Chapter Eight: Second Sign-In Successful!

As soon as they arrived at the base, Tony—unharmed—was dragged out for a stern talking-to. After a series of welcomes and threats, Tony and his interpreter, Ethan, were locked up and ordered to build the Jericho missile.

That night, Hao Yun, who had successfully disguised himself and infiltrated the group, stood guard at the cell door with another bandit. Silently, Hao Yun used stolen liquor to get the guard drunk and slipped into the cell, which had not yet been fitted with cameras.

"Congratulations, Host, you have arrived at the birthplace of Iron Man. Would you like to sign in?"

As soon as he entered, the system’s prompt rang in his mind... Just as he had predicted, his second chance to check in had come!

"Sign in!"

"Check-in successful. The Host is rewarded with one billion enhanced microbots from the Big Hero 6 universe!"

Glancing at the terrified Ethan and Tony inside the room, Hao Yun paused and then stepped out to sit by the door... His consciousness dove into the system’s dimensional backpack.

In the first slot of his backpack lay the nanobot microbots! He took one out: it was tiny, about a millimeter long, rectangular, with a small ball that could slide between both ends. Wasn't this the very microbot invented by the protagonist in Big Hero 6—the same type the later villain used to try to destroy the world? And now, they’d been enhanced by the system?

The neural controller had been upgraded by the system into a tiny mole-sized device. Stick it behind your ear, and it was ready to use. Hao Yun could feel that with the controller on, he could command these bots to assemble and transform at will... like iron sand, only far more advanced.

He pinched one between his fingers—no, their shells were much harder than iron sand, almost as strong as titanium alloy, and they could be reshaped into any form imaginable! Weren’t these just a slightly weaker version of nanobots?

If he used these instead of iron sand, not only could he save more energy in combat, but he could also devise an endless array of cold weapon techniques.

A billion bots—if he rationed them, he’d never run out in this lifetime!

With them, his strength in the Marvel world had just taken another leap forward!

Inside the cell, Stark and Ethan exchanged bewildered glances, utterly baffled by the bandit’s odd behavior.

"What you just saw—all of it is your own creation. The fruits of your research have ended up in the hands of murderers..."

Outside, Hao Yun, thoroughly engrossed with his new toys, overheard Ethan’s advice to Tony and dismissed the idea of going in to persuade them... What if, because of the butterfly effect, the Mark I suit never came to be? Tony Stark was destined to become a hero who saved the world! Better to leave them be and amuse himself with his microbots.

...

In New York, Pepper was thrown into utter panic upon learning of Tony’s disappearance. When she also discovered her nephew had vanished alongside him, she was at a loss as to how to face her elder sister. Heartbroken, she retreated to Tony’s villa in Los Angeles, where she accidentally opened his laboratory and found a letter on the desk.

"Jarvis, where did this letter come from?"

"Miss Potts, this letter was left on the desk by Mr. Potts before he left. It should be for you or for Mr. Stark."

For me or Tony? Pepper’s heart skipped a beat. Did her nephew know something? He’d said, before leaving yesterday, that Tony’s personality would change dramatically in two months. Perhaps... She hastily tore open the envelope and unfolded the letter.

"Aunt Pepper, if you’re reading this, you must have heard that Tony Stark has been kidnapped, and that I’m missing too.

First, please don’t worry—Tony is safe, and so am I. We just need some time to go through a few things, that’s all. Please, don’t shed a tear, or I’m afraid Mom will tan my handsome behind when I get home!"

"This rascal!" Pepper couldn’t help but burst out laughing, the weight in her heart lifting. She’d heard from her sister about her nephew’s remarkable ways and chose to trust his words.

If he was lying, she’d exercise her full rights as an elder when he returned!

Wiping away her tears, Pepper read on.

"Auntie, according to my secret investigation, this attack on Tony is likely linked to Obadiah. Stark Industries is mostly under his control now, so be careful not to let anything slip at work. Continue to have people search for us, and quietly gather information on Obadiah’s arms deals and his hiring of Middle Eastern mercenaries.

Remember, not a word of this must get out. Don’t tell Tony when he returns—wait for my arrangements. Rest assured, I’ll bring your future husband back to you. Please take care of yourself.

Wishing you health and all the best!"

"Obadiah, is it?"

Pepper Potts carefully put the letter in her handbag, a cold gleam flashing in her eyes... Touch my man, will you? After ten years of devotion, how could she let him get away with it?

Hmph! Anyone who dares harm Tony—none of them should think of escaping!

Pepper had never been one to cower since she was a child! After all, she was the woman who had served as Tony Stark’s secretary for ten years!

...

Time flowed like water, days passed in a blur. When Hao Yun was on the verge of running out of water and food among the Ten Rings and preparing to fight his way out, Tony’s Mark I suit was finally nearing completion!

Tonight—it would be their last night before escaping to freedom!

"Ethan, more heat! Once we finish this faceplate, we can get out of this hellhole!"

Tony hammered at the mask, calling for Ethan to stoke the fire. Once the faceplate was done, it would take just ten minutes to power up and put the suit on—this was their only hope of fighting back!

Creeeak—

Just as the helmet began taking shape and both men’s faces lit up with hope, the cell door—rarely opened—swung inward, admitting a stranger neither had ever seen before.

"Tsk, tsk, Tony, your suit is almost finished, isn’t it?"

As they stared in alarm, unsure how to react, the bandit suddenly spoke in fluent English, his words sending a chill through them.

"Who are you?!"

Ethan stepped back, grabbing a pair of red-hot tongs to shield them, eyeing the stranger warily. Tony frowned, scrutinizing the newcomer... The voice sounded so familiar—was it someone he knew?

"Just a few days apart, and you don’t even recognize your own personal assistant, Tony?"

Hao Yun walked to the water pipe, splashed water on his face... washing away dust, soot, and sand to reveal his fair, familiar features.

"Hao Yun?!"

Tony exclaimed in delight, then immediately glanced at the surveillance camera, motioning Hao Yun into the blind spot beside him.

"What are you doing here? Did the US military find this place too? Did they send you in to rescue me?"

In his excitement, Tony’s intellect deserted him, and he blurted out a string of implausible questions. He didn’t even consider: if Hao Yun were just an ordinary person, and the military had found the base, why would they send him in alone? Wouldn’t they prefer Colonel Rhodes?

On paper, Hao Yun was nothing more than a college freshman!