Chapter 137: Iron Man's Fear

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"It doesn't seem right. That's not how Tony would handle it," James Rhodes shook his head. "From what I know of Tony, if Mandarin really announced in the newspaper that he wanted to kill him, Tony would have gone to confront him first instead of waiting at home."

"Are you suggesting..." Sam Wilson began.

"Instead of Mandarin making the announcement, I think it makes more sense if the situation were reversed," James Rhodes said. "It's not Mandarin announcing his intent to kill Tony, but Tony publicly provoking Mandarin, and the media picked it up."

"Publicly provoking a terrorist organization, that sounds exactly like Stark's style," Sam Wilson remarked.

"Tony, this is a lesson," James Rhodes said. "Don't be so arrogant in the future; there are still people who can take you down."

"But definitely not this Mandarin," Tony Stark said directly. "I choose B, he didn't die!"

[Correct answer, rewarded with five years of lifespan.]

The paused video resumed, showing Tony Stark and a large amount of debris sinking underwater, with a tube wrapping around Tony Stark's neck, dragging him further down.

At the bottom of the sea, Tony Stark struggled to remove the tube from his neck. Suddenly, a large piece of debris fell on him, pinning him down.

On the surface, Pepper Potts rushed forward, only to see that there was nothing left of Tony Stark's former mansion, just the vast ocean.

"Tony!!!" Pepper Potts screamed in anguish.

In the sky, the guy chewing gum hovered above the sea. Looking down at the ocean, he saw the mansion had been completely obliterated and flew away in the helicopter.

Underwater, one of the arms of Tony Stark's armor detached and grabbed his hand, pulling him out from under the debris. Then, the detached arm returned to the armor, and both hands fired repulsors, propelling Tony Stark upward.

"Flight power restored," J.A.R.V.I.S.'s voice sounded at the right moment, and Tony Stark piloted the armor upwards, soaring into the clouds.

During the struggle, Tony Stark had fallen asleep or passed out while flying in the armor.

"Ah!" A long scream cut through the night sky as Tony Stark crashed onto the ground, narrowly missing hitting a small car.

The armor continued rolling across the ground, knocking down several trees before coming to a stop in a snowy area.

Snowflakes drifted gently from the sky above.

"This was the season when I was still wearing a shirt. How did we end up in a place where it's snowing?" James Rhodes said. "Tony, it seems you flew quite far while you were asleep."

"Maybe I flew into a wardrobe!" Tony Stark shrugged. "Honestly, I've always longed for the world of Narnia."

"Give up the fantasies, Tony. Fairytales are meant for innocent children," James Rhodes said. "And you are neither innocent nor a child. There's a world of difference between you and fairytales."

In the video, Tony Stark flipped his body, lying on the ground, and removed his faceplate. The icy snowflakes fell on his face.

"It's snowing. Are we in the north?" Tony Stark looked up at the night sky.

"We are 5 kilometers outside of Rose Hill, Tennessee," J.A.R.V.I.S. answered.

"Why are we here?" Tony Stark was surprised by the location. "J.A.R.V.I.S., this wasn't my idea. What are we doing here? It's miles away from where I want to be. I need to save Pepper, I need—"

"You requested the flight plan, and this is the destination," J.A.R.V.I.S. replied.

"Who authorized this?" Tony Stark said, "Open the armor."

"I think I might be malfunctioning, sir."

"Open it."

The next moment, the armor split open, and Tony Stark emerged from it. He was still wearing thin clothing, shivering in the freezing environment.

"This is quite exhilarating," Tony Stark chuckled. "Maybe it's better to stay inside."

"I feel like I'm going to sleep now, sir..." J.A.R.V.I.S.'s voice became softer and softer.

"J.A.R.V.I.S.!" Tony Stark called out, but there was no response.

"J.A.R.V.I.S.?" Tony Stark called again, but it remained silent.

The scene shifted, showing Tony Stark struggling in the snow, pulling the armor with a rope. Snowflakes danced in the air, adding a touch of sorrow to his figure.

The video paused again, and text appeared once more.

[Who helped Tony Stark when he was at his wit's end?]

[A little boy]

[B a bar owner]

[Answer this question correctly, rewarded with five years of lifespan. Answer incorrectly, lifespan deduction of one year.]

"It seems there's not much room for reasoning in this question; I can only guess," Tony Stark said. "What can a little kid do to help me? I choose B, the bar owner!"

[Answer incorrectly, lifespan deduction of one year!]

"Was it really a little boy who helped me?" Tony Stark was slightly surprised.

The paused scene continued, showing Tony Stark dragging the armor to a convenience store. He noticed a shawl on an Indian statue outside the store and took it without hesitation, draping it over himself.

He then made a call to Pepper Potts from a payphone, ensuring her of his safety and apologizing. Afterward, he forced open a garage door and dragged the armor inside.

"Don't move!" Just as Tony Stark was sitting there, trying to inject a sensor into his arm, a little boy walked up to him, holding a potato gun.

"I surrender." Tony Stark put down the pliers and raised his hands. "Nice potato gun, but the barrel is a bit too long. This design reduces your shooting power by half."

The little boy didn't say anything and fired a shot at a glass cup. The glass shattered instantly.

"Now you're out of bullets, right?" Tony Stark lowered his hands.

"What's that thing on your chest?" The little boy still had the potato gun pointed at Tony Stark.

"It's an electromagnet." Tony Stark said, "You know, you have one in that box over there."

"What's it for?" The little boy asked.

Tony Stark stood up and adjusted a desk lamp, shining its light on the nearby armor.

"Oh, my goodness!" The little boy's eyes lit up when he saw the armor, and he excitedly dropped the potato gun to the ground.

"Is that..." The little boy approached step by step, curiosity filling his big eyes. "Is that Iron Man?"

"In theory, it's me." Tony Stark said.

"In theory, you're dead." The little boy slapped a newspaper in Tony Stark's hand.

Tony Stark opened the newspaper, and the first thing he saw was his portrait, followed by the headline "Mandarin's Attack, Stark Dead."

"It makes some sense." Tony Stark remarked.

The little boy was very curious about the armor, and he quickly sat beside it, bombarding Tony Stark with questions.

"I need a few things." After chatting with the little boy for a while, Tony Stark said, "A notebook, a digital watch, a cellphone, the gas compression device on your potato gun, a map, a roll of wire, and a tuna sandwich."

"What do I get in return?" The innocent little boy asked.

"Salvation." Tony Stark thought for a moment and said a word. "What's his name?"

"Who?" The little boy didn't understand Tony Stark's meaning.

"The classmate who often bullies you, what's his name?" Tony Stark asked.

"How do you know?" The little boy asked.

"I'll give you a treasure." Tony Stark pulled out a metal cylinder from the armor. "This is a high-tech cricket jar... just kidding; it's a powerful weapon." He gestured with his hand on the cylinder. "Keep it away from your face and press this button; it'll protect you from bullies. It won't kill anyone, just a self-defense device. Deal?"

"Deal." The little boy accepted the cylinder.

The scene shifted again, showing Tony Stark and the little boy walking together on the street.

"The sandwich is good, the wire is a bit rusty, and the rest is acceptable," Tony Stark said, extending his wrist. "By the way, you said this was your sister's watch?"

"Yes," the little boy said.

"I thought she'd be more mature than this." Tony Stark rolled up his sleeve, revealing a very cartoonish pink watch with a cartoon girl on it.

A big, bearded man wearing a pink cartoon watch is as comical as it gets," Thor burst into laughter, doubling over. "Stark, you actually wear such a watch? It's hilarious! Do you think you're five years old?"

"Yeah, I am five, about to enter Narnia," Tony Stark retorted. "Is there a rule that says five-year-olds can't have beards? Is it Asgard?"

"To be honest, Tony, that watch suits you well; it looks much better than your million-dollar ones," James Rhodes laughed uncontrollably. "Tony, when we get back, you should buy one of those for yourself."

"Just buying one won't do," Tony Stark said. "Everyone here, I'll treat you all; one for each."

"Hahaha!" The little boy in the video also laughed, "My sister is only six, and this is a limited edition. Can you tell us about what happened in New York?"

"Not now, let's change the subject," Tony Stark said.

"How about the Avengers? Can you talk about them?" the little boy asked again.

"I don't know, maybe later," Tony Stark avoided the topic. "Hey, kid, can you be quiet for a bit?"

As they continued, Tony Stark stopped in front of a building with only a few walls remaining. There were many flower baskets, candles, and other items.

"What happened here?" Tony Stark asked. "What's going on?"

"That guy named Chad Davis used to live nearby; he had won many medals in the military," the little boy crouched and explained, "One day, people said he went crazy and made a bomb, blew himself up right here."

Tony Stark listened while examining the place; something clearly had happened here, as there were several black shapes on the walls—shadows left behind by flames or dense smoke—and eerily, all these shadows resembled human figures.

"Six people died, right?" Tony Stark asked.

"Right," the little boy replied.

"Including Chad Davis?" Tony Stark asked.

"Yes," the little boy said.

"But this doesn't make sense," Tony Stark looked at the shadows on the wall and then sat next to the little boy, "Think about it, six people died, but there are only five shadows."

"Right," the little boy said softly, "they say these shadows are left by people going to heaven, and that guy who made the bomb, they say he did bad things and went to hell, so he has no shadow."

"Do you believe that?" Tony Stark asked.

"Everyone says so," the little boy answered. Then he asked, "Do you know what this pit reminds me of?"

"I don't know, and I don't want to know," Tony Stark showed no sympathy for the kid.

"That huge wormhole in New York," the little boy danced around excitedly, "Do you remember now?"

"Don't push it; I don't want to talk about that," Tony Stark said.

"Will they come back?" The little boy was evidently very interested and continued to inquire, "Those aliens?"

"Maybe, can you please shut up!" Tony Stark's tone became a bit aggressive. "I've told you, I have anxiety."

"Is it because of the aliens?" the little boy asked.

"Yes, somewhat," Tony Stark's expression began to change, "Can you let me catch my breath before talking again?"

Everyone in the quiz space understood Tony Stark's behavior at this moment; he had developed psychological trauma after the Battle of New York. This had been shown in previous videos, but now it was more explicit, almost as if Tony Stark was admitting it himself.

"What does this pit remind you of?" the little boy asked again, chasing after Tony Stark.

Tony Stark ran to a corner and sat down on the ground, grabbing a handful of snow and rubbing it on his face to cool down and regain composure.

"What's wrong with you?" the little boy caught up and asked.

"Everything is your fault," Tony Stark threw the snowball at the little boy, "You scared me."

The little boy smiled but didn't say anything.

"Back to the previous topic, who sent the flowers?" Tony Stark asked, "A relative? Your mom? Mrs. Davis? Where is she?"

"She's always there," the little boy said.

"At least you said something useful," Tony Stark remarked.

The scene shifted to the exterior of a bar called "The Wanderer." Tony Stark, wearing a cap, was walking when he accidentally bumped into a scar-faced woman coming from the opposite direction.

"Sorry," Tony Stark immediately apologized, but the scar-faced woman seemed not to hear and continued walking, not noticing that her identification card had fallen to the ground.

"Ma'am?" Tony Stark bent down to pick up the ID. "This is..."

The scar-faced woman turned back, took the ID from Tony Stark's hand, and said, "Thank you."

"Nice hairstyle, suits you well," Tony Stark complimented.

"Your watch is nice too," the scar-faced woman said.

"Yes, a limited edition," Tony Stark replied.

"Oh, I can tell," the scar-faced woman smiled. "Have fun."

The video paused, and text appeared:

[Is this curvaceous woman Tony Stark encountered an enemy?]

[A Yes]

[B No]

[Answer correctly, receive a five-year life extension. Answer incorrectly, lose one year of life.]

"Although the cause and effect of this plot are not very clear yet, one thing is certain: after Mandarin's attack, the outside world believed Tony Stark was dead. However, Tony Stark ended up here purely by chance, and he didn't even know it himself," surprisingly, Thor, who wasn't good at analysis, spoke up first. "So the possibility of enemies coming here to kill Tony Stark isn't very high."

"Moreover, that woman doesn't seem to know Tony Stark," T'Challa said, "She's definitely not here for him."

"This mentions someone named Chad Davis, who made a bomb," Bruce Banner spoke up, "Although we don't know the connection between this person and the attack on Stark, there must be a connection, right? Otherwise, why would Stark come here to investigate?"

"If Chad Davis' bombing is related to the attack on Stark, then we have to assume that he's also connected to Mandarin," Steve Rogers said in a deep voice, "Mandarin attacked Stark, and the logical thing for Stark to do was to deal with Mandarin. But he decided to investigate Chad Davis; that says a lot."

"The Ten Rings is, in itself, a terrorist organization, and making bombs is their expertise," Tony Stark said, "So if the bombing incident involving Chad Davis is linked to Mandarin, I wouldn't be surprised."

"So, overall, we can roughly piece together the cause and effect of this attack," Sam Wilson said, "The Ten Rings created the explosion, and for some reason, Stark decided to intervene in the explosion. He made public statements, and the media reported it. Mandarin saw that and sent people to attack Stark, destroying his home. Everyone believed Stark died in this attack, but he didn't; he's secretly investigating."

"And we can roughly figure out the timeline of this event," Thor added, "It happened after the Battle of New York."

"So, I have enough time to find these people," Tony Stark said.

"Tony, how much do you know about the Ten Rings' modus operandi?" James Rhodes suddenly asked.

"Do you have any findings?" Tony Stark inquired.

"From what I know about the Ten Rings, they won't let themselves be easily traced," James Rhodes said, "If this Chad Davis really becomes a clue that can be tracked, the Ten Rings will surely deal with him."

"So, you mean, I might have encountered someone from the Ten Rings at that bar?" Tony Stark said, "They didn't come for me but to eliminate evidence?"

"Exactly, that's what I mean," James Rhodes replied.

"In that case, the fiery lady with the scar..." Tony Stark thought for a moment and made his decision, "I choose A!"

[Correct answer, receive a five-year life extension.]

The paused video continued, and Tony Stark walked into The Wanderer bar, looking around before finally approaching a woman who seemed to be in her fifties, playing with a pendant.

"Mrs. Davis?" Tony Stark pulled out the chair opposite her, "Can I sit here?"

"No one's stopping you," Mrs. Davis said.

"Alright then," Tony Stark sat down.

"Enough," Mrs. Davis looked at Tony Stark and said, "Say what you want to say."

"I'm sorry about your son," Tony Stark said, "Tell me, what exactly happened?"

"Take a look," Mrs. Davis put a file on the table, "I brought you the file, take it."

Tony Stark glanced at it; the cover read "Chad Davis Case Investigation Report."

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[END OF CHAPTER]