"Want to understand the meaning of life?"
"No, let me rephrase: do you want to become stronger?"
Matt didn't answer. He raised his head as if looking at John.
His lifeless eyes were bright, yet never focused on anyone.
He wasn't born blind; as a child, he had lost his sight forever saving someone.
The boy who depended on his father grew up to become a lawyer.
He was lucky. He met Stick in his youth and Foggy at school when he grew up, starting a law firm together after they began working.
He was unlucky. His father was killed for not throwing a fight. He had no mother, lost his father, and was blind.
He had seen the light, then lost it forever, which was more despairing than eternal darkness.
He is a devout believer. Darkness did not crawl into his heart; faith gave him great strength.
With enhanced senses from a misfortune, he could become Daredevil, upholding justice in Hell's Kitchen at night.
He asked, "Why me?"
He asked John.
Their meeting had no drama, no conflict.
It was just a lawyer with a sense of justice who happened to overestimate himself by helping a devil in human skin.
He took the person home and had a cup of coffee.
The newly opened law firm became the famous Wick Lawyers.
Even though he wasn't needed, John could handle the matters of Hell's Kitchen by himself.
Inside Satan's Mansion, he didn't need to ask what he did to be hunted.
Matt had seen John kill and also seen how he used words and hints to drive people insane.
He and the other party had no common ground worth being together.
Even the concept of not killing should be something John disliked.
But why was it this Matt, who, under the favor of John Wick, became a member of the Second Alliance?
Matt waited for John's answer.
John also gave him one.
"Because of your conviction, Matt." Looking at Matt in the dark, they could see each other without light. John said, "With you, this is a Superhero alliance, not a murderous intelligence organization."
Every organization needs a benchmark for justice.
Just like Captain America, he wasn't as smart as Tony, not as strong as Thor, and even lacked the power of the Hulk.
But he was the most indispensable person in the Avengers.
He will correct you when you make mistakes, help you when you are in danger, and give you hope when you are in despair.
This is a rare quality: sticking to oneself, upholding conviction.
Matt didn't have Ivan's Armor, nor Dax's execution ability.
But he had conviction from beginning to end.
This is where John valued him.
As John said, without Matt, this just person, they would go further and further astray.
"Within your mortal body lies a tenacious will and unyielding conviction. I allow you to act according to the rules, I respect your choices, and I will support your actions."
John said, "You can always rein in before mistakes become irreversible. Even if anger pierces your mind like a needle, you can endure the pain."
He looked at Matt, his face showing genuine emotion.
"One day in the future, this world will face the arrival of despair, and when everyone gives up, someone must persist."
Obviously, Ivan wouldn't be that person, and Dax certainly wouldn't be that person.
Only Matt could be that person.
This alliance, except for Matt, is full of extreme people.
An FBI agent who could turn into a perverted killer at any time.
A Russian scientist with a head full of revenge.
And a Wizard King who doesn't consider himself an American.
Only Matt is special.
John walked up to Matt and said word by word, "What you believe in is not the omnipotent God, but a self bound by chains."
"Every prayer of yours cannot reach God's ears, but it can take root in your heart time and time again."
"You have a heart, Matt." John slowly placed his hand on his chest and asked, "Hear it, your own heartbeat."
"Tell yourself your choice."
Matt slowly placed his hand on his chest, feeling the rhythm of each heartbeat transmitted through his fingertips.
"What about you?"
Matt said, "I have never heard your heartbeat."
"Me?" John chuckled. "Interesting question. Maybe one day, you can discover my secret."
Taking the bottle of ultimate serum from his pocket, John lightly shook the transparent vial.
"Now, you need to give me an answer."
"It can make you stronger, just like the Super Soldier Serum once did, creating a Captain America."
"No, it will be a stronger Captain America."
John looked into Matt's eyes. "Perhaps your eyes can also recover."
"See the light again."
The temptation of these four words to Matt was no less than Voldemort hearing the name Harry Potter.
See the light again?
A power Matt lost in his childhood.
John placed the ultimate serum in Matt's hand.
Matt's fingers rubbed the smooth vial, his expression showing a bit more excitement.
But...
"I don't need it."
Matt returned the item to John.
"You said that the me who adheres to conviction is worth your high regard," Matt said firmly. "Power will make me gradually lose all of this."
Power breeds ambition.
The ultimate serum, fused with the evolution serum, contained a hint of the effect from the Super Soldier Serum.
Good people will become better, and bad people will become worse.
The men of the Murdoch family harbor a beast within their hearts.
Releasing it would become a disaster.
Matt chose to give up what he had in hand.
He wanted to control the beast, not let it out to cause harm in the world.
John smiled, putting the serum in his pocket. "If you change your mind, come find me anytime."
John had no use for this thing.
Ivan and Dax, one wears armor and the other has a super spine, neither needs the ultimate serum as an added bonus.
Matt was unwilling to accept, and John wouldn't force him.
"That woman is for you to deal with." John waved his hand and said, "No matter what, I respect your decision."
"Thank you," Matt nodded vigorously.
***
"Without the armor, what are you?"
Steve once brought up this topic when arguing with Tony.
Is it Tony with the armor who is Iron Man, or the armor with Tony that is Iron Man?
Without the armor, he is a billionaire, a genius scientist. He is Tony Stark.
Tony is currently facing such a predicament.
This was the first time he faced villains without his armor after becoming Iron Man.
After learning the Mandarin was in Miami, Tony entered a department store to buy equipment.
The Mark 1 back then was hammered out by him in the cave, hammer by hammer.
It was Tony Stark who created Iron Man. Even without the armor, he was still Iron Man.
His anxiety was cured as his thoughts became clear.
Tony infiltrated the manor where the Mandarin was suspected to be, equipped with homemade gear.
Sneaking around the corner of the stairs.
Seeing the guarding security personnel, he hooked that person's ankle with a grappling hook, making them fall down the stairs and lose consciousness.
The commotion attracted two more security guards. He raised his modified nail gun, shot the person in the throat before they could speak, then stepped forward and performed a series of moves from his diligently practiced Wing Chun, knocking the person down.
Another security guard immediately attacked. Tony turned around instantly, pulled out a taser gun, and gave the person a good sleep.
Continuing forward, two more security guards appeared, guarding the entrance. He threw in a homemade ball bomb.
The ignorant security guard picked it up, and the explosion dealt with the person.
The other security guard subconsciously reached for money. Tony raised the nail gun and fired continuously, making the person fall into the water.
Passing by that person, Tony casually threw in a homemade bomb, and after he walked past, the bomb exploded, ending the fight.
Casually discarding the nail gun, he entered the manor.
Electric gloves put the harassing security guard to sleep.
Breaking through all the way, he was finally about to face the final big boss.
The man who made him look bad and lost him a villa.
The Mandarin.
Tony snatched the security guard's pistol and walked towards the final location.
That was a bedroom.
Tony saw the Ten Rings logo that appeared every time the Mandarin's group hacked into a TV channel.
He took a deep breath; even the smell inside here was oppressive.
He released the safety and pulled the bolt.
He slowly entered through the doorway.
Sweat beaded on his palms. The first thing he saw was a bed.
The bed was very large, big enough for three people to lie down and engage in intimate activities together.
And at this moment, two women were huddled on the bed.
Tony frowned, just as he was about to ask about the situation.
He saw the women were all looking fearfully in one direction.
Tony turned his head to look. A silver light exploded in front of his eyes.
Without hesitation, Tony was about to pull the trigger.
The bullet scraped through the barrel, and just as it was about to exit, an extremely sharp blade sliced it in half.
Only half of the gun remained. A drop of cold sweat rolled down Tony's forehead.
That person sliced the pistol in half with one strike, the blade pointed at Tony's throat.
The next second.
A purple energy wrapped around the blade and yanked it back forcefully.
The weapon flew out of his hand and plunged into the ground.
Someone else had arrived.
Only then did Tony see the current situation clearly.
***********
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