Hair

The black-clad reporter’s words made quite a few reporters laugh. President Richard said without changing expression, "I solemnly declare that I did not misappropriate campaign funds. The money has remained in the accounts, and I have no need to misappropriate funds, because Mr. Iron Man will fully support me."

"What? Iron Man fully supports your reelection?"

The reporters erupted in an uproar. Had Iron Man’s head been kicked by a donkey too? "Not only Iron Man. Psylocke, Angel—they all support my reelection."

President Richard said loudly, "Iron Man believes I can lead America back to safety, and I have that confidence as well. I will not let Iron Man down, nor will I let down the people who vote for me."

The reporters were full of question marks. Why was Iron Man suddenly supporting President Richard?

If it had been another president, with Wang Bert’s prestige, he truly could have elevated them. The problem was that President Richard was famously incompetent. Even if Iron Man stepped forward, many people still would not vote for him.

Lead America back to safety? Please, America’s safety had been lost on his watch.

The reporters secretly thought, Had Iron Man gotten carried away?

"Now, I will announce the second matter."

Ignoring the looks on the reporters’ faces, President Richard spread his arms and said happily, "A few days ago, I suddenly awakened as a mutant."

"Huh?"

The reporters were somewhat dumbfounded. Wasn’t it said that mutants generally awakened during adolescence? He was already in his fifties—could he still awaken? One reporter thought of something and could not help asking, "Mr. President, is this why Iron Man supports you?"

President Richard said, "No. He chose to support me because he believes in my abilities."

The reporters looked disgusted. You had abilities?

President Richard was a little embarrassed. He asked, "Do you want to know what my mutant ability is?"

"Yes."

The reporters all nodded at once, clearly more enthusiastic than before. President Richard had given them two major news stories today.

"I need someone to help me demonstrate it."

President Richard beckoned to a balding middle-aged reporter. "Would you be willing to come up and help me?"

"Of course."

The middle-aged reporter immediately nodded. He asked curiously, "Mr. President, is your ability some kind of support ability?"

"More or less."

President Richard raised his hand and lightly brushed it over the middle-aged reporter’s head. The reporter was a little annoyed. He felt President Richard was humiliating him.

Just then, waves of gasps rose from below. The middle-aged reporter also felt that something was off with his head. He hurriedly touched it, only to feel thick hair.

"Hair? That’s impossible!"

The middle-aged reporter was utterly shocked. He quickly took out his phone to use as a mirror, then froze in place—he had actually grown a lush head of hair, smooth and glossy.

One reporter could not help asking, "President Richard, is your ability hair growth?"

"Yes. More precisely, it is Hair Control Technique."

President Richard said with a smile. To be honest, even he found it unbelievable. Iron Man was truly incredible. Not only had he turned him into a mutant, but he had also given him a specific superpower.

That was right. President Richard had become a mutant entirely because of Wang Bert. This was the second ability Wang Bert had gained after mastering the Mutant Source—Mutant Gene Transplant. His first ability had been Gene Completion.

Furthermore, President Richard’s superpower came from the Mutant Gene of Long Hair Boon, a mutant prisoner.

"Mr. President, can this hair remain forever?"

The middle-aged reporter excitedly asked Richard. Heaven knew that when he had started losing his hair, he had felt as if the sky were falling.

President Richard smiled. "Whether your hair can remain forever depends on my second ability."

The reporters were even more astonished. "Mr. President, are you a dual-ability mutant?"

"That’s right, I am a dual-ability mutant."

President Richard said without batting an eye, "My second mutant ability is that the higher my status, the stronger my abilities become."

The reporters looked suspicious. "The higher your status, the stronger your abilities? Isn’t that ability a little unscientific?"

The middle-aged reporter asked, "Mr. President, what does that ability have to do with my hair?"

"Of course it has something to do with it."

President Richard smiled. "As long as I remain president, your hair will continue to exist and will not fall out easily. Also, if this continues for two years, this hair will completely become yours. By then, regardless of my status, your hair will not change."

The reporters were dumbstruck. They finally understood what President Richard was up to—he wanted to trade hair for votes!

Simply put, if voters elected him president, he would guarantee that everyone had a lush head of hair.

He could not say such a thing outright, which was why President Richard had gone through so many twists and turns. His second ability was probably—no, definitely—fake.

The reporters could not help complaining, "What kind of absurd campaign tactic is this? How did President Richard even think of it?"

A reporter with a slightly receding hairline asked, "Mr. President, will you help everyone grow hair for free?"

"Of course. I am the president of America, and I have a duty to protect everyone’s hair."

President Richard said as if it were only natural. "However, if I cannot remain president, my abilities will weaken drastically. At that point, I will probably only be able to help a few people."

The reporters were speechless. There were so many things to mock that they did not know where to begin. At that moment, the middle-aged reporter excitedly shouted, "Mr. President, I will definitely vote for you! I will also mobilize my relatives and friends to vote for you. You must become president. America needs you."

"What happened to your principles?"

The reporters mocked him inwardly. President Richard was very satisfied with the middle-aged reporter’s attitude. He shouted, "What about you? Are you willing to elect me president?"

Several reporters at risk of going bald hesitated, then raised their hands. "We are willing."

"Thank you for your support."

President Richard spread his hands. A ball of green light bloomed from his palm and swept across the crowd. Then, everyone simultaneously grew lush hair.

When this scene was broadcast on the news, all of America erupted.

In a bar, a man looked at President Richard on television and cursed loudly, "Using such a method to canvass for votes—no, to buy votes! It is simply America’s shame. I will never vote for him."

"Vote for whoever you want. I’m definitely voting for President Richard."

A patron beside him took off his wig and cursed, "I’ve had enough of this wig. I’m going to Washington and having President Richard grow me some hair."

The first man cursed, "For the sake of a little hair, you want to let an incompetent waste remain president? Can you face America?"

"Who becomes president has nothing to do with me, but whether I have hair has a lot to do with me. With hair, I won’t have to wear a wig anymore. More importantly, I’ll be able to get girls."

The wig-wearing patron sneered. "Besides, what difference does it make who becomes president when America is such a mess? The rich are in charge anyway."

The man roared, "You don’t deserve to be an American."

"I don’t deserve it? And you do?"

The wig-wearing patron became irritated. He shouted, "Not only will I vote for President Richard myself, I’ll get my whole family to vote for him too. Long live President Richard!"

"I’ll beat you to death, you fake American!"

The man lunged at him. The wig-wearing patron rudely grabbed a bottle of liquor and smashed it over his head. A brawl officially began.

The people in the bar were already used to this and did not care at all. A woman asked her companion, "Who are you planning to vote for?"

Her companion answered, "I originally wanted to vote for Acton, but now I’m planning to vote for Richard."

The woman was stunned. "Why? You don’t lose your hair."

Her companion said as if it were obvious, "Because Iron Man supports President Richard. Iron Man must be right. If he is wrong, refer to the previous point."

The woman was speechless. She had forgotten that her companion was a die-hard Iron Man fan. Her companion asked in return, "Who are you planning to vote for?"

"Whoever. I’ll vote for whoever looks more pleasing when the time comes."

The woman said indifferently. Elections were indeed important, but not everyone took them seriously. In fact, many people could not even be bothered to register as voters—what the hell did it have to do with them who became president?

Similar discussions were occurring throughout America. The police were very busy that day because there were so many fights—some people hated Richard intensely, while others adored him because he could make their hair grow back.

If you had never gone bald, you would never know how painful baldness was.

"Richard, you are too despicable."

Acton, a master schemer himself, was so furious that he nearly smashed the television. He had never expected Richard to come up with such a way to canvass for votes. It was simply America’s shame.

No, Richard had not come up with it. Richard did not have that kind of intelligence. Bert Wang was behind it. He wanted to support Richard, that dog, in winning reelection.

Acton took a deep breath and called Wang Bert. "Bert, didn’t we have an agreement?"

"Mr. Acton, you have gotten too close to the military."

Wang Bert said coolly, "I do not want to go to this much trouble either, but some lines cannot be crossed."

Acton fell silent for a moment, then said, "I understand, Bert. You will not win. Your method is far too absurd. The people of America have sharp eyes."

"Their heads are sharp as well. Do you know America’s baldness rate?"

Wang Bert asked with a smile. Acton was speechless. How could he possibly know something like that? It was not as if he ran a shampoo company.

"Bert, I have indeed gotten a little close to the military recently, but my original intention has not changed. You will see."

Acton said. Wang Bert sneered inwardly but said on the surface, "I’m watching."

Acton put down the phone, his expression ugly beyond measure. At the same time, he regretted it deeply. He had gotten a little too carried away earlier. Otherwise, Iron Man would not have resorted to such drastic measures to strike back at him.

"It’s all Richard’s fault, that idiot. If it weren’t for him, I would never have intervened this early. Fortunately, his reputation is terrible. I still have a chance."

Acton cursed, then shouted, "Sico, get the entire team here immediately. We’re holding a meeting."

His secretary Sico immediately nodded. "Yes, sir."

After thinking for a moment, Acton called Old General and asked, "Do you know about Richard’s situation?"

Old General cursed, "I already know. That old bastard still wants to keep being Iron Man’s dog."

"We must strike back. Otherwise, he might actually win reelection."

Acton said, "Although his method is absurd, it really works."

"We definitely need to strike back. I will never allow a mutant to become president."

The old general thought for a moment, then said, "I’ll have the media attack him as Iron Man’s puppet immediately."

"That won’t work. Doing that will only make his approval ratings even higher."

"Huh?"

Old General was stunned. A puppet’s approval rating would become higher? What kind of logic was that? I may not have read much, but don’t lie to me.

Acton said, "Bert Wang is now the Empire Guardian God and America’s Guardian God. Countless people believe in him and worship him. Everyone would be happy for him to become president—or to control the president."

"These damned civilians. The ones truly protecting America are us, the military."

Old General cursed. "Then we’ll attack Richard’s wealth. His assets are worth over a billion dollars. We’ll have the Tax Bureau investigate his taxes."

"That can work, but Bert Wang cannot be implicated. His prestige is too terrifying. If he is involved, we will probably suffer a backlash."

Acton said, "General, I need more campaign funds. Over the next half month, we must compete with Richard in burning money. I want the television, the internet, and the newspapers to be filled with my news."

"The military will support you as much as possible."

Old General agreed directly without any hesitation. Richard was Iron Man’s dog. If he won reelection, the military would not merely lose out on meat—they would not even get any soup.

"Thank you."

Acton breathed a sigh of relief. Old General not only represented the military, but also a massive Human Supremacy Organization. With their support, his chances of victory were at least thirty percent higher.

After thinking for a moment, Acton called Professor X. "Professor, Bert and I have had a slight misunderstanding. I hope you can help persuade him. If he keeps doing this, he could easily split America apart."

"I’ll speak with him."

Professor X agreed. What Wang Bert was doing could indeed cause chaos. The police’s skyrocketing workload was proof enough.

Professor X put down the phone. Looking at the television above, he touched his head and said, "Forget everyone else, even I want to vote for President Richard. When I was young, I had a lush head of hair. Back then, everyone called me a beauty, meaning the number one beauty."

Wolverine mocked from the side, "Professor, have you developed senile delusions?"

"Logan."

Jean shouted in dissatisfaction. Although the professor was bragging, they still had to give him some face, understood? Professor X shook his head and said, "Believe it or not. Logan, does Bert really intend to support President Richard?"

"Yes. He said President Richard is very obedient, and that it would be better for us if he stayed in office."

Wolverine said, "He also said that Acton is a master schemer. Although he is very capable, he will definitely stab mutants in the back."

"Does Bert have some prejudice against Mr. Acton? He has always supported us mutants."

Storm frowned. "He put in a great deal of effort for the Mutant Guardians. Otherwise, relying on that idiot president, who knew when they would have been established?"