That evening, well-rested after her afternoon nap, Belle sat beside Huang Wen, waiting for the pot to boil. By then, almost all the Avengers members, except Tony Stark and Max, and the students from the second floor had arrived.
Steve Rogers had already contacted Tony Stark. Upon learning that Huang Wen had emerged from her retreat, a tone of weariness and unease crept into Tony Stark's voice, but he eventually agreed to come, though she hadn't arrived yet.
"Max! What are you doing?" Jack dialed Max's number and asked, frowning, "Didn't you say you'd be here? Why aren't you here yet? You're practically as important as Tony Stark!"
"I'm sorry Jack, the company sent me an urgent overtime request to check the circuits. Don't worry, I'll finish it very soon, in ten minutes, I'll be there in ten minutes!" Max's hurried voice was heard, and Jack's frown eased slightly.
Before hanging up the phone, Jack finally insisted, "Hurry up!"
"Temporary overtime, there's nothing we can do about it. But it's not ideal that Max isn't appreciated enough by his company…" Huang Wen nodded and said softly, "You are all my students. Even though these students aren't officially apprentices, they are still my students. According to Chinese tradition, these are students from outside. If you can lend a hand, you can help each other."
"Yes! Sir, we understand!" Jack smiled and nodded, looking at Huang Wen, "Actually, Max's talents are quite good, but it's a shame he's not very well-known."
"I just heard someone say something bad about me!" Tony Stark's tired, slightly hoarse voice echoed through the stew restaurant, then a figure in Iron Man's suit flew in.
"Do you put on your costume to eat? Does your costume need to eat too?" Spider-Gwen couldn't help but complain, sulking.
"Hmm?" Before Tony Stark could speak, Huang Wen suddenly raised her eyebrows and looked at him, asking, "I mean, you haven't slept for a month, have you?"
"I slept, but very little. If I weren't afraid of dying from not sleeping for a month, I really could have gone a whole month without sleep…" Tony Stark opened his iron mask, revealing an exhausted face. In just one month, Tony Stark had indeed lost a lot of weight, which showed that he hadn't rested well during that time!
"You're really putting your life in danger. I won't take the Cosmic Cube from you, and I have important things to say about it. But you've made yourself look like a ghost. Anyone who didn't know you would think you were completely depleted!" Huang Wen rolled her eyes in exasperation and muttered, which sent a wave of internal energy through Tony Stark's body.
This was a healing ability that Huang Wen developed based on Bai Zhantang's Nine-Nine Rejuvenation Palm technique and the bone marrow cleansing properties of Blood Bodhi. While not very powerful, it was extremely effective in treating general physical injuries. Most importantly, it could restore the vitality the body had lost.
"Oh my God! This feels incredible!" Tony Stark, feeling weak and struggling to breathe as if a heavy weight were on his chest, involuntarily cursed. Suddenly, he felt full of energy; his back and leg pains had disappeared, and he could climb five flights of stairs in one breath… In short, although his mental fatigue had somewhat subsided, all the damage his body had sustained during this time had completely healed!
"Huang Wen, do you really have such talent? Then I'll have to come see you more often from now on!" Tony Stark suddenly had an idea and grinned lustfully at Huang Wen.
"Stop right there! If you strain your kidneys too much, I won't help you!" Huang Wen reached out his hand to stop Tony Stark, who was about to sit down, and said, "How's it going? How much research have you done on the Cosmic Cube?"
"There! That's it!" Tony Stark couldn't help but roll his eyes in annoyance when he heard the words "Cosmic Cube." He immediately pulled a mechanism out of his arm armor.
Inside was a vibranium container holding the Cosmic Cube.
"A vibranium container…" Huang Wen picked up the vibranium container that Tony Stark had carelessly tossed and instinctively squeezed it. As expected from vibranium, Huang Wen applied some force but couldn't inflict even the slightest damage.
"Give me three more days, and I can open it. However, since you're awake, I'll leave it up to you. After all, Captain Marvel Carol trusts you quite a bit…" Tony Stark said, after carefully examining Huang Wen, "By the way, you won't be unable to open it, will you?"
"The Cosmic Cube is too dangerous; it can't be opened here." Huang Wen nodded and hid the Cosmic Cube in the Space Ring.
If it were a pure Space Stone, the Space Ring couldn't contain it. However, the Cosmic Cube had not only an outer protective cube but also an outer vibranium container; therefore, storing it in the Space Ring wasn't a problem, just as Loki could use a little magic to hide the Cosmic Cube in his hand.
"Heh heh, then let's talk after dinner!" Tony Stark sat down with a frown, "By the way, why are there so many people gathered here today? Can't we talk while we eat? I'm starving…"
"Let's eat first. We'll add a few more dishes when Max arrives!" Huang Wen waved, signaling everyone to begin, and then gestured for Jack to start speaking.
Seeing Huang Wen's move, those at the Wing Chun Martial Arts School began boiling vegetables, and Jack cleared his throat twice. Jack glanced at the students on the second floor and began to speak: "Ahem, the situation is this, as everyone knows, the Avengers don't have many members, but the number of issues that need to be resolved is certainly not small..."
"Therefore, Master believes the Avengers need some logistical and support personnel to assist them in their work, and these individuals must possess skills that ordinary people cannot have, and you are the best candidates!"
"Of course, the Master's intention is entirely up to everyone's own free will. If you want to participate, you participate. If you don't want to participate, no one will force you. Of course, if any of the Avengers here have any opinions or requests, you are welcome to express them!"
"Can I join too?" Ying Faming stood up and asked Jack with a little excitement.
"Of course! Master Ying's power, as the Master himself says, is already superhuman, so of course you can join us!" Jack said, smiling and nodding his head.
"What kind of opinions could there be? I have no objections. More people mean more power, as long as they are capable and not just here to be lazy!" Tony Stark said after swallowing a large mouthful of greasy steak, "Besides, Huang Wen has already spoken, who could still object? I still trust her to restore my body in the future!"