Harem Streamer System: Every Crime I Broadcast Wins Me a Superheroine - Chapter 49

Chapter 49: Panic in the Hall
Abandoned Military Compound, Meteor City…

The room was very dark.

The little light available was from the pale glow of an old, flickering television set.

Gwen sat slouched in her chair, still tied up, with rough ropes digging into her wrists and ankles, leaving them red and sore.

On the other side of the room, Dark Elf lounged lazily on an old, sagging sofa. One leg hung over the armrest, and she casually munched on a bag of chips, looking as though she’d done this a hundred times before.

On the screen, Judy Cho droned on about the highly anticipated Black Industries Tech Summit.

Gwen shifted in her chair and glanced around the room.

“Great. She’s still here.”

Dark Elf’s crimson eyes slid toward her, unamused.

She wiped her chip-stained fingers on her sweatpants and raised an eyebrow.

“Where exactly did you think you’d be, genius?”

Gwen groaned and tilted her head back dramatically.

“I don’t know, anywhere but here? I thought Sc-, Nightwatch would’ve busted in by now. Guess I’ll just have to wait a bit longer.”

She sighed and lowered her head to sulk.

But, Dark Elf didn’t let the moment last.

With surprising agility, she hopped off the sofa and landed lightly on her feet before sliding her hands into the pockets of her joggers.

“First of all, Nightwatch would have to find this place. And trust me, with how careful Grave is? That’s not happening. If he does find us, it’s because Grave wants him to.”

Gwen’s head snapped up.

“Shut up!”

For the first time, she noticed Dark Elf wasn’t wearing her usual combat gear.

No mask, no darkwear—just a jersey and sweatpants.

“What the hell?”

Gwen muttered.

“Why are you dressed like… like it’s a lazy Sunday or something?”

Dark Elf scratched the back of her head.

“What? Assassins can’t have downtime now? Before you interrupted my very important day, I was watching the news. And before that? My favorite sitcom.”

Gwen’s face became more sour.

“Wow. Didn’t know professional killers had the privilege of bingeing sitcoms. How does it feel, huh? Killing and ruining people’s lives and then sitting down to laugh at corny punchlines? You think you deserve a normal life or something?”

Dark Elf paused and tilted her head as if she was actually giving the question some thought. She placed a finger on her small chin and stared up at the distant ceiling.

“Hmm. As much as I’d love to feel bad about ‘ruining people’s lives,’ I’m just doing what this world made me do.”

Gwen scoffed.

“Oh, what’s that supposed to mean? Being a bitch?”

Ignoring the jab, Dark Elf turned back to the television.

Her expression was so distant.

“No. Being abandoned in a world where, if you’re not special, then you’re nothing. A world where talent beats hard work every time. You know, when the gang that raised me found me, they said I was crying in a dumpster. A trash can… like literal garbage.”

All that, and she couldn’t hide the boredom in her voice.

“So? What’s that got to do with me?”

Gwen asked, though her tone lacked its usual bite.

Dark Elf shrugged.

“It’s got everything to do with you. If my own mother couldn’t even bother to leave me on someone’s doorstep and instead dumps me like yesterday’s trash, what does that say about people’s minds? The world’s already messed up. Anyone I kill or ruin? That’s just my way of saying, ‘Welcome to the party’ alright?”

There was such bitterness in her voice, but Gwen couldn’t pick up on it because of how dull she sounded.

“I don’t have an identity…”

Dark Elf kept her eyes on the screen.

“I’ve spent my whole life as a tool—serving killers, the rich, whoever pays the most. So tell me, at what point was I supposed to care about humanity? When I never had one to begin with?”

Gwen stared at her, lips pressed into a thin line.

For once, she didn’t have a snarky comeback.

Dark Elf let out a small sigh, then leaned against the sofa.

“Nightwatch will die today. And even if he doesn’t, he won’t make it here to save you. If he does? Well, I’ll personally terminate my contract to show my belief in humanity. But, none of that will be happening, of course.”

Gwen immediately became defensive.

“You’re wrong! He’ll come! Nightwatch will─”

Before she could finish, a bag of chips smacked her square in the face and cut her off mid-sentence.

“Eat up… you’ll need your strength.”

Dark Elf said nonchalantly.

Gwen blinked in surprise, then stared at the bag now resting in her lap. She looked at Dark Elf, who hadn’t so much as looked her way in quite a while.

“This isn’t poisoned, is it?” Gwen asked warily.

Dark Elf yawned.

“If I wanted you dead, I’d have let Trickshot shoot you earlier. We’d call it collateral damage and move on.”

“Fair point…”

Gwen muttered, though she still eyed the chips suspiciously.

She craned her neck, trying to reach the bag with her teeth, but the restraints made it impossible.

Without a word, Dark Elf appeared beside her, tore open the bag, and set it in her lap. Then she returned to her spot on the sofa as if nothing had happened.

Gwen stared after her, baffled.

“You’re a real weirdo, you know that?”

“Shut up and eat…” Dark Elf replied flatly.

━ ━ ━ ━

Blue Garden Hotel, New York City…

Backstage, moments before Dr. Anthony Black’s grand entrance…

Anthony Black stood near the mirror as he adjusted the cuffs of his tailored suit.

His father, Aaron Black, sat a few feet away in his electric wheelchair. The old man’s face gnarled with disgust as he stared at his arrogant son, unable to hide how much his overconfidence annoyed him.

“Anthony, we need to talk about Specimens #90 to #92.”

Anthony stared briefly at his father’s reflection in the mirror.

He wasn’t impressed.

“What about them?”

He smirked shortly after.

Aaron rolled his wheelchair closer.

“Unveiling those tonight… it’s a mistake. Show the crowd the tech, the prototypes, fine. But those specimens will draw the kind of attention we can’t afford.”

Anthony chuckled and grabbed a bottle of water from the counter. He took a long sip, wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, and turned to face his father.

“You’re overthinking, old man.”

Aaron’s eyes narrowed.

“Am I? What happens when the wrong people see what we have? Superheroes, villains, even governments—any one of them could decide those specimens are a threat. Or worse, their property.”

Anthony leaned casually against the counter

His arms were crossed, and that annoyingly smug look on his face simply wasn’t ready to leave.

“First time I’ve seen you this paranoid. The Aaron Manchester Black—scientist, visionary, ruthless pioneer—getting cold feet over a few bigwigs and capes? Relax.”

Aaron’s fingers drummed on the armrest of his chair.

“Are you mad──?! You think this is paranoia? Do you know what happens when a military general slaps a seizure order on this company? Or if a superhero decides your ‘vision’ is too dangerous for the world?”

Anthony’s laugh even louder as he mockingly patted his father’s shoulder.

“Nothing’s going to happen, Dad. We’ve got heroes here tonight. If anything goes wrong, they’ll jump in to save the day, won’t they?”

“You’re too cocky for your own good, boy.”

Aaron scowled.

Anthony chuckled mildly, straightened his tie, and strolled toward the stage door.

“And you’re too stressed. Enjoy the show.”

Aaron watched him leave and could only sigh with unease.

—

Back at the gala…

Anthony Black stepped onto the stage as the spotlight beamed on him while the crowd erupted into applause. He paused to soak in the attention, before raising his hands to silence the room.

“Ladies and gentlemen…”

He sounded smooth and charismatic.

“Tonight, we gather to celebrate not just innovation but revolution. And let me start by sharing some fantastic news: Black Industries has officially been approved by the Hero Agency to sponsor heroes with our advanced technology!”

The audience clapped enthusiastically, some rising from their seats in a show of support. Anthony waited for the noise to subside before slicking back his hair and pointing toward the crowd.

“And, of course, I’d be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge my friend and rival—someone who’s been a brother to me in this journey—Isaac Volkner, CEO of Volkner Dynamics. Isaac has been instrumental in helping Black Industries achieve this milestone, so let’s give him a round of applause!”

The spotlight shifted to Isaac, who sat in the small crowd of esteemed guests and offered a modest wave as the applause swelled.

Albrecht grinned ear to ear, clapping so enthusiastically it was a wonder his hands didn’t fall off.

Emma leaned toward Scott with her sparkling brown eyes.

“Isaac’s an amazing guy, you know. He really helped me when I started heroing.”

Scott raised an eyebrow.

“Oh? What, did he sponsor the tech for your super suit?”

“Mhm!”

Emma shook her head as her expression softened.

“No, not that. He did something else for me… something I’ll always be grateful for.”

Scott studied her face and felt the depth of her words but chose not to press further.

Meanwhile, at another table, Elena clapped reluctantly as her lips bent into a dissatisfied frown.

“Can they unveil the damn tech already?”

Elena had gotten countless messages from one of TitanTech’s Directors, all impatiently asking when she was going to steal Specimen #92.

“Son of a bitch won’t let me rest my ass…”

By now, though, she had stopped bothering to reply and just chose to ignore them altogether.

As if on cue, Anthony raised a hand to silence the applause.

“But of course, you’re not here for me. You’re here for this. Ladies and gentlemen, it’s my honor to introduce the future.”

The stage darkened once more as two scientists rolled in a pair of lab carts.

On the first cart rested an alien, egg-shaped capsule with a smooth, shimmering surface that faintly pulsed, almost as if it were alive.

The second cart held two small, jelly-like blobs—one red and the other green. They had a semi-liquid form with shifting, circuit-like patterns running across them.

The blobs stuck to the walls of their glass containers, wriggling and moving like curious little slimes.

Gasps of awe rippled through the crowd as the spotlight illuminated the specimens.

“Amazing…”

“Not exactly impressive, they look like disgusting little critters, ewww. I’ve lost my appetite.”

“I’ll post this on my Instaflick, oho-ho!”

—

At Scott’s table…

Scott’s jaw tightened as he leaned forward.

“System, what am I looking at?”

[RUNNING SCAN…]

The System only took a moment.

[Scans indicate the first specimen is of extraterrestrial origin. The second and third are bio-technological parasitic life forms, also extraterrestrial in nature.]

Scott’s brows pressed together.

“Extraterrestrial? As in, from another planet?”

[Affirmative.]

Scott’s frown deepened.

“Then why the hell is Black Industries claiming to have created it? Sigh~ I hate these mysteries.”

Anthony continued his presentation with pride.

“These specimens represent the pinnacle of Black Industries’ innovation. A synthesis of biology and technology, capable of revolutionizing everything from medicine to warfare.”

Elena Vargas rose silently from her chair.

She used the darkness of the room to exit through a side door and head down the building.

But someone noticed.

Standing at the back, Trickshot adjusted the scope on his modified eye as its night vision mode illuminated Elena’s quiet exit.

“Yo, Grave…”

He muttered into his earpiece.

“Vargas is on the move.”

Grave’s gruff voice crackled back through the comm.

“Let her go. Eyes on the prize for now.”

Trickshot hesitated as his eyes lingered on the door Elena had just slipped through, but eventually nodded.

“Roger that. Guess I’ll sit tight for now.”

Back on stage, Anthony Black gestured grandly toward the glowing red and green organisms as he continued his speech.

“These creatures, which we call Technophages—or ‘Tech Eaters’──represent a marriage of biological and technological innovation. At their core lies a crystalline, hyper-dense nexus of information and energy. This device, which we call the Nano Heart, serves as both a brain and a blueprint, granting these organisms the ability to analyze, deconstruct, and restructure any technology they encounter.”

The crowd gasped collectively as Anthony spoke.

Phones shot up in unison and their lenses captured every detail as one of the scientists approached the display.

Scott leaned forward with a tense face.

“System, run a deeper scan on the Technophages. Focus on that Nano Heart.”

[UNDERSTOOD. SCANNING…]

Meanwhile, Pulsar tilted her head as she sat with arms and legs elegantly crossed.

“Is it even possible to create something like this? Looks more like an alien from Star Conflicts to me. Right, Scott?”

Without no hesitation, Vincent—seated to her right—cut in with a very irritated tone.

“I’m not Scott, Pulsar. Now be quiet and focus on the scripts I gave you.”

Pulsar rolled her eyes. “Whatever…”

Vincent leaned closer as he lowered his voice.

“And remember, once this little dog-and-pony show is over, we’re presenting Dr. Aaron Black with his award. It’ll look good if you’re the first hero officially registered with Black Industries. Think about the optics.”

“I’ll think about it… right after I stop not caring.”

A very dry reply from Pulsar.

On stage, Anthony’s voice rose dramatically.

“Ladies and gentlemen, I’d like you to focus your attention on this next demonstration. This is where things get truly exciting.”

The scientist held up the red Technophage with a pair of reinforced thumb forceps as its gelatinous body writhed faintly.

The crowd leaned in with great curiosity.

The scientist then placed it carefully onto a plasma rifle resting on a nearby table.

The Technophage immediately spread across the rifle’s surface as its body rippled like spilled water.

Within seconds, it had enveloped the weapon entirely!

The rifle began to morph and its metallic parts shifted and rearranged with unnatural fluidity.

When the transformation was complete, the plasma rifle was unrecognizable—a smaller, monstrous sentry with three cannon barrels and a smoky red aura!

The audience erupted into applause and awed murmurs.

“Unbelievable…”

“Incredible! It’s alive!”

“He transformed that rifle into a three-barreled cannon! Think of how we can use this in wars against opposing countries, this is an absolute marvel!”

Scott’s expression darkened as his System chimed in.

[Scan complete. Confirmation: The technophage is a maximum threat level. Probability of Black Industries having developed this organism is near zero.]

Scott clenched his fists under the table.

“This kind of thing… it shouldn’t exist…”

Emma looked at Scott with a worried face.

“Babe, are you alright?” she asked innocently.

Scott forced a smile. “Uh, yeah. Peachy.”

Even Isaac looked angry at what he was witnessing.

There was a difference between competition and destructive competition… and this was the latter in every given sense.

『This won’t end well…』

Isaac pressed his feet against the ground.

On stage, Anthony reveled in the crowd’s reaction, spreading his arms wide like an emperor.

“And don’t worry—we’ve perfected a way to safely remove the Technophage when needed.”

Prince Adewale Adetokunbo raised a hand from his seat in the VIP section.

“So, how exactly is it removed? From what I can see, the organism appears to have a mind of its own.”

Anthony smiled and gestured toward the scientist, who now held a sleek, pen-like device.

“Excellent question, Your Highness. Using what we call ionic surgery, we can safely detach the Technophage from any bonded technology. Observe.”

The scientist activated the device, which emitted a thin, laser-like beam. As the beam touched the sentry, the Technophage began to recoil, then its form shrunk away from the rifle until it fully detached and was safely returned to its glass container.

Anthony spread his arms with a theatrical flourish.

“Ta-da!”

The crowd broke into thunderous applause, many rising from their seats to cheer.

But the celebrations were short-lived.

In the back, Trickshot held up a remote control.

He had a lazy, yet bloodlusted smile on his face.

He glanced around the room with such nonchalance.

“Huh. So many VIPs in one place. I wonder who I should target first?”

Trickshot’s grin grew wider as his enhanced eye focused on Scott and Emma.

She was clinging to Scott’s arm like she wanted him to wear her, and the way she smiled and nuzzled his cheeks like he was a teddy bear was even more romantic.

Emma giggled softly at something Scott had said, and the sight made Trickshot roll his eyes in disgust.

“Ugh, PDA at an event like this? So tacky…”

His finger hovered over a small button on his remote.

“Alright, lovebirds. Time to spice things up. I’m sure no one’ll miss you.”

With a soft click, he pressed the button.

… click────BANG!

On top of a distant skyscraper, a sniper aimed and fired a single shot.

The bullet was sleek and silvery.

It caught the light just for a moment before disappearing into a faint, translucent haze.

… Zuuuuuuu~!!

It phased right through the building it was fired from without any resistance. As it sped toward its target, the bullet stayed in its ghostly form, passing straight through steel, glass, and concrete like they weren’t even there!

Trickshot leaned against the wall and watched his handiwork unfold on the display projected on his lens.

『Phase-bullets… Dr. Greaves designed this from this thing called phase-shifter technology. It makes solid objects phase through everything until they reach their target. God, I love being a sniper.』

The bullet raced through the city at supersonic speeds and sliced through every barrier in its way until it approached the venue’s floor-to-ceiling glass panels.

Scott’s heart skipped a beat.

He felt it—that faint, indescribable sensation that warned him of danger.

Time seemed to slow as his senses sharpened.

His eyes darted around the room, scanning for the source, but the threat felt… everywhere and nowhere at once.

『What the hell is this?』

Without thinking, he grabbed Emma and yanked her out of her seat.

“Hey, Scott, wha────!!”

Emma barely had time to react before Scott flipped the table and dragged her to the floor behind it. They landed in a heap as Scott shielded her with his body as the bullet phased through the glass and streaked past where their heads had been moments earlier.

Emma gasped, looking up at him wide-eyed.

“Uh… Scott?”

“Are you okay?”

Scott asked urgently, not noticing the awkward position they were in.

Emma blushed furiously as she glanced down at Scott’s hand, which was firmly grabbing one of her springy breasts.

She liked it… but she couldn’t so easily admit it.

“I-, I mean, I’m fine… but, uh, if you wanted to… you know, do this, maybe not in front of an audience?”

Scott blinked, confused.

“What are you—”

He followed her eyes, and his face stilled as he quickly retracted his hand.

“Oh fuck, that wasn’t—I didn’t mean to—!”

“I-, It’s fine…”

Emma gently looked to the side as her face burned hotter.

“… I kinda liked it──a little hard next time, okay…?”

“What are you even sa—!”

Before Scott could finish, the bullet twisted in mid-air and changed direction like a predator hunting its prey.

Both Scott and Trickshot felt a jolt of recognition.

『This feeling… it’s happened before!』

The bullet tore through the air again and headed straight for Scott’s exposed back. At the last second, he shifted, and the bullet missed him by a hair—but it wasn’t a clean miss.

… THUNK!

The sound of flesh tearing…

Then… a heavy, sickening thud.

The bullet had struck someone else─a multimillionaire seated at the next table.

Blood sprayed across the spotless white tablecloth as the man slumped forward, lifeless.

The room erupted into chaos.

“AAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!”

“EEEEUUUUUUUUAAAAA!”

Screams blasted as guests shoved past one another, overturning chairs and tables in their frantic attempts to escape. Security personnel scrambled and shouted into their radios, but the panic drowned out their voices.

Emma shot to her feet with a furious face.

She tried to summon her super-speed to rush at Trickshot’s position, but… nothing happened.

“What the──?”

She looked down at her hands, flexing them.

Her breath hitched.

“Scott! My powers… I can’t use my powers!”

Scott’s head snapped toward her. “What?”

She tried again, but her legs didn’t respond.

No super-speed, no enhanced senses—nothing.

“I don’t understand. Why aren’t they working?!”