Everyday Life and the Prelude to a Storm

The Quinjet cut through the night sky and landed on the only intact landing pad left at Malibu Villa.

The moment the hatch opened, Xiao Han walked straight out as if he had merely gone for a stroll. The sea breeze ruffled his perfectly neat hair, while even the Quinjet's engines seemed to deliberately lower their hum behind him.

Tony stood at the villa entrance in a grease-stained work vest, holding a wrench crackling with electric arcs. He had clearly just emerged from the underground workshop, his face carrying a mixture of anxiety and curiosity.

"So, how was that military-grade searchlight?" He quickly caught up with Xiao Han, his tone carrying a caution he had not even noticed himself. "Bright enough?"

Without stopping, Xiao Han gave a casual assessment. "Decent brightness. Monotonous spectrum. Poor energy conversion efficiency." He glanced at Tony. "You owe me a real sunbath."

Tony's expression immediately fell. "Wait, how is that my fault? Those S.H.I.E.L.D. guys were the ones who fooled you!"

By then, Xiao Han had already entered the living room and headed unerringly for the oversized smart refrigerator.

The refrigerator door slid open soundlessly. Amid the spreading chill, he took out a tub of ice cream bearing the logo of some obscure Nordic brand. A metal spoon appeared in his hand at some point, and he scooped up a large spoonful and put it into his mouth.

The instant the ice cream touched his tongue, his eyes narrowed slightly, and the faint sense of oppression surrounding him seemed to ease a little.

Tony seized the opportunity to continue the earlier topic. "Hey, seriously, what happened over there? Coulson looked like he'd seen a ghost when he came back, and the metal case he was carrying needs triple biometric authorization to unlock. What did you find?"

Xiao Han took another scoop of ice cream, his tone calm. "A pile of garbage data and a noisy laboratory."

"That's it?" Tony clearly did not believe him. He had mobilized seven satellites to watch that patch of sea. Although all reconnaissance signals had ultimately been heavily jammed, the energy readings before the explosion had been terrifyingly high. "And you call that 'noisy'?"

"Too noisy," Xiao Han concluded. "So it became quiet."

Tony opened his mouth, then wisely decided not to ask any more questions. He watched Xiao Han slowly finish the tub of ice cream before naturally heading toward the floor-to-ceiling windows facing the sea.

No furniture had been placed there on purpose. There was only a huge soft mat, positioned to catch the first morning sunlight.

Clearly, this tenant's daily routine had reached the sunbathing stage. Tony rubbed his nose and tactfully retreated toward the workshop.

Repairing the villa and dealing with this tenant already kept him busy enough. Fury could deal with S.H.I.E.L.D.'s mess himself.

Just as Tony turned around, JARVIS spoke in a gentle voice. "Sir, Director Nick Fury is waiting on the line. The encryption level is maximum."

"Also, Miss Potts' vehicle has just passed the gate security check and is expected to arrive in three minutes."

"Tell him I'm busy," Tony said without hesitation. "And patch Pepper through to my private line."

A holographic projection lit up in the underground workshop, and Fury's dark face appeared in the air. His single eye stared fixedly at Tony. "Stark, we need to talk."

At the same time, Pepper's cheerful voice joined the channel. "Tony, I brought the Titanium Alloy plates you wanted, and... oh, Director Fury? Good evening."

Tony waved at the projection while speaking into his private line. "Pepper, drive straight to Garage B. I'll have the robots unload the cargo."

"As for the director, if this is about some sightseeing trip at sea, I know nothing. I'm just a landlord who provides technical support and ice cream."

Fury's voice suppressed his anger. "Stark, this is not the time for jokes. Do you know what situation we're facing?"

"I do." Tony picked up a circuit board and fiddled with it casually. "Your precious S.H.I.E.L.D. is infested with worms, right? Want me to recommend an insecticide?"

There was a moment of silence on the other end. When Fury spoke again, his voice had become exceptionally cold.

"The situation is far worse than that. Project Insight has been infiltrated and altered. The control of the three Helicarriers may have left our hands long ago. And what we found today..."

He paused, seemingly choosing his words. "...is enough to prove that many among us, including some high-ranking officials, have long been serving another organization."

Tony stopped fiddling with the circuit board. He raised his head, his expression turning serious. "Another organization?"

"Hydra." Fury spoke the word with heavy weight.

Pepper's startled cry came from the garage, clearly showing that she had heard it too. The air in Tony's workshop instantly froze.

"Are you sure?" Tony's voice lost its usual flippancy.

"The operation logs in the console, the command chains, the encrypted communication records—everything points to them." Fury's image flickered slightly, and the background seemed to be some moving vehicle.

"They used Operation Paperclip to absorb scientists after the war, and over the decades, they have infiltrated every level. S.H.I.E.L.D. and Hydra are now like two intertwined twin serpents. It's hard to tell where one ends and the other begins."

Tony took a deep breath and rubbed his face. "So what do we do now?"

"We need your help, Stark." Fury's voice was more solemn than ever. "Not just technologically, but also... the attitude of that 'guest.'" He hesitated. "How has he reacted to all this?"

Tony could not help but sneer. "Reacted? He finished a tub of ice cream and is probably asleep on the mat right now. Do you think he cares about S.H.I.E.L.D. or Hydra?"

"That is exactly what worries me," Fury said quietly. "His indifference itself is the greatest variable. We need to make sure he doesn't become... an uncontrollable factor."

Tony's expression turned cold. "Listen, Fury. I let him stay here, not to act as your guard. He is..." He paused, searching for a suitable word.

"...a tenant with his own disaster warning system. As long as you don't provoke him, he'll probably only care whether tomorrow's sun is bright enough."

"I hope you're right, Stark." Fury's image began to destabilize as the transmission suffered interference. "I've activated the highest alert protocol, but internal communications may already be unsafe."

"We'll contact each other through encrypted channels. Remember, trust no one."

The communication ended abruptly. Tony stood there for a long time without moving.

"Sir, Miss Potts has arrived at the garage," JARVIS reminded him.

Tony came back to himself and hurried toward the garage. Pepper stood there, her face pale, with crates of metal materials piled beside her.

"Tony, was what he said true? Hydra?" She grabbed Tony's arm, her fingers trembling slightly.

Tony took her hand and found it ice-cold. "I'm afraid so," he said softly. Looking into Pepper's frightened eyes, he tried to make his voice sound more reassuring.

"But don't worry. This place is safe. It has the most advanced security system in the world, and..." He glanced upstairs. "...a tenant who can beat up even gods."

Pepper forced a smile, but the worry did not leave her eyes. "This is insane. How could S.H.I.E.L.D...?"

"The most dangerous place is often the safest." Tony shook his head and led her toward the workshop. "Come on, help me look over the energy distribution plan for these new suits of armor. Compared to S.H.I.E.L.D.'s internal problems, this is much more reassuring."

They went down the stairs, and the workshop lights automatically came on. Several suits of armor gleamed with metallic luster beneath the lights. Tony walked toward the workbench while Pepper habitually began sorting the scattered tools and parts.

"You said he wouldn't interfere," Pepper asked softly as she sorted the screws, "but what if... what if those Hydra people come looking for trouble?"

Tony looked up from the holographic blueprint, a complicated smile curling at the corner of his mouth. "Then I'll pray for them."

Meanwhile, upstairs in the living room, Xiao Han still lay on the soft mat with his eyes closed, his breathing steady and deep, as though he had long since fallen asleep.

But outside the window, on the distant horizon, the engine of an unfamiliar vessel attempting to approach the coast suddenly went silent. All of its electronic equipment was instantly destroyed, and it slowly drifted away with the current.

Moonlight spilled into the living room and fell across his tranquil profile. His finger unconsciously tapped the soft mat once, as though brushing away a speck of dust.