Courtyard House: Initial Donation of 50 Million

October 1941, New York, Stark Tower rooftop laboratory.

Early summer sunlight streamed through the huge arched glass windows, illuminating the workbench piled high with instruments and blueprints, causing dust particles suspended in the air to dance in the beams of light. The laboratory was quiet, save for the low hum of the instruments and the scratching of pens on paper.

Wang Huanbo, dressed in a simple white shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, was hunched over a huge drawing board. His T-square and compass moved deftly, precisely drawing a complex set of curves and cross-sections. The drawing was titled "Mark I Arc Reactor – Magnetic Confinement and Plasma Flow Field Simulation (Third Edition Revision)".

At another workbench beside him, Howard Stark was carefully operating a small, self-made particle accelerator probe, performing another round of micro-area composition analysis on the dark silver metal disk in the center of the workbench. His brow was furrowed, an unlit cigar dangling from his mouth, and his expression was one of almost divine concentration.

Nearly three months have passed since Wang Huanbo invested in Stark Industries and became Howard's "special technical advisor." In these three months, he has integrated into Stark Industries' core circle at an astonishing speed and has become Howard's almost inseparable partner in technological exploration.

That mysterious metal disk became their strongest bond and source of inspiration. With Howard's top-notch experimental equipment and Wang Huanbo's "perfect" guidance, the etched patterns on the disk were gradually deciphered. They discovered that the patterns indeed constituted an extremely sophisticated model of energy flow and field distribution, guiding the steady-state operation of a certain type of toroidal magnetically confined plasma. Although the model was extremely simplified and lacked crucial "ignition" and "fuel" information, its inherent mathematical logic and the energy control concepts it implied, far ahead of its time, captivated Howard, who called it "an ancient sketch of the Holy Grail of energy."

Based on this "sketch," combined with Howard's existing "arc reactor" concept and some inspirations from Wang Huanbo's "cutting-edge theoretical course at the Technical University of Berlin" (actually future knowledge), the "Mark I Arc Reactor" pre-research project jointly promoted by the two has made breakthrough progress. Key problems that had long troubled Howard, such as plasma turbulence suppression, magnetic field distribution optimization, and energy conversion efficiency, were overcome or found clear paths with the help of Wang Huanbo's seemingly casual guidance and the "new computing tools" he provided (actually a mechanical simulation computer that Wang Huanbo simplifies and handcrafts based on the design concept of "Longteng-1").

Howard's attitude towards Wang Huanbo had long since evolved from initial admiration to near-dependent respect. He made no secret of praising Wang on any occasion as "the most Leonardo da Vinci-like polymath I've ever met," and "a perfect combination of Eastern wisdom and a vision for the future." He even allowed Wang free access to several of his most classified laboratories, including the safe room storing the original manuscripts and core computational data of the "arc reactor." Of course, Howard was still discreet about matters involving top military secrets, such as specific weapons projects in cooperation with the Strategic Scientific Corps (SSR), but Wang Huanbo had already pieced together a general outline of the situation through snippets of conversation, the occasional appearance of unfamiliar soldiers in the lab, and the encrypted phone calls Howard occasionally received.

He knew that the "Super Soldier Project"—the "Rebirth Project"—was being carried out at full speed. And that crucial day was drawing ever closer.

"Wang, look here!" Howard suddenly exclaimed excitedly, pointing to the fluctuating waveform on the oscilloscope screen. "The decay spectrum of the element at sampling point seventy-three is abnormal! It corresponds to the residual decay energy at sampling point thirty-seven yesterday! This disk... it may have been bombarded by a high-energy particle stream for a long time! Even... it may itself be a miniature, fuel-depleted 'reactor' shell!"

Wang Huanbo put down his drawing pen, walked over to him, and carefully examined the screen. The data did indeed show some anomalies, but these were largely traces of what he had done when he "made" the disc—using the shoulder cannon of the Predator armor at extremely low power and a specific frequency to increase the credibility of the "antique" and guide its direction. However, this suited him perfectly.

"That's very likely." Wang Huanbo nodded in agreement, his finger tracing a fine line along the edge of the disc, as if it had melted and then solidified. "Look at this, it doesn't look like natural erosion or impact. It's more like a localized phase transition caused by the uncontrolled outflow of internal energy. Howard, your guess might be right. This isn't just a model or a ritual object; it might have actually worked, but we don't yet know what its 'fuel' and 'switch' were."

"God..." Howard took a deep breath, his eyes burning with fervor. "A prehistoric civilization's operational miniature fusion device? Even if it's just a prototype? The significance... Your Majesty, we must accelerate the progress of Mark I! I have a feeling the answer is right before our eyes! Once I've secured the last bit of technical support for that annoying 'Small-Scale Enhancement Project' on SSR, we'll focus all our efforts on developing the miniaturized prototype of the reactor!"

"A short-stature enhancement project?" Wang Huanbo showed just the right amount of curiosity, but didn't probe too deeply. "Sounds like the biomedical field? That's not your forte, Howard."

"Ha! Who said it's my forte?" Howard shrugged, but a hint of smugness flashed in his eyes. "It was Abraham Erskine, an old Jewish man from Germany, a true genius, a master of biochemistry and endocrinology. He had a crazy idea: to use some kind of serum and special radiation to push human potential to its limit and create 'super soldiers.' The SSR guys, especially Phillips, treated him like a treasure. My task was to design the equipment for serum injection and subsequent radiation irradiation, ensuring the process was controllable and the energy supply was stable. To be honest, the design of that 'Vita Ray' generator was quite interesting; it used some field focusing ideas from my reactor research."

He walked to the coffee machine, poured himself and Wang Huanbo each a cup of black coffee, and continued, "But that's about it. Biology is too complicated, too many variables, I don't like it. Physics and engineering are purer, one is one, two is two. Erskine's serum is said to be successful, used on a short guy in Brooklyn named... Steve something, with amazing results. Next week they're going to do one last public... uh, let's call it a 'demonstration' in Brooklyn, injecting the serum and then receiving radiation. Phillips wants to use this to get more funding and support. I have to keep an eye on the equipment and make sure nothing goes wrong."

Howard spoke casually, as if discussing a routine experimental demonstration. But Wang Huanbo felt a chill run down his spine.

Next week. Brooklyn. Public presentation.

The time, place, and event all match up. In the movie, Dr. Erskine injected Steve Rogers with the serum at the 13th District recruiting office in Brooklyn, and was subsequently shot and killed by Heinrich Severin, who was disguised as a Hydra spy. The last vial of serum and the notebook were stolen.

"That sounds amazing. If it can truly enhance the human body, it would be a huge help to frontline soldiers," Wang Huanbo commented calmly, taking a sip of his coffee. "Will the demonstration be open to the public? Or is it only for internal staff?"

"Theoretically, it's internal, but you know, these kinds of 'shows' always have some 'related people' and reporters invited. What, are you interested?" Howard raised an eyebrow.

"A little. I'm always curious about interdisciplinary applications. And it's an honor for engineers to witness firsthand the birth of a technology that could change the nature of warfare," Wang Huanbo smiled. "If it's convenient."

"No problem!" Howard waved his hand dismissively. "I'll have my assistant get you a pass. It's at a recruiting office in Brooklyn, not a big place, in July... um, my assistant will tell you the exact date. You can attend as my 'technical advisor,' and also check on how that radiation generator is working. To be honest, I've always had some doubts about the radiation tolerance of living organisms..."

The two discussed the design of a certain cooling loop in the reactor for a while, until Howard's assistant knocked on the door and reminded him that he had a video conference with the Department of the Army.

After leaving Stark Tower and getting into Lao Zhou's Cadillac, Wang Huanbo's calm expression faded slightly, and his eyes became deep and sharp.

"Attorney Chen," he said to William Chen in the passenger seat.

"Mr. Wang, what are your instructions?"

"Two things. First, immediately find a detailed map of the area around the Brooklyn 13th Ward recruiting post, including the building layout and escape routes. The more detailed the better. Time is tight; I need to see it by the day after tomorrow at the latest."

Attorney Chen was startled, but his expression remained unchanged. He immediately nodded, "Understood. I will use all available connections, including municipal archives and... some 'special' channels."

"Second," Wang Huanbo lowered his voice even further, "prepare a vehicle, something inconspicuous but with enough horsepower, and... take care of the license plate. Also, prepare a set of dark, practical work clothes, a pair of soft-soled shoes, and a regular hat. And, have you found that industrial miniature spray canister that I asked you to find last time, the one that can quickly release cryogenic gas?"

"The car and clothes are fine, they can be ready tomorrow. The cryogenic injection can... that's a bit of a hassle, but I know someone at an ice factory who has a small steel cylinder for replenishing ice storage with liquid nitrogen, complete with a simple valve and nozzle. Maybe it can be modified. I'll get it done as soon as possible." Attorney Chen's forehead was slightly sweaty. He had a vague feeling that his employer was planning something extremely dangerous, and it was related to the "demonstration" Mr. Stark had mentioned. But he knew exactly what he should and shouldn't ask.

"Very good. Once everything is ready, put it in the small storage room I rented on Long Island. You keep the key. Don't mention these preparations to anyone without my explicit instructions, including Lao Zhou," Wang Huanbo ordered, his tone leaving no room for argument.

"Yes, Mr. Wang, please rest assured," Attorney Chen replied solemnly.

Over the next few days, Wang Huanbo, as usual, spent most of his days in the Stark Tower laboratory, discussing reactors with Howard. Occasionally, he would visit one of SSR's peripheral offices in New York to hold a short meeting as an "energy consultant" and submit some innocuous reports. He behaved professionally and discreetly, only showing appropriate technical curiosity about the "Rebirth Project" and never overstepping his bounds to inquire further.

Privately, using maps and information obtained from Attorney Chen, combined with several on-site reconnaissance trips, he thoroughly familiarized himself with the Brooklyn 13th Ward recruiting post and its surroundings. It was an old-fashioned three-story brick building located in a relatively quiet neighborhood, with a small alley at its back and a parking lot of another commercial building on its side. The best observation and infiltration position was the rooftop of a four-story apartment building opposite the recruiting post. He planned three evacuation routes, each leading to different main roads and subway stations.

He retrieved the Predator armor from his system space and carefully inspected it in the warehouse on Long Island. The optical camouflage system was intact, the shoulder cannons were fully powered, the wrist blades were sharp, and the life detection and thermal scanning functions were working properly. He carefully concealed the armor in a corner of the warehouse, covering it with tarpaulin and other miscellaneous items.

The "industrial liquid nitrogen spray canister" had also been modified by Attorney Chen, with the addition of a more easily operable trigger and directional nozzle. The canister was painted black, obscuring its original appearance. Wang Huanbo tested it and found that it could spray an extremely low-temperature nitrogen mist within two seconds, enough to cover a person's area, instantly freezing any moisture on the skin to form frost, creating an effect similar to "low-temperature burns." This was exactly what he wanted—to create the illusion of an "unknown high-tech weapon" while avoiding lethality.

On July 7th, Howard's assistant delivered a beautifully printed pass to the Plaza Hotel. The pass read: "Special Technical Observer of the Strategic Scientific Corps (SSR) – Mr. Wang Bo," followed by the date: July 14, 1941, 8 PM, Location: Recruiting Office, 13th District, Brooklyn. The back bore Colonel Phillips' printed signature and the SSR's embossed seal.

"It's finally here." Wang Huanbo held the thin card in his hand, his gaze seemingly piercing through the paper, seeing the night four days later, seeing the brightly lit recruitment hall, seeing the thin Steve Rogers lying in that metal capsule, seeing Dr. Erskine's kind and expectant eyes, and also seeing Heinrich Severin, the Hydra spy disguised as a U.S. Army lieutenant colonel, mixed in with the crowd.

For four days, he made final preparations. He mentally rehearsed every step, anticipating all possible contingencies and countermeasures. He had to be as precise as a scalpel, as swift as lightning, and as silent as a shadow. He had to seize the serum and the notebook, freeze Severin, mislead SSR, and then make a clean getaway, leaving no trace pointing back to himself. This required his absolute control over timing, location, and abilities; any mistake could expose him, or even trigger unpredictable timeline disruptions.

July 13th, evening. Wang Huanbo stood on the balcony of his hotel suite, gazing at the New York cityscape. He toyed with a small gift Howard had given him a few days earlier—a tiny titanium gear model made from scraps from early reactor experiments, polished to a gleaming shine. Howard had called it "a symbol of friendship and shared dreams."

"Friend..." Wang Huanbo murmured to himself, carefully putting away the gear model. Between him and Howard, there was mutual benefit, technological resonance, and a growing genuine appreciation and friendship. This made his feelings about what he was about to do slightly complicated. But he quickly dismissed these distracting thoughts. The goal had to be achieved, for the homeland in the main world that needed this technology even more. He would cherish the friendship here, but he wouldn't let it affect his plans.

He returned to his study, turned on the radio, and tuned it to a channel playing soothing jazz. Then, he retrieved the Thousand Blades Demon Blade from his system space. Under the soft light, the Tang sword, composed of a thousand fragments, shimmered and radiated a chilling aura. He gently stroked the blade, and the fragments emitted a subtle, chiming sound, like wind chimes. He wouldn't use it in tomorrow night's operation, but holding this sword would calm his mind and suppress his killing intent.

He focused intently on sensing the awakened light gene within his body. Warm and boundless light energy flowed slowly through his limbs and bones, ready to be used at any time. Ultra telekinesis, like invisible tentacles, gently stretched across the room, easily lifting the pen and books on the table. Flight ability, a simple Specium Ray (suppressed to its minimum power), Ultra Barrier (miniature)... these would be his last line of defense and trump cards, to be used only as a last resort.

"Pangu," he murmured to himself, "simulate the entire process of tomorrow's operation, adding the following variables: the number of on-site guards will increase by 20%, Severin will have accomplices to provide backup, I will be hit by stray bullets after taking the items, and the SSR lockdown will be five minutes faster than expected."

"Simulation started... Analyzing..." the cold electronic voice responded. "Warning: The variable 'Severin has accomplices' has a 17% probability, which will block evacuation route B. The variable 'Encountering stray bullets' has an 8.5% probability; it is recommended to maintain irregular movement after activating optical camouflage. The variable 'SSR rapid blockade' has a 12% probability; it is recommended to leave the visible area within 30 seconds of capturing it. Overall success rate assessment: 92.7%."

"92.7%... That's enough." Wang Huanbo took a deep breath, the last trace of emotion in his eyes returning to absolute calm. He retrieved the Demon Blade Thousand Blades into his spatial storage and turned off the radio. The room fell silent, broken only by his own breathing and heartbeat, steady and strong.

Tomorrow, he will no longer be a bystander, but a hunter who will lurk in the shadows of history.

The target is serum, notes, and the future.

The prey were Hydra's minions and that history destined to be "lost".

Outside the window, New York's lights still blazed brightly, concealing an unseen, impending battle. The summer night breeze carried the distant scent of the sea and the faint, steely aura of this turbulent era.

Countdown, just 24 hours left.