Welcome to Stark Tower, both of you.
Luca leaned back lazily in his chair and pointed to the empty seat opposite him.
" Natalie, pour two glasses of wine for our guests. Then, you may begin introducing yourselves."
Natasha walked over expressionlessly and poured two glasses of red wine.
Matt didn't touch his glass; his ears twitched slightly, and his brows furrowed tightly.
From the moment he entered the base, his hearing and sense of smell were frantically gathering information.
He heard Peter Parker's heartbeat, which was faster than normal.
He smelled the strange energy emanating from Wanda that didn't belong to the realm of science.
He sensed a dangerous aura emanating from the two women dressed as maids.
But what terrified him most was Luca, who sat in the main seat.
In Matt's perceived world, Luca's existence is like a burning sun!
The immense life energy and oppressive feeling made it almost impossible for him to breathe.
" Luca Stark..."
Matt was secretly shocked.
"The news said he possessed Superman strength, and it turns out it's true. If someone of that level loses control, who can stop him?"
Matt took a deep breath, gripped his cane tightly, and spoke calmly.
"My name is Matt Murdock. On the surface, I'm a lawyer. But at night, I'm used to upholding the laws of Hell's Kitchen in my own way."
"The reason I accepted Miss Potts ' invitation to come here was not for the salary."
Matt stared directly at Luca, as if he could see him.
Moreover, although he was wearing sunglasses, his attitude was neither humble nor arrogant.
"I saw your news."
"Your power is immense, but also extremely dangerous. You act without restraint, placing yourself above the government and the law."
"So, I'm here to see if the so-called Justice League is truly a team of heroes protecting the weak, or a private armed group disguised as a legitimate organization."
These words immediately turned the atmosphere at the dinner table cold.
The group exchanged glances, each seeing a hint of embarrassment in the other's eyes.
After all, what Matt said was exactly what they had worried about from the beginning.
However, instead of getting angry at Matt's questioning, Luca chuckled.
"Mr. Murdock, I must say, your sense of justice is truly moving."
As he spoke, Luca picked up his wine glass, his gaze mocking.
"But the laws you speak of, in a place like Hell's Kitchen, how many innocent people can they protect?"
"Every night you wear a bodysuit and beat those drug dealers and gangsters half to death, then hand them over to the police. It seems perfect, like there's no problem."
"But what happened? The next day, as long as they paid bail, they were able to continue selling drugs on the street, collecting protection money, or committing murder and robbery."
At this point, Luca leaned forward slightly, his gaze sharpening.
"Let me guess, is your so-called 'no-killing principle' just to satisfy your own pathetic moral fastidiousness?"
"And every time you show leniency, you are setting the stage for the next crime!"
" Matt, Matt, you look dirt poor, how did you manage to catch Batman Syndrome?"
"But we're different, in my team..."
Luca pointed to the floor, his tone chilling.
"No bail, no trial. For those who are beyond redemption, just send them to meet their God. That's the most efficient form of justice."
"If you're here to discuss morality with me, the door's over there. You can go back to your law firm and continue playing house."
Seeing this, Matt's expression turned somewhat grim. He gripped his white cane tightly and remained silent.
Indeed, he couldn't refute Luca's words, because this was the very reality he struggled with every night.
"Well said, Stark."
Just then, Frank, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke up.
He then picked up the glass of red wine, drank it all in one gulp, and slammed the glass down on the table.
My name is Frank Castle. I used to be a Marine.
"I don't care what your alliance is called, or whether you're in it for the money or for the limelight."
" Miss Potts told me that if I joined you, you could provide me with unlimited firepower support and the most advanced intelligence."
"Moreover, killing those gang scum is completely legal, and there's even a reward for it."
Frank grinned, revealing a cruel smile.
I came here for only one purpose.
"Give me a gun. Give me the coordinates. Then, I'll wipe out every last one of the New York gangsters and drug lords."
"If you can guarantee that, I'll sell my life to you."
Hearing Frank's blunt self-introduction, Peter shrank back.
Good heavens, this guy exudes such murderous intent!
This isn't a superhero at all; it's a killing machine!
In contrast to Peter's fear, Luca smiled with satisfaction.
" Frank Castle, I like your straightforwardness."
"However, there's one thing we haven't done yet: we still need to talk to the White House about making the killing of criminals legal."
"But now..."
Luca snapped his the Snap.
" JARVIS, retrieve the Stark Industries Security Department's weapons inventory and grant Mr. Castle maximum access."
"Yes, sir. From today onwards, Mr. Castle will have access to Stark Industries' latest armor-piercing high-explosive rounds, miniature tracking missiles, and individual combat exoskeletons."
JARVIS responded gently.
Upon hearing this, Frank's eyes lit up with the kind of fervor one displays when seeing weapons.
"Very good." Frank nodded.
When will construction begin?
"No rush."
Luca turned to look at Matt Murdock, who was still hesitating.
"So, Murdock, what's your decision?"
"Will you continue to cling to your ridiculous principles and watch the cycle of evil in Hell's Kitchen continue? Or will you join us and surgically remove those cancerous growths once and for all?"
Matt remained silent for a long time.
He heard Frank's declaration, and he also heard Luca's undisguised ruthlessness.
This is a concentration camp for madmen.
But if we don't join in, if we let Frank take his weapons and wreak havoc in Hell's Kitchen, then the entire neighborhood will become a bloodbath.
He had to stay, even if it was just to rein in these lunatics at a crucial moment.
and...
Matt thought of the meager savings in his bank account and his law firm, where even the air conditioner had been broken for months.
"Um... that starting salary of two hundred million US dollars, is that true?" Matt suddenly asked.
The room fell silent upon hearing this.
Peter nearly spat out his juice.
Daredevil, who was just spouting moral righteousness a moment ago, is now asking about salary?!
Luca paused for a moment, then burst into laughter.
"Hahaha! Of course it's true. At Stark Industries, justice is never free."
Luca raised his glass, gesturing towards the two of them.
"Welcome to the Justice League, gentlemen."
"Go to the equipment department at nine o'clock tomorrow morning to pick up your new combat suits. After that, we'll have a major cleanup operation targeting Hell's Kitchen."