New Equipment

Wu Yanzu stood in front of the screen, his back to everyone, watching the constantly scrolling videos.

"If we don't find them, if we don't put them under the spotlight and monitor them..."

"That silver-haired kid might rob a bank. That self-healing lunatic might become a killer."

"And now..." Wu Yanzu turned around, opened his arms as if embracing the approaching storm, "They are on my show, confined to my rules."

"In this system, only those who follow the rules can climb up."

"This is called... 'entertainment-based co-optation'."

Tony Stark looked at Wu Yanzu with a complex expression. He picked up the bottle and filled Wu Yanzu's glass with wine.

"But I also have a piece of advice for you, Anthony."

Tony's eyes sharpened.

"When you gaze into the abyss, the abyss also gazes into you. These guys... you'd better keep them in check."

"If one day they get out of control," Tony pointed to himself, then to Steve, "we'll stop you. Whether we're friends or not."

Wu Yanzu looked at Tony and raised his glass.

"I look forward to that day, Tony. But that day... will never come."

……

The party lasted until 2 a.m.

Pepper helped a slightly tipsy Tony back to his room.

Steve politely said goodbye and rode off into the snow on his Harley.

Wu Yanzu also had the driver take them back to Jessica's residence.

Jessica stood in front of the door, looking at the still brightly lit street.

"I have to go," she said. "I have training tomorrow."

"No rush."

Wu Yanzu walked up to her and handed her something.

It was a small gift box.

Jessica was stunned for a moment: "What?"

"Open it and take a look."

Jessica took the box with suspicion and opened it.

There was a key lying inside.

A seemingly ordinary brass key with a leather clasp without any logo hanging on it.

"This is?"

"An old brownstone apartment building in Brooklyn," Wu Yanzu said softly, looking out the window. "Top floor, with a rooftop terrace. Great view, you can see the bridge."

"And... it's very close to where you lived when you were a child, but it's brand new."

"I don't……"

"Don't rush to refuse," Wu Yanzu interrupted her. "This isn't a perk the boss gives to his employees."

He turned his head and looked into Jessica's eyes.

"Your run-down apartment has only a mattress and bottles scattered all over the floor. That's not a home, Jessica. That's a refuge."

"You need a place where you can get a good night's sleep. A place... with windows, sunshine, and no musty smell."

"Consider it... preparation for your independent film." Wu Yanzu shrugged. "After all, Queen Jones can't live in a garbage dump; if the paparazzi take pictures, it will affect the box office and popularity."

Jessica was holding the key.

The sharp edges of the metal pressed against her palm, yet strangely, they gave her a sense of security.

She wanted to say some harsh words, like "I don't need your charity," and "I have money, I can buy it myself."

But when she looked into Wu Yanzu's seemingly casual yet concerned eyes, all those words stuck in her throat.

Tonight's party, the conversations about orphans, the warmth of eggnog, and this key...

Her heart, which had been as hard as iron, was now wrapped in a layer of soft cotton.

"...How is the rent calculated?" She hesitated for a long time before finally managing to utter this question.

Wu Yanzu smiled.

"It'll be deducted from your appearance fee. Don't worry, you're a high-income earner, we can afford it."

"snort."

Jessica put away the keys and clutched them tightly in her hand.

"Thanks... Boss."

She turned and walked toward the door, just as it was about to close.

Hey, Jessica.

Wu Yanzu called out to her.

Jessica turned around, a hint of barely perceptible expectation in her eyes.

"Merry Christmas," he said.

Jessica's lips finally curled into an uncontrollable smile. It was a smile without any burden.

Merry Christmas, Anthony.

The door closed.

Wu Yanzu stood alone on the empty street.

A system notification sounded!

Ding! Special popularity points gained: +20000 (from Jessica Jones)

Current special popularity value: 59500

"Hehe! Very good! As expected of me! Jessica is truly a treasure girl." Azu couldn't help but grin wickedly.

……

In the distance, a stealthy Quinjet fighter jet hovers above the clouds.

Nick Fury, holding binoculars, watched the frenzied registration process, his single eye filled with gloom.

"Sir, the number of applicants has exceeded 150,000," Hill's voice came through the communicator. "Among them, there are at least a hundred... who are true superhumans."

"He's assembling troops." Fury lowered his binoculars.

"We need to speed things up."

Fury glanced at the number that kept changing on the screen.

"Initiate the Avengers expansion plan."

"We need more people. Since he's going to use a human wave tactic..."

"...Then we'll play along to the end."

……

In January in New York, the air carries a damp, rusty smell.

Half of the snow had melted, and mixed with the stench of car exhaust and garbage heaps, it turned into puddles of nauseating black mud.

For most New Yorkers, this is the most difficult season.

But for the newly established "Queen Jones," this was just an insignificant backdrop in her hellish schedule.

I was woken up by that damn alarm clock at 6:00 AM. At 6:30 AM, I arrived at the Water Advanced Training Center.

"Listen, Your Majesty. For the next month, your schedule will be fuller than the President's."

Ashley handed Jessica a tablet, speaking at breakneck speed: "Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings are combat training, afternoons are media relations classes. Tuesday and Thursday are joint law enforcement operations; we'll be working with the NYPD's Special Operations Unit (ESU) and the FBI to combat superhuman crimes. Saturday is a fan meeting, and Sunday… oh, Mr. Homelander mercifully gave you half a day off on Sunday for a spa and skincare treatment."

"I don't need skincare, I need sleep." Jessica rolled her eyes and tossed the tablet back to Ashley.

……

Wotech International, Equipment R&D Department.

"This thing looks like a stage prop."

Jessica Jones was holding up a pair of silver-white metal arm guards and scrutinizing them critically under the light.

The arm protector is very light and is made of a special titanium alloy with a streamlined honeycomb pattern on the surface. The inner part that touches the skin is made of soft memory gel.

"Watch your words, Your Majesty."

Wu Yanzu leaned against the equipment rack, holding a cup of espresso in his hand, his eyes scanning the data stream on the tablet. "From now on, this will be your exclusive equipment."

He stepped forward and lightly tapped Jessica's forearm with his finger.

"Snap—!"

The arm guard instantly sensed the microcurrent signals from the muscles.

With a crisp mechanical snapping sound, the metal protective gear that originally only covered the forearm instantly unfolded and reassembled.

Countless tiny metal scales seemed to come alive, rapidly piecing together and snapping together in front of Jessica.