The "Wall" of Stark Tower

The morning sunlight spilled over New York's streets like molten gold. Lin Mo crouched beside a bench in a Queens community park, helping a little boy retrieve a remote-control car stuck in a tree hollow. A faint, translucent glow shimmered around his fingertips. His Phasing Ability had become fully controllable—his fingers passed through the bark, hooked lightly, and the Spider-Man-shaped car slid out of the hollow without disturbing so much as a leaf.

"Thank you, Uncle Wall-Crawler!" The little boy took the car and skipped toward his mother nearby, the Iron Man charm on his backpack sparkling in the sunlight.

Lin Mo smiled, stood up, and brushed grass clippings from his pants. Ever since the fire, the name "Wall-Crawler" had quietly spread through the neighborhood. No one knew who he was, but the children believed that a hero who could pass through walls was protecting them. Ted always mocked him, saying, "Being a hero is worse than going to Las Vegas to perform magic tricks for money," while Peter excitedly drew him a "wanted poster" that read, "Seeking Wall-Crawler. Reward: one box of cookies."

"Lin!" Peter ran over with his backpack on, holding a newspaper. The front page showed Tony Stark standing atop Stark Tower against a brilliant blue sky. "Look! Stark Tower installed a new defense system. They say it can block missiles!"

Lin Mo took the paper. Stark Tower looked even grander than it had in the movies, its glass curtain walls reflecting sunlight like an enormous sapphire. The report said Tony Stark had recently installed an "Enhanced Arc Reactor" on the roof. It could not only power the entire building, but also generate an Energy Shield against outside attacks.

"An Energy Shield?" Lin Mo's eyes lit up as a bold idea suddenly surfaced. His Phasing Ability worked on ordinary physical structures, but what about energy? Could Stark Tower's Energy Shield be the perfect target to test the limits of his power?

Once the thought appeared, it grew like wild grass. His Phasing Ability proficiency had recently reached 75%. He could pass through eight meters of concrete, maintain the effect for ten minutes, and even take Ted through walls with him—of course, only when Ted was drunk. He was getting a little cocky and wanted to try a harder challenge.

"Do you want to go see it?" Peter asked eagerly, his eyes shining with anticipation. "I heard part of Stark Tower is open to the public for tours!"

Lin Mo was tempted. He really did want to see it—not only to challenge the Energy Shield, but also to witness that building representing the pinnacle of Marvel technology, and to see the man in the Iron Man armor. "Sure." He smiled. "But we'll have to wait until I get off work."

That afternoon, Lin Mo left the repair shop early. Carlos watched his back and muttered curses. "That kid's definitely off to do something stupid again." Yet after Lin Mo left, Carlos quietly placed a repaired radio beside the community bulletin board—the one Lin Mo had mentioned the elderly residents wanted for listening to opera.

On the way to Stark Tower, Lin Mo deliberately changed into clean clothes—not his repair shop uniform—and wore the baseball cap Peter had lent him, trying to look like an ordinary tourist. He knew Stark Tower had to be covered in surveillance cameras, and S.H.I.E.L.D. agents might be nearby too. He had to be careful.

The closer he got to Manhattan, the denser the skyscrapers became, and the more crowded the streets were. The air carried the scents of coffee and car exhaust, completely unlike the quiet of Queens. Standing at a street corner, Lin Mo looked at Stark Tower from afar. It rose like a silver needle piercing New York's sky, its STARK sign gleaming in the sunlight, proud and flamboyant.

"It really is spectacular..." Lin Mo murmured. He could sense an invisible energy fluctuation radiating from the tower in waves, faintly resonating with the frequency of his wristband.

When he reached the entrance, Lin Mo was stunned by the sight before him. Two rows of uniformed security guards stood there with scanners in hand, and everyone entering the tower had to undergo strict inspection. Reporters and tourists crowded nearby, holding cameras and chatting excitedly.

Looks like getting in won't be easy. Lin Mo pretended to be a tourist and wandered around the building, observing the security arrangements from the corner of his eye. He noticed a freight passage on the side of the tower. There were fewer guards there, making it seem like a decent point of entry.

When the guards turned away, Lin Mo quietly slipped near the freight passage and hid behind a trash can. He took a deep breath and activated his Phasing Ability. His body instantly became translucent, as though blending into the surrounding shadows. His wristband grew slightly warm, displaying a warning: [High-intensity energy field detected. Proceed with caution.]

"Now!" Lin Mo gritted his teeth and charged at the freight passage wall. As he had imagined, he should have been able to pass through the glass curtain wall as easily as he passed through the brick walls in Queens and enter the tower.

But the smooth passage he expected never came. The instant his body touched the wall, he felt an invisible resistance, as if he had struck a soft wall of cotton that carried immense rebounding force. His shoulder was knocked painfully back, and he staggered several steps, nearly falling to the ground.

"What's going on?" Lin Mo stared at his hand in surprise, then at the seemingly ordinary glass curtain wall. He could pass through concrete, steel, even the thick steel plate in Ted's basement. How could this glass stop him?

His wristband suddenly vibrated urgently, and pale blue warning text flashed across it like a flood:

[Warning! High-intensity Energy Shield detected!]

[Shield type: Arc Reactor energy field. Strength level: 9.]

[Phasing Ability ineffective! Forcing passage may result in energy backlash!]

[Recommendation: Leave immediately!]

Lin Mo felt as if his heart had been struck by a heavy hammer. He finally understood—this was no ordinary glass curtain wall. It was Tony Stark's Energy Shield! His Phasing Ability worked on physical structures, but against a purely energy-based field, it was utterly useless!

"Damn!" Lin Mo cursed under his breath and tried again. The result was the same. The Energy Shield bounced him back, and his chest ached dully as if something had slammed into it. He could feel the shield's fluctuations becoming more intense, as though it had already detected his attempt to infiltrate.

"What's that kid doing?" A security guard noticed Lin Mo's strange behavior and approached with a frown.

Lin Mo hurriedly activated his Phasing Ability and hid behind the nearby trash can, holding his breath. He watched as the guard looked around in confusion, found nothing unusual, shook his head, and left.

"That was close..." Lin Mo let out a breath. Cold sweat had already soaked his back. Looking at the glass curtain wall, he felt both frustrated and impressed by Tony Stark. That man really was incredible. Even his defense system was so advanced. No wonder he could become Iron Man and protect New York.

Looks like I was too naive. Lin Mo gave a bitter smile. He had thought his Phasing Ability was already impressive, but in the face of true high technology, it was still completely inadequate.

Though unwilling to accept it, Lin Mo knew there was no point in trying again. He might even expose himself. He glanced at the STARK sign atop the tower and curled his lips. Tony Stark, that old fox, really had tight security.

"Forget it. I should go back." Lin Mo sighed, turned away from the freight passage, and headed toward the subway station. He decided to give up on challenging Stark Tower for now and return to practice properly. He would try again when his ability improved.

On the way back to Queens, Lin Mo's feelings were complicated. On one hand, he was frustrated by the limits of his power. On the other, he had become even more interested in Tony Stark's technology. He began wondering whether his Phasing Ability could somehow evolve to the point where it could pass through energy fields.

When he passed a bookstore, Lin Mo went in and bought several books on energy fields and quantum physics. He had once been a programmer and did not know much about such hardcore subjects, but he believed that if he studied hard enough, he would eventually find a way to break through an Energy Shield.

When he returned to Queens and reached the community park, Lin Mo saw Peter and several other children playing superheroes. Peter wore a red cape and pretended to be Spider-Man, running around the park and shouting, "I'm Spider-Man! I can climb walls!"

When Peter saw Lin Mo, he ran over excitedly. "Lin! Did you go to Stark Tower? How was it? Was it amazing?"

Lin Mo smiled and patted Peter's head. "It was amazing, but I couldn't get inside. The security there was too strict." He did not tell Peter about the Energy Shield. He did not want Peter to worry.

"I knew it!" Peter said proudly. "My dad used to say Stark Tower's defense system is the most advanced in the world. Not even a fly can get in!"

Lin Mo's heart skipped a beat. Peter's father? Ben Parker? He remembered Aunt May mentioning that Ben Parker had once been a scientist and had collaborated with Stark Industries. Could Peter's interest in technology have been inherited from his father?

"Your dad was amazing," Lin Mo said with a smile.

"Yeah!" Peter nodded hard, his eyes shining with admiration. "Someday, I'll become a great scientist like my dad and invent something even more incredible than Stark Tower!"

Looking at Peter's determined eyes, Lin Mo suddenly felt a warm current rise in his heart. Thinking of his earlier frustration, he found it a little ridiculous. He might not have been able to pass through Stark Tower's Energy Shield, but he could protect these children in Queens. He could help Peter achieve his scientific dreams. That was enough.

"Keep it up," Lin Mo said with a smile. "I believe you can do it."

Back in the basement, Lin Mo sat at his desk, gazing at the moonlight outside the window as he sank into thought. He took out his notebook and wrote: "Limit of ability: unable to pass through Energy Shields." He knew this was an important discovery, and it had also shown him his shortcomings.

His wristband suddenly lit up:

[Host has recognized the boundaries of his ability. Mindset is becoming more mature. Proficiency increased by 2%.]

[Current proficiency: 77%.]

[New function unlocked: Energy Perception (can sense the intensity and distribution of nearby energy fields).]

Lin Mo's eyes lit up. Energy Perception? That meant he could detect the existence of Energy Shields in advance, avoiding embarrassing and dangerous situations like today's. He tried activating the new function and immediately sensed the surrounding energy fields like an invisible net. Queens' energy field was very weak, while in the direction of Manhattan, Stark Tower's energy field shone like a brilliant star—dazzling and powerful.

"Not bad." Lin Mo smiled with satisfaction. He knew that although he had failed to pass through Stark Tower's "wall" today, he had learned something more important: understand his own abilities, accept his shortcomings, and keep improving.

The next day, Lin Mo went to work at the repair shop as usual. Carlos looked at him and suddenly said, "I heard you went to Stark Tower yesterday?"

Lin Mo froze. "How did you know?"

"Ted told me." Carlos held a cigarette between his lips and blew out a smoke ring. "That kid also said you wanted to pass through a wall to get in, but got bounced back. Is that true?"

Lin Mo's face reddened slightly, and he nodded. "There was an Energy Shield. I couldn't pass through it."

Carlos smiled. "I knew it. That old fox's stuff isn't so easy to crack." He paused and looked at Lin Mo. "Still, you had the guts to try. Not bad."

Lin Mo smiled but said nothing. He knew Carlos had a sharp tongue, but he did care about him.

That afternoon, Peter came to Lin Mo with a drawing. It showed a comparison between Stark Tower and Queens. Stark Tower had been drawn as a huge robot, while Queens was a warm little house. "Lin, look," Peter said, pointing at the picture. "Even though Stark Tower is amazing, I still think Queens is better."

Lin Mo looked at the drawing, warmth filling his heart. "Me too."

That evening, Lin Mo went to Martha's house to mooch a meal and found her angrily watching television. On the screen, Tony Stark was giving an interview, saying he wanted to promote Energy Shield technology worldwide, sparking major controversy.

"That old fox only knows how to show off." Martha cursed, placing a piece of rib into Lin Mo's bowl. "Eat your food. Ignore him."

Lin Mo smiled and bit into the rib. He knew that although Martha cursed Tony Stark, she actually admired him quite a bit.

After dinner, Lin Mo took a walk through the community park and saw the little boy playing with his remote-control car again. This time, it had fallen into a storm drain. Lin Mo smiled, walked over, activated his Phasing Ability, and easily retrieved the car from the drain.

"Thank you, Uncle Wall-Crawler!" the little boy said happily. "When I grow up, I want to be like you and pass through walls too!"

Lin Mo smiled and patted his head. "Keep it up, but remember: passing through walls isn't for fun. It's for helping people."

The little boy nodded as if he understood, then ran off with his remote-control car. Watching his retreating back, Lin Mo suddenly understood—he might not have been able to pass through Stark Tower's "wall," but he could pass through the "walls" that prevented him from helping others. That was enough.

Back in the basement, Lin Mo added another line to his notebook: "Goal: improve my ability and try passing through an Energy Shield in the future. But before that, protect everyone in Queens."