Courtyard House: Initial Donation of 50 Million

The smoke of battle had not yet cleared from the Malibu villa. In the chaotic living room, the bodies of Ten Commandments militants lay scattered haphazardly. A cool sea breeze, carrying a faint smell of gunpowder, wafted through the broken French windows, permeating the entire villa.

Wang Huanbo stood with his hands behind his back, his breathing steady. The exhilarating and powerful Tiger-Crane Double Form Fist he had just unleashed was nothing more than a piece of cake for him. Tony put away his Palm Cannon, lifted his armor visor, and his brows still held lingering anger. Looking at his ravaged home, a chilling glint appeared in his eyes.

Outside the villa, the piercing sound of police sirens grew louder as layers of police cars blocked off the streets of the villa area. The flashing lights illuminated the night. Following closely behind the police convoy, several understated, unmarked black special vehicles slowly drove up. Their stable bodies and solemn aura made them clearly S.H.I.E.L.D. vehicles.

A large number of Los Angeles Police Department officers rushed into the villa. Seeing the dead and wounded militants scattered everywhere, the walls riddled with bullet holes, and the shattered debris, everyone was shocked and at a loss. These highly trained officers had never seen such a horrific scene of a private residence attack.

Amid the chaos, a composed and capable figure strode into the living room—it was Agent Coulson, who had just left. He was still dressed in a neat dark suit, holding a black folder, and wearing his unchanging professional and gentle smile, as if he had long anticipated this tragic ending.

Coulson's gaze swept quickly across the entire area, confirming that all the Ten Commandments intruders had been wiped out without a single survivor. Only then did he slowly walk up to Tony and Wang Huanbo, his tone sincere and solemn.

"Mr. Stark, Mr. Wang." Coulson nodded slightly, his tone carrying a serious warning. "After on-site verification, all the armed personnel involved in this raid belong to the Ten Commandments. According to our intelligence analysis, the Ten Commandments have now listed you two as their highest priority assassination targets, and their intention to retaliate is extremely clear."

He paused, his tone becoming increasingly resolute: "Please rest assured, SHIELD will not stand idly by. We will follow up on the entire process and provide comprehensive protection for your personal safety to prevent such attacks from happening again."

This high-sounding reassurance sounded incredibly ironic to Tony. He was already arrogant and sharp-tongued, and he despised S.H.I.E.L.D.'s post-hoc, post-hoc approach. He scoffed, a mocking yet cold smile playing on his lips.

"Security assurance?" Tony crossed his arms, his eyes full of mockery. "Agent Coulson, that's too kind of you. Where was your S.H.I.E.L.D. protection when the RPG blew through my walls and bullets were flying everywhere? My friends and I took care of all the assassins ourselves before your convoy finally arrived."

"No warning beforehand, but full of assurances afterward, is this what S.H.I.E.L.D. calls 'full protection'?" Tony pressed on, his sharp tongue fully unleashed. "I think you're not here to protect me, but to be the cleaning crew, aren't you? After we've finished our work, you can come right on time to collect the bodies, write reports, and claim all the credit for yourselves."

Despite Tony's relentless barrage of sarcastic remarks, Coulson's smile remained as steady as a rock, unwavering, his eyes showing no emotion. He was already used to the eccentric nature of this brilliant billionaire, responding calmly without a trace of anger.

"I completely understand your anger, Mr. Stark. If I were in your shoes, I wouldn't be so friendly to the tardy security personnel either, after just blasting my own living room with my palms." Coulson spoke calmly, smoothly changing the subject to ease the tense atmosphere. "Besides investigating the case and ensuring your safety, my superior, Director Nick Fury of S.H.I.E.L.D., wishes to personally meet with you both for an in-depth discussion."

Tony raised an eyebrow, intending to refuse outright, but a glance at Wang Huanbo beside him, whose expression remained calm, made him hesitate before swallowing his words. He knew that tonight's events were far more complex than he could imagine: Obadiah's betrayal, the Ten Commandments' furious retaliation, and S.H.I.E.L.D.'s continuous probing. There was no escaping it.

"Sure." Tony shrugged, looking nonchalant. "Since the director is so eager to see us, then let's go meet this mysterious big shot. But let me make this clear: if he's just spouting empty platitudes, I don't have the patience to keep him company."

Wang Huanbo remained silent throughout, only nodding slightly, offering no objection. He knew that the inevitable test would come, and avoiding it would only give others ammunition to criticize him; accepting the appointment openly was the safest course of action.

Moments later, the two followed Coulson out of the villa, avoiding the layers of police and media surrounding them, and got into a black SHIELD special vehicle. The convoy kept its lights off and signal blocked throughout, weaving through the city streets of Los Angeles, and finally drove into a hidden, unmarked underground secret location in the suburbs.

The base is technologically advanced, filled with various sophisticated monitoring equipment and intelligence terminals, heavily guarded, with hidden defense mechanisms in every corner, exuding the mystery and authority of S.H.I.E.L.D.

At the head of the conference room sat a tall, imposing figure in black. The man wore a long black trench coat and a black eye patch that covered one eye, leaving his remaining eye as deep and unfathomable as a cold pool. He exuded an aura of power and control, a sense of oppressive authority. This was Nick Fury, the highest-ranking official in S.H.I.E.L.D.

When Nick Fury's gaze fell on Wang Huanbo, his single eye suddenly narrowed slightly, and a hint of undisguised shock flashed across his eyes.

S.H.I.E.L.D.'s top-secret files clearly record that Wang Huanbo's earliest known appearance dates back to 1943, more than sixty years ago. The files explicitly state that he worked alongside Howard Stark in the development of the first Arc Reactor and was a covert core member of the Strategic Scientific Corps during World War II.

But the Wang Huanbo before me had a young and handsome face, a tall and straight figure, and no trace of the passage of time on his body. He looked almost exactly the same as the one in the archives from more than sixty years ago. Time seemed to have stood still on him.

After the initial shock came overwhelming doubt and scrutiny. Nick Fury leaned back in his chair, his fingers lightly tapping the table. His deep, husky voice slowly echoed in the quiet conference room, carrying an undeniable interrogative tone.

"Mr. Wang, your file is one of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s top secrets." Fury's gaze was fixed on Wang Huanbo, his tone deep. "In 1943, you and Howard were developing the first Arc Reactor, and your whereabouts were clearly traceable. But around the time Dr. Erskine's Super Soldier Serum project ended in 1945, there was a gap in your whereabouts for several months."

He slowly revealed long-buried secrets, each word precisely hitting the nail on the head.

"After Dr. Erskine successfully completed the super-soldier transformation for Steve Rogers, he was immediately assassinated by a German spy. The spy stole all the remaining super-soldier serum, and Captain America immediately gave chase. In the end, the spy, with nowhere to run, committed suicide by poisoning himself. As everyone knows, the remaining serum was completely destroyed in the chase and melee, with none remaining."

"But there's one possibility we can never rule out." Fury's single eye was sharp as a knife, fixed on Wang Huanbo's changing expression. "That destruction was just a show for the whole world. The real serum never disappeared. It's in your hands, Mr. Wang."

The atmosphere in the meeting room instantly plummeted to freezing point, with an overwhelming sense of oppression.

Wang Huanbo understood immediately, a faint smile flickering in his eyes. It must be said, Nick Fury's predictions were incredibly accurate; all his suspicions had hit the nail on the head. During that chaotic battle years ago, he had indeed secretly collected some remaining super-soldier serum; the scene of its destruction that the world witnessed was merely a smokescreen.

But he knew in his heart that this was his biggest secret and he would never reveal a single word about it to anyone.

Faced with Fury's scrutinizing and probing interrogation, Wang Huanbo remained calm and composed, his eyes clear and indifferent, without the slightest panic, and he calmly denied the allegations.

"Director, you're being far too speculative. The situation on the battlefield during World War II was chaotic. I was commissioned by Howard to travel to Europe to handle the transfer of military equipment. The gap in my whereabouts was simply a normal mission relocation. As for the super-soldier serum, I had no contact with it at all, let alone the possibility of intercepting it. S.H.I.E.L.D. cannot fabricate suspicions based solely on a gap in my whereabouts."

His words were firm and flawless, completely refuting all of Fury's doubts and speculations.

Nick Fury stared intently into his eyes, trying to glean a trace of a lie from his expression, but to no avail. He knew perfectly well that all his suspicions were mere conjecture, devoid of any substantial evidence, and utterly incapable of substantiating his accusations against Wang Huanbo.

More importantly, Wang Huanbo now has a special identity. He has saved Tony Stark several times and thwarted the Ten Commandments' plots, making him a true righteous figure. Moreover, he has a deep and close relationship with the Stark family.

If he were to forcibly interrogate or detain Wang Huanbo, given Tony Stark's protective and unruly nature, he would inevitably turn against him on the spot, completely antagonizing S.H.I.E.L.D., which would be a losing proposition.

After weighing the pros and cons, Nick Fury suppressed all his doubts, his single eye still holding a naked scrutiny, filled with the certainty of "I still doubt you." He gave Wang Huanbo a deep look, then slowly looked away, taking the initiative to change the subject.

"Since Mr. Wang says so, let's put this matter aside for now."

As soon as he finished speaking, Fury turned his gaze to Tony, who was standing casually to the side. His expression softened, and his tone became serious.

"Mr. Stark, in addition to investigating this attack, I have called you here today to discuss a major matter concerning global security, and I would also like to formally extend an invitation to you."

Tony raised an eyebrow, a playful look on his face. "Oh? The director of S.H.I.E.L.D. personally invited me? I'm quite curious, what's the big deal? Do you want me to replace the engine on your beat-up plane?"

Nick Fury ignored his teasing, his expression solemn, and slowly revealed the grand vision that would shock the future and influence the entire Marvel Universe.

"This world is never short of hidden crises and unknown threats. Not all enemies will stand in front of you with a gun. In the future, there will be even more dangers far beyond human conventional combat capabilities—aliens, mutants, and even monsters from other dimensions. The military and conventional armed forces of various countries alone are simply not enough to resist them."

"Therefore, S.H.I.E.L.D. plans to assemble individuals from around the world with extraordinary abilities, cutting-edge technology, and special talents to form a dedicated super team. We do not engage in bureaucracy, nor do we act as puppets of the government. We will only intervene when the Earth needs us, to deal with all unknown crises, and to protect human safety."

Nick Fury's gaze was intense as he said, enunciating each word clearly, "Mr. Stark, on behalf of S.H.I.E.L.D., I formally invite you to join the Avengers."

After hearing these words, Tony remained unmoved, instead scoffing and shaking his head in refusal without hesitation.

"No thanks." Tony's tone was nonchalant, reflecting his deeply ingrained free spirit. "I, Tony Stark, have always done as I please, free from the constraints of any person or organization. I hate being controlled or arranged, and I have no desire to become a tool in the hands of official forces."

His eyes were sharp, and he bluntly expressed his wariness and distrust: "Whether it's the government or S.H.I.E.L.D., you hold power and prioritize interests above all else. Your so-called protection and justice are mostly mixed with utilitarian calculations. I am not used to attaching myself to any power, and I will never take orders from anyone."

"The Avengers sound great, but sorry, I, Tony Stark, am only my own hero, not anyone's pawn."

A clean and decisive rejection, without the slightest hesitation, completely shattered Nick Fury's recruitment plan.

Fury looked at the resolute and defiant Tony, a hint of helplessness flashing in his eyes, but he didn't get angry. He had already expected that, given Tony's personality, he would not easily accept being restrained, so this outcome was reasonable.