Chapter 226: Fireworks

The outer skeleton of Stark Tower unfolded amidst a roaring sound. The mesh structure supporting the Triangle Tower retracted, the cylindrical metal skeleton shell opened, the main support structure popped out from the inside, the gun barrels fit and embedded, and the shell unfolded layer by layer, arming itself.

Countless identical processes repeated constantly. The metal brilliance was like sunlight floating on the sea surface. The exquisite steel skeleton was like a fish emerging from the sea. In just a few seconds, the entire Stark Tower unfolded and evolved from top to bottom, with countless gun turrets and weapons surging out.

After all the small gun turrets on the top layer unfolded, a row of firing devices rose between the two metal pillars at the very top of the Triangle Tower, and then turned in the buzzing sound, aiming at the two sides that were in a stalemate.

"Defense protocol initiated, standard defense measures deployed, locking on... lock confirmed... preparing..."

Crossing layer upon layer of hard metal and perfectly fitted inner structures, levers tilted, gears turned, energy conducted along the lines, preheating, firing pins trembled, first-level gun barrels, second-level gun barrels—on the gun muzzles blooming like flower buds, light descended.

A rain of fire poured down. The Stark mecha troops led by War Machine Luo De took off, retreated, and covered each other in an orderly manner, while the Hammer mecha troops led by Justin Hammer fully demonstrated what is called "headless flies."

The moment he wanted to take off, half of the hundreds of mecha were defeated by the violent rain of light and fire.

Fragments carrying thick smoke fell to the ground. After rolling a few times, they swayed in place and completely turned into powder.

Everyone brought to the safety level of Stark Tower saw a missile with a sharp whistling sound catch up to a mecha. After a fierce explosion, countless fragments fell.

Immediately following were hundreds of missiles with smoking tails sweeping past. The whistling was like an evil ghost howling in the night. Everyone behind the glass curtain wall was turned into silhouettes by the firelight of the fierce explosion. They looked up and saw fireworks blooming in broad daylight over New York.

Hammer thought today's play would be a robot war, but facts proved that surface-to-air missiles and comprehensive surface-to-air firepower coverage were the best weapons against these mecha.

Stark, who had experienced the arrival of the machine master, no longer wanted to engage in any close-quarters combat with any enemy.

The current Iron Man believed that that kind of combat method was an insult to machinery. In the torrent of steel, every enemy should have the death method most suitable for them, just like the ultimate goal pursued by industry and machinery—calm, precise, and with sufficient firepower.

The real Iron Man could have thousands of ways to eliminate his enemies, could let them be dismantled, shattered, exploded into fireworks, burned into ashes, but among all these ways, it absolutely should not include driving a mecha to rush up and punch the opponent.

Obadiah stood behind the glass wall of his office and looked out. Stark was floating in the air. Following the waving of his arms, the missiles were like a school of sharks chasing prey. Justin's mecha troops were fleeing for their lives. Under the high-intensity firepower coverage, Justin and the Whiplash couldn't even find a chance to approach Stark.

He remembered Stark fighting the mecha driven by General Johnson. At that time, Stark was forced to be very embarrassed and even seriously injured. But now, the support structures on both sides of the glass curtain wall were full of layered gun turrets. The firelight of the bullets made Obadiah a bit unable to see the situation outside clearly.

Obadiah lowered his head, lit a cigarette for himself, and then picked up his phone. Before the call connected, he muttered to himself: "It seems your son has finally opened his mind..."

When Stark's astonishing firepower was fully deployed, the military helicopters arrived, but they didn't dare to approach the firepower coverage area at all. Even the advanced mecha driven by Justin collapsed at a touch under this fierce firepower coverage. Armed helicopters couldn't resist this offensive.

But the problem they faced was that after the entire Stark Tower was converted into a cluster of gun turrets, the area of firepower coverage was a bit too large. They couldn't even talk to Stark face-to-face and could only call him from far away.

The first voice to ring out in Stark's mecha was Obadiah's. He heard his uncle say in a calm tone: "Soon, the military's call will be connected to you. Those benefits you sent out must be taken back. Do as I say..."

Two minutes later, Luo De's voice came from Stark's mecha: "The military is requesting negotiations. Should I connect the line?"

"Refuse to connect. You take the mecha armed troops to finish off those few fish that slipped through the net that haven't been shattered. Ensure that apart from Justin's and that Ivan's own mecha, they no longer have any armed forces."

"Received, zzz..."

Two minutes later, Jarvis's voice sounded: "Scanning results confirmed... Threat completely cleared, firepower coverage area shrinking, military communication connected..."

Before the person on the other side could speak, Stark said: "Send a helicopter over. We'll talk face-to-face."

Looking at the countless gun turrets on the Stark Tower building that hadn't been retracted yet, the military liaison said: "We can't go over. Please leave your firepower coverage area, and then..."

"Leave my firepower coverage area?" Stark's tone was a bit mocking: "Do you have any new moon landing plans recently?"

"Beep—beep—" A busy signal came from the military's communication. Soon, Stark heard an even older voice: "In ten minutes, we will send someone to Stark Tower for negotiations..."

Under the gaze of the military helicopter, Stark landed slowly. He retracted the mecha covering his body and then walked back inside the building.

Soon, the countless gun turrets on the Stark Tower building gradually retracted. The flow of people released from the safety level, like a flood tide, poured out from the narrow door.

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Accompanied by the sky gradually darkening, the huge school of fish gradually diverged, returning to where they should go. Lights lit up one after another between the buildings.

Tonight, New York is brilliant with lights and never sleeps.

In the buildings of major newspaper offices like the Global Times, the Daily Bugle, and the New York Daily, looking from the window into the room, countless people were buried in work. One photo after another was sent into the printer, and one newspaper after another flew out from the printing plant, like butterflies, flapping their wings over New York, drawing smooth arcs.

The newspaper employees who had worked overtime all night looked at the coffee liquid, which was like amber, dripping into the cup in front of the coffee machine, splashing circles of water ripples, bringing up rippling foam.

After the foam dissipated, Schiller put down his cup, reached out to take off his glasses, and rubbed his eyebrows. He closed the newspaper in his hand and asked Luo De beside him: "So, the military and Stark negotiated?"

"They were going to talk sooner or later." Luo De's tone was very relaxed. After returning from vacation, the serious military temperament on him had faded quite a bit. Luo De took a sip of coffee and then said: "However, the military got one thing wrong."

"What?"

Luo De smiled. He recalled the scene after the battle ended yesterday.

Urgent and fine footsteps sounded in the lobby on the first floor of Stark Tower. The elevator door opened, and several pairs of boots stepped into the elevator. The serious expressions of the generals were blocked by the slowly closing elevator door.

With a "ding," the elevator arrived. Following the light guidance, they pushed open the door of a conference room. But the person who appeared in the conference room was not Tony Stark as expected, but another person—a person they least wanted to see.

The leading general's expression twitched, and he spat out a name in a low voice: "... Obadiah Stane."

Schiller took a sip of coffee, turned the newspaper to the next page, and said while reading: "I can already imagine their miserable state."

"It might be even more miserable than you imagine." Luo De's tone carried a bit of schadenfreude. He said: "Ever since I left the military system and stood from the perspective of a bystander to look at these things, I discovered how stupid it was for me to stand in the position of these people and demand that everyone contribute to the country."

"Then you don't intend to go back?"

Luo De shook his head and said: "It's very difficult for me to completely detach from this system. I have walked too far on this road."

"I am waiting for a suitable opportunity. When I have the ability to change it, even changing just a part of it is good."

"After all, I can't be hired by Tony and work entirely for him, because then, I wouldn't have the stance to give him a punch when he's acting like a fool."

"I can tell, you really want to give him a punch."

"I said, I'm waiting for a suitable opportunity." Luo De shrugged and smiled.

"Continue talking about the negotiations. Justin Hammer and Ivan Vanko should have participated too, right?"

"Yeah, that part of them was the most exciting."

After the generals came in, following behind them were the tattered and smoking Justin Hammer and Ivan Vanko.

Luo De and several other mecha escorted them over. Obadiah sat at the conference table. He didn't even look at Hammer, but let his gaze fall on Ivan's face.

When Stark came in, he was wearing a suit, spotless from head to toe. He saw Justin's mecha, walked up with a smile, and then slapped the shoulder of that mecha hard. With a "crack," the shoulder armor fell off directly, and the internal lines emitted a series of sparks. With a "bang," the arm armor also exploded.

Stark said with a grin: "What did you name this thing again? 'Ex-Wife'? This is all a married man can do? Hahahaha!"

Ivan beside him wanted to swing a fist, but Luo De stopped him. Whiplash's two electric whips had already been disarmed, and the room was full of Stark's mecha, so he had no choice but to be captured.

Obadiah still looked at Ivan. He tapped the table, signaling everyone to take their seats. Tony and Luo De sat on the left, the military, Hammer, and Ivan sat on the right, and Obadiah sat in the middle.

He first looked at the military and said calmly: "I understand you intend to knock on the door, but the action is as rough as ever."

He glanced at Justin Hammer and said: "The pair of gloves you found is far inferior to his father's. The sound of knocking on the door is not pleasant."

With Obadiah there, Stark entered that "wandering" state again. He didn't try to understand what Obadiah was referring to at all, and was too lazy to think about the current situation on the scene. Apart from these actions, all he could do was stare at Ivan.

Skipping the long stages of mutual probing, politeness, and recalling the past, then skipping the arguments about right and wrong and moral differences, and finally skipping the prospects of a happy host and guest and world peace, after more than an hour, the matter finally entered the main topic. ===== CHAPTER 227 =====