Pepper's Anger, the Truth Revealed

"I mean it!" Tony took a deep breath. "I want you to be the CEO..."

Pepper's tears paused as she stared at Tony in disbelief. "Have you been drinking?"

"Chlorophyll," Tony replied. Then, before Pepper could react, he solemnly said again, "I hereby appoint you Chairman and Executive Director of Stark Industries!"

"Effective immediately."

"Wow!"

After a long while, Pepper finally processed it—and cried even harder. Tony's appointment made her feel as though he were making arrangements for after his death, and her grief made her sob even louder...

Tony sucked in a sharp breath. He had no idea what to do with either hand, leaving them suspended awkwardly in the air. He wanted to hug Pepper, but that somehow didn't seem right.

Damn it, why couldn't he comfort her?

He turned and glared angrily at the culprit—Lin Feng, who had been silent for quite some time.

Lin Feng had been enjoying the show for a while, and had even taken the opportunity to steep the Tree of Life leaves.

When Tony looked over, Lin Feng's scalp tingled. He regretted telling Pepper about Tony's Palladium poisoning.

Who knew this woman would be so emotional!

"Buddy, this is all your fault!" Tony silently complained at Lin Feng, but Lin Feng understood his lip-reading.

"Ahem!" Lin Feng coughed loudly twice, drawing Pepper's attention.

Only then did Pepper remember Lin Feng was there, and her face immediately turned red.

"Pepper, have you forgotten why I came?" Lin Feng said with a smile, then pushed two cups of freshly brewed tea toward them.

An incredibly unusual fragrance drifted out with the steam. The moment they smelled it, both of them felt refreshed.

"Give it a try. This is something money can't buy."

"Especially you, Tony! This tea works wonders on your Palladium poisoning!" Lin Feng said, pointing at Tony.

Pepper was dumbfounded. She pointed at the teacup. "This can treat Tony's Palladium poisoning?"

She recognized it as tea from the East, but she had never heard of tea being able to treat Palladium poisoning.

"Oh, Miss Pepper, why not try it and find out?" Lin Feng replied with a smile. "Besides, this tea is good for women too. Drink it while it's hot!"

Half convinced, Pepper picked up the teacup. Leaves she had never seen before floated inside, and the tea was an exceptionally pale green, with what seemed like a faint transparent mist drifting through it.

After downing the cup, before she could even make out the taste, Pepper felt a warm current flood her limbs.

"Oh my God!"

Pepper's slightly yellowish skin visibly began turning fairer.

The blemishes caused by long nights of work began fading, and her hair became glossier as well.

"I feel... more energized than ever before!" Pepper said in shock. "This is unbelievable!"

"WTF?" Tony witnessed the miraculous scene too.

"Pepper, you look younger!"

Hearing that, Pepper immediately pulled a small makeup mirror from her bag and cried out at her reflection.

Seeing this, Tony did not hesitate to pick up his own teacup and drink it.

In an instant, a warm current surged from his stomach into every corner of his body.

The dizziness from Palladium poisoning vanished at once, and strength returned to his limbs.

Tony abruptly lifted his T-shirt and looked down at his chest.

The black spiderweb-like veins visibly receded toward the reactor, and within moments, they had completely disappeared.

"Fuck!" Tony could hardly believe it.

He pulled out a small device—a Palladium tester—and immediately pressed his thumb against it.

Ding, ding. The device chimed, then displayed the results.

Palladium content—0%

JARVIS's voice immediately followed. "Congratulations, sir. Your Palladium content has been cleared!"

"This isn't scientific!" Tony shouted at Lin Feng, before joy suddenly overwhelmed him. He didn't have to die?

"Who cares whether it's scientific or not?" Lin Feng rolled his eyes. "As long as it saves your life!"

"You're right, Lin!" Tony nodded in wholehearted agreement. Science could wait; at least his life had been saved.

Over this period, Tony had exhausted every possible method to solve his Palladium poisoning, yet he still hadn't found a suitable replacement.

Now Lin Feng had brought this miraculous tea, which had completely eliminated his Palladium poisoning. It was simply unbelievable.

"What kind of tea is this? Where can I buy it?" Tony asked. With this tea, he would no longer have to fear poisoning himself again whenever he used the Iron Man armor...

The moment Tony opened his mouth, Lin Feng knew exactly what he was thinking.

"You can't keep relying on this tea, Tony!" Lin Feng said. "This tea only treats the symptoms, not the root cause!"

"I know what you mean, buddy," Tony said bitterly. "But I've tried every possible combination! Every element!"

"None of them can replace Palladium! It's saving my life, but it's also taking my life!"

"What am I supposed to do?"

This was the greatest crisis Tony had faced so far. It would not kill him quickly, but it was the hardest problem to solve.

"No, Tony!" Lin Feng said with a mysterious smile. "You haven't tried every method yet!"

"What do you mean?" Tony asked, utterly confused. "I haven't tried every method?"

"What method haven't I tried?"

"That's right, Tony!" Lin Feng nodded.

"Something your father left for you!"

"What?" Tony wore a baffled expression.

"Black Egg should come looking for you in the next few days."

"Oh! That S.H.I.E.L.D. director!" Lin Feng said. He still did not intend to drastically alter the original plot. Tony still needed to experience what he was meant to experience.

He could not recklessly change someone else's life path just to satisfy his own whims, unless their life was in danger. That was a principle Lin Feng had upheld ever since gaining his powers.

"Why would he come to see me?" Tony asked suspiciously. "I already told him I have no interest in his Superboy Organization!"

"I don't want to see him!" Tony waved a hand in refusal.

Lin Feng said nothing, merely smiling mysteriously at Tony until Tony felt completely baffled.

A flash of insight crossed Tony's mind, as though he had suddenly realized something.

"Could he have a way to solve the Palladium problem?"

"Not exactly, Tony," Lin Feng explained. "You may not know this, but your father was one of the founders of S.H.I.E.L.D."

"And S.H.I.E.L.D. has something your father left for you, Tony!"

Before Tony could question him, Lin Feng continued explaining.

"What he left behind can solve the Palladium problem."

"So when Black Egg wants to see you, you might as well hear what he has to say!" Lin Feng advised.

In the original story, Black Egg had indeed brought Tony the things Howard left behind.

Although Lin Feng was now a variable in the plot, the course of events should not deviate too much.

Even if it really did deviate, Lin Feng was confident he could cover for Tony.

"I won't disturb you two any longer!" Lin Feng stood up, preparing to leave. He took out a small bag of Tree of Life leaves and handed it to Tony.

"Here's some tea. Both you and Pepper can drink it!"

This was Lin Feng's backup plan, a safeguard in case something happened to Tony Stark.

"Oh, right! Don't drink it too often! Too much of this has adverse effects!" Lin Feng warned.

"Once a week is enough. Steep one leaf each time!"

"It's good for both you and Pepper. It can improve your constitutions!"

"Oh! I have to say, I owe you my thanks this time, my friend!" Tony said emotionally, pointing at the small bag in his hand. "Do you have any more? This seems a little scarce!"

"Get lost! You couldn't find this stuff being produced anywhere in the world!" Lin Feng snapped, his face darkening.

"That's all there is. It's enough to last until your problem is solved, with more than half left over!"

Tony teased Lin Feng with his usual carefree manner, but Pepper was deeply moved. She sincerely bowed to Lin Feng in thanks, making Lin Feng inwardly praise her for having good sense.

After bidding the two farewell, Lin Feng drove toward Susan's workplace. He was going to pick Susan up from work!