Ch.156 Appearance of Dr. Lizard
Of course, before Thanos' heart turns cold, Tony Stark has to survive this "calamity" first.
The Iron Legion is his "genius" idea, but it could also be ruined by another one of his "genius" ideas.
Since it was decided earlier to "spread the risk," Ronan doesn't plan to take back the Mind Stone.
On one hand, the stone's power isn't that significant for Ronan.
It's not that it's not powerful, but for Ronan, its utility isn't that great.
Ronan isn't Loki, who needs to find a couple of helpers wherever he goes.
Now that he thinks about it, poor Loki, the future king of Asgard, not only borrowed his army but also controlled his helpers with the Mind Stone.
No wonder he failed in the end.
Because he didn't understand one thing: the power of the masses is immense.
Just as the two were talking, the host of the party finally appeared.
This man was an old white guy Ronan had only seen on TV and in newspapers. He was reportedly a wealthy arms supplier for the U.S. military.
Especially after Tony Stark exited the arms industry and Justin Hammer's downfall, this man became the ultimate beneficiary.
After confirming that Tony Stark wouldn't re-enter the arms business, he even bought out Stark Industries' weapons division.
The small team left behind was the one that privately manufactured weapons for Tony Stark.
Most of the weapons on the Iron Man suit came from this team.
"Looks like you're on good terms with him."
Ronan glanced at the old white man greeting everyone.
If it weren't someone he was close to, Tony Stark usually wouldn't attend their parties.
To put it simply, Tony Stark is a homebody, but unlike most homebodies, he has the charm, the guts, and, of course, the capital.
Being a homebody isn't a problem as long as you have money and looks. Many people will overlook the former.
"I just plan to discuss some business with him."
"Most of the weapons for the Iron Legion plan I mentioned earlier need to be manufactured by him."
Tony Stark raised his glass and gave a distant toast to the old man, acknowledging him.
Although this man's wealth couldn't compare to Tony Stark's, he was still one of the upper echelons of American society.
"You've really planned this out, huh?"
Ronan was surprised.
He hadn't expected Tony Stark to act so quickly.
The plan was still on paper, and he was already looking for weapons manufacturers.
"Of course, isn't my plan good?"
Tony Stark looked at Ronan in surprise.
Didn't he just praise the plan as excellent?
"No, it's great."
"Your plan is something many people couldn't even conceive."
"The only thing to watch out for is that you don't mess it up yourself."
Ronan smirked. A good plan is a good plan, but the biggest fear is Tony Stark causing trouble himself.
It's safe to say that Tony Stark can solve ten thousand problems, but he can also screw up ten thousand major things.
Well, maybe it's only after the Sokovia incident that Tony Stark will truly grow into the Iron Man he's meant to be.
Tony Stark naturally doesn't believe he'll mess this up, and Ronan doesn't waste his breath arguing.
Ronan has always lived by one principle:
You must bear the consequences of your choices.
This applies to Peter Parker of Earth-616, and it applies to Tony Stark in this universe as well.
——
For most people attending this party, the main purpose is to network and broaden their future prospects.
But for Ronan, this doesn't serve much purpose.
On the other hand, Gwen Stacy had a great time.
Thanks to Pepper Potts' introductions, she met many wealthy heiresses, or at least people with money and influence.
When they heard she was the daughter of the NYPD commissioner, no one showed any disdain.
Given George Stacy's age, as long as he doesn't make any major mistakes, he's bound to climb higher.
By then, George Stacy will undoubtedly be a significant figure in politics.
For these second-generation rich kids, aside from a few brainless exceptions, most have received excellent upbringing from a young age.
The education they've received is something ordinary people can't even imagine.
So, not all rich kids are idiots. On the contrary, they're all shrewd and cunning.
Even when they heard Ronan was a consultant for Stark Industries, they didn't show any disdain.
At his age, being a consultant for Stark Industries means Ronan is anything but mediocre.
Thus, the entire party was quite harmonious.
Of course, the kind of scene Ronan was expecting didn't happen.
After all, most people at this party brought their wives and children. Even if they wanted to have fun, now wasn't the time.
On the way home, after another round of checks, Ronan drove away from the area.
"Whew."
"Interacting with them was exhausting."
As the car hit the streets, Gwen Stacy seemed to let out a sigh of relief.
Tonight had been a huge test for her.
"What, not used to it?"
Ronan asked with a smile.
"Of course not. Not only did I have to watch every move, but even speaking felt like walking on eggshells."
"Many people acted very friendly, but the natural gap between us was impossible to bridge."
Gwen Stacy nodded. Among the people she usually interacted with, she was considered a golden child.
But today, seeing these people, Gwen realized what true luxury was.
A small bracelet costing tens of thousands of dollars.
A dress worn only once—wearing it a second time would invite ridicule.
And the accessories they wore—any one of them could cost more than an ordinary person earns in a lifetime.
No matter how you look at it, this was a far cry from Gwen Stacy's values.
"I thought you wouldn't notice."
Ronan chuckled, recalling a classic example from his past life.
A group of celebrities participated in a ridiculous variety show where one star claimed that $650 a day wasn't enough for food.
Of course, it was later clarified that it was for 21 days, but it still felt like covering up.
And then there were those TV dramas where a fresh college graduate could afford to rent a one-bedroom apartment in a big city like Shanghai, eating instant noodles and thinking they were just like ordinary people.
These wealthy people, trying so hard to seem relatable, imagined that recent graduates should live in such apartments.
Otherwise, those so-called experts wouldn't have said things like, "Why not rent out your spare rooms or drive for Didi?"
"Even though I haven't seen their so-called high society."
"At least I'm smart."
Gwen Stacy winked at Ronan, even pointing to her head.
Indeed, in terms of emotional and intellectual intelligence, Gwen Stacy really has nothing to complain about.
"Good, it seems coming to this party was the right decision."
Ronan hit the brakes. Nighttime in New York was just as congested.
Especially the bridge they needed to cross—it would take at least half an hour to get through.
One of the downsides of big cities is the nightmare of traffic jams.
Gwen Stacy hummed a couple of times but didn't respond to Ronan. Instead, she turned on the car radio.
She wanted to find some music to listen to.
However, as soon as she turned on the radio, she heard the urgent voice of a female host.
"Breaking news, breaking news."
"A giant lizard has appeared on the Brooklyn Bridge and is attacking vehicles on the bridge."
"Citizens on the bridge, please evacuate immediately and seek safe shelter."
"We will provide the latest updates as soon as possible!"
As the broadcast reached their ears, screams began to echo from behind them.
People were scrambling to run forward, and those who hadn't heard the broadcast were frantically trying to figure out what was happening.
Of course, for the ever-surprised New Yorkers, there was only one thing on their minds:
Run with the crowd!
Yes, just follow the people running ahead. That's definitely the right move.
No one knew if it was a terrorist attack or a murder case.
Not everyone was as lucky as Ronan and Gwen to have heard the broadcast.
So, if others were reacting like this, it probably wasn't good news.
In short, just run!
Gwen Stacy's hand froze on the radio dial as she looked at Ronan.
Ronan sighed.
A giant lizard.
It was probably Dr. Lizard.
It couldn't be that a two- or three-meter-long lizard escaped from some zoo and decided to wreak havoc on the Brooklyn Bridge, right?
"Ronan, should we leave too?"
Gwen Stacy grabbed Ronan's arm.
She was starting to panic.
Ronan nodded, but his way of leaving wasn't by running away on foot.
"Gwen, hold onto the armrest and stay seated."
"I'll take you to a safe place first."
Ronan gestured to the armrest on the passenger side, and without asking why, Gwen immediately grabbed it.
No matter what, Gwen trusted Ronan.
At that moment, the ground began to shake violently.
From the rearview mirror, Ronan could clearly see a massive lizard rampaging and destroying vehicles.
One car was lifted with a single hand and thrown into the river.
From inside the car came the screams of a woman and the cries of a child.
"Sigh."
Ronan sighed, and with a thought, a portal appeared beneath the bridge.
The car that had been thrown out flew straight into the portal and landed safely on the ground hundreds of meters away.
The mother who had been screaming thought she was going to die.
But when the car jolted violently, she realized she had been saved from the Brooklyn Bridge.
"Thank God."
The mother quickly grabbed her child, opened the car door, and ran toward the crowd.
Of course, the one she should really thank isn't God, but Mr. Fantastic.
"Ronan, it's coming!"
At that moment, Gwen Stacy also saw the giant lizard approaching from behind.
"Don't worry, we're leaving now."
Ronan smiled and gently placed his right hand on Gwen's shoulder.
At the same time, Dr. Lizard leaped into the air, his hands slamming down toward Ronan's car.
Boom!
Before he could land, a red figure kicked him away.
Whoosh!
A golden portal enveloped Ronan and Gwen from above, and in an instant, they disappeared.
When Gwen Stacy came to her senses, they were already at the entrance of her apartment building.
Looking at the familiar surroundings, Gwen was stunned for a moment but quickly regained her composure.
This was the same as what had happened last time.
"Alright, Gwen, you go home first."
"I need to go check on my car. After all, being attacked by a monster counts as an act of God for insurance purposes."
Ronan patted Gwen's shoulder. This wasn't a lie.
According to the Ancient One's instructions, Ronan could drive the car, but if there was an accident, insurance would cover it.
But if insurance didn't cover it, Ronan would have to pay for the repairs himself.
It's safe to say that if that giant lizard damaged Ronan's car, he'd be broke for a long time.
"Be careful."
"If you see my father, make sure he's safe too."
Gwen Stacy nodded. She wasn't an unreasonable girl.
She also knew that in situations like this, her father, as the police commissioner, would be there too.
Losing either of them was something she couldn't bear.
"Don't worry. As long as I'm there, your father won't be in danger."
Ronan smiled.
If he remembered correctly, George Stacy had died because of Dr. Lizard.
Now that George Stacy was his father-in-law, Ronan naturally couldn't let him die like that.
With that, Ronan opened another portal and disappeared from Gwen's sight.
On the Brooklyn Bridge, Peter Parker, dressed as Spider-Man, was already engaged in a fierce battle with Dr. Lizard.
Several cars were webbed to the bridge—no doubt Peter's doing.
The vehicles Dr. Lizard had thrown were all safely rescued by him.
When Ronan appeared, Peter had just kicked Dr. Lizard away.
Whether it was because he wasn't fully developed or for some other reason, Dr. Lizard didn't hesitate to flee after this attack.
Peter Parker also saw Ronan.
When he saw Ronan appear, his anxious heart calmed down significantly.
"Hey, Ron... uh, sir, I need your help!"