Faced with Arthur's attitude, Tony really wanted to turn around and walk away. However, the thought of Iron Monger Armor forced him to bury that tempting idea deep within his mind.
Tony still didn't know Arthur well enough. He had no idea what might happen if Arthur took the Iron Monger Armor with him. Given Arthur's questionable character and desperate need for money, there was a very real possibility that he might sell it.
And if the Iron Monger Armor's design and advanced technology fell into the wrong hands, leading to its replication and proliferation, the future of the world would be unimaginable.
So, suppressing his urge to leave, Tony spoke to Arthur in a calm and friendly tone, "How about we find a place to talk about this? What do you think?"
"If you're asking so nicely, of course, I have to go along with it, my dear Nephew" Arthur shrugged nonchalantly.
Tony was irritated by Arthur's constant use of the term "nephew," but there was nothing he could do about it. Somehow Arthur had become the supplier ofan item, and that was something Tony had to get his hands on.
The feeling of being at the mercy of someone else made Tony want to go after Arthur with all his might. However, he also had a very special and complex feeling for Arthur that made him look at Arthur deeply and say, "Let's go.
…
The conversation took place in one of Tony's homes in New York.
Pepper accompanied them, but she seemed preoccupied with something. The events of the evening had been significant, not just because of the battle on the highway, but also due to the issues surrounding Bald Stane's identity and handling of the aftermath.
Stane had been a veteran figure at Stark Industries, and this mess could damage the company's credibility if not properly explained. So Pepper was on the phone non-stop, leaving Arthur and Tony alone.
The two sat staring at each other.
Tony's eyes were filled with defiance as he looked at the figure sitting in front of him.
Arthur's eyes on the other hand were filled with kindness.
The kinder Arthur seemed, the more defiant Tony became.
And the more defiant Tony was, the kinder Arthur appeared!
It was like a never-ending loop where this intense staring contest could go on forever. Finally, Tony couldn't take it anymore and decided to rub his eyes.
After several minutes of staring, his eyes were red and teary from the strain.
Pepper returned at that moment and, seeing Tony's condition, sighed to Arthur, "He was always so emotional.
Arthur nodded, "Well, I'm practically his Godfather."
Pepper wasn't surprised by this comment and decided to remain silent.
"Who the hell are you?" Tony finally snapped, glaring at Arthur with red eyes, his expression fierce!
"You can call me Arthur. I was good friends with your father. Whenever we drank and talked, he always said he wasn't in a hurry to have children. But look, he obviously didn't keep his word – here you are, all grown up." Arthur shook his head and sighed nostalgically, as if lost in old memories.
Tony looked at Pepper before speaking, "Can we call the police? Maybe report this guy for trespassing, or I could just shoot him now and blame it on the security guards?"
Pepper slapped her face, "I think we all need to be more serious!"
"I am serious!"
Arthur and Tony said in unison, then glared at each other—one looking fiercely determined, the other overly kind.
Pepper was about to lose it. "Can you two stop being so childish?"
Tony immediately turned to Pepper with a hurt look on his face. Although he didn't say anything, his expression clearly said, "How can you say that about me? It's obviously the fault of that bad guy over there!"
Arthur whistled as he looked up at the ceiling, his gaze gradually returning to normal. Then he asked, "Have you turned off all the cameras and surveillance equipment in the house?"
Tony glanced at Pepper, who smiled slightly and said, "One moment." She stepped away for a moment, then returned and said, "All done."
Arthur immediately took off his cap and mask and let out a long breath. "You know, wearing a mask for too long really stinks."
"I didn't know and I don't want to know!" Tony said with a scowl, "Let's cut to the chase – how much do you want?"
"How crude! Do you think it's really about money?" Arthur said with a serious expression, "It's about not having money."
"…" Tony was momentarily speechless.
"The thing is, it's quite simple." Arthur held up one finger and said, "I'll explain it, and you guys can help me figure it out, alright?"
Tony was almost beside himself with anger. "You're extorting me, and you still expect me to come up with the terms?"
"Coming up with the terms won't cost you anything – how about helping me out?"
Arthur asked tentatively.
Tony looked at Arthur, then turned helplessly to Pepper, "He's by far the most shameless person I've ever met!"
"Thanks for the compliment, although it doesn't make me happy at all."
Arthur said with a smile. "First of all, I have a genetic research project! I can't reveal the details…" He shot a meaningful look at Pepper before continuing, "The theoretical data is pretty much complete, but everything depends on practical experiments. That's the problem – we don't have the funding!"
"So that's why you came to me for money?" Tony raised an eyebrow, then sneered, "Why should I lend you money for an experiment that has no meaning to me? You won't even tell me what the experiment is."
Arthur shrugged, "I realize now that I was being impulsive. I thought my reputation would be enough, but apparently it's not… So let's make a deal instead."
With a thought, the Iron Monger Armor appeared beside him. "I'm really curious, how did this guy come about? The first suit of armor you designed in the cave has always been with me, and I never leaked it… So how did this suit come into existence?"
Pepper glanced at Tony and sighed softly, "Yinsen, he went missing for a while. When we found him, he wasn't in good shape."
"Yinsen…"
Arthur blinked. "He was a good man."
"Of course!"
Tony replied, "But he was just an ordinary man. In this world, some things are worse than death."
Arthur nodded, not pressing further on what had happened. Instead, he said, "Alright, let's get back to the matter at hand. How much are you willing to pay to buy this big guy… and the little one you made earlier?"