Starting with Naruto, I'll become stronger through my own efforts.

Chapter 174 The Battle for the Iron Monarch (Updated 3/3)

In Rogers' eyes, Stark is Howard's son.

Moreover, he was a poor child who hadn't been properly raised and shouldn't be overly criticized.

Shazzo had no obligation to lecture Stark either, and he interrupted Tony Stark's musings: "Stop musing here, go to the hospital for a checkup."

"Although I was very careful when I removed the shrapnel, I still left a few wounds on the veins. You will need a doctor to disinfect and bandage them."

"But don't worry, you're out of danger now."

After saying that, Xia Zuo disappeared.

Not far away, a man with a very high hairline was running towards them.

When he saw Xia Zuo disappear, a hint of disappointment flashed in his eyes, but he smiled and said, "Captain, Mr. Stark, I've called an ambulance. We'll take you to the hospital for treatment right away."

Phil Coulson smiled gently and asked, "Mr. Stark, do you need to speak with Miss Pepper Potts?"

Stark tensed instantly and asked anxiously, "How is Pepper? Is she hurt?"

Coulson smiled and replied, "Miss Pepper is not injured, just a little shaken, and is currently undergoing examination at the hospital."

"Mr. Stark, please rest assured: our agents and the New York Police Department have been deployed to provide Miss Pepper with tight protection; she is absolutely safe."

Stark struggled to his feet, yelling, "Get me to the hospital, Ohshift! I'm in pain all over, and I need to get checked out too."

Just then, the ambulance arrived, and Coulson quickly waved: "Quick, take Mr. Stark to the hospital."

He only breathed a sigh of relief after Stark was put into the ambulance.

From the beginning until now, Coulson has been skillfully moving his body to block Stark's view, preventing him from seeing the black-clad agents measuring the Iron Monger.

There was no other way; it was Director Lu's order to keep Iron Monger under S.H.I.E.L.D. control.

Compared to the more advanced Mark I, Lu Dan, a veteran of war, was more worried about the Iron Monger because its technology was not as advanced, it was easier to mass-produce, and it could have a greater impact on world peace.

That's just how it is; the most dangerous weapons are never the ones that look high-tech or sophisticated.

Compared to ballistic missiles worth hundreds of millions of dollars, the AK47, handcrafted in a workshop and worth only a few dozen dollars, is the king of weapons that kills the most people.

Stark and Obadiah were taken away by ambulance, and the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents no longer concealed their presence.

Large cranes and flatbed trucks rumbled over.

Just as the agents were working hard to move the Iron Monger, the sound of helicopter rotors suddenly appeared.

Meanwhile, a string of Stryker tanks also drove onto the road.

The towering armored vehicles were equipped with ultra-bright searchlights, illuminating the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents in every detail, while the dark muzzles of their cannons were aimed directly at them.

Sensing the undisguised malice of the other side, the agents became alarmed and drew their weapons in preparation.

But when they looked at their own 9mm guns and then at the 12.7mm or even 40mm long, thick black guns on the other side, they felt incredibly insecure.

Coulson looked around but couldn't see Steve, and he was just as frustrated.

As the helicopter descended, a sprightly general nimbly jumped out.

He straightened his crisp military uniform, strode up to Iron King, and nodded in satisfaction.

Then he waved his hand and ordered, "Move away!"

Coulson had no choice but to bite the bullet and go forward: "General Ross, this is from S.H.I.E.L.D.—"

"nonsense!"

General Ross retorted, "I know this isn't S.H.I.E.L.D.'s property."

Coulson argued, "No, that's not what I meant. This is evidence of Obadiah's murder of Mr. Stark, and it should rightfully be handed over to S.H.I.E.L.D.."

Ross sneered, "If it's evidence of a crime, then it should be handed over to the police. Don't forget, your S.H.I.E.L.D. has no law enforcement authority in this tiny place."

"Furthermore, if a criminal's belongings fall onto a grain of rice's worth of soil, they certainly belong to the army!"

General Ross ignored Coulson and turned to the convoy, shouting, "Men, move it!"

"If these guys in black suits dare to stop us, let them taste bullets and bayonets!"

The captain in the first armored vehicle jumped out and roared, "Get out! Fix bayonets! Advance!!"

Under the threat of bayonets from the army, the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents were forced to retreat.

There's no way around it; while a pistol completely outclasses a bayonet, it's absolutely no match for the machine gun mounted behind a bayonet.

Meanwhile, the rough-looking men with guns mounted on the vehicle had already cocked them, and some were even eagerly aiming.

Coulson had no choice but to lead the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents aside.

Ross is a notorious ruthless madman; he's genuinely capable of firing a gun.

In the past, when suppressing riots, he ordered the army to open fire to quell the unrest, which resulted in many deaths and injuries.

Moreover, S.H.I.E.L.D. does not have law enforcement authority. Even if the Army kills several agents, they are still not in the right.

Although the Army also lacks law enforcement authority, it is backed by the Department of Defense, the Joint Military Council, and the President.

If both sides go to court, S.H.I.E.L.D. will inevitably suffer the loss in the end.

The army soldiers acted quickly and roughly, binding the Iron Monger tightly with chains and hooking it directly onto the Stryker's tail hook, ready to tow it away.

The soldiers seemed completely unconcerned about whether dragging the Iron Monger back along the way would cause it to fall apart halfway.

Suddenly, another convoy rushed over, all of its vehicles flashing red and blue police lights.

Senior Inspector Shazo Dawson, dressed in an ESU uniform, peered out from the top of the armored vehicle, holding an antique M14 rifle aloft.

It turns out that after Xia Zuo left, he didn't go home, but went to the police station and gathered all six teams of ESU.

At the same time, an emergency conference call was held with the police chief, the mayor of New York City, the governor of New York State, and Rockefeller, among others, to quickly determine the target of seizing the iron ore monopoly.

Then the ESU troops assembled and set off.

Considering the army convoy he had spotted before leaving, and the powerful firepower carried by the convoy and helicopter, Xia Zuo specifically retrieved this M14 rifle from the armory.

这是是M1加兰德步枪的改进型，在越南战争期间被美国陆军广泛使用M14步枪使用7.62×51mmNAT0口径的弹药，具有很强的杀伤力和穿透力，可以有效地打击800米以内的目标。

Even lightly armored vehicles are targets for the M14.

This thing was phased out because it was too heavy, too powerful, and prone to rusting in the rainforest.

But these drawbacks are not a problem for Shazo, who lives in New York.

He actually preferred to take his DShK anti-aircraft machine gun, but considering that he was now representing the New York Police Department, he had no choice but to give it up.

When General Ross saw the armored vehicle with its flashing lights, he knew things were bad.

On New York City soil, only the New York Police Department has full law enforcement authority. If the police intercept the vehicle, the Army might not be able to take away the Iron Monger, let alone the armored vehicles they bring.

The iron-willed general pondered for a moment, then turned to his soldiers and ordered, "Intimidation fire! Let these foolish policemen know the might of our army!"

The soldier at the Stryker firing position grinned as he turned his gun, aimed at the tires of the armored vehicle, and switched the firing mode to three-round bursts.

He pulled the trigger, and three tracer rounds shot straight into the police convoy, sending up three trails of mud.

Before anyone could react, Xia Zuo fired his gun.

After leaving the barrel, his bullet went directly into the long magnetic track from the muzzle, and along this invisible track, it accurately entered the barrel of the machine gun that had just been fired.

The failure to grab the ammunition detonated the reserve ammunition in the chamber, causing the machine gun to explode. The soldier operating the machine gun was hit by shrapnel and fell into the carriage covered in blood.

After firing his gun, Shazo showed no mercy, destroying the main weapons on the roofs of nine Stryker vehicles one by one.

Whether it was a manned heavy machine gun or an unmanned weapon station, all of them had their key components destroyed by a single shot, or the bullet directly hit the muzzle, causing a barrel explosion.

Under the stunned gaze of everyone, Xia Zuo raised his gun and fired six shots at the Black Hawk patrolling in the air, knocking off the Vulcan cannon mounting bracket on the helicopter and causing the two Vulcan cannons to fall to the ground and shatter into pieces.

The ESU team members cheered, celebrating their honorary captain's amazing marksmanship.

Shazo smugly picked up the car loudspeaker and shouted, "This is the NYPD! All armed personnel, drop your weapons and cease your attacks!"

He even explicitly warned: "There are still 5 bullets left in the old magazine, enough to kill 5 people. Anyone who doesn't want to live can try."

To be honest, for a small army that needs 25 bullets to kill one enemy, 5 bullets are practically no deterrent.

However, Xia Zuo's marksmanship, which he had just demonstrated, was truly unbelievable.

On the bumpy armored vehicle, dozens of meters away, he managed to hit the gun ports with every shot.

If such marksmanship were used to shoot people, it would definitely be able to kill someone with one bullet.

Even the most ruthless army soldiers don't want to die. Even though they know there are only 5 death sentences, the certainty of death still terrifies these soldiers, forcing them to remain inactive.

Once the ESU team got close and held their guns over the Army's Stryker tanks and helicopters, the situation was completely under the control of the NYPD.

General Ross unleashed a furious tirade against Shazo, attempting to intimidate the police so that he and his soldiers could retreat.

But Xia Zuo wasn't going to tolerate him and yelled back even louder.

Later, with Skye's remote support, he clearly recited the detailed military regulations and laws that General Ross had violated, leaving the general speechless and his face turning red and then pale.

Soon after, the police chief and the mayor of New York City arrived, and General Ross completely lost his temper, though he still held his chin up, stubbornly expressing his pride.

When the final boss of New York, the Governor of New York, arrived by car, General Ross finally lowered his head.

No matter how unruly he is, he must put aside his pride when facing the truly powerful and influential people in Mi Lijian.

The governor of New York is a formidable figure who doesn't even care about the president of the United States, and quite a few ruthless people have risen to the presidency from this position.

If the governor is not the owner of the conglomerate, then he must be the conglomerate's trusted agent.

He holds the highest power in the country—command of the National Guard.

When the governor intervened directly, the ownership of the Iron Monument was no longer in dispute.

The governor also gave the Department of Defense face, not detaining General Ross and his soldiers, and even allowing them to take all their rifles and vehicles. He only took a dagger from Ross as a nominal disarmament.

So a group of fully armed soldiers, driving expensive armored vehicles and helicopters, left dejectedly and slunk away.

The Iron Monger was transported to a renowned scientific laboratory in New York, awaiting disassembly and research.

No one considered that it once belonged to Obadiah.

Obadiah had represented the Stark family and mingled in high society for over 40 years. He considered himself a member of this circle, which is why he dared to target Tony Stark.

But he was wrong.

He was merely Tony Stark's agent; he lacked Tony Stark's irreplaceable value and Edward Stark's legacy of martial prowess.

He wasn't even part of the top-tier circle of MiLiJian, yet he knew far too much.

As CEO of Stark Industries, Obadiah was destined to die before he even reached the courtroom.

Master Xia Zuo is the real top-tier figure. Look at how he used anti-tank grenades, anti-tank missiles, large-caliber grenade launchers, and even large-caliber anti-aircraft guns during the live TV broadcast.

Millions of people watched as he displayed his incredible power, defeating the massive Iron Monger mech. The sensation he caused was simply indescribable.

Countless people circulated videos online of Xia Zuo shooting and suppressing the Iron Monger, and nicknames such as "Gunman" emerged one after another.

and then?

In just two days, news of Hollywood's top star's affair and a famous rapper's drug use and assault dominated the headlines, and all information about Xia Zuo disappeared from the internet.

By the second week, hardly anyone was talking about Xia Zuo's existence anymore.

This is the treatment you should get in the top circles. Guys like Tony Stark, who make headlines every month, are the real oddities in this world.

Perhaps it was because of Tony Stark's contrast, or perhaps because Shazor Dawson's personal fighting prowess was too exaggerated, that his integration into the top circles was extremely smooth.

But Xia Zuo and Skye still discovered through the internet that the State Department had set up several new laboratories and that funding for research on paranormal abilities had increased 15 times.

The military's long-standing, 80-year-old super serum research project has been revitalized, and a large number of scientists have been mobilized.

Even prisons saw a surge in recruitment, and street heroes were being enthusiastically recruited.

The move was so obvious that Skye couldn't help but complain, "Boss, is this a backup plan to counter you?"

Xia Zuo shook his head and said, "It should involve the military and government departments, but not large companies."

"Seeing how easily I was accepted into the top circles, some people finally remembered the glory of their ancestors, while others saw a shortcut to join."

Xia Zuo was silent for a few seconds: "It's 20008, increasing military strength is not a bad thing."