The viscous liquid from the exploded "pearl" dripped between Kingpin's fingers, splattering a small stain on the ground, and the cloying sweetness in the air seemed to momentarily freeze. The scene was incredibly awkward, as if a pause button had been pressed.
"Mil… Milk Tea…" The monstrous man's crimson eyes were fixed on Kingpin's large hand, which had so easily destroyed his "labor of love." His madness was mixed with a hint of instinctive fear and immense confusion. This wasn't right! Shouldn't the normal procedure be for the other party to panic and flee, or be smashed by his "pearls" and cry for their parents? What was with this burly man who looked like he'd wandered off a gangster movie set?
But the surging mutated energy within him and his extreme craving for milk tea quickly overwhelmed this sliver of reason. He let out an even more violent roar, no longer throwing from a distance, but like a gorilla whose banana had been stolen, he charged at Kingpin with his head down! His charging posture was uncoordinated, but the strength brought by his mutation made his footsteps land with a dull thud, and his momentum was quite terrifying.
The surrounding Police and onlookers gasped, some even closing their eyes in discomfort. In their eyes, although this suddenly appearing, spectacled (though the glasses looked remarkably tiny on his face) burly man had an astonishing physique, facing such an invulnerable, immensely powerful monster, his fate would likely be… However, Kingpin stood rooted to the spot, like a bedrock embedded in the earth. He even had time to inwardly quip, "System, does this count as 'unnecessary showboating'? The 'Hero Code of Conduct' doesn't seem to have this clause."
[Friendly Reminder: Host, this system is not yet officially activated, and relevant regulations are not binding. Please unleash your 'management' talent! Current target's emotional management ability: F-. Suggest 'forced calm' treatment.]
Just as the monster charged in front of him, at the moment his mutated arms were about to touch his expensive custom suit, Kingpin moved.
His movements were completely at odds with his massive physique—concise, efficient, and swift as lightning!
He didn't choose a flashy dodge or block, but instead stepped forward half a pace with his left foot, instantly exerting force from his core. His right arm, as thick as an ordinary person's thigh, shot out like a cannonball, arriving first despite starting later. A straightforward, no-frills, and utterly "convincing" straight punch landed precisely on the center of the monster's chest!
"Bang!!!"
A dull, teeth-grinding thud of flesh colliding rang out. It wasn't an explosion; it was more like a heavy hammer striking a sandbag.
The monster's forward momentum screeched to a halt, as if he had slammed into an invisible wall of pure, unadulterated power. The madness and ferocity on his face were instantly replaced by immense pain and bewilderment, his eyeballs almost bulging from their sockets. He opened his mouth wide but couldn't make any sound, only a trickle of white foam, mixed with milk tea color and saliva, oozed from the corner of his mouth.
He was sent flying backward, feet leaving the ground, like a discarded sack of rags, crashing heavily into the already dilapidated advertising stand of the milk tea shop, completely crushing the last of its metal framework. A series of clattering, shattering sounds, like the finale of a symphony, erupted.
Dust and debris flew into the air.
The entire street corner fell into a deathly silence.
Everyone stared at the scene, dumbfounded. The few Police officers, who had been at a loss, stood frozen with their batons and spray, as if they had just witnessed an extremely violent piece of performance art. The onlookers gaped, unable to make a sound.
One punch?
Just one punch?
The monster that had left several Police officers helpless and could conjure pearls out of thin air was swatted away like a fly by this giant man in glasses, with a single punch? The visual effect was more outrageous than a superhero movie!
Kingpin slowly retracted his fist, glancing at a sticky, milk tea-scented stain on his knuckles. He frowned slightly. He wondered how much extra it would cost to dry clean this. He strode towards the pile of rubble.
The monster lay amidst the shattered billboard and twisted metal, his body twitching slightly, his chest clearly caved in, several ribs evidently broken. The milk tea color on him was rapidly fading, and his swollen muscles deflated like a leaky balloon, returning him to the appearance of a somewhat scrawny young man. His face was pale, his eyes stared blankly at the sky, and he was still unconsciously mumbling, "Mil… Tea…"
Kingpin walked up to him and looked down from above. His massive Shadow completely enveloped the young man, creating an intense psychological pressure.
"Now," Kingpin's deep voice resonated, carrying an undeniable authority, similar to a teacher catching you playing with your phone in class, "do you still want to drink it?"
The young man's unfocused gaze sharpened on Kingpin's face, obscured by glasses but intensely oppressive. Fear instantly seized him. He shook his head violently, wincing in pain as the movement pulled at his injuries, but still used his last ounce of strength to rasp, "No… I won't drink it… I quit… I quit… Big Brother, I was wrong…"
He was truly terrified. That punch didn't just break his ribs; it shattered the madness and obsession born from his mutation. At this moment, he only wanted to be as far away from milk tea and this terrifying man as possible. What was brown sugar boba compared to his life?
[Target "Milk Tea Addict" has lost the will to resist. Threat neutralized.]
[Novice Experience Mission: A Small Test — Complete!]
[Mission rewards being settled…]
[Received: System Official Activation Energy x1, Points x100 (already merged into account), [Novice Happy Pack] has been opened in advance.]
[System core functions fully activated! Host officially bound! Hooray! ✿✿ヽ(°▽°)ノ✿]
[Current Points: 200]
As the system prompts faded, Kingpin could clearly feel that the blue system interface in his mind seemed to become more solid and stable. Some previously slightly blurry details became clear, and even the background color changed from the test version's light blue to a more textured, deep blue. More importantly, a faint but definite warm current appeared out of nowhere in his body, slowly circulating, dispelling the (almost negligible) fatigue from his recent exertion, and invigorating his spirit. Was this the so-called "System Official Activation Energy"?
He didn't dwell on this feeling for too long, as the real-World problems still needed to be handled.
The Police officers finally snapped out of it and cautiously approached. The leading officer looked at Kingpin, his eyes filled with awe and… a hint of bewilderment: "Sir… Sir, thank you for your… uh, 'help.' May I ask who you are…?"
Kingpin turned around, not answering the officer's question, but instead pointed to the young man on the ground, who had returned to his original state and was groaning in pain: "Call an ambulance. His injuries need to be treated." His tone naturally carried a commanding air, making the officer instinctively respond, "Yes, it's already been called."
Kingpin nodded, said no more, and strode towards his car parked not far away. The crowd automatically parted, and everyone looked at him with curiosity, fear, and a hint of… pure reverence for a strong individual.
Sitting back in the car, the driver had evidently also witnessed the scene just now, his hands trembling slightly on the steering wheel. He dared not ask any questions and immediately started the car.
The car smoothly drove away from the chaotic street.
Inside the car, Kingpin took off his somewhat useless disguise glasses and rubbed his brow. The first "mission" was complete, not with the grand spectacle he had imagined, but with a… absurd sense of fatigue. He, Kingpin, the underground emperor of New York, had personally "physically persuaded" a milk tea-addicted young man, all to activate an alien (?) system with a rather snarky tone.
Who would believe this story if he told it?
But the system prompts and the credited points were real, and the warm current within him was also real. He opened the system interface, looked at the 200 points, and then at the items in the shop, which cost tens of thousands. He realized this was indeed just the beginning.
[Detecting Host's successful handling of the first anomalous event. System functions further unlocked. Celebrate with flowers!]
["Hero Roster" function unlocked (no recruitable targets yet, but you can start making PPTs and drawing up plans!).]
["Association Construction" function unlocked (preview available, welcome to start your SimCity journey!).]
Kingpin clicked on "Association Construction," and several gray module icons appeared: [Headquarters Base], [Logistics Support Center], [Hero Evaluation Room], [Equipment Research Department]… Each module was labeled with astronomical point and resource requirements.
His gaze swept over these modules, finally resting on the 200 points.
The road ahead was long, but this start… seemed not bad? At least it was more interesting than battling the Police and Daredevil.
He leaned back in his seat, closed his eyes, and involuntarily began to strategize. The first mission was complete, the system officially activated, and he had gained initial resources and permissions. Next, he needed to consider how to truly bring this "Hero Association," which only existed in his mind, into this World.
First, he needed a legitimate shell, a platform that could openly recruit "employees" and undertake "business." Managing superheroes like a corporation? It sounded like a hell-difficulty challenge, but… it strangely sparked a desire for challenge.
A barely perceptible curve, tinged with amusement and interest, formed on Kingpin's lips.