"Pfft!"
This time, Darcy couldn't help but laugh out loud.
She had just finished a chicken wrap and was currently happily sipping a strawberry milkshake.
Hearing Leon's theory, she couldn't hold back.
Why was it still an insect?
She looked at Tony, whose expression wasn't very good, then at Leon, who looked innocent, and gave an embarrassed smile.
"Ahem!"
After Jane glared at her fiercely, Darcy quickly used her straw to cover her mouth.
But her trembling shoulders betrayed her inner joy.
Tony no longer wanted to laugh at this moment.
He didn't want to be angry either.
He only felt tired.
Firefly? Subdue?
Leaving aside that he had to find a metaphor from the insect class?!
What did he mean by'subdue'?!
He, Tony Stark, would never be a slave!
He took a deep breath and slowly put down the pizza in his hand.
He knew he couldn't remain silent any longer.
Otherwise, his dignity as Tony Stark would be trampled on the ground by this guy today.
He straightened his crumpled suit, trying to make his voice sound less weak and less angry.
"Alright," he began, his tone confident.
"Mr. Leon, is that right?"
"I must admit, your analogy is very novel. It's the first time I've been described as both a glowing insect and a non-glowing insect at the same time."
"However," he changed the subject, his eyes becoming sharp.
"I still say the same thing: why would you, a lofty Sun, come to appreciate the futility of us insects?"
"You've gone to such great lengths—investing, acting as a judge, repairing toys—surely it's not just to make me your employee, is it? Although I am indeed perfect."
He emphasized the words 'investing,' 'toys,' and'subdue,' the sarcasm self-evident.
This was his counterattack.
Since I can't contend with you in strength, I'll tear open your hypocritical mask with logic!
You're pretending to be a detached observer, aren't you?
Then I will make you admit that you also have your own goals!
You also have your desires!
As long as you have desires, you are no longer an unassailable god!!
Facing Tony's subtly pointed questions, the atmosphere on the balcony once again became delicate.
However, Leon's reaction once again surprised everyone.
He neither denied nor defended himself.
He looked at Tony and shook his head.
"Why?"
He asked in return, then nodded.
"I already said the answer just now."
"I won't repeat it a second time."
He spread his hands, but then seemed to remember, or perhaps he felt he should say something eloquent.
So, he thought for a moment, a smile on his lips, and began to explain.
"Life in Asgard is too comfortable and too boring. Thousands of years of banquets, thousands of years of wars, thousands of years of glory, all the same."
"All the scripts, before they even begin, already have a predictable ending."
His voice carried a hint of weariness.
"It's like a movie you've watched ten thousand times; no matter how grand the visuals or how stirring the soundtrack, you'll eventually get tired of it."
"But Earth is different."
He stood up and slowly walked in front of Tony, looking down at him.
His Shadow, stretched long by the balcony lights, enveloped Tony entirely.
"Here, there are endless variables."
"You will wage wars over ridiculous ideals, and sacrifice lives for love. You will create an Iron Man like yourself, and even more interesting things will emerge."
His gaze pierced through space and time, as if seeing certain scenes from the future.
"And I."
"Am just a tourist who happened to discover these things."
"I don't want everything to follow the original script; I want to change it, to create new scripts."
He extended a finger and lightly tapped Tony's arc reactor.
"Like finding the person on Earth most likely to help me do these things."
"I make you stronger, help you break through your limits, and give you some of the things you want."
"Then I let you do things for me, or rather, see if you can, with your faint light, truly shake the darkness once."
"Isn't that a very interesting thing?"
The atmosphere became quiet again.
Tony was stunned, his thoughts racing.
He completely understood, truly understood.
He had been thinking wrong before.
So that's how it was.
So, in this guy's eyes, Earth was just his private playground?
And everyone in his eyes seemed to be just slightly larger ants.
If he had to describe it, Tony felt he was like a creator who set the rules.
No, more terrifying than a creator.
Because a creator might still have compassion.
But Leon, he seemed to care about nothing.
Tony felt a chill run through his body.
His proud intellect, his very pride that he relied on for survival, all seemed ridiculous.
He began to realize that ignorance was, in fact, the greatest bliss.
"Madman."
After a long silence, Tony finally uttered these two words.
"You are a complete and utter madman."
"Perhaps."
Leon shrugged.
He withdrew his finger, turned, and walked back to the bar, pouring himself a new drink.
"Madmen and geniuses are often just a fine line apart, aren't they?"
"And I happen to be both."
He took a sip of his drink, then turned his gaze to Jane Foster, who had been like an outsider from beginning to end.
"Alright, Q&A session over."
Leon's tone returned to its previous casualness.
"Now, it's time to talk about your matters, Dr. Foster."
Jane's body stiffened abruptly.
She felt like a student whose mind had wandered in class and was suddenly called on by the teacher to answer a question, and panic began to set in.
"My, my matters?"
"Of course." Leon smiled as he looked at her.
His gaze swept back and forth between Jane and Thor.
"About the romantic love story between you and our unworthy Prince, Your Highness of Asgard."
Leon deliberately drew out the last few words, clearly teasing.
The atmosphere shifted too quickly, suddenly going from the "Doomsday Judgment" to a "Gossip Interview."
The abrupt change was too strong, making everyone feel unaccustomed.
Jane was a bit bewildered; although she really wanted to, why in this kind of situation?
She subconsciously glanced at Thor beside her, and saw that the once majestic Thor had changed his demeanor.
Thor's eyes darted away, not daring to meet hers, his expression extremely awkward.
A romantic love story?
Oh, God!
Was Your Highness Leon going to arrange their engagement?
Jane felt her mind go blank; as an astrophysicist, she was used to thinking about problems with data and formulas.
But now, she found herself unable to think of anything, feeling like she was about to float to the heavens.
.....
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