As Tony spoke, he took out his phone and played the video.
Seeing that Tony Stark already knew everything he had done,
Obadiah's gaze instantly sharpened, no longer holding the warmth, admiration, and affection for a junior it had moments before.
"Since you know everything, what did you come here to do? Humiliate me, take away everything I have, or have someone arrest me?"
"Phew!"
Tony stared unblinkingly into Obadiah's unfamiliar eyes.
He let out a heavy breath.
"The whole world calls me a genius, but it took me decades to finally see who you really are today. How did you keep wearing that loving mask around me, day after day, for decades?"
"I earned this, Tony Stark. I made this company one of the biggest in the world. I managed it day after day, while you just hid in that ridiculous laboratory of yours making a few missiles!"
"And the most ridiculous thing is that you, an arms dealer, actually announced you would stop making weapons. I've had enough of your willfulness and nonsense. You're as naive as a baby in an ivory tower. That's not how the world works, Tony. This company should be in my hands!"
Obadiah slammed the desk and roared, but as he spoke, he secretly slipped a hand into his pants pocket.
Inside that pocket was a small ultrasonic emitter.
It could quickly paralyze someone, and alongside it was a pair of earphones that could protect against the ultrasound.
"This ends here, Obadiah. Give up your seat on the board and your management authority in the company. I'll buy your shares at fifty percent above market price."
"Find somewhere to spend your remaining years in peace, Obadiah. Otherwise, the next people who come to see you will be carrying guns and handcuffs!"
"You have five days. This is my last show of respect for you, Uncle Obadiah!"
Facing the somewhat hysterical Obadiah, Tony no longer wanted to say anything more.
He coldly left him with those words, then turned and walked away.
But Tony's final words made the hand Obadiah had slipped into his pocket slowly relax.
Five days was enough for him to finish a suit of armor.
As for its power source, didn't Tony Stark have one in his chest?
Obadiah seemed to have aged ten years overnight.
But he was extraordinarily cooperative with the people Tony sent.
Every aspect of the company's operations, every stack of records and documents.
He carefully explained all their specific contents and details, leaving nothing out.
It truly felt as though he were handing a child he had raised over to someone else.
He tirelessly explained what the child could not eat, what the child liked, and so on.
For Obadiah, who had spent half his life working hard at this company, such a display of emotion was perfectly normal.
His behavior even made Tony Stark lower his guard.
When his team reported back,
Tony merely said flatly,
"Let him do what he wants. If it takes a little longer, so be it. Just make sure he signs everything in five days."
And so, every day, Obadiah pretended to cooperate with the transfer of management authority at the company, rambling on about its history, the purpose behind launching each project, and so forth.
He kept Tony's people firmly pinned down over the documents in the office.
In private, however, he did not loosen his grip on the factories and laboratories in the slightest.
Within the section he had named Area 16, a steel behemoth was gradually taking shape.
Inside his Malibu mansion, Tony sat on the couch and called Pepper Potts.
"All the documents are ready. All that's left is for Obadiah to formally resign at tomorrow's board meeting and sign the share transfer agreement."
"All right. Attend tomorrow's board meeting for me! I'll have Happy pick you up tomorrow morning!"
Tony did not want to go to the company to face Obadiah's departure.
"Sure! But there's no need to pick me up. I'm staying at the office tonight. You have no idea how busy I've been lately. I don't even have time to sleep. You should give me a raise, boss!"
Pepper Potts understood exactly what Tony was thinking. She agreed to his request and even made a joke.
After hanging up, Tony looked somewhat lost.
"Sir, Mr. Obadiah Stane is at the door. He's asking to see you!"
At Qin Xiao's strong recommendation, and shaken by the footage of terrorists slaughtering people in the Middle East, Tony had revoked Obadiah's access to his home.
So Obadiah, who had always been able to walk straight into Tony's mansion, was now standing at the front door, passing his message through JARVIS.
Tony picked up a remote from the table and pressed a button.
An image of Obadiah standing at the door appeared.
"Tony! Open the door. I'm leaving tomorrow. I bought an island in the India Ocean. Are you really not even going to give me a chance to say goodbye?"
Obadiah no longer had his usual vigor. Even his normally imposing frame now looked a little forlorn.
His eyes were filled with sincerity as he spoke.
"Phew!"
Tony rubbed his face, hesitating.
"JARVIS, let him in!"
In the end, Tony could not bring himself to turn away Obadiah as he stood at the door.
"Tony! I'm sorry. I mean, I've really thought things through over the last few days. I came today to apologize and say goodbye!"
Obadiah slowly walked inside as he spoke.
"What's the scenery like on that island?"
Tony did not get up, remaining on the couch as he spoke slowly.
"It's simply paradise. Honestly, I should have done this long ago. Some things only leave you feeling unburdened once you let go of them. Only then do you realize what you need most in life."
"Sunshine, fine wine, cigars, fishing, and, of course, the girls. Right?"
Obadiah looked as though he had seen through everything and finally let it all go.
"Congratulations, Obadiah!"
Tony was truly happy for him from the bottom of his heart.
He looked up and spoke with genuine sincerity.
But the moment he looked up, he noticed something wrong with Obadiah.
He had an earphone in each ear.
Damn...
The thought had only just erupted in Tony's mind.
A piercing sound came from Obadiah.
Almost instantly, the veins bulged on Tony's body, and his entire body became paralyzed.
He could not move.
An ultrasonic emitter could instantly paralyze someone. He had invented it himself.
The government had later stepped in and shut down the project.
He had never expected Obadiah to have kept one.
"You should congratulate me, because I'm about to become one of the most powerful men in the world."
Obadiah shed his earlier dejection, revealing his viciousness in full!