A few days quickly passed.
The Stark family continued their calm and peaceful routine.
Leon kept his daily ritual of sunbathing, waiting leisurely for the new university semester to begin.
Tony, as always, avoided going to work. Every morning, he would hastily grab a slice of buttered toast and rush off to the Middle East.
According to him, the inherently evil Ten Rings gang was on the brink of being wiped out.
Ever since his conversation with Rhodey, he hadn't been intercepted by the military again.
As for Pepper, she discovered Tony dragging home a battle-worn suit of armor riddled with bullet holes just the night before last. She was furious. But, as usual, there was little she could do about Tony. Her anger was short-lived, and she still worked diligently every day, bearing the heavy burden of managing Stark Industries.
This was the everyday rhythm of the Stark family—much like the sea outside their mansion. Sometimes waves surged, but most of the time, it was as calm as if life was carefree.
However, for the rest of the world, the impact of Superman's appearance had begun to ferment. Underneath the surface, currents of change stirred everywhere.
"KNKV Television reports—"
Early that morning, Leon had returned from a spaceflight workout, prepared breakfast, and turned on the TV—just in time to catch a KNKV news broadcast about Superman.
"Superman has appeared in our world. That fact is no longer in question," the female anchor said with a serious expression, reading from her script.
"Although he has not reappeared in recent days, countless people continue to testify about his existence and pray for his return."
"What he did that night has completely changed our world."
As her voice faded, the screen shifted to a press conference, crowded and buzzing with voices.
On the podium stood a middle-aged Afghan man with a half-white beard and hair. Despite the constant flashing of cameras beneath the stage, he stared unwaveringly into the lens.
"It was Superman who saved our country and saved our people!" he declared, his voice booming as if he wished to shake the world with his words.
"That night, I was fortunate to witness his presence. He is fighting for us!"
"He is Superman—the pillar of all existence! He has no beginning, no end. Nothing can stand against him!"
"He is our God, our Savior! The Father is in Him, and He and the Father are one!"
Behind the speaker, someone rolled out a large screen. It lit up and began showing footage of Superman confronting a missile head-on.
"Look at him! How magnificent he is! He drove away all the jackals—we are his lambs!" the man shouted into the camera.
The scene ended, and the broadcast returned to the KNKV news studio.
The anchor, composed and professional, continued: "The man you just saw is Afghan war correspondent Abdullah. He filmed Superman's first appearance and, at the press conference, declared that Superman is the reincarnation of the Holy Spirit of Allah."
"Since then, countless people have come forward to share their own experiences of Superman entering reality."
The screen changed once more.
A little girl faced the camera and declared earnestly, "That night, two bad guys tried to break in, but Superman appeared and stopped them!"
Her father added, "Superman said the Ten Rings gang would soon be gone—and he was right! Not just that—now even the Eagle Country…"
Before he could finish, the footage cut to another interview.
"He fell from the sky like a shooting star! I didn't even get to make a wish, but he wiped out the terrorist threatening my sister!" a young boy exclaimed, using both hands to animate his story.
There were many similar reports.
Clips rolled one after another:
— Afghan guards saluting Superman's photo;
— Villagers in a broken-down settlement chanting Superman's name with tears in their eyes before a field of rice;
— More accounts of miraculous rescues and transformations.
For five full minutes, KNKV played related footage before returning to the studio.
"As more people confirm Superman's existence," the anchor resumed, "we must begin to seriously consider what kind of influence he may have on our society."
"Is he, like his comic counterpart, a selfless hero—a god among men?"
"Or is he merely an impostor in a cape, using the name 'Superman' to inflate his ego?"
"According to our sources, just yesterday, a large number of returning soldiers were pressured to abandon their humanitarian missions due to Superman's growing presence."
"Whether he is a benevolent guardian or a dangerous authoritarian cloaked in myth, we don't yet know. We cannot make a final judgment."
"Next, we turn to sociologist Francis Wyndham for expert analysis…"
Leon propped up his chin and watched with amusement as the professor launched into an elaborate commentary.
From dissecting comic lore to real-life social behavior, from childhood psychology to heroism in modern mythology, the scholar made a series of seemingly well-supported arguments. His final claim: Superman was an emotionally stunted individual with a compulsive milk-drinking habit.
Leon almost laughed out loud. The professor's confident tone and the way he referenced so many classical theories nearly convinced him.
Just then, Tony came down the stairs.
"You're watching this nonsense again? Haven't you seen enough of it these past few days?" he scoffed.
"It's always the same—either they're idolizing you to the heavens or demonizing you completely. What's the point of listening to such extremes?"
He tossed a rolled-up newspaper onto the table and sat beside Leon.
"These networks have all been paid off politically. They're painting you like a full-blown villain."
"And yet, you keep watching it like it's entertainment."
Leon looked at the newspaper headline: Another Mysterious Mecha Man Appears in the Middle East—A Clumsy Imitation of Superman!
So that was the root of Tony's frustration.
He had spent the past several days systematically dismantling the Ten Rings gang throughout the Middle East.
But the media barely mentioned him.
Even when they did, it was usually a footnote—quickly overshadowed by new Superman sightings.
No wonder Tony was annoyed. He wasn't exactly the humble, anonymous type.
"Maybe you should buy a newspaper company and get them to run dedicated features about you," Leon suggested, smirking. "Headline it: 'Iron Man Returns—The Hero Saving Civilians in the Middle East!' How about that?"
Tony raised an eyebrow. "That's actually not a bad idea. But you know I'm not some glory hound. I'm doing all this to support you, Leon."
"Come on," Leon replied, still lounging. "If you really wanted to support me, you'd throw some cash at these outlets and make them learn how to report real news."
Tony got up and grabbed a slice of bread from the dining table.
"If you want me to do that, I could."
He chewed and continued, "But is it really worth it?"
"No need," Leon said. "Once I wipe out Hydra and reveal my true strength, the media will fall all over themselves to cover me."
"That's the spirit!" Tony grinned, pointing at the TV screen with a toast-laden finger.
"The media only knows how to flatter the ones who can make them shut up!"
For more chapters
patreon.com/Robertt45