Chapter 72: What Exactly Is It For?

"I'll give it some serious thought," Tony replied, sinking into contemplation after hearing Harvey's words.

Originally, his intention in joining S.H.I.E.L.D. was to provide all-around support. His own strength was only sufficient to protect himself and those close to him; to safeguard Blue Star, there needed to be others who grew strong as well. But now, he realized he had to be selective in his support, given the presence of traitors and the inability to guarantee unity. Handing over some of his technology to S.H.I.E.L.D. could be exploited by moles, resulting in unforeseen trouble.

"I'm going to take a few days off to rest and relax. Then I'll return to the cosmos," Tony said.

"And not just those materials—don't forget to research the technology behind the cosmic translator and the universal communicator," Harvey reminded him. "Cracking those open will be immensely useful."

Seeing Tony understood, Harvey didn't linger on the topic of S.H.I.E.L.D. but offered a few instructions, finished his drink, and departed.

After Harvey left, Tony finished off the remaining food, then stepped into his underground lab and began his research. He knew that if he could extract the technology behind the cosmic translator and universal communicator, it would greatly enhance the control of his Iron Man armor and provide Blue Star with an incredibly convenient tech advance.

Such technology could be applied across industries; if all went well, Blue Star might finally connect with other planets in the cosmos. Harvey had mentioned several cosmic empires earlier, without going into detail, but it was proof that there were civilizations out there far more advanced. Compared to them, Blue Star's technology was still woefully inadequate.

Thus, Tony's goal became singular: to keep thinking and creating, striving to catch up with the civilizations of other planets. He sought to make Blue Star truly strong, so even if one day it was no longer under his protection, it would still have a foothold in the universe.

He would never allow Blue Star to face the fate Harvey had casually described—a world erased without anyone knowing.

※※※※※※

Harvey returned home, ordered some takeout, and logged into a game he hadn’t played in a month, enjoying himself in comfort.

While Xandar's technology was more advanced than Blue Star's, in terms of cuisine and entertainment, Xandar lagged behind. There were no games to play on Xandar, and Harvey found himself missing the life and food on Blue Star.

This time, he returned not only to bring Tony a few things but also because he was nostalgic for Blue Star's life and delicacies.

Harvey spent three days on Blue Star with no purpose, simply resting. He raced cars, visited Chinatown for imperial cuisine, and finally departed, satisfied, for the universe once more.

If he didn’t want to gain greater power by consuming those hard-to-swallow things like iron and steel, then now was not the time to idle aimlessly.

Xandar, Celebrity Hotel.

Sonia saw the man in golden armor—Mr. Kassadin—really return today.

"Welcome back, Mr. Kassadin. I'll prepare breakfast for you right away," Sonia said, her beautiful eyes showing surprise before quickly recovering.

"Mm," Harvey nodded, taking out his universal communicator and connecting directly to the bounty hunter website.

In the three days he’d been gone, some had tried to assign him tasks, others wanted to invite him for meetings. But none were people Harvey cared about, so he paid them no mind.

He was focused on upcoming bounty missions—those disaster-clearing assignments. Money was a minor concern; what mattered was slaying disasters and absorbing the evolution points they brought. Cataclysmic creatures like the world-devouring insect, brimming with immense life force, were rare encounters. Some disasters came in humanoid form and couldn’t be consumed; others were elemental and vanished upon death.

Harvey had no habit of eating things raw, so even if he wanted to, he couldn’t. Otherwise, after eighteen level-three missions, he wouldn’t have only evolved eighty-some times.

Though not every previous mission was immensely rewarding, they satisfied him and left rumors on various planets. Now, he just needed to further build his reputation, wait for the right moment to spread the word of the Void, and people would come to him.

When Sonia brought up the food, she found Mr. Kassadin already seated at the table, so she naturally and habitually served him breakfast.

Harvey quickly demolished his meal, then sat on the sofa, plotting his route.

"Mr. Kassadin, you have nothing urgent to attend to today?" Sonia asked softly, noting that he hadn’t left after eating but was deep in thought on the sofa.

Normally, Kassadin vanished as soon as he finished breakfast, living a life almost always on the go. Today, it was rare he didn’t immediately set out.

After she spoke, Sonia felt a bit nervous, worried she had crossed a line by asking.

"There’s something to do, but today I don’t need to rush out," Harvey replied, glancing at Sonia before turning away, speaking casually.

All the level-three disaster missions had been cleared; only level-two missions remained. These were less difficult, but easier didn’t mean trouble-free—so he needed to prioritize which would be the most efficient to handle.

"Mr. Kassadin, you always seem to be deep in thought. Is there something troubling you?" Sonia asked as she tidied up the dishes, her nerves easing after his reply.

"Not really trouble. Everything I do is for the goals I’ve planned out," Harvey answered, surprised by Sonia’s unusually talkative mood, but since these weren’t private matters, he didn’t hide anything.

"Mr. Kassadin, you’re so wealthy, yet you never slack off," Sonia said with a smile. "You resolutely pursue your plans, showing admirable determination."

"Is that just polite talk?" Harvey wondered aloud, uncertain.

"No, it’s genuine," Sonia shook her head slightly, her gaze filled with admiration. "Not everyone can follow their own plans and act on them. Most people can’t even say what they truly want, living aimlessly. So your clear vision for your future truly impresses me."

"Whether it’s politeness or sincerity, those words are indeed pleasing to hear," Harvey said, rising to look at Sonia. With that, he vanished from Villa 7777, heading out to carry out his mission.

"What exactly does Mr. Kassadin do...?" Sonia wondered, watching him leave. Since he seemed genuinely pleased, her curiosity only deepened.