At this mont, much of the world was in chaos.
Humans were debating, while those with superpowers were actively hunting down Hydra.
However, inside Stark Tower, everything remained calm, as if it were detached from the rest of the world.
Luo Bai leisurely sipped his tea and said, "Alright, problem solved. See? I told you this would be over soon~~"
"..."
Frankly speaking, Tony Stark was speechless.
After a mont of silence, he couldn't help but complain, "Pierce actually went on live broadcast and admitted he was a Hydra agent? And then he just announced the entire list of Hydra personnel? Is he insane?!"
Before Luo Bai could answer, Stark spoke again.
"Wait—I get it now. You used magic, didn't you?"
Luo Bai took another sip of tea, responding calmly, "It wasn't magic. It was the Scepter. The Mind Stone inside ca in handy. I used its energy to control Pierce."
Stark suddenly understood and let out a sigh.
"Damn... that thing is really that powerful?"
Luo Bai nodded, his tone certain.
"If you can control it properly, it's an incredibly powerful weapon."
Stark didn't ask further. He wasn't particularly interested in the Infinity Stones anyway.
Right now, his bigger concern was Hydra.
After the stunt Pierce had pulled, it was only a matter of ti before every super-powered individual on Earth went after Hydra.
That thought alone was pretty exciting.
Thinking about it, Stark couldn't help but laugh.
"With Pierce pulling sothing like this, Hydra has probably pissed off the entire world. That was your goal, wasn't it? Make Hydra a global enemy so that superpowered individuals would rise up and stop Project Insight?"
However, the next second, Luo Bai casually denied it.
"No, I already stopped Project Insight a long ti ago."
Stark was stunned.
Then he thought about it—with Luo Bai's abilities, he probably could've stopped it without even leaving his house.
After all, he's a mage. Stopping sothing like Project Insight was nothing more than a flick of his fingers for him.
But that raised another question.
"If you already stopped it, then why bother controlling Pierce to make that speech and expose Project Insight to the world?" Stark asked, confused.
Luo Bai put down his cup and explained calmly.
"I wanted the higher-ups to realize their incompetence. More importantly, I wanted the world to see who is truly trustworthy."
Although the top officials of Country M wanted to control superpowered individuals, Pierce was the main force pushing for it.
However, that didn't an the people in power didn't have their own selfish motives.
The truth was, taking them down wasn't difficult at all.
But so problems aren't best solved through brute force.
The governnt had been trying to use public opinion to paint superpowered individuals—and even mages—as a threat to humanity.
They wanted ordinary people to fear and reject them.
So, Luo Bai chose a different approach.
He exposed Project Insight and controlled Pierce to spill the truth.
That way, the whole world would finally understand that Earth needs superpowered individuals.
Not just ordinary people—even the higher-ups need them.
Because their ranks had already been infiltrated by enemies.
There were Hydra spies in the International Security Council.
There were Hydra spies in S.H.I.E.L.D.
Luo Bai continued, his voice calm as ever.
"The higher-ups want to control superpowered individuals because they feel safe. They don't believe there's a real threat. But once they realize the enemy is right beside them, they will start to feel fear."
Stark imdiately understood what he ant and couldn't help but sigh.
"Yeah... the mont those politicians realize Earth isn't as safe as they thought, they'll finally see why superpowered individuals are important. I know that feeling all too well."
As he spoke, Stark continued scrolling through Hydra's personnel files.
However, as he looked through the data, his expression slowly changed.
Sothing was off.
Then, he saw it.
The Winter Soldier.
A highly trained, brainwashed assassin absolutely loyal to Hydra.
There wasn't just one Winter Soldier.
But among them, the most elite, the most dangerous, was a man nad—
Bucky Barnes.
He had been a sergeant during World War II before being transford into the Winter Soldier.
Over the years, he had carried out countless assassinations, and his file recorded every mission he had ever participated in.
Among them was the assassination of Howard Stark and his wife.
And Howard Stark was Tony Stark's father.
When Stark saw this information, his expression changed instantly.
The lighthearted mood he had just monts ago, ready to joke around with Luo Bai, vanished in an instant.
Luo Bai imdiately noticed the shift in his emotions.
"What's wrong, Stark?" Luo Bai asked.
The next second, Stark suddenly demanded, his voice tense, "Luo Bai, tell —are these docunts real? This is all Hydra's classified information, right?"
"Yes." Luo Bai nodded.
The mont he confird it, Stark pressed further, his voice growing more urgent.
"So my parents... they didn't die in a car accident? They were murdered by Hydra?!"
As he spoke, he shoved the Winter Soldier's file toward Luo Bai.
Now, Luo Bai finally understood why Stark's mood had shifted so dramatically.
To Stark, the truth was clear—his parents had been killed by the Winter Soldier.
Even if he hadn't seen this file today, he would have found out eventually.
And as Stark's friend, Luo Bai felt this was not sothing he should keep hidden from him.
Luo Bai took a deep breath and spoke, his tone filled with regret.
"I know this is difficult to accept, Tony. But... it's the truth. As your friend, I don't want to lie to you. But at the sa ti, I hate that you have to find out this way."
Stark clenched his fists. His voice trembled with rage.
"No... you did the right thing. I deserved to know. I just... I wasn't prepared for it."
His breathing grew heavier, his emotions spiraling.
"I'm furious, Luo Bai. Do you understand? I—"
He cut himself off. His body tensed.
He was shaking with rage, trying and failing to keep himself under control.
His eyes darted around the room, searching.
Then, in the next instant—
"JARVIS! Suit up!"
The command had barely left his lips before his battle suit automatically assembled around him.
As the armor clicked into place, Luo Bai imdiately understood his intentions.
"You're going after the Winter Soldier."
It wasn't a question—it was a statent.
Stark's eyes were cold as steel.
"Yes. Of course I am."
His teeth clenched, his voice low, every word dripping with hatred.
"He murdered my parents. There's no way I'm letting this go."
Luo Bai understood his anger.
Revenge for his parents—how could Stark not want that?
Knowing this, Luo Bai imdiately stepped forward.
"I'll help you."
He raised his hand, about to open a portal—
"Wait."
Stark's voice stopped him.
Luo Bai frowned. "What's wrong?"
Stark hesitated for a second before answering, his voice unsteady.
"I know you're powerful. You can use magic. You could probably bring the Winter Soldier right here in front of ."
His hands clenched into fists.
"You've already helped so much. And I trust you—I really do.
But I need to handle this myself.
Please... let do this alone."
His voice cracked.
For the first ti, there was a hint of a sob in his words.
As if he still couldn't fully accept this devastating truth.
Luo Bai stared at him for a mont—then, he lowered his hand.
He understood.
Given the choice, most people would want to take revenge with their own hands.
Luo Bai took a step back and said seriously, "Tony, we will always be friends. If you ever need anything, I'll be there."
Stark took a deep breath. His lips curled slightly—not a smile, but a silent gesture of gratitude.
"I know. Of course, I know.
...Thank you."
With those final words, he turned and blasted out of the tower window, disappearing into the night sky.
Luo Bai stood there, watching his departing figure, lost in thought.
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