Powered Armor Company in Your Face

"What did you do?"

"Are you insane?!"

The footage from the speech venue was being broadcast live, and everyone could see the one-sided situation unfolding there!

No matter how well-trained the ninjas were, there was no way they could confront those huge machines head-on!

And the video's reach was not actually limited to New York City. People across the entire country could see those fools exposed in broad daylight.

"Kidnapping Norman Osborn in public? What the hell is wrong with your head?!" Murakami was so furious that he began blurting out whatever came to mind.

Alexandra stood frozen in place, her limbs trembling as she fumbled toward a drawer.

"Are you fucking listening to us? What are you looking for?"

Alexandra took a bottle of small yellow pills from the drawer—the very drugs they sold themselves.

"Damn it! You've completely lost your mind!"

The three of them went offline at the same time. There was no choice but to run now. It was time to prepare for the aftermath.

After taking the pills, Alexandra slumped weakly into her chair.

Harry's voice echoed through the empty conference room.

"See, ma'am? Your little tricks don't work on me. Kidnapping, murder... didn't Kingpin tell you how I beat him until he pissed himself?"

Kingpin had played a small part in this operation as well.

The Hand and Harmony Society had helped Kingpin arrange a prison transfer, while Kingpin used what remained of his influence as cover—giving Norman a perfect example to make after taking office.

Kingpin was terrified of Harry, but if he did not seize the chance to transfer prisons, he might really have had to spend more than six hundred years in a New York prison.

But could he really escape?

Alexandra fell silent. She did not know what to say.

"You controlled my mind..." Alexandra seemed to regain some clarity after taking the pills.

When she recalled how she had acted after making that phone call, she could only feel an inexplicable rage controlling her, driving her to behave irrationally.

She had barely taken any pills since then. Looking back now, that really had been abnormal.

"I don't have that kind of ability." Harry laughed. "But I recently learned a few new tricks. They work very well on people like you."

"I..."

"I'm already downstairs, ma'am. Remember when I said a Powered Armor Company would be right in your face? Do you remember? Come down and see the power of technology."

Only then did Alexandra hear the heavy footsteps coming from below. Looking out the window, she saw that the National Guard had surrounded several blocks outside!

Harry was holding onto the side of an armored vehicle with one hand while calling Alexandra with the other.

"Though I'm a little late, I prepared a Reinforced Company for you. I hope you like it. Also, don't try to take a plane if you want to keep things dignified."

After Iron Man appeared, the Military had long since demanded that Harry upgrade the Osborn Group's equipment. Harry had naturally done so, though the New York State National Guard had been the first to receive the new version.

The new version incorporated some of the Iron Man suit's technology to improve comfort and mobility, but its role had not changed.

"Ma'am, this is war. Though it seems you don't know much about fighting one."

"Assassination and kidnapping aren't war. This is war. Come down already. I prepared a special seat just for you."

Harry's infuriating tone finally pushed Alexandra beyond her limit, and she crushed her phone on the spot.

What else was there to say? The powered armor had already arrived at her doorstep.

The facts proved that Madam Gao had made a wise choice in withdrawing from New York.

Aside from firepower, powered armor was vastly superior to tanks in every respect.

If tanks had rolled into New York City, the citizens would have exploded already. They would probably be shouting "Nazi" by now.

But powered armor?

"New York State has its own Iron Man!"

"[Photo with powered armor]"

"They look really strong... I have a bold idea."

"I wonder if they'll sell them privately. I heard the newest powered armor only costs seven million dollars."

"Only? That's way more expensive than a tank, bro!"

"Norman Osborn is the coolest Governor in history!"

"Crush these terrorists!"

Public support instead soared. Iron Man had a lot to do with that—it made guiding public opinion much easier.

Thank you, Tony.

On the other hand, Alexandra's out-of-control behavior had played a role as well. Calling it a Terrorist Attack would not be unfair at all.

The abilities mentioned in Psionic Theory worked very well on addicts. Even Harry had not expected Alexandra to blow up at him the moment she hung up.

People who lost their minds were truly terrifying.

Looking at Harry in his sharp suit and polished leather shoes, flanked by a beauty and soldiers, Alexandra felt somewhat powerless.

"This is my company. The National Guard shouldn't be here!"

Even if she was exhausted, she still had to do what needed to be done.

"Whoa, don't put it like that. It's not just the National Guard. Let me introduce them."

"This is an enforcement officer from the Federal Tax Bureau, this is a prosecutor from the New York State Prosecutor's Office, this is Officer Misty from the NYPD, and this is the FBI..."

"Shut up!" To Harry, Alexandra looked like a menopausal old lady at that moment. "You have no evidence!"

"I do." Harry slowly stepped forward and leaned close to her ear. "Remember that equipment explosion at your company?"

"It may not be complete, but it's more than enough to launch an investigation. How many years do you want to spend in prison?"

As Harry leaned in, Alexandra's expression turned cold. She thrust both hands toward him from a distance!

Harry felt as if his chest had been struck by a heavy hammer—one weighing several hundred kilograms, perhaps. But he had to remember: even his bones were laced with Vibranium.

Everyone felt a fierce gust sweep past them. Harry's clothes billowed without wind, yet his body did not so much as sway.

"What's this? I'm not interested in old ladies. Watch your hands."

Harry grabbed her hands and moved them away from his chest.

An immense force nearly crushed Alexandra's hands. The pain almost made her expression change.

"Where's your Black Hole? How exactly did you manage to rise to this position?"

This time, Alexandra's expression truly changed. This man even knew about Black Hole!

"Hand over the Dragon Bone Powder, and I can show some mercy. Of course, you'll have to get out of New York and never appear before me again."

Harry waved a hand. Several officials presented their credentials one after another. Ordinarily, several departments showing their badges to a single suspect would have been enough to start a fight, but Harry had brought them together this time, so naturally there was no such problem.

Interrogate them one by one, and everyone got to eat.

Alexandra knew she had no cards left to play.

Or rather, she did not know how to play them. It felt like they were playing Fight the Landlord, gambling for money with a deck of cards.

But Harry—Harry was using dollar bills to make up the numbers and crush her. If she played a two, he would toss down a Franklin:

joker!

It was practically calling a deer a horse.

The key was that she had already fallen into the trap. There was no way to refuse.