Change name Li Qi to Arthur
Chapter 11: With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility
"Wine, tea, water, or something else?" Principal Indira Shetty guided Arthur to a sofa nearby and asked.
Arthur didn't stand on ceremony: "Coca-Cola, please."
A look of surprise appeared on Principal Indira Shetty's face, then she smiled: "That is truly an unexpected reply. Fortunately… we actually have what you need here."
Principal Indira Shetty pointed to the refrigerator and turned to get it.
Seeing this, Professor Brink spoke up: "Principal Indira Shetty, bring me a whiskey."
"Don't even think about it." Principal Indira Shetty refused without looking back, "Professor Brink, you must follow your doctor's orders. I don't want you dropping dead during my tenure."
"She is always so stubborn." Professor Brink sighed to Arthur, "Of course, she does it for my own good, doesn't she?"
Arthur whispered: "It's fine, just drink it secretly when you get back."
Hearing this, Professor Brink's eyes lit up.
The two exchanged a glance, everything understood between men without a word.
"I can tell you two get along quite well."
Principal Indira Shetty returned at this moment. After handing Arthur and Professor Brink a Coca-Cola and a glass of purified water respectively, she swept her gaze over them and said with a smile.
Professor Brink thanked Principal Indira Shetty, took the glass of water, and said with a smile: "I feel my career is about to reach new heights."
Principal Indira Shetty sat down and chuckled: "Chapter 7, Section 3 of 'Our Hero Within'. The last time you said that, it was back when A-Train was at Godolkin University."
After finishing, she explained to Arthur: "Professor Brink's greatest contribution to Godolkin University is cultivating batch after batch of young people who are truly passionate about the Superhero cause. Now, they are all shining in various places. Among the best of them, Professor Brink's proudest students—Queen Maeve, A-Train, and The Deep—have already joined The Seven. And in the future, Arthur, you will be the next one."
Arthur knew that Principal Indira Shetty was showing off the powerful connections of Godolkin University.
He raised his glass and said very directly: "That is precisely the reason I joined Godolkin University."
In reality, it was one of the reasons, and a later addition at that.
Principal Indira Shetty said earnestly to Arthur: "Just as I promised before. Arthur, you have a high enough starting point, and Godolkin University is the place that can lift you to an even higher platform. I look forward to us working together over the next four years to create a new record—the first Asian member of The Seven, and the youngest one at that!"
Arthur replied: "I also look forward to that day coming."
Although he wasn't too invested in joining The Seven, he wouldn't refuse if the opportunity were already laid out before him.
After all, it would allow his career to reach the next level.
"So, I naturally have three votes from The Seven here." Arthur thought of the three people Principal Indira Shetty had just mentioned.
Professor Brink smiled confidently: "But there is a prerequisite for this, Arthur. You must be the No. 1 on the Godolkin University leaderboard."
Arthur knew what Professor Brink was talking about.
Godolkin University had always maintained a ranking list covering all students from freshmen to seniors.
The rankings were based on a comprehensive assessment of talent, superpower, popularity, social mentions, commercial value, and a series of other factors, updated in real-time.
To put it bluntly, it was about personal fame and popularity.
For instance, in the superpower category, the standard for judgment wasn't how strong your superpower was, but whether the external manifestation of your superpowerwas liked by people.
If you could shoot lasers from your eyes, with Homelanderas the precedent, you would naturally be highly sought after and get a big boost in your personal ranking.
Arthur's flight ability was the same.
As for someone like Shuttle, who had to be naked to phase through walls, or someone who exhaled disgusting green toxic mist, or whose body became bizarre after transforming—even if their superpower was strong, those were major point-deduction factors.
Arthur was still quite confident about this.
He only put forward one request: "Principal Indira Shetty, Professor Brink, you both know. I have been fighting criminals on the streets for a long time. My seniors and friends have taught me a lot in battle and trusted me deeply, assigning me many missions. You could say I have already accumulated sufficient experience in the Superheroindustry."
"Of course, this is not to say I scoff at attending classes. Practice and theory have always complemented each other. I look forward to taking courses from Professor Brink and other teachers, which will allow me to review my past practical experiences and better understand, comprehend, and gain inspiration from them. It's just that there is one thing…"
Arthur looked at the two people present and said with a serious expression: "I hope the school can grant me more responsibility. If the school has any difficulties to resolve, such as Metahuman students violating school rules or even the law; or if some malicious incident occurs outside, whether it involves ordinary people or Metahumans, I can step forward to handle it. Of course, preferably Metahumans."
After Arthur finished speaking, Principal Indira Shetty and Professor Brink exchanged a subtle glance.
Afterward, Principal Indira Shetty looked at Arthur again and thanked him: "Arthur, your statement moved me, truly. However, the school already has a security department. You wouldn't want to put them out of a job, would you?"
Arthur shook his head: "With great power comes great responsibility. There are always situations that ordinary people cannot handle, aren't there? Furthermore, my future destiny is tied to Godolkin University. For me, I don't want to see any unexpected situations occur at Godolkin University. With my abilities, I can completely handle them before they happen."
Hearing Arthur say this, Principal Indira Shetty's eyes lit up slightly.
Indeed, Arthur's interests were already tied to them and to Godolkin University.
Did Godolkin University not have secrets that couldn't see the light of day?
Of course it did.
To mention nothing else.
Just the fact that hundreds of hot-blooded Metahumanteenagers with bizarre superpowers gathered together every year was enough to cause scandals that couldn't be exposed over a simple argument.
Not to mention there was also…
If a powerful Metahuman like Arthur stepped in to help, it would indeed be a great asset for them.
However, it still required careful consideration.
Principal Indira Shetty looked at Professor Brink again.
Seeing him nod slightly, she smiled brightly and said: "I must say, Arthur, you have convinced me. For someone with your rich practical experience, this is indeed a good way to continue boosting your fame. I will discuss this with Jeff, the social media director, to prepare a professional filming team specifically for you. In the future, both on and off campus, you will have opportunities to showcase yourself."
Although it differed slightly from his own plan, Arthur was generally satisfied.
As he stood up to leave, he asked one last question:
"The new member of The Seven has already been chosen, right?"
Otherwise, the two people before him wouldn't be so eagerly planning his future.
With that, Principal Indira Shetty gave him a slightly regretful look and spoke the name:
"It is Starlight."
It was indeed her.
Chapter 12: A Gathering of Extraordinary Beings
Arthur walked out of the president's office, took out his phone, logged onto Twitter, and originally planned to check out some news about Starlight.
Who would have thought that as soon as he opened it, a series of explosive news popped up, pushing themselves right in front of his eyes.
He clicked to take a look, and a massive amount of information flashed across the screen.
"Breaking News! A-Train runs over and kills an innocent bystander!"
"Shocking! Why was he, hailed as the fastest man in the world, unable to avoid a pedestrian?"
"According to eyewitness claims, the deceased at the time did not obey traffic rules, jaywalking and happening to be right in the middle of the main road."
"A-Train's agent issued a statement: At the time of the incident, A-Train was pursuing bank robbers. Everything that happened is a tragedy. A-Train himself is extremely remorseful and is currently undergoing psychological counseling."
"The deceased was named Robin, and at the time of the incident, her boyfriend was right by her side..."
Arthur went "Ooh, ooh" twice.
He could imagine the scene at that moment.
According to the news description, A-Train was running at full speed at the time.
Given a Metahuman's bodily strength, when he suddenly crashed into a person, the consequence would by no means be like a car sending someone flying with a bump.
Unsurprisingly, that unfortunate girl named Robin probably didn't even have a skeleton left intact.
Of all the misfortunes, the greatest fortune was that death came in an instant, and she didn't feel any pain.
Arthur actually felt a bit sorry for Robin's boyfriend mentioned in the news.
If he and Robin were close enough at the time, and happened to be doing some couple-like small gestures, such as holding hands or something.
Since the news said he was fine himself, perhaps he could still have some "souvenirs" left from his girlfriend, like a hand or something...
Forget it, just thinking about it felt too hellish.
He wondered if this guy would be left with a lifelong shadow after the incident.
Arthur shook his head and put away his phone.
As for his own view on this matter.
He could only say that this wasn't a movie.
The reality was that a Superhero accidentally killing a bystander was never an unimaginable thing.
In movies, Superheroes could perfectly rescue hostages, and even when fighting in cities, their actions wouldn't affect innocent people, as if all along the way, those pierced and collapsed buildings and houses were completely empty.
But in reality, the people along the way and inside the houses couldn't predict the future, nor could they possibly outrun a Superhero.
Of course, if a movie's Superhero truly killed an innocent person, it would practically be violating a heavenly law, and they would definitely be condemned by countless people.
But here, such things hadn't happened just once or twice over all these years; some were indeed hard to avoid, and the public had long understood. At most, A-Train would apologize afterward and give the victims' families a decent compensation payout.
As a Superhero himself, Arthur could understand this.
Ordinary people were as soft as a lump of dough in his hands, and every time he went out to fight criminals, he had to be extremely careful to avoid using too much strength and hurting passersby.
It was just that there was one point about this matter that puzzled him.
With A-Train's abilities, he should have been able to avoid Robin.
After all, he had been running through all the large and small streets of New York for so many years.
Could it be that the incident happened too suddenly?
Arthur could only think along those lines.
Just at that moment, a girl with platinum-blonde hair draped over her shoulders, Nordic features, and a tall, curvaceous figure walked over purposefully and greeted him:
"Arthur?"
"It's me."
Arthur snapped out of his thoughts and looked over.
He noticed that the other person's height was nearly level with his own.
"Sigrid," Sigrid introduced herself. "I am Professor Brink's assistant. The professor specifically asked me to help you complete your admission procedures and incidentally explain some school matters to you."
Arthur did not refuse the kindness: "No problem, thank Professor Brink for me."
"Follow me." Sigrid was very efficient in doing things and immediately set off.
"Have you downloaded the Godolkin University app?"
"Not yet."
"Download it now. Inside is the real-time updated Godolkin University rankings; it represents your performance and all achievements at Godolkin University. Everyone here can't live without it."
Under Sigrid's guidance, Arthur quickly downloaded the app on his phone. Opening it, the most eye-catching thing was precisely the Godolkin University rankings.
His own information had not been entered into it yet.
However, he saw someone he knew.
It was precisely Sigrid beside him, a senior year student, Godolkin University No. 3.
Arthur wasn't the kind of person stingy with praise for others, especially when the target was a pretty girl.
He gave a thumbs-up and said: "Awesome!"
"No, you're even more impressive." Sigrid looked at Arthurwith novelty. "This is the first time I've seen Professor Brink attach such importance to a student, and a freshman who has just enrolled at that. Can you tell me why?"
Arthur chuckled lightly: "Want to know the answer? Go watch the movie "bronze: lethal weapon". It will tell you everything."
Hearing this, Sigrid's pair of fierce yet sharp azure eyes looked Arthur up and down, and she slowly said: "You... are very special, I'll go watch it."
With the familiar Sigrid helping out, Arthur's admission procedures were processed very quickly.
After dropping him off at the dormitory building and exchanging contact information, Sigrid directly bid farewell, looking like she indeed had important matters to attend to.
Arthur walked in alone.
After passing through that entrance covered in thick steel plates and being fully two to three meters wide, a wave of noisy heat rushed toward his face, and the surroundings quickly became bustling and lively.
"Excuse me! Excuse me!"
A speedster came running at high speed from the other end of the corridor.
Arthur moved aside, having just cleared a path, when he turned his head.
He saw right outside a dormitory door close at hand, two boys with completely identical looks, from head to toe, desperately squeezing their bodies against each other.
Until after a burst of cracking sounds, the two completely merged into one person.
Seeing Arthur looking over, the boy blinked at him and said with utter satisfaction:
"A person's greatest love is always oneself, isn't it?"
Arthur was uncharacteristically rendered somewhat speechless.
"As long as you're happy."
He quickly left.
Before he had walked far, a long tongue blocked his path.
Crackle——
Blue electric arcs instantly spread across the long tongue.
On both sides of the corridor, a man and a woman were shocked into screaming happily.
Arthur's mouth twitched, and once again, he silently bent down and walked around them.
Bang!
An explosive sound of air went off right beside him without warning.
"Hey, freshman, want some Baby-No-More rubbers? Ten dollars each."
A curly-haired boy who looked relatively normal abruptly appeared beside Arthur and chuckled,
"Don't bother thinking about going to supermarkets or vending machines to buy them. Every single rubber within a twenty-kilometer radius has been bought out by me. If you miss my shop, there won't be a second one!"
So, the "Red Devil's" re-employment was to monopolize the condom industry.
Arthur was completely too exhausted to make any retorts.
This was the first time he had seen such a massive number of Metahumans.
More importantly, every single one of them was a freak of nature!
Right now, he only hoped that his roommate would be a bit normal.
After righteously and sternly refusing the monopolistic practice, Arthur finally arrived in front of his own dormitory room, reached out, pushed the door open, and entered.
Chapter 13 Translucent
This was a typical America university double dorm.
A half-wall was built in the middle of the room as a partition, and both the left and right sides were equipped with separate large beds, wardrobes, desks, and an essential washroom.
The only difference from a regular university dorm was that the windows here were sealed tightly, making it impossible to even get some fresh air.
Arthur looked around the place where he would be living next.
[Writing up to this point, I hope readers remember our domain name]
The room on the left was already piled with some personal items; his un-met roommate had already arrived, except that the person himself was not there at the moment.
Arthur was about to tidy up the room on the right.
Suddenly, a voice reached his ears: "Hey, welcome. You must be my roommate, right? Although not the type I expected, it's alright."
Arthur turned around in surprise, looking in the direction of the voice, but there was no one there.
He was stunned for a moment, then quickly thought of something.
Seeing this, the voice from earlier sounded again: "Guessed it? So fast? I wanted to see your confused expression a bit longer."
Looking over again this time, Arthur saw a red hat originally placed on the desk fly up, steadily hovering in mid-air, its brim aimed at him, at a height roughly level with his nose.
"Translucent?" Arthur said instinctively.
But as soon as the words left his mouth, he reacted, realizing that member of The Seven would not appear here.
Filled with curiosity, he instead asked: "What relation are you to Translucent?"
A sigh resounded in the dorm: "As expected, everyone who sees me either asks if I'm Translucent? Or asks what relationship I have with Translucent? Can't I have nothing to do with him?"
"Then you have nothing to do with him?" Arthur followed his words and said.
"Of course... not. Haha! If Translucent of The Seven isn't my father, am I his father then?"
So, superpower can be passed down in a single lineage too?
Arthur thought to himself.
The red-topped hat, which seemed to be floating in mid-air and looked somewhat eerie, approached at this moment and stopped in front of Arthur:
"My name is Maverick, how about you?"
Arthur looked at the empty space before him, knowing full well that a person was standing right there, yet his eyes could no longer catch any outline.
Unless... some temporary, inescapable stuff was splashed onto him, preferably liquid, then his movements could be seen clearly.
Thinking this, he replied with a normal expression: "Arthur."
Maverick carefully looked at his upcoming roommate: "You look a bit familiar. Let me think, you starred in "bronze: lethal weapon" released last month. Arthur, your nickname is Bronze, right?"
Arthur didn't expect Maverick to know him so clearly.
He asked curiously: "That's right, it's me. How did you know?"
Maverick said confidently: "Please, I know far more than you can imagine. Whether it's men, women, perverts, or those who can't even figure out what they themselves are, I only know them better than they know themselves."
"Do you know Simon from the sophomore year whose tongue can stretch over twenty meters long? Despite having a girlfriend, he actually prefers self-reliance;
the new guy next door named Andrew, he is similar to me, the son of Polarity. Do you know Polarity? That bastard who acted in "Area 51", promised the next installment would be filmed immediately, but ten years later there's still no news;
and there's an enviable bastard named Kyle, oh god! He actually has four..."
When Maverick talked about other people's privacy, he was simply endless.
Arthur listened with great interest at first.
But as he listened on, he suddenly realized a problem.
Maverick was a freshman just like him, yet he had gotten so much news so quickly.
Rather than saying his intelligence gathering ability was strong, it felt more like a strong sense of peeping.
Rumors in town said that Translucent loved peeping at others the most.
Looking at it now, it was pretty close to the truth.
Arthur originally hoped his roommate wouldn't be a weirdo, but now looking at it, that initial boy who satisfied himself without disturbing others was simply the perfect model of a good roommate.
Not only that, he suddenly thought of something, quickly pulled away a distance, and asked: "Maverick, you should be naked right now, right?"
Maverick said as a matter of course: "How else would I turn invisible."
Given that Translucent was always in an invisible state, Arthur understood this kind of Metahuman hobby, and wouldn't try to persuade them to show themselves or anything.
There was just one thing he had to figure out clearly.
Arthur asked earnestly: "Maverick, are you heterosexual?"
Maverick was very sincere, the hat on his head shook: "I don't seem to have much impulse toward females."
Arthur's fists suddenly clenched, already having the impulse to kill.
What a crappy place this was!
He took a deep breath and asked again: "So, you like men?"
But Maverick shook his head again: "Sorry, Arthur. I can't muster any impulse toward men right now either."
Arthur: "... Actually, you totally don't need to apologize to me."
"Is that so?"
"Of course!"
"Fine... okay."
"Maverick, do you want to die?"
"I was wrong."
Arthur temporarily didn't make a move.
He was extremely puzzled at the moment: "So, who on earth do you like?"
As soon as Maverick mentioned this, he perked up, making no effort to hide his fetish as he said: "Arthur, do you know Sloan?"
Arthur shook his head: "Don't know, judging by the name, sounds like a male?"
Maverick said excitedly: "He is a black donkey!"
Arthur looked puzzled: "A black donkey? Him?"
Maverick explained: "Sloan's superpower is transforming into a very charming donkey."
Arthur felt his brain couldn't quite process it anymore, as if some dirty things had been stuffed into it.
But he still couldn't help continuing to ask: "So?"
"I have found true love, Arthur." Maverick shook his head as if sighing, "I fell in love with him at first sight. That black fur, those muscles, those limbs... I so want to be led behind him, crawling step by step..."
Arthur fell into a long silence.
Whenever he felt that the superheroes of this world couldn't get any more outrageous, someone would always bring him a "surprise".
What was even more speechless was that Maverick's fetish wasn't even considered much right now.
Who didn't have some minor hobbies.
Other people could marry armed helicopters.
Maverick and a black donkey?
Oh God, this was true love!
Although Arthur felt that his overly normal worldview had suffered a severe impact, fortunately, he didn't have to worry about losing his reputation.
This wasn't enough.
He continued to "suggest": "Maverick, since the bl... that Sloan is so charming, you should put it into action right now."
Maverick hesitated: "Now?"
Arthur nodded vigorously: "Of course! Time waits for no one, and true love waits for no one either. The longer you drag it out, the more variables there are. By the way, does Sloanhave a favorable impression of you?"
Maverick thought about it: "I think there is."
Arthur waved his hand grandly: "Then take action immediately, while your mutual affection is still strong. Trust me, I have a lot of experience in this area."
Maverick's eyes lit up, feeling that what Arthur said made a lot of sense.
Thinking of the wonderful time he would spend with Sloannext, he nodded heavily and said:
"I'm going right now!"
Chapter 14: Godolkin University No. 1
Maverick went out to pursue his true love.
Arthur relaxed.
If there was always an invisible person standing silently in the corner of the room, peeping at oneself all day long, it would feel a bit uncomfortable just thinking about it.
Arthur could also understand why the school administration arranged Maverick to be his roommate.
This was to allow him to connect with Maverick's father, Translucent of The Seven.
"Everyone is more dedicated than me."
[ Remember this site's domain name, reading Taiwanese novels leisurely is super cozy ]
Arthur shook his head and began to tidy up his room.
At this time, he didn't know that because his admission procedures were completed and his personal information had been entered into the Godolkin University app, his official ranking on the Godolkin University leaderboard was skyrocketing upwards amidst everyone's dumbfounded astonishment.
Ring, ring, ring—
Dormitories, hallways, cafeterias, stadiums... Many Godolkin University students walking along suddenly found their phones ringing with major news push notifications.
They pulled out their phones one after another and opened them. At first, they thought they had seen it wrong, but after confirming repeatedly, they were all shocked, and discussions rose and fell in waves.
"Who is Arthur?"
"He just enrolled, how is the Godolkin University ranking so high all of a sudden?"
"It's still rising! His ranking is skyrocketing!"
"He has already rushed into the Godolkin University Top Ten!"
"Why hasn't it stopped yet? This momentum is just too fierce..."
Some agile-minded Godolkin University students had already skillfully taken out their selfie sticks and phones, turning on live broadcasts facing the camera with excited expressions:
"Hey! A new day, a new beginning. I am your best friend Lisa..."
"Everyone! Everyone! You absolutely won't believe what happened at Godolkin University today? A newcomer, a newcomer who hasn't even been enrolled for a day, his ranking has now entered the Godolkin University Top Ten..."
"Oh God! He created a new Godolkin University record! Right under my very eyes..."
As Cate walked all along, she saw quite a few senior students dancing in front of the cameras along the way, incessantly uttering shocking words like "Arthur", "Godolkin University Top Ten", "break the record", and "unbelievable".
And those freshmen, one by one, stared blankly at the seniors' exaggerated performances, looking exactly like greenhorns who had never seen the world.
Cate took out her phone.
In the Godolkin University leaderboard on the screen, Arthur's striking avatar impressively appeared on the page of the Godolkin University Top Ten.
Just at this moment, accompanied by another wave of rising and falling exclamations around, Cate raised her eyes again to look, and Arthur's avatar had leaped from the previous eighth place to third place, and judging by that momentum, it seemed far from stopping.
Cate noticed that around her, people couldn't help asking who on earth Arthur was.
She played the good guy and introduced to the others: "bronze: lethal weapon is starred by him."
Luke was cleaning the dorm and heard his phone ring with a notification sound, so he casually opened it to take a look.
After being silent for quite a while, he sent a screenshot of the page to Andre and attached a sentence:
"Bro, we gotta double our efforts!"
Andre was busy with other things at the moment and didn't have time to reply.
On the other side.
Godolkin University No. 3 Sigrid was sitting in front of her office computer reviewing the registration list for the School of Crime Fighting, and at this time also cast her gaze on the Godolkin University leaderboard.
She watched helplessly as Arthur surpassed her in one fell swoop, squeezing her down to fourth place.
"Fuck."
Sigrid muttered softly.
Then, she searched online for the unreleased movie bronze: lethal weapon, and then booked the last movie ticket of the day at the fastest speed.
"Hey, Sigrid, Invisible Power is out. I have two tickets, want to accompany me to watch it tonight?"
At this time, a white youth walked over familiarly, braced his hands on her desk, struck a pose he thought was handsome, and issued a date invitation,
"After the show, there's Italian dinner at Via Carota. Taylor Swift, Sarah Jessica Parker, many celebrities have been there. Reservations are hard to get, but fortunately, there's nothing I can't accomplish."
Sigrid's answer was a middle finger: "Get lost!"
"Whoa-whoa!" The white youth seemed long used to it and wasn't discouraged, continuing with a grin, "Sigrid, you should smile more. I bet you look really pretty when you smile."
Sigrid finally raised her head, looking at him with a weary gaze, and said speechlessly: "Derek, stop learning those outdated pickup lines from Soldier Boy. They are completely useless, seriously!"
Derek didn't believe it, raised his eyebrows, and retorted: "How is that possible? Soldier Boy back then..."
Ring, ring, ring—
The new notification sound rang out loudly in both of their phones at the same time, abruptly interrupting Derek's subsequent words.
Sigrid lowered her head and glanced at the screen.
The next second, she smiled as Derek had hoped: "Derek, your self-righteous date invitation has to come to an end. Your Godolkin University first place is no longer safe."
"Sigrid, you really know how to tell jokes. How could that guy Dylan surpass me..."
Derek didn't believe it at first, until he unhurriedly opened his phone.
Then, confusion, incomprehension, and panic flashed rapidly across his face, until it finally solidified into unbelievable anger.
Staring at the screen, looking again and again, and confirming repeatedly that the avatar ranked above his name was real, he finally panicked and said: "Arthur? Who is this bastard? Where did he pop out from? Is there something wrong with the school system? Right, it must be like this..."
Sigrid watched his exasperated look and smiled even more happily.
...
Arthur didn't know yet that so many people were keeping tabs on him.
That Godolkin University ranking thing, he didn't pay much attention to it.
His first starring movie broke 100 million at the box office, he had been on all major top talk shows, graced the covers of several weekly magazines, held several heavyweight endorsements, and recently even Louis Vuitton was actively approaching him, coupled with the major hot topic of The Seven auditioning.
For him to easily get Godolkin University first place, wasn't that a totally normal thing?
If he didn't have this kind of confidence, people like Principal Indira Shetty wouldn't have placed their bets on him so quickly.
However, the freshly baked Godolkin University No. 1 had other troubles at this moment.
Arthur smelled an unusual stench.
Long ago, he wouldn't have been able to tell what this smell was.
But now, although he never touched those things, influenced by what he saw and heard all around, he could still tell clearly.
Judging from the concentration of the drifting smell, the quantity was definitely not small.
If they didn't come to disturb him, he couldn't be bothered to care.
But now, especially given that a Metahuman's five senses were generally superior to ordinary people's.
Arthur frowned, rubbed his nose, and endured for one minute, two minutes...
Three minutes later, he couldn't endure it anymore, got up directly, came to the door of the opposite dorm room, raised his hand and knocked on the door.
No response.
Only bursts of deafening, passionate music came through.
Arthur shook his head, without hesitation, with a loud "bang", he blew the door away with a punch and strode inside.
Chapter 15 Indoor Combat
Bang!
The entire door flew straight in, right into the wildly roaring Wot brand stereo in the room.
The blasting music, blaring and wailing away without any discernible lyrics, instantly screeched to a halt.
The people in the room seemed yet to recover from the psychedelic high, each wildly hyped up, pointing one hand to the sky, sniffing enhancers with the other, and twisting their bodies with hazy eyes.
When Arthur stepped inside, this was the bizarre scene of a den of monsters dancing wildly that he saw.
Avery, who was closest, obviously still hadn't figured out the situation.
He wobbled over, carelessly threw an arm around Arthur's shoulder, and said quite enthusiastically,
"Bro, high-quality stuff, want some?"
Arthur glanced at the hairy hand on his shoulder.
When he raised his eyes again, a medicine bottle was already held out in front of him.
Without caring whether he objected or not, Avery was about to shove all the pills in the bottle straight into his mouth.
Arthur reached out to stop him, his five fingers pinching the medicine bottle.
With a crisp "crack," the bottle body along with the pills inside instantly turned into powder, a cloud of fine dust rustling down from between his fingers.
Avery stared blankly at this scene for a moment before seeming to react, his voice suddenly pitching higher as he said,
"F*ck! What are you do—"
Before he could finish his sentence.
Arthur threw a punch.
Bang!
Avery's eyelids rolled upwards, and before he could even let out a grunt, he instantly flew backward ten meters, slamming heavily into the wall behind him.
In an instant, the wall split open rapidly like a spiderweb.
Beneath the cracked wall skin, the thick steel plate inside was revealed.
"Idiot, I bear the title of an anti-drug ambassador, you know."
Arthur said calmly.
Such a commotion finally awakened the others present.
"F*ck! What happened?"
"Avery!!"
"Who are you? What happened here..."
Andre was also among this group.
Compared to ordinary people, a Metahuman naturally had a much stronger resistance to enhancers, but he had inhaled a large amount just now.
By the time he finally snapped back to his senses, rubbed his eyes hard, and clearly saw his roommate hanging on the wall, unable to get down for a moment—
The others were not idle.
After seeing the culprit clearly, as Metahumans, they had no intention of making peace.
Therefore, amidst a string of passionate slang curses, the dorm room instantly boiled over.
"Motherf*cker! Lick my tongue!"
Simon, who had long stripped naked from the heat, shouted loudly.
The next second, a long tongue extended out of his mouth. However, unlike the tender affection when kissing his girlfriend earlier, this time it shot rapidly towards Arthur's shoulder like a high-pressure water gun.
Clang!
It was as if it crashed into a city wall.
Arthur didn't budge an inch.
Simon's tongue instead was hit numb with pain, and his entire body trembled along with it.
Arthur glanced at the pool of saliva on his shoulder.
"F*cking disgusting."
He grabbed the tongue in front of him, quickly tied a dead knot on it, and then gave a fierce yank, dragging Simonright in front of him like pulling a dead dog.
"Wuwuwu—"
Simon wore a panicky expression, but couldn't speak a word.
"Honey!"
Seeing this scene, Simon's girlfriend Phoebe felt immensely distressed. She immediately aimed her hands at Arthur, and amidst crackling sounds, two one-meter-long electric arcs surged out, slashing toward Arthur.
Arthur calmly tossed Simon aside.
Swish!
Simon instantly flew rapidly toward his girlfriend like a cannonball.
Even though the two electric arcs accurately hit Simonmidway, making his eyes roll back fiercely, his body still didn't stop, crashing headfirst into Phoebe with unabated momentum.
"Oh my..."
Before Phoebe could finish her last sentence,
Everything went black before her eyes, and she and Simonboth collapsed to the ground, then her eyes rolled back and she passed out instantly.
Rustle rustle.
Amidst the scuffle, bursts of dust fell from the ceiling.
Andre was now completely jolted awake and hurriedly tried to mediate, saying,
"Hey! Wait, everyone, stop fighting! Calm down! Calm down!"
Things had reached this point; who would still listen?
Arthur did glance at Andre.
At this moment, a heaven-shaking roar rang out.
Turning his head to look, a guy named Hank lowered his body, his sharp-fanged hands and feet gripping the ground hard, charging over like a fierce beast leaving afterimages behind.
Everywhere he passed along the way, all the furniture was reduced to smithereens, and deep claw marks were left one after another on the floor.
Seeing that he was about to crash headfirst into Arthur,
Arthur suddenly vanished.
Hank hurriedly stopped his momentum, looking around blankly left and right.
"Hey."
A greeting suddenly sounded above his head.
Hank instinctively raised his head and saw Arthur floating in mid-air, blinking at him.
Hank's pupils shrank violently: "F*..."
Boom!!!
Arthur descended from the heavens.
Instantly, Hank vanished from the spot.
Before he could put up any resistance, his entire body was pressed hard into the floor. Amidst a series of screeching metal sounds, the steel plates fully packed in the interlayers also sagged downward under the unbearable burden.
The entire floor shook three times over.
Had it been an ordinary person, they would be dead beyond dead by now, but Hank still had the strength left to wail there.
Arthur was just about to get up.
Suddenly, a pair of thick, large palms reached out from behind him.
Except for Andre, the only other person still standing, Marcus, had red eyes, full of violence and killing intent, clapping his hands together with his palms pressed tightly against Arthur's neck.
"Hahaha!! Go die! Go die! Go die..."
Amidst his out-of-control wild laughter, his palms were like red-hot branding irons, and amidst rising puffs of 'hissing' white smoke, he actually wanted to forcibly melt Arthur's neck.
"No no no! Marcus, don't do this!!"
Seeing this scene, Andre was scared out of his wits.
He hurriedly waved his hand, and all the metal objects in the room instantly flew over, about to stop Marcus from killing.
However, before all this could happen,
Arthur already struck a heavy elbow smash into Marcus's lower abdomen.
The latter's face was full of pain, unable to help bending over and retching.
Arthur's gaze turned cold, and he grabbed Marcus's hair with a backhand, hoisted him over his shoulder, and threw him down heavily to the ground with a shoulder throw.
Bang!!
At this point, there wasn't a single intact piece left on the dorm floor.
Had it not been for the thick steel plates blocking it, it would have already smashed right through the floor.
Arthur moved his neck.
Seeing that both sides of his originally fair neck were now scarlet red, with some areas even bearing burn marks.
But very quickly, under the effect of his self-healing ability, the intensely red areas gradually turned fair again, returning to normal before long.
Marcus's ferocity undiminished, he struggled to get up again.
Arthur forcefully stepped on his chest with one foot, rendering him unable to move, and then stepped on his right hand that was about to reach out, grinding down with the sole of his foot.
"Ah!!!"
Marcus's right hand was completely shattered, snot and tears instantly flowing out all at once as he wailed in agony.
This wasn't enough.
Arthur squatted down and grabbed Marcus's other hand.
Without giving the opponent a chance to react, he pressed it forcefully straight toward his face.
Chapter 16: Murder Cannot Be Filmed
Bzzzz——
White smoke rose again.
Only this time, the scorching position changed to Marcus's own face.
Arthur grabbed the back of Marcus's head with one hand and seized his left hand with the other, unceremoniously pressing it down hard onto his face.
The movement was so fast that Marcus didn't even have time to dismiss his superpower.
"Ah!!!!!!"
Instantly, Marcus let out a miserable scream.
Visible to the naked eye, a deep, charred palm print full of burns sank into his face.
As Arthur continued to press down, Marcus's nose melted away rapidly first, followed by his flesh and bones...
Watching as that left hand, which originally belonged to him, was about to sink bit by bit into his brain.
"No, no, no, no—"
Andre, who had just breathed a sigh of relief, saw this scene, shook his head in horror again, and finally pushed out with his hands abruptly.
In an instant, numerous metal objects floating in the air, such as speakers, computers, stainless steel thermoses, fruit knives, razors, and pushpins, all aimed at Arthur, shooting toward him like a rainstorm.
Clang, clang, clang, clang—
A series of sounds like gold and iron clashing rang out on Arthur.
When everything was over, Andre's all-out attack, gathered with all his might, at most only tore Arthur's outer garment and didn't even pierce a fraction of his skin.
However, this happened to remind Arthur.
He paused his hands, first glanced at the panting Andre, and then shifted his gaze toward the door.
The commotion was so loud that by this time, quite a few people in the corridor were peering into the dorm room with exclamation-filled faces.
Among them, inevitably, someone had already taken out their phone and started filming this way.
Arthur's gaze changed slightly, and he immediately let go of Marcus's left hand, stood up quickly, blocked the camera with his body, and covered Marcus's hideous, mostly ruined face.
Almost forgot, this place isn't outside.
It's not that you can't kill people at school, but you must never let the camera clearly capture it.
Even if Marcus initiated the intent to kill first, once the footage got out, he would still face big trouble.
Arthur withdrew his hand in time.
As for how to explain the current situation to the outside world.
There was ready-made evidence right here.
Arthur grabbed several bags of "laundry detergent" from the ground that hadn't been affected by the fight.
Although weed had been legalized in many places in America, some stronger stuff was still strictly prohibited.
He raised the things in his hand and explained to the crowd outside:
"Everyone, don't worry. The people here were just gathering to ingest enhancers. For their physical and mental health, and to uphold the glory of Godolkin University, which cultivates many Superheroes, I came to stop them—"
Arthur said, turning back to take a look at the scene.
Avery was still embedded in the wall; Simon and Phoebe had both passed out "happily" on the ground; Hank was stuffed into the floor; while Marcus was clutching his face, rolling on the ground and screaming continuously.
Only Andre was still relatively unscathed.
"Uh—"
Arthur turned back, shrugged at the crowd outside, and continued in a sincere tone,
"Of course, I must apologize. I really used a bit too much strength just now."
"Cool—"
Someone whistled excitedly.
These people didn't care who was right or wrong; they only saw that, as a Metahuman himself, Arthur knocked down six people all by himself.
Whether ordinary people or Metahumans, they worshipped the strong deep down in their bones.
Arthur's wonderful performance just now undoubtedly made them thoroughly enjoy the show and feel admiration in their hearts.
With the first person taking the lead in applauding, seeing that Arthur had evidence on hand and his actions aligned with mainstream values, the others, whether they used drugs themselves or not, followed suit and applauded with approving faces.
"Thank you! Thank you all for your support! To protect the evidence at the scene, I will now seal off the area until the school security personnel arrive. Thank you everyone, please step aside."
Bang!
Arthur buckled the door that he had blown away earlier back into the door frame, blocking the outside view.
Afterward, he placed his hands on his hips and let out a slight sigh of relief.
Fortunately, he reacted quickly and resolved a public relations crisis in time, otherwise...
"Huh? Almost forgot, you're still standing."
As Arthur turned around, he noticed Andre, who was standing there lost and at a loss.
Andre gave a shudder: "I..."
Arthur shook his head: "Forget it, it's better for everyone to be neat and tidy."
As his words fell, he instantly appeared in front of Andreand landed a solid punch on the opponent's cheek.
Andre fell to the ground at the sound and quietly joined his companions.
Before long, school security personnel along with doctors and nurses arrived, handling the scene very proficiently.
At the same time, Shetty's call came in: "Arthur, I didn't expect you to bring us a surprise so soon."
Arthur laughed: "I hope the surprise you mentioned isn't an antonym, Principal."
Shetty paused, a hint of subtle helplessness in her tone: "To be exact, the surprise is positive. Thanks to your prompt reaction and very good countermeasures, you didn't let public opinion unfavorable to you ferment. But Arthur, next time something like this happens, communicate with us in advance, okay? You know, you won't be lucky enough to get away with it every time."
"Of course." Arthur readily agreed.
As for whether he would really do that next time, he would deal with it when next time came.
Shetty was very satisfied with Arthur's attitude: "I will give you an explanation regarding Simon, Philip, Andre, and the others afterward. For the next period of time, Arthur, do not make any more remarks about these people. All responses should focus solely on the issue of drug abuse. I believe it won't be long before the prefix 'United Nations' is added to your anti-drug ambassador title."
Not mentioning Simon and others presumably had considerations from the school, hoping not to equate the image of Godolkin University students with drugs.
Compared to active contact, being seduced by others and passively getting hooked undoubtedly had the least impact and could also increase sympathy points.
For this reason, the school would also help lobby and give Arthur the reward of "United Nations Anti-Drug Ambassador".
To this, Arthur naturally accepted it with a smile: "No problem."
Finally, Shetty asked out of curiosity: "Arthur, you really don't touch enhancers?"
Arthur said calmly: "Whoever makes me touch them, I'll make them die."
Shetty heard the exceptional seriousness in Arthur's tone.
To be honest, she had never seen such a Metahuman.
"You are an angel, Arthur," Shetty sighed with emotion.
Angel?
If someone like him could be considered an angel, it would be too cheap.
Arthur shook his head, put away his phone, and was about to return to his dorm room.
Suddenly, his footsteps paused.
At the other end of the corridor, a short black donkey was walking slowly this way, holding a rope in its mouth.
Sloan?
Arthur's mind suddenly popped up with this name.
Subconsciously, he glanced behind the black donkey again.
Sure enough, that familiar red hat was floating not too high nor too low behind the black donkey's butt, with a rope looped under the hat, following step by step.
Chapter 17 Sigrid: Don't You Regret It
If Arthur hadn't misread the situation, Maverick should be crawling on the floor naked right now, with a rope around his neck, being led by Sloan the black donkey as they crawled along the hallway.
He fell into a moment of silence.
This is... a perfect match, wasn't it? They clicked so quickly?
"Hey, Arthur."
Maverick saw Arthur at this moment and enthusiastically introduced his new boyfriend, "This is the Sloan I told you about. He's charming, right?"
"Speaking of which, we both have to thank you. If it weren't for your encouragement, we wouldn't have become true loves so quickly."
Sloan lifted his donkey face and nodded at Arthur to express his gratitude.
Seeing that Maverick was clearly enjoying himself, Arthurtwitched the corner of his mouth: "As long as you two are happy."
His threshold had been raised significantly after years of being nurtured by this land of outstanding people, but seeing this donkey and man duo right now, he still couldn't quite keep it together.
He hurriedly said: "Uh... where are you two going now? Back to the dorm?"
The red hat in the air shook.
Maverick said: "Sloan and I are preparing to check in at every spot on campus; this is a symbol of our freedom and love."
Won't your knees hurt? Or do you really enjoy being watched by everyone?
Arthur complained internally, but nodded repeatedly on the surface: "Very nice... I mean, this way of expressing freedom and love is really great. You guys are so cool!"
Maverick thought so too: "I knew it! Arthur, you are my soulmate. It's just that I probably won't be back tonight; I'm going to spend the night at Sloan's place."
Arthur subconsciously glanced at Sloan's donkey ass.
He really had to thank God that this kind of thing wouldn't happen right under his nose.
But there was one thing.
He asked curiously: "What about Sloan's roommate? Does he have any objections?"
Maverick: "Warren? His cloud drive is full of humans and animals, so of course he has no problem with it."
Arthur opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but ultimately closed it.
He couldn't imagine what kind of shocking scene it would be if those three gathered together.
"Oh, right." Maverick added, "Arthur, I haven't congratulated you yet for making history at Godolkin University, becoming the No. 1 on the Godolkin University rankings on your first day. Also, that fight video of yours earlier was so intense."
Godolkin University No. 1? Fight video?
Arthur bid farewell to Maverick and Sloan, wished them a good night, then returned to his room and checked his phone.
His name appeared at the very top of the Godolkin University rankings homepage.
Influenced by him, Sigrid, whom he knew, had dropped to fourth place.
Arthur was not surprised by this result.
He then scrolled through TikTok, Twitter, YouTube, and Vought short videos.
Sure enough, the video of his fight earlier had started to go viral online.
"Fuck! This is what a real man should watch!"
"Six against one! bronze: lethal weapon is even more impressive in reality than in the movie!"
"Metahumans can do kung fu too? Doge?"
"Great body! I really want to lick him!"
"How to lick?"
"From top to bottom!"
"Together!"
"+1..."
Fortunately, most of the comments were positive, which was likely the result of the school administration's efforts.
Arthur noticed that these videos rarely contained the clip of him pinning Marcus to the ground.
Most of them showcased his powerful side, and others had some blurring applied, except for Marcus.
The video of him violently pressing his scorching hands against his own neck was being heavily promoted by traffic algorithms.
In this way, the public had a precise target to crusade against, and his own actions this time had sufficient justification.
One could only say that Godolkin University and the Vought behind it were truly masters of public relations.
As for Marcus, he naturally became the sole scapegoat.
Arthur didn't have any good feelings toward this guy.
At the time, he hadn't even thought about killing anyone, and even Simon and those people hadn't initially aimed for vital points.
But Marcus had been the first to harbor the intent to kill.
Or perhaps his emotions were extremely unstable; with the slightest discomfort, he couldn't control his reason.
Such a person was simply not suited to be a Superhero; he was more like a ticking time bomb.
Unsurprisingly, Marcus would be expelled from Godolkin University.
Speaking of which, where was his home address?
Arthur was just thinking about asking the well-informed Maverick later.
At this moment, Monica called.
"Alright, here comes the interrogation."
Arthur shrugged and answered the phone.
...
Sigrid, wearing a thin trench coat, walked out of the movie theater alone.
She had just finished watching the movie "bronze: lethal weapon".
"It certainly looks quite fierce, it's just that I don't know..."
Sigrid pondered, still savoring the experience.
Soon, she had her answer.
Sigrid watched the video on her phone of Arthur taking on six people at once.
Compared to the others, her sharp, aggressive gaze was locked tightly onto the scenes where Arthur's body withstood Simon's tongue, Marcus's scorching hands, and the metal controlled by Andrew—those head-on clashes.
A fire ignited in her heart.
A few minutes later, she sent a text message to Arthur.
Arthur had just finished talking to his agent.
As expected, she complained on the phone about him not notifying her in time, saying she only found out about the fight because Shetty had contacted her, and so on.
Fortunately, she only mentioned it briefly, and afterwards, she happily informed him that after this incident, his approval rating had increased by 4%, especially among the previously scarce Midwestern white demographic, where there were now, for the first time ever, some voices of support.
You have to know that before this, these white conservatives had no good feelings toward him at all.
Arthur could only say that these people were just cheap; they wouldn't listen to nice words, but when violence was displayed, they happily clapped.
His core base had never been these people anyway.
Although there was a breakthrough, he didn't take it too much to heart.
However, after this incident, Louis Vuitton finally finished their assessment and chose to sign a contract with him; this was the best news.
Arthur hung up the phone in a good mood.
At this moment, Sigrid sent a message:
"Free tonight?"
It was simple, but full of information.
If it were his past life, Arthur would definitely have thought she needed help with some serious business.
But now.
Arthur recalled Sigrid's voluptuous figure, and then looked at his lonely, empty dorm room.
He immediately replied: "Of course."
Along with that, he sent his address.
Sigrid's reply was equally decisive: "OK."
However, she added one last sentence: "Don't regret it when the time comes."
Regret?
How could that be?
Arthur was very confused.
Half an hour later, he understood.
The moment Sigrid pushed the door open and entered, without waiting for Arthur, she shed everything, generously displaying her tall, voluptuous figure.
Then, a series of crisp sounds like shattering crystal exploded densely in the room.
Arthur looked again.
Sigrid's entire body was now wrapped in a layer of incomparably gorgeous diamonds, and even her hair was sparkling like crystal.
"I said, don't regret it."
At this moment, the incomparably dazzling Diamond Queen spoke proudly.
If Arthur remembered correctly, diamonds seemed to be quite hard.
He lowered his gaze, looked at Sigrid, and then looked at himself.
He seemed to understand the true meaning of Sigrid's words.
Chapter 18: White Widow
The next morning.
Arthur was sleeping in, holding the world's largest diamond.
A knock on the door rang out, quite out of place.
"My dearest Arthur, your good friend Maverick has returned!"
"Still not awake? Forget it, I'll come in myself."
"Huh? The door is locked?"
"Based on my many years of experience visiting, Arthur, you must be hiding a man or a woman in there."
"Who could it be? I really want to know..."
When Arthur was woken up by the knocking, someone's muttering was still ringing out from outside the door.
He shouted at the door with intense morning grumpiness: "Fuck! Maverick, if you don't shut your stinking mouth in the next second, I swear! I'll rip your intestines out from behind and stuff them into your stinking mouth."
Arthur meant what he said.
Maverick went silent immediately.
Arthur didn't say anything more; his mouth had already been blocked by the statuesque beauty beside him.
Sigrid had also woken up.
She was in her normal state at this moment.
Arthur had asked about it last night.
When Sigrid was emotionally excited, she often couldn't control herself and would directly enter her diamond form.
To avoid catching Arthur off guard halfway through, she diamondized right from the start to give Arthur a heads-up to act within his limits.
If it really didn't work out, there would still be time to regret it.
She didn't actually want to hurt anyone.
Fortunately, Arthur rose to the challenge.
He was so glad he had prioritized superpower: Super Defense earlier.
Thanks to Steel Claw, thanks to Shuttle, thanks to those Metahumans who died by his hands.
If not for them, how would he have enjoyed such an unprecedented, novel, stimulating, and endlessly memorable experience?
Have to admit.
Compared to ordinary humans, there are just too many tricks Metahumans can play.
When Arthur got dressed and got up to open the door, he noticed several head-shaped indentations on the ceiling.
One could imagine how intense the battle was last night.
He opened the door.
Maverick was the same as always; all one could see in front of them was that red hat.
"Hey, brother."
Maverick greeted him very amicably with a wave, though Arthur couldn't see his hand.
"I thought you wouldn't be able to get out of bed today."
Arthur yawned and stepped aside, saying.
Don't get him wrong, he just thought about how Maverickhad crawled all over campus yesterday and should have been resting at this time.
Maverick walked in and said confidently, "My skin is carbon metamaterial, hard and durable. It's just... Wow! It looks like the battle at your place last night was even more intense than mine."
Maverick noticed the bed in Arthur's room that had completely collapsed and immediately exclaimed.
Just as he was guessing which man or woman at school was most likely to have spent the night with Arthur, Sigridtied her trench coat and floated over from the sofa.
"Hey, Sigrid."
Sigrid walked over, first kissed Arthur generously, then greeted Maverick, and headed straight for the washroom.
"Hey, Sigrid."
Maverick stared at Sigrid's back, stunned for a moment.
After the washroom door closed.
He hurriedly said to Arthur, his tone full of disbelief: "Oh my god! You actually hooked up with the school's super popular White Widow?"
As the former No. 3 of Godolkin University, Sigrid had high popularity both on and off campus.
Arthur was not surprised by this.
But what did "White Widow" mean?
He asked Maverick.
Maverick explained rapidly: "White Widow, that is, Sigrid's superpower is diamondization; not only her skin and organs, but her whole body will diamondize. Can you imagine the scene when you're with her, and two of the hardest diamond mountains in the world suddenly clamp toward you at supersonic speed?"
Upon hearing this, Arthur nodded slowly, fully savoring the memory.
No need to imagine, he had experienced it firsthand.
Maverick, seeing Arthur's expression, held his head in shock: "Oh my god!! Arthur, don't tell me..."
Maverick thought his good brother had lost the rest of his life.
Concerned about his reputation, Arthur quickly patted his chest to indicate he was fine.
Maverick was half-believing: "Really? I heard that last year a guy at school kept pursuing Sigrid, Sigrid got annoyed, just pinched her five fingers like that, and then..."
As men, whenever Maverick thought of that bloody scene, he couldn't help but wince.
As Arthur listened, his own facial features subconsciously twitched.
In the spirit of science, Maverick continued: "The explosive power of the adductor muscle group in the legs far exceeds the grip strength of the hands. Plus Sigrid's incredibly hard diamond body. Even a Metahuman can't withstand it in such a fragile place. Over the years, only the former No. 1 of Godolkin University, nicknamed 'Steel Soldier' Derek, has been completely unafraid and has been pursuing Sigrid."
"That's because his superpower covers his little brother as well, so of course he's not afraid."
At this moment, the washroom door opened, and Sigrid's voice came from inside.
Maverick, as if hearing huge news, his eyes lit up, and he hurriedly asked: "So, when Derek uses his superpower, he is a steel-clad eunuch?"
Sigrid, having tied her hair into a neat high ponytail, walked out and said indifferently: "That's a very accurate summary."
Maverick transformed into a gossip reporter and excitedly continued to ask: "Then why does he still pursue you?"
Sigrid said expressionlessly: "To prove his masculine status to others? To use my fame to continue climbing the ranks? Who knows. Anyway, I have no interest in playing with his fingers."
"By the way, Arthur didn't lie. I had the best night of my life last night."
Sigrid finally walked up to Arthur, helped him straighten his collar, waved her hand, and left coolly: "I'm off, let's meet again when we have time."
Maverick watched Sigrid leave, turned back to look at Arthur, and said with genuine admiration: "Brother, you're amazing! Only one day of school, and you've already hooked up with Sigrid."
Arthur was very calm: "It's just mutual need."
Sigrid had solemnly mentioned to him last night that she didn't want this time or any future interactions to affect their respective lives.
Now she was more focused on her own career, and relationships were just a diversion.
Arthur naturally praised her as a career-oriented powerhouse, a true representative of the new era of women.
Maverick listened and admired him even more: "Arthur, you are simply a role model for men."
"Does that include you and Sloan?"
"Of course not, we are true love."
"Heh."
"Arthur, if you don't believe me, I'll bring Sloan over and prove it to you personally, how we are perfectly in sync and only have each other."
"...I swear to God, if you really do that, I will stuff you into a donkey's ass, so you two will never be separated."
Chapter 19: Meeting Kate Again
"A-Train issues a public apology: 'I feel very guilty about Robin's death. At the time, I was pursuing two bank robbers…'"
"Bronze defeats six Metahumans single-handedly. Godolkin University declares it will not tolerate drug-related crimes and has officially expelled the culprit, Marcus."
"The Female Giant Beast has once again severely injured her new boyfriend; the victim is currently in the intensive care unit receiving emergency treatment."
"While on border patrol duty, Wrangler caused the deaths of seven illegal immigrants and injured eleven others; the extent of his actions has been questioned by many."
"The Seven tryouts have come to an end. Starlight, the girl-next-door from Des Moines, Iowa, has successfully joined The Seven…"
Godolkin University, the first class of the semester.
On his way to the Crime Fighting School building, Arthurdiscovered that he had become a household name on campus.
A male student held up his phone, walked up to him, and asked, "Bronze, can I take a picture with you?"
Arthur pursed his lips. "Can I say no?"
Of course not.
The student had already familiarly crowded next to Arthurand snapped a few photos.
Arthur expertly put on a fake smile.
Afterwards, the student left without hesitation, quickly uploading the newly taken photos to social media with the caption, "A photo with my good brother Bronze."
This wasn't the first time.
Arthur had realized that no matter what he said, these people would still come over to take pictures.
This was the trouble with being a celebrity.
His only choice was to agree, creating the illusion of having a choice.
"Hey, Bronze, I'm a fan of yours. Can we take a picture?" A female student with a nice figure approached next.
Arthur readily accepted. "Come on."
Just like that, he enjoyed the treatment of a big star, being photographed, recorded, and even livestreamed all the way there.
Maverick, who had disappeared at some point, suddenly popped up again.
Beneath his red hat, he was now wearing a pair of new sunglasses.
This was Arthur's suggestion.
This way, when others spoke to him, they could at least talk to his glasses instead of blindly staring around at the air.
"Arthur, you're completely famous now." Maverick smiled and came to his side. "Now you're not only the No. 1 at Godolkin University, but also the reject of The Seven. This dual identity combined makes you incredibly topical."
While expertly taking photos with people crowding around him, Arthur casually replied, "For people like us, the thing we fear most is not being topical."
Maverick nodded. "Indeed, just like my father. Every few days, he shows up in the women's restroom, women's locker room, or sorority showers, just to grab the front-page headline for the next day."
Upon hearing this, Arthur gave Maverick a speechless glance.
The things your dad does and the things I do are not at all the same thing, okay?
Crime Fighting building, lecture hall.
After Arthur stepped inside, the surroundings finally quieted down, and no one came up to bother him anymore.
"Arthur, over here." Maverick had already found a spot and waved to signal him.
Arthur didn't even glance that way; he walked straight to the middle row of the classroom and greeted a girl in one of the seats with a smile:
"Hey, Kate."
Kate's silky blonde hair draped over her shoulders, and she stirred slightly at the sound.
She looked at Arthur, pursed her lips, and smiled.
"Hey, Arthur."
Arthur sat down in the seat next to Kate very naturally, leaned forward slightly, and said:
"I gave you my contact information yesterday. I was full of expectation that you would call, but I ended up waiting in vain for a whole day. So, I had no choice but to come find you myself, Kate."
Kate's heart rate accelerated, but she pretended to be indifferent on the surface. "It's only been one day. Arthur, you're being too dramatic."
"Dramatic? Not at all. There's an Eastern proverb that says, 'A day without seeing you is like three autumns.'"
Arthur looked at Kate with a serious expression.
She was wearing a white dress today, with a pair of knee-high boots on her feet.
Arthur took a quick glance.
Hmm, those beautiful legs under the hem of her dress were truly charming.
Honestly speaking, compared to a genuine Western beauty like Sigrid, Kate, with her delicate features and slim, tall figure, actually fits Eastern aesthetics better.
As an Easterner at heart, Arthur naturally had to take the initiative.
He stated the "fact": "Kate, we've already been separated for three autumns."
Kate felt like she couldn't handle it.
As a fellow Metahuman, her past life was actually very monotonous and boring.
Just like many Metahumans in this world with unfortunate childhoods.
During an outing, because she was annoyed by her own younger brother's mischief, she subconsciously used her superpower for the first time, making her brother "obediently" disappear without a trace, never to be found again.
Her life afterwards was completely locked away in a room by her terrified and hateful parents, until Principal Shettyarrived, provided her with psychological therapy, and brought her to Godolkin University, where she finally started living a normal life.
It can be said that Kate rarely interacted with her peers.
Let alone having a boyfriend.
Facing Arthur's offensive right now, the fact that she could hold on "indifferently" for a while was already quite impressive.
Actually, Kate lied to Arthur.
She had watched the movie "bronze: lethal weapon".
That was the first movie she ever watched in a cinema after leaving her prison-like home.
Since then, the long-vacant spot for her dream guy had been filled by someone new.
However, she never imagined that her dream guy would one day become reality, and now he was right in front of her, so close.
Besides excitement, Kate was actually very afraid in her heart, worried that after Arthur found out about her superpower, he would hate her and stay away from her just like her parents.
Therefore, she told herself to stay calm, to be indifferent, and not to have too high of expectations.
But all of this, under Arthur's fiery offensive, was useless.
"Really… is there such a proverb?" Kate subconsciously twisted her fingers and asked this slowly.
"Of course!" Arthur's eyes lit up, triggering his "Teacher Role Model" talent, and he began to talk endlessly about it.
"This is my good brother, who makes people love and hate him at the same time."
Maverick, left behind, watched this scene and sighed to the Asian student in a blue and white tracksuit standing next to him.
Jordan Li was a bit shy.
Not understanding why, she just smiled politely.
Maverick asked familiarly, "Jordan, you and Arthur are both Asian, and both your names have 'Li' in them. Are you brothers?"
Jordan looked at Arthur, who was far more famous than her, and shook her head honestly. "No, Arthur and I have no blood relationship whatsoever."
"I see." Maverick said with regret.
Under Kate's adoring gaze, Arthur's little lecture didn't last too long.
Because the person who was actually teaching the class had arrived.
It was their old acquaintance, Professor Brink.
And the name of this class was "Hero Ethics".
Chapter 20: Superhero Brand Marketing
"A true Superhero is not for glory, but for sacrifice."
Professor Brink, dressed in a sharp suit and looking dashing, stepped onto the podium and uttered his famous motto, which countless people held as a classic.
He then shrugged and added with a humorous tone, "Of course, that is what 'Superhero Ethics' explores, although it is my favorite... I know what you want to ask. Yes, I love it more than my wife. Even if she were here, I would still say the same."
"But what we are discussing today is 'Superhero Brand Marketing'. So, back to the topic, does anyone know why this course is offered? Why does a Superhero need to be connected to brand marketing?"
Many people raised their hands.
Professor Brink first glanced at Arthur, who was indifferent and making eye contact with Cate, sighed to himself, "Youth is truly wonderful," and then pointed to Luke.
Luke answered earnestly: "Because Superheroes need to become famous, and fame itself is inseparable from brand marketing."
Professor Brink smiled meaningfully and asked, "Then, why do Superheroes chase fame like actors and singers? Shouldn't the essential job of a Superhero be fighting crime and saving the world?"
Luke was stunned, not knowing how to answer.
Growing up, he was accustomed to seeing Superheroes on TV shows, endorsing various products, and filming personal movies.
No one would think these Superheroes were neglecting their duties.
On the contrary, greater fame only served as further proof of their greatness.
At this moment, not only was Luke stunned, but others were also confused.
Arthur, on the other hand, looked at the professor on stage with surprise.
Then, he heard Professor Brink ask again: "Does anyone know when the first Superheroes were born?"
A student replied: "During World War II, when Soldier Boyled the Allied forces to land in Normandy, Professor."
Professor Brink nodded: "That's right, Soldier Boy, the pride of America in the last century, and also a household name Superhero during World War II. He was strong, very strong, but future Superheroes sitting here, do you think he could have defeated the Nazi regime alone?"
As Metahumans, the young people in the classroom were confident in their own strength, but destroying a country alone seemed too fantastical to them, even for Soldier Boy.
Someone muttered, "Homelander could."
Professor Brink acted as if he didn't hear it and continued: "The individual power of a Superhero is limited, but the brand of a Superhero can bring infinite value."
"During World War II, Soldier Boy toured the country giving speeches, every event packed. He not only inspired the national fighting spirit but also raised tens of billions in donations, and a million young people were inspired by Soldier Boy to enlist in the army."
"This is the huge benefit that the fame a Superheropossesses can bring! It is far more helpful to society than you going alone to fight some criminal."
"Of course, I am not saying that fighting crime is not important, but rather that we should focus on more correct and efficient methods."
Professor Brink spread his hands and said persuasively, "For example, bring a camera crew to record the entire process of you fighting crime. In this way, not only can your fame be enhanced, but it also allows the public to see the fate of criminals, thereby better spreading correct values."
"The number of Superheroes is small, but the fame of Superheroes is infinitely large."
"To fight crime, to spread positive values, to save the world... and of course, also for your own sake. After all, America is a land of freedom, and Superheroes can also enjoy a good life."
Cheers and applause erupted from the audience.
When the classroom quieted down, Professor Brink concluded with his steady and infectious voice: "Fame is a personal brand. Future Superheroes sitting here, you must cherish your fame as you would your loved ones and parents. It is the benchmark for measuring your Superherocareer. And this course, 'Superhero Brand Marketing', is precisely to cultivate how you can grow your popularity!"
Clap clap clap clap!
Excited applause rang out in the classroom.
Luke looked excited, Jordan looked at Professor Brink with full admiration, and Cate also looked thoughtful.
Arthur also applauded along with them.
He had to admire that the theoretical foundation relied upon for the Superhero industry in this world to be so developed did have some twisted logic to it.
How many criminals can a Superhero fight in a lifetime?
But by using the Superhero's fame as a guarantee, a large number of new industries related to Superheroes can be created. This not only represents hundreds of billions in profits but also creates a large number of jobs and boosts the GDP.
Fighting crime continues, and the publicity is even wider.
Isn't that great?
Native Metahumans like Luke, Jordan, and Maverick all felt that Professor Brink's lecture was great, and that this is how Superheroes should be.
Arthur, however, was thinking about how shocked the Superheroes from Marvel and DC would be if they heard these remarks.
When a Superhero focuses on their fame and money-making career, how much sincerity can they really have in fighting crime?
Especially when all of this is dominated by capital groups.
Unlike in Hollywood movies where they are so afraid of being criticized that they don't even dare to write "down with capitalism."
Arthur knew the style of capitalism all too well.
Fortunately, he was not someone who would go through fire and water for the people of America, sacrificing himself.
The people of America didn't need him either.
Having already become a member of the vested interest group and living quite well now, he might complain, but he had no interest in smashing his own rice bowl and starting a revolution or anything like that.
If he really did that, when they asked, "What kind of American are you?"
How would he answer?
After explaining the significance of the "Superhero Brand Marketing" course, Professor Brink pointed to the big screen behind him.
On the screen appeared yellowed newspapers and magazines reporting on "Payback".
He walked to the first row in a relaxed manner, sat casually on the edge of the long table, looked at the mottled old images on the screen, and said: "Times are different, and Superhero brand marketing is also different. For example, the most popular Superhero team back then, 'Payback', where Soldier Boy belonged. Although there was television at that time, the mainstream promotion method was still newspapers and magazines. But now it's different."
As he finished speaking, the screen changed, appearing with the familiar Vought Network, Twitter, YouTube, TikTok, various TV stations, streaming media, movies, and many other social media platforms.
Professor Brink looked at the crowd and said: "With the development of technology and the popularization of the internet, Superhero brand marketing is not only diverse, but the speed of fame accumulation is also extremely fast compared to the past. Just one viral event is enough to make you a household name Superhero. But likewise, it is also possible that just because of one small thing, you will completely lose your fame and stay away from the mainstream view from then on."
"Regarding how to effectively prevent and handle such vicious events that damage personal brands, I will explain in detail in later classes."
"As for now..."
Professor Brink smiled confidently, "I will first teach you how to start from scratch and market your own personal brand."