Luke never believed in the idea that a magnificent surge of charisma would cause everyone to instantly submit. That's a trope from bad fiction and doesn't fit his style.
Different people have different needs. Some love money, some crave power, some are lustful, and some are full of resentment. Expecting everyone to obey you is an idea only a fool would have.
As a boss, you should constantly promote positive energy to your employees: money is just dirt, and only a dream is the future. If a person doesn't have a dream, what's the difference between them and a piece of salted fish?
Do you want to be a piece of salted fish? Of course not. If you don't want to be salted fish, then work hard.
That's Luke's simple-as-it-gets requirement for his staff.
A Surge of Popularity
Superman and Batman truly lived up to their reputation as the mainstays of the DC world. Three days had passed since the videos were posted, and the buzz hadn't diminished; if anything, it was increasing.
The effect of this advertising blitz made Luke beam with delight; he almost laughed himself awake in his sleep.
The two big heroes were indeed incredible; he had no choice but to admire them.
To let more people witness their heroic deeds, Luke transformed into the Grim Reaper, silently slipping into the FBI's internal network to secure a few more metahuman videos and post them online.
Once released, they generated another wave of hype.
The user count surged and had already surpassed the five million mark.
Five million was a hurdle; crossing it meant he could proceed with the next step of his plan.
On the last day of July, after many days of intense work, Luke felt physically and mentally exhausted. He decided to relax and expand his network at the same time.
At 7:30 PM, Luke, Charlie, Robert, and Philip Arthur appeared together in front of the Hilton Hotel to attend a charity dinner hosted by Republican Senator Mars Donald.
Though called a charity dinner, it was essentially a personal marketing event Mars Donald organized to prepare for the next year's election.
The attendees were all socialites, including high-ranking political officials like senators and party leaders.
Luke had no interest in the white-haired old men. He preferred graceful young female companions, such as the Hollywood actress Jessica Theron standing before him.
With her sexy, tall figure, elegant and lovely demeanor, paired with a sky-blue, off-the-shoulder gown, she exuded an aura of the ocean.
"Miss Theron, you must have been a mermaid in your past life, specially designed to lure away men's souls."
The blonde, blue-eyed South African actress chuckled.
"Mr. Shaw... uh, may I call you mister?"
"No, I hope you call me Luke."
"Alright, Luke. I want to ask, are you seventeen?"
"Age isn't important. Talent is."
"I agree with your point, but federal law states one cannot date a minor."
Luke smoothly put his arm around the girl's waist and smiled.
"In that case, I will be the lucky one tonight."
"That's not certain."
Jessica twisted her body, slipping out of his embrace. "Tell me, how old are you?"
"Twenty-two centimeters. Not too big, not too small. Just right."
Jessica smiled strangely, leaned forward, and whispered in his ear, "But someone told me you're only seventeen."
"Little boys can't drink alcohol."
With that, she took the champagne flute from his hand and walked away with elegant steps.
Luke: "..."
Who told you I was small? You won't know unless you try.
This was his fifth failed flirtation tonight. The womanizing skills that worked every time in Coast City were useless in Metropolis. Had the young women here been polluted by the Kryptonian virus and now preferred bulky guys like Clark Kent?
No. It must be a selection problem. I should look for someone younger.
Luke adjusted his demeanor and switched on his scanning mode, searching the venue for a young beauty.
A target entered his sight: purple hair, purple eyes, a white dress, standing alone in a corner like a forgotten violet.
"I like purple!"
Luke smiled slightly and strode over.
"My beautiful Song, we meet again. How have you been these past few days?"
"Fine."
Emily offered a faint smile, acknowledging the greeting.
Luke asked a waiter for a glass of champagne and handed it to her.
"My friend, why are your eyes filled with melancholy? Did someone bully you? Tell me, and I'll avenge you."
"No... no."
Emily tugged at her slightly loose low-cut dress, forcing a smile. "I'm doing well."
Luke scrutinized her up and down. Emily turned sideways, clutching the skirt with her right hand, afraid the dress might slip off. Her stiff expression looked increasingly awkward.
In recent days, Roger had been secretly investigating Luke. When he learned Luke was attending this charity dinner, he immediately used his connections to get an invitation for Emily to attend.
Their plan was a private operation without specialized funding. Emily was a spendthrift and didn't even own a decent dress. In desperation, Roger had to pay out of pocket to rent her a "somewhat suitable" evening gown.
How good could a rented item be? Especially in this setting, where the women at the banquet wore expensive jewelry and luxurious gowns. Compared to them, Emily, dressed in what felt like a bargain bin outfit, felt like an ugly duckling that had stumbled into a swan lake.
Luke chuckled softly. "A beautiful lady should be adorned with beautiful ornaments. Come with me."
"What are you doing?"
"You'll see in a moment."
Without waiting for a response, Luke pulled her out of the hotel and into the Hermès clothing store next door.
Dresses of various colors were lined up on the racks. There were all styles: off-the-shoulder, backless, low-cut, mixed-style, trendy... a dizzying array.
Luke wasn't interested in fashion culture, but he knew one thing: anything good is usually very expensive.
And so, the purple low-cut dress, priced at thirty-five thousand dollars, became Emily's exclusive possession. Clothes make the man, and the girl, having changed, was stunning.
A sheer shawl covered her bare shoulders, partially concealing them and making her skin look even more rosy and fair. Her hair cascaded down, tied behind her with a bow. The purple gown clung to her body, abruptly cinching at the waist, accentuating curves that were captivating.
"Truly beautiful!"
Luke exclaimed sincerely. The waiter and the store manager were full of praise as well.
Emily lowered her head, her heart pounding, her cheeks flushed like they were painted with rouge.
Luke looked her over repeatedly, still feeling slightly dissatisfied.
"I still feel like something is missing."
The waiter and the store manager exchanged glances and smiled simultaneously.
"Please wait a moment!"
Crystal shoes inlaid with diamonds, a silver bracelet from a top French jewelry company, an amethyst pendant, crescent earrings...
A woman makes jewelry dazzling, and jewelry makes a woman captivating.
The moment Emily walked out of the dressing room, clutching the hem of her skirt, even the well-traveled Luke was struck dumb.
What is beauty?
This was beauty.
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