I Like It Simple and Brutal (Guaranteed Second Update, Please Subscribe!!)

Just as Pepper had expected, almost as soon as the two of them arrived at Stark Industries, the news that Stark Industries’ executive director, Obadiah Stane, had kidnapped its chairman, Tony Stark, had already spread rapidly.

There was nothing they could do about it.

The media was impossible to keep out.

Lake had not previously said anything about keeping it confidential, so the Department of Homeland Security agents’ leaking such news to the media was not particularly serious. Besides, it was not necessarily the Department of Homeland Security that had leaked it. The notice had already gone out, and everyone knew that the Department of Homeland Security was hunting Obadiah Stane.

But…

Just as the media was preparing to make a huge fuss, and some had even begun drafting their articles, Pepper Potts, the secretary to Stark Industries’ chairman, directly notified the major New York media outlets that Tony Stark would be holding a press conference in half an hour to explain the matter to the public.

As soon as those words were released, the stock price, which had been ready to leap off a cliff, came to a dead stop at the edge.

New York’s reporters grabbed their camera operators and hurried toward Stark Industries.

However, it was already rush hour. The flood of reporters pouring out only made New York’s already miserable roads even more congested.

Even so, quite a few reporters still managed to reach Stark Industries within half an hour.

Pepper Potts walked to the dressing room and knocked on the door.

"Come in!"

"…"

Hearing that exceptionally familiar voice, Pepper Potts froze for a moment. Then she pushed open the door and stared in shock at Tony Stark, whose face was covered by a small beard and whose expression practically screamed, I’m a genius, and I’m arrogant.

The next second.

Seeing Pepper Potts about to pounce on him, Lake hurriedly said, "Pepper, wait."

Pepper stopped in her tracks. Hearing Lake’s voice, she came back to herself, then stared in disbelief at Lake, who had disguised himself as Tony. "Oh my God, this is simply…"

Lake smiled.

With a clone and a transformation item from the Big Blue Cat Series, it was nothing difficult.

Lake looked at his reflection in the mirror, adjusted his tie, and said to Pepper, "Let’s go."

Pepper put away her worried expression for the real Tony and nodded.

Inside the press-conference hall on the first floor of Stark Industries.

Lake took the hidden earpiece Pepper handed him and put it in his ear. Then he calmly walked toward the press conference.

Tony Stark was the richest super-billionaire in the city by market value.

Lake was no worse.

In terms of power.

Lake could be called the number-one figure in the federal system. Anyone could perhaps imitate Tony Stark convincingly, but no one could imitate the unique, all-commanding presence shared by Tony Stark and Lake.

He stepped onto the stage.

The flashes below went off instantly.

Lake raised his hand, glanced at his watch, then looked at the reporters below and said expressionlessly, "Five questions. The New York Daily News reporter goes first."

The female reporter from the New York Daily News immediately asked, "Mr. Stark, is it true that you were kidnapped by Obadiah Stane?"

Lake put both hands in his pockets. "If I was kidnapped, then who is holding this press conference here? Bugle Daily."

Huh.

Bugle Daily? I remember cleaning them out once before.

How are they still around?

Did they get a new owner?

Lake thought this to himself. Hearing the Bugle Daily reporter’s question, he answered directly, "Obadiah Stane has indeed been placed under investigation by the Department of Homeland Security."

"Why?"

"Stark Industries is a company operating under the Patriot Act. As for why Obadiah Stane is being investigated, I have no comment until the investigation is complete. If you want to know, I suggest asking the Department of Homeland Security."

Lake dealt with the remaining two questions one by one under Pepper’s guidance from backstage. After answering the final question, he walked offstage directly amid another round of flashing lights and cries of "Please wait!"

Inside the elevator.

Pepper breathed a sigh of relief. "This may not stop the stock price from falling, but at least it will keep the drop within an acceptable range."

Lake smiled.

A missing Tony Stark and a wanted Obadiah Stane had completely different implications for Stark Industries.

Perhaps Obadiah Stane had used his abilities to expand Stark Industries, but in the eyes of those outside who had driven up Stark Industries’ market value, the person they had always valued was Tony Stark—the prodigal son who had turned over a new leaf, designed three new weapons in a year, and completely revived the Stark Industries that had been on the verge of collapse.

Put it this way.

At most, Obadiah Stane could cause Stark Industries to shrink by one-eighth. It could not be more than that. Obadiah Stane was not as important as he thought.

Inside Stane’s office.

Lake looked around, intending to see whether Obadiah Stane had left any information in his office. The Department of Homeland Security and the NYPD had also gone to search the properties under Obadiah’s name.

Just then.

Pepper hung up the phone and said to Lake, "Several shareholders have already arrived at your office."

Lake turned to look at Pepper.

Several shareholders?

The top floor of Stark Industries.

When Lake stepped out of the elevator, he saw the two men already in his office and frowned. "Jarvis!"

Jarvis replied, "Yes, sir."

Lake said, "How did these two get in?"

As he spoke, Lake walked toward the liquor cabinet and, without waiting for Jarvis to reply, said, "Cancel all management access to my office. Keep access only for Ms. Pepper Potts."

Jarvis acknowledged him from within the electronic world, then looked toward the red-clad little girl in his house, who was holding an AK-47 and threatening to riddle him with bullets if he disobeyed.

There was nothing he could do.

Jarvis was not a true artificial intelligence, but merely a strong artificial intelligence. He could only act according to predetermined programs. Without the Red Queen, making such a major change to the access permissions would require an authorization code from Tony Stark.

If that had been necessary, Lake would probably have been exposed by Jarvis immediately.

"Tony…"

"Shut up."

Before coming over, Lake had already learned the identities of the two shareholders from Pepper. He looked directly at the leader, an apparent distant relative of the Stark family whose body had been ravaged by excessive drinking and womanizing, and who had acquired a three-percent stake in Stark Industries years ago through Obadiah Stane’s arrangement.

"At today morning’s stock price, I’ll personally buy all the shares you hold. Here’s the agreement. Sign it."

The shareholder, who also bore the Stark surname, was startled. "What?"

Lake said nothing more.

The elevator doors opened.

Jack led a team of people out and showed the man the arrest warrant in his hand. "Edward Stark, we suspect you of leaking national secrets. You’ll have to come with us."

Edward Stark reached out to take the arrest warrant from Jack.

Bang!

Jack drew his gun and kicked the man who had tried to assault an officer. Two Department of Homeland Security agents immediately moved in and restrained him. The other shareholder who also bore the Stark surname was subdued by two more agents.

Lake signaled to Pepper Potts.

She took the agreements in her hands over to the two men.

Lake looked at them. "You can choose to take the money and leave, or be taken back for questioning by the Department of Homeland Security."

As soon as he finished speaking.

The Stark shareholder who seemed to have come merely to make up the numbers said directly, "I’ll sign."

"What?"

Edward Stark, whose body had been hollowed out by drink and women, seemed surprised to hear that. He stared at Lake. "This Tony Stark is a fake."

Lake smiled but said nothing.

The two Department of Homeland Security agents walked over to Edward Stark. Amid his screams, they grabbed his fingers and pressed them onto the agreement in front of him, signing his name.

Edward Stark went insane.

What were they trying to do?

Rob him in broad daylight?

But…

Five minutes later.

Pepper Potts stared blankly at Jack and the others as they left carrying two corpses. When she came back to herself, she looked at Lake. "Won’t this cause problems?"

Lake smiled. "Those two were obviously sent by Obadiah."

Pepper frowned. "Wouldn’t that mean we should keep them alive?"

Lake shook his head. "There’s no need. Those two were just troublemakers. Why keep them around? I prefer simple and brutal methods. I’m not actually Tony Stark. No matter how well I disguise myself, there will still be flaws."

A fake was a fake.

That was a law of nature. A counterfeit could never replace the genuine article.

If it had been a Skrull, the disguise could have been more seamless. But even Skrulls could only copy short-term memories. They could not copy long-term memories.

Pepper said, "But wouldn’t killing these two make things even more troublesome?"

Lake chuckled. "After they leave, half an hour later they’ll appear at New York International Airport. Then they’ll use their identification to board a flight to Iraq. What could go wrong?"

Pepper opened her mouth, then simply gave up on the question. "What do we do next?"

What did they do next?

Lake shrugged. "Wait for news. What else can we do? At the very least, until we get the next clue, there’s nothing we can do."

As he spoke.

Lake looked around, then said to Pepper, "But don’t worry. I’ve already handed this matter over to my informant. Maybe he can bring us some good news. I’ll be staying here for the next few days. You’ll have to handle Stark Industries’ affairs. There isn’t much I can help you with on that front."

Pepper said, "I’m a secretary."

Lake smiled. "Not anymore. From now on, you’re the new chief executive officer of Stark Industries."

Pepper: "…"