Stark naturally sat down in front of the bar counter and beckoned Pepper to sit beside him.
He placed his bandaged right hand on the bar and said in an extremely punchable tone, "Well~ Mr. Arvin, did you ask me here to apologize? Or do you want me to recommend your restaurant to high society?"
As he spoke, Stark pretended to look around the restaurant, then curled his lip disdainfully. "To be honest, this place really isn't much!"
Frank gazed at Stark with admiration. He really liked Stark. The way Stark courted death reminded him so much of his own troublemaking son.
Alvin didn't mind Stark deliberately getting his name wrong. One had to show some respect to one's future weapons sponsor and scapegoat, right?
Alvin smiled at Stark and said, "I mainly wanted to clear up yesterday's misunderstanding. If you haven't eaten yet, you could try the steak here. You might like it."
Stark wore an expression that said I knew it, pointing at Alvin with his left hand like a loan shark's thug. "Kid, it's too late to apologize now. I just spent five hundred thousand U.S. dollars on a Japanese judo master yesterday. I'll be coming for you soon.
"I'm going to beat you up! Not because your waiter injured me, but to teach you that whenever you meet Mr. Tony Stark, you need to show some respect."
Frank looked at Stark with some worry. If Nick grew up to be like him, how many people would Frank have to kill to keep the boy alive?
Alvin smiled politely. "That's your choice. But you're injured today, aren't you? You can try my steak first."
Alvin brought several finished dishes to Chief George, JJ, and Frank first. Chief George's steak portion was only half the usual size.
Little Ginny had eaten quite a lot that morning, so she wasn't hungry now. As for Jessica, she probably wouldn't eat until evening!
Stark even mocked Chief George, saying that a man eating so little was a disgrace to his image as Police.
Not wanting to bother with the foul-mouthed Stark, Alvin smiled and gestured to Pepper, asking whether she wanted a steak as well. Pepper politely declined, citing her diet. See? Even Heaven blessed girls who cared about their looks!
He selected the largest steak, replaced the olive oil on the griddle with Animal Fat, and quickly seared it, doing his best to lock in the steak's blood and juices. Rare—two minutes! He poured thick Tomato Sauce over the Pasta and added a Fried Egg with a runny yolk. Perfect!
When such a Teppanyaki Steak was placed on the bar, even the picky Stark had to take a deep breath at its rich aroma before saying, "Buddy, you cooked that steak exceptionally well. If you weren't a fraud, I'd give you another fifty points."
Even after being mocked by Stark for so long, Alvin still acted like an honest farmer, hoping to make up for his past mistake by treating him warmly.
Pleased by Alvin's performance, Stark was very satisfied. He picked up his knife and fork and began devouring the steak.
No one said a word. Only Pepper watched Alvin suspiciously. Alvin gave her a gentlemanly smile, tilted his head, and gestured for her to explain what was wrong.
Pepper shook her head in confusion, indicating that nothing was wrong. But she truly didn't think Alvin was so easygoing. She had a feeling Stark was about to suffer!
When Stark put the first piece of steak into his mouth and chewed, he let out an extremely satisfied "Oh~~" and sincerely gave Alvin a thumbs-up.
An enormous steak disappeared into Stark's stomach.
Alvin thoughtfully brought him a glass of Lemonade and let him digest for a moment. Then he went to speak with his daughter, leaving Ginny and Jessica to play in the restaurant. Thor and Dom would stay behind to keep them company.
Alvin waved to everyone. "Ladies and gentlemen, let's go take a look at what we caught yesterday and have Ms. Pepper and Mr. Stark identify it. Perhaps Mr. Stark's impression of me will improve."
Stark stroked his neatly trimmed mustache and let out a "Ha." "Then let's go take a look. I can hardly wait. Could it be some interesting animal, or a masterpiece by a Hollywood special-effects makeup artist?"
The Basement of Frank's house next door had just been renovated and was fairly clean. The light in the basement was very dim. There were some suspicious red marks on the floor and walls by the entrance, along with an unpleasant smell. It easily reminded one of a scene where someone had been murdered and dismembered.
Pepper covered her nose in disgust but said nothing.
Stark, whose mouth was as foul as ever, fanned his left hand in front of his nose and complained to Alvin, "Was this place converted from a septic tank? It stinks. I can't believe you actually live somewhere like this. Once this is over, write me a letter and I'll send you a check so you can renovate your house properly."
Alvin looked at Stark sincerely. "Mr. Stark, I have to warn you. The things inside are a little frightening, and ordinary people might not be able to handle them. You need to prepare yourself."
"Give me a break. Stop putting on an act and trying to scare me, buddy. Let me see what these so-called Vampires are." Stark spoke impatiently.
Alvin obligingly shrugged and gestured for Frank to open the door. Several people filed into The Basement.
Under the dim light inside The Basement, three sheets of black plastic covered three clearly living, human-shaped objects.
Because no one spoke, the atmosphere was somewhat terrifying. Pepper had already hidden behind Stark, peeking over his shoulder with only her eyes exposed as she stared at the things.
Stark boldly reached back and patted Pepper's waist, mocking her. "The atmosphere is pretty good. This place would be perfect for filming a horror movie."
JJ and Frank, who had long since grown impatient, stepped forward, grabbed the plastic sheets, and pulled them away.
Three miserable Vampires, already gravely wounded and subjected to Interrogation the previous night, were exposed under the lights.
The unluckiest one was the Vampire that had been hit by an iron door yesterday. Its exploded abdomen had sent its intestines and organs spilling all over the floor. After it fell by the doorway last night and Jessica stepped on it, everything had been neatly arranged beside its head.
Another Vampire had had both eyes kicked out by Alvin. It had been the subject of Interrogation the previous night. The muscles on its right hand had now been completely scraped away, with the pieces neatly arranged beside its head.
The last one was the Vampire whose arm Frank had chopped off. It was in relatively good condition and still had plenty of spirit. After the plastic sheet was pulled away, it thrashed violently, trying to break free of the large Rivet pinning it to the floor. It opened its mouth, bared its sharp fangs, and let out an unpleasant shriek at Alvin and the others.
The horrifying sight slammed into the minds of the three newcomers. Chief George had been a Police officer, after all, so he held up fairly well.
When Ms. Pepper saw the three moving Corpse-like wrecks, she screamed and fainted dead away.
Alvin thoughtfully said to the trembling Stark, "Mr. Stark, I have to remind you: don't vomit here. The owner of this house has a very bad temper!"
Before you continue