Lock shook his head and said, "No more gambling. I have no interest now."
"Hmph! Then you can't leave."
"Oh? You still want to stop us?" Lock looked at the two men who had killed Matt. "Just them?"
They couldn't even break through Black Widow and Daisy's defense just now. Could it be that the casino didn't see the difference in strength?
The old man in the Tang suit said, "You use your superpowers to rob ordinary people's casinos. That's equivalent to robbery. Aren't you afraid of being sent to the super prison?"
"You also know about the Super Prison?"
Everyone looked at General Ross. Wasn't the super prison a top-secret facility?
To keep it secret, it had even been sunk to the bottom of the ocean.
How could everyone know about it now?
General Ross looked embarrassed and said, "Must've been during downtime. Those idiots went out drinking and talked too much. We'll deal with them when we get back."
Daisy scolded, "Your casinos are really overbearing! We win your money, and now it's called robbery? Who came up with that rule?"
The old man in the Tang suit said, "This is the rule set by S.H.I.E.L.D. If you're not convinced, go argue with them."
"Uh…" Daisy was stunned and turned to look at Hill and Fury—only to realize she might've just cursed her own people.
Hill nodded and said, "There are indeed such rules. They're not formal laws yet, but S.H.I.E.L.D. issued them for superpowered individuals."
"The general idea is that people with superpowers are not allowed to use their powers to harm ordinary people or take their money."
"But they can use their abilities to work and earn an income."
No wonder those two flashy thugs were working as the casino's muscle. They probably didn't dare do evil elsewhere, so they could only be hired as superpowered bodyguards.
After all, not many superpowered people dared to go against S.H.I.E.L.D.
Lock said, "These rules are reasonable. People with powers are still human. Just because they have strength beyond ordinary people doesn't mean they can do evil. I support it."
With just a few words—"I support it"—Fury's face lit up instantly.
Having the personal approval of King Lock gave those rules enormous weight.
Later, they could draft a more detailed version and implement it in Lock's name. Who would dare to object then?
The old man in the Tang suit suddenly felt uneasy as he listened.
What did "we issued these rules for superpowered individuals" mean?
There weren't many people qualified to say such words.
Seeing that Lock and his group were about to leave, the old man hurriedly motioned for his two men to block the way.
"If you want to leave, you'll have to wait for S.H.I.E.L.D. to arrive. Whether this counts as robbery or not isn't up to you."
Lock said calmly, "We don't want the chips. Move."
Using the power of luck to win money—was that luck or a superpower?
If one couldn't control it, it would count as luck.
But if one could control it, then it clearly fell under the category of superpowers.
In that case, Lock couldn't go against the very rules he supported.
This trip had already brought him plenty. The twenty billion dollars didn't matter. He didn't feel like wasting energy arguing with a casino.
The old man in the Tang suit thought Lock was afraid, so he didn't move aside.
"If you just walk out like that, others will think our casino bullies people. You'll wait for S.H.I.E.L.D. to judge the situation."
Lock didn't say another word. He waved his hand, and the two thugs were lifted into the air and flung backward.
They struggled, only to find their bodies weak and their powers sealed. They couldn't move at all.
Lock was about to leave when suddenly—an axe, glowing with golden light, flew in from the entrance with d roar.
"If you dare use your powers to rob, are you looking down on S.H.I.E.L.D.?"
A booming voice followed as an armed squad entered.
The leader was none other than the Asgardian blacksmith—Haus.
The team behind him was equipped with enchanted gear, the kind that let mortals subdue superpowered beings.
The old man in the Tang suit shouted, "Mr. Haus! These people used their powers to rob the casino—twenty billion dollars!"
Lock caught the axe with one hand and said evenly, "Haus, long time no see."
Haus froze instantly.
Hearing that voice, his entire demeanor changed from fierce commander to humble servant.
He jogged forward with a grin and half-knelt before Lock. "Prince, why is it you, sir?"
"I just came for some fun. I thought you were a blacksmith—why are you leading field teams now?"
Haus hurriedly replied, "My physical fitness is higher than that of Earthlings, and most powered people can't match me. There are too many cases lately, not enough manpower, so the Director asked me to lead a capture team."
Although he'd lost his underworld freedom, his position now was far better than hammering metal in Asgard.
In truth, Haus quite enjoyed the respect.
As he spoke, his eyes widened—recognizing Fury, Hill, and the others despite their disguises.
Fury's bald head now wore a wig, and Hill's hair was longer, but Haus was S.H.I.E.L.D. staff—how could he not recognize them?
He quickly saluted. "Director. Deputy Director."
With King Lock here, plus the Director and Deputy Director, it wasn't hard to figure out the rest.
"Hey Steve, Natasha—you're here too," Haus greeted cheerfully.
The old man in the Tang suit suddenly felt breathless.
He knew Captain Haus of S.H.I.E.L.D.—even had his number. That's how he'd called him so quickly.
But seeing Haus kneel to one man and call him "Prince," while addressing the others as "Director" and "Deputy Director," even a fool could tell who stood above them all.
The old man's face turned pale. He knelt heavily, pressed his hands together over his head, and performed a perfect Eastern kowtow.
"Your Highne—"
"Just call me Mr. Tang," Lock interrupted lightly.
"Yes, Mr. Tang." The old man stammered, "My master was an Oriental. He taught me martial arts—I'm half Eastern myself."
He instinctively tried to link himself to Lock, hoping for some connection.
Even if Lock wouldn't kill him, it didn't hurt to build goodwill.
Lock glanced at him.
No wonder his bow was so precise. He'd clearly studied real Eastern traditions.
Most Western students who paid to learn martial arts barely understood the rituals, but this one had obviously been a true disciple.
Lock said, "There's no need for such a grand ceremony. In the East, unless one is worshiping heaven, earth, or parents, such a bow is unnecessary."
The old man didn't mind being older than Lock and replied respectfully, "Even if my master were here, he would salute you. I must offer my respects."
Lock laughed heartily. "I don't know how skilled you are in martial arts, but your flattery captures the essence of the East perfectly."
"I only came to this casino to verify a few cultivation insights. Now that the misunderstanding is cleared, I'll take my leave."
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A/N: Advanced Chapters Have Been Uploaded On My Patreon
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