Kamen Rider ZZZ, the American comic book spiritual mentor

Does Tony also see him as an old guy?

However, if Tony thinks this way, it's a good thing, at least it will lower his guard against the "Cavaliers".

However, the tricky part is that Tony Stark has always had complicated feelings about what his father left behind. For example, Tony is always full of sarcasm towards a certain "old guy" who was dug out of an iceberg and has not yet woken up.

This is difficult. Let's observe and see first.

Thinking of this, Lin Nan exited the lucid dream and lay down on the bed to take a nap.

Sleep doesn't really mean much to Lin Nan, but it serves as a reminder that his peaceful and ordinary life is still going on.

I just don't know how long this calm can last.

Chapter 60 I am Iron Man

The next day, the media in New York City were in an uproar.

Because that legendary man, Tony Stark, disappeared from public view in the past few months after disbanding the military-industrial complex, causing his stock price to plummet and then rebound.

Various rumors circulated, with some saying he was seriously ill and bedridden, while others claimed he was dedicated to researching armor, and that the golden-red armored figure occasionally seen over New York was him.

Today, this man suddenly announced an emergency press conference; he's back.

The huge circular conference room on the top floor of Stark Tower has been set up as a press conference venue.

The cameras, long and short, were aimed at the stage, where the media people had expressions ranging from calm to excitement, and were whispering among themselves.

Tony Stark stood in front of a full-length mirror backstage, wearing a black sweater and dark trousers, but not a suit.

Beneath his black sweater, a triangular pattern was faintly visible.

Pepper Potts stood beside him, straightened Tony's collar, and said worriedly, "Tony, what are you trying to announce by suddenly holding a press conference?"

"You'll see, Pepper." Tony gently patted Pepper's hand, then, with a gait that seemed to rise with the morning sun, walked down the corridor and onto the podium.

When he appeared on the podium, the flashbulbs went off like an explosion, flashing incessantly. The sound of camera shutters was almost like a torrential downpour.

Tony placed his hands on the table, his gaze sweeping over the sea of ​​people below. The moment his flamboyant smile appeared, the hall fell silent.

"Ladies and gentlemen, good afternoon, and to everyone watching the live stream, good afternoon."

His distinctive voice resonated throughout the venue: "I know there have been a lot of rumors about me over the past few months."

"Some people say I'm crazy, that I have post-traumatic stress disorder, while others say I'm working on some secret weapon. Of course, the latter is basically true."

A burst of laughter erupted from the audience, and the sound of camera shutters and flashes intensified once again.

Tony tugged at his sweater collar: "But I don't want to talk about Stark Industries today, nor do I want to reveal any personal health issues. By the way, I'm perfectly healthy, thank you for your concern."

"What I want to talk about today is some changes in my personal life."

"As many media friends know, I was kidnapped in Afghanistan a few months ago. In that cave, I made a small thing out of a bunch of scrap metal. After I was rescued, I improved it a bit."

There was some commotion in the audience, and many reporters looked at each other, their professionalism sensing that this was going to be a headline story.

"Many people are spreading rumors that the golden and red armored vehicle that recently flew over New York was me. Don't you all find that absurd?"

Actually, what I wanted to say was…

The media personnel in the audience listened intently, waiting for the next part to be told.

"Yes, I am Iron Man."

boom!

The venue erupted instantly, filled with all sorts of exclamations, gasps, and screams.

The shutter noise and flashes became even more frantic, almost lifting the roof off.

Reporters rushed to the stage to ask questions like crazy, turning the entire press conference into a chaotic scene.

Iron Man ignored the commotion and raised his voice: "I am Iron Man!"

"I don't need to hide it, nor do I need to deny it. There have been some changes in this world that we cannot understand."

“Power needs to be seen, responsibility needs to be taken into account, and I, Tony Stark, acknowledge all of that.”

"This increasingly dangerous world needs heroes, and it needs heroes whose identities are revealed."

"That's all I have to say. If you have any questions, please contact my assistant, Ms. Pepper!"

Tony pointed to Pepper Potts, who was standing frozen in shock by the side of the stage, and then quickly left the scene under the protection of Happy and a large number of bodyguards.

Little Chili, on the other hand, was helplessly overwhelmed by the media.

Meanwhile, the video of the press conference spread rapidly, causing a huge uproar at Midtown High School.

For example, Lin Nan overheard the discussion among her classmates.

"Did you know that today Tony Stark admitted that he is Iron Man?"

"Just as I thought! A super genius, a playboy, a billionaire, a superhero—my God, how can someone be so perfect?!"

Even Gwen and Peter ran over: "Lin, have you seen the news? Mr. Stark has admitted that he is Iron Man."

Lin nodded calmly on the surface: "Yes, I saw it."

In reality, he was also very shocked. The timeline of this world was extremely chaotic. In his mind, Tony Stark should have already acknowledged that he was Iron Man.

Regardless, Tony Stark's admission that he is Iron Man means that the Battle of New York is drawing ever closer.

That brat Loki isn't far behind.

I wonder if the upgraded Thor can teach his brother a lesson and delay the Battle of New York, so that I can make more preparations.

However, we must not place our hopes on others; we need to accelerate the accumulation of strength.

The shockwaves from Iron Man's revelation of his identity quickly swept the globe within days, dominating news headlines and social media.

Stark Industries' stock price soared, and interviews and questions poured in like snowflakes.

But Tony didn't interfere much; he left everything to Pepper and the team.

He hid himself in the laboratory, enjoying his good health, and began searching for the knight's whereabouts. He had many questions to ask this mysterious friend.

For example: Since you old guy are alive, is Howard also alive? Did he fake his death back then? Was the Cavaliers' technical approach a collaboration between the two of you?

One Saturday afternoon, some uninvited guests arrived at Lin Nan's apartment.

He was taking a nap when he suddenly heard a very soft and rhythmic knocking sound at the door.

Lin Nan walked behind the door and looked through the peephole. Upon seeing what was there, his brows furrowed deeply.

Two people were standing outside the door, one of whom was an old acquaintance, Agent Phil Coulson, the workaholic.

The other was an unfamiliar woman, dressed in a gray business suit, with her hair piled high, looking very neat.

He has beautiful features, a cool and aloof look, and a sharp gaze.

The S.H.I.E.L.D. agents are here again.

Lin Nan took a deep breath, feeling an urge to kick them out, but she still opened the door and poked half her head out.

He said cautiously, "Mr. Coulson... and this lady..."

Coulson nodded slightly: "Good afternoon, Lin. I'm sorry to bother you again. This lady is Maria Hill, my colleague."

"I have something important to discuss with you. May I come in and talk?"

Lin Nan immediately compared Hill's face to that in the movie; although they didn't look exactly alike, their overall demeanor was basically the same.

Beautiful, capable, and with a powerful presence.

She's practically the second-in-command at S.H.I.E.L.D., what important business could she possibly have here?

Helpless, Lin Nan stepped aside and said, "Please come in."

The three of them walked into the living room together. Coulson sat down on the sofa as if he were in his own home, while Ms. Hill sat up straight and didn't say a word.

Lin Nan pulled up a chair and sat down, sensing that the atmosphere was somewhat awkward.

Coulson finally spoke, his tone still gentle: "Lin, let's get straight to the point. We know you have some kind of connection with that knight who recently appeared, although we're not sure what that connection is."

"Whether it's friends, intelligence operatives, or technical advisors, we can be certain that such connections do exist."

Lin Nan frowned but didn't speak. This time, he didn't rush to deny it because S.H.I.E.L.D.'s attitude was very direct, and even their second-in-command was there.

He must have had considerable evidence to make such a confident statement.

Chapter 61 The Avengers' Invitation

Hearing that Lin Nan didn't rush to refute, Ms. Hill's slightly furrowed brows gradually relaxed.

Coulson continued, "We've investigated your background many times over, and there's absolutely nothing wrong with it; it's almost too clean."

"Furthermore, when the Knights are active, your whereabouts are very unclear, which means that your counter-surveillance ability is not like that of an ordinary high school student; at least you have had targeted training."

"Furthermore, you have connections with several individuals involved in paranormal events, including Harry Osborn, Peter Parker, and Matt Murdock, who have been on S.H.I.E.L.D.'s watch list for a long time."

"Most importantly, you happened to leave New York during the New Mexico incident. Although we could track you down, the way you looked under those cameras was too deliberate, as if you were showing it to us on purpose."

"Furthermore, according to S.H.I.E.L.D. intelligence, Iron Man Tony Stark was once in danger of palladium poisoning, and our director is waiting for the right moment to reveal some information to him."

“But strangely enough, not long after you came back, Stark went out and found the new element without any error.”

Lin Nan wanted to curse inwardly. With such strong intelligence and reasoning abilities, why didn't they expose all those undercover agents?! Let Hydra treat them like their own home.

But he still managed to convincingly portray a confused and displeased expression with his superb acting skills: "Mr. Coulson, Ms. Hill, what do these coincidences prove? Is it just because I have a few special friends in my circle?"

"Just because my whereabouts coincided with this knight's, you assume I have a connection with him? Isn't that a bit absurd? Is there any direct evidence?"

Then Ms. Hill spoke up: "Whether this deduction is absurd or not, perhaps your friend knows more about it. As for evidence, we don't have any, but there are too many coincidences, and the value of the knight himself is getting higher and higher. We have to seize any opportunity to cooperate with him."

Her voice was clear and pleasant, but carried a hint of authority from someone who had long held a superior position: "Mr. Lin, we are not here to accuse you, nor do we pose any threat to you."

"We've come here to extend an invitation to the knights through you."