at the same time.
Malibu Villa.
Luca sat alone at the lab table.
A dense array of data models was displayed on the holographic projection in front of them.
And this data is being refreshed and reorganized at a fixed frequency.
But the result of each reorganization is the same.
In the corner of the screen, the same sentence flashed repeatedly in red.
[Synthesis failed. Incomplete element structure. Missing core parameters.]
Luca frowned, resting his chin on his hand.
He's been staring at this data for almost two hours.
Mr. Luca.
JARVIS's voice rang out.
"Based on the existing equipment and theoretical parameters, I have conducted multiple simulation synthesis experiments."
"All attempts failed."
The core issue is that while Mr. Howard's notes proposed the existence hypothesis of Super Palladium Element and provided a partial theoretical framework, he failed to complete the most crucial step.
"Or rather... we still don't know what this element actually looks like."
Luca nodded.
He certainly knew about this problem.
The notes my dad left behind provided direction, even giving me most of the path.
But he didn't complete the last step, which was also the most difficult.
Because the technology available forty years ago did not allow it.
Although current technology has improved a lot, the essence of the problem remains unchanged.
If you don't know what this thing is, you can't make it.
It's like someone telling you that there's a perfect fruit in the world that tastes better than any other fruit.
It will also tell you approximately how big and what shape the fruit is.
The problem is, he didn't tell you what the seed looks like.
How can you plant without seeds?
Luca sighed and leaned back in his chair.
It can't be rushed.
This level of research cannot be completed in just a few hours.
It could take a few days, or it could take a few weeks.
But we can definitely handle it.
Because Dad had already finished the most difficult theoretical part, he only needed to complete the final experimental verification.
"Keep running the simulation, JARVIS. Let's try a different approach..."
"Understood. Adjusting parameters, starting simulation."
Just as JARVIS was carrying out the order.
Luca was slightly taken aback.
His senses picked up on something.
A slight vibration was felt above the villa.
The sounds of wheels rolling over the ground, the engine shutting off, and the doors opening and closing.
This was followed by three sets of footsteps with different rhythms.
They're back.
Luca glanced at the still-running simulation but didn't intend to get up.
He continued flipping through the notes, his finger swiping across the pages on the screen.
One minute later.
The door to the underground parking garage was pushed open.
The sound of footsteps grew louder as they approached.
"Hey!"
Tony's voice came from behind, clearly teasing.
"Are you going through my research materials? Who gave you permission to access my project folder?"
Luca didn't turn his head, his tone indifferent.
"Your project folder?"
"These notes were left by Dad for the Stark Family, not just for you."
He looked up at Tony and Pepper standing in the doorway.
"Besides, you just left after your press conference without even saying hello, what's wrong with me watching?"
Tony walked to the lab table and glanced at the data.
Then he looked up and met Luca's gaze.
"These are Dad's things, of course I know that."
"But the problem is, this information has always been in JARVIS's archives. I looked at it six years ago. The fact that you only found it today shows how inefficient you are."
Luca raised an eyebrow.
Six years ago?
This guy saw it six years ago?
The fact that he looked into it six years ago but couldn't solve the problem of palladium poisoning can only mean one thing.
He looked at it, but couldn't find a breakthrough.
Or rather, given the conditions and understanding he had at the time, he didn't fully grasp the most crucial parts of the notes.
However, Luca did not intend to expose him at this juncture.
Six years ago?
Luca gave a cold laugh.
"I'm curious, since you saw it six years ago, why didn't you tell me?"
"Don't we share everything? Are you planning to quietly digest Dad's inheritance all by yourself?"
"Please, Luca."
Tony rolled his eyes.
"What were you doing back then? You were spending all your time in the Stanford University lab, working on gene-editing technology with a bunch of idiots. You wouldn't even answer my calls."
"I sent you several emails but you didn't reply. Pepper had to help me follow up. Did you mention to me that you received them?"
Luca was taken aback.
It seems that this is indeed the case.
Six years ago, he was frantically researching improved versions of gene-editing technology.
During that period, he basically didn't check emails or answer phone calls, disappearing for a while like a missing person.
When he came out of the lab, he was surrounded by several old guys who were like fans chasing after a celebrity, and he also had a paper that shocked the academic world.
As for Tony's email?
To be honest, he really doesn't remember.
But he would never admit it.
"That's because your email subject line is too boring."
Luca refuted him without changing his expression.
"You should write 'Urgent! Dad's Inheritance' in the title bar instead of something like a discussion about materials science in Arc Reactor."
"Who would read emails with a name like that? I thought it was academic spam."
Tony was so angry he laughed.
"That's your problem! Who told you not to check the sender's name when you receive an email!"
"If you had replied to my email back then, we might have been able to resolve this issue six years ago!"
"Maybe?"
Luca emphasized the word coldly.
"You think you can shift the blame back with just 'maybe'? Tony Stark, you're really something."
The two immediately started arguing again.
The argument started with who discovered the notes first, then shifted to whose email subject line was worse, and finally to who was more unreliable six years ago.
Pepper watched the two of them argue back and forth, and the veins on his forehead throbbed slightly.
She knew that if she didn't interrupt them, the two of them could argue about everything from the notebook to the origin of the Big Bang.
"Enough, gentlemen!"
Pepper raised her voice and decisively brought the farce to a halt.
"What are you all arguing about?!"
"From the moment I met you guys until now, there hasn't been a single day without you arguing! Are you the heirs of the Stark Family, or kindergarten children?"
They both fell silent.
But after glaring at each other, they both turned their heads away at the same time.
Luca broke the silence first.
He looked at Pepper and gave her a friendly smile.
"Potts, my dear sister."
"Can you do me a small favor? I haven't eaten anything since this morning, and my stomach is starting to rumble."
"Could you go buy us a few burgers? I need two Wendy's's Spicy Chicken Burgers, and the lettuce has to be fresh."
Tony chimed in.
"Add two more double cheeseburgers. Plenty of butter."
Pepper looked at the two of them with an expression that said, "I knew this would happen."
"Why can't I just let Happy buy it? Why do I have to go?"
Luca's smile grew even brighter.
"Because only you know what flavors we really like to Potts. The last burger Potts Happy bought had pickles in it, it almost made me cry from the sourness."
"Besides, you've been busy at the company all morning, you should get some fresh air. Consider it my treat to a walk."
Pepper's lips twitched.
She knew, of course, that Luca was just making excuses to get rid of her.
But she couldn't really give a reason for refusing.
Because they really hadn't eaten lunch.
"You two are really..."
Pepper sighed, picked up her bag, and turned to leave.
As she reached the door, she glanced back.
"Twenty minutes. You'd better not dismantle the lab before I get back."
"Don't worry, Potts. We're just discussing academic matters." Luca waved at her.
"A very serious academic issue."
Pepper said nothing more and disappeared through the doorway.