"Look who it is—our very own superhero, Qin Xiao!"
"Great to finally meet you. What a beautiful plane! I'm Justin Hammer. Maybe you've seen my face on the cover of Time magazine recently—but compared to what you've done, that's nothing at all!"
Qin Xiao hadn't expected to run into this man. Justin Hammer was neither a true villain nor a good guy—more like a clown straight out of a movie. Worse still, he deliberately imitated Tony Stark.
What Qin Xiao really didn't expect was just how enthusiastic Hammer would be. Not only did he stride over to greet him, he even extended his hand while mimicking the exact motion Qin Xiao had used when he split Iron Monger's leg armor with his Tang sword.
"By the way, your sword is awesome! Compared to that Stark guy, I'm your biggest fan!"
Justin Hammer held out his right hand.
Qin Xiao reached out and shook it.
Hammer was a walking contradiction. He had always seen Tony as both his rival and his idol. He copied Tony's way of speaking, his posture, even the way he walked—especially after Tony announced that Stark Industries would stop manufacturing weapons.
Hammer Industries had immediately received massive orders from the Department of Defense. The company's stock price soared, and he appeared on the cover of Time magazine several times in a row.
That success made him even more arrogant, convincing him that he had finally surpassed Tony Stark.
Unfortunately for him, that was also when Iron Man was born.
No matter how many contracts his company secured, in the eyes of the public, Tony Stark was still the undisputed number one.
Watching the man in front of him desperately imitate Tony, Qin Xiao found it faintly ridiculous.
Hammer was copying someone else—jumping around, trying too hard to be funny—but it lacked Tony's natural, cynical charisma.
"Hello, Qin Xiao!"
Having no interest in continuing this awkward interaction, Qin Xiao turned to leave with Daisy and the others.
Unexpectedly, Justin Hammer stepped directly into his path.
"Wait—there's something I want to talk to you about. Are you heading to the race? I am too. I've got a helicopter waiting. We could chat on the way. If you don't mind—are these two beautiful ladies and these handsome guys your friends? They are your friends, right?"
Opportunities don't wait. Miss them, and you're an idiot. In any case, I need to get there somehow—and a helicopter sounds perfect.
Qin Xiao gave a slight nod. Hammer cheered and hurried ahead to lead the way.
"I don't like this guy," Thor said bluntly. "The way he talks is strange—like a stage actor."
"I don't like him either," Daisy added, holding Qin Xiao's hand. "I'm sure he doesn't have good intentions."
Things progressed quickly between Qin Xiao and Daisy during the flight. Daisy was very satisfied with him, and to Qin Xiao, she was a sweetness he had long awaited. The two decided to continue their budding romance for the remainder of the journey.
"It's fine," Qin Xiao said. "We just happened to be short on transportation. That helicopter looks pretty good."
…
Compared to Tony Stark, Justin Hammer was a pure businessman.
In terms of resources, he was no worse than Tony—if anything, he might even have had more.
The helicopter that came to pick him up was a modified Soviet Mi-26, over forty meters long. It was nearly the size of a small passenger plane, yet its interior looked like a miniature nightclub—extravagant to the extreme.
"You know," Hammer said enthusiastically, "our company is developing single-soldier combat armor—just like Tony Stark's Iron Man suit. Pew pew pew! But ours is bigger and stronger. It's a joint project with the Department of Defense. I believe the finished product will be unveiled very soon!"
The moment he boarded the helicopter, Hammer dragged Qin Xiao to a sofa and began talking nonstop, with no clear beginning or end.
"But I heard that after Tony showed your test footage at the Senate hearing, your project was suspended," Qin Xiao said bluntly, reopening old wounds. Just days ago, Hammer had been publicly humiliated by Tony in Congress.
"That was just for show," Hammer replied smugly. "In reality, we've continued the project—and we even signed a classified agreement!"
"Then I wish you success," Qin Xiao said calmly. "But what does that have to do with me?"
"To be honest, we already have contracts with the Department of Defense. The orders won't disappear. But the public doesn't see it that way. They need to believe that our country has armor stronger than Iron Man to protect them. They need confidence—and you are that confidence."
"Me?" Qin Xiao asked, puzzled.
"Yes, you. Tony was defeated by Obadiah's Iron Monger. You were the one who took down that big guy. Everyone saw the footage. Tony was sitting there looking miserable. You beat him, didn't you?"
"At the Stark Expo, I'll be applying for a booth on behalf of Stark Industries to showcase our new armor. I want you to attend—and try it on live. Nothing too serious, just for fun. You know what I mean, right?"
Of course Qin Xiao understood.
Hammer wanted Qin Xiao to lose—publicly—to his armor, proving to the world that he was stronger than Tony Stark.
This wasn't just personal pride; it carried political implications.
Just days earlier, Congress had held a special hearing demanding that Tony Stark hand over his armor.
Regardless of the motive, the government wanted weapons more powerful than Iron Man—or at least something that looked more powerful, something that would reassure the public.
"I understand," Qin Xiao said with a smile. "I'll put on a big show, make a lot of noise—and then get defeated by your armor, right?"
"Bingo!" Hammer snapped his fingers.
"That's exactly it. And of course, we won't let your efforts go unrewarded. I'll pay you an endorsement fee based on the world's most commercially valuable celebrities—and you'll gain the friendship of some very influential members of Congress."
Justin Hammer laid out his rules.
Qin Xiao had originally planned to toy with the man and then refuse outright.
But for some reason, a cold smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.
"Sure, no problem. But we'll need to talk about the endorsement fee. You know—I'll be losing in front of the entire world. That affects my reputation as a superhero. What do you think that's worth?"
For Justin Hammer, nothing was more important than defeating Tony Stark.
Unless he could truly build armor capable of beating Tony, no one was better suited for this role than Qin Xiao.
One was willing to fight. The other was willing to pay the price.
And just like that, aboard a helicopter high in the sky, the most expensive endorsement deal in history was born.
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