Departure

Meng Zu went home first to change clothes, then packed some things he might need into Storage Space before driving to Stark Tower. When he arrived, he saw Happy waiting for him downstairs.

When Happy saw Meng Zu, he called to notify Pepper. Five minutes later, Pepper came out of Stark Tower with a Black man in military uniform.

"Another familiar face." The moment Meng Zu saw the Black officer, he knew he was Rhodey.

"Hello, Mr. Meng Zu. I'm Colonel James Rhodes. Pepper has already told me about everything. I'll be assisting you this time." Rhodes held out a hand and got straight to the point.

Meng Zu shook Rhodes's hand and smiled. "Hello, Colonel Rhodes. Things will be much more convenient with your help."

Meng Zu looked at Pepper. "So we're leaving now?"

"Mm."

The four of them got into Happy's car and headed straight to the airport. Pepper had already arranged Tony's private jet, which would take them onward to the U.S. military base in Afghanistan.

Tony Stark had been attacked there. Starting the search from that location would save the most time, but not just anyone could enter a U.S. military base. That was why Pepper had contacted Colonel Rhodes. With that connection, Meng Zu could set out from the U.S. military base in Afghanistan.

Under Pepper and Happy's watchful gazes, Meng Zu and Rhodes boarded the private jet and departed.

On the plane, Rhodes asked, "Do you need me to prepare anything for you?"

"A motorcycle commonly found in Afghanistan, and a map."

"The military has already searched for Stark, right?"

"Yes."

Meng Zu thought for a moment before asking, "Can you tell me about the places you've already searched, as well as the directions those terrorists came from and left in?"

"Once we reach the U.S. military base, I'll mark all of that on the map I give you. Mr. Meng Zu, Pepper and Happy have already given me a general idea of who you are. Maybe you really can find Tony." Rhodes looked at Meng Zu thoughtfully.

"So?" Meng Zu could tell Rhodes had not finished what he wanted to say.

"If you really find Tony, I hope you won't act on your own. Those terrorists are called the Ten Rings, and their armed strength isn't weak. If we alert them, they may relocate."

"If you notify the military immediately, we'll definitely be able to wipe out the Ten Rings at once and rescue Tony safely."

"Don't worry. Stark's safety will come first. After all, as long as I find Stark, I'll receive my reward." Meng Zu smiled.

After the plane arrived at the U.S. military base in Afghanistan, the military inspected Meng Zu's backpack. Other than two Beretta pistols, ammunition, food, and water, there was nothing else inside. Once they found no prohibited items, they returned the backpack to him.

Before long, Rhodes brought Meng Zu the motorcycle and map he needed. Standing outside the base, Rhodes handed Meng Zu a military communications phone. "Use this to contact us once you find Tony. It has a locator, and we'll be able to find you through it."

Meng Zu looked at the military phone in his hand, then handed it back to Rhodes. "Better not. Since Stark's kidnapping and attack were so precisely planned, they may have a way to detect your tracking system. Carrying this could expose me."

Meng Zu took out his own phone. "What's your number? I'll call you when the time comes."

Rhodes could only give Meng Zu his number. "Goodbye, and good luck!"

"Thanks for the kind words!" Meng Zu slung on his backpack, started the motorcycle, and left the U.S. military base.

Meng Zu headed straight for the location where Tony Stark had been attacked. He decisively activated Clue Guidance and compared the direction of the arrow with the map. To his surprise, it differed from the areas the military had searched by a full sixty degrees.

"The military searched for so long and still got it this wrong. Looks like Tony's dear uncle Obadiah had been leaking plenty of information." Meng Zu immediately understood the reason.

Tony Stark had been attacked by the Ten Rings because Obadiah had made a deal with them. Obadiah had also informed them of Tony's movements when he came to the U.S. military base. Naturally, Obadiah also knew about the military's search for Tony.

Although Obadiah knew Tony was supposedly dead, he considered the possibility that the U.S. military might find the Ten Rings. If they had kept evidence of his deal with them, he would be finished. So Obadiah had informed the Ten Rings of the military's search operations in advance, allowing them to avoid the military. That was why, even after more than two months, the military still had not found Tony.

Meng Zu rode through the swirling sandstorm in the direction indicated by the arrow. Suddenly, he thought of how Tony had escaped the Ten Rings only after building Mark 1. If he rescued Tony early, would Iron Man cease to exist in the future?

Should he abandon the mission? But when he thought of the enormous number of Contract Points, Meng Zu dismissed the idea. "Probably not. Even if Iron Man really disappears, I can just give him a hint. With Tony's intelligence, he can definitely build the Mark armor."

Speaking of which, Obadiah was quite tragic. He had originally thought that killing Tony would allow him to take control of Stark Industries, but he had not expected the Ten Rings' leader to be clever enough to understand that Tony was a goose that laid golden eggs. He would never truly let Tony Stark die.

"You want me to kill Tony Stark, Obadiah? Fine. I'll send you a video showing that I've killed him. Look, there's such a huge hole blown through his chest. Don't worry, he's dead."

Obadiah saw the video and relaxed. Who would have thought that as soon as their leader finished filming, he immediately had Tony, who was lying on the ground gravely wounded, rescued? As long as Tony Stark was imprisoned forever and forced to make weapons for them, Obadiah would never know that they had broken the deal.

With Tony Stark's talent, he could definitely make even more weapons. The Ten Rings' armed strength would grow even stronger.

Unexpectedly, Tony built the Mark 1 armor and made a kingly return. Obadiah not only had his true face exposed, but ultimately died as well.

Every hour, Meng Zu used Clue Guidance once to confirm his direction. Four hours later, he arrived at a small town.

In the town, Meng Zu noticed several suspicious people. Judging from the faint outlines beneath their clothes, they were all carrying guns.

There were only two kinds of people with guns here: government personnel and members of the Ten Rings. But the U.S. military had been searching for Tony frequently over the past two months. If they discovered a place with too many armed people, they would definitely grow suspicious.

Government personnel naturally would not fear searches, but the Ten Rings could not afford that. Once discovered, the U.S. military would surely find their headquarters. That was why the Ten Rings' sentries hid their guns to avoid drawing the military's attention.

There were quite a few thugs, thieves, and robbers in this town. When some of them saw Meng Zu, an Asian man, their expressions immediately turned malicious. Their eyes gleamed as they looked him over, as though assessing a fat sheep.

Meng Zu immediately came up with an idea. Half an hour later, three people lay unconscious on the floor inside a house. One of them was wearing nothing but underwear.

Meng Zu's appearance had changed completely. His face now looked exactly like that of the man in underwear, and he had changed into the man's clothes.

The Ten Rings' headquarters should not be far from here. As an Asian man, he stood out too much and could easily attract attention. It would be much easier to move around with the appearance of a local.