Chapter Sixty-Three: Hero Video Network

Arthur knew that next year would mark the global proliferation of 4G networks, propelling mobile video into a period of rapid growth. He had to seize the initiative. He had already instructed the Hero Video team to begin developing mobile clients for Android and iOS, with internal testing expected to begin in the latter half of the year.

To further expand Hero Video’s influence, Arthur decided to invite celebrities to join the platform and post vlog videos—though the term “vlog” had not yet emerged. For American stars, Stark Industries’ name carried enough weight that few could refuse. In the days that followed, many celebrities announced their presence on Hero Video, posting simple videos.

To set an example, Arthur himself filmed a VOLG. He hired an underwater filming crew and created a “King of the Seas Takes You to the Underwater World” video. In the film, Arthur stood beneath the waves, introducing viewers to the splendid underwater realm, showcasing never-before-seen deep-sea fish, and even bringing in Little Eight, a colossal octopus stretching dozens of meters, for everyone to see.

The video, crafted by professionals, was remarkably clear and vivid. Arthur recorded a new audio track, ensuring his narration was crisp and engaging. Once released, “King of the Seas Takes You to the Underwater World” was featured on the website’s homepage.

Countless viewers clicked on the video. Hero Video had just launched a real-time comment feature, and the screen was flooded with commentary, all expressing astonishment.

“Oh my god! The King of the Seas can actually speak underwater and move freely!”

“The ocean is so beautiful, and those little fish are adorable. I wish I could be there.”

“These deep-sea creatures are incredible—they even glow!”

“Oh my god! There’s a giant octopus like this in the world? It’s terrifying. I’ve got goosebumps just watching!”

“How do I deal with my fear of the deep sea? Watching this makes me nervous!”

“Isn’t this the octopus from the King of the Seas’ ultimate in League of Heroes? So its name is Little Eight! I thought it was just a game creation, but it’s real!”

Arthur introduced Little Eight in the video, even prompting the octopus to greet the audience.

The video became a sensation. Everyone who watched it was captivated by the underwater world; Arthur, the King of the Seas, and Little Eight became internet celebrities known to all. Thanks to this video, skin sales for the fish-man King of the Seas in League of Heroes soared.

Arthur also filmed tutorials: Black Widow’s makeup guide, Hawkeye’s archery routine VOLG, and his own Chinese cuisine lessons. Banner and Thor hadn’t made appearances yet.

Peter Parker’s account had amassed over ten million followers. He uploaded several videos of Spider-Man apprehending criminals, earning unanimous praise from online viewers. People loved his banter—he could talk criminals into wanting to call the police themselves! It was highly entertaining. Peter also gained extra income to support his household, fueling his enthusiasm for making videos.

After this wave of video content, Hero Video’s registered users surpassed three hundred million. The Avengers became even more widely recognized, and everyone thought the heroes felt much more down-to-earth.

Now Arthur had to wear a mask when he went outside, lest he be recognized too easily. He had over twenty million followers himself, especially among female fans. Arthur was handsome, young, and his videos were witty, attracting a sizable female audience.

Wanda was one of these fans. She hadn’t seen Arthur in a long while, but watched his videos online. She registered an account and gave each of his videos her support. Seeing the comments from other female viewers, Wanda joined the lively discussion, thinking these women were all infatuated with Arthur’s looks. “I must keep an eye on Arthur, so he doesn’t get tricked by these women!” Wanda vowed, clenching her fists.

With the platform on track, Arthur finally breathed a sigh of relief—it had been a daunting task for someone so inexperienced. But now, things had changed. Tony had found a CEO for the Avengers Game Company, an exceptionally capable man named Andrew Mason, in his thirties. Arthur had spoken with him and found his vision promising; Andrew strongly endorsed Arthur’s strategy.

Andrew believed the coming 4G era would bring explosive growth to the video industry. Arthur agreed, entrusting him with upcoming responsibilities.

“I’m better suited to being a hands-off boss,” Arthur mused, grateful to finally have a few days to rest at his New York home after the exhausting stretch.

Of course, League of Heroes and Hero Video’s current income still didn’t contribute much to the Avengers, but soon enough, they’d see just how lucrative games and videos could be.

Arthur returned to his villa, but Wanda and Pietro didn’t greet him as they usually did. He found Wanda busy in the kitchen, unaware of his arrival. Arthur crept up behind her and discovered she was practicing cooking from a video—lately, many people were uploading culinary tutorials.

“What are you doing?” Arthur asked from behind.

“Ah!” Wanda jumped at Arthur’s sudden voice, then smiled brightly when she saw him.

“I’m learning to make soup, planning to cook for you when you got home.” Wanda was cleaning fish. In the video, the host stunned the fish, scraped off the scales, and gutted it.

Wanda used her magic to float the fish in midair. Wrapped in crimson energy, the scales peeled off and flew into the trash; the knife sliced open the belly, and the innards and gills detached themselves.

The scene was eerie, even a bit artistic. Arthur shivered—if Wanda used this method for murder, paired with piano music, it would make for a perfect horror film.

Wanda’s mastery of chaos magic was progressing rapidly—her control was growing finer. Arthur gave her a thumbs-up.

Next came the cooking: ginger and rice wine to remove the odor, skimming the foam as the water boiled, then slow simmering.

Wanda had watched videos in Mandarin made by Chinese creators, thankfully with English subtitles. She somehow managed to buy all the ingredients—ginger, rice wine, star anise—showing her dedication to learning Chinese cooking.

Arthur gently touched Wanda’s golden hair, feeling moved. He knew she learned Chinese cuisine because he loved it.

“You’re doing great. Cooking isn’t hard—once you master the proportions of seasoning, your dishes will never taste bad. Looks like you have a real talent for it,” Arthur praised her, sharing his culinary secrets.

Wanda was delighted by his compliment; her month of hard work hadn’t been wasted. She resolved to keep improving.

“By the way, where’s Pietro? I haven’t seen him,” Arthur asked.

“He’s upstairs playing games. He’s obsessed with League of Heroes lately—when he’s not training, he’s climbing the ranked ladder,” Wanda replied.

“All right, and what about you? Do you play League of Heroes?” Arthur asked.

“I don’t really get it. I much prefer your Hero Video site—so many fun videos. It makes me want to try making videos myself,” Wanda answered.

“If you really want to film, I’ll help you with it,” Arthur said.

“Really? That’s wonderful! Let me think about what theme I want to try.” Wanda was thrilled. She could see how much Arthur valued the video platform, and she wanted to help in any way she could.

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