X-MEN- CH-84. Spiderman!

Charlie thought for a moment and asked, "Do you want to focus on animal husbandry or planting?"

"What's the difference?"

"Well, if you plant..." Charlie went on to explain the differences between the two, outlining their respective advantages and disadvantages.

"Well, I want both. You decide what to plant and what to raise, and find the people you need. If there's a problem you can't solve, like someone causing trouble, come to me. Just give me the bill when the time comes. I have only one condition: anything fun, anything you think is good for the farm, go ahead and do it. How does that sound?"

Charlie's scalp tingled at Martin's words. Working for yourself is different from working for others. If these places were his own, he could do whatever he wanted with them.

Seeing Charlie's hesitation, Martin added, "I'll give you an annual salary of 40,000, and if the farm makes a profit, I'll give you 5%."

"I'll do it." Charlie nodded in agreement immediately. Forty thousand was a lot, considering that the US GDP at the time was only around twenty thousand.

After their discussion, the two men drove back home. There was already a car parked at the door, with another man in a suit sitting inside, waiting for Martin and the others. This was the lawyer Martin had called.

Following their discussion, Martin and Charlie signed the contract, and the lawyer left.

In addition to Martin's own land, there was also another large piece of land next to it, which Martin had prepared as a gift for Logan. Originally, he had wanted Logan to help manage the farm, but then thought it would be better to avoid Logan feeling dependent. So, he bought the neighboring land and decided to give it to him.

It was normal for friends to exchange gifts, and Logan knew Martin could afford it. But it always felt inconvenient to keep him on Martin's property.

"This piece of land on the west side is the one I told you about."

"Uh-huh."

"I prepared it for my friend. I'll manage it for now, and when he takes over, we'll see what he thinks. Regardless of whether he's willing, your salary remains the same."

It was highly likely Logan would let Charlie handle it. The salary Martin paid Charlie included the management of the land.

"Okay."

"You can start planning in the next few days, find someone to start the work, and do whatever needs to be done."

"Okay."

Charlie left with his children. Before they departed, Martin prepared gifts for the two kids—a small fish tank with two small fish swimming in it. The children were happy, and so was Martin.

___

That day, Martin opened his eyes and felt like the whole world had changed. Whether it was on television or in newspapers, they were all filled with the same news.

"Spider-Man suddenly appeared on the streets of New York."

Martin frowned as he watched the news anchor enthusiastically report about Spider-Man.

'It's only 1988, and Spider-Man's already here?' He thought, 'Logically, mutants have been in the public eye for years, and a mere Spider-Man shouldn't cause such a big fuss.'

But unlike other mutants, this Spider-Man did good deeds daily, like helping old ladies cross the street. Even Charles' X-Men had basically become government lapdogs, only helping catch criminals. Spider-Man, on the other hand, assisted ordinary people on the streets.

This different approach made the public fall in love with New York's friendly neighborhood hero. Many believed that if all mutants were like Spider-Man, living in peace with them wouldn't be a problem.

All reports were generally positive, except for an old man with thick eyebrows and big eyes who believed Spider-Man's appearance was part of a mutant conspiracy to manipulate the public. Only Spider-Man and a few others who could detect mutants knew that he wasn't one. Only he and Martin knew he wasn't.

'So, is the old man who said 'With great power comes great responsibility' already dead?' Martin mused, 'In every Spider-Man movie, Uncle Ben dies—it's pretty tragic.'

"Are you interested in him?" Emma, who was standing nearby, noticed Martin's focus on the news.

"No, just curious. I've never met a so-called superhero like this."

"Yes, even the situation for us mutants has improved a lot, and we owe a lot of that to him. But according to the information the club has gathered, he's not a mutant."

Several mutants could detect their kind, but each had their own strengths and weaknesses. Groups like the X Academy, the Brotherhood of Mutants, and even the U.S. government had such talents.

Spider-Man's appearance was just a small episode in Martin's life. His life moved forward.

At the farm, Charlie had already started planning and had recruited various professional teams to begin the hard work. Things like farm offices, agricultural machinery, and warehouses needed to be built from scratch. And Logan was on his way—Martin would pick him up later.

"Aren't you going to the company today?" Martin asked Emma, who was sitting next to him.

"I don't have anything pressing. I'll go with you to pick up Kayla and the others."

"Really?"

Emma nodded, "The Howletts are our only family friends, so of course, we should pick them up."

James Logan Howlett—Logan's full name—had inherited his surname from his biological father.

In the afternoon, Martin, accompanied by the two Emmas, drove two cars to the airport to pick them up. Raven and Wendy were busy packing up to move into the farm house. The villa on the mountain was nice, but it was too quiet. The farm was busier.

After waiting for a while at the airport, Martin finally saw Logan and Kayla coming out.

Martin walked up with a smile, and the two men bumped fists in greeting, "Smooth journey?"

"Yeah."

After exchanging pleasantries, they got into their cars. This wasn't the place for long talks.

Back at the farm, preparations had been made to welcome Logan and his companions into the home Martin had prepared for him. Logan and Martin rode in one car, while Kayla went with the two Emmas. Along the way, they chatted casually about their recent lives and reminisced about old times until they arrived at the farm.

The car pulled up outside the detached house, offering a clear view of the construction site not far away.

"How do you like it? All the areas surrounded by fences belong to us."

The two houses stood on either side of the intersection, with buildings like warehouses located at the crossroads, serving both properties. In the distance, they could see forests, lakes, and even a road, which made transportation convenient.

"Nice environment."

"As long as you're satisfied. Come inside—I have a gift for you."

Once inside, Martin presented Logan with the prepared farm documents and a set of car keys.

__________

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