City of Freedom

Fang Bie's warning had been somewhat useful. When the Golden Apple felt just like it always had in his hand, Tony casually slipped it into his Backpack. But he couldn't keep his eyes from darting around, as if everyone in sight had conspired to lure him into danger.

After the thought crossed his mind, even his steps grew heavier. To everyone else, though, he looked exactly like a man who had narrowly escaped death.

He had no visible injuries, but the wear of his ordeal showed on his face. He had been missing in the desert for a month and a half. No matter how much he rested afterward, some traces of that experience were impossible to hide.

There were the rough cuts the wind and sand had carved into his face, the temporary patches of discoloration from spending so long in the dark, and his somewhat bewildered gaze and gaunt frame.

Anyone could see he had suffered through a great deal. At this point, surely only Obadiah Stane was feeling conflicted.

As Howard's closest friend and the true helmsman of Stark Industries, Obadiah wore an overjoyed smile as he put an arm around his nephew and escorted him toward the press conference.

But he could never have imagined that someone there knew his scheme inside and out.

As Tony munched on a hamburger, he made a bold announcement to the assembled reporters—news that could shake the world.

"I saw young Americans being killed, and they died by the very weapons I had intended to build to protect them. I also realized that this system was content to shirk responsibility—and I was part of it!"

Tony firmly cut off the people questioning him. He didn't need to stop and consider what kind of far-reaching impact his words might have on others.

"I've thought long and hard about this. I've realized that what the world needs from us is a greater contribution—not more weapons that explode."

"So!" He took a deep breath. "I've decided to shut down Stark Industries' weapons manufacturing division, effective immediately. It'll stay closed until I decide on a new direction for the company, one that serves the interests of the world!"

Listening to Tony's speech, which was being broadcast throughout the hall over the microphones, Fang Bie watched Yinsen provide a remarkably detailed translation and quipped, "If I had money, I'd short Stark Industries stock like crazy right now. I think I could make a fortune off what he just said!"

"Nobody in this world is an idiot. If you thought of that, there's no way nobody else did. Most importantly... you have no money!" Yinsen unhesitatingly rubbed salt in the wound.

"Like you do," Fang Bie shot back. The two exchanged a look, then shared a poor man's smile.

"Enough. Neither of you has money, but I do. Want me to show you what it's like to live rich?" Tony had already darted into the car and taken the front seat.

"Give me a break. You're barely holding it together as it is. Do you realize this will slash your net worth by at least fifty percent?" Pepper Potts snapped at him, her voice even rising above Obadiah Stane's ongoing explanations on the broadcast.

"It's only temporary. I'll be the richest man in the world again soon, because... a new energy source is coming!" Tony said confidently. Then he revealed his chest, hidden beneath layers of clothing, where no light had shone before.

A pale blue reactor sat quietly in his chest, silently giving off a dazzling light too bright to look at directly.

"Oh my God. You built it? An Arc Reactor?" Pepper Potts covered her mouth in shock, then watched her boss close the door.

"So don't overthink it. Go do your own thing. Happy, take us home!" The 2004 Rolls-Royce Phantom drove steadily away from the area.

All that remained was the tall Pepper Potts, staring at the car in a daze. She couldn't understand what kind of relationship the two men inside had with Tony for them to be sitting there so calmly.

Just then, Tony held the Golden Apple out to Fang Bie again. "Looks like you were overthinking it. Nobody's going to threaten my life."

Fang Bie refused it. "You'd better keep it. I only said someone might threaten your life, not that it would happen today. And don't forget, we still haven't dealt with that thing in your chest!"

He would only speak so bluntly with Tony.

Fang Bie had no ties or interests in this world. His advice was truly free of ulterior motives, which was why Tony was willing to listen to him.

"We can deal with all that later. For now, let's go to my place. I'll show you my house!" Tony's spirits quickly lifted, and the car they were riding in soon arrived near his mansion in California.

The mansion was called City of Freedom. It had a price tag of twenty-five million dollars and was one of Tony's favorite homes—or so he claimed.

Happy didn't go into the mansion with them. After dropping the three of them off, he quickly drove away.

By then, a discreet vehicle had already arrived nearby. A group of men in black suits climbed out. Their leader stared at the mansion with a troubled expression, speaking continuously as if he were communicating with someone.

The July weather was still sweltering. Fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, but it didn't hinder their operation. The group soon left, leaving only their leader behind in the car, hesitating as he gazed at the mansion on the hilltop.

Tony had no idea that simply escaping from the outside world had already put him under surveillance. But with his status, he hardly cared about such things anyway.

He was busy taking his new friends on a tour of his home.

The moment Fang Bie saw the house, he knew he'd probably never live in anything like it. There was no other way to put it: in MC, he probably couldn't build a house that was almost entirely round, even if he spent his whole life trying.

"Welcome to America!" Tony cheered, flopping onto his sofa. Just then, the mansion, which had been dimly lit, gradually brightened.

The walls, which looked as if they were made of metal, began to shimmer and transformed into a huge floor-to-ceiling window.

"Smart Sensor Glass. You can clearly see the beautiful view outside, but people out there can't see you—especially when you're doing things. Heh, heh!" Tony raised his eyebrows as he explained it to the two of them.

"Whoa!" Fang Bie cried out in astonishment. This kind of futuristic technology, which had only existed in movies, was now right before his eyes. The shock of seeing it for real was impossible to put into words!