Chapter 196 - 194 Is That All Right, General?
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The breeze was soothing, and the sky was clear.
The spacious lawn, known as the 'Presidential Garden,' was filled with hedges of bushes and shady trees, making for an excellent view.
There was also a pond in the center. The fountain was pouring, several feet high and crystal clear.
The press conference was held at the South Gate, and all the major newspapers from New York sent their reporters to gather here with long and short lenses.
Of course, these were officially recognized media.
Just now, the President, who was still 'selling' his daughter, walked up to the stage with great poise and eloquence.
In a calm and vibrant tone, he looked back on the past of the United States and imagined a bright future.
Forty minutes later, when the lengthy and tedious official speech was over, the reporters were able to refresh themselves and stop the urge to doze off.
The camera was aimed at the young Major General -- the Lieutenant General now.
Any newspaper in New York would know that Superman was a walking news headliner.
The industry's brightest beacon of light could boost newspaper sales with a casual photo and a little gossip.
The only pity was that Luke usually traveled - either took a car from the Pentagon or flew directly over.
This made it difficult for paparazzi to track, and almost no one in the industry has ever taken a candid picture of Superman, let alone unearthed a scandalous story.
Apart from some anonymous photographs of him -- flying in mid-air, overlooking Berlin, and pushing an aircraft carrier, the two photos, hailed by millions of people, were taken by different people.
'I don't know how they did it!'
The reporter off stage lamented.
'Was it that guy Walter Jameson, the young reporter for the Bugle?'
Luke started reading from his written speech and casually scanned the members of the newspapers at the bottom and found a guy who was almost a familiar face.
According to the age, the clever young man may be the editor-in-chief of the Daily Bugle and the father of Jonah Jameson, Spider-Man's number one anti-fan.
Frankly speaking, the whole ceremony was boring.
It was nothing more than a huge positive energy pep-talk, reviewing the hard times America had before and emphasizing the nation's spirit of freedom and democracy.
Then, a few humorous jokes were inserted to liven up the atmosphere.
Finally, in a high, intense tone, make a summary end.
In essence, it's the same routine as those awards parties where the winning stars thank 'the academy,' 'mom and dad,' and 'all the people who supported me.'
Luke's speech was short, and it would end in 20 minutes.
Then there was the President's award. They shook hands and took a group photo.
On the surface, it was bland. When it was published in the newspaper in a few hours, it would cause a heated discussion.
Superman's popularity, which was gradually fading, might be popular again.
It was said that the red-light district of New York, some time ago, also launched a special service of 'female warlock' dress-up play, specifically for those loyal fans who worship Superman.
Luke wasn't surprised by this.
The erotic industry in the 'free country' had always been the most popular.
When superhero movies exploded, all kinds of Iron Man vs. Mystique, Hulk vs. Black Widow, Thor vs. Loki … and so on, would it be strange?
Even during a certain Presidential campaign, a publisher released the Blu-ray disc of Trump vs. Hillary.
This must be Clinton's trauma!
"Mr. President, I have a meeting with the mutants of the Hellfire Club later. As for the family dinner, I'll be there on time."
After stepping down, Luke exchanged pleasantries casually and then left.
Before attending the meeting, he went to Howard's side and whispered a few words in his ear.
The other party's expression changed from reluctance to swaying and rejection until it was readily accepted in less than 10 seconds.
"I believe that with your charm, there wouldn't be any problems."
Luke patted Howard on the shoulder and encouraged him.
Not long after, he appeared in a small reception room in the White House Red Room.
"Where are the others?"
Luke, who quietly left the press conference, looked at the White Queen standing at the window.
"Still under inspection by the Pentagon. This is the White House, the most important center of power in the country. No mutant has ever stepped into this place with a straight face."
The White Queen's tone was complicated, and her mood was even more nuanced.
Looking out at the lively scene not far away, she thought she would lead the mutants and formally appear in front of the whole world.
This was a bold and unprecedented attempt and an important moment to change the future.
"Emma, when you take this step, you will face tremendous pressure and heavy responsibilities."
Luke walked over. The Hellfire Club, which had lost Sebastian Shaw, could be said to be leaderless.
There were still a few people who were dissatisfied with the White Queen's ascendancy.
They were all loyal followers of Shaw and radical stalwarts.
Therefore, Luke was going to hold a consultation meeting to have a friendly exchange with those people.
This would also facilitate S.H.I.E.L.D. to develop relevant cooperation.
"It's the first time for me to have this feeling of insecurity."
The White Queen crossed her arms to her chest, and a trace of bewilderment surfaced on her cold, arrogant, delicate face.
It was unrealistic to expect a young girl in her twenties to bear the expectations of her compatriots and the goal of uplifting the mutant population.
Even if it was Professor X, of the same age, he might not be able to perform better than the White Queen.
Responsibility could be said to be the heaviest word in the world.
It took enough courage and perseverance to shoulder.
"General Cavill … you know what? I used to be a very self-conscious person because I didn't get any care from my family."
The White Queen, feeling something, shrank her shoulders and her voice became lower,
"My father was the perfect example of a ruthless businessman; my mother has abused drugs and was addicted to alcohol every day; my brother is gay.
My sister … Kayla liked to show the best to outsiders, but she was actually not that kind of person, and occasionally has very bad moments."
"After awakening my ability, I listened to their voices and felt their truest emotions … It was a nightmare. When you find out that your parents hate each other to death, and each has a secret to hide, it's devastating!"
"Sounds like a tough life. Fortunately, it's all behind you, and it's worth celebrating."
Luke leaned against the table and handed her a glass of bourbon.
"And then what?"
He tried his best and acted as a serious listener.
"I chose a boarding school. By using my natural ability to cheat, I changed the fact that my grades weren't good and became the most popular girl in school."
The White Queen took the glass, took a sip, and revealed a self-deprecating smile.
"After graduation, I would probably become a teacher. Because everyone thought that I had special communication skills, and I could always understand everyone's personality, habits, and become friends with them."
"But it didn't take long for me to get tired of listening to peoples' hearts. Lieutenant General, can you understand my feelings? Everyone seems to be transparent, and their worst, most disgusting, dirtiest, and truest side appears in my eyes without any disguise."
"I've never dated any boys at school because every time, I could read the dirty thoughts in their minds."
"I don't have a good friend in the true sense. Their superficial enthusiasm couldn't hide the cruel fact that they would call me 'bitch' and 'little slut' behind my back."
Luke smiled and acted as a spiritual teacher promptly.
Ironically, someone with psychic ability had a lot of problems in her own mind.
"You have to learn to relax, Emma. There is no place in the world where there's a pure and beautiful heart; even an innocent child would use hot water to destroy an ant's nest and release their malice."
Luke said softly as he slowed his tone.
"Restrain the urge to listen so that life becomes exciting."
"Lieutenant General, every time I chat with you, I always relax."
After finishing the glass of bourbon, the White Queen collected her superfluous expression, and the corners of her mouth curled up slightly.
"It's probably because I can't guess what you are going to say. To me, lies are even rarer than truth."
A slender finger was gently placed on Luke's chest.
Like scratching an itch, it flicked back and forth.
Another long, straight leg rubbed against his trouser leg.
If you're a regular person, you may want to be wary.
Because the White Queen could turn into a diamond, it could easily cut through the skin and tear flesh.
A seemingly beautiful temptation may be a life-threatening move.
But Luke's face remained unchanged, and his tone was faint, "Is this … seduction?"
"No, General, this is cooperation."
The White Queen's tightly knitted brow, stretched, the exquisite ice-like face, smiled sweetly, "As you said before, verbal promises can't be trusted; paper contracts can also be torn."
"In this case, I think that instead of building trust slowly and reducing the efficiency of cooperation, we should use more 'in-depth' ways to increase mutual understanding."
"What do you think?"
Glancing down at the stunning snow-white skin, Luke shook his head and said, "This isn't a suitable battlefield."
"General, look at the group of people out there. They include the President, Cabinet officials, and Pentagon Generals, all of whom stand at the top of the pyramid of power."
The White Queen's smile grew stronger, as if she had thrown off some kind of restraint and let herself go.
"Don't you think it's more … exciting to be in a formal setting like this?"
Luke breathed deeply, suppressing his inner impulse.
Most of the time, he kept his cool and avoided being influenced by impulsive emotions.
"I like being proactive, Emma."
Luke held the finger that was fiddling with his chest and emphasized, "I don't like being led around.
"Even if we need to have an in-depth exchange, it's up to me to decide when and where."
The White Queen seemed disappointed and withdrew her provocative finger.
Before Luke could breathe a sigh of relief, she leaned back and half-slumped on the wide desk.
"Now, the White House. Is that all right, General?"
…
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