I Am the Lord of Hell

Black Widow Natasha wore camouflage, sunglasses, and a scarf wrapped tightly around her face and neck.

It was scorching here, after all, and the direct sunlight made sunburn all too easy.

Of course, she was even more afraid of getting a tan.

She chewed gum and watched Li Wei, whose eyes were closed.

They were supposed to be looking for Tony Stark.

But the moment they flew out of the base, Li Wei had settled into this state, as if he were asleep.

She couldn't even wake him. Eve and 2B wouldn't let anyone near him.

With nothing else to do, Natasha folded her arms and watched him.

When Li Wei finally opened his eyes, she complained, "Were you meditating? I thought you actually had a way to find him."

Li Wei put on his sunglasses. "Of course I do. Don't you find it more relaxing out here?"

"This is the front line..."

Black Widow Natasha's mouth twitched.

Still, it was easier on her.

She didn't have any missions to carry out. Her only assignment was to protect Li Wei.

The helicopter was so loud that she simply put on ear protectors.

Li Wei rested a little, then had the helicopter fly deeper in as he extended his Telepathy.

His Telepathy could cover an area slightly larger than New York.

Even so, the search would take time.

But if there was anyone out there, Li Wei could sense them.

The exercise was making his mental powers stronger and stronger.

He wasn't here to hunt down militants, though, so he hadn't brought the US Military along.

Li Wei took it easy, resting at the base one day and going out to search the next.

Now that they were working together, the generals couldn't say much about it.

Future Technology Company's products really were useful.

The Griffin Combat Drone in particular was revolutionary.

Before this, drones had mostly been used for reconnaissance.

They had also been extremely loud.

Drones weren't even on the market yet, and the US Military only used its own.

But the arrival of Future Technology Company had changed everything.

"Huh."

Li Wei had lost count of how many times he'd gone out. He felt as though he'd been at the base for more than half a month.

This time, he finally found Tony Stark.

After so long, even S.H.I.E.L.D. was quietly preparing to give up.

They couldn't keep spending so much time on Tony Stark.

The fact that they'd kept searching until now was already more than anyone could ask.

With so much time gone by, many people even believed Tony Stark had been killed.

Li Wei had made a show of grief on social media in response.

He declared that even if Tony Stark was dead, he would find his body and bring him back to America!

Unfortunately, after all this time, even Tony Stark had faded from the public's attention.

The world was brutally realistic. No matter who you were, people would eventually forget you.

The exception was Captain America, Steve Rogers, who was seen as a symbol of hope.

But that was because he'd been made into an icon.

America needed a hero like him, so it had never stopped promoting him.

Li Wei extended his mental power straight toward the place and mapped out the entire base in an instant.

Just as he remembered, the base lay deep in the mountains, amid the desert.

The scenery looked almost identical in every direction. Staring at it for too long made Li Wei's eyes ache.

Finding the place by ordinary means would have been difficult.

Soon, Li Wei sensed Tony Stark.

Tony Stark was hammering away at metal.

He had already begun building his Mark I according to the plans, and a miniature nuclear reactor now sat in his chest.

Li Wei checked on him. Tony Stark was in better shape than before. Apparently, hard labor really did do a man good.

"Well, well."

"Who's there?"

A voice suddenly sounded in Tony Stark's mind. He jumped and nearly smashed his own hand with the hammer.

"Tony Stark, don't tell me you've forgotten who I am."

Li Wei pulled Tony Stark straight into a mental space.

A vast white expanse stretched around them, almost like heaven. Li Wei's figure slowly appeared before Tony Stark.

"What is this?"

Tony Stark looked around. The tools in his hands were gone.

He was wearing a suit, too.

"Don't tell me..."

He couldn't help forming a theory.

Li Wei nodded. "That's right. You're dead."

"This isn't heaven. It's Hell. You must repent for the life you led, forever."

Li Wei looked utterly solemn.

Tony Stark... believed him.

It was all too strange. The only thing he didn't understand was, "Why you?"

"Because I am the Lord of Hell. I came to the mortal world specifically to claim sinful souls like yours."

Li Wei went on gravely, "Drinking, gambling, women—you've done it all. Who knows how many people have died to your weapons?"

"So it's true, then?"

Tony Stark's voice sank, but he quickly sensed something was off.

"Tony Stark, you are guilty!"

Li Wei's voice thundered.

But before Li Wei could turn into a "devil," Tony Stark lunged at him.

He was a smart man. He'd caught on.

"Let's see who you really are!"

The moment he lunged, the illusion vanished.

"Tony! Tony!"

"What happened?"

Dr. Yinsen looked at him with concern.

"Nothing."

Back in reality, Tony Stark looked at the hammer in his hand and the room around him. Just as he'd thought.

An illusion. It had all been an illusion!

He'd been dreaming constantly lately, and even in his dreams, he kept trading barbs with Li Wei.

Now it was getting worse. He was hallucinating in broad daylight.

Still, his Iron Man Suit was nearly finished. He had to get out of here first!

On the helicopter, Li Wei opened his eyes.

"That idiot didn't believe me?"

"I should've told him I was Qin Shi Huang."

He'd gone with something rooted in Western culture and claimed to be the Lord of Hell, but Tony Stark hadn't bought it!

Smart people really were hard to fool!

"Let's head back."

Li Wei spoke to the helicopter pilot.

The pilot turned around without asking any questions.

"What happened?"

Natasha, bored out of her mind, asked at once.

"I found him."

Li Wei answered.

"What?"

Natasha stared at him in shock. "What did you even do to find him?"

"You wouldn't understand. Tony Stark and I have a telepathic connection. Once I get close enough, I know where he is."

Li Wei said it with a perfectly straight face.

But no one ever believed the truth.

Sure enough, Black Widow Natasha just rolled her eyes, assuming he had some piece of technology he hadn't shown her.

"Are you sure?"

She wanted confirmation.

"Of course. Because... I'm Batman!"

Li Wei deliberately dropped his voice.

Natasha wanted to kick him, but she believed him anyway.

"Been reading too many comics?"

DC Comics existed in the Marvel Universe, so Natasha got the reference.

Li Wei shook his head. I should've made that Batman Suit and brought out the Superman Glasses. That would've scared you senseless!