Chapter 8

This evening.

"Here you go." Tony, emerging from the stairs leading to his underground workshop, tossed a USB-like storage device to Zhou Chao, who was sitting on the sofa, watching a TV program on a large LCD screen and learning English with JARVIS.

"Thud." Zhou Chao raised his hand and caught it.

"What is it?" Zhou Chao asked, puzzled.

"A copy of JARVIS's program." Tony walked to the nearby wine rack, took a bottle of whiskey, and poured it into a glass, answering without turning around.

"So, you've finished your investigation?" Zhou Chao, suddenly understanding, played with the storage device and raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, just as you said. Are you satisfied?" Tony turned around, took a sip of the drink, and looked at Zhou Chao with a calm voice.

"No, there's nothing to be satisfied or dissatisfied about. You think too poorly of me." Zhou Chao put the storage device away and wore an innocent expression.

"But you did ruin my relationship with Obadiah." Tony, clearly annoyed, pointed out.

It was understandable for Tony to react this way. His relationship with Obadiah Stane was very special. They had been close friends since Tony was a teenager. Considering Obadiah's relationship with Tony's father and his long-term care and support, it wasn't an exaggeration to call Obadiah half of Tony Stark's family or even a father figure.

But now, this person had betrayed him for some interests, even planning to kill him. This was a greater blow to Tony than the terrorist attack he had just experienced, making him doubt his own character and the loyalty of all his friends. Were they, like Obadiah, pretending to be close to him while secretly wishing him dead?

Zhou Chao, hearing this, pursed his lips and ignored Tony, continuing to learn English with JARVIS.

"Hey, Chao, aren't you going to say anything?" Seeing that Zhou Chao was ignoring him, Tony raised an eyebrow and spoke up.

"What should I say?" Zhou Chao asked casually.

"Many things. For example, what I did to Stane, or how far my Iron Man suit development has progressed, or my Arc Reactor... Aren't you curious?" Tony, holding his glass, walked over to Zhou Chao and sat on another sofa.

"How you deal with Obadiah Stane is your personal matter. Although I am curious about how you will handle him, I won't pry into your privacy out of politeness. As for the Iron Man suit, an item I can't obtain, I don't need to waste too much energy on it; it would only make me anxious and add to my troubles." Zhou Chao said calmly.

"What about the Arc Reactor?" Tony asked curiously.

"That's even less worth worrying about. No matter how you develop or improve the current version, it will always be a half-finished product. To create a perfect reactor that won't harm you, you need my help." Zhou Chao looked up and smiled lightly at Tony.

After hearing this, Tony frowned slightly, showing a hint of displeasure.

"Unhappy? Then let me give you another piece of news that will make you even more unhappy." Noticing Tony's change in expression, Zhou Chao continued to fuel the fire. "You think no one can replicate the Arc Reactor you created, but you're wrong. I can tell you clearly that your proud Arc Reactor is not only a half-finished product, but its manufacturing technology can also be replicated, and even made by hand, just like you did in the terrorist base."

"Impossible!?" Tony immediately stood up from the sofa, looking incredulous.

"I have no reason to lie to you." Zhou Chao said calmly.

Tony's frown deepened, staring at Zhou Chao without blinking. Zhou Chao didn't avoid his gaze, calmly meeting Tony's eyes.

"If that's the case, why are you still here?" After a moment, Tony asked in a serious tone.

"Because you're a good person." Zhou Chao said with a strange expression.

"A good person?" Tony repeated, equally strange.

Throughout his life, he had been called a genius, a playboy, a butcher, a vampire, and other terms, both positive and negative, but no one had ever called him a good person. It was as absurd as a street thug who had never done anything good but also hadn't done much bad being suddenly honored as a model citizen, making Tony feel a bit uncomfortable.

"Yes, you are a good person. Despite your flaws, such as narcissism, irresponsibility, arrogance, and disrespect for others..." Zhou Chao nodded in agreement.

"Alright, I accept that. Of course, it would be better without the latter part." Tony shrugged.

"Phew~ My mood is much better now. I won't disturb your studies anymore."

With that, he took a deep drink from his glass, placed the empty glass on the table, and turned to walk back to the stairs leading to the underground workshop, quickly disappearing halfway down. However, at this moment, Tony suddenly stopped, turned his head, and asked Zhou Chao, who was about to continue learning English with JARVIS.

"By the way, you mentioned someone can replicate the Arc Reactor. Who is it?"

"Want to know?" Zhou Chao asked with interest.

"No, I don't want to." Tony denied. "Of course, if you insist on telling me, I don't mind listening."

"Then forget it." Zhou Chao smiled.

Tony shrugged slightly and quickly disappeared around the corner of the stairs.

"Pity, I don't have an identity passport, or I could go find him and get the manufacturing technology for the Arc Reactor." Zhou Chao sighed softly, thinking to himself.

Then he raised his head and said to the air, "JARVIS, let's continue."

"Sure, sir."

...

In the underground workshop filled with futuristic technology, a pleasant ringtone suddenly sounded in the room.

Tony, who was manufacturing components for the Iron Man suit, paused and touched the virtual optical screen on his right.

"Mr. Stark, this is T'haarkent." A stranger's voice came from the screen.

"Hmm." Tony continued his work, responding casually.

"I'm sorry to disturb you, but I have some bad news to tell you immediately."

"What is it?"

"Just a few minutes ago, the car transporting Obadiah Stane was attacked by unknown individuals. All the escort personnel were killed, and Obadiah Stane has gone missing."

Hearing this, Tony's busy hands paused, and he fell silent.

"Mr. Stark?" After several seconds without a response, T'haarkent called out, puzzled.

"Huh? Yes, I know. You can withdraw." Tony, regaining his composure, instructed.

"Understood, sir." T'haarkent replied.

The image on the optical screen flashed, and the connection was cut off, returning to the previous 3D model.

"Are you not going to give up, Obadiah?" Tony leaned back in his chair, looking at the glowing LCD screen and murmured to himself. Fortunately, Tony wasn't one to dwell on things. After a moment of thought, he put the matter aside and continued his work on the Iron Man suit.

Time passed, and several weeks flew by.

"Reporter Christine Everhart informs Stark that his company's weapons, including the Jericho..."

"Buzz..."

This evening, as Zhou Chao was learning English with JARVIS as usual, a faint, high-pitched sound, similar to tinnitus, suddenly rang in his ears. Zhou Chao felt his body stiffen, as if electrocuted, and he collapsed on the sofa, his face pale, with veins and arteries visible under his skin.

"I'm sorry to have involved you in this." Light footsteps sounded, and a bald white man in a well-fitted black suit—Obadiah Stane—appeared in Zhou Chao's line of sight, holding a small item that looked like a toy laser pointer, and whispered with a smile.

"But don't worry, this paralysis won't kill you. You'll recover after a while."

With that, he ignored Zhou Chao and walked towards the room where Tony was.

Because of the second Stark Industries Charity Gala tonight, Tony Stark, who rarely left his workshop, had been reminded by JARVIS and Pepper to leave and choose a suit for the evening. However, he didn't expect Obadiah Stane to take advantage of the opportunity to invade his villa.

After about two minutes, Obadiah Stane, holding a cubic box, returned to the living room, walked past Zhou Chao, who was sprawled on the sofa, and disappeared into the dark night outside the villa.

"This feeling... is really uncomfortable..."

Zhou Chao, watching Obadiah Stane leave,收回目光，继续拼命地用意念驱动着自己的身体。功夫不负有心人，就这样前前后后努力了一分多钟，周朝终于勉强地让身体翻了个身，从沙发上摔落到了地面上。

“砰。”

“托尼·斯塔克，这次过后你要是还不答应给我方舟反应堆的制造技术，老子绝对不放过你！”周朝忍着疼，一点一点地向托尼·斯塔克的工作间移动而去。

...

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