The next day.
Having sobered up, Renjie sat in the garden, his expression distant and unfocused.
On the lawn, Clark Kent was playing and tumbling about with a small puppy.
The puppy was a Beagle—
remarkably similar to Krypto, the super-dog from the Superman comics.
It was highly intelligent, easily matching the intellect of a ten-year-old child.
No matter the command, it seemed to understand instantly.
The puppy had been delivered that very morning.
The sender was Alex Wesker.
It was a gift from that woman to Little Clark Kent.
She had also told Renjie that
a good pet could heal a child's wounded heart—
and at certain times, it could be even more effective than a parent's companionship.
Thanks to the puppy, Renjie finally had some real free time.
But trouble, as always, came one thing after another.
[Android 21: Boss, you have a private call from "Alexander Pierce."]
A virtual screen appeared before Renjie.
"Put it through,"
Renjie replied calmly.
He wanted to hear for himself what that old fox Pierce was really after.
"Mr. Ren, I heard you had a pleasant chat with Odin—and even paid a visit to the 'Divine Realm'?"
Alexander Pierce's enthusiastic voice came through the screen.
It was obvious he cared deeply about this matter.
"It was fine," Renjie replied with a faint smile.
"Just returned a bit too hastily. Didn't even bring back any local specialties."
"I also heard that you adopted a child?"
Pierce asked, his tone just as warm as before.
"Pierce, let me give you a piece of advice,"
Renjie said coldly.
"Don't set your sights on that child."
"Do you know how Ross died?"
Renjie's eyes narrowed slightly, the killing intent in his voice completely undisguised.
"Now, now, Mr. Ren, don't misunderstand,"
Pierce replied quickly, sounding innocent.
"I'm your die-hard supporter—we're good friends, aren't we?"
"I owe everything I have today to your support. How could I possibly betray a friend?"
After that, Pierce deliberately lowered his voice.
"The people sitting at the very top of this country… are extremely interested in your son."
"Based on the intelligence we've gathered—"
"He's already dispatched agent teams to investigate Clark Kent's past."
"He may be thinking of… inviting your adopted son over for a little talk about life and ideals."
Pierce's words carried a teasing undertone.
Renjie understood immediately.
That Mr. President was plotting against him.
Rejuvenation was no longer enough to satisfy his desires.
Now, he wanted the nanotech battle suit—
and even more than that.
These people were nothing but robbers,
starving wild dogs that could never be fed enough.
Once they smelled the scent of a bone,
their ugliest nature would be laid bare.
"Pierce," Renjie sneered,
"do you know how that military base disappeared?"
He was already prepared to kill the chicken to warn the monkeys.
Originally, he had intended to rule the world peacefully,
through admiration and worship.
But there were always idiots who insisted on testing his bottom line.
"Just a meteorite from outer space,"
Pierce replied calmly.
"I express my condolences for the accident."
The truth had long been sealed away by governments worldwide—
this was the official story given to the public.
"Is that so?"
Renjie's smile grew increasingly savage.
"Seems they've already forgotten the pain I inflicted."
"The president's itinerary for today has been sent to your private email,"
Pierce said in a low voice.
"Mr. Ren, we will always be your allies."
"If you have time, come by S.H.I.E.L.D."
"You might find our new project quite interesting."
With that, Pierce ended the call.
After the screen vanished,
Renjie stretched lazily and rose from his chair.
This time, he would go personally.
Seeing his adoptive father tidying his clothes and preparing to leave,
Little Clark hurried over.
"Father, are you going out?"
Clark Kent asked curiously, blinking his eyes.
"Mm… I'm going to buy a few things,"
Renjie replied gently.
"Be good and listen while I'm gone, alright?"
He bent down and softly pinched his son's adorable cheek.
"Mm!"
Little Clark nodded earnestly.
Then he hugged the puppy that leaped into his arms,
watching as his father's figure disappeared from view.
...
The President's Office.
Stacks of documents awaiting approval were piled to one side.
The president—who had already injected Sun Ladder—
held a photograph in his hands, a mocking smile on his face.
The boy in the photo looked strikingly similar to Renjie.
An orphan.
An utterly ordinary life—until he was adopted by Renjie.
Mistaken for an illegitimate child.
Ambitious men across the world smelled blood in the water and swarmed in.
If they could seize the boy,
they could use him as a hostage to force Renjie into service.
With Renjie's technological support—even a fraction of it—
ruling the world would be effortless.
After regaining his youth,
the president's mentality had subtly changed.
Ambitions he once dared not entertain
now quietly took root.
He wanted to use that child
to control Renjie.
To have him and the android warriors
conquer the world on his behalf.
But before his beautiful dream could even begin,
it was already doomed to shatter.
A cold chuckle echoed from the corner of the room.
At some unknown moment—
The very Renjie he had been obsessing over
had already appeared inside the president's office!!!
END OF CHAPTER
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