God, Tony, what are you doing?"
"You should be resting!"
Inside the luxurious Marbury Villa.
Seeing Stark, full of vigor, pointing at a pile of data while holding a cup of coffee, Pepper was speechless.
At the same time, she was extremely worried. She quickly walked up to the Playboy, her tone filled with reproach.
"Pepper, calm down. You're overreacting."
"It's just a minor surgery, nothing major."
The Playboy, however, looked completely unconcerned.
If he had to lie in bed like a corpse and do nothing, he would rather Tony die.
"Minor surgery?"
Pepper didn't know what to say.
If even open-heart surgery was a minor surgery, then what kind of surgery would be considered major?
Pepper began to persuade the Playboy again.
In the past, Tony would definitely not have listened to Pepper's advice, and of course, Pepper would not have been so "nagging."
Just like when Tony first came out of the cave, Pepper only suggested Tony go to the hospital, but after Tony refused, she didn't say much more.
But now it was different.
Their relationship had changed.
It was no longer a simple superior-subordinate relationship, but had progressed further.
So, the situation naturally changed. Under Pepper's "compulsory order," Tony temporarily stopped his work.
However, after Pepper left, Tony, without a doubt, continued his work.
What Tony could not tolerate the most was wasting his time.
Especially with so much important intelligence obtained from the diary.
Even now, because he had just had surgery, the Playboy could only work seven or eight hours a day and could no longer stay up all night as he used to, which already made Tony very dissatisfied.
Fortunately, this situation only lasted for more than three months, and Tony's body had almost recovered.
He was back to full throttle, fully immersed in his work.
"Jarvis has found and analyzed all relevant clues about Atlantis."
"But it turns out they were all nonsense. That's not the Atlantis we're looking for."
"Where exactly is the Atlantis mentioned in the diary? Unfortunately, we have no clues."
Inside the luxurious Villa's Underground Room.
A projection screen appeared in front of Tony, and Nick Fury's face was clearly displayed on it.
The two were discussing the contents of the diary.
Nick Fury on the other side nodded, not feeling too surprised by this.
For something that was purely a legend, with not a single piece of concrete evidence, the possibility of finding it was indeed slim.
"What about Wakanda?"
Nick Fury's expression remained unchanged as he asked again.
"Jarvis didn't find anything special," the Playboy replied.
"No matter how they did it, their disguise was very successful."
So well disguised that even a super AI like Jarvis couldn't find any traces, which really said a lot.
"What about your side? It should be the same, right?"
Tony then looked up, glanced at Nick Fury, and guessed with a very confident tone.
Nick Fury didn't say much, but replaced his answer with silence.
Tony had actually guessed correctly.
After receiving Nick Fury's order, Coulson dared not delay for a moment and immediately dispatched a team of elite soldiers to secretly carry out this mission.
However, after such a long time, the results of the investigation showed that Wakanda was indeed that poor and backward African country!
No anomalies were found.
It was as if the diary had spoiled it wrong!
But for such a long time since the diary was obtained, the intelligence on it had never been wrong.
This time, Nick Fury naturally tended to believe the diary even more.
Although Nick Fury couldn't figure out for a while how the other party achieved such a perfect disguise.
But it was clear that this country was indeed unfathomable.
"It seems that is indeed the case."
Tony understood.
However, Tony was too lazy to interfere with such matters.
He just had Jarvis investigate Wakanda because he was curious about this odd country.
He wanted to see what this country, identified by the diary as the most developed in the World, was like.
However, when Jarvis didn't retrieve any useful information, he simply gave up.
No matter what this country was like, it had nothing to do with him, right?
"It seems the diary was right, this country is not as simple as it appears."
Tony just sighed in agreement, without any other expression.
The Playboy's attitude did not surprise Nick Fury.
And Nick Fury contacted Tony this time, mainly not because of Atlantis or Wakanda.
But for another very important matter.
What matter?
The Tesseract!
"Stark, there's something you need to know."
Nick Fury then continued to speak to Tony with a serious expression, "There have been some abnormal reactions from the Tesseract."
The Playboy's face immediately became extremely solemn.
The diary had already spoiled that the Space Stone was hidden within the Tesseract!
And the Space Stone was the Purple Sweet Potato's "prey"!
Considering that S.H.I.E.L.D.'s research on the Tesseract attracted the Purple Sweet Potato's invasion, how could Tony remain calm when he heard that the Tesseract had an abnormal reaction?
"What's wrong with the Tesseract?"
"Nick Fury, you haven't secretly started researching the Tesseract again, have you?!"
Tony's face immediately hardened, and he stared at Nick Fury, questioning him.
"While that certainly sounds like my style, no, not this time."
Nick Fury immediately shook his head and denied it, looking so candid, as if it were true.
And in reality, it was.
Under normal circumstances, Nick Fury would indeed secretly research the Tesseract.
But after learning that his research on the Tesseract would attract an alien invasion, Nick Fury promptly dismissed that idea.
Since the diary spoiled the relevant content that time, Nick Fury had suspended all research on the Tesseract.
Or rather, the only research was to have the Playboy design a security system within the Dark Energy Joint Base to prevent the Tesseract from being stolen.
That was all.
"What's wrong with the Tesseract?"
Tony watched Nick Fury for a few seconds, not wasting any more time on this topic, as it was meaningless.
Instead, he asked about the main issue.
"Just this morning, the Tesseract suddenly activated on its own."
"I've confirmed it, it wasn't done by my people, no one did anything to the Tesseract."
"It's like it suddenly woke up from hibernation and is in an activated state."
Nick Fury told Tony in detail about some things concerning the Tesseract.
"Are you sure no one did anything?"
Tony frowned slightly, confirming the situation with Nick Fury.
It wasn't that he didn't trust Nick Fury, it was just that the matter was too important, and Tony needed to confirm it repeatedly.
"Do you think, as the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., I wouldn't be clear about something like this?" Nick Fury said very matter-of-factly.
Tony had nothing to say. After a brief pause, he continued to ask, "How is the Tesseract now?"
"It's still in an activated state, and it seems to be becoming more and more unstable."
After Nick Fury briefly described the situation to Tony, he immediately extended an invitation to Tony, "I think you should come and see."
"I think so too!"
Tony wasted no more words and quickly cut off the communication.
Then, he rushed to the Dark Energy Joint Base at the fastest speed.
And met up with Nick Fury, who was already waiting at the scene.
"The Tesseract is still in an activated state, and it occasionally emits some irregular energy pulses."
"I'm afraid this isn't a good sign."
Nick Fury introduced the situation to Tony while personally leading him to the Tesseract.
The Playboy looked around and indeed saw that the originally inconspicuous Tesseract was now flashing with an incredibly dazzling blue light.
Buzz, buzz, buzz!
Not only that.
Just as Nick Fury said, the energy within the Tesseract was constantly surging, in a completely active state.
"This is indeed not a good sign."
Tony's brow immediately furrowed.
Then he quickly walked to a screen on the side and conscientiously analyzed the various readings on it.
"Stark, can you tell me anything?"
Nick Fury's face also became extremely solemn. He leaned closer to Tony, looking very serious.
"Doesn't the Tesseract open a Space Gate?"
"I guess it's doing just that," Tony gave such a frustrating answer after a detailed study and analysis.
"You mean, the Tesseract will open the Space Gate on its own? Is that possible?" Nick Fury confirmed repeatedly.
"This is a product from the stars, nothing is impossible," Tony said matter-of-factly. "Perhaps, someone activated it remotely?"
Nick Fury's heart immediately felt heavy, as if a great mountain had pressed down on it.
Considering Tony's caliber, although the conclusion he gave was only a speculative one, Nick Fury still dared not be negligent in the slightest.
Especially considering the invasion by Loki mentioned in the diary.
He turned his head, his single eye fixed on the still "shining" Tesseract: "So, next, someone else might cross over? Like, Loki?"
"We'll know soon enough."
Tony also turned his gaze to the Tesseract, saying meaningfully, "But before that, we must be prepared."
"Everyone listen, activate Protocol Two!"
Nick Fury and Tony exchanged glances, then without any further nonsense, immediately picked up the walkie-talkie and issued this command.
Tony, on the other hand, took out a small "component" he had already prepared and installed it into a computer interface within the Base.
He casually instructed: "Jarvis, you take over the security system."
"Understood, Sir!"
Jarvis, who was online in a second, immediately responded and took over the relevant systems at the first opportunity.
"Also, send me an Iron Man Armor."
Tony issued this command to Jarvis again.
"Received!"
As Jarvis spoke, the ground of the Stark Tower's top-floor balcony immediately separated.
A formidable-looking launch pad, filled with high-tech aura, was revealed.
A drone was immediately launched, spewing fiery flames, flying towards the Dark Energy Joint Base.
Of course, it wasn't just a simple drone.
It was clearly carrying a new Iron Man Armor that Stark had recently developed: Mark VII.
Compared to previous Iron Man Armors, the Mark VII had technological upgrades in many areas.
But the biggest technological breakthrough, without a doubt, was the rapid deployment system.
Simply put, this Iron Man Armor no longer required clumsy mechanical arms for donning.
It could automatically initiate the deployment procedure, covering the entire target person.
It had to be said that, compared to before, it was indeed much more convenient.
As for the combined use with drones, it was not originally present in the movie Universe.
This was one of the changes caused by Zhou Cheng, the butterfly flapping its wings.
Considering that Loki could arrive at any time, and the Tesseract in the Dark Energy Joint Base was at risk of being stolen at any moment.
To be able to respond immediately, the Playboy developed this Packages system.
And now, indeed, it came in handy.
Whoosh!
Just like that.
The drone left a dazzling trail in the sky above New York City.
In less than three minutes, it had flown to the Dark Energy Joint Base.
Tony Stark was already waiting in the Base courtyard, with "identification bracelets" already on both his hands.
Two lasers shot out from the Mark VII Iron Man Armor, completing the scan.
And then.
Bang!
The drone launched the Mark VII Iron Man Armor, directly "smashing" onto Tony Stark.
Click, click, click!
The Mark VII began a series of rapid and precise assembly movements, like flowing water, quickly covering Tony's entire body.
The incredibly cool Destroyer made a dazzling appearance.
Wearing the cool Iron Man Armor, Tony returned to the Dark Energy Joint Base and stood before Nick Fury.
Nick Fury glanced at the fully armed Playboy, and his confidence immediately grew significantly.
No matter who the powerful being that might open the Space Gate was, the Destroyer by his side was already the most powerful weapon on Earth.
Of course.
In addition to the Playboy, a team of heavily armed Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. were already standing not far from them.
At this very moment.
Everyone's eyes were fixed on the constantly shining Tesseract, without blinking.
The atmosphere on the scene, unconsciously, began to become heavy and oppressive.
"Sir, someone is approaching the Base."
In the quiet scene, Jarvis's voice sounded, "It's Captain America Steve Rogers. Should I initiate the interception program?"
"That 'old guy'?"
Tony raised an eyebrow, glanced at Nick Fury beside him, "You called him here?"
"That's right, I issued a summons to Captain." Nick Fury nodded.
Considering that the one who might cross the Space Gate could be Loki, Nick Fury naturally dared not be careless in the slightest.
"Let him in."
Tony was not surprised by this and said nothing more, casually issuing this command to Jarvis.