As a woman, Amanda Waller wasn't particularly attractive, but her capabilities were beyond doubt.
She was an excellent negotiator, skilled at controlling her opponent's thoughts, and upon noticing the "intimate" relationship between Luke and Carol, she immediately elevated the danger level of the Violet Lantern to that of Superman.
This was both persuasion and a threat.
Luke chuckled, "It seems I have no other choice. If I don't agree, Carol will become one of your targets for elimination, won't she?"
"Mr. Xiao, please don't misunderstand me. The purpose of A.R.G.U.S. is prevention, not eradication. Emergency protocols are only activated when the situation has severely deteriorated," she paused, then continued,
"Conflicts with superheroes only benefit dangerous individuals lurking in the shadows, and could even lead to major disasters. This is not what we want to see, nor does it align with A.R.G.U.S.'s original intention."
Amanda pressed her hands on the table, speaking with exceptional sincerity,
"I've told you everything I can. I sincerely hope you consider my proposal, join A.R.G.U.S., become one of its founding members, and contribute to the future of humanity."
Luke rested his chin in his hand, lost in thought, while Amanda looked straight ahead, full of anticipation.
After a long while, Luke finally spoke,
"Madam, you are an excellent persuader, and I sense your sincerity, but that alone is not enough. I need to know if you are worth the investment. How about this: I've encountered a tricky situation recently. If you can help solve it, I will join A.R.G.U.S. and offer a welcoming gift."
Amanda had spent so much time talking, waiting for precisely that sentence. She immediately extended her hand without hesitation,
"Please tell me."
"I have a friend who, due to an accident, was left with half a head. I hope she can be revived. Can you accomplish that?"
Amanda frowned, sensing the difficulty. After a moment's thought, she said,
"Her head?"
"I've used a special method to keep the head active, no different from a normal person's."
Amanda then asked, "What level of revival are you looking for?"
"To possess her memories from before, to know who she is, what she's done, and what she's experienced."
Amanda sighed, "Mr. Xiao, you've presented quite a challenge."
Luke shrugged, "The rewards are also very generous."
Amanda's heart stirred, and she asked curiously, "Specifically, what are they?"
"I'll help you solve the most pressing problem you're facing right now."
Luke's words were pointed, and Amanda understood instantly,
"The mummified corpse case?"
"Precisely. Help me deal with this head, and I'll chop off the other head as a welcoming gift."
Amanda exclaimed in surprise, "You know the culprit behind the mummified corpse case?"
Luke sneered, "Coast City is my territory. How could I not know when he's causing trouble on my turf? However, this guy's abilities are terrifying; it will take a lot of effort to deal with him."
Amanda couldn't help but ask,
"Can you tell me who the culprit is?"
Luke smiled but said nothing.
Amanda, resigned, could only say,
"Besides revival, are there any other conditions?"
Luke shook his head, "I am a man who values agreements. As long as you revive the head, I will join A.R.G.U.S. and offer a welcoming gift."
"Alright!"
Amanda took a deep breath and extended her right hand,
"We will give you an answer as soon as possible."
"I look forward to that moment."
Their hands clasped, and then Amanda left with her subordinates.
Watching the three walk away, Carol couldn't help but ask curiously,
"What were you two talking about?"
"She invited me to join an organization."
"An organization? What kind of organization?"
Carol grew even more curious. Luke was a gang leader; the idea of him being invited by someone from the FBI seemed exaggerated.
"I can't tell you now. We'll talk about it later."
Carol huffed, then placed her phone in his hand,
"Your family called. They want you at the Chinese restaurant before 12 PM. If you don't go, your grandfather will personally come and break your legs."
Luke's heart skipped a beat, but his expression remained unchanged.
"Do you want to come along?"
Carol sneered, "Why would I go? To be a third wheel, to watch you go on a blind date with someone else?"
"..."
Carol extended her finger and poked Luke's chest several times with force,
"Listen to me carefully: if you dare to get engaged to that woman named Qu Youran, I will summon a meteorite to smash your engagement banquet into a mass grave. I mean what I say."
With that, she turned and left, her steps light and strong, disappearing in the blink of an eye.
Angie gave Luke a strange look and quickly followed... Not long after the 8:50 AM phone call, the old man called twice more, his tone growing stricter each time. He must have been bewitched by that woman named Qu, to make Xiao Changlin, who always doted on his grandson, issue such a strict command.
At this point, not going was no longer an option.
At noon, a black BMW pulled up to the entrance of the Chinese restaurant. Luke opened the door and got out, with Angie, acting as his "eyes and ears," hurrying behind him.
The restaurant manager was at the door. Seeing them arrive, he quickly greeted them,
"I thought you were going to stand us up again."
Luke said helplessly, "I wanted to, but the old man was too insistent. I had no choice."
"Have they arrived yet?"
"They're already here, on the second floor."
Luke nodded and walked into the restaurant. The manager chased after him, asking,
"Young Master, what would you like for lunch?"
"The usual few dishes."
"Alright, I'll go prepare them now."
Luke was a regular at the Chinese restaurant. As soon as he entered, people immediately came forward to greet him, especially a few familiar waitresses, all with flirtatious eyes and burning passion, practically wanting to cling to him.
Luke coughed and pointed to the second floor. The girls snorted and grumbled as they left.
The manager quickly scolded them, telling them to work properly and not neglect guests, then personally led Luke to the VIP room. Angie also tried to enter, but the manager pulled and dragged her aside.
Luke turned back and said, "Go eat. I'll be out in a bit."
Angie had no choice but to go to the first floor as arranged by the manager.
Luke scanned his surroundings. After seeing a few unfamiliar faces on the first floor, he shook his head helplessly, pushed open the door to the VIP room, and stepped inside.
Under the bright lights, a white figure first caught his eye, followed by her long, glossy black hair. Her appearance didn't conform to Western aesthetic standards, but in the East, she was absolutely angelic. Her features were delicate and exquisite, her skin fair and smooth, and her eyes as pure as water. Sitting there, she resembled a lotus flower emerging unsullied from the mud, possessing an ethereal beauty.
Luke didn't use English, but spoke in perfectly fluent Chinese,
"Miss Qu, a pleasure to meet you!"
Qu Youran nodded slightly,
"Hello."
Luke pulled out a chair and sat opposite her, saying with a smile,
"I thought my standing you up last time made a lot of things clear. Unfortunately, Miss Qu is even more ambitious than I imagined, actually using the old man's connections to force me to sit down and talk with you face-to-face."
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