Chapter Thirty-Five: The Uncontrollable Demon

Pepper wanted to quietly ask Tony something, but when she noticed his brows were tightly knit, as if he were pondering something important, she held back and refrained from disturbing him.

Yet she could sense that after Tony met Coulson and Harvey Amberlake, and had some unknown conversation with them, his personality and behavior had shifted subtly. Because she had cared for Tony for many years, handling all sorts of matters for him, he used to share his thoughts and requests freely with her. Pepper had always believed she understood Tony deeply, but now there were things he couldn't immediately explain to her. The conversation between Tony and Harvey Amberlake earlier had seemed brief and cryptic; she felt lost, but Tony and Harvey clearly knew what had passed between them. It made her feel increasingly unable to grasp Tony's thoughts.

Despite having spent over a decade together and knowing each other intimately, Tony now seemed strangely unfamiliar to her. She couldn’t understand what occupied his mind day and night.

Just then, the rapid whirring of helicopter blades echoed from outside. Pepper recognized the sound; Coulson had arrived, and knowing Tony's temperament, he would surely ask her to leave.

"I'm full, I'll let you get on with your business," she said, standing up proactively, watching Tony's reaction with a hint of hope in her eyes—wishing he might ask her to stay, even just to serve coffee, anything but to be excluded.

"Yes, you should go rest in your room," Tony replied, his gaze distant. "We have things to discuss. No matter what noises you hear, don’t come down, and don’t look. Only come down if you get a message from me."

Pepper, although she had anticipated his response, still felt a pang of disappointment as she agreed and went upstairs.

Tony had too many matters occupying his mind now, leaving no time to consider Pepper’s feelings.

Jarvis projected a live feed of the helicopter’s arrival. Not only Coulson had come, but also several unfamiliar faces to Tony Stark.

"Jarvis, open the door for them and guide them to me," Tony instructed, rising from his seat.

"Yes, sir," Jarvis replied, immediately opening the grand entrance.

This time, Coulson was not alone; Nick Fury, Natasha, and several other agents had come as well. Led by Jarvis, they swiftly carried a massive crate to the dining room.

When Nick Fury and his party entered, they glanced at Harvey Amberlake, who was dining elegantly.

"Tony Stark, Howard’s son," Nick Fury said, looking at Natasha before approaching Tony. "I didn’t expect you’d ever think of your father, or that he might have left behind some belongings."

"So you seem to know exactly what my father's relics mean," Tony responded, now facing Nick Fury directly.

"Of course. Your father was a genius, and had close cooperation with the military and our agency," Nick Fury explained. "His belongings became classified military secrets, guarded by S.H.I.E.L.D. I’d intended to hand them over when the time was right, so we could discuss whether you might discover something. I hadn’t expected you’d ask first—indeed, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree."

Nick Fury, now meeting Tony in person, dropped all pretense and spoke frankly.

"Spare me the compliments—just hand over my father’s belongings," Tony replied, catching the shift in Fury’s attitude and deciding not to engage further.

"That can be arranged," Fury said, "but you’ll need to study them under our supervision."

Tony arched an eyebrow. "That’s not how you sounded earlier. So now, if I throw you out, I won’t get my father’s relics?"

"I don’t want to make things difficult, Tony Stark. But you must understand, we have our reasons," Fury replied. "We need to ensure nothing you discover leaks out."

Fury’s words were met with irritated tutting from nearby.

"Send people to monitor me, and this madwoman to guard me," Harvey remarked, glancing at Natasha who stood five meters away. "Is this your idea of goodwill from S.H.I.E.L.D.?"

"Harvey Amberlake, it’s not what we want, but you’re deemed a person of interest," Fury replied, turning to Harvey. "Your wealth could pose a threat to S.H.I.E.L.D., so we must ensure you won’t leak sensitive information. We need you to sign an agreement: any large movements of your assets must be reviewed by us. Sign it, and you’re free to leave."

Harvey laughed. "So if I let you monitor my money, I can leave? Should I thank you for your magnanimity?"

"Harvey Amberlake, you know the Dark Net, and your fortune could endanger us," Natasha interjected, watching Harvey intently. "To ensure mutual non-interference, this is necessary."

"And if I refuse?" Harvey countered.

"Don’t make this difficult for us," Natasha said coldly, drawing a pistol. "Otherwise, we’ll have to use other means to make you comply."

"So if words fail, you resort to force?" Harvey’s smile vanished, his eyes cold and his tone icy.

As he finished speaking, all the agents witnessed Harvey Amberlake vanish from sight.

"Now tell me," Harvey said, his left hand gripping Natasha’s throat, lifting her off the ground, his voice chilling, "what you intend to do if I refuse?"

His right hand seized Natasha’s gun arm and, with a sickening crack, broke it.

"Ugh… ah!!" Natasha screamed in agony, sweat pouring down her face.

Except for Coulson, the other agents immediately drew their guns on Harvey Amberlake. In a flash, cracks resounded throughout the dining hall—their pistols shattered into powder, falling to the floor, and their gun hands were twisted and broken.

The intense pain caused the agents and Nick Fury to groan, their eyes filled with terror.

"Mr. Harvey Amberlake, please stop," Coulson pleaded.

"So—when negotiation fails, you resort to violence. Now that force won’t work, you’re back to words?" Harvey’s actions didn’t cease. He flung Natasha’s body like a rag doll, sending her crashing into the wall with a thunderous crack—a jagged fracture spreading across its surface.

The collision churned Natasha’s insides, and she vomited blood uncontrollably.

She whimpered, feeling as if every bone in her body had splintered.

"Does it hurt?" Harvey asked, his tone indifferent. "You came to test me, even drew your gun, forcing my hand to see if I’d reveal extraordinary power. If I did, you’d try to recruit me for your Avengers, wouldn’t you? Did your foolish mind ever consider that if I truly possessed power, your attempt might get you killed?"

Harvey crossed the ten meters to stand over Natasha, looking down at her pain-twisted face with cold detachment, as if she were nothing more than an insignificant insect.

At that moment, in the eyes of all present, Harvey became a lawless, terrifying demon, his words sending chills through everyone.

Tony Stark knew Harvey Amberlake was formidable. When Harvey had casually healed him, Tony’s physical condition had improved dramatically—and Harvey had called it a trivial trick.

But now, witnessing it firsthand, Tony realized just how terrifying Harvey Amberlake truly was. This was not something any conventional weapon could handle; even in his Iron Man suit, Tony would be nothing more than a toy before him.

"Harvey Amberlake, let’s talk calmly," Nick Fury said, enduring the pain and raising his uninjured hand in surrender.

"Talk calmly?" Harvey repeated. "You want to say Earth might face aliens. That this Natasha is a genetically enhanced old woman, one of the planet’s few capable operatives. If she dies, it’s a loss for Earth? Whether or not her death matters, what does your loss have to do with me?"

Harvey sat on the barely breathing Natasha’s back, staring evenly at Fury.

Nick Fury fell silent, his motives laid bare.

"I told you before—I can’t provoke you, but I can avoid you," Harvey said. "You annoyed me, so I cursed you out. As long as you don’t bother me, I won’t bother you. But your stupid arrogance seems dissatisfied, wanting to use authority to pressure me."

Harvey’s words were delivered with indifference.

Nick Fury realized he couldn’t morally constrain Harvey Amberlake and was momentarily at a loss. He had assumed that by coercing this young Asian billionaire into signing a contract, they would coexist peacefully, but never considered Harvey’s confidence came from more than just wealth.

"I advise you to abandon your plans, or I’ll crush every bone in your body—then you’ll know true pain," Harvey said suddenly, his gaze never wavering from Fury, issuing a dire warning.

Natasha, reaching for her thigh, froze mid-motion, her eyes reflecting despair.

This man was a demon—powerful and ruthless.