Reading settings
Chapter 44: The One-Eyed Man
Tony's house was very lively at this moment.
Several cars were parked at the entrance, and many black-suited men were moving in and out of his house, carrying various documents.
S.H.I.E.L.D. Director Nick Fury was currently conducting business inside Tony's house with his people, drawing curious glances from the neighbors.
Tony drove up to his doorstep, utterly dumbfounded by the sight. This was *his* house; where had all these people come from?! It was clear they weren't treating his home as their own, showing no regard for him or his household as outsiders.
The Old Bartender lay outside, leisurely sipping his drink, utterly content.
Tony dragged the Man in Glasses over and demanded to know what was going on.
"I told you to watch the door for me, don't tell me you invited wolves in!" Tony fumed, suppressing his anger.
The Old Bartender looked up, his drunken eyes instantly dazzled: "Huh, you changed your hairstyle? It looks great!"
Tony immediately kicked him unconscious. He currently detested anyone praising his hairstyle, and with a dark expression, he warned Pietro, who was amused, that if he dared to spread the word, Tony would beat him to death just like he'd beaten the Old Bartender.
Pietro instinctively crossed his arms, looked up, and squinted at people, which was very annoying. He pursed his lips in disdain, still resentful about falling into Tony's hands. He felt Tony was too cunning; a normal battle couldn't possibly be that insane, nearly blowing himself up while simultaneously killing the enemy.
Tony said, "When it really comes to battle, who cares about ridiculous methods? Whatever can kill you is the best method. When the enemy knows they can't deal with you, the best method is to take you down with them. If I die, you won't live alone either."
Pietro was arrogant and never liked listening to others nag him; he always believed his choices were correct. But he did take in some of Tony's words, just a little.
To be honest, Pietro felt a genuine chill from Tony's gaze. He was truly scared by Tony's suicidal attack. He hadn't been hurt, but Tony himself had sustained considerable injuries. Yet, Tony truly dared to go through with it; he was too ruthless, truly crazy enough to even harm himself.
Unconsciously, Pietro developed a hint of awe for Tony. This was a true warrior, someone who truly dared to be ruthless...
Tony's face was grim. He walked directly into the house, rudely pushing aside several people who tried to block him, heading straight inside.
Nick Fury sat calmly on the sofa, effortlessly handling a pile of documents, issuing orders to the personnel around him, looking utterly dominant and strategic. His sole remaining eye didn't even blink, fixed on the documents in his hand, as if the entire world consisted only of the stack of documents awaiting his attention.
"The One-Eyed Man? You're Nick Fury?! How dare you come into my house without my permission!" Tony was furious, almost ready to resort to violence. This house was a family heirloom, something he held very dear, and he wouldn't allow anyone to damage or disturb it, no matter who they were.
Nick Fury, the king of Agents who had managed S.H.I.E.L.D. for decades, was feared by countless people, his name alone causing apprehension. He wore an eye patch over one eye, using only the other to look at people, his gaze sharp and cold. Coupled with his tall stature and scarred face, he exuded an overwhelming pressure.
"I didn't just barge in, your butler opened the door for me. And, I've been waiting here for you for three whole hours! Three hours! Do you have any idea how much I can accomplish in three hours?" Nick Fury was calm. He had anticipated Tony's displeasure and had already prepared his excuse. Until he looked up, and his sole remaining eye also seemed dazzled.
"Huh, changed your hairstyle? It looks great! But how come your eyebrows are gone too?" Nick Fury teased, even though he had received reports, seeing the real thing still stung his eyes.
Tony cursed vehemently, immediately developing a massive animosity towards Nick Fury, this head Agent.
*Gag!*
Pietro reacted violently. Seeing Director Nick Fury's equally bald, dark-skinned head, he was inspired and promptly vomited again. He recalled the scenes from the battlefield earlier, which had left terrifying shadows in his mind.
This successfully provoked the Director's hostility.
"Have you joined the Brotherhood of Mutants? Or the X-Men?" Nick Fury asked. Having fought the Brotherhood of Mutants for years, he had long recognized Pietro, this ridiculously fast individual who had once given them a massive headache.
Tony shook his head and said indifferently, "I have no intention of joining either side for now, so you don't need to worry."
Tony pulled out a brick and, under the Man in Glasses' terrified gaze, slammed it down fiercely. It seemed the accumulated kinetic energy from before was enough, as this strike unusually landed a critical hit, and the Man in Glasses screamed before passing out.
The Man in Glasses was despairing. He had behaved very obediently the entire way, just afraid Tony would find an excuse to deal with him, but he was dealt with anyway, and the process was so brutal.
"Alright, now we can talk seriously." Tony's expression returned to normal. Dealing with Nick Fury, this head Agent, was undoubtedly a very troublesome matter.
Pietro finished throwing up, casually wiped his mouth, gave a quick nod, and ran out. He was hungry and going to get something to eat.
"So that kid will be following you from now on?" Nick Fury asked.
Tony shamelessly nodded in affirmation, saying that Quicksilver would be following him from now on.
Nick Fury made no comment, but he felt a hint of envy. For an official organization like theirs, recruiting powerful Superpowered Individuals was too difficult; many would keep their distance as soon as they heard where they were from, and it was already good if they didn't outright fight them.
"Let's talk business. I came to see you about something important." Nick Fury pulled out a thick stack of documents from a pile and handed them to Tony, gesturing for him to look them over. "I'm putting together a special team, and I'd like to invite you to join us."
Nick Fury told him that this team was specifically for handling supernatural crises. Team members would be considered semi-official personnel, with a high degree of autonomy. When not needed, they could act freely, and S.H.I.E.L.D. would not only not interfere but would also provide them with certain conveniences, such as various IDs and other conveniences.
"This 'semi-official personnel' term, it's a good way of putting it—practically a catch-all ambiguous title. When the time comes, how it's interpreted will still be up to you, won't it?" Tony sneered, scoffing that Nick Fury was still playing word games at a time like this.
"Since you won't join the X-Men or the Brotherhood of Mutants, we are your best option. We absolutely will not interfere with your private life in your daily life. You should know that some people have always been wary of you, and since you live in New York City, a layer of restriction is necessary."
"A restriction on a piece of paper? They don't actually think that if I sign my name on a piece of toilet paper, my destiny will then follow what's written on it, do they? Tearing up agreements is what those politicians love to do most; in their eyes, this agreement probably isn't even as good as toilet paper."
"At the very least, it can put their minds at ease. If you accept, you can at least convey to them that you are someone who can be reasoned with. Once there's a start, everything else can be discussed gradually. Aren't you looking to deal with Vampires? We can certainly dispatch Agents or help you contact a group of excellent Vampire Hunters; you could have more help."
Nick Fury persuaded him, his eloquence excellent, as he analyzed the pros and cons for Tony. It had to be said that some of his points were indeed valid, and even though Tony knew S.H.I.E.L.D. was a huge pit, he was somewhat swayed.
Having an official backing indeed solved many unnecessary troubles. The New York Police Department had already listed him as a dangerous individual requiring high attention, and almost every time he went out, if he encountered police, he would always be stared at, which was very uncomfortable.
"Actually, we currently have a very troublesome matter on our hands and would like to hire your help. Even if you don't plan to join us, accepting employment as a mercenary shouldn't be a problem, right? Our remuneration is very generous." Nick Fury revealed his ulterior motive, hoping to seize the opportunity to assign a mission to Tony.
"You don't need to go right now; you can wait a while, as the target has a stable job in one place. I want to hire you to approach a woman and gather intelligence on her. She is a very beautiful woman, and according to our investigations, she is quite unusual. We haven't rashly alerted her; we've merely placed her on a list for close observation."
(end of chapter)
Tony's house was very lively at this moment.
Several cars were parked at the entrance, and many black-suited men were moving in and out of his house, carrying various documents.
S.H.I.E.L.D. Director Nick Fury was currently conducting business inside Tony's house with his people, drawing curious glances from the neighbors.
Tony drove up to his doorstep, utterly dumbfounded by the sight. This was *his* house; where had all these people come from?! It was clear they weren't treating his home as their own, showing no regard for him or his household as outsiders.
The Old Bartender lay outside, leisurely sipping his drink, utterly content.
Tony dragged the Man in Glasses over and demanded to know what was going on.
"I told you to watch the door for me, don't tell me you invited wolves in!" Tony fumed, suppressing his anger.
The Old Bartender looked up, his drunken eyes instantly dazzled: "Huh, you changed your hairstyle? It looks great!"
Tony immediately kicked him unconscious. He currently detested anyone praising his hairstyle, and with a dark expression, he warned Pietro, who was amused, that if he dared to spread the word, Tony would beat him to death just like he'd beaten the Old Bartender.
Pietro instinctively crossed his arms, looked up, and squinted at people, which was very annoying. He pursed his lips in disdain, still resentful about falling into Tony's hands. He felt Tony was too cunning; a normal battle couldn't possibly be that insane, nearly blowing himself up while simultaneously killing the enemy.
Tony said, "When it really comes to battle, who cares about ridiculous methods? Whatever can kill you is the best method. When the enemy knows they can't deal with you, the best method is to take you down with them. If I die, you won't live alone either."
Pietro was arrogant and never liked listening to others nag him; he always believed his choices were correct. But he did take in some of Tony's words, just a little.
To be honest, Pietro felt a genuine chill from Tony's gaze. He was truly scared by Tony's suicidal attack. He hadn't been hurt, but Tony himself had sustained considerable injuries. Yet, Tony truly dared to go through with it; he was too ruthless, truly crazy enough to even harm himself.
Unconsciously, Pietro developed a hint of awe for Tony. This was a true warrior, someone who truly dared to be ruthless...
Tony's face was grim. He walked directly into the house, rudely pushing aside several people who tried to block him, heading straight inside.
Nick Fury sat calmly on the sofa, effortlessly handling a pile of documents, issuing orders to the personnel around him, looking utterly dominant and strategic. His sole remaining eye didn't even blink, fixed on the documents in his hand, as if the entire world consisted only of the stack of documents awaiting his attention.
"The One-Eyed Man? You're Nick Fury?! How dare you come into my house without my permission!" Tony was furious, almost ready to resort to violence. This house was a family heirloom, something he held very dear, and he wouldn't allow anyone to damage or disturb it, no matter who they were.
Nick Fury, the king of Agents who had managed S.H.I.E.L.D. for decades, was feared by countless people, his name alone causing apprehension. He wore an eye patch over one eye, using only the other to look at people, his gaze sharp and cold. Coupled with his tall stature and scarred face, he exuded an overwhelming pressure.
"I didn't just barge in, your butler opened the door for me. And, I've been waiting here for you for three whole hours! Three hours! Do you have any idea how much I can accomplish in three hours?" Nick Fury was calm. He had anticipated Tony's displeasure and had already prepared his excuse. Until he looked up, and his sole remaining eye also seemed dazzled.
"Huh, changed your hairstyle? It looks great! But how come your eyebrows are gone too?" Nick Fury teased, even though he had received reports, seeing the real thing still stung his eyes.
Tony cursed vehemently, immediately developing a massive animosity towards Nick Fury, this head Agent.
*Gag!*
Pietro reacted violently. Seeing Director Nick Fury's equally bald, dark-skinned head, he was inspired and promptly vomited again. He recalled the scenes from the battlefield earlier, which had left terrifying shadows in his mind.
This successfully provoked the Director's hostility.
"Have you joined the Brotherhood of Mutants? Or the X-Men?" Nick Fury asked. Having fought the Brotherhood of Mutants for years, he had long recognized Pietro, this ridiculously fast individual who had once given them a massive headache.
Tony shook his head and said indifferently, "I have no intention of joining either side for now, so you don't need to worry."
Tony pulled out a brick and, under the Man in Glasses' terrified gaze, slammed it down fiercely. It seemed the accumulated kinetic energy from before was enough, as this strike unusually landed a critical hit, and the Man in Glasses screamed before passing out.
The Man in Glasses was despairing. He had behaved very obediently the entire way, just afraid Tony would find an excuse to deal with him, but he was dealt with anyway, and the process was so brutal.
"Alright, now we can talk seriously." Tony's expression returned to normal. Dealing with Nick Fury, this head Agent, was undoubtedly a very troublesome matter.
Pietro finished throwing up, casually wiped his mouth, gave a quick nod, and ran out. He was hungry and going to get something to eat.
"So that kid will be following you from now on?" Nick Fury asked.
Tony shamelessly nodded in affirmation, saying that Quicksilver would be following him from now on.
Nick Fury made no comment, but he felt a hint of envy. For an official organization like theirs, recruiting powerful Superpowered Individuals was too difficult; many would keep their distance as soon as they heard where they were from, and it was already good if they didn't outright fight them.
"Let's talk business. I came to see you about something important." Nick Fury pulled out a thick stack of documents from a pile and handed them to Tony, gesturing for him to look them over. "I'm putting together a special team, and I'd like to invite you to join us."
Nick Fury told him that this team was specifically for handling supernatural crises. Team members would be considered semi-official personnel, with a high degree of autonomy. When not needed, they could act freely, and S.H.I.E.L.D. would not only not interfere but would also provide them with certain conveniences, such as various IDs and other conveniences.
"This 'semi-official personnel' term, it's a good way of putting it—practically a catch-all ambiguous title. When the time comes, how it's interpreted will still be up to you, won't it?" Tony sneered, scoffing that Nick Fury was still playing word games at a time like this.
"Since you won't join the X-Men or the Brotherhood of Mutants, we are your best option. We absolutely will not interfere with your private life in your daily life. You should know that some people have always been wary of you, and since you live in New York City, a layer of restriction is necessary."
"A restriction on a piece of paper? They don't actually think that if I sign my name on a piece of toilet paper, my destiny will then follow what's written on it, do they? Tearing up agreements is what those politicians love to do most; in their eyes, this agreement probably isn't even as good as toilet paper."
"At the very least, it can put their minds at ease. If you accept, you can at least convey to them that you are someone who can be reasoned with. Once there's a start, everything else can be discussed gradually. Aren't you looking to deal with Vampires? We can certainly dispatch Agents or help you contact a group of excellent Vampire Hunters; you could have more help."
Nick Fury persuaded him, his eloquence excellent, as he analyzed the pros and cons for Tony. It had to be said that some of his points were indeed valid, and even though Tony knew S.H.I.E.L.D. was a huge pit, he was somewhat swayed.
Having an official backing indeed solved many unnecessary troubles. The New York Police Department had already listed him as a dangerous individual requiring high attention, and almost every time he went out, if he encountered police, he would always be stared at, which was very uncomfortable.
"Actually, we currently have a very troublesome matter on our hands and would like to hire your help. Even if you don't plan to join us, accepting employment as a mercenary shouldn't be a problem, right? Our remuneration is very generous." Nick Fury revealed his ulterior motive, hoping to seize the opportunity to assign a mission to Tony.
"You don't need to go right now; you can wait a while, as the target has a stable job in one place. I want to hire you to approach a woman and gather intelligence on her. She is a very beautiful woman, and according to our investigations, she is quite unusual. We haven't rashly alerted her; we've merely placed her on a list for close observation."
(end of chapter)
