Not long after, Loren returned to Morgan Manor with Wanda and Quicksilver.
Gazing at the magnificent castle hall—more akin to a royal palace than a private residence—Wanda couldn't help but grow increasingly curious about Loren's true identity.
"Boss… who are you, exactly?" she asked, eyes wide. "Is this actually your home? It's enormous—and so luxurious!"
Wanda's childhood had never been easy. After her parents were killed by Stark Industries' missiles, life grew even harsher for her and her brother. Though they later found shelter under Baron Strucker and Hydra, they'd lived frugally, surviving day by day. Extravagance like this—marble floors, gilded chandeliers, portraits lining corridors that seemed endless—was something people from their background wouldn't dare dream of, let alone experience.
Of course, Wanda wasn't vain. She asked out of genuine shock and curiosity, not envy.
Before Loren could answer, Tifa chimed in with a playful smirk, "The boss is a rich man who only worries about how high the sun is in the sky."
"The sun is high?" Wanda blinked in confusion. "What does that even mean?"
At that moment, 2B stepped forward. With a faint smile, she raised a hand, formed a loose fist, and slowly extended her index finger through the center of it.
"It means exactly what it looks like," 2B said calmly. "Understand?"
"…!"
Wanda's cheeks flushed crimson—not with lust, but with flustered embarrassment. She hadn't expected her mysterious new employer to have this side to him.
Still, after everything she'd been through, she'd learned one hard truth: people who seem perfect on the surface aren't always good—and those with obvious flaws aren't necessarily bad. Sometimes, they're just… human.
If he's staying up this late every night, she mused, glancing at Loren, his stamina must be insane.
Unbeknownst to her, the reason Loren was always awake until three in the morning was simple: he currently had only three companions by his side—2B, A2, and Tifa.
And "three" referred to their model numbers, not a personal limit.
If more joined, his nightly "efforts" might increase—but that was beside the point.
Hearing Tifa and 2B describe him like this, Loren cleared his throat, flustered. "Wanda, don't listen to them. I'm an upright person with a disciplined lifestyle! I don't smoke, I don't drink, and I have no bad habits whatsoever. I'm practically a model citizen."
From the corner of the room, 2B, A2, and Tifa exchanged knowing glances.
Then 2B raised three fingers solemnly. "Boss, repeat after me: 'I am sworn enemies with gambling, drugs, and prostitution. From this day forward, I will never touch them again.'"
Loren hesitated, then mumbled, "I'm sworn enemies with… uh… %YT&… gambling and drugs, from this day forward…"
"Boss!" 2B snapped. "You're cheating! That's not how it goes! It's prostitution, gambling, and drugs—in that order!"
"Alright, alright—I, Huang—"
"Stop right there!" Tifa cut in, arms crossed. "Since when are you 'Huang'? You're clearly deep in the grip of vice—gambling, drugs, and prostitution!"
"Oh! Wait—I just remembered!" Loren clapped his hands. "I have a critical research project! Urgent lab work! I must seclude myself immediately!"
With that flimsy excuse, he bolted toward the laboratory—dragging the still-unconscious Quicksilver behind him. Before disappearing, he called over his shoulder, "Tifa, please show Wanda around and get her settled in a comfortable room!"
Wanda watched him flee, torn between amusement and exasperation. She'd expected a cold, calculating strategist—not someone who could be this endearingly awkward.
"See?" 2B said, raising an eyebrow at Wanda. "Guilty as charged."
Just then, Loren's voice echoed from down the hall:
"2B—your lollipop reward for tonight is canceled. Tifa gets it instead. Maybe that'll teach you to gossip less."
"Ah?! Nooo!" 2B clutched her chest dramatically. "Boss, I repent! I'll never speak out of turn again! Please, not the lollipops—I can't live without them!"
Wanda turned to Tifa, puzzled. "But… you don't even eat lollipops. Why is 2B so upset?"
Tifa gave her a mysterious smile. "Because it's not an ordinary lollipop."
"Not ordinary? Then what is it?"
"I can't say more yet," Tifa replied, eyes twinkling. "But you'll find out soon enough… and you might even want one yourself."
"…???" Wanda stared, utterly baffled.
But before she could press further, her attention was captured by the manor's breathtaking architecture—the grand staircases, the stained-glass windows, the quiet hum of unseen technology beneath the marble floors. The mystery of the "lollipop" faded into the background.
---
Meanwhile, in the lab, Loren ignored 2B's distant wails and focused entirely on Quicksilver.
The speedster remained unconscious, his system flooded with Hydra's experimental chemicals. For most, detoxifying him would be a near-impossible task. But for Loren—armed with NieR: Automata's advanced biotech—it was routine.
After a quick scan confirmed Quicksilver's vitals, Loren synthesized a cleansing nanite serum and administered it intravenously. Within hours, the toxins would be purged, and Pietro would wake up good as new.
With that handled, Loren turned to a far more pressing matter: his System.
Over the past six months, he'd participated in key Marvel events—earning System Points through battles, alliances, and strategic interventions. Now, at last, he'd reached 100 points.
According to the System's rules, this unlocked the ability to draw a new dimensional world.
He'd already mastered NieR: Automata's technology—combat androids, anti-gravity drones, quantum processors—but to grow stronger, he needed fresh resources, new powers, and untapped realities.
It was time.
He activated the System interface:
[Host]: Loren Morgan
[Current Universe]: Marvel
[Integrated Dimension]: NieR: Automata
[Available Tech]: General-purpose combat androids, flight units, hacking drones, etc.
[System Points]: 100
[CONGRATULATIONS! You have reached 100 System Points. You may now draw a new dimensional world. Proceed?]
"Yes," Loren said without hesitation.
A holographic slot machine materialized before him. Symbols flashed rapidly—mythical beasts, futuristic cities, ancient runes—before slowing to a stop.
At last, one image emerged clearly: a blonde woman with piercing eyes and a regal bearing, standin
g atop a storm-wracked battlefield.
Loren's lips curved into a grin.
"Now this… could be interesting."
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