Chapter 1035: Astonishing Mundanity (Twelve) (Patreon)

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"I understand the importance of the defense system on the shuttle. It's crucial for the safety of all passengers. As for Sheriff George, his condition is serious because of his pre-existing heart problem. Perhaps, after a period of hospital treatment, he'll be fine..."

"But, I also encountered the criminal who rushed onto the shuttle with explosives. He's an unemployed bus driver on the edge."

"He told me the explosives were homemade, with limited power insufficient to destroy the entire shuttle. His intention in sprinting towards the front of the shuttle at high speed was solely to disable the control system and bring the shuttle to a halt."

"He knew about the shuttle's descent protection mechanism. He didn't intend to kill anyone; he just wanted these advanced gadgets to stop working for a week or two, because he had to work a full month to receive his full wage."

Peter took a deep breath. "He said it wasn't his idea alone. It's just that he has no children of his own, while his colleagues are all waiting to buy Christmas gifts for their children."

"He doesn't ask for much, just the full wage..." Peter pursed his lips. "He's both bad and good, smart and foolish, much like myself."

"Do you think my design of the intelligent system isn't perfect enough?" Stark, as if caught in a corner, said, "I've tried to consider every aspect, ensuring everyone, including vulnerable groups, can enjoy the same convenience."

"In the intelligent service hall, blind individuals don't need to operate anything; they just need to tell the intelligent service robot their purpose, and the robot will take care of everything for them."

"Deaf and mute individuals have a specialized text communication system covering hundreds of languages, along with dedicated sign language robots to assist them."

"Even a stray dog that barges in can have specialized transportation permits processed by intelligent service robots to prevent its owner from being denied boarding on air transport routes."

"Everyone can enjoy the convenience brought by the new era. What's wrong with that? I don't need rewards, fame, or anyone's recognition for my efforts. I'm just doing my best to usher everyone into a better and more convenient future..."

Stark took a deep breath, his voice choked. "When Howard gets drunk and starts pulling me aside, he loves to boast about the good old days, saying the people of that era were different from us, noble, pure, hardworking, diligent..."

"Yeah, his typical example is Steve." Stark's muscles under the Iron Man suit trembled continuously, his speech speeding up. "He says every American of that era was like Steve, and it was their efforts that brought glory to this country."

"He belittles us, saying that glorious era will never come back. But I have to prove to him that every generation has its own glory, and humanity is forever on the road to progress."

"I will prove that the era I'm in, the era I represent, is much better than the one he fondly remembers, and I can do much more than he ever could."

But then, Stark fell silent again. A sense of desolation emanated from him, as if his lofty words had been scattered by the wind. After a moment of silence, he spoke, somewhat hoarsely, "But now it seems the biggest difference between him and me is that he did for me what I can never do for him."

"Tony..." Peter rarely addressed Stark directly. He preferred to be a respectful junior in front of elders like Stark, Schiller, or Steve, never crossing the line with jokes, perhaps stemming from his uncle's teachings.

But Peter was not just their junior; he was also their comrade, with the right to have equal dialogue with them. So he said, "I often wonder if the development of the times always comes at the cost of ordinary people's sacrifices."

"The train of time moves too fast, leaving some behind. I know I may be too sentimental, always impractical. I know I can't save everyone left behind by the times, but I always want to."

"Because if I hadn't become Spider-Man, still just a poor kid from Midtown, perhaps my family and I would also have been among those left behind by the times."

Peter lowered his head, glanced at his hands, and then said, "Last night, at the dinner table, my uncle said he's getting old, his learning ability isn't as good as young people's. He hasn't even figured out the circuitry of the Elevator produced by the previous generation of Stark Industries before a new generation came out."

"He said when he was young, his father, my grandfather, was also among those left behind by the times. He said they didn't catch the wave of the times like the lucky ones did; otherwise, they could have created a better life for me..."

Peter's tone remained calm, much calmer than Stark's. It was as if he were talking about something unrelated to himself.

But Stark knew that if he were in Peter's shoes, hearing his uncle say such things, he might cry.

He didn't realize when Peter had become so mature and rational, even able to repeat these things objectively just one night after hearing them.

"I'm not here to say you're not doing well, not to say you should consider more perfection, or to take care of ordinary people, because I know there's no such perfect person in this world."

"Pushing the limits of humanity, exploring the end of knowledge, making everyone gaze at the stars and sea, pursuing the mysteries of space, that's already enough for a lifetime."

Peter turned to Stark and said, "You, Dr. Schiller, and other scientific researchers do that, then I'll do something else, something you guys overlook, to ensure the happiness of ordinary people like me."

"Let the surging tide of this era not only fail to shake the colossal wheel like yours but also not capsize the small boats. Or I can try my best to save every person drowning in it."

"So, you can move forward confidently, ride the winds and waves toward the distance, without worrying too much about speeding up or feeling guilty and sorry for the ordinary people who couldn't keep up after this era ends."

Stark's emotions finally collapsed completely. Under Peter's gaze, the engine of the steel combat suit roared to life, and Iron Man shot up into the sky at a speed far beyond what the engine could bear, continuously breaking through upwards until reaching above the atmosphere.

No one knew whether the vast and silent space heard the lament of steel, nor did anyone know that the one who had always been as unyielding as steel was also someone's child, someone's father.

The image on the projection screen froze on a blue planet. Schiller sat up from his chair, rubbing his finally relaxed neck muscles, and said to JARVIS, "... JARVIS, any more cold beers?"

Two minutes later, Stark, somewhat intoxicated and dazed, saw a fair hand slam a case of beer onto the table in a very rough manner.

He looked up, surprised that it wasn't Steve's face he saw. Schiller looked into Stark's eyes and said, "Yesterday, I went drinking with Steve. He said even your dad couldn't outdrink him."

Stark instantly widened his eyes, the previous drunkenness evaporating. He pounded the table and cursed loudly, "Howard boasts about him every day!!! Every day!!! He talks about him every single day!! On the contrary..."

"And Steve is enhanced, how dare he compete in drinking with ordinary people? Wait, don't tell me you've never outdrank him either?!"

Schiller nodded and said, "I indeed haven't drunk with him before, so I'm planning to call him now. With you as my comrade, we can surely bring him down."

Stark immediately started preparing himself, saying, "Hold on a moment, JARVIS! JARVIS! Get me an ice towel... Wait, let's tidy up here first. Oh, don't take away the cans; they're all part of my achievements..."

At this moment, Schiller had already dialed the number, saying on the other end, "Hello? Steve? Tony Stark wants to invite you for drinks..."

Stark immediately gestured across the table, indicating "Don't say it's from me." Schiller quickly corrected himself, saying, "What I mean is, I want to invite you for drinks. We didn't have a good time yesterday, and you got drunk..."

"What? I got drunk? Stop talking nonsense; I'm as clear as a fog. How could I get drunk? You must be hallucinating from being too nervous. Correct, believe me, I'm the most professional psychologist..."

"Yes, both Tony and I are here." Schiller raised an eyebrow, glanced at Stark who was pretending not to care but kept sneaking glances their way, then tapped the table with his finger and said, "Yes, Tony and I are together, so you better watch out..."

"Alright, to be fair, let's make it two against two. You can also bring a teammate..." Just as Schiller finished saying this, Stark stared at him wide-eyed, then, with a frown, Schiller switched the phone to the other side, saying, "What? You think you can take us down alone?"

Stark immediately slammed the table and leaned away as if to leave, his face expressing "See, I told you he's arrogant!"

Then, Stark shifted uncomfortably in his chair, and Schiller continued, "Of course, you can bring Bucky along. What? You say both of you are enhanced individuals, isn't that unfair to Tony, an ordinary person?"

Stark instantly showed a shocked expression, followed by boundless anger. He grabbed the phone and shouted into it, "Steve Rogers! Listen to me! An ordinary person??!!"

"If your anxiety has caused you to speak nonsense and hallucinate, you better hurry to the psychiatric hospital for medication! Don't come and join the genius's drinking session! I don't care who you bring, but listen, Stark will never lose to you! Not any Stark!!!"

With a loud click, he hung up the phone, tossed it onto the table, and Schiller rolled his eyes, saying, "I have to remind you, yesterday we both drank without cheating, which is why we both got drunk. If there were a real competition today, you'd probably..."

"JARVIS! JARVIS! Where's my Life Support Mech armor?! Help me get it ready; I'm putting it on now!" Stark immediately stood up, then turned back to Schiller and said, "Do you think physical strength is everything? Being human requires brains!"

About two hours later, the entire laboratory seemed soaked in alcohol. Describing how much they drank in cans was becoming cumbersome; it would be better to just say "tons."

As Steve had said, Captain America and Winter Soldier, both genetically enhanced individuals, could get drunk if they wanted to, but could also metabolize alcohol quickly just by taking a few deep breaths.

Schiller was no exception; his capacity depended on how much Grey Mist could handle, and what Grey Mist could handle, Scarecrow Jonathan Crane had something to say about.

Surprisingly, even Stark, whose constitution was that of an ordinary person, didn't lag behind. His Life Support Mech armor had undergone numerous upgrades, helping him metabolize alcohol effortlessly.

So, the four men drank heavily in Stark Tower's laboratory.

JARVIS and Ultron, the two cutting-edge AI butlers, searched New York for alcohol supplies, planned the shortest routes to buy alcohol, and ensured a steady supply, pushing themselves to the limit.

Natasha, Barton, and Coulson joined in, and the alcohol vendors across New York made a fortune, including Nick.

Fortunately, although they could metabolize alcohol quickly, they couldn't do it infinitely. Even if they metabolized 99%, the remaining 1% would eventually accumulate, making them drunk.

In the end, Steve and Bucky lost the ability to even think about metabolizing alcohol, Grey Mist went wild in Schiller's mind, and Stark lost the instinct to control his Mech armor.

The four men lay sprawled on opposite ends of the sofa, in a very sorry state, with foul language escaping their mouths.

"You... can't..." Steve was the first to speak, extending his arm in a daze and pointing at Stark. "Your dad... can't either!"

"Bullshit!" Stark retched and said, "You guys... are all talking bullshit! Today, only... Stark... won!"

"I... can still... drink..." Bucky's speech was so slurred he couldn't form complete words. His mechanical arm lifted uncontrollably, reaching for a nearby bottle.

"Drinking doesn't count!" Schiller immediately sat up, knocking the bottle out of Bucky's hand. At this moment, neither of them noticed that it was an empty bottle.

"This is... my first time... getting drunk!" Steve said with a heavy tongue. "How much... did we drink? Was it 100 tons? I've been to the toilet at least... um... at least 60 times. I've counted them clearly..."

"Bullshit!" Stark retorted immediately, biting his tongue and letting out a yelp, then said, "You've been to the toilet 20 times more than me! So... you must have gone... over 140 times..."

"You're all losers!" Schiller spoke up, "I'm the only one who didn't go to the toilet even once... so... today, I win..."

"Well... that's true..." Steve leaned against the other end of the sofa and started vomiting. After he finished, he wiped his mouth and said, "I admire you for this... but... you have nothing to be proud of; you're completely drunk too!"

Schiller was indeed in a state of grey mist, as Grey Mist had begun to rage.

Stark suddenly started laughing foolishly, then pointed at the three of them with trembling fingers, saying, "... Look at you guys! You have no dignity! Look at me... look at me!"

"Burp!" Steve belched again and said, "You're... a billionaire! We... we're all just ordinary folks..."

"I'm also... an ordinary person..." Stark swayed his upper body, then picked up another bottle of alcohol, slammed it on the table, and took a gulp.

At this moment, the moonlight outside was exceptionally bright, like every clear night.

And in the room illuminated by the light, several hands were raised high, clinking glasses together. As they did, the moon in the sky, feeling lonely amidst the revelry and vulgarity, bowed gently, fitting perfectly with every exhausted commoner.

So, she flew over from the distant sky, leaned against the window, and listened intently. She didn't hear grand ideals or unrealistic dreams. She only heard four drunkards, shouting loudly, even if incoherently:

"To... ordinary people!"

"To ordinary people!"

Thus, the moonlight lingered, gently bowing to every exhausted commoner, perfectly matched in their mundanity.

[Read at www.patreon.com/shanefreak, and thanks for the invaluable support!]

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Next Chapter>>Chapter 1036: Shocking Mundanity (Thirteen)