From Luo Chen's overwhelming strength, Tony Stark could already see the many crises he would face in the future. He caught just a glimpse of the tip of the iceberg, but even that was enough to make Tony, who had a strong sense of crisis—and perhaps a bit of paranoia—feel deeply anxious.
"It's over!" Luo Chen smiled faintly, his punch clearly displaying his immense strength.
As Tony had anticipated, Luo Chen did indeed have the power to back up his words, and the punch just now didn't even come close to showcasing his full potential.
Luo Chen, of course, was satisfied with himself. He'd made quick work of Obadiah with a single punch. Obadiah's Iron Overlord was merely a first-generation machine, still at the Mark I level. In fact, Tony Stark's Mark II at this stage wasn't far off, and even that couldn't withstand Luo Chen's punch.
He was a one-punch Superman.
"Thanks for your help today!" Tony Stark said, struggling to stand. "Last time we spoke, you didn't tell me your name. You can tell me now, or I won't be able to transfer your ten million dollars!"
Tony Stark managed to rise to his feet, but the armor on his body was shifting, making it uncomfortable for him.
Luo Chen thought for a moment. Since he had already taken care of this situation and Obadiah was now dead, it seemed there was no way to avoid getting involved with Tony Stark. Whether he wanted to or not, he had already crossed paths with him.
Might as well get to know each other.
"My name is Luo Chen," he said casually. "You should be able to find my details, including my bank account. Just transfer it there when the time comes. It's getting late, so I'll be leaving now." Luo Chen spoke matter-of-factly, understanding now why Tony hadn't looked deeper into his background, especially after seeing that he could fly.
It turned out that they had both been dealing with Obadiah.
Although Luo Chen wasn't sure why the timeline had shifted and changed like this, it seemed that the timeline was still repairable. Despite the changes, Tony Stark had still become Iron Man, and he had maintained his complicated relationship with Obadiah.
"You can handle the rest. Just don't expose my information; I don't want to be harassed by others," Luo Chen added, before he rose from the ground and shot into the sky.
At that moment, Pepper Potts rushed toward Tony Stark, her expression filled with panic.
"Tony, are you okay?" she asked.
"I'm fine!" Tony Stark grinned, though his face showed clear signs of exhaustion and pain.
He had come very close to losing everything today. If it hadn't been for Luo Chen, he would have been finished.
For the first time, Tony Stark realized that being the so-called protagonist of a story wasn't easy.
Even if he was the protagonist in a series of stories, there would always be risks, and the possibility of failure was real.
For example, today.
This realization crushed some of the arrogance that had always resided in his heart. He was not invincible, nor omnipotent. He needed to understand his true limits.
He might be the protagonist in certain stories, but he was not a god. He couldn't be everywhere at once, nor could he always win.
"You can't do this again!" Pepper scolded him. "But what have you been doing all this time? You've been so secretive!"
Pepper couldn't help but remember how Tony had spent the whole day away from work, ignoring the affairs of the company. He hadn't seen anyone all day.
Even his usual indulgence in "distractions" had been completely absent. No supermodels, no glamorous parties, not even any funeral arrangements for her to deal with.
This was so out of character for Tony Stark. The truth was now clear to her—if there was something that could attract a man more than women, it was Gundam.
Although, to be fair, this wasn't Gundam, it was essentially a class of technology in the same vein.
"Yes!" Tony Stark answered, nodding. "Call Happy and have him come over to clean up. All defective parts must be taken away. Nothing can be left behind!"
Even the Iron Overlord had been modified using the designs of his Mark I. All of it was Tony Stark's technology, and losing it would be a huge setback.
"Understood!" Pepper immediately calmed down and began calling Happy. The professional security team under Stark Industries was already on its way to handle the cleanup.
"But how do you plan to deal with the aftermath? This is going to be hard to hide!" Pepper asked, her worry still evident. "After all, Obadiah is dead."
Pepper had never imagined that Obadiah, of all people, could possess such power. His death would undoubtedly send shockwaves through the world.
"Then don't hide it," Tony Stark said, his face hardening with resolve. "After all, I am Iron Man."
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