Chapter 05: Page 5

The group got on the helicopter. Roddy sat opposite Stark and chatted with him in a rambling manner.

"We didn't know if you were still alive in the past few months, but we have been looking for you. We discovered an explosion yesterday, and when we rushed over, we happened to encounter a convoy of the Ten Rings Gang and had a fight with them."

"Of course we won in the end."

"Then in the morning, we suddenly received a radio message with only one coordinate. It was your location. This was very strange... Do you know anything?"

Lai Mu quietly clenched his fists and his eyes quickly swept from the pilot and an American soldier sitting opposite him.

There were five people on the helicopter, including the pilot and Roddy, and three American soldiers, so they could defeat them.

Before Stark could speak, Lemu explained, "Because Stark is a genius. Not only did he build an exoskeleton power armor to help us escape, he also assembled a simple communicator using parts he stole from the Ten Rings, but the circuit burned out after only one use."

Exoskeleton power armor? Communicator? Rody narrowed his eyes and scanned the two people.

Stark clapped his hands, startling everyone with a loud snap. He looked very proud, "Ha! I'm a genius. Geniuses can always do things that ordinary people can't, such as destroying terrorist lairs or assembling communicators with wires and iron sheets - everyone knows it! I assembled my first circuit board when I was four years old."

Colonel Roddy Black Confusion.jpg

Why are you so excited?

Chapter 5. The rich old man's ambition

Lai Mu and his team arrived safely at the US military base in Afghanistan.

His identity and superpowers were not exposed at all during the journey. After all, if Stark didn't say anything, who would have thought that there was a non-human present?

Colonel Roddy naturally realized that Lemu and Stark were deliberately concealing something, as well as many other suspicious points.

The most basic point is, how can an Afghan hunter understand English and communicate in English fluently?

But since Stark was trying to conceal it, he wisely chose not to ask. Roddy could trust his best friend.

Also because Lai Mu's appearance looks non-threatening.

After a short rest at the US military base, the military doctor gave Stark a simple bandage.

While Stark was being bandaged, Lemu walked around the base.

There are a lot of novel equipment here, including helicopters, armored vehicles, anti-aircraft missiles, and two F22 Raptor fighter jets.

But security is tight and there are guards everywhere.

Thanks to Stark's relationship, Lei Mu was allowed to visit freely, but when he wanted to try a few shots, he was stopped without exception.

Normal people might feel guilty and dare not act rashly in the US military base, but a certain slime is well aware of the truth that "one must be strong even if one is not right, and one must not be guilty even if one is a thief", and he is running rampant in the US military's tight net.

In addition, Lai Mu also discovered that his appearance could effectively reduce the vigilance of most people.

If you purse your lips or bite your lips, with an innocent or accusing look, the effect will be better. Sometimes it can even make the other person feel guilty.

After all, most people are obsessed with looks.

/——————

After the bandage was completed, Stark, Lemu and Colonel Roddy boarded a special plane to California, USA.

After more than ten hours of flight, we arrived at our destination.

In the spacious airport, two people came to pick us up.

One is Tony Stark's personal assistant, Pepper Potts, nicknamed Pepper.

The other is a driver who moonlights as a bodyguard.

Pepper means "hot pepper", which does not mean that her personality is as pungent as hot pepper. In fact, it is quite the opposite. Besides being smart and capable in the workplace, Pepper is a very gentle person in private.

She had long golden hair tied up and was wearing a slim-fitting women's suit, looking like a workplace elite.

At this moment, looking at Stark walking down from the plane, her eyes were red and she was crying with joy.

Stark broke away from Roddy's support and walked straight towards his pretty secretary, looking at her carefully.

"Your eyes are red, are you crying for your long-missing boss?"

Little Lajiao smiled with tears in her eyes, "I'm happy. I hate looking for a job."

"Yeah, your vacation is over."

Pepper poked her head out and noticed Lemu standing behind Stark.

She took a deep breath to suppress her excitement at seeing Stark, and nodded to Lemu with a gentle smile on her face, "You haven't introduced her to us yet, who is she?"

Stark spread his hands and waved for someone to get in the car first. "This is complicated, Ms. Potts. We'll talk about it later."

Lemu and Pepper Potts waved to each other as a greeting.

Sitting in the driver's seat was a strong white man, Happy Hogan, who was Stark's driver and sometimes worked as a bodyguard.

In Lai Mu's memory, it seems that he will become the uncle or aunt of Spider-Man Peter Parker in the future?

At this moment, he didn't look as fat as he remembered, but rather quite strong.

Happy Hogan inquired, "Where to, sir?"

"Three things, get us some cheeseburgers. Pepper, help me contact the press conference, and then send this little guy back to change first."

Stark looked at Lemu again, "I have something to talk to you about later. It's very important."

Pepper was confused, "Press conference? For what?"

"Okay, Happy, drive first and go get some burgers."

Stark raised his hand and tapped his chest, making a clanging sound. "I'll explain it to you slowly on the way."

/——————

Stark Industries is an American multinational corporation with the NYSE code: SIA and the NASDAQ code: STRK.

It was an arms company founded by Howard Stark around 1940.

“Peace means holding a bigger stick than others.”

This is Howard's philosophy.

Two generations of the Stark family, Howard Stark and Tony Stark, both claim to be patriots and peace protectors. They are also equally arrogant and only believe in the path they choose.

Obadiah Stane is an executive of Stark Industries and was once Howard's partner.

He had little interest in so-called peace, but wealth and power were his lifelong pursuit.

He and Howard worked together in the last century, and built Stark Industries up through hardships and difficulties.

During the company's pioneering period, he was the sharpest sword and the sharpest spear. Surrounded by countless wolves, he fought bloody battles, grabbed the most meat, killed countless competitors, and made outstanding contributions to the company.

And this is indeed the case.

Now he is in his sixties and has unparalleled wealth and fame, but there is still something missing.

Rights, the right to have the final say.

Since Stark's disappearance, Stark Industries has essentially become his one-man show.

He can sit in the president's office every day, puffing cigarettes, taking a sip of wine, flipping through magazines or reports, and earning a lot of money every minute. How leisurely he lives.

Early that morning, a piece of news destroyed all his good mood and leisurely life like a nuclear bomb.

Tony Stark is not dead, and he is coming back today!

Obadiah had a gloomy face. He threw away the magazine he was reading and crushed the cigar in his hand on the keyboard. The smoke from the extinguished cigar swirled around his fingers and disappeared into the air.

His uncertain face was filled with a bit of ferocity... How could you come back alive? Who the hell are you, Stark?

Stark Industries is the empire built by me, Obadiah!

The only person who can sit on this throne is me, and it must be me...

/——————

In front of Stark Company.

The place was filled with people welcoming Stark's return, including executives, employees, reporters and passers-by who were just there to join in the fun. It was bustling and crowded.

Obadiah took the lead in greeting and stood in front of everyone.

This old man in his sixties had a smile on his face and looked so kind and amiable. He was dressed in a suit and had a furry white beard on his face. He wore a pair of cool sunglasses, and his bald head seemed to be shining with Buddha's light.

Just like those cool, sassy and easy to talk to elders in other people's families.

"look here!"

Stark got out of the car. The old man trotted a few steps, waving his arms to show off to the crowd, as if he was showing off that his son had returned alive from the expedition.

The audience cooperated well and gave long-lasting applause.

Obadiah turned around, opened his arms exaggeratedly, and hugged Stark with joy, "Tony! I thought you were in the hospital. Look at you, you're in good condition!"

Although Obadiah had been taking care of him and the company for more than a decade, Stark was still not used to his excessive enthusiasm. So he just looked at Obadiah expressionlessly.

Happy handed Stark a bag of hamburgers. Obadiah saw it and laughed and joked, "Oh, hamburgers! Is there any for me?"

Stark walked inside and refused with an embarrassed look on his face, "Uh... this is the last one, I want to eat it myself."

Inside is the press conference site, and reporters have been waiting for a long time.

/——————

Pepper Potts and Lemu left early.

After the blonde secretary contacted the press conference for Stark, she drove away in her own car taking Lai Mu away first.

Lai Mu was sitting in the passenger seat, chewing on a bag of hamburgers, with the corners of his mouth puffed up like a squirrel.

He hadn't eaten in a long time and missed the taste. There were still two burgers in the bag, and he had already finished three of them without hesitation.

Pepper tilted her face slightly, feeling somewhat amazed that such a small creature could eat so much.

With a gentle smile on her face, she greeted Lemu softly, afraid to scare him, "Hi, I'm Pepper, Pepper Potts, Tony's personal assistant. What should I call you?"

Laimu swallowed the hamburger in his mouth and replied with a smile, revealing two small fangs, "Lamu Etxeberria. I am the child of an Afghan hunter family. I was captured by terrorists and then escaped with Stark."

This child looks so beautiful when she smiles, bright and charming, with a natural innocence, Pepper thought.

"What about your family? Didn't they come to America with you?"