Monaco's "Surprise"

Monaco's streets glittered under the sun with the sheen of money and extravagance. The Rolls-Royce Phantom cruised steadily along the coastal highway as salty, humid sea air poured in through the open windows.

Tony Stark wore sunglasses, his trademark roguish grin on his lips as he slung an arm around Chen Tian's shoulders. "Hey, buddy, stop being mad. I brought you all the way to Monaco, and you're still holding a grudge?"

Chen Tian snorted and shook off his hand. Without another word, he launched several Mamba Strikes at Tony's armpit—a familiar trick between them, aimed specifically at the waist and ribs, effective every time.

"Ah! Fu...!" Tony curled into a ball at once, nearly bouncing off the leather seat. Yet he quickly regained that punchable expression. "Fine, fine, I surrender! But seriously, the capsaicin thing wasn't intentional. JARVIS had a program error—"

"Bullshit!" Chen Tian gritted his teeth. "You did that on purpose! I nearly started breakdancing in the hot spring!"

Tony shrugged, looking innocent. "At least it proved your reflexes are excellent, right?"

Chen Tian rolled his eyes, too lazy to argue with him further, and turned to look outside. Supercars streamed through Monaco's streets, while elegantly dressed tycoons chatted and laughed. Casinos, yachts, and luxury boutiques gleamed beneath the sunlight.

"So you brought me here just to cheer me up?" Chen Tian raised a brow.

"Of course!" Tony flashed a grin. "And to show you what real 'speed and passion' means."

"Heh. With that electric toy car of yours?" Chen Tian curled his lip disdainfully.

Tony's smile deepened. He slowly pulled a gold-embossed invitation from his suit's inner pocket and waved it before Chen Tian. "The F1 Monaco Grand Prix, and—"

He deliberately dragged out the last word, glancing toward the seats opposite them.

Chen Tian followed his gaze and saw that Pepper and 2B were seated across from them.

2B had unusually changed into a burgundy velvet evening gown today. Its deep V-neck tastefully revealed her delicate collarbones, while the fitted cut outlined her perfect waist.

The dress's high slit offered fleeting glimpses of her long legs. Her silver-white bob shone with a pearly luster beneath the soft lighting inside the car.

Noticing Chen Tian's gaze, 2B turned slightly, revealing the open-back design of her gown—a mesh structure formed from tiny linked crystals that shimmered under the lights, beautifully complementing her snowy-white back.

"Master?" she asked softly, her fingertips unconsciously brushing the exquisite dark-patterned embroidery on her skirt.

Chen Tian suddenly felt that the car's air conditioning did not seem to be set low enough.

"Master." She turned toward him, the corners of her lips lifting slightly. "Mr. Stark said you would probably like 2B's outfit."

Chen Tian: "..."

Tony snapped his fingers smugly. "Well? You're not mad anymore, are you?"

Chen Tian took a deep breath and slowly revealed a benevolent smile. "Tony, do you believe I could throw you out of this car right now?"

Tony burst out laughing and patted the driver's seat. "Step on it, Happy! Let Monaco's people witness the arrival of superheroes!"

The Rolls-Royce's engine roared as it accelerated sharply, speeding down the coastline.

Behind them, the roar of engines on Monaco's circuit was already faintly audible.

The real madness had only just begun.

The car slowly stopped before the entrance of the Monaco Kimpton Hotel.

"That's Tony Stark's car!" someone suddenly screamed from the crowd.

In an instant, the spectators in the stands surrounding the hotel erupted. Reporters aimed their cameras at the luxury vehicle in unison, flashes pouring down like a rainstorm. Onlookers desperately pushed forward, forcing security guards to join hands and form a human wall to maintain order.

The moment the door opened, the cheers reached their peak. Tony Stark, wearing his trademark amber sunglasses and looking unbearably smug, stepped gracefully out of the car. He adjusted his suit cuff and flashed a V-sign at the crowd.

"Tony! Over here!"

"Mr. Stark! Are you in Monaco for the F1 event?"

"Can you tell us how you humiliated Justin Hammer at yesterday morning's hearing?"

Tony ignored the reporters' questions and instead turned to make an inviting gesture toward the car. Only then did the crowd notice that there were two more passengers inside.

2B gracefully stepped out of the car, her burgundy gown gleaming luxuriously in the sunlight. She lowered her head slightly, silver-white hair fluttering in the breeze as the crystal decorations along her spine refracted rainbow-like light. The movement drew gasps from the crowd.

"Oh my God! Who is that?"

"Tony's new girlfriend?"

"Take the picture! This angle is perfect!"

Chen Tian was the last to get out. He lazily leaned against the car door, watching 2B surrounded by camera flashes, a mischievous smile curling his lips.

Suddenly, he wrapped an arm around 2B's slender waist and whispered a few words into her ear. The girl's mechanical eyes immediately flickered with panic, and the tips of her ears turned red at a visible speed.

That intimate gesture instantly triggered another wave of screams. Tony glanced back, his brows rising high behind his sunglasses. "Hey! Mind the setting!"

"What? Jealous?" Chen Tian provocatively raised a brow, deliberately brushing his fingers over the cutout at 2B's waist.

Tony's lips curved into an amused smile. Without a word, he pulled Pepper into his arms and gave her waist a light squeeze.

"Hey!" Caught off guard, Pepper nearly twisted her ankle. She glared at Tony. "Mind the setting!"

"What? Jealous?" Tony mimicked Chen Tian's tone and raised his brows at him. Then he proudly planted a loud kiss on Pepper's cheek. "I've got one too."

Pepper was both annoyed and amused, but given the occasion, she could only maintain an elegant smile while secretly pinching Tony hard at the waist. Tony immediately sucked in a breath, yet still forced himself to look composed.

"Let's go, darling." Tony tossed his hair with feigned nonchalance and strode toward the restaurant with Pepper in his arms. "Let's enjoy Monaco's 'warm hospitality.'"

Inside the restaurant, crystal chandeliers cast their glow over long tables draped in snowy-white cloths, while a champagne tower glittered gold in the corner. The moment Tony entered, the previously noisy conversations fell silent for a moment before erupting into even more enthusiastic greetings.

"Mr. Stark!"

"Tony! Long time no see!"

"It's such an honor to have you here!"

The frivolousness on Tony's face instantly disappeared, replaced by an elegant yet distant smile. He politely shook hands with every guest who approached him, exchanging just the right amount of small talk. Every movement displayed the ease of high society.

Tony was about to introduce Chen Tian to the guests around them when he realized that the guy had somehow slipped over to a window-side table already. 2B was speaking fluent French with a waiter, her slender fingers elegantly tapping the menu.

"One French-baked lobster with truffle sauce," 2B said softly. "And a tomahawk steak, medium, with black truffle sauce." She paused, lightly running a fingertip over the menu. "Also this... pan-seared foie gras, and a seafood platter." She turned to Chen Tian. "Does Master require anything else?"

Chen Tian leaned lazily against the back of his chair, tapping the tabletop with his fingers. "Get some pasta too. You haven't ordered enough already?"

2B gently shook her head. "Your current physique requires a large amount of food, or you will easily develop low blood sugar." She closed the menu and handed it to the waiter. "That will be all, thank you."

Tony raised a brow and whispered to Pepper beside him, "Darling, handle these people for me." Without waiting for her response, he strode over to Chen Tian's table, pulled out a chair, and dropped into it.

"Ordering that much meat?" Tony winked at 2B. "I thought you'd order some wine to liven things up."

2B looked back at him calmly. "Master does not enjoy drinking alcohol outside, Mr. Stark. Besides..." She gave Tony a meaningful look. "The last time you and Master got drunk after you made the Mark-Eclipse Edition, you went skinny-dipping in the sea and nearly drowned..."

Tony choked on that and turned to Chen Tian instead. "So you're just leaving me with those bald old men?"

Chen Tian slowly took a sip of water. "You know I can't handle this kind of situation. Besides, you seem to enjoy being the center of attention."

"Ha!" Tony dramatically spread his hands. "I'm introducing you to useful connections. You own half the shares in our new energy company. That old man with glasses is the FIA chairman, and the one next to him is—"

"Save it," Chen Tian interrupted. "I'm not interested in making connections with powerful people." He pointed behind Tony. "Your Pepper looks like she's about to be annoyed to death by that crowd."

Tony looked back and saw Pepper surrounded by three suited men. She wore a professional smile, but her knuckles had turned white from gripping her champagne glass too hard.

"Damn it," Tony muttered, yet he showed no intention of standing up. Instead, he leaned closer to Chen Tian and lowered his voice. "Seriously, I prepared a surprise."

Chen Tian narrowed his eyes. "The last time you said 'surprise,' I ended up doing a mechanical dance in the bathtub for half an hour."

At that moment, the waiter brought over the first appetizer. 2B expertly picked up her knife and fork, cutting the foie gras into bite-sized pieces before pushing the plate toward Chen Tian. "Master, please have some appetizers first." She glanced at Tony. "Would Mr. Stark like some as well?"

Tony looked at the exquisite foie gras, then at 2B's food-guarding posture, and suddenly laughed. "No. I should go save Stark Industries' new CEO instead." He stood up, but before leaving, he did not forget to turn back and add, "But seriously, the surprise I prepared for you is absolutely worth looking forward to!"

Chen Tian sneered, lightly tapping the tabletop. "Tony, I'm not looking forward to your 'surprise' at all."

He narrowed his eyes and complained to 2B beside him, "It's probably just making me replace some unlucky driver and personally race an F1 car. Such a cliché plot."

As a transmigrator, Chen Tian knew this part of the story all too well. He lifted his water glass and took a sip, his gaze sweeping over the elegantly dressed guests in the restaurant as an amused smile rose on his lips.

According to the original plot, Tony would soon be attacked by Whiplash on the track before slaughtering the opposition in the Mark V Armor. But Tony was no longer someone who needed Pepper to deliver his armor...

"Master?" 2B keenly noticed his distraction, her silver-white lashes trembling slightly. "Is there anything you need me to do?"

Chen Tian shook his head, refocusing his gaze on Tony. Sure enough, Justin Hammer, dressed in a flamboyant white suit, had already blocked Tony's path and was gesturing exaggeratedly about something.

Watching the entertainment over at Tony's side, Chen Tian's lips involuntarily curved upward. Tony's expression was magnificent—he was being pestered by that clown Justin Hammer, and even better, Christine, the blonde reporter from Vanity Fair, stood beside Hammer. She wore a professional smile, but there was obvious amusement in her eyes.

"Oh, Tony~" Hammer deliberately drew out the name in a greasy tone that gave people goosebumps. "I never expected to run into you here!" He dramatically opened his arms. "And Miss Christine, you two... know each other?"

Tony looked as if he had swallowed a fly whole. He stiffly tugged at the corner of his mouth. "Hammer, if you don't mind..."

Christine cut in at the perfect moment. "Mr. Stark and I once had a... very in-depth interview." She winked meaningfully. "It was a very... unforgettable experience."

Tony's temple visibly twitched. Chen Tian nearly laughed aloud and hurriedly lifted his water glass to hide his smile. This was far more interesting than the F1 race.

"Master seems to be enjoying Mr. Stark's predicament." 2B's voice sounded by his ear, carrying a hint of barely detectable teasing.

Chen Tian set down his glass and lowered his voice. "Did you take care of the surveillance system?"

A stream of data flashed across 2B's pupils. "I have taken control of the entire circuit's surveillance network, including the private cameras in the VIP boxes." She tilted her head slightly. "Do you need footage from a specific area?"

"Not for now." Chen Tian waved a hand, turning his gaze back toward Tony. Hammer was boasting endlessly about his new inventions, while Tony was clearly fighting the urge to roll his eyes.

"Keep an eye out for the person I mentioned—Ivan Vanko." Chen Tian gave 2B a soft laugh before lowering his head and digging into his food.

Chen Tian focused on wiping out the food before him. Perhaps because of One Piece's influence, he now needed to eat a huge amount every time, and his physical abilities were also increasing by leaps and bounds.

Thinking of that, Chen Tian's lips curled up. Ever since he had gone to Kamar-Taj, his summoning luck had been quite good. The item from his most recent summon had made him unable to stop secretly smiling.

Just as Chen Tian stuffed a piece of lobster into his mouth, Tony suddenly grabbed the back of his collar from behind, nearly making him spray lobster everywhere.

"Cough, cough... damn!" Chen Tian wiped the corner of his mouth awkwardly. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

Tony mysteriously lowered his voice. "It's surprise time, buddy." Without explanation, he dragged Chen Tian toward the exit. "Pepper will take good care of your little maid."

2B immediately stood. "Master?"

Chen Tian waved at her. "It's fine. Just stay here and make sure Pepper is protected." He turned and glared at Tony. "If this is another prank..."

Tony dragged Chen Tian through the hotel's back-kitchen corridor. The chefs stared in surprise as the two suited men swept past like the wind. Chen Tian stumbled along behind him, nearly knocking over a stack of freshly washed plates.

"Tony! You—"

"Shh!" Tony mysteriously looked back, his eyes behind the sunglasses shining with excitement. "Trust me, this will definitely be worth it!"

Chen Tian rolled his eyes. Wasn't it just driving race cars? Then his eyes began to shine as well. Damn, racing—every man's dream!

Tony pulled Chen Tian into a Bentley and shouted at the driver, "Go, go, go!"

The car sped forward toward the F1 paddock, and Chen Tian leaned back in his seat, listening to the roar of the race cars.

After a sharp stop, Tony shouted at Chen Tian, "Come on! I'm making you a real race car driver!"

Tony dragged Chen Tian through the noisy crowds in the paddock, where the engine roars were deafening. The air was filled with the scorched smell of burning tire rubber and motor oil, while mechanics in fluorescent vests moved through the narrow passageways.

"Put this on!" Tony threw a red-and-gold racing suit at Chen Tian before smoothly pulling on another himself. The Stark Industries logo was prominently printed across the chest, while "STARK" was stamped across the back in gold letters.

Chen Tian ran his fingers over the intricate carbon-fiber pattern on the racing suit and whistled. "Custom-made?"

"Of course." Tony tightened his gloves. "I had Italian designers rush these overnight." He pointed at the small lettering on the back of Chen Tian's suit. "See that? 'Stark-Racing Special Edition.'"

The two had barely changed when two dazzlingly painted F1 cars roared into the pit area. Their silver-gray bodies glittered with metallic luster beneath the spotlights, and the bold STARK lettering on their front wings trembled slightly in the airflow.

At that moment, the two professional drivers originally assigned to the cars stormed over angrily. One blond driver fiercely smashed his helmet onto the ground with a loud bang.

"This is an insult to F1!" the blond driver roared at the coach. "It took me ten years to earn this seat, and now I have to give it up to two rich playboys?"

The coach rubbed his hands awkwardly. "Lucas, it's the sponsor's request..."

The other driver, who had a full beard, sneered. "Sponsors? More like Stark bought himself some privilege with money!" He looked provocatively at Tony. "Do you rich amateurs even know which button on the steering wheel activates DRS?"

Tony wore his trademark carefree smile. "DRS? What's that? Can you eat it?"

Chen Tian noticed a sly glint flash behind Tony's sunglasses. Sure enough, Tony suddenly turned to the coach. "Hey, mind giving us one minute?"

Before the coach could respond, Tony had already strode over to the simulator by the track. He casually pressed several buttons, and a holographic projection immediately displayed complex circuit data.

"Monaco Circuit, 3.337 kilometers, nineteen turns." Tony's fingers flew over the holographic keyboard. "Top speed reaches 290 kilometers per hour. Average lateral G-force, 4.5..."

His operations became increasingly fast, constantly refreshing the projected data until he finally pulled up every race record the two drivers had from the past three years.

"Lucas Bergmann, best lap time: one minute, fourteen point three seven nine seconds," Tony said without looking up. "Marco Anderson, last year's qualifying time here was 0.8 seconds behind."

The two drivers' faces instantly turned pale.

Only then did Tony look up and reveal a provocative smile. "Now, who's the rich amateur?"

The scene fell silent. Chen Tian could not help laughing—this was so Tony Stark.

"Gentlemen," Tony said as he turned smoothly toward the cars, "let's experience speed and passion!" He jumped into the cockpit and winked at Chen Tian. "Your car was specially calibrated for your build. Just get in."

Chen Tian walked toward the silver-and-black race car. As he settled into the narrow cockpit, he was surprised to find that the seat fit the curves of his body perfectly, and the steering wheel was positioned just right.

"JARVIS?" Chen Tian asked tentatively.

"At your service, Mr. Chen." The familiar British voice came from the car at once. "All systems are ready. I recommend that you fasten your seat belt."

Chen Tian could not help whistling. Tony had actually installed JARVIS in the race car too.

The lights in the starting zone lit up one after another. Tony's voice came through the headset. "Follow my racing line, rookie. Don't crash into the wall at the first corner."

"Worry about yourself, asshole." Chen Tian laughed as he shot back.

The engine roar abruptly rose, and the two STARK cars shot out of the starting area like arrows released from a bow. Chen Tian felt enormous G-forces slam him into his seat, while the scenery before his eyes blurred from the speed.

"Damn..." Chen Tian gripped the steering wheel tightly, his adrenaline surging wildly. This was far more thrilling than he had imagined.

The first corner rushed toward him. Chen Tian instinctively stepped on the brakes, only to hear JARVIS calmly advise, "I recommend braking 0.3 seconds later, Mr. Chen. Your current speed can be maintained longer."

Chen Tian gritted his teeth and followed the instruction. The race car cut into the apex at an astonishing speed, its tires screeching sharply, yet it miraculously did not lose control.

"Nicely done!" Tony's voice came through. "Looks like you have a talent for racing!"

The two cars sped one behind the other along the narrow street circuit, passing through the famous tunnel as their tires struck the curbs with dull thuds. On the giant screen, the spectators discovered in shock that the two "amateur drivers" were actually faster than the professional racers.

"Unbelievable!" the commentator shouted excitedly. "Stark and his friend Chen Tian have just set the fastest lap of the weekend!"

Pepper tightly gripped her champagne glass, her eyes fixed on the television screen. On it, Tony and Chen Tian's cars were speeding through Monaco's narrow streets at astonishing velocity.

"Miss 2B," Pepper said, turning to the silver-haired girl standing quietly beside her. Her slender fingers pointed toward the television. "You already knew they were going to do this?"

2B nodded slightly, her silver-white lashes glowing softly under the lights. "Master predicted that Mr. Stark would invite him to experience the track." She paused, a stream of data flashing through her mechanical eyes. "Accuracy rate: 98.7%."

Pepper helplessly pressed a hand to her forehead, a sigh slipping from her red lips. "These two men..." She suddenly noticed that 2B's gaze remained fixed on Chen Tian's race car on the screen. "You're very worried about him?"

2B's fingertips unconsciously rubbed the fabric of her skirt. "Master's driving skills..." She seemed to carefully consider her wording. "...are very distinctive."

At that moment, the commentator's excited voice rang out from the television. "Unbelievable! Stark and Chen have just set the fastest practice lap! They're 0.8 seconds faster than the professional racers!"

The guests in the restaurant gasped in amazement, while several F1 team managers had already taken out their phones to make calls. Watching Tony's car race across the screen, an image appeared in Pepper's mind—Tony jumping out of the car afterward and winking smugly. She could not help rolling her eyes.

"They really are... a Destined Pair..." Pepper lifted her wine glass and took a sip. "Soulmates... in mischief..."

The corner of 2B's lips rose almost imperceptibly. "Master often says that Mr. Stark is his most..."

"...best friend."