Marvel: Father of Superheroes

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*****

The next day—Christmas Day. This year's Christmas was unlike any from years past. There was not the slightest trace of holiday cheer. Instea

The next day—Christmas Day.

This year's Christmas was unlike any from years past.

There was not the slightest trace of holiday cheer. Instead, the air was thick with grief and fear.

The horrifying incident from yesterday still weighed heavily on everyone, leaving them gasping for breath.

But then, with the announcement from Vice President Modi, the mood of the public was suddenly stirred.

The heroes who had appeared yesterday were not acting alone. They were part of a team—more precisely, they belonged to a company called Star Group.

The primary business of this company was… superheroes.

The superheroes fought criminals, while the company managed them, paid their salaries, and even promoted their image—ensuring that superheroes could focus entirely on fighting crime without worrying about their livelihood, turning the role into a stable career.

Most importantly, Star Group had entered into deep cooperation with the government, accepting official assignments.

In addition, Star Group had begun recruiting and training new superheroes.

As long as you had superpowers—and those powers could be used to fight crime and protect the innocent—you could apply to Star Group. After undergoing professional training, you could officially become a superhero.

It didn't matter whether you were a mutant or a regular human.

All at once, the public was abuzz with discussion, and the pall of sorrow from yesterday's terrorist attack lifted somewhat.

"What do you think?"

Clark lowered his newspaper and set it in front of Erik.

Erik glanced at it, frowned, and said, "This will definitely attract a lot of people to join."

"The key point is—they have government support."

Erik was deeply suspicious. Seeing this news, even members of the Brotherhood might be tempted.

Joining Star Group meant being officially recognized by the government. It meant a stable income, and the freedom to display one's abilities without fear.

That kind of temptation… would draw in many.

But…

Erik paused in thought. "This changes the nature of superheroes."

If things continued this way, the title of "superhero" would no longer be a badge of honor—it would simply be another job.

"So you're not optimistic about it?"

"That's right."

Erik spoke slowly, his tone thoughtful. "Once being a superhero becomes just another profession—once they become company employees—their priorities and motivations will inevitably shift."

A company's purpose is profit. The moment profit enters the equation, purity and integrity begin to erode.

Clark nodded. He had to admit, Erik had a point.

Still, looking at the current situation, this could also be an opportunity.

To be precise, it was an opportunity for Erik and his people.

If Star Group could employ mutants—with government backing—then Erik's Future Technologies company could just as openly hire mutant employees.

The only difference would be the nature of the job.

Thinking of this, Clark looked at Erik, and seeing the faint smile at the corner of his lips, both father and son couldn't help but laugh.

They were thinking the same thing.

"What are you two laughing at?"

Gwen licked the grease from her fingers, curiosity written on her face.

"It's nothing."

Clark smiled at Gwen, then turned to Erik. "So, is your company's first project ready?"

"It's almost done. We plan to launch it during the Spring Festival."

At the mention of this, Erik's face lit up with a smile he couldn't suppress.

The 'technical data' his father had given him was incredibly useful.

The technology came from Krypton—it had been obsolete there for generations—generously sponsored by Jor-El himself.

Once they launched this new communication device, the company's reputation would skyrocket.

And once they gained a solid market share, they would expand beyond communications into a whole range of products.

"When the time comes, reserve one for me."

Clark was clearly looking forward to it.

Gwen, who had been eating breakfast, quickly looked up. "I want one too!"

She didn't know exactly what it was, but if her dad wanted it, it had to be something amazing.

Erik ruffled her hair. "Alright, I'll give you one."

Then he turned to Clark. "Dad, I'll be leaving this afternoon. I'll need you to change my face back before I go."

"No problem."

Clark nodded.

That afternoon, shortly after Erik left, the doorbell rang again and again. Gwen received gifts from all their neighbors.

Although this Christmas had been far from peaceful, the gifts people had prepared in advance were still delivered.

When Gwen saw the towering pile of presents—stacked higher than she was—her smile bloomed like a flower.

She sincerely thanked each person who gave her something, offering them snacks prepared by Clark in return. In her heart, she resolved to give gifts to everyone tomorrow.

As the days passed, the fear left by that terrible Christmas Eve gradually faded, and life began returning to normal.

Meanwhile, Star Group had made remarkable progress over the course of a single month.

One superhero after another was introduced to the public, and under Star Group's management, they gained massive popular support. The company even announced plans to station superheroes long-term in cities.

At this moment, inside Stark Tower—

Tony had finally charged Deadpool's temporal device to full power and even managed to create a duplicate.

That meant Deadpool could finally leave this world and return to his own.

When Tony brought the device to Stark Tower, called Wade over, and tossed it to him, Wade was so overjoyed he nearly cried.

He could finally go home.

But before leaving, he had a few things to take care of.

Like fixing his face, visiting a certain friend… and killing a certain someone.

When Clark received Tony's call and teleported instantly to them, Wade grinned mischievously, pulled off his mask, and shoved his scarred face right in front of Clark.

With an exasperated sigh, Clark pushed Wade's face away.

"Back off."

Wade pouted and pointed to his face. "Mission accomplished. My face is in your hands now, my dear Mr. Clark Kent."

Clark sighed helplessly, drew a "Perfect Hands" card, and restored Wade's face.

Wade cupped his cheeks with both hands—and actually started crying.

This was, without a doubt, the greatest reward of his multiversal journey.

Spreading his arms wide, Wade hugged Clark tightly in thanks, even puckering his lips to kiss his face.

Clark's mouth twitched. He smacked Wade hard, sending him flying, and vanished in a blink.

"Heh heh!"

Touching his newly restored face, Wade grinned foolishly as he climbed back to his feet—only for his expression to suddenly change.

"Oh crap! I forgot something important!"

"Hm?" Tony looked at him, puzzled.

Wade pulled a bitter face. "I should've had Clark Kent fix my whole body."

Tony's face twitched. "The moment you said that… was the moment you signed your death warrant."

(End of Chapter)