One month later.
After spending quite a while lounging at home, Jack spent every day "looting" and checking in on Wanda and Natasha.
During this month, aside from looting a Martial Arts Proficiency skill from Natasha, the rest were all attribute points.
However, critical hits for attribute points were significantly more frequent when touching Wanda, yielding a total of 59 points across his three main attributes.
[Daily Check-in System]
[Today's Check-in Complete: Strength +1]
Jack opened the system panel and began checking his various stats.
[Host: Jack]
[Skills: Killing Intent Perception, Transform into Red Hulk, Eye of Wisdom, Missile Survivor, Martial Arts Proficiency]
[Physique: Steel Kidney Body (IYKYK)]
[Weapons: Tactical Goggles (Lock-on Version), Infinite Ammo Desert Eagle, Imitation Ten Rings, one Jericho missile]
[Items: None]
Strength: 57 (37+20=57)
Speed: 33 (17+16=33)
Spirit: 45 (22+23=45)
Tomorrow, Jack planned to head to California for a press conference held by Tony's company. Ever since Tony returned to his seaside villa in California, the commotion he caused had been growing bigger by the day.
Especially in the Middle East, Tony would fly back every few days. Reporters had already filmed videos of Iron Man flying in and out of his villa.
But as soon as they were uploaded, S.H.I.E.L.D. would delete them and issue detention packages.
Jack felt that this time, Tony would probably admit his identity as Iron Man.
In the original story, it had been because of the Obadiah incident that Tony held the press conference.
Here, however, Tony had blown up the Military's F-22 fighter jets in the Middle East because they had used weapons he previously sold to bomb civilians.
In a fit of rage, Tony blew up the planes—no pilots survived—and even destroyed a small weapons depot at a temporary outpost. Along the way, he had gone on two missions with Jack in New York.
Then Rhodes, representing the Military, and Coulson, representing S.H.I.E.L.D., both tracked Tony down, wanting him to clarify at the press conference that he had nothing to do with Iron Man.
Jack suspected this time Tony might actually say: I am Iron Man.
So Jack planned to witness it in person. Although it involved a flight, such a classic moment was worth seeing with his own eyes.
"Wanda, I'm heading out. If you don't want to cook, just order takeout from that place."
"Go ahead. I'm tired; I want to sleep."
Wanda rolled over, hugging the quilt.
Jack didn't dare look any longer—if he did, he wouldn't make his flight.
"Zayu, Wanda."
Before boarding, Jack called Mei.
"Mei, how was the company today? Are you getting used to it?"
Mei's low voice came through the phone.
"Jack, you never told me I'd be in charge of the entire sanitation department at Stark Tower. Didn't you say I'd be a janitor? Why do they want me to manage cleaning for the whole building?"
Jack chuckled. "Mei, it's just managing a few old guys who clean. The salary isn't high, and they were short-staffed, so Pepper arranged it."
"The salary is more than what you gave me—$7,000 a month, plus bonuses. I don't think I can do this job well."
Jack comforted her, "Mei, it's just cleaning. Do it like you did in the office. That's it—I have to board my plane now."
Jack hung up, and Mei slumped onto the desk in discouragement.
Knock, knock.
"Come in."
Hearing the knock, Mei straightened, trying to look serious.
A young male employee handed her some items. "Supervisor, this is the workflow description Miss Potts gave you. You can review these."
"Alright, thank you. Go back to your work for now. For the next couple of days, just follow your previous routine."
The young employee left, and Mei groaned, staring at the dozen or so pages of workflow.
During this month, aside from visiting Tony once to see the completed armor, Jack had gone out twice to destroy two human trafficking dens.
Because these were office commissions, people began staking out the area around the office after those two missions.
For Mei's safety, Jack had no choice but to temporarily close the office and find her a job at Stark Tower.
Mei was meticulous and liked cleanliness, so Jack arranged for her to join the cleaning department. He hadn't expected Pepper to make her a supervisor, responsible for the floors closest to Jack's room… at Stark Industries headquarters in California.
"Pepper, where's Tony?" Jack asked, seeing Pepper but not Tony.
"Jarvis, take Jack to find our big hero." Pepper looked up, then continued her work.
"Mr. Jack, please follow me."
Light-up signs along the path guided Jack.
He followed Jarvis to a lounge. Opening the door, he saw Rhodes talking with Tony.
"Rhodes, let me introduce you. This is Jack," Tony said.
"No need for an introduction. I know Colonel Rhodes," Jack replied.
Rhodes smiled. "Not Colonel, Lieutenant Colonel. Another ten years and maybe Colonel."
"No need. With Tony and me helping, you'll be a Colonel in two years," Jack said.
After shaking hands, he added, "You guys keep talking. Don't mind me."
Rhodes glanced at Tony, hesitating.
Tony said indifferently, "Rhodes, don't hide it. There's nothing about your US Military business that can't be said. The world is about to find out anyway."
Rhodes looked helpless. "True. Just like everyone knows you're Iron Man, yet we still hold a press conference to clarify things."
Tony pulled out the speech draft given by the balding agent from that whatever-whatever bureau.
"Rhodes, who is that balding Coulson? Do you guys have to follow his orders too?"
Rhodes explained, "They're mysterious, but they have authority. Leadership doesn't let us interfere much to reduce bickering."
"Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division. Director: Nick Fury, aka Black Egg. Previous Director: Alexander Pierce. Excellent agents under him include balding Coulson, Level 9 Agent Hill, Hawkeye Clint Barton, Black Widow Natasha, and Melinda (Level 7)."
"Nominally under the UN, but basically serving the US alone. Black Egg claims to maintain world peace daily, yet the problems are all caused by Americans themselves—like Hulk by General Ross, and the rest I won't even mention."
Tony and Rhodes stared at Jack in disbelief.
Tony: "You know way too much about this organization."
Rhodes: "How do you know all this in detail?"
Jack shrugged. "I used to be one of their agents, but quit after giving Black Egg a piece of my mind. Also, my wife is Black Widow Natasha."
Tony: (゜o゜)(._.)(๑ʘ̅口ʘ̅๑)?!
Rhodes: eager, "Tell us all the secrets!"
Jack put hands on his hips. "Wanda is also my wife. Does the law say I can't have two wives?"
Tony: "The law dictates you cannot!"
Rhodes: "That's bigamy—you'll go to jail."
Jack: "Seems true, but what does that have to do with me?"
Tony: "China also has monogamy laws, right?"
Rhodes: covers face "Yes, and you pay a bride price."
Jack continued, "I'll just get married without registering the certificates. That works, right?"
Tony: "How can you face the two of them?"
Jack: "We have a great relationship. I even heard them talking in their sleep, considering a fourth wife to share the pressure… saying I'm too strong."
"If Wanda hadn't disagreed, Natasha might already be helping me with a four-person mahjong game."
Tony: (⌯꒪ ཀ꒪)
Rhodes: Σ(๑ºΔº๑ )
Tony coughed blood—what kind of world was this? All his cover girls were temporary; how could they compare to a stat monster like Jack?
In the end, the two asked for advice humbly but left with dark faces.
What did he mean by "moving Wanda with sincerity" or "offering Natasha a condition she couldn't refuse"?
Tony and Rhodes went to the press conference in bad moods.
Reporters noticed. Headlines read:
"Lieutenant Colonel Rhodes and Tony Stark break up: Moral depravity, Military pressure, or Stark's persistence?"
"Best friends turn enemies: What did Tony Stark and Lieutenant Colonel Rhodes do in that room?"
Some reporters even glimpsed Jack in the lounge before the door closed.
"Mysterious man appears again, causing rift between Tony and Rhodes."
Rhodes stepped forward to explain, then it was Tony's turn.
"Now, please welcome Mr. Stark to read the prepared statement. He will not take questions today. Thank you."
Tony approached the podium. "Regarding recent speculation about the 'Iron armor' incident…"
He pulled out his speech draft. "I'll read from the script."
Laughter broke out—very Tony Stark.
Coughing twice, he continued: "There's been speculation that I was involved in Middle East conflicts and human trafficking in New York."
Christine, a reporter and Tony's former bedmate, interrupted: "You don't expect us to believe your armor coincidentally neutralized traffickers and ran out of power back at your house, right?"
Tony's expression stiffened. "Questioning reports is one thing; accusing me of being a crime-fighting superhero is another."
Christine smiled smugly: "I never said you were a superhero."
"Oh, really? That's good." Tony forced a smile, suppressing the urge to show off.
He paused, hesitated… then let it out:
"I am Iron Man."
Camera shutters erupted like a storm. The reporters didn't hesitate—they wanted the first-hand scoop.
Tony's lips curved slightly. Satisfying! I love showing off. This is perfect!
He turned and left the podium, escorted by a human wall formed by Happy and three other bodyguards.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thanks to [Rc1 c]for joining my Patreon page!🎉Your support means the world to me. 🙏
You can visit my Patreon page:
Patreon.com/PhoeniXcel
I upload 2 chapters daily on Patreon!
There are 30+ advanced chapters available for you to read.
Your support would be greatly appreciated.