Symbol of Peace Kyle had vanished from the public eye for a staggering sixty-three years, only to reveal that he had left Earth and journeyed through outer space before returning to personally confirm the existence of advanced extraterrestrial races.
Moreover, he directly stated that Earth's future enemies would come from beyond the stars!
This news report couldn't be described as merely a sensational headline. It was, in fact, the most profound revelation to shake the world since the seemingly peaceful 21st century began.
In the early morning, in the economic hub of the United States, New York, people began clamoring for a copy of The New York Times.
Normally, the rush-hour commuters, eager to get to work on time, now gathered in groups on the streets, deeply engrossed in their newspapers.
The reason was simple: The New York Times was not known for sensationalism; the newspaper's well-reasoned and meticulously researched content was making people think deeply and worry.
By mid-morning, over eighty percent of New Yorkers had arrived late for work. Even those who managed to make it to the office were discussing the extraterrestrial statements in the newspapers with their colleagues, their faces reflecting a mix of shock and apprehension.
As this groundbreaking news spread rapidly beyond New York and even beyond the Americas, it unleashed a storm akin to a catastrophic nuclear blast, reverberating across the entire globe.
Symbol of Peace Kyle's return was undoubtedly a matter of global interest, but what he brought back in terms of extraterrestrial intelligence was nothing short of astonishing for Earth's humanity.
"Symbol of Peace," "Extraterrestrial Technology," "Alien Invasion," "Future Crisis"...
Within half a day, these topics, which filled people's hearts with trepidation, became the focal point of global discussions. Countless renowned scientists and experts stepped forward, expressing their opinions, some in opposition, others in support.
Some suggested establishing friendly contact with extraterrestrial races, while others recommended that nations worldwide develop early plans to counter an extraterrestrial invasion. There were even those who dismissed it as nonsense, proposing that the rumor-monger be questioned.
For the latter group, the public had a unanimous response: "These so-called 'experts' have no brains!"
They seemed to forget that the one presenting and confirming the extraterrestrial statements was none other than Symbol of Peace Kyle!
Check the history books! During the darkest and most tumultuous period of World War II, he stood shoulder to shoulder with Soldiers, forcing Imperial Japan to surrender singlehandedly.
He held titles such as Devil Slayer, God of Death, and Tyrant, embodying a series of powers and atrocities. In the present day, he was the living legend, the most powerful of all, known as the "Symbol of Peace, the Invincible Hero."
Arrest Kyle for questioning? Were these people out of their minds?
Media outlets and scientific organizations worldwide, of course, dared not trouble Kyle. They wisely contacted American congressmen, and military officials, and employed various means to determine the stance of the American high command on this matter.
Soon, they received confidential information.
The American agencies had held an emergency high-level meeting late into the night, which continued into the early hours of the morning. Many personnel were still asleep at home.
As for the extraterrestrial statements, the American agencies, including the President, responded cautiously, maintaining a balanced attitude. They neither acknowledged them as fact nor debunked them as falsehoods.
In fact, the American high command wanted to suppress this statement to prevent national anxiety, which could lead to economic recession and increased crime rates.
The problem was that Kyle, the one who made the extraterrestrial statements, was the only person they couldn't control. Moreover, if extraterrestrial invasion did occur in the future, those who suppressed the extraterrestrial statements now would be forever branded as villains in history.
Under Kyle's deliberate push, the wheels of time had already started turning, and no one dared to stop them. The only option was to accept and devise countermeasures.
The American silence indirectly acknowledged the extraterrestrial statements.
This led to global media outlets refraining from openly questioning the statements. Instead, they began serious and in-depth reporting on the related news, along with the rest of the world's population, as they embarked on long-term discussions.
Knowing that change was imminent, sources of light and protection needed to be prepared for. And where was the protector of Earth?
In the midst of this global, fearful discussion, a golden-red Armor made a brilliant appearance.
In less than half a day.
Equipped with supersonic flight engines and laser weaponry, the Iron Man Armor, crossing vast oceanic distances, flew from the United States to the Middle East. There, it successively obliterated well-armed terrorists in various locations, rescuing local civilian populations.
This Iron Man armor, not only shrugged off bullets but also advanced weaponry like tanks and missiles couldn't halt its progress. It bulldozed its way through a variety of high-tech armaments, quelling violence with violence while ensuring an astonishingly high rescue rate!
The local populace affectionately bestowed upon it the title of 'Iron Man' as a hero.
Iron Man appeared at this pivotal juncture in history, much like a potent shot of adrenaline, penetrating the hearts of people who were terrified by the extraterrestrial statements.
The birth of Iron Man made it clear to the masses that Symbol of Peace Kyle, the world's recognized and sole legendary hero, was not enough. There had to be more capable individuals stepping forward to become heroes, to shoulder the impending disasters and pressures of the future.
It was the year 2008.
The times ahead should not represent a dark era of despair and doom, but rather, a heroic era filled with light and hope!
Few knew that after Iron Man accomplished his heroic deeds in the Middle East, he was detected by the U.S. military's airspace surveillance network while returning to the country.
Mistaken for an unidentified aircraft, Colonel Rhode, as the base commander, dispatched two F12 fighter jets to intercept and capture him. After a dogfight in the sky, one of the jets suffered wing damage and crashed.
Seizing this opportunity, Colonel Rhode was astonished to discover Iron Man's true identity and had no choice but to cover up the incident as a military exercise mishap.
On the other hand, at the secret interrogation chamber of the New York CIA, a towering silver-white Iron Man suit burst in, ruthlessly killing over a dozen interrogators, finally executing the leader of the criminals who had attacked Symbol of Peace the previous night.
Surrounded by military personnel, the Iron Man suit forcefully blasted through the walls and soared into the sky.
The advent of Iron Man, along with the appearance of the Iron Man suit, far exceeded the conventional understanding of advanced high-tech devices. It was like the second shot fired into the sky, following the breaking of the old paradigm with the extraterrestrial statements, elevating humanity's perception of technology to an entirely new level!
Simultaneously, deep in the Atlantic Ocean, within the guise of massive floating icebergs, lay the Carl Family's exclusive island.
On the third floor of the main Fortress building, there was the family's highest council chamber. It hadn't been used for sixty-three years until today when it finally hosted the long-awaited family's highest council meeting.
The hall was brightly lit, and spacious enough to accommodate a hundred participants. A large oval metal table was placed at the center of the hall, surrounded by over a hundred chairs, neatly arranged.
At this moment, almost all of the chairs were occupied by a group of people of varying ages.
(End of this chapter)