Not good! He's going to blow himself up!
That was the first thought that flashed through Tony's mind.
Without hesitation, he tore the long whip wrapped around his body, activated the jets on his feet, and propelled himself—and Ivan—skyward.
Under the vast starry sky, Tony, glowing with electric light, seemed to merge with the stars.
A heroic, tragic sacrifice?
Yeah, right.
"Qi Mu."
Shen He called out calmly before jumping out of his mecha, not bothering to look back as he strode toward the villa.
With a single teleport, Saiki Kusuo severed the whip, glanced at Ivan—already charred from the high-voltage current—and, using his psychic power, flung him high into the sky.
Boom!
This time, the fireworks were final.
Inside the villa, Violet had already slaughtered every enemy. Still clutching her dagger, she prowled the blood-drenched halls like a ghost, searching for any lingering breaths. The wounded, barely clinging to life, received swift, merciless executions—one by one.
Most of the surviving nurses had fainted in horror, and the only person still sleeping peacefully in the entire villa was the Two Rituals.
"Stop."
Shen He's command rang out.
Violet immediately sheathed her dagger and sank to the ground, sitting directly in the thick pool of blood. Her lips parted slightly as she regulated her breathing, recovering her strength.
She was drenched in crimson, the stench of blood so overwhelming that she resembled a butcher who had worked three days straight in a slaughterhouse.
Shen He stepped over the corpses, picked the girl up, and carried her without hesitation, unconcerned about the fresh blood staining his clean clothes and hands.
With the villa's plumbing system completely destroyed, he rummaged through a cabinet, found some clean towels, and carefully wiped the blood from Violet's face and hair.
She stared up at him with wide, puzzled blue eyes.
She was asking if there were any further orders.
"It's over."
Shen He gently patted her head—a silent reward.
At that, Violet's tense body finally relaxed. Like a doll, she rested against Shen He's chest, motionless.
Not long after, Tony arrived, dragging a shaken but unharmed Pepper Potts behind him. He carried two bottles of champagne.
"These are the last two bottles from the wine cellar. Some idiot threw a grenade in there," Tony muttered, tossing one bottle to Shen He. His gaze flicked to Violet, still soaked in blood. His expression stiffened.
"…She did all this?"
"Yeah."
Shen He nodded simply, twisting off the bottle cap with his thumb. He needed alcohol—anything to maintain the illusion of calm.
Tony exhaled heavily and took a long swig of his own bottle. "Well… Thanks for saving Pepper. If anything had happened to her, I'd really be all alone."
"What will you do now?" Shen He asked, watching him closely. "This won't be the last time. The moment you put on that armor and decided to be a hero, you became a target. And so did everyone close to you."
Tony swallowed, staring at the swirling liquid in his bottle. "I've been asking myself the same thing. I didn't have an answer—until I saw Pepper nearly burn to death." His grip tightened. "I'm Tony Stark. I'm not afraid of anyone. So if someone tries to destroy my life, I'll destroy them first. This isn't about being a hero. It's revenge."
"I'll help you."
Shen He set his bottle down and placed a firm hand on Tony's shoulder. His gaze was serious.
Originally, he had planned to avoid interfering too much in the timeline—at least until Thanos.
But now?
Now, he understood. From the moment he stepped into this world, he had already become a target.
Tony let out a short laugh. "Hearing that makes this a lot easier."
The attack on Tony Stark's villa made headlines worldwide. Once again, Tony emerged as a hero, but those who truly understood—like S.H.I.E.L.D.—knew that he had changed.
This wasn't the same playboy genius who saw heroism as a game. Tony Stark was ready to risk everything.
Meanwhile, Shen He left Tony's temporary residence, taking Violet and the Two Rituals with him.
According to the agreed compensation, Shen He had now inherited billions of dollars.
"Mr. Tian's most valuable asset is this five-star hotel," Natasha Romanoff explained, dressed in an elegant business suit. "It's 24 stories tall, covering 420 square meters, located in Chinatown's busiest district, and valued at $200 million."
Her current role? The legal consultant overseeing the estate transfer.
"Perfect. I'm satisfied."
Shen He admired the building.
Because its primary clientele were Chinese, the décor was deeply rooted in traditional Chinese aesthetics. Even the chefs, waitstaff, and front desk employees were all Chinese.
"You the foreman here?" Shen He asked, eyeing a shifty-looking man in a black suit.
"Of course not. I'm your grandfather's adopted son. You should be calling me 'Uncle,'" the man huffed, attempting to assume an elder's authority.
"Really." Shen He's expression remained blank. "Well, then—you're fired."
"What?!"
The man looked utterly dumbfounded.
Shen He didn't waste time explaining. He simply turned to Natasha. "Attorney, I don't need irrelevant personnel running my hotel. Also, I suspect he's been embezzling funds. Can I leave this to you?"
Saiki Kusuo had already confirmed the man's corruption. And Shen He had no intention of keeping deadweight around.
"Of course, Mr. Tian," Natasha said smoothly. "Tian left everything to you."
"You little—!"
The man lunged forward, spewing curses—only to be instantly taken down by a swift side-kick from Natasha.
"…Nice." Shen He whistled in approval. Watching the Black Widow in action was always a treat.
This was just a minor incident.
The hotel wasn't as high-tech as Tony's mansion, but it was his—legally and completely. It was luxurious, with an indoor pool on the top floor.
The only issue? Security. It would be easy for skilled agents to sneak in.
He needed to make more money—enough to buy a private luxury villa like Tony's.
But first?
Time for another card draw.
"Alright, hands washed? Let's see what kind of servants we get this time."
Shen He locked the door, excitement in his eyes, as he activated a high-tier ten-pull summon under the watchful gazes of Saiki and Violet.
First pull—a long blade. A three-star weapon.
Second pull—a sleek helmet, accompanied by a metal box. Four-star equipment.
Third pull…
Fourth…
Shen He's excitement gradually shifted to anxiety.
One after another, all three-star items.
Until, at last, a small, elegant pistol materialized in the glowing summoning circle.
Shen He's expression went blank.
…I just remembered what it feels like to be cursed by bad RNG.
Meanwhile, novice-luck Saiki Kusuo remained unbothered.