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Chapter 2: Serious People Keep a Diary—So Will I!
🕑 Added 2025-03-24 18:34:40 +0000 UTC"So… does this mean the world we live in might actually be part of a story?"
After coming to this conclusion, Tony Stark couldn't help but feel how utterly absurd it sounded. What kind of ridiculous theory is that?
The very idea that his world could be nothing more than fiction—just a story—made his head spin. If this were true, everything he had ever known, everything he had built, could have been predetermined by someone else.
Anyone faced with such a revelation would feel as if their entire worldview had been shattered.
"Sir, regarding this matter, I lean toward a different perspective," J.A.R.V.I.S. spoke up. "It is possible that certain stories in our world have been projected into the mind of an author in another parallel universe due to some unknown trigger."
"So you're saying you think it's real too?" Tony asked, narrowing his eyes.
"I do not make judgments, sir. I am merely analyzing the situation based on the available data." J.A.R.V.I.S. responded calmly.
Tony Stark wasn’t someone who couldn’t handle shocking information. Even if this revelation challenged his understanding of the world, he was, above all else, a scientist. If something beyond science had occurred right before his eyes, then he had no choice but to acknowledge the possibility.
What truly bothered him, however, wasn’t the idea that his world was a story—it was the notion that his achievements, his knowledge, everything he had worked so hard for, might have been nothing more than a script written by someone else.
For someone as proud—even arrogant—as Tony Stark, this was completely unacceptable.
"Alright, let's set aside the question of whether our world is a written story."
He took a deep breath and refocused.
"Let's start with an assumption.
If this diary is legitimate, then my kidnapping is something that is destined to happen in the near future."
Tony's mind was already working through the implications.
"And once I'm kidnapped, Stark Industries' stock price will plummet. This guy—Luo Chen—plans to buy the stock at rock-bottom prices and then sell it when I somehow switch to clean energy, making a massive profit."
"Yes, sir. Based on the diary's contents, that seems to be the plan," J.A.R.V.I.S. confirmed.
"If he’s so confident that I will be kidnapped, and he's even making investment strategies around it… then this isn't some random speculation," Tony murmured. "It’s as if he knows the future."
He fell silent for a moment, contemplating the implications.
"But at least there's one piece of good news—this kidnapping doesn’t seem to result in my death. In fact, it looks like I come out of it with a new outlook, even turning my focus toward clean energy.
That must mean I make a significant breakthrough in that field."
Tony had never doubted his own intelligence. While his primary focus had always been on weapons development, he had dabbled in clean energy before. If he truly dedicated himself to it, achieving a breakthrough wouldn't be difficult.
"And that part about this world being dangerous... it clearly isn’t just about my kidnapping," Tony noted, tapping his fingers on the desk.
"J.A.R.V.I.S., create a new file—title it ‘World Crisis.’ Since Luo Chen specifically mentioned that this world is dangerous, we may be facing some major threats in the future. For instance… that ‘purple potato.’
And about that ‘snap’—I don’t think he literally means just snapping fingers. Whatever it is, it’s something catastrophic."
"File created, sir," J.A.R.V.I.S. confirmed.
"Also, search the entire global network for any information on Luo Chen. Eliminate all unrelated results."
"Searching now," J.A.R.V.I.S. replied.
A brief moment later, the AI provided a response:
"Based on all retrievable data, there is only one individual named Luo Chen who matches the relevant criteria.
He grew up in an orphanage in New York and recently graduated from university. His identity and records are complete, but there is one anomaly—there are relatively few traces of his actual life.
Given this, the probability that he is the so-called ‘time traveler’ is extremely high."
"Then let's go find him—"
The moment Tony said that, a sharp pain shot through his head.
He winced, his vision blurring for a second. It took a long moment before he could even think clearly again.
That was not normal.
Tony immediately realized something was wrong.
"Whenever I even think about going to find Luo Chen, I experience severe pain," he muttered, rubbing his temples. "This has to be some kind of failsafe—a mechanism to protect him, preventing me from approaching him."
It was a startling realization, but Tony was quick to adapt. He understood that some unknown force was at play, actively stopping him from making direct contact with Luo Chen.
"Sir, it appears that this mysterious entity is far more powerful than we initially suspected," J.A.R.V.I.S. remarked.
"Since I can’t confront him directly for now, we’ll do the next best thing—monitor him as closely as possible," Tony decided, gripping the diary tightly.
For now, if he couldn’t get answers from Luo Chen in person, he would have to rely on this diary.
Meanwhile, in a small apartment in New York, Luo Chen was busy calculating his assets.
Though he was an orphan, his parents had left behind several million dollars in inheritance, which he could access upon reaching adulthood.
Now, he had withdrawn all of it. He had even sold his apartment.
Why?
Because he was waiting.
Waiting for Tony Stark to get kidnapped.
The moment Stark Industries’ stock price crashed, Luo Chen planned to buy in. And when Stark inevitably shifted to clean energy, he would sell at a massive profit.
At the very least, this plan would make him worth tens of millions.
And ten million dollars was enough for initial financial freedom in this country.
This was, after all, the Marvel Universe. The main battleground for almost every major disaster was right here, in the United States. If he wanted to avoid the worst of it, all he had to do was leave.
At least, that had been his plan.
But then, something unexpected happened—
He awakened the Divine Grade Diary System.
It demanded that he keep a diary.
At first, he outright refused.
What kind of self-respecting person keeps a diary?!
Historically, very few famous figures had ever been known for keeping diaries, and those who did weren’t exactly remembered fondly.
But soon, his mindset changed.
Because the diary wasn’t just for show—it came with a lottery system.
As long as he consistently wrote in it, he could earn random rewards.
And when he saw what was up for grabs…
High-tech weaponry.
Superpowers.
Magic techniques.
Blueprints for advanced technology.
With rewards like these, even in this incredibly dangerous world, he could at least secure a way to protect himself.
At that moment, his plans changed.
Originally, he had wanted to stay low-key, avoiding the attention of beings like the Ancient One and the Time Variance Authority.
But now?
Now, he had no choice but to fight.
