Time passed minute by minute while Black Widow was on tenterhooks.
She was truly afraid that the young man, who looked kind and handsome, would strip her naked and then become like those captured investigators in movies.
Ding-a-ling~
Suddenly, the landline rang again.
Emrys put down his wine glass and picked up the phone: "So, have you thought it through?"
Unlike last time, a different person answered the phone, with a deep and rich voice: "Mr. Merlin, I am Director Nick Fury of S.H.I.E.L.D.. I sincerely apologize for the actions of our Agent who infringed upon your privacy, and we are willing to offer one hundred million U.S. dollars as compensation."
Oh, the big fish finally bit the hook; his efforts weren't in vain.
"There's no need for apologies," Emrys snapped his fingers, and Black Widow, who had been tied to the ceiling, dropped to the ground with a thud: "I've released your person, so we're even."
"Wait, Mr. Merlin!"
Seemingly sensing the other party's intention, Fury quickly spoke: "We want to talk with you, Mr. Merlin."
"If I don't agree, are you going to threaten me again?" Emrys retorted.
"No, no, no, Mr. Merlin, you might have misunderstood," Fury said shamelessly, as if nothing had happened: "Everything just now was a misunderstanding. In fact, we had no ill intentions. If you don't mind, you can set a time, and we can meet to discuss it in detail. Perhaps that will clear up your misunderstanding."
"Not interested, goodbye."
Emrys hung up the phone directly.
Although the big fish had taken the bait, it wasn't the right time yet. He would continue to reel them in until the opportune moment.
As he pondered, he looked up at Black Widow, who had broken free from her ropes: "Natasha, your boss paid one hundred million U.S. dollars. I kept my word, and now you can go."
Black Widow struggled free from the ropes, but the marks from being bound were still inevitably left on her skin.
Especially on the inner sides of her thighs and her chest, a burning pain lingered, constantly reminding her of the shameful scene that had just occurred.
The female Agent was both embarrassed and furious, her beautiful eyes seemingly spitting fire as she glared intensely at Emrys.
"What, has Natasha become addicted and plans to stay and play a while longer?" Emrys playfully scrutinized Black Widow, his gaze wandering freely over her body: "If so, I wouldn't mind helping you. I'm quite knowledgeable in that area."
"Shameless! Bastard!"
Black Widow gritted her teeth, wishing she could kill this bastard.
But alas, she knew very well that even if she rushed forward, she would not be his opponent, so she calmed down again: "I hope you will seriously consider our suggestion, Mr. Merlin."
"Alright, for one hundred million U.S. dollars, I'll consider it."
Emrys put on a look of being utterly obsessed with money, grinning: "Surely your Department of Homeland Security isn't so broke that they can't even come up with that much, right?"
Facing Emrys, who was impervious to reason, Black Widow snorted coldly, turned, and swayed her hips as she left the room.
However, her steps were limping, and the way she tried to avoid friction on her inner thighs was rather comical.
This was S.H.I.E.L.D.'s initial probe, and the situation aligned with Emrys' predictions.
From the beginning, he had no intention of keeping secrets. At least, there was no real need to hide a supernatural ability like 'Psionics' from S.H.I.E.L.D..
There were too many people with superpowers in the Marvel universe; he wasn't the only one, so there was no need for secrecy.
Instead, it was better to use 'Psionics' as 'bait' to lure S.H.I.E.L.D. in, which fit Emrys' plan.
Emrys sat alone in the room, sipping his wine, organizing his current thoughts and progress.
"First, the Norman situation is a long-term plan; I can't expect immediate returns for now."
"Second, Tony Stark's armor should already be in its second generation. I just don't know how things are going with Obadiah. I hope he makes smooth progress."
"Finally, there's S.H.I.E.L.D.. It seems unlikely to get returns from them in the short term either."
Emrys pinched his brow, suddenly feeling a bit melancholic. Among the known important supporting characters, there didn't seem to be many good opportunities for him to acquire Source Power.
Although he could simply kill Black Widow, a future member of the Avengers, she would surely provide a large amount of Source Power.
But... he had two uncertainties.
First, under the protection of the world Will, could he kill Black Widow?
Second, killing Black Widow would undoubtedly categorize him as a 'villain,' which would pose a significant obstacle to his future development.
After much deliberation, Emrys decided it wasn't worth it and promptly abandoned the idea.
"Hell's Kitchen."
Suddenly, Emrys thought of an excellent place: "If there's truly no other way, then I can only say I'm sorry, Mr. Kingpin."
If he remembered correctly, Hell's Kitchen was a good place.
Kingpin, Target, The Hand—aren't these all 'Source Power'?
Alas, Hell's Kitchen will just have to suffer, and he alone will bear the infamy!
"Hmm, it's about time. I should go down and see Tony."
Seeing that he had procrastinated long enough, Emrys planned to get up and leave.
He certainly wouldn't say it was because he was afraid of going down too early and being ridiculed by Tony for being 'too fast,' which was why he deliberately lingered in the room for so long.
Meanwhile, at S.H.I.E.L.D., in the top-floor office.
Coulson, standing nearby, leaned over curiously after the Director hung up the phone: "He refused?"
"Yes, but it doesn't matter."
Fury didn't seem to care, smiling with a mysterious and knowing expression, as if everything was under control: "Initial contact, being rejected is quite normal."
In fact, there was something Coulson had been wanting to say for a long time.
Seeing his subordinate's expression, Fury naturally guessed what it was, so he smiled and said: "If you have something to say, just say it directly. Are you afraid I'll scold you?"
"No, Director, it's not that."
Coulson hesitated but finally chose to speak: "I don't quite understand why you want him to join that plan?"
"Because he's suitable, it's that simple." Fury subconsciously reached for his cup but found it empty. He then remembered the cup had already been smashed, so he awkwardly withdrew his hand, cleared his throat twice, and continued: "I understand your concerns. You're worried about his stance and background, right?"
"As you said, I truly cannot understand."
Coulson said earnestly: "We investigated Emrys Merlin and found that this person appeared out of nowhere, with no trace of his existence. Isn't that suspicious?"
"This matter is settled."
However, Nick Fury, who was usually very cautious, now displayed an autocratic dominance: "You will take over from Agent Romanoff and try to approach Emrys Merlin amicably. When the time is right, I will meet with him to discuss it in detail."
Coulson was an eight-level Agent, and no matter how many questions he had, he could only obey the Director's order.
After Coulson left, Nick Fury sat in his chair, deep in thought for a long time. He took a golden medal from his drawer, gazed at it for a moment, and muttered to himself: "The answer will soon be revealed, Emrys!"
By the time Emrys came downstairs, the charity gala was basically nearing its end.
He took a look and, upon seeing Tony still sitting alone in a corner, drinking sullenly, he couldn't help but chuckle.
"Well, well, isn't this our playboy?"
Emrys adjusted his clothes, sat down beside him, and quipped, "I thought you'd have already left with a few models."
"Don't even get me started, it's bad luck!" Tony angrily put down his glass, his face full of resentment: "Isn't it just announcing the shutdown of the weapons industry? Everyone came to oppose me, even Obadiah disagreed. Do they really have so little faith in me?"
It seemed he had missed a crucial part of the plot. Emrys looked around the banquet hall and, sure enough, Obadiah was gone.
He probably left directly after an argument with Tony.
"I can tell you're in a bad mood right now." Emrys patted him on the shoulder. What Tony needed most at this moment wasn't comfort or advice.
"Tell me, did I really make a mistake?"
At this moment, Tony had not yet experienced the profound self-reflection brought about by Yinsen's death, so he was still in a confused phase.
He wasn't sure if his decision to close the weapons industry was truly the right one, especially after being opposed by his closest confidant, Obadiah, which left him hesitant and at a loss.
Before truly growing into Iron Man, he still needed to overcome a rather long period of hardship.
Only when an iron will was etched into his bones would he transform into the Iron Man who saved the Marvel Cinematic universe!
Looking at Tony, who was lost and helpless, Emrys was filled with mixed emotions and softly said, "This isn't like the Tony Stark I know. If you believe something is right, then pursue it steadfastly, even if many people oppose it in the process."
"You mean, you agree with me closing the weapons industry?" Tony's face was filled with confusion as he stared blankly at Emrys.
"No, what I mean is, you need to think carefully," Emrys said earnestly, "Why are you closing the weapons industry? Is it because Yinsen told you that Stark Industries' weapons were being sold to the Middle East, causing many civilian casualties, and you feel guilty, so you want to shut it down?"
"I…"
Tony opened his mouth, but the words wouldn't come out.
"Think it through carefully before deciding what to do," Emrys said with a smile, handing him a drink. "Whatever decision you make, I'll believe in you."
"Why… do you believe in me so much?"
Tony took the drink, a hint of surprise on his face.
Even his own uncle, Obadiah, and even Pepper Potts, were questioning his decision to shut down the weapons system.
But Emrys, whom he had only recently met, always seemed to trust him so much.
"Do I even need to say?"
Emrys lightly clinked glasses and, under Tony's astonished gaze, slowly said, "Because you are Tony Stark."
This simple sentence suddenly made the despondent Tony perk up again: "Yes, you're right, I am Tony Stark, the smartest genius in the whole world!"
"Oh, by the way, I forgot to tell you some good news."
After clinking glasses, Tony downed his liquor, then, slightly tipsy, he put his arm around Emrys' shoulder and whispered, "Come on, come home with me, I'll show you something amazing!"
A bewildered Emrys could only be dragged by Tony into a luxurious business car.
The driver, of course, was not the director—no, he should be called Happy.
Soon, Happy drove them to Stark Industries Group. A very drunk Tony pulled Emrys directly to the top-floor laboratory.
Looking at the mysterious Tony, Emrys had already roughly guessed what his surprise would be.
Sure enough, Tony stood on the central platform of the laboratory, spread his arms, and, reeking of alcohol, shouted, "Jarvis, play some upbeat music, and let the show begin!"
As dynamic, 360-degree surround music played, several mechanical arms extended from beneath the platform.
A silver, streamlined battle suit was quickly loaded onto Tony's body, and the moment the mask closed, Iron Man of the Marvel universe was finally born!
Tony's annoying habit of showing off never changed. He spun around a few times in front of Emrys, proudly saying, "How about it, pretty good, right?"
"Average, just so-so."
Emrys wasn't going to humor him. He curled his lip and said, "Besides looking a bit lighter and less clunky, it doesn't seem all that impressive."
"...The truly impressive stuff, I haven't shown you yet!"
How could Tony be convinced? He had been secretly working on this for so many days, wasn't it just to show off to Emrys?
"Jarvis, engage combat mode!" At his command, two mechanical arms gripped a huge metal backpack, directly embedding it onto the back of the armor. More mechanical arms emerged from beneath the platform, attaching external weapon mounts, reinforced shoulder pads, chest plates, and so on, all installed onto the Mark 2!
The Mark 2, originally only two meters tall and still appearing to be a humanoid armor, directly transformed into a heavy armor!
And, why did the weapon equipment mounted on the thigh area look so familiar to him?
Oh, it turned out to be a bolter, but without the purity seals.
Wait, who in their right mind puts two miniature shoulder cannons on an armor? Is this thing going to war or something?
Mark 2 became Mark 4!
So, they're all Mark series, just directly plagiarizing, huh?
"Uh... did you pay royalties?"
Emrys' eye twitched wildly as he looked at the Iron Man armor with the metal backpack.
Emperor above, he could swear on the Ecclesiarchy holy texts that he hadn't taught Tony this. If anyone was going to collect royalties later, they absolutely shouldn't come to him!
"What do you know? This is art!"
Tony, who had completed the full combat mode, was like a child showing off a toy, explaining his modification ideas to Emrys: "Originally, I didn't think that much, but considering that I might encounter enemies like you in the future, I developed this Mark 2 model!"
"So I increased the thickness of the external armor to avoid being penetrated by high-energy weapons, like that gun of yours."
"But considering that too many weapon systems were loaded, the energy might not be enough, so I chose to add external energy batteries."
"I studied your bolter. As a close-combat weapon, it has unparalleled lethality. The only drawback is the excessive recoil, but with armor, there's no need to worry!"
"And, I also externally mounted two shoulder cannons, which were also developed based on the principle of your 'Plasma Gun,' it's just not successful yet."
"Finally, at the core of the armor, I integrated your 'Deflection Field' defense device into Jarvis' command system, which allows for all-around defense against attacks."
"This thing's name wouldn't happen to be 'Anti-Emrys Armor,' would it?"
Emrys' mouth twitched slightly. So, he was getting countered first!
"That's not important!"
Tony confidently put his hands on his hips and said, "Believe me, by the next generation, the mark 3, all weapon mounts and energy backpacks will achieve infrared fully automatic donning. That's when it will be complete!"
Emperor above.
Any problems, go find Tzeentch.
This had absolutely nothing to do with him; who knew what Tony was thinking.
Emrys silently prayed in his heart, while also observing three seconds of silence for Obadiah.
Just as Emrys was silently praying to Emperor not to blame him, the drunken Tony, unbeknownst to him, made a bold decision.
"Jarvis, prepare for flight test." Fully armored, Tony staggered down from the assembly platform and waved his hand.
"Mr., I detect that you are currently intoxicated, and the probability of danger is over 95%. I do not recommend you conduct a flight test in this state." As an intelligent butler, Jarvis could only sincerely warn Stark not to risk his life.
"Hey, Jarvis, have you ever heard a saying?"
However, Tony didn't take it seriously and said carelessly, "Before we learn to walk, we must learn to run."
Seeing that he couldn't be persuaded, Jarvis could only place his hope on Emrys, who was standing by: "Mr. Merlin, could you please try to persuade Mr. Stark?"
In his current state, Tony was swaying everywhere even when walking. If he really flew into the sky in the armor, who knows what kind of accident might happen?
If he were to crash into the Empire State Building, and 9/11 were to re-enact, that would be a bit ridiculous.
But unfortunately, before Emrys could even speak, Tony, who was next to him, couldn't wait and directly activated the energy backpack behind him.
Boom.
Four scorching nozzles spewed deep blue energy.
The next moment, Tony, piloting the Mark II, crashed through the obstacles in his path like a heavy bomber.
In a flash, he disappeared from Emrys' sight.
"Uh, you're a little late," he said, pinching his brow with a headache and clicking his teeth. "Now we can only pray that this guy won't get into any trouble."
Humanity's greatest dream is to soar through the sky like a bird!
For this, humans created airplanes and Rockets, exploring further into the unknown. Flying has always symbolized the thirst for knowledge that dares to explore the future!
And at this moment, Tony, having shed the cumbersome and massive driving vehicles like airplanes and Rockets, was personally experiencing the thrill of flying at high altitudes!
The silver humanoid armor, boosted by the energy backpack, once broke the sound barrier!
Boom!
A deafening sonic boom ripped through the high altitude, creating a circular sonic boom cloud!
He flew into the clouds, soaring towards the moon that seemed within reach, his face filled with uncontrollable ecstasy.
Under the stimulation of alcohol, a continuous surge of pleasure almost engulfed Tony, making him let out an excited shriek: "Woohoo—! Did you see that, Emrys? I conquered the sky, I'm flying! This feeling is so fucking awesome!"
"Cough cough, excuse me, may I interrupt you for a moment?"
At this moment, Emrys' voice came through the faceplate: "I see your altitude is continuously climbing vertically. Just a quick question. Have you prepared for high-altitude freezing?"
Tony, who had just been excitedly yelling, suddenly fell silent.
"Jarvis?"
"Apologies, Mr., in your preset plan, there is no added method for dealing with high-altitude freezing."
Within two and a half seconds of that statement, Tony glanced at the vertical altitude displayed on the left side of his faceplate.
It had already exceeded the Blackbird reconnaissance plane's highest record, reaching an astonishing 86,000 feet, but at this moment, it brought him not joy, but sheer terror!
"Mr., the engine nozzles are icing up!"
As Jarvis finished speaking, the armor immediately lost power, and the system temporarily shut down.
Well, he really did fall!
Seeing Tony's disconnected call, Emrys was a bit speechless. He swore he had warned him very quickly, but who knew Tony's ascent speed was so fast?
"Ah ah ah—!"
What does it feel like to experience freefall from an altitude of 86,000 feet?
Tony's answer was that it was incredibly thrilling, his heart almost stopped beating!
"Jarvis, open the flaps!"
But unfortunately, due to high-altitude icing, the armor's system had already shut down.
"Oh, sh*t!" During the rapid descent, the airflow made it impossible for Tony to maintain a proper posture. He spun like a top, slicing through the night sky at super high speed.
Good news, he managed to manually open the flaps at the last moment.
The ice layer on the armor's surface shattered, and the system restarted, finally restoring some power.
But the bad news was… Tony glanced at the ground; the conditions for taking off again were completely unmet, so he could only try his best to slow down the speed of his fall.
Then, he chose a relatively comfortable posture and plunged headfirst, plowing into the ground.
Boom!!!
Fortunately, there was no one nearby; it seemed to be a deserted factory area.
Thanks to the excellent shock absorption system of the armor itself and the hardness of the alloy material, Tony crashed through the factory fence and plowed for dozens of meters before stopping.
"How was your 86,000-foot bungee jumping experience?"
Emrys' teasing laughter came through the faceplate.
"It was so, so exciting, I'd do it again next time!"
Although Tony was so scared his heart almost stopped, he still retorted stubbornly: "Hey, I just broke the human record for highest flight, give me some applause!"
"Uh, excuse me, am I interrupting you two?"
Tony limped, leaning against the wall, but as soon as he stood up, he saw two people standing nearby.
One was wearing a red and blue tight suit with an inverted spider pattern on his chest, like a heroic 'Zorro,' though his taste was admittedly a bit poor.
As for the other, Tony was silent for half a second, his face showing a complex and shocked expression: "Jarvis, am I too drunk? Why do I see a… Lizard?"
"Mr., according to environmental data detection, you are not hallucinating."
Jarvis, using the armor mode, directly scanned the Lizard and truthfully said: "The target is suspected to be a mutated product with Lizard genes, and judging from the residual combat traces nearby, he. is most likely an opponent."
"Hey, Spider-Kid, is this guy your enemy?" Tony turned to look at the seemingly 'righteous' person.
"Wait a minute, can you explain why you fell from the sky?!"
Spider-Man's eyes widened, his face full of disbelief, and he exclaimed, clutching his head: "Oh my god, I'm really curious, why didn't you turn into a puddle of flesh after falling from tens of thousands of feet?"
He was, after all, a top student from a prestigious university, and applied physics was his strong suit.
For this Ironman man in front of him, falling from tens of thousands of feet, even if he slowed down several times along the way, he shouldn't be completely unharmed, right?
What kind of shock-absorbing material could be so amazing?
"Perhaps, the shock absorption system I designed is quite impressive."
Tony made no secret of his self-praise, smugly saying: "Fortunately, I anticipated the possibility of an impact beforehand, so I specifically designed a shock absorption system!"
"Uh, sorry to interrupt you two, but the Lizard mutant product over there is gone."
Jarvis' voice, directly through the armor, reached both of their ears.
"Where is he?!"
Spider-Man suddenly turned his head, his body stiff.
The Lizard Man he had been chasing so hard for so long had actually escaped without a trace!
"Looks like he escaped through the sewer pipes." Tony glanced at the open manhole cover, shrugged, and said somewhat guiltily, "You can't blame me for this, you weren't paying attention."
Although he was wearing a mask, Tony could still clearly feel the intense resentment emanating from the other party's eyes.
"Cough, listen, Spider-Kid, this was an accident."
Tony coughed twice, feigning innocence: "If you don't mind, how about… I treat you to a shawarma?"
Unfortunately, Spider-Man ultimately decided not to go for a drink with him, only leaving a word of caution.
"Don't dress like you're going to a dinner party; you're not suited for this line of work."
"What do you mean?"
Tony was utterly confused, staring at the man in bewilderment.
"I've seen many people who, upon gaining a special ability, can't wait to show it off."
Spider-Man looked at him deeply, his tone inexplicably low, and said softly, "But a true hero isn't about powerful abilities, but an unwavering heart. With great power comes great responsibility. I hope you understand the importance of this responsibility, and not, like today, carelessly use this power to cause unnecessary damage."
"A hero? Me?"
Tony pointed to himself, feeling this joke was perhaps a bit too much: "Hey, Spider-Man kid, I don't need you to lecture me, and I've never thought about being some hero!"
He was just testing the armor's flight function; how did he suddenly get labeled a hero?
Seemingly realizing he had said too much, Spider-Man chuckled self-deprecatingly: "Sorry, then I was mistaken. I haven't been in a good mood these past few days. Goodbye, tin man."
With that, Spider-Man shot a web from his wrist, leaped high into the air, and after a few swings, disappeared from Tony's sight.
"Jarvis, if I'm not mistaken, did he just jump almost ten meters?" This time, it was Tony's turn to be shocked. He had witnessed Spider-Man jump directly onto the factory roof from a standstill. The vertical height of the factory was a full ten meters!
"Sir., to be precise, it was thirty feet," Jarvis said.
"Damn it, why have I never noticed before that there are so many people like this?"
Tony suddenly found it strange; he felt as if the entire world had undergone drastic changes ever since he was kidnapped and returned!
From Emrys' ability to control other objects at will, to the Lizard-like mutant he encountered tonight, and that person in a Spider suit who jumped ten meters high.
If he wasn't crazy, then this world was!
"Sir., perhaps what you are seeing now is the true appearance of the world?" Jarvis seemed to have insight into Tony's thoughts and spoke slowly.
Suddenly, piercing Police sirens blared outside the factory.
Clearly, such a large object falling from the sky was hard to miss, and Police cars were already heading this way.
"Let's go back for now."
Tony frowned deeply; the pleasant mood he had during the armor's flight test had largely dissipated, leaving only solemnity.
If the police discovered an Iron Man dressed like War Machine in the factory, he would most likely be in the newspapers by tomorrow morning.
He didn't want his hard-earned research results to be targeted by the damned parasites in the Department of Defense and the military, so he directly activated his energy backpack. Under the powerful thrust of flames, he ascended back into the night sky like a meteor trailing fire, disappearing from the Police's sight.
"Welcome back, genius kid."
Emrys sat in the living room, looking at the disheveled Tony who had returned, and couldn't help but mock, "You should really be thankful for your tough life. If you were half a second later, you'd be a pile of mush right now."
Although he knew the plot and that Tony wouldn't die so easily, accidents could happen!
If he really crashed and died, and the Traveler System then prompted him, 'Congratulations, you have eliminated the most important character in the Marvel universe, Source Power +99999,' would he cry or laugh?
"At least I found the flaw, didn't I?" Tony clearly didn't dwell on almost crashing to his death, saying nonchalantly, "Only by discovering flaws can they be corrected in time. From this perspective, I can only say you simply don't understand science!"
"Ah, yes, yes, science is like that; you only need to consider how to research it," Emrys retorted directly. "But we're different. I'm really afraid you'll kill yourself one day!"
It must be said, having a formula makes solving problems quick!
"Do you have some misunderstanding about science?"
Tony's face was red with anger; ever since he met Emrys, he had almost never won an argument.
"Don't get excited. Come, a toast to your coming home alive!" Emrys skillfully changed the subject, picking up a glass of wine and handing it over.
Tony, too lazy to argue with him, took the glass and took a sip. As if remembering something, he stared at Emrys and slowly said, "I just met two very special people."
"Who?"
Emrys asked casually.
"I... it's hard to describe in words." Tony downed the wine in his glass, his expression somewhat serious: "Jarvis, bring up the footage from earlier. You'll understand when you see it."
A faint blue projection began to play in the living room.
Emrys, who hadn't been paying much attention to the content, felt a bit unwell when he saw Spider-Man and the Lizard-like humanoid creature appear in the footage.
Wait, Spider-Man?!
Didn't the Spider-Man of the movie universe only gain superpowers and officially debut in the last Avengers movie?
The timeline should be 2008 right now, so why did a Spider-Man suddenly appear?
And even Dr. Lizard had appeared. What exactly was going on?
Is this the OG Toby Maguire?!
Noticing Emrys' expression seemed unusual, Tony's eyes lit up: "Do you know something, Emrys?"
Facing Tony's question, he cleared his throat twice to cover his shock: "No, no, no, I was just suddenly shocked to see a Lizard Man and someone in a spider suit. Besides, why would you think I know these things?"
"Uh, a genius' intuition."
Tony was a bit disheartened, sitting back on the sofa and rubbing his throbbing Sun temples: "Emrys, I always feel that ever since I was kidnapped and returned, this world seems to have undergone great changes. Things I've never seen before are appearing little by little."
"Don't think so much, Tony."
Emrys gently comforted him: "How can there be so many strange people in the world? Today was just a coincidence."
In fact, he knew very well that Tony's feeling was not wrong.
Or rather, from the moment Tony Stark created the Iron Men armor, the gears of the entire Marvel universe were slowly being pushed forward by some force.
"Is that so? Then what about you?"
Tony suddenly turned, staring at him intently, and said word for word, "I investigated your identity. You have no trace of existence. In this world, you're like someone who appeared out of thin air, and you possess so much unknown technology. Merlin Emrys, who exactly are you?"
"A wandering traveler, not a very shrewd merchant."
Emrys raised his wine glass, smiled, and toasted Tony, his eyes clear as he said, "And... Tony Stark's friend. It's that simple."
What kind of person is Tony Stark?
In Merlin' eyes, he is more like a lonely person.
Although, in the eyes of outsiders, Tony Stark is rebellious, selfish, and arrogant, just as his father evaluated him, putting his personal preferences above the collective interest.
Even S.H.I.E.L.D.'s comprehensive assessment of Tony's character, integrity, and ability concluded: there are extremely unstable factors.
It is precisely because of this that before he developed the Iron Man armor, S.H.I.E.L.D. never showed any signs of recruiting him.
But the one undeniable point is that Tony Stark has a warm heart!
"No matter who I am, I am your friend, aren't I?" Merlin' words struck Tony's heart like a hammer.
At this moment, the deep desire to escape loneliness that he had always suppressed within him, caused a crack to appear in his forcibly sealed heart.
Looking at Merlin' sincere, pure eyes, completely untainted, Tony's lips twitched slightly, as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, he turned his head away and muttered in a feigned tough tone, "Disgusting. The way you just looked at me, it was like you were confessing to me!"
After saying that, he got up directly from the sofa and left, but no matter how one looked at his retreating figure, it seemed somewhat 'flustered'.
"Hey, Tony, I started a company. Want to join?"
Merlin shouted, stopping Tony, and grinned, "Vought Biopharmaceutical Company, I guarantee it will give you a big surprise."
"Is that all?" Tony scoffed, curling his lips, "I knew about it a long time ago. You actually went behind my back to find Osborn. Do you think I can't afford to invest?"
Damn. How did I hear a hint of sourness in his tone?
Merlin scratched his head and said truthfully, "I just thought you were into the weapons industry and energy, not good at biopharmaceuticals, so I looked for Osborn."
"Not good at it?" Tony suddenly turned his head, pointing at his nose, as if he had exploded, "I, Tony Stark, am not bad at anything, understand?!"
Merlin could clearly see that this guy was simply jealous, so he comforted him, "Don't worry, I'm just playing around with him, but with you, it's serious."
"That's more like it."
After confirming his importance in Merlin' heart, Tony was finally satisfied.
But when he returned to his room and carefully replayed that sentence, he suddenly felt something was off.
"Damn it, isn't that what I usually say to women when I'm trying to pick them up?" Tony's forehead veins throbbed, feeling like he had been tricked, "Jarvis, cut off his black card! Now, immediately, right away!"
"Sir., may I remind you, Mr. Merlin is not short of money at the moment. Doing so would be meaningless," Jarvis gently reminded him.
Tony was silent for two seconds, then asked, "How much did Osborn invest in that Vought Company?"
"According to the results found, it was two billion U.S. dollars."
This information was extremely simple for Jarvis.
"Invest five billion for me!"
Tony directly demonstrated a display of lavish spending: "What kind of Osborn is that? Two billion is too little to show off. Does he even deserve to compare himself to me, Tony Stark? Old man should stay in his lane."
"Sir, pharmaceutics is Osborns 'lane'. Jarvi drily reminded.
As it neared midnight, Merlin was about to fall asleep when he received a private call from Norman.
"Strange, it's this late, what does Norman want to call me for?" He was a bit confused, looking at the time, it was almost three in the morning. Is this old man not sleeping in the middle of the night?
But out of politeness, Merlin still answered the phone: "Mr. Osborn, it's so late, do you have something you need?"
"I'm sorry!"
Suddenly, Norman's sincere and heartfelt apology came from the phone.
"???"
Merlin was full of questions.
No, you call me in the middle of the night and start by saying you're sorry. That really makes people misunderstand!
But on second thought, Norman shouldn't be an unreliable person. Something must have happened, so he asked, "Mr. Osborn, please calm down first. What exactly happened? Was 'Compound V' stolen?"
"No, no, no, Compound V is still here, it wasn't stolen."
Norman quickly explained, but Merlin was even more confused. If Compound V wasn't stolen, then what else could it be?
"Cough, cough, actually, this matter needs to be told from the beginning."
Norman seemed a little guilty, coughed twice, and was about to elaborate, but Merlin interrupted him directly.
"Mr. Osborn, it's three in the morning right now. If possible, I hope you can try to describe the whole thing briefly, okay?" Merlin, whose sleep was disturbed, saw that he was still beating around the bush, and his tone immediately became a little impatient.
"In the Osborn Pharmaceutical Laboratory, there was a researcher who, because the laboratory was about to be disbanded, decided to seek revenge."
Norman no longer beat around the bush and revealed the whole process: "Just now, he broke into my room and almost killed me. Oh my God, that guy has completely turned into a monster. I didn't expect that experiment to be so dangerous. I already regret it now, why did I invest in him!"
"...Damn!"
Listening to Norman's description, a sense of familiarity naturally arose.
Then, Merlin, somewhat uncertain, tentatively asked, "The experiment you're talking about, it wouldn't be the project combining human genes with biology to achieve human regeneration, would it?"
"How did you know?"
Norman on the other end of the phone was truly shocked.
Although the confidentiality of this experiment was not high, Merlin seemed very familiar with it, which was a bit unsettling!
"...So, the person who attacked you was Dr. Curtis Curt Connors?"
Merlin rubbed his forehead. No wonder he ran into the Lizard Man tonight. So the source was with Norman!
"It seems you really understand. Even I'm a little scared."
Norman was silent for a few seconds, his tone unconsciously tinged with a hint of awe: "Since you know Connors, I'll be direct. That guy turned into a disgusting lizardman, broke into my room, questioned why I stopped the funding, and said he would soon be able to develop a real regenerative agent."
"And then?"
Merlin had probably already guessed what this shameless old man had said.
"Uh... you know, I'm just an ordinary person, so I..." Norman said awkwardly, "I told Connors that it was because of your Vought that I decided to withdraw my investment, but I can swear to you, I really didn't do it on purpose, Merlin!"
Alright, alright, you've really mastered the art of shifting blame!
Merlin was almost amused by Norman. No wonder the Lizard Man didn't strangle him to death. So he threw the blame on him, right?
"Merlin, I know very well that you will be very angry with what I did."
At this moment, Norman suddenly said, "But I had no choice. I must to live to continue researching Compound V, so as compensation, I am willing to offer 5% of the Osborn Group's shares, and reduce my equity stake in the Vought. If you still think it's not enough, I can..."
He paused for a long time, as if undergoing an intense internal struggle, and finally said, "I can share with you a partial research data on the Super Soldier Serum!"
Norman's actions, to a certain extent, mitigated Merlin' anger.
As expected of an old man who had been in the business world for decades, he knew very well that this move would definitely displease Merlin, so he directly cut his losses and compensated!
"Merlin, I presume you are satisfied with my compensation, aren't you?"
Norman's low voice came from the phone: "We are partners, and I don't want this matter to create a blemish between us. This is the maximum compensation I can offer. I humbly ask for your forgiveness in the name of the Norman Osborn family."
He offered compensation and adopted a humble stance. What more could Merlin say when the other party had done so much?
"Okay, I forgive you."
Merlin' eyelids drooped, a faint cold glint seeming to flash: "But I hope this is the first, and also the last time, understand, Norman."
"Yes, I swear on the Osborn name, this will be the last time."
Norman's heart, which had been hanging, finally settled.