In Marvel, people are slime Chapter 042

Lai Mu received a report of the target’s death during dinner.

Due to the time difference, Afghanistan was more than ten hours ahead of the United States.

Obadiah led a team of mercenaries to clear out the Ten Rings base, taking the remains of Mark I, and the Scarface leader was burned to death in his tent.

It was perfect; everything was proceeding according to the preset trajectory.

After this wave, the profits from Stark Industries’ stock would at least double his current funds.

Theoretically, for an ordinary person, money beyond a certain amount was just a string of numbers.

One hundred billion was no different from one trillion because the amount of money a person could spend in a lifetime was limited, as were the things they could enjoy.

But Lai Mu needed a lot of money, the more the better.

His own wealth, glory, and freedom from want were only one aspect.

Another aspect was the need for ample funds to support the research of more advanced technologies and the creation of more advanced equipment to prepare for various crises in the future.

Hydra, aliens, and Thanos were not easy to deal with.

Superpowers and money-powers, do they conflict? No, they don’t!

Can I have both? Of course, I can!

You are all my wings!

“Oh my god! Are these bullet holes and bloodstains? What were you doing wearing these things? Tony?! Lai Mu?!”

A startled scream came from the basement from Pepper.

Lai Mu instinctively pressed his forehead, and the small mouth chewing on beef tenderloin instantly stopped.

Oh no, trouble was coming!

The two battle-damaged armors from Afghanistan were still lying in the basement, not cleaned at all…

Living room.

Tony Stark, Pepper “Potts,” and Lai Mu sat around, the air a bit heavy.

The crackling fire in the fireplace burned, and in the flickering light, the silence seemed even more profound.

Pepper looked at the two, her face still showing residual fear and worry.

She calmed down for a while, pursed her lips, her reddish eyes sweeping over the two of them, her tone very flat, “Can someone tell me what happened? I saw bullet holes, and blood.”

Stark spread his hands, blinking rapidly with a guilty conscience, his gaze wandering, yet he forced an indifferent expression, “It’s nothing big. You’ve seen worse times than this.”

Stark encouraged himself in his mind, I’m the boss, why should I explain to her?

Lai Mu nodded vaguely, trying to muddy the waters, “Ah, yes, Tony is just that kind of person; there’s nothing he can’t do. You don’t need to be too surprised.”

At this moment, the atmosphere was incredibly awkward. It was like climbing over the wall to skip class and go to an internet cafe, only to be caught red-handed by the homeroom teacher, invited to the office for tea, and even having parents called.

As the perpetrators, one gave up completely, while the other pretended to be innocent and shirked responsibility.

Pepper’s deep gaze fixed on Lai Mu, “What about you? I saw bloodstains on your big toy.”

Her voice was faint, but her eyes were sharp, sending a chill down one’s spine.

Lai Mu unconsciously clutched a lock of his hair, smiling sheepishly, “That’s not a big toy. It’s… it’s a, hmm, a whack-a-mole robot. We just went to Afghanistan… to play whack-a-mole.”

Pepper’s eyes instantly reddened, on the verge of tears, her eyes brimming, “So you went to Afghanistan? The terrorists and explosions in the news, were they all your doing?”

“This is very dangerous, you could die!”

Lai Mu turned his head and gave Stark a look, Quick, go and appease your little secretary.

Stark glared back sullenly, No way, she’s worried about you!

Lai Mu glared back, Bullshit! She’s clearly worried about you!

The two were at a stalemate for a while, but Lai Mu eventually compromised; he wasn’t as stubborn as Stark.

He got up and sat next to Pepper, pulling her hand, and then started to get a headache, not knowing what to say—he had no experience with this kind of thing either.

After thinking for a long time, “That… I promise, there won’t be a next time.”

“You promise?”

“I promise.”

I promise, next time, absolutely, I won’t let you see.

Pepper didn’t know that Lai Mu possessed a superhuman physique and wouldn’t die from a gunshot wound. To prevent her from worrying, Lai Mu had to tell a white lie, a false promise.

It was also the fault of his youthful physique and appearance; people always mistook Lai Mu for a harmless, delicate, and weak young boy (or girl).

Pepper looked at Stark, opening her mouth to speak, then stopping.

She knew she had no standing to speak to Tony Stark, nor could she demand anything.

She was just a personal assistant, and the person opposite her was her boss.

Looking at Pepper’s reddened eyes, Tony Stark took a painful breath, turned his head away, and got up to leave.

Lai Mu grabbed him—Sit down, you tsundere.

Lai Mu used his superhuman strength to press Stark onto the sofa, speaking like an experienced elder, trying to persuade him.

“Say something, Tony. Escaping is useful, but escaping is shameful. No matter what it is, or what kind of emotion, in the end, you always have to face it.”

It was as if a switch had been flicked, and two voices, one male and one female, denied in unison, “That’s not true.”

Stark and Pepper looked at each other, then averted their gazes, their minds even more in turmoil.

Tony Stark sighed, lowered his head, and poured himself a glass of water. Halfway through drinking, his eyes became distant, lost in thought.

His voice was low and slow, with a hint of a sigh, “In Afghanistan, I was shot in the chest and imprisoned for three months. I thought I would die there… I was supposed to die… Someone saved me, and stayed there forever in my place.”

The sound of the burning firewood in the air became more fragmented, as if afraid to disturb them.

Stark looked into Pepper’s eyes, a rare sincerity and earnestness in his gaze.

“I truly believe what I’m doing is right.”

“I used to make money from weapons, but now I want to protect those who have been harmed by me.”

“I’m not doing this on a whim… I only now know what I should do; this is what I’m supposed to do.”

“Yesterday, someone pointed a finger at me and asked what my responsibility was.”

“Now I can tell her, this is my responsibility.”

After saying that, Stark lowered his head, the emotions he had suppressed surging in his heart, but he didn’t know if what he had said would be approved by Pepper.

Pepper pursed her lips, her gaze shifting from Stark. She nodded, somewhat relieved yet unwillingly, “…I understand.”

“Tony, I hope you don’t treat your life and death lightly. You’re not alone… Someone cares about you, I… we…”

“Great, you understand me!”

Stark excitedly lifted his head, interrupting Pepper without waiting for her to finish.

“I need you to do me another favor. Go to my office at the company, hack into the main computer, access Obadiah’s account, and get all recent shipping records.”

“I’ll give you an unlock USB drive later. The files might be in administrative documents or in a hidden folder.”

This person was too presumptuous!

Pepper’s face instantly darkened, “I refuse!”

…

In the end, Pepper still had to agree to Stark’s request.

After all, she was the only one who could freely enter and exit the CEO’s office at Stark Industries without drawing attention.

——

Thanks to @Zhong·Chen Shi Xian You·Li for the blade.

Thanks to @Zhao Bu Zhao De Shi Xie Jiang @Tong Zi Chao Ke Ai @Wan Da Yong Yuan De Shen @You Ji Ou @Wu Qing Xiao Dao for the monthly tickets.

(｀・ω・´)

Good afternoon!