Chapter 56: Demands for the Suit
Afterward, Shuri continued to introduce various items made of Vibranium and even let Sean Brooke play with their remote piloting system.
Sean Brooke was visibly delighted; this was holographic projection technology, and he was flying a real aircraft.
Although, in the end, Sean Brooke flew the plane straight into Wakanda's shield and blew it to pieces, which made Shuri feel a bit of a heartache.
But seeing Sean Brooke having so much fun, she felt the aircraft was well worth it.
After playing, Shuri placed special emphasis on introducing Wakanda's medical facilities, mentioning that they could cure many terminal illnesses from the outside World.
Mentioning this, Shuri was very proud because she understood Homelander.
She introduced the medical facilities naturally not to have Sean Brooke experience them, but just to let him know they existed.
Homelander was invulnerable and free from illness or disaster, but the people around him, the people he cared about, would surely get sick eventually.
This was what Shuri considered her biggest leverage.
However, Sean Brooke just went "Oh" and walked toward another area, asking, "Are there any more planes? Bring me another one."
Amidst Shuri's stunned gaze, Sean Brooke didn't wait for her consent and sat back down.
After wasting two more expensive fighter jets, Sean Brooke finally stepped down, satisfied.
Shuri shook her head and led Sean Brooke to the final invention.
"This is our Wakandan Nano Suit. All the nanobots are hidden inside this wolf-tooth necklace. Whenever there is a need—"
Shuri regained her previous confidence and patted the mannequin; the black suit instantly emerged. "Whenever there is a need, it will appear in an instant."
Sean Brooke also reached out to touch it, nodding in praise. "Impressive, much easier to use than Stark's."
Of course, Tony Stark's assembly-style armor was still cooler; if it were a bit bigger, say, a few hundred meters, it would be even cooler.
The Nano Suit had its cool aspects too; although the way it was worn wasn't as thrilling as Tony Stark's, the level of impact was no less impressive.
But Shuri was instantly unhappy upon hearing this and, disregarding Sean Brooke's status, immediately retorted, "How can he compare to me? We stopped using that kind of armor decades ago."
"Shuri!" T'Challa called out.
Shuri then realized what she had done, stuck out her tongue, and apologized.
But soon, as a researcher, Shuri's desire to test things flared up again, and she tentatively asked, "How about you hit it?"
"Are you sure?"
"Uh, maybe a little lighter."
Sean Brooke smiled slightly; he also wanted to test the Nano Suit's defensive capabilities, so he threw a punch with the same force he used against Abomination.
In an instant, the mannequin encased in the suit flew backward and embedded itself into the wall.
Shuri was stunned for a moment, then rushed over to check, patting her chest in lingering fear—thankfully, it wasn't broken.
It wasn't that she was worried about the suit, but if it couldn't even withstand one punch, that would be a huge blow to her.
Seeing that the suit was intact, Sean Brooke nodded with satisfaction again.
He didn't know how many things he had seen today that satisfied him; he should have come to Wakandasooner.
Leaving good things here was just a waste.
Sean Brooke spread his arms, looked at Shuri, and said excitedly, "Get me one too."
Shuri was amused by Sean Brooke's actions and giggled behind her hand before picking up the wolf-tooth necklace and putting it on him; the bead on her hand lit up.
"Now, you can try summoning it."
Sean Brooke didn't even speak; he just thought about it, and his entire body was covered by nanobots, which felt quite miraculous.
Those watching nearby also felt very strange; this was the first time an outsider had worn the Black Panther suit, which made them feel very uncomfortable.
Sean Brooke quickly shed the suit and rubbed his chin, thinking about something.
"What's wrong? Is there anything else that needs improvement?" Shuri asked quickly.
Sean Brooke pondered for a moment before speaking. "Hmm, first, don't store the suit in a wolf-tooth necklace anymore; it doesn't look good."
"Uh…"
"Second, I don't want black. Give me a red and blue one."
"Third, the protection can be lower, but it must be cool! It must be able to cover me according to my thoughts."
"Fourth, it would be best if it could turn into other things, like masks, capes, and the like."
"Fifth…"
When Sean Brooke first started making suggestions, Shuri was listening very carefully; after all, if Homelander thought something needed improvement, she naturally had to pay attention.
But as she listened, Shuri realized something was wrong.
None of the requirements had anything to do with the suit's performance; they were all about appearance.
A dozen requirements, summarized into one word: Cool!
After stating these requirements, Sean Brooke didn't care at all about Shuri's eye-roll and asked expectantly, "You should be able to do it, right?"
Initially, Shuri wanted to decline a few, as some were indeed quite unreasonable, but after hearing Sean Brooke's next sentence, she immediately agreed.
"If you can't do it, I'll go find Stark."
Taking her own suit to someone else for modifications was an insult to her.
"I definitely can! Three days—no, two days, at most two days, and I'll have it done!"
"That fast?" Sean Brooke was a bit surprised.
He thought he would have to wait a month or so to get the suit; he didn't expect it to only take two days.
Suddenly, Shuri was on the verge of tears.
This was the first time today she had seen a look of surprise in Sean Brooke's eyes; it was finally enough to make her feel satisfied.
"Alright then, I'll impose for another two days."
T'Challa quickly stepped forward, feeling much more at ease. "It's no trouble, no trouble at all. Lunch is also ready; shall we head over?"
"Sure, let's go."
Once T'Challa led Sean Brooke out, the tribal Elders and the King still in the laboratory collapsed to the floor instantly; heaven knows how much psychological pressure they had been under.
More than once, they had thought that today would be the day everyone in Wakanda went to meet the Panther Goddess.
Now, it was over; everything was finished.
Before leaving, the King specifically instructed Shuri.
"The suit—don't make it in the style of the Black Panther suit."
"Okay, Dad."
Walking out of the laboratory, the King and the tribal Elders exchanged smiles; this wouldn't be considered disrespectful to the Panther Goddess, right?
During the meal, the King asked Sean Brooke indirectly about his opinion of Wakanda.
Sean Brooke understood what they were worried about and proactively stated, "Rest assured, I won't tell anyone about anything in Wakanda."
"Since you aren't some aliens, there's no conflict between us, right? I also respect your ideas."
The King drank two sips of wine and said with relief, "That's good. Actually, if the whole World learned from Wakanda, there wouldn't be so many wars."
Sean Brooke smiled and didn't speak; not every country had a Vibranium mine.
Nearby, the thoughtful T'Challa suddenly said, "Should we try to make contact with the World?"
Slap!
The King slammed the table and pointed at T'Challa sternly. "Do you know what you are saying? Are you trying to drag our people into the flames of war?"
Sean Brooke also slammed the table and pointed at the King sternly. "Is that any way to talk to my brother, the little King!"
"I… I am his father."
"Oh, never mind then. You two continue."
Chapter 57: I Can Be Your Brand Ambassador
After that, Sean Brooke stayed in Wakanda for another two days.
During this time, Wakanda lost a total of five fighter jets, three vehicles, and two cannons, and even exhausted one rhinoceros.
If it weren't for the fact that it's difficult to keep a rhinoceros in New York, Sean Brooke would have definitely taken two back to play with.
As for the Nano Suit, the King was even more concerned about it than Sean Brooke. He asked Shuriabout the progress every hour, urging her to focus on modifying the suit and speed things up, as their stockpile was running low.
Finally, on the afternoon of the second day, while Sean Brooke was galloping across the savanna on a rhinoceros, T'Challa ran over with an excited look on his face to say that the suit was finished and to come take a look.
Sean Brooke reluctantly climbed down from the rhinoceros; it would be great if this thing were a bit smaller.
It seems there is a Superhero called Ant-Man who can freely enlarge and shrink, but I forgot what his name was; that is also very impressive technology.
Carrying the little guy, Sean Brooke flew to the laboratory and saw Shuri with her hands still typing away at something, not even noticing his arrival.
"Ahem, I heard you've finished the modifications?"
Hearing the voice, Shuri turned around with a look of displeasure written all over her face.
This suit held no challenge for her whatsoever; it just felt tedious and boring.
It was like making Einstein copy the multiplication table a hundred times; it was truly inhuman.
Shuri handed over a watch and took a deep breath, saying, "It's done. Try it out. If there... if there is anything that needs to be changed, you can let me know."
She had, after all, lost to reality.
The watch band was blue, the dial was pitch black, and the numbers and hands were bright red; it looked quite good.
Sean Brooke was quite satisfied as well, taking it and putting it on his right wrist.
With a thought, countless nanobots crawled out from the small holes in the watch band, gathered in Sean Brooke's hand, and turned into... a comb.
Sean Brooke combed his hair and exclaimed, "Whoa, impressive! Regular combs often break when I use them, but now it's all good, haha."
The comb in his hand quickly turned into nail clippers, chopsticks, and other daily items, which was agonizing for Shuri to watch.
But soon, her eyes lit up. Clothes make the man; Sean Brooke really looked good in the Nano Suit.
The Nano Suit quickly covered Sean Brooke's entire body; except for his head, every other part was perfectly enveloped.
The suit overall maintained the classic red and blue color scheme, but added some gold thread decorations, and there was a large letter'S' on the chest.
It was only at this moment that Shuri felt her efforts on the suit hadn't been wasted.
Sean Brooke didn't have much of a reaction. Although the suit wasn't uncomfortable to wear, he just felt that this kind of spandex was a bit weird.
The skin-tight suit receded, transforming into the style of his casual clothes. Sean Brooke nodded in satisfaction; sure enough, his own clothes were more comfortable.
Afterwards, Sean Brooke tried out a Superman cape, Batman glasses, and Captain America's shield; regardless, he was having a lot of fun.
The siblings watching from the side completely couldn't connect this Sean Brooke with the Homelanderfrom that night; the contrast was just too great.
When Sean Brooke happily put the Nano Suit away, Shuri finally dared to ask, "How does it feel?"
"Not bad, I'm very satisfied."
Sean Brooke looked at the watch, his eyes full of affection.
Hmph, from today on, he was also a person with a battle suit.
Sean Brooke was also somewhat impatient to go show it off.
He suddenly remembered when he was a child, whenever he got a new toy, he loved sharing it with his friends, and loved seeing their expressions of envy and jealousy.
"Oh right," Sean Brooke turned to look at them, "Prepare some more Vibranium for me; I have a use for it when I take it back."
"No problem, how much do you need?"
T'Challa agreed immediately; he had already given away a Nano Suit, so he didn't care about this bit of Vibranium.
"Let's start with a few hundred pounds."
"Uh..."
Seeing their hesitant expressions, Sean Brooke asked a bit strangely, "Is what I'm asking for a lot?"
T'Challa shook his head, "Not much, I just want to know what you are going to do with this Vibranium."
He then immediately explained, "I ask this question only because the total amount of Vibranium in the outside World doesn't even add up to a few hundred pounds, so I want to know what you are going to use it for."
"If it's something that can be made in Wakanda, I'll have Shuri make it for you directly. Vibranium is nothing; we have plenty, but we don't want too much of it flowing out. You should be able to understand, right?"
"Besides, if you suddenly have a few hundred pounds of Vibranium, it won't be easy to explain, right?"
T'Challa had a strong survival instinct. Although Sean Brooke called him brother every day, this brother had almost wiped out their country just two days ago.
Sean Brooke answered quite casually, "It's not for me to do anything; I just promised someone to bring him some Vibranium to make a battle suit. He's technically inept, so he needs better materials."
"As for where the Vibranium came from when people ask, I'll just say I picked it up."
Sean Brooke curled his lips, "Don't worry, nobody will ask in detail."
Nobody asking in detail meant that nobody dared to ask, and those who dared to ask wouldn't ask. Even if Fury wanted to know, he would only find Natasha to whisper a few pillow talks, and wouldn't press the issue to the end.
T'Challa glanced at Shuri, and the latter went to get it. A few hundred pounds of Vibranium was nothing; for them in Wakanda, it really didn't amount to much.
Soon, Shuri walked over carrying two transparent canisters, inside which a mercury-like liquid was flowing.
"There are 500 kilograms of Vibranium here; that should be enough, right?"
Sean Brooke reached out to take it, "Thanks."
"It's fine. I hope you can keep your promise and not reveal anything about Wakanda."
Seeing the doubt in their eyes, Sean Brooke patted his chest and said, "Don't worry, I won't reveal anything about Wakanda. Furthermore, I can give you a guarantee."
T'Challa was a bit confused and asked, "What guarantee?"
"If one day you in Wakanda want to integrate into this World, I can be your brand ambassador, no endorsement fee."
"Alright, I'll be going now. I'll come back to play when I have time next." Having said that, Sean Brooke rushed out of the laboratory and flew off toward the horizon.
T'Challa was stunned for a long while before speaking:
"Shuri."
"What is it, brother?"
"Don't tell Father about this matter yet."
Shuri looked at him meaningfully and nodded.
T'Challa also turned and walked out to tell his father, who was still waiting, the good news.
The good news was naturally that Sean Brooke had left and was willing to keep the secret.
As for his last sentence, T'Challa didn't plan to mention it, because saying it would be useless.
His father and those tribal Elders were absolute conservatives, firmly believing that Wakanda should not make contact with the outside World.
However, he didn't think so.
Ever since Stark appeared, the changes in the World had become greater and greater, and the gap between the outside World and Wakanda was becoming smaller and smaller.
If they didn't take the opportunity to step out while Wakanda still had a technological advantage, perhaps they would never be able to step out again.
Chapter 58: Then use your professional perspective to help me take a look; how is my Nano VibraniumSuit?
It was already night by the time he returned to New York.
Sean first went to Ivan's warehouse, and the moment he pushed open the door, he was startled.
"What, doing something bad?"
Ivan let out a long breath and asked impatiently, "Why are you here? Don't tell me there's another monster for me to fight."
"Haha, where would there be that many monsters?"
Sean stepped forward with a smile and looked at his Blueprints.
They were all design drawings for various weapons, as well as two long whips.
He turned back, glanced at him, clicked his tongue, and shook his head; he really did love those big Electric Whips.
Ivan didn't intend to hide the weapon Blueprints; after all, Sean was the one who introduced the weapon supplier.
Since Sean was here, he might as well ask about all his concerns from the past few days to put his mind at ease, lest he didn't know when the next time he'd see him would be.
"I contacted Hammer Industries. They agreed to let me use all their equipment or any weapons."
"The price is helping them design wearable armor, just like Stark's."
"Additionally, someone from the Military contacted me with two choices: one is to join them, and the other is to manufacture armor to sell to them. As for how it's made, they won't ask questions."
Ivan voiced all the questions in his heart in one breath, and the irritable mood inside him lessened significantly.
Ivan had to ask Sean about these matters; otherwise, who knew what he would think.
He had indeed warned him not to do anything bad.
Sean smiled, sighed, and said, "You can make your own decisions regarding your affairs."
"I only warned you before not to do bad things, like controlling armor to run rampant in the city."
"You can join whoever you want; I won't restrict you, understand?"
Having said that, Sean handed him the canister in his hand.
Ivan held the canister, looking at Sean somewhat blankly, not expecting him to answer like that.
All along, Ivan had considered himself Sean's subordinate, or perhaps a role that didn't even qualify as a subordinate.
His identity, armor, and factory were all funded by Sean; when encountering decision-making issues, it was only natural to ask for his opinion.
After a moment of daze, Ivan finally looked closely at the canister in his hand and asked:
"What is this?"
"Vibranium. Two hundred and fifty kilograms. It should be enough, right?"
A bolt of lightning seemed to explode in Ivan's brain. His hands holding the canister trembled slightly as he hurriedly and carefully placed it on the bed, looking at Sean with an excited expression but unable to speak.
Sean placed both hands on his shoulders, patted them gently, and smiled, "Calm down. You're considered a Superhero now, after all."
"...Okay!"
"Giving you the Vibranium comes with conditions."
Ivan slapped Sean's shoulder hard, ignoring his reddened palm, and said excitedly, "No problem, name them!"
"I know you want to defeat Stark. My condition is that after you defeat Stark, you must continue to be the Brave Guardian."
Without hesitation, Ivan agreed immediately.
He only wanted to avenge his father; once successful, he would have no other wishes, and continuing to be a Superhero wasn't bad.
Sean nodded in satisfaction, reminded him that the Vibranium must not be leaked, and then left.
After Sean left, Ivan's emotions still couldn't stabilize; looking at the Vibranium, his heart was still racing.
Suddenly, he saw the armor in the room, the Brave Guardian.
His brain worked rapidly, and a strange smile appeared on Ivan's face.
...
After leaving, Sean flew toward Tony's Villa.
For no other reason than to show off and then leave; at this hour, he definitely wouldn't be asleep.
Sure enough, as soon as he reached the sky above the Villa, the lights inside were still on. Pepper was still on the sofa watching TV, and Tony should be in the Underground Room.
"Pepper!"
The voice suddenly coming from the window startled Pepper. Once she saw it was Sean, she patted her chest and said, still shaken, "You scared me to death. Tony is in the Underground Room."
"Hehe, sorry."
After greeting Pepper, he went straight to the Underground Room.
As soon as he entered, he saw Tony fiddling with something against a Holographic Projection.
"Cough, modifying the armor again?"
Tony glanced back and then turned back, asking suspiciously, "Why are you here?"
"Nothing, just passing by."
Tony became even more suspicious. With a wave of his hand, he closed the projection and asked, "Want to go for a hot spring soak?"
"No, no supermodels, no point," Sean refused flatly.
Walking up to the Mark armor, Sean tapped it twice with his finger, making a 'clang-clang' sound.
Tony brought two wine glasses from somewhere, poured some wine, and handed one to Sean.
"What? If you like it, I can customize a set for you too."
Sean felt a surge of joy in his heart; he had entered the topic so quickly!
"Cough." Sean suppressed his smile, took a sip of wine, and said indifferently:
"No need. Someone designed a set for me, and I quite like it."
Tony looked disdainful and downed a gulp of wine. "Who? Ivan Vanko? Can his armor even be used? You don't look for a professional to make armor, but an amateur?"
Just as Tony took his second gulp of wine, he saw Sean smiling at him, and immediately after, he felt he must be drunk.
A red and blue suit quickly covered Sean's entire body up to his neck, and even trailed a long Capebehind him.
"Then use your professional perspective to help me take a look; how is my Nano Vibranium Suit?"
Sean turned his body around with an expression of humbly seeking advice.
Seeing that Tony didn't speak, Sean smiled and said in a somewhat disdainful tone:
"Sigh, it's just that it looks too much like a bodysuit when worn. Although it doesn't pinch, it's just a bit unsightly."
"Tsk, it might be because it's made of Vibranium; there's always a sense of coldness when wearing it, and the heat retention isn't very good."
"Oh, right. It's fine that the suit is usually stored inside the Watch, but the style of the Watch can't be changed; I have to keep wearing this one model, and it gets a bit boring after wearing it for a long time."
"As a professional, do you have any suggestions for improvement?"
With a 'clink', the wine glass in Tony's hand dropped directly, shattering on the floor. Only then did he regain some of his thoughts.
"Phew!"
Rubbing his face to make sure he wasn't drunk, Tony then asked in a questioning tone:
"Did you go to Outer Space during the days you disappeared?"
"No, I've always been on Earth."
Regarding armor, he was naturally a professional.
Precisely because he was a professional, he could tell that this Nano Suit was absolutely not a technology that current Earth could possess.
Even for him, he estimated it would take at least five years of independent research to develop it.
This was the part that made him unable to believe it.
Earth?
Tony could believe there were people with superpowers in this World, and he could believe there were experimental monsters.
But he absolutely did not believe that in this World, there was a place with a technological level five years ahead of his!
Looking at Tony's hesitant expression, Sean directly flew away.
Humph, how could I let you keep questioning me to the end? Think about it all night, haha!
Hearing the noise, Pepper walked to the stairs, poked her head out, and asked, "Tony, what did he come here for?"
"To trample on my dignity!"
Chapter 59: Only She Knew
At night, Gwen, having just finished her shower, picked up her phone and browsed through Sean's information on social media.
Ever since Sean left New York again that day, the online discussions about him hadn't stopped.
Some said Homelander had discovered Vampires again.
Some said Homelander had discovered a new mythical species.
Others said Homelander had found traces of a green monster and went to eliminate it.
Looking at the jumbled mess of information on Facebook, Gwen smiled faintly.
Only she knew that Sean had gone to Africa on a secret mission that couldn't be disclosed.
But he still made time to chat with her every day and had sent a few photos of himself on the African savannah. In the pictures, he looked silly and adorable.
Tossing her phone aside, Gwen buried her head in the blankets, letting out a series of embarrassed cries.
She remembered the embarrassing messages she had sent him, wondering if he had understood them, and if he did, whether he would come.
Suddenly, her phone buzzed with a message. Gwen thought it might be a work task requiring overtime, but it was from him.
"Did you miss me tonight?"
"Hmph~ No."
"Really? The moon here is huge, looks a lot like you."
As he said this, a photo of the moon was sent over.
Gwen smiled happily, quickly got up, ran to the window, and prepared to take a photo of the moon to send back.
She aimed her phone at the sky. The moon was there, but why was there a human silhouette in the middle of it?
Gwen's heart raced. She tried zooming in on the silhouette in the center.
Just then, Sean sent another message.
"How about it, is the moon pretty there? Oh, sorry, I might be blocking it."
The phone instantly slipped from Gwen's hand. She covered her mouth, tears welling in her eyes, staring at the sky in disbelief.
Sean didn't make her wait long, soon flying into her room.
Picking up the phone, he looked at her with a smile. "Now I'm not blocking it. Want to take another picture?"
Without hesitation, Gwen rushed into Sean's embrace.
"I missed you so much."
"Me too."
Resting her head on Sean's chest, Gwen secretly glanced up at him.
"So... did you come because you saw my messages?"
Sean looked down at her, feigning thought. "Which one are you talking about?"
"The one where you bragged about catching a few criminals, or the one where you saved how many people?"
"Or... the one where you 'accidentally' mentioned that Sheriff George and Aunt Helen were out, and the house was empty? Hmm?"
Hearing the emphasis Sean put on the word 'accidentally', Gwen knew he was teasing her again.
After giving Sean a fierce glare, Gwen pushed him away, turned, walked to the bed, and took out her weapon.
Clearing her throat, she said very seriously:
"Mr. Sean, entering someone's home without permission. I am now placing you under arrest for illegal trespassing. Is that clear?"
"Crystal clear, Officer Gwen!"
As a law-abiding citizen of New York City, cooperating with police work was Sean's duty.
So, when Gwen handcuffed his hands to the bedpost, he didn't resist at all.
...
[Affection Points Gained: 10]
[Affection Points Gained: 10]
He stayed with Gwen until six in the morning before leaving under her reluctant gaze.
There was no helping it; she also wanted Sean to stay with her longer.
But he said he had just returned from a business trip and had come over before even reporting on the mission. Now he absolutely had to leave.
Hearing this, Gwen wouldn't dream of keeping him longer. She stood by the window, watching him leave, her eyes full of tenderness.
...
In the kitchen of the apartment, the morning news played in the living room.
"Homelander departed from the skies over New York City three days ago, heading straight for the Atlantic Ocean, and has not returned since. I wonder what views our panel of Professors have?"
"I think a spatial rift has appeared in the Bermuda Triangle."
"I think ancient ruins have appeared at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean."
"I think a terrifying monster has appeared in the snowy mountains of Antarctica."
Listening to these unreliable Professors, Christine chuckled.
Only she knew that Sean had just gone to an African tribe, saying it was a secret mission that couldn't be disclosed.
Moreover, even while on a mission, Sean would often contact her and had sent a photo of himself with a rhinoceros. In the picture, he looked silly and adorable.
Christine, having finished making breakfast, suddenly slapped her forehead and sighed in self-mockery. "Made two portions again, sigh."
Ever since meeting Sean, she had always made two portions for breakfast.
But with the increasing number of strange events lately, Sean's visits had become fewer and farther between.
Although they kept in touch, not being able to see him always left a bit of regret.
Just as she was about to throw away the other portion of breakfast, a gust of wind blew past, and the plate in her hand disappeared.
Sean, eating a sandwich, mumbled somewhat unhappily, "If I had been any later, would there have been no breakfast for me?"
Seeing Sean appear, Christine was stunned for a moment before hugging him.
"I thought it would take you a long time to come back."
"Hmph, I rushed back overnight, didn't even have a meal, and now my sandwich got squashed."
When Christine had rushed over just now, Sean had squeezed his hand, causing the sandwich to fall apart.
Christine looked up at him, reached over to take her own sandwich, held it near her face, and asked:
"Then... eat mine."
It must be said, Christine made a good sandwich, with milky-scented bread.
[Affection Points Gained: 8]
At nine in the morning, the shaking of the walls finally stopped, and the night-shift worker upstairs could finally get some good sleep.
"Wh...what's wrong?" Christine asked breathlessly, looking up.
Normally, Sean wouldn't stop at this hour, especially since she was off today and wanted to spend more time with him.
Was he leaving so soon? Christine's eyes grew anxious.
Sean was thinking, wondering why Christine's Affection Points had decreased.
After all, her Affection Points had always been ten, never dropping before. Was it because he hadn't visited in a long time?
Holding the anxious Christine close, he whispered:
"Time to go."
Christine bit her lip lightly, broke free from the embrace, buried her head in her knees, refusing to look at him, not wanting him to see the disappointment in her eyes.
She had thought she could spend more time with him today, but he was leaving so soon.
Sean smiled, running his fingers along her back, and asked:
"What, did you want to spend the whole day at home with me?"
Christine jerked her head up, looking at Sean with a mix of confusion and excitement. Could she have heard wrong?
Sean pulled her close again, whispering, "We've never gone out together, have we? Hmm? Or do you prefer us staying at home all the time?"
"B...but, we can't go out together," Christine said with a hint of grievance.
Whenever she heard colleagues at the hospital making plans with their boyfriends for weekend outings or movies, she could only envy them secretly.
Envy that they could appear openly in front of others.
Every time she heard such talk, a flicker of doubt would arise in her heart. Not doubt about her feelings for Sean,
but wondering if he truly loved her.
Sean pulled out a pair of glasses from beside him, waving them happily. "Heh, with these, we can go shopping without worry."
"Really?"
Cupping her face, Sean said seriously, "Really. Go get dressed."
Christine was instantly overjoyed, her doubts gone. She jumped off the bed to pick out her prettiest clothes.
Sean leaned against the pillow, watching the most beautiful Christine pick out the most beautiful clothes.
This was also the first time Christine felt she had too many clothes, completely unsure which to choose.
Seeing that ten minutes had already passed, she grew increasingly anxious.
Every second wasted on clothes was a second less spent shopping with Sean.
In the end, she simply chose the outfit she wore the first time she went to Sean's house. Turning around shyly, she asked:
"Is this one okay?"
Sean stood up. The Nano Suit quickly transformed, turning into the set of clothes Christine had bought for him.
"Then, I'll wear this."
Although puzzled by the strange thing on Sean's body, to her, it wasn't important. Hurrying to go shopping was what mattered most.
"Today, I'm going to buy you lots and lots of clothes."
As she said this, Christine's hands swept in a half-circle before she hugged Sean, whispering softly in his ear:
"And... buy me a few outfits you like too."
"Hmph, then let's hurry up and go out."
Chapter 60: Remembering the First Time I Was Caught Red-Handed
With time left in the morning, they headed to New York's Fifth Avenue.
This was a high-end shopping district where the minimum annual rent for a shop was a thousand dollars per square meter, and all sorts of luxury retail stores were located here.
Originally, Christine had thought about helping Sean save money, but after he said all expenses could be reimbursed, she no longer held back.
What woman doesn't love luxury goods, especially when they're bought by her boyfriend and don't cost a dime?
In this way, the two of them browsed many shops, most of which were men's clothing stores, to help Sean buy clothes.
And every time Sean finished trying on clothes and prepared to pay, the shopkeepers would offer discounts or even give them for free, only asking to take a photo of him.
Sometimes, people from other shops would even take the initiative to invite Sean in, asking him to help try on clothes, and as long as they could take a photo, he could take them for free.
Christine felt very proud, and the smile on her lips never faded.
Out of necessity, Sean could only increase the power of his glasses, and only then did the crowd around them thin out significantly.
"Hmph, next we're going to buy clothes for you."
Christine's face turned red; she had already bought her clothes, so she knew that what Sean was referring to wasn't the bags in their hands.
After bringing Sean to a coffee shop, Christine ran off to buy clothes.
She didn't let Sean follow because if he saw, there would be no surprise.
Sean sat in the shop, drinking coffee and looking at his phone, ignoring the sharp gaze from behind him.
Half an hour later, she finally ran back, holding four or five black bags in her hands.
"Where are we going next?"
"Let's eat first, and then it's up to you whether you want to go to the amusement park or the aquarium."
Christine took out two tickets, placed them in front of her, and said happily:
"Hmm... the aquarium, then. There's a restaurant inside I really want to go to, and also, I booked movie tickets for five o'clock."
"Alright, as you wish."
The smile on Christine's face never stopped; she hadn't expected that she could actually go on a date and shop with Sean just like an ordinary couple.
The lighting inside the aquarium was somewhat dim, suitable for men and women with ambiguous relationships to visit; it was a bit better than a movie theater because there was a legitimate reason to hold hands.
"It's very dark here, hold onto me so you don't get lost."
Inside the hall, there was also a very romantic underwater restaurant. Combined with the pale blue light and shadow and graceful music, it was easy to develop feelings for the person across from you.
Moreover, when emotions ran deep, one could be a little more daring; with the cover of the lighting, no one would notice.
Of course, unless someone was specifically staring at you.
After a light kiss, looking at the dazed Christine, Sean whispered, "Is the movie about to start?"
"Mhm! Let's... head over."
Although Christine really wanted to stay here longer, she wanted to watch a movie with Sean even more; what they watched didn't matter, as long as he was there.
After all, this was their first date; if they didn't watch a movie, she felt like something would be missing.
This movie had also been carefully selected by Christine, who had even asked many colleagues for their opinions.
After listening to them, it felt as if a door to a new World had opened for Christine.
"Christine, unless you or your boyfriend really want to watch the movie, I suggest you pick a really, really bad one."
"Why?"
"Because for that kind of film, there are very few people, the lighting is dim, and it's convenient."
"If the film is bad, the two of you will focus your attention on each other instead of the movie, understand?"
Afterward, they mentioned a few more key points, such as it being best to wear a skirt and bring a jacket.
Halfway through the movie, Christine peeked at Sean. Today she was wearing a skirt, and he had a jacket, so what was next?
Sean also turned his head to look at her at this moment, leaning in close and whispering in her ear, "Do you really like this movie, 'Dreaming of the Entertainment Circle'?"
Christine's face turned red, and she lowered her head without speaking; she couldn't exactly tell him what her colleagues had said.
Seeing her expression, Sean understood everything because he had already been forced to watch many bad movies.
"How about we go back? This movie isn't as good-looking as you, and besides, there are night-vision cameras here, so someone is watching whatever we do."
"Ah, then let's just leave."
Hearing this, Christine was in no mood to continue watching the movie.
She pulled Sean and sneaked out quietly. Although it was a bad movie, there were still a few audience members, and not everyone cared about the cameras.
After leaving the cinema and reaching a corner, Sean smiled slightly, pulled her, and swapped positions with her.
While Christine was still confused, a figure rushed over and bumped right into Sean's back, falling backward.
When she saw clearly who it was, she was a bit surprised and quickly asked, "Dr. Stephen Strange, why are you here?"
Sean also reached out to pull him up and asked friendly, "Are you alright?"
Strange rubbed his head, and after seeing Christine's eyes, he immediately looked away and hurriedly explained:
"I'm on vacation, just came to see a movie."
"Is that so? But don't you have surgery today?" Christine asked, puzzled.
"It was postponed! Uh, the patient's condition wasn't right, so it was postponed."
Strange coughed twice and changed the subject, asking, "Who is this?"
Christine looked at Sean, somewhat hesitating, not knowing how to introduce him.
"Toby Marquiel, Christine's boyfriend. Hello."
Sean generously extended his hand, but the person opposite was clearly not as generous.
This introduction, combined with Christine's shy face, completely shattered Strange's hope.
"Sorry, I'm a Neurosurgeon and generally don't shake hands, thank you."
Strange's tone gradually became a bit hurried as he asked again, "Why haven't I heard of you? What do you do?"
"I'm with the Rescue Team. I'm usually very busy and rarely have time to accompany her, so I specifically took leave to come here today." As he spoke, he even put his arm around Christine.
"Oh, so you're just a handyman. I thought you were a Doctor too."
Christine's expression changed. "Strange, that's not your concern!"
Strange smiled and spread his hands, pretending to be apologetic.
"No offense, I just feel you should find someone you share a common language with, rather than someone with well-developed limbs..."
"Enough! That is also not your concern!"
Christine interrupted him sternly and pulled Sean away, leaving behind a bewildered and furious Strange.
Back in the car, Christine was very angry. It was supposed to be a perfect day, but it seemed an unpleasant memory had been left behind.
Just as she was about to explain and apologize, Sean placed a finger on her lips.
"Shh, don't say things that spoil the mood. Today is a rare occasion; let's only talk about happy things, okay?"
Christine nodded; as long as he wasn't unhappy, it was fine.
Regarding Strange's attitude, Sean didn't feel surprised; this kind of similar situation wasn't the first time it had happened.
Remembering the first time he was caught red-handed, he had been very green, very flustered, and very bewildered, even feeling that he was truly a piece of work.
Cough, but after experiencing it many times, he had grown used to it.
Sometimes, it was actually a good thing if the other party made a move.
For instance, if Strange made a move, he would be locked up, and then Sean could lie in the hospital and let Christine take care of him.
Like a certain senior female student before; they actually didn't have much of a relationship and had only met a few times.
But after Sean was hospitalized because of her, she felt it was her fault and thus took care of him with a sense of indebtedness.
In this way, the communication between the two of them gradually increased.
Chapter 61: Protecting the World, and Protecting My World, Are Two Completely Different Things
On the way back, Christine kept her face turned, her eyes filled with tenderness as she looked at Sean, thinking he was simply too wonderful.
Sean also thought he was too wonderful; he had just saved two people at once.
He believed that once Strange became Doctor Strange and saw the Multiverse, he would thank him.
In every universe of the Multiverse, he deeply loved Christine. That was undeniable.
But in every universe where they were together, the outcome was invariably tragic—either he died, or she perished.
Therefore, on some future day, he would surely come before Sean and say:
"Please take good care of Christine for me."
The two drove back home. Christine composed herself and went to the kitchen to prepare dinner.
Originally, Sean wanted to eat out to avoid troubling her with cooking, but Christine insisted on letting him try her culinary skills.
In the kitchen, Christine was carefully preparing the ingredients. After having Sif deliver a bottle of red wine, Sean leaned back on the sofa, quietly watching her.
He cherished these leisurely and comfortable moments.
An old-fashioned record player played romantic dance music. Christine didn't ask for Sean's help, busily moving between the kitchen and the dining table until finally, dinner was set.
The Nano Suit on Sean's body quickly spread, transforming into a black tuxedo. He slightly bent at the waist, extending his right hand, palm upward.
"May I ask if Ms. Palmer would be willing to share a dance with me?"
"Of course, it would be my honor, Mr. Brooke."
Christine smiled happily, the blush on her cheeks complementing her small dimples. She looked truly beautiful.
Under the dim, warm light, her hand rested on his shoulder, his arm around her waist. Just like that, the two slowly danced in the living room to the music.
The only regret Christine felt that night was that she grew tired before she could finish changing all her clothes.
Then, the next morning, she did her best to make up for that regret.
[Affection Points Gained: 10]
...
Before evening, Sean left Christine's place. Staying any longer wouldn't be good for her health.
Just as he was about to head to the Hess Family Residence, Natasha called.
"Ahem, maybe you should come back first. General Ross seems to have something to discuss with you."
She had deliberately timed the call; otherwise, who knew how long it would be before Sean returned.
Sean didn't mind. It was just cutting in line—perfectly acceptable.
Only, who was Ross?
"Ahem, he's not a general anymore, just an ordinary old man. When are you coming back? I've been waiting for you all day."
Hearing the voice on the other end of the line, Sean finally remembered—it seemed to be the general responsible for creating the Hulk.
He also remembered that this old man's attitude toward him hadn't been very good.
Recalling the last person like that was Sheriff George, who had a beautiful daughter. He hoped this one did too.
"Dad, be more polite." A clear voice came from the other end of the phone.
Hmm? He really has one?
By now, Sean had completely forgotten about them. After all, he'd had a bit to drink that night and was solely focused on beating up the Hulk, so he hadn't paid much attention to anyone else present.
Moreover, that night, Betty was crying her eyes out, screaming hoarsely, her hair disheveled by the helicopter's downdraft, which left Sean with no memorable impression of her.
Not long after, upon arriving home, Sean saw a properly dressed Betty for the first time. No wonder Banner went green for her.
So it was Ms. Taylor, the elven princess from *Stealing Beauty*.
Seeing Sean enter, the two stood up and walked over.
Betty was tall, the tallest woman Sean had encountered so far, only a few centimeters shorter than him.
Her gaze met Sean's levelly, very composed, without the nervousness, excitement, or fear others often showed.
It wasn't Strange. Years ago, she had witnessed the Hulk's terrifying destructive power. If she wasn't afraid of that monster, why would she fear Sean?
"Betty Ross. We've met before."
Sean ignored her outstretched hand, gave them a displeased look, and sat down on the sofa by himself, asking:
"Why do you dare show yourselves before me?"
The atmosphere instantly dropped several degrees. All three could tell Sean didn't want to see them, which made Betty begin to feel a bit nervous.
But General Ross wasn't afraid in the slightest. He was a man who had been on the battlefield; what scene hadn't he seen?
He smiled and sat down opposite Sean, saying, "Since you didn't come to arrest me, why wouldn't I dare appear?"
The surrounding atmosphere grew even tenser. Betty quickly sat down beside her father, urging him not to speak recklessly. Natasha also sat next to Sean, trying to calm him down.
Sean let out a disdainful laugh, looking at General Ross as if he were some kind of joke.
And when had General Ross ever been looked at like that? He asked sternly, "What? Am I wrong? Didn't you also follow S.H.I.E.L.D.'s orders and let me go?"
Upon hearing this, Natasha wore an innocent expression and said seriously, "General Ross, we haven't discussed your situation with Sean yet."
General Ross was taken aback. Not S.H.I.E.L.D.'s orders? Then why hadn't he come to arrest him? Fear of U.S. law? Impossible!
Even the Hulk could act as he pleased. Someone stronger than him, like Homelander, wouldn't be like that.
Moreover, if this matter were pursued, it was his responsibility. Arresting him would be the logical course of action.
"Why?"
General Ross asked directly. He wasn't one for reserve; if he wanted to ask, he asked.
Sean sneered, a glint of killing intent in his eyes, and said sharply, "If it weren't for fearing it would cause chaos, if it weren't for fearing it would make the public lose trust in America, if it weren't for fearing the protest crowds would grow..."
"You would already be a dead man!"
Sean stood up, looking down at Ross and Betty. "Listen, everything I do is to make this World more stable. It has nothing to do with any orders. Understand?"
"Ever since I gained these superpowers, I have been working toward this goal, and I have never changed."
Sean wasn't lying with this statement, though its meaning depended on one's interpretation.
For example, General Ross was shocked and skeptical. How could there be such a person? After gaining god-like power, would he truly serve ordinary people? I don't believe it.
Betty felt somewhat emotional, thinking that having a Superman who feared no authority and remained true to himself was a blessing for ordinary people.
At the same time, she felt a tinge of regret. If Banner hadn't become the Hulk, he would surely have done even better than Homelander.
Natasha, on the other hand, would think that Sean simply didn't want the outside World to be too chaotic, which would mean he'd have to help out all the time and have no time to spend with them.
Sean believed Natasha was right.
She was only off by a tiny bit, almost exactly what Sean was thinking.
Chaos was fine too, but only when he needed it to be chaotic—like with Iron Monger, or Abomination.
If the outside World remained perpetually peaceful and tranquil, that wasn't what Sean wanted to see either.
Someone needing him, someone worshipping him, someone loving him—that was what Sean wanted.
Whether as Homelander or not, he loved this feeling. He had never changed.
Protecting the World, and protecting my World, are two completely different things.
Chapter 62: For Banner!
Watching Natasha see them off outside, Sean sat in the living room with a furrowed brow.
"Hiss, did I overact again?"
No, Betty would definitely come back. She hadn't asked about the Hulk yet. She would definitely return!
Outside, after General Ross got into the car, Betty held the car door, looking back at the house, hesitating to get in.
Ross sighed helplessly, "Go on."
He knew Betty had come today specifically to ask about Banner; otherwise, she wouldn't have followed him.
Betty's face lit up with joy. She closed the car door and told the driver to leave quickly, lest her father change his mind.
Then she asked Natasha beside her if she could take her back inside one more time.
Natasha thought for a moment, feeling she probably shouldn't go back, or Betty would be very embarrassed later.
"You go ahead by yourself. I have things to attend to, sorry." With that, she left, giving Betty no chance to persuade her otherwise.
Left with no choice, Betty had to brace herself and go back in alone.
Natasha really was considerate.
Opening the door, Betty awkwardly said, "Hi."
Sean put away his smile, his face showing a look of disdain as he asked, "Why are you back? The citizens I protect don't include you."
Then he got up and headed upstairs. Seeing this, Betty immediately chased after him, shouting as she went, "Wait! Wait! Let me explain!"
She chased him all the way into the bedroom, locked the door behind her, and let out a sigh of relief, thinking, *Now you'll have to listen to my explanation.*
Sean looked out the window, sighed in relief, and thought, *Now you can't run away.*
Just as Betty was about to speak, Sean cut her off directly, "Don't speak. I know what you want to ask. About the green monster, right?"
"Banner is not a monster! He..."
Sean turned around, placed a finger on his lips, and shushed her. Betty didn't try to explain further.
He slowly moved closer to Betty. Seeing him approach, Betty could only slowly retreat, but after just two steps, her back was against the door.
Betty's breathing grew increasingly rapid as Sean drew nearer.
Sean placed his hand on the door beside Betty's ear, leaned his face close, looked directly into her eyes, and asked with great confusion:
"I don't understand. Why would a human like you help a monster?"
Betty wanted to explain again, but this time, Sean's finger pressed against her lips. She could only protest with her eyes.
"I know you want to say Banner and the Hulk aren't the same person. Then let me ask you, can they be separated?"
Betty's gaze faltered.
Since entering the room, she hadn't avoided his gaze once.
But she knew in her heart that Banner and the Hulk were already inseparable.
"Since they can't be separated, simply put, the Hulk is Banner's second personality. Does a second personality killing people make it not a crime?"
Sean pinched Betty's chin, lifted her head to face him, and looked into her eyes again as he asked:
"What do you think, Ms. Betty Ross?"
Two streams of hot tears immediately slid from Betty's eyes, dripping onto Sean's hand.
"I... I don't know."
Betty crouched down, losing the calm composure she had when she first entered. Her emotions began to surge.
Did she know? Of course she did. Betty was a Professor. She had known the answer to this question from the start.
But she was unwilling to face it because Banner was a man she had loved for a long time. How could she say it out loud?
After letting her cry silently for a while, Sean continued:
"I don't know if you've been to Broadway. Do you know how many people were wearing black suits mourning that day? Do you know how many families were torn apart?"
"You want me to spare the Hulk. Have you ever considered how *they* feel?"
Betty was already overwhelmed with shame from Sean's words. She buried her head between her knees, emitting continuous sobs.
"Wah~ wah, stop, stop saying it."
Sean looked at her, feeling it was about enough.
He walked over and sat on the edge of the bed, took a deep breath, and said in a firm tone, "So, the next time I encounter the Hulk, I will definitely kill him!"
Hearing this, Betty abruptly stood up. Even with tears filling her eyes, they couldn't hide her determination at this moment.
"No!"
For Banner, she had even been willing to break ties with her father!
For Banner, she had even stood in front of a Gatling gun!
For Banner, she had even tried to stop the Hulk in his rage!
For Banner, she had even skipped dates with her boyfriend and driven through the rain to find him!
Sean stood up and snorted coldly, "That's not up to you!"
Betty, not knowing where she found the courage, rushed forward and wrapped her arms around Sean's waist, gritting her teeth as she shouted, "I won't let you go after Banner!"
If it had been when she first entered, Betty might not have acted this way. At most, she would have left heartbroken, because at that time, her rationality still held the upper hand.
But now, she was completely consumed by concern for Banner's safety.
She also had no doubt about Sean's words because he truly could kill the Hulk.
"Hmph, you don't actually think you can stop me, do you?"
Sean grabbed the clothes on her back and, with a clever twist of force, tore them apart.
"Ahem! You can still leave now."
"No!"
"No... no!"
"No... no~!"
For Banner!
...
Early the next morning, sunlight streamed into Sean's bedroom.
The bright light made Betty's eyelids flutter slightly, and soon she opened her eyes.
Looking up at the person in front of her, she gently turned over, lay on her side, stared blankly at the ceiling, and began to recall what foolish thing she had done last night.
Right after she moved, Sean also woke up.
Betty quickly grabbed a pillow to cover herself. She wanted to find the blanket, but unfortunately, it was gone.
"I... I..."
Betty stammered, unsure what to say. Sean smiled slightly.
"Even after this, I won't spare the Hulk."
This angered Betty. The look she gave Sean turned to disdain.
She directly hit him with the pillow, no longer caring about covering up.
"You... you actually think I'm that kind of person!"
Sean let her hit him a few times, then grabbed the pillow and pulled her toward him in one smooth motion.
Sensing something, Betty panicked a little. Her earlier bravado gone, she got up, ready to escape.
Last night, she had been crying and somewhat out of her mind, which led to this happening. Now she was very clear-headed and naturally wouldn't let it happen again.
But Sean's next words made her stop.
"However, I can give you a chance to explain about the Hulk and Banner."
"Really?" Betty asked, somewhat disbelieving.
Sean sighed and nodded. "I really do want to know now. What reason does the Hulk have that makes you act like this?"
"You!"
Betty didn't retort further. Explaining Banner's situation clearly was the most important thing now.
She believed that if Sean understood the whole story from beginning to end, he might let Banner and the Hulk go.
She silently acquiesced to Sean's increasingly bold actions, but soon she questioned:
"Do I... do I really have to talk like this?"
"Uh, you can also wait and tell me later. I'm in no hurry."
"Hmph! I'll talk now!"
"Banner was invited by me to study gamma rays. So, tracing this back to its source, it's my fault. After that..."
After speaking for a few minutes, Betty lost track of what she was saying.
Fortunately, her phone rang at that moment, pulling her back to reality.
Sean frowned and asked, "Who is it?"
Betty glanced at the caller ID, her face flushing red, but she didn't answer.
"Leonard (boyfriend) calling..."
"So, are you still going to talk?"
Betty reached out and hung up the phone, took a deep breath, and said firmly:
"Yes!"
Chapter 63: A Real Man Should Still Use His Fists
It was already noon when Betty left Sean's house.
She had spent a lot of words to 'persuade' Sean.
She made him understand that Banner was a good person and that the Hulk didn't actually want to destroy the city; he was always just fighting back and had never initiated an attack on anyone.
She even wanted Sean to help the Hulk and see if he could help him calm down.
Of course, Sean didn't care about these things, but Betty was very sincere, and since he had no intention of attacking the Hulk anyway, he simply went along with her.
When our opinions align, I listen to you; when our opinions differ, you listen to me—it's very reasonable and very fair.
Once Sean agreed, Betty acted like a heartless woman; she spat, clutched her stomach, and left.
Before leaving, she even took one of Natasha's outfits, leaving her own torn clothes behind.
Less than three minutes after Betty left, Natasha walked in.
She was very good at time management, and Sean liked that very much.
Moreover, she was very good at changing her look. For instance, right now, she was clearly wearing a black lace outfit, but by the time she sat in front of Sean, it had changed to white mixed with some light pink, which looked very nice.
Natasha had been with Sean for so long that she naturally knew when to ask him questions.
"You... don't move, I have something to ask you."
"Did you get that Vibranium from some alien spaceship?"
Ivan's factory was full of S.H.I.E.L.D. people; there was no way they wouldn't know Sean had given him two hundred and fifty kilograms of Vibranium.
"I picked it up off the ground."
"Sealed liquid Vibranium using technology that doesn't belong to Earth?"
Sean wasn't embarrassed at all and nodded in agreement, "Yeah! I think Vibranium probably just grows that way."
Natasha looked up at him with an unhappy gaze and then bit him hard. She also knew that if Sean didn't want to say, there must be a reason, and forcing him wouldn't work.
"Why ask this question?"
That bite worked well. If she waited a bit longer, Sean might just sell out Wakanda.
Sure enough, Natasha fell for it and released her teeth.
"A hammer fell in New Mexico that no one can move. We thought the Vibranium you found might be related to aliens."
Sean patted her back and comforted her, "Don't worry, I don't know about the hammer, but there's definitely no problem with the Vibranium."
"That's good. But, do you have any extra Vibranium you picked up?"
That was Vibranium, after all—something money couldn't buy. S.H.I.E.L.D. definitely wanted it.
After ten seconds without hearing Sean's answer, Natasha's eyes instantly lit up. She knew there must be more!
She immediately straightened her arms and looked directly down at Sean, her eyes devoid of emotion and full of grievance.
"Am I... not even as good as him?"
"No... there's no more."
"Hmph!"
The corner of Natasha's mouth curled up. She sat up straight, took Sean's hand, and smiled, "When you lie, you don't even dare to look me in the eye."
Having no choice, Sean applied a gentle force to his hand and pulled her down. "Ivan shouldn't need that much. You can take all the extra Vibranium."
Only then was Natasha somewhat satisfied, tracing circles on him with her finger as a blessing.
She was very pleased with this result. The researchers at Ivan's place said there would be at least fifty kilograms of Vibranium left, which was already a huge gain.
Without Sean's word, they really wouldn't dare to just haul this Vibranium away.
Then, she habitually asked, "I knew it, I can only use what others leave behind. It's like this with Vibranium, and it's like this with men."
Natasha was probably the person who understood Sean best besides Hess. She knew his limits and wouldn't annoy him; this kind of coquettish tone was very much to his taste.
As expected, Sean sighed, gave her bottom a firm pat to make her get up first, and turned to grab the watch beside him.
He also suddenly remembered that he should have Shuri modify it again. He couldn't always be wearing a watch while doing 'business,' and with Sean's frequency, having to take it off every time was quite a hassle.
Natasha had naturally noticed Sean's watch long ago; he had never worn one before.
He put it on his right hand and then grabbed Natasha's hand.
The Nano Suit instantly flowed along Sean's hand, covering Natasha's entire body, and a long cloak appeared behind her.
"This! What is this!"
Natasha looked at her hands and body, her face full of surprise.
She could feel that her strength had increased significantly; the thing on her body was definitely not just clothes.
Looking at the wall in front of her, she tried a punch. After a sound, her hand went right through the wall.
She stood up, gave a light hop, and jumped onto the ceiling, eventually even adhering to it.
Natasha's expression grew even more delighted. Her original combat suit was actually quite powerful and could greatly enhance her combat capabilities, but no matter the enhancement, it still fell within the human range.
She could feel that this suit could take her to heights that didn't belong to her.
At that thought, she looked down at Sean and dropped straight down, landing on him.
Taking the initiative, she said, "Is it a gift for me? I really love you so much, Sean, oh~"
After saying that, she blocked his mouth, giving him no time to answer.
Sean never rejected a passionate woman, but he would reject a woman who wanted his toys.
With a flick of his wrist, the suit on Natasha's body all returned to the watch.
"I can't give it to you now. Maybe in a while. I'll find someone to make a set for you; I still want to play with this one."
A flash of disappointment crossed Natasha's eyes, but she quickly let it go.
Since Sean had promised her, there was no need to worry; he would definitely get it done.
"What is this?"
"Nano-Vibranium Suit, hehe, impressive, right?"
Natasha turned and looked at the watch on his right hand. "Impressive!"
"Hmph, there's even more impressive stuff."
Then, Natasha saw the Nano Suit quickly converge in Sean's hand, turning into various items, such as a cup, a comb, a rope...
A long time later...
Afterward, Sean said he was going to see that hammer. Natasha didn't reply, she just nodded.
Or rather, she had been nodding the whole time.
Sean looked at the ceiling, letting Natasha do her thing, while his thoughts were considering the matter of Thor.
Since the hammer had fallen, he definitely had to go take a look. Making contact with Asgard in advance certainly had no downsides.
Moreover, he also wanted to know if he could pick up Mjolnir.
S.H.I.E.L.D. also wanted Sean to head over because Coulson said he couldn't quite handle things on his end.
This hammer couldn't be moved no matter what, and the test data showed no abnormalities; he needed backup.
Fury had first sent Hawkeye Barton over to secure the perimeter just in case.
But to truly solve this matter, Sean still had to step in and bring the hammer back. They weren't afraid that Sean would want it for himself after seeing it.
Because he had clearly stated before.
A real man should still use his fists!
Chapter 64: You've Arrived at Just the Right Time
Wall Street, known as the financial center of the United States, is where countless large corporations are concentrated.
It isn't far from Broadway, so if the Abomination had been given another ten minutes that day, he could have destroyed this place.
This was also why they had united to put pressure on the White House.
Once this place was destroyed, the financial losses would be unbelievable.
"Hess Entertainment, seventh floor."
Sean Brooke pressed the elevator button and waited quietly; before going to New Mexico, he naturally had to come and see her.
When the receptionist saw the elevator doors open, she immediately flashed a professional smile, ready to welcome the visitor.
However, once the person stepped out, her smile transformed into one of genuine, heartfelt happiness.
"Hello, is Ms. Hess in?"
"She... she is."
She quickly lowered her head, adjusting her glasses every now and then while rummaging through things on her desk, appearing somewhat flustered.
"Do... do you have an appointment? Or are you here for... an interview?"
Sean Brooke gave a faint smile. "Just tell her a gentleman wearing glasses has arrived."
"O-okay."
If anyone else had said that, she certainly wouldn't have bothered, but this was Sean Brooke. Even with glasses, he was still so charming.
The receptionist dialed the internal line, stole a glance at Sean Brooke, and said excitedly, "General Manager, a... a very handsome man wearing glasses is here. He seems to know you."
"Bring him in. In the future, whenever he comes, he can do whatever he wants."
"Okay!"
Hanging up the phone, she led Sean Brooke into the company, not finding anything strange about her boss's words.
With a man this handsome, she would be willing to let him do whatever he wanted too.
It was Sean Brooke's first time at Hess's company, and he hadn't expected it to be quite so large—much bigger than a small company like City Daily.
They arrived at a door labeled 'General Manager's Office,' and she knocked a few times. "General Manager, he's here."
"Good, you can head back now."
Sean Brooke pushed the door open and walked in, while the receptionist left somewhat reluctantly.
She hadn't gone two steps before she was surrounded by a large group of female colleagues asking for the man's name, who he was, his zodiac sign, and so on.
Dammit, I want to know too!
After Sean Brooke entered, Hess took a remote control, pressed the soundproofing option, and then walked over, wrapping her arms around his neck.
"What made you think of coming to the office today?"
"I saw you weren't at home and thought I'd come check here. Didn't you tell me the company address before?"
Hess arched an eyebrow and toyed with the corner of his shirt with her finger. "What I mean is, have you already spent time with the others?"
"Cough, I really had things to do; I got delayed."
It was true. He was supposed to have come two days ago, but hadn't he been tied up by Betty and Natasha Romanoff?
Hess didn't press further. Knowing Sean Brooke didn't have much time, she wanted to cherish every moment.
Sean Brooke also cherished this time; after all, the location was limited, the outfit was limited, and the role was limited.
In the past, whenever Hess appeared before him, she was either in loungewear or formal dresses.
This was the first time seeing her in professional attire, and it felt great.
Initially, Sean Brooke was somewhat restrained; after all, Hess only had this one set of clothes. If they were ruined, it wouldn't be easy for her to go out later.
Hess also noticed Sean Brooke had suddenly become gentle and naturally understood why.
"I have a wardrobe here~"
With those words, Sean Brooke stopped being polite.
A long time later, Hess looked at the scraps on the floor and decided she should prepare more spare clothes next time.
"I need to go to New Mexico. I'll probably be there for a few days. Call me if anything happens."
"It's because of that hammer, isn't it?"
There was a trace of doubt in Hess's eyes as she proceeded to tell him everything she knew.
"When the hammer fell, it was night. Our people rushed there immediately, but as soon as a Vampiretouched the hammer, they were turned to ash by a bolt of lightning."
"Yet nothing happens when humans touch it, though no one can pick it up."
"Oh, and shortly after the hammer fell, it seems something else followed it down. I'm not sure what it was..."
Knock, knock~
Hess was halfway through speaking when someone knocked on the door. She frowned; why hadn't anyone stopped her? How could they be so inconsiderate?
Just as she was about to tell the person outside to leave, Sean Brooke whispered something. Hess's lips curled into a smile, and she let the person in.
The person outside the door was Nora.
After Sean Brooke left that day, Hess had sent her an interview invitation.
Finding that she had worked as an assistant before and was very good at handling daily affairs, Hess had made her her secretary directly.
A colleague had warned Nora that the General Manager was hosting a guest and it was inconvenient.
Specifically, when saying 'inconvenient,' the colleague had even winked at her.
But Nora was in a hurry and didn't notice her colleagues' well-meaning hints, so she knocked anyway.
When the knocking sounded, everyone outside closed their eyes, unable to watch, silently feeling sorry for Nora.
Upon hearing permission to enter, the people outside were also surprised. Had they guessed wrong? Were they really just discussing business?
Nora also breathed a sigh of relief. Seeing that it didn't seem to be an important guest, she pushed the door and entered.
However, when she saw the scene inside, she gasped and immediately blocked her face with her documents.
"I'm sorry! I... I've arrived at a bad time."
"No, you've arrived at just the right time."
Hearing the familiar voice, Nora peeked out timidly.
"Sean! Why are you here?"
Hess walked over, pulled her into Sean Brooke's arms, and then went to find clothes for herself.
As things progressed, Nora also realized that Sean Brooke had arranged this job for her.
It made sense; otherwise, how could she have found such a perfect job?
Good pay, few tasks, close to home, and she could even pick up her daughter from kindergarten at any time.
It wasn't the Goddess of Luck who had graced her, but him.
A long time later...
After Sean Brooke left, Hess looked at the messy office with a bit of a headache.
If it were just her, it wouldn't be much—at most some torn clothes that could just be swept up.
But with Nora there too, sweeping and mopping probably wouldn't be enough; the lingering scent was very strong.
Anyone who didn't know better would think she was very fond of drinking milk.
...
Looking at the sky, it was dark again.
Sean Brooke was quite helpless; he felt like he hadn't even played much, yet the day was over.
He had originally intended to reach New Mexico today, but it seemed that wouldn't happen.
Because staying up late is bad for the health.
It definitely wasn't because he also wanted to go see Lisha.
...
In the underground garage, Lisha was preparing to drive away.
She had moved to the city center, to an apartment arranged by a girl named Sif, who said Sean Brooke had sent her.
Lisha was very happy. She had decorated the place beautifully and even put up several posters of Sean Brooke, thinking he would see them when he visited one day.
However, after waiting day after day, Sean Brooke had never come again.
She hadn't called, knowing Sean Brooke didn't like it, so she only sent text messages.
Although he replied every time, his words always said he was very busy.
Looking at the Homelander figurine in the car, Lisha's heart ached. she couldn't stop wondering if she shouldn't have asked Sean Brooke to stay that night.
If he hadn't stayed and that hadn't happened, could the two of them still be friends?
Then he wouldn't be avoiding her like he was now.