Marvel: Reincarnated as Superman

They stopped in front of the second photograph.

"Look at this one." John pointed at the picture.

It was still Captain America, but he looked like a completely different person now. He was shirtless in the photo, his perfectly sculpted body fully on display.

His muscles were sharp and well-defined, and the lines running down his abdomen were ridiculously eye-catching.

"Wow... he’s so handsome!" Carol cried out from the side.

John and Daniel both glanced down at themselves.

One had a slightly growing beer belly.

The other was still just a skinny little kid.

The two exchanged a look, then curled their lips at the same time.

Heh. Women.

No matter the age, they were all the same.

Disdain! Jealousy!

The two of them were practically splitting apart from envy.

"Ahem." John coughed twice, finally pulling Carol’s lovestruck gaze away from the photo before continuing.

"This picture was taken right after Captain America completed the experiment. A reporter managed to capture this precious photograph back then."

John explained where the picture came from.

"Pretty shocking, right?" he said with a grin. "It’s like he became a completely different person. His entire spirit and presence changed."

Honestly speaking, the Captain in the previous photograph had been... difficult to compliment.

How should he put it?

A little... sleazy-looking?

But this photo was completely different. The man in the picture was tall, handsome, and heroic. If someone like that existed in real life, girls would definitely flock around him.

"According to some rumors," John whispered mysteriously, even covering his mouth with one hand like he was sharing some huge secret.

"Before his transformation, no girls liked Captain America. Then after he enlisted, he spent all his time running around during the war and never had time to find a girlfriend..."

John lowered his voice further.

"So there’s a chance Captain America might still be a virgin even now!"

God knew why he was telling this to two children.

One was eight years old.

The other was only five.

What exactly was this father thinking?

He was completely unreliable.

If Mary had been here and heard John saying stuff like this, she definitely would’ve twisted his ear off.

But he was out on a trip, standing inside his idol’s memorial museum. He was simply too excited and had completely let himself go.

"It’s a shame Captain disappeared afterward." John’s expression changed instantly, his tone becoming low and heavy.

"Otherwise, by now he’d definitely still be this handsome. He probably would’ve already gotten married too. Maybe to a perfect wife like Mary."

Even while away from home, the man still found a chance to praise his wife.

"He might even have kids by now."

"It’s depressing when you think about it." John sighed deeply. "A hero saved the world, yet never got to enjoy the rewards of victory."

"Remember this, kids." John’s face suddenly became serious. "The reason we can live such peaceful and happy lives today... is because of this man."

He pointed toward the person in the photograph.

"Remember him. Respect him."

"Mhm..." Carol nodded vaguely. She was still too young to fully understand everything.

As for Daniel?

Daniel was standing there so shocked his soul practically left his body.

’Who am I? Where am I?’

He was beginning to believe it.

This really might be that world.

Terrifying.

Actually, everything John had already said was enough to prove it, but Daniel still didn’t dare believe it completely.

He stood there frozen like a statue.

"Dad, is Captain America dead?" Carol suddenly asked. "Like Grandma?"

"No." John answered immediately.

Firmly and without hesitation.

"At least, I don’t believe he is. Everyone outside says he’s dead, but I don’t believe it!"

John became emotional.

"I refuse to believe a hero would die so tragically!"

"I refuse to believe good people don’t get good endings!"

The words poured out one after another.

"He’s just tired." John’s voice softened again.

"You know... he saved America. He saved the world."

"He’s very tired now."

John spoke gently, almost softly.

"He’s only resting. Even heroes need rest."

"Mhm! I believe Captain America can’t possibly be dead either." Carol nodded seriously. "Someone that brave wouldn’t just die."

John didn’t know it, but he had actually guessed the truth.

That man really was tired.

Right now, he was sleeping deep beneath the distant northern ice.

"Daniel, don’t you think he is still alive too?" Carol turned around and asked him.

"Yes. He’s not dead. He’s frozen underneath a glacier."

Daniel’s soul still hadn’t fully returned to his body, so the words slipped out instinctively.

"That’s impossible!" Carol puffed her cheeks immediately.

"How could Captain America get frozen? He’s just sleeping! Like when we sleep at night! He must be somewhere in the world right now."

"Yeah, yeah. Sure." Daniel answered absentmindedly.

His brain was already a complete mess.

"Oh right, Dad! I just thought of something!" Carol suddenly said excitedly.

"What is it?" John asked.

"Maybe Captain is secretly living somewhere right now under another name. Maybe he even has a beautiful wife staying beside him."

Carol looked oddly serious while saying it.

"That’s how fairy tales always end."

"That’s actually possible..." John rubbed his beard thoughtfully and nodded.

They were two obsessed fanatics.

...

Two hours passed.

John had already told them the stories behind more than twenty photographs.

Only now did Daniel finally feel his soul slowly returning to his body.

He started calming down. But he still wanted one final confirmation.

One last desperate struggle. So he asked carefully.

"Dad... did Captain America have a friend named Howard... Stark?"

"Of course." John nodded. "I already mentioned him earlier."

"Mr. Howard is still alive. The famous Stark Industries was founded by him. It’s just that our town is too small, so you kids haven’t seen their products before."

John’s eyes lit up while talking about it.

"They’re all masterpieces of modern industry. I once got lucky enough to see a handgun made by Stark Industries. Good lord..."

He smacked his lips.

"That thing was a beauty."

Alright!

That completely destroyed Daniel’s last shred of hope.

This really was Marvel.

Without question.

Captain America existed.

Stark Industries existed.

And in the future, the famous playboy who would inherit Stark Industries would become world-famous too.

If Daniel had transmigrated thirty years later, he guaranteed he would’ve recognized this was Marvel within a single day.

Honestly speaking, out of all the Marvel movies, his favorite had always been Iron Man.

The ultimate male fantasy.

Luxury cars.

Power suit.

He had them all.

The dream goddess every man fantasized about?

Tony had slept with more women than Daniel could count.

He was rich, successful, and world-famous.

Everything ordinary men dreamed of, Tony Stark had already gotten bored of it.

Now that was true envy-inducing separation of matter and spirit.

Thinking about it, Daniel suddenly found himself looking forward to meeting that man someday.

Maybe he could even ask for an autograph.

"Wait, no!"

Daniel slapped his forehead.

"I’m getting distracted again!"

He grabbed his hair frantically, nearly going crazy.

"I’m in Marvel right now! Marvel!"

Daniel screamed internally.

"My dream of getting rich is gone! I can’t even become the future richest man anymore! That title belongs to that damn Black Panther!"

"I’m screwed. Completely screwed."

"So what if I know the plot? I’m just an ordinary person! Can normal people survive in Marvel? Some random low-level villain could pop out and kill me instantly!"

Daniel suddenly felt hopeless.

So what if he knew the future?

In the Marvel universe, a weakling like him wasn’t even qualified to be cannon fodder.

In a world this dangerous, forget changing history, he’d already be lucky if he could simply survive peacefully.

Daniel wanted to cry. When he got home, he was absolutely spending the seven dollars hidden under his bed.