Back in his room, Finney Hellseg wasn't in a good mood either. He could somewhat understand Tony's emotions, but back then, he and Tony were complete strangers. Why should he go out of his way to save him, risking changing the plot he knew?
It was only after these few encounters that their relationship improved. Finney thought dejectedly. He had originally wanted to remind Tony about Ethan's hometown, but he was interrupted before he could finish speaking. He didn't know what would happen next.
Meanwhile, Tony, equally agitated, arrived at the ball, shocking everyone around him.
The reporter who had previously reported on it was still confident that Tony wouldn't show up; this was undoubtedly a public slap in the face. But no one cared about the reporter at this moment; they were all curious about Tony's unexpected appearance.
Obadiah, upon receiving news of Tony's arrival, immediately ended his interview and came over.
"Hey, look who's here."
Obadiah looked surprised, smiling as he sized up Tony, walked over and gave him a warm hug, then put his arm around Tony's shoulder, allowing the reporters nearby to take plenty of pictures.
"I really didn't expect you to come!" Obadiah whispered in Tony's ear.
"What kind of world is this? Inviting guests without inviting the host." Tony glanced at the flashing lights around him, frowned, and walked forward, saying, "I'll wait for you inside."
"Hey!" Seeing the crowd of reporters around them, Obadiah, worried that Tony would cause trouble again like last time, stopped him and whispered in his ear in precaution, "Listen to me, don't rush. I think I'm almost convinced the board."
"Yeah, I know." Tony replied impatiently. He didn't really have any particular plans for coming; he just wanted to find a place to have a drink and relax.
At the bar, Tony ordered a drink from the bartender. Just then, a man with a receding hairline approached with a smile.
"Hello, Mr. Stark, I'm Agent Coulson."
Agents come and go, but Coulson remains a constant.
"Oh, right, right, you're that…" Tony recalled that a department seemed to have contacted him when he was first rescued, but thinking of that reminded him of Finney and Ethan from earlier, making him even more upset.
"Homeland Strategic Defense, Attack and Logistics Agency…"
Coulson didn't notice Tony's impatient expression, or perhaps he did but chose not to.
"You need to change that name!" Tony sipped his drink, his eyes scanning the dance floor.
"Yes, many people say so." Coulson agreed with a smile, then continued, "We understand you're having a tough time, but we need to understand the situation."
"There are still many questions. How about we schedule a time to meet at Stark Industries on the 24th at 7 pm?"
Coulson sensed Tony didn't want to talk, so he didn't press the issue.
"Okay, that's settled!" Tony hadn't really paid attention to what Coulson was saying, but seeing that he wasn't going to bother him right now, he agreed first.
At this moment, he finally found his target. Seeing that stunningly beautiful figure radiating captivating charm, Tony couldn't contain himself. "Excuse me, I'll go find my assistant and discuss this with her."
Decisively said goodbye to the balding old man and walked towards his assistant, Pepper Potts.
"You look beautiful today, I almost didn't recognize you!"
Looking at her, Tony felt much better.
"What brings you here?" Pepper Potts looked at Tony in surprise, seemingly not expecting to see him here.
"I angered a little boy who can do magic tricks, and I don't know what to do, so I came out for a stroll." Tony didn't want to lie to Pepper, but he also didn't want to dwell on the matter, so he changed the subject, "That dress is beautiful, where did you get it?"
"Oh…" Pepper lowered her head shyly, replying awkwardly, "It's a birthday present…"
"That's nice!" "You gave it to me!" Pepper tried to regain her composure, joking in her usual tone.
"Well, I have good taste!" Tony was clearly used to this way of interacting, but an intimate atmosphere still lingered between them.
"Do you… want to dance?" Looking at the girl in front of him, Tony felt he couldn't just stand there.
"Oh, no." Pepper was a little uncomfortable with her boss's change in attitude.
"Okay, come on!" The self-centered Tony obviously didn't know what refusal meant, and directly pulled Pepper's hand and walked towards the dance floor.
What followed was a series of beginnings and developments in the story of a domineering CEO falling in love with his female assistant.
However, the story didn't develop completely. As Tony was about to get his drink, a reporter approached and said what Finney had wanted to warn him about earlier.
Ethan's hometown was still being attacked by terrorists, and with Stark's latest weapon.
Things returned to their original trajectory.
Looking at the photos in the female reporter's hand, and recalling what Finney had wanted to say earlier, Tony's face instantly turned grim. He immediately forgot about Pepper and went to Obadiah to inquire about the weapons department.
This was, of course, an unpleasant conversation, leaving Tony furious and returning home, while also beginning to suspect Obadiah.
In his studio, staring at the faceplate he had designed and left on the table, Tony pondered, glancing at his phone which contained Finney's number.
"I can find out the truth even without you!"
Tony ultimately didn't call Finney. First, they had just had a falling out, and calling now would be tantamount to admitting fault, something his pride wouldn't allow.
Second, he remembered Finney's words when he left: no one was obligated to help him; Finney owed him nothing, and they weren't even close friends anymore.
Looking at the information he had gathered on the screen, Tony's face was grim and serious. He glanced again at the faceplate on the table and muttered to himself, "The flight system is tested. Next, let's test the weapons system!"
The next day, somewhere in Afghanistan, at a military base.
Explosions raged endlessly, bullets rang out incessantly. A figure clad in Iron Man armor strolled through the battlefield, not turning his head—it was Tony Stark, the one who had caused all this.
"Trickster couldn't have done this. He could probably only destroy a chair at most!"
Tony thought narcissistically, admiring his own feat. Before leaving, he didn't forget to take the opportunity to look down on Finney. In truth, he still wasn't sure how dangerous Finney really was.
But that teleportation portal alone was enough for him to rank Finney as the most dangerous and bizarre person he had encountered in recent years.
Having tested the Iron Man suit's capabilities, Tony was both excited and inflated with pride. On his way back, he unexpectedly clashed with military fighter jets.
Of course, Tony didn't admit that he was actually deliberately provoking the enemy to prove that the armor was much faster than a fighter jet.
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(End of Chapter)