Chapter 107: Pursuing the Dawn of Cosmic Civilization

"I will go get them for you, and then you can figure out how to convince Pepper yourself."

Harvey, seeing that Tony seemed to have already planned for this, said no more. He teleported directly back home, and a moment later, he returned to Tony with a variety of gravity devices that Sonia had helped him purchase.

"I’ll be staying on Earth for a while to relax. Call me once you’ve handled your affairs and are ready to depart." After placing the items on the floor, Harvey waved and took his leave.

Once Harvey was gone, Jarvis quickly scanned the strange, oddly shaped devices and spoke up. "Sir, according to the scan, it is best not to activate these within the laboratory. Without a full understanding of these gravity devices, the violent fluctuations in gravity upon activation could tear the lab apart and delay your research progress."

Jarvis provided this advice immediately.

"Hmm, learning how to manipulate gravity is certainly one of the starting points for building a starship." Tony nodded in agreement. He crouched down and opened the several large crates, his eyes gleaming with excitement as he examined their contents.

He knew that the current limitations of human technology in mastering gravity were the very reason why the selection process for human astronauts was so incredibly rigorous. If he could fully grasp this, it would mean more than just unimaginable wealth—though, to be honest, Tony was not exactly short on money. More importantly, if he could master these gravity devices and learn to produce them independently, it would allow for more relaxed selection criteria for astronauts, which would help humanity understand the universe much faster.

Furthermore, these were the key to constructing space fighters. He had read about them in books, but due to limitations in materials and knowledge, he had never known where to start. Now that he had ready-made gravity devices, he could study and understand them, then use them as a reference to replicate lower-tier versions.

He could start by using available materials to create simpler inventions, then improve them step-by-step through research until he created his own. Some inventions were the result of sudden inspiration, allowing one to quickly develop things beyond the common understanding. However, most inventions required a wealth of knowledge, accumulated experience, and various pieces of equipment to ensure their successful creation. Having existing technology to study was like standing on the shoulders of giants.

If the various civilizations of the universe were already giants, humanity was still just a growing child. Alien technology could rapidly help Earth’s technology evolve.

***

After handing the items over to Tony, Harvey returned home and took a comfortable shower.

"Sonia, arrange afternoon tea for me..."

As he stepped out of the shower, his golden armor manifested on his body. He spoke the instruction offhandedly, but after realizing there was no response, Harvey looked at his familiar surroundings and remembered that he was back on Earth; Sonia was not by his side. Having been served by Sonia for his daily needs for nearly half a year, he had grown accustomed to it without realizing.

Realizing he was back on Earth, Harvey let the golden armor fade away. He walked into the walk-in closet, picked out a clean, casual outfit, and drove out to get something to eat.

Harvey cruised through the city, eventually heading to Chinatown to order some of his favorite dishes. S.H.I.E.L.D. had also caught wind of Harvey’s return and instructed their agents to stay clear of the areas where he was active. Though they had no idea where Harvey had disappeared to for the past few months, they knew full well that they should avoid this "demon" at all costs unless absolutely necessary.

Nick Fury had ways of dealing with other superpowered individuals, but when faced with a demon like Harvey—who possessed terrifying power and was unconstrained by law or morality—provoking him could mean the end of S.H.I.E.L.D. The only reason they had escaped unscathed last time was due to the positive impression Phil Coulson had left on Harvey, combined with Tony Stark’s intervention. Therefore, unless forced to, Nick Fury did not want to stand in opposition to Harvey. Besides, as long as Harvey hadn't caused massive destruction to Earth, Fury wasn't about to ask Captain Marvel for help.

After finishing his afternoon dessert, Harvey drove around aimlessly. On Xandar, he had to consider many things, such as how to quickly further his own strength. Even after returning to Earth, he had been preoccupied with whether he could drag Tony into space. But now that the plan was complete, Harvey decided to truly relax.

He cruised around New York, and facing the advances of many beautiful women, he chose one who was perfect in appearance, figure, and age to spend a long, romantic night with.

The women of Xandar were similar in appearance and physique to those on Earth, so each had their own charm. It wouldn't have been difficult for him to find a sexual partner there, but because he had to maintain the identity of Kassadin, he had not indulged in carnal desires, mostly just finding things to occupy his time. Now that he was back on Earth and had resumed his identity as a wealthy New York bachelor, there was no need for such restraint.

The next day at noon, when Harvey woke up, they enjoyed each other one last time before he gave her two million dollars and severed the connection. Money was a minor matter to Harvey; the dividends from Stark Industries alone brought him two to three hundred million a month. He could spend five million a day and still not exhaust his daily income. If he didn't make a clean break after a tryst, it would only lead to trouble, and he didn't want such trifles to affect his mood.

For the next twenty days or so, Harvey did nothing but eat and seek the company of beautiful women. Once the need to worry about money was removed, the life of a rich man was simply that plain and unpretentious.

During this period, Sonia called to report that there had been many visitors. However, without sufficient information and unable to see Harvey, there were only eight people who had persisted for four or five days, still believing in the Void and refusing to leave the island. Some had even claimed that this was just a scam by Kassadin to lure them to the island to spend money.

Sonia asked for Harvey's opinion on how to handle them. Harvey, naturally, paid no mind to such gossip. Although he sought Void energy and therefore had set very broad criteria, willing to give everyone a chance, he only needed to obtain one or two more hero templates to feel confident in facing strong enemies. Therefore, he didn't have many requirements for those who wanted to gain the power of the Void to change their lives—they simply couldn't be people who sought quick success and instant benefits; they needed to possess sufficient patience.

If they didn't even have the patience to wait a few days, such people, once they gained power, would inevitably risk violating the precepts of the Void Cult out of a desire for even greater strength. Execution was a minor issue; the main concern was that it would attract unnecessary trouble and might even lead other members of the Void Cult to break the rules.

Harvey didn't yet have the power to dictate rules for the universe, but he could certainly judge a person's character when selecting his followers.