Tony Stark fell silent, waiting for Salomon to continue. Even Tony Stark could feel the hatred and bitterness squeezed through Salomon's clenched teeth. He already had the answer—an incomparably cruel answer.
"If half the population is lost, Earth's social structure and public services will collapse. Three and a half billion is only the most basic figure; even more will die from hunger, slaughter, disease, and riots. Starting a war now is not cruelty—it is kindness. The most important thing Kamar-Taj taught me was the weight of life. I know life is priceless, but I also know that lives have never been equal. I have never taken joy in the power I possess. In fact, every moment, I suffer the torment of my conscience. I can barely bear it any longer, but I must keep going, because this is the only way to save half of humanity. None of us has a choice. Sometimes, killing is done to save others. I understood that when I was twelve. I will never forget the first time my hands were stained with an innocent person's blood. I will never forget the expressions on their faces as they faced death. But I will also never forget how many people would have been harmed if I had not killed them."
"That was an autumn," Salomon said, taking another drag. He raised his head and stared at the cold fluorescent lights on the ceiling as if they were the moon he had seen many years ago. Tony Stark was surprised to see sorrow on his face. He had never seen Salomon wear such an expression. From past to present, Salomon had always seemed decisive, cold, arrogant, and rational to him. "I feel as if I can still smell the scorched teak floorboards in that house, smell the