**Ding Ding!**
The green indicator in the master bedroom lit up. Tony, clad in a white bathrobe, glanced at the computer with irritation and said, “You’re back?”
“Sir, is there something you need?” J.A.R.V.I.S replied, sounding somewhat guilty as it discreetly emerged from Kyle’s room via the cables.
“Yes, there is something, something significant! Where did you run off to? Just now, the automatic lights and shower in the bathroom malfunctioned! I was drenched with a mixture of hot and cold water!” Tony complained, his body still involuntarily shivering, as he sneezed.
“Weren’t you the one who asked me to investigate the issue?” J.A.R.V.I.S responded, unabashed.
“And did you find anything?” Tony wiped his nose and asked.
J.A.R.V.I.S bluntly replied, “No.”
Tony furrowed his brow. If even J.A.R.V.I.S couldn’t find any information about the young man upstairs then it was truly peculiar.
“So, what’s the story with that young man’s identity? Did you find anything?” Tony asked, growing more serious.
“No, there is no information or data on him online,” J.A.R.V.I.S replied, its voice noticeably weaker. As an artificial intelligence, it felt uneasy for the first time.
However, there was nothing it could do when the young man upstairs had higher access privileges than even Tony.
“Very well, let’s leave it at that,” Tony sighed. He changed into casual attire and addressed J.A.R.V.I.S firmly, “Go to the basement.”
“Sir, are you planning to create something?” J.A.R.V.I.S asked, puzzled. The basement of the mansion contained the garage and a private workshop.
“Yes, I want to make something very important!” Tony nodded and, donning a light jacket, headed towards the door with great enthusiasm.
J.A.R.V.I.S found it somewhat exasperating to assist both Kyle clandestinely and Tony overtly, but it had no choice. It followed along via the cables, accompanying Tony to the basement to provide assistance with his project.
In the guest room on the second floor of the mansion:
Kyle sat calmly in front of the computer. On the brightly lit computer screen, surveillance footage displayed the basement of the mansion. The footage showed Tony, with a virtual image of a mechanical left foot part projected by J.A.R.V.I.S.
Tony was meticulously working at his workbench, inputting data into his personal computer and searching for the basic mechanical components he needed for his project.
“Master, why don’t you reveal your identity and acknowledge Howard’s son?” Vis asked, its mechanical head slightly tilted.
“Normally, I wouldn’t bother concealing my identity. But now, it’s a crucial moment in Tony Stark’s life,” Kyle shrugged and tapped his fingers lightly on the screen. “Howard used to say that I was a man with the strength to rival gods.”
Kyle stared at the screen, full of emotion, and continued, “Little did he know that, in the future, it would be his own son who truly embodies it— an ordinary mortal with the heart of Iron Man; a man with the body of Mortal would go on to fights being that were even higher than gods.”
“In just a few days, Earth will witness the birth of a Superhero capable of changing the world, a future force! How can I disrupt his state of mind at this moment?”
Kyle smiled and, with a meaningful look in his eyes, went on, “As a godfather, if I haven’t taught him anything, then let me assist him now as he fully embarks on the path of Iron Man.”
“I understand,” Vis nodded, its mechanical eyes blinking with thought. “Then, about the cooperation with that rudimentary artificial intelligence…”
“Complete it in three days.”
Kyle reached this point, his lips curled into a smile, and he said with a hint of anticipation, “It’s also time to let some old friends and family members know that I’m back!”
At the same time, in the Stark Industries new headquarters, in the acting chairman’s office:
Obadiah Stane reclined in his plush office chair, his feet clad in new leather shoes resting on the desk. He held a mobile phone and was making a call to a location somewhere in the Middle East.
“Tony managed to break through all your armed personnel on his own. Have you gathered all the components for that weapon system he relied on?” Stane asked in a deep voice.
“I’ve gathered all the components and assembled them into a metallic exosuit,” Came the rugged voice on the other end of the phone.
Stane urged, “Raza, repair that suit as quickly as possible for me. I want to see if that thing can really outmatch missiles. As for the missiles and ammunition produced by Stark Industries, I will continue to secretly supply you with large quantities!”
“Alright, since the playboy hasn’t made a move yet, you seem to be taking direct control of Stark Industries,” Raza chuckled.
“Hmph! He only has a five percent stake anyway. The other shareholders have long been fed up with him. It’s good that he stays at home. He’ll never be able to completely take over Stark Industries,” Stane sneered.
Raza asked curiously, “Speaking of which, Stark Industries’ shareholders only add up to ten percent and then Tony has 5 percent shares. I’m curious, where is the remaining 85%?”
“They are in the hands of one person, but that person hasn’t shown up in a long time. They might be dead for all we know,” Stane replied, hesitating to utter the name, revealing a deep sense of fear.
That person’s name was one that many people dared not speak. It was as if mentioning it would summon that person into existence before their eyes.
“By the way, in consideration of your reputation, I’ll spare Tony Stark’s life for now. But I want that young man who saved him dead!” Raza asserted dominantly over the phone.
Stane questioned, “He’s currently living in Tony’s house. Are you planning to send your men to New York?”
“Hehehe, of course not. I’ve spent a hefty sum to hire professionals.”
“Professionals?”
“You may not be aware, but in our underground world, there’s an organization deeply hidden and widely recognized as the most formidable— the ‘Cards.'”
Raza took a deep breath, a mix of apprehension and excitement in his voice. “Their organization dates back to the end of World War II, and every member, known as ‘Cardholders,’ is an elite capable of taking on a hundred men, they are very powerful. They undertake mercenary contracts worth over a hundred million dollars. If you want them to assassinate a national leader, they might even be able to do it, but the cost would be exorbitant!”
His voice trembled as he continued, “To date, they’ve accepted over a thousand contracts with a one hundred percent success rate!”
Stane, upon hearing this, took in a sharp breath. Such a success rate was beyond belief!
“But their organization has some peculiar rules. For example, the entire payment must be made upfront, and they only send one Cardholder on each mission, and we’re not allowed to interfere during the mission,” Raza explained.
After he finished, he proudly said, “For example, to kill that ordinary young man, the cost is a whopping One Billion Dollars. I’m doing this partly to seize an opportunity, hopefully, to get to know one of these Cardholders.”
“Amazing! If such an organization truly exists, then we needn’t worry about major issues. If Tony dares to interfere with us, I can also pay to have a Cardholder eliminate him!” Stane remarked, and both he and Raza burst into eerie laughter over the phone.
(End of this chapter)
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