Reading settings
Chapter 146: None of My Business
October 19, 2022 Author: Great Demon Spirit
Tony leaped energetically from Optimus Prime's cockpit.
He had colluded with high-ranking military officials, meticulously planning a series of operations over the past three days specifically targeting Wakanda. Tony could almost foresee the military falling into a bottomless super-pit, leaving them with nothing.
They would crash and bleed profusely against the great mountain that was Wakanda.
Tony desperately fed them false intelligence.
For example, that it was still a land of primitive tribes, wielding laughable spears and wearing bizarrely cut clothing. Some in the military proposed directly deploying five hundred elite soldiers to secretly conquer the country—Wakanda's name wasn't even registered with the United Nations, showing how small the country was, so small that even artificial satellites couldn't see it; it showed how backward the country was; isolation equaled backwardness.
Five hundred men were more than enough.
But Tony proposed directly deploying over fifty thousand modern troops, using three carrier battle groups, to completely occupy the place, on the grounds that other countries and organizations would surely not stand idly by, and their army needed powerful military deterrence against those with ill intentions.
Thinking logically, the military's ideas were not wrong. But Wakanda was built on a Vibranium Mine. Rather than being isolated from the world, it was more like they held a disdainful indifference towards everything outside.
The military looked at the Wakandan warriors armed with spears as if they were natives. The Wakandan warriors looked at outsiders wielding machine guns and cannons as if they were primitive people.
The severe imbalance of intelligence directly led to the military's arrogant mindset. Even the numerous chaebols, already sharpening their knives, had begun arguing over how to divide the Vibranium spoils.
However, out of caution, the Super Soldier codenamed "Number One" and several other squads had been secretly dispatched to Africa by Ross, specifically to investigate this tiny, unheard-of country, or rather, to investigate whether Vibranium actually existed in that godforsaken place.
Tony had every reason to be exhilarated.
He indulged in drifting and other impulses, completely disregarding the enraged Old Bartender.
"It's just a few blades of grass. What's with the rush? I'll pay you double tomorrow," Tony ignored the scolding Old Bartender and walked directly towards May.
"Welcome, Agent. Though I don't know what I've done wrong this time. Other than speeding on the road a few days ago, I've already paid the fine."
Tony led everyone into the room, waved his hand, and told Max to continue his training. The Old Bartender slumped painfully on the grass outside, touching the utterly ruined blades of grass, his heart aching, occasionally letting out curses.
"The first thing is, you are not allowed to contact Peter Parker," Melinda said indifferently, sitting on the sofa opposite Tony, her voice icy.
"So it is you who are protecting him. Otherwise, this thoughtless little bug would have been dragged into a laboratory and dissected by the military long ago, flitting between skyscrapers every day. In fact, Peter is the real Super Soldier. If you get Spider-Man's blood, there's a chance to overcome this technology," Tony said with a playful expression, feigning sudden realization.
"I don't care if this is your intention or the military's, Peter is the only son of a S.H.I.E.L.D. hero. We will not allow anyone to harm him." May poured herself a cup of hot water, having already added tea leaves to the cup.
She took sips, maintaining a basic level of vigilance towards Tony.
Tony sank into the sofa with a comfortable sigh, saying faintly, "I haven't done anything to Peter. Regardless of his choice, whether he chooses you or me, that's his own business. You don't want to pull such a child into your 'special squad,' do you? Oh right, hasn't that plan already been scrapped?"
"You are not to contact him. This is our bottom line."
"Excuse me, without coercive measures, allowing him to choose for himself is also my bottom line," Tony said. "Don't always place yourselves on a moral high ground. I can guess that you're protecting Peter more for future utilization or out of more guilt?"
"Peter lost his parents at a young age. It must have something to do with you."
After Melinda poured herself another cup of tea, Tony seized the opportunity and snatched the steaming cup. His speed was astonishing, yet not a single drop of tea spilled.
"This is what you owe me. You owed me a drink in Gotham City, remember?"
Meeting Melinda's gaze, filled with killing intent and warning, Tony shamelessly responded and savored the tea. "Moreover, this tea is also mine, pure Longjing. I imported it specially from China. By the way, you're Chinese too, how did you end up in the Americas?"
"None of your business," Melinda said, not even bothering to feign politeness. Her face grew even colder. She picked up another inverted teacup and poured herself some, deliberately watching Tony to prevent him from snatching it again.
"The second matter is that S.H.I.E.L.D. has officially requisitioned Max. I'll be taking him with me when I leave. This action has been authorized by the government." Melinda tossed a document onto the table.
This document was a conscription notice, explicitly stating it was a mandatory conscription.
A chilling glint appeared in Tony's eyes, vanishing as quickly as it came. He casually glanced at the document, which he deemed worthless paper, then stared intently at Melinda's face. "If you are provoking me, then I can tell you, you have succeeded."
He valued Max greatly, valuing him enough to risk danger, because he believed Max had Level 5 potential and would be a powerful assistant when building Cybertron in the future.
Most importantly, Max's character and loyalty were guaranteed; he was the kind of person who would unhesitatingly lay down his life for him.
Tony slowly tore up the laughable "authorization." The Department of Defense seal on it looked as ridiculous and foolish as a child's doodle.
Tony did it right in front of S.H.I.E.L.D.
"I will personally explain the relevant situation to General Ross. Furthermore, I will retaliate for your unauthorized actions, if you can truly afford it. Trying to sow discord between me and the military? Heh, the military will also give you plenty to deal with."
"This is the authorization from the Department of Defense..."
Tony interrupted May, "The American Department of Defense? That godforsaken department, do you think there are more soldiers or politicians? The Secretary and Deputy Secretary, are they soldiers or politicians? Stop your petty tricks. You've angered me."
Tony assembled a hand cannon and destroyed all these scraps of paper.
Without the backing of strength, such agreement-like documents were nothing but waste paper.
Melinda watched Tony's every move with cold detachment. Her camera-like eyes took everything in, yet showed no surprise.
Tony valued Max so much; it would be a miracle if he handed him over. This trial was proposed by some fool, utterly idiotic. Other than proving Max was truly special, what else did it accomplish?
"The third matter, and the last one..." Melinda spoke halfway, only to be interrupted by Tony again.
"None of my business!"
Tony's patience was completely exhausted. He directly grabbed Melinda, ignored her furiously murderous gaze, and threw her out the window, crushing another patch of grass and eliciting a startled curse from the Old Bartender.
Old Bartender: "Thank you, Tony! I hope your children have no backside when they're born!"
(end of chapter)
October 19, 2022 Author: Great Demon Spirit
Tony leaped energetically from Optimus Prime's cockpit.
He had colluded with high-ranking military officials, meticulously planning a series of operations over the past three days specifically targeting Wakanda. Tony could almost foresee the military falling into a bottomless super-pit, leaving them with nothing.
They would crash and bleed profusely against the great mountain that was Wakanda.
Tony desperately fed them false intelligence.
For example, that it was still a land of primitive tribes, wielding laughable spears and wearing bizarrely cut clothing. Some in the military proposed directly deploying five hundred elite soldiers to secretly conquer the country—Wakanda's name wasn't even registered with the United Nations, showing how small the country was, so small that even artificial satellites couldn't see it; it showed how backward the country was; isolation equaled backwardness.
Five hundred men were more than enough.
But Tony proposed directly deploying over fifty thousand modern troops, using three carrier battle groups, to completely occupy the place, on the grounds that other countries and organizations would surely not stand idly by, and their army needed powerful military deterrence against those with ill intentions.
Thinking logically, the military's ideas were not wrong. But Wakanda was built on a Vibranium Mine. Rather than being isolated from the world, it was more like they held a disdainful indifference towards everything outside.
The military looked at the Wakandan warriors armed with spears as if they were natives. The Wakandan warriors looked at outsiders wielding machine guns and cannons as if they were primitive people.
The severe imbalance of intelligence directly led to the military's arrogant mindset. Even the numerous chaebols, already sharpening their knives, had begun arguing over how to divide the Vibranium spoils.
However, out of caution, the Super Soldier codenamed "Number One" and several other squads had been secretly dispatched to Africa by Ross, specifically to investigate this tiny, unheard-of country, or rather, to investigate whether Vibranium actually existed in that godforsaken place.
Tony had every reason to be exhilarated.
He indulged in drifting and other impulses, completely disregarding the enraged Old Bartender.
"It's just a few blades of grass. What's with the rush? I'll pay you double tomorrow," Tony ignored the scolding Old Bartender and walked directly towards May.
"Welcome, Agent. Though I don't know what I've done wrong this time. Other than speeding on the road a few days ago, I've already paid the fine."
Tony led everyone into the room, waved his hand, and told Max to continue his training. The Old Bartender slumped painfully on the grass outside, touching the utterly ruined blades of grass, his heart aching, occasionally letting out curses.
"The first thing is, you are not allowed to contact Peter Parker," Melinda said indifferently, sitting on the sofa opposite Tony, her voice icy.
"So it is you who are protecting him. Otherwise, this thoughtless little bug would have been dragged into a laboratory and dissected by the military long ago, flitting between skyscrapers every day. In fact, Peter is the real Super Soldier. If you get Spider-Man's blood, there's a chance to overcome this technology," Tony said with a playful expression, feigning sudden realization.
"I don't care if this is your intention or the military's, Peter is the only son of a S.H.I.E.L.D. hero. We will not allow anyone to harm him." May poured herself a cup of hot water, having already added tea leaves to the cup.
She took sips, maintaining a basic level of vigilance towards Tony.
Tony sank into the sofa with a comfortable sigh, saying faintly, "I haven't done anything to Peter. Regardless of his choice, whether he chooses you or me, that's his own business. You don't want to pull such a child into your 'special squad,' do you? Oh right, hasn't that plan already been scrapped?"
"You are not to contact him. This is our bottom line."
"Excuse me, without coercive measures, allowing him to choose for himself is also my bottom line," Tony said. "Don't always place yourselves on a moral high ground. I can guess that you're protecting Peter more for future utilization or out of more guilt?"
"Peter lost his parents at a young age. It must have something to do with you."
After Melinda poured herself another cup of tea, Tony seized the opportunity and snatched the steaming cup. His speed was astonishing, yet not a single drop of tea spilled.
"This is what you owe me. You owed me a drink in Gotham City, remember?"
Meeting Melinda's gaze, filled with killing intent and warning, Tony shamelessly responded and savored the tea. "Moreover, this tea is also mine, pure Longjing. I imported it specially from China. By the way, you're Chinese too, how did you end up in the Americas?"
"None of your business," Melinda said, not even bothering to feign politeness. Her face grew even colder. She picked up another inverted teacup and poured herself some, deliberately watching Tony to prevent him from snatching it again.
"The second matter is that S.H.I.E.L.D. has officially requisitioned Max. I'll be taking him with me when I leave. This action has been authorized by the government." Melinda tossed a document onto the table.
This document was a conscription notice, explicitly stating it was a mandatory conscription.
A chilling glint appeared in Tony's eyes, vanishing as quickly as it came. He casually glanced at the document, which he deemed worthless paper, then stared intently at Melinda's face. "If you are provoking me, then I can tell you, you have succeeded."
He valued Max greatly, valuing him enough to risk danger, because he believed Max had Level 5 potential and would be a powerful assistant when building Cybertron in the future.
Most importantly, Max's character and loyalty were guaranteed; he was the kind of person who would unhesitatingly lay down his life for him.
Tony slowly tore up the laughable "authorization." The Department of Defense seal on it looked as ridiculous and foolish as a child's doodle.
Tony did it right in front of S.H.I.E.L.D.
"I will personally explain the relevant situation to General Ross. Furthermore, I will retaliate for your unauthorized actions, if you can truly afford it. Trying to sow discord between me and the military? Heh, the military will also give you plenty to deal with."
"This is the authorization from the Department of Defense..."
Tony interrupted May, "The American Department of Defense? That godforsaken department, do you think there are more soldiers or politicians? The Secretary and Deputy Secretary, are they soldiers or politicians? Stop your petty tricks. You've angered me."
Tony assembled a hand cannon and destroyed all these scraps of paper.
Without the backing of strength, such agreement-like documents were nothing but waste paper.
Melinda watched Tony's every move with cold detachment. Her camera-like eyes took everything in, yet showed no surprise.
Tony valued Max so much; it would be a miracle if he handed him over. This trial was proposed by some fool, utterly idiotic. Other than proving Max was truly special, what else did it accomplish?
"The third matter, and the last one..." Melinda spoke halfway, only to be interrupted by Tony again.
"None of my business!"
Tony's patience was completely exhausted. He directly grabbed Melinda, ignored her furiously murderous gaze, and threw her out the window, crushing another patch of grass and eliciting a startled curse from the Old Bartender.
Old Bartender: "Thank you, Tony! I hope your children have no backside when they're born!"
(end of chapter)
