Silence.
Carol and Nick Fury fell into a long silence.
The two of them stared blankly at the Superman before them. His handsome face, as if sculpted by a master, was sharp and defined.
It was beyond their expectations that they would meet Superman under such circumstances.
"You..."
Nick Fury was momentarily speechless. "Why are you here?"
"That question makes you seem rather unsophisticated, Nick Fury."
Anton, disguised as Superman, shrugged and said calmly, "Knowhere is a place where wanderers from all over the universe pass through. Just like you, I am a drifter of the cosmos."
Playing the role of a wandering Superman, he knew exactly what to say.
This line fit the scene perfectly.
Hearing his words, Carol and Nick Fury exchanged glances.
"Please, have a seat."
Carol waved to a nearby bartender.
An octopus-like server, balancing seven or eight plates, swiftly shuffled toward their table.
"One Mad Titan."
Carol was generous, immediately swiping her card for payment.
In the Marvel Universe, there was a universal currency, commonly referred to as—credit coins.
Credit coins were widely accepted across most of the universe, making them extremely versatile.
As the most notorious black market hub in the galaxy, Knowhere naturally welcomed credit transactions.
At Starlin Bar, a single Mad Titan was a luxury drink, priced steeply.
Upon hearing the order, the octopus bartender, sensing a good profit, instantly beamed with a flattering smile.
"No problem, honored guests. Please wait a moment."
A few minutes later, the octopus returned, carrying a palm-sized goblet. The surrounding patrons cast envious glances as the drink was placed before Anton.
"Here you go, your Mad Titan."
"Thank you."
Anton nodded, taking a sip of the unique alien cocktail. Immediately, he felt energy gathering in his stomach before spreading as a warm current through his limbs, filling him with vitality.
"This stuff is pretty good."
He let out a sigh of appreciation before looking at Carol and Nick Fury. "Didn't expect you two to have saved up quite a bit in the universe."
A single Mad Titan cost 91 credit coins.
In Earth currency system, 1 credit coin was roughly equivalent to 10 U.S. dollars.
Of course, this didn't mean that 1 credit coin could be exchanged for 10 dollars.
It was simply a comparison of purchasing power.
In reality, even if someone on Earth were willing to pay a hundred million dollars for just 100 credit coins, no one in the universe would take the offer.
Earth, being a remote and insignificant planet, was overlooked by most cosmic civilizations.
A currency from an obscure corner of the galaxy was worthless in the grand scheme of the universe.
And something with no demand held no value at all.
"If you know who I am, then you should also know that I've done quite a few things worthy of praise on various planets. People aren't usually stingy when it comes to heroes."
Carol cut in. "Let be direct, Superman. This isn't a coincidence. You came to us on purpose. What do you want?"
Neither Carol nor Nick Fury were fools.
After calming down and piecing things together, they realized that the moment Superman stepped into Starlin Bar, his gaze locked onto them. That was enough proof—he knew their exact location and had sought them out intentionally.
Anton attempt to stage a coincidental encounter was a weak trick.
Luckily, he had no intention of hiding it.
He had indeed come for Carol and Nick Fury.
"That right. I came looking for you."
Anton nodded, admitting it openly. "When I arrived at Knowhere, I expanded my senses and happened to overhear someone mentioning my name.
Then, I discovered that the ones talking about me were you two, from Earth. Since I know a bit about both of you, I decided to come over."
"If I'm not mistaken, you left Earth not too long ago… What are you doing here on Knowhere?"
Nick Fury was curious.
"Before I answer that, I'd like to ask you the same question."
Anton tone was filled with interest as he asked, "Why were you looking for me?"
"We weren't looking for anything."
Nick Fury answered frankly. "I just felt that I should establish a connection with you. Humanity is insignificant in this vast universe. Since we come from the same planet, we should naturally help each other."
That was, in fact, his most sincere belief.
Carol thoughts were similar.
If Superman was as trustworthy and powerful as Nick Fury suggested, she certainly wouldn't mind having another strong ally on her team.
However, what came next left both her and Fury completely dumbfounded.
"Yes, since we all come from Earth, we should help each other."
Anton nodded.
Then, he suddenly paused. His expression turned serious as he locked eyes with the two of them. Slowly and deliberately, he made his request.
"So… can you lend me some money?"
"..."
Carol and Nick Fury froze.
They exchanged bewildered glances, both struggling to process what they had just heard.
Borrow money?
How did this conversation suddenly turn into a loan request?
Sure, they might be fellow Earthlings, but they had literally just met!
Their minds raced, trying to make sense of the situation. Of all the things they expected Superman to say, this was not on the list.
Was this Superman… unreliable?
"You're… asking for money?"
Carol stared at him for a long moment before finally speaking. She was utterly perplexed. "How do you not have money? No—how much do you need?"
"The more, the better."
Anton smiled.
Money, no matter where you were, was always best in large amounts.
"What do you need it for?"
Carol frowned slightly, sensing something unusual in his request.
"To hire the Ravagers."
Anton replied, "I need them for a job." He shrugged. "You know how it is—they don't come cheap."
Hiring the Ravagers?
At those words, Carol and Nick Fury expressions shifted again.
Carol, of course, was very familiar with the Ravagers.
As for Nick Fury, he had been away from Earth for some time now, and after reconnecting with Carol, he had caught up on some essential cosmic knowledge.
The Ravagers were essentially mercenaries—soldiers for hire who got the job done, bound by a code of conduct, though not the most rigid one.
Most members took pride in being Ravagers.
However, when times were tough, some of them dabbled in space piracy, turning into despised criminals of the cosmos.
Because of this, the Ravagers had a mixed reputation—it was difficult to say whether they were trustworthy or not.
"Superman, I can help you."
Carol was silent for a moment before speaking slowly. "But you need to tell me exactly what you're hiring the Ravagers for."