Chapter 91 Nami's Scar
Not far away, Black Widow Natasha was drinking coffee as if no one else was around, watching Li Chen interacting with the three women.
While silently calling Li Chen a'scum', she looked at the three women.
Even though it was a comic, she could still sense the identities of these three people.
Ram, Rem, and Nami.
They respectively came from Re:Zero - Starting Life in Another world and One Piece.
According to Li Chen, it was precisely because he knew Saitama that he created one-punch man.
Then how should these three women be explained?
Did he also create comics for them?
Natasha vaguely felt something, just like Lucy, which was about to be filmed.
She wanted to enter the crew just to see if the things Li Chen described existed.
This question was just like a philosophical problem.
Which came first, the chicken or the egg?
But bizarrely, Black Widow Natasha did not transmit the news to S.H.I.E.L.D. at the first instance, but instead prepared to investigate on her own.
Facts proved that Li Chen's efforts these past few days were still effective.
Even though she and Li Chen did not have a 'child' to maintain their emotions, she had to admit that there was indeed a slightly different feeling in her heart.
If this matter spread out, it would probably be somewhat dangerous for Li Chen.
Therefore, she temporarily did not report it.
This was what the Red Room worried about: what if their own female Agent fell in love with the target?
Therefore, they chose to excise the reproductive capability of the female Agents.
Making them devoid of emotions.
But as long as one was human, there would always be emotions.
Therefore, the Red Room was even more ruthless now, directly implementing mind control on the Agents.
Until Li Chen took the three women away, Natasha finally went home.
At this time, Bumblebee was piled high with various luxury goods, from Chanel to Armani and so on, everything was available.
Clothes, skirts, lipsticks, cosmetics, and bags—Nami and the other two bought quite a lot of them.
Originally, Ram and Rem still wanted to save money for Master, but seeing Nami spend like this, they couldn't help it either.
After all, if they didn't spend it, Nami would spend it anyway...
A subtle competition had begun.
Through this shopping spree, Nami also completely fell in love with this place, and no longer felt so attached to the world of One Piece.
After all, there was nothing much to be nostalgic about; her family was attacked and killed by pirates when she was still an infant, and she had been an orphan since childhood.
At the age of ten, the village that adopted her was also attacked, and her adoptive mother Belle-Mère sacrificed herself to protect Nami.
In order to gather 100 million Berries to redeem the village, Nami was forced to join the Arlong Pirates as a cartographer, becoming a thief who specialized in stealing from pirates.
Obviously, this was not the life she wanted; the life she wanted was very ordinary, just like right now.
A peaceful world was the only thing she wanted.
Returning to the manor, Nami immediately changed into a swimsuit and headed straight for the manor's swimming pool.
It was worth mentioning that Nami had never used a Devil Fruit and was an ordinary person.
It's just that she was a bit formidable.
Therefore, she could also play in the Water freely.
Just like right now, she splashed Water onto Li Chen's body and shouted, "Come down!"
"You were the one who told me to come down, Nami."
Li Chen directly performed a cannonball dive, and then chased Nami in the Water.
Naturally, there was bound to be some friction during this period, and by the time Nami was completely embraced by him, her face was completely red.
However, at this moment, Li Chen discovered the mark on Nami's left shoulder.
This was originally the tattoo of the Arlong Pirates, but in order to remove the tattoo, Nami left behind an indelible scar.
But Li Chen did not find it ugly; on the contrary, it had a lot of flavor, so he gently kissed it.
"Don't."
Nami felt it wasn't good, so she reached out to cover it.
"Nami, this is a trace of your past; it actually looks very good."
Li Chen was not lying.
Some scars could make a person look ugly, but some scars would turn into a unique feature, an imprint belonging exclusively to an individual.
Just like the street fighter character, Cammy White.
Cammy had a scar on her cheek, but it did not diminish her charm at all; instead, it became her characteristic.
Hearing Li Chen's words, Nami was very touched, so she let go of her hand.
She turned her head and took the initiative to kiss Li Chen.
Naturally, Li Chen wouldn't be polite.
"Eh~"
Just at this moment, Rem interrupted them.
"Master, it's time to eat."
Rem used her single exposed eye to look unkindly at Nami; clearly, she was the one who came first.
However, because she wasn't active enough, she actually fell behind her elder sister Ram.
Elder sister Ram had already cooked several dishes for Master, such as shredded chicken, saliva chicken...
Instead, she kept waiting for Master to take the initiative.
"Alright, let's eat."
Li Chen patted Nami, and the two came out of the swimming pool.
After finishing the meal, Nami went to her own room, while Li Chen called Ram over to replenish mana.
Perhaps feeling a crisis due to Nami's existence, Ram was incomparably proactive today.
She lay prone in front of Li Chen: "Master, please enjoy."
The maid outfit on her body gradually slipped off.
Li Chen was somewhat surprised, and then smiled.
Sure enough, people all needed competition.
Previously there were only Ram and Rem, and Psylocke's status couldn't compare to theirs either, so the two sisters had been a bit lazy.
Until Nami's appearance, they sensed that Master's love was being divided away, so Ram couldn't help it anymore and chose to take the initiative to attack.
Naturally, Li Chen wouldn't refuse; that would be too unromantic.
"Ram, when will you call Rem over?"
Li Chen liked eating rice bowls best, where the dishes were directly covered on top of the rice, making the flavor richer and the texture better.
Ram's face carried an abnormal flush, but she was somewhat excited.
"I will talk to her, Master."
...
This weekend, Li Chen was immersed in the land of tenderness and didn't go out.
However, this no longer affected anything.
Transformers, in this not-yet-lively May, charged through all obstacles just like Optimus Prime.
The truck that Optimus Prime transformed into would smash directly into anything it faced.
Therefore, the release of the opening weekend box office made quite a few people green with envy.
Hollywood, not knowing since when, meant that the opening weekend box office referred to the three-day period from Friday to Sunday of its initial release.
Transformers's opening weekend box office: 105 million, directly monopolizing the top position of the week's box office charts.
Although it couldn't compare to the opening weekend box office of some top blockbuster movies, it was already capable of making a huge profit.
And genuine U.S. dollars were the most exciting thing in Hollywood.
Hasbro's eyes turned red, and they immediately urged Paramount to hurry up and film G.I. Joe.
In their view, their own toys were just that excellent.
Even a car toy like Transformers could be so popular, wouldn't a live-action G.I. Joe be even more formidable?
Paramount also thought that Hasbro had strong appeal, and thus accelerated the film's progress, thinking only of earning those shiny white U.S. dollars.
At this time, who knows how many major studios regretted it—why hadn't they thought of filming Transformers?
And with the success of Starlight Pictures, quite a few people cast their gazes toward those unadapted IPs.
Facts proved that adapted movies were easier to make money from, and their fault-tolerance rate was higher.
Chapter 92: rick and morty
"Boss, why did you change cars?"
On the first Monday of June, Jubilee came to Li Chen's estate.
Then she learned the news that Li Chen had changed cars.
Walking in and taking a look, she saw Bumblebee parked in the garage.
The Chevrolet Camaro had a high reputation in North America, but it was obviously not comparable to luxury cars.
"This is sponsored by Chevrolet, and I like it very much."
Li Chen did not tell Jubilee that this was Bumblebee.
There was no need.
Although Bumblebee had self-driving capabilities, Li Chendid not like sitting in the driver's seat, so he still needed Jubilee as a driver.
Li Chen preferred riding in a car rather than driving...
"Alright."
Jubilee did not say much more and immediately drove Li Chen to the company.
However, she also found that this car seemed different and was a bit easier to drive than other cars.
Sometimes when her adjustments weren't quite in place, the car would automatically 'correct' them.
It was really because Bumblebee couldn't watch anymore...
This driving skill was just too terrible.
Arriving at Starlight Pictures, everyone had a smiling and joyful expression.
The movie was a huge success, and they would also get rewards.
Li Chen was not stingy with a little money.
Moreover, this was Hollywood's rule; when a movie succeeded, all related personnel got 'red envelopes'.
"Boss!"
Their calls to Li Chen became much more enthusiastic.
Everyone liked to follow a winner.
Arriving at the office, Black Widow Natasha was already in place.
"Call a meeting for the animation department."
Li Chen said.
Thinking that once Natasha went to film, he would have to find a new assistant again.
But by that time, Gwen would be coming.
And Mary Jane...
Mary Jane's conditions were very good, and preparing a slightly better role would still make her easily popular.
Soon, the heads of the animation department gathered together.
When Li Chen walked in, they all sat down in order.
"Recently, everyone's work has been completed very well, and everyone in the animation department gets a raise!"
Li Chen first gave some encouragement, which sparked sensational applause.
"However, this is not the end, it's just the beginning. We have already dabbled in comics, and next is animation."
Li Chen sat down and said, "MGM has an animation foundation, and the back-then tom and jerry was a worldwide craze that endured through the times."
There is a saying that goes well.
You can provoke Tom, and you can also provoke Jerry, but you cannot provoke tom and jerry at the same time.
Even now, the rebooted tom and jerry remains a classic.
It is considered realistic by countless people.
Because many a cat's movements are really just like Tom's.
But unfortunately, ever since then, MGM's animation department declined.
By now, the one in Hollywood best at animation is naturally Disney.
The main reason is that Disney has too many copyrights; various Disney princesses are pulled out and remade every once in a while, or made into live-action versions.
However, few people know that at the turn of the century, Disney's days were actually not easy either.
The main reason was that live-action hand-drawing no longer fit the era.
It wasn't until Disney acquired Pixar that it ushered in technological innovation.
Previously Li Chen didn't think Starlight Pictures had this kind of technology, so he never dared to dabble in animation.
Animation must be exquisitely produced for people to watch; that's different from comics.
But now, Li Chen had wheelie...
Although it was not artificial intelligence, it was better than artificial intelligence.
Li Chen was ready to let it be responsible for most of the animation process, and the effect shouldn't be bad.
"We are preparing to enter animation."
Hearing Li Chen's words, Caitlin immediately asked, "Boss, are we going to produce One Piece?"
"Actually, the current three comics can all be made into animations."
Li Chen nodded and said, "Since you all like One Piece, let's produce One Piece first."
"Boss, we can produce two at the same time."
Li Chen didn't expect his subordinates to be so enlightened.
He said with gratification, "That's right, but I have a new idea."
Another idea?
Everyone was invigorated.
These animation makers were a bit like nerds, all looking like they wore glasses and were relatively silent.
So still only Caitlin asked, "Boss, what idea?"
Li Chen took out a USB flash drive and opened the file.
"This story revolves around a pair of grandfather and grandson, specifically centered on comedy and science fiction, and the imagination must be huge."
"Grandpa is a cynical genius scientist, and his grandson is a nerd student, in the form of an episodic series, focusing on paying tribute to works like Star Trek."
As Li Chen spoke, the file also loaded.
The images were already there; Grandpa was a 'mad scientist' with white hair and a white lab coat, and next to him was a name, Rick Sanchez.
And the grandson was a character who looked a bit silly, with a crude drawing style, but a bit of 'comic sense'. His name was Morty Smith.
When you mention grandpa, who is your first thought? Most people would definitely be Grandpa Rick.
That's right, this is precisely the famous rick and morty.
In his past life, it was America's highest-rated adult animation, and its third season even won the ratings championship for adults aged 18–24.
What does this mean? This is not an animation for children, but an animation seriously meant for adults.
Some animations are just like this; children can't understand them, but adults watching them is just right...
How high were its ratings? It even surpassed The Walking Dead of back then.
Without a doubt, this was America's most popular animation, possessing distinct cultural characteristics.
The reason Li Chen chose this animation was precisely because of its distinct style, and of course, also because he coveted the high-tech items inside.
Grandpa Rick was truly an existence like a divine being.
Another point was that if you want your work to be a worldwide hit, it must first be a hit in North America.
Whether it's Hollywood movies, or animation and comics, it is actually the same.
Only when it becomes popular in North America is it easier to be accepted by people in other regions.
Why is that?
Li Chen thought about it, and it was probably related to America's hegemony.
America has always fooled the whole world, calling America the beacon of freedom, so all over the world there is a batch of spiritual Americans.
They yearn for America's culture, believing that the air here is sweet and the moon is round.
Therefore, when America's works become huge hits in North America, these spiritual Americans will further chase these'successful' works.
Thus, such a set of logic was formed.
Most movies become hits in North America, and globally they can naturally reap box office returns.
Conversely, very few movies can stir up a craze in the world when they perform poorly in North America.
Moreover, such movies do not earn much.
For example, Pacific Rim had a lackluster North American box office, and relied on other regions to barely reap hundreds of millions in box office earnings.
But compared to its cost, this didn't earn much.
Because movie profit-sharing is like this; North America's local share is higher, and the share from other regions is often very little.
Chapter 93 Grandpa Rick
In the conference room, everyone was looking at the proposal for rick and morty.
Li Chen wrote down all the characteristics from his memory.
For example, the voice actor for Rick had to have a very distinctive voice, because Rick was always half-drunk and always burped when he spoke.
As for Morty, it required a pure student voice that sounded a bit silly and gave off a harmless vibe.
Originally, the people in the animation department were not interested in this.
But upon seeing the simple script given by Li Chen, they were instantly attracted.
Because the script's imagination was wild and out-of-the-box.
As an episodic show, to put it bluntly, it was a different story per episode. Although there were connections between before and after, there were not many.
Much like the later TV series The Mandalorian, every episode was a new story.
The protagonists were like playing a game and doing quests; completing one quest made up an episode.
As for rick and morty, it mainly relied on the 'portal gun' of Rick to shuttle between different universes, embarking on wildly imaginative adventures, with a different story in every episode.
The concept of parallel universes was still quite novel at this time.
Therefore, everyone gradually went crazy over it.
They realized just how 'unique' this animation was.
Especially Grandpa Rick; just looking at the proposal, one could feel his unique charm.
Because he always said some'saucy remarks' or some life philosophies.
But is this not precisely what the audience loved?
Characters without distinct features could never be remembered by people.
Even Black Widow Natasha, who originally had no interest in these things, now had to admire the brain of Li Chen.
She grew up in America when she was young, but back then she basically did not read any comics or watch movies, after all, she resided in the countryside of Ohio...
Before she even grew up, she was abducted into the Red Room and trained into a killing machine.
In those dark days, she had no idea what a childhood was, and naturally had no hobbies... if completing missions could even be counted as one.
She felt that her life had no meaning whatsoever.
Until now, not long ago in order to complete her mission, she naturally had to thoroughly understand Li Chen and the company created by him.
One Piece, re:zero - starting life in another world, one-punch man...
Down to movies like man of steel and obsession, etc.
Only then did she understand to what extent a person could be talented.
Because from what she understood, these all came from the ideas of Li Chen.
He was like the Captain of a giant ship; whatever direction the ship sailed in would solely depend on him.
Of course, precisely because of this, Natasha gradually grew to like comics and movies.
It was like another world unfolding vividly before her eyes, and those characters seemed as if they truly existed, especially after seeing Saitama, Ram, and others...
For the first time, she had a hobby and found the meaning of human existence.
That was chasing updates!
At this time, the two groups of people in the conference room were already arguing.
"Boss, let us make this anime."
"Boss, they will not do, they drew re0."
"What do you mean? They are going to draw One Piece!"
"..."
"Alright."
Li Chen waved his hand: "Caitlin, you handle it."
He could not be bothered to deal with the competition among the people below; anyway, there was Caitlin as the supervisor.
He also understood very well why these people went crazy.
Because producing an excellent animation could allow one to 'leave a mark in history'.
In the future, whenever people mentioned rick and morty, someone would remember them.
Li Chen brought Natasha back to the office, and Harry Sloan just happened to come over.
"Boss, Ridley wants to see the female lead."
Harry Sloan stated the request of Ridley.
Li Chen understood that this was Ridley Scott being dissatisfied.
Hollywood certainly was not without casting leads through connections, but those were all small productions with budgets of over 100,000 or hundreds of thousands.
For a major production like this, casually plugging in a newcomer would naturally cause dissatisfaction from the director.
After all, whether a movie succeeded or not was also related to the status of the director.
The reason Ridley Scott could not get final cut privilege was because he always rewarded himself, liked shooting epic films, and then flopped one film after another.
Exactly because he was not stable enough, his status was not high enough.
If every movie he made could rake in huge profits, then he would be Spielberg.
"Let him come."
Li Chen did not mind.
A fuming Ridley arrived at Starlight Pictures not long after, but he reined in his expression before meeting Li Chen.
By the side of Li Chen, he saw the designated female lead.
He admitted that Black Widow Natasha was indeed very pretty and feminine, but in Hollywood, there was no shortage of pretty women at all.
"Mr. Li, this is a movie with an investment of tens of millions of dollars, the choice must be a bit more prudent."
Old Lei said very tactfully; if it were not for the fact that he liked this script, he might have chosen to quit.
But the idea of Lucy was indeed interesting.
He liked sci-fi, otherwise he would not have directed Alien.
However, compared to sci-fi, he preferred epic films...
One was work, the other was life.
"Director Ridley, I confirm that Natasha has this capability."
Li Chen pressed his hand down, motioning for him to stay calm and not be impatient.
But Ridley did not believe it: "Then how will she prove it to me?"
"How about a live performance on the spot?"
Li Chen asked.
He was also very interested in this.
After this period of time, the script had already been written.
There were many screenwriters in Hollywood, and writing a script with a simple story was no big deal, after all, this movie did not excel because of its plot.
One could even say that the plot of the movie was extremely weak.
That made the performances of the actors even more tested.
Ridley thought about it and agreed.
After all, since the boss insisted on inserting someone, he could not completely offend Li Chen to death.
Natasha naturally had no objections; she also had to perform well, otherwise she might not get to see the real deal.
Soon, the script was delivered over.
After the few of them took a look, Ridley said: "Then let us perform a segment of the plot after Lucy becomes deified."
Ridley pointed out a segment.
The female lead of Lucy was named Lucy, and the original movie title was also named this.
But obviously this lacked highlights, so Li Chen naturally had to change it.
For this movie to become popular in his past life, he really had to thank Scarlett Johansson.
After all, back then relying on the role of Black Widow, she had quite a few fans all over the world.
This was also the doubt of Ridley: how could a newcomer actress acting as the female lead attract the audience?
He was not Spielberg, able to attract people based solely on the director's name.
But very soon, the performance of Natasha was quite qualified.
When she adjusted her state, her whole person became aloof and cold, as if she had truly turned into a goddess, with everything completely under her control.
Li Chen knew right away that she was an acting genius.
Ridley Scott could not find fault, and could only hold his nose and agree.
Although he still felt this was not a good choice and that they should look for a traffic-driving actress.
Chapter 94 Strike Against Black Widow
reality didn't feature any plots where a mighty roar caused others to immediately bow in submission.
Although Ridley Scott held his nose and agreed to Natashacasting, he clearly still had some other thoughts.
Li Chen waited for him to leave before pulling Natasha into his arms: "He might be exceptionally strict with you."
"It doesn't matter."
Natasha wasn't worried.
She didn't even know how many times she had been through a hail of bullets; would she really be afraid of a director?
And for her, making movies was truly a... previously unexperienced thing.
Li Chen took a sniff of her hair: "Why does it smell so good?"
Natasha rolled her eyes: "Of course it's perfume."
Many white people had a strong body odor and could only use heavy perfume to suppress the smell, but Natashawas not like that; she only needed a faint fragrance.
Li Chen delivered a timely blow: "Natalie, will you have a child for me?"
This was the weakness of Black Widow; she was unable to give birth, yet she had an extreme desire to have a child.
Recently, Li Chen had been using this point to hold a grip on her, which allowed him to gain the upper hand in their contest.
Because although Natasha enjoyed herself immensely every time, she had never truly and completely submitted.
She still wanted to turn the tables and become the Master.
Sure enough, Black Widow Natasha's delicate body trembled slightly, and her expression was somewhat complicated.
Over this period of time, after countless sessions of deep communication, Li Chen had already occupied a place in her heart.
"What's wrong?"
Li Chen continued to strike: "Don't you want to? It seems I was just being unrequitedly affectionate."
Natasha rolled her eyes; who didn't know you were affectionate.
But she could also sense that Li Chen genuinely seemed to want this child.
What he mainly played was that sincerity was the ultimate killer move.
Of course, if Black Widow could really give birth, then he wouldn't want it anymore...
His bottom line was flexible.
But at this moment, Li Chen was sincere, so Black Widow Natasha couldn't help but reveal her true feelings: "I'm sorry, Li."
"Why are you sorry?"
Seeing Li Chen's bewildered face, Natasha immediately said: "Even if you want one, you can't have it; I am infertile."
This wasn't much to her anymore.
Many people knew about this.
But Li Chen was her 'lover', the only person she had deep communication with after coming to America.
Therefore, after she finished speaking, she stared intently at Li Chen, afraid of seeing any particular expression on his face.
But Li Chen didn't 'disdain' her; instead, he asked nervously: "What's going on?"
Natasha breathed a sigh of relief internally. She knew very well that fertility was a woman's most important asset, but Li Chen didn't disdain her for this.
She spoke up: "I had surgery before and had those parts removed."
Li Chen's hands tightened, and he comforted her: "This definitely wasn't voluntary, was it because of illness?"
"No."
"Then someone forced you; it must have been bad people."
Li Chen hugged her tightly and said: "Rest assured, I will protect you."
Perhaps having spent a long time in Hollywood, Li Chen's acting skills weren't bad either.
Thus, Black Widow Natasha was truly moved.
In her life, there had never been someone willing to protect her like this.
She now felt incomparably regretful and was furious at the Red Room. Why did they have to deprive her of her fertility?
If not for that, she might have been able to consider retiring and living carefree with Li Chen.
Natasha suddenly became emotional, raising her head to kiss Li Chen.
Li Chen didn't stand on ceremony either; anyway, there was no one else in the office right now.
This time, Natasha was even more passionate than countless times before, directly holding Li Chen down and refusing to let him get up, dominating everything from start to finish.
Thus, midway through, Li Chen continued to deliver a finishing blow: "My dear, if I can find an item that can repair you, would you be willing?"
Natasha shivered all over.
"Willing, of course I'm willing."
If it were before, she wouldn't have cared, but now she had a strong desire.
She wanted to be like a normal person.
And regarding Li Chen's words, she felt that what Li Chensaid was true.
After all, his mystery was something Natasha still couldn't figure out after getting along with him for so long.
...
"Being a man is so tiring, being a man is so tiring!"
Li Chen sang in his heart while his hands stroked the back of Mystique Raven.
If not for Body of Steel, he really wouldn't be able to handle these two top-tier beauties.
In order to maintain the 'loyalty' of Mystique Raven, Li Chen had to recharge her frequently, otherwise she might harbor other thoughts again.
Take right now, for instance; a fully satisfied Mystique Raven then told Li Chen the news about Magneto Erik.
Prior to this, she hadn't mentioned these matters at all.
Although Li Chen was speechless at this woman, he still needed her at this moment.
Otherwise, he would let her experience Psylocke's life as well.
After all, his ability to train pets was advancing by leaps and bounds nowadays; he was definitely a new-generation Pokémon Master.
In fact, Chinese people naturally possessed this ability; for example, the Poké Ball was developed in ancient times...
If this tradition were still preserved, who knows how many people in the new century would be captured into Poké Balls.
"Erik and the others are already preparing to make a move."
Mystique Raven spoke up: "It will be during the summit of the Big Five in half a month. By then, the power holders of the entire world will all arrive."
Li Chen frowned: "Why choose this time to have you replace the President of America?"
This completely made no sense.
If it were just to control America, then they should choose a very ordinary day.
And not choose such a momentous day, especially when people from major locations would all be coming over.
Wouldn't this make it much easier to expose the flaw?
Mystique Raven was also blankly confused: "I don't know."
Li Chen was speechless at her; she didn't know anything, no wonder she was played in the palm of Magneto's hand.
She wasn't stupid, she was just too naive compared to Magneto.
After all, Mystique was used to following the crowd; she was accustomed to having someone manipulate her without having too many thoughts of her own.
To put it bluntly, she was just suited to be a vassal.
"Just follow his plan, and listen to my orders when the time comes."
Li Chen said to Mystique.
And to ensure that she didn't 'change her heart', continued efforts were still needed.
Next, Li Chen understood some of the details.
Magneto had actually designed a set of plans for Mystique, and it sounded quite reliable.
However, he still couldn't understand what Magnetowanted to do.
But without a doubt, this was a major event.
What Li Chen wanted to do wasn't just to disrupt this major event, but even more so to ruin Magneto's reputation, establish his own authority, and become the White King of the Hellfire Club in one fell swoop.
Then, through his 'Kingdom Project', he would establish a Mutant kingdom, become the king of all Mutants, and whatever he did then would be a matter of course.
And this, although it didn't require all Mutants to agree, at least needed the support of the majority.
The division among Mutants was still quite severe.
The X-Men, the Brotherhood of Mutants, and the Hellfire Club were all internally ununified, with the White Queenand Black Queen competing against each other.
However, it seemed that the White Queen was still at a disadvantage.
The Black Queen's existence was too mysterious; although she didn't appear often, she held the supreme power of the Hellfire Club.
Chapter 95 Embracing Beauties in Both Arms
Bumblebee slowly drove into the parking lot of the Hellfire Club.
Li Chen entered directly through the secret door, only to find that the long-unseen Black Queen was also there after coming in.
Black Queen Selene had waist-length black hair, and was lazily lying on the sofa, holding a high-stemmed wine glass in her hand, filled with bright red wine like fresh blood.
The red wine slipped from the corners of her black lips, just as if she were drinking blood.
White Queen Emma Frost, on the other hand, was acting as if facing a formidable enemy, her eyes fixed intently on the Black Queen.
The way the two got along was just so bizarre.
The relationship between the Black Queen and the White Queen was not harmonious at all.
"Two beauties, come smile for me."
Li Chen came over, sat directly between the two of them, and reached out to put his arm around the waist of the White Queen.
Squeezed by him like this, Black Queen Selene had no choice but to sit up from the sofa, and then one of his hands slid onto her back.
Embracing beauties in both arms, and they were even the two queens of the Hellfire Club.
"You have a lot of nerve."
A dangerous glint flashed in the eyes of Black QueenSelene.
"If I didn't have a lot of nerve, how could I become your king?"
Li Chen spoke up.
White Queen Emma acquiesced, watching the confrontation between Li Chen and the Black Queen.
She breathed a sigh of relief, only then feeling the benefit of having a man to rely on.
No matter how strong a woman was, she ultimately had to depend on the strong.
It was just that sometimes someone stronger than them hadn't appeared yet.
"Hmph."
Black Queen Selene just let out a cold hum.
The sense of danger Li Chen brought her was even stronger than last time.
As a woman who had lived for tens of thousands of years, her 'intuition' was no different from an animal's.
Animals could avoid harm and seek profit, and she was the same, able to sense danger.
The degree of danger Li Chen brought her could rank in the top three of her life over so many years.
And this time, Li Chen seemed to have become even more different.
What did this mean?
It meant that Li Chen had always been growing stronger.
"Why did you come?"
The White Queen finally spoke at this moment, very proud to see Li Chen gain the upper hand.
Li Chen pinched her waist: "I missed you two, can't I come?"
"Heh heh!"
The two women sneered simultaneously.
But Li Chen only felt that they were tsundere, because neither of them escaped from his embrace.
"Actually, there is something."
He talked about the matter regarding Magneto, causing both queens of the Hellfire Club to frown.
"What do you want to do?"
The Black Queen asked.
"Stop him."
Li Chen said without hesitation.
"Why? Isn't this a good thing for Mutants?"
Black Queen looked at him and said.
"Who said so? This will make Mutants the enemy of the entire world, and you wouldn't want to become wanted criminals, would you?"
Li Chen smiled: "The reason why you can still enjoy life in the Hellfire Club now is because humans feel that you are not yet too big of a threat."
"But if Erik does this, it is declaring war on the entire world."
Hearing Li Chen's words, both women fell into deep thought.
Actually, for Li Chen, the reason wasn't that complicated.
There was actually no deep hatred between him and Magneto, but two tigers could not share one mountain.
Magneto wanted to control Mutants, while Li Chen wanted to become their king.
From the standpoint of interests, they were born enemies.
And coincidentally, Li Chen knew how to deal with enemies.
It was nothing more than a single sentence: whatever the enemy agreed with, he must oppose no matter what; whatever the enemy opposed, he must agree no matter what.
There was no right or wrong, only opposition.
The Black Queen might have sensed it, but she didn't care, because she felt that Li Chen was stronger than Magneto.
As for the White Queen, she had long wanted to overthrow Magneto.
Therefore, she was on the same side as Li Chen.
"That's right, we can't do this."
The White Queen nodded.
She thought about the consequence Li Chen mentioned; if they really became the enemy of the entire world, she wouldn't be able to stay in the Hellfire Club anymore either.
She certainly didn't want to become a wanted criminal, hiding everywhere.
She liked this carefree life.
"Then what do you want to do?"
The Black Queen also agreed with this point.
She had experienced the feeling of becoming a public enemy of everyone, so she didn't want to be like that now.
As for Li Chen's plan, she also faintly knew something about it.
"Unite everyone who can be united; the X-Men haven't been dispatched for a long time, right?"
Li Chen motioned for the White Queen to feed him wine.
The White Queen gave him a blank look, but still obeyed.
The Black Queen replied: "The X-Men are not on the same path as us, and that Professor X is even more rigid than you think."
"It doesn't matter, as long as someone agrees with us."
Li Chen spoke: "We never need everyone's support; as long as we solve those who don't support us, it becomes unanimous support."
As the saying goes, if you can't solve the problem, solve the person who raised the problem.
It was the same in this matter; not everyone supported it, so just solve the people who didn't support it.
"We will notify the X-Men of this matter in the name of the Hellfire Club."
The White Queen said immediately.
Thinking of the X-Men, Li Chen thought of the members he had seen at the academy back then.
Storm like a black pearl, and the still-charming Jean Grey.
Although Li Chen preferred the Jean Grey who appeared in Spider-Man 4, unfortunately, the version in this universewas the mature version.
But after all, that was Max, right, the one who played Maxin Stranger Things, which was why she could make people feel amazed.
In Stranger Things, she had already blossomed, and she also left a classic long-distance running shot in film history.
However, the young girl version had the greenness of youth, and the mature version had the charm of maturity.
Li Chen didn't mind collecting both.
Undeniably, Jean Grey was not a good woman, but it didn't matter; Li Chen just liked this kind of bad woman.
After all, how did that saying go? Don't fail a good woman, don't waste a bad woman.
There was also Storm, the black pearl's facial features were very pretty, and her skin was very smooth and tender, well worth experiencing.
Li Chen was just here to play with life; he even wanted to experience the diamond-like White Queen, let alone the others.
After finishing the serious business, Li Chen began to chat about other things.
For example... movies!
"Emma, any interest in making a movie and being the female lead?"
Li Chen looked at the White Queen and asked.
Ever since Black Widow agreed to star in Lucy, Li Chenseemed to have opened up a new world.
Who said he had to look for Hollywood actresses? Couldn't he cultivate them himself?
Of course, it was mainly because the physical fitness of these Hollywood actresses was too poor, making him have to be extremely cautious, just like protecting a piece of porcelain that would break if he used a bit too much force.
On the contrary, these superheroes had decent physical fitness.
"No."
The White Queen's dream had long been shattered, but she spoke up: "But if you need investment, you can come to me."
She also knew now how profitable Li Chen making movies was.
Undeniably, she also liked the feeling of making money, because her expenses were very high, so she wanted to invest.
"No problem."
Li Chen spoke, whose money wasn't it to make movies with?
Having someone invest, of course he wouldn't refuse.
As for the Black Queen, she was even less interested in being an actress.
This made Li Chen quite regretful.
Chapter 96: Doesn't Mind That Touch of Green
"Word has come from the Hellfire Club."
In the office of Professor X at Charles' Academy, several teachers gathered around.
They looked at the message sent by the Hellfire Club, which requested them to take action together.
Jean Grey, arms wrapped around her voluptuous figure, did not look at Cyclops. The two of them were at odds because of Wolverine.
Just as Li Chen thought, Jean Grey was not a good woman. She was dating Cyclops, yet she could not resist Wolverine's charm.
This made Cyclops feel a little green on top.
However, Cyclops was quite magnanimous after all; he actually didn't mind that touch of green much.
Yet he couldn't satisfy Jean Grey.
Jean Grey carried the Phoenix Force; how could a weakling like him satisfy her?
Storm looked at the message and asked, "Professor, should we make a move?"
"Erik is still the same as always. He acts on impulse, using hatred as his driving force."
Professor X said while sitting in his wheelchair, "We must stop him, otherwise Mutants will become the enemies of all humans."
Their faction was relatively moderate, advocating peaceful coexistence with humans.
The effect was somewhat there, but it was far from ideal; humans had always treated them as monsters.
Sometimes, Storm and the others would also reflect on whether what they were doing was wrong.
However, they had no better methods left.
As long as they were still on Earth, they couldn't bypass humans.
After all, no matter what, humans were the Masters of this planet.
"Jean, take a trip to Los Angeles and discuss the details with the Hellfire Club."
Professor X made the final decision.
"Alright."
Jean Grey just happened to go out to clear her mind.
She didn't think it was her problem. If Cyclops could satisfy her, then Wolverine wouldn't have been in the picture, would he?
...
Even with all his dissatisfaction, Lao Lei still began preparing for the early stages of the movie.
Making a movie was a massive project, especially for Hollywood blockbusters, where participants often numbered in the hundreds or thousands, and every aspect had to be meticulous down to the smallest detail.
Someone once thought this was a waste of manpower because, for films from Huaxia, they didn't use nearly that many people at all, leading them to believe this was the root cause of Hollywood movies' exorbitant costs.
However, whether the cost was high or low did not determine the quality of a movie.
No matter how frugal Chinese movies were, bad films were still made as bad films, and Hollywood was naturally the same.
However, in this aspect, they shouldn't skimp if they didn't have to. High costs didn't necessarily guarantee a good movie, but for such a mega-production, if costs were blindly driven down, it would definitely turn out trashy.
After all, not all movies were gore horror films where costs could be kept as low as possible.
No matter what, Lucy" also required special effects.
As long as it involved special effects, the cost could not possibly be too low.
Natasha had also become busy. After all, she hadn't received formal actor training, and recently she had enrolled in a class to learn acting.
This gave her a surreal feeling.
Having been by Li Chen's side for so long almost made her forget she was an Agent...
One could only say that a life of ease makes people forget their troubles.
Ten days away from the summit, Li Chen received notification from the White Queen that Professor X had sent someone over to understand the details.
As the chief 'planner', Li Chen naturally had to go meet them in person.
So he directly had Jubilee drive to the airport to pick people up.
Jubilee came right out of the X-Mansion; having her as a buffer made it less likely to cause conflicts.
They waited outside, and after a short while, they felt a familiar fluctuation.
A mature woman wearing a long green dress and beautiful red hair walked out, exuding an unmatched charm.
Along the way, everyone gazed at her in attention.
This was Jean Grey, a woman who would attract gazes wherever she went.
Green looked very unflattering on others, but she managed to pull it off just right.
However, Li Chen always felt this carried some implication...
As a person from Huaxia, he wasn't very fond of the color green.
Jean Grey also saw them and walked over in this direction.
"Teacher."
Jubilee greeted her honestly.
Li Chen was much more enthusiastic, directly reaching out to give Jean Grey a gentle hug.
This made Jean somewhat unaccustomed, but she didn't refuse.
She still held some goodwill towards Li Chen, because this batch of Mutants who graduated from the X-Mansion were all living normal lives, and Dazzler and Shadowcat Kitty had even become stars.
For Mutants, this was already a very good outcome.
Those students from before either turned extreme or couldn't even manage to live a normal life.
Talent was sometimes not a blessing, but a curse.
Therefore, she didn't reject the enthusiastic Li Chen; he was just a little enthusiastic, and a hug wouldn't make her lose a piece of flesh.
"Beautiful Jean, long time no see."
Li Chen said by her ear.
"Thank you, Li."
Jean had no choice but to reply, the two of them whispering as if to each other.
Jubilee took a look and gazed enviously at her teacher.
She knew that Jean Grey had become the boss's prey.
However, for Jean, she might well be the hunter herself.
She had originally come to relax anyway.
"Get in the car."
Li Chen held Jean Grey's hand and then got into the Bumblebee.
He even scratched Jean's palm slightly, but she seemed unaware and didn't pull her hand away.
"You must be hungry from the plane ride. Let's go grab something to eat first."
Li Chen arranged directly.
Jean Grey naturally wouldn't refuse.
Everyone understands America's airplane food; unless you fly first class or business class, you can only have a'slightly' better experience.
But if it was economy class, it couldn't just be described as unpalatable; it was simply rotten to the core.
There was no help for it; America's airlines were all 'monopolized', so to save costs, they directly cut out the free main meals in economy class, and giving you a few cookies was considered a tremendous act of grace.
Dissatisfied? Then don't fly!
The airlines were even more overbearing than you thought; if they said they wouldn't let you board a plane, they wouldn't let you, and you had nowhere to complain...
If this were anywhere else, they would have been flamed to death long ago, but in the capitalist world, capital called the shots for everything.
Jubilee drove the two of them to a high-end restaurant on the hillside of Beverly Hills, from where almost half of Los Angeles could be seen.
As for herself, she wasn't needed anymore after this, so Li Chen gave her a day off.
While everyone else was happy on holiday, Jubilee's holiday was filled with grievance.
The look she cast at Li Chen seemed as if she was asking whether she could be added to the mix.
Li Chen ignored her and waved for her to leave.
Although he liked eating bowl meals the most, Jean was doing this for the first time—wasn't that ridiculous?
At least he had to wait until she got used to it before joining in...
Moreover, Li Chen still needed to figure out Jean Grey's personality.
Thus, only the two of them were left enjoying lunch.
At this point, Li Chen discovered that Jean Grey was actually rather quiet; she hadn't spoken more than a few words so far. To handle a person like this, he had to make her open up her heart.
Chapter 97 Jean Grey
"Do you know about Magneto?"
After ordering the food, Li Chen took the initiative to ask Jean Grey, getting her to open up.
In fact, Jean was a gentle woman, which could be seen from the way she spoke.
"Erik is a good person, it's just that he is too extreme."
"However, this is also related to his experiences. He once had a daughter who was persecuted, which filled him with hatred toward humans."
Jean Grey said earnestly.
This kind of deep blood feud was indeed not something that could be resolved casually.
"The Professor only hopes not to harm his life, anything else is fine, but we must stop his conspiracy."
This was the most Jean had said so far.
"Of course."
Li Chen nodded and said, "But we have to admit that Erik's approach is right to some extent."
"Oh?"
Jean Grey looked at Li Chen in surprise, thinking that he also supported Magneto.
Li Chen continued, "Think about it, can Mutant really coexist peacefully with ordinary people?"
"No matter what we do, they will fear us."
Li Chen cleverly turned himself into one of them.
This did not make Jean Grey repulsed; instead, she fell into deep thought.
When the X-Men were first formed, it was to help humans and improve the stereotypes of the Mutant community among humans.
But this was not to say it was useless, at least the usefulness was very small.
Although some people thought Mutant were good, politicians who fought for their own interests did not feel this way, and instead continued to attack Mutant.
This also caused the X-Men to gradually fade from the public eye.
"Then what should we do?"
Jean Grey couldn't help asking along with Li Chen's rhythm.
"Instead of staying in the human realm, it's better to establish a Mutant kingdom and live our own lives."
Li Chen spoke.
Jean Grey frowned and said, "This is impossible."
"If all Mutant gathered together, humans would feel it is a huge threat, and might even directly use lethal weapons."
This was also the dilemma of Mutant.
They of course wanted to live their own lives, but what would ordinary people think?
Regarding this, Li Chen only felt that Mutant were still too weak.
What if they were Kryptonian?
They would want to transform Earth into Krypton, and if at this time they chose to spare Earth and just establish a kingdom of their own Kryptonian, then Earthlings would be overjoyed...
This was because Kryptonian truly had the ability to subvert the world, while Mutant did not.
At the end of the day, weakness was the original sin.
But Li Chen didn't say that; it was no time to be a buzzkill.
After all, under his guidance, Jean had opened up a lot, and her beautiful eyes were staring at Li Chen.
"Then what if they can't find us?"
Li Chen asked rhetorically first.
This plunged Jean into deep thought.
"This... doesn't seem impossible."
Mutant had this ability to "cut themselves off from the world".
Just then, the ordered items were served.
This was no different from later internet-famous restaurants. Here one could freely take photos and overlook half of Hollywood, but the taste was no different from anywhere else.
"Let's eat first."
Li Chen interrupted Jean's reverie. Jean gave him a deep look, feeling that this method had feasibility.
However, what role would Li Chen play in the middle of this?
She gracefully cut open the steak and gently took bites.
Li Chen just liked watching this kind of elegant eating motion, which looked uniquely aesthetic.
Afterwards, the two changed the topic.
Li Chen probed Jean's hobbies and interests.
Because Jean had been in the X-Mansion for a long time, she was a bit bored and didn't have many hobbies.
But if forced to say, she still revealed that she liked fashion models and Flight.
She had once worked as a model for a period of time; of course, this was a cover identity.
But she undoubtedly loved this job.
Thus, Li Chen began to chat with her about such things in the fashion industry.
"I'm being serious, Jean, your conditions are very great. If you debuted now, you could go to Victoria's Secret to be an Angel."
"Victoria's Secret? I've seen it."
A trace of light flashed in Jean's eyes, obviously yearning for it.
Li Chen was thinking that he had not only seen it, but even had the chance to play with them casually.
Victoria's Secret Angels, to put it bluntly, also had a price tag.
And as a big shot in Hollywood, Li Chen could make an offer directly if needed.
Calling them all over was not a problem at all.
It's just that although supermodels were high-end, Li Chendidn't plan to become birds of a feather with too many people.
"Your conditions are no worse than theirs at all, beautiful red hair, and this height."
Li Chen's praise made Jean Grey very pleased, so she even drank two glasses of red wine.
This made her cheeks somewhat rosy.
Li Chen's praise was naturally different from others; many people had praised her beauty, but none had Li Chen's status.
In modern society, money could prove a man's strength, and social status could prove it just as well.
Not just physical force alone.
Thus, the rest of the dinner party was filled with laughter and joy.
Jean had finally opened up.
When leaving the restaurant, Jean Grey actively linked her arm with Li Chen's.
A paparazzo saw the two, recognized Li Chen, and subconsciously took pictures.
Li Chen shielded Jean and hurriedly got into the car.
"This is Los Angeles, paparazzi are everywhere."
Jean didn't care much; she knew they were photographing Li Chen, which had nothing to do with her.
There weren't many people who still remembered the X-Men now.
She took the initiative to say, "Your company makes movies, right? Are there any released ones?"
"Of course, shall we go watch one?"
"Sure."
Jean had a sudden whim and wanted to go see a movie.
Li Chen naturally wouldn't refuse the beauty's request.
So he drove with Jean Grey to a nearby Regal Cinema, bought two tickets for Transformers, and incidentally bought cola and popcorn.
"Do you like watching movies?"
Li Chen asked curiously.
"No, I haven't watched one in a long time."
Jean shook her head.
She just wanted to understand Li Chen's company's works.
Li Chen smiled and had a sudden thought: "Kitty has played a few small roles. Jean, are you interested in making movies?"
"Me?"
Jean Grey was somewhat dazed.
Li Chen intentionally took a step back and looked up and down at Jean Grey.
Jean had recognizable beautiful red hair, a height of 1.7 meters, a weight of no more than 120 catties, and looked plump without appearing fat.
At most, her age was a bit old.
There was no helping this; the whole world was the same. Why was the competition among female stars so intense? It was simply because everyone liked young ones.
Who doesn't like young and beautiful ones?
Therefore, once actresses reached a certain age, basically they could only play other people's 'moms'.
Because you couldn't stay young forever, but there were always people who were young and beautiful.
This was the most cruel part.
Therefore, later female stars went crazy with medical cosmetology just to keep their condition going, at least so they wouldn't look senile.
For example, Nicole Kidman, in order to maintain her beauty, her face was almost stiff.
Chapter 98 He Can Endure It Very Well
Jean was thin-skinned after all and rejected Li Chen's proposal.
"I still like being a teacher."
She was tempted for a moment, but she was still very realistic.
Li Chen also knew very well that young girls were easier to fool, just like Kitty Pryde.
They didn't have much experience and were full of fantasies about the world.
Many of those who came to Hollywood to chase their dreams were like this, and once beaten black and blue by reality, they would leave despondently.
"Let's go, we're going in."
Li Chen put his arm around Jean Grey's waist.
Jean was holding popcorn in her hands and couldn't refuse.
Her waist was very soft and plump, and Li Chen couldn't help but pinch it.
This made Jean give him a sidelong glance.
She hadn't watched a movie in a long time, and when Transformers started, she couldn't help but be immersed in it.
Someone like her who hadn't watched movies for a long time felt that the world had changed the moment she saw Transformers.
This kind of special effect was something she had never seen before, and she fell in love with it almost immediately.
In this era where special effects were not yet rampant, Hollywood's special effects could almost conquer the entire world.
So much so that even when Li Chen played with her hands, Jean didn't feel a thing.
Aside from looking at the action scenes, Li Chen only raised his head at most when he heard someone gasp.
Sure enough, when he looked, it was Megan Fox posing coquettishly on the screen.
After the movie was released, Megan Fox really became popular.
She was considered by the media to be a sexy goddess and the successor to Angelina Jolie.
And this brainless woman naturally became arrogant, exposed for putting on big airs and having a little temper...
Facing this situation, Li Chen didn't know how to evaluate it.
Such sudden fame was indeed very easy to change a person's mentality, making them floaty.
It felt as if everything they did would succeed, and they walked with a breeze.
Looking at the young Megan Fox, Jean was also very envious.
Of course, what she envied was the other party's youth.
If she were a little younger, she might really have agreed to Li Chen's proposal.
Who wouldn't want to be the center of attention?
Li Chen didn't want to; he only wanted to play with those who were the center of attention...
As for himself, he was relatively low-key.
After the movie ended and they came out, Li Chen took Jean shopping and they casually had some dinner.
The two seemed to have forgotten the main thing, which was dating intimately.
They both knew very well that this was temporary, so they had no scruples.
When Jean Grey left Los Angeles, everything would return to normal.
This instead made them feel very thrilled.
No wonder people all liked this kind of thrilling life.
Life was simply too boring.
"Let's go to a bar."
Li Chen set off with Jean.
He found a high-end hotel with very tight security.
And the place was quite decent, without any messy things.
The main thing was that one floor of the hotel was a bar, and if they had fun, they could directly open a room.
This was Li Chen's purpose.
Jean seemed not to notice, and instead followed Li Chen to the dance floor, placing her hand on Li Chen's body along with the music.
Li Chen also put his arm around her waist and began to sway slowly.
It looked simple, but actually it took a bit of talent, otherwise stepping on the other person's feet would be embarrassing.
But Li Chen learned very quickly and didn't make a fool of himself.
"I can't tell, you're quite practiced."
Jean Grey said in surprise.
"Isn't this because the teacher taught well?"
Li Chen pulled her closer.
"Is that so? Teachers like obedient students best."
Jean Grey smiled and looked into his eyes.
"Unfortunately, I'm a bad student."
Li Chen suddenly made his move.
Jean Grey looked like she was scared silly, unresponsive, letting Li Chen kiss her.
After he succeeded, she put up a pretense and pushed him, naturally failing to push him away.
Until she was almost out of breath, Li Chen finally pulled away.
"Hoo!"
Jean breathed heavily.
"Teacher, I want to learn a foreign language."
Li Chen immediately said with a straight face.
Jean held back an eye-roll, but cheered inwardly. She liked this feeling, and Li Chen also brought her a different sense of thrill.
Compared to him, Cyclops was too honest.
At this moment, her heart beat very fast.
"Alright, the teacher will teach you seriously."
Jean said, and was then pulled away from the dance floor by Li Chen.
Needless to say, they went straight to open a room.
Jean didn't look proactive, but she didn't refuse either, letting Li Chen pull her along like a marionette.
But her attitude had already shown everything.
Just like what the saying goes.
Cheating is an opportunity crime, which means that if there is an opportunity, cheating will happen.
Jean was this kind of woman.
In this day and age, news emphasizes timeliness.
If a piece of news wasn't published quickly, it might soon become outdated old news.
Cyclops finished a day of teaching and suddenly thought of Jean Grey.
He already regretted having a falling out with Jean and had already forgiven Jean.
They had known each other for so long and had never been like this before.
Therefore, he was prepared to apologize to Jean as soon as she returned.
He didn't care about Jean's actions, as long as Jean still loved him.
Just at this moment, a news notification popped up on his phone.
"Hollywood's Top Tycoon Out Shopping with a Mature and Beautiful Girlfriend..."
People are gossipy by nature, and Cyclops couldn't help clicking in when he saw the title.
But after seeing the picture, his eyes widened.
He knew both of them; he had met Li Chen before, but the one holding his arm was actually Jean Grey!
Even honest people have times when they get angry, and at this moment Cyclops was furious.
He immediately picked up his phone and called Jean Grey.
He needed an explanation.
But the phone rang for a long time before it was answered.
"What is it?"
Jean Grey's cold voice came through.
"Jean, I need an explanation."
Cyclops heard a strange sound, but he didn't care because he was very angry right now.
"What explanation?"
Jean Grey felt somewhat baffled: "I'm busy right now, I'll talk to you when I get back."
"Busy? Who are you with right now?"
Cyclops became even angrier, suspecting that Jean Greywas with Li Chen, and it sounded like she was panting: "What are you doing?"
"I'm running, I ate too much tonight."
Jean Grey explained, but her voice was somewhat suppressed.
Cyclops was no fool, and his expression changed.
This excuse was even more outrageous than going to get one's hair done.
But the voice with which he originally wanted to question her couldn't come out when it reached his lips.
"Th... Then run slower, don't overwork yourself."
"Mhm."
Jean answered indifferently and hung up the phone directly.
What he didn't know was that Jean couldn't hold on any longer.
"You're going too far, what if we get discovered?"
Jean wanted to scold Li Chen, but not a trace of anger could be heard in her voice.
"Rest assured, he won't."
Li Chen replied, while thinking that it would be fun if Cyclops found out, as that would be thrilling.
It was a pity that this guy seemed to have hearing problems. Li Chen had even used the Demacian Prince's Q skill, but Cyclops simply didn't hear it.
Or rather, he could endure it very well?
Chapter 99: Jean Grey Seemed Jealous?
"Beep beep..."
Listening to the hang-up tone coming from the phone, Cyclops didn't react, just stared blankly at the screen.
He could almost imagine what Jean was going through.
But he didn't dare to point it out; he was afraid of losing Jean.
"She has to come back eventually. It will be fine once she returns."
Cyclops thought to himself.
New York was too far from Los Angeles, and Jean couldn't possibly stay behind.
Therefore, he felt relieved.
Even though the Jean he loved the most might be taken by someone right then...
To his surprise, Jean had already sunk somewhat into it.
Just like the saying goes: If I had never seen the light, I could have endured the darkness.
It was the same for Jean; if she hadn't witnessed how formidable Li Chen was, she could still have tolerated Cyclops's weakness.
Therefore, lying in Li Chen's arms at that moment, she said, "Should I end things with him?"
Li Chen was originally lamenting that this foreign language really needed to be learned.
Jean Grey was indeed extraordinary; her eyes had been glowing with golden light just moments ago, and she looked like she almost turned into Dark Phoenix on the spot.
Hearing this, he was startled: "Why would you think that?"
"We're not compatible."
Jean Grey thought to herself.
Cyclops was too boring, completely lacking any sense of romance, and couldn't even give Jean the excitement she wanted.
But Li Chen could bring an unprecedented experience.
Stroking her face, Li Chen smiled and said, "Don't you think this is more interesting?"
"Admit it, you also really like this feeling."
"Consider it a mission I gave you, and you must maintain this identity."
Hearing Li Chen's words, Jean Grey rolled her eyes at him, but agreed.
Just as Li Chen said, when Cyclops called, her heartbeat had been the fastest.
Afterwards, the two of them tacitly stopped talking about this matter.
Instead, they changed the subject.
And began to seriously discuss how to stop Magneto's plan.
The most important things were naturally Mystique and protecting the President.
"Mystique Raven... she cannot turn against us at a critical moment."
Obviously, Mystique had a reputation.
That was her extreme vacillation.
She always turned against them at critical moments.
"I'll keep an eye on it."
Li Chen nodded and said.
Just charging more often would do.
Afterwards, they started round two.
...
Three days later, Li Chen arranged the company's affairs and led his people to prepare to go to New York.
Because there was a chartered plane, Jean Grey specially followed along as well.
She saw Li Chen's entourage, but the most eye-catching one was still that bald guy.
Saitama was dressed in casual home wear, looking like a shut-in; no one could connect him with the hero who had blown up Abomination with a single punch.
But Jean knew that this person was too terrifying.
Even the X-Men probably couldn't defeat Abomination so easily; it would definitely be a fierce battle.
But what about Saitama? He solved it with just one punch.
Ram and Rem were still not absent, and Psylocke went along too.
Psylocke was also a Mutant, and Jean Grey paid a lot of attention to her.
"Why are you even bringing a car?"
Jean Grey asked curiously.
Li Chen explained, "I'm used to it. My own car is smooth to drive."
Mainly because after experiencing Bumblebee, I can no longer sit in other cars.
The riding experience of Bumblebee was maxed out; it was comfortable to sit in, and it drove fast and steadily without causing the slightest discomfort.
Therefore, ever since Li Chen rode in Bumblebee, he couldn't sit in any other cars.
He left Arcee behind to watch the house.
Arcee: Family members, I really want to curse.
Leaving only her, a Cybertronian, in the empty estate, was this appropriate?
Jean didn't say anything, just glanced at Bumblebee. Isn't that the model from the movie?
Not to mention, she quite liked this color scheme.
As a representative of muscle cars, Bumblebee truly looked mighty and domineering in this era.
After all, in this era, car exteriors weren't that fiercely competitive yet.
Some people even adored classic cars.
Riding on the private plane of the Hellfire Club, Li Chenand the others sat in their respective seats enjoying the service of the flight attendants.
For Jean, although Hellfire's private plane didn't have the high-tech of the X-Men, it was much more luxurious.
Especially with these flight attendants of various skin colors serving them.
This was truly even more enjoyable.
For a man, this was practically entering heaven.
Before long, the plane arrived in New York.
Li Chen stepped off the plane and immediately took a breath of the air.
I don't know why, but how come every time trouble is stirred up, it comes to New York?
No wonder it's a metropolis; it's simply an accident-prone place, just like Shanghai Fortress.
"You guys go back first, I'm going to make a trip to the academy."
Li Chen said to Ram and the others.
With Bumblebee carrying them, there was no need to worry about getting lost.
Having intelligence is just good in this aspect.
As for Li Chen and Jean, they hailed a cab heading towards Charles Manor.
Holding hands, Jean lowered her voice and said, "When we get to the manor later, don't let anyone notice."
"What? Are you scared?"
Li Chen asked playfully.
"It wouldn't be good if we're seen."
Jean blushed and said.
Li Chen didn't say anything, which made Jean very apprehensive.
Amidst this apprehension, the taxi sped all the way to Charles Manor.
Li Chen added a little extra tip; after all, an old driver's driving was always steady.
Jean pulled her hand away first, then opened the car door and got out.
Li Chen didn't mind either, just following behind Jean.
She was still wearing that green long dress. Because it was very form-fitting, it highlighted her curves, so Li Chensimply appreciated it from behind.
Yet Jean Grey's senses were very sharp, and she could perceive Li Chen's gaze.
This made her feel uncomfortable even walking.
Fortunately, this distance wasn't far. She pressed the doorbell, and the door opened quickly.
The resting students saw Jean Grey return and immediately greeted her one after another.
Jean finally relaxed a lot and responded to them.
Quite a few people looked at Li Chen curiously, recognizing him.
After all, Li Chen had taken away the previous batch of 'graduates'.
Moreover, whether it was Shadowcat Kitty or Dazzler, they both had good popularity now.
This made the current female students look at Li Chen with different emotions.
The bolder ones came over directly to say hello.
"Mr. Li, I am Anna Marie LeBeau."
Li Chen didn't recognize her at first, until he saw that White hair lock, recognizing her as Rogue.
"Hello, Anna."
Li Chen shook hands with her, only to find this woman scratching his palm, just like a little kitten.
"Sir, am I suited to be a star?"
Hearing this, Li Chen deliberately scanned her up and down.
Li Chen's gaze now was also unusual; many measurements could be estimated by eye.
Height around 1.73 meters, weight estimated to be about the same as Jean's, figure belonging to the plump/curvy type.
Of course, Rogue's characteristic was this White hair lock.
Li Chen then said seriously, "You are very talented, Anna."
"Really?"
Rogue's eyes flashed, and she covered her mouth in surprise, saying, "Then can I come find you after I graduate?"
"Of course, I'd be more than happy to."
Li Chen nodded and said.
Just at that moment, Jean said with slight dissatisfaction, "Anna, you should go to class."
"Okay, teacher."
Rogue was a woman and acutely sensed that Jean Greyseemed... jealous?
Chapter 100: The Tribulations of Cyclops
Such obvious jealousy—let alone Rogue, even Li Chencould sense it.
He caught up and said, "Jean, you're being too obvious."
This caused Jean Grey to pause, after which she said, "I just don't want to waste time. Don't overthink it."
Li Chen smiled. Was he really overthinking it?
Watching this woman trying hard to act normal, Li Chenonly found it amusing.
He hadn't expected Jean to have such a stark contrast.
Arriving at the manor's main gates, Professor X and the others were already waiting for them with smiles on their faces.
Several core members of the X-Men were all present.
Although Cyclops was wearing his visor, his eyes never left Jean.
Seeing Jean Grey completely unharmed, he inwardly breathed a sigh of relief.
He kept telling himself in his heart that Jean was merely out having some fun.
Then, he looked at Li Chen behind Jean Grey, and his gaze turned cold.
If so many people weren't present, he would have ripped Li Chen to shreds with his gaze right then and there.
Li Chen sensed an "angry" gaze; he merely looked at Cyclops and offered a playful smile.
"Mr. Li, welcome back."
Professor X offered Li Chen a genial smile.
"Thank you, Professor. It's an honor."
Li Chen deliberately remarked, "Jean has a wonderful personality. We really clicked."
Of course they clicked—Jean had a great rhythm, and their coordination was seamless every time.
Cyclops felt like his eyes were about to spew fire.
Jean's expression changed as well, and she glared fiercely at Li Chen.
Only the two of them understood the hidden meaning.
"Let's head inside,"
Professor X suggested, turning his wheelchair on the spot and heading inward.
Only then did Jean breathe a sigh of relief and follow closely behind.
Taking advantage of no one paying attention, Li Chensmacked her from behind.
This made Jean's body instantly tense up, almost turning into Dark Phoenix right on the spot.
She glanced around in a panic, and finding that no one had noticed, she glared viciously at Li Chen.
Li Chen squeezed his hand: "Keep staring, and see what happens."
This scared Jean into only giving him a pleading look.
Their little "flirtatious spat" hadn't gone completely unnoticed—Storm had caught on.
However, she didn't call it out, pretending she hadn't seen a thing.
After all, this was Jean's business.
Still, she couldn't help sizing up Li Chen. A man capable of conquering Jean was certainly no simple figure.
She just wondered whether he was any good...
Li Chen, however, didn't pay any mind to the Black Pearl's gaze; the Black Pearl could only serve as a seasoning, never the main course.
If he felt like it someday, he wouldn't mind bestowing his favors upon her.
Upon entering the office, Jean immediately kept her distance from Li Chen.
Beast served them coffee, and Professor X began, "Li's intel was correct. Erik's people have arrived in New York."
This was hardly surprising. Li Chen asked, "What about Magneto himself?"
Professor X smiled bitterly: "He wears an Adamantiumhelmet wherever he goes. I can't locate him."
Adamantium was indeed formidable; no matter how powerful the Telepathy, it couldn't penetrate it.
Li Chen's Mind Reading couldn't pierce it either, but Super Hearing could pick him up.
It was just that he didn't want to keep that ability active constantly, or having voices perpetually flooding his head would eventually drive him insane.
He intended to search for him in person when the time came; as long as Magneto showed up, it wouldn't be much of an issue.
The only concern was Magneto pulling a diversion.
Li Chen had always considered Mystique too foolish and easily manipulated.
Professor X began, "Our primary objective remains protecting the President..."
As he laid out the arrangements, Li Chen kept his eyes on Jean Grey.
Jean Grey locked eyes with Li Chen for a second, then quickly looked away, casually brushing back a strand of hair as if nothing had happened.
This kind of interaction made Cyclops's eyes burn with heat.
So when Li Chen went to the restroom, he volunteered, "The estate is quite large. I'll guide Mr. Li."
Jean Grey immediately revealed a worried look, yet she had no excuse to stop him.
The others didn't think much of it, and Professor X simply nodded in agreement.
Li Chen was indifferent as well; he knew Cyclops had something to say.
Once out in the corridor, Cyclops suddenly said, "Jean grew up in this estate since childhood. I still remember when she had nightmares as a kid—the whole estate felt like an earthquake hit it. Back then, everyone else treated her like a monster."
Even among Mutants, Jean Grey was like a monster because her power was simply too terrifying.
As long as she fell asleep and had a nightmare, everyone would feel as though the earth were about to crack open.
Even in her dreams, she possessed the power to destroy heaven and earth, which was why Jean feared sleeping most of all when she was young.
Li Chen nodded: "She's still the same now. Not only does she have nightmares, but she kicks off the blankets too."
"You..."
Cyclops almost suffered a massive breakdown.
This was no different from rubbing what he did with Jean right in his face...
Li Chen loved watching people break down, so he deliberately patted Cyclops and said, "Thanks to you, Jean was very juicy."
Cyclops wished he could kill Li Chen on the spot, but he didn't dare make a move.
He had long passed the age of acting on impulse.
Li Chen merely smiled; truly a coward.
Still, that only made things more entertaining.
By the time they returned to the office, Jean quickly sensed that something was off with Cyclops.
Unable to hold back, she immediately questioned Li Chenthrough Telepathy.
"What did you two do?"
"Nothing. He said he feels at ease entrusting you to me."
Li Chen answered in his mind.
"How is that possible?"
"Really. He thanked me for keeping you well-satisfied."
"Shit."
Naturally, Jean didn't believe him, but she couldn't be bothered to care about Cyclops anymore either.
Meanwhile, Cyclops stood to the side, watching his girlfriend in name exchange flirty glances with another man, his mentality completely shattering.
He understood very well that Li Chen was merely playing around at most, but he didn't want Jean to get hurt.
To a person like Li Chen, Jean Grey was at most seasoning in his life, but to Cyclops, Jean was his everything.
Fortunately, once the real business was concluded, Li Chentook his leave.
Li Chen felt not the slightest lingering attachment to Jean, because he had to head to Empire State University to pick up the lovely sisters.
This time, Li Chen still hadn't told them in advance, wanting to give them a surprise.
"Jean, he didn't do anything to you, did he?"
Having waited so long, Cyclops finally got the chance to talk to Jean.
Jean Grey wished for nothing more than to end this relationship with him, but remembering Li Chen's words, she had no choice but to swallow them down.
She knew what Li Chen had in mind—he found it more thrilling this way.
"No."
And so, Jean could only brush Cyclops off perfunctorily.
Her heart had long ceased to have any room for Cyclops. This was only natural; Li Chen's appearance had made her feel as though she had lived in vain before.
Whether out of pure naivety or denial, Cyclops actually let out a sigh of relief: "That's good, then."
"I knew he was just talking nonsense. He even claimed you kick off the blankets, haha."
Cyclops laughed aloud.
Jean Grey shot him a speechless look; it was precisely because Cyclops had never truly cared about her that he was naturally oblivious to her habits.
Of course, sheer exhaustion played a part in it too—even in her dreams, she couldn't forget that feeling.