The Super Hero Creator Halo can make those who become superheroes under Fang Yuan's influence trust him far more deeply.
After Howard publicly declared his codename "Iron Guardian," the outside World already sees him as a new Superhero.
So from this moment on, Howard's trust in Fang Yuan jumps straight to the next level; if he still had reservations before, every doubt has now vanished.
Although he hasn't become Fang Yuan's devoted hound like Ivan, he now regards Fang Yuan as his most important partner—in the end the result is pretty much the same.
"Did you tell him the solution to palladium poisoning?" Fang Yuan asked.
Howard nodded. "I gave him the clue; with Tony's abilities he'll definitely solve the puzzle!"
Fang Yuan broke into a cold sweat: "So you only told him half?"
As expected of a biological father—at a time like this he still wants to test his son.
Tony simply isn't dying fast enough; otherwise let's see if Howard would get anxious.
"I didn't expect that after so many years Anton Vanko still can't let go."
"If back then he hadn't been so radical and offended even the officials, he could actually have lived here as a rich man."
Howard sighed.
Then he said excitedly: "But from Anton's son's armor I got an inspiration—indeed, I can equip the Iron Man Suit with a melee weapon to avoid embarrassment once ammo and energy run out."
Tony had faced the very situation Howard envisioned; for instance, during the New York battle in the Avengers, Tony encountered the danger of energy depletion more than once.
When the Iron Man Suit fires energy cannons or lasers, the consumption is huge, yet maintaining close-quarters combat doesn't cost much energy at all; Howard's idea is feasible.
He began designing a weapon to meet the requirement; what Howard wants is certainly not some randomly forged sturdy sword—something like a High-Frequency Vibro-Blade fits his vision.
"When do you plan to acknowledge Tony?"
Seeing Howard ready to devote himself to research, Fang Yuan took the initiative to ask.
"End of the month. I'll confess my identity to Tony then," Howard answered.
Fang Yuan understood at once: "The twenty-ninth?"
It was now May, and May 2 is Stark's birthday.
Howard nodded: "I intend to give Tony a perfect birthday present!"
"How about you? Heading back to Kamar-Taj?" Howard asked curiously.
"No."
Fang Yuan replied with a smile, his tone light and melodious: "I'm going to New York for a beautiful rendezvous."
"So mysterious?" Howard shrugged. "Sounds like you're off to become a pirate."
Actually, Howard was half right—Fang Yuan was indeed going to commit a robbery.
And the target of his robbery was—
S.H.I.E.L.D.
"Anton Vanko's son popping up I can understand, but who the hell is this mother-f***ing Iron Guardian?"
Some characters are truly distinctive—just hearing this line you pretty much know who it is.
Nick Fury.
The tough guy who could infiltrate even Hydra and rise to Director.
"We couldn't find any organization or individual connected to him, and satellites can't track him either."
A slightly balding, ever-good-natured-looking man beside him replied.
"Coulson, what did Romanoff's report say?" Fury frowned. "Fang Yuan? Is it really him?"
Speaking of which, Coulson sounded equally surprised: "We compared surveillance footage and photos; the two look basically identical, and their personalities are very similar as well."
According to Howard Stark's notes, the Fang Yuan he knew was a playboy just like him in his youth, and his behavior at the Monaco cocktail party indeed fits that description."
The very fact that it fits is the biggest problem—after all, Fang Yuan was someone from over sixty years ago.
As the king of Agents, Fury instinctively refused to believe such an absurd thing could happen, so he posed a hypothesis: "Could he be deliberately impersonating someone to get close to Romanoff?"
Coulson shook his head: "I think the odds are low. Romanoff is a Level 7 S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent; there's no public data on her, let alone anyone knowing she's carrying out a mission beside Tony Stark."
In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Natasha and Hawkeye are Level 7 Agents at this point, but they answer directly to Director Nick Fury and take orders from no higher-level Agents.
"Then why, among that huge crowd, did he single out Romanoff?" Fury furrowed his brow.
"Is it possible that, of all the people present at the time, Romanoff really was the prettiest one?" Coulson added a comment.
"So you think the appearances of Fang Yuan and Iron Guardian are two separate incidents?" Fury wanted to hear his subordinate's opinion.
"No." Yet Coulson shook his head again.
Fury immediately glared: "Then what are you thinking?"
Coulson answered honestly: "I believe Fang Yuan and Iron Guardian are likely connected, but with Natasha? It's probably just coincidence."
In fact, Fang Yuan's identity—whether now or from 65 years ago—has always had some issues."
Fury perked up at once: "Source of the intel?"
Coulson pulled up several files.
"Howard Stark!" He uttered a name that surprised Fury.
"After Fang Yuan disappeared, Howard Stark tried to have him cited for honors, only to discover there was no official file on him at all."
"Yet whether it was Howard himself, Director Carter and Director Phillips who co-founded S.H.I.E.L.D., or even Captain America before he vanished..."
Coulson's voice noticeably brightened when he mentioned Captain America.
"They all stated clearly that Fang Yuan had been sent by the government."
"And none of that was documented in writing—except by a Senator named Clyde."
He went on, "So Mr. Howard looked into it. The first half of Fang Yuan's life was completely ordinary; then in '42 he suddenly sought out Steve Rogers. After vanishing for six months, he reappeared and helped Rogers pass the super-soldier screening."
"Once Captain America debuted, Fang Yuan worked with the government to turn Rogers into a celebrity, took no big fee, and even encouraged him to fight on the front lines."
"At the height of Captain America's activity, Fang Yuan was a ghost—popping up only now and then; nobody knew where he was."
"And we all know how it ended: he disappeared the same day as Captain America," Coulson finished with a sigh. "Almost as if… he'd simply been here to guide Captain America into becoming a hero."
"Now a man identical to Fang Yuan in looks and character has resurfaced—alongside a brand-new Superhero. I don't believe in coincidences."
Coulson's tone grew excited.
"If this present-day Fang Yuan really is the one from sixty-five years ago, he can lead us straight to Captain America!"
Coulson had idolized Captain America since boyhood; finding someone so closely tied to him was bound to fire him up.
Nick Fury studied the files. Coulson's guess was unscientific, yet scientifically sound—there was no flaw in the logic.
He issued the order: "Have Romanoff make contact with this Fang Yuan and find out what he's hiding."
Coulson drifted into fantasy. "Director, if it really is Fang Yuan, could Captain America have come back with him?"
His imagination ran wild. "Could that Iron Guardian actually be Captain America?"
He shook his own head a moment later. "No, the builds don't match—unless it's pre-serum Steve."
Fury shook his head. His ace Agent was brilliant, just too sentimental. If Coulson weren't so capable, he'd make a poor spy.
So the Black Widow, order in hand, suddenly found time to accept Fang Yuan's invitation.
"I thought with your boss just stepping down as CEO, you'd be swamped during the handover."
In an upscale New York restaurant, Fang Yuan teased Natalie.
Tony Stark had recently ceded the Stark Industries CEO post to Pepper Potts, leaving himself free and Pepper frantic.
"In fact, Ms. Potts has been running Stark Industries all along, so as her secretary I don't have much transition work," Natalie explained.
She spoke with a playful smile, her soft tone almost tickling Fang Yuan's heart, making him feel she was flirting.
But Fang Yuan knew it was all an act; as a top Agent she could kill everyone in the restaurant single-handedly.
Everyone except Fang Yuan.
To take him out she'd need a very different approach.
"Last time you said you were opening a company in New York," Natalie steered the topic toward him. "How's it going?"
Fang Yuan nodded. "Pretty smoothly, but as a start-up I'm still short-staffed."
What he called a company, for now, was simply Athena flooding the web with news about Iron Guardian.
He clasped Natalie's soft hand; her fingers weren't delicate yet felt silky—superhuman for a field Agent from Changsha.
"Why don't you come help me?"
Natalie withdrew her hand, smiling faintly. "What does your company do?"
"Celebrity agency. Fancy being a star?" Fang Yuan shrugged. "Part-time's fine."
Natalie declined gently. "Maybe that's not for me."
Fang Yuan raised an eyebrow. "I'd advise you to say yes."
He leaned in, his smile deep, and his next words struck straight at her heart.
"After all, you wouldn't want your boss to find out you're an undercover Agent, would you—Natasha?"
"Natasha?"
The Black Widow tried to keep up the act, but one look into Fang Yuan's eyes told her further pretense was useless.
So she dropped the disguise. "What position are you offering?"
Fang Yuan chuckled. "Shall we discuss it somewhere else?"
"My room's chandelier is quite the sight."
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