Marvel: Sign-In System – Starting with the Glint-Glint Fruit

Meeting Black Widow for the first time, Matthew's initial impression was that she was young and full of allure.

Her facial features were exquisite—among all the women Matthew had seen, she was among the most beautiful.

Her figure, appearance, and features were all top-tier.

Only Jennifer, when she had been possessed by a demon, could compare.

Jennifer herself had already been beautiful, but after being possessed, she carried a dark, black-rose-like charm.

Natasha, however, was different.

She was a perfect blend of danger and temptation, elegance and sharpness, strength and vulnerability, coldness and deep emotion.

Matthew didn't pretend to be some saint immune to attraction. He was a normal teenage boy—while it wasn't exactly lust at first sight, he certainly appreciated her appearance.

Simply put: pleasing to the eye.

—

Matthew had come to Russia, but instead of going to Saint Petersburg, he went to a laboratory about 80 kilometers outside the city.

This lab had been established because of the five frozen super soldiers from the Siberian Hydra base.

After being transported via cold chain logistics, they were delivered here for reverse-engineering their genetic enhancements.

Reverse engineering from an existing result versus developing from scratch were worlds apart in difficulty.

So far, the process had been relatively smooth.

The biologists recruited by Neagley might not be the absolute top in the world, but they were all highly capable.

Creating a super-soldier serum from scratch would be unrealistic—but reverse engineering it was well within their abilities.

The laboratory itself was a moderately sized facility.

Around forty soldiers guarded it, and its location was well hidden and hard to detect.

Reacher and Roscoe had already been sent here by Matthew to oversee operations.

—

As for Natasha, she never expected that the person recruiting her would be a young man who looked barely eighteen.

Nor did she expect to be brought to a laboratory—and witness something like this.

Standing outside a lab filled with equipment, she looked through the glass and saw five cryogenic pods.

Inside them were five super soldiers, frozen and dressed in black low-temperature suits.

Around them, scientists in white coats and masks busied themselves with instruments.

"Hydra… super soldiers… what a surreal day," Natasha sighed.

This world was far more complicated than she had imagined. She once thought her own life had been extraordinary—but compared to this, it was nothing.

She turned her head to look at Matthew beside her.

He wore a black coat, white shirt, jeans, and Martin boots, giving him a more mature appearance.

"Looks like I don't have a choice anymore."

Meeting in a place like this, being allowed to see such secrets—there was no doubt she had no way out now.

Either she joined… or she died.

"I'm not so low as to force you to join me like that," Matthew scoffed.

Others might do that—but not him.

Not out of arrogance, but confidence.

From the very beginning, his greatest reliance had always been himself—and, of course, his "cheat."

Recruiting people like Reacher and Neagley, controlling Alexander Pierce, building this lab to develop a super-soldier serum—these were all just ways to make his future more comfortable.

And perhaps, to change the tragic fates of certain people… to satisfy regrets he once had in his previous life.

To use a term from cultivation novels, it was about achieving a "clear state of mind."

Natasha was beautiful, and she was talented—but she wasn't indispensable.

The real reason Matthew came to recruit her was because she could lead him to the Red Room's headquarters—to its leader, Dreykov.

The Black Widows trained by the Red Room—and Dreykov's assets—those were his true targets.

If he could recruit Natasha, great.

If not, he wouldn't force it.

As for whether she might leak secrets after leaving?

Matthew didn't even take that seriously.

Even if she wanted to leak information—who would she tell?

Nick Fury?

Putting everything else aside—the biggest boss behind S.H.I.E.L.D. was essentially him.

With a single sentence:

"Who dares accuse me in my own court?"

For someone like Natasha—constantly living in vigilance and confusion—sincerity was the most effective weapon.

And sure enough.

Through his Observation Haki, Matthew could clearly sense that after he spoke, the tension in Natasha's emotions eased slightly.

After a moment of silence—

Natasha let out a soft sigh.

"I just want to break free from that nightmare."

"If it's a nightmare, simply escaping it isn't the best solution," Matthew paused, then continued. "There should be many others like you there, right?"

"There are a lot," Natasha said quietly. "Girls like me… we start learning and training at a very young age. Those who fail are deemed unqualified and are eliminated."

"Many die during training. And before graduation, we're thrown into the Siberian frozen wilderness—given supplies for only one person, and two weeks to return. Only those who survive get to 'graduate.'"

At this point, she clenched her teeth, her face filled with anger.

"They perform a forced hysterectomy on us."

"A very efficient method," Matthew added calmly. "It removes one more variable. Anything more important than the mission gets erased. Makes everything easier—even killing."

"…Yes," Natasha said in a low voice. "It eliminates emotional weaknesses, prevents attachments, ensures absolute loyalty. That's what Dreykov wants… a 'Black Widow.'"

"He has become the deepest fear and nightmare in your hearts."

Matthew smiled faintly and said casually,

"In that case, I'll help you eliminate that fear."

Natasha froze.

Her anger halted instantly as she looked at him in disbelief.

"Don't look at me like that," Matthew said lightly. "I'm not some black-hearted boss like Dreykov. You're my employee—I have a responsibility to help solve your problems, including psychological ones."

"You…"

For the first time, all the social skills she had been trained in since childhood failed her.

Natasha couldn't put her feelings into words. She didn't even know what to say.

After a long moment, her voice slightly hoarse, she finally spoke:

"I don't understand."

"Don't understand what? Why I'd do so much for a 'tool'?"

Matthew chuckled.

"Dreykov is just an ordinary man. To realize his ambitions and control you, he has to rely on those methods."

"But I'm different."

"I'm not afraid of you betraying me. I'll give you the best treatment and respect. In return, all I expect is loyalty."

"That kind of loyalty comes from mutual respect and trust—not from torture and brainwashing."

"And under those conditions—if someone still chooses to betray me…"

Matthew's tone remained calm.

"I'll kill the traitor without a second thought."

He was fair.

He gave the best treatment, the utmost respect. Stay loyal, and everyone prospers—he'd lead you forward.

But if you betrayed him?

Then he'd personally teach you what regret really meant.

...

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