Master, I Have a Friend Named Tony

"Hi, my friend, it's great to see you again!"

Tony Stark welcomed Lin Hao, who had traveled from San Francisco, to his villa.

"Me too, Mr. Stark. I've been looking forward to your party for a week," Lin Hao said with a smile, flattering him.

"It certainly won't disappoint you," Tony said proudly.

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

Having frequented the company of many women over the years, Tony Stark had long since developed a keen eye. The women he fancied were not only beautiful but also possessed unique qualities.

This villa was located on Long Island, New York. While it wasn't the white villa nestled on the cliffs of Malibu, this villa was even more historic and spacious. It was not far from Stark Tower and was one of the Stark family's ancestral properties.

Upon entering the villa, Lin Hao noticed that there weren't many guests at this party, but they were all men. The service staff and performers, however, were all women, and they were all of extremely high caliber.

This banquet seemed to have no other purpose; it was purely Tony inviting like-minded individuals to enjoy the scenery and company.

They had all heard from Tony about Lin Hao's research achievements in life sciences, and naturally, they were curious about the superb skills of this "Master Lin" in captivating seasoned playboys.

The woman singing on stage was a rising star recently gaining fame on Broadway, her voice melodious and captivating.

Her attire was sheer yet modest, exuding a hazy charm that sparked the imagination.

Since the early 19th century, Broadway had been the entertainment hub of America. By the late 19th century, its entertainment industry output reached six million dollars, consistently making it the industry leader.

This continued until the emergence of cinema, which propelled Hollywood to prominence.

However, in the early days of film, Hollywood was merely a fledgling industry. Not only could it not attract famous actors, but it also frequently faced suppression from traditional theater, a common process for any new phenomenon.

It wasn't until the advent of talkies, with their improving viewing experience, increasing expressive capacity, and growing audience acceptance, that Hollywood truly took off, becoming America's cultural export stronghold.

Yet, Broadway's status in America, especially within the American entertainment industry, had not diminished significantly.

To ordinary people, the seemingly unattainable Broadway stars were merely playthings for American elites, who had to rack their brains with their attire and demeanor to attract their attention. After all, these men were seasoned veterans of the pleasure scene, and women held little novelty for them.

As an Asian who stood out amongst them, Lin Hao was naturally noticed by these women. They didn't look down on him because of his skin color; no man invited to this villa was simple.

Thus, they quickly discovered that Lin Hao was anything but simple...

It was already past three in the morning.

The gentlemen present, who had finished their "battles" early, had their jaws agape. They had been listening to the accompaniment for hours.

"I don't believe it, I have to see it for myself!" one of Tony Stark's friends, unwilling to believe Lin Hao's stamina, stood up and headed towards the bedroom.

A moment later, he returned with an admiring gaze, speaking with anticipation, "Mr. Lin, Master Lin, I have a friend, his name is Tony..."

"Hey!" Tony Stark, lounging on the sofa, shot him a death glare.

You little brat, how many times have you used my name to fabricate friends!

"Alright, his name is Pete," the man quickly corrected himself. "I really want to help Pete, he's been a bit… underperforming lately..."

"Medication is just an aid; the key is in your training techniques..."

As Lin Hao was explaining his secret to prolonged stamina, the villa's main door was pushed open, and a bald old man with a white beard stormed in.

"Tony, did you forget the military is awarding you tonight?" Obadiah Stane shook the plastic trophy in his hand.

It had a globe on top of a glass pillar, colloquially known as "globe-topper."

"What award?" Tony leaned back on the sofa, holding a wine glass in one hand, his expression lazy.

He had just finished his "intimate exchanges" with three beautiful women and was now feeling weak, wanting nothing more than to finish his nightcap and rest.

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

Obadiah glanced at the trophy in his hand, unable to recall exactly what award it was.

"The award itself isn't important; what's important is that you should be maintaining your relationship with the military," Obadiah said with the exasperated tone of an elder to a junior, earnestly advising, "A few days ago, you caused the Air Force to lose a crucial bargaining chip. They're lobbying at the Pentagon to cut next year's procurement orders from Stark Industries."

"Wow, if they want to spend more money buying a pile of junk, let them," Tony said dismissively.

Speaking of his good intentions towards Will Fortson last time, Tony felt a bit depressed. He hadn't expected that the man would be murdered after going to San Francisco, and in such a brutal manner, with his heart ripped out.

This brought back some unpleasant memories for Tony. His parents had also been murdered in a cruel manner, his father's skull caved in, clearly having suffered abuse before death.

This incident had also affected his good friend Rhodey. Because he had agreed to let Will Fortson leave the base to test new equipment, Rhodey had subsequently been investigated by the Air Force and received a reprimand.

Rhodey, already an African-American soldier who had finally climbed to the rank of Captain, now had a reprimand on his record, making further promotion seem hopeless.

"I know you're not happy..." Obadiah started, then stopped. He maintained a kind, elder-like demeanor throughout, leaving no trace of any ulterior motive for outsiders to see.

"Alright, if you don't want to deal with the Air Force, then try to secure more contracts with the Army."

"The Army's bases in Afghanistan need to procure a batch of Jericho Missiles. You can go there to relax."

As if worried Tony might refuse, Obadiah added another incentive: "You can also designate Rhodey as the liaison officer for this transaction. Although he's offended the Air Force, the Army has always disliked those who break away and act independently."

The United States Air Force was officially established on September 18, 1947. Judging by the date, this was after World War II.

Originally, the Air Force was just an aviation branch under the Army. After the war, it sought independence, which greatly displeased the traditional Army factions.

Tony downed his drink and asked, "When do we leave?"

Whether or not he made money from this deal was a minor issue; Tony wanted to help his friend out. After all, last time's incident was more due to his good intentions.

Without his support, Rhodey wouldn't have covered for Will Fortson and wouldn't have been disciplined.

As the saying goes, Uncle Tony doesn't care if his friends have money; he cares more about whether they are worth befriending.

He was pretty good to his friends.

"We'll leave at noon. You rest for a bit, and I'll arrange the plane," Obadiah said with a kind smile.

Lin Hao, who had been eavesdropping, suddenly realized: it was today.

He had already been in this world for twenty-eight years. Counting from when he joined S.P.E.A.R. and started influencing the world, it had been ten years. The world had changed, more or less, because of him.

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

Therefore, Lin Hao couldn't be sure when Tony Stark would have his accident or when the Marvel Cinematic Universe would officially begin.

Tony Stark's line held an unusual significance for the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe.

It was the beginning, and later, it would also be the end of a phase.

After sleeping until morning, Lin Hao bid farewell to Tony Stark. As soon as he left, he called Zheng Xian.

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

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