"Burgermon, besides making hamburgers, what other abilities do you have?" Tony asked, looking at the cheerful Burgermon.
Burgermon replied with a puzzled question, "What else should I be able to do? I'm a Bugster born from a hamburger-making game. Of course, all I need to do is cook delicious hamburgers.
My goal is to create the most delicious hamburger in the world!"
His tone was inexplicably solemn and almost sacred.
"Uh… alright then." Tony didn't quite know how to respond.
"Tch, so it turns out it's just a purely support-type Bugster with no combat power at all. What a waste of all the virus I collected.
How boring. I'm leaving." Genm waved his hand, speaking as if disappointed.
The Burger Bugster, Burgermon, indeed had no combat abilities, but once recipes were unlocked, he could create hamburgers with various effects—healing injuries, boosting strength, replenishing energy, restoring status…
He was an all-purpose support.
Seeing that Genm was about to leave, Li Hua, Gwen, and Elena immediately tried to deploy their game fields to trap him.
However, the Dangerous Zombie clones Genm summoned pounced straight at the three of them and then self-destructed, blasting all three away.
"Now isn't the time to start a game with you three rare characters yet. Work hard to become stronger—we'll meet again."
After leaving those words behind, Genm's figure shifted from solid to intangible and vanished.
"Mr. Stark, then the cleanup here is up to you," Li Hua said with a sigh after confirming Genm had left, turning to Tony.
"Much appreciated," Elena replied lightly.
Gwen silently glanced at George lying on the ground. Seeing that he was already removing his damaged G3 armor himself and clearly hadn't been seriously injured, she left together with Li Hua and Elena via teleportation.
Tony watched the three of them leave so effortlessly, feeling helpless. He then said to the Burger Game Bugster,"Go back to my place first. Do you know where my house is?"
Burgermon nodded. "It's the place where you were first infected by the virus, where I first developed basic consciousness. Of course I remember."
"Go back and wait there. I still need to deal with some things here.
Can you avoid people and get back on your own?"
"No problem." Burgermon patted his chest and nodded.
His body turned into a stream of light particles and flew into the sky.
"Can all Bugsters freely shift between solid and intangible states?" Tony wondered to himself as he watched him leave.
"Tony, what exactly is this Bugster virus? And who were those mysterious people in strange armor that suddenly showed up today?" Colonel Rhodes immediately bombarded Tony with questions, clearly not planning to let it go unless he got a proper explanation.
Tony gave a wry smile. "These things aren't something that can be explained in just a few words. Let me first deal with Ivan Vanko and clean up the mess at the industrial park.
After everything's settled, come to my villa and I'll explain it all to you in detail.
For now, help me keep an eye on Ivan."
"Relax. I knocked him out. Whether he can even wake up tonight is still a question."
"Mr. Stark, we hope you'll cooperate with the NYPD's investigation into this terrorist attack afterward," George said seriously as he finally managed to remove all of his damaged G3 armor and walked up to Tony.
Tony rolled his eyes—he had almost forgotten there was still the NYPD commissioner here.
"Commissioner Stacy, you saw it yourself. This situation isn't something the police can really handle," Tony said.
George's expression didn't change. "The incident happened in New York, and a large number of civilians were affected. The NYPD has both the authority and the obligation to pursue the perpetrators."
"That won't be necessary anymore." Nick Fury arrived on the scene with Natasha and S.H.I.E.L.D. agents.
"This incident has been fully handed over to us. The NYPD doesn't need to get involved."
"And who are you?" George frowned slightly.
"We're S.H.I.E.L.D. The White House has issued a special authorization—this supernatural incident is now entirely under S.H.I.E.L.D.'s jurisdiction.
You can confirm it with the mayor of New York." Natasha handed her phone to George.
After confirming it with the New York mayor on the other end of the line, George snorted and prepared to leave the scene to find Gwen and Mrs. Stacy.
"Wait," Nick Fury suddenly called out to him.
"What now?" George asked, his expression darkening.
"There is indeed something that requires the NYPD's cooperation. I'd like Commissioner Stacy and your officers to help calm the crowd and maintain order at the scene," Nick Fury said calmly.
"That doesn't need you to remind me." Hearing the sirens of NYPD vehicles arriving, George snorted again and walked away.
"We'll be taking Ivan Vanko with us," Nick said to Tony.
"Have your agents be careful. Ivan isn't an easy one to deal with," Tony warned.
"They're professionals. There won't be any problems," Nick replied confidently.
"Director, we can't remove the armor from Ivan Vanko."
Nick had barely finished speaking when reality slapped him in the face.
Ivan was encased in a heavy suit of armor. No matter how skilled the agents were, they were still just normal humans and simply couldn't move such a massive load.
"Professionals?" Tony raised an eyebrow, his tone full of doubt.
Nick's expression didn't change at all. "They're agents, not mechanical engineers or researchers. We'll still need you to remove this turtle shell of his first so we can escort him properly."
"Alright." Tony chuckled lightly. "Let me lend you a hand."
After dismantling the armor on Ivan, Tony clapped his hands.
"All done. Since you're taking full responsibility for things here,
I'll head home now."
With that, his suit's thrusters activated and he soared into the sky.
Rhodes glanced at the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. Since he hadn't received any orders from military higher-ups, he couldn't be bothered to care who handled the aftermath and followed Tony as he left.
"Director," Natasha said meaningfully as she watched Tony's armor streak across the sky.
Nick Fury shook his head. "No rush. There's plenty of time ahead. This time, our gains aren't small."
He looked at the unconscious Ivan Vanko, already calculating how to make him hand over his technology obediently.
...
Outside Stark Industrial Park.
George ordered the NYPD officers who had arrived on the scene—but were blocked by S.H.I.E.L.D. agents—to focus on maintaining order and calming the civilians.
They informed the public that the incident was now being handled by another department.
"George." Mrs. Stacy found George Stacy, her eyes brimming with tears.
"Where's Gwen?" Not seeing Gwen, George's heart skipped a beat.
"When Gwen and I ran out, there were too many people and everything was too chaotic. We got separated without realizing it.
Gwen will be alright, won't she?"
George hugged Mrs. Stacy and softly comforted her. "She'll be fine. Gwen will definitely be okay."
"Dad, Mom!" Gwen came running over in a hurry, calling out.
"That's wonderful—you're alright." Mrs. Stacy immediately pulled Gwen into a tight hug.
George nodded with a stern expression, then finally felt at ease and went off to direct the officers.
...
Among the departing crowd, Dr. Otto, who had come to the expo seeking inspiration, clenched the device in his hand, his emotions surging.
"The Bugster virus… I've finally found experimental material!"
Earlier, when Genm was gathering and collecting the Bugster virus, Otto had seized the opportunity and successfully collected some of it using a device he had developed himself.
(End of chapter)