Tony's Decisive and Swift Action

Inside a military base outside New York.

Sirens blared frantically.

A white-haired old man in a general's uniform rushed into the command room with hurried steps.

"What on earth is going on?"

"Report, sir! An unidentified flying object has appeared in the airspace above New York! Its speed has exceeded Mach ten!"

"What? Where did that damn thing come from? Is it a missile? Intercept it immediately!"

"We are still not sure what it is. We only know it's a very small flying object, looking like a miniature missile. However, after our interceptor missiles approached, it displayed unparalleled agility, ultimately guiding our missiles to collide with each other."

"Then send out the fighter jets to intercept it!"

The general furiously grabbed the collar of the soldier in front of him.

"If I get fired over this, all of you are packing your bags and getting the hell out with me!"

"S-sir! The fighter jets have already been dispatched! They are approaching now!"

As he spoke, he pointed to the satellite feed on the side.

On the screen, a red dot was being rapidly approached by several fighter jets.

"Shoot that damn thing down! At all costs!"

The general spat as he barked the order. But the next moment, a soldier came up to him.

"Sir, a phone call for you."

Hearing this, the general looked extremely displeased.

"Bastard! I don't want to take anyone's call right now. If that is a missile and it detonates in New York, I'll make sure all of you go down with it!"

"But sir, it's from the White House."

"What?!"

The general's face changed drastically, thinking the disaster had already been reported.

But upon seeing the red dot on the satellite screen now surrounded by military jets, he breathed a sigh of relief.

He then took the phone.

"Hello! This is the New York Air Defense Command!"

"What?! You want us to withdraw the fighter jets? Let that unidentified flying object enter New York? That's impossible!"

The general roared in agitation, but the next moment, his expression turned sluggish.

"This is a military order? Damn it! Those idiots will ruin this country sooner or later!"

The general cursed angrily, but inwardly he felt relieved.

Since the higher-ups in the military already knew about this, his crisis was averted. He figured the unidentified flying object suddenly appearing over New York must be some classified test he wasn't privy to.

However, he was naturally upset that they hadn't informed him in advance, scaring him so badly he nearly wet himself.

Still, after venting his frustration, he ordered his subordinates to recall the fighter jets.

...

High above New York, Tony watched the departing fighter jets and quietly breathed a sigh of relief.

Fortunately, he had managed to contact Jarvis just in time, passing the message of his identity to his good buddy Rhodes. Through Rhodes, he reached the military, who then immediately contacted the New York Air Defense Command.

As the undisputed top arms dealer in the world, Tony Stark's connections within the military were undoubtedly formidable.

Rhodes, simply by being good friends with him, was able to become a colonel at a young age.

Therefore, upon learning that Tony had finally returned, and was piloting a suit of armor that easily broke Mach ten, the top brass were so thrilled they just wanted to track him down immediately and ask if the suit was for sale.

Meanwhile, Tony finally returned to his seaside mansion without any further mishaps.

The gold and red armor hovered above the villa before slowly touching down under Tony's control.

Then, Tony saw the woman he had been missing for so long.

"Long time no see, Pepper."

Pepper, dressed in her professional attire, watched as the helmet of the armor retracted to reveal that familiar face. A smile blossomed on her face, and she quickly trotted over.

"I thought I was going to have to find a new job."

"Looking at it now, you probably won't be able to."

Tony looked at the woman in front of him, his eyes locked onto hers with an incredibly passionate gaze.

"What's wrong?"

"Pepper, you are so beautiful."

Hearing this, Pepper couldn't help but roll her eyes. But the next moment, Tony stepped out of the armor, walked up to her, and raised his right hand. A purely handcrafted box appeared in his palm as he dropped to one knee in front of her.

"My father used to be a playboy, just like me, until he met my mother."

"He told me he indulged in women only because he wanted a home, and my mother gave him all of that."

"So, Pepper, would you be willing to give me a home?"

As Tony spoke, his other hand slowly opened the box, revealing a silvery-white ring set with an unknown gemstone.

Seeing this, Pepper couldn't help but cover her mouth, looking down at the kneeling Tony in disbelief.

"I... I... I do!"

Hearing her answer, Tony smiled and slipped the ring onto her finger, then pulled her into a tight embrace.

...

After holding each other for a long time, Pepper finally gently pushed back from Tony's embrace and looked at his outfit with a rather odd expression.

At this moment, Tony was wearing a grayish-black robe, the standard uniform of the artifact-refining disciples of the Chen family. His hair, which had grown past his ears, was tied back with a string, and a delicate, palm-sized cloth bag hung at his waist. Compared to his Caucasian facial features, the entire getup looked incredibly bizarre.

"Tony, what is this? Were you kidnapped and taken to the East?"

"No, I was kidnapped and taken to Afghanistan, but..."

Tony looked down at his clothes, thinking back to the month or so he had spent with the Chen family.

"But the fact that I survived this time is indeed thanks to a friend. I suppose he counts as an Easterner."

Seeing that Pepper seemed to want to ask more, Tony simply scooped her up into his arms.

"Oh! Tony! How did you get so strong?"

"Baby, none of that matters. What happens next is much more important, isn't it? Plus, in a little while, I'll show you that my strength isn't the only thing that's gotten bigger."

After Tony said this, he patted the storage bag at his waist, and the Mark II armor behind him vanished.

He then carried Pepper into the mansion.

...

Early the next morning, at Stark Tower.

Countless reporters had gathered outside the corporation, while a large number of heavily armed soldiers had also surrounded the entire Stark Industries building.

Half an hour later, amidst incredibly noisy chatter, a sports car came speeding over, executing a drifting tail-spin before coming to a halt right in the middle of the crowd.

The driver's side door opened, and Tony, dressed in a sharp suit and leather shoes, stepped out, walking confidently toward the crowd.

With his appearance, the surrounding people went absolutely crazy.

Countless reporters surged forward.

"Mr. Stark! Could you tell us how you escaped from the hands of the terrorists?"

"Mr. Stark! Was your kidnapping by terrorists a deliberate act of revenge or an accident?"

"Mr. Stark! ..."

"..."

Seeing this, Tony raised his hands slightly, and the noise paused for a brief moment.

He adjusted his collar and looked confidently at the horde of reporters.

"Alright, it seems everyone is very curious about what happened to me this time. So, let's just hold a press conference right here on the spot."

Hearing his words, the reporters became even more riotous.

However, after raising his hand once more, he paused.

"My time is limited, so for this brief press conference, I will only be taking three questions. I also have an announcement to make."

"Let's start with the announcement."

Tony paused for a moment. The reporters practically held their breath, staring at him in eager anticipation.

"I will be... shutting down the weapons division of Stark Industries!"

"..."