I am Iron Man!

In the early morning in New York, the air is filled with the smell of burnt scrap metal.

Outside the Stark Industrial Park.

The black SUV blocked all the intersections; S.H.I.E.L.D.'s cleanup efficiency was simply outrageous.

The Iron Monger that almost demolished half a block last night was cut up, boxed, packed up, and taken away in just half an hour.

Even the metal scraps on the ground were vacuumed up by the agents.

If it weren't for the deep crater still standing in the ground, last night it would have looked like a gas cylinder had exploded.

"Mr. Li Ang."

Coulson stood outside the cordon, looking at Li Ang, who was standing on the edge of the ruins, whose hairline seemed to have receded a few millimeters.

"This is a restricted area. Although you are Mr. Stark's friend, but..."

"Don't be so nervous, Lao Ke."

Li Ang casually tossed the screw, which traced an arc in the air before landing precisely in a distant trash can with a clatter.

"You know, my client went through a high-intensity stress test last night."

Coulson's lips twitched.

pressure test?

The image of that heavily armored purple knight, that absurd scene of turning a lamppost into a giant purple sword, is still playing on a loop in his mind.

This is simply beyond the scope of scientific explanation.

"The bureau would like to talk to you about what happened last night."

Coulson lowered his voice, "That belt, and that technology that turns people into armored warriors..."

"That's a trade secret, and we won't sell it to anyone."

"Just like I didn't ask that black braised egg why it stretched its arms out longer than an octopus."

Li Ang interrupted him directly, smiling broadly.

Coulson's expression froze when Nick Fury was mentioned.

This is the first person to dare call the bureau chief "Black Lu Dan".

"Okay, let's change the subject."

Coulson glanced around to make sure no one was watching before taking a half-step closer. "You mentioned hammers earlier. What do you know about them?"

Li Ang smiled.

That was the smug yet charming smile unique to spoiler enthusiasts.

"Want to know?"

"Let's wait and see how this unfolds. Trust me, today's headlines will be even more exciting than Hammer's."

……

Stark Industries headquarters, backstage at the press conference.

Pepper was touching up the bruise on Tony's face; even the best concealer couldn't completely cover up the marks left by last night's fierce fight.

Tony sat in the chair, holding a cold cheeseburger in his hand, eating in an ungraceful manner, as if he were using food to confirm that he was still alive.

"Listen, Tony."

Colonel Rhodes walked in looking exhausted, waving a stack of printing papers in his hand.

"This involves too many secrets, and the military doesn't want the public to know that there's a madman driving a mech around the city."

Rod handed the papers to Tony.

"This is an unfortunate malfunction in the robotics lab."

"You were on the yacht last night, surrounded by bodyguards and models; you weren't even there!"

Tony took a bite of his hamburger and mumbled indistinctly, "I wasn't on the ship then."

"You're on the ship!"

Rod stared wide-eyed. "This is a script! A script signed by 50 witnesses!"

"Also, here's your report. We'll say that a hired private bodyguard wearing an experimental exoskeleton handled the malfunction..."

"bodyguard?"

Tony swallowed his food, raised an eyebrow, and said, "You mean, you put some nobody in the Kuuga suit and then saved the world?"

"That's not important, what's important is to cover this up!"

"Mr. Stark, if you just read it like that, the stock price will recover by the afternoon."

Coulson came in and handed over two cards.

Tony looked at the manuscript in his hand, filled with phrases like "force majeure," "short circuit," and "accident," his eyes showing annoyance.

This feeling is familiar.

He always did this before, covering up the bloodshed of Obadiah's arms deals and telling respectable lies in front of the camera.

But this time...

He touched his waist.

There was no belt there, but he could feel the warmth of Yamadam's belt.

That's proof that I'm alive.

"All right."

Tony stuffed the last bite of his burger into his mouth and patted the breadcrumbs off his hands.

"Yacht, bodyguards, breakdown—it all sounds plausible, I'm almost convinced."

Pepper straightened his tie one last time. "Tony, read this, and then we'll go home."

Tony didn't say anything, but simply stood up and pushed open the door leading to the press conference venue.

……

As soon as Tony appeared, countless camera shutters clicked, creating a white noise.

"Mr. Stark! I heard there was a massive explosion in District 16 last night?"

"Mr. Stark, someone has photographed a red, armored monster. Is that a new weapon from Stark Industries?"

"What explanation do you have for Obadiah's disappearance?"

Tony stood on the podium, his hands gripping the edge.

Rod stood beside him, as nervous as a virgin on his first blind date.

"Everyone, please be quiet."

Tony waved his hand, and his innate ability to control the situation instantly made him the center of attention.

"There are some... rumors circulating about what happened last night."

He lowered his head and glanced at the manuscript in his hand.

Some say he's a superhero, others say he's an alien.

Tony read from his prepared statement, "Actually, it was just a malfunction in a robot prototype..."

The reporters below the stage began to take notes, rolling their eyes inwardly: Sure enough, it was the same old official platitudes used to clean up the mess.

Just then.

Tony glanced at a corner of the audience.

There sat a young Asian man in a casual suit, legs crossed, smiling at him.

It's Li Ang.

Seeing Tony looking over, Li Ang did not say anything.

He simply raised his hand slowly and made the classic Kamen Rider Kuuga gesture towards Tony...

thumbs up.

Tony was stunned for a moment; the gesture was like a lightning bolt, splitting the chaos in his mind.

Screw the yacht.

Screw bodyguards.

If he doesn't even dare to admit what he did, then what kind of all-around Kuuga is he?

Tony took a deep breath, and the cynicism in his eyes vanished, replaced by an unprecedented determination.

"Mr. Stark?" Rhodes sensed something was wrong and whispered a reminder.

Tony ignored him.

In front of hundreds of cameras and a global live broadcast, he casually threw those carefully prepared drafts from S.H.I.E.L.D. onto the ground.

The entire audience erupted in uproar.

"This official announcement is a complete piece of crap."

Tony's voice echoed throughout the venue through the microphone.

Christine, the beautiful reporter in the front row, brightened up: "Mr. Stark, you mean...?"

Tony looked at the camera with his signature flamboyant smile on his face.

"The truth is..."

He paused for a second, his gaze seemingly piercing through the lens, looking at everyone in the world.

"I am Iron Man."

boom!

These four words were like a depth charge, detonating the entire venue.

The reporters went crazy, jumping up from their chairs and rushing onto the stage with their recording pens.

Rhodes covered his face, his expression one of utter despair, as if to say, "I knew this would happen."

Backstage, Coulson sighed and took out his phone to send Fury a text message.

[Plan A has failed; we need to prepare a new, top-tier public relations team.]

And in the corner below the stage.

"pretty."

Li Ang stood up, patted his clothes, and turned to walk towards the exit.

The first act has ended, and the world's style has completely gone awry.

Iron Man is no longer just an ordinary person wearing a metal suit, but a warrior with ancient powers.

That's interesting.

……

Amidst the chaos that followed the press conference.

The back door of Stark Tower.

As soon as Li Ang stepped out of the shadows, a black Chevrolet blocked his way.

The car window rolled down, revealing Coulson's ever-present smiling face, only this time with a hint of urgency.

"Mr. Li Ang, are you satisfied now?"

Coulson looked at him helplessly. "The chief's face is probably as black as charcoal right now."

"Coulson, your sense of humor needs improvement; I'd rather call it the rage of a black egg."

Li Ang leaned against the car door, his voice tinged with mockery.

Coulson paused, the image of Nick Fury's bald head flashing in his mind.

Li Ang shook his head. "Besides, the more you suppress someone like Tony, the more he will rebel. I just helped him find himself again."

"Since you're in a good mood, can you tell me about that hammer now?"

Coulson rubbed his temples, feeling a headache coming on.

S.H.I.E.L.D. did detect unusual atmospheric disturbances in New Mexico, but they had no clue what they were.

"Alright, here's a hint."

Li Ang stretched out a finger, pointed to the sky, and smiled mysteriously.

"In Old Bridge, New Mexico, this hammer is so big that most people can't lift it. It's related to a blond hunk named Thor."

"Thor?" Coulson quickly searched his memory for the name. "Also your client?"

"Not yet," Li Ang smiled mysteriously, "but it will be soon, after all..."

After all, no exiled, down-on-his-luck prince could resist the temptation of a comeback.

Li Ang didn't say the second half of the sentence. He stepped on the gas and drove away.

[Ding! New storyline node detected.]

[Key character triggered: Thor.]

Listening to the system notification in his mind, Li Ang looked out the window at the fleeting street scene.

The curtain has only just been raised on the Avengers.

The age of gods in Marvel is coming.