"Finally finished!"
In the workshop, Ivan took the toothpick from the corner of his mouth and cried out excitedly as he looked at the armor that had successfully powered up before him.
"Not bad, though it still looks rough overall. There's room for improvement."
Wenwu looked at the armor before him and nodded slightly.
The armor suited Ivan's personality perfectly. It closely resembled the "Whiplash Mark II armor" he had built at Hammer Industries in the original storyline: a rugged, heavy, fully enclosed powered exoskeleton.
The gray-black metal plating was covered in machining scratches and exposed hydraulic pistons, its angles sharp, without any of Iron Man's rounded, flowing lines.
The helmet's faceplate revealed only two faintly glowing blue eye slits, while the Arc Reactor in its chest gave off a soft glow.
Winch mechanisms at the ends of both arms continuously fed out two long electromagnetic whips wreathed in blue arcs of electricity, while jet propulsion assemblies concealed in the back and legs were sufficient for high-speed flight.
"Ivan, put it on and go to the firing range. Test its combat capabilities." Wenwu's gaze shifted slightly as he told Ivan to try it on.
"Sure!"
Ivan narrowed his eyes slightly and nodded. Several mechanical arms nearby swiftly opened the armor's chest. He stepped inside, and the arms quickly fitted the armor around him again.
"Vmmm-"
Ivan lowered the Electric Whips and pressed the power switch. Violent electrical arcs immediately erupted from the whips.
He abruptly turned his head, his gaze locking firmly onto Wenwu.
"Crack!"
Without any warning, Ivan lashed a whip straight at Wenwu's forehead!
The five scientists and several guards present were all stunned.
How dare Ivan attack their lord? Did he have a death wish?
Surely he didn't think this suit of armor alone would let him take on the "god" of the Ten Rings? How conceited!
Ivan, however, thought otherwise. Everyone said Wenwu was powerful, but ultimately, he was still a human of flesh and blood. How could he withstand Ivan's armor?
Although his father was still alive, he was already on his last legs and had little time left.
Besides, his father, Anton, had already told him to leave if he had a chance to get what he wanted, without worrying about him. He had lived long enough.
So now, Ivan realized this was the perfect opportunity.
If he killed Wenwu, he might even seize control of the Ten Rings outright. Failing that, he could fly away in his armor, and these people would be powerless to stop him!
Unfortunately, he had overlooked one thing: Wenwu was not merely a little stronger, but countless times more powerful than he imagined!
Sure enough, in the next instant, the ten rings on Wenwu's arms instantly released blue and gold energy, forming a barrier that firmly blocked the Electric Whip capable of slicing through armor.
"Boom!"
The shock wave from the colliding energies swept outward, instantly turning the entire workshop into a mess. Everyone else backed away repeatedly in fright.
Seeing that Wenwu actually possessed such an ability, Ivan's expression changed on the spot. He turned, intending to rush out of the workshop and fly away.
"Ivan Vanko, I never expected this to be your choice. You wanted to defect without even finding out how powerful I am first? You actually deluded yourself into thinking you could kill me?"
Wenwu was furious.
He knew Ivan was rebellious by nature, but he hadn't expected him to turn against him so quickly. He had truly overestimated this idiot!
Ivan inwardly ranted furiously.
He had wanted to find out, but all the information he obtained said Wenwu was powerful, and his subordinates all looked either fanatical or fearful. He had thought Wenwu was merely a somewhat formidable man who had become their leader through brainwashing.
He hadn't expected him to be this powerful! He had also seen Wenwu wearing those ten rings on his arms all the time, but had always assumed they were merely ordinary weapons or symbols of the Ten Rings. He hadn't expected them to defy basic physics like this!
"Die!"
Ivan had just reached the doorway when one of the ten rings struck him in the back.
"Boom!"
Ivan was instantly sent flying, and the armor's sturdy special alloy caved in deeply.
The heavy blow to his back made him spit a mouthful of blood inside his faceplate.
However, he had also been blasted out of the workshop and rolled onto the base's open ground. Enduring the intense pain, he struggled to his feet and activated flight mode.
But just as he took off, Wenwu propelled himself with the ten rings and leaped above his head first, brutally stomping him down!
As though struck by a meteor, Ivan slammed into the ground even faster, leaving a large crater.
"Hmph. Your armor is still so crude and cumbersome, without the slightest agility, yet you dared attack me?"
Wenwu landed on the ground, and one of the ten rings flew out, directly shattering the Arc Reactor in Ivan's armor.
"Men, dismantle his armor! Don't let him die. I still need him to keep making weapons for me," Wenwu ordered gravely.
Soon, several subordinates dragged Ivan into the workshop and stripped the battered armor off him.
"I admit I lost. Kill me if you've got the guts!"
After being stripped of his armor, Ivan spat out a mouthful of blood and said with a savage grin.
"I thought you might betray me only after using me to kill Tony Stark. But I never expected you couldn't even wait that little while and would actually delude yourself into trying to kill me."
Wenwu looked down at him and smiled contemptuously.
"I won't let you die. I want you to keep working for me and develop stronger armor and stronger weapons."
"Hmph. Unless you kill Stark, I won't keep working for you!"
Ivan acted like a dead pig unafraid of boiling water, making Wenwu sneer.
"You want to kill Tony Stark? What are you thinking? He's worth who knows how many times more than you. And you think that because your father is dying, you have nothing left to worry about?"
Wenwu's voice gradually turned cold and sinister. "Then you're mistaken. I'll keep him alive and let him go on living in pain. Believe me, I have that ability."
"Such a filial son as you couldn't bear to watch your father keep living in pain, could you? Guess how many more years I can keep him alive. One year? Ten? Or several decades?"
Ivan's pupils contracted sharply at those words. Now he was truly afraid. He vaguely sensed that Wenwu wasn't joking and really seemed capable of doing it!
Seeing the trace of fear on Ivan's face, Wenwu smiled contemptuously.
Everyone had weaknesses. Ivan was far too stupid, trying to rebel before his father was even dead.
"Men, call a doctor to treat him. Then clear out a secure room and lock him inside. Keep him well fed and supplied with drinks, and give him books and a computer for experiments.
From now on, he can only stay in that room. Don't give him a single piece of experimental equipment. Only let him design and draw blueprints."
Wenwu issued the orders on the spot.
Then he said to Ivan, "Keep working for me properly, and I won't make things difficult for you or your father. Perhaps someday, you'll even have a chance to come out and reunite with him."
Wenwu's voice sounded like a demon's whisper to Ivan, chilling the blood throughout his body.
"Treat my father properly. Don't let him suffer, or I won't work for you even if I die!" Ivan made one last struggle.
"Fine."
Wenwu nodded, then thought for a moment and decided to intimidate him a little more.
He crouched down, raised his right palm, and placed it on Ivan's injured back.
A vast surge of "Chi" poured into Ivan's body, rapidly repairing his broken bones, as well as the skin, muscles, and internal organs injured by the impact.
"Chi" itself could not only strengthen the body and mind, but also repair injuries and enable self-healing.
His "Chi" was now no weaker than Madame Gao's. Repairing some internal and external injuries was effortless, though it would naturally consume quite a bit.