"My lord, we've obtained the latest information on Osborn's human enhancement serum."
Just as Wenwu finished preparing the Adamantium flying sword, Ching-Lin stepped forward to report.
"Oh, then take it to Dr. Sterns. Have him improve it, eliminate the side effects, and make a weakened version for Star Ring Group to sell," Wenwu instructed casually.
"By the way, how much did we make shorting Oscorp Industries?" he asked, suddenly remembering something.
"Some time ago, after the military saw Tony's armor, they took another look at Osborn's and made no secret of their disdain. They withdrew their investment."
Ching-Lin reported, "Later, the human enhancement project failed to make progress for a long time, so the military pulled all its funding from that too. After the news broke, Oscorp Industries' stock plummeted. We made a net profit of three billion dollars!"
"Not bad. Add that to the sixteen billion we made from Stark Industries, and that brings us close to twenty billion."
Wenwu nodded in satisfaction. He planned to use the money to buy the technology industrial park owned by Norman Osborn's group once Osborn was completely finished.
"My lord, do you mean... something might happen to Norman Osborn, and Oscorp Industries can't be saved?" Ching-Lin asked in surprise.
"That's right."
Wenwu nodded. By now, Norman Osborn probably had no way out, and it wouldn't be long before he became the Green Goblin.
Once the Green Goblin appeared, he planned to go there himself and expose the guy completely before the people of New York!
"Keep an eye on what's happening in New York. If a flying 'Green Goblin' appears, tell me immediately," Wenwu instructed.
"Yes, my lord!"
Ching-Lin bowed and accepted the order, then added, "My lord, our men have reported that a large number of ground forces have entered eastern Salia. They're all American troops!"
Wenwu's gaze darkened slightly at the news.
"Don't worry. But if they invade the territory under our control, we'll go straight to war!"
Wenwu had no fear of taking on the American military!
After giving Ching-Lin a few more instructions, he turned and went to the base's testing area. He had people fire machine guns at him to train his Spider-Sense and his ability to dodge at the limit.
That evening, he sat cross-legged and continued his arduous meditation.
In the latter half of the night, Wenwu abruptly opened his eyes, his gaze filled with utter shock.
"I can sense the origin of my own soul?" he murmured, his voice full of disbelief.
He had never expected this. He had only circulated his Spiritual Power on a whim, intending to try the method of opening the Ren and Du meridians from martial arts novels.
To his surprise, not only had he succeeded easily, circulating the Spiritual Power in his body through a complete greater heavenly cycle, he had also accidentally triggered an overclocked state in his brain.
He had even accidentally touched upon his own soul.
First was the brain overclocking. Stimulated and enhanced by Spiritual Power, his brain seemed to have been activated, as though it had entered the so-called "forbidden zone of God."
The neurons in his brain seemed to have all been released under the influence of Spiritual Power, allowing every neuron to transmit signals at high speed simultaneously.
It was as if a muddy path had instantly become a highway, and his brain had entered overclocking mode!
In this state, the floodgates of his memory opened completely. Everything he had ever glanced at, casually leafed through, or heard once could be recalled instantly, word for word. He could remember anything after seeing it once.
Novels and movies he had seen more than a decade ago, and information he had casually come across, now appeared in full in his mind.
His thoughts no longer stalled, and thinking no longer took effort.
His brain was like a supercomputer running at full speed.
"This feeling is just like when the protagonist in the movie Limitless takes that pill that stimulates his brain!"
Wenwu was delighted. With this ability, he could also learn a great deal of knowledge himself and gain insights into cultivation more quickly!
However, this state consumed an enormous amount of Spiritual Power, so he couldn't keep it active all the time.
Besides that, he had accidentally touched upon his own soul!
After all, in this world, only those with special superpowers, as well as mages and gods, could touch upon the soul.
He had never imagined that he could achieve this too!
He forcibly suppressed his excitement and calmed his mind to explore it again.
He then discovered that his soul was of exceptionally high quality, probably because it had fused with Xu Wenwu's soul.
Time flew by.
Early the next morning, Wenwu slowly opened his eyes, a look of pleasant surprise appearing on his face once more.
His soul could actually be nourished and refined with Spiritual Power.
From now on, in addition to strengthening his Spiritual Power and tempering his body, he had another great path on his cultivation journey: refining and strengthening his soul.
Washington, D.C., the hearing room of the Senate Armed Services Committee.
Harsh white lights shone over the solemn hearing room. Senators, senior military officers, court reporters, and media journalists filled both sides of a long, tribunal-style table. Cameras ran throughout, broadcasting live across the United States.
The hearing had a single focus: the compulsory seizure of Tony Stark's Iron Man Armor technology.
Ever since Tony had shut down Stark Industries' weapons division and publicly admitted that he was Iron Man, the federal leadership had been unable to sit still.
The government and the military agreed that the Mark Armor was a top-tier strategic weapon of national importance and absolutely could not remain in private hands.
Senator Stern, who was leading the hearing, sat upright in the presiding seat, poised to act. He intended to use public opinion and government authority to bring Tony Stark completely to heel and force him to hand over all the armor's information, the Arc Reactor technology, and every research and development blueprint.
On one side of the room, Colonel Rhodes sat stiffly as a military witness, a trace of helplessness on his face.
On the other side, Justin Hammer, a newly prominent defense contractor and Stark Industries' bitter rival, sat in a suit and dress shoes, beaming as he waited for Tony to stumble and fall from his pedestal, so he could take over Stark's share of the defense market.
Everyone present believed the outcome was settled. Whether you were a genius billionaire or a superhero, you had to bow your head before the national legislature.
Yet Tony Stark himself was the sole exception, displaying the complete opposite attitude.
Dressed in a casual suit, he lounged in his chair with his legs crossed, idly turning a pair of sunglasses in his hand. His gaze was languid yet defiant, without the slightest trace of nervousness or deference.
The hearing officially began.
Senator Stern rapped his gavel, his stern, solemn voice ringing through the hall. "Mr. Stark."
Tony lazily raised his eyes and replied offhandedly, his tone flippant and casual. "What would you like to say, Senator?"
Stern stared hard at him and went straight to the heart of the matter. "Are you privately holding and using a unique special weapon with destructive power on a strategic level?"
The room fell silent in an instant. Every camera focused on Tony as everyone waited for his answer. As long as he admitted the armor was a weapon, the legislature could legally seize it and take it into state ownership.
Tony raised an eyebrow slightly, his tone calm and his answer watertight. "That depends on how you define a weapon."
With a single sentence, he completely defused the trap.
Stern's face darkened. He pressed harder, his voice growing forceful. "Mr. Stark, don't play word games! The whole world has seen you fly and fight in metal armor. That Iron Man Armor is a military weapon, pure and simple!"
Reporters throughout the room nodded, and public opinion immediately swung toward the legislature.
But Tony remained composed. A mocking smile unique to a genius curled at the corner of his mouth as he spoke slowly. "Sorry, Senator, I don't agree with that definition. In my view, this armor isn't a weapon. It's a high-tech prosthesis."
As soon as he finished speaking, laughter and an uproar broke out across the hearing room.
Every reporter, official, and staff member was stunned. No one had expected Tony to respond from such an outrageous yet irrefutable angle.
Senator Stern's face turned livid. Angry and anxious, he retorted sharply, "Absurd! That's not a prosthesis at all! It can fly, launch energy attacks, and deliver destructive firepower as a one-man unit! It's a top-tier weapon of war!"
Tony remained relaxed in his chair, his gaze open, his presence overwhelming the room. He calmly fired back in public, every word cutting to the heart. "There are dozens of pieces of shrapnel lodged in my body. I rely on the Arc Reactor to stay alive. My chest was damaged to begin with.
"This armor supports my life, protects my body, and compensates for my physical impairments. To me, it's equipment that makes up for my bodily defects and keeps me alive. How can you call it a weapon?"
His reasoning was complete and flawless!
Stern was left momentarily speechless. Seeing his dignity slipping away, he shouted in anger, "Never mind definitions! I now formally order you, in the name of the Senate Armed Services Committee!
"Immediately surrender every Iron Man Armor prototype, research and development blueprint, Arc Reactor technology, and all associated data!
"They will be placed under unified military custody for state research! These are national assets. They shouldn't belong to a private individual!"