Master, I Have a Friend Named Tony

"Hi, my friend. Great to see you again!"

Tony Stark welcomed Lin Hao, who had come from San Francisco, into his villa.

"Likewise. I've been looking forward to Mr. Stark's party for a whole week," Lin Hao said with a smile.

"You definitely won't be disappointed," Tony said proudly.

If his talent for mechanical engineering was Tony's greatest pride, then his taste in women was undoubtedly another.

After years of roaming among the ladies, Tony Stark had long developed a discerning eye. The women who caught his interest were not only beautiful, but each had her own distinctive charm.

This villa was located on Long Island, New York. Though it was not the white villa perched on the Malibu cliffs, it had a much longer history and far more space. It was also close to Stark Tower and was one of the Stark family's ancestral properties.

Upon entering the villa, Lin Hao found that there were not many guests at this party, but every single one was male. The attendants and performers, on the other hand, were all women, and all of them were of an exceptionally high caliber.

The party did not seem to have any other purpose. Tony had simply invited a group of like-minded men over to admire the flowers and play in the water.

They had all heard Tony speak of Lin Hao's achievements in life sciences, so they were naturally curious about the impressive techniques this "Master Lin" had used to conquer such a seasoned veteran of the ladies.

The woman singing onstage was a rising Broadway newcomer. Her voice was mellifluous, and she was seductive and captivating.

Her clothing was sheer without being revealing, hazy and graceful, leaving much to the imagination.

Since the early nineteenth century, Broadway had been America's entertainment center. By the end of that century, its entertainment industry output had reached as high as six million dollars, and it had always remained the industry's undisputed leader.

That was until the new invention of film elevated Hollywood.

Yet in the era when movies had just been invented, Hollywood was purely a little brother. It could not hire major stars and was often suppressed by traditional theater. That was a process every new thing had to go through.

Only after sound films appeared, the viewing experience steadily improved, movies became capable of expressing more and more, and audiences grew increasingly receptive to them did Hollywood rise abruptly and become the bridgehead of American cultural exports.

Still, Broadway's position in America, especially within the American entertainment industry, had not weakened by much.

The Broadway superstars ordinary people viewed as untouchable were merely playthings for America's powerful and wealthy. They still had to rack their brains over their clothes and mannerisms to draw those men's attention. After all, those men were veterans of pleasure, and women held little novelty for them.

As the conspicuously out-of-place Asian man among them, Lin Hao naturally drew the women's notice. They did not look down on him because of his skin color. No man invited to this villa could possibly be simple.

Before long, they discovered just how extraordinary Lin Hao was...

It was already past three in the morning.

Several men who had finished their battles early could not close their mouths. They had been listening to accompaniment for several hours.

"I don't believe it. I have to see it with my own eyes!" One of Tony Stark's friends refused to believe in Lin Hao's stamina and rose to head toward the bedroom.

A moment later, he returned with worship in his eyes and spoke expectantly. "Mr. Lin, Master Lin, I have a friend named Tony..."

"Hey!" Tony Stark, sitting on the sofa, gave him a death glare.

You little bastard. Wasn't it just that you'd borrowed my name to make up imaginary friends a few times?

"Fine, his name is Pete," the man hurriedly changed his words. "I really want to help Pete. He's been feeling a little inadequate lately..."

"Medicine is only supplementary. The key is still training and technique..."

Lin Hao was introducing his secret formula for prolonged battles when the villa's front door was pushed open and an old bald man with a white beard barged in.

"Tony, did you forget that the military was giving you an award tonight?" Obadiah Stane shook the plastic trophy in his hand.

A globe sat atop a glass column. In short, it was a ball-on-a-stick.

"What award?" Tony leaned against the sofa, holding up a wineglass in one hand with a languid expression.

He had just enjoyed some intimate exchanges with three beauties. He was now weak all over and only wanted to finish this nightcap and go rest.

Seeing that they were about to discuss business, the other guests politely withdrew to their respective bedrooms, leaving the living room to the two of them.

Obadiah looked at the trophy in his hand, unable for a moment to recall what award it even was.

"What matters isn't the award. You should show up and maintain your relationship with the military." Obadiah wore the disappointed expression of an elder lecturing a younger man and said earnestly, "A few days ago, you caused the Air Force to lose an important bargaining chip. They're lobbying at The Pentagon right now, trying to reduce next year's procurement from Stark Industries."

"Wow. If they're willing to spend more money buying a pile of garbage, then let them," Tony said indifferently.

Thinking of the goodwill he had shown Will Fortson last time, Tony felt a little depressed. He had not expected the man to be killed after going to San Francisco, and by such a brutal method as having his heart torn out.

It reminded Tony of some very unpleasant memories. His parents had also been killed by brutal means back then. His father's skull had been crushed, and it was obvious that he had been tortured before his death.

The incident had also affected his friend Rhodey. Because he had agreed to let Will Fortson leave the base to test new equipment, Rhodey had been investigated internally by the Air Force afterward and received a disciplinary mark.

Rhodey was already a Black serviceman, and he had struggled to climb to the rank of colonel. Now that he had a disciplinary mark on his record, he had even less hope of promotion in the future.

"I know you're unhappy..." Obadiah trailed off. From beginning to end, he maintained the appearance of a kindly elder, without leaving outsiders the slightest opening to see through him.

"All right. If you don't want to deal with the Air Force, then fight for more Army contracts."

"The Army base in Afghanistan needs to purchase a batch of Jericho Missiles. You can go over there and clear your head."

As if worried that Tony would not be willing to go, Obadiah added another bargaining chip. "You can also designate Rhodey as the liaison officer for this deal. He may have offended the Air Force, but the Army has never liked those fellows who split off on their own."

The American Air Force had officially been established on September 18, 1947. Just from the date, one could tell it had happened after the end of World War II.

Originally, the Air Force had merely been the Army's aviation branch, but after the war it had insisted on independence. That had made the traditional Army Faction deeply unhappy.

Tony drained his glass and asked, "When do we leave?"

Whether he made this money was a minor matter. Tony wanted more to help his friend, since what had happened last time was largely due to his goodwill.

Without Tony's support, Rhodey would not have covered for Will Fortson, nor would he have received a disciplinary mark.

As always, Tony did not care whether his friends had money. What he cared about more was whether they were worth befriending.

He was good to his friends.

"You leave at noon. Get some rest first. I'll arrange the plane," Obadiah said with a kindly smile.

Lin Hao, who had been secretly eavesdropping, suddenly understood. So it was today.

He had already been in this world for twenty-eight years. It had also been ten years since he joined S.P.E.A.R. and began affecting the world.

The world had changed, more or less, because of him.

The butterfly's wings had already stirred up a storm.

So Lin Hao could not be sure when something would happen to Tony Stark, or when the Marvel movie world would officially begin.

Tony Stark's line carried extraordinary significance for the entire Marvel movie world.

It was the beginning, and later, the end of an era.

After sleeping until dawn, Lin Hao bid Tony Stark farewell. The moment he stepped outside, he called Zheng Xian.

"Boss, want to make a fortune in the stock market?"

"Which company's boss are you kidnapping this time?"