Druid in the Marvel Universe Chapter 33: Hold It In, Don't Puke!

Stark naturally sat down at the bar and waved for Pepper to sit beside him.

Placing his bandaged right hand on the bar, he said in an extremely annoying tone, "So, Mr. Arvin, did you call me here to apologize? Or do you want me to recommend your restaurant to high society?"

Stark then pretended to look around the restaurant and sneered, "To be honest, this place is really nothing special!"

Frank looked at Stark with admiration; he liked Stark because his reckless behavior reminded him of his own troublesome son.

Alvin didn't mind Stark deliberately getting his name wrong. After all, you have to show some respect to a future weapons sponsor and scapegoat, right?

Smiling at Stark, Alvin said, "Today, I mainly want to clear up yesterday's misunderstanding. If you haven't eaten yet, you might want to try our steak. You might like it."

With a knowing expression, Stark pointed at Alvin with his left hand, like a loan shark's enforcer, "Kid, it's too late to apologize now. I just spent $500,000 yesterday to hire a judo master from Japan. I'll be coming for you soon.

I'm going to beat you up! Not because your waiter injured me, but to teach you to show respect when you see Mr. Tony Stark in the future."

Frank looked worriedly at Stark, thinking about how many people he would have to kill to keep his son Nick safe if he turned out like Stark.

Alvin smiled politely and said, "That's your choice, but you're injured today, aren't you? You can at least try our steak first."

Alvin served the prepared steaks to Chief George, JJ, and Frank, with Chief George's portion being only half of the usual size.

Little Ginny had eaten a lot in the morning and wasn't hungry. As for Jessica, she probably wouldn't eat until dinner!

Stark mocked Chief George, saying that a man eating so little was damaging to his image as a police officer.

Ignoring Stark's rude comments, Alvin smiled and gestured to Pepper, asking if she would like a steak as well. Pepper politely declined, citing her diet. See, even the heavens favor a beauty-conscious girl!

Alvin selected the largest steak, replaced the olive oil on the griddle with animal fat, and quickly seared it to lock in the juices, cooking it to medium-rare. He topped the pasta with rich tomato sauce and added a sunny-side-up egg. Perfect!

When the sizzling steak was placed on the bar, even the picky Stark had to admit, "Buddy, this steak is cooked excellently. If you're not a fraud, I'd give you an extra 50 points."

Despite Stark's continuous sarcasm, Alvin remained as humble as a farmer, hoping to make amends for his past mistakes with his hospitality.

Satisfied with Alvin's demeanor, Stark grabbed a knife and fork and started devouring the steak.

Everyone remained silent, except for Pepper, who looked at Alvin with suspicion. Alvin smiled gentlemanly at her, tilted his head, and asked if something was wrong.

Pepper shook her head in confusion, indicating it was nothing, but she really didn't think Alvin was such an easygoing person. She had a feeling Stark was in for some trouble!

When Stark cut the first piece of steak and put it in his mouth, he chewed and let out a very satisfied "Oh~~," giving Alvin a genuine thumbs up.

Stark finished the large steak, and Alvin thoughtfully served him a glass of lemon water to help with digestion. He then went to talk to his daughter, telling Ginny and Jessica to stay in the store and play, with Thor and Dom staying to keep them company.

Alvin waved to everyone and said, "Ladies and gentlemen, let's go see what we caught yesterday. Let Miss Pepper and Mr. Stark take a look. Maybe Mr. Stark will change his opinion of me."

Stark stroked his neatly trimmed mustache, chuckled, and said, "Let's go see. I can't wait. Will it be some interesting animal or a masterpiece by a Hollywood special effects artist?"

...

In the basement of Frank's house next door, the newly renovated place was relatively clean. The lighting was dim, and there were some suspicious red stains on the floor and walls near the door, emitting an unpleasant odor. It easily made one think of a crime scene.

Pepper covered her nose in disgust but said nothing.

Stark, with his sharp tongue, fanned his nose with his left hand and complained to Alvin, "Was this place converted from a septic tank? It stinks. I can't believe you live in a place like this. When this is over, you can write me a letter, and I'll send you a check to renovate your house."

Alvin looked sincerely at Stark and said, "Mr. Stark, I must warn you, what's inside is quite terrifying. Most people can't handle it. You need to be prepared."

"Oh, come on, stop trying to scare me, buddy. Let me see what you call a vampire," Stark said impatiently.

Alvin shrugged and signaled Frank to open the door. The group filed into the basement.

In the dimly lit basement, three black plastic sheets covered three obviously living, human-shaped figures.

The silence made the atmosphere eerie. Pepper was already hiding behind Stark, peeking over his shoulder at the figures.

Stark bravely patted Pepper's waist and sarcastically said, "Nice atmosphere. This place is perfect for a horror movie."

Impatient, JJ and Frank stepped forward, grabbed the plastic sheets, and pulled them off.

The three severely injured vampires, who had been tortured the night before, were exposed under the light.

The unluckiest one, the vampire who had been hit by a metal door yesterday, had its exploded belly with intestines and organs scattered all over. Last night, it had been stepped on by Jessica, and now everything was neatly placed by its head.

Another vampire, whose eyes had been kicked out by Alvin, had been the subject of torture last night. Its right hand's muscles had been completely scraped off and neatly arranged by its head.

The last vampire, who had lost an arm to Frank, was relatively better off. It was still spirited, thrashing its body violently, trying to break free from the large nails pinning it to the ground. It opened its mouth, revealing sharp fangs, and let out a horrible screech at Alvin and the others.

The horrifying scene overwhelmed the three newcomers. Chief George, being a seasoned police officer, handled it relatively well.

Miss Pepper, seeing the three moving, mutilated bodies, screamed and fainted.

Alvin, thoughtfully, said to the trembling Stark, "Mr. Stark, I must remind you not to vomit here. The owner of this house has a very bad temper!"