I'm having a blast in Marvel!

Page 74

The stage he chose to take the stage was the upcoming Stark Expo, or... the Monaco Grand Prix, which Tony was very likely to participate in during the Expo.

He wanted to shatter the myth of Iron Man's invincibility in front of the whole world.

"Interesting." Chu Hang closed the file and leaned back on the soft sofa.

He began to ponder a question: What abilities did Ivan Vanko possess that he could replicate?

Engineering talent? He already has Tony's top-of-the-line version; Ivan's is at best a "self-taught, heavily modified version," which is of little value.

So... how do you control plasma energy?

Chu Hang recalled a scene from a movie where Ivan Vaughn, wielding two electric whips, easily sliced ​​a race car like tofu. That technology of confining high energy into weapon form seemed quite sophisticated. Although he could do it himself using his spatial abilities, having another means of attack was never a bad thing.

"Perhaps we can take a look," he muttered to himself.

He picked up his phone and dialed Tony's number.

The phone rang for a long time before being answered, with loud music and various other noises coming from the other end.

"Hey! Who is it? Don't you know I'm busy?" Tony's voice sounded very impatient.

"It's me," Chu Hang said succinctly.

"Oh, it's you." The noise on Tony's end subsided a bit, as if they had moved to a quieter place. "What's up? If you're looking to invest more, I'm always happy to oblige."

"Investment is no problem," Chu Hang said casually. "I just wanted to remind you that your expo is such a big deal, the whole world is watching you. Some people don't really like seeing the Stark name shining so brightly again."

"You mean, someone's trying to cause me trouble?" Tony scoffed. "Let them come. I have the best security system in the world right now, and... this." He patted the Mark 4 beside him.

“I’m not talking about ordinary terrorists, Tony,” Chu Hang’s voice deepened. “I’m referring to those who live in the shadows.”

Inheritance always comes with burdens. You inherited your father's genius and wealth, and naturally, you also inherited...some grudges.

There was silence on the other end of the phone.

Chu Hang knew that his words had hit the nail on the head. Tony was a smart man; he would investigate.

"I understand." After a long pause, Tony's voice rang out again, this time with a hint of seriousness. "Thanks."

"You're welcome, partner." Chu Hang smiled. "I wish your expo a complete success. I'll be there to support you."

A month later, the Stark Expo opened in grand style.

Flushing Meadows Corona Park was packed with people, with media and tech enthusiasts from all over the world gathering there to witness the splendor of Stark Industries' new era.

The opening ceremony officially began at night.

Accompanied by deafening rock music and dazzling lights, a red and gold figure descended from the sky like a shooting star, landing heavily in the center of the stage amidst countless flashes and screams.

Iron Man, Tony Stark.

He made his entrance in the most flamboyant and dazzling way.

"I'm back!" He opened his arms, and his helmet and visor automatically rose, revealing the face that the whole world was going crazy for.

The crowd erupted in cheers.

Below the stage, amidst the crowded throng, a man in an ordinary jacket and baseball cap calmly watched the radiant figure on stage.

It was Chu Hang who had changed his appearance and physique.

He didn't go to the VIP area; it was too conspicuous. He liked the feeling of blending in with the crowd, like a true observer.

He could clearly sense the surging energy within Tony on stage, and he could also sense the location of every camera and every security personnel in the venue.

On his system panel, the icon for the "Super Copier" was flashing a faint light, indicating that it was "ready".

Chapter 87 Justin Hammer

The stage lights shone like molten gold, cascading over Tony Stark. He stood there, the center of the world. The crowd's cheers were a tsunami, and he was the one who commanded it.

"I am back!"

Four words, smashed into everyone's ears, and then exploded.

Chu Hang pulled his baseball cap down even further. He stood in the crowd like a rock that wouldn't be washed away by the tide. Tony, that guy, was indeed a born actor; he knew how to make people go crazy for him.

“I know you’ve missed me.” Tony walked around the stage, each step perfectly in time with the music, his smile radiating just the right amount of arrogance. “But don’t worry, tonight’s star isn’t me, nor is it this suit of metal.”

He raised his hand and pointed to the enormous Earth model behind him. The model was slowly rotating, glowing with blue light, like a tamed star. This was a dream left to him by his father, Howard Stark, more than fifty years ago.

“My father, Howard, told the world what the future would look like right here.” Tony’s voice became somewhat deep through the speakers, carrying a deliberately solemn tone. “He planted a seed, but unfortunately, he didn’t get to see it bloom.”

He paused, placing his palm on the triangular reactor on his chest. The same light shone from there.

"What my father left behind is the future, and today, I am bringing that future directly to your doorstep!"

His voice suddenly rose, like a sharp sword piercing the night sky.

"Many people say that the cornerstone of Stark Industries is weaponry. They are wrong! The cornerstone of Stark Industries is creation! It is the determination to change the world! And the source of all this is energy! Clean, efficient, and inexhaustible energy!"

As soon as he finished speaking, countless blue light bands lit up on the Earth model behind him, spreading across the globe like blood vessels. The light and shadow alternated as energy flowed, like breathing.

"Look!" Tony pointed to the gleaming Earth, like a child showing off a new toy. "This is the future! The Arc Reactor, powered by a new element, will power our cities! It will completely end the energy crisis and send all those wars and conflicts that broke out over oil to hell!"

The crowd's emotions were completely ignited. People screamed, cheered, and went wild for this seemingly wonderful future.

Chu Hang watched all this expressionlessly. He knew that the more elaborate the buildup, the louder the crash would be.

The show is about to begin.

Just as Tony opened his arms, ready to announce the official start of the expo, something unexpected happened.

Above the stage, a row of huge searchlights flashed twice, then went out all at once with a "snap." Immediately afterward, a piercing electrical noise came from the speakers, like hundreds of steel needles scraping against glass at the same time, so sharp it made your scalp tingle.

The blue light bands on the surface of the Earth model, symbolizing the future, began to flicker wildly and erratically, like the final struggle of a heart patient before death. Strange hissing and crackling sounds emanated from inside the model, and wisps of foul-smelling black smoke billowed out.

The crowd, which had been frenzied just seconds before, fell silent instantly. The stark contrast seemed to freeze the air. Doubt and astonishment culminated in a growing sense of panic, which spread through the crowd like a virus.

"What's going on? There's a power outage?"

"That sound is awful! My ears!"

"That ball... is it going to explode?" a girl screamed.

On stage, Tony's smile froze. He frowned, his first thought being a simple technical malfunction. But Jarvis's urgent electronic voice from inside the helmet immediately made him realize that things weren't so simple.

"Sir, the main control system has been compromised! The attacker is attempting to seize control of the energy core! The firewall has been bypassed!"

"Invasion?" Tony's eyes turned cold.

Chu Hang's expression remained unchanged amidst the crowd. His energy perception had detected the anomaly a second earlier than Jarvis's.

In his perception, the entire energy system of the expo was like a smoothly flowing energy field. But just now, a signal attempted to contaminate the entire energy network, targeting the Earth model at its core.

"Remote hacking," Chu Hang immediately concluded.

His perception was like an invisible net, extending outwards from the Expo in an instant. Soon, he located the signal source in an inconspicuous apartment in Queens, several kilometers away. The energy fluctuations of that signal source carried the characteristics of a primitive and crude arc reactor, like a poorly made replica.

"Ivan Vanko," Chu Hang murmured to himself.

This guy was even more impatient than in the movies, actually making his move during the opening ceremony. However, for Tony, this level of attack was merely an appetizer.

Chu Hang decided to remain still for now. He wanted to see how Tony would resolve the situation, and also wanted to take the opportunity to observe the intricacies of Ivan Vanko's control over plasma energy.

On stage, Tony had calmed down. Far from panicking, a provocative smirk played on his lips. Technical challenges were the thing he feared least in his life.

He picked up the microphone and addressed the restless crowd below, his tone as relaxed as if he were joking: "Looks like we have an enthusiastic audience member who wants to experience Stark Industries' latest cybersecurity system firsthand. Alright, we'll grant his wish!"

He raised his hand and snapped his fingers into the air.

"Jarvis, activate Skynet Firewall."

Before the audience could even process what was happening, a futuristic user interface appeared on the giant LED screen at the back of the stage. Countless green codes cascaded down like a waterfall, with a striking red skull warning sign in the center.

An even louder cheer erupted from the crowd; they genuinely believed it was a staged special effects performance.

Tony made a few gestures in the air with his hand, his movements graceful and fluid.

“Our Skynet firewall… here, we’ll set up a virtual trap, make him think he’s succeeded, let him be happy for a while. Then, from the flank, we’ll build a quantum-encrypted firewall to block his escape route. Finally…”

He clenched his fist and made a hammer-like motion.

"...Disconnect him from the network, and while you're at it, give him a little gift, like turning all the files on his computer into videos of cats dancing!"

As he finished speaking, the red skull on the big screen vanished instantly, replaced by a green "safe" icon.

In that instant, all the lights in the entire venue returned to normal. The globe model also regained its stable and brilliant blue light. The piercing noise disappeared, and the rousing music resumed.

The crisis was perfectly resolved by Tony in a highly entertaining manner within just thirty seconds.

The audience erupted in applause, even more enthusiastic than before.

Just then, a middle-aged man wearing an expensive suit, with his hair slicked back so shiny it reflected light, rushed onto the stage from backstage with a broad smile.

“Tony! My friend! That was close!” The man grabbed Tony’s hand, acting like a long-lost friend. “I knew your system was a bit unstable. If you need it, Hammer Industries would be happy to provide you with the world’s top-tier security support! Our technology is absolutely reliable!”

The newcomer was none other than Justin Hammer, CEO of Hammer Industries. He had always considered Tony a thorn in his side. Seeing that Tony was in a bit of trouble, he immediately wanted to kick him while he was down, and also to give his company some free advertising.

Tony calmly withdrew his hand, looked at him with the same eyes one would give a clown, and then took the microphone.

“Mr. Justin Hammer, CEO of Hammer Industries,” Tony introduced to the audience, his smile laced with undisguised sarcasm. “I remember seeing your company’s drone demonstration at the last congressional hearing. The way that thing was circling in the sky did look a bit like an epileptic seizure. Justin, is your technology still stuck in the dial-up era?”

A burst of unrestrained laughter erupted from the crowd.

Justin Hammer's face instantly turned a deep shade of liver. He hadn't expected Tony to humiliate him so mercilessly in front of the entire world's media.

“And another thing,” Tony leaned closer and said coldly in a voice only the two of them could hear, “stay away from my stage. This is an adult party; little kids should go home to their mothers.”

After saying that, he winked at the security guards next to him. Two security guards, each over 1.9 meters tall, immediately stepped forward and, like picking up a chick, "invited" the ashen-faced Justin Hammer off the stage.

Hammer, humiliated in public, trembled with rage. He walked to a secluded, dark corner off the stage, immediately pulled out his phone, and dialed a number. His expression was contorted with anger, and he cursed viciously, spitting as he spoke.

All of this was observed by Chu Hang, who was not far away.

A knowing smile appeared on Chu Hang's lips.

A tech fanatic driven by a thirst for revenge.

An arms dealer who was publicly humiliated and desperately needed to prove himself.

The two key figures have finally connected.

Now, all that's left is for the race to begin on the Monaco circuit. That's where the real stage begins.