"Where are you taking me?" Karl asked.
"To get a manicure."
Feeling bored, Di Wan dragged Karl through the streets of New York.
They had already been in New York for almost a month, and most of the time Di Wan simply wandered around the city with Karl.
In the past she never had time to live like an ordinary girl. But things were different now—she had no work, and practicing magic no longer required day-and-night effort. Practicing a little at night was enough.
"Is that appropriate?" Karl asked.
A woman taking a man to get a manicure together sounded strange no matter how you thought about it.
Di Wan replied casually, "Of course it isn't."
Karl looked surprised. "You actually know that?"
Di Wan sighed. "Knowing something and doing it anyway are two completely different things."
"Stop right there!" Karl said, suddenly standing still on the sidewalk.
Di Wu tugged at him but couldn't pull him forward.
"What's wrong with accompanying me?"
Karl said matter-of-factly, "I feel uncomfortable."
Di Wu laughed.
"You're not a woman. What inconvenience could there be? I suppose I can't even take you with me to buy my usual pack of sanitary pads?"
Karl stood there silently.
People walking along the street glanced at them. Some turned to look at Di Wu, then cast slightly mocking looks at Karl.
"Look, my nails have grown out," she said, waving her fingers in front of him. "The old color is already halfway down the nail. It looks terrible."
Karl glanced at them and admitted she was right.
"You could do it yourself at home. It wouldn't be the first or second time."
"Hmph!" Di Wu frowned. "So are you coming or not?"
"I could paint them for you. My skills are excellent," Karl replied.
"That's not the same thing! I invited you to go out with me and experience normal life. Why do you always argue with me…"
Before she could finish, Karl suddenly pulled her forward.
"Fine. Let's go."
Di Wan looked puzzled, but when she noticed people on the street pointing at them, she immediately understood.
"You actually know what embarrassment is?" she said in surprise. "This is like discovering a new continent."
Karl answered expressionlessly, "I'm human too."
Di Wan blinked in surprise.
Karl glanced at her. "Surprised?"
She nodded.
"I'm surprised too," Karl said, nodding seriously.
They really did go to a nail salon.
It wasn't awkward at all—bringing a boyfriend along was quite common.
Most of the women inside had male companions as well. From time to time laughter could be heard during their conversations.
All the nail art there was done by hand, which meant customers had to sit for a long time. Because of that, people usually brought friends or boyfriends to pass the time.
As soon as Karl and Di Wan entered, a staff member walked over.
"Do you have an appointment?"
"Yes. Di Wan—please check. I made a reservation yesterday," she said with a smile.
"Please wait a moment."
The receptionist quickly checked the records on the computer and soon found her reservation.
She led Di Wan to a private room.
The room was quite spacious, decorated in a simple and feminine style. Two single sofas stood inside, with a coffee machine nearby and fruit arranged neatly on a small table.
Karl looked at Di Wu.
"What's the difference?"
She stared at him blankly.
"It's very different. This is life. You have to do everything yourself every day. In the past I didn't even have time to go out and have fun. Now that I finally have time, why shouldn't I enjoy it?"
Karl looked at her seriously.
"Globally, women account for 62% of consumer spending. Seventy percent of that comes from middle-aged women. Have you reached middle age?"
"I'm part of the other thirty percent. Do you have a problem with that?" she replied.
She picked up a cup from the table, poured coffee from the machine, handed one to Karl, and poured another for herself.
Karl took a sip.
"Luxury brands nowadays promote a lifestyle that encourages everyone to spend more. You've been successfully influenced."
Knock knock.
The door opened and a woman in her thirties walked in.
"Hello. My name is Amanda. Who needs a manicure?"
After introducing herself, Amanda looked at the two of them with a friendly professional smile.
"It's me," Di Wu said, stepping forward and shaking her hand. "Call me Di Wu."
Amanda smiled and glanced at Karl.
"And this gentleman? Does he need a manicure?"
Karl asked expressionlessly, "Do I look like her best friend?"
"Hahaha!"
Di Wan covered her mouth and laughed.
"He didn't do anything wrong. He's just here to keep me company."
Amanda was clearly used to situations like this and shrugged with a smile.
Karl didn't feel like talking, so he leaned back on the sofa and watched Di Wan chatting with Amanda while observing how the manicure was done.
After watching for a while he lost interest.
"I could do a better job than her."
Di Wu turned to look at him.
"You probably could. But that's not the point. It's about enjoying life."
They were speaking Chinese, so Amanda couldn't understand them.
Karl watched as Amanda applied the base color and began painting designs.
"Miss Amanda," Karl suddenly said, "could you paint Nine Dragons Playing with a Pearl on her ring finger?"
Amanda looked confused.
"Nine dragons…? Sorry, I've never seen that design."
Karl turned to Di Wu and said in Chinese,
"See? She can't do it. Your lifestyle is a lie."
Di Wu rolled her eyes.
"If you're so capable, why don't you ask her to paint a masterpiece like the Hundred-Jun Scroll? Would you want to work in a place like this doing such complicated designs?"
"I was just making a suggestion."
"If you ask someone a question like that, do you call it a suggestion?"
"There has to be a starting point. But she doesn't even know what it is, so there's no point continuing the discussion."
"Hah."
Di Wan laughed.
"I just asked you to accompany me. Do you really have to argue about it?"
Karl immediately straightened up.
"No. This is a matter of life attitude."
Di Wan tapped him with the hand that wasn't being worked on.
"Your personality has changed so much lately. I'm starting to suspect you're not the real Karl."
"The incomplete version of me before was very sad. You should be happy about this."
Di Wu sighed helplessly.
"Fine. I admit defeat."
Time always passed quickly during leisure moments—at least for Di Wu.
Karl, however, felt very uncomfortable sitting there.
But he couldn't just leave her alone.
After thanking Amanda, the two left the shop.
They had come out after lunch. Now it was close to dinner time, though it still felt like a few hours away.
Di Wan held Karl's hand as they walked down the street, happily waving her freshly done nails like a child.
Karl looked passive, simply being pulled along.
Then suddenly both of them stopped and looked up at the sky.
"Whoosh—"
A violent gust of wind swept past.
The sky suddenly darkened.
"Oh my God! What is that?!"
"Good heavens!"
"Run!"
"Scream!"
The once-comfortable street suddenly erupted into chaos.
Huge landmasses suddenly appeared in the sky, covering the entire city of New York.
The continents kept descending. The compressed air shattered windows in nearby buildings and shook the ground.
People began fleeing in panic while shards of glass and debris scattered everywhere.
Karl looked at Di Wu.
"Leave this place first."
She nodded and stepped into the Mirror Dimension.
After ensuring her safety, Karl's suit appeared on his body.
He flew into the sky, reaching the southern edge of the falling landmass.
From afar he looked like an ant trying to lift a massive stone.
The collapsing continent gradually stabilized.
With a burst of strength, Karl pushed upward.
The entire landmass began rising.
It was less than half the size of New York City, so lifting it wasn't too difficult for him—but he still didn't dare exert too much force.
Slowly, he pushed the continent away into the distance.
Not long after Karl left, another continent descended from the sky.
No—
It stretched across several continents. Cities still existed on its surface, though they were completely empty.
The falling speed was so fast that friction with the air ignited intense flames.
Boom!
A deafening sonic boom erupted.
Just as the landmasses were about to collapse one after another—
Karl returned.
A powerful shockwave swept through the air, blasting the descending continents into dust.
"We meet again, Mr. Superman."
A figure suddenly appeared in the sky, floating calmly while smiling at Karl.
A portal opened beside Karl, and Di Wan stepped out, staring suspiciously at the figure.
"When was the last time you offended someone?" she asked.
Karl replied calmly, "Why would I have offended anyone?"
Di Wan snorted.
"Because you're too annoying."
The figure in the sky spoke again, its voice sounding like mechanical synthesis.
"You two still have time to chat? That must mean you're very confident."
The figure slowly descended.
It stood three meters tall. At first glance it barely looked human—more like a half-mechanical monster.
Its body was made partly of metal. Two curved horns extended downward from its head, and its eyes glowed red.
"Perhaps you thought you killed me," the creature said. "Although I don't know exactly how I died… I'm quite sure the ending wasn't pleasant."
The monster looked down at Karl with a confident smile.
Karl carefully observed it, recalling everyone he had ever met—but he had never seen this person before.
"Who are you?"
"Hahaha…"
The monster laughed.
"You know, I imagined many ways our reunion might happen. But I never expected you to ask me that question."
"Monster, you're surrounded!"
Tony suddenly flew in wearing his Iron Man armor, every weapon system activated and aimed at the creature.
At the same time, the Avengers appeared one after another, raising their weapons.
The monster didn't look surprised at all.
Spreading its arms, it said,
"Tony, if I were you, I would've already developed weapons capable of dealing with Superman. I wonder how your progress is going?"
"Oh? You seem to know me quite well," Tony replied.
"Do you want to know what I'm thinking right now?"
As soon as he finished speaking, miniature missiles from his shoulders and arms launched toward the monster.
Boom!
The explosion engulfed the creature.
But none of the Avengers relaxed.
No one believed that would be enough to defeat it.
And indeed—
As the smoke cleared and the wind blew…
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
read 20 advanced chapter visit my patreon:
patreon.com/fatimasoomro123
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~