Chapter 303: Return
Spotless, crisp tablecloths, pure silver cutlery, exquisite bone china plates and tea cups, dim, atmospheric lighting.
In the corner of the room, a female pianist played a melody as light as flowing water on an antique piano said to be a hundred years old.
Tony Stark cut his steak with a knife and fork, watching the beautiful female pianist with an appreciative gaze.
The female pianist was young and beautiful, and her white dress was also beautiful.
Judging by her age, she seemed quite young, likely a student from a music academy working part-time, Tony Stark silently mused.
As an old hand in the dating scene, Tony Stark had extensive experience in pursuing women.
After learning from Frank that Tang Song had a new love interest, Tony, the formerly reformed playboy, felt a certain itch of restlessness.
But now, business was more important!
Looking through the floor-to-ceiling window glass, which had become slightly foggy with age, at the bustling Piazza San Marco across the street, Tony Stark sighed.
This was Paris, France. He was waiting for someone!
A black car drove down the road to the Outdoor Parking Lot not far away. The car door opened, and a sturdy Labrador Retriever joyfully ran out, following a green baseball.
Amidst the "Woof woof" of dog barks, a bald Middle-aged Man emerged from the car. He slowly and meticulously locked the car door, pulling the handle firmly.
The excited Big Dog ran back, holding the baseball in its mouth. Its front paws rested on the Middle-aged Man's shoulder, and its big head rubbed against his bald head.
Tony Stark saw the arrival from afar through the glass. He didn't go out immediately.
Instead, he carefully looked around, confirming there were no unwelcome people, neither in the Restaurant nor on the street. Through J.A.R.V.I.S.'s data comparison, he confirmed that everyone nearby was an Ordinary Person.
"Uh, J.A.R.V.I.S., am I being a bit too paranoid?" Tony laughed self-deprecatingly. "But it's always better to be cautious, right?"
Raising a hand, Tony Stark snapped his fingers, summoning a Waiter from the Restaurant. He pulled out a few US dollars to pay the bill, and he also gave the beautiful female pianist an extra tip. Of course, he didn't hesitate to write his contact information on the tip money.
Before pushing open the Restaurant door, Tony Stark looked back and met the female pianist's sweet smile.
Tony pushed the door open and walked out. Looking at the pleasant sun overhead, he had a premonition that he would have a nice holiday tonight.
"J.A.R.V.I.S., book me a Room at the Prince de Galles Hotel. I believe I'm a member there!"
"Sir, before that, you will need to apply for a visa to France!"
"Visa?!" Tony Stark slapped his forehead, a look of sudden realization on his face. "You didn't remind me, I almost forgot. Does this count as illegal smuggling?"
It certainly was illegal smuggling. Tony Stark had flown directly from Detroit to Paris in his Iron Suit, completely bypassing customs and visas.
"How long will it take to get a visa?"
"If we use the special procedure, it will take three minutes!"
"Then use the special procedure. Get it done in three minutes!" Tony Stark snapped his fingers. The so-called special procedure involved using J.A.R.V.I.S.'s ability to hack into the French visa system and add a visa entry.
Tony Stark wasn't too strict with himself regarding such minor crimes.
Tony Stark walked into the park with his hands in his clothes pockets, following the bald Middle-aged Man walking his dog.
The joyful Labrador Retriever bounced and scurried around. It was a very lecherous Big Dog, constantly circling the few young mothers pushing strollers in the park, seemingly intentionally.
The Middle-aged Man, carrying a paper bag, loudly called out, "Whoa, Bobby, go play by yourself, don't scare people! Hey, good Bobby, obedient Bobby, go on, go play by yourself!"
The Big Dog barked happily a few times, wagging its tail furiously, and ran towards a Blonde woman sitting on a bench in the sun, pushing a baby stroller, dozens of meters away.
The Middle-aged Man laughed heartily. "You little rascal, hehe, little rascal!"
Carrying the bag, he walked to the small Fountain Plaza in the center of the park. The Middle-aged Man sat on the fountain's guardrail. He opened the paper bag, took out a piece of bread, crumbled it forcefully, and threw it on the ground.
A large flock of doves descended from the sky. They pecked softly and cooed, gathering around the Middle-aged Man, scrambling for the bread crumbs.
Tony Stark glanced around and slowly walked towards the bald Middle-aged Man.
The small park was close to Piazza San Marco, and many people fed the doves, so these doves weren't afraid of people.
The bolder ones even flew into the bald Middle-aged Man's Palm to peck at the bread crumbs.
"Director Rox, hello?" Tony Stark walked up to the Middle-aged Man, sat down on the other end of the bench, and turned to greet him.
The Middle-aged Man carefully sized up Tony Stark. Perhaps because of the virtual fake face on Tony Stark's face, the Middle-aged Man was sure he had never seen this guy before.
But he wasn't really here to feed the doves.
He rubbed his smooth, bald head, and his sparse eyebrows twitched. "Mr. Qia Li?"
"That's me!" Tony Stark heard the fake name J.A.R.V.I.S. had created, nodded, and confirmed.
The Middle-aged Man took a cigarette pack from his pocket, flicked the bottom of the pack, pulled out a filtered cigarette, put it in his mouth, and took out a lighter to light it.
"Have one!?" The Middle-aged Man offered the cigarette pack to Tony Stark. Tony waved his hand, not taking one.
"You're interested in the counterfeit currency case? You're even willing to spend five hundred thousand US dollars on the Dark Web for intelligence. Can you tell me why? Are you involved in the counterfeit money case?"
The Middle-aged Man's fingers skillfully played with the lighter. The pure gold casing created a charming golden light in his fingers.
"A friend of mine died at the hands of these people. I want to investigate the cause of my friend's death!"
Tony Stark leaned back on the bench, his gaze fixed on the Middle-aged Man's lighter. Beneath his sunglasses, a line of green code flashed. The nano-earphones attached to his ear transmitted J.A.R.V.I.S.'s voice at the opportune moment.
"Sir, listening and recording device detected!"
Tony Stark's eyes behind his sunglasses blinked. This Deputy Director of the Paris Police Department clearly had other plans. Recording? Was he planning to sell him out to the Police Department or...?
The Middle-aged Man smoked, lost in thought. "It seems you care about your friend!"
Tony Stark glanced at him, picked up the paper bag containing the bread from the bench between them, and fed the doves with bread crumbs, saying without raising his head:
"Three hundred thousand US dollars have been transferred to your account. Where is the intelligence I asked for?"
Click. Bill Rox closed the pure gold lighter he was playing with. He took a small signal jammer from his pocket. "As the Deputy Director of the Paris Police Department, I need to ensure my political safety. You don't mind, do you?"
Seeing Tony Stark nod, Bill Rox pressed the switch on the signal jammer. When the instrument's indicator light turned on, Bill Rox's demeanor visibly relaxed. He exhaled a few smoke rings and lowered his voice:
"This Paris counterfeit currency case isn't being handled by our local police. It's a joint effort between Interpol and S.H.I.E.L.D. I don't have much intelligence myself!"
Tony Stark frowned upon hearing Bill Rox's words. He hadn't spent five hundred thousand US dollars to hear this kind of answer.
"However, besides The Painter, some of the criminals from the counterfeit currency factory were initially held at our Police Department. I have the interrogation records from Interpol. I can give them to you!"
Bill Rox noticed Tony Stark's expression and immediately said.
As the Deputy Director of the Paris Police Department, Bill Rox naturally had many opportunities to earn extra money besides his fixed salary. Otherwise, where did his pure gold lighter come from, with the meager euro he earned in a month?
Selling intelligence was also one of this Police Department Deputy Director's ways of generating income. Moreover, he had quite the professional integrity, or perhaps it was because the remaining two hundred thousand US dollars hadn't been paid yet.
"Director Rox, based on your many years of experience handling cases, do you really think that The Painter is the mastermind behind this counterfeit currency case?"
Bill Rox was momentarily stunned by Tony Stark's question, but he instantly understood Tony Stark's suspicion. He smiled and explained, "About this Painter, seven or eight years ago, our Police Station received a request for assistance from HK. He is indeed a habitual offender in the counterfeit money world. The Super US Dollar he manufactures can fool ordinary counterfeit detectors! He's a very formidable guy!"
"Perhaps because of the Euro exchange rate in recent years, he came to Paris and set up an underground printing factory!"
"Isn't there anything suspicious?" Tony Stark frowned.
Bill Rox shook his head and pondered for a moment. "Based on the intelligence exchange between Interpol and us, everything follows the procedure. However, comparing the equipment we seized from the counterfeit currency factory with the amount of counterfeit money seized, the large quantity of counterfeit money that has appeared in Europe in recent years clearly couldn't have been produced by this one counterfeit currency factory alone. The Painter obviously has other counterfeit currency factories, but since Interpol has already taken the people away, it's not convenient for us to continue the investigation!"
Tony Stark asked Bill Rox a few more questions. After getting the answers he wanted, Tony Stark got up and left directly.
Bill Rox sat quietly on the bench, continuing to feed the doves. Only when all the bread in his paper bag was gone did he call back the dog, which was selling itself to a Blonde woman by lying on her lap, and drove home.
While waiting at a traffic light, he opened his mobile phone, logged into one of his overseas bank accounts, and after confirming that the remaining two hundred thousand US dollars had arrived, he patted the dog in the back seat and hummed a tune. For the Deputy Director of the Paris Police Station, today was another simple and unpretentious day. No need to go to work, and no need to look at Nick Fury's complexion.
Easily, five hundred thousand US dollars in hand. However, the US dollar wasn't holding its value well recently. He considered whether to change the unit of currency for his prices on the Dark Web to euro in the future.
Asgard's endless rounds of celebratory feasts were still ongoing. Perhaps because King Odin hung upside down on Yggdrasil for nine days in Norse mythology, according to Asgardian tradition, this continuous feast was to last for nine days.
However, many soldiers from the Nine Realms had already returned to their own worlds.
Just looking at Odin drinking heartily in the main seat, no one would guess that he only had a few months of lifespan left before entering Ragnarök.
At least Thor, the guy with nothing but muscle in his head, wouldn't realize that he was about to become a member of a single-parent family.
By Urd's Well, he grabbed an oak barrel nearby and, with great gusto, chugged from the oak barrel. This wasn't mead, but wine brewed by Asgardian vintners. Unlike Earth's red wine, this special brew from Asgard, while delicious, had a high alcohol content and a strong kick.
Thor took a heroic gulp, finishing more than half a barrel of the wine. He stumbled slightly as he walked. Holding the wine barrel, he came to a table of Frost Giants and slammed the wine barrel onto the table. "Come on, drink! You big guys, let me see how much you can hold!"
The Frost Giants at the table all stood up, glaring at Thor.
This guy Thor was an old acquaintance to the Frost Giants. Every now and then, he would go to Jotunheim to cause trouble.
Thor didn't pay any attention to these Frost Giants. He wasn't specifically targeting them either. These past few days, he had been carrying an oak barrel around Asgard, challenging people to drinking contests.
He had already drunk dozens of tables of the most capable dwarves under the table.
This was what Loki had taught him: the camaraderie between warriors should be expressed through wine. What bad intentions could his own younger brother have?
Drunk and dizzy, Thor completely forgot that this younger brother was adopted.
"Where are the people? Bring the wine!"
Footsteps sounded. Loki, with a playful look, led over a dozen Asgardian warriors, each carrying an oak barrel.
When the oak barrels were opened one by one and placed before the Frost Giants, these big guys were a bit stunned. Drinking by the barrel? Three minutes later, thump, thump, thump—
One by one, the Frost Giants collapsed directly onto the table. As for Thor, he swayed, pointing at these Frost Giants, about to mock these big guys for being all show and no substance.
Suddenly, his vision swam, and then with a thump, he also collapsed onto the ground.
Loki's eyes darted. He called for people to carry Thor away, but the direction wasn't towards the Palace where Thor resided, but towards the Light Elves' camp.
At this time, within the Camp, many soldiers of the Light Elves were preparing to return to Alfheim.
On a vehicle pulled by a unicorn, similar to a carriage, Loki used illusion magic to deceive two elves.
Then he threw the drunk Thor into this carriage, which was filled with various miscellaneous things, and finally watched as Thor disappeared along with the carriage on the Rainbow Bridge.
Golden Palace, a huge Hall with a round top and square base. The dome ceiling of the Hall, decorated divinely and solemnly like a temple, was carved with giant relief carvings depicting brave female generals leading the Army of the Dead to battle against various Demons, Gods, and heroes.
The exquisite carving skill made the Army of the Dead and their opponents seem like living beings.
However, the relief carvings included races that were currently attending the feast in the Golden Palace. Tang Song even saw some acquaintances.
Wearing golden armor that was exquisitely luxurious to a perverted degree, covered in thick energy flames/aura, with eyes inlaid with golden crystal that shimmered with golden light, suspended high in the air like a sun god, coupled with a handsome face, the appearance of Hela's Rival was none other than a young Freyr...
"This is a niece beating up her uncle. No wonder Freyr's attitude towards Hela was so cold at yesterday's feast!" Tang Song stroked his chin, suddenly realizing.
In fact, it wasn't just Freyr. At the feast, whether it was the Vanir, the Dwarf King of Nidavellir, or Laufey, the Leader of the Frost Giants, their gazes and expressions upon seeing Hela at the banquet table were as unpleasant as could be.
Tang Song didn't like the awkward banquet atmosphere, so he found an excuse to leave the banquet Hall.
As for the matter of dividing the spoils of war, which the Leaders from various Realms implicitly brought up in the banquet Hall, he would leave that headache to his cheap Father-in-law! Tang Song wandered around Asgard and unconsciously arrived at this Palace.
This Palace was the most magnificent and massive architecture in all of Asgard. Its exterior resembled a structure made of countless arrowheads and shields. The Palace doors were wide enough for a hundred armored warriors to enter and exit simultaneously.
Beneath this vast Hall was the burial ground of Hela's Army of the Dead.
In the Hall, the giant King Ghidorah lay lazily in place. Dozens of Asgardians were using fine towels dipped in the water of Urd's Well to wipe the scales on the body of this great contributor.
In front of its three heads were rows of empty oak barrels, and the entire Hall was filled with the smell of wine.
In terms of treatment, King Ghidorah was much better off than Yamata no Orochi, whom Tang Song had thrown back into the Underworld after using it.
Tang Song continued to admire the relief carvings in the Hall with his hands behind his back. These relief carvings not only recorded the history of Hela leading the Army of the Dead to conquer the Nine Realms but also the history of the Aesir.
Among them were the wars of the previous God King Bor against the Dark Elves, and the scene of Odin trampling the Frost Giants – all famous moments of the Aesir.
The Frost Giants had always been the sworn enemies of Asgard. Even though Odin nominally conquered Jotunheim, the Frost Giants would stage a riot every now and then.
At this feast, Laufey, the Leader of the Frost Giants, had a bit of an unpleasant exchange with Odin.
As one of the Nine Realms that participated in the war, Laufey wanted the treasure of Jotunheim, the Casket of Ancient Winters, back. But Odin had already promised this thing to Tang Song.
And even if he hadn't given it to Tang Song, he couldn't possibly hand the Casket of Ancient Winters over to the Frost Giants.
The Casket of Ancient Winters was rumored to have the ability to freeze a world. If it really fell into the hands of the Frost Giants, given their relationship with Asgard,
Odin could already imagine the scene of the Frost Giants counterattacking Asgard with the Casket of Ancient Winters after his death.
Odin had originally planned to use Tang Song as an excuse, but Boss Tang was such a shrewd person. Before Odin could turn around, he had already found an excuse to leave the banquet Hall.
On these relief carvings, Tang Song even saw relief carvings of over a dozen Iron Man, thousands of feet tall, descending upon the Nine Realms, and Odin, wearing the Destroyer armor and wielding Gungnir, stepping forward to meet them.
On this giant relief carving, Tang Song also saw a scene of several gods wearing crowns bestowing blessings upon the Destroyer armor.
Perhaps the artisans who carved these giant relief carvings in Asgard were also avoiding the taboo of the God King's name. The relief carvings did not depict the outcome of this war, but at the end of the relief carving, these artisans carved a scene of these artisans leaving the Nine Realms, seemingly implying that God King Odin had once again defeated the intruders.
"In my universe, there were no such Iron Man!"
A heavy footsteps sounded behind Tang Song. Fat Thor, holding a drinking bowl, was slightly tipsy as he arrived in the Hall and stood shoulder to shoulder with Tang Song, gazing intently at the relief carvings in the Hall.
Many of the scenes had not appeared in his universe. Looking at Odin, riding his eight-legged steed, holding his divine spear, and charging towards those Iron Man, he looked at Tang Song.
"They are Celestials, a cosmic race. There are legends that they are the earliest life forms in the universe, and some say they are creations of Eternity, embodiments of rules!" Tang Song explained to Thor.
"These Celestials, it is said that even the weakest have Skyfather peak strength. Single universe level ones are everywhere. King Odin was truly magnificent back then!"
Thor admired Odin's heroic posture on the relief carving for a while. He raised the golden magic wine vessel and drank the wine in the bowl in large gulps, letting out a burp. "Because of the Casket of Ancient Winters, Laufey and Hela are almost about to fight! Aren't you going to see?"
Tang Song smiled. "Laufey isn't that foolish. If he really dared to fight in the Golden Palace, it would just give Odin an excuse. Believe it or not, your cheap father is now wishing Laufey would make a move, so he can use his last breath to eliminate this future trouble for Asgard!"
Hearing Tang Song's words, Thor fell silent. "He doesn't have much time left!? Counting the time, at this point, he should be entering Ragnarök!"
Perhaps thinking of his father in another universe, who also entered Ragnarök, Thor sighed.
"What about you? What are your plans? Are you preparing to return to your own universe?"
Tang Song saw through Thor's thoughts and asked.
Thor rubbed his big belly and laughed self-deprecatingly. "I stayed behind initially so that Asgard in this universe wouldn't repeat the mistakes of my universe. Now that Asgard is safe, I should attend to my own matters. My friends need me!"
Saying this, Thor looked at Tang Song with an extremely strange expression. "I didn't expect Hela to actually marry you. You dare to marry that fierce woman who plays with the spirits of the dead!" Thor's gaze towards Tang Song carried a degree of admiration. He subconsciously touched his eye. The eyeball he lost was dug out by his own sister.
He stayed in this universe to prevent Asgard from being destroyed by Hela and Thanos. He never expected that one of the culprits responsible for Asgard's destruction, would be resolved in this way! Tang Song looked at Thor with a smile and asked, "With your current strength, can you defeat Hela? I mean, Hela in this universe!"
Thor scratched his messy hair. "Probably. My Stormbreaker cut off Thanos's head!" Thor didn't mention a word about Thanos being severely injured at the time.
"That's good!" Tang Song clapped his hands.
"Huh?" Thor looked at Tang Song, puzzled.
Tang Song nudged his head towards Thor's back. "She's right behind you!"
Thor turned around stiffly. On the middle head of King Ghidorah, a mature woman with long, flowing hair was looking at him with a cold laugh!
(end of chapter)