The world trembled

Ye Mo leaned against the car door, a dull ache throbbing in his ribs. Tony shoved him into an inconspicuous black sedan, then went around to the driver's seat and floored the gas pedal, speeding out of the underground pipe exit. In the rearview mirror, the factory's outline gradually blurred, and the alarm blared behind him.

"The virus's gone." Tony said, glancing at the tablet on the passenger seat as he drove. "JARVIS just restored the last node's data. Production lines shut down, all remote access ports blocked. We won."

Ye Mo didn't speak, his fingers pressing on the wound in his abdomen. The bleeding had stopped, but each breath felt like a wire was pulling inside him. He closed his eyes, his consciousness sinking into the Gene Spiral Tower. The illusory tower was still operating, but the second floor remained perpetually dark and gloomy.

"Are you trying to persuade me to give up?" Tony suddenly asked, "To go back to hiding and become an invisible hero?"

Ye Mo opened his eyes. "I'm not qualified. You're the boss, you make the decisions."

Tony smiled, but his eyes were cold. "After hiding for so many years, they still came knocking. Obadiah, Hydra, those people lurking in the shadows all thought I was someone who couldn't be seen in the light. But this time is different—they want to use my armor to control the world?"

He paused, gripping the steering wheel tightly.

"Then I'll show the whole world who the real Iron Man is."

Ye Mo was stunned for a moment. He knew Tony was stubborn, but he didn't expect him to go this far.

"Are you going to reveal your identity?"

"It's not 'want,' it's 'do it now.'" Tony parked his car in the alley behind Stark Tower. "The press conference starts in half an hour, the media is all here. I'm going to take off my mask in front of the whole world."

Ye Mo tried to stand up, but his legs gave way and he almost fell. Tony caught him, "Don't force yourself. You don't need to do anything this time, just watch from outside."

"I have to go." Ye Mo gritted his teeth. "If you don't trust others, at least trust your own people."

Tony stared at him for a few seconds, then finally nodded. "Okay. But don't show your face, dress discreetly."

Ten minutes later, Ye Mo stood outside the press conference, dressed in a black hoodie and wearing silver-rimmed glasses. He scanned the crowd; Thermal Vision was activated, and there were no abnormal heat sources on the platform, ventilation vents, or lighting fixtures. The security system was functioning normally, and JARVIS had taken over all monitoring nodes.

The spotlights on the stage shone, and the reporters stirred.

Tony walked onto the stage, not wearing his armor, but only a dark suit. He took off his sunglasses and looked directly into the camera.

"You've all been guessing who I am." His voice wasn't loud, but it carried throughout the room through the microphone. "Some say I'm a government project, some say I'm an alien, and some even say I don't exist at all."

The audience was eerily quiet.

"Now, I'll stop hiding it." Tony paused for a second. "I am Tony Stark. I am Iron Man."

The air exploded.

The sounds of camera shutters clicking, gasps, and screams blended together. The live stream signal instantly spiked, social media was flooded with posts, and the phrase dominated the top ten trending topics.

Ye Mo stood in the shadows of the back row, a slight smile playing on his lips.

At that very moment, a cold notification sounded in my mind:

[Strong trust resonance detected, originating from core ally Tony Stark. Second level of the Gene Spiral Tower unlocked.]

He was suddenly jolted.

The second floor is open.

It wasn't through fighting, nor through absorbing fragments of power, but because someone was willing to entrust their life to him without reservation.

He looked down at his hands, the lines on his palms slightly warm. His consciousness sank into the tower, and the second floor slowly lit up, revealing two afterimages of abilities: one was a network of High-Speed Regeneration, and the other was the trajectory of Metal Reconstruction.

Before I could even take a closer look, someone patted my shoulder.

Tony appeared beside him without him noticing, handing him a bottle of water. "How were you? Scared, huh?"

"It's alright." Ye Mo unscrewed the bottle cap and took a sip. "I just think you're really brave."

"How can you do big things if you're not bold?" Tony smiled. "I know what you're worried about. Revealing our identities is tantamount to declaring war. From now on, the enemy won't be sneaking around anymore; they'll come straight at us."

"Are you ready?"

"It's been fine for a long time." Tony looked around. "Before, I was afraid of losing my wealth, status, and freedom. Now I realize that what I should really be afraid of is letting someone else put that armor on me."

The two remained silent for a few seconds.

The crowd was still in an uproar in the distance. Police had set up barricades, and staff were busy packing up equipment. A reporter chased after them, wanting to conduct an interview, but was stopped by security.

"Let's go," Tony said. "Let's grab a drink. This time, it's on me."

Ye Mo nodded and followed him towards the parking lot. The wind blew across her cheeks, carrying the unique heat of a city night.

Just as Tony reached the car, his phone rang. He glanced at it, frowned slightly, then quickly released it.

"What is it?" Ye Mo asked.

"It's nothing." Tony put his phone back in his pocket. "JARVIS reminded me that several encrypted channels have been active lately, possibly remnants of Hydra."

"Then we should definitely have a drink." Ye Mo opened the passenger door. "Relax a bit, we have to keep fighting tomorrow."

The car started and drove away from the building. In the rearview mirror, the news screen was still playing the same phrase on a loop. "I am Tony Stark. I am Iron Man."

Meanwhile, on the top floor of an abandoned office building in the east of the city, an old-fashioned monitor screen flickered. The image froze on the press conference scene, showing Tony taking off his sunglasses frame by frame.

A hand reached out and pressed pause.

The camera pauses on the second Tony is looking directly at the camera.

With his other hand, he picked up the remote control and gently squeezed it.

The plastic casing cracked open with a snap.

The man stood by the window, his back stiff. He stared at the screen, his lips moved, but no sound came out.

A few seconds later, he turned and left, his steps heavy.

On the table, a printed sheet of paper lay quietly. It contained a profile photo of Ye Mo blending into a crowd, with a small note beside it. "Mr. X, confirmed to exist."

Inside the car, Ye Mo suddenly turned around and glanced back.

"What's wrong?" Tony asked.

"It's nothing," Ye Mo said, looking away. "I just feel... things will change after tonight."

"It's changed a long time ago," Tony said, slamming on the gas. "And it's only going to get crazier."

Streetlights swept by one by one, illuminating the road ahead.

Ye Mo leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes. The second level of the Gene Spiral Tower slowly rotated, and new ability paths were being generated.

He didn't know what would happen next, but he knew that from today onward, no one could treat him as a background figure anymore.

He is Mr. X.

And the world has begun to tremble.

As the car turned the last corner, neon signs came into view.

"We're here." Tony stopped the car. "The whiskey this bartender makes is as solid as my armor."

Ye Mo pushed open the car door, and the night breeze rushed towards him.

Two men in leather jackets stood at the bar entrance, smoking with their heads down. One of them looked up at them, his gaze lingering for half a second.

Ye Mo didn't stop walking.

He walked in; the lights were dim and the music was somber.

Tony patted the bar. "Two drinks with ice, the usual."

The bartender nodded and took out the bottle.

Ye Mo sat on a high stool, his fingers tapping the table unconsciously.

He knew this night would not be peaceful.