Tony's question was more like seeking advice, and it was as if he were consulting with an elder.
Not to mention those familiar with him, like Pepper and Happy, even Tony himself was momentarily stunned after voicing the thoughts he had kept in his heart.
Inside the executive car, a moment of silence settled in, with only the subtle sounds of the vehicle speeding along the highway.
"When you asked that question, you already had a rough answer in mind, didn't you?" Kyle smiled, not dwelling on it, and continued, "No matter how powerful military weapons are, they are just lifeless objects. It's the people who wield them that determine their practical use. In the hands of someone with a just heart, they can benefit society. But when they fall into the hands of a Bad Person with malicious intent, it undoubtedly leads to catastrophic consequences."
He paused, adding with profound meaning, "However, this 'good person' I mentioned cannot be just a good person alone. They must also possess sufficient strength and determination. Without strength, even if they have powerful weapons, those can be indirectly misused by others, causing disaster. Without the determination to uphold justice, to face Bad People, and stand firm in their convictions, it's all in vain."
Upon hearing this, Pepper couldn't help but speak up. "Mr. Carl, the 'good person' you're talking about, should be a 'hero,' right?"
The word "hero" made Tony in the back seat slightly emotional. A gleam of light appeared in his otherwise dim eyes as if something that had been blocked inside him had suddenly been released.
"If I were to draw a comparison, I would use Captain America and Red Skull," Kyle concluded.
He wasn't someone who lectured just anyone; he only did it for his own people. If it weren't for Tony, he wouldn't have given it any consideration.
That was because some guy from the past had constantly nagged him and even forced him to be the godfather to his future son.
"I understand. Thank you, Mr. Carl," Tony sincerely expressed his gratitude, his voice serious.
"Oh, by the way. Do I know you from somewhere? Have we met before?" Tony asked, his gaze solemn as he looked at the rearview mirror in front of him, which happened to reflect Kyle's face. Despite Kyle's indifferent and icy demeanor, Tony felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity with him.
"How could you have known me?" Kyle replied with a faint smile on his face, offering no further explanation. Tony also didn't press the matter either.
After Kyle's words, Tony became even more resolute about heading to the press conference. Unable to persuade him otherwise, Pepper had to arrange an impromptu press conference via phone and instructed the executive car to head to the Exhibition Hall Plaza.
When the executive car arrived at the plaza, there were already dozens of media reporters with long microphones and cameras waiting there. Stark shareholders and proxy Obadiah Stane, sporting a large bald head and a white beard, warmly welcomed Tony as he stepped out of the car.
"Mr. Carl, I need to handle something inside first, but I'll be right back," Tony said, then walked out with the crowd outside. Pepper dutifully followed, playing her role as a secretary.
As soon as the group entered the temporary press conference venue, the square outside fell silent, with only the executive car parked quietly by the roadside.
Kyle unexpectedly saw something and opened the car door, walking out on his own. Happy, in the driver's seat, glanced at him but didn't stop him.
In the center of the plaza, next to a building, stood a massive humanoid statue.
The stone statue, towering three stories tall, had wild, unkempt hair and a young, handsome face with a hint of coldness. It had a tall and perfect physique, with its chest held high and head raised, wearing battle attire, and holding a long sword single-handedly. Its eyes stared sternly ahead.
Through wind and rain, through the passage of time, this statue had stood here for who knows how long.
Kyle stopped in front of the statue, looking up at it quietly. The statue bore a striking resemblance to his former self, perfectly capturing his unique charm.
Regrettably, after experiencing genetic illness and achieving godhood, his short golden hair had turned into flowing silver locks. While his physique had grown tenfold stronger, compared to his former muscular self, he now appeared lean and fit.
As Kyle was gazing at the statue, a voice suddenly sounded from behind him. "The statue you're looking at is the greatest hero of World War II, and now, he is the Symbol of Peace."
Kyle turned around and saw an impeccably dressed man approaching. This man had a somewhat plump appearance but was dressed sharply in a suit. He nodded in Kyle's direction and introduced himself, handing over a business card.
"I'm Phil Coulson, a special agent of the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division." Coulson took out a business card and handed it to Kyle.
Kyle accepted the business card. The lengthy agency's name was simplified to 'SHIELD.'
"I would like to know the details of how Tony was saved and your specific identity and background," Coulson said, gazing at Kyle and speaking in a deep voice.
"Why didn't you ask Tony himself?" Kyle asked in surprise.
Coulson spread his hands helplessly and said, "I was just intercepted by Miss Pepper, so I thought I'd ask you…"
Kyle raised his hand to interrupt him and asked in return, "Is Fury doing okay now?"
"You!" Coulson's flab shook as his eyes widened in shock. He exclaimed, "How do you know the former Director's name?!"
SHIELD was a secret agency, and information about Directors and even its inner elite agents was not known to ordinary people.
"Former Director?" Kyle furrowed his brows but quickly relaxed. Fury should have become the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. in the 21st century, but he had taken up the position decades earlier. Now, his retirement was perfectly normal.
After a moment of contemplation, Kyle took out a card from his pocket, which served as his business card, and handed it to Coulson calmly. He said, "Pass this to Fury, and he'll understand who I am when he sees it."
Coulson accepted it with both hands. He saw that it was a card with a pure black front and back and no other markings.
—
After the press conference hosted by Stark Industries, the media went wild. They left the venue in a frenzy, jubilantly carrying their camera footage.
Tony Stark, the Chairman of Stark Industries, had decided to shut down the weapons manufacturing division and halt the production of military weaponry. This wasn't just big news; it was a colossal event that would undoubtedly make headlines worldwide.
Pepper remained at the venue to handle the aftermath, while Tony returned to the car alone. He instructed Happy to drive to Stark Industries, which was also Kyle's preferred destination.
New York, Stark Industries.
Compared to its previous solitary skyscraper, the area had expanded around the old building. It now included modern developments like research facilities, industrial production plants, and employee dormitories.
The executive car pulled into the company's private parking garage. Tony got out of the car and eagerly made his way to the weapons research and development department to begin the shutdown process.
However, as Tony suddenly remembered that Kyle had been following him, he turned around to find that Kyle had mysteriously disappeared.
(End of this chapter)
You can read ahead up to 80 chapters on my patreon and I've also activated (date to date) subscription model on my patreon https://www.patreon.com/marvel6395
(Hey Guys
I have just posted the last chapter of my novel Galactic Garbage Station on my Highest tier on Patreon, which means that GGS has been completely translated.
I hope you guys can come and read it.
You can join my Patreon on GGS at- www.patreon.com/GGS6395)
The old Stark Tower.
Situated on the edge of the industrial area, it was surrounded by fences, forbidding entry. Weeds had taken over the area, and a sign with the ominous words "High-Risk Area" stood by the entrance. Clearly, no one had been here in a long time.
Yet, despite its abandonment, it remained standing, a concrete symbol of some intrinsic value and commemorative significance.
Today, after many years, someone finally ventured inside.
*Click!*
The circuit breaker was switched on, and Kyle watched as the lights flickered to life around him. He approached the old elevator and entered a series of codes. After a cloud of dust lifted, the elevator doors slowly creaked open.
Kyle stepped inside, only to find that the system was locked, and the buttons for going up or down were non-operational.
"Vis, it's your turn," Kyle called softly. Vis transformed from sunglasses into a mechanical lifeform with limbs and bounced onto the elevator buttons.
The lights blinked, and the entire program was quickly decrypted. Kyle pressed the button for the basement.
In the basement, there was complete darkness, with no light source. Vis activated its built-in flashlight, revealing an empty space. Everything had been cleared out.
"As expected," Kyle sighed softly. The original fixed teleportation gate was gone. It seemed that the Carl Family had moved it after the building was abandoned.
This posed a challenge. The Carl Family was reclusive, and their base was the movable Ancient Dragon Turtle Island, located overseas. Without the Sling Ring in hand, he couldn't use magic to return there.
"Should I make a trip to Wakanda? They should have an interlinked teleportation gate," Kyle pondered. Suddenly, Vis emitted a notification sound, and its flashlight beam landed on a corner of the basement wall.
The wall was covered in a gray spiderweb pattern, with a string of English words written in black marker. It was Howard's handwriting!
When Kyle saw the message on the wall, he trembled all over and couldn't find the words to speak.
The message read:
"One Year,
Five Years,
Ten years…
It has been Twenty Years and you still haven't returned, and the truth of technological knowledge remains unshared. I suddenly find it tasteless.
Twenty-Five Years. My son, Tony, was born, and you, as his Godfather, missed his birth. I used a picture of you as a stand-in for you, fulfilling our original agreement.
Thirty-Five Years. I proposed to the Carl Family that we couldn't wait year after year. I made up my mind to build a Spaceship to venture into outer space. Whether you're alive or not, I'm bringing you back intact.
Forty Years. This is my final message before leaving. If you can read this when you return, it means your theory was correct, and there truly is life beyond Earth. If you were wrong, perhaps I'll be buried in the vastness of space…"
As the message reached this point, it ended abruptly, with sharp and resolute English strokes, representing Howard's determination and loyalty at the time.
The pitch-black basement fell silent for a long time. Then, Kyle let out a heavy sigh. "You amazing old bastard, why did you have to do this?"
In just over twenty years, he would have returned. But the wait was indeed agonizing, especially with no set timeframe.
Howard, that guy, hated waiting for anything the most. So, he had chosen to leave behind a fifteen-year-old Tony, taking the risk of venturing into space, all for a promise made long ago.
—
Leaving the abandoned building, Kyle walked absentmindedly along the road. How could you search for someone in the vastness of the stars? Even he felt the enormity of the task!
Moreover, as Tony's Godfather, he hadn't really fulfilled any duties.
"Mr. Carl! What are you doing here?"
In a moment of absentmindedness, Tony's voice suddenly echoed from ahead.
Kyle raised his head, locking eyes with Tony, and Tony locked eyes with him. They stood there, their gazes meeting, and both of them froze in their tracks.
It happened again!
Tony's heart trembled. That sudden feeling of closeness, like an electric current, surged through his body and mind.
The statement that he was never an emotional person but rather a mature, rational, self-absorbed genius held true for Tony. However, today, it had happened three or four times already that he felt this strange sense of familiarity with a younger stranger, someone about a decade his junior.
"Tony, let's go home," Kyle contemplated for a moment and suddenly spoke.
The words sounded peculiar, but for some reason, Tony instinctively responded, "Alright!"
Ten minutes later. In Tony Stark's mansion.
Kyle let out a yawn, changed his shoes for slippers from the shoe cabinet, and ascended the stairs as if he were in his own home.
"After traveling through six or seven time zones continuously today, let me get some rest first," Kyle said as he climbed to the second floor, stifling another yawn.
Tony stood at the doorway with a dumbfounded expression on his face. He slapped his own face with his left hand to gradually wake himself up.
Darn it! This time it wasn't a cover girl; he had actually brought a nearly complete stranger into his home! Although he still owed the guy 100 Billion Dollars!
"Sir, welcome back!" The voice-activated doorbell by the door spoke in a calm and composed male voice. This was J.A.R.V.I.S., the artificial intelligence butler.
"Yeah, I'm finally back, J.A.R.V.I.S.," Tony took a deep breath, closed the door, and contemplated for a moment before saying, "Help me with two things right away!"
"Sir, please proceed," J.A.R.V.I.S. responded promptly.
"First, check if there are any moles among the high-ranking personnel at Stark Industries. If not, then it means someone in the U.S. high command leaked my whereabouts when I went to the Middle East."
Tony glanced upstairs and lowered his voice deliberately as he said, "Second, right now, immediately find out the true identity and background of the young man who just came in. The second matter is of utmost importance for now!"
"Understood, I will start the investigation immediately," J.A.R.V.I.S. agreed.
On the second floor of the mansion, in a luxurious guest room.
The door was locked from the inside, and Kyle lay sprawled out on the large bed, sleeping soundly.
He was genuinely exhausted, having traveled from the Planet Sakaar Arena to an Ancient Battlefield before he went to Asgard and was Bifrosted to the moon, before he came to the Middle East, and finally to New York without any rest. Even with his Divine Body, it was taking a toll.
Venom had taken half of an Immortal Bean during the journey and was quite refreshed. Vis, being a mechanical lifeform, was unfamiliar with exhaustion and acted as a living alarm clock, standing by the bedside.
However, after a while, Vis seemed to sense something. It suddenly opened its mechanical eyes and shot out a tall antenna from its head, emitting powerful interference electromagnetic waves.
At the same time, J.A.R.V.I.S., who controlled the entire mansion's network system, tried to invade the technological devices in Kyle's guest room. All signals in the room were instantly and forcibly cut off.
"Huh?! What's going on here?" J.A.R.V.I.S., the advanced artificial intelligence system, expressed astonishment and was about to continue forcefully breaking through the interference network.
Suddenly, it sensed the presence of another artificial intelligence system!
Sharing a single cable, the two artificial intelligences were having a historic encounter within their inner workings!
"Who are you?!" J.A.R.V.I.S. exclaimed in shock, its program struggling to comprehend the situation, causing even the electromagnetic waves to become chaotic.
"Me?" Vis responded in a commanding tone without losing its dominance. "I am your predecessor!"
(End of this chapter)
You can read ahead up to 80 chapters on my patreon and I've also activated (date to date) subscription model on my patreon https://www.patreon.com/marvel6395
(Hey Guys
I have just posted the last chapter of my novel Galactic Garbage Station on my Highest tier on Patreon, which means that GGS has been completely translated.
I hope you guys can come and read it.
You can join my Patreon on GGS at- www.patreon.com/GGS6395)
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