[{"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-290":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},1721896,2198,"Chapter 290 290 — Cards on the Table","marvel-a-lazy-ass-superman-chapter-290",290,"\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>The most important reason Henry couldn't say out loud was simple:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because she was Barbara Morse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If she had approached him under a fake name, maybe Henry would've already fallen—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He'd probably be dizzy right now from how hard he'd have fallen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A gorgeous blonde woman throwing herself at you?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That's something most men never get even once in their entire lives.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who cares if there's a conspiracy behind it—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sleep with her first, ask questions later!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But \"Agent 19 of S.H.I.E.L.D.—Mockingbird\" was far too famous in this Marvel universe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just like every named character:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anyone with a name is trouble.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if today's Barbara Morse wasn't the legendary agent yet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Henry didn't dare gamble she was merely a namesake. Treating her as the Mockingbird was far safer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What would a girl with such excellent conditions want from him?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By Western standards, sure—maybe she just wanted to \"leave a memory\" on the West Coast.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A little stamp in the passport of her romantic scrapbook.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But collecting \"stamps\" required mutual consent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And after being politely rejected several times earlier this year, she still came back after a whole semester?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That's either ulterior motive or revenge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who would be dumb enough to touch a woman under those circumstances?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Facing a sugar-coated bullet—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not everyone has the ability to eat the sugar and throw away the bullet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If it explodes in your mouth mid-chew, who's to blame?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So no—Henry wasn't unresponsive because he was immune.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He simply calculated risk vs reward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Barbara put on her best shocked-but-I-have-no-idea-what-you-mean expression, Henry continued:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"On the surface, I'm someone with zero appeal. I'm very aware of that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So the only thing that could attract a beauty like you… would be my unpublished abilities and identity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Which leads to the real question:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From what agency or what country are you a spy or operative?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even a still-green trainee like Barbara knew denial was pointless now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She shook her head frantically.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No no no, how could I be a spy or an agent? I just like your humor! And your knowledge—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her words were so weak even she didn't sound convinced.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Henry laughed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Sweetheart, if you were a graduate of some three-bit, dumpster-level high school, I might believe you.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But Georgia Tech?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You're telling me that a top-tier university is filled only with nerds and steroid-saturated athletes?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No rich guys? No funny guys?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And you want to claim 'knowledgeable' is what caught your eye?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That's spitting on Georgia Tech's reputation.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He added casually:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You'd be more believable if you claimed we met as kids, and I once helped chase away some little bullies. Something like that—that I could almost buy.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Barbara's eyes lit up—she clearly took it as a prompt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Right right! Actually, I was going to tell you—I grew up in LA, and when I was little we—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The whole 'I'm Gary's ex-wife's relative' thing is fake too, isn't it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Henry cut in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Barbara still didn't realize she'd been exposed, she might as well not have a brain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She quickly composed herself, her face returning to its sharp, calculating calm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So… am I going to walk out of this forest alive?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Henry snorted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Things haven't reached that point.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And Gary knows I brought you out here—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If you don't go back, I'm Suspect Number One.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I'm not dumb enough to make trouble for myself.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Oh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So my safety is guaranteed then.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I don't lose anything by letting you go.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just… don't focus your organization's attention on me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There's no point.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Barbara nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Because of confidentiality, I can't reveal much. But I can say this much—we represent the official side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We work for justice and world peace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even so… you still resist us?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Henry chuckled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>**\"Justice is a matter of perspective.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Peace requires everyone's cooperation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Don't you think those two ideas directly contradict each other?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Unless the 'peace' you mean is the kind where everyone kneels under your version of justice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Slavery in the name of righteousness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"In that case, your organization might as well follow all those TV villains and loudly declare—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'I WILL CONQUER THE WORLD.'\"**\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Young, inexperienced Barbara—her worldview still soft and unset—was utterly shaken.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Henry wasn't attacking her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was attacking her conviction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She scratched her head anxiously, trying to find a counterargument.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But with this kind of rhetorical trap, following the opponent's logic only dragged you deeper.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like struggling in a net—the more you fight, the tighter it wraps.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just like dealing with an online troll:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The only two winning responses were—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>1. Real-life confrontation\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>2. Cursing them into silence\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Stephen Chow style:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter what nonsense the other person says, respond with:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your mom.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Barbara wasn't a netizen, nor had this era birthed full-blown keyboard warriors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All she could squeeze out was:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Aren't you a patriot?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The term Patriot held a unique meaning in a nation founded by rebels who rebranded themselves as righteous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without that moral mask, the Founding Fathers were simply traitors who betrayed their homeland and ran away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Henry sighed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I just happened to be here, that's all.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He woke up in Alaska.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Worked on a crab boat to earn his first money.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Got legal status through Old Tom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He never \"chose\" America.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He simply got swept along by circumstance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he'd woken up in Norway, Britain, Australia, New Zealand, or anywhere else where he could stay legally—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He would've stayed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Barbara heard this answer—not satisfying, but not hostile either.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since the counterculture movement of the 60s, hippies had challenged every foundation of American patriotism.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anti-war, anti-establishment, anti-authority.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Were they Americans?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just not the kind wearing red-white-and-blue underwear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These days, the only people still shouting \"Patriot!\" were rednecks and the ruling elite—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the latter required loyalty exams just to rise in rank.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Barbara worked for the latter kind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bringing Henry into the fold wasn't just Nick Fury's order—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was also her wish.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Henry had just kicked away the staircase she'd hoped he'd climb.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What else could she do?\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>",1052,"2026-06-06T15:31:22.542Z",1,"novelbin.me","1c6167b7333f3921a5e2e573f08276108f0571f77349cf3c42d69ae81420977d","marvel-a-lazy-ass-superman-chapter-291","marvel-a-lazy-ass-superman-chapter-289",556,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fmarvel-a-lazy-ass-superman-cover.jpg"]