After entering the school, the principal led Merlin directly to his office.
"Merlin, take a seat first." The principal, Ant Sousa, a kind-looking man in his fifties with a strong build, gestured for Merlin to sit. "Please, make yourself comfortable." Once Merlin sat down, Principal Sousa invited the representatives from various technology companies to sit as well. A teacher came in with tea for everyone.
After the atmosphere calmed, Principal Sousa scanned the room and was surprised to see a middle-aged man in a black suit and glasses. "Justin Hammer, you came here in person?"
Justin Hammer, the President of Hammer Industries, a company known for its military technology, had a reputation for piracy and cheapness. Despite this, surviving under the pressure of Stark Industries was no small feat.
When Merlin saw Justin Hammer, his first thought was to laugh.
"This kid is a genius. He deserves my personal visit. If he joins Hammer Industries, I'll make him better than Tony Stark," Justin Hammer declared. Stark Industries' relentless innovation left Hammer Industries struggling to compete.
Merlin listened, unperturbed, contemplating whether Hammer Industries could be integrated into his game. Additionally, he was interested in recruiting Justin Hammer's daughter, a key character known as the future Crimson Cowl, skilled in space transfer and business negotiation.
"Then why don't you join us at Stark Industries and work alongside Tony?" a representative from Stark Industries interjected. Following Obadiah's orders, he aimed to recruit this promising high school talent.
"You'll only be overshadowed by Tony Stark. Hammer Industries offers you the best platform," Justin Hammer countered.
"We at Stark Industries are willing to provide our utmost sincerity. President Stark himself might mentor you, accelerating your growth," the representative added.
Merlin silently doubted this, knowing Tony's reluctance to teach. The office filled with heated arguments and unfulfilled promises as other tech companies tried to join in.
"Gentlemen, please be quiet. This matter involves my guardian. It's not easy for me to make this decision on my own."
"I'll go to class if there's nothing else." Merlin felt a headache from the chattering crowd. Ignoring their pleading looks, he grabbed his backpack and quickly left the office.
"This..." The people in the office were dumbfounded as Merlin abruptly left. Being an adult, any contract Merlin signed had legal effect, so they had hoped to lure him in with grand promises.
But now, he left without hesitation.
"George Stacey..." Hammer and others frowned. Dealing with the police, especially a Upright police chief like George, was challenging.
They turned to the principal...
"Our school respects students' opinions," Ant said with a smile. Even if Merlin was tempted, he would have intervened to prevent it.
They were mainly invited because the school wanted to promote itself. Major technology companies gathering at Midtown High School to compete for one student would certainly enhance the school's reputation.
As Merlin returned to class, Gwen in the back seat waved happily. He responded with a smile, then noticed Peter Parker, who looked pale as if seriously ill. Seeing Merlin, Peter's eyes lit up.
"Peter, are you okay?" Merlin asked calmly, wanting to understand why Peter had been chasing him the previous night. As he approached, a faint stench made Merlin frown.
"It's okay, I just have a cold," Peter replied, shaking his head, then started talking enthusiastically with Merlin.
"Do you know anything about cross-species regeneration gene experiments?" Peter suddenly asked while chatting.
"Cross-species regeneration gene experiment? Lizard? Salamander?" Merlin raised his eyebrows, unsure.
"Yes, after visiting Professor Connors' experiment at Oscorp Industries last time, I found that the problem may lie in the experimental algorithm. But I couldn't figure it out, so I asked if you have any research in this area."
Merlin finally understood why Peter caught him last night. It was likely due to his intelligence. In the past, Merlin had done some research in biology and had a good relationship with Peter. However, after his game came out, he rarely researched this area and would only resume research for future game projects like Resident Evil or Prototype.
"You can send an email. I'll take a look when I get back." Now that he understood, Merlin wasn't worried anymore. Instead, he looked at Peter thoughtfully.
It would also be good to let the other party serve as a mini-BOSS to support a city plot mission. When the time comes, I'll give him some salary, and with Gwen and myself watching over him, plus my super physical fitness and self-healing ability, there won't be any big problems.
One day of classes made Merlin a little drowsy, so he simply took out his notebook and started writing on the Onion website. It would take about three days to complete the platform construction. Then, we would wait until Saturday to recruit a few players to try the waters.
After school, Merlin and Gwen returned home. Seeing the few vegetables left in the refrigerator, they decided to go out to the mall to buy some more. Gwen tagged along.
On the way home, however, a girl with heavy makeup and revealing clothes stopped them on the street.
"Hey there, handsome," she purred, flashing a sultry smile at Merlin. "Looking for some fun?"
Merlin raised an eyebrow, glancing at Gwen, who looked equally bewildered.
" I will do whatever you want for only thirty dollars," the girl said, holding a cigarette in her mouth and winking provocatively at Merlin.
Merlin stopped and thought for a moment. "Okay, come with me," he said, a mischievous glint in his eye.
Gwen, who had been following closely behind, stared in disbelief. "???"