Chapter 6: Stuffing Tony into a Black Bag
Having finally waited for Wanda to leave, Tony was about to start his incessant chatter.
"Friend, what's your name? From now on, you'll be one of the wealthiest people in the World, and I still don't even know your name."
"By the way, is that your girlfriend? Why does she look so unhappy, almost like she's a bit angry?"
"If that's your girlfriend, how are you going to live your life? Our parties only need men. I'll arrange for your girlfriend to go to some malls for unlimited shopping."
Tony saw the smile at the corner of Zhang Xuan's mouth and assumed Zhang Xuan was doubting his ability to host a party.
"I guarantee that party will be the most exciting thing you've ever seen. Ethan, why are you looking at me like that? Don't worry, I'll definitely bring you along."
Ethan covered his face and said painfully, "Tony, behind you."
"Behind wha—" Tony was about to turn around, but Wanda released Chaos Magic from her hands, plunging Tony into a deep sleep where he began to have terrible nightmares.
Ethan sensibly raised his hands: "I promise, I won't make a sound."
Ever since leaving the cave, Ethan knew Tony wouldn't have it easy.
Because looking at the girl's expression, it was clearly directed at Tony. So, he hadn't even spoken to Tony along the way, fearing he would suffer collateral damage.
"Tony, take care."
Ethan took the initiative to help Zhang Xuan put Tony into a body bag, then climbed into one himself and lay down quietly.
Ethan didn't sense any killing intent from Zhang Xuan or Wanda, so he was very cooperative.
Ethan felt himself being placed on a stretcher; they were likely being sent to a designated room.
Ethan, whose body had gone numb from lying down, finally felt some movement and quietly observed his surroundings, but he saw nothing of note.
The surroundings were similar to the airport in Afghanistan, full of planes.
After being loaded onto a car again, Ethan heard a familiar voice.
"Wanda, let's go to my shelter in the suburbs. There's an Underground Room there."
"I'll listen to you."
Finally, the bag was unzipped, and Ethan saw the bright Sun.
"Thank you very much, but could you tell me where this is?"
Zhang Xuan replied with a smile: "Welcome to New York. This is my private shelter. Now, please get out of the car."
Zhang Xuan grabbed Tony's feet through the bag and started walking toward the house.
Ethan saw a step ahead and, fearing Tony might hit his head and die, lifted one end of the bag to keep Tony's head off the ground.
Once they reached the Underground Room, Zhang Xuanunzipped the bag and had Wanda release Tony from his sleep state.
Looking at the magic Wanda was using, Zhang Xuanremarked, "The power of revenge is truly formidable. Look, she didn't even know these spells a few days ago, and now she's mastered them all."
Ethan nodded in agreement, thinking of the slow-acting poison he had added to the Terrorists' medicine. A pity he wouldn't see the day the poison took effect.
Wanda released red Chaos Magic energy at Tony's temples. Tony's limbs began to flail, and he kept mumbling incoherent words.
Ethan gasped at the sight. He couldn't imagine what the usually calm Tony was experiencing in his dream to be so terrified and react so violently.
"No, you old stinker... Mom, run quickly..."
Tony kept shouting phrases like "run fast" and "he's coming."
Wanda stood up and leaned against Zhang Xuan.
"Hubby, I'm tired today. I want to go rest for a bit."
"Go to the car first, I'll join you in a moment." Zhang Xuangently stroked Wanda's head.
Wanda nodded. Zhang Xuan carried Wanda out, and she waited obediently in the car. Zhang Xuan took some packaged food and two small bottles of Water down to the Underground Room.
"You'll just have to suffer with him for a while. I'll try to help you as much as I can. Wanda's hatred for this great genius is still very deep."
Zhang Xuan patted Ethan's shoulder and looked at Tony, who was still rolling on the floor.
"Wake up, wake up now."
Zhang Xuan gently nudged Tony twice with his foot and accidentally turned on a video recorder.
Tony suddenly snapped his eyes open and tried to grab Zhang Xuan's leg, but the quick-reacting Zhang Xuandodged it.
"Mom, run! Dad's gone crazy, he wants to feed you shit!"
After shouting that, Tony stared blankly at the plain grey ceiling for half a minute without blinking.
"Ethan? You didn't become a plaything for some big guy? That's great."
"Was I dreaming just now? Blech—"
٩(≥ཀ≤˵)
Tony started dry-heaving as he spoke, but he hadn't eaten for over ten hours, so there was nothing in his stomach to throw up.
Ethan supported Tony and asked with concern, "Tony, were you dreaming? What did you dream about?"
It would have been better if Ethan hadn't asked; as soon as he spoke, Tony seemed to remember something and dry-heaved even harder.
Zhang Xuan was recording on the side, the camera almost shoved into Tony's face.
After dry-heaving for a while, Tony lay back on the ground weakly, panting heavily.
"Since you're awake, eat something. You were quite the talker before, why are you so withered now?"
Zhang Xuan spoke with a smile, which made Tony feel a surge of anger.
"Who on earth are you? Why did you save me only to treat me like this? What is your goal?"
Zhang Xuan gave a mysterious smile and replied, "I am the one who saved you. That girl is the one who will redeem you. Just remember, in a while, I can get you out of here alive. Just don't say much in front of her."
"You two rest well. Don't think about leaving. It's not peaceful around here. If those big guys find two 'cute' little darlings in the Underground Room, I can't guarantee what will happen."
"You should know, those redneck big guys won't care if you're Tony Stark or not. They'll definitely have their fun first before taking you to claim the bounty."
Hearing about the 'big guys,' Tony's body was fine, but some of his muscles tightened subconsciously.
Zhang Xuan left without looking back, leaving Ethan and Tony in the Underground Room.
Listening to the heartless heavy iron door close, Tony's heart sank to rock bottom.
"Tony, what did you dream about? You kept saying... very strange things in your sleep."
Ethan's question was interrupted by Tony: "Don't ask, Ethan. Those are images that will take a lifetime to heal from. Let me rest."
"I won't ask anymore. Eat something. This is the dinner that person prepared for us; it's quite a bit. Have a little first."
Seeing that Tony didn't want to talk about his dream, Ethan stopped asking and handed him a chocolate baguette.
"Blech—urgh—"
Σ_(꒪ཀ꒪」∠) Blech
"Take it away, Ethan, take it away quickly! I really can't eat this, I've had enough!"
"Okay, okay, eat this instead." Ethan handed over a Chinese-style sugar-free bun, thinking that surely this wouldn't trigger any weird switches.
Sure enough, there was no problem, and the two of them slept in the dungeon that day.
Zhang Xuan returned to the car. Wanda held his arm without saying a word. Although it slightly affected his driving, it wasn't a major issue.
Back in the room, Wanda lay on the bed, resting her head against Zhang Xuan's chest.
"Xuan, thanks to those ideas you came up with. Otherwise, besides seeing news of Tony Stark's death, I would never have seen him looking so miserable."
Zhang Xuan patted Wanda's shoulder: "We need to keep a low profile for a while and take things slowly. When you feel it's no longer interesting, we'll finish off Tony Stark and avenge my parents-in-law."
"Mm, Xuan, I'm a bit sleepy. You do as you wish."
"I'm going to sleep too. You can't handle it alone."
Wanda gave Zhang Xuan's chest a half-turn pinch, making his face contort in pain.
"Sleep," Wanda said, and then she fell asleep.
Only then did Zhang Xuan remember to check in.
[Check-in successful, Speed +1.]
...[The following is a bit awkward, suggest moving to the next chapter]
The next day, after Zhang Xuan and Wanda woke up, they went to the agency across from Stark Tower.
Mei had already arrived early and started knitting a sweater.
"Mei, who did you learn to knit from? Knitting isn't that easy to learn."
Seeing Zhang Xuan return, Mei stepped forward to give him a hug.
Zhang Xuan secretly made a comparison; Wanda still came out on top.
"You're finally back. I've been worried you'd run into danger. The U.S. has made Afghanistan so dangerous; I was really afraid you wouldn't make it back."
Seeing how much Mei cared for him, Zhang Xuan felt he hadn't chosen the wrong employee.
"There shouldn't have been any orders recently, right? I'm not ready to take these small commissions yet."
Mei frowned and advised him as someone with more experience: "Zhang Xuan, you can't be like this. We have to be down-to-earth. No company builds a skyscraper or grows huge instantly."
"It's fine, you don't need to worry about that. You just need to help me record the people who come to post commissions every day. When I see them, I'll find the right people to handle them."
Seeing Zhang Xuan's confident expression, Mei stopped trying to dissuade him.
Zhang Xuan and Wanda went for a walk in Central Park. It was indeed a very nice park, though the quality of the people there left something to be desired.
Now Zhang Xuan was losing a bit of hope for the agency. After all, other people's agencies had missions; his, which lacked mission rewards, really didn't seem to serve much purpose.
"Forget it, just consider it an investment in little Peter. I wonder if Mei would have needs in that area; having just Wanda doesn't seem enough."
"If it's just Wanda alone, she might be unusable the next day. Who should I look for?"
Zhang Xuan and Wanda walked hand-in-hand all the way to the famous Midtown High School.
Zhang Xuan pointed it out, and Wanda was also quite curious, so the two of them walked in together.
Perhaps because they both looked quite young, the security guards didn't stop them.
If old man Stan Lee wasn't sleeping, he might have given Zhang Xuan a background check.
Walking onto the campus, Zhang Xuan saw the classic scene of school bullying.
A group of people was gathered around; Flash was bullying Gordon. Then our Garfield-Spider appeared and refused Flash's request for a photo.
Seeing this, Zhang Xuan squeezed Wanda's hand, then let go and walked forward quickly for a few steps.
Before the fist could land on Garfield-Spider's face, he successfully intercepted 'Eugene's' punch.
"Kid, violence is meaningless. If you keep this up, you'll just get... pew pew pew." Zhang Xuan mimicked a handgun. "Tell me, if you get taken out by a weakling in a deserted place, wouldn't that be a waste?"
"Bastard, stop preaching to me."
Eugene wanted to move again, but Zhang Xuan didn't intend to give him the chance. He squeezed Eugene's arm tightly, making him sit on the ground in pain.
"So? Do you want to continue listening to my preaching?"
"I'll listen, I'll listen, just let go!"
Zhang Xuan let go. Flash rubbed his arm, hissing in pain.
At that moment, Zhang Xuan heard a pleasant female voice from behind and turned his head.
Zhang Xuan could only say she still had some developing to do, but her future was very promising.
Her appearance was seventy percent similar to the movies; the remaining thirty percent was the even more beautiful and perfect comic-book Gwen after some mental filling-in.
"Classmate, I'm very sorry. Flash has caused you trouble. I'll give him a good talking-to."
After saying that, Gwen bowed in apology and pulled Flash along with her. At first, Flash was unwilling, but after Gwen's lecture, he lowered his defiant hoodlum head.
"That's more like it. Keep a low profile when you go out. Otherwise, if the person you're bullying pulls out a little Glock they keep for self-defense and shoots you in the back, wouldn't that be a waste?"
Zhang Xuan patted the defiant Flash on the shoulder.
"I see you're somewhat obedient. Follow me from now on. I'm going to open a burger shop soon, and I'll call it 'Flash'."
"Impossible. I'm going to be a cop in the future, and I also..." Flash glanced at Gwen, "I also have to go to school. How could I go and open some lousy burger shop with you?"
"Are you becoming a cop because of your domestic-abuser Police father? Or for this little sister? Let me tell you, I like her too, everyone likes her, but she doesn't like you."
Flash: "How did you know my father often hits me?"
Zhang Xuan waved his hand and said: "That's not important."
Chapter 7: Suddenly Remembering Tony
Zhang Xuan spouted meaningless, cocky lines, not really knowing why he was saying them. Perhaps people are just like that; not every word has a purpose. If every word had a purpose, one might be too desperate to get ahead.
Having a purpose even when talking to minor characters is the mark of a heavy-hearted Child of Fortune. As for him, he could mess around as much as he wanted in front of Flash.
Flash was indeed provoked. Zhang Xuan confirmed that Flash was just like in the comics—his old man was a piece of work who loved domestic violence.
Flash's eyes turned red, ignoring whether Gwen was present and forgetting that he couldn't actually beat the man in front of him.
Zhang Xuan caught Flash's incoming punch and gave it a hard twist. Flash spun around on the spot, but this also dissipated the torsional force on his arm.
Zhang Xuan stepped forward with a knee strike, and Flash vomited right then and there.
Zhang Xuan looked at his pant leg, which was covered in indescribable filth. He could only endure it; after all, he had brought this on himself.
Everything happened too fast. Gwen only had time to cry out before Flash vomited on his pants.
She wanted to step forward, but Wanda held her back.
"It's fine, just watch."
"But..." Gwen wanted to say more, but Wanda pressed a finger against her lips, rendering her unable to speak.
Gwen: "Mmph? Mmph! Mmph mmph mmph—mmph mmph..."
Wanda stroked Gwen's head. "It'll be over in a moment, don't worry."
Although there were many people around, they were mostly watching Flash. No one noticed Wanda and Gwen.
However, Spider-Man wasn't exactly 'people.' Garfield-Spider looked at Gwen, who couldn't speak after being touched on the lips. At first, he thought it was an act, but the more he looked, the less it seemed like one.
"Can you go work at my Flash Burger shop now?"
Flash's mouth was smeared with his own vomit, so he couldn't speak and nodded desperately.
"Good. Report there during summer break. The address is on the street opposite Stark Tower. Look for a Xiao Hei Agency and tell them I sent you."
Flash snorted vomit out of his nose. "O-okay. But Big Bro, who are you? I mean, Big Bro, what's your name? I should at least know your name."
"My name is Zhang Xuan. Repeat after me: Zh-ang Zhang, Xu-an Xuan."
"Zhang Xuan."
"It's Zhang! Xuan!"
"Zhang."
"Zhang!"
"Zhang."
"That's it."
"Xuan!"
"Xuan-er."
"Xuan!"
"Xuan."
"Xuan!"
...Finally, Flash, covered in bumps on his head, managed to pronounce a standard "Zhang Xuan" while clutching his head.
"Alright, go buy me a pair of pants, a bottle of water, and another pair of loose-fitting size 180 pants. Otherwise, tight pants will squeeze your 'Little Brother.'"
Zhang Xuan took out 200 dollars and handed it to Flash.
Flash didn't understand why there was another 'Little Brother,' but since he couldn't figure it out, he stopped thinking about it and ran to a nearby street shop and clothing store.
When the people around saw that the school bully Flashhad run off, they dispersed.
Wanda sat down next to Zhang Xuan, but she kept a distance of one seat.
Zhang Xuan glared sadly. "Wanda, you're actually disgusted by me?"
Before Wanda could speak, Gwen had already crouched down and begun wiping Zhang Xuan's pant leg.
With a bottle of mineral water, the filth was mostly wiped away.
Then Gwen, with a face full of entreaty, gestured at her mouth, wanting Wanda to unseal her lips.
Wanda reached out and tapped Gwen's little mouth again, and Gwen's lips could finally part.
Gwen took a heavy breath. As expected, breathing through the mouth was much smoother; breathing only through the nose had been too uncomfortable.
"You really are mischievous." Zhang Xuan flicked Wanda's nose, then turned to look at Garfield-Spider, who was still standing a bit further away. "What are you still here for? Do you want to go on a date with her? Then you'll have to wait in line; I want to go on a date with this little beauty too."
"Ouch, what are you doing~" Zhang Xuan swatted away Wanda's small hand, which was reaching for the soft flesh at his waist.
"Don't mess around. Natasha is often out on missions and can't come back. I'm doing this for your own good."
After Zhang Xuan finished speaking, Wanda clenched her palm as if she had grabbed something important through time and space.
"Alright, alright, I give up! You can't do this; this is the happiness of the rest of your life!"
Zhang Xuan bent over to beg for mercy, but Wanda only loosened her grip slightly, not letting go completely.
Gwen, being an innocent young woman, didn't feel anything, but Peter, being a man, understood all too well. This was likely having one's lifeline pinched.
He remembered the feeling of being handled by Harrywhen they were kids. Suddenly, he felt a bit nostalgic.
I'm reminiscing about my happy times with Harry—what are you guys thinking? I wonder how Harry is doing now. Uncle Ben mentioned him a while ago.
"Thanks. If it weren't for you, I might have taken a punch today."
Garfield-Spider bowed in thanks and then left.
"Sir, are you serious about having Flash open a burger shop?"
Zhang Xuan nodded. "Although it was a sudden whim, it's true. Anyway, he doesn't have much of a future after graduation. It's too early for him to be a cop, so he might as well work for me."
Gwen nodded, thinking it made sense. "But you have to pay him a salary."
"What kind of person do you take me for? Of course I'll pay him. By the way, won't you consider the date? I'm a bit short on wives over here."
Gwen's brain stalled; she didn't quite understand what Zhang Xuan said. Garfield-Spider, who hadn't gone far, also stopped in his tracks, standing to the side pretending to listen to music.
Wanda thought of Zhang Xuan's terrifying side, blushed, covered her face, and leaned against Zhang Xuan's clothes.
By this time, Gwen's processor had sorted out Zhang Xuan's words, and she was so exasperated she laughed.
"You really know how to joke." Gwen shook her head, not planning to answer such a bizarre question.
At that moment, Flash ran back, holding shorts and water.
Zhang Xuan took the pants and patted Flash's shoulder. "Not bad, you're pretty fast."
Zhang Xuan took off his pants directly, washed his lower legs, and put on the new shorts.
After changing, Zhang Xuan regained his dashing appearance.
However, Gwen, who had seen everything, had steam starting to rise from her head.
"You, you, you... how could you... take off your pants in front of a lady!"
Zhang Xuan didn't care at all. "When I go to the beach, I wear shorts like these, and no woman says anything to me. Are you planning to wear more than two layers of clothes when you go to the beach in the future?"
At the mention of Gwen's swimsuit, both Flash and Garfield-Spider's eyes lit up slightly.
Zhang Xuan slapped Flash's head. "You want to see your Big Bro's woman in a swimsuit? Go look at your cover girl magazines."
He even threw the water bottle, accurately hitting Garfield-Spider's head. However, Garfield-Spider still didn't leave; he quietly squatted down to continue watching the drama.
"Gwen, look into my eyes and answer me: what are you going to wear when you go to the beach?"
Gwen blushed and finally squeezed out a sentence: "That's different."
When Zhang Xuan heard 'That,' he almost thought it was'So what?'
Fortunately, it was the low-end version: 'That's different.'
It was a phrase often used by certain 'goddesses' who favored foreigners; they'd be all smiles for them but cold toward their own boyfriends.
Then, when questioned and unable to answer, they'd just say, 'That's different.'
Zhang Xuan continued to ask, "How is it different? It's all just a layer over the skin. You can let people see a swimsuit, but not underwear?"
Being a conservative, Gwen was left speechless.
Zhang Xuan dropped the subject.
"Flash, come work for me after graduation break. I'll pay you then."
"Okay, Boss."
For someone with Flash's mentality, if you're stronger than him and beat him into submission, you're basically his boss.
However, if you don't give your subordinates benefits, it's not certain how long he'll stay submissive.
Zhang Xuan left with Wanda, saying as he departed, "Gwen, Peter's talent is quite good. It's best to include him in Osborn's research."
As the sun set, the loving figures of Zhang Xuan and Wanda cast long shadows.
Of course, they would have looked even more loving if Wanda's small hand wasn't pinching Zhang Xuan's waist.
After wandering to a high-end restaurant in Manhattan, Zhang Xuan came out cursing.
"Trash restaurant. 4000 dollars and it's like I didn't eat anything."
"Hubby, let's just eat at that Chinese place in Queens. We can get full for 1000 dollars."
"Yeah, let's go. Remember not to order rice; you can get full just eating abalone."
"Oh, you're so annoying~"
Zhang Xuan: (・ω・｀ll)
I was talking about the seafood abalone, not *that* abalone. Why are you blushing like a bubble tea pot, hey!
It was already eight in the evening when Zhang Xuan and Wanda left the restaurant. Zhang Xuan also brought back a roast chicken, a serving of stir-fried kidney, a serving of steamed lamb chops, and a serving of Dongpo pork for Little Peter and Mei.
Little Peter would be too thin and not very tall in the future, likely because he didn't eat well as a child.
[Check-in successful, Spirit +5]
"Whoa, that's a critical hit."
Zhang Xuan was too lazy to think about why there were two Peters. He wasn't afraid of having more Spider-Men; it just meant a few more people from the Inheritors family would show up later. Small problem, all small problems.
Having eaten and drunk his fill, Zhang Xuan didn't want to think anymore. He went home to have a good sleep with Wanda; in dreams, nothing is a problem.
Waking up in the morning, Zhang Xuan ate his ordered breakfast and saw something on the TV news that made him think.
"The board of directors of Stark Industries has decided today that Obadiah Stane will serve as the acting CEO in place of Mr. Tony Stark."
(It seems the CEO is under the board, and the President is under the CEO. However, in female-oriented novels, the President is the board of directors and the boss. It's different here. The board is the highest.)
Tony was not only the largest shareholder of Stark Industries but also the CEO elected by the board to manage the entire company. Although Pepper did all the work while Tony was busy being a cover boy.
"Wanda, I'm going out for a bit. If Tony Stark doesn't get some water soon, he might die."
"Mmh~ I want to go too." Wanda pouted, expressing her desire to go.
Zhang Xuan pulled Wanda up, started dressing her, and then carried her on his shoulder toward the car.
"Zhang Xuan, what's wrong with Wanda?"
Zhang Xuan knew who it was the moment he heard the voice behind him.
"Morning, Mei. Wanda's fine, she's just a bit tired." Zhang Xuan gave Wanda's firm butt a slap. "Speak up, or Mei's going to call the Police."
"Mei, I'm fine, just a bit tired."
Mei gave an embarrassed smile, thinking of the sounds coming from their house last night. She had even used the light as an excuse to go to the bathroom a few times.
Zhang Xuan put Wanda in the car, then walked over to Mei and took the snack box from her hand.
"Peter and I made these. Try them. We took your Chinese tastes into account and only put in a little sugar."
"Thanks, they should be delicious." Zhang Xuan opened the box and tried a piece. "Not bad, quite tasty. You guys should also eat less outside food. The sugar intake in the U.S. is too high; it's bad for your health."
"I'll cook more with Parker in the future. Parker is very talented at cooking; he mostly made these cookies."
Wanda leaned weakly against the car window, watching the warm conversation between Zhang Xuan and Mei with a hint of jealousy.
"Mei, why don't you come to my house tonight and help share the load for me?"
Wanda's words made Zhang Xuan, who was eating a cookie, gulp, and Mei did the same, her smile freezing.
"Mei, it's lonely being alone, right? It's fine to come over once in a while."
Wanda gave Mei a wicked wink.
"Zhang Xuan, I'm leaving. I'll bring you more treats next time."
Mei even walked to the car and pinched Wanda's fair, smiling face.
"You little brat, talking nonsense. Don't say things like that in the future."
Wanda stroked Mei's hand that was pinching her face and said, "If you can't take it anymore, come over tonight and sit... just sit. I'm really tired."
Mei saw Wanda's exhausted eyes, which were indeed almost closing.
"You little brat, still talking."
Mei gave Wanda's face a hard tug and ran back home.
Zhang Xuan got into the car and pinched Wanda's other cheek. "Jealous?"
"I am not. Who would be jealous of you? I'm going to sleep. Wake me up when we get there."
Wanda leaned against the car window and stopped moving. She was truly exhausted.
Chapter 8: Tony Learns of His Parents' Death
Half an hour later, Zhang Xuan got out of the car without waking Wanda.
He carried several bottles of water and some bread, and even made a point to buy a cheeseburger.
Upon opening the door, Zhang Xuan caught a whiff of a foul odor; clearly, the two had relieved themselves.
Zhang Xuan was somewhat kind; he had left the lights in the Underground Room on when he left last time, otherwise, those indescribable horrors might have manifested on them.
"Water, give me water, quickly."
As soon as Zhang Xuan opened the door, the two pounced like hungry wolves.
Zhang Xuan pulled out his pistol, and the two instantly calmed down.
"That's right, step back a bit, and I'll give you food and water."
Zhang Xuan threw the water to them. "Drink slowly, don't choke to death."
After taking a few gulps of water, the two regained some of their composure.
Then they both stared longingly at the food in Zhang Xuan's hands, especially Tony, who had caught the scent of the cheeseburger.
"What exactly is your goal? Why are you keeping me prisoner here? If you have a grudge against me, then please release Ethan; he's innocent."
Zhang Xuan rubbed his chin. "True, Ethan was indeed dragged into this by you, but for now, there's nowhere else to hold him, so he'll just have to suffer a bit with you."
"In that case, can you tell me what kind of grudge there is between us?" Tony shifted his body and leaned against the wall. "The outside World must be reporting my death by now, right? I'm already 'dead,' yet you still went all the way to Afghanistan to find me. Our grudge must be significant, but I truly don't know you."
Zhang Xuan couldn't stand it anymore and put on an anti-odor mask, his voice sounding muffled.
"I don't have a grudge against you; it's my wife."
"Please, tell me. I've never seen that girl before."
Zhang Xuan began to recount the hatred between Wandaand Tony.
"Understand?"
Tony nodded, his eyes fixed on the ceiling. "Even though I wasn't the one who sold the missiles to Sokovia, I was the one who manufactured them after all. So, is that girl outside? Let her come and end this sinful life of mine."
Having learned the cause and effect, Tony also remembered the time he received the news of his parents' death. He had been so depressed he wanted to do nothing, even wishing to tear the driver to pieces.
But he couldn't find the driver at fault, and he hadn't even seen his parents' bodies before they were taken over and handled by others.
He couldn't empathize with Wanda's fear of the missile, but he knew the pain of losing both parents in an instant.
Seeing Tony so despondent that he didn't want to live, Zhang Xuan felt something was wrong and asked:
"You don't want to live anymore?"
Ethan interjected, "If you're going to keep me locked up like this forever, I don't want to live either."
"I want to express my gratitude to you first for taking out those Terrorists and avenging me."
"You're welcome, it was just a small effort. You should also thank him; after his jericho missile went off, nothing should be left there."
Hearing this, Tony's eyes remained fixed on the ceiling, but he still voiced his confusion.
"By the way, where did you get your jericho missile? I just finished researching it; it should only be at U.S. Bases or my factory. Both places have tight security, so how did you get it?"
Zhang Xuan chuckled, but with the mask on, the sound came out deep and sounded terrifying to Ethan's ears.
"Interests drive the human heart; it's just a matter of spending money. Of course, I wasn't the one who spent it."
"True, the way you dress doesn't make you look like a rich person."
Zhang Xuan: (̿▀ ̿Ĺ̯̿̿▀ ̿)̄
Irritated, Zhang Xuan pulled out the hidden cheeseburger.
"Want to eat?"
Tony, who had lost hope in living, felt as if a giant cheeseburger was lifting him up from hell.
*Gulp.*
Tony's throat bobbed, and saliva kept secreting in his mouth, even trickling down to the corner of his lips, showing how much he wanted to eat the cheeseburger.
"Not giving it to you. Ethan, you eat it."
Ethan looked at the cheeseburger stuffed into his hand, feeling a bit at a loss.
Zhang Xuan smiled triumphantly. "Are you about to say I should have given it to you when no one was looking?"
Ethan didn't speak, but his expression certainly suggested that.
"Eat, or I'll break your leg."
Ethan gave Tony a helpless look and began to eat.
After the first bite, he couldn't quite suppress the corners of his mouth, so he could only use a smile to cover his pain.
"Tony, I'm not laughing, I'm just... just..."
"Too much sorrow, joy turns to grief."
"Right, right, as long as you understand."
"Sigh~" Tony sighed and looked away from Ethan, but the drifting aroma of the cheeseburger made him start to fantasize about how good it would be if he were the one eating it. He couldn't help but take a deep breath of the burger's scent.
However, he forgot about the pile in the corner of the Underground Room. Two extreme scents entered Tony's nostrils simultaneously, and he immediately began to retch.
Seeing Tony looking even more ready to die, Zhang Xuancould only say some encouraging words to him.
"Tony, how do you think your parents died?"
Tony replied directly, "A car accident, how else could it have happened?"
"So you never saw your parents' bodies, so why are you so sure about the cause of their death?"
Hearing Zhang Xuan's words, Tony's gaze instantly became sharp.
He sat up straight and looked at Zhang Xuan seriously, "What do you mean by that? Is there more to my parents' death than meets the eye?"
"But I checked all the surveillance and records; they all showed my parents' death was a car accident. By the time I got back, there was only a cold urn."
"Then let me tell you the truth. A man strangled your parents with his own hands, and then the forces behind him used their power to forge the scene. The video evidence is still stored in their Base."
Zhang Xuan said in a tempting tone, "Do you want to know the contents of the recording?"
Tony's eyes were deep and gloomy; he wanted to know the truth about his parents' death.
He would doubt the truth of what Zhang Xuan said and would judge it for himself.
"Then I'll describe the process of your parents' death."
"December 16, 1991, 7:01 PM. Your father was driving and was forced to stop by the Winter Soldier, crashing into a lamppost."
"Then your father crawled out of the vehicle, trying to call for help, but was struck in the head by the Winter Soldier's mechanical arm, resulting in death. The Winter Soldier then put your father back in the car and went to your mother's passenger side."
"He strangled your mother with his bare hands. Finally, the Winter Soldier smashed the roadside surveillance camera and left."
Tony was unusually calm as he asked Zhang Xuan, "I'll ask you one last time, is what you said true?"
Zhang Xuan nodded noncommittally.
"Then who is this Winter Soldier you mentioned? Why did they want to kill my parents?"
Zhang Xuan thought for a moment. "I recall your father might have discovered something, so HYDRA sent the Winter Soldier. I don't know the specifics."
"Then why did you see this recording and know these things so clearly?"
Zhang Xuan smiled slightly, placed his hand on the iron door, and squeezed hard.
The heavy door made the sound of tearing metal as it deformed.
"Being as powerful as I am, it's quite reasonable to know a few secrets, isn't it?"
Ethan's eyes widened as he looked at the partially deformed door.
A flash of shock crossed Tony's eyes, but it was mostly replaced by anger and contemplation. Because what Zhang Xuan said might actually be true.
"HYDRA... HYDRA..." Tony murmured under his breath, his fists involuntarily tightening.
"Shouldn't it have been destroyed by the noble and righteous Captain America? Why would it still kill my father decades later?"
Zhang Xuan explained, "Because for HYDRA, if you cut off one head, two more shall take its place. Furthermore, the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division absorbed many HYDRA scientists after the war, so..."
"Can't you just use an abbreviation for that Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division?"
Zhang Xuan: ʅ( ･´～･｀)ʃ
"Let's just call it S.H.I.E.L.D. from now on. To this day, there are many HYDRA agents lurking within S.H.I.E.L.D.See how wise China was? They saw long ago that this organization was no good and simply ignored it."
Hearing this, Tony sighed. "It's truly a pity that I can't avenge them personally."
Zhang Xuan still had a smile on his face. "It's not impossible. You could try to convince Wanda to let you go."
Tony leaned against the wall with a bitter smile. "Even though I didn't personally kill her parents, they ultimately died because of me. Just like me, she probably wishes she could kill the Winter Soldier with her own hands."
Zhang Xuan said, "What if the Winter Soldier didn't want to kill your parents either?"
[Plot requires some filler, feel free to skip]
Tony looked up slightly. "What do you mean? Does he have some kind of difficulty? Like in those novels where one has to do something for some reason?"
Zhang Xuan shook his head. "No, because the Winter Soldier had no consciousness to begin with, so there were no difficulties. Everything he did was under the orders of his controller."
Tony didn't understand for a moment. "Can you be a bit clearer?"
"Simply put, the Winter Soldier is a brainwashed person. All his actions are controlled by HYDRA. Only when they want to act will HYDRA release them from the cryo-chamber."
"As a side note, your father and the Winter Soldierprobably knew each other, since your father was very close to Captain America."
"Then who exactly is the Winter Soldier?" Tony still couldn't think of the Winter Soldier's identity, because there were very few people around his father related to Captain America by then.
"The Winter Soldier is Captain America's best friend, Bucky Barnes. During a mission, he fell off a cliff, and everyone thought he was dead."
"He was rescued by HYDRA, presumably to be brainwashed and used against Captain America, but until Captain America crashed into the North Pole, he hadn't been activated."
Tony fell into deep thought. He wanted to live, he wanted revenge. But Wanda's experience made him feel extremely guilty.
It was time for Ethan to play his part.
"Tony, maybe you should think of it differently. HYDRAkilled your father; Bucky Barnes was just a blade. You might destroy the blade out of anger, but your hatred was never toward the blade; your hatred is toward the one wielding it."
Ethan looked at Zhang Xuan, feeling a bit afraid, but still insisted, "Actually... I don't think Tony is their primary enemy either. At most, Tony is a blacksmith, because he told me more than once in the cave that his weapons shouldn't appear anywhere outside of U.S. military warehouses."
"So... I think we can investigate why the 'blades' Tonyproduced ended up in places they didn't belong."
"But! They did end up in places they didn't belong! If he hadn't produced those weapons, they wouldn't have appeared in my home, and I wouldn't have lost my parents!"
Wanda's voice came from the stairs, the anger in her voice causing the atmosphere in the Underground Room to freeze instantly.
Zhang Xuan quietly shifted his body to make way for his lady, then stood obediently behind Wanda, pretending to be a mannequin.
"You make it sound so easy. Without those weapons, my parents wouldn't have died!" Wanda's eyes were full of hatred.
"No, even without those weapons, other weapons would still have landed in your hometown. Who do you think sold those weapons?"
Wanda didn't answer Ethan's question, shaking her head in denial. "I don't care. He is the manufacturer of these weapons, so he should pay the price."
Wanda raised her right hand, and her Chaos Magic lifted Tony into the air.
Ethan adjusted his glasses and said with a sorrowful expression, "My home was also destroyed, and there were missiles produced by Stark on that land. Even my wife and children might have died under those missiles. But..."
"I won't blame Tony, because there's no point. Tony told me more than once in the cave that he manufactured weapons for World peace and to protect the U.S."
"I didn't say anything at the time, but I mocked him in my heart. He's just a fool. An arrogant man crowned with the name of peace."
"He believed that the weapons he produced were all in U.S. warehouses, maintaining American peace, maintaining World peace, and eliminating Terrorists."
"In reality, that's true, except that who is a terrorist is decided by the U.S. I, including my wife, were all Terrorists."
"So the biggest mistake is the U.S. If there were no U.S., Japs, or Nazis, the World would be much more peaceful."
Wanda's palm gradually tightened along with Ethan's words, because she felt that much of what Ethan said was right. For so many years, it wasn't that she hadn't thought about destroying the U.S., but it simply wasn't realistic.
Therefore, Tony Stark was her target for revenge.
Tony let out a muffled groan, his face turning purple from being choked.
Wanda loosened her grip slightly, but still didn't let go.
Zhang Xuan timidly moved over, hugged Wanda from behind, and comforted her softly, "Wanda, I think that old man has a point, but I still respect your choice."
After Zhang Xuan spoke, Wanda's strength drained away, and she slumped into Zhang Xuan's arms.
Zhang Xuan supported Wanda as she lay down, gently stroking her.
After a period of intense emotional fluctuation, a person's body often goes weak and loses strength; they truly become soft and powerless.
Without Wanda's restraint, Tony also fell from mid-air. Fortunately, it wasn't very high; aside from the pain, there were no other injuries.
But even though it hurt, Tony didn't cry out, because Wanda was in more pain than he was.
Zhang Xuan continued to soothe Wanda softly.
Ethan was also counseling Tony.
For a moment, it was quite quiet.
"Actually, you can look into Obadiah Stane. Your Afghanistan incident was his doing. He was the one who sold the arms; it's possible the weapons in Sokovia were also sold by him."
Finally, Zhang Xuan carried the somewhat recovered Wanda home, leaving Tony here for the time being.
However, this time he left a bit more food and water, along with some cleaning supplies, including a sturdy bucket.
"Thanks for the toilet paper."
Ethan called out his thanks before Zhang Xuan left.
Chapter 9: A Slap from the Beautiful Ancient One
[This chapter had a poor response, feel free to skim through it]
Returning to their home in Queens, Wanda looked listless, the light gone from her eyes.
Zhang Xuan pulled Wanda into his arms, providing her with a reassuring shoulder to lean on.
"Wanda, even if you wanted to destroy the U.S., I would help you. I will always be by your side."
Then came Wanda's own self-reflection; many things are useless when spoken aloud and can only be resolved by oneself.
By evening, Zhang Xuan's stomach began to protest, and Wanda's stomach followed suit in agreement.
Wanda faced Zhang Xuan and gave a sincere smile: "You've been hungry for a long time, haven't you? Let's go eat."
"You too. Let's go have some Char Siu. That shop does delivery, and it arrives hot." Zhang Xuan gazed affectionately at Wanda's fair, chubby, smiling face. "You look better when you smile. Unlike Agent Hill; she looks cooler when she's being stern."
Wanda affectionately placed Zhang Xuan's hand on her cheek: "Then which do you prefer?"
"If I hesitated for even a second, it would be a profanity against you. Let's go back and order delivery."
Wanda suddenly turned serious: "Xuan, will you stand by my side for the rest of your life?"
Zhang Xuan cupped Wanda's youthful... little face and said, "Wanda, no matter what you want to do, I will stand by your side. Even if you want to destroy the U.S., I will still be on your side."
Satisfied with the answer, Wanda hugged Zhang Xuan's head and asked one more thing.
"What if I wanted to destroy the World?"
Zhang Xuan said firmly: "I would still be by your side."
In the end, only Wanda was full; Zhang Xuan hadn't eaten a bite and ordered a delivery.
Mei coaxed Peter to sleep, and hearing the noise from the neighbors, she took out a well-hidden finger-gun from a drawer.
"Honestly, they can't even stay quiet after eating delivery. Now I have to make a trip."
..."Boss, a job came in. See if you want to take it."
Hearing Mei's words over the phone, Zhang Xuan was very confused: "What job? Do you need me to help you move?"
Mei was a bit excited about taking her first order and didn't even notice her boss's listless voice. She sighed and facepalmed: "Boss, it's the Little Black Agency. You haven't forgotten you have an agency and an employee, have you?"
Zhang Xuan rubbed his nose awkwardly: "How could I? I was just joking. Go on."
Mei continued with the agency's commission: "Someone just came to inquire if we could protect someone leaving the U.S. I did as you said and had her write down the mission, as detailed as possible."
Zhang Xuan thought for a moment and said, "Give me her number. I'll contact her in a bit."
"Alright, Boss."
Mei hung up the phone happily. If not for this business, she would have thought Zhang Xuan was just trying to keep her as a mistress; she didn't expect there to be actual work.
"Wait? If the boss contacts the client directly, then what's the point of writing this stuff down?"
Zhang Xuan nudged the still-sleeping Wanda.
*Mwah.*
"dear, I have to go. I'm going to check out a commission."
Wanda was dazed, only feeling something leave her, and then hearing Zhang Xuan's words, she gave a soft double hum.
"Mmh~ go ahead. I want to sleep more. My whole body feels like it's falling apart."
"Mwah~ safe travels."
Zhang Xuan left his cozy nest to go earn some money.
"Hello? Are you the one who wants to escort someone out of the U.S.?"
A woman's weak voice came from the other end: "It's me. Do you have a way to take someone out of the U.S.?"
"Of course, but I need to see the location. Different locations have different prices, and I need to know how many people."
"One person, a man. He's in New York."
Zhang Xuan followed up: "Just leaving the U.S., or is there a specific destination?"
"Anywhere is fine, but preferably far away from the U.S."
Zhang Xuan thought for a bit and asked again: "Our front desk should have mentioned that we don't accept commissions from criminals or immoral people, otherwise we will take enforcement measures."
"There's definitely no problem. He was framed. I'm his friend."
"Send me the location. I need to meet first before making a plan."
"Alright."
A minute later, Zhang Xuan received the address and started heading to the destination.
The location wasn't far, just a bit secluded.
Zhang Xuan knocked on the door according to the sequence in the text: deep, shallow, deep, shallow.
The door opened, and the person inside scanned the outside before quickly pulling Zhang Xuan in.
"You're the one helping me leave the U.S., right? What do we do now?"
Zhang Xuan ignored his question and instead asked: "Are you Robert Bruce Banner?"
(The honest Banner and the muscular gym-rat Banner are definitely different, so—don't think too hard about it.)
The honest Dr. Banner was stunned, then became wary: "You know me? Are you here to catch me? No, no, no, I advise you not to. It will be very dangerous, and you'll get hurt."
As expected of the honest Banner, even if he suspected someone was there to catch him, he would try to persuade them first. If that failed, then everyone would fall.
"Calm down. I'm here to take you out of the U.S. The one who contacted me should be your girlfriend, Betty, right? Rest assured, I'm not one of General Ross's people."
Zhang Xuan reached out, wanting to shake Dr. Banner's hand in a friendly manner.
Banner hesitated for a moment, then reached out and shook Zhang Xuan's hand.
"System, check-in."
[Today's check-in successful. Obtained transformation skill: Red Hulk.]
Zhang Xuan: Nice, another powerful trump card.
"Sure enough, by opening an agency, the plot comes knocking. It seems the Little Black Agency really can't be closed."
Zhang Xuan smiled happily. Dr. Banner saw this and didn't understand why, remaining wary.
"By the way, how do you know my identity? This kind of thing should be highly confidential."
"It's not a big deal; you can find out with just a little inquiry. However, I didn't expect to get involved in this. Don't worry, taking you out is a piece of cake."
Banner sat down, still appearing anxious: "I need to go somewhere where I can stay calm, the fewer people the better."
Zhang Xuan rubbed his chin, thinking of a good place.
"I'll take you to a place. There might be few people there, and it's cold."
Banner asked: "Where?"
Zhang Xuan's lips curled into a mischievous arc: "177A Bleecker Street."
Banner asked uncertainly: "That Bleecker Street in downtown New York City?"
Zhang Xuan nodded.
Banner strongly refused, "No, downtown New York is full of surveillance. Going there is like walking into a trap."
"Of course I have a way." Zhang Xuan gave a mysterious smile and led Banner to the trunk of his car.
"You want me to hide in the car?"
Zhang Xuan stuck his head into the car and started rummaging. He then pulled out a set of prison clothes, a black hood, and a pair of handcuffs.
Seeing this, Dr. Banner changed into the outfit.
Once in the outfit, besides his height being somewhat similar to Dr. Banner's, Zhang Xuan didn't look like him at all.
Zhang Xuan put an FBI bulletproof vest in the car and then took the 'prisoner' toward 177A Bleecker Street.
However, after searching for a long time, he predictably couldn't find it. Dr. Banner complained from the back.
"Are you sure this address exists? We've already circled Bleecker Street three times."
Zhang Xuan raised his hand to the sky: "I have a way."
He got out, found a megaphone in the trunk, started recording, and then began playing it on a loop.
"177A Bleecker Street, beautiful Ancient One, you have a delivery. Please come and sign for it."
Zhang Xuan drove slowly down the street with the megaphone blaring.
*Slap!*
"Ow!"
Banner poked his head over, curiously looking at Zhang Xuan's face where the sound came from; a red handprint remained on it.
"Were you just slapped?" Banner was sure he saw a fair hand reach through a portal and strike Zhang Xuan's face.
Zhang Xuan turned off the megaphone: "Maybe the beautiful Ancient One got angry, but don't worry, I still have a way."
Zhang Xuan didn't go back directly but instead went to a safe house shelter in the suburbs. He took some water and food out of the car.
"Wait a moment, I'm going down to drop some things off."
After Zhang Xuan put the things away and came back up, seeing that Dr. Banner was acting normally, he didn't give it much thought.
"I'll go back and prepare some things, then take you out of the U.S."
Banner asked timidly and weakly: "How are we leaving the U.S.?"
Zhang Xuan didn't answer but called Natasha instead.
"dear? Are you busy these days? Have you found Tony Stark yet?"
Natasha's giggling voice came from the other end: "You really are something. You know I haven't found him; are you specifically calling to mock me? Don't you already know whether he's been found?"
At this moment, Banner, who was eavesdropping, thought: Holy crap, the person in that Underground Roomreally is Tony Stark. How did he manage to smuggle someone back right from under the noses of a group of U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan?
"True, if you had found him, you'd be back. I really miss you. Now Wanda says your name every night."
"Doesn't she like having your exclusive attention? I thought she'd be happy to be alone with you. Just tell me what's up, dear, I'm being rushed over here again."
"Help me prepare a..." Zhang Xuan turned back to look at Banner, "an identity for a big-headed, honest guy. The face doesn't matter; I recently got a new thing that can change facial features."
"Leave it to me, I'll have it done for you soon."
"Thanks, babe."
Zhang Xuan hung up and turned around. "It's settled. If it weren't for my new toy, you might have had to spend the night in a suitcase."
Banner didn't want to care about the person in front of him kidnapping Tony Stark; anyway, he wasn't close with Tony Stark, and it was better to avoid trouble.
Right now, he only wanted to leave this country where General Ross was: "Is that toy you mentioned that can change facial features real?"
Zhang Xuan took out a mask and pressed it onto Dr. Banner's face.
This was obtained from the check-in on Wanda last night.
"The Disguiser's Mask. Once worn, it will change your face based on the image you see. Once a face is locked, it cannot be changed for 24 hours. You can just change your face to match the ID photo later."
Dr. Banner took the mask; it was light and thin, able to cover the entire face.
Before long, Natasha sent over the identity Zhang Xuanneeded.
"Let's go get your documents. We'll leave the U.S. tomorrow. Have you thought about which country you want to go to? I recommend Russia, and it's definitely not because I want to go there on vacation."
Zhang Xuan suddenly thought he could take the Hulk to mess with the Red Room. The Red Room's location was likely somewhere around Europe, since it was impossible for General Ross to appear in Russia with an armored division. It was just that the Red Room wasn't that easy to find.
Banner thought about it and agreed to Zhang Xuan's request to go to Russia; he also knew a little bit of Russian.
Later, after Zhang Xuan took Banner to get the ID documents, he had Banner put on the mask.
Banner carefully examined the facial features of the person on the ID card. The mask on his face changed along with his gaze, finally settling on the same appearance as the ID photo.
"Not bad, except your face is a bit large. If anyone asks, just say you ate too much high-calorie U.S. food and got fat. Alright, you can lock the appearance now."
The next day, after putting on the Disguiser's Mask, Banner successfully passed through security.
On the plane, Zhang Xuan and Wanda were acting all lovey-dovey.
This time there was no airplane bedroom, only first class. During a layover in Turkey, Zhang Xuan even did a check-in.
Chapter 10 Wanda: You Can't Do That, He'll Become an Idiot. Tony: Abba Abba
[The reception isn't great, everyone please skim through]
[Everyone, please check out the 'poison points' in this chapter. The readership started dropping significantly here. Feel free to comment here; maybe my writing has become too boring? Please comment, thank you everyone]
[Check-in successful, obtained Eye of Wisdom]
Curious, Zhang Xuan secretly went to the bathroom to test it out.
Then he saw his eyes begin to look as'sagacious' as a Husky, brimming with the light of wisdom.
However, he really did feel his mind becoming clear and cool; his head felt very comfortable.
System: What worries could a fool have? Of course your mind is clear.
After arriving in Moscow, Zhang Xuan went to the bank to withdraw 50,000 dollars' worth of Rubles, packing them into a large suitcase.
"This is from Betty, but don't get too excited, it's still the money from your bank account. Later, go buy a train ticket to Vladivostok, get off at Kazan midway, and finally take a taxi to Yekaterinburg."
"Finally, mail the mask I gave you back to me. Do you understand?"
Banner shook Zhang Xuan's hand gratefully and said, "Thank you. If your children want to do scientific research in the future, you must come to me. I have seven PhDs; as long as it's a science subject, I can teach it."
Zhang Xuan gave a mysterious smile: "It's fine, we'll meet again soon. Remember, let the big guy come out for a walk more often, and prepare more food for him."
Banner was puzzled, but before he could ask, Zhang Xuan had already leaped over a dozen meters and reached the taxi Wanda had hailed.
Banner thought his eyes might be playing tricks on him; why did it look like Zhang Xuan had tripped?
... "dear, walk slower next time. That fall must have hurt, right? Where are we going to play?" Wanda hugged Zhang Xuan's arm, acting spoiled like a child. "I remember my father telling me that Russia used to be Red too, but it seems it failed."
"Indeed, Russia can be considered to have inherited part of the Soviet Union's will." Zhang Xuan sighed. "But we can't stay long, otherwise those two in the Underground Room might starve to death. Last time I went in, their mental states looked a bit off. If they starve for a few more days, they probably won't last until we get back."
Speaking of this topic, Wanda didn't want to talk. She leaned against Zhang Xuan and, ignoring the red-eyed driver, started making out... Four days later, after returning to New York, Zhang Xuan went straight to the Underground Room. Upon opening the door, he was immediately driven out by the stench.
"Ugh~ I was careless, I forgot to bring a gas mask. Wanda, don't go down there, the air will get you dirty."
Zhang Xuan put on a gas mask and re-entered the Underground Room. Looking at the small bucket that had already successfully turned into compost, he had no choice but to drag up the two men who were too hungry to move.
Connecting the water hose in the yard, he first hydrated and cleaned the two of them, then took out some bread for them to eat.
The two received water replenishment, and upon seeing the bread, they wolfed down three small buns.
They wanted more, but there was none left. However, they had received some nourishment; at least their stomachs weren't sending hunger signals anymore, which felt wonderful.
Ethan lay on the grass, looking at the long-lost sunlight. "Tony, why don't you just admit you're wrong? I don't want to go hungry anymore."
Tony struggled to stand up and walked over to Wanda.
Tony sighed, "I know I bear responsibility. I will find out why the weapons were leaked. If you can't forgive me, you can continue to lock me up, but please let Ethan go. He is innocent; he is a good man."
Wanda's eyes were red as she turned her head away.
Zhang Xuan lightly kissed Wanda's forehead: "Baby, we have to face this matter; we can't keep avoiding it. Keeping him locked up forever isn't the solution either."
"That's right. As I said last time, you can't blame the person who makes the blade." Ethan stood up staggeringly, trying to enlighten Wanda in a calm tone: "Child, a blade can also protect people. You can't blame all the blades in the World just because one blade killed someone. And..."
Ethan paused, sat down, took a breath, and continued: "You shouldn't treat me this way when I have no grudge with you."
Tony interrupted Ethan, saying, "Ethan, say no more. After this, I will shut down the Weapons Manufacturing Division. I will use other methods to maintain Worldpeace."
By now, Tony had already constructed the detailed data for the mark ii in his mind.
Zhang Xuan then made a suggestion, "Wanda, why don't you try to look into his thoughts? Maybe what he says is true."
Wanda looked a bit uneasy and hesitated for a moment before saying, "I can't fully control the energy. If I damage his brain and turn him into an idiot, wouldn't that be too easy on him?"
Tony:!-`(›ʘ̆mouthʘ̥̆‹)´-!
Zhang Xuan whispered, "It's okay, you just need to try it very shallowly."
Tony swallowed hard, still feeling afraid in his heart. But in order to get out and avenge his parents, letting her check was fine.
"Come on, if you can sense it."
Tony closed his eyes, waiting for Wanda to examine his brain.
Seeing Tony agree, Wanda no longer hesitated and went straight to work.
Red energy gathered in her hand and was placed on Tony's head. A few seconds later, Wanda's hand left Tony's head.
(◣mouth◢ꐦ)
"Pah, disgusting."
Then she gave Tony two vicious kicks.
Zhang Xuan was stunned.
What's the situation? Is the Tony of this World really different? Did he do something wrong to Wanda? Was it really Tony who sold the arms?
Zhang Xuan didn't quite understand the situation and asked weakly, "Wife, how should I deal with them? Bury them, or dismember and dissolve them?"
Tony: (థbeneficialథ)σ "Little girl, you can't talk nonsense! I really didn't know about the arms smuggling!"
Ethan: (థmouthథ✽) "Tony, have you been lying to me? Did you really do something wrong to her? Were those arms all your doing?"
Wanda glared at Tony and said angrily, "This guy is currently thinking about that pair of twin cover models he missed before coming here!"
Zhang Xuan had a forehead full of black lines (￢～￢|||): "If you're still upset, why don't we just pluck his 'lychees'?"
Tony: (๑꒦ິmouth꒦ີ)つ "No!"
In the end, to vent her anger, Wanda gave Tony a severe beating. The unlucky Ethan was even hit in the chest by a baseball bat Wanda didn't hold firmly, almost ending up with a big hole like Tony... Zhang Xuan drove directly to Stark Tower.
Inside Tony's private lounge, Tony and Ethan were eating various fruits and desserts. Tony finally got his favorite cheeseburger.
"Oh, I've been craving this for so long."
Ethan looked at the cheeseburger the security guard had bought for him as an extra and pushed one toward Zhang Xuan.
Zhang Xuan waved his hand: "Give it to that cheeseburger enthusiast. I think he needs it more."
Tony accepted the cheeseburger without ceremony.
"You have no idea, I've been dying for this. Every moment of these ten days, I was wondering what that cheeseburger Ethan ate tasted like."
Zhang Xuan made a mood-killing remark: "That night, you didn't go to the bucket to try a cheeseburger that had passed through Ethan's intestinal tract, did you?"
Tony and Ethan's mouths stopped mid-chew. They spat out the cheeseburger, completely losing their appetite.
"It's better to eat less. If you don't eat for a long time and suddenly eat too much, your stomach won't be able to take it." Zhang Xuan said with a grin as he ate the sliced fruit on the plate.
Tony didn't even look at Zhang Xuan and said crossly, "Being stuffed to death is at least better than starving to death."
Ethan was curious about Wanda's whereabouts, so he asked, "Where did Wanda go? Didn't she come up?"
Zhang Xuan pointed downstairs: "See that? The storefront without a billboard, that's the agency I opened. Wanda went there to rest. Although she won't kill you anymore, she doesn't want to see you either."
The door was pushed open, and it was Pepper Potts who walked in.
Pepper ran to Tony's side. Seeing Tony's bruised and swollen face, her eyes instantly turned red.
Before she could voice her concern for Tony, Zhang Xuaninterrupted.
"Save the emotional moment for later. Prepare 100 million US dollars for the rescue fee and 900 million US dollars for the ransom."
Zhang Xuan didn't like money, but he needed it now. When the time comes that he can tell the whole Worldhe doesn't eat beef, the portraits on the US dollars will have to be changed to his.
Pepper exclaimed, "One billion?!"
"Pepper, give it to him. This is what I owe her."
Pepper accurately caught the keyword: "Her?"
"Pepper, stay calm. There are many stories behind this. But now, I need you to help me organize a press conference. I have something important to announce."
Tony successfully steered things back to his trajectory.
"No, Tony, what you need now is a Doctor. You're in very poor condition."
"No, I'm in great condition. Smelling the fragrance on you, I feel absolutely wonderful. Be good, go quickly."
"But..." Pepper wanted to say more, but was stopped by Tony.
"This is an order. Go help me prepare the conference."
Tony silenced Pepper and sent her to prepare the press conference.
However, Pepper still called a Doctor over to give Tony a simple check-up.
An hour later, the press conference downstairs was ready. Tony changed his clothes and walked down slowly.
Zhang Xuan and Ethan stood in the distance, watching Tony walk onto the stage.
The reporters below were all looking at Tony on the stage with anticipation, but since it wasn't the Q&A session yet, they were all being very restrained.
Tony's face was bruised and swollen, and he walked with a limp; they really wanted to know more explosive news.
However, since some unruly colleagues had already been kicked out, they were all being very restrained.
Tony walked to the center of the podium, paused for a moment, and finally sat down in front of the lectern.
"Everyone sit down, sit down. This way I can see you, and you can see me. No need to be so formal."
The reporters all squatted down, but only one reporter actually sat down: Eddie Brock.
Seeing that everyone else was squatting and only he was truly sitting, Eddie wondered if he should get up.
"It's fine, you can stay sitting. No need to get back up. Just be casual."
Tony pointed at Eddie sitting on the ground, "You're pretty good. I'll let you ask an extra question later."
Eddie happily raised his camera to thank Tony: "Thank you very much."