American comics: Starting with Luke the Maker

The conference lasted for three full days. High-tech biopharmaceutical companies from various states, along with dignitaries, enthusiastically engaged in various explorations and collaborations surrounding the vampires. Every day, some people rejoiced over reaching agreements, while others nearly came to blows over issues of quota allocation. It almost got to the point of a brawl.

The only ones who could sit back and watch calmly were Hebron and Stark Industries.

The former, as the leader in vampire factor technology, naturally held a powerful advantage and a solid position. After all, Hebron was the only one with mature products. No matter how others competed, Hebron's share of the profits would not be lacking! Those powerful figures eyeing the longevity potion would inevitably ensure Hebron's interests before considering others, given the absence of alternatives.

The latter was merely watching the show without participating. Tony Stark wasn't worried about aging in the coming decades; he was simply invited to participate in this conference that he found quite interesting. Stark Industries needed to re-establish a new, stable relationship with the government.

The connections that Obadiah and Stark Industries had cultivated over decades had largely dissipated with Obadiah's downfall and Stark's withdrawal from the arms industry. Tony had initially tried to salvage these connections when he took over Stark Industries, but he discovered that there were still things in this world that were difficult for him to handle and resolve in a short time. For example, interpersonal relationships!

His brilliant mind and lifelong experiences easily allowed him to understand what he needed to do to be correct, or at the very least, find a template to reference and imitate. But knowing was one thing, and being able to do it was another. At least Tony believed he couldn't be as socially adept and flexible as Justin Hammer, nor as skilled as Obadiah in handling official relationships.

It was impossible to make Tony Stark less arrogant.

Tony's biggest change now was that he wouldn't be as capricious as before, leaving official commendations and people aside to go to clubs and have fun with girls. He had matured and become more responsible, but that didn't mean he wouldn't be sarcastic and unlikeable.

As for Pepper Potts? Tony didn't deny that Pepper was a capable person, but she was previously known more as his assistant. She was still too inexperienced to play mind games and wrestle with those seasoned political veterans in the government. On this point, Tony even envied Luke on rare occasions.

Although Luke's CEO, Ina, was younger than Pepper, her family background was there. She had been influenced by it since childhood, and she had a veteran senator father who could give her instructions and advice at any time. She could easily identify the key points of those political tricks and languages and then take targeted measures.

Sometimes Tony even missed the era when Obadiah managed Stark Industries. At least back then, he only needed to focus on his research, and all the external storms would be blocked by that man.

Now, he had to face the storms himself.

Therefore, Tony now gave some consideration to official meetings and cooperation requests that he previously disliked participating in.

...

Some time later, in Hebron's reception room, Nick, Tony, and Luke were gathered together. The lighting was not bright; the interior of the conference room was even somewhat dim.

"New energy is no longer hindered," Luke said, breaking the silence first.

"Yeah," Tony replied dryly, clearly indicating that the official upper echelons were expressing goodwill towards Luke, and it had little to do with him, Tony Stark.

"S.H.I.E.L.D.'s funding has increased by twenty percent, and the responsibilities have increased a lot. Manpower is tight," Nick Fury sighed softly, but his black face seemed to carry a satisfied look.

"Hebron has obtained a weapons security license," Luke continued, quite satisfied. After all, with this, he could fully arm the entire Hebron with various weapons, which would be reasonable, legal, and justified. In the future, even if Luke came up with something good, under the effect of this license, he wouldn't suffer the same embarrassing fate as Tony Stark, being summoned to a hearing because of a suit of armor.

Of course, there were still restrictions, but Luke was temporarily very satisfied.

"Stark received an order to improve California's official power grid," Tony interjected dryly.

Luke and Nick looked at Tony, whose expression was off, exchanged glances, and tacitly avoided stimulating him further, instead shifting the topic to vampire factors.

"You businessmen really can turn a blue ocean into a red sea as soon as you discover it," Nick said, recalling the various companies that had sprung up like mushrooms after rain, all trying to capitalize on the vampire factor.

The media had been overwhelmingly reporting on the past and present of vampires these days, shifting from threats to benefits, then to practical value. Eventually, inexplicably, after reading the reports for a few days, the public was surprised to find that the terrifying image of vampires in their minds had completely changed, inexplicably becoming synonymous with treasures!

What? You say they are intelligent creatures like humans?

Nonsense, they are clearly animals similar to monkeys and gorillas! A special mutation of bats. Many scientists have said in the major media that these vampires have extremely high research value, medicinal value, can solve a large number of intractable diseases, and effectively improve the body's lifespan and health, and so on.

Many, including giants like Osborn Industries, have even publicly acquired vampires.

The public's perception of vampires has changed from fear a few days ago to eager anticipation. Some with strong initiative even made silver weapons and wandered around places where vampires were rumored to appear, carrying garlic. The prices offered by those companies were simply too tempting.

Even some hilarious things happened, such as vampire fanatics being caught by these people and sold to these companies.

Even more active and kicking someone when they're down was the underworld! The entire underworld was shaken by the Battle of Brooklyn, and they were also deeply interested in vampires. After all, vampires were deeply rooted in the underworld, and they even used money to build a chain of interests belonging to the vampires. But now the vampire's chain of interests had long collapsed, and their power had also been greatly damaged. Other organizations in the underworld had no feelings of sorrow for their fallen comrades.

They just keenly realized that the old vampire interest chain had collapsed, but a new vampire interest chain had reappeared!