Ch.147 Joining the Avengers?

For Ronan, the most difficult challenge ahead of him was... make-up classes!

Yes, one-on-one tutoring with a private teacher.

How should I put it? The make-up classes were legitimate, and the teacher was also a legitimate teacher.

But Ronan couldn't slack off anymore.

If in a large classroom setting, Ronan could use various methods to slack off and even deploy his secret techniques at any time.

The general approach was: first, express doubt, then listen to the teacher, and finally have a sudden realization.

Ronan had mastered this technique in his past life during school and successfully applied it in society.

Think about it—whether it was a teacher or a boss, when they presented an idea, if you suddenly showed a doubtful expression on your face, they would think, "This kid actually doubts me?"

But at that moment, they wouldn't say anything.

Instead, they would continue explaining their point or the knowledge.

While listening, you maintained that doubtful expression, but with a gradual process of the doubt dissipating.

By the time the boss or teacher finished explaining everything, Ronan would put on a look of sudden realization.

"Ah, I see now!"

Then, he would shoot the teacher or boss a look of admiration.

At that point, whether it was the teacher or the boss, they would feel that you were worth nurturing and could keep up with their thinking.

But in reality?

Ronan was thinking about what to eat after class.

This method had worked flawlessly for Ronan in class, so he always left a good impression on his teachers.

But during one-on-one tutoring, Ronan couldn't do this anymore.

Because the tutor would habitually ask the student questions, and the only student was Ronan!

This was the most terrifying part!

So, Ronan couldn't think about what to eat for dinner anymore. Instead, he had to focus intently on the lesson.

Because the teacher could ask questions at any moment.

Of course, for American teachers, tutoring Ronan was voluntary—they didn't get paid for it.

Once class was over, their work was done, so they didn't actually have to tutor Ronan.

They could even refuse.

But perhaps because Ronan had always performed so well, in every teacher's mind, he was a good student.

So, they all agreed to tutor him.

Now, Ronan deeply regretted it!

If it had been a private tutor coming to his home to tutor him, Ronan might have even looked forward to it.

After all, private tutors... you know what I mean.

They know a lot.

After an hour of one-on-one tutoring, Ronan finally escaped this ordeal.

Although it was painful, he still had to thank the teacher.

Of course, his work wasn't over yet, because he had returned to school, so he still had to go to his internship at Stark Industries.

At Stark Industries, although Ronan's position was pretty much just for show—he could openly slack off and even receive a decent internship salary—it still wasn't as comfortable as being at home.

Arriving at Stark Tower, Ronan familiarized himself with his spot, turned on the computer, and...

"Hello, welcome to the supercomputer created by Tony Stark."

The sudden sound from the speakers startled Ronan!

Because it was Tony Stark's voice.

Then, a video appeared on the screen.

Tony Stark stood in the center of the screen, wearing an extremely flashy white suit.

"This supercomputer's processing power exceeds 99% of the computers in the world."

"It can also connect to any country's network, including private networks."

"Moreover, it stores a large amount of confidential data, and its defense capabilities are also top-notch."

Tony Stark in the video went on and on.

Ronan rolled his eyes and pressed the exit button several times, but the video didn't respond.

It seemed Tony Stark had anticipated Ronan skipping this part and even disabled the exit button.

He just wanted Ronan to watch the whole thing.

But Ronan had his own way—he simply turned off the monitor, unplugged the speakers, and prepared to play on his phone.

However, what he didn't expect was that Tony Stark could be so thorough.

"Oh, I knew you'd turn it off, but I didn't expect it to be so soon."

"Was it my handsome face that made you feel inferior?"

Tony Stark's voice came from above Ronan.

Ronan looked up and saw a speaker installed on the ceiling!

*Bang!*

*Crash!*

Ronan directly threw out a magic ring, cleanly smashing the speaker, then opened a portal, and the speaker accurately landed in the nearby trash can.

You have your tricks, I have mine.

This time, no more sound came out.

Ronan, satisfied, nestled into his chair and took out his phone.

Too bad it wasn't a sofa.

Thinking this, Ronan opened another portal and directly moved his single-person sofa here.

Sitting on the sofa, Ronan nodded in satisfaction.

The chair became a footrest, and he completely sank into the sofa.

Ah, so comfortable.

Ronan hummed contentedly and opened a live-streaming app on his phone, humbly learning dance techniques from various小姐姐 (young ladies).

Oh, this one in a short skirt is nice, especially that big turn—quite difficult!

And this one, her splits are too perfect, definitely a trained dancer. She'd definitely shine on stage or in bed.

Huh? Why is there a monk here?

Ronan scrolled through short videos for about half an hour, encountering many experienced "female bodhisattvas."

Most were wealthy and generous, with only a small fraction being generous but not wealthy.

"Hey, I'm paying you a salary, not for you to lounge around like this."

"Plus, you broke one of my speakers."

"Shouldn't you compensate me?"

Just as Ronan was about to immerse himself in the world of pink skeletons, Tony Stark couldn't take it anymore.

He felt that as a superhero, it was his duty to pull Ronan out of this decadent world.

Even though he had lived in that world for over a decade and quietly exited after having his fill.

"Then fire me."

"It's not like I asked you to hire me."

Ronan turned over, showing the back of his head to Tony Stark.

If Tony Stark could fire him, that would be great. With the time spent interning here, Ronan could have gone back to Kamar-Taj to read a few more books.

It was said that Ancient One had recently found a few ancient texts, and Ronan wanted to go back early to study them.

Compared to this meager internship salary, he'd rather go back and learn magic.

"If I fire you, wouldn't that be exactly what you want?"

"Besides, as the chairman of the company, I'm naturally magnanimous."

Tony Stark pulled over the chair Ronan had been using as a footrest and sat down without caring about the dirt.

Ronan glared at him.

"Yes, oh magnanimous chairman friend, could such a magnanimous person like you please stay away from me?"

"Don't disturb my studies."

Ronan turned back to continue admiring the impressive skills of the female bodhisattvas.

Huh, why is this one walking so shakily?

Too much jelly, huh?

"Your so-called studying is watching these women dance?"

"If you really want to learn about this, there's a party tomorrow night. I'll give you the invitation."

"You can tell people you're my personal consultant."

Tony Stark pulled out a gold-embossed invitation from his pocket.

It looked expensive.

Ronan's eyes lingered on the invitation for thirty seconds, then he smirked disdainfully.

"I have no interest in such parties."

"Don't test my resolve with these things."

Ronan pressed his face with one hand, turning it toward the phone.

Oh no, why do the female bodhisattvas not seem as appealing anymore?

"Really?"

"Rumor has it that several Hollywood A-listers will be at this party."

"Those influencers you're watching—if you just post this invitation online, they'll flood your DMs."

"How about it? Interested?"

Tony Stark smiled at Ronan.

Ronan sat up and rolled his eyes at Tony Stark.

"Do I look like that kind of person to you?"

"Just say what you need to say, and don't disturb my immersion in the online world."

Ronan sighed. He felt that every time he encountered Tony Stark, something unpleasant happened.

No matter which Tony Stark it was!!!

"About that Zola you asked me to look into yesterday, I have news."

Tony Stark dropped a bombshell.

News already? That fast?

Ronan raised an eyebrow. This was somewhat unexpected.

"How'd you get it so quickly?"

"Is it because you're getting old?"

Ronan posed a very reasonable question.

In response to Ronan's completely unreasonable slander, Tony Stark gave him an internationally friendly gesture.

"Alright, stop beating around the bush and just tell me."

"After you're done, I'll take you to my training grounds and let you experience what a real sorcerer is like."

Ronan wasn't impatient for the news; he just wanted to take Tony Stark to see the snowy mountains.

To let him experience what real snowy mountains were like.

He had no other virtues, but he kept his promises!

"I can't talk about it here."

"And it's not me who's going to tell you. Someone else knows more about it than I do."

Tony Stark stood up from the chair.

"Who?"

Ronan was curious.

"The person who's been wanting to meet you."

"Yesterday, when you asked me to look into this, the first person I thought of was Steve."

"He has something to discuss with you, and he happens to know something about the person you're looking for, so I set up a meeting."

Tony Stark shrugged, feeling quite pleased with himself.

Ronan, however, twitched his lips.

How should I put it? Tony Stark was a bit too clever, to the point of being annoying.

This way, he not only helped Ronan but also helped Steve Rogers, earning himself two favors.

A true win-win.

Well, he won twice by himself.

Although Ronan despised Tony Stark's approach, he didn't say much.

After all, he was the one asking for help, even if it felt like he was getting the short end of the stick.

The two took the elevator upstairs, where Steve Rogers was already sitting on the couch.

Seeing Ronan and Tony Stark step out of the elevator, he stood up.

"Steve, I've brought the person you wanted to meet."

Seeing Steve Rogers' puzzled expression, Tony Stark smiled.

Steve Rogers then turned his gaze to Ronan.

His eyes were full of doubt.

The guy who was so strong, took on three of us, and casually killed so many S.H.I.E.L.D. agents—no, Hydra agents—was this young kid?

"Hey, Steve, that look in your eyes reminds me of a lot of things."

"Are you thinking that the person who once defeated you is actually this young kid?"

Ronan smiled at Steve Rogers and extended his right hand.

Steve Rogers was slightly stunned but also extended his right hand to shake Ronan's.

"Nick once said you had mind-reading abilities. I thought it was a joke."

"But now, I'm starting to think he wasn't lying."

Steve Rogers looked at Ronan, half-joking.

But this joke felt more like a test.

"Mind-reading? If I could read minds, I'd know Tony's bank account password."

Ronan smiled and gave Tony Stark a meaningful look.

Tony Stark, who had been pouring drinks, suddenly stopped.

Ronan didn't even need to guess—Tony was probably thinking about his own bank account password.

But given his personality, he probably didn't even know it himself.

"Alright, I have to admit, meeting you is really surprising."

"No, I should say, when I found out that Mr. Fantastic was you, I couldn't believe it."

The two sat down on the couch, and Steve Rogers' gaze never left Ronan's face.

He was so young!

Thinking back to when he was this young, he was still suffering from American bullying in school.

If he hadn't joined the military, who knows how his life would have turned out.

"Let's not use that nickname; it's a bit too 'fantastic.'"

"Just call me Ronan."

Ronan was somewhat helpless about his nickname.

It had been given to him by someone he saved, and it spread like wildfire across America.

On one hand, he was a suddenly emerging superhero, and his abilities were magical in nature.

So, in America, he actually had quite a few fans.

Many people online claimed to be Mr. Fantastic, but almost all were debunked by the狂热 (fanatical) fans of Mr. Fantastic.

There were even people who publicly challenged Mr. Fantastic online.

Of course, these were just attention-seekers.

"I was also shocked when I first found out he was Mr. Fantastic."

"He really fooled me."

Tony Stark walked over with three cups.

Two of them contained alcohol, which he handed to Steve Rogers and himself. The last one was coffee, which he handed to Ronan.

"Minors are prohibited from drinking."

"My memory is good—you just turned sixteen, and New York law prohibits underage drinking."

"So, you'll have to stick to coffee."

Tony Stark raised an eyebrow at Ronan, clearly doing it on purpose.

Laws, especially in America, were mostly irrelevant to people at his level.

Moreover, while the law prohibited selling alcohol to minors, there were always minors who secretly drank.

"You're only sixteen?"

Steve Rogers was surprised again.

Earlier, he had thought Ronan looked young, but he assumed he was around twenty.

But he never expected Ronan to be only sixteen.

Still a minor!

"Yeah, but in another month, I'll be seventeen."

"Getting old, getting old."

Ronan shook his head, speaking as if it were a serious matter.

Steve Rogers and Tony Stark both darkened their expressions.

A seventeen-year-old calling himself old?

What did that make the two of them—one in his forties and the other a relic from the 1930s and 40s?

Of course, biologically, Steve Rogers was still a guy in his twenties.

Younger than Tony Stark!

"Let's get back to business."

"Steve, you can repeat what you told me earlier to him."

Tony Stark pointed at Ronan.

It seemed the two had discussed something before.

"How should I put this..."

"Actually, we don't know much about you. According to Tony, we don't even know your real address."

"So, based on that, my idea might be a bit too much to ask."

It had to be said, Steve Rogers' big heart was always at work.

Of course, the high-EQ way to say it was "big heart," while the low-EQ way would be...

"You can tell me, and if it's possible, we'll exchange information."

"You tell me everything you know about Zola."

Ronan didn't outright refuse.

After all, refusing without even hearing the other person's idea was something only a fool would do.

"I've always wanted to create a true superhero alliance."

"One that isn't controlled by the government, to avoid a lot of unnecessary trouble."

"The whole S.H.I.E.L.D. incident made me think a lot. I feel like we really need an army."

"An army that truly belongs to the superheroes."

Steve Rogers shared his idea.

Ronan was stunned. Wasn't this just a precursor to the Avengers?

To be more precise, it was similar to the organization they created after building Avengers Tower, something like a school.

"So, you mean to break away from S.H.I.E.L.D. and not be controlled by the government?"

Ronan asked instinctively.

Because Steve Rogers' idea reminded him of a plotline that would happen several years later.

At that time, the two people sitting here, dreaming of the future, would have a disagreement over whether to accept government control.

"Yes, because once we accept government control, we'll have to do unnecessary things."

"At that point, this organization would just be a second S.H.I.E.L.D."

Steve Rogers nodded. He didn't want to be controlled by the government.

And coincidentally, Tony Stark, who hadn't yet been affected by the Sokovia incident, also didn't want to be restrained.

"I'll handle the funding, and Steve will be the organizer."

"Although I'm also very popular, we should give the old man something to do."

Tony Stark couldn't resist boasting.

In other words, one would handle the money, and the other would recruit people.

And thus, a brand-new Avengers would be born.

"I think I understand what you mean."

"So, you're asking me to do something?"

Ronan nodded. He roughly understood Steve Rogers' idea.

But what did this have to do with him?

"Actually, I wanted to invite you to join us."

"After all, with your abilities, you could become the strongest member of our alliance."

"Earlier, when I discussed this with Tony, he said he knew you."

"So, I wanted to ask if you'd be willing to join."

Steve Rogers finally revealed his purpose.

Inviting him to join the Avengers?

Hearing this, Ronan was also stunned.

He hadn't expected Steve Rogers to be so open-minded.

No, it should be said that his心胸 (heart and mind) was so broad.

Someone who had once defeated him and made S.H.I.E.L.D. lose face was now being invited to join?

"Actually, more than that, I'd like to know why you're inviting me."

"After all, we've had some... not-so-pleasant interactions before."

Ronan looked at Steve Rogers with a strange expression. Was this guy really so forgiving?

What he called "not-so-pleasant" was already a very high-EQ way of putting it.

After all, not long ago, they had been fighting each other.

And now they were forming an alliance?

Did the adult world not care about grudges, only interests?

"We've had some unpleasant experiences, and I have to admit, it was our fault at the beginning."

"But I don't think you're an unreasonable person."

"During the Battle of New York, you had the chance to hide, but you chose to help us."

"At the very least, I think you have a strong sense of justice."

Steve Rogers looked at Ronan, his eyes filled with sincerity.

At least, to Ronan, this sincerity didn't seem fake.

Of course, after hearing this, Ronan's expression became even stranger.

Although he knew he was excellent—handsome, powerful, ambitious, and with a great personality—being praised so suddenly made him a bit uncomfortable.

"Although everything you said is true, and I do think I'm full of justice..."

"Your sudden invitation has caught me off guard."

Ronan scratched his head. He really hadn't considered this.

Tony Stark, sitting nearby, rolled his eyes.

"Hey, I've never met anyone more narcissistic than you in my life."

"Just give a straight answer."

Tony Stark looked indignant.

How could someone be more shameless than him?

"I'll have to think about it. After all, joining you doesn't offer much benefit and might just bring a lot of trouble."

"As for someone more narcissistic than me..."

"Just look in the mirror, and you'll see."