Just thinking about it made Tony Stark's head throb even more. The Hollywood screenwriters beyond the fourth wall had probably just pitched an interactive idea to boost box office sales or ratings. But for those living in this reality, it was a massive headache.
A speedster from another universe? That alone sounded like a logistical nightmare.
"Don't these screenwriters have anything better to do?" Tony muttered, feeling like his skull was about to split open.
It was as if he had to clean up the mess created by a bunch of careless writers, constantly dealing with the problems they conjured out of thin air. Just the thought of it was infuriating.
"Sir, from a theatrical perspective, an Omnic Crisis has always been a recurring theme in Hollywood," J.A.R.V.I.S. pointed out.
"Well, regardless of Hollywood's obsession, I won't let an Omnic Crisis break out under my watch," Tony said firmly. "I don't even want to imagine how many people would die if it did."
Now, he understood why Luo Chen had said that Iron Man was destined to struggle with happiness.
If someone had to deal with this kind of pressure every day, how could they ever truly be happy?
"J.A.R.V.I.S., create another file," Tony ordered. "Title it 'Magic and Witchcraft.' Search the web for any research related to those topics. If my armor is only capable of defending against physical attacks, I'll be at a disadvantage against supernatural threats.
"Supercriminals with supernatural abilities would be impossible to stop with just technology."
Luo Chen had mentioned a girl capable of killing across universes—that kind of power was beyond anything modern science could explain. In fact, even with hundreds of years of technological advancement, it still might not be possible.
"File created, sir," J.A.R.V.I.S. confirmed.
"This Luo Chen… he always gives half the story and leaves out the most important parts!" Tony said, exasperated.
"Is this Omei really that powerful?"
At school, Gwen read through the latest diary entry, feeling a mix of awe and worry.
The world was becoming increasingly dangerous—people from other universes, speedsters, and who knew what else.
"This means Dad's job is going to get even more dangerous..." she thought, her concern deepening.
As a regular student, she was relatively safe. But her father was the chief of the NYPD. Any crime that took place in New York City ultimately became his responsibility.
And if supercriminals emerged, he would likely be on the front lines.
How could she not worry?
"In the future… am I really going to be Spider-Woman?" Gwen mused. "But how do I even become Spider-Woman?"
For the first time, she felt a deep desire for power.
If possible, she wanted the strength to protect her family in this increasingly dangerous world.
"What's Mr. Luo doing right now?"
She wondered.
At that moment, Luo Chen was, as always, waiting for Tony Stark to get himself into trouble—so he could reap the benefits.
But today was also the day of his second lottery draw. Another seven days had passed, which meant it was time to test his luck again.
Following an ancient Chinese tradition, Luo Chen bathed, burned incense, and washed his hands in a golden basin, cleansing himself of any bad luck. Then, he commanded the system, "System, start the lottery draw!"
The compass in front of him began to spin rapidly before finally coming to a stop.
[Superman's Glasses! (Clark Kent's super-practical disguise. Once worn, people will completely ignore your true appearance—a must-have item for any superhero!)]
Luo Chen nearly spat out his tea.
Had he used up all his luck on the first lottery draw?
Or was he just destined to be stuck with Superman-related prizes?
But seriously—Superman's glasses?
Of course, he knew about them. Everyone knew about them.
When Superman put on those glasses, even people who saw him every day couldn't recognize that he was the Man of Steel.
Take them off, and he was the world's greatest superhero—the symbol of hope, the indestructible god among men.
Put them on, and he was just a mild-mannered, handsome reporter.
People had joked for years that these glasses weren't just an accessory but some sort of causal manipulation device—not only did they hide Superman's appearance, but they also seemingly altered people's perception of reality.
Luo Chen had been hoping for something truly powerful this time—a mystical weapon, a divine artifact, a new ability like a Sharingan or Conqueror's Haki.
And instead… he got glasses.
How ridiculous.
"Did I mess up my reincarnation settings or something?" Luo Chen grumbled. "How come every other protagonist is insanely lucky, but I keep pulling nonsense like this?"
He envied those "European Emperors"—the protagonists who always had absurdly good luck in these stories.
But after a moment, he reconsidered.
"Actually… these might not be so bad," Luo Chen mused. "With these glasses, I won't need to bother covering my face when I go out to fight crime."
Superman used them to hide his identity. Why couldn't Luo Chen do the same?
Of course, in Superman's case, he wore the glasses in his daily life and removed them when acting as a hero.
For Luo Chen, it would be the opposite.
To be honest, he was already getting annoyed by the random nicknames people had started giving him.
"Masked Man."
What kind of lame superhero name was that?
Couldn't they have come up with something cooler?
That had to change.
Of course, the main reason he wanted to hide his identity was to protect his personal life.
If he ever had a family in this world—children, a spouse—he didn't want them to be in danger because of him. If his identity was exposed, it could bring nothing but trouble.
Right now, his daily routine was simple: write in his diary, enjoy the sun, keep the neighborhood safe, and wait for Tony Stark to get himself arrested.
That was all.
Luo Chen sighed and withdrew his reward. Though he was a little disappointed, he wasn't in a rush.
After all, he could enter the lottery every seven days—four times a month. He had plenty of chances.
Besides, there were still at least ten or twenty years before Thanos showed up.
No need to panic.
Luo Chen put on the glasses and took out his phone to snap a quick selfie.
He still looked exactly the same… but somehow, it felt like he was a completely different person.
Yep. Definitely causal manipulation glasses.
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