Chapter 24

After landing, Tony Stark immediately contacted Jarvis to scan the person inside and out.

However, what puzzled Tony Stark was that although there were changes in Liu Rui'an, they were far less significant compared to the changes in himself, Pepper Potts, and his bodyguard Happy Hogan.

"It seems you've also used the gene optimization serum, but the effect doesn't seem to be very good!"

Tony Stark, descending from the platform, quickly removed his Iron Man armor with the help of mechanical arms.

His originally short and stocky figure had now grown to nearly 1.9 meters tall, and even under the tight combat suit, his muscles still outlined a powerful and beautiful form.

However, despite saying this, Tony Stark didn't really believe that Liu Rui'an would treat himself poorly.

"Yes, far less than you and Pepper's changes," Liu Rui'an, ignoring the sarcasm in the words, smiled and said:

"How about it, Tony? Does this change feel great?"

Though he wanted to argue, Tony Stark had to admit that he indeed enjoyed the physical changes.

But when his gaze fell on the champagne in Pepper's and Liu Rui'an's hands, his face turned sour again.

"Great? I'd like to ask you why my appetite increased so much after using the gene optimization serum, even more than Happy's?"

"Very normal. I said before that different constitutions have different effects from the gene optimization serum." Liu Rui'an, sitting down on the sofa, shrugged and said:

"The bigger your appetite, the more benefits you're getting. I believe you understand this best."

"Hmph!" Knowing he couldn't argue on this matter, Tony Stark walked to the bar and poured himself a glass of champagne.

What he didn't realize was that while Jarvis was scanning him, he had also been scanned.

The difference was that Liu Rui'an didn't use any scanning equipment; he just used his eyes to achieve better results.

In just a few moments of conversation, the data on the latest Iron Man armor and Tony Stark's physical condition had already been transmitted to the AI Starling through the ubiquitous communication signals.

After receiving this data, Starling, who had already received the order to research power armor, immediately began a detailed analysis and study of the Iron Man armor.

At the same time, it compared the data with existing technology, materials, and equipment in its database, ultimately developing a new type of power armor.

As for why Liu Rui'an could do this under Jarvis's surveillance, it was simple: the "divine blood" he used gave him the ability to control various waves.

Though this ability was far from the ultimate state of Lucy, it was enough for Liu Rui'an for now.

Even during their conversation, Liu Rui'an had also scanned Jarvis's data center to see if he could borrow any technology to improve Starling's hardware needs.

Unfortunately, though Jarvis's data center was indeed quite advanced, it still fell short of Starling's requirements.

Not to mention that in the near future, Starling would undergo further software and hardware upgrades.

"Hopefully, otherwise... hmph!" Tony Stark, who didn't realize he had been taken advantage of again, said with a sour face.

Pepper, as usual, acted as a buffer, lightening the mood with laughter and jokes.

As Liu Rui'an had expected, after some casual chat, Tony Stark finally revealed the real reason for his meeting: the intermediate gene optimization serum.

There was no denying that the intermediate gene optimization serum was very powerful, but it had a significant drawback in terms of sustainability.

To maintain the current peak state, one had to take a dose every year; otherwise, various bodily functions would gradually decline.

"Tony, you mean you want to buy enough for thirty years?" Liu Rui'an, swirling his champagne glass, smiled and said.

"What? Trying to rip me off?" Tony Stark, speaking with a foreign accent, said irritably.

"No, no, Tony, I'm not trying to rip you off. I have no plans to sell the gene optimization serum, at least not for now," Liu Rui'an, shaking his head, said.

"What?" Unable to remain calm, Tony Stark sat up straight and said.

"As a scientist, Tony, you must know what reverse engineering is, right?" Liu Rui'an, finishing his champagne in one gulp, shrugged and said.

Tony Stark, whose little scheme had been exposed, looked somewhat embarrassed.

After all, in the previous transactions, though he had paid a high price, the benefits he received were also considerable.

Especially from the perspective of life safety, it was fair to say that these transactions were fair.

But this time, his request, which seemed like a normal transaction on the surface, was actually "malicious."

"So, are you saying you won't release the gene optimization serum again? Or are you trying to use it as leverage?" Tony Stark, quickly regaining his composure, asked.

"No, no, I said I don't plan to release it for now, not forever." Liu Rui'an, wagging his finger, smiled and said:

"As for the leverage, it doesn't make sense since I don't plan to release it. How can it be leverage?"

"You!" Tony Stark, choked, was momentarily speechless.

"Don't worry, Tony, I have no plans to profit from the gene optimization serum." Seeing the atmosphere becoming tense, Liu Rui'an said seriously:

"As for your and Pepper's gene optimization serum, I will provide it for free when the time comes. As for other needs, we'll discuss them later."

"Free?" Tony Stark, somewhat surprised, said.

"Yes, free." Liu Rui'an, nodding to confirm, smiled.

"No strings attached?" Tony Stark, still somewhat incredulous, asked.

"Oh, Tony, that's hurtful." Liu Rui'an, feigning hurt, shook his head and said:

"I always thought that with our relationship, we could call each other friends. Friends helping each other, what strings attached?"

"Friends? Help?"

Tony Stark, rolling his eyes, wanted to say that if they were friends, why not share the formula for the gene optimization serum.

But considering that he also possessed highly valuable Iron Man armor, AI, and new element reactors, he couldn't bring himself to say it.

Moreover, after receiving the gene optimization serum, Tony Stark had already analyzed it and had Jarvis create a data archive to see if it could be reverse-engineered.

Unfortunately, the amount was too small to conduct large-scale reverse engineering, which was why he had proposed buying a thirty-year supply.

Seeing the atmosphere becoming awkward again, Pepper stepped in to ease the tension.

"By the way, though I won't release the intermediate gene optimization serum for profit, there is something we can collaborate on." After a few jokes, Liu Rui'an said seriously.

"Collaborate? You mean using Stark Industries' network?"

Though Tony Stark, a genius, didn't usually focus on running his company, as a descendant of a business family, he was no novice.

"Exactly. I plan to subcontract the specific operations to Stark Industries. Trust me, this collaboration will be beneficial for you."

Liu Rui'an, not surprised by his quick understanding, pulled out a futuristic-looking drink bottle and placed it on the coffee table in front of them.

"NEW?" Pepper, looking at the prominent word on the bottle, asked, puzzled: "Liu, what is this?"

"It's a drink, a biological drink. NEW is the name I gave it." Liu Rui'an, leaning back on the sofa, explained.

Tony Stark, who had experienced many surprises from him, asked seriously:

"Biological drink? What does it do?"

Liu Rui'an, who had been trying to develop a flagship product for his company, nodded and said:

"Exactly. This biological drink is actually a byproduct of the gene optimization serum, or more precisely, a weaker version of it."

"As for its function, you've already experienced it. Of course, its effects can't compare to the intermediate gene optimization serum."

"Is this what you meant by collaboration?" Tony Stark, taking the bottle from Pepper, asked.

"How about it? Interested?" Liu Rui'an, nodding, smiled and said.

"Interested, but what about the profit split?" Tony Stark, entering his business mode, asked.

"Good to hear. As for the specifics, we don't need to worry about them. Just leave it to Pepper and her team." Liu Rui'an, who had no intention of getting involved, smiled.

"Her team? You don't mean your secretaries, do you?" Tony Stark, knowing the caliber of his secretaries, said sarcastically.

"No, no, this kind of thing should be handled by professionals. I'll arrange for a new secretary to handle it." Liu Rui'an, standing up, said:

"Speaking of which, she's just arrived."