigh," Hawkeye took the appointment letter, looking back with every step as he walked towards the Director's office.
Sure enough, politicians are all dirty-minded.
Good things never fall to him, but all the bad things are pushed his way.
Gently pushing open the Director's office door, seeing Fury sound asleep, Hawkeye quickly placed the appointment letter on the desk, and after some thought, used Fury's favorite pen to weigh it down.
Then, he left without looking back.
F*ck, no wonder Xiao Na always said: small agents have no human rights, and she was determined to become Deputy Director.
He regretted it back then.
He really shouldn't have let his wife resign from S.H.I.E.L.D. back then, otherwise, he might also be able to live off her now.
The appointment letter crisis was perfectly resolved...
The few people left one after another.
It was after work, what were they doing staying in S.H.I.E.L.D., working overtime like cattle?
On another note, at Stark's beach Villa.
To celebrate his friend's successful election as an Assembly Member, Tony Stark waved his hand and hosted a private party at the estate.
Not many people were invited, all of them friends of both parties.
Including: Air Force Colonel James Rhodes, Dr. Ethan, Dr. Zhao Hailun, Happy and Pepper, and Qin Mo's family of four.
There were many parties tonight.
After this one, there were also parties hosted by Rumlow, Blade, and the campaign team: the Matt trio, the New York City mayor, and the New York State governor, scheduled for tomorrow night.
"King, congratulations," Tony raised his glass: "This is my friend Rhodes, who has always wanted to meet you."
"Thank you," Qin Mo greeted with a smile.
"Hello, Rhodes."
Rhodes was one of the few Black people, besides Blade, who could make him put down his resistance.
As the best mouthpiece, Rhodes always thought from the audience's perspective, making him hard to dislike.
When watching movies in his previous life, Qin Mo had cheered for Rhodes more than once.
Including but not limited to:
Upon learning that Captain America had crashed his spaceship into a glacier, Rhodes asked Captain America: "Why didn't you jump out of the spaceship..."
Leaving Captain America speechless.
Seeing Star-Lord awkwardly dancing and singing, he asked Nebula: "He's an idiot, isn't he?"
Making Nebula lower her head in embarrassment, her face full of: I don't know this guy's expression.
And there were also things like ex-wife missiles, War Machine being awesome, strangling baby Thanos... simply too many to list.
Black skin was indeed annoying, but Rhodes's soul was truly too interesting.
"Hello," Rhodes grinned, showing his white teeth.
"Assembly Member Murdoch."
As an Air Force Colonel, Rhodes had a high political acumen, and even at a private party, he didn't forget to respectfully address him as Assembly Member.
Hearing "Assembly Member," Tony smacked his lips, chuckling non-stop: "Assembly Member, that's really good, I suddenly want to be an Assembly Membertoo..."
Men's competitive spirits are always strangely quirky.
Tony used to not particularly like those in power, especially the Assembly Members who had summoned him repeatedly, attempting to seize the Mark Armor.
But hearing Rhodes call Murdoch "Assembly Member," a strange emotion inexplicably arose in his heart.
I want to be an Assembly Member too...
"Tony," Qin Mo teased with a smile: "You don't even want to call me Assembly Member."
"Hahaha."
The few people burst into laughter.
"Mr. Assembly Member," Happy leaned closer.
"Could you sign another autograph for me? My nephew and niece are both your fans."
"Happy, there's no need to be so polite between us."
If he couldn't dislike Rhodes, then he truly admired Happy.
While the few were chatting, the phone suddenly rang non-stop.
Seeing that it was Jane's call, Qin Mo secretly glanced at Skye, who was chatting with Zhao Hailun and others, before pressing the answer button.
Scumbag, also known as the Master of Time Management.
He absolutely could not let incompatible people appear at the wrong time.
"Darling, we and mentor Erik are observing celestial phenomena in New Mexico. Could you come and help us out?"
"Okay, give me half an hour."