Miaomiao blinked.
Huh? Was having four times a human's physical ability really that impressive? Wasn't Bruce more or less at that level too?
But Bruce distrusted outside sources of power like super serums and had always insisted on building his physical strength through training alone, supplemented by a high-tech suit. He lacked Steve's formidable recovery and endurance.
With a helpless, amused look, Steve handed Tony a bottle of water and gently patted his back to help him catch his breath. "That's what you get for staying up all night in the lab and never making time to exercise. Of course your fitness can't keep up. Miaomiao often joins me for morning workouts, so naturally, she has more stamina than you."
"What kind of nonsense are you talking?"
Tony rested for a while, unscrewed the cap, and gulped down several mouthfuls of water. Finally recovering a little, he remembered that the girl wasn't human and could only silently conclude that his earlier urge to prove himself must have come from a lack of oxygen to his brain.
But he didn't want to reveal Miaomiao's identity as one of the Merfolk, so he could only raise an eyebrow defiantly. "So what if you can run fast? I could throw together an antigravity aircraft and cover dozens of your laps in a second. There's absolutely no reason to put myself through this."
"But building a suit of iron armor won't improve your health," Steve said patiently. "We don't go running in the morning just to run faster and farther. We exercise to make ourselves healthier."
"Fine, fine. Truly America's moral gold standard. Everything you say is impossible to argue with." Tony rolled his eyes. "I'm out of energy. Are you two going to keep going?"
Naturally, Steve intended to keep running. The exercise