American comics: Starting with Luke the Maker

"What a great harvest!"

Looking at the at least three hundred or so ninjas tied up, Nick's expression remained calm, but he was practically overjoyed inside. He vigorously patted Phil Coulson on the shoulder, stepping forward to thank Thor and the other helpful allies for their great assistance, while mentally calculating how much good stuff these ninjas could be exchanged for from Luke, according to the agreement he and Luke had discussed, as well as the discounts on new equipment.

The final result of his mental calculation was a number that made him smile from ear to ear.

There was no other way, now that Luke had added a unique added value to the cutting-edge equipment produced by his Hebron, and simply relying on money was no longer enough for him. Of course, Nick could still find a way to rely solely on money, but he could be sure that Luke would ask for a very high price, so high that even he would feel uneasy.

This batch of ninjas had clearly solved some of Nick's pressing needs.

"Should we send them to Hebron?" Phil knew about his superior's deal with Hebron; the previous batch of wristband equipment had been purchased with these ninjas.

"Of course," Nick nodded, but reminded, "But remember to keep a few."

If possible, Nick certainly wouldn't give up the path of independent research and production; he always had to prepare for a rainy day. He couldn't abandon S.H.I.E.L.D.'s ongoing research just because the cooperation with Luke was in its honeymoon period, or because Luke's technology was getting better and better. Whether it was vampires, ninjas, or dragon bones, even if it was just for show, Nick wouldn't give up internal research.

Watching Thor and the others in the camp, who had picked up a bottle of wine and were already showing off their achievements, Nick also breathed a sigh of relief. Although one of the Hand's high-level members had escaped from the villa, failing to achieve complete success, Nick was already satisfied. This time, the Hand's power in this city had been severely damaged, leaving only a group of stragglers, which also meant that S.H.I.E.L.D. had won the final victory in this underground war.

As for the possible counterattacks and confrontations that might follow?

Nick had foreseen this, but he wasn't worried. The other side had just suffered a painful defeat, and whether it was regrouping and preparing for a counterattack or something else, it would take time. And the longer the timeline, the greater S.H.I.E.L.D.'s advantage. He already understood that the Hand's ninjas required time to train, and the process was extremely strict. This also meant that the Hand couldn't have too many ninjas. The operation of their organization mostly relied on ordinary people. Ninjas could only serve as elites.

The three hundred or so ninja prisoners in front of him might not be a complete annihilation for the Hand, but it was bound to be a major blow. In the short term, they could only hide and lick their wounds in the underground world under S.H.I.E.L.D.'s frantic attacks. And S.H.I.E.L.D. could use this time to mass-produce another batch of so-called beast series equipment metal wristbands, raising the combat effectiveness of its agents.

……

Hebron.

Phil handed a piece of paper to Snoke, who was in charge of the handover.

"Please sign, two hundred and twenty-two ninjas," Phil said with a smile.

Snoke signed the paper handed over by Phil after his team members had checked the number of people and probed the energy in their bodies one by one, and found that there were no people who were there to make up the numbers.

"Take them to the lab."

Watching Phil leave with his men, Snoke gave orders to his security teams. He wouldn't have any sympathy or other emotions for these ninjas. As the head of security for Hebron, and the armed leader who solved some private troubles for Luke, Luke hadn't hidden many things from him in many matters. The secret information he could access was unimaginable to others.

In Snoke's view, these ninjas, whose hands were stained with countless blood, were no different from vampires.

……

"Quiet said Fury captured more than three hundred ninjas?" Luke looked at the number of ninjas entering the laboratory listed by the White Queen, turned his head and asked Venom, who was a pile of black mud beside him.

"Yes, and by the way, she said that her reward as a spy is a serving of [bitter] food. Recently, she's been a little tired of eating the dopamine of the host's love, and wants to change the taste," Venom stuck out his head.

"That's good. I thought Nick would only send half of the prisoners, but it turned out to be two-thirds. This is a good result." Although he only got two hundred and twenty-two ninjas, Luke didn't have any dissatisfaction. After all, this time he didn't pay anything except selling a little equipment. Instead, S.H.I.E.L.D. paid all the price for this.

S.H.I.E.L.D. was at the forefront.

S.H.I.E.L.D. sacrificed its manpower.

And then he reaped a lot of benefits. What could he be dissatisfied with?

Besides, those remaining ninjas might still be Nick's unwilling attempt to research something, but Luke didn't think he could really research similar equipment. It wasn't that he didn't believe in or look down on S.H.I.E.L.D.'s scientific research strength. After all, they also had a lot of self-developed black technology weapons. It's just that expertise is in a specialized field. What's more, even if the other party really gritted their teeth and desperately researched something, perhaps Luke's version would have been updated and replaced several generations ago.

So Luke believed that as long as they were still alive, those ninjas would eventually return to him from Nick's hands through bargaining, just like the vampires.

Technology monopoly is so confident.

……

"Do you think emotion is a type of energy that can be collected?"

One day, after consuming another material, Luke suddenly had an inspiration and asked Venom.

"Are you asking me?"

Venom, who was devouring a soul crystal the size of a fingernail, was confused by the question. He stuck out his head, stretched out a tentacle that turned into a finger, pointed at himself, and asked blankly.

"Otherwise? Who else here can answer my question besides you?" Luke asked Venom while having the White Queen clean the laboratory.

"But I'm not a scientist," Venom said with a look of grievance, "I've only parasitized some combat personnel. If you ask me how to do bad things, how to gnaw on people's brains, then I have experience. The only normal person I've parasitized is that reporter, Eddie Brock."

"That's where you're wrong. You've forgotten a very important person," Luke shook his head.

"Who?" Venom tilted his head.

"Tony Stark," Luke reminded him.

"Oh, right, that arrogant, tsundere guy. Actually, I quite like him. His personality is very similar to mine. If possible, I'd like to spend more time with him. Can you give me a vacation? Let me visit him," Venom suddenly realized, he recalled the person who had argued with him, who liked to hide in a suit of iron armor.