Old Wang and Tony’s Deal

"So, you’re here to help me?"

Tony Stark, dressed casually, came up from the basement stairs with a cynical coolness on his face. "Or are you here to scam me out of money, magician?"

"I think you misunderstand. I’m not the kind of magician who uses tricks and high-tech gadgets to fool the senses."

Old Wang shrugged. Another banana peeled itself and flew before Tony. "Bananas fight cancer. Eat more… though I think Miss Potts should buy more chives. They’d suit you better."

Tony remained unmoved, completely uninterested in the banana.

He was still young. He had no need for chives.

The door opened, and Happy, the driver and bodyguard, walked in holding a steaming burger stuffed with two patties and a hot dog.

Old Wang snapped his fingers.

The burger flew out of Happy’s hand, stripped off its wrapper by itself, and floated before Tony. "Or do you prefer this?"

Happy froze for a moment, then hurriedly cried, "Sir, I’m not a plant!"

Tony opened his mouth and took a bite. He turned it over and inspected it several times, yet there were no mechanisms at all. Feeling as if his intelligence had been insulted, he snorted. "Not a magician? Then what, a wizard?"

Naturally, he did not believe there were people with supernatural abilities in this world. It was most likely some kind of sleight of hand, or perhaps new S.H.I.E.L.D. technology.

However, Mr. Wang’s identity was genuine, and S.H.I.E.L.D. was not so secretive that even he would know nothing about it. In fact, Stark Industries not only worked with the military but also cooperated with many government agencies.

Many departments had bought weapons from Stark Industries, such as the CIA, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, General Ross’s Air Force units, and S.H.I.E.L.D. as well.

The S.H.I.E.L.D. he knew, however, was merely an agency similar to the CIA. He knew absolutely nothing about S.H.I.E.L.D.’s true background and inner workings, nor did he know of its connections with Stark Industries.

If not for that, and Pepper’s endless nagging, why would he have left the Mark 2 he was researching alone and come upstairs to meet a young man whose status was not particularly impressive?

"Tony, he really is incredibly, incredibly powerful. I think you should give it a try."

Pepper urged him, then called out, "J.A.R.V.I.S.!"

"Data collection complete. Now playing."

J.A.R.V.I.S.’s voice sounded, and screens immediately appeared across the liquid-crystal wall opposite Tony. There were photos, videos, and reports from major media outlets.

Every piece of content was related to Old Wang.

Video of the battle between Immortal Iron Fist and Madame Gao, secretly filmed by Matt;

Videos and photos of the battle at Columbia University’s athletic field, secretly filmed by students and teachers;

Scenes of battle in Hell’s Kitchen, secretly filmed from all sorts of angles;

And, of course, all kinds of random speculation, some of which came very close to the truth.

At last, beams of light shone over from different directions, sweeping back and forth across Old Wang as J.A.R.V.I.S.’s voice sounded again:

"Mr. Wang is exceptionally strong. His bone density and muscle strength far exceed human records."

"Mr. Wang possesses a highly unique energy field unlike any in the database. His biomagnetic field is also unusual."

"Based on a comprehensive analysis of all available data, Mr. Wang is the legendary ‘Immortal Iron Fist,’ with an accuracy rate of 99%!"

Old Wang shifted his posture. A large hand formed from True Qi pulled the villa’s main power switch.

"Scanning me without permission is rude."

"I’m very sorry, Mr. Wang. This has nothing to do with Tony. I apologize to you," Pepper said hurriedly.

Tony raised an eyebrow. "Immortal Iron Fist? What’s that?"

After being locked in a cave and cut off from the world for more than two months, Tony felt as though the whole world had abandoned him.

Hydra?

The Hand?

Immortal Iron Fist?

Ghost Rider, Daredevil, Black Sky, Stick, Punisher?

Vigilantes? Super Heroes?

What the hell was all this?

Though he firmly believed everything in the world could be explained by science, there would always be things that could not be explained until technology reached a sufficiently advanced level.

Tony rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Actually, I feel great right now. My device—you must have heard about it from Coulson and May—can hold the shrapnel in place. I think I can live another hundred years. I don’t need your help."

What a tsundere… Old Wang glanced at the water glass.

The glass obediently flew over. Old Wang took a small sip and stared at Tony’s chest. "A battery capable of powering that iron can for fifteen minutes… let me guess what it’s made of. Uranium? Plutonium? Or… palladium?"

Pepper instantly tensed. "What? Tony, you have to take it off!"

Though she was not a scientist, she had studied physics and chemistry. She knew what the main materials in atomic bombs were, and she knew what nuclear contamination was.

Those were radioactive materials. Long-term exposure would cause problems!

How does this guy even know that… Tony helplessly gave in. "Fine. If you really can help me, I’ll pay you a large sum of money."

He did not want to die.

There was too much shrapnel, and it was too close to his heart. Surgery was difficult, and even the best surgeons could not guarantee success. Holding it in place with magnets was currently the best option, but no one could guarantee that nothing would go wrong.

He did not even dare engage in his favorite bedroom activities. Strenuous exercise would increase blood flow, and intense muscle spasms could easily press against the shrapnel. Aside from pain and bleeding, it could also drive the fragments closer to his heart.

As for the Arc Reactor in his chest?

Its primary material was palladium—radioactive and toxic.

Though he was confident he could find a replacement, he did not have much time left. Maybe only one or two years.

Naturally, it would be better if he could solve the problem in advance. It was not as though he lacked money.

"Talking about money hurts feelings."

Old Wang spread his hands. "We can discuss something else."

Stark Industries was currently worth less than two hundred billion dollars. Tony owned only part of its shares, and if it truly came down to it, his net worth might not even compare to Old Wang’s. One Dragon Bone alone could crush him.

And if that was not enough, there was always the Darkhold.

"I think it’s better to talk about money." Tony did not take the bait.

Old Wang smiled, rose to his feet, and headed outside. Pepper hurriedly stopped him. "Mr. Wang, Tony was only joking…"

"Fine. What do you want?" Tony asked helplessly.

This was a seller’s market. His life was in someone else’s hands. Even a proud rooster had to bow its head sometimes. There was no helping it.

"I just want to make a deal with Stark Industries. Don’t worry, the price will be fair," Old Wang said.

"Stark Industries has shut down its weapons division. We no longer manufacture arms." Tony immediately became wary.

You’ve been producing them all along. You’re just too naïve to know it… Old Wang thought to himself. Then he pulled a crumpled sheet of A4 paper from his pocket and handed it to Tony. "Don’t worry. I’m not interested in weapons."

Tony accepted it somewhat reluctantly and unfolded it. After looking it over twice, the cynicism vanished from his face, replaced by seventy percent gravity and thirty percent surprise.

The order listed many items, varied and highly advanced. With his professional expertise, he could tell that it was intended to build a laboratory, one that was very likely related to cutting-edge technology such as quantum mechanics and virtual technology.

Has S.H.I.E.L.D.’s research reached this level already? Aren’t government departments supposed to be full of useless bureaucrats?

Old Wang merely smiled without saying a word.

I didn’t say anything. I didn’t even say I came on behalf of S.H.I.E.L.D. Go ahead and guess. No prize if you get it right.

"Fine, I agree. I’ll also pay the medical fee. Ten million." Another order would not hurt him, but he still had to pay. He did not like owing people favors; it put him at a disadvantage.

Old Wang smiled. A bottle of red wine worth a hundred thousand dollars flew out of the wine cabinet by itself. With a pop, the cork came free, and it poured two glasses.

One glass floated before Tony, and the other before Old Wang. "To your health."

Tony waved his hand around the glass. There really was no device of any kind, and his interest in Mr. Wang deepened.

He raised his glass as well, his words carrying a pointed meaning. "To your laboratory."