Chapter 2245 - Ch: 74-81

Chapter 74: Superhero Management Act

And in these media reports,

there was one point that was repeatedly mentioned by almost all commentators and analysts.

Stark Industries' stock price.

That's right.

Just hours after the battle ended,

Stark Industries' stock experienced a crazy surge in after-hours trading across major global exchanges.

The increase was as high as thirty-five percent!

What kind of concept was this?

Stark Industries was already a top-tier super-giant by market capitalization on the New York Stock Exchange.

A thirty-five percent increase meant that overnight, Stark Industries' market value had increased by nearly one hundred and twenty billion dollars!

The financial bigwigs of Wall Street started frantically buying Stark Industries stock the very first second they saw the news.

Their logic was also very simple.

The two core founders of a company had both become superheroes.

One could fly, fight, and shoot lasers, while the other possessed the World's most advanced high-tech weapons and equipment.

What did this mean?

It meant that Stark Industries' core assets could fundamentally not be threatened by competitors or any faction.

Furthermore, the most sinister part was that their core asset was themselves.

That's right, everyone believed that as long as these two people were around, they could even recreate a new Stark Industries.

So...

How could you possibly deal with them?

Could you send assassins to murder them?!

Please, a Superman whom bullets couldn't pierce, and one wearing armor that missiles couldn't blow up.

What kind of business competition or price war were you still playing?

They weren't even playing in the same lane as you at all.

You wanted to launch a public opinion attack?

They had just saved an entire city last night, and billions of people worldwide were praising them.

How to fight? This war couldn't be fought.

Therefore, buying Stark Industries stock was the safest investment.

As long as the Stark Brothers were alive, this company would never fall.

Analysts predicted that as soon as the New York Stock Exchange officially opened, Stark Industries' stock price would welcome a new round of skyrocketing surges, and the final increase might break fifty percent!

After the news reached the board of directors of Stark Industries,

the old guys who usually pointed fingers at Lucas Stark and Tony's unbusinesslike behaviors were now all smiling from ear to ear.

Who cared about them partying and picking up chicks every day anymore?

The stock price had risen by thirty-five percent!

The equity and options in their hands had all soared along with it!

These old men wished they could erect a golden statue for Lucas Stark and Tony and bow to it three times every morning.

...

Malibu.

Stark Villa.

Ten-thirty in the morning.

Sunlight warmly shone into the master bedroom.

Lucas Stark lay on a circular bed, slowly opening his eyes.

He rubbed his head and found himself lying on the bed wearing a pair of black shorts.

Last night's private pool party clearly lasted very late.

Lucas Stark turned over and found the other side of the bed empty.

The two female models who came to participate in the late-night research and development project should have left early in the morning.

Lucas Stark didn't care about this at all.

In the World of a scumbag, there was no such step as staying behind to eat breakfast.

With his physical fitness, he basically didn't need sleep to rest.

But the problem was, Lucas Stark felt that even after turning into a superhuman, he couldn't lose the joy of sleeping.

Therefore, he actively controlled his body to rest and deliberately blocked out external perception.

He stretched lazily, feeling his whole body filled with strength.

A whole night of rechargeable sleep had completely restored him to his peak state.

Even slightly stronger than yesterday.

Soon, Jarvis's voice sounded in the bedroom.

"Good morning, Mr. Luca. Or should I say, good morning, Mr. Superman."

"Shut up, Jarvis." Lucas Stark yawned and sat up from the bed.

"What time is it?"

"It is now ten-thirty-two in the morning. You fell asleep at four in the morning last night, so I delayed your alarm clock."

"Well done."

Lucas Stark walked barefoot to the floor-to-ceiling window.

Outside the window was the azure Pacific Ocean and a cloudless sky.

Sunlight shone on his body through the glass, and he could feel his cells greedily absorbing energy.

How should I put it, this feeling was really great.

"Jarvis, are there any news today?"

"News?" Jarvis teased.

"Mr. Luca, you are the biggest news today. To be precise, you are the biggest news in the World right now."

"Oh? Let's hear it." Lucas Stark's mouth curved up slightly.

"From the early morning until now, a total of more than one hundred and twenty mainstream news media outlets globally have reported specially on last night's event."

"Your name and Mr. Tony's name have been mentioned more than four hundred million times in the past six hours."

"On social media, the trending topic Lucas Stark on Twitter has already surpassed Beyoncé's halftime show during last year's Super Bowl."

"Your personal social media account gained twenty-three million followers overnight."

"In addition, Stark Industries' stock surged by thirty-five percent in after-hours trading, and is expected to continue rising after today's official opening."

Hearing these numbers,

Lucas Stark nodded with satisfaction.

Last night's high-profile performance wasn't just to satisfy a hero craving.

The superhero persona built for him and Tony was extremely successful.

After all, ever since returning from Afghanistan, he and Tony had been in a passive position of taking beatings.

Someone in the dark wanted to kill them, yet they didn't even completely know the enemy's details.

S.H.I.E.L.D., and HYDRA which had always been hidden in the shadows.

These were all potential threats.

Under such circumstances, hiding things was the stupidest approach.

The more low-profile you were, the more unscrupulous the enemies in the dark would be.

Conversely, if you actively stood in the spotlight and gathered the whole World's attention,

this was equivalent to adding a protective shield to oneself.

Because under the gaze of billions of eyes around the World, no organization would dare to openly make a move against you.

This was an open conspiracy.

Of course, Lucas Stark would certainly not refuse the matter of acting cool in front of the whole World along the way.

After all, acting cool was like breathing, a basic requirement to sustain life.

"Mr. Luca, there are some other matters that require your attention."

"This morning, you received a total of fifty-two phone calls and one hundred and twenty-eight emails."

"These include calls from the White House National Security Advisor's office, the Pentagon's Office of Public Affairs, the United Nations Secretary-General's office, and formal diplomatic letters from the embassies of at least twenty countries."

"They all hope to have a conversation with you or Mr. Tony."

"In addition, eighteen television stations including CNN, NBC, ABC, Fox, and BBC have sent interview invitations."

"Oprah Winfrey's team made nine calls, and Jimmy Kimmel Live and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon sent invitations to appear on the show simultaneously."

"Oh right, there is also a rather special one."

"What is it?"

"An office call from General Ross, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the United States Army, expressed the desire to discuss the Superhero Management Act with you."

Hearing this name, Lucas Stark raised an eyebrow.

General Ross.

He certainly knew this person.

One of the masterminds behind the destruction event in Harlem, New York a few months ago was this general.

It was said that he had been working on some kind of Super Soldier project, but instead of producing a Super Soldier, he ended up creating a green giant that went around tearing down buildings everywhere.

Superhero Management Act?

Lucas Stark sneered.

Translated into human language, it meant our government wants to manage you, and you'd better be obedient.

In your dreams.

People of the Stark Family never act as dogs for others.

"Jarvis, temporarily block the incoming calls and emails."

"Tell them that Mr. Lucas Stark has just finished saving the World and needs to rest right now. If there is an emergency, please contact our legal team."

"As for the interview invitations from the television stations..."

Lucas Stark thought for a moment.

"Put them aside for now; I will decide which one to go on after discussing it with Tony."

"Understood, Mr. Luca."

Chapter 75 Press Conference

Luca didn't ask anymore.

After feeling his continuously strengthening body, he opened the wardrobe.

He casually grabbed a T-shirt and a pair of pants to put on, then walked out of the bedroom barefoot.

The hallway was quiet.

There was no aroma of coffee, nor any sign of Pepper and Tony.

It was too quiet.

Luca walked over to the kitchen and glanced around.

The kitchen was also spotless, with no traces of use.

The Villa was empty, with only a beam of sunlight shining on the floor.

"Tony?"

Luca called out tentatively.

The voice echoed in the empty living room for a few seconds, then disappeared.

No one answered.

Luca was stunned for a moment.

According to Tony's habit, he would either pull an all-nighter in the laboratory and then fall asleep on the sofa,

or wake up even later than Luca and create dark cuisine in the kitchen.

But today, neither happened.

Luca closed his eyes.

He concentrated his mind and expanded his perception outward.

This was a kind of ability he gradually mastered after discovering his mutation.

For example, he could construct and judge the surrounding situation by sensing nearby fluctuations.

This was somewhat similar to thermal imaging technology, but more comprehensive.

However, the somewhat regrettable part was that he still couldn't see through things directly, only seeing through them just a little bit.

It was like being separated by a thin screen window, hazy, just a little short of peeking into the dense forest.

This gave him the feeling of a Superman raising game.

However, he believed that as long as he kept evolving, this ability would only get stronger and stronger.

Soon, the perception range quickly covered the entire Villa.

In the living room, no one was there.

In the underground garage and laboratory, no one was there.

In the backyard pool area, no one was there.

In Pepper's office, no one was there either.

Aside from himself, there wasn't a single living person in the Villa.

Luca opened his eyes and raised an eyebrow.

"Jarvis."

"Present, Mr. Luca."

"Where is Tony?"

"Sir left at 7:15 this morning. He drove the R8 to the Stark Industries Los Angeles Headquarters."

Luca asked another question.

"Didn't Pepper come either?"

"Miss Potts arrived at the company headquarters at 5:00 a.m. to prepare for this morning's event. She was more than two hours earlier than Mr. Tony."

"Event? What event?"

"A press conference," Jarvis replied.

"Before leaving, Mr. Tony specifically asked me to pass along a message to you."

"What message?"

"Tell that bastard to sleep well and not to cause trouble. I am going to the company to hold a press conference and will come back this afternoon to discuss some matters with him."

Luca was stunned for a moment, and his expression was a bit subtle.

Discuss matters?

What matters?

And Tony actually went out early in the morning without even saying hello?

This wasn't very normal.

Although Tony often did unexpected things, generally speaking, when it came to important corporate-level decisions, he would communicate with Luca in advance.

After all, the two of them were the joint heirs of Stark Industries.

One managed technology research and development and the arms department, while the other managed the medical and biological department.

Unless... he had thought about this matter long ago, but just hadn't found the right time to say it.

Luca thought for two seconds, shook his head, and didn't think too deeply about it.

He wasn't worried that Tony was up to any tricks; given their relationship, there was nothing they needed to hide from each other.

There was just one thing that annoyed him.

"Wait a minute, he actually didn't take me along to his press conference?"

There was a hint of dissatisfaction in Luca's tone.

"I am the joint heir, and also a World-renowned genius scientist. He didn't call me for his press conference? Does he think that whoever stands on the stage is too handsome and will steal his spotlight?"

"I cannot make a judgment on that, Mr. Luca," Jarvis replied.

"However, according to my data analysis, if you and Mr. Tony appear at the press conference at the same time, there is indeed a 78 percent probability that the media's attention will be focused on you."

"After all, your performance last night was much more eye-catching than Mr. Tony's."

Luca smiled with satisfaction.

Well, Jarvis's flattery made him feel very comfortable.

"Has the press conference started?"

Luca walked to the refrigerator and took out a bottle of freshly squeezed juice.

"It has started, Mr. Luca. It is currently in progress."

"Put the live broadcast on for me to see."

Luca unscrewed the cap, took a big gulp, and then leaned against the edge of the kitchen island.

"Okay."

The next second, the projection system above the kitchen activated.

A huge projection screen unfolded in front of Luca.

The picture was extremely clear.

What was presented was the press conference hall at the Stark Industries headquarters.

At this moment, the hall was once again packed.

No, it wasn't just packed; it was jammed to the point of being airtight.

Hundreds of reporters from major media outlets around the World sat densely in their seats.

The aisles were also filled with reporters who couldn't squeeze into seats.

Cameras, telephoto lenses, and recording equipment surrounded the entire podium in an airtight semicircle.

The number of reporters present had even doubled compared to the previous press conference that halted Military orders.

This wasn't unexpected.

Last night's superhero battle had drawn global attention entirely onto them.

Now, news editorial offices all over the World wished they could send all their reporters to Los Angeles.

On the stage.

Tony Stark stood in the center of the podium wearing a suit.

Today, his condition was much better than Luca had imagined.

Although the dark circles were still there, they were already overshadowed by his confidence.

One hand was tucked into his pants pocket, while the other hand rested casually on the edge of the podium.

On the screen behind him, the Stark Industries logo was displayed, along with a line of large characters.

[Stark Industries Future Strategy Press Conference]

But obviously, the reporters off stage were not interested in future strategies at all right now.

What they wanted to ask was only and could only be one thing.

"Mr. Stark! May I ask where those monsters last night actually came from?!"

An ABC reporter jumped up first and shouted loudly.

"Mr. Stark! Is the Superpower displayed by your brother, Mr. Luca, innate or acquired later on?!"

Another NBC reporter chimed in.

"Mr. Stark! Will the Justice League be subject to government jurisdiction in the future? Will the U.S. Military supervise your actions?!"

"Mr. Stark! May I ask who the true identities of the two Spider-Men are?! Are they also employees of Stark Industries?!"

Questions bombarded him like a string of firecrackers.

Luca, in the Villa, couldn't help chuckling when he saw this scene.

"Damn it, no wonder this guy didn't take me. He was afraid I would steal his microphone."

Tony in the footage wasn't disrupted in his rhythm by these questions at all.

Amidst everyone's shocked gazes, he walked straight to the front edge of the podium, looking down condescendingly at the howling reporters below.

Then, he made a gesture for quiet.

The commotion quickly stopped.

I have to say, Tony's crowd-control ability in front of the public could be called top-tier.

This kind of talent was carved into the bones of the Stark Family.

"Everyone, everyone."

"I know you all want to ask about last night's events. It's fine, I will give you an explanation."

"But before that, let me finish today's theme first. Trust me, today's theme is definitely no less significant than last night's events."

The reporters looked at each other; although reluctant, they still quieted down temporarily.

After all, since Tony Stark said it was definitely no less significant than last night's events, it couldn't be just casual talk.

This family always kept their word when they spoke.

"OK, very good."

Tony nodded, satisfied with the reporters' cooperation.

"Then let's quickly review what happened last night."

He turned around, and the screen switched to display several screenshots from last night's battle.

"Last night, a group of monsters of unknown origin attacked downtown Los Angeles. Luca, I, and two other trusted partners joined forces to defeat them."

"The source of these monsters is currently still under investigation. But one thing can be confirmed..."

Tony paused, his gaze sweeping across the audience.

"We arrested a man at the scene who claimed to be the head of a secret organization named S.H.I.E.L.D.. According to on-site evidence, these monsters have a direct connection to him. Currently, he has been handed over to the U.S. Military."

The whole audience instantly erupted.

"What?! An official secret organization?!"

"Is he talking about S.H.I.E.L.D.?! Isn't that an urban legend?! This organization actually exists?!"

Tony didn't explain this matter any further and made another gesture for quiet.

"Alright, regarding last night's events, that is all I can tell you."

"More details involve national security issues and are not suitable for public discussion here. If you want to know more, please go ask the Military."

In the Villa.

Luca, chewing on a piece of bread while enjoying Tony's performance, couldn't help commenting upon hearing this.

"Not bad, not bad, the buck-passing technique is very smooth. Throwing all the problems to the Military and keeping himself carefree. It seems Tony has mastered the essence."

Chapter 76 All of This Is Luca's Credit

On the screen, Tony had already shifted the topic to today's true protagonist.

He turned around and pressed the remote control in his hand.

The screen behind him began to change, and a brand-new image appeared.

Right in the center of the image was a disk-shaped device emitting a pale blue glow.

Those familiar with it could recognize it at a glance; this was the Arc Reactor.

But this version was obviously much larger, an industrial-grade version magnified countless times.

At the top of the image, an eye-catching title appeared.

[ Arc Reactor · Clean Energy Solution ]

The whispers in the venue suddenly grew louder.

Tony walked to the front of the screen and patted the reactor diagram.

"Everyone, this is the first theme of the press conference."

"As you all know, a few days ago, Luca and I already announced that Stark Industries will no longer undertake any Military weapon manufacturing orders."

"Then many people want to ask, if you don't make weapons, what will you do? What will the people in such a huge arms department eat? Subsist on thin air?"

A few light chuckles came from under the stage.

Tony pointed at the reactor and began to explain proudly.

"The answer is this. The Arc Reactor."

"This is a brand-new energy device designed and manufactured by me personally."

"Its working principle is based on micro-nuclear fusion technology, requiring no fossil fuels, producing no carbon emissions, and generating no nuclear waste."

"An industrial-grade Arc Reactor can provide a full year of electricity supply for a city of one million people. The operating cost is almost Zero."

Tony paused for a moment, letting the information sink in for a few seconds.

Then, he added casually.

"By the way, the armor I wore last night was driven by a miniature version of the Arc Reactor."

"You have also seen the performance of that armor. So, I don't need to say much more about the reliability of this technology."

The venue truly fell silent.

Every reporter's face was filled with shock.

Stark Industries stopped making weapons and switched to clean energy.

And right off the bat, it brought out a revolutionary technology sufficient to subvert the existing energy landscape.

Fuck!!

This fucking isn't a transformation, it's a dimensional reduction strike!

They didn't dare to imagine, if the technology of the Arc Reactor was really as powerful as Tony said...

Then the entire traditional energy industry could all prepare for their funeral.

This would be the largest revolution in human energy history, without exception.

Seeing this, Luca curled his lips.

He certainly knew about clean energy; this was the result of discussions between him and Tony.

But he didn't expect Tony to announce it right now in front of the whole World!

"How could you not bring me along for such a cross-era moment! Damn Tony!"

Although Luca was complaining, the corners of his mouth had already curled up unconsciously.

He knew Tony too well.

Choosing to announce this matter today was actually very precise in timing.

Right now, the World's attention was all on them.

Taking advantage of the heat not having faded yet, throwing out the real trump card, the dissemination effect would be at least ten times higher than usual.

This move was played brilliantly.

In the video, the press conference was still continuing.

The reporters had recovered from their initial shock and started raising their hands frantically to ask questions.

"Mr. Stark! When is the Arc Reactor expected to be put into commercial operation?!"

"Mr. Stark! Will this technology be licensed externally?! Can energy companies from other countries buy it?!"

"Mr. Stark! The stocks of the oil industry have already started plunging now! What are your thoughts on this?!"

Tony answered these questions one by one.

The first industrial-grade demonstration power station of the Arc Reactor would start construction in Los Angeles within six months.

The technology would not be licensed externally for the time being, and all production and operation would be handled by Stark Industries itself.

As for the plunging stocks of oil companies?

Tony shrugged and said as a matter of course.

"The wheels of history always move forward. Dinosaurs were once the overlords of Earth, but they failed to adapt to environmental changes. All I can say is, those that need to transform should hurry up and transform, don't wait until the asteroid smashes down before starting to run."

A burst of laughter and applause broke out at the scene.

Immediately afterwards, Tony pressed the remote control again.

The image on the screen switched once more.

A brand-new title appeared.

[ Stark Industries · Life Sciences Division · Major Strategic Upgrade ]

"Everyone, today's second theme."

Tony's tone slowed down a bit, but the light in his eyes became even brighter.

"As everyone knows, besides the arms and technology departments, Stark Industries has another core department of equal weight, which is the Life Sciences Division."

"This department has always been personally managed by Luca."

"I don't think I need to say much about what level Luca's attainments in the fields of biochemistry and genetic engineering are."

"Over the years, Stark Pharmaceuticals' product lines have covered more than 130 countries and regions around the World, and its market share in fields such as antibody drugs, precision medicine, and genetic testing has consistently ranked in the global top two year-round."

"All of this is Luca's credit."

The reporters off the stage nodded one after another.

This indeed didn't require Tony to explain much.

The entire World knew that the Stark Family had produced two geniuses.

The older brother Tony Stark was an absolute genius in the fields of physics and engineering.

Machinery, electronics, energy, weapons, there was almost nothing he couldn't design.

The younger brother Lucas Stark was an absolute genius in the biomedical field.

At seventeen, he published a paper in the magazine "Nature", and at twenty, he secured full management rights of the Stark Pharmaceuticals department.

The number of patents under his name exceeded four hundred, among which at least a dozen were major breakthroughs revered as milestone-level by the global pharmaceutical community.

These two brothers, one ruled the physical World, and one ruled the biological World.

The reason why Stark Industries could firmly sit on the throne of the World's number one enterprise, weapons were only half the reason.

The other half was the Life Sciences Division managed by Luca.

"But."

Tony changed the subject, attracting everyone's attention.

"Previously, although our pharmaceutical department was already very strong, to be honest, it was still spinning within the framework of traditional medicine. Whether it was antibody drugs or targeted therapy, the essence was still making a fuss at the level of treating diseases."

"And starting today, the Life Sciences Division will undergo a subversive upgrade."

Tony turned around, and the screen began to display some R&D roadmaps.

"Our new direction is to develop a series of revolutionary products that can truly solve problems from the root."

"This is not treatment in the traditional sense, but completely repairing human defects at the cellular level and genetic level."

"Chronic inflammation, joint degeneration, nerve damage, organ fibrosis, accelerated cell aging. These minor ailments that have plagued humanity for thousands of years give people headaches; past medical means could only constantly relieve symptoms, over and over again, never able to cure them by the root."

"But now, Luca tells me he has a way to completely solve these problems."

Tony looked at the camera, his tone becoming very serious.

"As for what specific technological means he uses to achieve this, I won't spoil it. Wait until he comes himself to tell you."

"However, I can guarantee to everyone in the name of the Stark Family. Lucas Stark's ability in the field of bioscience is worth your staking your trust."

"If he says he can do it, he will definitely be able to do it."

The audience fell into a brief silence once again.

Immediately afterwards, even more enthusiastic applause broke out.

If the Arc Reactor was a declaration of war on the traditional energy industry.

Then the strategic upgrade of the Life Sciences Division was a declaration of war on the global pharmaceutical industry.

Two tracks detonated simultaneously.

After today, Stark Industries would no longer be just an arms giant.

It would simultaneously become the absolute overlord of the global energy industry and pharmaceutical industry.

The reporters off the stage were already crazy.

Flashlights flashed incessantly, and the sound of keyboard clicking was as dense as firecrackers.

Everyone had only one thought now.

Stark Industries' stock was going to take off starting from this very second.

Inside the Villa.

Luca was silent for a few seconds.

Then, he chuckled.

Although Tony once again made a Military pledge for him in front of the whole World without his consent.

But the trust within those words was real.

This older brother of his could be exasperatingly obnoxious with his mouth, but at critical moments, he would always entrust his back to him.

"Alright, Tony."

Luca muttered softly.

"Since you made big boasts for me, I'll get things done for you."

Chapter 77: Yes, Sir, I'll Shut Up

On the screen, the press conference entered the open Q&A session.

The reporters' questions flew out one after another.

Most of them revolved around the technical details of the Arc Reactor and the pharmaceutical upgrade plan.

Tony answered with ease, occasionally mixed with a few comments that left people speechless and amused.

Just as the Q&A was halfway through,

a young female reporter suddenly stood up.

"Mr. Stark! I have a small question unrelated to the theme!"

Tony glanced at her and nodded generously.

"Please go ahead."

"May I ask why Mr. Luca didn't attend today's press conference? After all, the pharmaceutical upgrade plan is a project he is in charge of. If he doesn't show up..."

Before the female reporter could finish, everyone present uniformly looked at Tony.

That's right.

As one of the co-heirs of Stark Industries and the direct head of the Life Sciences Division,

not to mention the absolute core who performed most explosively in last night's battle,

how could Lucas Stark actually not show up at such an important press conference?

Does that make any sense?!

Hearing this question, Tony was also taken aback for a moment.

Afterward, he slowly wore a meaningful smile.

This smile was carved from the exact same mold as the smile Luca usually used when dealing with women.

They really were biological brothers.

"As for the reason why Luca didn't come today..."

Tony spread his hands and teasingly bantered,

"Can you really expect a guy who only ended his pool party at four in the morning to show up at the press conference in a suit and tie at seven the next morning?"

The crowd was stunned, and then burst into uproarious laughter.

Tony followed up with another jab.

"As far as I know, last night he invited two beautiful ladies to the Villa to participate in a so-called late-night scientific research project."

"So, I guess there is a high probability he is still in bed right now, probably with one or two test subjects lying next to him... Oh wait, I mean scientific research partners."

As soon as these words came out, the laughter grew even louder.

The reporters laughed so hard they rocked back and forth, and the audience in front of the TV sets were also amused enough to discuss it with each other.

Seeing this scene in the Villa, Luca's complexion instantly darkened.

"Dammit! This bastard!!"

"Tony Stark! You wait for me! I'm definitely going to dismantle your new mark armor and turn it into a doghouse! No, make it into a toilet for you!"

"I suggest you calm down first, Mr. Luca." Jarvis chimed in at the right time.

"And in fact, what Sir said does not contain any false parts. You indeed ended the pool party at four in the morning, and you indeed invited two female models to conduct—"

"Jarvis!"

"Yes, Sir, I'll shut up."

On the screen, the laughter gradually subsided.

Tony also put away his teasing expression, silently looking at the camera, and his tone suddenly became a bit more serious.

"But seriously though."

He paused for a moment.

"The real reason Luca didn't come today is because I didn't tell him."

"Last night, in order to protect Los Angeles, he almost single-handedly shouldered the monsters' most ferocious attacks. Although his physical fitness far exceeds ordinary people, the consumption of spirit and physical strength from continuous high-intensity combat is enormous."

"He is my younger brother. As an older brother, letting him rest for an extra day is my responsibility."

After this sentence was spoken,

the laughter in the venue gradually subsided.

Many reporters' faces showed touched expressions.

Even the few veteran reporters who were frantically recording earlier stopped the pens in their hands and quietly gazed at Tony.

When the sharp-tongued playboy occasionally got serious, it was still quite touching.

In the Villa,

hearing these words, Luca's complexion, which had turned as dark as the bottom of a pot, also eased up.

Staring at Tony's deliberately suave face in silence for several seconds, he laughed.

"Fine then."

"That matter of dismantling the mark armor to make a toilet... jot it down first. Execution temporarily suspended."

The press conference was still ongoing.

More reporters were raising their hands to ask questions, and more topics were being discussed.

But Luca had already lost interest in continuing to watch.

Tony's performance was perfect, and his crowd-control ability was top-notch; he didn't need to worry at all.

And now, he had another more important thing to do.

Luca turned off the screen, walked across the living room, and headed towards the stairs leading to the underground garage.

Opening the glass door, the scanner lit up with blue light.

"Beep."

"Identity confirmed. Welcome back, Mr. Luca."

This was the secret Base shared by Luca and Tony.

On the surface it was their garage, but in reality it was their laboratory.

The laboratory was divided into two large areas.

The left half was Tony's territory, filled with various robotic arms, welding equipment, mark armor modules, and holographic design tables.

The demon armor wreckage sat in the corner, already more than half dismantled, with scattered parts strewn all over the floor.

It was typical Tony style—acting like a Beast when dismantling things, completely not caring whether they could be put back together.

The right half was Luca's territory.

Completely different from the art style on Tony's side, Luca's side looked more like a biological laboratory.

Dozens of labeled petri dishes and test tubes were placed on the experimental table, filled with liquids of various colors.

Right in the middle position, there was also a transparent whiteboard.

It was covered densely with data written in red, blue, and black marker pens.

These were all the research results of him and Tony yesterday.

Luca walked over to the experimental table and sat down.

Supporting his chin with both hands, his gaze fell on the whiteboard, and he fell into deep thought.

There were two core components to his serum.

The first was the improved formula of the Super Soldier Serum left behind by his father, Howard Stark, back in the day.

The second was a mysterious serum capable of altering the energy absorption structure of human body cells.

The fused serum triggered a genetic mutation inside his body.

Not only did it endow him with super-strong physical fitness, but it also enabled his cells to acquire the ability to absorb and transform energy.

This was the fundamental reason why he grew stronger now whenever he basked in the Sun or absorbed energy.

The energy of the Sun was just like food; every bit he absorbed would enhance his strength, speed, defense, and perception by a fraction.

Theoretically speaking, as long as the Sun did not perish, he could grow stronger infinitely.

Of course, he could also directly absorb other energies to grow stronger, except he needed to watch out for the possibility of exploding to death from overload.

But the problem lay right here as well.

His fused serum could not be replicated.

Specifically, the Super Soldier Serum part could be extracted and replicated individually, and the energy-absorption-and-strengthening serum part could also be extracted and replicated individually.

However, the fusion reaction of the two serums could not be artificially reproduced.

In other words, Luca turning out the way he was now was a fusion that could only occur under specific conditions.

Change to any other person, or change to any other environment, and the result would not be the same.

He was the sole and unique one.

This discovery made Luca slightly disappointed, but he didn't dwell on it too much.

Because he quickly shifted his attention to another direction.

It didn't matter if the fused serum couldn't be replicated.

The Super Soldier Serum could be extracted and researched independently.

That was enough.

"Jarvis, pull up the research files on the super serum."

"Alright, Mr. Luca."

In the air above the experimental table, a huge holographic document unfolded.

The dense data could make any top biologist in the World's scalp tingle.

But to Luca, these things were as easy as reading a menu.

This was his idea.

Enhanced Super Soldier Serum.

It was also the version he injected into his own body.

Although he was an already mutated version, this did not affect the strength of the serum.

What Luca wanted to make was a serum capable of modifying human body cell structures at the genetic level.

Or rather, an ultimate enhancement serum that comprehensively raised the upper limits of the human body in all aspects such as strength, speed, responsiveness, durability, and recovery.

It was stronger than Captain America's version.

And much stronger.

As for the serum's first user, Luca had long had a candidate in mind.

That was Tony.

It wasn't that Luca hadn't noticed.

In yesterday's battle, even though he fought to his heart's content, crushing everything all the way through sheer physical supremacy,

what about Tony?

Although the mark armor had fierce firepower and great mobility,

facing super-human level monsters, the armor's protection still seemed inadequate.

Luca was unwilling to think any further down that path.

He could accept getting injured himself.

He could accept the whole World cursing him as a scumbag.

He could accept any scandal and gossip thrown onto his face.

But he could not accept anything happening to Tony.

This was his only remaining family in this World.

Their parents had long since passed away.

He couldn't lose his older brother again.

Absolutely not.

Therefore, he wanted to make Tony stronger.

Not just becoming stronger on the level of armor.

Better armor and firepower—those were things Tony could handle by himself.

What Luca wanted to do was enhance Tony from the physical level.

He wanted Tony himself to possess a super-human level physique.

That way, even if one day the armor was completely destroyed,

Tony could still smile and tell the enemy, "Congratulations on unlocking the second form."

"Jarvis, pull up yesterday's analysis report. Then do a full-dimensional comparative analysis with the previous reports."

"Alright, Mr. Luca. Comparative analysis in progress... Estimated to take 30 seconds."

Soon, Jarvis's prompt came.

"Sir, the comparison is complete."

A massive amount of data charts refreshed on the screen.

Luca glanced over the data and confirmed the general result.

But he wasn't in a hurry to do a deep analysis.

"Jarvis, archive the data and put it aside for now."

"Sir? You are not continuing the analysis?"

"The matter of the serum is not urgent."

Luca stood up and paced back and forth a few times in front of the experimental table.

"Anyway, I already know how to successfully develop it; it doesn't matter when."

"Understood. Data archived. What do you need to do next, Sir?"

Luca stopped in his tracks.

After a few seconds of silence, his gaze fell onto Tony's territory.

A three-dimensional holographic model of the Arc Reactor was suspended there.

The blue light rotated quietly, looking very beautiful.

But Luca knew that behind the beautiful light hid a fatal problem.

Palladium.

The core material of the Arc Reactor.

And the culprit slowly poisoning Tony to death.

"Jarvis."

"Present, Sir."

"Pull up the technical model of the Arc Reactor. Full-parameter version."

Chapter 78: Dad really thought of everything for us.

Jarvis fell silent for 0.5 seconds.

This amount of time was already considered very long in the World of artificial intelligence.

"Sir, are you sure? The technical model of the Arc Reactor has always been Mr. Tony's research project. Although you have the same level of access privileges, but..."

"But what?"

"But Mr. Tony said something to me this morning."

"What did he say?"

He said: "If Luca suddenly starts researching the reactor, just tell him not to worry blindly, I will handle it."

Hearing this, Luca was stunned for a moment.

Then he let out a cold sneer.

"Handle it? He can't handle a damn thing."

He walked over to the experimental area and stood in front of the floating holographic model.

"Jarvis, tell me, what is Tony's current blood palladium poisoning index?"

"According to the latest test data this morning, the concentration of palladium in Mr. Tony's blood has reached 19 micrograms per liter. It has increased by 8% compared to yesterday."

"According to the current rate of increase, how long is it expected to reach the critical danger value?"

Jarvis fell silent for a moment once again.

"If the core element is not replaced and no intervention measures are taken... it is expected that within four to six months, the blood palladium concentration will reach the critical value of 50 micrograms per liter."

"By then, Mr. Tony will experience severe organ failure symptoms."

Four to six months.

Luca raised an eyebrow.

He had known it would be like this for a long time.

From the moment he learned that Tony placed the Arc Reactor on his chest, Luca had noticed the problem of palladium poisoning.

He had brought it up with Tony these past two days, and they even argued about it yesterday daytime.

But Tony's reaction every time was equally understated.

Then he would say I'm working on it, or I'll handle it, or he would change the topic with some cold joke.

He understood that Tony never let others see his vulnerable side, especially not letting him see it.

The pride of being an older brother was probably just like this.

But Luca was not a fool.

"Handle it? How are you going to handle it?"

The root cause of palladium poisoning was that the core of the Arc Reactor required palladium as a material.

As long as the reactor was still running, the decay products of palladium would continuously seep into Tony's blood.

To solve this problem, there was only one path.

Find a new element to replace palladium, a brand-new element that could both serve as a material and not produce decay.

But the problem was.

This element did not exist at all on the periodic table currently known to humanity.

Tony had been trying, and Luca knew.

He had tried combinations of at least dozens of known elements and alloys, but every single one had failed.

Either the efficiency was not enough to support the operation of the reactor, or the efficiency was enough, but the toxicity was even greater than palladium.

That was why Tony had never solved this problem.

It wasn't that he didn't want to solve it, but that he couldn't solve it for the time being.

And Luca did not plan to wait any longer.

"Jarvis, pull up the model. Now."

"Understood, Mr. Luca."

This time Jarvis did not say anything more.

Very quickly.

A complete three-dimensional technical model of the Arc Reactor slowly unfolded in front of Luca.

All the details of the model were clearly presented before his eyes.

At the core of the model, an element symbol marked as Pd flashed with a red light.

Palladium element.

It was this thing.

Luca stared at that symbol with focused eyes.

The World knew that he, Lucas Stark, was a genius in the biomedical field.

Publishing a paper in "Nature" at seventeen, managing the Stark medical department at twenty, with over four hundred biomedical patents.

These resumes were enough to make anyone in the global biochemical community shut up in front of him.

But this did not mean he was a complete layman who knew nothing in the fields of physics and engineering.

Are you kidding me.

He had grown up with Tony Stark, after all.

Ever since they were little, the two of them had been each other's biggest competitors and best study partners.

When Tony was soldering circuit boards in the lab, he would sit beside him and point fingers.

When Tony was deriving quantum mechanics equations on the whiteboard, he would calculate along on the side.

Tony taught him physics, and he taught Tony chemistry.

The two brothers had sheared each other's wool for so many years, and they had long since gnawed through most of the core knowledge in each other's fields.

Although Luca's level in physics and engineering couldn't compare to Tony's freak-level talent.

Placed within the entire MIT, it was at least at the top 3% standard.

Above his head, there was only one and would only ever be one person.

As for who it was? Was it hard to guess?

What's more...

Luca clenched his fist slightly, feeling the surging power within his body.

Ever since the mutation, his body had been strengthened in all aspects.

Not just strength, speed, and perception.

His brain had also changed.

His thinking speed had obviously accelerated.

Complex calculations that used to take twenty minutes to deduce clearly now only required five or six minutes.

Deep logic that previously required reading a paper several times to fully understand now only needed one time.

His memory had also become much clearer.

A string of data casually recorded in the lab two months ago could now be repeated word for word with his eyes closed.

It was as if while the serum was strengthening his body, it also conveniently optimized his brain.

Luca hadn't told Tony about his brain becoming smarter.

Of course, this wasn't intentional concealment, but rather he felt that saying such a thing out loud was a bit too pretentious.

"Hey! Tony, I injected a serum, and as a result, not only did my body become stronger, but my brain also became smarter."

No way, saying words like that made even himself want to punch himself.

Regardless, the enhanced brainpower was coming in handy right now.

"Jarvis, pull up Tony's previous alternative element experimental data. All of it."

"Understood, Mr. Luca. Mr. Tony has conducted a total of forty alternative element experiments in the past."

"Covering all elements, but the experimental results were all... failures."

"What about the classification of failure reasons?"

"Roughly divided into three categories. The first category..."

Listening to this data, Luca rapidly arranged and categorized it in his mind.

All forty experiments failed.

But for Luca, the forty failures themselves were a huge amount of data wealth.

Because every failure ruled out a wrong path.

The problem wasn't that Tony wasn't smart enough, but that his mindset was trapped within the existing periodic table.

He had always been searching for answers within the framework of known elements.

But what if the answer wasn't in the known elements at all?

What if the required element was a brand-new element that had not yet been discovered or artificially synthesized?

As soon as this thought popped up, Luca's eyes lit up.

"Jarvis."

"Present, Sir."

"I need you to help me do something."

Luca walked up to the design desk and stared at the floating model.

"Based on palladium, build a theoretical model."

"Then use this theoretical model as a screening condition, not limited to the existing periodic table, and expand the search outward."

"What I want to know is, if we jump out of the framework of known elements, then theoretically, is there an undiscovered element?"

"And does this element happen to meet our requirements?"

Jarvis fell silent for quite a while.

"Mr. Luca, the search range you described... theoretically is infinite. If boundary conditions are not set, the calculation will not converge to a valid result."

"Then add boundary conditions."

Luca's fingers slid rapidly across the design desk, bringing up a series of parameter panels.

"First, the new element..."

Luca finished stating these conditions in one breath, then straightened up and stared at the model.

"Run a simulation with these conditions. Tell me, is it possible for such an element to exist?"

"Understood, Mr. Luca. Building model... The calculation volume of the simulation is relatively large, and it is expected to take two hours."

"No problem. Just run it."

Luca let out a sigh of relief, took two steps back, and leaned against the edge of the experimental bench.

He looked up at the ceiling.

From his perspective, the surrounding energy was being absorbed into his body bit by bit.

Warm energy flowed slowly inside his body, like a quiet river.

He was growing stronger every moment.

But this wasn't enough.

If he grew stronger, while Tony was still trapped in place by palladium poisoning slowly waiting to die.

Then what would be the point of him growing stronger?

He could smash a wall with one punch.

He could emit energy rays from his eyes.

He could withstand a direct missile strike.

But he had no way to pick out those damned palladium ions one by one from Tony's blood.

Fists couldn't solve all problems.

Some enemies weren't monsters, nor aliens, nor any secret organization.

They could be hiding inside the blood vessels of the person you cared about most, silently devouring his life.

You couldn't hit, kick, or bomb such an enemy.

You could only defeat it with your brain.

So Luca was sitting here now to become smarter.

"Jarvis."

"Present, Sir."

"While waiting for the simulation results, pull out all the research notes left behind by Dad."

"Especially the parts related to the Arc Reactor. I remember when Dad designed the reactor back then, he seemed to have left behind some unrefined theoretical drafts."

"Understood, Mr. Luca. Mr. Howard Stark's personal research files are being retrieved... There are a total of 1,275 files, of which 89 are directly related to the Arc Reactor. Which one would you like to start with?"

"Start from the earliest one. Arrange them in chronological order."

"Understood."

On the holographic screen, a yellowed handwritten note was scanned, restored, and displayed.

The handwriting in the notes was vigorous and powerful, making it very comfortable to look at.

In the upper right corner was a date: March 17, 1974.

Below was a scrawled title.

"Hypothesis on the existence of super-palladium—To the future."

Luca was stunned for a moment.

Super-palladium?

He leaned closer and began to carefully read Howard's notes.

The more he read, the tighter his brows knitted.

The more he read, the wider his eyes widened.

The more he read, the faster his breathing frequency became.

Five minutes later.

Luca slowly straightened up and let out a long breath.

"Dad..."

He said in a low voice, with a tremor in his tone that he hadn't even noticed himself.

"You really thought of everything for us."

This note recorded a nearly crazy hypothesis.

More than forty years ago, he had foreseen the limitations of palladium as the core material of the reactor.

He had even deduced some concepts of a replacement element at the theoretical level.

But limited by the technological level of that era, he could neither synthesize this element nor verify his own theory.

So he wrote these things into his notes and ended with a sentence.

"I believe that one day, my children will go further than me. This problem is left to them. I have confidence in them."

Seeing this, Luca was silent for a long time.

Then he smiled.

"Jarvis."

"Present, Sir."

"Cancel the theoretical simulation. It's no longer needed."

"Sir?"

"Dad has already given us the direction."

Luca stood firmly in front of the notes, his gaze becoming unprecedentedly firm.

"What I need to do now is follow the clues he left behind and walk the rest of the way forward."

"Extract the theory about super-palladium from the notes and cross-compare it with the boundary conditions I set just now."

"At the same time, retrieve the latest equipment parameters of Stark Industries' laboratory. I need to know whether, with our existing equipment conditions, we can synthesize the kind of result described in Dad's notes."

"Understood, Mr. Luca. Processing."

Luca sat back down on the stool.

He picked up the marker and wrote three large characters on the whiteboard.

"New element."

Then he drew a line underneath and began to rapidly integrate the content from the notes and his own calculation results together.

Luca's thinking speed was operating at high speed under the blessing of his enhanced brain, with various processes intersecting and colliding in his mind.

Fast.

Faster.

He had to find the answer before the palladium poisoning worsened to an irreversible point.

He was currently doing two things alone.

One was the Super Soldier Serum, to turn Tony into an immortal superhuman.

The other was the new element, to fundamentally solve the problem in Tony's body.

Walking both paths simultaneously.

No matter which path succeeded first, it could save Tony's life.

No one asked him to do this.

Tony hadn't opened his mouth to beg him.

Pepper hadn't asked him.

No one in this World knew he was doing this either.

Even Jarvis probably only vaguely guessed some of it.

He just didn't want to lose his family.

It was as simple as that.

"Chapter 79: I'll Make a Bet With You"

Stark Industries Headquarters.

Life Sciences Division.

Twelfth floor.

This entire floor belonged to Luca's territory.

Unlike the style of other floors, white walls and transparent cubicles were everywhere here.

Electronic access control was installed at the door of each room, using card swiping and iris recognition. The security level was even higher than that of the arms research and development department.

This was one of the top research institutions in the global medical field.

Looking across the entire World, not many could match the equipment and technology inside.

"This way, Ethan. Let me show you what a real laboratory looks like."

Tony swaggered ahead, followed by Ethan, Pepper, and Happy.

Ethan had changed into a clean white lab coat and wore a pair of round-rimmed glasses.

Compared to his dusty appearance in the cave in Afghanistan, he was practically a completely different person now.

However, he was still somewhat restrained at the moment.

After all, being able to stand in the core area of Stark Industries—

For an old Doctor who had practiced medicine in the Middle East for most of his life, it still felt somewhat surreal.

"Ethan, do you see that room on the left?"

Tony stopped and pointed to a laboratory on the left side of the corridor.

It was filled with various instruments, and several researchers in sterile suits were busy working inside.

"That is Luca's gene sequencing center. There are only three fourth-generation gene sequencers in the entire U.S., and we have two right here."

As he spoke, Tony raised an eyebrow at Ethan.

"The remaining one is at Harvard University. But that one was donated by Luca last year, sort of like charity."

Ethan pushed up his glasses and couldn't help walking up to the glass to take a closer look.

You have to know, he was a legitimate medical Doctor.

Although he had been doing humanitarian aid in the Middle East in recent years, his passion for medical research had never been extinguished.

"This equipment is too advanced."

Ethan praised sincerely.

"Frankly speaking, when I was in Afghanistan, the best tools I had were a scalpel and a surgical lamp that was practically on its last legs."

"The machines here are things I never even dared to imagine before."

Pepper, walking beside them, smiled slightly and chimed in.

"These are still just a small part. If you go downstairs to see Luca's private laboratory, you'll be even more shocked."

Pepper looked down and flipped through her tablet, pulling up a personnel file.

"However, entry permissions to that laboratory are restricted to just Luca and Tony. Even I don't qualify."

Tony proudly shook his head.

"Well, of course. Some things are too important to let just anyone see."

"However, don't worry, Ethan. I've already had Jarvis set up your clearances for this floor. The laboratory, database, and equipment room are all yours to enter and exit freely."

Tony turned to face Ethan and patted his shoulder.

"You saved my life. That's not something a mere laboratory can repay, but at least it's a start."

"Go ahead and give it your all here. Whatever equipment or funding you need, just tell Pepper directly."

"If Pepper thinks it's too expensive, just tell her I approved it. If she still thinks it's too expensive, tell her Luca approved it. Luca never blinks when spending money."

Pepper rolled her eyes from the side.

"You guys only know how to spend money. The bill for the batch of reagents Luca ordered last month was as long as a novel; my hand cramped from signing it."

Ethan was amused by them, and his tense nerves relaxed significantly.

After pushing up his glasses, he nodded earnestly.

"Thank you, Tony. And thank Luca for me too. Without you guys, I'd probably still be bandaging people's wounds out in the desert."

At this, Ethan looked around and asked with some curiosity.

"By the way, why didn't Luca come to the company today? I thought I'd run into him. After all, this is his territory."

Tony shrugged and casually complained.

"That guy? You expect him to show up at the company before noon?"

"He threw a party last night. I bet he's still lying in bed right now, with probably two unfinished glasses of champagne by his pillow."

"If you call him right now, the person who answers might not even be him, but some anonymous lady."

Ethan's mouth twitched slightly, not quite knowing how to respond.

He had only heard that the Stark Brothers were playboys, but he hadn't expected them to be this wild!

Pepper stepped in to smooth things over in time.

"Alright, Tony. Don't scare him off."

She smiled gently at Ethan.

"Although Luca is a bit frivolous in his personal life, he's extremely reliable when it comes to work. He just has a rather… unique schedule."

Tony let out a scoff.

"Unique? You mean a night owl who struggles to wake up in the morning?"

Pepper selectively ignored him.

Afterward, the three of them walked toward the elevator bank together.

Before leaving, Tony glanced back at Ethan one last time.

"Work in peace, buddy. Give me a call if anything comes up."

"If I don't answer, call Pepper. If Pepper doesn't answer either… well, just wait, we'll get back to you sooner or later."

Ethan stood in place, watching the three of them leave.

It wasn't until the elevator doors closed that he let out a long breath.

Looking back at the busy researchers, Ethan sighed silently to himself.

The Stark Family.

What truly saved him wasn't anything else, but rather the passion for science and life flowing deep in their bones.

Even though they each looked more unserious than the last on the surface.

Yet they were people truly changing the World in their own way.

...

First floor lobby.

"Ding."

The elevator doors opened.

Tony, Pepper, and Happy walked out one after another.

The first-floor lobby was as spacious and bright as ever.

Several on-duty security guards saw Tony and immediately straightened up.

Tony raised a hand in greeting.

"Potts, is the afternoon schedule all set?"

"It's all set. You have an online meeting with the Los Angeles City Hall at two this afternoon to discuss the site selection for the Arc Reactor demonstration power plant."

Pepper flipped through her tablet as she walked.

"There's a board conference call at five. Besides, CNN is still hounding us for your availability to appear on their program…"

"I'm not doing it. Tell them I'm busy."

Tony casually interrupted Pepper.

To be honest, he really didn't want to face any more cameras.

The morning press conference had already given him enough of a headache.

If it weren't for the company, he'd rather stay in the lab working on his armor.

"I bet Luca is still sound asleep at home right now."

Tony suddenly piped up, his tone full of disdain.

Happy, walking ahead to clear the path, heard this, turned back, and chimed in.

"Isn't Mr. Luca always like this? Last time he threw parties at home for days straight and didn't step outside until the fifth day, and the very first thing he did was make me go buy him a hamburger."

Pepper chuckled as well, shaking her head helplessly.

"Our little master is always like that, isn't he?"

With that, she and Tony exchanged a glance.

Both of their expressions were somewhat subtle.

Tony looked away first, acting nonchalant as he pushed open the front doors.

The sunlight outside was blindingly bright.

Happy briskly walked over to an Audi A8 and pulled open the back door.

"Please, boss."

Tony bent down and slid into the back seat.

Pepper got in from the other side as well, sitting next to Tony.

Happy closed the door, walked around to the driver's seat, stepped on the gas, and smoothly drove the car out of the parking lot.

The interior of the car was very quiet.

The cool breeze from the air conditioner blew gently.

Pepper kept her head down, continuing to process work as her fingers swiped rapidly across her tablet.

Tony leaned back against his seat, watching the streetscape rapidly retreat outside the window.

After a few seconds of silence, he suddenly spoke up.

"Potts."

"Hmm?"

"I'll make a bet with you."

Pepper looked up, gazing at him warily.

Whenever Tony suggested a bet, it was always followed by either a boring prank or something that made her blood pressure skyrocket.

"What is it?"

"I bet Luca definitely hasn't woken up yet."

Tony raised his left hand and glanced at his watch.

"It's one-twenty in the afternoon. Given his routine, he won't wake up until at least two-thirty."

"What's the stake?"

"If I win, you help me fend off this afternoon's board conference call."

Pepper rolled her eyes at him and refused without a second thought.

"No bet. Because you're guaranteed to win."

"Besides, even if I were willing to bet, you wouldn't honor it if you lost. When have you ever admitted defeat?"

Tony's little scheme was exposed, but he still refused to back down.

"I'm a man of great integrity, Potts. I've just never lost, that's all."

Pepper ignored his boasting.

She lowered her head and continued scrolling through work emails on her tablet.

The car drove along the coastal highway toward Malibu.

Outside the window lay the azure ocean and white crests of waves.

Chapter 80: A Very Serious Academic Problem

Meanwhile.

Malibu Mansion.

Luca sat alone in front of the laboratory bench.

The holographic projection ahead displayed a dense pile of data models.

And this data was continuously refreshing and reorganizing at a fixed frequency.

But the result of each reorganization was the same.

In the corner of the screen, red text kept flashing the exact same sentence.

[Synthesis failed. Incomplete elemental structure. Missing core parameters.]

Luca frowned, resting his chin in one hand.

He had been staring at these data for nearly two hours.

"Mr. Luca."

Jarvis's voice rang out.

"Based on the currently available equipment conditions and theoretical parameters, I have conducted multiple simulated synthesis experiments."

"All results failed."

"The core problem is that although Howard's notes proposed the existence hypothesis of the super-palladium element and provided a partial theoretical framework, he failed to complete the most crucial step."

"Or rather... we still don't know what this element actually looks like."

Luca nodded.

He certainly knew about this problem.

The notes left by Dad gave a direction, and even gave more than half the path.

But the final step, which was also the hardest step, he did not finish walking.

Because the technological conditions forty years ago did not allow it.

Although the current technological conditions are much better, the essence of the problem has not changed.

If you don't know what this thing actually is, there is no way you can build it.

This is like someone telling you that a perfect fruit exists in the World, and its taste is better than all other fruits.

They also tell you roughly how big this fruit is and what shape it probably is.

But the problem is, he didn't tell you what the seeds look like.

Without seeds, how do you plant it?

Luca sighed and leaned back against the back of his chair.

There's no rush.

Research of this level is not something that can be handled in a few hours.

It might take a few days, or it might take a few weeks.

But it will definitely be handled.

Because Dad has already done the hardest theoretical part, and he only needs to complete the final experimental verification.

"Keep running the simulation, Jarvis. Change the approach..."

"Understood. Adjusting parameters, starting simulation."

Just as Jarvis was executing the command,

Luca froze slightly.

His perceptual ability captured something.

A slight vibration came from above the Villa.

The sound of wheels rolling over the ground, the sound of the engine shutting down, the sound of car doors opening and closing.

Immediately followed by three sets of footsteps with different rhythms.

They are back.

Luca glanced at the simulation that was still running and had no intention of getting up.

He continued browsing the notes, his fingers sliding pages across the screen.

One minute later.

The door to the underground garage was pushed open.

The footsteps went from far to near.

"Hey!"

Tony's voice came from behind, carrying a clear teasing tone.

"You're browsing my research materials? Who allowed you into my project folder?"

Luca didn't even look back, his tone bland.

"Your project folder?"

"These notes were left by Dad to the Stark Family, not just to you alone."

He raised his head and looked at Tony and Pepper standing at the door.

"Besides, you went out to hold a press conference without even saying hello, what is there that I can't look at?"

Tony walked straight up to the laboratory bench and glanced at the data.

Then he raised his head and locked eyes with Luca.

"These are Dad's things, of course I know."

"But the problem is, these materials have always been stored in Jarvis's archive. I looked at them six years ago. You only dug them out today, doesn't that show your efficiency is too low?"

Luca raised an eyebrow.

Six years ago?

This guy looked at them six years ago?

But he looked at them six years ago and yet failed to solve the palladium poisoning problem, which could only mean one thing.

He looked, but didn't find a breakthrough.

Or rather, given the conditions and understanding at the time, he hadn't fully comprehended the most crucial parts of the notes.

However, Luca didn't plan to expose him at this juncture.

"Six years ago?"

Luca sneered.

"Then I'm very curious, since you looked at them six years ago, why didn't you tell me?"

"Don't we share everything? Are you planning to silently digest Dad's legacy all by yourself?"

"Oh please, Luca."

Tony rolled his eyes.

"What were you doing at that time? You soaked yourself in Stanford University's laboratory all day, researching some gene-editing technology with a bunch of fools. You wouldn't even answer my calls."

"I sent you a few emails and you didn't reply to any of them, and in the end Pepper had to help me urge you. Did you ever mention to me that you received them?"

Luca froze for a moment.

It seemed there really was such a thing.

Six years ago, he was frantically researching an improved version of gene-editing technology.

During that time, he basically didn't check emails or answer calls, disappearing for a while like a lost contact.

When he came out of the laboratory, he was surrounded by a few old fellows who swarmed him like starstruck fans, along with a paper that shocked the academic World.

As for Tony's email?

To be honest, he really didn't remember.

But he would never admit it.

"That's because your email subject line was written too boringly."

Luca retorted with a straight face.

"You should have written 'Emergency! Dad's Legacy.' in the subject line instead of writing something about discussing the material science problems of the Arc Reactor."

"Who would read an email with a name like that? I thought it was academic spam."

Tony was so angry he laughed.

"That's your problem! Who told you not to check who the sender was when you received an email!"

"If you had replied to my email back then, maybe we could have solved this problem six years ago!"

"Maybe?"

Luca coldly emphasized the word.

"You want to shift the blame back with just the word 'maybe'? Tony Stark, you really are something else."

The two instantly started bickering again.

From who discovered the notes first, arguing whose email subject was worse, to arguing who was more unreliable six years ago.

Pepper watched the two bantering back and forth, her veins twitching slightly.

She knew that if she didn't interrupt them, these two could argue from the matter of the notes all the way to the origin of the Universe.

"Enough! Gentlemen!"

Pepper raised her volume, decisively calling a halt to this farce.

"What on earth are you two arguing about?!"

"Ever since I've known you two until now, there hasn't been a day you don't argue! Are you heirs of the Stark Family, or kindergarten kids?"

The two shut their mouths simultaneously.

But after glaring at each other, they simultaneously turned their heads away.

Luca broke the silence first.

He looked at Pepper, changing into an affectionate smile.

"Potts, my good sister."

"Do me a small favor. I haven't eaten anything since morning, and my stomach has already started protesting."

"Can you help us go buy a few burgers? I want two spicy chicken burgers from Wendy's, and the lettuce needs to be fresh."

Tony also chimed in.

"Add two double cheeseburgers. Extra butter."

Pepper looked at the two with an expression of I-knew-it-would-be-like-this.

"Wouldn't it be fine just to let Happy go buy them? Why does it have to be me?"

The smile on Luca's face became even brighter.

"Because only you know what flavors we actually like to eat, Potts. The burgers Happy bought last time had pickles in them, which almost made me cry from sourness."

"Besides, you've been busy at the company all morning, it's about time you went out to get some fresh air. Consider it my treat for a walk."

Pepper's mouth twitched slightly.

Of course she knew Luca was finding an excuse to dismiss her.

But she really couldn't come up with a reason to refuse.

Because they really hadn't eaten lunch.

"You two are really..."

Pepper sighed, picked up her bag and turned to walk out.

When she reached the door, she looked back.

"Twenty minutes. You two had better not tear the laboratory apart before I get back."

"Rest assured, Potts. We're just researching academic problems."

Luca waved at her.

"A very serious academic problem."

Pepper didn't say anything more, her figure disappearing at the door.

Chapter 81: An Anonymous Email

The footsteps faded away.

Only the two brothers were left in the laboratory.

The atmosphere was quiet for a few seconds.

Tony leaned against the workbench, crossing his arms over his chest.

He quietly glanced at Luca, a faint, almost imperceptible smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"Alright. She's gone."

"What do you plan to tell me?"

Luca didn't rush to speak.

Instead, facing the screen intently, he tapped his fingers lightly on the tabletop.

"Jarvis."

"At your service, Mr. Luca."

"Pull up the palladium concentration data from Tony's recent blood tests."

Jarvis didn't hesitate, and a line graph immediately refreshed on the screen.

Several data points were arranged in order from left to right, showing an upward trending curve.

The numbers were crystal clear.

The latest test result was boldly displayed as:

[An 8% increase compared to the last test.]

Seeing these figures, the smile on Tony's face became somewhat unnatural.

"Luca, I said yesterday, I know about this issue."

"I monitor these data every day. You don't need to remind me."

Luca turned to face Tony directly.

"Four to six months, Tony."

"At the current rate of increase, the palladium concentration in your blood will reach fifty micrograms per liter within four to six months."

"By that time, your body will begin to fail."

Luca paused for a moment, then continued.

"Stop feeding me that 'I can handle it' crap. You can't handle shit."

"You've failed over forty times, Tony. I said yesterday that the problem is very serious."

This sentence directly poked at Tony's most painful spot.

He clenched his jaws tightly, but said nothing.

No rebuttal, no explanation.

But silence itself spoke volumes.

He truly couldn't do it.

This was one of the very few moments in Tony Stark's life when he admitted his own helplessness.

And he chose to use silence instead of admitting it.

Luca sighed; yesterday they had almost gotten into a fight because of this.

Today, it had to be cleared up.

"Tony."

"What are we going to do if you die? What about Pepper? Tell me."

Tony raised his head and looked straight into Luca's eyes.

The brothers' gazes collided in mid-air for a few seconds.

Silence was like an invisible wall.

But Luca didn't plan to let the silence last too long.

He didn't like sentimentality.

Sentimentality was the behavior of the weak.

The Stark Family doesn't do sentimentality; they solve problems.

"There's a direction in Dad's notes."

Luca's tone became a bit lighter.

"He foresaw the palladium problem forty years ago. Although he couldn't personally finish the final step, he paved ninety percent of the road."

"Give us time, and we can solve the remaining ten percent."

Speaking of this, Luca paused, his gaze turning serious.

"But the condition is that you must simultaneously accept me injecting you with the enhanced serum. A double insurance."

"The new element is the long-term plan, and the serum is the short-term plan. Walking both paths together, no matter which one succeeds first, you will live."

It was quiet for a moment.

Tony let out a scoff.

"How did we get back to talking about shots? Do you think there aren't enough holes in my body? You've already carved one out on my chest, and you want to give me another shot in my ass?"

"Your ass isn't worth wasting my serum on. I plan to jab your arm. Be civilized."

Tony fell silent for an even longer time.

Eventually.

"Fine, I'll buy your burgers today."

Luca was stunned for a moment.

Then he rolled his eyes.

"I don't eat cheeseburgers. Change it to chicken."

"Fussy bastard."

The two looked at each other.

There was no need to say anything.

This was the tacit understanding of the Stark Family.

However, as soon as the words fell,

Tony suddenly frowned.

Staring at the projected notes, his gaze became sharp.

"Wait."

"What did you just say? There's a direction in Dad's notes?"

Tony straightened up, looking at Luca in disbelief.

"What direction? How come I don't know about it? I looked at these things six years ago!"

Luca scoffed.

"Are you sure you saw all of it?"

"Jarvis. Show him the notes from March 17, 1974. The complete version."

"Right away, Mr. Luca."

The image on the holographic screen switched.

A complete set of handwritten notes appeared before Tony.

The date in the upper right corner: March 17, 1974.

Title: Hypothesis on the Existence of Super-Palladium Elements — To the Future.

Tony leaned closer to the screen.

He began to read word by word.

At first, his expression was curious.

Then it turned into concentration.

And then, shock.

Finally, silence.

Luca quietly observed Tony's reaction.

He didn't need to urge.

With Tony's IQ,

He only needed to read it once to understand how invaluable these notes were.

Sure enough.

The more Tony read, the quieter he became.

He had indeed looked at these archives six years ago.

But the problem was that six years ago he only saw the surface theory and didn't connect the deepest logic.

And now, after the actual construction and operation of the Arc Reactor, and the accumulation of over forty failed alternative experiments,

He finally had enough experience and data benchmarks to understand what Howard was actually thinking forty years ago.

"Fuck."

Tony cursed under his breath.

Howard had already reached this step forty years ago.

He deduced the theoretical outline of the alternative element.

Although he didn't complete the final verification, he provided a clear path.

Given the technological level at the time, this path was impassable.

But with current equipment and computing power...

Not daring to say one hundred percent, but at least there was a success rate of over seventy percent.

A brand-new element that did not exist on the known periodic table.

A new element that could perfectly replace palladium to drive the Arc Reactor without any issues.

Forty years ago, Howard Stark deduced the possibility of such a thing using pen and paper in a laboratory where even computers were bulky chunks.

This was a true genius.

Tony flipped to the last page of the notes.

There was only a paragraph there.

The handwriting was neater than the previous content, as if it were specially written for someone to read.

"I cannot synthesize this element with my own hands. Perhaps it doesn't belong to my era. But I believe that one day, my children will go further than me. This problem is left to them."

"I have faith in them."

Tony stared at the last two lines of words.

Motionless, he looked at them for a very long time.

He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but didn't say it out.

Seeing Tony's reaction, Luca also helplessly shook his head.

Ever since he was a kid, Tony had always felt that Howard didn't value him enough.

Howard was busy with work and research all day, having very little time to accompany young Tony.

His adolescence was spent almost entirely in an environment of loneliness and lack of recognition.

Although Howard always boasted in front of outsiders that his son was a genius,

But at home, face-to-face, he rarely spoke words of recognition and encouragement to Tony.

This caused Tony to develop a habit since childhood of using arrogance to cover up his insecurity.

The more he outwardly displayed an arrogant self-confidence, the more his heart yearned to be recognized by his father.

And now.

In these notes from forty years ago, it directly pierced the scar in Tony's heart.

It turned out Howard had always believed in them.

Luca did not go to comfort Tony.

The men of the Stark Family don't need comfort.

"He knew he couldn't do it. But he left the road for us."

"So, we have no reason not to make it through."

Tony took a deep breath.

Then he reached out and touched the reactor on his chest.

The blue light filtered through the fabric of his shirt, faintly flickering between his fingers.

"Old man."

Tony's voice was somewhat hoarse.

"Dead for seventeen years, and still assigning us homework."

Luca laughed.

"What can we do about that? Who told us to be his sons?"

The two fell silent for a few seconds.

Some things didn't need to be expressed with great fanfare.

A glance, a sigh, was enough.

Afterwards,

Luca took the lead in breaking the gloomy atmosphere.

He hated heavy atmospheres the most.

"Alright. Sentimentality time is over."

"Didn't you say you wanted to discuss something with me when you got back? What on earth is it?"

Fortunately, Tony wasn't someone who liked to dwell in his emotions.

"Right. Almost forgot."

Tony walked over to the operation console on the other side and opened an encrypted terminal.

His fingers swiped across the screen a few times, pulling up an email.

"At six o'clock this morning, I received an anonymous email."

"The sender address is encrypted, and the source cannot be traced."

Tony glanced at Luca.

"I originally wanted to open and look at it right away. But later I thought, this thing came from an unknown source, so it's safer to wait for you to look at it together."

"That's why I rushed to the company early in the morning to hold a press conference, intending to handle this matter after coming back."

Luca walked to Tony's side and looked at the email on the screen.

The email had no subject and no body preview.

There was only an encrypted file package in the attachment column.

The file name was a string of meaningless letters and numbers.

"Who sent it?"

"Don't know. Traced the IP, jumped through a dozen proxy nodes, and finally disappeared on a server somewhere in Eastern Europe."

Luca frowned.

Anonymous encrypted email.

Sent to Tony Stark himself.

Being able to bypass Jarvis's firewall and deliver directly to Tony's private mailbox.

This in itself showed that the sender's technical level was not something an ordinary person could achieve.

"Open it and see."

Luca stared at the encrypted file package and said.

"Jarvis, assist in decryption."

"Right away, Mr. Luca. Decoding the encryption protocol..."

Tony also leaned over, the two brothers standing side by side in front of the screen.

"The protocol type is military-grade encryption. But some custom algorithms are embedded in the structure."

Jarvis paused for half a second.

"Decryption complete."

The file package on the screen slowly unfolded.

Inside was a document.

Luca and Tony leaned in at the same time.

Both of their gazes fell on the contents of the document.

However, as the text emerged line by line,

Their gazes instantly turned icy cold.