Chapter 302: Greetings and Banquet
Among them, at least thirty people were kneeling on the balcony, holding single-soldier rocket launchers in their hands.
Tony Stark's Iron Suit spewed blue flames from its feet, moving at supersonic speed, easily dodging these rockets.
As for the bullets from rifles and submachine guns, he didn't bother with them.
With the latest model of Nanotech Armor he had created, let alone these ordinary firearms, even space-based weapons launched by satellites might not be able to break through its defenses.
He dodged these rockets simply to test the reaction speed of this Nanotech Armor.
"J.A.R.V.I.S., lock onto all attack points! Activate Counterattack Mode!"
A red and gold figure circled the Tall building rapidly. From this figure, dozens of micro missiles detached, accurately landing inside the firepower positions within the Building.
Boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom! Before these Gang Gunmen could react, these missiles landed on them...
In an instant, half of the Tall building was engulfed in a sea of fire, with thick black smoke billowing out from every Room.
"Kill him, kill that son of a bitch! I don't care if he's Iron Man or some other bullshit hero! Kill him for me!"
Inside the Building, a Middle-aged Man with a mohawk was being escorted downstairs by a group of armed Bodyguards. The Man held a walkie-talkie, roaring orders to the Gunmen Outside in a thick Mexican accent.
"Sniper, kill him!—"
In the top floor Room of the Tall building opposite, a group of Hitmen watched Iron Man circling and attacking the Building through their scopes. Their fingers rested on the triggers, searching for a suitable opportunity.
These Snipers were top Gunmen Tremaine had hired overnight for two million US Dollars.
Their target was this meddling Superhero, Tony Stark.
Originally, Tremaine's Plan was to post an assassination bounty at the Continental Hotel, but after the Continental Hotel's assessment, the bounty for Tony Stark would require at least fifty million US Dollars before they would post it.
Fifty million US Dollars, such a large sum of money, Tremaine naturally couldn't bear to spend. He hired a batch of Snipers through Dark Web Channels to prevent Iron Man from coming after him.
Now was the time to use this batch of Gunmen! "Isn't it just fifty million US Dollars? Tony Stark, Fuck, you just wait, as long as I get out of here alive, I'll definitely kill you, Fuck!"
Rumble! The sound of explosions shook the walls, causing them to constantly tremble. Tremaine didn't dare take the elevator and could only escape down the stairs under the escort of his Bodyguards and Gunmen, heading towards the Underground Parking Lot, where there was a secret escape Passage.
Tremaine tightly clutched a black leather bag in his hand, fleeing in a sorry state, spouting threats.
Just as Tony Stark stabilized himself, hovering in the air, preparing to enter the Building to search for Tremaine.
The Snipers in the Tall building in the Distance also seized the opportunity.
Sniper rifle bullets accurately hit Iron Man's chest, head, and limbs...
Ding ding ding ding...
These specially made sniper rifle bullets, capable of easily penetrating three centimeters of steel plate, struck Tony Stark's Iron Suit without even a spark.
One Sniper, looking through his scope, clearly saw a faint blue light emanating from the red and gold armor, as if an energy barrier was blocking these sniper rifle bullets.
These bullets couldn't even scratch the paint off the Iron Suit.
Tony Stark turned around, flicking his chest as if dusting something off. He looked towards the Tall building in the Distance. The intelligent scanning system on his faceplate, like a crosshair in a shooting game, locked onto the group of Snipers peering out from the opposite Building.
Behind him, over a dozen eyeball-sized aircraft automatically detached from the Nanotech Armor. Energy converged within these aircraft, hissing—
Over a dozen high-energy particle beams shot out simultaneously from these laser emitters, directly piercing through the bodies of those Snipers in the Distance from hundreds of meters away.
Even some Snipers hiding behind Walls and Bunkers were no exception. The high-energy particle beams emitted by these aircraft directly penetrated cement walls seven or eight centimeters thick, creating thumb-thick penetrating wounds in their bodies. Their wounds were faintly visible, appearing like glowing hot charcoal, and even their internal organs had turned into charred remains. Clearly, the intense heat of the high-energy particle lasers had directly carbonized their wounds.
After firing a wave of attack, the nano laser emitters behind Tony Stark immediately reverted to their nanoscale form and reintegrated into his armor.
Among Tony Stark's many armors, this Nanotech Armor was neither the most powerful in attack nor the most powerful in defense.
Tony Stark's most powerful attack and most powerful defense armor was currently a half-finished product.
It couldn't exactly be called a half-finished product; it was just that Tony was never satisfied with the power of this armor and would constantly make improvements.
This armor was entirely made of Vibranium, powered by the most advanced Arc Reactor, and designed jointly by him, Dr. Banner, Doctor Reed Richards, and Susan.
It incorporated Wakanda's Vibranium technology and the most advanced Chitauri technology deciphered at the Leon Military Base.
Putting aside the technological level, just the material, Vibranium, was enough. Captain America Steve Rogers, during his lifetime, could kill his way through the Hydra Organization seven times with just a Vibranium Shield.
Black Panther's Vibranium armor was almost maxed out in terms of defense; even the strongest kinetic energy attack couldn't cause damage to the Vibranium armor.
Tony Stark and the others had also loaded an auxiliary energy protection layer onto the armor, which was the eggshell-shaped protective shield that lit up on the Chitauri mothership.
The Nanotech Armor Tony Stark was currently wearing had this technology. This Nanotech Armor was the most convenient one among his many armors.
Ordinary Gunmen were helpless against a Superhero like Tony Stark.
They couldn't even slow him down.
Under Tony Stark's thermal imaging, some Gunmen trying to sneak attack had nowhere to hide.
He quickly broke through the layers of blockade by these Gang Gunmen, found the informant's girlfriend, and spent two minutes bringing her to Lino.
Meanwhile, he also noticed the Quinjet in the Sky, as well as large numbers of Special Operations Soldiers on the Ground, wearing Kevlar vests and full-face helmets, constantly clearing out the various Buildings.
Seeing the S.H.I.E.L.D. logo on these soldiers, Tony Stark couldn't help but speed up his actions.
Relying on the high-tech weapons integrated into the Nanotech Armor, Tony Stark intercepted Tremaine and his group in the Underground Parking Lot.
Just as Iron Man's repulsor blast gathered energy and aimed at Tremaine, wanting the black leather bag in his hand.
A dense sound of footsteps suddenly appeared in the empty Underground Parking Lot. Soon, over thirty Fully Armed S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents appeared, holding assault rifles and surrounding the two confronting parties.
"You are S.H.I.E.L.D. agents?"
Hiss! Tony Stark's foot thrusters extinguished, and he landed on the ground. His helmet faceplate popped open, revealing that familiar face. Tony Stark scanned the group of silent S.H.I.E.L.D. Soldiers with his gaze.
"I'm taking this person! I'll inform your Director Hill!"
"Mr. Stark, I'd like to grant your request! But this is someone the Federal Reserve specifically ordered to arrest, I can't do anything!"
A burly man, half a head taller than Tony Stark, with black hair, walked out from among the parting S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents as he spoke, a cigar dangling from his mouth.
"Frank?!"
Tony Stark looked at the man before him. Frank just stood there calmly, giving him the spine-chilling feeling of facing a top predator.
Da da!
Tony Stark subconsciously closed his faceplate, took two steps back, and instinctively raised his palm. His repulsor blast was in a ready-to-fire state.
Seeing Tony Stark's actions, the soldiers Frank brought with him all aimed their assault rifles at Tony Stark.
Frank, however, unhurriedly waved his hand at the soldiers, took out an official document from his pocket, and showed it to Tony Stark.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Stark, this is a joint investigation by the FBI, CIA, and S.H.I.E.L.D. We have already arrested the mastermind behind this transnational counterfeit currency case in Paris, France!"
"We received information that there is another counterfeiting base here in Detroit, and it is said to have two counterfeiting plates. The Old Masters at the Federal Reserve have given a death order, they must bring these two plates back to be personally destroyed by them. So, I'm sorry, I have to take both the person and the things back!"
Frank flicked his finger, shooting the official document towards Tony Stark from a distance of several meters.
The lightweight printed paper created a faint swish as it flew through the air, reaching Tony Stark almost the instant it left his hand. Tony Stark caught the official document with his armor, scanned it at a glance, and seeing the official seal and signature on it, his eyebrows furrowed. After a long time, he looked up at Frank, who was like a ferocious beast in the smoke, and sighed in his heart.
"Then S.H.I.E.L.D. will handle this matter. I hope you can handle it cleanly! Oh, right, where's your Boss? I haven't seen him show up for a long time, I actually miss him!"
Frank seemed not to understand the sarcasm in Tony Stark's words. He smoked his cigar, "Our Boss recently married another Madame Boss and is on his honeymoon trip. Thank you for your concern, Mr. Stark, I will convey your greetings!"
"Director, how should he be handled?"
Seeing Iron Man's red and gold armor disappear into the horizon, Frank threw the finished cigar he was smoking onto the ground and crushed it.
A S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent came over, pointed at the trembling Tremaine, and asked for instructions.
"Of course, handle him according to Federal Law!" Frank's gaze swept over Tremaine, a scapegoat who didn't even know who the master he was selling his life for was.
He didn't even have the value of being silenced. However, precisely because of this, Tremaine had managed to save his life.
Frank took the two counterfeiting plates from the Agent, and after a simple check, the S.H.I.E.L.D. Special Operations Soldiers escorted Tremaine and the two counterfeiting plates onto a Quinjet.
"Of course, handle him according to Federal Law!"
High altitude over Detroit, Iron Man watched the departing Quinjet, listening to Frank's order transmitted through the nano listener, his expression somewhat confused.
"J.A.R.V.I.S., do you think the mastermind behind the counterfeiting incident really isn't Tang Song and his Tang Group?"
"Sir! Based on the analysis of the currently available evidence, the correlation between the counterfeiting incident and Mr. Tang Song and his Tang Group is 46%!"
"46%, how was this data obtained?"
J.A.R.V.I.S.'s voice sounded in Tony Stark's ear: "Sir, based on the investigation data from before Mr. Bucky Barnes's disappearance, and matching the existing data!"
"Why is it only 46%?" Tony Stark retorted! "According to the current market value analysis of the Tang Group, the profit from manufacturing counterfeit money is far lower than their normal production. At the same time, I retrieved data from an arrest operation that just occurred in Paris, France!"
"The Paris Police and Interpol arrested a French national of Chinese descent. Here is his data!"
A virtual image appeared before Tony Stark.
The data showed Li Wen's mugshot taken after his arrest.
"Li Wen, Codename The Painter, former mastermind of international counterfeit currency cases, involved in multiple counterfeiting manufacturing cases and murder incidents, escaped from prison in HK eight years ago!"
Tony Stark looked at the data on Li Wen released by the police and the arrest scene released by the police, that assembly-line-like counterfeiting manufacturing factory.
He somewhat suspected if he and Bucky had investigated in the wrong direction. After all, J.A.R.V.I.S.'s analysis was correct; with the Tang Group's influence, the profit from manufacturing counterfeit money wasn't high.
Moreover, if it was truly Tang Song's doing, with his Force/Faction, The Painter absolutely couldn't have been caught.
But then, what was with Bucky's disappearance? Bucky had clearly found out some things? "J.A.R.V.I.S., navigate, go to Paris, I want to personally meet that Painter!"
"Yes, sir!"
On the beautiful grassland by Urd's Well in Asgard, a grand banquet celebrating the victory of the Nine Realms was being held. Urd's Well was picturesque, its mirror-like surface reflecting the lush green branches and leaves of Yggdrasil, as well as the entire scene of the nine worlds living on the Tree, including Asgard and the realms between them.
Two white swans gracefully glided on the surface, and four beautiful deer ran in the nearby forest.
The Nine Realms had achieved a great victory. King Odin personally invited the Warriors who participated in the defense of the Nine Realms to Asgard for feasting and revelry.
The beautiful maidservants of the Golden Palace, holding giant drinking horns made of animal horns, served the sweetest mead to the Warriors returning from victory.
The Berserkers of Asgard, the Big Beard Dwarves of Svartalfheim, and even the Frost Giants, who were usually at odds with Asgard, each held drinking bowls and drank heartily.
Wine jars were brought up one after another and were quickly finished off by these Warriors.
Compared to them, the Light Elves from Alfheim were much more refined. They held golden cups in their hands, sipping the mead in their cups slowly. Their appearance and posture were pleasing to the eye, and many maidservants of the Golden Palace frequently stole glances towards them, occasionally using the opportunity of serving wine to walk closer and observe these handsome Elves carefully.
In this fight against the Heaven Dimension, the Nine Realms sent over a million troops in total. Excluding the sacrificed soldiers, Asgard needed to entertain hundreds of thousands of soldiers for this banquet for the troops.
For this, King Odin didn't even lift the manifestation of Yggdrasil, arranging a portion of the soldiers' feast on Yggdrasil outside Asgard.
However, there was no shortage of wine and meat.
These Warriors could always drink heartily. The reason mead was chosen was because it was directly squeezed from Mother Heidrun's udder.
Heidrun is a magical creature in Asgard. Her udder doesn't produce goat's milk, but is always full of mellow mead.
The main course of the feast was Wild Boar meat. In Asgard, there is a huge Wild Boar named Saehrimnir. Its meat is tender and fatty. The most crucial thing is that this Wild Boar is immortal. Under King Odin's divine power, it can be resurrected infinitely, meaning it is enough to satisfy the infinite needs of these hundreds of thousands of Warriors.
Today, Asgard had turned into an ocean of feasting and revelry.
Unlike the post-battle revelry of ordinary Warriors, King Odin placed the banquet for some leaders of the Nine Realms in the banquet hall of the Golden Palace.
Those qualified to enter the main hall of the Golden Palace for the banquet were the Overlords of a World, or their vice-monarchs, and some trusted subordinates, totaling less than a hundred people. The vast Golden Palace seemed empty, exceptionally majestic. The furnishings were ancient and heavy, while still retaining the richness within the Golden Palace. Feast tables were neatly arranged, and some cutlery and wine vessels had already been placed on them.
In the area at the back of the Great Hall, a musician band of over ten people was gently tuning their instruments, playing harps and singing songs.
Tang Song played with the golden cup in his hand, sizing up the people at his table. His seat was arranged below Odin.
Sitting next to him was Hela, looking impatient.
As for the person opposite him, it was a handsome Deity, appearing like a young man no older than thirty. On his handsome and resolute face, there was a hint of brilliant radiance, giving the impression of a sun.
He is Freyr, the God of Fertility in Earth's Norse Mythology, presiding over sowing, harvesting, herding, and reproduction.
He is also the King of Alfheim, the monarch of the Light Elves.
He has another identity: the younger brother of Queen of Asgard Frigga, Odin's younger Brother-in-Law, and Thor and Hela's uncle!
Strictly speaking, Freyr and Frigga do not belong to the Aesir but belong to the Vanir.
In ancient times, these two Divine Pantheons once warred. The battle lasted a long time with no clear victor. Both sides felt weary, and finally, both sides agreed to reconcile and exchange hostages.
So the siblings Freyr and Frigga came to Asgard as hostages with their Father Njord.
Frigga later married King Odin and became the Queen of Asgard.
Freyr originally also belonged to the fighting Deities, but after arriving in Asgard, he became the god presiding over dew, sunlight, and the fruits of the Earth. Later, he went to Alfheim, and became the King of the Light Elves.
Freyr noticed Tang Song's gaze, nodded slightly towards him, giving a greeting.
Tang Song's sharp Divine Sense detected the vast strength within Freyr's Body. Clearly, this was also a powerful Deity!
Perhaps not as strong as Hela, but not far off either!
Tang Song evaluated Freyr's strength in his heart, roughly having a grasp, and also smiled and nodded towards this "convenient uncle".
To Freyr's right, on that extremely gorgeous and luxurious chair carved with patterns, inlaid with gold, and decorated with various gemstones, sat a woman wearing a magnificent long dress with a cold expression.
Tang Song's Divine Sense could keenly detect that her entire body was enveloped by a type of energy particles, and magic particle fluctuations continuously surged from within her body.
Tang Song somewhat strangely shifted his gaze away from this woman. This woman was the Representative of the Vanir, the Goddess Nerthus. In Norse Mythology, she is also Njord's older sister, and the Ocean God Njord has another identity: Freyr and Frigga's Father.
What made Tang Song's expression strange was that, according to a certain reliable piece of hearsay, among the open-minded Vanir, Nerthus and Njord had a relationship during a banquet.
Freyr and Frigga are said to be the children of her and her younger Brother Njord.
So the person sitting next to Freyr is his mother and aunt. This strange and chaotic relationship is almost comparable to the Olympian Pantheon next door.
Tang Song's gaze returned, looking at Freyr, whose face showed no abnormality. In his heart, he also admired his psychological fortitude.
(end of chapter)