Chapter 5017: Advance to Forward York, Advance (Fifty-Three)

Although the apocalypse virus seemed like a groundbreaking product, such technologies are actually not rare in the Marvel Universe. Besides gamma rays, Pym particles, and various serums, obelisks, and the Cosmic Cube, it's not as if pulling out something automatically makes everyone bow down—good technology also needs a stage to showcase itself.

Therefore, the situation at the time was likely that Bai Guan insisted on transformation, but actual implementation would face many problems, such as gaining shareholder trust, breaking through the monopoly blockade in the existing biotech industry, further advancing into the medical field, and politically aligning with whom to achieve the best effect—these issues needed to be resolved.

After Pepper evaluated it, she felt Bai Guan's transformation plan was unfeasible; otherwise, given Bai Guan's business level, the plan itself had flaws, or the ground execution was too difficult, and forced transformation might destroy Stark Industries. Thus, she disagreed.

Bai Guan insisted on transformation, while Pepper firmly opposed it—this was their fundamental contradiction. However, Pepper had indeed investigated: she went to find the original S. H. I. E. L. D. agents, including Carter and Nick Fury, not to check Bai Guan's character, but to examine the original universe's Stark Industries situation.

This investigation revealed a problem: the apocalypse virus plan had actually not succeeded; although it initially made money and nearly let Bai Guan dominate the world, as the saying goes, this model was like a Ponzi scheme—just passing the drum and flower, unable to sustain long-term operations. The apocalypse virus could be a group's technological pillar, but Bai Guan clearly hadn't established it properly.

Consequently, Pepper became even more opposed: if Bai Guan led Stark Industries down a dead end, her lifelong efforts would be wasted, so she naturally had to stop him.

Verbal threats were useless, as Bai Guan had injected himself with the apocalypse virus and wore the symbiote armor, making it difficult to attack him directly, so only alternative methods of threat remained.

Thus, Pepper chose to first separate from Bai Guan, then immediately marry his bodyguard and close friend. This was actually to threaten Bai Guan's interests, putting a knife to his neck to force him to change his mind.

Thinking this through, the agent realized, just as Greed said, their major conflict wasn't due to personal feelings but stemmed from huge interest conflicts, enabling them to argue persistently and use extreme measures to threaten each other.

However, the agent still found it strange—Pepper's threat method actually left some room, since divorce was possible, and it wasn't as if she and Happy truly joined forces to control Stark Industries; at most, it was just demonstrating attitude. Would Bai Guan's retaliation—claiming insanity to make Stark Industries' stock plummet—be too extreme?

Immediately after, arguing voices came from outside the door.

"You damn lunatic! Just to avoid dismantling the mechanical armor production line, you used Spider-Man to ruin my symbiote armor, triggered a civil war, and now I'm the one who has to go to court!"

"That's because you went crazy first! You thought having the symbiote armor and apocalypse virus meant you could rest easy, actually wanting to stop mechanical armor production and maintenance, even dismantling the reactor-related R&D and maintenance teams—you're digging your own grave! Going to court is what you deserve!"

The agent slightly widened his eyes—this was a major scoop. The symbiote armor was actually destroyed by Pepper; based on earlier hearsay about the civil war, Iron Man's madness likely stemmed mainly from this.

Therefore, the truth is: the civil war's trigger was actually this couple's internal strife, and the trigger of their internal strife was their disagreement over Stark Industries' future direction.

"This might be hard to resolve." The agent said, "Once the Renaissance Alliance is no longer threatened by Stark Industries' divestment and insists on putting Iron Man on trial as a defendant, these matters being exposed will utterly doom Stark Industries."

"No." Greed said, "Don't forget, Spider-Man is also involved. If only Bruce Wayne were involved, it'd be fine, but with Thomas Wayne present, he also has to worry about Wayne Industries' stock price."

The agent began thinking again: now the truth of the civil war is like Schrödinger's cat—before opening the box, you don't know whether inside is a cat's corpse or a saber-toothed tiger.

Bai Guan went to court—who knows what his broken mouth will say, who knows how those reporters will fabricate nonsense, how the public will spread rumors, and by then, Stark Industries and Wayne Industries will both be dragged down, with no one coming out unscathed.

No matter how you say it, Stark Industries and Wayne Industries are also conscientious enterprises—this isn't black-and-white reversal; mainly, compared to the remaining big corporations, these two still resemble human beings.

As for the remaining Roxxon Corporation, Luthor Group, Osborn Group, those are even heavierweights, not to mention Hellfire Club, Hydra, Owl Court, Assassin League, and other pure villain factions stirring muddy waters.

This is also the main reason why, after the civil war ended, the Renaissance Alliance was unwilling to hold public trials, even unwilling to render judgments: the fused universe's situation is too complex, and cases like Bai Guan's belong to the middle ground that can be won over, with a large pile of pure chaotic evil still lined up behind.

If this matter went to public court, everyone would completely tear faces and start arguing, and the ultimate beneficiaries would certainly be those pure evils—not to mention, there's also Darkseid's Damocles sword hanging overhead.

Thinking this, the agent understood why Nick's wording was so euphemistic: he had the agent come protect Pepper, but the protection's limit was only to stop violent acts, not to completely separate them, apparently still hoping these two could talk it out and stabilize Stark Industries' situation.

"You haven't thought of any way?" The agent asked.

"Of course I have." Greed lifted his legs, "This Iron Man is someone I brought over; with such a situation, I naturally must take responsibility."

"Put it this way, their main contradiction lies in: Iron Man has technology and ideas, but doesn't know how to implement them; Pepper understands business, but doesn't trust Iron Man's decision-making level."

The agent nodded—indeed, the situation is exactly this: fundamentally, it's a conflict between theorists and practitioners. Theorists may have will and technology, but can't find a good breakthrough; practitioners know how to execute, but don't quite trust the theorists' theories.

"Iron Man's transformation plan was proposed too early." Greed spoke, "Or perhaps he just moved his lips without action—maybe he acted, but didn't demonstrate sufficient commercial value, which indeed makes it hard to convince shareholders and managers."

"So to resolve their contradiction, we must first let the apocalypse virus demonstrate its value, let more people see this technology's commercial potential, or at least, also show Iron Man's cognition and utilization level of this technology."

The agent nodded again: "Then how did you do it?"

"I gave him a plan." Greed sighed, "In my original plan, the entry point was the two major seafood brands recently trending in Forward York: Atlantis Brand and Seven Seas Brand. These two brands have only recently risen, with high media discussion, and they compete—approaching them couldn't be better."

"Originally, Iron Man should have contacted one of them, provided a specially improved apocalypse virus with zero side effects on humans, raised larger and better seafood to enhance market competitiveness, and driven the other brand out."

"That way, when the Renaissance Alliance conducts multiversal hospitality, they could volunteer to serve these raised fish at the guests' tables, as this universe's specialty food and product."

"The key is, this could fully demonstrate the strategic value of the improved apocalypse virus in livestock and agriculture: the virus can raise bigger, better fish, which can also significantly boost cattle, sheep, and chicken yields, and even, if used on plants, increase food production."

"Food is life; demonstrating this strategic value would make the apocalypse virus not just a commodity, but a bargaining chip at negotiation tables worldwide or nationally. Stark Industries holding this technology would see its strategic position significantly rise, and prospects would improve."

"Moreover, this could perfectly avoid black history—as long as it's harmless to humans, it won't involve human experiments or other issues conflicting with the Renaissance Alliance's mainstream values, benefiting Iron Man's and Stark Industries' image."

"Once the apocalypse virus's value is fully demonstrated, Pepper would no longer oppose so strongly, or her opposition would be ineffective—whether the Renaissance Alliance, multiversal guests, or other national governments, all would want this. Shareholders seeing potential benefits wouldn't easily give up, and Iron Man could proceed with his transformation plan."

"Sounds good." The agent evaluated, "But in the end, how did it actually turn out like this?"

Greed opened his mouth: "First, Iron Man refused to cooperate with those two sea clans, thinking he had a better way."

"Poisoning them behind their backs?"

Greed nodded: "He thought directly dumping the compound into the farms, waiting for the fish to grow, then retrieving them would work—no need to let those two know."

The agent fell silent momentarily, unsure what to say. Greed continued: "Actually, if executed successfully, it wouldn't be a problem, but the trouble is, without professionals, no one here knows—fish."

"That's true—we rarely deal with seafood products, especially live ones." The agent said, "Arrogant fishing can't catch anything, and you only eat raw fish slices… dead fish slices."

"And Tony is very theatrical." Greed continued, "He thought just serving the fish on the table, then having a professional introduce it, was too boring, so he arranged a surprise appearance for the fish. Due to not understanding the habits of the raised strong fish, and over-pursuing theatrical entrance, the original surprise turned into fright, directly disrupting the Renaissance Alliance's reception event."

"Wait," the agent said, "Is this fish really just strong? Truly non-toxic? Then why did that mutant go to the hospital?"

"The fish raised with the apocalypse virus are indeed harmless to humans, but eating raw, cold seafood with beer carries a chance of triggering gastroenteritis."

"So that mutant didn't get poisoned—it was gastroenteritis?" The agent asked.

Greed nodded.