Finally, just when Max was about to steer the conversation toward Android, the system began whispering incessantly in his ear.
A ding-like sound echoed, drumming in his head.
He noticed the gleaming system icon blinking relentlessly like a needy girlfriend demanding attention.
His heart pumped, exhilarated. Pulse quickened in his veins as heat rushed to his head.
'It's here at last.'
He understood perfectly the meaning behind the system's behaviour; a new mission or world had appeared.
Since the last mission in Resident Evil, he had been restlessly waiting for the system's response. Until he obtained some method of strength enhancement or powers, he wouldn't feel any semblance of personal security in sudden, life-threatening situations.
Although he had hired Jessica as a bodyguard, Marvel wasn't as easy to navigate as it might seem.
Gradually, as he churned out innovations and patents, and his bank balance kept climbing, many unwanted elements were bound to surface, hovering around like vultures, salivating at his success.
HYDRA, for example, might strike him first. Their typical strategy of using force or coercion to seize whatever they wanted wouldn't let an easy target like him slip through the cracks.
With Hydra in the mix, other secret organisations would follow behind.
To sum it up bluntly, he was too weak at present.
Under the table, his fist clenched. His eyes gleamed as he waited, anticipation bubbling under the surface, ready to uncover what the system had prepared this time.
However, for now, he decided to wait and finish his meeting with Anna first. She had been eyeing him suspiciously ever since his focus subtly shifted toward the system icon.
Her lips twitched, musing over his daydreaming.
He cleared his throat. "Ahem!" he coughed lightly to grab Anna's attention.
"What about Android? Did you send my proposal? Any response yet?"
"Nothing solid," Anna replied, her tone matter-of-fact. "They asked for more time and also requested something more substantial than vague hints. Honestly, don't keep your hopes high. Google's been negotiating for a while and seems determined to win them over."
Max sighed, but kept his eyes steady on the target: Android. He wouldn't provide any more hints to them.
What more did they expect from him? Did they want him to outright say, 'Focus on smartphones instead of keypad devices?' That would practically doom his chances of gaining future control over the market.
Unless he got a proper response from them, he would also keep things deliberately vague. Nothing concrete. Not yet. But he wouldn't give up either.
The Android market held far too much potential to be abandoned. He would lose billions if he couldn't leverage his chances now.
For now, with nothing more to discuss, both Anna and Max decided to conclude the meeting.
Before parting, she also provided him with updates on other ventures like Facebook and YouTube, in which he'd invested, along with broader market news he'd requested for future planning.
Yet, his focus on Anna remained half-hearted at best. The system interface took most of his mental energy. The blinking icon kept pulling his gaze back over and over again, as if taunting him.
With nothing left to linger for, he left Sky Tower in a rush after wrapping up talks with Anna. Jumping into his car, he roared the engine to life and slammed his foot on the accelerator relentlessly.
More than once, he had close calls with the speed limit, causing nearby pedestrians to flinch and stumble as the roar of the engine and a gust of wind followed in his wake.
A few cops glared at him from the sidewalks, fingers twitching over their radios, debating whether to chase him down or let the speeding maniac go.
Another, who seemed to be a high-ranking officer, once locked eyes with Max, keeping one hand on a handheld speed device.
Their cold gaze followed him intimately.
Max broke into a cold sweat. If he hadn't fooled the device by such a slim margin, that cop would've surely called for backup and chased him down.
For once, his luck had spared him from a mess.
Soon, he found himself at Knight Mansion, his steps brisker than usual as he hurried straight to the study.
Just like the first time, he intended to access another dimension from there, justifying his extended stay as an official business need if someone were to ask.
Inside the study, he locked the door behind him, slumped into the plush chair, and let out a long sigh. His back sank into the cushions, easing the tension from his spine.
He swallowed down the bubbling anxiety in his chest, licked his lips to moisten them, and gradually relaxed his breathing.
His eyes focused on the system icon. He wished it to enlarge, and it did, instantly responding.
This time, unlike before, it displayed a new window that made his breath hitch in surprise.
=====
New World – Pirates of the Caribbean
Depart whenever ready…
=====
With a soft pop, the system interface jumped out in front of his vision.
The moment his eyes met the name of the new world, his thoughts raced. His gaze narrowed, gleaming with a mix of elation and scepticism.
Joy, because he knew well what Pirates of the Caribbean entailed.
Doubt since that world hardly had anything that could compel him to work harder than in Resident Evil.
Firearms were outdated: flintlock pistols, tedious powder-stuffing routines, and ancient cannons. No high-level tech. No modern science. Just wind-powered ships and rusty swords.
Yes, if he considered the presence of witchcraft and those seemingly overpowered ships for their time, then maybe, just maybe, he'd admit the world had some extraordinary elements.
But nothing directly useful for survival in the Marvel Universe.
How could the infamous Black Pearl out-speed high-tech, massive destroyers or aircraft carriers, many even nuclear-powered?
That's pitting a medieval beggar against a rich time traveller.
He sighed and leaned further back in the chair.
Only his knowledge and familiarity with the timeline were an advantage here. But still, doubts plagued his thoughts. Was this world even worth entering?
Swapping the system interface back into the corner of his vision, Max decided to leave the choice for now. There was no time limit. Taking his time to make a sound decision wasn't a bad thing, he mused internally.
'Why won't this system give me something useful for once?' Max grumbled internally, fuming at the string of bad luck.
He even wondered whether his past life's misfortune had followed him here, or maybe, he was Lancer in a previous life.
He rubbed his chin, pondering the cruel irony.
….
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