Chapter 56: Can Good Luck Save the Country?

General Chris shot a cold glance at Colonel Rhodes, who stood next to Chief Matthew Ellis. His expression was stern, bordering on disdain. Over the years, Colonel Rhodes had shown a frustrating tendency to both praise and criticize superheroes in various military meetings, leaving Chris with a deep-seated irritation toward him.

"The fact remains, the last time aliens attacked, it was the superheroes who saved us all," Rhodes began calmly, stepping forward with a slight smirk. "That battle proved humanity's current technological capabilities aren't enough to handle extraterrestrial threats. Like it or not, the world needs superheroes."

Chris grimaced as Rhodes continued, his voice unshaken by the tension in the room. "I'm not disputing that," Rhodes went on. "But let's not forget, the Iron Patriot—a product of Tony Stark—was instrumental in that victory. And as far as I'm aware, General, you've been working on your own little iron suit project." He paused, looking at Chris with faux sympathy. "It's a shame it didn't work out."

Chris's face darkened, his jaw tightening as he struggled to maintain composure. He shifted in his seat, glaring at Rhodes before snapping, "Colonel, I hope you grasp the severity of our current situation! We're discussing the Mandarin, not alien invasions!" His voice was laced with frustration. "That incident is in the past, and the aliens aren't coming back!"

Rhodes simply nodded, his demeanor cool. "Alright, let's talk about the Mandarin, then," he said. "We know that Pyro Man—Jiang Chen—fought Killian and saved Chief Ellis. Whatever methods he used, the fact remains: he did it. No one else." Rhodes scanned the room, making sure everyone understood his point.

"And here's the thing," he continued, his voice lowering slightly. "Pyro Man has something else on his side, something we can't ignore: luck."

The room was dead silent. Rhodes gestured to the screen displaying footage from Jiang Chen's battle. "Think about it. If Killian exploded due to Extremis, why didn't that happen when he fought Iron Man earlier? And during that fight, Iron Man fired three energy blasts at Jiang Chen—three—and missed every single time."

Rhodes paused, his gaze sharp as he addressed the assembly. "Now, I'd like to ask: who here could dodge Iron Man's energy cannons three times in a row?"

The silence deepened. No one dared raise their hand.

"Exactly," Rhodes continued. "Luck is a form of strength, and we need to acknowledge that Pyro Man has it. If luck is part of his superpower, that could explain why he's kept himself alive and avoided the traps set for him. So maybe his decision to stay away from the Broadcasting Building wasn't carelessness—it was instinct."

General Chris snorted, clearly unimpressed. "Did you hear that, Chief Ellis?" he sneered. "Apparently, you were saved by sheer luck. Are you really willing to entrust the safety of our citizens to someone whose greatest asset is luck?"

The room erupted in scattered laughter. Chris's mockery had hit its mark. Rhodes's expression hardened, but he held his ground.

"Luck is hardly a strategy, Colonel," Chris continued, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "By your logic, we might as well leave everything to chance and hope for divine intervention."

The laughter grew, but Rhodes wasn't done yet. He turned to Chief Ellis, his tone measured but urgent. "Sir, we need to seriously consider what Pyro Man has pointed out. Mandarin falling into our trap this easily—it doesn't make sense. It's too neat, too perfect."

Chief Ellis's face showed signs of doubt. General Chris, sensing his hesitation, leaned in. "Sir, you've seen this plan come together. You know how airtight it is. We've got Mandarin cornered."

Rhodes interrupted, his voice rising slightly. "And if it fails? What happens when Mandarin realizes we've walked right into his trap? If this operation goes south, we're not just risking the lives of everyone involved—we're provoking Mandarin into a full-scale retaliation."

Chief Ellis exhaled slowly, weighing his options as the room watched him in silence.

Finally, Ellis spoke. "We will now open the floor for a vote on whether the 'Secret Operation to Arrest the Mandarin' should proceed."

Rhodes took a deep breath, his voice steady but firm as he addressed the room. "Members of Congress, I urge you to consider this carefully. If this plan fails, we're looking at a massacre, and a Mandarin more dangerous than ever."

General Chris smirked but said nothing, confident in his position. The decision was now in the hands of the council.