Chapter Nine: Breaking Through the Siege!

Hao Yun rolled his eyes at Stark, clearly annoyed. “Enough, stop dreaming. There’s no backup! No U.S. Army! Just me!”

“What?! Just you alone, what good does that do... Wait, how did you even get in here? Aren’t you a college student? Or did you major in espionage?”

Tony Stark’s intellect finally kicked in, and he realized the crucial question. Of course, he couldn’t help but take a jab at Hao Yun along the way.

“Sorry to disappoint, I studied electronic physics.” Hao Yun rolled his eyes again, then with a thought, opened his system space, releasing hundreds of tiny robots: “I rely on superpowers!”

“This... this...”

Tony Stark was dumbfounded as he watched the micro-robots arrange themselves into an S shape, then a B shape on the table. Instinctively, he reached out and grabbed one...

After a closer look: “Oh, so they’re micro-robots. Not bad—activated by brainwaves, even.”

“No wonder you’re the boss,” Hao Yun exclaimed in admiration. “Too bad, mine only go this small—decent for armor and melee weapons, but if I could shrink them to the nano scale, maybe I could simulate firearms, missiles, you name it.”

“Ha, once we get out of here, I’ll help you give it a try.”

“Heh, Tony, you, and our young friend here—don’t forget, we’re still surrounded by terrorists!” Yinsen, seeing the two about to launch into a scientific discussion, quickly interrupted, reminding them of their predicament.

Hao Yun smiled faintly. “Relax, tonight I’m on duty. I’ve gotten the guards and the surveillance staff drunk. You have the whole night to work on your... toys.”

“They’re not toys. That’s the Mark I armor! The most advanced exoskeleton suit!” Tony insisted, and Hao Yun, suppressing a laugh, walked over to the furnace where the faceplate was being forged. “Hmm... this one?”

With that, he poked forcefully with his finger... and left a hole right through the eye of the freshly made faceplate. Well, that saves us from having to drill it.

“You...” Tony pointed at Hao Yun, speechless. He had forged this with his own hands, using steel taken from missiles, and yet it couldn’t even withstand a single poke?

“I told you, I have superpowers!” Hao Yun repeated. “Alright, I’ll explain later. My robots can only protect two people. Work faster—we’re finishing your armor tonight!”

“With your help, no problem!” Tony’s eyes gleamed green as he looked at Hao Yun’s finger. If only he’d known about this strength earlier, production could’ve finished three days sooner!

Hao Yun shuddered and instinctively stepped back two paces, wary of Tony... Hmph, thinking of getting free labor out of me? Dream on!

With Hao Yun’s direct involvement, the suit took shape at incredible speed. By five in the morning, as dawn began to break, the armor was fully assembled and ready to be donned.

Hao Yun sighed and flexed his fingers, sending out waves of electromagnetic pulses... He could see through the walls: the terrorists outside were waking up, and the unconscious guards and surveillance staff would be discovered within ten minutes at most.

“Hurry up, we have ten minutes left!” he called to Tony, and seeing the two still struggling with the heavy winch to suit up, rushed over to help.

Tony’s eye twitched as he watched Hao Yun lift the nearly one-ton chest plate with ease. “If you’d told me you were this strong, I’d have been ready ages ago!”

“Enough chatter. Yinsen, boot up the computer and load the program!” Hao Yun snapped the arm guards into place as if they weighed nothing. Just as the Ten Rings finally discovered the unconscious men and came rushing toward the cell, the suit powered up—perfect timing.

“Leave the rest to me!” Tony Stark’s voice was full of determination as he kicked the steel door. It flew off its hinges, slamming the two rushing terrorists into the wall so hard it nearly crushed them—there was no hope for their survival.

“Tony, he really is a genius,” Yinsen said admiringly from behind.

“Of course, he’s the world’s most brilliant genius!” Hao Yun shrugged.

“Hey, Hao Yun, just because your boss had to eat sand in the desert for a week, don’t think praising me when we get back will save you from a pay cut!” Tony retorted, blasting his way out of the cave.

Hao Yun didn’t mind. He knew that ever since he’d revealed the micro-robots, Tony must have realized he hadn’t rescued him on purpose. With that kind of high-tech, there were a hundred ways to destroy the Ten Rings’ base in an instant. Saving Tony should’ve been easy. But Tony’s pride wouldn’t let him admit it; now, with the armor built, he wanted to fight his own way out.

“Come on, Yinsen, let’s move,” Hao Yun said, opening his system backpack. Tens of thousands of micro-robots poured out, clinging to their bodies and gliding them forward. It felt just like standing on a cruise ship—steady and safe.

Bullets ricocheted harmlessly off the robot shield.

With the armor leading the charge, the three cut a swath through the terrorists. No one could stand in their way. By the time they reached the cave entrance, the Ten Rings’ leader had already gathered his men, surrounding the exit. Heavy machine guns, rocket launchers, shoulder-fired rockets, even tanks, all aimed at the cave.

“Let’s go, keep moving!” Tony, caught up in the thrill, tried to charge out in the Mark I. But before he could, Hao Yun grabbed him and shouted, “Are you trying to get yourself killed?!”

Tony looked down, stunned to see five deep finger marks left on his arm guard. Damn, just how strong was Pepper’s nephew?

“What’s there to fear? I have the suit—bullets won’t get through!”

“And what about those cannons? Should I tell you there are three tanks and more than a dozen rocket launchers waiting for you out there?” Hao Yun flipped up Tony’s faceplate and berated him. “Do you really think your armor is invincible? Don’t forget, this isn’t your lab! You forged this in a prison cell, hammer by hammer!”

“Then what do you suggest?” Tony shot back. “This is our only chance—our only shot at freedom!”

“Leave it to me,” Hao Yun replied, opening his system space fully. Billions of micro-robots surged out, pouring across the ground toward the enemy’s weapons, guided by his superpower radar.

“What the hell is this?!”

“Get them off me! Help!”

“No!”

“Allah, have you abandoned your faithful?!”

Screams erupted outside the cave. Tony, curious, stepped out and peeked his metal head around the corner—only to see a black tide covering everything. The micro-robots dismantled heavy guns and rocket launchers, blocked tank barrels and hatches, and soon crushed them into scrap.

In just ten minutes, every weapon outside was destroyed, and the terrorists themselves were trussed up in midair by robot-formed cords.

“Tsk tsk, when we get back, you have to let me study these! That’s an order from your uncle-in-law!” Tony strode out of the cave. He’d thought only to fight his way out, but Hao Yun had taken down the entire base.

“Hmph, if you’re so tough, why don’t you propose to my aunt?” Hao Yun muttered, rubbing his nose, looking at Tony’s retreating back with disdain, and led Yinsen out of the cave. Marvel’s first battle—victory!