Courtyard House: Initial Donation of 50 Million

Inside the experimental hall of the Stark Villa, the lingering light slowly dissipated.

Tony Stark stood there, stunned. The Decade armor he had borrowed for a brief experience was gone, but the ultimate sensation of the armor instantly covering his body and moving at will was firmly etched into his senses, impossible to shake off.

He raised his hand and looked down at his empty hands, then glanced at the Mark III steel armor quietly displayed beside the test bench, its gleaming surface and craftsmanship surpassing all others of its time. A strong sense of disparity suddenly rose in his heart.

At this moment, the Mark III, which he had poured countless efforts into refining and iterating day and night, and which he believed to be flawless and superior to all military equipment in the world, suddenly became tasteless and lost all its appeal.

The difference is too great.

The Mark III armor, with its powerful performance, ample firepower, and top-notch defense, is the pinnacle of Stark Industries' technological prowess. However, it has an unavoidable fatal flaw—it relies on mechanical structures and external robotic arms for assistance in wearing.

Each time the armor is donned, it requires a fixed workstation, precise alignment of the robotic arm, and modular assembly. The entire process takes at least tens of seconds.

But the Imperial Knight armor is completely different.

No mechanical assistance, fixed equipment, or cumbersome procedures are required. With a thought, light and shadow flow, and the entire suit of armor automatically covers the whole body in an instant, conforming to the skin texture and fitting perfectly, allowing for free movement without being restricted by any place, equipment, or time.

This unparalleled convenience and maneuverability is a level that the Mark III can never reach.

A hint of seriousness flashed in Tony's eyes, and a gloomy feeling quietly welled up in his heart. No one knew better than him that a difference of a few dozen seconds in clothing could be a chasm between life and death on the battlefield, in a life-or-death struggle, in a surprise attack.

Ever since being kidnapped and imprisoned by the Ten Commandments in the Afghan desert and experiencing that near-death ordeal, the seed of insecurity has been deeply planted in Tony's heart.

He always valued his life and was always cautious. He was not afraid of a powerful enemy to fight head-on, nor of a war with overwhelming firepower, but he was afraid of a sudden sneak attack.

What if one day in the future, the enemy launches another silent attack, leaving you in danger, but you don't have time to activate the robotic arm or put on the Mark III armor?

If the armor fails to be donned in time, and he faces attacks from firearms and terrorists with his mortal body, all that awaits him is an irredeemable tragedy!

This hidden danger, like a fine thorn, was firmly embedded in Tony's heart. Previously, he was so immersed in the powerful performance of the Mark III that he hadn't delved into it, but after experiencing the wonders of the Decade armor, this thorn was magnified infinitely, filling him with anxiety and resentment.

He considered himself a genius, looked down on all American military experts, and never took the big shots in the military and the White House seriously. He was always sharp-tongued, arrogant, and did things his own way, never bowing his head to ask for help.

But at this moment, looking at the perfect yet fatally flawed Mark III, this prodigy felt powerless against the technological bottleneck for the first time.

Throughout America, no one could answer his questions, no one could help him fill this last gap in his knowledge.

A calm and composed figure naturally came to mind—Wang Huanbo.

This close friend of Howard's father was the only elder he truly respected and trusted in his life, and a legendary figure with unfathomable depth who had saved his and Pepper's lives several times.

Only Wang Huanbo could answer his questions and point him in the right direction for a breakthrough.

In the rest area next to the experimental hall, Wang Huanbo was holding a cup of warm water, leisurely looking at the courtyard scenery outside the window, his expression calm and relaxed.

He had already taken in Tony's changing expression. Seeing this arrogant genius who was usually so haughty and invincible, now looking troubled, with furrowed brows and a troubled mind, he couldn't help but chuckle to himself.

It has to be said that seeing the arrogant and sarcastic Tony Stark looking down in distress is quite an interesting thing.

Just then, I heard dragging footsteps behind me.

Tony suppressed his arrogance and lowered his guard. For once, he was no longer as domineering as before. With a hint of awkwardness and embarrassment, he slowly walked up to Wang Huanbo.

"Old Wang."

He spoke, his tone somewhat unnaturally sincere, completely lacking the sharpness he used when he was being sarcastic, "I have a question I'd like to ask you."

Wang Huanbo feigned calmness, slowly turned his head, and looked at him with a half-smile: "Even a genius like Stark sometimes needs to ask for help?"

A teasing remark made Tony's cheeks flush slightly, making him even more embarrassed, yet he had no way to refute it. He pursed his lips, suppressed his pride, and honestly expressed his dilemma.

"After experiencing your Decade armor, I discovered a fatal flaw in my Mark III. The robotic arm-assisted donning is too slow, leaving no time to save my life in a surprise attack. I want to optimize the armor donning process and completely eliminate the constraints of external devices, but my current technological system offers no way to break through this limitation."

Tony looked at Wang Huanbo with eager eyes: "Could you give me some guidance and tell me which direction to take for research and development?"

Seeing the arrogant genius bowing his head and asking for guidance with a look of eager anticipation, Wang Huanbo's smile deepened, and he stopped trying to keep him in suspense.

He was happy to guide Tony, firstly to improve the technical system of the Iron Man armor, and secondly because the cutting-edge technology in Tony's hands had immeasurable value for the industrial rise and military breakthroughs of the Siheyuan dimension.

"Your thinking is too limited to traditional mechanical structures," Wang Huanbo said calmly, his voice steady and powerful, hitting the nail on the head. "The conventional modular splicing and mechanical assembly approach will never solve the problem of wear delay. If you want to achieve device-free, fully automatic, and instantaneous body covering, you can delve into the direction of liquid metal and micro-nanomechanics."

"Nanomechanics? Liquid metal?" Tony's pupils suddenly contracted as he murmured these two unfamiliar concepts, as if a thunderbolt had exploded in his mind.

"That's right." Wang Huanbo nodded slightly and slowly explained the research and development approach, which was decades ahead of its time. "Abandoning the bulky overall modules, the armor is disassembled into countless microscopic nanorobots, using a special liquid metal as a carrier, and stored in advance in a close-fitting reactor or subcutaneous storage device. Relying on the linkage and control of thoughts and bioelectric signals, after activation, countless nanorobots instantly recombine and condense into shape, layering and covering the entire body. No robotic arms are needed, no auxiliary equipment is needed, it forms armor in an instant and moves at will."

In just a few words, he broke through the technological barriers that had trapped Tony for so long, opening a brand new and unprecedented door to technology for him.

Nanosuit!

This is the ultimate form of future steel armor, the optimal solution to completely solve the problems of wearing delay and insufficient mobility!

Tony's mind instantly cleared, the gloom in his eyes vanished, replaced by extreme amazement and fervor, and his blood began to boil.

The life-threatening dangers and technical bottlenecks that had been troubling him vanished in an instant under Wang Huanbo's guidance.

He clenched his fists tightly, his heart filled with shock and ecstasy. He had never imagined that armor technology could reach such an unbelievable level!

The huge weight that had been pressing on Tony's heart for so long was finally lifted, and he was in a great mood. But soon, a new thought quietly surfaced.

He couldn't help but recall the battle when the villa was attacked.

At that time, the elite bandits of the Ten Commandments gang launched a surprise attack on the villa, with fierce firepower and extreme ruthlessness. However, Wang Huanbo did not activate any Ultra Armor, nor did he activate the Decade Driver. Without relying on any technological equipment, he relied solely on his pure Eastern Kung Fu skills. He moved nimbly and his fists and palms were as fast as the wind. In an instant, he slaughtered all the armed bandits. His skills were graceful and his combat power was unparalleled, which can be described as a miracle.

From that moment on, the mysterious, powerful, and unconventional Eastern martial arts planted a deep seed in Tony's heart, making him incredibly fascinated and filled with endless longing.

No matter how powerful technological armor is, it is ultimately an external object. But physical martial arts are a power rooted in oneself, free and unrestrained!

With this thought in mind, Tony once again put aside all his arrogance and shamelessly looked at Wang Huanbo with sincere and eager eyes.

"Old Wang, I have another request."

"Go ahead," Wang Huanbo said calmly.

"Could you teach me your Eastern martial arts?" Tony's tone was earnest, with an unyielding determination. "I can trade you my latest Mark III technology, armor blueprints, and reactor core formula! All my industrial technology, military patents, and Stark's core R&D achievements are all available as tuition fees! As long as you're willing to teach me martial arts, I, Tony, will offer you all my accumulated technical expertise!"

These words carried weight and authority.

It's important to know that Tony Stark has always been extremely protective of his technology. The U.S. military, the White House leadership, major defense contractors—countless people coveted his Iron Man armor and Arc Reactor technologies. They tried everything—coercion, bribery, and both soft and hard tactics—but he always turned a blind eye and refused to budge an inch. He preferred to keep the technology sealed rather than leak even a fraction of it.

In his eyes, these cutting-edge technologies are the foundation of his business and the core of Stark Industries, and he will not allow anyone to covet them.

But he trusted Wang Huanbo completely and without reservation.

This was his father's closest friend, the benefactor who had saved him from danger several times, and an elder to whom he could give his all and treat with utmost sincerity. In Tony's heart, no matter how precious the technology or how top-notch the armor, as long as it was entrusted to Wang Huanbo, he would have complete peace of mind and no worries whatsoever.

Looking at the candid and enthusiastic Tony in front of him, Wang Huanbo's eyes flashed with a hint of approval.

He had already made his plans. The complete set of Iron Man armor technology, Arc Reactor technology, and military industry patents in Tony's possession were all top-notch treasures. Bringing them back to the Siheyuan dimension would directly help the domestic military, energy, and precision industries achieve leapfrog breakthroughs, and would have vital strategic significance for the country's industrialization and informatization.

Meanwhile, his mission is nearing its end. Once he has taught Tony the basics of Eastern martial arts and completed all the gains across all dimensions, he can completely end his training in the Iron Man 1 dimension and return to the Siheyuan dimension at ease.

Why not kill two birds with one stone?

Wang Huanbo smiled slightly, nodded slowly, and said firmly, "Yes."

"I can teach you your Eastern martial arts. I will also accept the technical materials you promised."

The simple two-word reply instantly brought a smile to Tony's face, and his eyes lit up with excitement.

The arrogant genius's face was no longer etched with any hesitation or embarrassment, only filled with excitement and anticipation.

The development of cutting-edge nanotech armor holds great promise for the future; the mysterious and powerful Eastern martial arts are about to be learned; all technological reserves are being entrusted to them.

At this moment, Tony felt an immense sense of fulfillment. Meanwhile, Wang Huanbo had already decided on his return journey, awaiting a fruitful return to empower his homeland's rise!