Please support us and read at least 10 chapter ahead at my patréon.
patréon.com/PrimorDious.
I'll be very grateful. Thank you.
....
Chapter 25.
After Li Yue departed, he made his way to meet Louise, and together they embarked on a whirlwind adventure through the vast corners of the world over the course of several days. The excitement of exploring unknown places mingled with the soft hum of distant cultures and the vibrant life of bustling cities.
A few days later, Li Yue's cellphone rang with an urgent call from Tony. With a tone brimming with anticipation, Tony announced that he had prepared everything Li Yue required.
"Just come by and pick it up!" Tony had said.
Without delay, Li Yue found himself stepping into the expansive, elegantly furnished living room of Villa Tony. This time, Tony was not huddled away in his labyrinthine underground laboratory but sat confidently on a plush sofa, his eyes alert and expectant as he waited for Li Yue.
"Li Yue, come over and have a look—I have exactly what you wanted!" Tony exclaimed, his voice rich with both pride and self-assuredness as he gestured invitingly from his seat on the sofa.
Li Yue, ever the picture of courteous composure despite his reputation, sat down directly across from Tony. His eyes immediately fell upon the table, where a sleek silver watch shimmered with a futuristic allure, and beside it lay a transparent glass object, no larger than a mobile phone.
"Tony, I think you should walk me through what these are all about," Li Yue said, his tone a mix of amusement and expectation. Despite his notorious street-wise reputation, even a scoundrel like Li Yue felt compelled to rely on Tony's scientific brilliance for an explanation of their functionalities.
Smiling confidently, Tony reached out and picked up the silver watch. "Alright, first of all, this watch utilizes the latest advancements in nanotechnology that I've been developing. The entire device is crafted from a newly formulated nano-alloy material. In its most basic form, it's just a regular watch," Tony declared, emphasizing with a slight flourish of his hand over the gadget.
"Don't be deceived by its diminutive size," Tony continued in a smooth tone as he showcased the device. "There are a myriad of features, but I've deliberately stripped away the defense and counterattack capabilities, knowing full well that you wouldn't require such complexities." His eyes sparkled with mischief and pride as he demonstrated each function meticulously.
"Now, it houses an artificial intelligence reminiscent of Jarvis, along with a holographic projection feature. It has the ability to infiltrate most networks and bypass high-security systems—although, of course, not those under the aegis of formidable organizations like SHIELD. It responds perfectly to your commands," Tony elucidated, his voice vibrating with a mix of technical assurance and an inventor's elation.
With a spirited tone, Tony added, "Come now, take it for a spin!"
He handed over the silver watch with a flourish, adding a playful note, "And by the way, I've packed it with a hefty dose of powerful rock music that I often set as the background whenever I'm in action. I find that having epic music blasting is just the ticket for flipping the mood—turning audiences into ardent fans while intimidating any foes into surrender!"
Li Yue, momentarily taken aback by this flamboyant embellishment, muttered inwardly, wondering what role the addition of background music could possibly play for someone like him, whose daily outings were more about navigating war-torn territories and donning battle armor rather than orchestrating a musical interlude.
Even so, Li Yue did not verbalize his misgivings. He reached out and carefully took the watch from Tony. The device's sleek, silver surface gleamed under the ambient light, its metallic composition shrouded in mystery, yet perfectly balanced and fitting as an accessory.
"How does one operate this gadget?" Li Yue inquired, studying every curve and nuance of the watch with careful interest. Despite its futuristic aura, he observed that the device bore no physical buttons—a design that left him momentarily stumped. In his slight desperation, he turned back to Tony for a demonstration.
Tony's response was laced with amused exasperation.
"I have to say, Li Yue, you really are a bit slow sometimes," he chided playfully.
Before Li Yue could retort, Tony called out jubilantly, "Wednesday, come out and greet your master!"
Instantly, as if conjured by magic, a pleasant young woman stepped forward. Simultaneously, the surface of the watch lit up, projecting a vivid, blue, holographic screen onto the air. The virtual display shimmered with a dazzling array of icons representing a multitude of functions.
Li Yue, curious and cautious, tapped the projected interface with a deft swipe of his finger. The imagery shifted smoothly in response—seamless navigation that evoked comparisons to the fabled tech of Stark.
"Hello, Wednesday, correct? Is it possible for me to change your name?" Li Yue queried, his tone tinged with both authority and curiosity.
"Sir, you have been granted the highest level of command over this system. You can instruct me to perform any operation you desire," the artificially intelligent voice responded, its tone crisp yet obedient.
After a moment's thought, Li Yue decisively stated, "Very well, change your name and also modify your voice to that of a cheerful child!"
As Li Yue fiddled with the settings, he could sense the essence of a Jarvis-like system beginning to take shape within this compact device. Tony, the mastermind behind its creation, had embedded all command permissions solely for Li Yue, leaving the device uniquely attuned and loyal to its owner.
"Sir, your instruction is now being executed. All parameters have been adjusted. Your personal concierge will now serve you," announced the transformed interface, the voice morphing from a genteel female tone into that of an innocent child–—a delightful blend that obscured any clear distinction between masculine and feminine qualities, yet resonated with an undeniable charm.
"Alright then. I'll call on you when I need help," Li Yue said, a slight smile playing on his lips.
"Understood, sir. You are welcome to issue commands at any time. I am thrilled to be of service, and I wholeheartedly wish you a wonderful life! Farewell for now!" the watch cheerfully responded before its screen gently faded and the virtual projection dissolved into thin air. In a heartbeat, the sophisticated gadget reverted back to its elegant, understated design as nothing out of the ordinary remained visible.
Observing the device intently, Li Yue mused, "Tony, I can't help but note that the tone of this artificial intelligence is rather monotonous. Unlike Jarvis, which feels like conversing with an empathetic human, this response is almost too mechanical."
Tony, ever the passionate creator of his inventions, bristled at the comparison. "Depend on it, Li Yue, you know, this is a watch after all. How advanced do you expect it to be—to match Jarvis, which has undergone over a decade of upgrades, enhancements, and even self-evolution? Jarvis now possesses a depth of emotion that's practically human. Do you have any idea what the basic code for Jarvis is worth?" he –exclaimed, his voice rising with fervor and a hint of indignation.
After a brief pause filled with the unspoken tension between innovation and practicality, Tony conceded with a chuckle, "Alright, alright, maybe I'm being a bit ambitious. Perhaps it's best if it stays as it is—diligently executing your commands without the fuss of unnecessary feelings!"
"The function of this mobile phone is similar to the watch you carry, except you can operate it without voice commands. When voice commands aren't available, you can use it to control your assistant remotely."
"You really are something—you even plagiarized the name of my assistant!" Tony complained as he explained the transparent mobile phone's functions to Li Yue. He couldn't help but grumble about Li Yue copying his own technological innovation, after all, Li Yue's robotic arm assistant was essentially a knockoff of his own.
"Haha, thank you so much, Tony. You've helped me tremendously," Li Yue replied with a grin.
"Oh, by the way, my assistant is called Wednesday. Tell me, do you also have Thursday, Friday...?"
Having achieved his goal and obtained what he needed, Li Yue prepared to leave but couldn't resist asking the question. He remembered that after Jarvis became Vision, Tony had replaced his AI assistant with Friday. Had Tony now created additional assistants?
"Li Yue, you see into the future? I don't have Thursday or Friday. You chose Wednesday, so I named him that."
"Well, alright then. I won't keep you any longer—I'll be disappearing for quite some time. So, Tony, until we meet again!"
After speaking, Li Yue made no effort to hide his actions from Tony. He focused on the starry sky within his mind, where the third star suddenly burst into dazzling light. A powerful suction force acted directly on Li Yue's soul, pulling him inward.
Behind Li Yue's body, a blue wormhole suddenly appeared, drawing his physical form into it. This startled Tony—this was different from the circle Li Yue had drawn the previous time!
Less than ten seconds after Li Yue vanished, an aperture composed of orange-yellow energy materialized where he had disappeared, and a figure wearing a dark green robe emerged.
"Master Li Yue? What happened to Kamar-Taj!"
...
Li Yue reappeared on an unfamiliar street. His heightened senses detected a figure rushing toward him at tremendous speed with no intention of slowing down. In less than a tenth of a second, they would collide!
Faced with this situation, Li Yue had several options.
His first option was to use his superpowers to instantly vanish, ensuring that regardless of the figure's speed, no collision would occur.
The second option was to transform himself into a metallic state. In that case, even if the figure struck him, he would remain unharmed.
Both choices would protect Li Yue from injury, but after sensing the rushing figure and noticing blood on their clothes, Li Yue decided against evasion.
In an instant, Li Yue's body was enveloped by silver currents of energy. With his right hand clenched into a fist, he charged directly toward the oncoming figure.
BOOM!
Though the figure was extremely fast and the impact tremendous, Li Yue—channeling Thor's power—sent the figure flying with a single punch. There was no backlash; Li Yue remained firmly rooted where he stood.
The figure soared more than ten meters before crashing heavily onto the ground, rolling several times before coming to a stop. Surprisingly resilient, they began awkwardly climbing to their feet.
"You... who are you?" The man stared in shock at Li Yue's lightning-wreathed form.
Now Li Yue could clearly see the figure, someone wearing blue tights and sunglasses, with a conspicuous bloodstain on their clothing. He carried a bag whose contents remained unknown.
"This costume? And blood on the clothes? Could this be..."
Li Yue began to form a theory about which world he had entered—he was certain he'd seen it in his previous life, though he wasn't completely sure yet.
"I can't stop, I can't stop..." the figure muttered fearfully, staring at Li Yue. Then, moving with flash-like speed, they sprinted past Li Yue and disappeared.
This time, Li Yue made no attempt to stop them. He could now determine which world he had entered.
"A-Train?...The world of 'The Boys.' This world is going to be quite fun and challenging."
Li Yue felt a wave of helplessness. This world would indeed be difficult to navigate.
This was an American drama Li Yue had watched in his previous life—a story about "superheroes." Unfortunately, the "superheroes" in this world are not actually heroes in the conventional sense.
Unlike the superheroes of the Marvel and DC universes, the image of this world's heroes completely subverted expectations. They didn't fight crime or pursue justice as their ideal. Instead, they revealed their darkest impulses, transforming into cruel, arrogant thugs who killed innocent people without remorse.
Everything they did was controlled by public relations companies working behind the scenes. Their purpose was to leverage the superheroes' influence for financial gain.
The situation resembled the celebrity culture from Li Yue's previous life—with teams responsible for packaging and design while the "actors" performed for the public. What made this more terrifying than mere celebrity culture was that the superheroes possessed actual superpower ordinary people couldn't match. And there were approximately 200,000 individuals with such superpowers in this world.
This was an era of superheroes. An international conglomerate called Vought annually recruited people born with superpowers to join their ranks.
These superhumans were deployed throughout the country to participate in law enforcement work. Vought operated the hero brand to its fullest potential, with movies and merchandise rights alone generating a hundred-billion-dollar industry annually.
Among Vought's two hundred-plus superhumans, the best were considered to be the members of The Seven: Homelander, Queen Maeve, Translucent, A-Train, The Deep, and Black Noir.
While Li Yue wasn't concerned about most of them, Homelander was different—Li Yue right now had no effective counter against him.
Homelander was essentially a weakened version of DC's Superman. Though his strength was a grade lower than the genuine standard Superman, he possessed similar abilities: flight, super strength, super speed, heat vision, and more.
With Li Yue's current power level, a direct confrontation would leave him with no chance of victory.
The crucial difference was that unlike the genuine Superman, Homelander had no moral compass or ethical boundaries. Superman would never use his heat vision to kill humans—Homelander had no such compunction. Having grown up in a laboratory from childhood, lacking maternal love, he had developed severe psychological issues, including an Oedipal complex. This was how Vought executives maintained control over him.
Many had died under Homelander's heat vision.
"Well, now that I'm here, I need to find a way to increase my strength," Li Yue told himself.
"Wednesday, connect to this world's network."
"Yes, sir! Accessing nearby WiFi signal... successfully connected to this world's network!" Wednesday responded quickly, proving Tony's craftsmanship.
"Search for all relevant information about this world. Don't create virtual projections—send everything directly to my phone. Also, infiltrate the security systems and forge legal identity information for me."
Li Yue continued instructing Wednesday. This was precisely why he had asked Tony to create the AI assistant—Li Yue didn't want to navigate an unfamiliar world only to find himself surrounded by police due to lacking proper identification. That would be troublesome indeed.
"Sir, Wednesday is infiltrating the security system as instructed. Estimated completion time: 1 hour and 21 minutes."
"The latest information about this world has been retrieved and sent to your mobile phone. Please review it at your convenience."
Li Yue took out the phone Tony had made and began studying this world's situation.
After more than an hour, Li Yue had developed a solid understanding of this world.
Unlike the television show, which focused primarily on "The Seven" superhero team, this world also featured "Teenage Six" (a parody of Teen Titans), "Payback" (a parody of the Avengers), and "G-Men" (a parody of X-Men), among other superhero teams.
The Seven remained the most popular, while other teams occupied second-tier status. Notably, Lamplighter (a parody of Green Lantern) had retired from The Seven.
Consequently, Vought was searching worldwide for another powerful superhuman to fill the vacancy in their premier team.
Having assessed the situation, Li Yue silently made his decision.
"Wednesday, help me create a video," he commanded.
........