Give It a Shot

"No... that's impossible! My power works on everyone!!" Kilgrave broke down.

Compound V had long since given Wu Yanzu formidable mental resistance, and after the system's enhancements, perhaps only the Mind Stone stood a chance of shaking his will.

Kilgrave achieved "mind control" by secreting special pheromones through his skin, but compared to the comics, in this world he was nothing more than a mosquito's buzz to Homelander.

"I command you—ah!!"

Before Kilgrave could finish, Jessica had caught up to him and kicked his knee apart!

Crack!

"AAAAAAH—!!" Kilgrave clutched his leg and rolled around on the floor.

"You bitch! I command you to love me! I command you to stop!!"

"Die!! You nearly ruined my life!!" Jessica grabbed him by the collar and slammed a fist into his face!

Bang!

Kilgrave's nose collapsed on the spot, blood covering his face.

"I command you... I... command..." Kilgrave had been beaten senseless, yet he still tried to issue commands.

"God... you're noisy." Wu Yanzu frowned. "Jessica, move aside."

Jessica stopped hitting him and turned around, only to see Homelander's eyes... beginning to glow red.

"You... what are you going to do?"

"Me?" Wu Yanzu smiled. "I'm helping you... solve this problem forever."

Bzzzt—!

Before Jessica could react.

Two precise beams of deep crimson heat vision shot out instantly!

"Hah... hah..."

Kilgrave's scream came to an abrupt stop.

He clutched his throat in terror. There was no blood, only two charred little holes that had been instantly "welded" shut by the intense heat.

He opened his mouth wide and screamed with all his strength, but...

No sound came out.

His vocal cords, trachea, and the surrounding nerve tissue had all been completely burned away.

"..."

Kilgrave opened his mouth, trying to scream, trying to beg for mercy.

"Hah... hah... hah..."

Thud.

Kilgrave, struggling to breathe, rolled his eyes back and collapsed to the floor, twitching in silent terror.

The room fell silent in an instant.

"You..." Jessica's voice was hoarse. She did not know what to say. "You... killed him?"

"A power like that shouldn't exist in this world." Wu Yanzu resumed that perfect smile. "No prison could hold him, could it? And I don't have an Arkham."

"But..." Jessica still wanted to say something.

"Jessica, you weren't his first victim. Think about it—what would have happened if I hadn't come? Your fists would have become his murder weapons."

Jessica fell silent. She herself was a street vigilante who operated outside the law and dealt out her own justice.

Besides, that scumbag truly deserved to die.

Homelander walked up to Jessica, his X-ray vision sweeping over her body.

"Tsk, tsk... you've got a pretty good build. Plenty of strength!"

"You... what do you want?" Jessica remained wary. She had just escaped one den of tigers and did not want to walk into a wolf's lair.

"Me?" Wu Yanzu pointed at the eagle emblem on his uniform. "I'm Homelander. You've definitely seen me on TV."

"I want to build a team."

Wu Yanzu spread his arms as if embracing New York's entire night skyline.

"A... real superhero team. Not those lofty Avengers made up of so-called gods and billionaire tycoons."

"A team led by me, one that can truly protect this world."

He looked at Jessica and revealed a "sincere" smile.

"And you, ma'am, have great potential! You just... need a little packaging."

"...Me?" Jessica froze. "I... I'm just a..."

"Just what? A drunk? A freak?" Wu Yanzu cut her off. "No, you're a born hero! You just lack an agent."

"Why... why should I believe you?"

"Because," Wu Yanzu pointed at Kilgrave's lifeless body on the floor, "I just saved your life. And... I can make you ten thousand times more dazzling than you are now."

"I don't need to be dazzling..."

"No, you do." Wu Yanzu spoke without room for argument. "You crave acceptance. You crave people no longer looking at you like you're a monster! You crave... popularity."

"..."

Jessica fell silent.

That bastard... he was right.

"Good..." Wu Yanzu held out his hand. "Tell me your codename loud and proud, warrior!"

"...Jessica," Jessica said hesitantly. "Jessica Jones."

"Jessica Jones..." Wu Yanzu rubbed his chin, pretending to think deeply.

"That name... is too plain. Not striking enough."

He looked Jessica up and down. She had an unyielding air about her, the kind that would rather die than submit.

"With that temper, you're like a queen..."

"I've got it." Wu Yanzu snapped his fingers.

"From now on, your codename will be... Queen Jones!"

"...What?" Jessica Jones rolled her eyes.

"That is... the dumbest fucking name I've ever heard in my life."

"You'll get used to it." Wu Yanzu smiled and handed her a card.

It was a pure black card with a golden letter "V" in the center.

It was the business card for his Vought International.

"Vought," Wu Yanzu said with a smile. "My media company. Once you've thought it through, call that number. Stop hanging around in dumps like this, Queen. Your stage... should be bigger."

"As for now..." He glanced at Kilgrave on the floor. "The NYPD and S.H.I.E.L.D. will be here soon. Tell them how you bravely resisted and took down this dangerous mind-control criminal in self-defense. Don't worry, the charges against him are longer than a phone book."

"...What about you?"

"Me?" Wu Yanzu smiled. "Heroes never steal other people's credit."

But I'm not a hero. I'm just an actor, he silently added.

With that, he turned around, his cape sweeping behind him.

"Don't forget, Queen. I'll be waiting for you at Vought."

Whoosh—!

He turned into a streak of blue light, shooting into the sky and vanishing into the night.

Jessica Jones stood amid the wrecked suite, clutching that cold card with the letter "V," then looked at the mute man foaming at the mouth on the floor.

"...Queen Jones?"

She cursed under her breath.

"...Fuck! What an... arrogant bastard."

Yet for some reason, her heart, which had been dormant for ten years, felt a strange... warmth because of that "bastard's" appearance.

High above the city.

Wu Yanzu sped through the clouds, feeling delighted.

Ding—!

The system notification sounded right on cue.

Special Popularity Points gained: +20000!

Remaining Special Popularity Points: 42000!

"Special Popularity Points... these are much harder to get than ordinary Popularity Points." Wu Yanzu calculated to himself.

Just then, a golden flash streaked across the system panel.

Congratulations, Host! Total Special Popularity Points acquired has reached the required threshold!

New function unlocked: Superhero Blind Box!

Function introduction: This is a world where looks matter, and a system where looks matter too.

The Host may spend 30000 Special Popularity Points to make one Blind Box draw.

The Blind Box prize pool includes, but is not limited to: equipment and items, rare bloodlines, special abilities, single-use consumables, and special character summon cards!

"...A Blind Box?"

Wu Yanzu stopped atop the spire of the Empire State Building and looked down over the city.

"30000 per draw... I happen to have 42000."

An extremely excited curve formed at the corner of Wu Yanzu's mouth.

"Then... let's give it a shot."