Soon, Tony Stark, with a bandage on his hand, arrived at the podium, escorted by his bodyguard Happy Hogan.
"Everyone, please sit down, sit down, okay? That way you can all see me."
"And I can pick and choose who to call on."
Despite being injured and looking unwell, Tony Stark's mouth was as casual as ever.
As soon as these words were spoken, the reporters and other guests present mostly sat down.
Tony Stark sat in front of the podium and saw Harvey Anberaka standing out from the crowd at the back.
Although Harvey Anberaka hadn't officially met, there had been no shortage of rumors about him in recent years.
So Tony Stark had heard of this guy, and his identity was quite easy to remember: one of the few Asian billionaires in New York.
To him, Harvey Anberaka was someone who had gotten rich through sheer luck, lacking any real substance.
Therefore, Tony Stark only remembered him.
However, while the other party wasn't as wealthy as himself, he was undoubtedly a rich tycoon. It wasn't difficult to guess his intentions; he might want to discuss investment matters.
Facing Tony Stark's gaze, Harvey simply smiled and nodded in acknowledgment.
If it were the Tony Stark of the past, he would definitely have chatted with Harvey Anberaka after the press conference.
To see if this guy was really here to invest. But Tony Stark had just gone through that incident, was injured, and didn't have the energy for it.
Moreover, he knew the impact his upcoming announcement would have on Stark Industries' stock. So Tony Stark no longer had that thought.
Afterward, Tony Stark began his speech, a classic scene etched in the memories of countless people.
"So, I've decided to shut down the weapons manufacturing division of Stark International as soon as possible."
When Tony Stark decided that Stark Industries would abandon the arms industry, it immediately caused a huge uproar and drew all sorts of questioning.
The bald Stan next to Tony Stark forced a smile.
Harvey, seeing this very familiar scene, revealed a smile.
Everything was too familiar, giving him a ninety percent certainty that this was the Marvel main universe.
Tony Stark had just noticed that Harvey Anberaka wasn't surprised at all by his sudden declaration of wanting to shut down the weapons manufacturing division. Instead, he seemed pleased.
If he remembered correctly, Harvey Anberaka had also purchased Stark Industries stock, and not a small amount either—at least over five hundred million US dollars.
Yet, Harvey Anberaka showed no signs of disbelief or anger due to the impending significant drop in stock value.
Why was that? Tony Stark was a bit puzzled.
But as Tony Stark was thinking, he noticed Harvey Anberaka had turned around and seemed to be preparing to leave.
"Colonel Rhodes, stop him for me. I want to talk to him."
Tony Stark called out immediately upon seeing this.
"Stop who?"
Although Rhodes didn't understand Tony Stark's actions, he didn't refuse when he heard his good friend's words. He was just a bit curious about who Tony wanted him to stop.
"Harvey Anberaka."
Tony Stark said quickly.
And as Tony Stark was asking Rhodes to do something.
Coulson had already arrived in front of Harvey.
"Mr. Harvey Anberaka, I'm an agent from the Department of Homeland Security, Strategic Defense, Attack, and Logistics Support."
"Can we talk?"
Coulson asked with a polite smile.
"You're in league with that crazy woman. I've been hiding for so long, and you're still haunting me?"
Seeing Coulson block him and hearing his words, Harvey didn't hold back at all.
"Mr. Harvey Anberaka, that was just a misunderstanding. We mean no harm."
"We just want to ask you some questions."
"I can assure you, I will absolutely not hurt you like that crazy woman."
"And I'm not carrying any weapons."
Coulson had also heard about the FBI questioning their department earlier. A hint of embarrassment appeared on his face as he patted his chest, pockets, and pant legs, indicating he wasn't carrying any dangerous weapons.
"What exactly do you want to talk to me about?"
Harvey knew that if he forcefully broke free, it would only draw more suspicion. So, he eyed Coulson with some doubt and asked.
"This is not a suitable place to talk."
"If it's convenient, you can choose a place where you feel safe but not too many outsiders are present."
"I can absolutely guarantee that not a single hair on your body will be harmed."
S.H.I.E.L.D. is currently in dire need of more personnel, and the Avengers Initiative has made no progress whatsoever.
That's why Coulson doesn't want to give up on anyone who has even a slight chance of possessing superpowers.
There were reasons why Harvey Anberaka caught their attention, but Natasha's handling of the situation was a bit too hasty and reckless.
So, Coulson wants to talk to Harvey Anberaka again to see if any progress can be made.
"You guys look busy?"
"I'm Tony Stark."
"Harvey Anberaka, while this is our first meeting, I'm sure you've heard of me, just as I've heard of you."
"Shall we find a place to talk?"
"It won't take up too much of your time, and my time is just as valuable."
At this moment, Tony Stark saw two people talking at the main entrance. He didn't need Rhodes to stop them; he walked straight over and greeted them naturally.
However, his words betrayed an undeniable arrogance and pride.
"Alright."
Harvey's eyes flickered when Tony Stark approached him proactively, and he agreed.
"Then follow me."
Tony Stark wasn't surprised that Harvey Anberaka didn't refuse. He said casually and started walking.
He led Harvey Anberaka and the accompanying Coulson to a room next to the press conference venue.
"Harvey Anberaka, from what I know, you've bought a significant amount of Stark Industries stock over the past two years."
"Based on Stark Industries' current market value, it's estimated to be worth around one billion US dollars."
"Rumor has it you've never lost money on stocks, only ever profited."
"But the news I'm announcing today should cause your wealth to decrease significantly."
"Yet you don't seem surprised or angry at all, quite the opposite, you seem rather pleased."
"Aren't you heartbroken that your wealth is about to drop dramatically starting now?"
Tony Stark poured himself a glass of water and asked with a hint of probing in his tone.
Keep in mind that his luxurious Stark Mansion cost tens of millions of dollars to build.
One billion US dollars is an astronomical sum that most people couldn't even dream of in a lifetime.
If such a large amount of money were to shrink by more than half, most people wouldn't be able to handle it; they might even pass out from the sudden drastic change.
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