area51novel Page 2
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[Characteristics: Slightly increased strength, improved skin resilience, extremely unstable emotions, and a certain ability to transform matter (potentially converting surrounding objects into milk tea-related offensive items, such as tapioca pearls, coconut jelly, and milk foam).]
[Weakness: Her obsession with milk tea (especially pearls) is the core of her power and could also be her breakthrough point. Physical exorcism is also effective, but it is recommended to pay attention to the method to avoid secondary contamination.]
Kingpin silently closed the Pokédex. Physical exorcism… he was good at that, but what the heck was “secondary pollution”? Was he buried in a pearl?
As the car entered Queens, the surrounding scenery gradually became more ordinary. Soon, the driver stopped at a street corner and whispered, "Boss, we're here. It's that store."
Kingpin peered through the tanned car window. He saw a large crowd gathered outside a pink-decorated bubble tea shop, with police car lights flashing. In the center of the crowd, a figure was going berserk.
He was a young man who looked to be in his early twenties. He should have been rather thin, but at that moment his muscles were bulging, almost tearing his T-shirt. His skin was an unhealthy, milk tea-colored light brown, his eyes were bloodshot, and he was emitting incomprehensible roars. He was tearing apart the advertising signboard in front of the milk tea shop with his bare hands, the metal frame as if it were made of paper in his hands.
The most bizarre thing was that he would casually pick up pebbles or trash scattered on the ground, squeeze them hard, and those things would twist and deform in his hands, eventually turning into clumps of sticky, black, pearl-like objects that emitted a sweet smell. He would then throw them around randomly, causing the onlookers to scream and dodge.
"My... milk tea! Limited edition... brown sugar boba!!" The strange man roared incoherently as he destroyed the tea, "Why didn't you leave any for me! Why!"
Several police officers attempted to subdue him with batons and pepper spray, but the "pearls" hit him with considerable force and were extremely sticky, greatly hindering their movements. The pepper spray seemed to have little effect on him.
"See that? That guy's gone mad!"
"My God, he turned the trash can into a pile of pearls!"
"Just because you couldn't buy milk tea?"
The murmurs of onlookers drifted into the car.
Kingpin pushed open the car door, and the moment his massive body stepped out of the carriage, it seemed as if the surrounding air froze for a moment. He put on his camouflage glasses, knowing they might not be of much use, but at least they gave him some psychological comfort—after all, if word got out that Kingpin had personally taken on a "bubble tea addict," his years of ruthless reputation would become a cold joke.
He parted the crowd like Moses parting the sea. People around him instinctively made way for him, intimidated by his terrifying figure and the invisible aura he exuded.
The police officer, who was entangled with the strange man, also noticed him and warned sternly, "Sir, back off! It's dangerous here!"
Kingpin paid no heed. His gaze was fixed on the freak who was still frantically producing "pearls."
[Target confirmed: "Bubble tea addict." Threat level: Wolf-level (peak). Suggested treatment: 'physical withdrawal' therapy, or... fight fire with fire, buy him a cup?]
The system notification sounded at the opportune moment, still carrying that same teasing tone that seemed to enjoy watching the drama unfold.
Kingpin cracked his thick neck. He walked steadily toward the strange man, his steps deliberate, as if he were about to engage in a business negotiation.
The "milk tea addict" also felt an unprecedented sense of oppression. His bloodshot eyes turned to Kingpin, and he roared, "You...you're going to steal my milk tea too?!" He suddenly grabbed a brick from the ground, squeezed it hard, and the brick quickly twisted and changed color in his hand, turning into a basketball-sized, shiny black "pearl." With a whistling sound, it slammed into Kingpin's face!
Faced with an attack powerful enough to knock out a bull, Kingpin didn't even dodge. He simply raised his arm, which was as thick as an average person's thigh, his fingers spread out like a giant fan.
A dull thud. The powerful "pearl" was firmly grasped in his hand, motionless. Thick, black liquid slowly seeped from between his fingers.
The strange man froze, a hint of confusion flashing in his crimson eyes.
Kingpin glanced down at the still slightly trembling "pearl" in his hand, then looked up at the monster, and in his distinctive, deep, and magnetic voice, uttered his first formal line as the (prospective) chairman of the "Hero Association":
"young people."
With a slight exertion of his wrist, the hard "pearl" was easily crushed in his palm, turning into a pool of black viscous liquid.
"Excessive sugar intake is bad for your health."
Chapter 3: Physical Addiction Treatment
The viscous juice from the crushed "pearl" dripped from between Kingpin's fingers, splashing a small puddle on the ground. The sweet, cloying smell in the air seemed to freeze for a moment. The scene was incredibly awkward, as if a pause button had been pressed.
"Milk...milk tea..." The strange man's bloodshot eyes were fixed on Kingpin's massive hand, which had easily destroyed his "hard work." His face was a mixture of madness, instinctive fear, and utter confusion. This isn't right! Shouldn't the normal sequence be the other person panicking and dodging, or being pelted with his "pearls" and crying out in pain? This guy looks like he wandered out of a gangster movie set!
But the surging mutated energy within him and his extreme craving for milk tea quickly overwhelmed this shred of reason. He let out an even more ferocious roar, no longer throwing from a distance, but like a gorilla whose banana had been stolen, he lowered his head and charged at Kingpin! His charging posture was completely chaotic, but the power brought by the mutation made his footsteps thud on the ground, making his momentum quite terrifying.
The surrounding police and onlookers gasped in shock; some even closed their eyes in dismay. In their eyes, this suddenly appearing, bespectacled, burly man, despite his astonishing size, was likely doomed against such an invulnerable and incredibly strong monster…
However, Kingpin stood still, like a rock rooted to the earth. He even had time to mentally complain, "System, wouldn't you say this is 'unnecessary showing off'? I don't think it's mentioned in the 'Hero Code of Conduct'."
[Friendly Reminder: Host, this system is not yet officially activated, and related regulations are not legally binding. Please make full use of your 'management' skills! Current target's emotion management ability: F-. 'Forced calming' is recommended.]
Just as the monster rushed in front of him, its mutated arms about to touch his expensive custom-made suit, Kingpin moved.
His movements were completely incongruous with his massive physique; they were concise, efficient, and as swift as lightning!
Instead of using fancy dodges or blocks, he took a half step forward with his left foot, instantly exerting force from his waist and abdomen. His right arm, which was as thick as a normal person's thigh, was like a cannonball fired from behind, striking first despite being behind. A straight punch, without any fancy moves and full of "convincing" power, landed precisely in the center of the strange man's chest!
"boom!!!"
A dull, teeth-grinding thud of flesh colliding rang out. It wasn't an explosion, but more like a heavy hammer pounding on a sandbag.
The monster's charge came to an abrupt halt, as if it had crashed into an invisible wall of pure power. The madness and ferocity on his face were instantly replaced by immense pain and bewilderment, his eyes almost bulging out of their sockets. He opened his mouth wide, but no sound came out; only a wisp of white foam, a mixture of milk tea color and saliva, spilled from the corner of his mouth.
The punch sent him flying backward, his feet leaving the ground. Like a tattered sack being thrown, he crashed heavily onto the already dilapidated advertising signboard of the milk tea shop, crushing the last metal frame and producing a series of shattering sounds, like the final notes of a symphony.
Dust and debris flew everywhere.
The entire street corner fell into a deathly silence.
Everyone stared in stunned silence at the scene. The police officers, who had been at a loss, stood frozen in place, batons and pepper spray in hand, as if they had just witnessed an extremely violent performance art piece. The onlookers gaped, speechless.
That monster that had baffled several police officers and could conjure pearls out of thin air was sent flying by this bespectacled giant with a single punch, like swatting a fly? The visual effects are even more outrageous than watching a superhero movie!
Kingpin slowly withdrew his fist, glanced at the sticky, milk tea-scented stain on his knuckles, and frowned slightly. He wondered how much it would cost to dry clean this. He strode towards the pile of rubble.
The strange man lay amidst shattered billboards and twisted metal, his body twitching slightly. A dent was clearly visible in his chest, indicating several broken ribs. The milk tea color on his body was rapidly fading, and his swollen muscles were shrinking like a deflated balloon, returning him to the somewhat thin young man he once was. His face was deathly pale, his eyes staring blankly at the sky, and he was unconsciously muttering, "Milk...tea..."
Kingpin walked up to him and looked down at him. The massive shadow completely enveloped the young man, creating an intense sense of psychological pressure.
“Now,” Kingpin’s deep voice rang out, carrying an unquestionable authority, similar to that of a homeroom teacher catching you using your phone in class, “want more to drink?”
The young man's unfocused gaze focused on Kingpin's face, blurred yet incredibly imposing, hidden behind his glasses, and fear instantly gripped him. He shook his head violently, wincing in pain as the movement aggravated his wounds, but with his last strength, he rasped, "No... I won't drink anymore... I've quit... I've quit... Brother, I was wrong..."
He was truly terrified. That punch not only shattered his ribs, but also shattered the madness and obsession that had arisen from his mutation. At this moment, all he wanted was to get as far away from the milk tea, as far away from this terrifying man, as possible. What did brown sugar boba have to do with it? Was his life more important?
The target, a "milk tea addict," has lost the will to resist; the threat is over.
[New Player Experience Mission: A First Try - Completed!]
[Task rewards being calculated...]
[Received: System activation energy x1, points x100 (already merged into account), [New Player Fun Pack] is now available ahead of schedule.]
[System core functions are fully activated! Host officially bound! Hooray! ??ヽ(°▽°)ノ?]
[Current points: 200]
As the system notification faded, Kingpin could clearly feel that the blue system interface in his mind had become more solid and stable. Some previously slightly blurry details became clearer, and even the background color changed from the pale blue of the test version to a more textured deep blue. More importantly, a faint but real warm current appeared out of nowhere in his body, slowly circulating and dispelling the fatigue from his (almost negligible) physical exertion, and his spirit was refreshed. Was this what was called "system officially activating energy"?
He didn't experience this feeling much because the practical problems hadn't been resolved yet.
The police officers finally snapped out of their daze and cautiously approached. The lead officer looked at Kingpin, his eyes filled with awe and... a hint of bewilderment: "Sir... thank you for your... uh, 'help'. May I ask who you are...?"
Kingpin turned around, not answering the officer's question, but pointing to the young man on the ground who had recovered and was groaning in pain: "Call an ambulance. His injuries need treatment." His tone naturally carried a commanding tone, causing the officer to subconsciously reply, "Yes, I already did."
Kingpin nodded, said nothing more, and strode towards his car parked not far away. The crowd parted automatically to make way for him, and everyone looked at him with curiosity, fear, and a hint of... pure awe for the strong.
Once back in the car, the driver had clearly seen what had just happened. His hands on the steering wheel trembled slightly. Without daring to ask any questions, he immediately started the car.
The car drove smoothly away from the chaotic neighborhood.
Inside the car, Kingpin removed his rather useless disguise glasses and rubbed his temples. His first "mission" was complete. It wasn't as epic as he'd imagined; only a…absurd sense of exhaustion remained. He, Kingpin, the underground emperor of New York, had personally "physically persuaded" a young man addicted to bubble tea, all to activate a sarcastic alien (?) system.
Who would believe this story if I told them?
But the system notifications and the credited points were real, and the warm current within him was real too. He opened the system interface, looked at the 200 points, and then at the items in the shop that cost tens of thousands of dollars, realizing that this was indeed just the beginning.
[The host has successfully handled the first abnormal event. Further system functionality is now available. Congratulations!]
The "Hero Roster" feature is now unlocked (there are currently no recruitment targets, but you can start making presentations and promising new opportunities!).
The "Association Building" feature is now unlocked (preview available; welcome to begin your SimCity journey!).
Kingpin clicked on "Association Construction," where several gray module icons appeared: [Headquarters Base], [Logistics Support Center], [Hero Evaluation Room], [Equipment R&D Department]... Each module was marked with astronomical numbers of points and resource requirements.
His gaze swept over these modules, finally settling on the 200 points.
The road ahead is long, but this start... seems pretty good? At least it's more interesting than outsmarting the police and Daredevil.
He leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes, and his mind began to race with calculations. The first task was complete; the system was officially activated, and he had gained initial resources and permissions. Next, he needed to consider how to truly bring this "Hero Association," which had only existed in his mind, into the world.
First, he needs a legitimate shell, a platform to openly recruit "employees" and undertake "business." Managing superheroes like a business? It sounds like a hellish challenge, but... strangely, it's somewhat intriguing.
Kingpin's lips curled into a barely perceptible smile, tinged with amusement and interest.
Chapter 4: New Ambition
The black sedan slid silently into the Fisker Tower's underground parking garage, like a ghost returning to its lair. After the engine shut off, a profound silence fell inside, a stark contrast to the recent hustle and bustle of the Queens street corner.
Kingpin sat alone in the spacious back seat, not getting out immediately. He spread out his right hand, the one that had just easily crushed "Pearl" and blasted the monster away. Between his fingers remained some sticky, dried, and blackened grime, emitting a faint, sweet scent. This smell mingled with the lingering scent of his expensive cologne and cigars, creating an extremely bizarre combination, as if it were a true reflection of his current predicament—an absurd intertwining of a mafia king and… a "hero" in the making.
The system's notification sound still echoed clearly in my mind:
[New Player Guide Quest: Showing Early Potential - Completed. Rewards have been issued.]
[The system's core functions have been fully activated. The host can access the system interface at any time via thought to perform operations such as points redemption and browsing functions.]
[Note: Successfully handling an exception for the first time will earn an additional hidden reward—system access privileges upgraded to Lv.1.]
"Privilege escalation?" Kingpin asked himself silently.
[Lv.1 Permissions Unlocked: Basic access to purchase items from the in-game store, preview of some low-level technology blueprints, and preliminary hero potential scanning function (range: 100-meter radius). More permissions will be unlocked as the association's development progresses and the host's event handling level increases.]
As Kingpin received the notification of increased privileges, he could feel the system interface in his mind becoming more "vivid." Some previously grayed-out areas began to glow faintly, waiting for him to explore. The faint warm current that had flowed into his body after completing the mission was still circulating slowly. Although the increase was almost negligible, it did bring a feeling of... high energy, and even the slight mental fatigue accumulated from dealing with gang messes was swept away.
This "initial activation energy of the system" does not seem to be just a gimmick.
His gaze returned to the system interface. The first thing he clicked on was the [Shop]. This time, unlike before when he could only look but not touch, some items priced below 200 points had their grayed-out status removed and turned into selectable highlights.
[Basic Combat Mastery (Passive Skill Scroll): Slightly enhances close-quarters combat skills and instincts. Points: 150.] (Note: Limited effect on the host's current physique.)
[Mini Tracker (10-pack): Effective tracking range 5 km. Points: 80.]
[Universal Language Pack (Common Earthly Languages): Instantly master a specified language. Points: 50 per language.]
[High-efficiency cleaner (formula): Quickly breaks down most organic and inorganic stains. Points: 30.]
The items were dazzling, ranging from combat skills to life technologies, but most were basic necessities. Kingpin's gaze swept over them, finally settling on an inconspicuous item.
[Information Screening and Preliminary Deduction (One-Time): Input fuzzy information or requirements, and the system will perform preliminary screening and logical deduction based on the existing database, providing several feasible solutions (solution quality is positively correlated with information completeness). Points: 180.]
180 points! Almost instantly, he emptied his newly acquired 200 points.
Kingpin acted almost without hesitation.
"Exchange [Information Screening and Preliminary Deduction]".
[180 points consumed. Remaining points: 20.]
[Please enter the information or requirements for screening and deduction.]
Kingpin took a deep breath and clearly conceived his needs in his mind: "Based on my current identity (Wilson Fisk), resources, and the existence of the 'Hero Association System,' how can I most efficiently and rationally materialize the concept of the 'Hero Association' and initially establish a sustainable operating framework? Goal: legal, credible, and able to begin recruiting qualified 'heroes'."
His questions were very specific and went straight to the heart of the matter. He didn't need vague slogans about "maintaining peace"; he needed a business plan that could be implemented—even though the target of this "business" was superheroes.
Instantly, the system interface was flooded with a massive data stream, and countless fragments of information were extracted, analyzed, combined, and deduced. This process lasted about ten seconds, and then three clear options were presented to Kingpin.
Option A: Secret Society Mode
• Core Idea: Utilize the host's existing underground network to secretly recruit and train superhumans, forming a hidden force. Accumulate power by indirectly intervening in events through agents.
Advantages: It starts discreetly, making it less likely to attract the attention of the authorities and existing hero organizations; it can utilize existing resources, resulting in lower initial costs.
• Disadvantages: It is difficult to establish public trust and the recruitment scope is limited (leaning towards the gray area); long-term development is easily constrained by the original identity of the host, and transformation is difficult; it is impossible to effectively utilize some of the system's public-facing functions (such as large-scale task release).
• Risk Assessment: Medium to High. May conflict with the host's existing business, and poses a risk of internal corruption.
Option B: Affiliation and Cooperation Model
• Core idea: Seek cooperation with existing official or semi-official organizations (such as S.H.I.E.L.D.) and establish a "hero department" within their framework by contributing technology or capital.
Advantages: Quickly obtain legal status and initial resources; having a powerful backer provides relief and reduces initial operational pressure.
• Disadvantages: Severely limited autonomy, requiring the sharing of power and results; the system is exposed to risks; development direction is easily constrained by partners, making it difficult to achieve the system's ultimate goals.
• Risk Assessment: High. It's like trying to negotiate with a tiger; the host might end up as a highly paid employee or a research subject.
Option C: Open and aboveboard, a legitimate business operation model.
• Core Concept: Establish a brand-new, independent non-profit organization or public welfare enterprise, the "Hero Association." Operate and manage it using commercial methods, clearly defining the responsibilities, rights, and rewards of heroes, and establishing standardized incident handling procedures and evaluation systems. Maintain its operation through public recruitment, mission bounties, social donations (and host funding).
Advantages: Neutral stance, easy to establish credibility; wide recruitment scope, can attract all kinds of extraordinary individuals; high degree of operational autonomy, fully serving the system's goals; can use the host's public identity (well-known entrepreneur, philanthropist) for endorsement.
• Disadvantages: It is difficult to get started, and it needs to face scrutiny and questioning from the public, media, and officials; the initial investment of funds and resources is huge; it is directly exposed to the sight of existing hero organizations (such as the Avengers), and competition and friction are inevitable.
• Risk Assessment: Medium. Challenges and opportunities coexist, requiring extremely high levels of macro-level planning and execution capabilities from the host.