Family Base

After several years of World War II, the long darkness of roaring guns and cannon fire gave way to dawn. From 1945 onward, humanity licked its wounds and continued forward. People yearned deeply for peace, and the economic system gradually recovered and sprouted like vegetation nourished by spring rain.

Everyone seemed determined to erase the pain left behind by the war. They sealed away what they did not wish to recall in the depths of their memories, began yearning for new lives, and worked hard in pursuit of happiness and all things beautiful.

Sculptures symbolizing peace had spread across the central squares, war memorial halls, and even prominent street corners of cities throughout America. Yet the cries of "Superheroes" had grown increasingly quiet and faint, no longer a name people casually kept on their lips.

The times created heroes.

The era that belonged to War Heroes ended along with the war. The first generation of heroes officially stepped down from the stage of history.

Perhaps some still often told their children the inspiring story of a little runt becoming Captain America, or the legendary deeds of the brightest human star of World War II. But for most, all that remained was remembrance and reflection.

When Kyle had first retired from the military, nearly tens of millions had lamented it. In their fervor, they jointly petitioned to persuade him to stay. But as several months passed, the cries of those civilian organizations grew fewer and fewer.

On the first day of this brand-new year, 1945.

Time magazine, the New York Times, Washington newspapers, and more than a dozen other well-known media outlets jointly featured Kyle in his Night Suit on their covers, publishing reports related to "bidding farewell to war and longing for peace."

Among them was one blunt article title that sparked fierce public debate: "With conflict and enemies gone, the new era no longer needs Superheroes."

Without war, what value was there in the existence of superhuman heroes?

Did humanity truly need a god standing above everyone else?

"Major General Kyle’s return and retirement from the public eye might have been the most normal and correct choice."

"I’m not insulting heroes. A Symbol of Peace should exist as a cultural icon, as a statue living in everyone’s heart, rather than standing alive before us and forcing us to lower our heads."

"Shut up! We admire him, so what’s wrong with lowering our heads? He’s a legend with glorious achievements and supreme honor, comparable to a god. The peaceful era we enjoy now was won through his battles!"

No matter how loudly people argued, they could not conceal one undeniable fact…

Kyle undoubtedly represented an era. Now, that era of blood and fire had finally become history in textbooks as people chose to forget it, welcoming a complete end as cold and frozen as ice.

Kyle had remained at the Karl family estate, handling family matters before his departure. He had not noticed the discussions outside. Even if he had known, he would likely have merely smiled faintly and paid them no mind.

After all, from beginning to end, he had lived for himself, including in battle and slaughter.

As for being a Superhero, whoever wanted the job could have it.

After Kyle confessed everything to Lucy, it felt as though a heavy stone pressing on his heart had finally been lifted, leaving him far more at ease.

Furthermore, Lucy had said she was willing to wait for him. After the two expressed their feelings for one another, their relationship deepened once again.

This made Kyle’s conviction even firmer, and his desire to leave Earth for the stars grew stronger still.

That day, Howard called and brought Kyle another extremely important piece of news—the base fortress on Dragon Turtle Island had been completed!

They had hired a top construction engineering company. Ten large transport ships carried equipment and building materials, while hundreds of workers labored day and night. After a month, the base fortress had finally been built on Dragon Turtle Island in the Atlantic.

By the time Kyle received the news, the construction company had already completed the handover, and every member of the work crew had withdrawn from Dragon Turtle Island.

Filled with anticipation, Kyle and Lucy picked up Howard, and the three traveled through a portal to the base island together.

Ever since Kyle had summoned the Ancient Giant Dragon Turtle, it had remained asleep in the depths of the Atlantic and had never awakened or moved. Thus, over the past month, the construction crew had carried out extensive construction on its back without a single person discovering its terrifying true form.

On the primitive island atop the dragon turtle’s back, a three-story, ultra-modern Western-style building stood upon the mountain peak. Its disc-shaped design radiated technological sophistication, reflecting a silvery metallic sheen beneath the sunlight.

The circular portal, showering sparks, hovered outside the fortress entrance.

Lucy held Kyle’s arm as the two stepped through the portal. Kyle raised his eyes and studied the fortress before him, no less distinctive than the Wakandan royal palace. "Howard, how are its defenses?"

"If you knew what I mixed into the outer material used to build the fortress, you wouldn’t ask that question."

Howard, dressed like a gentleman in a suit, stepped out of the portal and chuckled.

"Don’t tell me it’s Vibranium Metal?" Kyle tugged at the corner of his mouth.

"Correct." Howard smiled. "After establishing preliminary cooperation with Wakanda, King T’Chaka said he could sell me raw Vibranium Metal. So I added a layer of Vibranium to the outer walls of this nearly completed building."

"Vibranium walls can withstand even concentrated missile bombardment. You’ve really gone to a lot of trouble for this." Kyle sighed.

At present, there were only two fixed portals hastily manufactured. One led from the estate to the Stark Industries basement, while the other led from Stark Industries to Wakanda.

While researching technology, Howard had also gone to great lengths to purchase raw Vibranium ore in Wakanda, have it airlifted to Dragon Turtle Island, and rush the completion of the fortress. His care was obvious.

"Why are you being so formal with me? This fortress will also be my refuge in the future." Howard smiled as he walked toward the fortress’s sealed metal doors. "Don’t rush. I have something even more surprising to show you shortly."

Howard walked up to the doors, took a deep breath, and said, "Jarvis, open the door."

"Voice recognition activated—verification successful. Entry permitted."

Along with the mechanical male voice, a camera extended from the wall overhead and conducted a second scan of Howard. Only then did the metal doors swiftly open. "Welcome back, Mr. Howard."

Seeing this, Kyle blinked. "You even moved your family’s supercomputer here?"

As though it had recognized Kyle’s words, the speaker by the entrance spoke again. "Welcome back, Patriarch Kyle."

"That’s really interesting." Lucy covered her mouth and laughed.

Jarvis said, "Welcome back, Mrs. Lucy."

"This intelligent system…" Lucy lightly bit her lip, her face flushing red as she lowered her head to her chest.

"It seems Jarvis’s performance has become more humanlike and intelligent," Kyle commented.

"It’s only a complete integration of the voice system with the supercomputer. It’s still an intelligent program that operates according to commands I input beforehand. It still cannot actively think and judge like a human. It’s far from true Artificial Intelligence."

Howard sighed faintly and continued, "Still, using it to manage the base fortress now, it is fully qualified to serve as an intelligent butler."