PFC Chapter 2248 Jincheng comes late in autumn (38)
Chapter 2248 Jincheng comes late in autumn (38)
Chapter 2248: Late Autumn in Jincheng (Thirty-Eight)
"On the eve of the end of the war, nothing could break into Stark Tower, but that doesn't mean Pepper wouldn't be injured. There were several explosions at the edge of the building, and the building shook severely. Pepper was too fragile. She broke her arm and may have broken two ribs." Stark said slowly.
"What's more serious is her mental problem. I don't think the war scenes scared her. She is a very strong person who has come out of countless disasters before, and this time is no exception."
"I think the problem has always been our relationship." Stark was a little excited. He hammered the guardrail with his other hand and said, "She doesn't believe that I chose to give up the fight for Stark Tower at the last minute. She began to be confused about who her lover is. She doesn't know whether to believe the evidence published by the media. Her mind is splitting."
"I have to be there for her, but when everyone points the finger at me, I have to quell the bigger troubles, otherwise she won't be able to survive."
Stark closed his eyes in pain and said, "If I don't go with them, or run away on my own, they will definitely accuse Pepper of harboring a criminal."
"My last name is Stark. They will follow the legal process honestly for the sake of Stark Group. But Pepper is just my secretary. Apart from me, she has almost no one to rely on. I can't imagine what they will do to Pepper in order to find out my whereabouts. Even if it's just imprisonment, Pepper won't be able to withstand it in her condition."
"You are so wrong." Schiller commented in a matter-of-fact tone: "If you are not a lunatic who is born heartless and ungrateful, then don't do things that only lunatics would do. If you do, you should make up your mind to give up all thoughts and emotions in advance."
"I don't need you to repeat all this again," Stark growled. "There's no point standing here and making sarcastic comments after everything that's happened. Is that all you can do? Doctor?!"
"I'm not a psychiatrist," Schiller said, shaking his head. "But I must frankly admit that some of my actions have led to your current situation, so I can give you some useful advice."
"What is it?" Stark stared into Schiller's eyes, but couldn't make out much information from those distracted eyes.
"Pepper needs company, but you can't be with her. You know she won't go with you until she makes a final choice, and her physical condition can't support your forced behavior that is almost kidnapping."
Stark remained silent, but he had to admit that Schiller's summary was very accurate. He could hardly find any way out when it came to dealing with Pepper.
Bai Can is not a good person, but although he often looks like a crazy villain who disregards the consequences for the sake of profit, as long as he is still doing it for the sake of profit, he is not a pure madman.
What was reversed was his view of good and evil, and only his view of good and evil. The rich emotions that once existed in Stark's mind were still with him, but this time he gave them all to Pepper.
"What do you suggest?" Stark asked, staring into Schiller's eyes.
"The only one who can keep her company is Stark. Since you can't, let the other one go."
Stark shook his head and said, "Do you think I haven't thought about it? But he has no body, just an electronic consciousness. Stark Tower is now sealed off, and Pepper is also being investigated by the FBI. The two of them can't meet at all."
"If your backup consciousness cannot go to the real world, then let Pepper become a digital life as well."
Stark stared at Schiller blankly. He raised his voice in disbelief and said, "What?"
"You know how to back up your own consciousness, so you can upload Pepper's consciousness to the computer in the same way. This will not only circumvent the FBI's investigation of him, but also allow her to have your company."
"This... this won't do." Stark grunted and said, "This is very dangerous. And, and what about her body?"
"Leave it to the superheroes, Captain America, Spider-Man, and even Nick, the director of SHIELD. When they know that this is an unconscious and injured body, and if something goes wrong with the body, it may lead to Pepper's death, they will definitely ensure the safety of this body."
Stark was stunned for a moment and then realized, yes, superheroes are like this, they pursue procedural justice. If a person is guilty, he must go to court to stand trial and cannot be killed in private.
Pepper's condition is so serious that she has lost consciousness. No matter what the FBI wants to do, the heroes will definitely protect her. This is related to what they pursue most, and they will definitely do their best.
Stark looked at Schiller with a complicated expression. He said, "You used the psychological treatment you gave to those superheroes to do this, to manipulate them and take advantage of their loopholes?"
"I told you, I'm not a psychiatrist."
Stark took a deep breath until his chest was full, then he turned his head to one side and said, "You know what I'm thinking now. You will laugh at me for being cowardly, hesitant, and indecisive."
"It's human nature not to want to share something you truly love with others, but don't forget what gave you the edge over Pepper."
Schiller's words were blown into Stark's ears by the wind. He had never hated the sound of the wind as much as today, because the noisy noise made Stark unable to tell whether it was sincere advice or manipulation.
But even if this was poisoned honey, Stark had no choice because he knew Schiller was right.
Before the final battle, Pepper did not hesitate at all. She did not admit that the evil Iron Man played by White Can was Tony Stark. She thought it might be something disguised as him and never gave him a good look.
What really shook Pepper was that in the final battle, White Can gave up the fight with the electronic consciousness Stark for control of Stark Group in order to resist foreign enemies. This made Pepper realize that the evil Stark was also Stark, and Stark loved her.
It can be said that this is the culprit for Pepper's poor mental state. Accepting the love of the evil Iron Man makes her feel guilty, but she cannot deny this love. This is the most torturous self-tear.
Stark understood that only by taking a step back like this could Pepper see his love more clearly, and that the strongest rope that could manipulate a person was not gratitude, but guilt.
"You've done a good job before." Schiller spoke again. He took a small step forward, and Stark had almost no place to stand. His presence was so strong that Stark could not ignore his words at all.
"You accepted the FBI's arrest for Pepper. She must have seen it, and it made the scale in her heart more weighted towards you."
"Is it a good thing that she can't access electronic consciousness? Maybe not. Often, only by comparison can we make firm choices."
"What do you think your backup consciousness would say to her? Would he want her to be grateful to you? Of course not. He would just scold you in front of Pepper and tell her that you were rude for giving up and that you deserved to be caught."
"But if human emotions could always stand firmly on the side of justice, there wouldn't be so much confusion. When a person's thoughts are all based on emotions, if you talk too much about justice with her, it will only push her further away."
Stark's grip tightened, and he felt his palms sweat and his arms stiffen.
"Do you think I should do that?"
"Of course, and most importantly, once Pepper makes her choice, our righteous hero Stark will not cling to her like you do. It is more likely that he will feel broken and disappear."
Stark pursed his lips, stared into Schiller's eyes and said, "You are more despicable than I thought, Schiller. I can't even describe it."
"You will never be able to find an accurate word to describe me. There has never been one before, and there will never be one in the future. You will only get to know a new me all the time. How does that make you feel?"
Stark raised his head slightly in pain, his Adam's apple rolling up and down, his head tilted to one side, his arms spread wider, and his body pressed tightly against the railing.
"The world should see your manipulative abilities, so they won't call me a manipulative person anymore." Stark gritted his teeth and said, "You damn psychopath."
"I've already told you, don't define me easily, because you will always get to know a new me through certain things."
Schiller took a step to the side and finally made way for the room. Stark looked like a corpse that had suddenly fallen from a cross, looking disheveled and staggering.
He knew that he suddenly lost his composure. This nervousness was not entirely due to the fatigue brought about by the successive wars and interrogations, but more because of Schiller's oppression.
The Schiller he met today was different from the one he had known before. He knew too well how to use everything he could to oppress others.
When he turns this expertise into a skill and then sublimates it into an art, and then turns this art into instinct, there is almost no intelligent life that can resist it.
Stark walked into the bedroom holding the door frame, then walked through the bedroom and back to the corridor. He felt soaked, as if he had just fallen into an ice hole and was pulled out of it. He didn't want to look back and see Schiller who was standing at the door and watching him go.
At the corner of the stairs, he couldn't help but look back. Schiller was standing in the shadow in front of the door. His figure against the light showed a kind of evil and divinity, which made people want to run away in fear, but also want to worship him.
"It's rare that Schiller would give such useful advice directly." Pamela commented after retracting the vines.
She turned to look at Natasha, only to find that her face had turned as dark as the bottom of a pot, so she couldn't help but ask curiously, "What's wrong? Ma'am, why are you worried?"
"For the IQ of these damn idiots." Natasha kept glancing at Pamela, with a hint of meaning written on her face.
Pamela looked at her in confusion.
Natasha sighed and said, "Why don't you understand? When Schiller told you it was over, it meant that it was just beginning."
"First the money, then the goods; first the goods, then the money. It's all a fickle trick. No one can take anything away from him without paying a price. It's just that some Schillers will clearly mark the price, while others will force you into a corner and then let him take whatever you want."
"Is it really that scary?"
"Do you really think this is the end?" Natasha asked Pamela. "When he was at his most vulnerable, he ran to Schiller for help, and Schiller kindly pointed out a clear path for him. Now the two of them have parted ways, perhaps never to see each other again?"
Pamela frowned slightly.
"You mean, it's not that simple?"
Natasha nodded helplessly.
(End of this chapter)