Tony's Lightbulb

Harvey followed Tony into Tony's underground research lab.

It was incredibly advanced, with things that could only be displayed on screens in the past now presented as holographic projections.

Harvey had seen similar things in movies in his previous life, but now that he was actually here, he looked around with great interest.

"Harvey Anberaka, you give me the impression that you know a lot of things."

"So, have you ever heard of aliens?"

Tony noticed that Harvey Anberaka didn't show any surprise, only interest. As he walked towards a workbench, he asked.

"I know what I need to know. Just say what you want to talk about."

Harvey's eyes flashed at his words, and he replied.

"How much do you know about aliens?"

Tony Stark, upon hearing Harvey Anberaka's statement, directly asked.

"I know quite a bit."

"For the sake of the big meal, I can answer three questions for you."

"So it depends on what you want to learn from me."

Harvey casually found a comfortable chair and sat down, saying with a smile.

Seeing Harvey Anberaka smiling as if he knew everything, Tony Stark realized that Harvey Anberaka was indeed very mysterious.

"Is Earth really in great danger, as Coulson says?"

So Tony Stark thought for a moment and tentatively asked the question he most wanted to know right now.

"Earth isn't in danger at all right now, but it will become dangerous in a few more years."

Harvey replied.

"How many more years exactly?"

Tony Stark's eyes narrowed upon hearing this.

"When you know it will become dangerous in a few years, does the exact timing matter?"

Harvey asked back with a smile.

"Let me think..."

Hearing this, Tony Stark's urgency instantly subsided.

Tony Stark's mind began to race.

He wasn't sure of Harvey Anberaka's background, but he inexplicably felt that what Harvey Anberaka said was true.

This was a rare opportunity to ask three questions, and he had already used one, learning that great danger would arrive within the next few years.

"Then, for my second question, are there any aliens who can become allies to us humans?"

"If so, how can I contact them?"

Tony Stark considered for a moment before asking another question.

"There's an old saying in China: 'Those who are not of our kind will surely have different intentions.'"

"It's common knowledge that wars have constantly broken out among humans due to racial differences since ancient times."

"But when do you think most humans unite to become allies?"

Harvey didn't answer directly but asked back.

"When they all have a common enemy?"

Tony Stark thought for a moment and understood.

"So, before such a powerful enemy appears, the significance of forming alliances or not is not very great."

"You can figure this out yourself, so it doesn't count as an answer to your second question."

"Therefore, I can tell you when the danger that will affect the universe is likely to appear."

"If nothing unexpected happens, it will be in nine years, and by then you will naturally unite."

Harvey said.

"Nine years?"

"2017?"

"Harvey Anberaka, who exactly are you? How do you know future events?"

"If there really is such a powerful enemy, why aren't you afraid or worried at all?"

Tony Stark heard Harvey Anberaka mention an exact time and also state that a powerful enemy threatening the entire universe would appear then.

"As for who I am, that's outside the scope of my answers."

"As for why I'm not afraid."

"Because fear solves nothing. What is meant to happen will happen."

Harvey spread his hands and said with a smile.

Did you want to say he was afraid of Thanos? Currently, Harvey was definitely afraid.

But it was only for now. As long as he continued to evolve, he wouldn't be afraid of anything.

If Thanos were to appear and he still wasn't confident he could win, he could just go to another universe.

As long as he obtained more hero templates, if he couldn't win, couldn't he at least run?

Of course, Harvey could understand Tony Stark's current feelings. He must also feel that things were shrouded in mystery, but this was exactly what Harvey wanted.

"I've already answered two of your questions, you have one last chance."

"You have one last chance to ask a question. After that, whether I answer depends on my mood."

Harvey gave a friendly reminder.

He wasn't communicating with Tony Stark as the Grim Reaper now, but as Harvey, making Tony Stark more curious about him.

So Harvey didn't mind giving Tony Stark a little more information.

Tony Stark was a person cursed by knowledge; the more he knew, the more he would act.

"Coulson thought you were a superpowered individual and sought you out."

"He hoped you would join the Avengers Initiative."

"Why didn't you join?"

Tony Stark considered for a moment and asked his final question.

"Are you sure your last question is this one?"

Harvey asked back, somewhat surprised.

"Just answer this question for me."

Tony Stark knew he had already obtained enough information.

As for whether what Harvey Anberaka said was true or false, it only needed to be verified in the near future.

"Because although Nick Fury's original intention in forming the Avengers Initiative might have been good, the development of events often deviates from the original intention."

"In the end, it will inevitably become a tool for politicians, and they will have to act according to the politicians' whims."

"And I don't want to be ordered around. I want to do whatever I want based on my own will, so I didn't choose to join."

Harvey thought for a moment and then answered.

"The orders of politicians can be navigated with some effort," Tony Stark said.

"Tony Stark, you don't need to try to recruit me to join."

"The reason we can sit here and communicate amicably now is that we have no grudges or other complicated relationships between us."

"So don't try to do things you can't accomplish, otherwise, it will only lead to consequences you can't bear," Harvey said, looking deeply at Tony Stark.

Tony Stark was someone cursed by knowledge, difficult for others to understand.

Therefore, Tony Stark's heart might not be as great as protecting Earth with all his might, but the idea of wanting to protect the people around him definitely existed.

Because of this idea, Tony Stark would constantly think and constantly find ways to make all sorts of preparations.

Even as Tony Stark's teammate, as long as they were strong enough, they would be considered as targets to guard against, just in case.

Even though Tony Stark hadn't officially joined the Avengers Initiative yet.

However, Tony Stark now knew some future situations, even if not 100% certain.

Tony Stark had already begun to want to unite with others to deal with the future, so he wanted to persuade him to join them now.

Perhaps Tony Stark wanted to find a friend to act with, so he wouldn't have to keep secrets in his heart anymore.

Or perhaps Tony Stark felt that if he could join together with him, it would be the best assistance.

But regardless of the reason, Harvey would not join the Avengers Initiative.

Tony Stark's gaze towards Harvey Anberaka gradually shifted from a smile to a calm expression, making him feel a bone-chilling cold.

"I won't persuade you anymore, I was wrong, don't look at me like that."

So Tony Stark immediately gave up the idea of recruiting and apologized first.

After talking with Harvey Anberaka just now, he realized that Harvey Anberaka's mystery might be far more than this.

Therefore, he wanted to recruit the other party to his side, but now it seemed his idea was a bit too presumptuous.

"Regarding my conversation with you, whether it's about aliens or the future, you can tell anyone you want."

"But don't expose me. I don't want my peaceful life to be disrupted right now," Harvey said, seeing Tony Stark back down and not pursuing the matter further, he gave a reminder.

"Even if you hadn't reminded me, I wouldn't tell anyone about these things."

"After all, even I find it hard to accept that in just nine years, an unimaginable great enemy might arrive."

"Now I increasingly feel that knowing more isn't necessarily a good thing."

Tony Stark sighed upon hearing this, slumping into a chair, and spoke.

He had created the Iron Man Armor and, by chance, encountered an unknown creature he couldn't comprehend, the Grim Reaper.

After learning about it, he had directly opened the door to a new world. The world he was now exposed to, and the things he knew, were unknown to countless others.

"The crisis won't be deterred just because you worry about it, so you don't need to pay too much attention."

"Besides, there are still nine years. With your intellect, nine years should be enough to create quite a few miracles, shouldn't it?"

Harvey saw Tony Stark looking like a deflated fish without dreams and spoke.

"Nine years. If only I could live that long."

Harvey saying this only made Tony Stark more dejected.

"Are you talking about your light bulb, the thing that burdens your body?"

Harvey's eyes flashed upon hearing this, and he glanced at Tony Stark before speaking.

"Light bulb?"

"You call the Arc Reactor a light bulb?"

"Do you have any idea what a crystallization of technology and wisdom is?"

Tony Stark had been feeling dejected, but the word "light bulb" made him instantly stand up, wanting to argue his case.

Two updates today, 6,000 words delivered.