[{"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-430":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},1721936,2198,"Chapter 430 430 — The Mysterious Banquet","marvel-a-lazy-ass-superman-chapter-430",430,"\u003Cp>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For 40 advanced chapters, visit my Patreon:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Patreon - Twilight_scribe1\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Henry answered Tony Stark's last question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But there was no follow-up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The young billionaire had probably gone offline.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After finishing the hint program he intended to leave for Stark, Henry returned home. Tony Stark's artificial intelligence code contained quite a few clever ideas, and some of them could definitely help improve the behavior logic of Henry's core robot, BB.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since Henry was currently rebuilding BB's system, he had to admit Stark's approach was very valuable as a reference.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, Henry had no intention of copying Stark's unfinished AI program and transferring it to his own server.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn't because the prototype version of JARVIS was incomplete.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The real reason was simpler.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the abilities both men possessed, tracing file transfer routes would be trivial.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Henry simply didn't want to expose the location of his private server.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>> Wherever something passes, it leaves traces.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That rule applied not only in the real world, but even more so on the internet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Better to stay cautious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides, their current arrangement was already a habit:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>take something, leave something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Both of them silently agreed not to probe into what the other was doing outside the Hollywood Kid supercomputer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Otherwise Stark Industries' servers would never be able to keep Henry out—Tony Stark knew that perfectly well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unfortunately, by the time he realized it, he had already invited the wolf into the house.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Too late to kick him out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>---\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back to real-world arrangements.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the Western world, Easter isn't fixed like Christmas.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It falls on the first Sunday after the full moon following the spring equinox.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The vampire invitation specified the evening before Easter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>April 6th, 1996.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A Saturday night.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After repeated consideration, Henry decided he couldn't simply ignore the event.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If the creatures behaved like Charlie from the Continental described—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>relentless and persistent—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>then avoiding them wouldn't stop their ambitions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>---\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So at the appointed time, naturally at night, Henry drove alone to the location.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His outfit was the same one respectable suit he owned:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>navy Armani suit\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>newly purchased brown calfskin shoes\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The estate hosting the banquet looked completely normal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were none of the signs one might associate with a cult.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No disturbing blood smell.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No eerie decorations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By all appearances, it was simply a typical upper-class gathering.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many attendees were elderly men and women who required assistance just to walk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their clothing and jewelry were exquisite.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their hair and beards meticulously groomed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet none of that could hide the unmistakable signs of decline on their skin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These people were clearly near the end of their lives.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>---\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not long after arriving, Henry was stopped by one such elderly man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old man looked so frail he seemed ready to collapse at any moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He leaned closer and asked in a hushed tone:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Sir… are you one of them?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No, Mr. Bernard,\" Henry replied calmly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I'm also a guest who received an invitation.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Oh… I can see that.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old man stepped back and looked Henry up and down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That glance carried a deeper meaning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Henry's Armani suit might be considered luxury for blue-collar and white-collar workers alike.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But to true members of the upper aristocratic class, proper clothing meant hand-tailored suits, made from high-quality fabric.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Celebrities wore Armani mainly because of sponsorship deals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It didn't necessarily mean the clothes were truly elite.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, compared to two-hundred-dollar department-store suits, Armani still looked impressive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old man didn't rush to conclusions, though.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Have we met somewhere before?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"New York, four years ago,\" Henry replied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"At a fundraising banquet hosted by Ms. Audrey Hepburn for UNICEF. I was her assistant.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Oh… now I remember.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old man patted Henry on the arm thoughtfully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Good luck, kid.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he walked away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>---\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even though the old man had tried to remain polite, Henry could clearly sense the meaning behind his reaction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man probably thought Henry was another naïve youngster lured here as a blood bag.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was why he fled so quickly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Honestly—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Henry was already starting to regret coming.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>---\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking around, he saw young people roughly his age scattered throughout the venue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They behaved as if they had entered some extraordinary place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Constantly trying to network.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Constantly seeking connections.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But meeting rejection everywhere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Despite the elegant surroundings—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>fine food, expensive wine, refined atmosphere—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>two groups were clearly separated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even while standing in the same room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One group:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Old money elites.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The other:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ambitious young hopefuls.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Old wealth on one side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hungry opportunists on the other.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Henry's appearance and age clearly placed him among the latter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Young.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ignorant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Full of excessive ambition.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Too blind to realize they might merely be items on someone else's menu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>---\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then suddenly—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A third type of person appeared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was also young.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But possessed stunning beauty and overwhelming confidence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even when facing the elderly elite, she maintained a proud, superior attitude.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She wore a tight crimson dress.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her high heels added nearly a hand's height to her stature.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The blonde beauty brushed past everyone attempting to talk to her—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>even those reaching out to plead for attention.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She walked straight toward Henry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her lips, painted with Chanel Coco #920 Honey Apple, glowed with a seductive sweetness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Irresistibly inviting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Henry Brown?\" she asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes. That's me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She leaned in close.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Too close.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From his ear down to his neck, she quickly sniffed along his scent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Someone timid might have jumped three steps back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Henry did step back—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>but not from fear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He simply didn't want to stand too close to a beautiful woman.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially if she might be a vampire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides, the banquet hall was full of hidden cameras and microphones.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The surveillance was subtle but thorough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Henry had no intention of giving reporters a chance to spin gossip from a single photograph.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>---\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For some reason, his reaction amused the woman.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She chuckled softly, shooting him a flirtatious glance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Come with me,\" she said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Lord Dragoneiti wishes to see you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She didn't hide the invitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many people noticed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some looked jealous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some sympathetic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Others secretly delighted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ignoring the spectators, Henry followed her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They entered a corridor guarded by several massive men.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The message was obvious:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No entry without permission.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>---\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beyond the corridor was another banquet hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The decorations were similar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the people inside were completely different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clothing here was far more casual.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some appearances were… difficult to describe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For example:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A man with a wild punk hairstyle wearing a leather vest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If someone like that had walked into the front hall earlier, the elderly guests might have had heart attacks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aside from unusual fashion, everyone here shared the same aura as the blonde woman:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>arrogant and flamboyant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every single one of them looked down on others.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Literally.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With their noses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>---\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Near the fireplace stood two chairs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One was already occupied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A tall man with brown hair and blue eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Strong build.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked completely normal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Between the chairs sat a small table with fine liquor and glasses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bottle hadn't been poured yet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Henry was guided to the empty chair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only then did the blonde woman open the bottle and pour brandy into both glasses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The mysterious host sat calmly across from him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The real conversation was about to begin\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>",1257,"2026-06-06T15:31:22.542Z",1,"novelbin.me","1a6b74cfe2f4350d4b1d61001e256afc092243293bbb5bd991d0eed4ced838ed","marvel-a-lazy-ass-superman-chapter-431","marvel-a-lazy-ass-superman-chapter-429",556,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fmarvel-a-lazy-ass-superman-cover.jpg"]