News from Roxxon Oil Company—Please Read and Bookmark

In a remote little tavern with few people around, a dispirited old man in military uniform sat by the dimly lit bar, drinking glass after glass in silence. The stench of alcohol and smoke billowed from his mouth and spread through the room. The waitress who had served him another drink frowned and moved away.

The tavern door opened, and the brilliant daylight outside turned the doorway into a gate of light. A well-dressed man with highly distinctive features walked in through it.

"Smoke, alcohol, and the smell of failure." Tony Stark walked up to General Thaddeus Ross. "Another failure. Only this time, the price of failure was far too great, wasn't it?"

"Don't just sit there without saying anything. I remember telling you not to obsess over the Super Soldier Program. It wasn't shut down without reason. There's someone whose views align quite well with mine—machines are more reliable." Tony Stark looked at the silent General Ross, then raised his eyes toward the news report playing beside the bar.

It showed a hideous monster wreaking havoc.

It was also the source of General Ross's current misfortune.

In the end, he had created an Abomination. Emil Blonsky, that outstanding soldier, possessed unyielding willpower, exceptional military training, superb combat skills, and extensive battle experience. Yet he still could not withstand the side effects of the Super Soldier Serum. The serum amplified the desire for battle in his heart. Ross had created an uncontrollable combat maniac with terrifying destructive power!

Strictly speaking, this was far more serious than the Hulk, who hid from people.

The irony was that he could still sit here in uniform and drown his sorrows only because of the Hulk he had desperately wanted to capture.

It was the Hulk who had helped stop the destruction and brutality of the transformed Blonsky!

"Stark." General Ross blew out a ring of smoke, turned around, and fixed him with clouded eyes.

"I'm listening, General." Tony spread his hands, signaling for the old man to continue.

"You're not out making money with that kid from Hebron, and you came looking for me instead?" General Ross gave a mocking laugh.

"Someone asked me to come." Tony shrugged, betraying a man named Nick Fury without hesitation. "We want to form an organization and are recruiting people everywhere. He has his eye on your soldier."

"My soldier?" General Ross burst into laughter.

"I don't think that's a good idea. That big guy doesn't look easy to deal with." Tony looked at the monstrous Abomination on the television.

"A familiar stench. That agent chief is still as unscrupulous as ever." Ross curled his lip disdainfully. "If I were you, I'd stay away from him. His style of action is ten or a hundred times worse than mine."

"I never trusted him. This is only a partnership." Tony frowned.

"Whatever the case, at a time like this, you're the first person to come see me. Let's just say you came to visit." General Ross braced himself against the bar and stood, his body swaying slightly. "For that, I'll give you a piece of intelligence. Not everyone is happy to see you getting rich with that kid named Luke, especially when it involves something as sensitive as energy."

"Someone wants to come after us?" Tony asked, immediately understanding.

"I didn't say anything." General Ross waved a hand.

"You definitely know who it is." Tony stepped beside General Ross and steadied him with one hand.

"Stark, don't be too greedy." General Ross pushed away Tony's supporting hand. "Deal with your own troubles first. I hope you can walk away from the Hearing unscathed. Don't become a failure like me."

Washington.

Hearing venue.

Reporters from all over the world had already surrounded the venue with cameras and recording equipment.

"They're here!"

The surrounding reporters received word from their Companions and immediately perked up.

A business van and a red sports car pulled up one after the other in the open space before the venue. Tony Stark and Luke, both dressed in crisp formal suits, got out one after the other with their respective bodyguards and female companions. While the bodyguards and security personnel kept the reporters firmly outside the barriers, Tony approached Luke with an amused smile.

"How does your first Hearing feel? Nervous?" Tony Stark's teasing question earned him an eye roll from Luke.

"Hahaha, don't be nervous. Just think of them as wooden dolls that can say stupid things." Tony draped an arm familiarly over Luke's shoulders and shared his experience.

"You're the Master of this Hearing. What do I have to be nervous about?" Luke shook off Tony's arm and quickly led Ina up the Steps.

"Wait for me! I found what you told me before very interesting, and I completely agree with it." Tony, who had been shaken off, put on his sunglasses and hurried after them. After catching up, he spoke rapidly. "The Space Program? That's grand, and it fits our position perfectly. I could even use the things you said to throw today's people right back at them. If you were someone looking for investment, your speech alone would be enough to persuade me. I'd definitely invest in you. I don't invest in people easily, you know. That's rare!"

"Thank you very much." Luke answered perfunctorily. He clearly had no good way of dealing with Tony, who clung to him like chewing gum whenever he saw him. Though Tony was still as proud as ever, he no longer had that sharp tongue around Luke. Aside from his constant rambling, which was rather irritating, he was harmless enough.

"One more question. Have you found out who's been targeting us in secret and constantly causing trouble for our Energy Project lately?" As Tony spoke, he suddenly raised a hand to stop Luke from answering, then said quickly, "Don't say it yet. I'll count to three, and we'll say it together. Let's see who got it right."

Faced with Tony, whose competitive streak had reached this extent, Luke could not help rolling his eyes internally once again.

"One, two, three—Roxxon Energy Corporation."

"Roxxon Energy Corporation."

"It could only be them." Tony was not surprised that Luke's answer matched his own. He sighed. "Back when my father was still alive, Stark and Roxxon Energy Corporation had worked together many times."

Luke gave Tony a meaningful look.

Roxxon Oil Company was an enormous Magnate, one whose reach ran unimaginably deep. To the outside world, its main business seemed to be extracting and selling oil and other energy resources. In truth, however, it had its hands in materials, weapons, all kinds of high-tech armaments, as well as technologies involving partially bioengineered humans, cyborgs, Super Soldiers, and more.

They did whatever industry made money, and their shadow could be found in every field.

A deeply hidden and troublesome opponent.

PS1: The timeline will still mainly follow the movies, but some comic elements and original plotlines will be incorporated. Fewer people watch movie plots these days; it isn't like it was a few years ago. If I write too much, recommendations and bookmarks simply don't increase.

PS2: Roxxon Energy Corporation has actually appeared multiple times in movies and television series in subtle forms, such as billboards. I checked its comic settings. It was the real mastermind behind Howard's death and seemingly has ties to Hydra. The author will do his best to make the later plot coherent.