"Tsk tsk, look at this thing. It looks like an oversized fish tank, the kind specifically used to raise... hmm, mermaids. Seriously, Dr. Cho, are you sure you're conducting biological research and not secretly indulging in some unknown girlish fantasy?"
Helen Cho felt her cheeks flush slightly at the teasing, but she harbored no resentment. She found that, compared to the awkwardness in the elevator, Henry's slightly flirtatious manner made her feel more at ease.
She took a deep breath, trying to keep her voice professional enough not to be affected by his eyes.
But her own eyes couldn't help but sneak glances at him. She swore she wasn't trying to look; she had simply never seen such a well-defined physique.
"Mr. Stark, as you said earlier, this is the Cradle of Life, a revolutionary technology capable of completely changing modern medicine. Theoretically, it can utilize 3D printing technology and biological tissue samples to perfectly repair any damaged human tissue, or even regenerate entirely new organs, in a very short time."
"Oh? Is that so?" Henry raised an eyebrow, pretending to be ignorant. He walked to the control console, looking at the complex genetic sequence models and cell activity data. Then, he spoke in a half-joking tone.
"That sounds quite impressive. However, Doctor, I should warn you that there's usually a distance of... well, at least a Tony between theory and reality. You know, my idiot brother is theoretically a genius, but in reality, the stuff in his head might be less nutritious than the culture medium in this fish tank."
Helen Cho felt her lips curving upward. She suppressed a smile and patiently explained, "We have successfully conducted experiments on mice with a success rate as high as 92%. The next step is live primate experiments. If all goes well, this technology could enter the clinical trial stage in six months at most."
"Six months? Too slow." Henry shook his head, his finger rapidly sliding across the holographic screen. His words sounded like a criticism, but his eyes glowed with focused concentration.
"Look at this cell regeneration algorithm. The energy conversion rate is too low, and there's a clear risk of genetic collapse. This isn't healing people; it's increasing the workload for God's recycling centre. I'd bet if we put that fool Tony in here, the first thing he'd do when he came out is check if he grew a few extra arms or legs."
Helen Cho was utterly stunned. She looked at Henry in disbelief. The algorithm she had designed was the crystallization of her life's work, the most cutting-edge achievement in the entire biomedical field!
She couldn't believe that anyone else in the world, besides herself, could understand it so quickly! Let alone point out its core flaws as incisively as Henry!
Is this man really just a Playboy? A genius shouldn't be this outrageous!
And he's only 25 years old!
She looked at Henry's broad back and the muscular contours faintly outlined beneath his suit. A strange thought suddenly occurred to her.
Perhaps the rumors were true. This man really was like Superman, possessing not only great power but also superhuman intelligence. This combination of strength and intellect held a fatal attraction for a woman like her, who was devoted to scientific research.
"Mr. Henry, how could you possibly..." She took a deep breath, controlling her emotions.
"How could I possibly know?" Henry turned, looking at her face, which was filled with shock, and smiled as if she were overreacting.
"Oh, come on, Dr. Cho, you don't actually believe I'm just a Playboy who only knows how to chase girls and throw parties, do you? Didn't you yourself say that when I got my Ph.D. in Bioengineering from MIT, you were probably still... hmm, chasing pop stars in Korea?"
As he spoke, his fingers rapidly tapped the screen. Lines of entirely new code and formulas began to appear next to the original algorithm.
"Look, your energy conversion model was wrong from the start. You're trying to use traditional biochemical methods to promote cell regeneration; the efficiency is too low, and it's unstable. You should switch your thinking, for example..."
He paused, a mysterious smile on his face.
"Use..."
Helen Cho was completely baffled. She stared blankly at the theoretical models on the screen, models she had never seen before. She felt her proud worldview was being utterly shattered by this unreasonable man.
...
Meanwhile, at the entrance of the Stark Industries tower.
An Audi R8 stopped smoothly with a perfect drift, drawing gasps from the surrounding pedestrians. The door opened, and Tony Stark, impeccably dressed in a suit and sunglasses, swaggered out to the screams of reporters and fans. He was the most dazzling star in the world; wherever he went, he brought his own spotlight.
"Hey! Beautiful ladies! Miss me?!" He blew a kiss to the crowd, then, escorted by a group of security guards, walked into the main entrance of Stark Industries. Along the way, he kept greeting the employees around him, occasionally winking at a pretty female employee, sending a jolt through her that made her blush.
This was Tony—a scoundrel who was always full of confidence and charm.
He took the private elevator and soon arrived at the CEO's office on the top floor. He pushed open the door and immediately saw Pepper, who was sitting behind the desk, buried under a pile of documents, and a familiar-looking redhead standing next to her.
"Oh, what do I see?" He took off his sunglasses, wearing that familiar smile.
"Are two beautiful ladies having a secret afternoon tea party? Why wasn't I invited? I'm excellent at livening up the mood."
Pepper sighed in relief when she saw him, then rolled her eyes. "You're finally here," she said wearily. "The press conference is about to start, you..."
"The press conference? We'll talk about that boring stuff later," Tony interrupted her. He walked straight up to the redhead, sizing her up and down.
"I think I've seen you somewhere before?" he rubbed his chin, looking thoughtful.
"Let me think, was it at Milan Fashion Week? Or a yacht party? I must say, your figure is quite nice."
Natasha's face maintained a perfect professional smile, but internally, she was rolling her eyes. This narcissist was exactly as the file described.
"Hello, Mr. Stark," she said politely.
"I'm Natalie Rushman, Miss Potts' new assistant."
"Oh, an assistant," Tony said, nodding with realization. Then, he leaned in and spoke in a voice he clearly thought was very charming.
"Would you be interested in a career change? Like, being my personal assistant? The salary is doubled, and the benefits are very good."
The corner of Natasha's mouth twitched almost imperceptibly. She really wanted to punch the fool's head in.
"Tony!" Pepper finally lost her patience. She stood up and said exasperatedly, "Stop harassing my assistant!"
"Fine, where's Henry?" Tony pouted, his expression slightly unnatural.
"That ungrateful bastard is probably off enjoying himself somewhere. He..."
"Mr. Henry went to the Biotechnology Lab," Natasha interjected at the right time, cutting off Tony's complaint.
"Oh? What's he doing there?" Tony was surprised, then his face became curious.
"What's so interesting about a place full of cells and DNA? Is he going to see the new Korean beauty doctor? If so, the report shouldn't cost me much."
As he spoke, he started walking toward the Biotechnology Lab. He wanted to see what mischief his unreliable brother was up to now.
×××××××××××××××
If you're interested, you can read advanced chapters:
p-atreon.com/Heroicverse