Elders Pressuring Him to Marry

Did Tony Stark successfully propose?

Before the Arbitrators' heroes could even finish collecting the champagne corks, an even more explosive piece of news exploded through the AID's internal communications network (marked with the highest priority official document):

Tony Stark is getting married!

Even more shocking is that the location was chosen to be that iconic place— Malibu, the site of his former seaside villa that was once bombed down to half a cliff.

Upon hearing the news, Rhodes spat out his coffee. "Wait! Tony! That cliff flattened by Hellfire? Are you sure Pepper wants to relive her past there?"

Tony looked up from a pile of holographic designs, his face beaming with a kind of... the kind of silly, shrewd light that comes with a man after a proposal. "Reliving the past? No, no, no, Rhodes, this is called rebirth! Don't you understand the symbolism? And," he snapped his the Snap triumphantly, "Friday, show Rhodes our 'low-key' new foundation."

As the holographic projection unfolds, the once dilapidated cliff is now firmly supported by several massive, futuristic silver pillars.

The pillar was covered with flowing, dark blue energy patterns, and at the top was a huge circular platform.

The platform surface is covered with some kind of transparent composite material, and below it are the surging waves of the Pacific Ocean, creating an extremely stunning visual effect.

"An anti-gravity platform buffer layer, Vibranium- reinforced skeleton, nanoscale self-healing surface... plus a bit of space expansion technology." Tony explained casually, "For now, we've just built a ceremony platform. After the wedding, the villa will 'grow' back to its original state, even cooler than before!"

Rhodes: "... You call this 'low-key'?"

Tony declared confidently, "We saved on venue fees! The scenery is superb! The privacy is top-notch! Isn't that low-key enough?"

On the other side, Chen Tian was officially appointed as Tony's right-hand man—the chief best man. The other best man was naturally Rhodes.

At this moment, Chen Tian, wearing his signature black eye patch, was pointing at the holographic projection above the platform—a virtual guest zoning map, with densely packed dots representing various factions.

"The reserved area on the east side is for Kamar-Taj and the Dimensional Observation Group; it has its own space-folding function, saving space."

"The core members of the Arbitrator Alliance are positioned at the front, making it easier for Captain America to maintain order at any time."

"Hmm, Goku and the others, let's set up a separate 'entertainment area' with a super-strong energy barrier, so they don't get too carried away and stomp through the platform," Chen Tian muttered to himself.

Rhodes watched, his eyelids twitching. "Brother, are you setting up a battlefield? This is a wedding!"

Chen Tian didn't even look up. "The wedding is the 'battlefield' where accidents are absolutely unacceptable. Wasn't the lesson from the proposal speech mishap last time profound enough?"

Rhodes was speechless.

Wedding Day.

The weather was perfect; the sunshine was as bright as Tony's mood at that moment.

On the cliff platform in Malibu, simple yet elegant white roses create a wonderful contrast with the azure blue of the ocean waves.

Tony, dressed in a perfectly tailored white tuxedo (matte fabric, which passed Chen Tian's reflection test), nervously tugged at his bow tie, his eyes constantly glancing towards the entrance.

Chen Tian and Rhodes were on his left and right sides, respectively.

Chen Tian was still wearing that high-tech goggles and a well-fitting black suit, his aura as calm as obsidian.

Rhodes, beaming, patted Tony on the shoulder every now and then. "Relax, buddy! Pepper's not going anywhere!"

Tony lowered his voice. "Chen Tian! My oath! Double-check it! Friday's teleprompter absolutely, positively cannot malfunction!"

Chen Tian's blindfold flashed with a faint light. "The teleprompter rune circuit is stable, the backup sonic resonance implantation plan is ready, and the emergency intervention protocol for the Mind Stone Fragment has been authorized... Don't worry, even if aliens come in a mothership to steal the bride, your vows will still reach Pepper's ears word for word."

Tony: "... Thank you so much."

Rhodes sighed, "Can't you two have a little bit of a romantic wedding spirit?"

The music began, melodious and sacred.

Pepper appeared at the entrance.

She looked stunning in a simple, pure white wedding dress with a long train. The sunlight framed her back with a golden edge.

Her bridesmaids instantly attracted the attention of all the guests:

2B: Her champagne gold long-sleeved fishtail dress perfectly hugged the streamlined curves of her mechanical body, and her silver hair was elegantly styled in an updo. She maintained a standard guarding distance, her optical glasses gleaming slightly behind her veil, and a dagger was strapped to her thigh, barely visible through the slit in her skirt.

Wanda: Her matching halter-neck, backless gown rippled with each step, like red wine, with crimson energy flowing within the subtle embroidery on the hem. She kept three fingers lightly touching Pepper's waist, ready to use Chaos Magic to catch the hem of her dress if she tripped.

Kiana: Her playful short tulle skirt is adorned with sparkling rhinestones. She holds Pepper's two-meter-long veil as if it were a sacred object. Every time the sea breeze blows, she tenses up on her tiptoes. Her blue eyes under the bow hair accessory are brighter than the Mediterranean sun.

"Wow..." In the audience, Spider-Man couldn't help but let out a soft exclamation, "Aren't these bridesmaids... a little too attention-grabbing?"

Natasha chuckled, "This is Pepper and Tony, as Chen Tian's 'elders,' subtly urging Chen Tian to get married on behalf of the three girls."

Pepper walked gracefully along the transparent glass walkway, with the surging waves below. Her gaze, gentle yet firm, locked onto Tony.

Tony's heart was pounding like a reactor overload.

Finally, Pepper walked up to Tony.

Tony took a deep breath and, with the priest's guidance, took Pepper's hand.

This time, with Chen Tian's "multiple insurances," the vow-giving process went exceptionally smoothly. Tony, unusually, didn't falter, and with a slightly hoarse but incredibly sincere voice, he made his promise to stay together for life.

Pepper's eyes glistened with tears, but her response was clear and firm.

2B stepped forward and took out a small metal sphere. The sphere slid open silently, revealing a delicate hidden compartment where a ring was securely set— Pepper's wedding ring.

With absolute precision and force, she handed the ring box to Pepper.

Chen Tian snapped his the Snap, distorting space and revealing a metal Box in his hand. He opened the Box, and a ring appeared— Tony's wedding ring.

The entire process was smooth and quiet.

Tony took out the ring and solemnly placed it on Pepper. Pepper then placed his own ring on Tony's finger as well.

"Now you may kiss your bride," the priest announced.

Amid cheers and applause, Tony kissed his bride passionately.

The ceremony is complete!

Cheers and the sound of waves mingled together, echoing through the sky.

The cheers of the ceremony were still echoing in the sea breeze when Pepper smiled and took the microphone from the emcee.

"Tony," her voice was slightly hoarse from crying, yet surprisingly bright, "Thank you for everything, it's perfect like a dream." She looked at Tony affectionately, Tony grinned, proudly raising his chin.

Pepper turned to Chen Tian and Rhodes: "And you, Rhodes, Chen Tian, Tony's knights, thank you for your hard work." Rhodes immediately straightened his back, and Chen Tian nodded with a smile.

Then, Pepper's gaze locked onto Chen Tian, the eyepatch-wearing man.

"Chen Tian."

Chen Tian: "?"

Everyone followed Pepper's gaze to him, and the atmosphere became awkward.

"Tony and I," Pepper began, her voice soft yet powerful, "Watching him come this far. Pulling him out of that horrible place in 2008, and then he suddenly brought back an Asia boy with a bewildered look in his eyes."

Chen Tian's lips twitched almost imperceptibly.

"My first time at a party, that awkward introverted feeling; being surrounded by reporters, that 'I want to disappear on the spot' expression..." Pepper's eyes held a smile of reminiscence.

"And now?" She looked at Chen Tian, who exuded a calm Shang-Chi the platform. "The core of the Arbitrators, the one who can go toe-to-toe with Dimensional Demon God. Tony," she looked at her husband, "Your greatest achievement, besides the reactor, is probably bringing this 'little trouble' into our lives, and then together we created another, even bigger 'trouble'— the Arbitrators."

Tony nodded vigorously. "Absolutely right! Although the process is incredibly troublesome!"

Pepper smiled, her eyes gently enveloping Chen Tian: "You're family, Chen Tian. Tony treats you like a younger brother, and sometimes more like a troublesome son who suddenly appeared in his life."

She specifically looked at Rhodes: "One of them!" Rhodes immediately raised his hands in surrender, which drew a burst of laughter.

"And I," Pepper's voice softened, "Have always treated you like a child who needed a lot of care, watching you grow into a towering tree step by step, the joy of which... is indescribable."

She paused, picked up the bouquet of white roses that symbolized the passing on of happiness, but did not throw it away.

"So, I've decided to cheat today." Pepper smiled slyly, and with a few deft flicks of her fingers, the exquisite bouquet was instantly divided into four small and delicate bunches!

She walked down the steps and, to everyone's surprise, handed one of the bouquets directly to 2B, who was standing quietly by.

2B's eyes scanned the bouquet, then Pepper's serious expression. She didn't speak, but simply extended her hands with extreme precision, accepting the bouquet as if receiving a precision weapon.

She held the bouquet of flowers to her chest, creating a striking contrast with the tactical dagger that was faintly visible beneath her champagne-colored fishtail skirt.

"Here you go, good girl," Pepper said softly.

Next was Wanda. Scarlet Witch looked at the small bouquet of flowers handed to her, a crimson glint and a knowing smile flashing in her eyes.

"Oh, Pepper ..." she sighed softly, gracefully accepting the flower, the energy threads at her fingertips gently wrapping around the stem, as if reinforcing this "blessing."

"This 'blessing'... contains quite a bit of magic." She glanced at Chen Tian meaningfully.

In the third shot, Pepper walked towards Kiana was nervously lifting her skirt.

"Kiana!" The girl was startled and almost threw Pepper's veil off.

"Wow! For me?" She looked at the small bouquet in front of her, her blue eyes instantly brightening like the starry sea. "Yes! Pepper, Aunt Pepper!" She happily accepted it, nodding vigorously, "I will definitely be happy! Yes!" Her tone was as if she were making a vow.

With the last bouquet, Pepper walked toward Bayonetta, who had been lounging lazily against the bar.

The witch exhaled a beautiful smoke ring, a playful smile curving her lips as she accepted the small bouquet of flowers as easily as picking up a cocktail.

"A cute little gift, darling." She sniffed lightly, her gaze piercing through the crowd like a hook, fixing on Chen Tian. "Looks like some 'trouble' is about to escalate?" Her tone was languid, yet dangerously sweet.

Pepper finished the "delivery" and looked at Chen Tian, who had been completely bewildered the whole time, with a smile as bright as the California sunshine:

"I've sorted the bouquets! Little Chen Tian," she emphasized the word "little," "Don't let down your Uncle Tony and Aunt Pepper's high expectations!"

Boom!

The entire venue was deathly silent for a second, then-

"Wooooooooo--!!!"

"Well done, Pepper!"

"Long live Mrs. Stark!"

"Chen! Keep it up!"

"Haha, look at Chen Tian's expression!"

"Let's see how he runs this time!"

Whistles, bursts of laughter, and jeers nearly overturned the entire anti-gravity platform!

Tony hugged Pepper tightly, laughing so hard he almost fell over, clapping wildly. "Well said, darling! That's wonderful!"

Four women with distinct styles stood in different locations, each holding a small bouquet symbolizing happiness. Their gazes, like four high-energy rays, pierced through the bustling crowd and focused firmly on the same target— Chen Tian, who was wearing a black eye patch and trying to shrink into the shadows.

2B: Her eyes were calm and still, but the arm holding the flowers was as firm as humanity's last hope.

Wanda: A smile played on her lips, and faint red energy threads flickered at her fingertips.

Kiana: Her face flushed with excitement as she waved her small bouquet vigorously, silently shouting "Go for it!"

Bayonetta: Her red lips parted slightly as she exhaled a smoke ring; her eyes, once playful, now held a resolute look.

Standing between Tony and Rhodes, Chen Tian felt as if his high-tech goggles were being burned through by the four pairs of eyes. He expressionlessly raised his hand and silently stroked the tip of his nose.

Rhodes suppressed a laugh and nudged him, "Hey, best man, how's it going?"

Tony leaned in, put his arm around his neck, and gloated, "Hey, 'kid,' the mission difficulty has increased! An S-rank mission has become an SSS-rank! Hahahaha!"

Chen Tian lowered his hand and gave Tony and Pepper a resentful 'look'.

He spread his hands, "What can I do? In my country, the pressure from 'elders' to get married is something I can only accept."

Chen Tian's words, "Accept it calmly," were like a bomb, triggering an even bigger tsunami of cheers!

"Alas--!!!"

"Did you hear that? He admitted it!"

"Commander Chen is awesome!"

"Hurry up! Schedule it! Get it done now!"

"Uncle Tony! Aunt Pepper! Did you hear that? It's done!"

The whistling and screaming nearly overturned the platform.

Tony, with his arm around Pepper, laughed so hard he slapped his thigh, while Rhodes, holding Chen Tian's shoulders, shook him vigorously. "Brother! That's a real man!"

Amidst this uproar, the four girls holding bouquets reacted remarkably in unison—

Swish!

Four distinct faces simultaneously beamed with the sweetest smiles!

2B: Her eyes instantly lit up with a soft light, her arms holding the flowers were no longer stiff, and the corners of her mouth clearly curved upwards. Silent, yet fatally sweet.

Wanda: Her Red Eye sparkled, and a smile bloomed across her lips like a rose in full bloom. The energy threads that entwined her stem swayed gently, silently announcing victory.

Kiana: "Yay--!!!" She jumped up, her blue eyes shining like Tony's nuclear reactor, her face flushed with excitement, waving her bouquet vigorously, her smile as bright as the California sun!

Bayonetta: Her red lips curved into a perfect, alluring arc, and she lazily exhaled a smoke ring. Her eyes were fixed on Chen Tian, and her triumphant smile, full of confidence, was both dangerous and sweet.

Four pairs of eyes, each carrying the same sweet "killing intent," were firmly fixed on Chen Tian in the center of the arena.

Tony laughed even louder, patting Rhodes: "Look! Friday! Did you hear me? Right now! Immediately! Put our other leader's 'life event' at the very top of my schedule! Priority MAX!"

Rhodes suppressed a laugh, "A schedule? Bro, I think it's a 'strategic offensive schedule'?"

Chen Tian stood in the eye of the storm, his expression showing he was about to collapse.

He raised his hand and casually straightened his tie, but the gesture carried a subtle sense of resignation.

"Okay." He spoke softly, but clearly, through the noise, towards Tony and Pepper. "The schedule... I've taken it."

This short sentence is like flipping a switch.

Wow--!!!

"Chen! So domineering!"

"Proposal schedule! Initiate!!!"

The cheers completely pierced the sky!

Pepper nestled in Tony's arms, her smile radiant and content.

Tony gave Chen Tian two thumbs up, his eyes smug: Kid, you can't escape now, can you?

On the platform, colorful ribbons fluttered and laughter resounded.

The wedding of Arbitrators leader Tony Stark has concluded successfully.

Meanwhile, Chen Tian's "sweet war" has only just begun! His schedule? It's definitely the highest priority for the entire Arbitrator Alliance – an SSS-level strategic objective!

(These chapters are a bit filler, I admit, mainly because I'm having terrible writer's block!!!)

(So dear readers, please be patient. The upcoming battle will be multifaceted, with several bosses appearing simultaneously. Let me organize my thoughts and ideas.)

(Here, the author would like to first bow and apologize to all readers!)