Marvel Magic Case Files

Chapter 1035, Section 1031: That Was an Autumn - Robespierre (First Update)

Tony Stark remained silent, waiting for Salomon to continue. Even Tony Stark could sense the viciousness in Salomon's voice, the hatred and bitterness seeping from between his teeth. He already had his answer—an incredibly cruel one.

"If half the population were lost, the world's organizational structure and public services would collapse. 3.5 billion is just the baseline; many more would die from hunger, slaughter, disease, and riots. My decision to wage war now is not out of cruelty, but out of kindness. The most important thing Kamar-Taj taught me is the weight of life. I know life is priceless, but I also know that life is never equal. I have never felt joy for the power I have gained; in fact, I am tormented by my conscience every moment. I am overwhelmed, but I must continue because it is the only way to save half of humanity. We have no choice. Sometimes killing is to save lives—a lesson I learned when I was twelve. I will never forget the first time my hands were stained with the blood of innocents, I will never forget the expressions on their faces as they faced death, but I will also never forget how many people would have perished if I hadn't killed them."

“It was autumn,” Salomon took another breath. He looked up, gazing at the cold light emanating from the ceiling tubes, as if it were the moon he had seen years ago. Tony Stark was surprised to see sadness on his face; he had never seen Salomon look like that before. In his memory, Salomon had always been a decisive, ruthless, arrogant, and rational man. “I can almost smell the burnt teak floors of that house, the stench of my blood mixed with that of my enemies. Can you imagine? A twelve-year-old boy, dragging a leg riddled with shotgun blasts, enduring excruciating pain, baring his teeth like a dying beast, viciously killing them with his life.”

"You never mentioned this," Tony Stark said, utterly shocked. "Why didn't you tell us?"

"This is nothing to be proud of. Kamar-Taj gave me the duty to reach into the mud and snatch a glimmer of humanity. I had to kill the enemy; I couldn't let more people die. That was my thought then, and that's what I think now. It doesn't matter if the survivors don't understand what I'm doing. This is my duty: to save humanity, to ensure the continuation of human reason, regardless of the cost. Their survival is the greatest reward for me. You were never a warrior, Stark. You were just an ordinary person forcing yourself to be a warrior. You only crushed yourself."

Tony Stark looked up and asked, "Why are you telling me all this?"

Are you familiar with the Robespierre faction during the French Revolution?

"You know I'm not interested in history."

"History repeats itself, and only the wise can learn from it. I was required to study history from a young age and use it as a basis for judging social development." Salomon raised an eyebrow. "You probably haven't heard of Maximilian Robespierre's 'Last Speech,' have you? You don't need to go to Oxford to learn that; I'm sure MIT has a library too."

Tony Stark shrugged.

"The enemies of the Republic call me a tyrant! If I were truly a tyrant, they would kneel at my feet. I would shower them with gold, pardon their crimes, and they would be eternally grateful. If I were a tyrant, those kings we overthrow would never condemn Robespierre; instead, they would support me with their guilty hands. They would form an alliance with me. Tyranny must have instruments. But where will the enemies of tyranny's path lead? To the grave, to eternal life! What kind of tyrant is my protector? To which faction do I belong? I belong to you! Which faction has uncovered so many traitors since the beginning of the Revolution, and crushed and destroyed them? That faction is you, the people—our principles. I am loyal to this faction, and all the modern scoundrels and villains have formed cliques against it!"

Salomon's expression brightened, as if he were now speaking in the National Convention. "To oppose me, to oppose those who share my principles, they have formed an alliance. As for my life, I have long since disregarded it! I leave a horrifying testament for those who oppress the people. Only someone whose cause is nearing its end can say this without hesitation, and this is the stark truth: you are destined to die!"

"This is not something to be encouraged," Tony Stark sighed. "We live in a civilized society."

"A self-deceiving civilization is merely a facade; the underlying logic remains the survival of the fittest, a rule imposed ruthlessly by the strong on the weak. This holds true both on this planet and on a cosmic scale. Asgard is on the verge of collapse, and from now on, only the weak, humanity, will face the universe alone. You were strong in the past, and you are strong now, so you cannot see how the weak survive. Just take a walk through the civilian areas of Afghanistan, and you will realize how wrong you are. I have been there saving lives, but I can never keep up with the pace of Western armies' massacres of civilians—someone must pay the price for the bloodshed; only in this way can the strong be deterred and peace be won for the weak. Those genetically modified soldiers you see on television are selected from jihadist organizations and US troops stationed in Afghanistan. I let them continue to live, as atonement."

"You should know that this violates the most basic scientific ethics."

"It's ironic that Americans come to me saying that biological experiments are unethical. Let me teach you a lesson and fill the void in your barren mind. Tyranny is merely a means; the ultimate goal is to bring tyranny to an end, and that will be the time for me to finish my mission. You haven't made Afghanistan any better. Do you think that the vacuum of interests you left behind by closing the military-industrial complex won't be filled? Uncontrolled capital is a beast, a beast that sacrifices human blood and souls. I am ending my own power, while you are perpetuating it because you have been trying to feed that beast. Dr. Ethan's homeland is gone. I found survivors in graveyards and jihadist organizations, and victims in meat grinders and slaughterhouses."

Tony Stark's expression revealed his complete ignorance of the matter. Faced with the evidence Salomon presented, he could hardly believe the photos on the tablet. "Your crimes have never been forgiven, Stark. You're just wallowing in self-pity. This photo… Charlie Spencer was one of the price to pay. He was just unlucky, I would say that even to his mother. If sacrificing him could save ten, I would sacrifice him; if it could save nine, I would sacrifice him… even if it could only save two, I would do it without hesitation, until someone's life is worth his. Charlie Spencer is insignificant compared to the larger whole, but I will remember his sacrifice, I will remember how much blood is on my hands, and my heart aches every time I wake up in the middle of the night."

Salomon gave him no chance to catch his breath, but he also didn't continue to criticize Tony Stark. His tone suddenly softened, a barely perceptible mercy flowed from his eyes, and the atmosphere around him seemed to relax a little.

"Remember when I said you'd have a daughter? It's true. There's at least an 80% chance out of every trillion destinies that you'll have a daughter named Morgan, who'll even ski with Captain America's shield. Go raise your child. I'll make sure she survives the apocalypse. That's my promise to you, made in my honor," he said. "Humanity will continue, and your bloodline will go to the Martian foundry to study science. She'll carry on your work, and even better. Don't come to the battlefield. I don't want my blade stained with my friends' blood. If I'm facing you then, I won't hold back, because your life can't compare to 3.5 billion people."

"And what about you?" Tony Stark sensed a martyr's aura emanating from Salomon, a warmth and radiance emanating from a sublime ideal incomprehensible to ordinary people. "Are you going to continue?" he asked. "You've already foreseen your end, haven't you?"

"My lord?" the combat sister standing in the cabin asked hesitantly, "Are you alright?"

"I left behind mercy, and that's enough. Go to Latveria; we need to prepare for the next war." Salomon shook his head, seemingly speaking to no one in particular. "There's no turning back; we must move forward, whatever the cost."

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(End of this chapter)