GUARDIAN OF THE MARVEL REALM

Tony Stark had unearthed his father's relic and was on the verge of acquiring the Dragon Slaying Sword, aiming to assert his dominance over the rivers and lakes.

Meanwhile, the primary antagonist, Ivan Vanke, found himself in dire straits.

Having exhausted his finances to create his revenge apparatus, Ivan was fully equipped and ready to confront Tony. However, he faced a significant hurdle—locating Tony.

Tony was absent from media-covered receptions and did not participate in the racing events. Ivan staked out Tony's villa for three days without any sighting.

Reduced to sleeping in parks and scavenging for food, Ivan's burning desire for vengeance only intensified, even as he endured such hardships.

Until he was unexpectedly struck...

Snap.

The sudden glare of an incandescent lamp was blinding for Ivan, who had been blindfolded.

With a throbbing headache, he glimpsed a figure seated in the shadows before him.

"Ivan Vanke..."

The voice was slightly hoarse, evidently altered by a voice changer.

Ivan attempted to move but found himself securely bound to a chair, the restraints applied with professional precision.

His painstakingly crafted equipment lay on the table before him.

"Do you know my initial reaction when my associates found you?" The shadowed figure lightly brushed Ivan's equipment. "Surprise, immense surprise, because we had finally discovered a genius, one on par with Tony Stark!"

Ivan's efforts to escape lessened.

He squinted at the figure, whose face remained obscured, though his corpulent silhouette was discernible.

"Tony claimed no one could replicate his weapon in ten years, yet you, in a shabby room with outdated equipment, created such a marvel..." The man exhaled slowly, calming his excitement. "Ivan, we've reviewed your background. The only distinction between you and Tony is that your father didn't surpass his."

"And now, you have a new patron, that is—" The man in the shadows smiled.

—Hydra.

...

On the other side, Shen He was approaching a pivotal moment.

Drawing time!

It had been ten days since his arrival in this world.

Since morning, Shen He had washed his face ten times, his hands twenty times, maintained a constant smile, and offered incense to various deities.

Tony had secluded himself in the laboratory for the past six days, delving into both his mecha projects and his father's relics, yet seemingly without breakthroughs.

The hotel and racing events, pivotal plot points, proceeded uneventfully in Tony's absence.

In essence, Shen He was uncertain about forthcoming events.

"You've been staring in the mirror for twenty minutes. Ready to begin?" Qi Mu Nanxiong remarked.

Aware that today was the drawing day, Qi Mu had stayed back after completing his tasks to witness the outcome.

"You don't understand." Shen He meticulously adjusted his attire. "'One must be sincere and respectful. By cleansing oneself and praying, one can move the gods.' This principle guides my card draws; without it, all is futile."

Fundamentally, the system's card draw probabilities were peculiar, with a notably low chance of summoning a follower.

However, this was logical. Without a treasure system and the impossibility of duplicate followers, a high probability would soon lead to an army of followers.

"Ha—"

Shen He exhaled deeply, then slowly closed his eyes.

The moment had arrived!

A guaranteed ten consecutive draws!

The system's summoning interface flowed slowly; the advanced draw's summoning speed was leisurely.

But when the first magic circle lacked a golden halo, Shen He's heart sank.

However—

"Ding, congratulations, you've successfully summoned a three-star follower: ???"

A follower?

Shen He's disappointment turned to joy.

Even a three-star follower was acceptable; they could serve as fodder.

But without knowing the name, how could he secure their agreement to the summon?

Perplexed, Shen He noticed a sack materialize before him.

The system indicated the follower had consented to the summon.

"Qi, Qi Mu..." Shen He stammered.

Observing the sack's movements, he felt nervous despite knowing a follower couldn't harm their master and that absolute orders were possible.

Qi Mu Nanxiong nodded, extended his hand, and used his power to untie the sack's rope. As it opened, a girl's face emerged...

She was clad in ragged, inferior leather and animal fur, with an iron collar around her neck like a condemned prisoner. An indescribable stench filled the room—a mix of dirt, blood, rain, and mud.

Dirty, emaciated, resembling a vagrant slave.

Yet, when Shen He focused on her face, he was breathless.

...She possessed a breathtaking beauty.

No words could describe it; even filth couldn't dim the radiance of her disheveled blonde hair. Despite bruises and scratches marring her face, her angelic visage remained stunning. What truly captivated Shen He were her sky-blue eyes, partially hidden by messy hair.

They were as serene as a tranquil lake, seemingly brimming with vitality.

The girl's eyes scanned the surroundings before locking onto Shen He's, her delicate face expressionless, akin to a machine.

"I can't hear her thoughts," Qi Mu observed.

Shen He examined the system's summoned item display, revealing a three-dimensional image of the girl, appearing around eleven or twelve, her name still unknown.

However, there was a note:

"Weapon—this is how she's universally perceived.

Devoid of emotion, thought, merely following commands, she's the deity presiding over death.

Yet—

Red, yellow, and brown leaves swirl around her in a dance.

A flawless, elegant girl, radiant as a full moon.

Who is she?"

Weapon, beauty, blonde hair, sky-blue eyes...

Shen He's mind raced, a name on the tip of his tongue.

At that moment, the summoning array's dazzling golden light interrupted his thoughts, accompanied by a melodious sound.

"Ding, congratulations, you've successfully summoned the four-star rare follower: two rituals."

...Is this...an overwhelming stroke of luck?