The cool night air whipped past them as they flew high above the sleeping city. "Okay, let's go back," Lin Yu called out, easily catching up to the sleek metal suit.
The AK2 came to a slow, steady stop, hovering in the dark sky. Tony's voice, slightly filtered by the helmet, was thoughtful. "I want to test its actual combat capabilities."
Lin Yu floated beside him, his body surrounded by a faint, shimmering energy. He looked at his friend with a curious expression. How to test? Do you want to fight with me?" A strange thought crossed Lin Yu's mind. He had a sudden feeling that one day he might face an armor like this that was not his friend. Tony was not even officially Iron Man yet, was he? Was he already thinking about how to defend against Lin Yu in the future, or did he just want to see Lin Yu's true power for himself?
"Yes, let me see how powerful you are," Tony said, the thrusters on his suit keeping him perfectly still. "I have never seen your strength. Come on. I know you may be very powerful, but I think my AK2 is still capable of fighting with you."
"Okay," Lin Yu said with a slight smile, not moving an inch from his spot in the air. "Let's consider this exercise after our flight. Let's start. Do not worry about anything. Attack with all your strength. This is a good chance to test his combat parameters."
"Okay, then I will come at you," Tony responded. The AK2 quickly flew backward, putting a good distance between them. He raised his metal hands. With a sharp whine, continuous beams of bright gold energy shot toward Lin Yu.
Lin Yu moved through the air with a careless, floating grace. He tilted his body and shifted his weight in small, precise motions. Each time, a shock beam missed him by a hair's breadth. Each time, it looked like he would be hit, but no matter how Tony aimed, the attacks passed harmlessly by. The truth was, Lin Yu was far too powerful. Even a future, more advanced suit would pose no threat to him, let alone this early AK2 prototype.
Although Lin Yu was trying his best to hold back, the AK2's attacks still could not touch a single hair on his head. He played along with a whimsical mood, of course, while secretly recording all the combat data for later study.
Suddenly, the AK2 accelerated into a powerful charge, its metal shoulder aiming to slam into Lin Yu using pure speed and weight. Lin Yu simply raised a hand and gave a gentle push. The heavy suit was thrown backward, tumbling through the air. It quickly stabilized with bursts from its thrusters. It began to move rapidly again, sending out more shock beam attacks while flying an unpredictable pattern. Lin Yu continued to move, a calm dancer avoiding the storm of light.
"Jarvis, correct the trajectory and predict his path," Tony ordered, his voice tight with focus.
"Calculating. Trajectory prediction and correction are active," Jarvis replied. The advanced artificial intelligence was soon able to find a pattern in Lin Yu's casual movements. Tony first sent a shock beam with his left hand. Then, the very moment Lin Yu moved to dodge it, his right hand sent out a new beam. It shot perfectly toward the spot where Lin Yu was moving.
"Not bad," Lin Yu said. He did not dodge. Instead, he stretched out his hand and patted the incoming light beam. It was completely unscientific. The powerful energy beam was deflected by his bare palm, shooting off harmlessly into the night sky.
"How did you do that?" Tony asked, his voice full of shock. He looked at the picture of Lin Yu deflecting the shock beam with his hand in a complete daze. He had deflected it with his hand. What was the reason? What kind of power was that?
"I do not know either," Lin Yu said simply. It was the truth.
"Forget it, let us stop fighting," Tony said, stopping his attack. The suit hung in the air, its glow seeming dimmer. "You are a monster." His voice was full of helpless defeat.
"Do not be discouraged," Lin Yu encouraged him, flying a bit closer. "This armor is already very good. Besides, this is just a prototype. We can make more powerful models in the future."
"You are right," Tony said, his spirit lifting almost instantly. "I will definitely develop a more powerful armor to defeat you in the future. Let us go back." The AK2 sprayed bright white tail flames and turned back toward the distant villa.
"If you can really do it, I will admire you," Lin Yu complained with a friendly tone, and flew back alongside his friend.
Back in the underground garage, the silence was broken by Tony's groans. "This thing is too difficult to take apart. Ah, it hurts." He stood on the assembly table, watching the mechanical arms struggle to pull the tight armor parts from his body.
"Well, we need to improve the assembly process," Lin Yu observed, leaning against a workbench. "No, we should make it so the armor can be put on and taken off automatically."
"That is right," Tony agreed, finally stepping out of the last piece. "In the future, we must leave the assembly table behind. The armor must go on and come off by itself. This is too troublesome. If there is any emergency, there is no time to slowly assemble it on this table."
"Thirsty," Tony announced. He and Lin Yu walked from the garage into the main studio. Tony picked up a cold cup of coffee Pepper had brought down hours ago and took a sip. Under the cup was a small box with a piece of paper that read, "Pepper, gift."
Tony picked up the note and threw it aside casually. He tore open the wrapping paper. Inside was a beautiful glass display case. Mounted inside on a metal stand was the old, circular arc reactor he had built in a cave. Around the base of the reactor, in small printed letters, were the words, "Proof that Tony Stark Has a Heart."
Tony gave a rare, genuine smile, his eyes softening as he looked at the gift.
"Miss Potts really loves you as a boss," Lin Yu joked, seeing the look on his friend's face.
"She is my employee. It is as it should be," Tony said, but his voice was insincere and he could not look away from the reactor.
"Is it really just an employee?" Lin Yu pressed, a knowing and strange smile on his face.
"It is not just employees," Tony admitted quietly, looking at the glowing ornament in his hand. There was a deep and different emotion in his eyes.
Later, the two friends made various records and corrected the armor's parameters together. They spent hours studying the idea for a new, automatic loading system. The new AK3 would be assembled by Jarvis. Its design was already close to a much later model and would be made from a powerful Vibranium alloy. Lin Yu believed its defense would be incredibly strong. When the time came, any enemy would be amazed by its power and find themselves unable to harm it.
At that moment, a news report flashed on the television. It was a broadcast from a charity party at the Disney Music Hall. The host mentioned that Tony Stark was invited.
"Jarvis, did we receive that invitation?" Tony asked, his brow furrowed in suspicion.
"No record," Jarvis replied flatly.
"Because of his aggressive remarks at the press conference," the hostess on TV said, "some people speculate that he is suffering from trauma and has been bedridden for a long time. Regardless of the truth, no one expects him to be present tonight."
"Ridiculous," Tony muttered, curling his lips in disdain.
"Do you want to go?" Lin Yu asked.
"I am going to prove that I am still alive," Tony said mockingly, a fire in his eyes. "So they do not think I am dead. How about you? Do you want to go?"
"I do not like that kind of occasion very much," Lin Yu said, already heading for the stairs. "You can go by yourself." He went up to his room, lay on the bed, watched a few episodes of a drama, and then fell into a deep sleep.
The next morning, at 9 o'clock, Lin Yu got up, washed up, and was about to go downstairs for breakfast when a soft chime sounded in his mind. His AI, Xiao Ai, sent a reminder. "Wade Wilson is requesting a call."
"Huh? Why is he calling me, little bastard?" Lin Yu was a little puzzled. He connected to the communication.
"Lin Yu? Come here, I am at Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters." Deadpool's voice came through the link, sharp with a panic Lin Yu had never heard from him before.
"Wade? What happened?" Lin Yu asked, his own heart skipping a beat. He felt a cold dread. He knew in his heart that only one person could make Deadpool sound like that. What had happened to Vanessa?
"Vanessa has been taken," Deadpool said, the words rushed and desperate. "Come here first."
"Okay." Lin Yu did not hesitate. He went downstairs, told a surprised Tony that he had to go out, and then, in front of his friend's eyes, he disappeared. All that was left was a fleeting blue light that vanished as quickly as it appeared.
"This guy can teleport, too?" Tony stared at the empty space, completely amazed. "How many more abilities does he have yet to show?"