"Fang! You're an absolutely flawless marketing genius!" Tony sat on the edge of the sofa, showering him with praise. On the screen before them played footage of the product launch from a few days earlier.
Everyone present had been stunned. They had marveled at a phone capable of bringing about a tremendous change in the whole world—and at the fresh-faced young man onstage, speaking confidently to the crowd!
Fang Bie had even been escorted offstage by security. Otherwise, he might never have made it off the platform before the media swarmed him.
He'd heard that the cutting-edge technology of this era was far ahead of that in his previous life, but consumer technology had remained stuck in the past. After a phone like this hit the market, the public's frenzy had been all but inevitable.
"Don't say that. I only came to your world to spend some time with you and have a little fun. Who could've guessed things would turn out like this?" Fang Bie's smile turned awkward. He'd only planned to stay for a while and make sure the playboy stayed safe.
After all, Tony had won countless fans in the movies of Fang Bie's previous life. Calling him humanity's savior wouldn't have been an exaggeration.
But Fang Bie had never expected that a few suggestions he'd made by sheer coincidence would bring smartphones into the world years ahead of schedule—and that he would be the one to help launch them.
He'd also learned that this world had a company called Apple. The company had run into some problems, though, and its founder, Mr. Jobs, was still working on his Pixar animations instead of returning to Apple.
"Tony, just two days after the launch, Stark Industries' stock had already recovered to its previous level, and it's still climbing. If you insist on spinning off the phone business, the shareholders won't be happy," Pepper Potts said, sorting through the documents in her hands.
"I'm the majority shareholder. I'm using my own money to start a phone company. Do I really need their permission?" Tony said irritably.
"The Arc Reactor was my father's life's work, and I'm leaving it at Stark Industries. Isn't that enough for them?" Tony grumbled. "People really are insatiable!"
"Capital is never satisfied. Once you show them there's more to be had, they'll only want more. They won't hold back," Yinsen said as he worked on assembling the bulky suit of armor nearby.
Tony had already proposed a new, lightweight suit, but as the doctor put it, they still had to finish the original design first. At least it would remind them of the hard times they'd endured in the cave.
Tony neither agreed nor disagreed, but he didn't stop Yinsen. Instead, he made sure the tools around the house were available to help him.
"The news is here!" Fang Bie glanced toward the door and told everyone in the room as Agent Coulson hurried toward them.
"So this is the agent from that Department of Homeland Security? Oh, damn, why is the name so long?" Tony said without hesitation.
"He said they were going to change it. Who knows?" Fang Bie shrugged. He'd adapted quickly to life here and could now speak English with them quite fluently.
"By the way, when are you planning to go back? I think I should come with you. Your world is a lot more interesting than this boring one," Tony whispered in his ear.
"Go back? Once things here are settled, we can leave whenever we want. I still want you two to help me with more grunt work!" Fang Bie's lips curled into a smile. The mechanical helmet in his hand immediately vanished into his Backpack, and the agent in front of him saw the whole thing.
"Mr. Stark, we've gathered information linking your company's vice president, Obadiah Stane, to a terrorist organization. We also have information about the weapons from your company that were sold. Now that you've heard this, would you be willing to talk with us?"
Agent Coulson remained as courteous as ever. He seemed unaware that all this was pointless and earnestly explained the situation to everyone.
"Obadiah? That can't be possible!" Pepper was shocked that the company's vice president would do something so harmful to the business, but the three others sitting on the sofa showed little reaction.
"Not many people could sell the company's weapons at will. There's only him—or me." Tony's expression grew somber. Obadiah had been like a father and a friend to him.
But Tony had spent his life fighting his way through the business world. How could he fail to tell right from wrong?
The evidence alone was enough to determine how the information had leaked. Anyone secretly selling weapons to a terrorist organization wouldn't leave alive the man who knew everything about the company. Otherwise, that chubby middle-aged man would be facing a military court!
Whether it was the FBI, CIA, Department of Defense, Navy, Department of Homeland Security, Marine Corps, or Rangers, none of them would allow someone to sell weapons to their enemies. He would be facing execution or thousands of years in prison!
"So... Tony, you were supposed to die!" Before Agent Coulson could explain who he was or why he'd come, Obadiah barged in through the doorway and rudely cut him off.
Behind him stood an elite squad, armed to the teeth and masked!
"Obadiah? So it was you!" Tony gritted his teeth, nearly crushing them. He'd been trying to convince himself that some higher-up had used their name to sell the weapons, because he didn't want to suspect Obadiah.
But now, he didn't need to wonder anymore. They'd come right to his door, and the soldiers with their weapons raised clearly weren't there to joke around.
"Oh! Looks like I picked a bad time to drop by!" Agent Coulson raised his hands apologetically. Just as Obadiah seemed about to say something else, the top agent abruptly flipped over and hurled a cylindrical object toward them.
"Get down!" Agent Coulson shouted. He dropped behind the sofa, rolled over, and tucked himself behind its narrow back.
Fang Bie reacted just as quickly. He'd been prepared, and the moment Coulson made his move, he disappeared from the living room.
Tony was already blocked by a mass of machinery. This was his home, after all, and he controlled every function of Jarvis. He and Pepper hid behind a metal plate.
Yinsen had vanished, too. He'd been standing near the lab, so he could easily make a run for it.
The stick-shaped object Agent Coulson had thrown emitted a flash bright enough to blind an ordinary person. It dazzled everyone, prompting the soldiers to raise their guns.
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