[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-marvel-a-lazy-ass-superman":3,"chapter-marvel-a-lazy-ass-superman-marvel-a-lazy-ass-superman-chapter-268":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Marvel: A Lazy-Ass Superman",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1721874,2198,"Chapter 268 - 268 — Troubles Beneath the Surface (Bonus)","marvel-a-lazy-ass-superman-chapter-268",268,"\u003Cp>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For 20 advanced chapters, visit my Patreon:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Patreon - Twilight_scribe1\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Katharine.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tony Stark rarely used such a solemn tone. With a single glance exchanged, the old lady instantly understood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Smooth as ever, Katharine Hepburn rose to her feet and said casually,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Oh dear, I've rested long enough. I should go talk to those old friends outside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You young people continue.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And with that, she left the lounge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Henry had no intention of following.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He watched Tony making those subtle eye-signals and, after the door shut, asked with amusement:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So you don't trust her? Clearing the room just for this?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Should I leave too?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tony shook his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If we're planning to rob a bank and don't want to drag certain people down with us, then not telling them is the right thing to do.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This has nothing to do with trust.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if they heard it, they'd rather pretend they didn't.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So you want me to help you rob a bank?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You're Tony Stark—your target should be at least the Federal Reserve, right?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fine, I'm in. Fifty–fifty split seems fair.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The target's probably worse.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tony reached into his tailored suit and pulled out a pen-shaped device.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was thicker than a fountain pen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a click on the \"cap,\" it released a burst of high-frequency noise—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>too high for normal human ears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Henry was no normal human.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sudden shriek almost made him lose composure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, he pretended not to notice and asked:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What's that?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"A gadget that blocks recordings and eavesdropping.\" Tony replied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Henry raised a brow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You're carrying gear like a professional spy now.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Pulled it out of the old man's storage room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It's a twenty-year-old prototype.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Haven't had time to improve it yet.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Henry intentionally steering the conversation aside, Tony finally snapped:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This antique drains power like crazy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We don't have much time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Long story short—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Do you remember that gunfight on the villa estate we were caught in?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I intend to investigate the people behind those shooters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I'm handling the East Coast personally.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But on the West Coast, I need someone else.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That's why I kept Stark Pictures—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hollywood is the closest place to their sphere.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He continued:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This isn't something Katharine should hear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not because she can't handle it, but because this is the kind of business nobody outside the problem should know.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even you—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I'll only say more if you agree to be involved.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Henry smiled lazily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Since you already know this is trouble, why would I jump in?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Don't bother telling me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tony leaned forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What if I told you… I can wipe out your FBI problem?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Is that enough to buy your help?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Henry blinked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"My FBI problem?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Funny, I didn't know I had one.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I wasn't interested in the reason.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was only interested in the fact that you're on several lists.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not just the FBI's.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But for you, their list is the most dangerous one.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Henry sighed helplessly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yep.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That definitely sounded like a Stark.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So forget my issue for now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Let me ask—you're still digging into something from years ago?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Is it worth that level of persistence?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tony hesitated, then said:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Do you remember the official cause of death for my father and mother?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Car accident.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why? Something wrong with that?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Publicly, they said the braking system had a flaw.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That caused a loss of control and crash—driver and passenger both dead.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So you sued the manufacturer and bankrupted them?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I bought them.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That took Henry by surprise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tony continued:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I told them that if they didn't sell to me, the compensation lawsuit I'd file would bankrupt them worse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"In the end, I bought the whole company at half price, fixed the braking defect,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>and resold it at nearly triple its value.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Part of my inheritance tax came from that deal.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Henry clapped slowly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Bravo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Very impressive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Is this where I'm supposed to praise you?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Shut up!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That's not the point.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He took a deep breath and went on:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"My old man flew aircraft.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He raced cars.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That day, he was driving a vehicle with a brake defect—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>but with his skill, it shouldn't have resulted in a fatal crash.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Henry played along.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So you suspect…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tony said gravely:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I never thought much of it before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But ever since becoming CEO of Stark Industries,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>things happening around me forced me to reevaluate everything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Including the crash that killed my parents.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Any evidence?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tony shook his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Autopsy reports, accident analysis—everything was clean.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But fixing that brake defect… made me question something.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I never personally confirmed the bodies from the autopsy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I only saw the reports.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only confirmed 'identity.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not the bodies themselves.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meaning—someone could have tampered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Henry couldn't reveal what he actually knew from another timeline,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>but he asked:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Did you check road surveillance archives?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Any idea who could've done it?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Crash site had no surveillance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At least that's what every agency I hired claimed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"As for suspects—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>let's just say one percent of the nation had motive.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Henry pointed upward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That one percent?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The one that controls ninety-nine percent of the country's wealth.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tony nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"They had motive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whether they acted—or whether I can ever prove anything—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>is another matter.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Henry gave a mocking grin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Seems you've been living an exciting life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hiring a whole security team and everything.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Happy Hogan—Brooklyn, former boxer, no notable record.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Saved my life during a test-drive crash.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now he runs my security.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His people are all handpicked.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You trust guys like that?\" Henry asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Right now, men like him are more trustworthy than anyone with a spotless résumé.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So that's why you're coming to someone like me—'background questionable' and all?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"At least you've proven you aren't easy to buy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anyone who can turn down me and the Mellon family—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I doubt you'll be easily bought by anyone else.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And out of all my bargaining chips—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Stark Pictures is the one I'm sure appeals to you most.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>🎉 Power Stone Goal Announcement! 🎉\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I'll release one bonus chapter for every 500 Power Stones we hit!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Let me know what should I do\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Your support means everything—let's crush these goals together! Keep voting, and let the stones pile up! 🚀\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~\u003C\u002Fp>",1039,"2026-06-06T15:31:22.542Z",1,"novelbin.me","ea2739843f00938aaa5ef5df15ec07313eb82c4c624a9ee938d352cfda20c0fc","marvel-a-lazy-ass-superman-chapter-269","marvel-a-lazy-ass-superman-chapter-267",556,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fmarvel-a-lazy-ass-superman-cover.jpg"]