Reading settings
Chapter 23: Shut Up
So Agent Coulson asked Tony if he was willing to provide clues and accept S.H.I.E.L.D.'s support.
This could be seen as an opportunity to deepen the relationship between the two parties by having Tony accept their assistance, opening up plenty of time and opportunities for future cooperation.
This was an excellent opportunity.
Tony smiled. Although he knew Agent Coulson was specifically tailoring his words, he had to admit he still felt quite pleased. Tony said with a smile, "Agent Coulson, I have to say, you're quite the talker. Every word hits just right."
Agent Coulson also smiled; no obvious refusal was a good sign. Agent Coulson said gently, "At least we can provide what you need, can't we? We have no intention of harming you. From day one, we've wanted to bring you over to our side, and we've never hidden that."
Tony remained noncommittal. Large organizations like S.H.I.E.L.D. were indeed cunning, capable of phrasing things so perfectly. What did "never hidden that" even mean? Anyone with a brain would understand that a global agency, if not completely clueless, would definitely want to win him over. If they couldn't, they'd shelve him. If he posed a threat, they'd eliminate him.
And looking at Tony's past and background, it was too clean. No criminal activity, no ambiguous dealings with any organizations. His entire life was that of a model ordinary citizen: diligent, pristine, and transparent. S.H.I.E.L.D. could uncover everything about Tony's past, and they'd be damned if they weren't tempted.
Coupled with Tony's composure when he woke up in the hospital, S.H.I.E.L.D. adopted a strategy of both carrot and stick to gauge his intentions. So S.H.I.E.L.D. simply stopped concealing their desire to recruit him; there was no need to, as both sides knew full well.
S.H.I.E.L.D. had originally worried that Tony, having lost both parents and with no other ties, might embark on a path of madness, instantly succumbing to Corruption and becoming a super-criminal, wreaking havoc and causing mass casualties. But Tony's actions had relieved them; at least in the short term, there was no need to worry, making their desire to recruit him even more urgent.
A Superpowered Individual with no ties was simply too dangerous. They needed to bring Tony into the system. Whether through bonds or missions, he needed something to drive him forward, rather than letting him act without restraint.
"Director Nick Fury will be visiting you soon, hoping to have a frank discussion with you."
Tony shrugged, not refusing. He told Agent Coulson, "Right now, I only hope to get some Silver Weapons, and preferably another batch of alloys. I need them."
Agent Coulson readily agreed. They weren't afraid of Tony having demands; they were afraid of him having none. For him to need something from them was a good sign.
Hanging up the phone, Tony first cast a cold glance at the Old Bartender, who was sleeping like a dead pig. A large, raised bump was visible on the Old Bartender's head, put there by Tony using Vibranium.
Driving the vehicle, Tony headed straight for the Scrapyard. He intended to find the Administrator, force information out of him, and then kill him. But ultimately, he didn't get his wish; the Administrator was already dead, clutching a large wad of U.S. dollars tightly in his arms, as if he had been in the middle of a transaction.
He had been shot dead.
Tony sighed. Although he had already suspected it, seeing the scene still left him a bit disappointed; a clue had gone cold.
He drove into the pile of scrap cars, picking and choosing, managing to pull out some good vehicles. He then controlled Optimus Prime to selectively assemble them. This was an extremely tedious process. Optimus Prime himself was limited by the Allspark, making it impossible to recklessly upgrade his body. Limited by his inherent material, during the assimilation process, he had to discard inferior metals and devices, absorbing only higher-grade materials. This constant cycle of devouring and discarding was very troublesome.
That's why Tony had specifically tied the Old Bartender back. He needed the Old Bartender to directly help him forge powerful motorcycles. Vehicles with a high starting point, once modified, would have more convenient malleability before hitting a bottleneck. Unlike Optimus Prime, who, despite his strength, had a much too complex upgrade process, consuming so much Allspark Energy that it almost made his brain explode in agony.
The new Optimus Prime rose from the ground, four meters tall, with a shimmering metallic sheen and a dizzyingly complex bodily structure. Tony was extremely satisfied. His ride had undergone a leap in Combat Power, giving Tony more confidence to face urgent situations.
Tony then selected two more cars, infused them with Allspark Energy, and intended to transform them into Transformers to temporarily serve as Cannon Fodder.
He was very cautious this time. People had to learn; having been tricked once, he wouldn't allow himself to be tricked a second time. This world was too perilous; a single misstep could send him spiraling into a pit.
The Old Bartender was still lying on the ground, playing dead.
"Hey, get up quickly if you don't want more trouble!" Tony threatened him.
The Old Bartender's eyelids twitched, but he brazenly continued to play dead.
*Thwack!*
Tony was very direct, so direct it was a little frightening. He immediately pulled out the Vibranium, aimed it at the Old Bartender's back of the head, and smacked it down, giving the Old Bartender's skull another large bump.
"Huh, why no reaction? Am I overthinking it? Is he actually truly unconscious?" Tony wondered suspiciously, stroking his chin in analysis. He hadn't used the Vibranium sparingly these days; this high-grade brick was wielded with supernatural skill in his hands, its power astounding.
The Old Bartender was in tears. He had been pretending to sleep, but this time he really was knocked unconscious again. This brute hadn't even bothered to test him, just smacked him directly with the brick. It was absolutely insane.
If Vibranium had a Soul, it would probably be cursing. No foolish Human had ever debased it like this, actually using it as a brick to hit people. It was outrageous!
Tony controlled Optimus Prime, making him transform into his truck mode, and then threw the Old Bartender into the truck bed.
Even in his truck mode, the new Optimus Prime was much more imposing. Not only was he gleaming and bright, but his vehicle form was also more massive, making him appear even more reliable. If a seasoned driver were present, they would surely exclaim, "What a fine vehicle!"
Tony leisurely drove Optimus Prime, with two broken-down cars following behind, slowly making his way back to New York. It was surprisingly smooth, with no one attacking him. Tony had actually been waiting for the guys behind the scenes to try and scheme against him, as after being busy for so long, they might try to trip him up at the end. If they dared to come again, Tony swore he'd beat the crap out of them.
After entering the city, he encountered several pedestrians who, upon seeing two abandoned cars behind him, moving autonomously without even steering wheels, shrieked in fright and frantically called the Police.
Tony ignored them, heading straight for his small home, his most cherished place. He also needed to prepare himself to deal with Nick Fury, that old fox, planning to see what Fury would say first.
(end of chapter)
So Agent Coulson asked Tony if he was willing to provide clues and accept S.H.I.E.L.D.'s support.
This could be seen as an opportunity to deepen the relationship between the two parties by having Tony accept their assistance, opening up plenty of time and opportunities for future cooperation.
This was an excellent opportunity.
Tony smiled. Although he knew Agent Coulson was specifically tailoring his words, he had to admit he still felt quite pleased. Tony said with a smile, "Agent Coulson, I have to say, you're quite the talker. Every word hits just right."
Agent Coulson also smiled; no obvious refusal was a good sign. Agent Coulson said gently, "At least we can provide what you need, can't we? We have no intention of harming you. From day one, we've wanted to bring you over to our side, and we've never hidden that."
Tony remained noncommittal. Large organizations like S.H.I.E.L.D. were indeed cunning, capable of phrasing things so perfectly. What did "never hidden that" even mean? Anyone with a brain would understand that a global agency, if not completely clueless, would definitely want to win him over. If they couldn't, they'd shelve him. If he posed a threat, they'd eliminate him.
And looking at Tony's past and background, it was too clean. No criminal activity, no ambiguous dealings with any organizations. His entire life was that of a model ordinary citizen: diligent, pristine, and transparent. S.H.I.E.L.D. could uncover everything about Tony's past, and they'd be damned if they weren't tempted.
Coupled with Tony's composure when he woke up in the hospital, S.H.I.E.L.D. adopted a strategy of both carrot and stick to gauge his intentions. So S.H.I.E.L.D. simply stopped concealing their desire to recruit him; there was no need to, as both sides knew full well.
S.H.I.E.L.D. had originally worried that Tony, having lost both parents and with no other ties, might embark on a path of madness, instantly succumbing to Corruption and becoming a super-criminal, wreaking havoc and causing mass casualties. But Tony's actions had relieved them; at least in the short term, there was no need to worry, making their desire to recruit him even more urgent.
A Superpowered Individual with no ties was simply too dangerous. They needed to bring Tony into the system. Whether through bonds or missions, he needed something to drive him forward, rather than letting him act without restraint.
"Director Nick Fury will be visiting you soon, hoping to have a frank discussion with you."
Tony shrugged, not refusing. He told Agent Coulson, "Right now, I only hope to get some Silver Weapons, and preferably another batch of alloys. I need them."
Agent Coulson readily agreed. They weren't afraid of Tony having demands; they were afraid of him having none. For him to need something from them was a good sign.
Hanging up the phone, Tony first cast a cold glance at the Old Bartender, who was sleeping like a dead pig. A large, raised bump was visible on the Old Bartender's head, put there by Tony using Vibranium.
Driving the vehicle, Tony headed straight for the Scrapyard. He intended to find the Administrator, force information out of him, and then kill him. But ultimately, he didn't get his wish; the Administrator was already dead, clutching a large wad of U.S. dollars tightly in his arms, as if he had been in the middle of a transaction.
He had been shot dead.
Tony sighed. Although he had already suspected it, seeing the scene still left him a bit disappointed; a clue had gone cold.
He drove into the pile of scrap cars, picking and choosing, managing to pull out some good vehicles. He then controlled Optimus Prime to selectively assemble them. This was an extremely tedious process. Optimus Prime himself was limited by the Allspark, making it impossible to recklessly upgrade his body. Limited by his inherent material, during the assimilation process, he had to discard inferior metals and devices, absorbing only higher-grade materials. This constant cycle of devouring and discarding was very troublesome.
That's why Tony had specifically tied the Old Bartender back. He needed the Old Bartender to directly help him forge powerful motorcycles. Vehicles with a high starting point, once modified, would have more convenient malleability before hitting a bottleneck. Unlike Optimus Prime, who, despite his strength, had a much too complex upgrade process, consuming so much Allspark Energy that it almost made his brain explode in agony.
The new Optimus Prime rose from the ground, four meters tall, with a shimmering metallic sheen and a dizzyingly complex bodily structure. Tony was extremely satisfied. His ride had undergone a leap in Combat Power, giving Tony more confidence to face urgent situations.
Tony then selected two more cars, infused them with Allspark Energy, and intended to transform them into Transformers to temporarily serve as Cannon Fodder.
He was very cautious this time. People had to learn; having been tricked once, he wouldn't allow himself to be tricked a second time. This world was too perilous; a single misstep could send him spiraling into a pit.
The Old Bartender was still lying on the ground, playing dead.
"Hey, get up quickly if you don't want more trouble!" Tony threatened him.
The Old Bartender's eyelids twitched, but he brazenly continued to play dead.
*Thwack!*
Tony was very direct, so direct it was a little frightening. He immediately pulled out the Vibranium, aimed it at the Old Bartender's back of the head, and smacked it down, giving the Old Bartender's skull another large bump.
"Huh, why no reaction? Am I overthinking it? Is he actually truly unconscious?" Tony wondered suspiciously, stroking his chin in analysis. He hadn't used the Vibranium sparingly these days; this high-grade brick was wielded with supernatural skill in his hands, its power astounding.
The Old Bartender was in tears. He had been pretending to sleep, but this time he really was knocked unconscious again. This brute hadn't even bothered to test him, just smacked him directly with the brick. It was absolutely insane.
If Vibranium had a Soul, it would probably be cursing. No foolish Human had ever debased it like this, actually using it as a brick to hit people. It was outrageous!
Tony controlled Optimus Prime, making him transform into his truck mode, and then threw the Old Bartender into the truck bed.
Even in his truck mode, the new Optimus Prime was much more imposing. Not only was he gleaming and bright, but his vehicle form was also more massive, making him appear even more reliable. If a seasoned driver were present, they would surely exclaim, "What a fine vehicle!"
Tony leisurely drove Optimus Prime, with two broken-down cars following behind, slowly making his way back to New York. It was surprisingly smooth, with no one attacking him. Tony had actually been waiting for the guys behind the scenes to try and scheme against him, as after being busy for so long, they might try to trip him up at the end. If they dared to come again, Tony swore he'd beat the crap out of them.
After entering the city, he encountered several pedestrians who, upon seeing two abandoned cars behind him, moving autonomously without even steering wheels, shrieked in fright and frantically called the Police.
Tony ignored them, heading straight for his small home, his most cherished place. He also needed to prepare himself to deal with Nick Fury, that old fox, planning to see what Fury would say first.
(end of chapter)
