Vision Prototype

With only a few days left before Tony Stark was torn apart by Whiplash, Li Stark paced anxiously around his room, his head drenched in sweat. Seeing him like this, Helen Cho found it strange. "You little brat, what's been wrong with you lately? You seem so distracted. Did something happen?"

Li Stark took a deep breath. He knew it was time to tell Helen Cho the truth. "Aunt Helen, would you believe what I'm about to say? I can dream about things that will happen in the future. Tony is about to face serious trouble. Someone called Whiplash will deal him a devastating blow."

Forgive him—he could not tell her that he was a transmigrator. It was simply too absurd. Sometimes, he even doubted whether he had truly transmigrated at all. After all, his dreams of the future were real too, yet he had never experienced anything like them in his previous life.

Helen Cho's eyes widened, her face full of disbelief. "You're joking, right? Dreaming of the future? But judging by how you've been these past few days, you don't look like you're kidding. Tell me in detail—just who is this Whiplash?"

Li Stark told Helen Cho everything about Whiplash's background, the power of his equipment, the high-tech electric whips capable of cutting through anything, and his hatred for the Stark family. "We need to come up with a plan before Tony is attacked. We can't just sit around and wait."

Helen Cho frowned and thought for a moment. "From what you've said, his weapons interfere with energy beams. Conventional attacks will probably be ineffective. Perhaps we should focus on defense and close-quarters combat."

Li Stark nodded in agreement. "Exactly. That's what I thought too. And I think we can build a powerful ally in advance. I have an idea for a new type of combat body—something like... a Vision Prototype."

"Vision? What is that?" Helen Cho asked curiously.

Li Stark did his best to describe Vision's abilities: his mechanical body, immense strength, flight, and more. "If we can create something similar, even just an early version, it could help Tony at a critical moment."

The two began an in-depth discussion. Drawing on his vague memories of the future, Li Stark worked with Helen Cho to plan the blueprints for the Vision Prototype. They discussed what materials to use for its shell, how to ensure strength while reducing weight, and how to give it a durable, powerful energy source.

Night fell, but the laboratory remained brightly lit. Li Stark and Helen Cho did not stop for a moment. They repeatedly revised the blueprints and calculated countless figures. Helen Cho was responsible for turning theoretical knowledge into practical designs, while Li Stark constantly drew inspiration from his memories of the future and added key technical details.

They encountered countless problems during construction. One was miniaturizing the power core. According to their design, the Vision Prototype needed tremendous energy output, but existing technology made it difficult to shrink the power core to a suitable size. Li Stark paced back and forth through the laboratory in frustration when a blurry image suddenly flashed through his mind—a new energy-compression technology that might be of great help to the experiment. He hurriedly shared it with Helen Cho, and after several attempts, they finally succeeded in miniaturizing the power core.

Then there was the circuit design connecting each component. They needed a connection method that was both efficient and stable, ensuring smooth data transmission and energy supply between all parts. Helen Cho consulted a vast amount of material and, after countless experiments, finally found a special superconductive material that solved the circuit connection problem.

As every second passed, the day of Tony's attack by Whiplash drew closer, and the pressure on Li Stark and Helen Cho grew heavier. But they did not give up. They fought day and night in the laboratory, grabbing a few bites whenever they were hungry and dozing off at their desks when exhausted. Finally, at dawn, a roughly humanoid combat body appeared in the center of the laboratory. Though it still looked somewhat crude, with some wires exposed, it had already taken on Vision's basic form. Li Stark and Helen Cho exchanged a look, their eyes full of exhaustion. They knew this was only the first step. Next, they still had to calibrate and optimize it for the coming battle.

Only a few hours remained before Tony Stark was attacked. Li Stark's fingers flew across the control panel, cold sweat sliding down his pale neck and into the collar of his lab coat. "Energy charging progress: 87%. I can't worry about that anymore. We have to leave now!"

Li Stark grabbed the heavily scratched Mark I helmet and hurried toward the exit. When he turned, he met Helen Cho's worried gaze. The stubbornness in his bones made him lift his chin as he spoke. "Aunt Helen, stay here. I'll take the prototype with me."

"Nonsense!" Helen Cho grabbed his wrist, her palm burning hot. "How long do you think that pile of unfinished parts can hold out?" She seized the pulse device from the table, her long black hair sweeping through a sharp arc before the console. "From the moment you first told me about dreaming of the future, we should have faced it together."

Li Stark's Adam's apple bobbed as he looked at Helen Cho. Suddenly, a memory flashed back to when he was twelve years old. He had blown up a machine bed in the laboratory, and she had merely ruffled his hair and said with a smile, "All geniuses start with explosions."

"I can't let any of my family or friends face danger, Aunt Helen." The boy's voice was hoarse, and sweat seeped into his palm against the metal casing of the Mark I. "If Whiplash's electromagnetic pulse..."

"Enough!" Helen Cho suddenly raised her voice, her eyelashes trembling violently. "Why do you think I stayed up all night improving the lining of your armor?" She pulled open his collar, revealing a silver film pressed against his skin. "This is a shielding layer made of Carbonadium alloy. It can withstand three electromagnetic impacts."

Li froze, but he had no time to think. He had to leave. As he turned, Helen suddenly caught the hem of his clothes like a helpless mother.

"You naughty boy..." Her voice trembled. "Don't get hurt." Li's back stiffened. Helen Cho's words suddenly rang deafeningly in his ears. She slowly turned him around, her fingertips brushing the dark circles beneath his eyes, where the fatigue of countless sleepless nights had gathered.

"I'll always wait for you, you little brat." Her thumb gently brushed his burning cheek. "Just like before, when you were afraid of thunder and always curled up on my sofa, I'll keep the desk lamp on." Li felt his eyes heat up. The Mark I helmet slipped from his hand and hit the floor with a dull thud.

Helen Cho bent down to pick up the helmet and gently helped him put it on. The metal edge scraped her palm, leaving a faint red mark. "When this is over," her voice reached Li Stark through the faceplate, carrying unquestionable resolve, "when you come back, I'll calibrate the Vision Prototype's emotional module—after all, it needs to learn which hugs are meant for comfort, and which..." She paused, then turned toward the laboratory. "Are for something more important."

Li stared at her straight back, his heart pounding wildly in his chest. He heard his own heartbeat beating like a drum, and he also heard Helen Cho murmur softly, "I won't let you be alone anymore. Never."