He walked to the massive floor-to-ceiling window, looking down at the bustling, noisy metropolis below, where cars flowed like rivers and pedestrians scurried like ants.
It only took him one day to go from a dilapidated apartment in Queens to a luxurious suite in Manhattan.
The ups and downs of life were never more evident than this.
Was this what it truly felt like to cling to Tony Stark, a cosmic-level sugar daddy?
William couldn't help but grin, smiling like a child who had received a beloved toy.
Although the reason was a bit self-deprecating—"I don't want my consultant to look like a hobo"—he accepted this "onboarding gift package"!
And he accepted it with a clear conscience, without any guilt.
After all, he was providing a unique "Super Hero Exclusive Claims Service" that spanned across all realms and Universes.
Future risks would only become more numerous, greater, and more thrilling.
And his value would rise accordingly.
He took out his phone, took a deep breath, and with trembling hands, logged into the online banking for the new bank card.
Happy had included the initial account information in the document envelope.
When he saw the long string of zeros in the account balance, more than the zeros in that place.
William felt the colors of the entire World brighten considerably, and even his breathing became smoother.
"A new beginning…"
He murmured to himself, his eyes gleaming with an unprecedented light.
"Well then, Mr. Stark, I look forward to our next 'in-depth negotiation' and the 'full-cycle protection plan' for your flying armor."
The next day.
William opened his eyes, and the morning light gently streamed through the large floor-to-ceiling window, falling softly on the expensive Egyptian cotton sheets.
The scent lingering at his nose was no longer the familiar mix of mold and cheap air freshener from his Queens rental.
Instead, there was a faint aroma of coffee wafting from the brand-new, fully automatic coffee machine in the kitchen, which he hadn't quite figured out how to use yet.
He stretched, a hint of lazy contentment in his movements.
He casually pressed a button on the bedside labeled "Morning Mode," and soft music gently flowed as the curtains automatically adjusted to the optimal light-filtering angle.
This, damn it, was living!
A million-dollar advance lay quietly in his bank account.
That long string of zeros was so clear that he couldn't help but grin every time he looked at it.
William walked barefoot on the cool, smooth black walnut floor to the window.
Below him was the gradually awakening city, and Central Park in the distance was like a giant emerald embedded in the concrete jungle.
This feeling of looking down on all living things was a World apart from the ant-like insignificance he felt when looking up at Stark Tower from the street.
He poured himself a steaming cup of coffee from the machine and took a sip.
The slightly bitter liquid slid down his throat, leaving a rich aftertaste.
"Damn rich people,"
William murmured, but the corners of his mouth couldn't help but turn up.
"But I like it!"
Just as he was immersed in this decadent comfort, almost humming a tune, and even starting to ponder whether to buy the latest game console.
A cold, mechanical prompt suddenly blared in his mind without warning, startling him so much that he almost dropped the cup.
[Ding!]
William's hand, holding the coffee cup, trembled violently, and a few drops of hot coffee splashed onto the back of his hand, but he didn't notice.
It's here! It's finally here!
He took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down.
[Detected client "Peter Parker" submitted a claim application for "Teenage Accidental Injury Experience Insurance (Community Edition)."]
Peter Parker?
This future good neighbor, the coolest guy on the streets of New York, finally decided to "file a claim."
He put down the coffee cup, walked to the seemingly expensive Italian leather sofa in the center of the living room, and sat down, sinking into the soft cushions, his posture relaxed, but his eyes held a subtle focus and anticipation.
"Details," he thought to himself.
[Claim Application Details: Client Peter Parker, on his way home from school yesterday afternoon, due to "acting heroically" (system note: preventing a street robbery, the target being a knife-wielding robber attempting to snatch a passerby's handbag), sustained a minor sprain to his right wrist, and the cover of his second-hand textbook "Principles of Physics (Third Edition)" was torn, with some pages stained.]
[Client uploaded photo evidence: one photo of a swollen wrist (peculiar selfie angle), three photos of the damaged textbook (corners looked like they'd been chewed by a dog).]
[System Preliminary Assessment: Meets the scope of coverage for "Teenage Accidental Injury Experience Insurance (Community Edition)."]
[Loss Assessment: Wrist sprain (minor), medical advice: cold compress, immobilization, estimated recovery time 24 hours; textbook damage 27%, slight impact on reading, but considering the client's family situation and the importance of textbooks for learning, it is recommended to appropriately increase compensation.]
William looked at the crooked "selfie" of the swollen wrist displayed on the system panel, and the clearly well-worn textbook with yellowing, curled pages, and couldn't help but twitch the corner of his mouth.
It really was… a simple and unpretentious reason for a claim, with a touch of student-specific embarrassment.
Compared to Tony Stark's high-end, classy reasons like "palladium poisoning," "flying armor technical risks," or "Battle of New York after-effects," this was child's play.
But this was exactly what he needed.
Many a little makes a mickle; many grains of sand make a tower.
Moreover, this "kid" was going to be an extraordinary figure in the future, and this small investment now would yield much more than just money later.
"This kid truly embodies 'with great power comes great responsibility,' even though his power isn't that great yet, he's already taken on the responsibility,"
William mused, feeling even more resonance with this future Super Hero.
[Approve claim?]
"Approve."
William didn't hesitate.
"Claim amount: sprain subsidy increased to 80 U.S. dollars, textbook repair fund 50 U.S. dollars. Consider it the first sponsorship for a future Super Hero."
[Claim processing… Claim amount adjusted according to host's instructions.]
[Claim successful!]
[Client "Peter Parker" will receive "Community Care Sprain Subsidy" of 80 U.S. dollars, and "Learning Supplies Repair Fund" of 50 U.S. dollars. The relevant funds have been paid to his guardian, May Parker's bank account through an anonymous channel.]
[Congratulations, Host! You have successfully completed the first claim service for client "Peter Parker."]
[Extracting client ability…]
William's breathing subconsciously slowed a little, and his heart uncooperatively began to beat faster.
Here it comes, the main event!
Peter Parker's ability… Spider-Sense?
Super strength?
Or that damned wall-crawling adhesion?
Whichever it was, it would be a qualitative leap for him!
[Ability extraction successful!]
[Congratulations, Host! You have obtained a random ability from "Peter Parker"—[Danger Prediction (Elementary)]]
[Ability Description: [Danger Prediction (Elementary)]: Passive ability.
Can vaguely sense "malicious acts" or "accidents" targeting oneself within a five-meter radius that possess minor to moderate physical harm, 2-3 seconds in advance.
Note: This ability is ineffective against non-physical dangers, mental attacks, and threats outside the Perception range.]
A faint but clear sensation of electricity instantly surged through his cerebral cortex, then integrated into his limbs and bones, as if an invisible layer of sensory tendrils had been added to his nerve endings.
William blinked, subconsciously looking around. The living room was quiet, and the sun was just right.
He tried to concentrate but felt nothing unusual.
"2 to 3 seconds?
Five-meter radius?
Minor to moderate physical harm?"
Just then, he prepared to get up and retrieve the coffee-splashed cup. His fingers were just about to touch the cool glass when a very vague thought suddenly flashed through his mind—
"Slippery!"
It was almost an instinctive reaction; his fingers subconsciously adjusted their angle, firmly gripping the cup.
And it was only at the moment he picked up the cup that he noticed a small puddle of the recently splashed coffee liquid on the outer bottom of the cup.
If he had followed his original motion, there was indeed a high probability that it would have slipped.
William looked at the cup in his hand, then at his fingers which had subconsciously adjusted, and a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes.
"Interesting!"
Although it was just an insignificant premonition, and the target was only a potentially slipping cup, this undoubtedly proved the effectiveness of [Danger Prediction (Elementary)]!
In a critical moment, those few seconds in advance might just be the difference between life and death!