Courtyard House: Initial Donation of 50 Million

On the frigid glaciers of the Arctic Circle, S.H.I.E.L.D.'s exploration projects continue day and night.

Just three days after Steve Rogers's frozen body was successfully excavated and transported, the exploration team made an even more astonishing discovery deeper beneath the ice layer of the fighter jet wreckage. A cube emitting a faint blue glow was perfectly preserved within a transparent layer of ice, its energy fluctuations stable yet vast—it was the Cosmic Cube, which had been missing for nearly seventy years after crashing into the deep sea with the fighter jet.

The news was immediately relayed back to S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters.

Nick Fury stood before the large screen in the command center, watching the live feed transmitted from the satellite, his single eye gleaming. The Tesseract, the Infinity Stone containing the power of space, was the ultimate energy source Howard Stark had pursued his entire life, and the core reliance of Hydra's ambition to dominate the world. Now that it had resurfaced, it meant endless possibilities, but also unknown dangers.

"Highest level of security throughout, with dedicated personnel escorting it back to the mainland and storing it in underground Warehouse Zero." Fury issued the order in a deep voice, his tone carrying an unquestionable solemnity. "Also, notify Dr. Selvig's team to prepare to take over the Rubik's Cube research project."

He knew in his heart that this Rubik's Cube was both an opportunity and a trigger. Unknown alien threats and lurking Hydra remnants could both be stirred up by it. The formation of the Avengers could no longer proceed gradually; the pace had to be accelerated.

……

Inside the S.H.I.E.L.D. training facility, the sounds of clashing metal and heavy footsteps echoed throughout.

A week has passed since Steve woke up.

After the initial confusion, loss, and shock, this veteran, tempered by the flames of war, finally accepted the cruel reality that had been dormant for seventy years. He did not wallow in the regrets of the past, nor did he blame fate. He would simply gaze at the skyscrapers outside the window in silence for a long time when he was alone, his fingertips unconsciously stroking the outdated dog tag on his waist.

Carter, Bucky, the Howling Commandos, the alleys of Brooklyn... those vibrant people and events have all been left behind by time.

Under Nick Fury's guidance, Steve began systematic adaptation and recovery training.

He learned to use modern electronic devices, understood the changes in the world order over the past seventy years, and sifted through mountains of historical materials, gradually filling in the knowledge gaps spanning more than half a century. Faced with a completely unfamiliar modern society, he learned slowly but with exceptional seriousness. His inherent composure and resilience allowed him to remain clear-headed and restrained at all times.

Physical recovery training was incredibly easy. The perfect physique granted by the Super Soldier Serum showed no signs of decline after seventy years of being frozen in ice. S.H.I.E.L.D.'s top combat instructors couldn't last three moves against him, and he repeatedly pushed specially designed strength testing equipment to its limits. Even after sleeping for half his life, this Captain America's combat power still stood at the pinnacle of humanity.

But after training, he would always sit alone in a corner of the training field, staring blankly at the yellowed old photograph in his hand. In the photo, Carter was in military uniform, smiling brightly.

The ball he missed, the promise he couldn't keep, became a permanent void in his heart.

Fury would occasionally visit him, chatting about the world today and the looming crises, but he never formally mentioned the Avengers. He wasn't in a hurry; he knew Steve needed time and believed that this natural leader would eventually choose to stand up again to protect the world.

……

Meanwhile, at the Malibu villa, Tony's life gradually returned to normal.

More than half a month has passed since that Iron Monger battle and since he publicly declared, "I am Iron Man."

The public outcry didn't subside; instead, it intensified. Tony Stark transformed from a controversial arms tycoon into a nationally adored superhero, maintaining his immense popularity and even causing a dramatic reversal in Stark Industries' stock price.

When he previously announced the permanent closure of the weapons division, Stark Industries' stock price plummeted, the capital market was filled with pessimism, and countless financial giants withdrew their investments. However, after "Iron Man's" identity was revealed, the market sentiment instantly reversed.

Everyone saw the future of Stark Industries: cutting-edge clean energy technology, revolutionary mech technology, and entirely new fields that could change the landscape of warfare, with potential far exceeding that of traditional arms trade.

In just two weeks, Stark Industries' stock price rebounded from its lows and soared, even surpassing its peak before the closure of the weapons division. Wall Street capital turned its attention to them, and countless cooperation offers poured in. Public confidence in Tony and Stark Industries reached unprecedented heights.

In the underground laboratory, Tony was eating a sandwich, staring at the fluctuating stock market curves on the screen, a smug smile playing on his lips.

"See Jarvis? I told you, giving up arms isn't the end of the world, it's a new beginning."

"Yes, sir. Stark Industries' market capitalization has reached a new high today, and the market has extremely high expectations for the next-generation Arc Reactor and the civilian application of mechs." Jarvis's voice rang out steadily.

Tony shrugged, casually closed the stock market interface, and continued adjusting the Mark III's weapon system. He had no time to pay attention to the capital frenzy; his focus was entirely on the armor upgrades and the potential dangers of palladium poisoning. Wang Huanbo had warned him that the cumulative toxicity of palladium would worsen, and he needed to find an alternative as soon as possible.

Just then, the elevator doors in the lab opened with a ding.

Colonel Rhodes strode in, dressed in a crisp military uniform, his face bearing a complex expression.

"Tony."

Tony turned around and saw him, raised an eyebrow, and casually tossed his tools onto the workbench: "Hey, Colonel Rhodes, what brings you here today? Are you here to present me with an award on behalf of the military?"

Rhodes walked up to him, glanced at the Mark III armor beside the workbench, a hint of amazement flashing in his eyes before his expression hardened. "I'm here on behalf of the military, Tony. The higher-ups have seen the Iron Man armor's performance in combat and are taking it very seriously."

Tony chuckled, leaning back against the workbench, arms crossed. "Taking it seriously? I bet you're just jealous. You want me to hand over the armor to the military for mass production and equip the troops?"

Rhodes did not deny it, and said sincerely, "Tony, you have to admit that the safest approach is for this level of weaponry to be under the unified control of the military and integrated into the defense system. It can greatly enhance the combat effectiveness of the US military and reduce casualties among frontline soldiers."

He is a typical advocate of order, firmly believing that powerful military force should belong to the national system and function within the framework of rules, rather than being controlled by individuals. This is his belief as a soldier and the core stance of his visit.

Tony's playful expression faded slightly.

If it were any other military lobbyist, he would have already retorted with cold words. But Rhodes was different.

During the days when he was attacked and went missing in Afghanistan, Obadiah secretly sabotaged the operation, and the US military's search and rescue efforts were perfunctory and dragged on. Only Rhodes withstood the pressure and used all his connections and resources to search for his whereabouts tirelessly. This was a brother he had risked his life for, one of the few people he was willing to treat with genuine sincerity.

"Rhodes, you don't understand." Tony's tone softened slightly, but remained firm. "You saw what happened with Obadiah. There are too many parasites in the military system. Corruption, shady dealings, and the transfer of benefits are impossible to guard against. If the armor falls into their hands, it will only become the next 'Jellicoe,' a tool for politicians and arms dealers to make money, and will not be used to protect anyone at all."

Having experienced kidnapping and betrayal, and witnessed his own weapons fall into the hands of terrorists and slaughter civilians, Tony had long since lost all trust in the so-called "military control."

"I can optimize the armor and develop more powerful technologies, but I will never hand it over." Tony said each word clearly and unequivocally, "Iron Man is me, and only me."

Rhodes frowned, wanting to persuade him further: "Tony, you can't negate everything because of one betrayal. The military has its own rules and systems..."

"The rules can't save me from dying in this cave, nor can they save the civilians being massacred in Afghanistan." Tony interrupted him, his tone heavy. "Rhodes, I believe you, but I don't believe in this system. This is non-negotiable."

A brief silence fell over the laboratory.

The two stared at each other, one upholding the principles of order, the other adhering to his own bottom line; their ideological differences were clearly visible. But they both knew that the other meant no harm, they were simply on different sides.

Finally, Rhodes sighed and took the initiative to compromise.

He knew Tony's temperament too well; once this guy made up his mind, nothing could change it.

"Fine, I won't force you." Rhodes shook his head helplessly. "But I have to warn you, the higher-ups won't let this go so easily. With this level of combat power in your hands, those people at the Pentagon won't be able to sleep at night."

Tony grinned and patted him on the shoulder: "Don't worry, they can't do anything to me. Don't leave tonight, have a drink with me and we'll talk about your mess in the Middle East."

Rod looked at his nonchalant expression and felt both annoyed and amused.

He knew this disagreement over the ownership of the Iron Man suit was just the beginning. The military would never let it go easily, and Tony's path was destined to be fraught with difficulty.