Chapter-34 | The Chick Hero... (1)

If you like my translation, be sure you become a patron!

PATRE0N.C0M/shanefreak

If you find any error, do comment!

....

"You said you're planning on shutting down Stark's weapons manufacturing department?" Schiller asked.

"But this isn't something you should come to me about," Schiller continued.

Stark rubbed his forehead in frustration. "Because of your thoughtful deed, Pepper has received thousands of employee complaints these past few days. She has had to rework the entire employee benefit system and is overwhelmed."

"That's not the point," Schiller said. "If you want to tell her, she's always willing to listen."

Stark touched his nose, not saying anything.

After a while, he said, "Okay, I understand this decision will put a lot of pressure on her. I know I'm a selfish bastard and I believe she's done enough for me. I know I shouldn't do this, but I don't have any other choice."

Schiller opened his notebook and began writing as he spoke. "Let me see, what you want to do now is like putting a gun to death."

"But my weapons have killed a lot of people."

"Weapons also have no choice," Schiller said.

"Are you expecting them all to be like Jarvis, who speaks and protests to you? Do you think they like traveling to that ghost town in Afghanistan? Or do you think that as soon as a bullet is produced, their lifelong dream is to go to the battlefield and kill others?"

Stark sat silently across from him, some vulnerability in his voice as he said, "I admit, I blamed all of this on the weapon because I knew I was the one at fault, but I can't judge myself."

"But I also know, Mr. Stark, that you can't judge yourself not because you want to live a selfish and cowardice life, but because you feel you have the ability to make up for everything, and that only you have the ability to save the world and turn things around when crises arise. It's out of this sense of responsibility that you did what you did."

"But let me be frank, have you ever thought that it might be presumptuous and reckless to always find someone or something to blame and judge for something?"

"But there is always a reason for something."

"But the cause may not necessarily be right or wrong. You, of all people, should know that the world is not black and white. You found something you thought was responsible, but it didn't make things any better. You thought the weapon was responsible, so you wanted to shut down the entire weapon manufacturing department and keep Pepper up all night, causing many employees to lose their jobs, and even those on the battlefield wouldn't thank you."

"Is all this pain from digging to the root really worth it?"

Stark looked pained. His entire face almost wrinkled in on itself. If the transformation of Spiderman was like a grand carnival, then Stark's transformation was like a cruel, cruel joke.

Now Stark doesn't know what kind of argument he will have with Steve over the same issue, which will destroy the entire Avengers alliance.

"My brain tells me that there is no way to not think about right and wrong," Stark said.

"Well, if that's the case, then your brain has to take responsibility for it. It refuses to let you go. That's your theory, right?"

"Ask your brain if there is any way to achieve what you want without hurting the people around you. That's the answer it should give you, because that's what's causing you so much pain."

Stark didn't feel any better. He leaned back in his chair and said, "Look at me, this idiot. I spent a million dollars an hour hiring a devil doctor, a Satan..."

"That damn psychological therapy has never brought me any positive change. Every time I leave here, I feel worse."

Stark almost spat out the words.

Schiller rarely joked with him, and this time was no exception.

He said, "You can think of me as a catalyst. You'll understand later..."

"Thinking brings pain. No one is immune. Let me give you a shot in advance. You'll be much better off in the future, and you'll thank me."

Stark drew a cross on his chest and said, "If you continue to be so presumptuous, you'll almost surpass Howard in my heart."

"It's the first time I've heard you actively mention your father, but it's rare. When people are in pain, they tend to like to shout for their mother."

Stark pounded the table fiercely. He didn't want to admit that he mentioned his father because he was uncomfortable.

He is not some fledgling bird that needs protection. That eagle that flew away from the cliff and never returned. He is not someone he should think of in moments of despair and pain.

Schiller said, "Perhaps it is for this reason that you create your own Iron Man suit. You wear it wherever you travel, you feel that only it can protect you, only when you wear it are you the most powerful Iron Man.

"But I have to say, if you can't learn to take it off, you'll never be able to truly be Iron Man."

Stark and Batman are similar, their growth experiences, educational backgrounds are somewhat similar, and their approaches to solving certain problems are also consistently peculiar, according to Schiller.

Making a bunch of weapons that no one else can create for oneself, and then arming oneself with them, thinking that this makes oneself incredibly strong, and then realizing that this actually cannot solve all problems, one falls into a painful struggle.

Schiller was writing and drawing in his notebook when Stark asked, "What are you writing?"

"Steve's psychological treatment has temporarily ended, so Natasha took the listening device back, so I have to handwrite the case for you."

Stark narrowed his eyes and said, "Did you write down everything I just said?"

"Not everything, but I remember clearly the part where you compared me dad."

"Five million dollars."

The notebook was thrown directly in front of Stark, who picked up his lighter, ignited it, and muttered, "How could I have believed the damned vampire doctor's wickedness?"

"It's getting late, you should go back. You can't solve your argument with Miss Pepper just by hiding out here." Schiller said.

Stark clearly did not want to leave. He said, "That spider kid can stay here, why can't I? I don't even mind this shabby place, and you even have the honor of making breakfast for the genius Stark."

"Yeah, and then Miss Pepper was working late at Stark Tower all by herself, while all the other employees had left. The building was dark and cold... Oh, Jarvis might have been with her. I heard he'd developed feelings too. Maybe he can understand Miss Pepper's disappointment better than you."

Stark immediately became restless, jumping up from his chair and putting on his coat. "I'm not about to compete with my own AI butler for affection. No way."

Schiller opened the door to the clinic for him, saying, "Yes, of course, bless Jarvis."

After leaving the clinic, Stark was in a very foul mood, with all kinds of thoughts swirling in his head.

He had long accepted the fact that geniuses are lonely, and his life had largely been lived that way. He had always felt that he was living well, being wealthy, intelligent, and having enough capital to achieve his life's values. Furthermore, an excessive sense of responsibility did not make him anxious. But he had never felt as much in need of companionship as he did today.

He rarely called his armor, and even turned off his phone. He slowly walked down the street to the old bus stop, where the last bus driver had a strong smell of smoke. Stark felt uncomfortable, but he still got on and found a seat.

Thanks to Schiller's infamous reputation, few people dared to cause trouble in the surrounding neighborhoods. Then Tony boarded a bus and left Hell's Kitchen, flagging down a taxi on the streets of New York.

"Stark Tower," Tony said.

The driver glanced at him in the rearview mirror and didn't recognize him as the owner of Stark Industries. After all, Tony always looked confident and energetic on TV, but now he seemed like a middle-aged, defeated dog.

The taxi took Tony through the cold neon lights of New York, the scenery quickly passing by the window. The jazz music playing in the taxi matched the deep autumn of New York. Tony sat in the back seat with his hands on his knees, covering his face.

He thought to himself, fine, fine, I'm just this fragile little boy, not some sort of hero. Right now, I just want to see Pepper and give her a hug. Let saving the world be consigned to hell.

Tony never liked to admit his immaturity, preferring to call it innocence, a childish innocence unique to geniuses.

But he had to admit, there's always someone in everyone's life who plays this role, like a returning eagle, sheltering the chicks under their wings.

Pepper is just an ordinary person, not some kind of hawk or fierce bird. However, when Stark, this ravenous chick, feels cold, he still wants to burrow under her feathers.

Stark almost couldn't wait to fly into the building after getting off the car. He knew that the office on the top floor always had the lights on and Pepper always worked there until late at night.

Stark ran quickly into the elevator. He didn't know what was wrong with him, like a novice with a messy head. He nervously rubbed his hands and kept pacing in the elevator. When the elevator door opened, he rushed out quickly.

He wanted to say something to Pepper. He should say something.

There was no light on the entire floor, so Stark turned around in place. He couldn't see any offices with lights on, which was very unusual.

"Pepper, Pepper, are you here?" Stark shouted loudly.

However, only the echoing layers in the office responded. Stark fiercely hit the glass door next to him and then shouted: "Jarvis? Are you here? Jarvis, where did you go?"

Again, there were no words in response.

Stark is really panicking now. If Jarvis doesn't respond to him, it means he is likely to have been hijacked or his energy cut off. If someone really did that, then Pepper must have been the target.

Stark hurried into the office and raced to Pepper's usual place of work.

But without his suit, Stark was just a normal person and had no night vision. Without Jarvis, the intelligent lighting system in the entire office was not lit.

Stark stumbled in and was tripped by an office chair. After getting up, he couldn't see anything around him, let alone check any details.

He opened his mouth to call for the suit, but without Jarvis, the intelligent remote control of the suit would not respond either.

Stark felt a wee bit overwhelmed. He suddenly realized that everything he thought he had control of was not actually his, and without that shell, Iron Man was just a normal person in the dark.

His voice was trembling a tad as he blindly fumbled on Pepper's desk, trying to comfort himself: "Damn it, she can't be in trouble... this is Stark Tower, no one can breach the defenses here. I am Stark..."

Suddenly, the lights on the entire floor turned on, blinding Stark. He covered his eyes and turned, noticing Pepper standing at the doorway of the office with a remote in hand. Stark froze in place.

Without waiting for Pepper to speak, Stark rushed up and hugged her. Pepper had never seen Stark so panicked.

She heard Stark repeatedly say, "I knew you would be okay... of course you would be okay..."

Pepper sighed. This grown man was as much of a child as an eagle, yet he was so repulsive yet irresistible at the same time.

Now, let's step back in time a bit to when Stark had just left the clinic. Stark received a call from Pepper.

______

Helper of the day!

dragonNEET2567 : Opps! I uploaded unedited file! Thanks for correcting the mistakes!!