Stark subconsciously felt that perhaps the owner of this business card might have a solution to his current dilemma. As he picked up the card, the location of the general store automatically surfaced in his mind.
"Jarvis, search for the name 'Han Yu,'" Stark instructed.
"Yes, sir."
"Searching..."
"Sir, no relevant information found regarding 'Han Yu.'"
Stark's eyes narrowed at Jarvis's response. His reconnaissance system was on par with S.H.I.E.L.D.'s, and barring heavily encrypted messages that he had no interest in uncovering, a regular person's identity should not be impossible to trace.
"Jarvis, transfer an additional five hundred billion dollars to my account number 857," Stark ordered without hesitation. He even felt that his initial offering of thirty billion was inadequate. This kind of item was worth renting for a hundred times that amount, if not more!
To casually produce something of this caliber, the owner couldn't be an ordinary person. Such an item was invaluable, beyond the reach of mere billions or even trillions of dollars.
By sending more money, Stark hoped to forge a stronger connection with Han Yu. Such a person was worth cultivating friendships with; one should never cross them.
"Jarvis, we can commence the 'Ultron' project. Contact Dr. Banner and ask him to come here immediately!"
Stark had been waiting for this day for a long time. To arm the Earth, a powerful energy source was indispensable. This green ring not only met Stark's highest expectations but surpassed them.
"Yes, sir. Contacting Dr. Banner now!"
Stark stared intently at the screen before him. This ring might very well change the world!
Half an hour later, a man rushed into Stark's workshop, still panting from his exertion. It was Bruce Banner, the scientist who transformed into the green giant Hulk whenever provoked.
"Tony, what's going on? Why the sudden urgency?"
The slightly frail, bespectacled man seemed puzzled by Stark's summons.
"Banner, come here, quick! Look at this."
Stark grabbed Banner's wrist and pulled him to the computer. If Banner didn't know Stark's sexual orientation, he might have mistaken the gesture for something else entirely.
"What...what is this?"
Banner first noticed the instrument placed beside the computer, constantly analyzing the energy emanating from the green ring at its center. Then he saw the data displayed on the screen, revealing that the ring's energy intensity surpassed Stark's nuclear reactor!
Stark didn't immediately respond, instead gazing at Banner with such intensity that the latter began to feel uneasy. After a long exhalation, Stark finally spoke.
"Banner, I think we can start the 'Ultron' project now."
Upon hearing this, Banner's lips curved into a smile, but it was one tinged with disbelief and bitterness.
"Ultron? I thought that was just a fantasy."
After the Battle of New York, Stark had confided in Banner his vision to arm the world against potential alien invasions. However, both S.H.I.E.L.D. and the United Nations opposed Stark's plan to use Iron Man suits for comprehensive protection, perhaps fearing it would infringe on their freedom. Nonetheless, such protection was undoubtedly necessary.
Since the Iron Man suits' protection plan had failed, Stark had shifted his focus to another realm: artificial intelligence.
Stark intended to create a highly intelligent super-robot to protect the Earth, and he had already named it Ultron.
"Yes, it was once just a fantasy, but now, things are different, Banner!" Stark grasped Banner's shoulders and shook them vigorously, realizing his own excitement when he saw the latter's perplexed expression. He cleared his throat, composed himself, and continued.
"The energy of this ring perfectly meets my requirements. There's no better alternative."
"Imagine if we could harness this energy and apply it to my Iron Legion. The world would be safe."
"Picture yourself lounging in Hawaii, soaking up the sun, sipping cocktails. When danger strikes, you won't need to turn green. With the ultra-intelligent Iron Legion on guard, why would you ever want to become Hulk again? Would you even want to?"
Stark stared intently at Banner, knowing that ultimately, Banner's opinion mattered. This endeavor couldn't be accomplished by Stark alone.
His words struck deep into Banner's heart. To him, Hulk was a disease. If not forced by circumstances, Banner would never choose to transform into Hulk.
Recalling the times when he lost control, turning into the uncontrollable Hulk, wreaking havoc and being feared and hated by the world, forcing him to hide in the shadows, made Banner feel immense pain.
Numerous thoughts flashed through his mind, but ultimately, Banner gritted his teeth, looked up, and met Stark's gaze.
"When do we start?"
"Right now!"
As the evening approached, Han Yu, who had been studying the green lantern ring for hours, emerged from the general store with a growling stomach.
"Time for dinner, I'm starving."
Rubbing his belly, Han Yu planned to indulge in a hearty meal. Although he could cook, being rich and transported to another world meant he didn't have to cook for himself. Eating out was the way to go.
Just as he pushed open the door, three luxurious black limousines pulled up and stopped in front of the store. A man of unusually large proportions emerged from the middle car.
His colossal frame was eye-catching, but even more striking was his bald head, which stood out prominently in the crowd.
Some knowledgeable individuals, upon seeing this man, gasped in surprise and hurried away, not daring to look again, fearing they might attract trouble.
Han Yu frowned in confusion. "Hey, Kingpin? What brings you here?"
The bald man before him was none other than Kingpin, the leader of the largest mafia in New York and the entire United States, and one of Spider-Man's archenemies.
His massive physique might appear to be all fat to outsiders, but in reality, nine-tenths of his over 400-pound body was pure muscle!
Kingpin's strength rivaled that of some of the best in the field of physical prowess. How he achieved such a physique was a mystery to Han Yu.
In truth, Han Yu didn't have much interaction with Kingpin. Their acquaintance stemmed from Han Yu saving Kingpin's son, Richard, from a car accident.
Later, it was discovered that the attack was orchestrated by Kingpin's rivals. Kingpin swiftly eliminated them and considered Han Yu a friend, forever grateful for saving his son's life.
Originally, Han Yu hadn't intended to ask for anything from Kingpin, but Kingpin insisted on giving him something. Reluctantly, Han Yu decided to ask him to help him find someone, someone he needed.
Kingpin waved a manila envelope filled with documents in his hand and said, "I've found the person you're looking for. Are you free now?"
Han Yu's eyes flickered slightly. Had they found the person so quickly?
"I was just about to go eat, but since we have business to discuss, let's do that first," Han Yu said.
Once inside Kingpin's car, he handed Han Yu the manila envelope, which contained a set of documents and a phone.
Wanda Maximoff and Pietro Maximoff, these names sounded unfamiliar, but mention their aliases, and any Marvel fan would recognize them immediately.
Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver!
And the person Han Yu was looking for was none other than Scarlet Witch among the two.
This is a superhuman possessing the chaotic magic of the universe. Once she reaches her full potential, she could even overturn the entire cosmos. It's women like her that Han Yu finds worthy of his attention.
"Check out the video on that phone. The person you're looking for is currently in New York, and my people are already keeping an eye on them. But they're not ordinary, my men have seen the man among them, and he has a speed that surpasses even Superman's. He's managed to shake off my men's tails several times."
As Kingpin spoke, Han Yu narrowed his eyes and tapped on the phone. The video immediately played.
In the video, a silver blur darted past a delivery rider's electric bike, and in the blink of an eye, the food on the bike disappeared.
It was clear that among the two siblings, only the elder brother, Quicksilver, possessed such speed. It seemed he was starving badly, having resorted to such measures.
"In the current timeline, Ultron hasn't been developed yet, so they should still be in hiding. We need to find them before Ultron does," Han Yu thought to himself.