Malibu Beach.
Inside Tony Stark’s futuristic seaside villa, perched atop a cliff.
Less of a home, this place was more like a dream playground for a top-tier scientist.
In the luxurious, high-tech private laboratory, pale blue holographic projections floated and swirled silently in the air.
Various precision instruments with unidentifiable names gleamed with a cold metallic luster, arranged neatly and awaiting their owner’s commands.
Outside the massive floor-to-ceiling windows…
Tony led Lin Xuan directly to the most spacious and brightly lit workbench at the center of the lab.
The area was covered with various robotic arms, laser cutting devices, and an array of high-precision tools and material samples.
He casually stripped off his expensive jacket—which had gathered some dust during the earlier chaos—and tossed it onto a nearby chair.
“Alright, kid,” Tony said, turning around and crossing his arms.
His piercing blue eyes refocused on Lin Xuan, their gaze now heavy with scrutiny.
“Now, this place is completely secure.
No fans, no reporters, and no annoying marshals.
“You can tell me the truth now. Who exactly are you? How do you know about the palladium poisoning? And… what was that just now?” He pointed to his own chest, then gestured to the hand Lin Xuan had used to project the energy display.
Lin Xuan scanned his surroundings, his gaze calmly sweeping over the equipment that represented the pinnacle of Earth’s current technological achievements.
From the molecular reorganizer to the high-energy particle collider simulator, every piece of gear here was enough to drive any physicist or engineer wild.
But there was no trace of awe or envy in his eyes.
He looked at them as if they were merely ordinary tools.
At that moment, a crisp system notification chimed in his mind.
[Ding!]
[Quest Triggered: Core Replication]
[Objective: Successfully create a functional Arc Reactor core before Tony Stark, using the materials and equipment he provides.]
[Reward: +30 Tech Points]
Lin Xuan took a deep breath.
The system mission had arrived.
He withdrew his gaze and looked at Tony.
“Mr. Stark, empty talk is useless.”
Lin Xuan’s voice was clear and steady.
“If you want to verify whether what I say is true or false, it’s simple.”
He extended his finger, casually pointing to the various rare materials shimmering with metallic luster on the workbench and the precision tools standing by.
“You provide the materials, and I will replicate an Arc Reactor core for you right now.”
“Replicate? Now? Here?”
Hearing this, Tony was stunned for a moment, then he couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow as if he had heard an utterly absurd joke.
But soon, this expression was replaced by a more intense interest and a hidden desire for challenge.
*This kid is actually quite interesting.*
He sneered, his tone carrying the innate pride and confidence of a genius second-generation rich heir.
“Replicate? Hmph, kid, I won’t say much else, but materials and equipment are the things I, Tony Stark, lack the least!”
He took a sudden step forward, closing the distance until he was almost face-to-face with Lin Xuan, his gaze piercing and full of pressure.
“Fine! I’ll be the judge of how you ‘replicate’ my Arc Reactor!”
Tony swept his arm out in a grand, commanding gesture, indicating the entire workbench area.
“Use whatever you want! I’m granting you full access! Let’s see what you’ve got!”
He was determined to see just how much skill this young man—who dared to brag in his presence—actually possessed.
Lin Xuan’s heart steadied.
*Just as I planned.*
In his mind, he issued a decisive command.
*Xiongxin, use the simulated Arc Reactor structure from earlier as a foundation and perform a deep deduction.*
*And begin physical construction immediately!*
[Xiongxin Command Received: Tech Points -50, Current Tech Points: 0.]
[Deep Analysis and Construction Program Initiated…]
[Optimizing energy circuit design… Matching material properties… Simulating energy output curves…]
[Warning! Computational requirements exceed current level limit! Processing core overloaded! Warning!]
In an instant.
Lin Xuan felt a faint but sharp sting deep within his brain.
It was as if countless tiny electrical currents were leaping and colliding between his neurons.
The Xiongxin System’s computing power was clearly struggling under the impact of such a massive data stream—one that was not only incredibly precise and complex but also required real-time physical construction.
The computing core’s temperature was skyrocketing!
Tony Stark stood by, arms crossed, watching with keen interest, ready for the show.
He saw Lin Xuan simply close his eyes and stand still, seemingly… meditating?
*What the hell?
Is he going to pray to the God of Science first?* A playful smirk tugged at the corners of Tony’s mouth.
The next second.
The smirk froze on his face.
Lin Xuan’s eyes snapped open, and an invisible flash of lightning seemed to streak through his gaze!
He didn’t touch a single physical control interface.
Yet, the several high-precision robotic arms above the workbench sprang to life as if they had been granted a soul! This chapter is updated first at g.com.
*Vroom—*
The robotic arms nimbly seized various rare metal materials—palladium, titanium alloys.
Even some of the special alloys stored in Tony’s lab, not yet publicly revealed, were being used.
Blinding blue laser beams shot out with pinpoint accuracy, tracing complex trajectories in the air as they performed micron-level cutting and shaping of the materials.
Sparks flew everywhere!
Various powders and scrap pieces were instantly cleared by an adjacent suction device.
Under Lin Xuan’s silent guidance—or rather, under the direct control of the Xiongxin System in his mind—the cut and shaped components began to assemble, join, and nest with a dizzying yet incredibly precise speed.
The entire process was as smooth as flowing water, filled with the aesthetic beauty of technology and power!
The expression on Tony’s face shifted from initial amusement to astonishment, then to disbelief, and finally to utter shock.
He could see that this was absolutely not a pre-set program!
The movements of those robotic arms were imbued with a certain… real-time, calculating spirituality.
They seemed to be constantly fine-tuning the angle and force of every movement based on some kind of real-time feedback!
*Is this kid’s brain… actually connected to these machines?!*
A few minutes later.
Under Tony’s astonished and suspicious gaze, a steady, rhythmic hum of energy filled the air.
From the center of the workbench, a brand-new ring-shaped device, radiating an incomparably pure, ghostly blue light, slowly rose and finally came to a steady hover in mid-air.
It was a fraction smaller than the one in Tony’s chest.
Its structure appeared more refined and streamlined, its internal energy circuits flashing with a brighter, more stable glow.
A surge of pure, raw energy pulsed from it, instantly filling the entire laboratory.
[Ding!]
The system’s notification chimed in Lin Xuan’s mind, bringing with it the joy of success.
[Mission Complete: Core Replication]
[Mission Reward: +30 Tech Points]
At that moment, a holographic projection appeared, displaying several lines of information:
[Name: Lin Xuan]
[Acquired Ability: Super Soldier Serum (Beginner · Optimized Version)]
[Held Technology: Xiongxin (Basic functions activated)]
[Tech Points: 30]
[Items: Xiongxin Upgrade Permission Fragment *1]
(End of Chapter)