Stan Edgar leaned back on the sofa.
He interlaced his fingers over his abdomen, trying to regain his usual composure.
Through his gold-rimmed glasses, he calmly watched the silver-haired man on the sofa.
He remained silent for about five seconds.
Then he spoke, his voice steady, regaining the practiced ease and composure honed through countless negotiations.
"Sir, with all due respect."
"The goal of enslaving the world is too... crude."
He leaned forward slightly and tapped a finger lightly on the table.
"There are many ways to rule the world. Violence is the least efficient."
"You would need to maintain an armed force capable of suppressing resistance across the globe, deal with the rebellions and resistance groups that keep emerging, confront the remaining military forces of national governments, and consider nuclear deterrence."
He paused, looking straight into Wangchuan's purple eyes.
"Even if you're powerful enough to ignore nuclear bombs, what about your subordinates? Your territory? You can't manage seven billion people alone."
"Besides, the costs of ruling far outweigh the returns."
Edgar removed his glasses and leisurely wiped the lenses with a chamois cloth, his tone level.
"Truly efficient rule doesn't require the ruled to realize they're being ruled."
"Let them believe they're free. Let them willingly obey the rules you establish. Let them take the order you create as common sense."
"That is rule."
He put his glasses back on, folded his hands on the table, and looked at Wangchuan.
"Vought International currently operates in 137 countries worldwide. Our superhero programs reach over two billion viewers."
"We haven't sent troops to occupy a single country or overthrown a single government, but we influence their consumption habits, aesthetic standards, values, and even their definition of justice."
"When a child grows up watching Vought's superheroes, he instinctively assumes that someone wearing