NOVEL NEXT Chapter 17: Crack His Skull Open
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Black Sky Unit 16, Unit 18, Unit 22.
Greetings, photos, group pictures.
At least no one's asking for autographs.
After all, he's not Iron Man.
Ron didn't enjoy these kinds of events.
After casually going through the motions, he started scanning the crowd, looking to see if there were any familiar faces.
He had come to the Marvel world, but so far, he hadn't even left the house much. Forget about making friends—he hadn't even met a single Avenger.
A quick glance around revealed nothing particularly interesting.
Just as he was about to retract his gaze, he suddenly felt an unusual sense of being watched. Instinctively, he turned his head, locking onto the source of that gaze.
It was a beautiful girl.
Young, golden hair, a stunning figure.
That face—so familiar.
Ron immediately recognized her.
Gwen Stacy.
She was even more beautiful in real life than in the movies. About 70-80% similar, but her skin
was softer, and her youthful aura carried a charm beyond her years, like a perfectly crafted
3D model.
At that moment, their eyes met.
Gwen, caught off guard at being noticed, instinctively wanted to look away. But then she realized—
she hadn't done anything wrong.
She looked back up.
Ron nodded at her with a slight smile.
A faint blush of embarrassment crossed Gwen's face. She seemed unsure how to react.
On the other hand, Ron was in a pretty good mood.
This was the first named character he had encountered since regaining consciousness—
And she was a beauty.
Guess this is a good start.
Still, this whole atmosphere? Not a fan.
If Tony invites me to something like this again, I'm saying no. No way.
A bunch of random guys crowding around him, making small talk.
Disgusting.
Why couldn't it be beautiful women instead? Even if nothing happened, at least it would be
nice to look at.
More importantly—
Ron realized he needed a bodyguard. Someone to at least keep people from swarming him in situations like this.
So, he simply put on a cold expression, releasing a slight aura of intimidation.
It worked instantly. People instinctively felt uneasy and stopped approaching him.
Finally alone, Ron grabbed a glass of champagne and looked around for a new target.
A quick mental scan.
Gwen's location—locked.
When he looked her way, he noticed something interesting—
She was looking at him too.
Such sharp perception…
Ron blinked.
Could it be… Spider-Woman?
Without hesitation, he started walking toward her.
But just before he reached her, someone else stepped in ahead of him.
A familiar face.
"Miss, may I—"
"Doctor Strange."
Ron called him out before he could finish.
"With your age, I think you'd have a better conversation with Gwen Stacy's father, Captain George
Stacy."
The underlying message was clear:
Dude, have some shame. You're old enough to be her dad.
Trying to flirt with a young girl? What if her father arrests you?
Ron hadn't expected to run into Stephen Strange here.
In his memories, this guy had actually treated him before.
After all, Strange was a top-tier neurosurgeon.
After diagnosing Ron, his conclusion was clear:
The issue was in the brain's nerves.
To fix it—surgery.
Yeah, brain surgery.
In simpler terms: He's done for. No hope. Crack his skull open.
N.M.!
When Tony heard that, he almost lost it.
The guy hadn't even fixed the hole in his own chest, and now he was supposed to decide on
brain surgery for Ron?
One mistake and—boom—game over.
Because of that memory, Ron had zero patience for Strange.
You wanted to open my skull?
Hua Tuo wanted to open Cao Cao's skull, and he almost got himself killed.
Wait until you get into a car accident and your hands are ruined—then I'll see how you like it.
Strange, of course, recognized Ron as well.
He stared at him in surprise. "You actually recovered? That's a medical miracle!"
"Come by my hospital when you have time. I can run some tests."
Ron's face darkened.
"Doctor Strange."
"Instead of worrying about others, maybe you should watch out for yourself."
"You drove here, right?"
"Don't drink and drive. It's dangerous."
"You wouldn't want to end up as a loss to the medical community."
Strange only seemed to process the last part.
With his usual arrogance, he nodded.
"I'm surprised that even a newly recovered Ron Stark has heard of me."
"Don't worry. As the best neurosurgeon, I never lose focus."
"My hands are far steadier than an Iron Man who wields a welding torch."
Wait—
You came to a Stark party…
Just to diss Tony Stark?
Damn! You really think you're all that?!
Ron seriously considered messing with Strange's car. Let's see if he still acted this cocky
after a crash.
Ignoring him completely, Ron stepped around Strange and walked over to Gwen.
Gwen, having overheard their conversation, now knew who he was.
So this was the legendary—
Tony Stark's long-lost brother from another mother.
The infamous idiot…
Who apparently wasn't an idiot anymore.
And, on top of that, was insanely good-looking.
...