Chapter 364
"If I'm not mistaken, you must be the founder of Fisk Industries himself—Wilson Fisk, responding to New York government policy with their strong backing."
Tony Stark pulled a pair of black-framed glasses from his pocket and put them on, then walked behind Kingpin with his champagne, gazing at the back of that head gleaming under the lights.
Kingpin seemed genuinely surprised that anyone would approach him voluntarily at such a gathering where he knew no one.
His face carried a genial smile as he shifted his bulky frame to turn around, looking down slightly at Tony Stark, who stood considerably shorter. "That's right, I'm Wilson Fisk. But you don't need to introduce yourself. Everyone knows the great Iron Man Tony Stark."
Click-click-click!
As Kingpin's words landed, rapid camera shutters immediately surrounded them, flashbulbs illuminating both Kingpin's and Tony's faces.
The celebration didn't just feature hostesses, businessmen, elite professionals, and government workers—naturally it also included photographers from various media outlets.
As the charity auction's organizer, bearing numerous prestigious titles like superhero and billionaire, Tony Stark naturally drew photographers' eager focus.
Now seeing this focal figure standing together with Kingpin—another focal point of the auction—the photographers certainly wouldn't miss such an opportunity.
Kingpin had become a focus for two reasons. First, he'd fought Batman at Osborn Tower and appeared to be the only person in New York who'd battled Batman yet still operated openly in daylight.
Second was the opening line Tony Stark had used when greeting him.
Kingpin's return as a legitimate businessman was exactly as Tony Stark described—New York government had created a specific policy for Kingpin, and he was the only one who'd responded.
Under these combined circumstances, Kingpin had established a company called "Fisk Industries," currently conducting import-export trade, real estate, logistics, and transportation.
"But sometimes excessive fame isn't a good thing. Case in point, right now." Tony gestured with his champagne-holding hand in a circle toward the surrounding photographers.
"If that were truly the case, Hollywood wouldn't have so many people fighting every day to get one or two extra shots in movies, to become stars like Leonardo DiCaprio," Kingpin said with a smile. "Everyone wants to be famous, but not everyone gets the opportunity."
Tony Stark touched his nose. He kept getting the sense that Kingpin's words carried hidden meanings. "But I'm not here to discuss that with you today, Mr. Fisk."
"Oh?" Kingpin adopted an attentive listening posture.
"Interested in cooperation?" Tony said. "I've heard your Fisk Industries just took control of over half the harbor docks in Hell's Kitchen immediately after formation, but the other half remains beyond your grasp."
"You have a solution?" Kingpin asked doubtfully. "I wasn't aware that a multinational arms dealer like Stark Industries would still care about small logistics and transportation markets."
Earlier Tony Stark had only suspected hidden meanings in Kingpin's words. Now hearing the phrase "multinational arms dealer" emerge from Kingpin's mouth, Tony's eyes narrowed slightly despite himself.
Stark Industries had completely transformed, continuously expanding its business toward new energy. Aside from irritating reporters like Eddie Brock, almost no one voluntarily mentioned the arms-dealing past in Tony's presence.
'This guy's surface warmth masks the fact he's already treating me as an enemy,' Tony thought.
But he showed nothing on his face, continuing as though he hadn't registered Kingpin's comment at all. "I do have a solution. In fact, Stark Industries transformed long ago. We have presence across all industries, including logistics dock operations."
"I can persuade the companies controlling those remaining docks, or simply acquire them outright to establish cooperation with your Fisk Industries."
"Sorry." Contrary to Tony's expectations, Kingpin refused the deal outright.
"Why?" Tony adjusted his glasses, puzzled.
"That would require enormous cost and effort to accomplish, correct?" Kingpin answered Tony with a smile. "As a transaction, I can't offer stakes worthy of your doing so. Therefore I choose to refuse."
"What if I said you do have something worthy to offer?" Tony looked up at Kingpin, his face still wearing an ambiguous smile.
"Tell me, Tony Stark." Now Kingpin stopped smiling entirely, looking at Tony with complete seriousness.
Having reached this point in the conversation, even the stupidest person could detect that Tony Stark had approached him with a specific purpose.
And Kingpin was far from stupid.
"I need to exchange two people from you. Well... talents," Tony said without excessive circumlocution. "One man, one woman. Their names are Luke Cage and Jessica Jones."
Hearing this, Kingpin immediately fell silent, his eyes—squeezed somewhat small by the muscles filling his face—boring into Tony Stark.
Tony stopped talking as well. The two stared at each other in silence.
Kingpin's hands slowly clenched into fists. In this instant his mind raced through numerous possibilities—Daredevil's true identity, the relationship between Daredevil and Tony Stark, whether Luke Cage and Jessica Jones concealed some secret.
But simultaneously, he couldn't actually attack Tony Stark in such a public setting.
Kingpin had gone to great lengths using certain methods to replace his skeleton with Adamantium alloy through Japan's Dark Wind organization. Then, while New York's superheroes were occupied dealing with dinosaurs, he'd secretly infiltrated Baxter Building to control Reed Richards.
Through subsequent negotiations, he'd become a legitimate businessman, even gaining New York government's strong support.
If Kingpin struck Tony Stark's head now, everything he'd accomplished would be undone.
At the same time, a bead of cold sweat ran down Tony Stark's forehead.
He wasn't wearing his Mark VI armor right now. Kingpin with his alloy skeleton could crush Tony's skull effortlessly.
Tony placed one hand behind his back, prepared to summon the Mark VI armor immediately if the situation went wrong.
From the Mark II requiring mechanical arm assistance for donning to now, Tony Stark's Mark series armor had evolved to the point of self-assembly without any external help.
This confidence was what let him agree to Batman Peter Parker's request to "ransom" Luke Cage and Jessica Jones through business transactions.
Click-click-click!
As the two men stood in silence, a large empty space had somehow formed around them. Celebration guests unconsciously circled them, leaving only the dedicated photographers clicking their shutters.
"What if I refuse?" After prolonged silence, Kingpin's face displayed a smile again as he looked at Tony Stark.
Tony Stark opened his mouth. Before he could speak, a somewhat hoarse middle-aged voice sounded beside him:
"If you refuse, your Fisk Industries will face coordinated boycott from at least three major corporations."
The speaker was none other than Norman Osborn—head of Osborn Industries, one of New York's top-tier entrepreneurs, qualified to attend this charity auction.