Marvel's female superheroine travels through multiple worlds

At that moment, Tony was speaking eloquently at the opening ceremony of the Flushing Stark Expo.

"This expo will last for a whole year! It's the first time since 1974!"

"Countries and companies from all over the world will provide resources for the best talent!"

"Sharing their vision for future development! Creating a better future!"

"You know, none of you here, including myself, are important. What's important is what we can leave for the future!"

"What I want to say is, welcome to the Stark Industries Exhibition!"

Tony spread his arms wide with great enthusiasm and shouted loudly, his speech once again drawing enthusiastic applause.

"Now, let us welcome our guest from history, who will explain everything to you. Please welcome my father, Howard Stark!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the stage of the exhibition switched to a vintage-style scene, and Howard appeared in the picture.

After finishing his opening speech, Tony slowly walked backstage, his smile gradually fading and replaced by a solemn expression.

He pulled a palm-sized device from his pocket, pressed his finger on it, and soon the device displayed a line of text: Palladium poisoning, 19% of the blood has been absorbed.

Indeed, prolonged use of the palladium arc reactor caused serious adverse reactions in Tony's body.

The symptoms are not obvious at this stage, but if it progresses to the later stages, he will face death.

Clearly, as time went on, Tony's voice began to count down due to palladium poisoning.

Removing the reactor would eliminate the magnetic field's repulsion of the shrapnel in his blood vessels, leading to heart failure and necrosis. Continuing to use it would result in chronic poisoning, ultimately leading to death; it was only a matter of time.

No matter how many methods Tony tried, he couldn't find a new replacement element, and the whole thing became a vicious cycle.

This is why he stepped down as president of Stark Industries and handed over all management responsibilities to Pepper.

Most importantly, the expansion and upgrades of Blackwatch Sky Fortress over the past two years are nearing completion.

The shadow guard worked very hard and never complained, so he was happy to pay him more wages.

Tony chuckled self-deprecatingly, put away the testing equipment. There was still a chance; he wasn't going to give up so easily.

"Lu, damn it, did you lose your hair from sunbathing?"

Tony looked out at the night sky through the skylight in the exhibition hall and muttered something to himself, somewhat annoyed.

He recalled that one day two years ago, Lu Yunmeng suddenly told him that she was going to space to sunbathe.

I thought it was a joke, but little did I know that from that day on, Supergirl completely disappeared.

Using the high-powered camera on Stark Industries' monitoring satellite, Tony spotted the blurry figure rapidly departing Earth's orbit.

However, for the sake of secrecy, he had Jarvis delete the original video files, which is why Pepper couldn't find any information.

Chapter 59 A Boring Hearing

The opening ceremony of the Flushing Stark Expo was a resounding success.

Tony was exhausted and all he wanted was to go home and get a good night's sleep on that soft, comfortable bed.

These days, he has devoted himself to upgrading his armor and has not slept for two whole days.

Although the MK5 Iron Man suit has many functions, it still couldn't completely satisfy Tony, a genius who pursues perfection.

Geniuses are never satisfied with the status quo; they are always like fearless climbers, constantly striving to reach higher places, just to see a wider world.

Staying stagnant is not his style; he doesn't need satisfaction at all.

On his way to the parking space, Tony was surrounded by a group of enthusiastic fans.

In the crowd, countless signs were held high, filled with cheers and expressions of love for him.

"Tony! Tony!"

Shouts rose and fell, deafeningly loud.

Tony gave a fake smile, politely refusing several beautiful women who tried to slip him their phone numbers, while patiently signing autographs for several excited children whose faces were flushed.

Finally, with the help of his bodyguards, he broke through the crowded throng and got into the car.

At this moment, a slender and beautiful female law enforcement officer suddenly appeared.

Her eyes were captivating. She walked lightly to the car, handed over a summons, and spoke politely but firmly.

Tony was informed that he must attend the hearing scheduled for 9 a.m. the following day in Washington.

Happy had no choice but to floor the accelerator, and the car shot off like an arrow.

After rushing all the way, I finally arrived at the Senate Armed Services Committee at the last minute.

"Mr. Stark, can we continue our previous topic?"

“Mr. Stark? Please, are you listening to me?” Senator Stern’s anxious shouts, mixed with the sound of a wooden mallet pounding on the table, drew the attention of the drowsy Tony.

Tony's eyes were bloodshot, and his gaze was tired and confused. He stared straight ahead, and after a while, he seemed to wake up from a dream and realized that he was in the hearing room.

After working day and night for days, he was mentally exhausted and just wanted to find a soft bed and fall asleep immediately.

"I'm here, darling~" Tony forced a smile and flashed his signature mischievous grin. Even though he was so tired that he didn't want to move a finger, he still managed to crack a joke to lighten the mood.

Upon hearing this somewhat teasing nickname, the audience was taken aback for a moment, then burst into a brief but enthusiastic burst of laughter.

"Please listen to me carefully, okay?" Senator Stern sighed helplessly.

He was truly helpless regarding this Iron Man, who was renowned in America, as well as a well-known entrepreneur, philanthropist, and billionaire.

“Of course, no problem.” Tony spread his hands, shrugged, and struck a relaxed pose.

"Here's a crucial question: Do you possess a highly specialized weapon system?" Senator Stern, maintaining his smile and keeping his eyes fixed on Tony, continued to ask.

From the moment Tony publicly announced that he was Iron Man, the Mark series of Iron Man armors were no longer a secret. Their advanced technology and epoch-making significance gradually attracted the attention of government agencies and the military.

Unlike supernatural abilities that awaken suddenly without warning, the technology contained in the Iron Man armor is replicable.

Its powerful mobility and super strong defense that can withstand most conventional firearms attacks make it highly coveted.

The Ministry of National Defense keenly realized that if this advanced technology were applied to armed soldiers, it would inevitably bring about a radical change in the current global strategic situation.

This is the fundamental reason why the Senate Armed Services Committee has its eye on Tony.

Two years ago, Supergirl's sudden disappearance stirred up desires in many people's hearts.

Without the protection of this formidable military force, the U.S. government has become increasingly reckless.

In their eyes, Tony Stark was nothing more than a slightly luckier arms dealer and businessman.

The title "Iron Man" is just a name given to him by the public. Does he really think he can stand up to the powerful machinery of the state?

They racked their brains, plotting how to take Tony's technology away from him.

"I don't have any special weapons or equipment on me. In fact, I closed the weapons research and development department two years ago."

Tony looked relaxed and calm, and denied it without hesitation.

"Are you sure?" Senator Stern's face instantly darkened, and his voice unconsciously lowered a few decibels.

“Of course, that depends on how you define ‘weapon’.” Tony raised an eyebrow, looking innocent, as if he was genuinely confused by the question.

"Iron Man is a weapon." Senator Stern stopped beating around the bush and went straight to the point.

“I disagree with your point of view. First of all, I must solemnly declare that my invention is by no means a weapon.” Tony shook his head, his attitude resolute and showing no sign of wavering.

"I'd love to hear how you plan to describe this equipment and explain its various functions," Senator Stern, a seasoned politician, skillfully redirected the question back to Tony.

“I think it’s more like a high-tech assistive prosthesis; that’s the most fitting description I can think of,” Tony explained with a sly smile, his eyes darting around.

Upon hearing this, the entire audience burst into laughter once again.

The atmosphere at the scene was chaotic. Senator Stern's lips twitched slightly as he thought to himself, "What kind of high-tech prosthetics are these!"

Where in the world is there a prosthetic limb that can stop machine gun bullets, withstand tank shells, and even slap a tank in the face?

"It is a weapon, Mr. Stark. You don't need to deny it. It's a fact that everyone can see, understand?"

Senator Stern grew increasingly impatient. He knew that Tony Stark was a master debater who could make the impossible seem possible, and he didn't have time to waste arguing with him.

“I believe this weapons technology should first and foremost benefit the American people.” Senator Stern raised his voice, his tone resolute, attempting to exert pressure on Tony from a moral high ground.

After all, it's hard for anyone to easily refuse when they're waving the banner of "everything for the country, everything for the people."

“You’re making me laugh. Don’t even think about it. Get rid of this unrealistic idea as soon as possible.” Tony responded directly and firmly, without backing down.

No matter how high-sounding their words are, they cannot conceal the true purpose of these politicians: to launch a war and profit from the national crisis.

"I am Iron Man, and the Iron Man armor is an integral part of me."

"Giving up Iron Man is the same as giving up myself. It's no different from hard labor or being forced to sell my ass!"

“Of course, in some states, selling your ass is legal.” Tony’s humorous and unrestrained reply once again drew laughter from the audience.

The Iron Man armor will never be handed over to anyone, no questions asked.

Tony was very confident, knowing that without in-depth analysis, it would take at least 20 years for countries around the world, including the United States, to replicate this groundbreaking technology.

The sheer technical challenge of overcoming the challenge of the miniature arc reactor alone would deter countless so-called scientists.

Senator Stern, somewhat helpless in the face of this situation, had no choice but to call on another arms manufacturer, Justin Hammer.

Tony glanced at the blond man who strode confidently into the meeting room and gave him a disdainful sneer.

Justin Hammer is indeed talented and a thorough businessman, and the American government has always liked to work with people like him.

This person is currently a major supplier and partner of the Ministry of National Defense, and is quite well-known in the industry.

Hammer Heavy Industries' weapons development company does enjoy a certain reputation globally, but compared to the true technology giant Stark Industries, it is at best a clown.

Because Hammer Technology's favorite thing to do is copy and steal technology.

If Tony wanted to, he could be 50 years ahead of his opponent in terms of technology alone.

The following meetings continued with endless wrangling.

Justin Hammer, standing on the side of the Department of Defense, strongly urged Tony to hand over Iron Man's weapons technology.

The views expressed are nothing new and are exactly the same as those of Obadiah, who is long dead.

It simply emphasizes that Tony's inventions should not belong to him alone, but should benefit all mankind.

They also claimed that Iron Man could not shoulder the responsibility of protecting the nation alone, nor did he possess such an ability.