I'm in an American comic book world, and I'm starting out giving Aunt May special treatmen

98. Cipher's reputation soars! [Please subscribe and give flowers!]

“Why not?” Hawke’s tone was calm but undeniable. “You’re the eldest sister, a top student from the University of Arizona, the most stable, and with management experience. I need someone trustworthy who can quickly integrate resources. The compensation and power will satisfy you. Specifically, tomorrow morning at ten o’clock, bring your core team members to my office for a detailed discussion and to sign a letter of intent. The company formalities will begin simultaneously tomorrow.”

“Holy shit! Yes! Yes! Absolutely YES!” Courtney was so excited she was almost incoherent. In the background, there seemed to be two other suppressed cheers, as if Kim and Kohler were listening nearby. “Hawk! Boss! Tomorrow at ten o’clock, they and I will be there on time! My God, this is like a dream! Thank you, Hawke! Lane Entertainment will definitely shake up the entire industry!” Courtney’s voice was full of anticipation for future power and overwhelming gratitude for Hawke’s “507”.

"Okay, see you tomorrow." Hawke hung up the phone decisively, as if he had only dealt with a trivial matter.

He casually tossed his phone onto the expensive coffee table and turned to look at Cheon Song-yi, who was still somewhat dazed beside him.

Seeing the lingering complex emotion in her eyes, Hawke chuckled mischievously and pinched her cheek:

"What's wrong, my starlight?"

"So..." Cheon Song-yi mustered her courage and asked bluntly, "Are those rumors true? You and the Kardashian sisters?"

Hawke choked for a moment, then after a long pause, finally managed to utter two words: "It's true!"

"Jealous?"

Cheon Song-yi blushed when he saw through her little scheme, and proudly raised her chin, trying to strike a pose like a "Queen Cheon": "Ani! President-nim is wise and capable, and knows how to use people well! I was just thinking..." Her eyes gleamed with ambition, "If this CEO doesn't do a good job and affects my 'Walk of Fame,' I'll come directly to you to complain!"

"Hahaha!" Hawke pulled her into his arms. "Don't worry, if she doesn't satisfy you..." Hawke grinned wickedly, "I'll punish her severely."

He lowered his head, precisely catching his breath...

The next morning, sunlight once again filled the apartment.

Hawke drove Cheon Song-yi to the office in the Ryan Building.

The Kardashian sisters were already there, and the name "Lynn Entertainment," along with Hawke Ryan's signature and an excited photo of the three Kardashian sisters, was officially affixed to a legally binding document.

Kourtney Kardashian, radiant with new CEO status, embodies the immense power bestowed upon her by the Lane family and boundless aspirations for the future, as she begins to serve her master—Hawk Lane—to the bestow upon her!

Cheon Song-yi accompanied the Kardashian sisters to choose a location for their new office.

Looking at the empty office, Hawke felt a little bored and pressed one of the bells on the desk.

A few seconds later, the bookshelf next to them flipped over, revealing a huge dark room.

Erica stepped out, and then the bookshelf closed.

Hawke raised his chin, and Erica instantly understood. Helpless, she crawled under Hawke's desk and began her work for the day.

A short while later, an unknown number called.

Hawke glanced at the screen, casually pressed the speakerphone button, and sank deeper into the wide leather seat.

"Who is it?" Hawke's voice carried a hint of impatience at being disturbed.

"Hey, little Hawke." A very familiar female voice, with a uniquely lazy tone, as if she had just woken up yet always in control, came from the speaker, like a feather gently scratching the eardrum.

"Oh ho?" Hawke raised an eyebrow, a playful smile instantly appearing on his face. He even deliberately adjusted his posture, causing Erica under the table to let out a barely audible, slightly reproachful nasal sound.

“Sefer? My dear Queen, isn’t your ‘silence’ a little too short? I thought that after being released on bail, you would at least find a sunny beach for a few months to take a quiet vacation and avoid the limelight?”

A deep, pleasant laugh came from the other end of the phone, carrying a sense of relief after surviving a close call and a confidence greater than ever before: "Low-key? Hawke, you underestimate me. I've eaten CIA prison food and come out unscathed, with my criminal record completely wiped clean. That's cooler than hacking into the Pentagon and using top secrets as my screensaver."

With a hint of smugness in her tone, she continued, "Right now, the underworld is spreading rumors that my power is unfathomable, that even the Lane family can pull this far for me. Although... they're half right, I gladly accept this prestige... And look, it's attracted another group of ambitious youngsters who want to follow me and further their studies."

Hawke smiled silently; he knew, of course, that the version circulating outside tended to attribute the credit to Cipher's own "legendary charm."

This was exactly the effect he wanted: to intimidate his opponents without easily revealing the Ryan family's deep involvement.

"It seems Your Majesty has benefited from this misfortune, and your charm has soared even higher. But I have a new question: Did you already know Vivian's identity all along, and deliberately come to New York to be arrested, knowing that I would definitely come to your rescue and, incidentally, clear your name?"

"Hehe, your growth rate is truly eye-opening, but how should I put it... does it matter? It's already happened, hasn't it?"

"Hmm—" Hawke remained noncommittal, no longer dwelling on the topic, "So, tell me, this first phone call after this brief silence wasn't just to brag to me about how many more underlings you've recruited, was it?"

“Clever.” Cipher’s voice became more serious. “Someone asked me to pass on a message. That old fox at the Continental Hotel, Winston, wants to see you.”

“Winston?” Hawke frowned slightly.

The Continental Hotel is the manager of Neutral Haven under the High Table, and Winston is a veteran mediator who plays a pivotal role in New York's underworld.

"What does he want from me? Our Ryan Group keeps to itself and doesn't interfere with them."

“It seems to be related to what you did before… well, the clean-up and meeting.” Cipher carefully chose her words, clearly she only knew the general idea. “He didn’t specify what it was, only that it was very important and asked me to arrange a meeting. You can choose the location, at the Continental Hotel or anywhere convenient for you.”

“The Hand and the Guild?” Hawke scoffed, with the arrogance and unquestionable air characteristic of old American money families. “Those Japanese ninjas played with fire and got burned, provoking the wrong people. Their legacy will be handled by the right people; it’s not the Continental Hotel’s business. The war is almost over, and it’s been handled very cleanly. Tell Mr. Winston that I appreciate his good intentions, but we’ll skip the meeting.”

There was a few seconds of silence on the other end of the phone, followed by a knowing laugh from Cipher: "I knew you'd react this way. Alright, I'll pass on the message. But, Hawke, refusing Winston's invitation is quite a rare occurrence in New York."

99 Mainland Hotel? How many heat rays can it take to heat me up?

“That’s because there aren’t many people who are qualified to refuse him.” Hawke resumed his languid tone, his fingers unconsciously tracing circles on the smooth tabletop, eliciting a subtle, protesting wiggle from beneath the table.

"More than being concerned about an invitation from an old fox, Cipher, I'm more interested in... when would be a convenient time for you to have another purely private intelligence exchange with this kid?"

Hawke's words carried a blatant hint and invitation, the ambiguous atmosphere almost penetrating the radio waves.

Erica seemed to pause for a moment under the table.

Cipher, on the other end of the phone, clearly understood. She let out a light, pleasant laugh, her languid voice seemingly hooked: "Little guy, you've got some nerve. You just pulled me out of the CIA's clutches, and you're already thinking about this? But..." she deliberately dragged out her words, "Since you did pretty well this time... I'll choose the location. I don't want our 'technical discussion' disturbed by irrelevant people again."

"Okay." Hawke's eyes flashed with a determined light, and a satisfied smile appeared on his lips.

"It's a deal. Bye, 06... Don't miss me too much." Cipher chuckled and ended the call decisively.

The office fell silent again, save for the faint sounds of Erica diligently working.

"Young Master, there's something I don't know if you're aware of."

Erica asked while sucking on an ice pop under her office desk.

"What is it?" Hawke blinked.

"The Mainland Hotel is led by a high table composed of twelve factions. The Hand is a member of the Mainland Hotel's high table. If you go against the Hand, you might anger the high table."

Erica paused, then continued, "If the High Table issues a kill order against you, countless assassins will swarm to kill you and claim the High Table's prize money and honor."

"The Hand is actually a member of the High Table?" Hawke laughed and said, "What a coincidence! Well, once you inherit the Hand's seat at the High Table in the Continental Hotel, you'll be able to get intelligence for me through the Continental Hotel."

Having watched "John Wick" in his previous life, Hawke knew that Winston was an old friend of the assassin "John Wick." Because of his excessive ambition, he wanted to drag "John Wick" along to fight against the High Table and lead the Continental Hotel in New York to become semi-independent from the High Table. However, he was later completely overwhelmed by the High Table and almost got killed.

“Things can’t be that simple, can they?” Erica said. “To become a member of the High Table at the Continental Hotel, one must first have outstanding strength, right? After losing five fingers, the Hand’s fighting power has been greatly reduced, and the other High Table members may not still recognize the Hand’s seat and qualifications.”

“That’s not up to them!” Hawke smiled slightly and said, “The High Table… at most they’re just a bunch of thugs like the Hands and the Society. How many divisions do they have? How many of my heat rays can they withstand? They’re just a group of small-time thugs with a little bit of strength. Once they come into the light, you’ll see what kind of rats they really are.”

Erica thought Hawke's words made some sense: "What about Winston? Are you really not going to see him?"

Hawke smiled and said, "What do you think the New York manager of the Continental Hotel wants to say to me?"

“It’s possible they’re here on behalf of the High Table to threaten you, making you give up the Hand’s suppression; or they might be surrendering to you, showing that the High Table is willing to give up the Hand, so you don’t turn your attention to the Continental Hotel itself; or both, they might be surrendering directly to you, which would be too humiliating for the High Table, and even the Continental Hotel would find it difficult to confront Ryan head-on, so they’re using a combination of soft and hard tactics to see your attitude and determine the appropriate level of force,” Erica said after thinking.

"You already know, so do you think I need to see him?" Hawke said indifferently, "Why should I care about the attitude of some high-ranking official when I do things? Let them get lost."

"..." Erica had to admit defeat: "You're awesome!"

Perhaps only a tycoon like Hawke would have the confidence to say such a thing.

Time passed slowly, night fell, and it was evening.

Just as Erica's ahegao expression proved useless, April happened to make a phone call to Hawke.

"What, you want to come over here?... Okay then."

Since Erica is no longer effective, it's good to let April, the "newcomer," fill in for a while.

Not long after.

April drove to the Lane Building, Hawke's office.

She wore a bright red dress that perfectly showcased her figure, and the bright red dress made her skin appear even whiter, shining like white jade.

Her long hair fell gently over her shoulders, with a few strands fluttering in the wind, adding a touch of casual elegance.

507 Her red dress was adorned with exquisite lace trim, making the entire dress look even more glamorous and noble. The deep V-neck design of the dress showcased her sexiness and elegance, while the cutout design at the waist highlighted her slender waist.

April's eyes were bright, sparkling like stars, and her smile was as captivating as ever, revealing a row of white teeth.

Hawke couldn't help but ask curiously, "It's so late, why did you come all the way here? Aren't you tired after working all day?"

“Of course I’m tired!” April said seriously, “But boss, have you forgotten? Tomorrow is your birthday! And as the boss, you’re in charge of a business empire worth hundreds of billions of dollars. You should be even more tired, so I’m here to help you relax.”

"Oh?" Hawke exclaimed in surprise. "You knew my birthday? Tell me, how easy is that?"

Few people know that Hawke's birthday is January 15th, because since he has been able to manage his own life independently, he no longer throws boring birthday parties.

Because he has his own unique way of celebrating—an annual roulette wheel!

100 Iron Fist Danny [Seeking flowers and subscriptions]

April did not answer immediately, but her bright eyes, like those of a cunning cat, shone with a light that was both innocent and bold.

She walked gracefully and rhythmically around the large desk, her delicate high heels swaying in the breeze.

The air was filled with the faint, alluring scent of her perfume.

Instead of walking to the chair opposite Hawke, she went straight to Hawke's large leather seat.

Hawke watched her with a leisurely air, his body still deeply sank into the seat, his fingertips lightly tapping the armrest, with a hint of amusement and scrutiny.

Erica's lingering scent seemed not to have completely dissipated, but April's appearance brought a completely different, more vibrant impact.

"As for the method..." April's voice carried a hint of deliberate mystery. She leaned forward slightly, her captivating eyes looking directly at Hawke, her red lips curving into a charming smile, "Of course, it has to be effective enough."

As she spoke, under Hawke's slightly surprised gaze, she lifted the hem of her magnificent and vibrant red dress, exuding elegance with a touch of bold wildness, and slowly knelt on the thick carpet beside Hawke's chair.

The expensive red fabric spread out like blooming petals, creating a strong visual impact against her fair skin.

“You…” Hawke raised an eyebrow, but didn’t move.

April smiled gently, her long eyelashes fluttering slightly: "Boss, just relax."

“It seems… April,” Hawke’s voice was a little hoarse, with a hint of admiration, “you are indeed much better than you were in the last interview.”

April looked up, her gaze fixed intently on him, her red lips slightly parted: "As long as the boss is satisfied... I've always been a very quick learner."

She slightly adjusted her posture, preparing to go a step further and prove her value and service spirit in a more direct way.

Under the desk, Erica gradually regained consciousness and wanted to rejoin the battle.

Just as Hawke was playing with Erica and April, a group of uninvited guests arrived at the former TCRI building, now the Lane Biotech building.