Manhattan, New York
This is the beating heart of New York, the financial epicenter of the United States, and the haven for the city's elite. The renowned Wall Street stretches through the southern part of Manhattan Island, flanked by imposing skyscrapers.
Hell's Kitchen
In a modest, standalone building, Xu Mo awoke, clutching his aching head.
"Damn it! Why does my head hurt so much?"
A flood of unfamiliar memories surged into his consciousness, and as the fragments of memories merged, Xu Mo gradually understood the situation—he had transmigrated.
This sixteen-year-old Xu Mo, a blend of Chinese and American heritage, had lost his parents in a plane crash just last week. By law and record, he was set to inherit his parents' entire estate.
Consumed by grief, he had turned to alcohol for solace.
And now, another Xu Mo—an earthling with the same name—had mysteriously died and been resurrected in this new world.
Xu Mo glanced at the mirror. The reflection of a handsome, blonde boy stared back at him. He pinched his cheek and felt the sting. It was no dream.
"I'd rather it were just a dream!"
Instead of basking in the joy of his inheritance, Xu Mo found himself despairing. The chilling newspaper headlines made his heart sink.
The front page of the New York Times declared that Stark Industries had secured yet another multi-billion dollar military contract, featuring a picture of the board of directors. Center stage was a cynical man with a mustache.
His name was Tony Stark.
This was the Marvel Universe!
Whether through comics or movies, Xu Mo knew he was in deep trouble. If he planned to escape the United States before Avengers 3 hit theaters, New York was the epicenter of danger.
With Avengers 3 on the horizon, Thanos' snap could erase half the universe—Xu Mo might not escape the chaos.
The universe was perilous, with no safe haven.
Xu Mo scanned the newspaper further. Apart from Stark Industries, there were discussions about mutants. Clearly, this was a blend of the Avengers and X-Men universes.
The situation seemed even graver. He needed to decide whether to stick with his inheritance or forge a new path. Besides the lavish western-style building, there was also a comic company in the estate.
He recalled his previous life as an assistant at a comic company and didn't expect to return to this field. But if he couldn't prevent the world's destruction, he might as well make the most of his time in this new world.
Xu Mo sat down at the computer and began to investigate.
As expected, today's comics were dominated by superheroes, particularly Steve Rogers, depicted as the ultimate lone hero with supreme integrity and righteousness—an almost god-like figure.
The comic market was saturated with themes of heroic figures like Steve, while villains were consistently overthrown.
He also noted that the Marvel Universe's cultural industry was relatively undeveloped, with limited comic themes. The artwork was impressive, but the stories lacked depth.
This discovery thrilled Xu Mo. He saw an opportunity to build his own comic empire before Thanos' impending arrival.
He laid a sheet of white paper on the table, pulled out a pencil from the drawer, and prepared to create a comic that would redefine heroism.
But as soon as the pencil touched the paper, a mysterious voice echoed in his mind.
[The Big Comics Artist System is being activated... it is now live. The Host can summon it with just a thought.]
Xu Mo was momentarily stunned, then elated. He had a cheat system—his excitement soared as he prepared to make the most of this opportunity.
A translucent interface appeared before him, divided into three sections: Search, Lottery, and Warehouse.
Xu Mo clicked on Search, and an interface similar to a search engine popped up.
He typed "ONE PIECE" and hit search.
Instantly, the cover and details of the comic appeared, along with chapter counts and word totals.
Xu Mo clicked on the first chapter. The system chimed in.
[Host, all searched comics can be replicated on paper with just the stroke of a pen.]
Hiss! What a remarkable feature!
Xu Mo's face shifted as the virtual interface became movable. He positioned it over the white paper, adjusting the size and placement. As he focused, a faint outline of the comic appeared on the paper, allowing him to complete the first page in minutes—even without artistic skill.
This was a game-changer for comics.
After finishing the first page, Xu Mo marveled at how accurately it reflected his memory. He moved on to the second section.
The top read: [Fan Value: 0], and below was a lottery wheel, dark and mysterious.
Xu Mo wondered aloud, "What does this mean?"
[Each published work generates Fan Value, which can be used to enter the lottery for items from the published work.]
[Fans are categorized as follows: Ordinary fans provide a small amount of Fan Value monthly; Sincere fans provide 10 Fan Points per month; Loyal fans offer 100 Fan Points per month; Brainwashed fans give 10,000 Fan Points every month.]
"Wow, that's quite a scale. Not many people are devoted to cartoonists like that," Xu Mo mused.
[Host, this kind of fan is more intense than celebrity admirers—they treat the admired figure as a deity.]
"Got it. How does the lottery work?"
[Each draw costs 100,000 Fan Value, with higher expenditure increasing the chance of obtaining valuable items.]
Xu Mo raised an eyebrow. "So, there's a chance for valuable items with 100,000 Fan Value?"
[Theoretically, yes.]
Xu Mo understood that the odds were likely slim.
The third section was the Warehouse, designed to hold items won from the lottery. It was empty—no beginner's prize in sight.
Xu Mo returned to the Search function, contemplating the interface. While the Search feature was intriguing, the Lottery was where the real potential lay.
With newfound determination, Xu Mo thought: This system could be the key to making a significant impact in the Marvel Universe.