"Finally, I have only one thing to say. Goodbye, Tony." These were Obadiah's last words to Tony. After saying them, he pulled out a syringe and injected something into Tony's body.
This was a deadly hallucinogen, containing some drug components but primarily a potent adrenaline stimulant. It would push a person's adrenaline levels beyond their threshold, causing blood flow and heart rate to accelerate uncontrollably until death. Obadiah used this on Tony to create the illusion that Tony had died from a drug overdose.
Everyone knew Tony hadn't been doing well lately, so drug use was an understandable behavior. It wouldn't fool everyone, but it would be enough to deceive the media. And for Obadiah, that was all that mattered.
As the drug was injected, Tony's face flushed with a sickly crimson. Obadiah ignored him, stepping over his body and entering Tony's underground laboratory. Since Tony hadn't had time to update the security protocols, Jarvis couldn't stop him, allowing him to reach the center of the lab unimpeded.
There, Tony's Iron Man Armor stood silently on a display platform. The cold metal didn't capture Obadiah's attention; he had his own unique aesthetic. What truly drew his eye was the Miniature Arc Reactor at the armor's core.
The idea of shrinking the Arc Reactor had been proposed thirty years ago, but even now, the scientists under the Stark family hadn't achieved it. Yet Tony, a true genius, had accomplished it in a cave using scrap metal. This left Obadiah in awe. *God was never fair.*
Having removed the Miniature Arc Reactor from the center, Obadiah carefully admired it. He marveled once again at Tony's genius. This reactor was no longer the crude prototype he had built in the cave; it was a finished product, crafted by Tony using the finest resources available after his return. Its dazzling blue light was blindingly radiant, and holding it felt like grasping a shining star. Even Obadiah, a man of deep cunning, couldn't help but grin at the sight.
But he didn't linger in his admiration, knowing he had more pressing matters to attend to. During his dealings with the Ten Rings Gang, he had acquired Tony's Iron Man Armor technology. Over the past few days, with the help of Stark's internal researchers, he had completed another Iron Man Armor, lacking only a suitable power source. This was precisely why he had come to Tony at such a opportune moment.
Because of this coincidence, he had overheard Tony's plans and learned that Pepper was already scouring the company for evidence of his illegal activities. He had to act quickly.
The Iron Monger, the Iron Man Armor he had named, was his ultimate weapon. Once this weapon was unveiled, neither the board of directors nor the government would dare to oppose him. After all, he held the key to dominating future battlefields.
By then, Tony would undoubtedly be gone. With the core technology in his hands, Obadiah had no fear that these people would make decisions against his interests. This was the power of monopoly—it could shatter established norms.
Having obtained what he wanted, Obadiah naturally didn't linger. He drove straight to Stark's military factory, where the Iron Monger's prototype lay waiting. All it lacked was a heart to bring it to life.
Not long after he left, Tony finally broke free from the paralysis. Under the influence of the potent hallucinogens, all his physiological functions had gone haywire, and even his thoughts and senses were blurred. He was completely unable to control his body, left only to feel the increasingly powerful pressure building within him.
He even began to fear that the steadily intensifying pressure would crush his heart. But worry was useless, for he had no solution. All he could do was exert every ounce of his strength to regain control of his body. Even a sliver of control might offer a glimmer of hope.
His blood vessels began to swell and twist, thick, dark veins erupting across his skin. His eyes turned increasingly red, fine blood vessels spiderwebbing across the whites. The pain was unimaginable; at this rate, Tony couldn't last much longer. Yet he persisted, desperately racing against death. His stubborn nature compelled him to fight; surrender was never his style.
And miracles often arise from such dire circumstances. Just as blood began to stream from the corners of his eyes, unable to withstand the immense internal pressure, Tony's struggle finally yielded results. He regained partial control of his body—the ability to speak.
In this situation, even if ordinary people could speak, it might not be of much use. But Tony was different; he had an intelligent butler. With a single command, Jarvis could fulfill most of his requests.
"Jarvis, contact Zhou Yi! It's a life-or-death situation!" Tony gasped, unable to elaborate further. But that was enough for Jarvis. In an instant, he reached Zhou Yi and relayed Tony's distress call.
Before Tony could even take a breath, Zhou Yi appeared before him.
Seeing Tony in such a wretched state, Zhou Yi extended his hand and began healing him. The divine power easily dispelled the abnormalities within Tony's body, allowing him to finally exhale in relief.
Lying on the ground, Tony took a long, ragged breath before pushing himself up. He looked at Zhou Yi and said, "Thanks, man. You saved my life."
"Who did this?" Zhou Yi ignored his gratitude. Such formalities were beneath them. What mattered was who was targeting Tony—this was a true attempt to kill him. Had Zhou Yi arrived even moments later, he would have found only Tony's corpse. He didn't know if he could have saved Tony in such a scenario, nor did he want to test it.
"It's Obadiah, damn him! He killed my father. I'll make him pay!" Tony said bitterly, recalling Obadiah's confession. In that moment, all his feelings for Obadiah had vanished, leaving only hatred.
"Where's Obadiah? Do you know where he is?" Zhou Yi scanned the surroundings, but Obadiah was nowhere to be found. He had clearly already left the area.
"Damn it, he knows Pepper is investigating his backroom deals. I'm worried she's in danger. Obadiah won't let her get away with it." As soon as Tony mentioned Obadiah, he immediately thought of Pepper, whom he had asked to gather evidence. Given the current situation, if Pepper encountered Obadiah, the worst possible outcome was likely.
At this point, Obadiah was like a cornered mad dog, ready to tear apart anyone who threatened him, including Pepper.
"You should contact Pepper and tell her what's happening. Have her avoid Obadiah. And where is she? I'll protect her." Zhou Yi narrowed his eyes, quickly making this decision. Under his protection, Obadiah wouldn't be able to harm Pepper. In fact, if he dared to show his face, his death would be certain.
But Tony disagreed. He grabbed Zhou Yi's arm and said, "Listen, I won't let you interfere. Obadiah is mine. He will die by my hand alone. No one else is allowed to touch him. I want him to pay the price."
"Are you serious, Tony?"
"Never more so in my life, Zhou Yi. He killed my father, and now he wants to kill me. No matter what, he owes the Stark family an explanation." Tony Stark's eyes were terrifying. In that moment, the weight of the family's vengeance settled entirely on his shoulders. He had to settle the score with Obadiah, and only then could the Stark family's vengeance finally come to an end.
"Fine. This is the Stark family's vengeance. I have no right to interfere. I will only protect Pepper from harm. As for the rest, it's up to you to see how far you can go!"
With those words, Zhou Yi vanished as suddenly as he had appeared, leaving Tony Stark standing alone. Tony turned resolutely toward his laboratory, where he would don his Iron Man Armor and charge into battle for the final duel against Obadiah.
Meanwhile, Pepper made an unexpected discovery. She easily obtained evidence of Obadiah's backroom dealings and even saw his design sketches for the Iron Man Armor. In a way, she had uncovered Obadiah's biggest secret.
The thrill of this discovery spurred Pepper to hurry toward the exit, but she was stopped at the door.
"Hello, Miss Potts. We had an appointment scheduled for today. Do you remember me?"
"You're from that... Department of Homeland Security and Strategic Logistics Bureau, right? I remember your name—Coulson, is it?"
"Phil Coulson. We've since rebranded as S.H.I.E.L.D. Do you have a moment, Miss Potts?" Coulson asked with a smile. He noticed Pepper's panic, but saw it as a perfect opportunity to get closer to Stark. Everyone knew about Pepper's relationship with Tony Stark, so helping her would be like doing Stark a favor.
"Of course, Mr. Coulson. Please follow me. We can have a proper talk right now."
By this point, Pepper had already figured out Coulson's true identity: an organization independent of the CIA and FBI. This meant it must wield significant authority, such as the power to arrest Obadiah.
Obadiah's suspected backroom deals had violated American law. He'd sold weapons to hostile nations. On that basis alone, a government agency had the right to arrest him. Still, Pepper wasn't entirely reassured. She looked at Coulson and asked, "Agent Coulson, can you call in more people?"
"Of course. But may I ask what you intend to do, Miss Potts?"
"We're going to arrest him. I have evidence proving Obadiah's involvement in a very serious illegal arms deal. You have the authority to arrest him, don't you?"
"Absolutely. We have full authority in matters like this," Coulson replied with a smile, giving her an affirmative answer.
-----------------------
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