"Whatever. I'm going there to 'borrow' Tony's tech anyway…"
Watching Xu Jia leave, Ethan Chen muttered under his breath, already planning to get some rest before heading to the United States the next day.
"Come to think of it, am I being too lenient? Everyone knows they're under surveillance, and yet this so-called 'monitor' acts so high and mighty?"
Xu Jia didn't behave like an outsider at all. Instead of checking in at the office or factory every day, she just started treating Ethan's home as her workplace.
Does she really think she's a personal assistant? The kind who's on call for everything?
Ethan sighed, frustrated. "I don't have the strength yet, but once I do, I'm cutting this tail off."
As attractive as Xu Jia might be, nobody enjoys being watched 24/7.
This trip to the U.S. had one goal: reverse-engineer the Iron Man armor. Once Ethan strengthened his abilities, he wouldn't have to tolerate this kind of leash anymore.
"Then I'll be truly free—like a bird in the open sky."
But to be fair, there were clear advantages.
With support from the government, Ethan's company had been established at lightning speed. Thanks to Xu Jia's help, things had been running smoothly.
In just two weeks, Xiaomu Technologies was nearly operational. As per the arrangement with the department head, Ethan was even granted a piece of land in Shenzhen to build his own industrial park.
This would serve as the prototype for the future "Huaqiangbei Industrial Zone", with Xiaomu Technologies as the first company on site.
Once construction wrapped up, Ethan would move in and finally have a personal research institute—just like Tony Stark.
At that point, he could roll out any "scientific breakthroughs" without a second thought. No more fear, no more restraints.
"At the root of it, the problem is still my lack of power," Ethan thought bitterly. "Even a junior officer like Xu Jia looks down on me. But when I become stronger—who would still need a bodyguard?"
Just like Happy Hogan, Tony's former bodyguard. After Tony became Iron Man, Happy stopped being his protector.
All in all, Ethan wasn't going to take any chances while heading to the U.S. Though his shooting skills weren't impressive, he had one major advantage—unlimited bullets.
The Huaqiangbei system he had was amazing. Not only could it mass-produce equipment at a rapid pace, but it did so seemingly without using raw materials. It was like the stuff just appeared out of thin air.
Over the past two weeks, Ethan had cranked out a serious stockpile of weapons and ammunition—everything from handguns to missiles. Even armored vehicles had been produced and safely stashed in his warehouse.
But his most powerful creation so far was the "bootleg Iron Monger" suit.
Sure, it was a knockoff, but it packed far more punch than Obadiah Stane's original. Ethan had methodically upgraded each piece of tech that Stark Industries had used. His version was faster, stronger, and more versatile.
Capable of flying, running, and dishing out serious damage, the suit was battle-ready.
Honestly, if he handed the specs to China, the country could create an elite mech army.
But Ethan wasn't interested in mass production. He saw this model as a temporary solution. "No point wasting resources on transitional tech. Once I get my hands on Tony's armor, this will all be obsolete."
This U.S. trip was all about one thing: stealing—err, acquiring—the Iron Man tech.
"Mr. Ethan Chen!"
The next day, after a long international flight, Ethan and Xu Jia finally arrived in New York. Waiting for them at the gate was none other than Pepper Potts.
"Miss Potts, it's a pleasure to see you again."
Ethan greeted her warmly.
"Let's go, Mr. Chen. Tony's been expecting you."
Pepper, always efficient, wasted no time. Once Ethan and Xu Jia were in the car, she drove straight to Stark Industries.
In truth, Stark dealt with many "small fish" like Ethan—minor business partners and downstream collaborators. Ethan happened to arrive at the perfect moment: Stark was looking to pivot, and Obadiah Stane had recently started eyeing the smartphone market.
To Stark, Ethan was more of a convenient entry point into China's booming tech scene.
As for Xu Jia, Pepper barely spared her a glance.
Despite what movies might suggest about Pepper's warm personality, in reality, she was a top executive at Stark Industries—sharp, guarded, and not inclined to small talk.
Frankly, a "nobody" like Ethan wasn't even on Tony Stark's radar. If it weren't for some corporate strategies in motion, they wouldn't be meeting at all.
Still, Ethan had something going for him: Xiaomu Technologies was about to launch its first smartphone, and it had real potential.
The Xiaomu One, their first-generation smartphone, was a stripped-down Android device with a clean interface and top-tier specs for its time. It even mimicked the design of the iPhone 4, based on Ethan's memories of its groundbreaking success.
The iPhone 4 changed how people saw smartphones. It looked sleek, felt premium, and set a new standard.
Ethan believed his Xiaomu One could have an even greater impact—if marketed right.
That phone was the reason he'd managed to secure a meeting with Tony Stark.
Within half an hour, Pepper pulled up in front of a towering building in downtown Manhattan—Stark Tower, the iconic heart of Stark Industries.
After the eventual Battle of New York, this building would be donated to the Avengers and become their headquarters.
But for now, it was still Tony's domain.
When he wasn't partying or showing off, he'd spend most of his work hours here.
As for Ethan?
To Tony, he was nothing more than a vaguely familiar Chinese tech entrepreneur.
That was it.
Tony Stark was brilliant, charismatic—and unapologetically arrogant. So Ethan wasn't particularly shocked to be dismissed so casually, but that didn't make it sting any less.
"You might ignore me now," Ethan thought, "but one day, I'll force you to respect me. And when I start distributing my own version of your armor tech? You'll regret brushing me off."
"We've arrived. Please follow me," Pepper said coolly after parking.
She led them into the building, then straight to the rooftop via a private elevator, where Tony Stark was already waiting.