Scheming

Wang Bert had no idea Trish was causing a stir outside. He poured Max a cup of tea and asked, "Max, I heard you were in charge of renovating the city's power grid?"

Max was flattered. Holding the teacup with both hands, he said with both restraint and pride, "More accurately, I designed the New Power Grid all by myself! I'm the best engineer at Osborn Corporation!"

Wang Bert asked, "Then why isn't your name listed as the designer?"

Max's momentum immediately deflated. He set down his cup and waved his hands angrily. "They stole my achievements!"

Wang Bert asked, "Are they bullying you like this because you're Black?"

Max froze. What did that have to do with it? Of course it had nothing to do with it. In fact, this had absolutely nothing to do with racial discrimination. It was purely because Max was a weirdo, and everyone in Osborn Corporation's electrical department bullied him.

But it was a great excuse, wasn't it?

Wang Bert took a sip of tea and asked, "Max, have you ever considered suing Osborn Corporation for discriminating against you and stealing your work?"

"Sue them?"

Max shook his head bitterly. "How could I possibly win against Osborn Corporation? They have a professional legal team. If I really sue them, I'll only end up getting fired, and then no one will ever dare hire me again!"

"That's only if no one helps you!"

Wang Bert said, "I can help you. I'll provide you with a top-tier legal team!"

Max asked in confusion, "Help me? Why would you help me?"

"Max, I won't hide it from you. I'm helping you because I want to drive down Osborn Corporation's stock price!"

Wang Bert said, "You designed the New Power Grid. You're very important."

Max's eyes widened as he asked excitedly, "I'm that important?"

"Of course you are. You can greatly affect Osborn Corporation's stock price!"

Wang Bert smiled. "As long as you agree to sue Osborn Corporation, I'll not only provide a legal team, I'll also give you a large sum of money so you can live without worries from now on! Of course, I have one condition: unless I agree, there can be no settlement. You have to fight this lawsuit to the end!"

"Well..."

Max hesitated a little, so Wang Bert added more fuel to the fire. "Max, once you sue Osborn Corporation, you'll become the center of attention in the whole city. Countless reporters will swarm in to interview you!"

"Really?"

Max became excited again. Even his dark face had reddened a little as he said, "Will I make the newspaper headlines like my good friend Spider-Man?"

Was Max Spider-Man's good friend? Of course not. In fact, they had only spoken once. That chatterbox Spider-Man had casually said, "You're my friend," and friendless Max had taken him as his good friend!

Wang Bert smiled. "Of course. Discriminating against Black people is a major issue!"

Max understood. He shouted, "Right, right! They discriminate against me because I'm Black. They bully me and isolate me. They often close the elevator doors early so I can't get in with them. And they..."

Wang Bert quietly listened to Max's complaints with a smile. Not only was he not impatient, he even spoke up for him from time to time. Max was deeply grateful. Apart from Spider-Man, Wang Bert was the only person who had ever treated him so kindly! For this friend, I'm definitely fighting this lawsuit!

Max shouted in his heart. Well, he had unilaterally promoted Wang Bert to friend status! After Max finished speaking, Wang Bert called Natasha in through the intercom. "Natalie, come in for a moment!"

"BOSS!"

Natasha walked in with graceful strides. Max stared at her a little blankly. When Natasha looked over, he lowered his head inferiority and silently drank his tea.

Wang Bert introduced Max to Natasha, then said, "You'll take full responsibility for this case. Pick any law firm in the city you want. I only have one requirement: win this lawsuit!"

Wang Bert added, "Also, the bigger the commotion, the better!"

"No problem. Racial discrimination is no small matter."

Natasha smiled. "I'll find a Black lawyer to handle this case, and I'll donate to some Black rights organizations so they'll support us!"

"Have them protest directly at Osborn Tower!"

Wang Bert turned to Max and asked, "By the way, Max, can you give a speech?"

Max raised his head and asked excitedly, "A speech? A speech in front of the public?"

Wang Bert smiled. "That's right. We can write the speech for you, but you'll have to deliver it yourself! I'll find a way to get it broadcast on television!"

"Television?"

Max grew even more excited and nodded repeatedly. "I can do it!"

"Good. Natalie, I'll leave everything to you. Money isn't a problem. Submit whatever budget you need, and I'll approve it!"

Wang Bert nodded in satisfaction. Natasha efficiently invited Max to discuss matters in an office nearby. Before leaving the room, she gave Wang Bert a resentful look. Was this bastard even a man? With a gorgeous beauty like her right in front of him, he had never made a move?

That alone would have been one thing, but this bastard actually had her arrange dates with beautiful women for him every day. Even an uncle could endure it, but an auntie couldn't! If it weren't for the mission, she would have beaten this guy up long ago.

Insulting her dignity was one thing, but he was even insulting her beauty?

Wang Bert sensed Natasha's resentment and secretly laughed. So full of yourself. Do you think I'm that easy to get?

After Natasha and Max left, Wang Bert took out his phone and called James. "How far has Osborn Corporation's Human Enhancement Potion progressed?"

"They're about to start human trials, the legitimate kind!"

James replied, "Also, some time ago, they hired a pharmaceutical factory to conduct Illegal Human Experimentation. Quite a few homeless people died. The potion has now been improved, and the chance of something going wrong is down to around twenty percent. However, the enhancement effect has also weakened somewhat!"

"Osborn really is going all in if they dare proceed with a twenty percent failure rate!"

Wang Bert sneered. "Bribe the review supervisor and get a few violent test subjects in there."

James smiled. "No problem. In America, there's nothing money can't accomplish."

Wang Bert asked again, "How are things with the shareholders? Is anyone willing to sell their shares?"

James said, "One shareholder agreed to exchange his Osborn Corporation shares for Stark Industries shares, but he wants to trade six percent for five percent!"

Wang Bert sneered. "Dream on. String him along for now. Once Osborn Corporation's scandal breaks, we'll trade with him then. Three percentage points will be enough!"

"Blood God, I know what to do!"

James nodded. "By the way, Blood God, I found the professor you asked me to look for. He's Dr. Samuel Sterns from the Department of Cellular Life Sciences at Grayburn College in Harlem. I tried to hire him in the name of Blood God Group, but he refused."

"Samuel Sterns? I'll remember that. You don't need to concern yourself with him anymore! James, you've done very well!"

Wang Bert nodded. Samuel Sterns was Mr. Blue from The Incredible Hulk, a genius. Since he had refused the offer, there was an eighty percent chance he had already contacted Hulk. It seemed Wang Bert would have to pay him a visit sometime soon!

James said, "Since Blood God values me so highly, I naturally can't let you down!"

"Why didn't I notice you were so good at talking before?"

Wang Bert smiled and hung up. At that moment, there was a knock at the door. After receiving permission, Jessica walked in carrying a teapot, looking completely dead inside. "Boss, do you need more tea?"

Wang Bert smiled. "Put on another outfit and you'll look the part!"

"Dream on. This is kidnapping!"

Jessica gritted her teeth. Wang Bert motioned for her to come over and refill his tea, then asked, "You could run away. Why are you being so obedient?"

"That old woman said she left a strand of 'qi' in my body. If I dare run away, it'll act up and make me suffer unbearable pain!"

Jessica spoke hatefully as she lifted the kettle to refill Wang Bert's teapot. Her technique was obviously poor, and she spilled quite a lot beside it.

"It takes a villain to handle a villain!"

Wang Bert burst out laughing. Jessica glared at him. After she finished refilling the tea, she hesitated before asking, "Where's that guy?"

Wang Bert took a sip of tea and said, "Forget about him. He won't appear again, and you shouldn't mention this matter again either!"

"It's best if he doesn't!"

Jessica visibly relaxed. She glanced at Wang Bert and said, "Same goes for you!"

Wang Bert smiled. "Of course someone who owes money doesn't want to see their creditor, but that's impossible. Work here peacefully. Once you've paid off your debt, I'll naturally let you leave!"

"I'll pay you back for that piece of glass! Though you were obviously scamming me. What kind of glass costs tens of thousands of dollars?"

Jessica gritted her teeth. "But can you have that old woman take Trish as her disciple? Trish really wants to learn kung fu. She even knelt outside!"

"She really knelt?"

Wang Bert was a little surprised. He walked outside, then immediately laughed. "She's quite clever. She neither embarrasses herself nor fails to meet the requirement."

Jessica said proudly, "Trish has always been smart! She used to be a child star!"

"Why does she want to learn kung fu so badly?"

Wang Bert said, "She doesn't seem like a kung fu fanatic!"

Jessica said, "Because kung fu is the only way for ordinary people to become Super Heroes."

"If you want to become a Super Hero, the rich rely on technology, and the poor rely on mutation. Your sister could try mutating!"

Wang Bert said, "Daredevil, who's been making waves in Hell's Kitchen lately, mutated after coming into contact with chemicals as a child. That Spider-Man probably did too. Hmm?"

Just as he mentioned Spider-Man, Wang Bert spotted Peter Parker, wearing Tom Holland's face, photographing Trish at the entrance. He had just graduated from high school and was working as a photographer. Simply put, he took interesting photos and sold them to the Daily Bugle for payment! But interesting photos were not easy to find, so Peter often tearfully sold pictures of himself to the Daily Bugle so they could smear him—pictures of Spider-Man! Trish did not notice someone photographing her. Feeling a little thirsty, she pulled down her face covering and drank some water before pulling it back up. Peter happened to capture that exact moment! At this age, yet wearing Tom Holland's face. This really is a mess.

Jessica did not notice Wang Bert spacing out. She asked in surprise, "The rich rely on technology, and the poor rely on mutation? Wait, do you know Daredevil and Spider-Man?"

Wang Bert smiled. "I even know Tony Stark. He owes me quite a few favors!"

Jessica did not believe him at all. She snorted. "I had dinner with Bill Gates yesterday!"

Wang Bert laughed and offered no further explanation. Jessica glanced at him and asked, "You're so strong. Why don't you become a Super Hero?"

"I'm a vampire, a born villain. I can't become a Super Hero. Besides, who says powerful people have to become Super Heroes?"

Wang Bert scoffed. "And I'm so rich. If I want to help people, can't I just send my subordinates? Do I need to do it myself?"

As he said that, Wang Bert suddenly had an idea. Perhaps he should recruit a few Super Heroes as subordinates. That would make things much more convenient in the future.

After all, the future belonged to Super Heroes.

"But it's almost impossible to recruit Super Heroes as subordinates. Super Heroes aren't people money can move!"

Wang Bert thought to himself, In that case, why not cultivate a few Super Heroes myself? These two in front of me seem quite suitable!

The Jessica Jones of this world had not been violated by Purple Man, so she had great potential for cultivation. As for Trish Walker, her original counterpart seemed to be a Super Hero as well.

"A vampire? Sure, and I'm a werewolf!"

Jessica naturally had no idea someone was plotting against her. She scoffed. "And you, the owner of a tiny tea house, pretending to be rich? This dump of a tea house will go bankrupt sooner or later. I've never seen a tea house use a membership system!"

Wang Bert merely smiled. With his wealth, it would be difficult for him to go bankrupt even if he wanted to. Jessica hesitated, then asked again, "If you don't become a Super Hero, wouldn't that waste the ability Heaven gave you?"

"Trish told you that, didn't she?"

Wang Bert said, "Don't let those words bind you. Be yourself. Help if you want to help, and pretend you saw nothing if you don't. The most important thing in life is to live freely. People should live for themselves, not for others."

"Live freely?"

Jessica murmured to herself, then looked at Wang Bert with disdain. "What a waste of Heaven's gift."

"With that personality of yours, it's a miracle no one's beaten you to death yet."

Wang Bert complained. He waved his hand and said, "Go find that kid outside and hire him as a sparring partner. Two hours a day, high pay!"

Jessica glanced at Peter outside and said dismissively, "That skinny kid who looks like a monkey? I could kill him with one punch!"

Wang Bert mocked, "Who was it that got beaten into repeatedly begging for mercy by a frail old woman?"

"When did I beg for mercy? And I was respecting the elderly. I just didn't want to argue with her!"

Jessica snorted and stormed outside. When Trish saw her, she was immediately delighted. Jessica nodded at her, opened the door, walked over to Peter, and explained Wang Bert's offer.

"A sparring partner?"

Peter froze, then repeatedly waved his hands. "Um, sorry, I don't like fighting. I have something to do, so I'll be leaving first!"

With that, Peter turned and strode away. He still had to submit his photos. He did not know that the only photo selected from this batch would be the one of Trish drinking water! Although Trish was a faded star, she had been popular once. The Daily Bugle's owner, J. Jonah Jameson, recognized her at a glance and was overjoyed. This was great news!

A washed-up celebrity, mentally unstable, kneeling outside a tea house to beg! Perfect!

Wang Bert did not stop Peter from leaving. He knew Peter would return, because he was poor! A noble poor man who refused to use superpowers to make money!