However

Join the Super Seven? Qi Li felt a jolt in his chest. Was it coming this fast? Whether it was the timing, the location, or the person delivering the offer, it had to be said that every bit of it defied his expectations. Yet going by typical storytelling tropes, wasn't there supposed to be a "but" right after? Thinking this, an impeccably measured look of excitement and confusion surfaced on Qi Li's face. "Mr. Edgar, as far as I know, the Super Seven is currently at full capacity." Edgar looked at Qi Li and said nonchalantly, "It won't be for long." *Because of Translucent?* Qi Li kept the question to himself. He nodded earnestly. "Joining the Super Seven would be the honor of a lifetime. I'm ready! But..." Qi Li abruptly cut himself off, his eyes fixing squarely on Edgar without finishing the thought. Edgar grasped his meaning at once. The CEO of Vought shot Qi Li a slightly surprised look, speaking in an amused tone. "Bronze, you truly are different from the other superheroes. You're sharper than them, and most importantly, you're far less trouble. Bringing you onto the Super Seven is bound to be one of the wisest decisions the company has made in years." At that, Edgar paused deliberately. Then, under Qi Li's "I knew it" gaze, he uttered that classic word in an even tone: "However!" Here it comes, here it comes. The real catch was finally here. Qi Li's expression turned serious, bracing himself to listen. Edgar's lips curled into a faint smile, shifting the subject instead. "Bronze, do you know when A-Train joined the Super Seven?" Surprise flickered through Qi Li's eyes. After pondering for a moment, he guessed offhand, "Seven years ago? Eight?" Edgar shook his head. "To be precise, six years ago." He looked at Qi Li with a grave expression. "Bronze, can you imagine? In today's society—one that champions democracy, freedom, diversity, and equality—it wasn't until six years ago that the Super Seven actually gained a Black member visible to the public. Prior to that, the Seven was entirely white." Black Noir didn't count. From the day he joined the Super Seven, he had been covered up tightly from head to toe, and was later packaged as a genderless, raceless master ninja. In a genuine sense, inside the Super Seven conference room, A-Train was the first—and currently the only one—to show his skin of color on camera. Qi Li began to grasp Edgar's point. In an America obsessed with political correctness in everything, having the Super Seven only gain a Black member six years ago seemed rather surreal in hindsight. After all, this wasn't before the turn of the millennium, nor was it even the early 2000s. Furthermore, Qi Li couldn't help casting another glance at Stan Edgar, who was Black himself. As far as he knew, this Vought CEO had been running the company for a decade or two, yet only after so many years had a fellow Black man like A-Train finally risen to the top. It seemed there was a powerful faction within Vought obstructing this very thing. Seeing Qi Li lost in thought, Edgar gave a nod of satisfaction. Without beating around the bush, he stated plainly, "Yes, there exists a considerably powerful conservative white faction within Vought. I am very much looking forward to having you, Bronze, join the Super Seven family. However..." Qi Li picked up the thread. "However, an outdated bunch of idiots inside Vought is fighting tooth and nail to stop it, and they happen to hold significant sway in the company." Having just dealt with those idiotic white supremacists in that small town, Qi Li naturally understood everything once Edgar laid it out. To be honest, he hadn't expected Vought to house such a bunch of calcified old relics. In his impression, Vought had always been quite flashy and progressive in its marketing and antics. Qi Li knew that as Vought's CEO, Edgar wouldn't disclose internal corporate secrets without good reason. *Is he planning to use a spot on the Super Seven as bait, dangling it in front of me so I become his tool to deal with the opposing faction in Vought?* Even as Qi Li was mulling this over, Edgar suddenly chuckled softly, looked at him, and dropped that word once more: "However!" Qi Li had grown exceedingly sensitive to this "however." The moment he heard it, he immediately suppressed his thoughts and lifted his gaze to Edgar. The Black CEO clasped his hands before him, his voice measured, confident, and composed: "I am the CEO of Vought International. Therefore... Bronze, notify your agent and legal counsel to prepare for signing a new contract and handling the onboarding preparations. In one month, you will be an official member of the Super Seven." No empty promises! No forcing him to take sides! And absolutely zero prerequisites he had to fulfill! It was completely different from what Qi Li had just speculated. Edgar had nonchalantly handed over the very "bait" every superhuman dreamed of, placing it right into his hands. Looking at the momentary daze on Qi Li's face, Edgar asked with a smile, "Any objections?" Qi Li snapped back to his senses instantly and answered without hesitation, "Of course not." The opportunity had been served up on a silver platter without asking for anything in return; he would have to be an idiot to refuse. Edgar spread his hands, returning to his initial easygoing demeanor. "So, Bronze, do you plan to stay and keep me company for dinner, or can you hardly wait to share this joy? I imagine the answer is certainly the latter." Qi Li nodded along, wearing a look of "brilliant as always, Mr. Edgar." Just as he stood up to take his leave, Edgar offered a final reminder: "Your induction into the Super Seven remains confidential for now. The marketing department will build up the hype step by step later on. Until then, make sure anyone you inform signs a non-disclosure agreement." Qi Li patted his chest in immediate assurance. Once he left the restaurant, shot up into the sky, and felt the brisk wind blow over him, the subtleties of it all began to sink in. Classic Stan Edgar. Most people in his position would likely have done what Qi Li initially suspected: dangle the Super Seven as bait to string him along, getting him to willingly take on the hardliners within Vought first before tossing him the reward like a piece of charity. Yet Edgar had handed over the reward outright, without demanding a single thing in return. That was the true genius of it. No transaction, no coercion, everything falling into place naturally. Was Qi Li going to turn around and eagerly play lapdog to that white conservative faction now that he knew they existed within Vought? Of course not. From the very moment he joined the Super Seven, he was naturally aligned with Stan Edgar. When the time came that Vought's CEO needed him, he wouldn't refuse either. This was good. What Qi Li liked most was working with smart people. Because they knew best how to weigh pros and cons. Could he bring immense profits to Vought? Absolutely! Compared to the likes of Inubaku or King Kong, his value was exponentially greater. Since the broader environment was one where good currency drives out the bad, what did he have to worry about? Qi Li descended, landing steadily at the pinnacle of the Empire State Building. In the howling wind, he took out his phone and, in high spirits, dialed his agent, Monica.