Obadiah Stane's death was directly covered up and did not spread through New York.
However, Stark Industries' policy decision to shift into the energy sector was made public.
This news caused many people in New York to view the move pessimistically.
Stark Industries was unquestionably an industry leader in weapons, but Stark was not much of a leader in the energy sector.
Unless Stark Industries unveiled advanced energy technology that was generations ahead of its time, it would be impossible for Stark Industries Shares to return to their peak and continue rising.
Still, the news reassured some of those who still held shares.
Although it would be difficult to return to their peak, shifting into the energy sector would not make it difficult for Stark Industries to gain a foothold there, given the connections and relationships it had built over the years.
Tony Stark also did not immediately reveal the Arc Reactor, because the time was not yet right.
His armor needed further modifications.
He also needed to find a way to ensure that the Arc Reactor was truly used in the energy industry, lest certain interested parties exploit it.
As long as he handled things properly, it would not be difficult for Stark Industries Shares to return to their peak or even rise higher.
With Obadiah Stane, currently his greatest trouble, dealt with, he still had many things to do.
But there was no longer any urgent need, so after returning to Stark Mansion, Tony Stark took the initiative to contact Harvey Anberaka.
He wanted to share his joy with Harvey Anberaka and chat with him, to see whether he could obtain any other intelligence.
"Sir, the other party declined the call."
Before long, Jarvis's words were like a bucket of cold water poured over Tony Stark's head.
Tony Stark heard that the other party had not ignored him, but had directly declined his call.
Who was he? He was New York's famous playboy and a celebrity among New York's upper class. From childhood to adulthood, no one had ever dared decline his calls.
"Well, would you look at that. He actually dared not answer my call."
Tony Stark was so annoyed that he laughed.
"Keep trying to contact him."
So Tony Stark told Jarvis to continue contacting him.
In any case, he did not need to do it manually. He could bombard Harvey Anberaka with messages as much as he wanted.
But the moment Jarvis made the second call, he did not even need to report it.
"The number you have dialed is powered off..."
The mechanical female voice left Tony Stark speechless.
"Doesn't he have any other contact methods?"
After pausing for a moment, Tony Stark asked unwillingly.
"If nothing unexpected happens, Mr. Harvey Anberlaka will probably unplug his landline as well."
Jarvis answered upon hearing that.
Though helpless, Tony Stark temporarily gave up on contacting Harvey Anberaka.
As for going to Harvey Anberaka's home to find him, that was absolutely impossible.
If he actually went there, would that not mean he was begging Harvey Anberaka to talk to him?
Jarvis also understood Tony's personality, so aside from remote contact methods like mobile phones and landlines—
He did not suggest that Tony drive to Harvey Anberaka's estate and find him directly.
"Help me contact Pepper. I have some things to ask her."
Tony Stark ordered.
Pepper was upstairs watching the news. She had heard about Obadiah Stane's death.
She also knew that Obadiah Stane had deliberately attempted to murder Tony Stark, so she did not have much of an opinion on the matter.
Thus, Pepper quickly received the message and hurried downstairs.
"Pepper, do you know Coulson?"
The moment Tony Stark saw Pepper come down, he asked.
"I know of him, but weren't you uninterested in learning about him before?"
Hearing the name, Pepper was briefly taken aback before asking in return.
"I wasn't interested before, but I am now."
"What is the jurisdiction of the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division? Did he tell you?"
Tony Stark walked over to a chair and reclined in it as he asked casually.
"Let me think. It seems to be a special unit established specifically by the International Security Council to handle all kinds of strange incidents."
Pepper had an excellent memory and was highly efficient, which was why she had become Tony's capable secretary.
"Strange incidents, huh? Do you have his contact information?"
After hearing its jurisdiction, Tony Stark thought for a moment and asked.
"I don't know whether it will be useful, but I do have his contact information."
Pepper nodded and said.
"Perfect. Help me contact Coulson."
"Tell him I want to meet and talk with him tomorrow at noon."
Tony Stark immediately instructed her.
"I'll try. I don't know whether he is free right now."
Although Pepper did not understand why, she immediately took out her phone and began contacting him.
"Hello, Miss Pepper Potts."
"May I ask what you need from me?"
To Tony Stark and Pepper's surprise, Coulson answered immediately.
"Mr. Tony wants to meet with you tomorrow at noon and have a chat."
Pepper explained the request.
"Alright. Then I'll see you tomorrow at noon."
Coulson was currently investigating Iron Man's appearance in Afghanistan. Now that he heard Tony Stark wanted to speak with them, he naturally agreed without the slightest hesitation.
Coulson actually wanted even more to go speak with Tony Stark right away.
However, since Tony Stark had specified the time, he would not break that etiquette and would wait until their appointment.
Tony Stark also went to sleep, thinking about that unknown creature of unidentified origin.
He could not investigate anything on his own, but perhaps Coulson knew something.
Soon, noon arrived the next day.
Coulson arrived at Stark Mansion precisely on time for his visit.
The two met in the second-floor hall.
"Hello, Mr. Tony Stark. Thank you for agreeing to meet with me."
Upon seeing Tony Stark, Coulson spoke politely.
"I don't know what exactly your agency wants to learn from me."
"But before that, you need to answer a few questions for me."
"As long as my questions are answered, I will tell you what you want to know."
Tony Stark did not waste words after meeting Coulson.
"Alright, ask away."
Coulson knew that Tony Stark was arrogant and self-assured, so he did not mind.
"Do you know anything about this figure?"
Upon hearing that, Tony Stark pressed a button with his right hand, and an image appeared. It was the figure Jarvis had recorded.
"I know who he is, but can you tell me where you captured this image of him?"
When Coulson saw the shadow in the image—the one that had left him, Director Fury, and Natasha at a loss—his gaze narrowed.
However, the figure was floating in the air, and the image had been captured at eye level, so it was impossible to determine the location.
"Gulmira, Afghanistan."
Tony Stark paused before answering, but did not conceal it.
If they truly were a unit specializing in investigating strange incidents, finding out his identity would not be difficult at all.
Since it would be exposed sooner or later anyway, there was no point in deliberately hiding it.
When Coulson heard Tony Stark mention Afghanistan again, he immediately thought of Iron Man's appearance there.
That Iron Man was, unsurprisingly, Tony Stark himself. Since Tony Stark had no intention of hiding it—
"I see. Then it is no surprise."
"This creature claims to be from the Void. Our agency does not know his true name."
"However, on Earth, he uses the alias Grim Reaper and operates within the underground mercenary world."
Thus, Coulson told him everything he knew.
"The mercenary world... No wonder Jarvis couldn't find any information related to him."
Hearing the term, Tony Stark pondered for a moment and understood why Jarvis had been unable to identify him right away.
He had heard of mercenaries before, but he personally had no one he needed others to eliminate for him, so he had never accessed the legendary dark web.
But now that he knew, Tony Stark immediately instructed Jarvis to connect to the dark web.
"Mr. Tony Stark, I am not trying to discourage you."
"Even if your artificial intelligence connects to the dark web, you will not be able to uncover much."
"Our agency once paid a hefty price to arrange a meeting with Grim Reaper."
"Our assessment of Grim Reaper was—"
"Appearance unknown, strength unknown, origins unknown. The only thing we know is that he is likely male and extremely dangerous."
Upon hearing that Tony Stark had investigated Grim Reaper before, Coulson offered a polite reminder.
"Yes, sir. All I have been able to investigate are rumors circulating on the surface."
"I do not know as much as Coulson."
Jarvis's voice sounded at that moment, but he still displayed the information he had found.
Because Jarvis knew that if Tony Stark cared about it, then he wanted to see it.
Records concerning Grim Reaper appeared before Tony Stark in text form.
"You said you could pay a high price to arrange a meeting with him?"
"Why did you want to meet him back then, and what exactly was the price you mentioned?"
As Tony Stark read through Grim Reaper's deeds and rumors circulating on the dark web, he asked.
"The purpose for arranging that meeting cannot be disclosed to you for now. Only after I obtain the information I want from you can I tell you."
"But the price of arranging a meeting was posting a designated mission. The deposit alone cost ten million dollars."
"Including the payment upon completion, it starts at no less than twenty million dollars."
Coulson paused before explaining.
"What did you say?"
"Twenty million dollars counts as a hefty price?"
"Is your department really that poor?"
Tony Stark had originally assumed they had paid with some precious item that money could not buy to successfully arrange a meeting with Grim Reaper.
He had not expected it to be something that money could solve. In Tony Stark's eyes, anything that could be solved with money was not a major problem.
"Our department is not poor. It is just that allocating funds requires planning and approval..."
Hearing Tony Stark's words, Coulson showed a trace of embarrassment and tried to explain.
"Isn't that just saying you need to look to your superiors before you can allocate funds?"
"You need detailed planning and approval just to allocate twenty million dollars."
"Doesn't that prove your department is poor?"
Tony Stark directly cut off Coulson's explanation, looking as though he understood perfectly.
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