Chapter 72

"Then do as you wish, but my advice is to seek help from S.H.I.E.L.D. instead of the police. Ordinary police are powerless against situations clearly beyond normal capabilities. Besides, if they don't believe you, it could create a lot of unnecessary trouble."

Although Abel personally had reservations about S.H.I.E.L.D., he recognized that their involvement was crucial for civilian evacuation and protection in situations like this. Furthermore, many subsequent issues would require S.H.I.E.L.D.'s attention. Otherwise, knowing the nature of the U.S. government, there would likely be significant complications for Tony.

So instead of opposing Pepper's call for help from S.H.I.E.L.D., Abel supported her decision. He knew that S.H.I.E.L.D. was likely already aware of his identity, so revealing his strength in front of them wouldn't matter.

Pepper's call connected to Coleson, and Abel overheard their conversation. Coleson was dealing with an issue in New Mexico and couldn't assist them, so he hung up. Not long after, Natasha Romanoff called in.

Given her past interactions with Pepper and her association with Tony, Nick Fury had prioritized sending Natasha to help. If the situation proved genuine, S.H.I.E.L.D. could mobilize quickly.

When Happy drove the car to the Expo's main stage gate, Natasha was already leaning against a vehicle, waiting for them.

With her identity known, Natasha no longer concealed herself. She stepped forward, first embracing Pepper before shaking hands with a somewhat disappointed Happy. Then she turned to Abel.

"Mr. Xiao, it's a pleasure to finally meet you."

As Abel shook her hand, he replied, "I thought you'd have known about me long ago."

Natasha smiled, unphased. "Knowing someone through information and photos isn't the same as meeting them in person."

Abel didn't press further; their mutual understanding was clear. They both harbored a measure of caution in their hearts.

The group made their way into the venue, where many celebrities and government and military representatives were already seated in their designated spots.

As the event organizer, Abel took a seat in the middle of the third row next to Pepper. The first two rows were reserved for government officials, military personnel, and international buyers, making their seats the prime spots.

As the event began, Abel found himself listening to Justin Hammer's embarrassing imitation of Tony, reminiscent of a toddler trying to mimic an adult.

After more than half an hour of Hammer's nonsensical antics, he finally transitioned to the main topic.

The stage opened to reveal groups of armored soldiers—land, sea, and air units—rising from beneath. They saluted as if they were real soldiers, prompting enthusiastic applause from the majority of the audience, who envisioned a team of Iron Men poised to change the world.

However, only a handful of people present knew these soldiers were vastly inferior to Tony's armor. Even Obadiah, with his advanced technology and understanding of the first-generation arc reactor, couldn't compare to Tony's capabilities. The two of them might be relatively close in tech knowledge, but they were still far from Tony's level.

These soldiers were merely a façade that Obadiah and Vanko had used to deceive Justin Hammer. They looked impressive, but their combat capabilities were lacking.

While Justin Hammer continued his exaggerated presentation, suddenly a loud whoosh echoed through the venue. A golden-red figure streaked in from outside, trailing an orange-red flame. With a graceful tumble, it landed squarely in the center of the stage, capturing the audience's attention and overshadowing Hammer's performance.

Tony, now clad in the new Mark VI armor, strode forward. The triangular energy source in his chest emitted a soft blue and white light, illuminating Justin Hammer's face.

"Hammer, tell me where Obadiah is," Tony demanded, his voice firm.

Justin Hammer instinctively stepped back, forcing a smile. "Sorry, man, I'm not sure what you're talking about. Welcome to my product introduction conference. Can we hold questions until later?"

"Hammer, you're playing with fire. Do you really think Obadiah works for you? How do you think I found out about his connection to you? Do I need to send you my call recording with Obadiah?"

Tony's three pointed questions shattered the facade Justin had built up. But despite the crack in his confidence, Justin gritted his teeth, denying Tony's accusations.

Just as Tony was about to press for more answers, a commotion erupted from outside the venue. Suddenly, a car burst through the entrance, shattering the glass door and careening toward the stage!

Seeing the approaching vehicle, Tony instinctively took flight, evading the oncoming threat. Meanwhile, Justin Hammer dove off the stage like a startled rabbit.

Boom!

The car crashed onto the stage, and Tony turned to see a figure clad in armor slowly floating in. Arc energy flickered around him, and five drones orbited him like satellites, providing an ominous guard.

"Strong electromagnetic with high energy conversion... You're not Obadiah. Who are you?" Tony inquired, eyeing the armored figure warily.