A certain restaurant.
Tony Stark, Nick Fury, and Natasha sat down around a table.
"I already know about the Phantom Troupe. Now, let's talk about your health problem!"
The moment he opened his mouth, Nick Fury seized the initiative. He tugged at Tony's collar, exposing his neck with a solemn look, and then Natasha jabbed a needle into his neck.
"Hiss—what the hell did you just inject me with?"
Clutching his neck, Tony actually felt his body become a little more comfortable.
"That was lithium dioxide. It can ease your symptoms."
"Get me a few boxes of that stuff!"
"It can't cure you. It can only ease it," Natasha said, shattering Tony's fantasy.
Looking at Tony's neck, Nick Fury narrowed his eye. "Looks like solving this problem won't be that simple."
"Listen, I'm good at this. I've been looking for a suitable substitute for palladium. I've tried every combination, every arrangement of every element..."
It was precisely because he had tried them all that he felt despair. Tony tilted his face up, unable to hide his dejection.
But Nick Fury suddenly smiled, putting on an inscrutable expression.
"Tony, I'm telling you, you haven't tried everything yet."
California, Stark Seaside Villa.
Thud.
"Mr. Stark, Howard Stark's belongings are all here."
Smiling very stiffly, Coulson rubbed the heavy dark circles under his eyes and set a box heavily on the floor.
"Thanks."
Looking at the box on the floor, Tony thanked him, then asked in confusion.
"Coulson, are you sleep-deprived?"
Coulson raised a hand and yawned. His eyes were bloodshot. God have mercy—just from the state he was in, anyone could tell how hard he had been working recently while studying under Li Ang.
"Don't worry about me, Mr. Stark. You should hurry up and look through those materials..."
Since the other