The next morning, Leander Hayes's phone screen was a constant buzz of notifications. Dozens of frantic messages had come in, all from his model middleman, Kai.
'Kay': "Leo, I need a massive model too! The 1.3-meter one is just a blueprint for the future!"
'Kay': "The bigger picture is EVERYTHING!"
'Kay': "Why didn't I realize the truth sooner? Size matters!"
'Kay': "Leo, I want a gigantic one. How about a two-meter tall statue?"
'Kay': "I'm losing my mind! Harry's already collected his, and I hate that I had to let it go!"
'Kay': "But my boss is forcing me to contact Osborn for some other deals, damn it!"
'Kay': "..."
Leander frowned, pulling the phone away from his ear. "What in the world is going on?" He had dropped off the finished Gundam model five days ago. Kai's obsession was clearly escalating to a pathological level. For Kai, the love of intricate, massive metal models superseded virtually everything else.
In reality, Kai was still in the back of the truck, gently caressing the exquisite Gundam model before handing it over to Harry's people. The feeling of absolute mechanical perfection sent shivers through his soul.
Leander replied with feigned nonchalance. "Calm down, Kai. What design do you want? But let's stick to 1.5 meters max. Any taller and the structural logistics get crazy for the price."
Kai immediately barraged him with pre-prepared design pictures and, astonishingly, transferred $50,000 directly to his account. "Leo, this model is the most stunning piece of art ever made! Please, prioritize mine. I need it done within three days. I'll give you an extra $50,000 bonus!"
Leander was genuinely surprised. Kai was easily the most dedicated (and lucrative) collector he knew. He had been buying small, all-metal figurines from Leander for two years, spending tens of thousands. His obsession was the reason he repeatedly tried to meet Leander, only to be politely rebuffed. To maintain the illusion of being an independent, secretive artist, Leander had allowed Kai to organize the metal sourcing, ensuring Kai never installed surveillance cameras at the drop-off locations.
"Okay, I'll try to rush it," Leander texted back, then put the phone aside. Commissions were necessary income and a cover story, but they weren't his priority. System cultivation was.
He packed his schoolbag, already planning his night's absorption session.
Meanwhile, the scene in the industrial zone was heating up.
The burly, bearded man, Ulysses Crow, wearing shattered sunglasses pushed up on his forehead, strode over to Kai's truck.
"Where is Kai?" Crow snapped at his henchman.
"In the car, Boss."
Crow savagely kicked the side of the truck bed. "Kai! Get out here now!"
Kai reluctantly descended from the truck, still visibly mesmerized by the departing Gundam. "Boss, what are you doing here?"
"What am I doing here? SHIT! Because of that single broken knife the police found, the entire Sisk Corporation supply chain is in lockdown! We can't stay here; it'll drag us all down!" Crow's hand tightened into a fist. "Hurry up, let's go to Osborn and see if we can secure some new weapons or medical supplies. New York is too hot. We're leaving tomorrow for Africa. Stark Industries is offering us weapons—and selling weapons there is far more profitable than this mess!"
Crow walked toward a large, imposing Hummer. "The Wakandan contacts have reached out again. Looks like a major deal is brewing. I'm done with New York!"
Kai looked stunned. "But... Boss, my model isn't finished yet! I need the large one!"
Crow scoffed. "Who are you dealing with? Obadiah Stane, Stark's second-in-command! He's a notorious arms dealer in our circle, and the deal went smoothly! What is your excuse for staying?"
"I ordered a large commission, Boss. It might take a few days to finish. I want to take the model with me," Kai said honestly, knowing his obsession was a well-known weakness.
Crow roared with laughter. "FK! I've got dozens of women lined up on the ship, and you're worried about a toy? Just take the maker with you! He can make all the models you want, whenever you want!"*
Kai's eyes instantly lit up. The idea hit him with the force of revelation. "Damn! That's brilliant! Why didn't I think of just taking Leo? He can be my exclusive, personal model maker!"
Two years in New York and the civilized life had almost made him forget he was a wanted criminal and a ruthless mercenary.
He pulled out his phone, a sinister smile spreading across his face. 'Kay': "Leo, I've got a huge surprise waiting for you at the warehouse. It's already there. Come pick it up after school tomorrow!"
Leander, continuing his relentless cultivation, felt his phone vibrate. He didn't break focus. Instead, his phone levitated gently to eye level. He read the message. A "big surprise" from Kai? It seemed too eager, too weird. But if it was high-grade metal, he couldn't pass it up.
'Leo': "Okay!"
He resumed absorbing the iron rods. The Copper Skin progression was now at 14%. He felt the slight, noticeable hardening of his epidermis.
The next morning, looking at the two percent gain and the pile of fractured metal rods, Leander sighed again. "The growth isn't bad, but compared to that gold-titanium alloy, it feels like crawling."
He re-read Kai's overly excited message. "A surprise? Could it really be some high-grade metal? I did mention wanting better materials."
Despite the lingering doubt, the lure of better materials was too strong. "Okay. I'll check it out after school. I hope Kai isn't wasting my time."
Around noon, Kai and seven of Crow's hardened henchmen arrived at the small warehouse. Each man was bristling with firearms—pistols visible in waistbands, and Kai himself carried a large Uzi submachine gun, which he carelessly placed on a crate. He then took out a small, exquisite ten-centimeter metal figure he had bought from Leander and began playing with it.
"Brother Kai," one of the younger henchmen asked nervously, "Are we really going to... to snatch a model maker?"
Kai's eyes widened instantly. He swung the sharp, metal base of the figurine like a bludgeon, smashing it hard into the henchman's forehead.
A splatter of dark blood hit Kai's face. The henchman instantly collapsed, convulsing briefly before lying still. Blood pooled rapidly around his head.
Kai glared menacingly at the remaining six men. "I said it! No guns! We are not shooting him! This is my personal property acquisition. Do you understand me?"
"Y-yes, yes!" the six remaining men stammered, terrified. They had heard the whispers—Kai was a model-making madman under Crow, and he would kill over the slightest perceived offense.
Kai paid them no mind. He meticulously wiped the blood off his precious model with a corner of his shirt. He was imagining the future: Once I get Leo back to the ship, I'm making him craft me a two-meter-tall model of the entire Spartans' last stand. Ah! That would be magnificent!
The thought made Kai shudder in ecstasy, a smile twitching on his blood-flecked face, making him look utterly demonic.
Around four o'clock, Leander arrived at the alley leading to the small warehouse. He was moving cautiously.
Immediately, his natural awareness (and a subtle assist from his Golden Eyes) registered an anomaly: a small, crudely mounted surveillance camera tucked into the corner of the wall.
Leander frowned. "Amateur hour."
With a silent exertion of D-Rank Metal Control, the camera's protruding metal shell was instantly twisted and crumpled into a dense, metallic ball, destroying the lens and internal wiring.
Inside the warehouse, a bored lookout watching the monitor suddenly cursed as the screen filled with static and crackled, going black. "Brother Kai! The surveillance is down! Someone might be here!"
Kai, who had been lost in a fantasy about sealing captured people inside lifelike metal sculptures, was jarred back to reality. He grabbed the Uzi beside him, a manic grin splitting his face.
"Hurry up! Boss Crow's ship is waiting at the dock! Get Leo now! I'm getting too excited!"
Leander immediately knew the "surprise" was a trap. He blinked, and a faint golden light appeared behind his dark pupils. His Golden Eyes of Truth activated, piercing straight through the layers of corrugated metal and concrete.