American comics: I can extract animation abilities.

Chapter 222 Cooperation and Win-Win (Two Chapters Combined)

Budapest.

Vampire Castle.

As one of the oldest buildings in Budapest, the Vampire Castle is magnificent.

Although a major part of it collapsed due to an unexpected event.

However, after subsequent renovations, the castle regained its former glory and charm.

The only difference is that the ownership of the castle has changed.

It's no longer the former vampire elder Marcus Corvins, but the current Tommy Vercetti.

At this moment, the new owner arrived at the castle, where he was about to meet his guests.

"Please make yourself at home, Miss Natalia Arianovna Romanova. Please make yourself at home."

Yes.

After careful consideration, Natasha finally gave up resisting and followed Tommy and his group to the castle.

Ultimately, she didn't have many options at that point.

Resistance only leads to certain death.

If they cooperate obediently, there might still be a way out.

After all, these people were still quite polite to her.

They didn't use any coercive measures on her, such as putting her in handcuffs or shackles.

They didn't even take away her weapons.

Thinking of this, Natasha unconsciously rubbed her wrist with her fingertips, and the cold metallic touch immediately came through.

She knew very well that, in the current situation, the widow's sting could only play a very limited role.

But this did bring her a sense of security, making her feel slightly at ease.

Natasha casually found a chair to sit down and looked at Tommy across from her, asking in confusion.

"this……"

She suddenly stopped.

Because she didn't know how to address Tommy.

It is also ironic.

Tommy knew everything about her, even her real name.

But she didn't even know Tommy's last name or given name.

How could she possibly not lose when faced with such an opponent?
"Tommy, Tommy Vercetti, if you're not used to it, you can call me boss like they do."

Noticing Natasha's embarrassment, Tommy stepped in to help her out.

Natasha then picked up the conversation and continued the previous topic.

"Mr. Visadi, I'd like to ask you a question. Why are you so eager to see me?"

Natasha asked the question aloud, but she already had a vague answer in her heart.

She is not the narcissistic type.

Naturally, they wouldn't think Tommy was after her beauty.

There must be a more important reason hidden behind this.

Moreover, it is most likely related to the Red House.

Natasha knew perfectly well.

Aside from her formidable fighting skills and relatively good looks, her only remaining value lies in her identity as "Black Widow."

Putting all that aside, she really didn't know what she had that made her worthy of being noticed.

Sure enough, Tommy's next words confirmed her guess.

"Let me be frank, Miss Natalia Arianovna Romanova..."

"Just call me Natasha."

"Alright."

Tommy nodded.

It has to be said that Russian names are really hard to pronounce.

It's always a long string of words.

Of course, there are reasons for this.

Let's take Natasha as an example.

Her name, like most Russians', consists of three parts.

Natalia, who is at the very front, is her real name.

The name Arianovna in the middle is derived from her father's name, meaning she is her father's daughter.

As for Romanova, that was her family name.

It can also be called Romanov.

It doesn't matter.

Whether it's "夫" or "娃", they are just suffixes.

It doesn't have much special meaning.

Generally, boys are referred to as "husband" and girls as "child".

This is not mandatory.

It's just a customary rule.

If you wish, you can use them interchangeably.

Romanov or Romanova.

A name is just a label.

What Tommy truly valued was Natasha herself.

“Natasha, I think with your intelligence you should be able to guess my purpose. Yes, it is indeed related to the Red House.”

Tommy didn't keep them in suspense and directly revealed his purpose.

It must be said that he did have some thoughts of taking shortcuts before.

I've considered using the "hero saves the damsel in distress" tactic to win Natasha's favor and trust.

It's very easy to implement, and we have the manpower readily available.

Although those werewolves had not received professional training, they were born with a fierce appearance, and as long as they played to their nature, they would be excellent actors.

However, after careful consideration, Tommy abandoned the idea.

Natasha is a smart person.

Such a small trick is unlikely to fool that woman's eyes.

Even if you can hide it for a while, it's hard to hide it forever.

Sooner or later, that woman will see through him.

In that case, he will not only fail to gain Natasha's loyalty, but will also trigger her plans.

This is not conducive to the implementation of his subsequent plans.

Moreover, he doesn't need to go through that much trouble.

His strength far surpasses Natasha's, and he holds absolute leverage.

Destroying the Red House was just a bonus for him.

Even without those Black Widows, he could train his own in the future.

It just takes a little more time.

But for Natasha, it meant something completely different.

"Intelligence is only one aspect, but what interests me more is whether you are willing to cooperate with me to completely destroy the Red House from top to bottom."

Upon hearing this, Natasha was startled.

Having been persecuted by the Red House for over a decade, she had long since come to hate that organization.

They wish the Red House would be destroyed as soon as possible.

This is not just her idea, but the common wish of all oppressed female agents.

Therefore, Natasha was immediately intrigued when Tommy had barely hinted at wanting to destroy the Red House.

However, while she was tempted, she also remained quite vigilant.

“Mr. Visadi, you must be joking.”

“I came from the Red House, why would I turn against my own organization? It would do me no good.”

Natasha spoke, trying her best to control her emotions.

Although she desperately wanted to destroy the Red Room, she couldn't let her true feelings show. What if Tommy was an ally of the Red Room, deliberately testing her?
Although the possibility is low, she still has to be on the safe side.

To be fair, the Red House's educational approach was quite successful.

At least she learned this suspicious streak perfectly.

Tommy was also helpless.

What's wrong with this world? Nobody believes you when you tell the truth.

However, this was within his expectations.

He would only suspect something was wrong if Natasha agreed immediately, wondering if the woman was hiding something else.

“Natasha, there’s no need to tell me such lies.”

Tommy shook his head.

"I think you and I both know what kind of environment the Red House is; it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call it hell."

“Every day you spent in the Red House was filled with ruthless exploitation and oppression; you lived a life of manipulation and enslavement.”

"How can such an organization claim to be one of our own?"

Tommy's words were like a sharp dagger, piercing Natasha's heart.

She knew in her heart that what the other person said was absolutely right.

The real Red House is more than a hundred times more terrifying than the other party described.

In that dark hell, girls were forced to undergo harsh training from a young age.

Even the slightest mistake will result in severe punishment.

A beating was a common occurrence.

Sometimes it can even cost you your life.

Even today, Natasha still can't forget that nightmarish life and often wakes up in a fright from her dreams.

Even just thinking about it in normal times makes her shudder and feel deeply saddened.

At this moment, Natasha was somewhat inclined to agree to Tommy's suggestion.

But she still had a few more questions to ask.

"Even if everything you say is true, I do have the idea and reason to destroy the Red House."

"But what is your motive?"

There is never hatred without a cause, nor is there love without a cause.

Natasha didn't believe such a stupid idea as acting out of kindness.

She believed that Tommy must have had a reason for going to such lengths.

Tommy didn't answer her question directly, but instead asked her in return.

What do you think of my men?

Natasha was stumped by the question.

She didn't know why Tommy suddenly asked her that.

They were just talking about the Red House, but now the conversation has suddenly shifted to the werewolves and vampires.

The span in the middle is so large that it's practically separated by the Great Rift Valley of East Africa.

However, she is always quick-witted and soon reacted, giving her evaluation.

"Very good, they are all elite troops."

She wasn't intentionally flattering Tommy in front of him; she genuinely felt that way.

Whether it's speed, strength, or even endurance, those dark creatures far surpass her in every aspect of physical ability.

If it were a one-on-one unarmed fight, she would be the only loser.

However, if we take into account special factors such as terrain and equipment, the outcome becomes unpredictable.

She wasn't quite sure about the vampires.

Those cunning and shrewd guys are indeed not easy to fool.

But if it's those big, muscle-bound werewolves, the fight becomes much simpler.

Of course, without any prejudice, werewolves are indeed a very good warrior.

Those vampires would be perfectly qualified as assassins.

At least that's how it seems to Natasha.

"Well, you're right."

Tommy initially agreed with her statement, but then changed the subject.

"Their combat effectiveness is indeed very strong, and they are able to perform at a level far beyond that of ordinary people."

"If there's an assassination mission that needs to be carried out, they can definitely help me complete it successfully."

"But if we ask them to carry out missions like infiltration or covert operations, they probably wouldn't be up to the task and would find it difficult to achieve the ultimate goal."

"so……"

"So you've set your sights on the agents in the Red Room?"

Natasha finished saying what Tommy hadn't said.

"But why should we go with you?"

She hit the nail on the head.

Following the Red House would indeed lead to oppression, but following Tommy would also not bring freedom.

Since their experiences were quite similar, she seemed to have no reason to risk her life to rebel against the terrifying red house behind her.

"Hey, you can't say that. How can you compare me to the Red House?"

Tommy frowned, as if he had been greatly insulted.

"Don't think of me with the barbaric methods of the Red House. I'm a businessman, and I believe in equal exchange."

"Therefore, I will respect everyone's wishes and will not force you to be loyal to me."

"However, on the other hand, now that I have rescued you from your dire straits, shouldn't you pay me a reward?"

"Thirty years of working time should be reasonable enough, right?"

"Of course, I won't let you work for free."

At this point, Tommy picked up the phone on the table and called out to Amelia, who was waiting outside, to come in.

"Amelia, come here for a moment and tell Natasha about our benefits."

Amelia didn't keep Tommy waiting long. Just a few seconds later, she quickly pushed open the door and entered, carrying several documents in her hand.

She placed the documents on the table, turned around, took a few steps toward Natasha, and began to speak.

“Miss Natasha, our benefits are absolutely top-notch in the industry.”

"First of all, in terms of salary, we believe in the principle of 'the more you work, the more you earn,' and we will give equal rewards based on the difficulty and completion of the task. Even if you only reach the minimum level, it will definitely be better than working at the Red House."

"Furthermore, during operations, we will provide every field agent with state-of-the-art equipment and technical support to ensure they can carry out their missions smoothly and to maximize their safety."

"Furthermore, we have a comprehensive medical security system and a well-equipped medical team."

"No matter what kind of injury or illness a patient suffers from, they will receive proper treatment. We will never give up on any member."

"In addition, field agents will receive a certain amount of leave after completing each major mission, giving them time to relax and recharge."

"Furthermore, we have a training and promotion mechanism. Anyone who performs well enough can be promoted and enjoy higher-level benefits and more autonomy."

After Amelia finished her introduction, she took a step back and stood quietly to the side, ready to receive Tommy's orders at any time.

After hearing this, Natasha's heart wavered.

All the red house gave her was pain and scars.

But Tommy offered her such generous terms.

Even a fool would know which choice to make.

The premise is that Tommy's statement is true.

"This is a draft contract. You can take a look at it first and see if there's anything you're not satisfied with or if you want to make any changes."

Seemingly sensing Natasha's thoughts, Tommy tossed the documents in front of him to her.

Natasha opened it and found that it contained many clauses, which were very comprehensive and covered all aspects of life.

In addition to what Amelia had mentioned earlier, the later pages of the document also included strict confidentiality agreements and breach of contract clauses.

The document states that if a signatory violates the rules, all existing benefits will be revoked, and severe penalties will be imposed depending on the severity of the offense.

The highest level even reached the death penalty.

Without a doubt, this is a very demanding agreement.

But it was precisely this point that made Natasha realize that the contract was not a joke and that Tommy genuinely wanted to work with her.

Strangely enough, the stricter the terms of the contract, the more she felt Tommy's sincerity.

Conversely, if a contract doesn't bind her at all, it's truly a worthless piece of paper, and she would never sign it even if you killed her!
(End of this chapter)