The reporters did not manage to capture any of the meeting's contents, so the news ended with the shot of Heisenberg's back as he walked into the theater.
No idea what anyone else thought, but at least for Peter Parker in front of the TV, Heisenberg's silhouette looked unbelievably tall.
And after that, the New York Evening News did not stop talking about Heisenberg.
On the contrary, they even invited several famous public commentators to the studio to "explain" Heisenberg's situation.
At the end of the day, those commentators were all paid by that Daredevil kid to run cleanup and spin for him.
But they earned that money with real professionalism. Just listen to what they were saying on live television.
"Hello, viewers. I'm your favorite newsman, the owner and chief editor of the Daily Bugle, J. Jonah Jameson. It's an honor to sit here and discuss the matter of Lord Superman!"
On screen, the long-faced man looked like he was running at full excitement.
Just saying Heisenberg's codename seemed to send him into some kind of near-ecstatic frenzy.
"Guys, I can't believe it. The comics, the movies, the TV shows I grew up watching, the absolute main character in them all, the idol I've always admired.
Superman actually exists, and he's settled down in our great New York City!!!"
"Yes, Mr. Jameson," the host chimed in like the perfect straight man. "Thinking back on the last two months, I feel like I've gotten thirty years younger, like I've been transported into the comic book worlds of my childhood!"
J. Jonah Jameson continued his passionate "defense" speech.
"If that's all you're thinking, you're being far too narrow-minded. After collecting countless clues, I must share something important with everyone!
This Superman who has now confirmed he's living in our New York City, he is absolutely not the kind of superhero from the comics who only shows up to rescue people during disasters!
Do you know what I did? I collected New York City's crime records for nearly the past two months.
Take a guess. Compared to two months ago, just how much has that number dropped?"
"Uh, oh my God. Are you saying Superman is intervening on our streets too? Could the decrease be as high as thirty percent?"
"Haha, of course not. It's twenty percent. Today's crime rate is only twenty percent of what it was two months ago!"
Jameson's face was flushed red with excitement. Then, waving his hands wildly, he continued addressing the audience.
"Do you understand how terrifying that number is? Every single crime case represents at least one family suffering a devastating catastrophe.
Let's just compare robbery records from this March. In March, New York saw a total of 432 robberies, resulting in 86 casualties.
And that's only robbery cases.
But last month, after Superman arrived!
All of New York saw only 82 similar incidents, and every suspect was apprehended. Not a single one escaped justice!
Compared to the comic-book Superman who only rescues citizens after they've already fallen into danger, I prefer the one we have now.
Because he doesn't just help people who are already suffering. He helps us, the ones slowly being surrounded by danger!
He stops the disaster before it happens. That is our Superman. He's practically a great man!
And most importantly!!!"
At this, Jameson flashed the audience a mysterious smile.
"Most importantly, he never wears that skin-tight outfit from the comics with his underwear on the outside. Ha!"
...
Heisenberg casually switched off the TV. He was already sick of hearing the so-called Daily Bugle boss praising him.
Programs like today's aired on the major New York channels almost once every three days.
Heisenberg had paid a huge amount of money for it, and more than twenty of his men had ended up in jail for threatening public figures...
In any case, it was worth it.
Once in a great while, Heisenberg would even turn on his super hearing and listen to what New Yorkers really thought of him.
Overall, it was not bad.
So Heisenberg went to sleep in a decent mood.
...
In the boundless universe, aboard the Sanctuary II, the flagship warship.
Inside the ring-shaped vessel were countless beasts. They were Thanos's proudest army.
And at the ship's center, in his own command chamber.
He sat on a lofty throne, deep in thought, receiving an unexpected guest.
Beside the throne, Ebony Maw, slender yet exquisitely elegant, lifted his right hand with a light flourish.
"Welcome, Prince Loki of Asgard. You may pay homage before our master."
"Your master, not mine," Loki replied with a smile.
The moment those words landed, displeasure crept onto Ebony Maw's otherwise refined face.
He turned toward Thanos, silently asking how he should deal with this.
Should they kill this arrogant prince?
But before Thanos could respond, Loki continued.
"However, I do hope to serve as your vanguard, great cosmic emperor, Thanos."
As he spoke, Loki bent at the waist, quietly lowering himself in submission to Thanos.
Only then did Ebony Maw nod with satisfaction. Then, speaking in Thanos's place, he asked Loki softly, "Prince of Asgard, you wish to join Lord Thanos's empire. Are you trying to provoke a war between the empire and Asgard?"
"No, wise Lord Ebony Maw. Though it hasn't been long, I must admit that I no longer belong to Asgard.
I launched a rebellion in Asgard and failed. I was defeated by my foolish yet absurdly lucky brother, and I ended up drifting through the vast universe.
Your Majesty Thanos, I need a suitable position, one worthy of my former status as a prince, so I have chosen to enter your service.
As tribute, I will offer you the Space Stone, one of the Infinity Stones!"
Loki raised his right hand. Next, a clear piece of footage flickered above his palm.
If Heisenberg saw this video, he would recognize the protagonist at a glance.
Because the protagonist was none other than Dr. Selvig, the man in charge of Project PEGASUS.
In the footage, Selvig wandered aimlessly through some base.
Then a Black man with an eyepatch called his name.
Guided by him, Selvig approached, and then the eyepatched man extended a sincere invitation.
An invitation to join a project that could grant humanity infinite power.
At the same time, the eyepatched man took out a case.
The treasure he claimed could bring infinite power was inside.
When the case was opened, Thanos on the throne finally showed interest.
He knew exactly what it was.
Inside the case was a cube shining with crystalline blue light. Before Odin sealed it away, it had a name Thanos had pursued for countless years.
"The Space Stone."
Thanos spoke, his voice filled with fatigue and age.
Yet beneath that fatigue, all Loki could hear from Thanos's mouth was the wailing of countless lives.
Even knowing Thanos would not strike him down, Loki still could not stop the tension from seizing him.
He forced his expression under control and said, "Honored Lord Thanos, I wish to trade you this information about the Space Stone in exchange for the right to rule Midgard."
"Just information?" Thanos asked personally.
"Of course not. I need you to provide me with an army, an army sufficient to crush Asgard's Valhalla. I want to win a true victory from my father's hands. In exchange, I will present the Space Stone with both hands!"
The moment Loki finished speaking, silence fell across the ship.
After a brief pause, a hint of reminiscence surfaced on Thanos's face, a face where majesty and terror coexisted.
"Five thousand years ago, Odin became King of Asgard. Controlled by ambition and desire, he launched an attack on me.
I lost to him. The price of that battle was the Space Stone.
After that, his armies swept across the universe, until he held five of the six Infinity Stones.
But then he stopped. He recalled his forces, ended his invasions, and even abandoned the Infinity Stones he had collected.
I did not understand him, but he did not need my understanding.
And now, his son stands before me, choosing to retrieve the Space Stone for me.
It makes me feel the meaning of fate.
I will give you the army you want. I will also give you the Mind Stone I have gathered recently.
Go. Bring back what is mine."
"Yes!"
Loki immediately lowered himself and offered the most solemn etiquette of Asgard.
Yet even as he accepted the Mind Scepter from Ebony Maw's hands, he still could not understand the meaning behind Thanos's words.
Odin once defeated Thanos?
Odin once nearly gathered all six stones?
Odin once almost ruled the universe?
Then why had Odin become that senile old man who preached mercy and forgiveness?
And why was he still an old bastard with terrible judgment, cold and faithless!
Carrying his doubts, Loki took the scepter with the Mind Stone embedded within.
In an instant, invisible psychic power spread through Loki's entire body.
He could seemingly sense everyone's thoughts. He even felt like he could manipulate everyone he saw!
An Infinity Stone, even only wielded indirectly by being embedded into a tool, still raised his power by countless times.
If he had possessed such terrifying mental power before, he could have ordered Thor to kill himself on the spot!
Yet the more he felt that power, the more confused he became.
If the Infinity Stones were truly as strong as legend claimed, then why would Odin abandon them?
...
"Loki."
Just as Loki's thoughts churned, Thanos issued a new command.
"I will alter the plan to attack the Kree Nova. The Chitauri forces assembled for that purpose will fight for you.
Do not disappoint me."
"Yes!"
Loki lowered his head quickly. He decided to stop thinking about those questions that made no sense.
No matter what secrets the past buried, he had no road left.
From the moment Odin refused to acknowledge Loki one last time.
From the moment Loki chose to release Thor's hand and drift into the cosmos.
There had been no road left for him.
Either defeat Odin, defeat that father who never loved him, and prove his ability to everyone.
Or die in the universe, a nameless skeleton discarded beyond Asgard.
That was all.
/-\
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