Chapter Summaries

Li Chen and Gwen watched Tony Stark defeat Obadiah in their Iron Man suits, then left before S.H.I.E.L.D. arrived. As public speculation over Iron Man’s identity spread, Li Chen predicted Tony would reveal himself to bolster Stark Industries’ stock, while he prepared to leave New York with Kitty Pryde, Dazzler, and Li Qianhuan.

• Li Chen explained that his protection kept Gwen warm as Iron Monger froze in the upper atmosphere.
• Iron Man knocked Iron Monger down, but Obadiah ambushed Tony after he landed; Tony fought back and killed Obadiah before S.H.I.E.L.D. arrived.
• Li Chen took Gwen away from the explosion, and they returned to their hotel, where their romantic battle resumed.
• New Yorkers demanded compensation for the damage from the Iron Man and Iron Monger fight and speculated that Tony Stark was Iron Man.
• As Li Chen prepared to leave for Los Angeles with Kitty Pryde, Dazzler, and Li Qianhuan, he told Gwen that Tony would publicly claim the Iron Man identity to raise Stark Industries’ stock price.

Li Chen brought Kitty Pryde and Dazzler to Los Angeles aboard a luxurious Hellfire Club jet and arranged to help them pursue their entertainment careers. After meeting the White Queen, he decided to build a music division and start by making Dazzler a star.

• Li Chen left Gwen Stacy behind and flew to Los Angeles with Kitty Pryde, Dazzler, and the others on the Hellfire Club's private jet.
• After arriving, Li Chen took Kitty Pryde and Dazzler to the Hollywood Walk of Fame, where Dazzler dreamed of having her own star.
• Li Chen brought the group to the Hellfire Club, where the White Queen welcomed the aspiring stars.
• Kitty Pryde told the White Queen she wanted to become a star, and Li Chen considered arranging a small role for her.
• Li Chen concluded that MGM's lack of a media conglomerate made it vulnerable and decided to establish a music division to make Dazzler a star.

Bob discovered One-Punch Man in a bundled comic sale and helped spread excitement about it, while the new series quickly earned Li Chen a surge of reputation points. After returning home with Psylocke, Li Chen took her to the master bedroom for another stage of his control over her.

• Bob bought Starlight Pictorial and found One-Punch Man instead of a new season of Re:Zero.
• Bob read One-Punch Man, became impressed by Saitama’s ability to defeat monsters with one punch, and recommended the comic to others.
• Readers spread word of One-Punch Man online, and the comic and Saitama Training Regimen quickly became popular.
• Li Chen received system notifications showing One-Punch Man’s success and saw his reputation points rise to 13,404.
• Li Chen returned to the manor with Psylocke and brought her to the master bedroom for another round of education.

After spending the afternoon drawing the lottery, Li Chen collected enough fragments to summon Saitama. Saitama arrived in Li Chen’s world, where Li Chen offered to help him adjust and find games to play.

• Li Chen used his reputation points on lottery draws, gaining abilities, character fragments, and a complete set of Saitama Summoning fragments.
• Li Chen summoned Saitama, who asked whether danger threatened the world, and Li Chen explained that there was no danger for now.
• Li Chen told Saitama that the new world had game consoles and offered to show him games he had invested in.
• Li Chen went out to buy Saitama ordinary clothes, then saw someone cosplaying Saitama and realized the character was already popular in America.

Li Chen returned to Starlight Pictures and found the company energized by the success of “One-Punch Man.” He arranged support for Kitty Pryde’s Hollywood career and decided to launch a music department with Alison Blaire as its star attraction.

• Li Chen returned to Starlight Pictures, where employees welcomed him and joked about whether the Saitama Training Regimen could make them stronger.
• Katherine reported that “One-Punch Man” had become extremely popular, and Li Chen told her to maintain its quality.
• Li Chen assigned the film division’s head to help Kitty Pryde find an agent and avoid Hollywood’s pitfalls.
• Li Chen established a music department and named Alison Blaire its star attraction.
• Alison Blaire told Li Chen she had written many songs, and he decided to find her an excellent music producer.

Li Chen looked for promising singers to promote and made Li Qianhuan his driver. After Tony Stark declared himself Iron Man, Li Chen celebrated his prediction with Gwen Stacy and prepared to go shopping with Saitama.

• Li Chen realized he could earn prestige points by making singers famous, considered potential candidates, and settled on having people look for Katy Perry.
• Li Chen asked Li Qianhuan if she could drive and appointed her as his driver, replacing the company-assigned driver.
• Li Chen watched Tony Stark announce, “I am Iron Man,” and noted that his Stark Industries shares could earn him a profit.
• Gwen Stacy called Li Chen to confirm his prediction, and they flirted before she ended the call to go to class.
• Li Chen decided to go shopping with Saitama, who had grown tired of waiting and liked games, discount shopping, and being a hero.

Li Chen took Saitama and Li Qianhuan shopping, then set up a Nintendo console and crushed Saitama in a fighting game. After dinner was called, Li Chen offered to take Ram and Rem out for treats when he had time, leaving the sisters eager to explore the world.

• Li Chen, Saitama, and Li Qianhuan bought groceries and a game console at a discount supermarket, with Saitama choosing sale bananas out of habit.
• Li Chen and Saitama set up the Nintendo and played a fighting game, where Li Chen repeatedly defeated Saitama.
• Ram called Li Chen to dinner, while Saitama stayed behind to eat bananas.
• Li Chen told Ram he would take her and Rem out for ice cream and cold drinks when he had time, and both sisters grew excited at the prospect.

Li Chen moved to acquire Big Machine Records to bring Taylor Swift under Starlight Pictures, then visited the sets of Transformers and Batman. He left the Transformers set and headed to the busier Batman production.

• Harry Sloan told Li Chen that Starlight Pictures could build a music division by hiring experienced staff or acquiring record companies, and Li Chen chose to pursue Big Machine Records.
• Harry Sloan mentioned that Katy Perry was signed to a Universal label, so Li Chen ruled out pursuing her and decided to seek new talent instead.
• Li Chen accepted the White Queen's invitation to a Hellfire Club party and went with Li Qianhuan to visit Starlight Pictures' sets.
• Li Chen watched Megan Fox and the male lead film a scene on Michael Bay's Transformers set, where Kitty Pryde had a small role.
• Li Chen left the Transformers set and went to Zack Snyder's Batman production, which had a crew of more than a hundred people.

Li Chen visited the set of "Batman," approved of Zack Snyder’s progress, and proposed "Dark Knight" as the movie’s subtitle. After leaving with Li Qianhuan, he caught Megan Fox’s attention, while Scarlett remained eager to get closer to him.

• Li Chen reviewed the "Batman" script and reflected on how Warner Bros.’ rushed DC plans had damaged its cinematic universe.
• Scarlett greeted Li Chen on set, hugged him, and asked to meet that night, but he turned her down.
• Zack Snyder told Li Chen filming was going smoothly, and Li Chen instructed producer Jeff to keep Snyder’s filmmaking in check.
• Li Chen suggested "Dark Knight" as the movie’s subtitle, and Snyder enthusiastically approved.
• Li Chen left with Li Qianhuan, then Megan Fox pretended to bump into him so he would catch her.

Li Chen learned that he could not become the Hellfire Club’s White King through strength alone and discussed a plan with Emma Frost to establish a kingdom for Mutants. The chapter ended with Emma accepting his leadership argument and toasting the success of their Kingdom Plan.

• Megan Fox said goodbye to Li Chen after giving him her contact information, and Li Qianhuan warned him that Megan was not a good woman.
• At the Hellfire Club, Emma Frost told Li Chen that Erik’s support came from his project to overthrow human rule and that a White King needed to make contributions.
• Li Chen asked Emma for her idea, and she proposed establishing a kingdom of their own for Mutants rather than overthrowing human rule.
• Li Chen argued that his experience managing MGM made him better suited than Erik to lead a Mutant kingdom, and Emma agreed.
• Li Chen and Emma raised their glasses to the success of their Kingdom Plan.

Li Chen attended a Hellfire Club gathering, met Magneto, and watched the factions reveal their competing views on Mutants. Dazzler performed for the guests, while Li Chen remained with his allies amid the club’s factional tensions.

• Li Chen emerged with the White Queen, whose behavior led the guests to reconsider the newly elevated White Rook.
• Magneto warned Li Chen not to trust the White Queen, and Li Chen responded with a joke before sharing wine with him.
• Magneto, the White Queen, and the Black Queen gave speeches, and Li Chen told Li Qianhuan, Kitty Pryde, and Dazzler that Magneto’s vision of Mutant rule was unrealistic.
• Dazzler performed at Li Chen’s prompting, and guests identified her as one of the White Rook’s people.

At a party, Li Chen appealed to Mystique by accepting her true appearance and persuading her that Magneto’s plan to overthrow humanity was impossible. He proposed creating a kingdom where mutants could live freely and asked Raven to help him build it.

• The Black Queen spoke with Li Chen at the party, then sent Li Qianhuan and the others away before leaving.
• Mystique approached Li Chen in the form of a beautiful blonde woman, and he praised her real appearance and called her Raven.
• Li Chen explained that Magneto treated Mystique as a tool and that she deserved acceptance as she was; Mystique was moved by his words.
• Mystique promoted Magneto’s cause, but Li Chen argued that mutants were too few to overthrow humanity and that doing so would provoke a devastating response.
• Li Chen proposed establishing a mutant kingdom where mutants could live, learn, and grow apart from humans, then took Raven’s hand and asked her to work with him.

Li Chen won Mystique’s support by bringing her into his circle and accepting her true appearance. Meanwhile, Scott Borchetta accepted Starlight Pictures’ offer to acquire Big Machine Records and headed to Los Angeles with Taylor Swift.

• Mystique declined to support Li Chen until he revealed that Emma Frost was backing him, after which Mystique agreed to join him.
• Li Chen took Mystique to a hotel and praised her as Raven when she revealed her blue-skinned appearance.
• Scott Borchetta weighed Starlight Pictures’ offer to acquire Big Machine Records and put him in charge of Starlight Music, then accepted.
• Scott Borchetta brought Taylor Swift out of the studio and took her with him on a flight to Los Angeles.

After spending the night with Li Chen, Mystique agreed to help him recruit mutants dissatisfied with Magneto so they could build their own kingdom. Li Chen returned to his company, where Li Qianhuan hinted that she was upset he had not invited her along the previous night.

• Mystique woke beside Li Chen, feared he had abandoned her, and relaxed when he returned with breakfast.
• Li Chen told Mystique to identify mutants unhappy with Magneto and help bring them over; she agreed and discussed making Li Chen king.
• Mystique returned to Magneto and claimed she had conquered Li Chen, then quietly contacted mutants who opposed Magneto.
• Li Chen called Ram and had Li Qianhuan pick him up before heading to the company to meet Taylor Swift and the others.
• Li Chen noticed Li Qianhuan was unusually quiet, and she complained that he had taken Mystique away without inviting her.

Li Chen met Scott Borchetta and Taylor Swift and discussed the planned acquisition and Taylor’s future image and career. Taylor became infatuated with Li Chen, then met Alison Blaire and felt self-conscious beside her.

• Li Chen welcomed Scott Borchetta and Taylor Swift, praised Taylor’s music, and said the company would help make her a star.
• Li Chen told Taylor she would need a makeover and would have to keep her figure in shape, and Taylor blushed as she agreed.
• After leaving Li Chen’s office, Taylor denied liking him when Scott asked, then silently accepted his advice to focus on her music.
• Taylor met Alison Blaire, admired her appearance and outfit, and felt inferior in her own country clothes.

Li Chen expanded Star Group’s music department, then spent 2008 enjoying life while its artists and projects advanced. In 2009, he prepared for a trip to New York after arranging Transformers’ summer release and meeting Megan Fox, whose obedience gave him a sense of control over her fate.

• Li Chen told his staff to find and sign future singers, and he approved Dua Lipa after seeing her YouTube cover video.
• Star Group grew, Dazzler recorded a single, and Taylor Swift began training in how to carry herself.
• After Christmas, Li Chen planned to visit Gwen Stacy in New York and told Michael Bay to finish Transformers for summer 2009.
• Li Chen met Megan Fox and found her willing to follow his directions and join the games he proposed.
• Li Chen reflected that controlling Megan Fox made him feel as though he held the rope of her fate.

Li Chen brought Ram, Rem, Psylocke, and Saitama to New York and settled into a seaside villa in the Hamptons. He went to surprise Gwen Stacy at Empire State University, where her friend Mary Jane also met him.

• Li Chen flew to New York with Ram, Rem, Psylocke, and Saitama on the Hellfire Club's private jet.
• On the drive from the airport, Li Chen and the others saw homeless people lining up to sell blood, then continued to his newly purchased villa in the Hamptons.
• Saitama went to play games, while Psylocke served Li Chen at the villa before he left to see Gwen Stacy.
• Gwen Stacy walked across campus with Mary Jane, who teased her about talking so much about Li Chen.
• Mary Jane mistook Li Chen's Rolls-Royce for a stranger's car and cursed at him before Gwen Stacy recognized him and ran over delightedly.

Li Chen picked up Gwen and her best friend Mary Jane, then took them to dinner at the Empire State Building. He encouraged Mary Jane to pursue her dream of becoming a Hollywood star and promised to help her, while Gwen declined to try acting herself.

• Gwen introduced Li Chen to Mary Jane, and the three left campus together in his Rolls-Royce.
• Gwen invited Mary Jane to join them for dinner, and Li Chen took both women to a restaurant in the Empire State Building.
• Mary Jane asked Li Chen about his Hollywood experience, and he entertained her and Gwen with stories from film sets.
• Li Chen told Mary Jane she had the qualities to become a star, and Gwen agreed that her friend was beautiful enough for Hollywood.
• Li Chen promised to help Mary Jane get a good role, and Mary Jane accepted while Gwen declined his offer to try acting.

Li Chen secretly kissed Mary Jane after she followed him to the restroom, and they agreed to gradually draw Gwen into their relationship. The three went to see a horror movie together, with Gwen wary of Li Chen making a move on her best friend.

• Mary Jane followed Li Chen to the restroom and embraced him, then kissed him after he reciprocated.
• Li Chen told Mary Jane he wanted to bring Gwen into their relationship, and Mary Jane blushed but began considering how to help.
• Li Chen returned to Gwen and calmly said Mary Jane would be back soon, and Mary Jane soon rejoined them without showing anything was amiss.
• Li Chen suggested that the three see a movie, and Gwen and Mary Jane agreed to watch a horror film.
• Li Chen drove Gwen and Mary Jane to a cinema, where Mary Jane picked Obsession based on its good reviews.

After watching Obsession with Gwen Stacy and Mary Jane, Li Chen took Gwen to a hotel, where she retrieved her Ghost-Spider suit and spent the night with him. The next morning, Gwen learned Li Chen had already told George she would not be coming home, while Mary Jane privately asked her how the date had gone.

• Gwen Stacy and Mary Jane enjoyed Obsession, then Mary Jane left Li Chen and Gwen alone for the evening.
• Li Chen took Gwen to a hotel, and Gwen fetched a Ghost-Spider suit she had hidden nearby before returning through the window.
• Li Chen and Gwen spent the night together, and Gwen's suit was torn to pieces.
• The next morning, Li Chen told Gwen he had informed George that she would not be coming home.
• Gwen found Mary Jane's private message asking whether she had enjoyed herself the previous night.