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Tony Stark really wanted to curse, but couldn't figure out what to curse about. After holding it in for a long while, he finally squeezed out a single question:
"Why?"
Because I wanted to test your attitude—your stance included.
Of course, Henry didn't say what he was actually thinking. Instead, he replied:
"I was never a good person to begin with. I just want to reduce trouble. Different situations require different responses; different environments demand different attitudes.
"It's like walking on the beach—barefoot, wearing flip-flops, or wearing leather shoes. Do you think your mindset and attitude would be the same? Even if you don't consider the value of the shoes, how you feel in that moment will be different.
"In the past, I had nothing, so I wasn't afraid of people taking advantage of me—there wasn't much to take anyway. But now you've put me up on a pedestal and turned me into a target. If I kept the same attitude as before, anyone could treat me like a cake and casually scoop out a bite. I'd be annoyed to death.
"What you did today—wasn't it for the exact same reason? Or do you think I should just rely on thick skin and brute force to tank everything? If that's the case, remember to write it into the contract next time."
Whether he had figured it out—or simply given up—Tony Stark no longer fixated on his earlier emotions. Instead, he changed the subject and joked:
"I just think it's a shame. Used you as bait, and all I caught were yellow-skinned monkeys. Looks like you're not very good bait."
Henry laughed. "The blue-blooded sharks are still beneath the surface. If you want to hook the real target fish, you need patience."
Henry wasn't angry at all about being used as bait—this outcome had been anticipated from the start.
Or rather, the moment he jumped from being a penniless nobody to becoming the executive president of a long-established movie studio, extra attention was inevitable. And where there was attention, there would naturally be trials and temptations.
That was exactly why Henry hadn't wanted to accept Tony Stark's job offer in the first place. It was impossible to take all the benefits while avoiding all the trouble.
But once he agreed, Henry intended to play his role properly. He just hadn't rushed headlong down a suicidal path, partly because the ones who bit the bait early were always small fry. The real target fish were still lurking below the surface.
This time, it was the Skrulls bursting onto the scene and acting without reason that exposed cracks, giving others a chance to take advantage.
Tony Stark quickly set aside his pointless sympathy and said, "Forget it," then turned and continued walking uphill.
"Oh, just like that?" Henry teased. "I thought you might drag me to the police station. Looks like when your own interests are involved, Young Master Stark's moral standards aren't quite so firm either."
Tony Stark squinted at him and turned back with a strange look.
"You really want to go to prison and pick up soap? Or do you think thieves stealing a bomb and blowing themselves up somehow makes it the bomb owner's fault?
"It's like the castle doctrine. If someone enters private property without the owner's consent, the homeowner is allowed to use force to defend themselves, and the consequences carry no legal liability or prosecution.
"The one who commits the first wrongdoing bears all the consequences. That's a core principle of Anglo-American law. If bomb makers had to bear joint liability for every misuse, do you think executing arms dealers a hundred times over would even be enough to atone?"
Alright—classic Western logic. Henry couldn't quite keep up with that line of thinking. He still instinctively leaned toward splitting blame evenly, trying to balance everything.
And besides, wasn't this guy a weapons dealer himself? A perfect example of how one's position determines one's perspective.
Henry still wanted to complain, but he held back. Continuing would really start to sound like he was eager to send himself to jail. That kind of enthusiasm was unnecessary.
As they continued uphill, Tony Stark said:
"Anyway, what Sony stole was technology Stark Pictures is developing. Whether your private information devices contained related technical data or not doesn't matter. They showed intent—so they deserve to die for it.
"Compared to the explosion case, which involves too many variables to identify a mastermind, a corporate espionage case is judged by results. As long as Sony can't provide lawful proof that they obtained those devices legitimately, it's illegal acquisition, and the espionage charge stands.
"The lawyers Obadiah picked are veterans at this kind of lawsuit. As long as you cooperate properly, Sony will get flayed alive."
Henry followed along casually and said, "I've been cooperative enough, haven't I? Whatever the lawyers tell me to do, I do it. But everything got blown up. Whether there were technical files inside—does my word alone really count?"
"But there's also no way to prove there weren't," Tony Stark said smugly, hanging his sunglasses back on his head. "Convincing the judge is the lawyers' job. If someone can't do it, I'll just replace them with someone who can."
Right—rich people logic. Henry didn't even have the energy to complain anymore. The lawyers were the real protagonists here; he just needed to provide support.
Tony Stark didn't notice Henry's expression and continued:
"When the settlement comes through, I don't want a single cent. Lawyer fees and necessary taxes will be deducted first—whatever's left is yours. I just want to win the case. No problem with that, right?"
"That's something you should discuss with the lawyers," Henry replied. "I'll just cooperate as best I can. But if this lawsuit drags on for three to five years, you won't exactly be showing off Stark-style dominance."
"Relax. Sony's headquarters in Japan has already surrendered. They're using this opportunity to dump Mickey Schulhof. Right now, it's just a matter of ironing out terms. The settlement's set at two hundred million dollars."
"Two—" Henry choked, momentarily unable to speak.
In the U.S., lawyers' fees were usually either flat-rate or contingency-based. Under the latter, no other fees were charged, and all litigation expenses were covered by the lawyers themselves—but the cut was typically a hefty 20% to 35%.
As for taxes, it depended on how much of the settlement was compensatory versus punitive. Only punitive damages—like emotional distress—were taxable. Compensation for property loss was not.
So from that $200 million settlement, roughly a third to a quarter would actually be kept.
…Thinking of how hard Fixer had worked to scam a crime boss, risking being double-crossed, only to earn less than a fraction of this take, Henry suddenly felt life was meaningless.
Even if he used Kryptonian powers to rob banks nonstop from the West Coast to the East Coast, he still might not reach that number.
So this was the world of the rich.
This was the profit of those who made the rules.
"As for the conditions they proposed," Tony Stark continued, "I want to hear your opinion."
But there was no response from behind him.
He turned around and saw a face utterly devoid of enthusiasm. Tony Stark immediately understood and mocked him:
"Don't tell me this amount scared you. I thought you were the type who wouldn't be moved by any amount of money."
Regaining his composure, Henry replied helplessly to Tony's teasing:
"It's like someone who thinks a car just needs four wheels and the ability to run—seeing a sports car doesn't move them much.
"But if what zooms past next is a fighter jet flying at several Mach? I think anyone would be stunned."
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