Tony returned to his villa on Malibu Street.
Jarvis' voice sounded, "Welcome back, sir. Would you like to learn about the Mandarin?"
"Yes, Jarvis. I need everything on him—identity, background, goals, and any leads we have." Tony replied.
Jarvis quickly ran a search, and information on the Mandarin began appearing on the screen.
"Mandarin, real name unknown. Identity: terrorist. His true background cannot be confirmed. He is an extremist and the leader of a terrorist organization known as the 'Extremis Warriors.' According to investigations, the name 'Mandarin' belongs to a high-ranking official in an Eastern country, a well-known strategist and intelligent figure."
Tony frowned and asked, "Any special titles or aliases?"
Jarvis answered, "Mandarin is the leader of the Extremis Warriors. He calls himself the 'Savior,' holding a high position within the organization. He claims he will plunge the world into despair and chaos, ruling over everything."
"You got all this online?" Tony tossed an apple toward one of the mechanical arms Jarvis was controlling.
"Yes, sir," Jarvis answered.
Tony took a bottle of wine from the fridge, poured himself a glass, and began drinking.
As he pondered, he realized how dangerous and cunning this enemy truly was. The Mandarin's real identity had never been revealed. It was as though he deliberately erased all traces, never leaving a trail.
"Jarvis, keep searching for any trace of the Mandarin. See if we can find more leads," Tony said.
Jarvis continued searching but soon came to a conclusion that surprised Tony: "Sir, based on the current data, we cannot obtain detailed information on the Mandarin. He is like a ghost—hard to track, and all trails lead nowhere."
Tony frowned, realizing the extent of Mandarin's deception. This enemy was truly extraordinary and difficult to guard against.
"Alright, Jarvis. Keep gathering intelligence on the Extremis virus. Find anything that might link back to the Mandarin. We can't stop—we have to find his weakness and halt his attacks." Tony said firmly.
Pepper Potts, back at Stark Industries, received a call from her secretary. Aldrich Killian—whom she hadn't seen in a long time—wanted to meet her.
Pepper tidied herself and returned to her office. Moments later, Aldrich Killian walked in. He was a tall, muscular middle-aged man with short hair, wearing a formal business suit. He looked both mysterious and imposing.
"Aldrich, long time no see," Pepper said, breaking the silence.
"Pepper, you look great," Aldrich replied with a deep voice.
"What do you want from me?" Pepper asked, confused by the sudden visit.
"I heard you're dealing with the Mandarin organization, right?" Aldrich asked, staring sharply at her.
Pepper was startled. She didn't expect him to mention the Mandarin. Nor did she know what connection Aldrich might have with the mysterious terrorist.
"Yes," Pepper nodded slightly.
Aldrich nodded as well, still wearing that unreadable expression. "You need more information if you want to defeat the Mandarin. Maybe I can help."
Pepper stared at him in surprise. "You know anything about the Mandarin?"
"I know a few things. In fact… I used to have contact with him." Aldrich's tone carried a hint of complexity.
Pepper was shocked. She never expected Aldrich to have interacted with the Mandarin. But she also recognized this could be a crucial lead—perhaps the key to uncovering Mandarin's weakness.
"Tell me everything you know," Pepper said firmly.
Aldrich took a deep breath and began describing his past dealings with the Mandarin, including his identity and background. As he spoke, Pepper was stunned to learn that the Extremis virus had ties to Stark Industries.
"You're saying Tony was involved in creating the Extremis formula?" Pepper's suspicion shot through the roof. She began questioning the Aldrich she thought she knew.
"I only know so much." Aldrich answered sincerely.
"And why?" Pepper asked, watching him closely.
"At the time, I was down and desperate. I thought Tony would appreciate my genius, but…" Aldrich's expression turned bitter.
"Yes…" Pepper immediately understood. Tony's old reputation explained a lot. Her respect and sympathy for Aldrich increased.
She realized Aldrich must have been misguided—or pushed into a corner.
"I know I was wrong, Pepper. I regret my decisions. I want to help you fight the Mandarin and the Extremis virus," Aldrich said, eyes sincere.
"Do you know what the Mandarin's real plan is? What does he truly want?" Pepper asked urgently.
Aldrich nodded. "The Mandarin desires world domination. His goal is to plunge everything into chaos and despair, to make all of humanity kneel before him. He commands a powerful terrorist organization—members enhanced with the Extremis virus. They become strong, volatile, and dangerous."
"The Extremis Warriors…" Pepper frowned.
"Will you help us, Aldrich?" she asked.
"Yes, Pepper. I want to correct my mistakes. I'll give you all the information and support I can," Aldrich said solemnly.
"Thank you." Pepper hugged him.
"But I'm doing well now, you see?" Aldrich said, trying to lighten the mood as he showed off his designer suit.
"Congratulations. I'm glad you've succeeded," Pepper said as she straightened his collar.
...
After leaving Stark Industries, Aldrich waved goodbye to Pepper and got into his car.
His expression instantly darkened.
None of this was part of his plan. He had only one goal—revenge on Tony Stark, and assassinating the President.
But everything changed when he arrived at the conference room to meet with his think tank. The moment he opened the door, he was stunned to see all the think-tank members dead.
In the main seat, a stunning woman in a flowing dress and high-heeled sandals, long wavy hair cascading down her back, was reviewing documents.
Noticing Aldrich's entrance, she tossed the plans onto the floor and glanced mockingly at the corpses.
"This is the strategy your think tank came up with?"
"How pathetic."
The woman walked toward Aldrich with elegant steps, her eyes filled with playful amusement.
"You really don't want to handle things my way?"
Then she leaned in—her face just a centimeter from his—resting her cheek on his shoulder as she whispered in his ear, "Otherwise, you're going to lose everything."
Aldrich didn't fall for her charms. Instead, he raised his hands defensively and took a step back, scanning the room warily. Anyone who could infiltrate this deep unnoticed either had immense power or commanded a terrifying organization.
"You… who are you?" he asked.
"Me?" The woman crossed her legs on the table. "Since you're using the name Mandarin, why can't I be the Mandarin too?"
"No," Aldrich shook his head. "You can't be the Mandarin."
She hadn't planned to say more, but she stepped toward him anyway and said:
"I don't like your plan, so…"
She grabbed Aldrich's tie, pulling him close as she whispered in his ear:
"You're going to use my plan."
It was the Serpent's plan.
Aldrich snapped back to reality, confusion and fear swirling inside him. Should he really work with a mysterious organization like this?
But then he remembered the resources and power they offered.
"We'll see who has the last laugh," Aldrich said grimly, as the Extremis virus surged through his veins.
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