016. The Woman Who Exploded

The city was alive with the relentless clamor of carriages, vehicles, and chatter. Bright lights flooded the streets, illuminating the bustling metropolis in an overwhelming display of energy. John Doe (formerly Jiang Chen), fresh from his encounter with S.H.I.E.L.D., felt a surge of excitement and anticipation.

He had money now. Not just any money—the cash he had won from Black Widow. In this Marvel universe, with both luck and capital on his side, there was no reason he couldn't thrive.

As John strolled through the city streets, heading toward a bank to cash in his winnings, his thoughts began to wander. He overheard bits of conversation as he walked by.

"Do you know Iron Man? The guy in the metal suit? Tony Stark, right?" a nearby voice mused. "Used to be a playboy and a weapons maker, but now he's saving the world."

John couldn't help but smirk at that. Iron Man. He knew all too well how dangerous some of these Marvel heroes were. They weren't just rich—they were brilliant, with gadgets and powers that could easily flatten a "normal" person like him.

Standing in line at the bank, his focus shifted. He watched the teller slowly go about the transaction while chatting with a colleague. It annoyed him. The clock was ticking, and he didn't have the patience for idle banter.

"Can you speed it up?" he snapped, his tone sharp.

The teller, startled, quickly stopped the chatter and picked up the pace. As John watched the money transaction proceed, he began to reflect on his situation. In this world, he was still just an ordinary guy. Sure, he had luck and some wealth, but that wouldn't protect him against the likes of Iron Man or S.H.I.E.L.D. If he wanted to survive in a place filled with super-powered individuals, he needed to become stronger—much stronger.

His thoughts were interrupted by a sudden commotion.

"Look! What's wrong with that woman?"

"Oh my God, she looks terrifying!"

John turned around, following the growing panic in the room. A woman had just entered the bank, her presence immediately drawing attention. She looked painfully ordinary—her clothes, her figure—everything about her screamed average. But her movements were odd, jerky, as if she was a malfunctioning machine.

Her face twisted in pain as she limped forward, glaring at everyone around her like they owed her something.

"What the hell is that?" someone screamed.

John's eyes widened. He recognized the symptoms. It wasn't a zombie—it was Extremis. The experimental, highly unstable serum that could grant its users incredible powers at a terrible cost.

The woman's body began to glow from the inside, a fiery red light spreading from her heart to the rest of her body. Her skin crackled as the glow intensified.

Extremis! Damn it.

Before John could react, the woman let out an agonized scream. Her entire body erupted in a fiery explosion. The force of the blast was massive, obliterating the fifteen-meter-high bank building in an instant.

John barely had time to comprehend what was happening. His vision blurred as the shockwave knocked him off his feet. Everything went dark.

"Heartbeat, normal."

"Just a few scratches."

"Pulse is stable."

"He's in shock from the explosion but should regain consciousness soon."

Faint voices reached John's ears as his consciousness flickered back. He felt weak—completely drained, unable to move even an inch. His body refused to respond.

Did my luck finally run out? he wondered grimly.

"No way… not like this," he muttered to himself, frustration bubbling up within him.

Suddenly, a mechanical voice chimed in, echoing in his mind:

"Ding! Host's luck remains at 100%. Please relax. You survived due to extraordinary circumstances. Enjoy the recovery."

John's eyes fluttered closed again as the pain and confusion faded away.

There are always people trying to mess with me…

And with that, he drifted back into unconsciousness.