Chapter 43

Tony Stark returned home, his arm adorned with the newly repainted Iron Man gauntlet, as the television broadcast scenes from the area surrounding the town of Gulmira. The news anchor described the 15-kilometer stretch leading to Gulmira as a hellish wasteland. It was the scene of a new, bloody colonization—a warlord backed by a new power had driven the people from their homes, leaving them displaced and destitute.

Seeing the warlord's forces and, most of all, the face of someone he would never forget, Tony stood abruptly. He tossed the screwdriver he had been using to calibrate the gauntlet aside, his gaze filled with rage. Raising his mechanized hand, he unleashed a laser blast from the palm, destroying a nearby light. He turned to face his reflection in the glass window, his anger unyielding. Without hesitation, he fired three more blasts, shattering the glass. Feeling a momentary sense of relief, he walked back to the couch, sat down, and picked up his phone to call Qin Li.

"If this is a late-night call to brag about your armor, I swear I'll dismantle it tomorrow," Qin Li grumbled, lying in bed with a dark expression, staring blankly at the ceiling.

Tony's voice came through the line, tired and heavy. "Tomorrow, I'm going to Gulmira. I promised Yinsen I'd make things right, but I failed. Now his hometown is suffering even worse."

Recognizing the weariness in Tony's tone, Qin Li's demeanor turned serious. "What do you need me to do?"

"Can you still use that ability you demonstrated—the one where you appeared next to me instantly?" Tony asked.

"Whenever you need it, I'll be there," Qin Li replied firmly.

"Good. J.A.R.V.I.S. will contact you tomorrow. Be ready," Tony said.

"Understood. I'll wait for your call," Qin Li replied, hanging up. Though he set down his phone, sleep eluded him as his mind began strategizing for the next day.

Meanwhile, Tony, after finishing the call, meticulously inspected his armor one last time before showering and heading to bed. Tomorrow promised to be no ordinary day.

At sunrise, Tony Stark donned a custom-fitted compression suit and headed to his workshop. Stepping onto a platform marked with grid lines, the floor beneath him shifted. From below, a pair of red metallic boots emerged. As Tony stepped into them, mechanical arms on all sides began assembling the rest of the suit. Starting from the waist, the armor pieces clicked into place.

Additional arms descended from the ceiling, presenting the gauntlets, which Tony slid his hands into. The chest piece followed, locking seamlessly into place. Finally, the helmet was lowered and snapped shut. Blue light radiated from the eyes and the arc reactor at his chest.

Tony's voice, now filtered through the suit, echoed confidently. "Let's get started." With that, the suit's thrusters ignited, propelling him out of the workshop and into the sky, racing toward Gulmira.

Chaos gripped Gulmira. Residents screamed in terror, their cries for help drowned out by the cacophony of gunfire, explosions, and the maniacal laughter of warlord soldiers.

One family attempted to sneak out of their home, but an AK-wielding soldier spotted them. His bloodshot eyes lit up with sadistic glee as he charged toward them like a predator. The man of the house, terrified, ushered his wife and child back inside. He knelt in desperation, hoping to plead for their lives, but before he could utter a word, a barrage of bullets raced toward him.

Instead of the searing pain of death, he heard a sharp clanging. Opening his eyes, he saw a sleek, red-and-gold armored figure crouched before him, shielding him from the bullets. The man, overwhelmed with gratitude, fell to the ground, bowing and repeatedly thanking his savior.

Tony Stark had arrived. Recognizing the gravity of the situation, he realized he couldn't handle it alone. A quick repulsor blast dispatched the charging soldier, and Tony instructed J.A.R.V.I.S. to contact Qin Li.

Qin Li and Frank Castle were enjoying Jessica's breakfast when Tony's call came through. Without hesitation, Qin answered on speaker.

"The mission's begun. I'm here, but the number of civilians makes it impossible for me to handle alone. Get here now," Tony's voice demanded over the sounds of explosions and gunfire.

"I'm on my way. Hold on," Qin Li assured him. He stood immediately, ready to use the teleportation serum, but Frank grabbed his arm.

"What are you doing?" Qin Li asked, puzzled.

"I heard the gunfire and explosions. You're rescuing people in Gulmira, right? I'm coming with you," Frank said, his deep voice steady.

Qin raised an eyebrow. "How did you know?"

Frank smirked. "Next time, don't take calls on speaker. Our soundproofing isn't that great."

Realizing his mistake, Qin chuckled nervously. "Fine. How long will you need?"

Frank disappeared upstairs and, as promised, returned within a minute, fully armed. Qin handed him a teleportation serum, trusting him completely. After a brief explanation, the two vanished, reappearing beside Tony Stark.

Tony visibly relaxed upon seeing Qin, but his expression turned to one of bewilderment when he noticed the heavily armed Frank. "Uh, Li, who's the medieval knight-meets-modern-weapons guy?" Tony quipped, immediately regretting it when he felt Frank's murderous aura.

Frank's glare was so intense that Tony shuddered, even within the armor. He whispered nervously to Qin, "Li, who is this Friday-the-13th Jason you've brought along? He's looking at me like I'm lunch."

Qin burst out laughing and pointed to Frank. "This is Frank Castle, that boy's father." He then gestured to Tony. "And this is the famous Tony Stark, the guy who custom-made your son's prosthetic legs."

The introductions eased the tension, and Tony quickly scanned the area. "All right, gentlemen. Let's get to work!"