There was one thing even people who despised Tony Stark had to admit.
That playboy was unquestionably one of the smartest people alive.
His mind, brimming with innovation and intelligence, was a treasure to the entire world.
After receiving a hint from his father, he began creating his new element.
Coulson came to say goodbye to Tony because S.H.I.E.L.D. was transferring him to New Mexico.
Tony wasn't concerned about that. He cared far more about his new element.
As the assembled machine powered up, its dazzling laser sliced effortlessly through steel plates, wreaking havoc on the walls and furniture in Stark's laboratory.
Tony used an enormous wrench to turn the block refracting the beam.
As the laser fed energy into his new element, the new reactor was completed.
That also meant Tony Stark would no longer die from palladium poisoning.
And while he was creating his new element, someone else was also refining a reactor.
Ivan Vanko's father had once worked with Howard Stark to develop energy-source technology.
But because he wanted to profit from it, Howard Stark had him expelled from the United States.
Because of that incident, Ivan's father was also exiled to Siberia, where he eventually died in despair.
Even on his deathbed, the man was still expressing his regrets to his son.
Everything Tony Stark had on television should have belonged to Ivan Vanko.
His father's death had also spurred Ivan Vanko into action.
The Stark Family had caused all of this. Those thieves had stolen his father's technology.
Howard Stark's son would pay for his dishonesty.
That was why Ivan had come to assassinate Tony.
As he adjusted his reactor, Ivan increased its rotational speed, gaining a much clearer understanding of just how intelligent Tony Stark was.
His handmade reactor had its flaws, after all, yet a couple of offhand remarks from Tony in prison had been enough to improve its performance by several levels.
He glanced at the whips he had prepared, then heard an incoming call.
He pressed his Bluetooth earpiece.
It was Justin Hammer, the employer who had rescued him, calling to ask about his progress.
But the result wasn't what Justin Hammer wanted. He had planned to use Stark's expo to thoroughly outshine him.
Instead, Ivan told him they could only put the machines on display, not demonstrate them, which infuriated him.
He went straight to the laboratory and ordered people to watch Ivan as he prepared the Iron Soldiers for what came next.
Ivan merely smiled at that.
A dog had no right to bark in front of a tiger.
"What are you wearing?"
The Wick family's doorbell rang. John opened the door and found Ferdinand outside.
Half his backside was missing, and he had changed into a gray suit.
Ferdinand had also found a pair of sunglasses somewhere and put them on.
"A suit and tie? What are you, an office worker?" John stepped outside, tossing in a jab.
Ferdinand felt uncomfortable all over and hurried after John.
"My mom said that once I found a good job, I should appreciate it." He followed John into the Wick family's garage, still chattering away. "She's right. I should work for someone important instead of collecting ten or twenty bucks out on the streets."
"A good job?" John stopped in front of a black Audi R8 and looked back in surprise. "You think you're working for me?"
Ferdinand forced himself to stay calm. "I know big shots like you always find someone you trust to drive for you."
"I'm one hundred percent loyal."
John turned and studied Ferdinand for a while.
That made Ferdinand uneasy. In a moment of impulsiveness, he had told his mother he'd found a job, and that he was working for someone important.
Then his bigmouthed mother had promptly told the entire neighborhood.
Whether it was to save face or because he truly thought his old life had no future, he wanted to stay by John's side.
For that purpose, he had gritted his teeth, pawned the gold, and bought an expensive suit to make a better impression.
But he usually looked like a street punk, and wearing a suit only made him look like a monkey dressed in human clothes.
Just as Ferdinand was about to buckle under the pressure, John said, "Keep your phone on twenty-four hours a day and be ready whenever I call. Ten thousand a month, no meals or lodging."
Ferdinand froze for a moment, then was overwhelmed with joy.
"Yes, Mr. Wick."
He couldn't have been happier. This job had practically fallen into his lap.
All it had cost him was getting stabbed with a pencil and beaten up in Hell's Kitchen.
Well, perhaps that wasn't such a small price.
Eager to prove himself, he immediately asked with a fawning smile, "What are we doing now, boss?"
"Going out." John casually picked up the car keys and tossed them to Ferdinand. "Drive this car to the Continental Hotel."
Ferdinand stared at the luxury car, his eyes wide.
Terrified of scratching it, he was extremely careful even getting inside.
John got in and lightly swept his hand over the seat beside him.
A black bag appeared in the back seat.
At that miraculous sight, Ferdinand swallowed.
It seemed he really had found someone extraordinary.
The engine started, its roar sending a thrill through Ferdinand.
When had a low-level thug like him ever gotten to drive a car like this?
He stepped on the gas and drove out of the Wick family's garage, tearing brazenly through the streets of Manhattan.
It also suited John's image as a rich kid perfectly.
The FBI agents staking out the Wick house also spotted the car registered to Watson Wick.
They began following it.
Outside the New York Continental Hotel.
The black sports car stopped, and John picked up the bag, ready to head inside.
"Boss, let me take that." Ferdinand wasn't about to pass up any chance to prove himself.
He ran over to pick up the bag, only to discover, embarrassingly, that he couldn't lift it.
John folded his arms and stared at Ferdinand.
Having volunteered, Ferdinand had to grit his teeth and see it through.
His face darkened with strain before he finally managed to lift the bag.
John walked ahead while Ferdinand followed, shuffling along one step at a time like someone with a disability.
The same Black receptionist was at the desk.
When John approached, the receptionist smiled.
"It's a pleasure to see you again, sir."
The receptionist asked with a smile, "How may I help you?"
"I'd like to put out a bounty, but I'm not very familiar with the process."
John smiled back as Ferdinand struggled over and set the bag down.
John casually picked up the bag that had taken all of Ferdinand's strength to lift and placed it on the reception desk.
Clunk!
The heavy impact sounded as though it might crush the desk.
The receptionist's gaze sharpened. From the metallic clinking inside and the heavy thud, he could tell what it contained.
Gold. A great deal of gold.
Gold was hard currency anywhere in the world.
"We don't handle such matters, but..." The receptionist offered a perfectly measured smile. "The hotel would be willing to help."
"Who is the target, and how much is the bounty?"
"That's wonderful." John rested a hand on the bag and smiled. "The target is the leader of the Ten Rings."
"The bounty is..."
"One hundred and twenty million, in gold."
John smiled, as calm as if he had just said a dollar and twenty-two cents.
The receptionist's fingers twitched, and the smile on his face nearly slipped.
Shock in his eyes, he asked, "May I ask you to repeat that?"
"Of course. The leader of the Ten Rings, one hundred and twenty million." John pushed the gold toward him and chuckled. "This is the deposit."
"But... I want every assassin in the world to hear about it."
John's smile resembled a devil's just before it feasted on a soul.
"I'll need to consult the manager," the receptionist said cautiously.
The Ten Rings were no small-time outfit.
"Suit yourself, but I have a more efficient method." John grabbed the bag and flung it away.
The bag hit the floor and slid, spilling gold everywhere.
The clattering drew everyone's attention.
Across the hotel lobby, the glittering spread of gold made it impossible to look away.
John swept his gaze around and announced, "This is the deposit. One hundred and twenty million to kill the leader of the Ten Rings."
With that, he walked out.
He stepped on the gold as though it were dust.
The receptionist saw it.
The greed in the assassins' eyes.
At that moment, whether the hotel agreed or not, the killing was about to begin.
Ferdinand still hadn't recovered from the sight of all that gold.
He drove somewhat distractedly.
"New York really is advanced," John remarked casually.
"What?" Ferdinand asked in surprise.
John looked out the window at the silver and red suits of Iron Man Armor hurtling past, one chasing the other.
Several unmanned Iron Soldiers followed behind them.
Tonight's expo had been completely ruined, with the Iron Soldiers under Ivan's control hunting Iron Man.
The silver suit of Iron Man Armor, equipped with heavy weaponry, led the pursuit of Iron Man.
They roared over the car's roof, frightening Ferdinand into yelling.
"Iron Man! It's Iron Man! Oh my God! Has he started mass-producing them?"
Clearly, Tony wasn't mass-producing armor. He was being hunted.
Seeing that, John thought for a moment, then asked, "What's in that direction?"
Ferdinand looked toward where Iron Man had flown, puzzled. "The New York Ecological Park?"
John rubbed the ring on his right hand and said thoughtfully, "Let's go there."
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