On the wasteland, the two stood facing each other.
"Oh, so what kind of person do you think I am?"
Chen Mo looked at Tony with a smile on his face.
"Take photos before the meal, write a review afterward, and then give the deceased a five-star review on Facebook?"
Tony pointed to the wasteland.
You just ate the food of six people here.
"To correct you, it's 'devouring,' and they aren't human."
Tony waved his hand. "Honestly, that sounds worse."
"That could also be called resource recycling, which is both environmentally friendly and fashionable. Are you satisfied now?"
Tony opened his mouth, but his brilliant mind couldn't come up with a reply for a moment.
Discussing word choice with Chen Mo is pointless; this guy can describe a Carnage as garbage sorting.
Tony composed himself and took a deep breath.
"I'm not here to ask how your digestive system works, nor do I want to know if six extra people will have a meeting in your brain after you swallow them."
He stared at Chen Mo.
"I just want to confirm one thing. What kind of person is Chen Mo that you've included in your target list?"
This time, Chen Mo didn't respond to Tony with a joke. He turned back to look at the spot where Phastos died and scoffed disdainfully.
"That damned black man, Phastos, did something he shouldn't have done."
Tony frowned.
"Things that shouldn't be done? Could you be more specific?"
He knows what the Earth is, and he also knows why humanity has been able to develop to where it is today over thousands of years.
Chen Mo raised his hand, and a point of golden energy lit up in his palm, quickly forming the outline of the Earth.
" The Eternals are here not just to eliminate the Deviants."
The golden Earth slowly rotates.
Immediately afterwards, a huge, curled-up human figure appeared inside.
Tony's expression changed.
"What's this?"
" Tiamut, the embryo of the Celestials."
Chen Mo tapped the golden globe with his finger.
"It resides within the Earth, nourished by the energy generated by intelligent life. The larger the population and the faster the civilization develops, the faster it will awaken."
The golden sphere spun rapidly, displaying skyscrapers and satellites.
"When there is enough energy, it will be born from within the Earth."
The Earth model in his palm suddenly cracked open, and a golden figure stretched out from inside, scattering the shattered crust in all directions.
"Then, with a BOOM!, everyone on Earth had to go see their great-grandmother."
Tony stared at the fragments, remaining silent for a long time.
He originally thought that the Eternals were at most carrying out some kind of alien mission that couldn't be made public: to monitor humanity, collect resources, or to take over Earth for some cosmic power.
He never imagined that the Earth itself was an egg.
The purpose of the existence of seven billion people is merely to provide nourishment for what is inside.
"So, after Emergence, humanity will perish?"
" Tony, I always thought you were a smart guy, but this question is really a bit silly."
Chen Mo removed the model from his palm.
"You mean, lucky people might quickly evolve the ability to survive in a vacuum? And then they could see the scenery of the universe, right?"
Tony's lips twitched.
" Chen Mo, your language skills are truly impressive."
"Thank you for the compliment, I've always been good at it."
Tony didn't respond to that.
He looked at the bloodstains remaining on the wasteland, his previous anger and shock now overshadowed by another question.
"Do all the Eternals know about this?"
That's not necessarily true.
Chen Mo's answer was very direct.
" Ajak definitely knows, Ikaris probably knows too, depending on the situation."
Chen Mo paused for a moment.
"As for the others, they probably only know how to eliminate the Deviants and go home for the New Year after the mission is complete. The Celestials don't need to tell every tool the truth."
Tony immediately grasped the key point.
"In other words, you can't be sure that everyone is aware of what kind of mission you're carrying out?"
"Cannot."
"But you still killed them."
"They're not some innocent little flowers, and their abilities are indeed useful to me."
Chen Mo made no attempt to hide it.
"I don't like leaving behind anything that could threaten me, especially aliens like these who could turn the tables and wipe out Earth at any moment."
Tony frowned even more.
"But when they arrived, their first priority was to rescue their people. No one tried to awaken the gods underground, nor did anyone intend to destroy the city. They simply wanted to lead their people away; this doesn't prove they would destroy the Earth."
Chen Mo shrugged and looked at Tony.
"That doesn't prove they won't."
He paused for a moment, then continued.
"If they knew about the Emergence and ultimately chose to obey Arishem, the price would be the entire Earth. Even if they didn't know, they would still have to make a choice when the truth came to light."
Amidst the sound of the wind, Chen Mo looked at the sky and asked in a low voice.
"You want me to bet the lives of seven billion people on whether a few aliens who have lived for thousands of years will eventually betray their creator and suddenly fall in love with humans?"
Tony fell silent.
He could not deny the risk.
If what Chen Mo said is true, then the Eternals are not guardians of Earth at all. They are more like farm managers, eliminating the Deviants simply to ensure the smooth growth of the human population.
"We can take them under control first, find out who knows the truth, and then figure out how to deal with Tiamut."
Tony looked up.
"Being powerful is not a reason to skip judgment."
Chen Mo glanced at his armor.
"Coming from the mouth of an arms dealer who sells missiles all over the world, it actually sounds a bit philosophical."
"I have already shut down the weapons department."
"So, people who were killed in the bombing can apply for after-sales service?"
Tony's face darkened.
We're talking about you now.
"That's right."
Chen Mo nodded.
"So don't demand that you reform me. Have I given them a way to survive? No. Do I need their abilities? Yes. This answer isn't noble, but at least it's not lying to you. What more do you want? Haven't I done enough?"
Tony looked at him.
"That's the problem, Chen Mo."
What's the problem?
"You're gambling with yourself. Every person you swallow up makes you more accustomed to treating people as resources."
The smile on Chen Mo's face faded slightly.
"I know more about this than you do."
The two looked at each other from less than two meters apart.
The night wind swept across the wasteland, stirring up dust. In the distance, a few rocks were still emitting white steam, while communication requests from S.H.I.E.L.D.. continued to emanate from inside the armor.
Tony was not convinced.
Chen Mo has no intention of changing his choice.
A few seconds later, golden arcs of electricity lit up Chen Mo's body.
"Remember to send the information I gave you to S.H.I.E.L.D.."
Tony looked at him.
Are you just going to end the discussion like that?
"Or what?"
Chen Mo spread his hands.
"You didn't bring a lawyer, and I'm not prepared to plead guilty. Continuing this conversation will only create another late-night relationship talk show. I've already thought of a name for it."
A line of large golden characters appeared in the air.
"The Steel Tycoon Persuades a Cannibalistic Monster to Be Good in the Dead of Night."
Tony remained expressionless.
"With such a terrible name, the listenership is bound to be awful."
The electric arc suddenly exploded.
Chen Mo's figure vanished instantly, leaving only a few streaks of dark red and golden light in his wake.
Tony stood there for a moment, then slowly closed his mask.
" JARVIS, contact Fury."
"Communication is established, sir."
"Tell him we have some good news that's okay and some really bad news."
Tony activated the thrusters, and the red and gold armor shot into the night sky, heading towards S.H.I.E.L.D. Headquarters.
The wasteland fell silent once more.
Hundreds of kilometers away, a golden flash of lightning streaked across the night sky.
Chen Mo did not return to New York.
The remaining Eternals are still on Earth.
Since they refuse to come over for a family reunion, he will have to go to their door in person.