Chapter 154: I Am Iron Man!

"Didn't you die a long time ago?"

Disbelief etched Obadiah's features as he stared at Chen Mo.

The sudden reappearance of a man who had been missing for seventy years and presumed dead was indeed a shock for anyone to process.

Chen Mo wasn't overly surprised by Obadiah's recognition. While he hadn't starred in movies or performed in stage shows like Steve, becoming a household name in the United States, Chen Mo's renown was no less significant than Captain America's. After all, he had fundamentally reshaped the entire course of World War II.

Chen Mo's immense contributions to humanity worldwide were undeniable. After his disappearance into the sea, countless individuals in the Allied nations deeply appreciated his achievements and lauded his legendary deeds far and wide.

Biographies, novels, comics, and even film adaptations chronicled his life. Thus, despite the passage of seventy years, Chen Mo's exploits remained widely known.

His strength, his unwavering pride, his fearlessness, his sacrifices – all these qualities held a profound attraction for ordinary people. Men and women, young and old, were captivated by him, worshipping, admiring, and even loving him.

Had they known he was still alive, an overwhelming influx of fervent fans would have undoubtedly descended, reducing Tony Stark's mansion to rubble.

Obadiah certainly knew of Chen Mo. As Howard Stark's partner, he possessed a deeper understanding of Chen Mo gleaned from Howard's own accounts, and consequently, he held Chen Mo in greater fear.

Obadiah, who had been brimming with confidence, finally displayed a look of stark fear.

Chen Mo disregarded this, his gaze fixed on Obadiah's left hand, now a high-tech weapon. A flicker of contemplation crossed his eyes.

"Ulysses Klaue."

Chen Mo met Obadiah's gaze directly and uttered the name.

Obadiah's pupils constricted upon hearing it. The revelation of Chen Mo's true identity had already shaken him, but this was even more terrifying.

How did he know?

When Crossbones Brock Rumlow severed Obadiah's left hand in Afghanistan, Obadiah returned to New York with the Mark I prototype and design blueprints. His initial plan was to install a hammer-like appendage, similar to the Iron Monger's, on his prosthetic.

However, Ulysses Klaue, an arms dealer with whom he had previously conducted business, somehow learned of his injury and proactively offered him this powerful sonic cannon. Obadiah had, of course, paid a substantial sum for it, but he deemed it a worthwhile investment.

Ordinarily, the sonic cannon was concealed beneath a simulated mechanical arm capable of simple movements, effectively serving as a convincing prosthetic limb. When deployed for attack, the palm would split open, revealing the weapon hidden within.

This sonic cannon could emit potent sound waves and shockwaves, causing the targeted object to violently vibrate and experience intense impact, leading to direct disintegration.

With this sonic cannon disguised as a prosthetic, even without the Iron Monger, Obadiah retained a significant offensive capability, a valuable trump card ideal for surprise attacks.

After the Iron Monger's destruction, Obadiah had intended to wait for Tony Stark to lower his guard, then use the sonic cannon for a swift and lethal sneak attack. However, Chen Mo had seen through his plan.

Chen Mo's effortless deflection of the sonic cannon's blast with his shield and his subsequent utterance of Ulysses Klaue's name, the very individual who had supplied the prosthetic, completely shattered Obadiah's initial confidence.

But Obadiah, already teetering on the brink of madness, refused to yield. Even if Chen Mo was the legendary commander, powerful enough to easily withstand the sonic cannon's formidable attack, Tony might not possess the same resilience.

Having reached this critical juncture, where it was either him or Tony, with no possibility of retreat, Obadiah momentarily suppressed his fear of Chen Mo and once again aimed the sonic cannon in his left hand at Tony Stark.

This sonic weapon was capable of emitting not only powerful shockwaves but also focused sound waves, inducing high-speed vibrations in machinery, leading to structural failure. It was, in essence, the nemesis of all mechanical constructs.

Although the Mark II boasted incredible defense and a shock-absorbing and buffering system akin to black technology, Chen Mo couldn't be entirely certain whether it could withstand a direct hit from the sonic cannon.

Chen Mo's easy neutralization of the previous attack was attributed to the original adamantium alloy's unique ability to absorb energy, kinetic force, and vibrations, rendering all such attacks ineffective. The sonic cannon, relying primarily on sonic vibrations as its offensive mechanism, was completely countered by the shield, its attack directly absorbed and nullified. Its formidable destructive potential was entirely negated, posing no threat to Chen Mo. However, the Mark II's armor lacked the magical properties of original adamantium alloy.

Therefore, as Obadiah targeted Tony Stark with the sonic cannon, Chen Mo swiftly moved to intercept, placing himself between Tony and the weapon. Simultaneously, a throwing knife materialized instantly in Chen Mo's hand. With a flick of his wrist, the knife transformed into a streak of light, hurtling towards Obadiah like lightning, piercing his left shoulder joint.

A sharp, searing pain shot through Obadiah's arm, causing it to instantly lose all strength and drop limply. The sonic cannon barrel, which had been glowing and蓄能 (xù néng - storing energy), also dimmed.

"I have you to thank for giving Tony a few valuable lessons. Now, you can die."

Chen Mo spoke, but made no further move. Instead, he turned his head and looked at Tony Stark.

"Tony, kill him!"

...

The following day, Tony Stark publicly admitted to being Iron Man at a press conference addressing the previous night's battle between the two Iron Men near Stark Industries, mirroring the events in the movie.

As Tony uttered the words "I am Iron Man!", the press conference erupted into a frenzy of activity. Agent Phil Coulson, however, turned his head with a helpless expression towards Chen Mo, the meaning in his eyes crystal clear.

Boss, your son is deviating from the plan!

Before Tony Stark took the stage, Phil Coulson had provided him with a prepared statement, explaining that the heroic "Iron Man" who had fought the rogue robots and protected civilians the previous night was one of Tony's bodyguards. Unexpectedly, Tony had directly confessed to being Iron Man himself.

Chen Mo wasn't angered by Tony's deviation from the script. This was, after all, the genuine Iron Man, Tony Stark.

While Tony displayed the respectful demeanor of a biological son in Chen Mo's presence, he was, in reality, a highly arrogant, conceited, and exceedingly narcissistic individual. Had he not grown up listening to Chen Mo's legendary tales, harboring deep admiration for him, and been rescued by Chen Mo from danger on multiple occasions, Tony would not have been so well-behaved and obedient in his godfather's presence.

At this moment, Tony Stark was his authentic self.

He disdained concealing his identity and carefully constructing a web of lies. I am who I am, free and unconstrained, and I have no need for subtlety.

Following this press conference, Tony became a full-fledged celebrity. This time, it wasn't solely due to his genius, wealth, and romantic escapades, but because he was a superhero, Iron Man!

The specifics of the battle that had transpired at Stark Industries that day remained unknown to the outside world. The Strategic Homeland Defense Attack and Logistics Support Agency had taken over the incident, and the local police lacked the authority to inquire. Obadiah's death caused no public outcry.

Ultimately, Obadiah met his end at the hands of Tony Stark. Tony Stark was no longer the carefree playboy of the past. His kidnapping by terrorists in Afghanistan and the subsequent deception and betrayal by Obadiah, a man he had considered close and trustworthy, had irrevocably changed him. Tony Stark had matured.

During his destruction of the arms Obadiah had sold to terrorist organizations and anti-government armed forces, he had also personally killed numerous militants. Tony didn't exhibit significant resistance to killing in such circumstances, but the prospect of ending the life of his former close partner, who was now incapacitated, still caused him some hesitation.

Under Chen Mo's deep and penetrating gaze, Tony Stark recognized his momentary weakness and couldn't help but reflect inwardly.

Recalling Obadiah's actions over the years and the immense harm caused by his clandestine arms deals, Tony's wavering resolve gradually solidified. If he didn't eliminate Obadiah today, his character and past actions indicated he would inevitably become a significant hidden threat.

Obadiah's ambition was vast. From his initial arrival at Stark Industries, his constant aim had been to seize control, and he had nearly succeeded.

After acquiring the powerful Iron Suit invented by Tony Stark, his ambition had expanded further, envisioning control of the entire world through this formidable new weapon.

If he wasn't stopped today, and were to escape in the future, his immense ambition and disregard for human life would inevitably inflict greater damage upon the world. In this case, his evil deeds should end here!

With newfound determination, Tony Stark unleashed a palm repulsor blast, ending Obadiah's life.

Chen Mo nodded with satisfaction. His goal was to cultivate a superhero, a defender of world peace, not a pedantic enforcer of the law. For truly malevolent individuals, the significant hidden threats to global safety, the most effective course of action was complete eradication, rather than mere imprisonment that could offer a chance for a future resurgence.

With Obadiah eliminated and this cancerous growth within Stark Industries excised, the next step was to fully address the company's underlying issues.

Following the press conference, Chen Mo instructed Tony to convene all members of the Stark Industries board of directors for an emergency board meeting.

Previously, at Obadiah's instigation, the board of directors had suspended Tony's work and stripped him of control over Stark Industries, citing Tony's post-traumatic stress disorder following his kidnapping in Afghanistan as the rationale.

Now that Obadiah was dead, the power dynamics within the company needed to be realigned.