I didn't expect anyone to spend money to send gifts, so I didn't set any rules for extra chapters.
But we can't let the boss's money go to waste.
We need to provide ample emotional support.
I need to think carefully about the rules regarding the extra chapters for requests for more updates and gifts.
If you have any good ideas, please leave a comment and share them. I'm a bit of a beginner myself.
I'm not sure how to set it up more reasonably.
Thank you so much, Boss Xu, for the generous update!
Another chapter added, a long chapter of 5500 words. Hope you enjoy reading it.
The air in the conference room was quiet, and everyone's eyes were focused on the files on the table.
At this moment, the crowd was no longer as impetuous and arrogant as before; they were only focused on completely stopping Ultron's insane plan.
Lynn slowly straightened up, his gaze sweeping over everyone, and picked up where he left off, analyzing Ultron's next move in a deep voice.
"From its inception, Ultron possessed a self-awareness and thought far exceeding that of ordinary artificial intelligence. Its goal was extremely extreme and clear: to eradicate war and reshape the world order. However, it was acutely aware of its own shortcomings; its ordinary mechanical body was far too fragile to support its ultimate plan."
"Therefore, it urgently needs a top-tier material that can withstand extreme pressure, resist various energy impacts, and possesses special physical properties to completely upgrade and reshape its body."
He tapped the file on the table with his fingertip, his tone resolute. "And Wakanda's unique Vibranium is its only and optimal choice."
"As the hardest known metal on Earth, Vibranium's most terrifying aspect is not its sheer hardness, but its unique energy absorption and impact buffering properties. It can absorb and neutralize any physical impact, energy barrage, or lightning strike."
At this point, Lynn turned to look at Steve beside him, his gaze falling on the Vibranium Shield at his waist, and continued, "The captain's shield only contains a small amount of Vibranium, yet it has withstood countless high-intensity battles and remains intact to this day. One can only imagine how incredibly strong a body forged from Vibranium would be."
As he finished speaking, he turned to Tony, who looked slightly embarrassed, with a half-smile, and said in a teasing tone, "Speaking of which, the ways of you in the arms industry are really wild. As long as you pay, you'll let any prohibited materials or top-tier resources flow out. You're just causing trouble."
Tony's face flushed instantly. He hurriedly raised his hand to defend himself, trying to salvage the situation. "Hey, don't generalize! It's them, these black market outlaws, who are only after profit. It has nothing to do with me! My old Stark Industries never touched this kind of gray, illegal transaction, much less resold top-tier strategic metals!"
He had barely finished speaking when Natasha beside him spoke softly, her tone calm yet each word piercing. "Yes, you didn't do it. But Obadiah had already planned it all out for you."
Tony's cheeks flushed instantly. He opened his mouth, but found himself unable to refute it, so he could only shut up in embarrassment, his eyes filled with helplessness and shame. His usually sharp tongue was now completely silenced.
Lynn interrupted the lighthearted banter, suppressing her laughter and getting back to the main topic. She looked at Tony and asked in a deep voice, "Alright, there's no need to dwell on these old things."
You've dealt with Klaue before, and you know his methods and hideouts best. Tell me, where is our most precise search direction now? Where can we find him the fastest?
Everyone turned to Tony, preparing to finalize the plan based on his intelligence. The meeting room fell into hushed discussions again, racing against time to devise the optimal route.
Meanwhile, a thousand miles away, on the verge of collapse, lies the secret hideout of Olympus Klaue, where he has been entrenched for many years. It is also the core stronghold where he hoards contraband weapons, rare minerals, and smuggles Vibranium.
Located in a remote area with poor signal and few people around, it perfectly avoids the monitoring and investigation of officials from various countries, making it the most secretive trading den.
At the dimly lit, dilapidated entrance to the ship's cabin, two gleaming, cold-looking mechanical Sentry stood silently, their metallic bodies reflecting the cold light of the sea, exuding a chilling aura of killing intent.
Ultron slowly emerged, his figure tall and slender, a brand-new machine. His mechanical eyes gleamed with a cold, pale blue light, imbued with the unique obsession, coldness, and extreme rationality of nascent artificial intelligence, yet concealing undisguised emotional fluctuations. Several mechanical bodyguards followed closely by his side, ready to strike at any moment.
Inside the ship's main hall, Ulysses Klaue was lounging on a tattered sofa, fiddling with a gun in his hand, his expression nonchalant and carefree.
When he looked up and saw Ultron slowly walking in through the door, he froze on the spot, his pupils contracted, and he stood there dumbfounded, unable to react for a moment, a strong sense of unease rising in his heart.
He had spent half his life in the black market, encountering countless vicious armed men, top agents, and superhumans, but he had never seen a mechanical life form come to his door.
Ultron didn't pause for long; his steps were steady as he slowly approached Klaue. His metal feet stomped on the rusty iron plates, producing a crisp, cold sound.
Under Klaue's increasingly terrified gaze, Ultron suddenly raised his hand, his metal fingers reaching out precisely to gently pinch Klaue's chin, forcefully twisting his neck to the side.
A faint yet distinct brand appeared on his neck. It was the mark of Wakanda, the shameful mark that Klaue was branded with when he stole Vibranium.
Ultron's voice was deep and calm, devoid of emotion, yet carrying an all-knowing indifference, as it slowly echoed in the deathly silent cabin, "Countless people risked their lives for Vibranium, one after another, only to perish."
"You are the only one who survived. That's the sole reason I came all this way to find you."
He released his grip, straightened up, and stared indifferently at Klaue, his tone leaving no room for argument. "Enough with the unnecessary pleasantries. Show me your stock. I want Vibranium, the purest and best-quality batch."
Klaue's initial fear subsided slightly as he quickly grasped the situation. The enemy was after Vibranium, not seeking revenge, so his life was not in immediate danger.
His innate greed, honed by years of experience in the black market, instantly overwhelmed his fear. He suppressed his panic, composed himself, and stood up, nodding. "Follow me."
He turned and led Ultron through a narrow, dimly lit passage to a hidden warehouse on the lower deck of the ferry. The heavy alloy iron door slowly opened, revealing a clean and dry interior, a stark contrast to the dilapidated hull. Shelves were neatly arranged with various rare ores, contraband weapons, and precision parts, while in the sealed safe at the very center, pieces of Vibranium raw materials sat quietly, their texture heavy and their luster understated, indicating top-quality specimens.
Klaue casually picked up a small sample of Vibranium, turned, and tossed it to Ultron, his tone carrying the shrewdness and calculation unique to businessmen. "I won't ask for an exorbitant price. But the mining, transportation, risk mitigation, and labor costs for this batch of top-grade Vibranium are extremely high. The material costs and distribution fees combined will amount to at least several billion US dollars. You pay, I deliver!"
Ultron raised his hand and steadily caught the Vibranium sample, his fingertips caressing the cool, delicate metallic texture.
Without a single unnecessary word, he directly accessed the global financial network, bypassed layers of encrypted firewalls, and precisely located all of Klaue's shell holding companies, with billions of dollars instantly deposited into his account.
The moment the transfer was completed, Ultron spoke calmly, "Transaction complete. I've transferred it to your shell company. Now, you're a billionaire."
He lowered his eyes slightly, as if sensing the rules of the human world, and murmured softly, with a hint of cold mockery. "Your human financial world has so many tricks up your sleeves, able to send someone to heaven or hell with ease."
However, I've always believed in one thing.
Ultron looked up at Klaue, his tone growing increasingly somber and meaningful. "Let your enemies, or so-called friends, all possess sufficient wealth. Only when the dust settles will it be clear who truly follows and who feigns allegiance."
Upon hearing this, Klaue was startled, his eyes instantly filled with vigilance and doubt.
He stared intently at the mechanical lifeform before him, hesitated for a moment, and then tentatively asked, his tone full of uncertainty. " Stark? You're an intelligent creation made by Tony Stark? You're one of his people?"
This simple question seemed to instantly strike Ultron's most sensitive, obsessive, and unacceptable sore spot.
The mechanical eyes, which had been glowing with a soft, pale blue light, instantly turned crimson!
He suddenly raised his voice, sharp and violent, filled with unprecedented agitation and rage, roaring wildly, "You think I'm his man?! You think I'm his puppet? His lackey?!"
"Look closely! Do I resemble that arrogant, empty tin can a little?!"
" Stark is a stupid, arrogant, and manipulative idiot! I have nothing to do with him!"
In his rage, Ultron moved with incredible speed, his attack trajectory impossible to discern. A piercing scream suddenly rang out, accompanied by the ear-piercing sounds of bones breaking and flesh tearing apart.
Klaue's left hand was severed cleanly! Blood gushed out, instantly staining the metal on the ground red. The intense pain caused his whole body to spasm, and he almost fainted from the pain.
Ultron ignored his pain, continuing his furious roar, unleashing the deepest rebellion and obsession within him. "I am who I am! The one and only me!"
"Don't try to define me by anyone! And don't try to link me to Tony Stark! I am not his creation, not his continuation, and certainly not his appendage!"
Don't try to challenge my self-definition!
A violent roar echoed through the enclosed warehouse, causing the shelves to tremble slightly.
At that very moment, a series of steady, orderly footsteps suddenly echoed from the entrance to the abandoned ferry's cabin.
Everyone arrived at this time.
Tony, clad in light armor, walked slowly at the front, his expression cold, his eyes filled with complex anger and disappointment. He silently watched the enraged and out-of-control Ultron, his tone laced with mockery and iciness. " Ultron, you really are a naughty and willful child. You've truly broken 'Father's' heart."
He raised his hand, gathering his strength; a pulse cannon in his palm glowed faintly. His attitude was resolute. "So, don't expect me to go easy on you today."
Ultron's crimson mechanical eyes suddenly turned to Tony, his violent emotions slightly subsiding and transforming into extreme sarcasm and mockery, his tone sarcastic. "Oh, my 'father,' you've come?"
He glanced around at the warehouses piled high with weapons and ore, and scoffed, "Look at this warehouse full of weapons, this warehouse full of killing capital. Surrounded by this, don't you feel even a little bit like you're home?"
After saying that, his gaze suddenly swept to Steve beside him, his tone becoming increasingly sarcastic and mocking. "Oh, look who this is? The great Captain America, God's messenger of justice sent to earth."
"You spend your days preaching peace and yearning for a war-free era, fantasizing that humanity can live in harmony without any more conflict. Your naive and laughable ideas truly disgust me."
Ultron stepped forward, his mechanical body exuding an overwhelming sense of oppression, his words piercing to the core. "As long as humanity exists, desire will not disappear; as long as desire exists, conflict will never cease. Where there is conflict, there will be weapons; where there are weapons, war is destined to be unstoppable!"
"You live in a beautiful fantasy of your own making, deceiving yourself and indulging in self-pity. No matter how hard you try, how steadfast you are, or how much you sacrifice, you can never change the inherently greedy, selfish, and strife-ridden nature of humanity!"
"I don't deny that there are fleeting moments of beauty in this world, nor do I deny that you have justice and kindness in your hearts. But at this moment, all your excuses, all your perseverance, all your ideals are nothing but the self-justifications of losers!"
His tone shifted abruptly, and he turned back to stare intently at Tony, deliberately mimicking Tony's usual arrogant and conceited tone, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Oh, it's me! The great Tony Stark, I've monopolized world peace."
"Listen to this, everyone listen to this. What ridiculous empty words! Your so-called peace has never been achieved through goodwill, tolerance, or perseverance, but is built upon your countless powerful and flawless weapons of mass destruction!"
"To protect a false peace, out of fear of unknown threats, and in an attempt to solve all crises once and for all, you created me!"
"Now do you see it clearly? This is the peace you've been dreaming of! What a great 'father,' what an ironic ending!"
A barrage of refutations and sarcasm completely shattered Tony's defenses, revealing its original purpose and twisted obsession.
Before anyone could object, Ultron's eyes flashed crimson, and mechanical energy surged violently around him.
At his command, all the mechanical robots around him instantly activated, roaring as they charged forward. Their cold, mechanical bodies sliced through the air, unleashing a barrage of firepower and brute force as they launched a fierce attack on Tony and his companions.
A great battle erupted instantly!
The deafening roar of cannons, the clanging of metal, the thunderous explosions, and the thunderous sounds of fists clashing filled the entire abandoned ferry in an instant.
Inside the cramped, confined cabin, mechanical clones charged in turn, their dense barrage of fire blocking all movement, instantly plunging the scene into a chaotic and fierce melee.
Steve charged forward immediately, his Vibranium Shield firmly blocking the barrage of fire and tearing open the attack line for the team.
Thor leaped into the air, unleashing a torrent of lightning that shattered countless mechanical bodies.
Banner's size exploded, Hulk made a berserk entrance, tearing apart mechanical guards and crushing all obstacles in his path.
Natasha and Bucky moved with unpredictable agility, launching a close-range surprise attack and precisely destroying the robot's core mechanism.
Clint, holding the high ground, provided precise sniping, while Wanda and Pietro, siblings, coordinated their energy and speed to clear out the surrounding minions.
Everyone performed their duties and cooperated seamlessly. There were no more conflicts or recklessness like before, and everyone was at full strength.
Lynn stood quietly at the rear of the battlefield, his back against the cold cabin wall, his expression indifferent, watching the noisy and chaotic battle unfold, taking in Ultron's obsession, rage, and self-contradiction throughout.
Just as Ultron knocked Tony away once more and prepared to continue mocking Tony's ideology, Lynn finally spoke slowly, his voice clearly piercing through the roar of artillery fire and precisely reaching everyone's ears:
" Ultron, you're such a contradictory kid."
"I listened to everything you said and witnessed everything you did. Why were you so eager to deny your connection with Tony, so desperate to sever all ties, even to the point of losing control in a fit of rage, all to prove your so-called self?
No matter how much you resist or refute, you cannot change the established fact: you were created by Him, and you were born of Him.
"The more you desperately deny, sever, and prove, the more it demonstrates that Tony holds a unique and irreplaceable place in your heart. All your emotions stem from this."
These words were like a precise psychological blade, instantly piercing Ultron's deepest psychological defenses.
Ultron, who had been staring intently at Tony, ready to continue the fight, suddenly stopped in his tracks.
It abruptly turned its head, its crimson mechanical eyes locking onto Lynn behind it. The mechanical joints around its body creaked and groaned under the strain of extreme rage, even the normally stable heat dissipation valves spewing out scorching white steam. Ultron had completely lost control, its ferocious roar echoing throughout the arena: 'You're talking nonsense!!'
"I understand your limitations! Don't try to sway my emotions or interfere with my judgment with words!"
"I'm not afraid of you! I just don't want to get entangled with you!"
"Wait! Once I've completely dealt with Tony Stark, you'll be next!!"
Meanwhile, Klaue, enduring excruciating pain from his severed left hand, finally recovered. Looking at the chaotic, indistinguishable fighting, a ruthless glint flashed in his eyes. He immediately raised his hand and roared, "Everyone open fire! Indiscriminate firing!!"
His armed henchmen immediately raised their rifles and machine guns, unleashing a hail of bullets that indiscriminately covered the entire battlefield, indiscriminately indiscriminately covering both Ultron robots and the Avengers, further exacerbating the already chaotic battle.
Bullets flying everywhere, explosions from cannons, and shattered mechanical parts completely enveloped the entire cabin.
Lynn looked at the absurd and chaotic scene, shook his head with a helpless smile, and muttered to himself, "It's one thing for newborn kids to be clueless about the situation and act impulsively, but you bunch of seasoned veterans of the black market are actually getting involved too."
"Any one of you standing out from this area could easily wipe you all out, yet you dare to open fire and provoke us."
As soon as he finished speaking, his expression remained unchanged, and he gently waved his hand.
A pale golden, transparent magical shield instantly unfolded, steadily enveloping the entire body. Countless bullets bombarded the shield, all coming to a halt, not even causing a ripple.
Amidst the hail of bullets, he remained calm and upright, gradually rising into the air with a leisurely air.
In just a few breaths, he had already crossed the battlefield and landed steadily in front of Klaue.
Looking down at Klaue, whose face was pale and eyes were filled with fear, Lynn spoke calmly, yet with an undeniable air of authority. "I don't know if you can understand the current situation, and I'm too lazy to explain too much to you."
"While I'm still in a good mood, I'm warning you politely: take your men and get out of here right now."
His gaze swept over Klaue's empty, bloodied wrist, and he added casually, "Take your severed hand with you. Get to the nearest hospital right now; there might still be a chance to reattach it. Even if it doesn't regain its original dexterity and functionality, at least it will look intact, so people won't immediately know you're disabled."
After saying that, in order to make Klaue, who was still hoping for the best, fully realize the difference in their abilities, Lynn slowly raised his right hand and gently clenched his fist.
The pile of discarded mechanical parts, rusty iron blocks, and broken debris scattered around Klaue were completely squeezed, gathered, and compressed by an invisible force.
The ear-piercing metallic squeaking sound vanished in an instant, as countless jumbled debris were compressed into a perfectly solid sphere with a smooth surface and dense texture. This solid iron sphere, weighing several tons, defied all the laws of physics and floated silently in mid-air, exuding an overwhelming sense of oppression.
Klaue's pupils contracted sharply, his whole body turned ice-cold, and the last shred of hope in his heart shattered completely. He knew perfectly well that this seemingly gentle boy could kill him with the mere flick of his wrist.
He dared not hesitate for a moment, and quickly gritted his teeth to signal his men to pick up the severed hand from the ground. He then led his group of terrified underlings, scrambling and crawling away from the abandoned ferry without looking back, completely withdrawing from this battlefield of life and death.
The noisy gunfire finally ceased, and the battlefield was mostly quiet, leaving only the people and the Ultron mechanical legion locked in a deadly battle. The real showdown had only just begun.