[Chapter 66: 2006, Red and Steel]
Robert Downey Jr.'s face was filled with disbelief, eyes wide and unbelieving.
Susan quickly asked, "What's wrong, Robert? Are you feeling unwell?"
"No." Robert's face brightened with excitement. "I'm fine. Better than I've ever been. Somehow, some of my old injuries have suddenly healed -- completely vanished. I feel totally relaxed, more comfortable than I have in years."
"That amazing?" Susan asked, surprised, her heart quietly stirring.
Robert was clearly energized. "Seriously, it's the first time I've ever experienced something this incredible. It almost feels unreal."
He looked at Daniel with sincere admiration. "Mr. Cross, you're truly remarkable."
Daniel remained calm and composed. "The luck-altering ritual has concluded."
Robert's eyes sparkled with expectation. "So... does that mean my good luck starts now?"
Daniel shook his head slightly. "No."
The smile on Robert's face faltered. "Why not?"
Daniel explained quietly, "Your original fate chart was too tangled. To completely reverse it will require some time to take effect."
Robert considered this. "How long?"
Daniel's gaze drifted off, as if visualizing an unseen Wheel of Fate turning. "The turning point for your destiny comes in 2006. It will involve... red and steel. Pay close attention to information relating to those elements. When opportunity appears, don't miss it."
"2006, red and steel," Robert repeated, his tone solemn, committing the phrase to memory.
Yet, waiting until 2006 for a shift felt like a heavy burden. If Daniel had told him this earlier, he might've doubted it. But after the ritual visibly healed his lingering injuries, Robert's faith in Daniel was absolute.
If his luck only began turning around years from now, how could he fault Mr. Cross? The reality was that his own fortune had simply been too bleak for an immediate turnaround.
Robert pressed on with another burning question: "After my luck shifts, what level will my career reach?"
Daniel answered with deliberate calmness, "Renowned worldwide, influencing an entire era."
Robert's eyes lit up with fierce enthusiasm. That prognosis exceeded anything he'd dared hope for.
Daniel wasn't exaggerating -- Iron Man was a global phenomenon. Its success completely revived Marvel Studios, launching the Avengers series centered around Iron Man. The cultural impact was undeniable.
Of course, not every influence carries the same weight, but at least in film, Iron Man truly shaped a generation.
Daniel added, "Remember, changing your luck doesn't mean you can sprawl on the couch and wait for good fortune to fall into your lap. You still have to fuel your passion and put in the effort at work. Only then will your fate truly shift. Otherwise, even if opportunity knocks, you won't have the strength to grasp it."
Iron Man nodded earnestly. "Understood. I will."
Seeing Robert's earlier exuberance now backed by such serious resolve impressed Susan, and she felt tempted.
"Mr. Cross," she asked, "can you perform a luck-altering ritual for me too?"
Daniel immediately shook his head. "It's unwise to push this too far. Your luck is already quite strong. Forcibly changing it could backfire."
Susan's expression shifted, her desire to alter her luck quickly cooling.
Daniel elaborated, "Since Robert's luck has shifted, his destiny has entered an upward trajectory. Changing your luck simultaneously would multiply the variables, making the outcome unpredictable. Both of you could end up paying a steep price -- for example, falling worse than you are now, separating from each other, or one flourishing while the other declines. There's even the risk of serious accidents-- death -- even."
Before Daniel could finish, Susan interrupted quickly, "No, that's fine, Mr. Cross. I won't change my luck."
Daniel inwardly sighed in relief. "Good. Control of desire is important."
With the ritual complete and still early before lunch, Daniel didn't keep Robert and Susan around. After receiving their heartfelt thanks, they drove off.
...
Watching their car disappear, Daniel turned away.
His thoughts lingered on the basement door as he smiled softly.
The Moth Monster had been unexpectedly useful. Healing minor injuries might seem unrelated to luck changes, but ordinary people wouldn't understand that. To them, it was miraculous -- and that was enough.
What really mattered was the thought of securing 20% of Robert Downey Jr.'s earnings, free, in 15 years -- that would be 60 million, at the least. That made Daniel's smile widen.
But as quickly as it appeared, the smile faded.
The Brotherhood of Saints continued to weigh heavily on him.
Though Douglas had promised him a year's buffer, the initiative was firmly with the Brotherhood, and they could shorten that time whenever they wished.
To act as if he truly had a year would be dangerously naive. He must accelerate his exorcism immediately.
Temporary tricks only delayed the inevitable; true strength was the only real protection, the only way to erase future threats completely.
Daniel checked his Merit Points -- 8,800.
Despite having sent countless weak lingering souls away in that apartment, each worth barely 100 points, nobody was close to boosting his level yet.
'Maybe I should take the fight to those monsters,' he thought.
...
Entering his study, Daniel booted up his computer and prepared to scour the internet for reports of supernatural activity.
Just as the system started up, his phone rang.
"Excuse me, is this Mr. Cross?" came a middle-aged man's voice.
Daniel answered smoothly, now used to the honorific. "Yes, this is Daniel Cross."
The man wasted no time. "I'd like your help finding my daughter."
Another one looking for a daughter, Daniel thought, recalling Katherine and the Brotherhood of Saints.
In many countries, disappearances, especially of young women, were alarmingly common.
Daniel worried inwardly: if he pursued this case, would it lead him straight to the Brotherhood? That could complicate matters.
He considered the offer and finally said, "One hundred thousand dollars. I'll give it a try."
Most would hang up immediately at that price, but the man agreed without hesitation. "Done. Just find her."
Hearing the straightforward agreement, Daniel almost wanted to call Douglas for taking pointers.
If Douglas had been so decisive back then, he might've avoided all the trouble.
Now that the deal was sealed, Daniel had no choice but to proceed.
After confirming the address, he hung up and drove over.
...
Soon, he arrived at a wealthy gated community.
Looking at the lavish homes around him, Daniel understood why the client had agreed so readily -- they were far from lacking funds.
Stopping outside a mansion, Daniel called out, and the iron gates swung open automatically. He drove inside.
"Mr. Cross, you're finally here," a middle-aged man with an anxious expression hurried out to greet him.
*****
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