One-Stick Wonder

It was another early morning. Lin Hao was working out in the manor's gym, holding two-ton metal dumbbells in each hand. He wore a specially made weighted undershirt, metal pellets were strapped to his thighs and calves, and even his shoes were weighted.

As he jogged, he moved the dumbbells up and down.

Since coming to America, Lin Hao no longer had to clock in for work like before. Every day, he only needed to remotely guide his assistant Yu Zhen in the technical development department via video Den Den Mushi, answering a few research questions for him, which gave him more time to exercise and cultivate.

"Old Lin, Old Lin." A voice with non-standard Mandarin called out from outside.

A man around thirty years old burst into Lin Hao's gym, speaking in Mandarin with a peculiar accent. "I guessed you'd be in the gym."

"Stop training quickly, I have good news."

This man was Bruce Lee, a third-generation Chinese-American born in America. His family had emigrated to San Francisco after World War I and had some wealth. In the last thirty years, they had accumulated a vast fortune by taking advantage of the economic rise of their homeland, with the family's total wealth reaching tens of billions of dollars.

Bruce was of mixed Chinese and American heritage. His father was Chinese, and his mother was the daughter of a small consortium in California, a typical arranged marriage.

Bruce was the name his mother gave him. His grandfather had also given him a proper Chinese name – Li Heng, taken from the Qian hexagram "Yuan Heng Li Zhen" in the Book of Changes.

Yes, this was even an emperor's name.

Although Bruce Lee didn't have the destiny of an emperor, he was still a playboy born with a silver spoon in his mouth. As soon as he was old enough to use his body, he couldn't wait to participate in real combat, to the point that before reaching middle age, he was already showing signs of declining strength.

A few years ago, by chance, he met Lin Hao, who had just arrived in San Francisco. He discovered that Master Lin could perform miraculous Qigong, allowing him to gallop freely, and after that, he suddenly had many, many friends.

"What? Did you manage to charm Anne Hathaway?" Lin Hao didn't stop his workout.

This guy Bruce was the type who became more reckless the worse he performed. He had always relied on spending money to pick up girls before. Just recently, he suddenly declared he had taken a liking to a female celebrity and intended to pursue her formally.

Lin Hao looked at the photo and realized it was Anne Hathaway. He thought to himself, You're not that Bruce from the other universe who went into an alley, so what makes you think you can win her over with your skills?

You're a guy who finishes quickly after starting, what kind of skills do you even have?

"I'm still pursuing Anne. I didn't come here for that today." Bruce excitedly ran forward, intending to take the dumbbells from Lin Hao's hands, but they didn't budge.

"There's a good banquet tomorrow in Los Angeles. The organizers are inviting Tony Stark. Stark Industries' stock has been soaring recently, and the consortiums in California are probably planning to get involved."

"Is it the 'meat' or the 'veg'?" Lin Hao became a little interested.

"The first half is 'veg,' and the second half will be cleared out. Once the reporters leave, it turns into 'meat.'" Bruce chuckled. "To please Tony Stark, they'll spare no expense. They'll have their pick of the youngest and most beautiful girls in Hollywood."

Lin Hao stopped jogging, gently put down the dumbbells, walked up to Bruce, and extended his hand. "Where's the invitation?"

"Heh, do you think Master Lin would be without an invitation?" Bruce gave a knowing smile and handed over an invitation. "Your name isn't just circulating in San Francisco anymore; the entire upper-class circle in California wants to invite you to help liven things up."

"Just in time, I've recently developed something new." Lin Hao took off the weights and led Bruce to the study. He solemnly took out a jade bottle carved from emerald from the safe.

The emerald green jade bottle was carved with exquisite cloud patterns that seemed to flow in the sunlight.

Lin Hao pulled out the cork stopper, and a faint, fresh scent emerged.

Bruce, standing beside him, only took a whiff before feeling a surge of warmth rise from his lower abdomen, much like the first time he saw a beautiful maidservant bathing over a decade ago.

"Oh my god!" Bruce's hand moved like lightning as he snatched the jade bottle. Inside, there was a dark red pill.

"Just smelling it does this, imagine taking it?"

"I don't recommend you eat it. The medicinal effect of this pill is too strong. It's best to use an incense burner to activate its scent. This single pill can sustain an entire banquet."

After Lin Hao obtained Stephen Chow's "One-Stick Wonder," he immediately understood its composition and then analyzed the method of production.

This little pill truly lived up to Stephen Chow's evaluation; just one whiff was unbearable.

"I'll take the medicine first. I need to communicate with the organizers. With such a great gimmick, this banquet is sure to be a great success." Bruce was eager to try it.

"Remember not to eat it, or I'll have to find you at the morgue," Lin Hao reminded him.

"Got it. I'll pick you up tomorrow."

Meanwhile, on the other side of San Francisco, Phil Coulson, who had rushed over from New York, was leading a team at the scene of the "Black and White Battle" from the previous evening. They had actually arrived last night but missed their target.

Will Fortson had already been taken away by the Air Force. Jake Brian, being quick-witted, wasn't caught by the military but also didn't return to the San Francisco Police Department.

As soon as Coulson arrived, he took his team straight to Brian's house, but they found nothing.

He had no choice but to send people to negotiate with the Air Force while also sealing off the scene, hoping to find something valuable.

This was a critical juncture for his promotion to Level 8 Agent. If he went back empty-handed, how could he get a raise and promotion?

Surprisingly, he did find something.

"Boss, you need to see this." Jemma Simmons, the bio-chemist, walked towards Phil Coulson holding a tablet.

"We found some hair at the scene, belonging to a black panther and a large white dog. After analysis, I found that the cells within the hair were particularly active, and the gene chains belonged neither to animals nor humans... No, it should be said that their primary genes still belong to humans but have been strengthened by something."

"The most amazing thing is that their genes can be further damaged and recombined. Their cells contain a powerful energy. I tried to catalyze this energy using technological means, and their hair actually changed color, becoming even tougher. I couldn't cut it even with a sharp alloy knife."

"Are you saying..." Coulson understood. "These two superpowered individuals can evolve further?"

"Yes, they have that potential."

Jemma Simmons handed Coulson two glass test tubes, each containing a strand of hair. However, the color was not simply black and white, but had become vibrant.

Black and white were interspersed with dark red and bright purple, seamlessly integrated, looking even more graceful and noble.

Upon closer inspection, faint wisps of smoky flames seemed to rise from the hair.

After personally testing the toughness of the hair, Coulson looked at Simmons with eager eyes. "Can you decipher the secret and create corresponding serums?"

"Uh..." Simmons smiled coyly. "Although Professor Abraham Erskine is one of my idols, Boss, I'm still very young."

Abraham Erskine was the scientist who developed the Super Soldier Serum. After his death, countries around the world poured vast resources into trying to replicate it, but for all these years, no one has succeeded. The serums they developed each had their own flaws.

The Super Soldier Serum is also a serum with no potential for evolution. After use, one's strength becomes fixed. Unless they have another fortuitous encounter, they will remain as they are until death.

Captain America's ability to grow stronger when facing stronger opponents is because he is Marvel's favorite son, possessing the officially certified strongest will, representing the spirit of America.

Would the screenwriters dare let the spirit of America lose?

Now, a superpower that can evolve further has emerged, its value immeasurable. Simmons, as a mere novice, wouldn't dare boast about unlocking its secrets.

"Dispatch more personnel immediately. We must find Jake Brian!"

Initially thought to be just an ordinary big dog, it turned out it could evolve further, instantly increasing its importance.

Please collect, recommend, and read. Whether this gets signed depends entirely on all of you~