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Pepper turned her eyes to the side, refusing to look directly at Jack. "You really are narcissistic. You don't care about shame at all. Anyone who likes you, or anyone you like, must have something wrong with their brain."
Jack smiled mischievously. "It seems your brain must have gone bad too."
"Your brain is the one that's gone bad, you lunatic."
Jack looked at Pepper's mouth and chuckled. "You're really stubborn. I like that stubborn little mouth of yours."
Before Pepper could react, Jack suddenly leaned forward and kissed her.
"You... you... mmm!"
Pepper's eyes widened in surprise. She immediately tried to push him away, but Jack didn't give her enough time to react. She struggled helplessly for a moment before finally managing to regain her composure.
After a long moment, Jack finally released her.
He shamelessly licked his lips and grinned. "Our coordination is getting better and better."
"I-I wasn't cooperating with you!" Pepper protested breathlessly. "You forced me!"
"This kind of force isn't going to stop anytime soon." Jack lightly brushed his finger across her lips. "When you're this stubborn and argumentative, sometimes the only way to make you cooperate is this."
"I'll bite you to death!"
Pepper opened her mouth and bit down on Jack's finger, stubbornly refusing to let go.
Jack didn't seem bothered at all. Instead, he laughed.
"Good, good. Bite as hard as you like. Later, I'll let you try biting somewhere else."
"What a disgusting fellow. Your mind is full of filthy thoughts!"
Pepper angrily released his finger and wiped her mouth.
Jack casually shook his finger. "We'll continue flirting later. We still haven't dealt with the important matter."
"Who was flirting with you?" Pepper shouted. "Go find some other woman!"
"I only want you."
"Hateful! You're the disgusting one!"
Pepper's face flushed with anger.
Before she could continue arguing, Jack suddenly vanished from beside her.
The next instant, he appeared directly in front of Killian.
"Killian, my fight with Tony almost made me forget about you. Fortunately, I still remembered."
Killian was still completely immobilized by Jack's Thought Power. Despite the fear hidden in his eyes, he forced a smile onto his face.
"Mr. Jack, your power has truly conquered me. Tony Stark became nothing more than trash in front of you in an instant. Such overwhelming strength... only someone like Mr. Jack could possess it."
Killian's heart was filled with bitterness.
He had never imagined Jack would be this strong.
One move.
That was all it had taken.
Tony's entire Iron Legion had been destroyed, and Killian himself had been completely suppressed.
All of his carefully prepared plans had collapsed in an instant.
Pepper looked at Killian, who was desperately trying to maintain a calm expression, and couldn't help mocking him.
"Killian, didn't you want Jack to come here? Well, he's here now."
"Of course I wanted Mr. Jack to come here." Killian immediately nodded. "Mr. Jack's arrival has brought honor to my humble establishment. It is an honor for me, and an honor for every member of AIM."
Pepper gave him a cold smile.
"Hehe, you really think that way?"
She glanced at Jack.
"Well, regardless of what you think, you're going to die today. I already told you..."
"This is the beginning of your nightmare."
Killian looked toward Jack.
"Mr. Jack, actually, everything that happened was a test."
"A test?"
Jack raised an eyebrow, clearly amused.
"Go on. I'm listening."
"Yes. That's exactly what it was."
Killian's expression became sincere.
"Our AIM has always been searching for a truly powerful individual—someone capable of leading AIM into a greater future. After careful consideration, we chose you, Mr. Jack."
"Therefore, we designed this entire situation as a test."
He smiled confidently.
"And judging by the result, Mr. Jack's power far exceeded our expectations. AIM is willing to go through fire and water for Mr. Jack."
Jack smiled faintly.
"That sounds rather touching."
"But I remember something different."
"Before, you were clearly trying to threaten me with Pepper and make me become your dog."
Killian quickly shook his head.
"That was merely a misunderstanding. It was only a joke. Please don't take it seriously, Mr. Jack."
"Our AIM possesses extremely powerful technological capabilities. We believe we can provide enormous assistance to you, Mr. Jack."
Jack nodded thoughtfully.
"That actually sounds pretty good."
Pepper immediately shouted, "Don't be stupid! He's obviously lying!"
Killian turned toward her.
"Pepper, I understand that my actions may have caused some misunderstanding. But when I captured you, my intention was simply to bring you together with Mr. Jack."
Pepper laughed sarcastically.
"Hehe. So everything was for my own good?"
"Thank you very much."
Killian continued smiling as though he hadn't heard the sarcasm.
"That is only natural."
He then looked at Jack.
"Mr. Jack, could you perhaps release my restraints? If you do, I can serve you more effectively."
Jack stared at him with a strange expression.
"Release you?"
"Has your brain stopped working?"
Killian's smile stiffened.
"Mr. Jack, what is the problem? You are now the leader of AIM. Didn't you just say that our cooperation sounded good?"
Jack pointed at his own head.
"You aren't stupid enough to believe that, are you?"
"My brain is perfectly fine. I was only teasing you."
His expression suddenly became cold.
"But I heard you threatening Pepper."
"The moment you decided to use her against me, you signed your own death warrant."
Pepper's heart trembled when she heard those words.
A strange warmth spread through her chest.
She immediately scolded herself inwardly.
Why am I happy just because he said something like that?
I really have no prospects.
But no matter how much she tried to suppress it, she couldn't deny the happiness she felt.
Killian's smile became awkward.
"Mr. Jack, there's no need to take things so seriously."
"We will correct our mistake. We sincerely apologize to Pepper."
He turned toward her.
"Pepper, I'm sorry."
Pepper gave him a mocking smile.
"You're saying that now?"
"Don't you think it's a little too late?"
Jack looked at Killian with a smile.
"Killian, don't feel too bad."
"You should actually feel honored."
"After all, you're going to die by my hands."
Killian knew there was no longer any way Jack would let him go.
He suddenly shouted, "Jack! If you have the courage, release me!"
"Fight me properly!"
"If you kill me like this, I won't accept it!"
Jack raised an eyebrow.
"Oh?"
"So you're finally showing your true nature."
He chuckled.
"Do you think I'll release you just so you can fight me?"
"You want to die with dignity?"
"Sorry. I don't care whether you accept it or not."
Jack raised one hand.
A brilliant blue light flashed.
In the next instant, a golden battle axe appeared in his hand.
Killian's pupils contracted when he saw it.
For years, he had carefully planned everything.
He had built AIM.
He had developed Extremis.
He had manipulated powerful people.
He had believed that he was finally standing at the peak of the world.
Yet now...
All of it was about to disappear in an instant.
Killian lowered his head slightly, his voice becoming desperate.
"Mr. Jack..."
"My intentions are sincere."
"I truly want to cooperate with you."
Jack's expression didn't change.
The golden axe suddenly swung downward.
"Go to Hell."
"I'm sure you'll find someone there willing to cooperate with you."
"Ahhh!"
Killian let out a miserable scream.
The golden blade passed through his body.
His body was split cleanly into two halves.
"I... I won't... let you..."
His voice was filled with hatred and unwillingness.
But before he could finish speaking, the Extremis inside his body suddenly went out of control.
The two halves of his body began glowing with an intense scarlet light.
Jack's expression changed slightly.
"Looks like you're going to explode."
BOOM!
The two halves of Killian's body exploded simultaneously.
The resulting explosion was terrifying.
A massive wave of heat erupted outward, resembling a small-scale nuclear blast. Blazing flames expanded at tremendous speed, swallowing everything in their path.
The surrounding steel structures were instantly engulfed.
The deck of the massive ship buckled under the tremendous force.
Flames raced across the ship, consuming equipment, steel supports, and everything else around them.
Even the entire steamship was swallowed by the explosion.