The research progress on the Apple-style smartphone was surprisingly fast. Within just a few minutes, it advanced by one percent—faster than downloading a full-length movie. In less than an hour, the system had completed its analysis.
Ethan Chen finally had a moment to check the results.
"Let's see... how much have the specs improved?"
Opening the research interface for the phone, Ethan found the data incredibly detailed. Enhancements were listed in areas such as screen size, resolution, camera quality, battery life, chipset performance, and more.
Even several miscellaneous features had been optimized. Most importantly, the system allowed for a complete redesign of the phone's appearance—enough to eliminate any accusations of copying.
If the external design is totally unique and looks even more advanced than the original, would anyone still dare call it a knockoff?
"Not bad..."
But Ethan had no interest in becoming a mobile phone manufacturer.
Sure, producing phones would be an easy way to make money—especially with the advanced capabilities of the Huaqiangbei System. He could undoubtedly rake in profits.
Yet none of that aligned with Ethan's true purpose.
His ultimate goal was to contribute to the revival of his homeland.
No matter how advanced a smartphone was, it couldn't lead a nation to rise—especially not in a world as perilous as this one.
For Ethan, military strength was far more meaningful. He didn't want to make gadgets—he wanted to build weapons to defend his country.
Only with real firepower could a nation assert itself and overcome the obstacles in its path to revival.
"Good thing I ended up in peaceful China when I entered the Marvel world, and not in chaotic America," Ethan muttered to himself.
"But this so-called peace isn't true peace. The reason I can live comfortably is because a group of brave people stand between us and danger, keeping the threats outside our borders."
Those people—are soldiers.
The thought made Ethan clench his fists tightly. In the Marvel universe, the role of ordinary soldiers was minimal. The real determining factor in warfare was top-tier individual strength.
And that was exactly what China lacked in this world.
In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, China didn't have any superheroes.
If a global crisis broke out, it would be the front-line soldiers—China's Liberation Army—risking everything without superhuman support.
"I can't just watch that happen!"
Ethan took a deep breath. At first, he thought the system's mission to "revive China" was just some lofty fantasy, maybe even a joke.
But now, after seeing what the system could truly do, he realized—maybe this was his responsibility.
"I refuse to let our soldiers face aliens or supervillains armed with only flesh and blood."
Iron Man stood shoulder-to-shoulder with gods using only technology. If Tony Stark could do it, why couldn't others?
"I want our soldiers to stand with gods too!"
With Huaqiangbei's analytical and manufacturing capabilities, Ethan was confident he could reverse-engineer Iron Man's armor—and even improve on it.
Once the tech was complete, he could mass-produce the suits. Every soldier could wear one.
Well, maybe not every soldier at first—but at least an elite legion could be outfitted with next-gen battle armor.
"But of course, I'll need to get close to Iron Man first… maybe even touch him," Ethan mused.
With that thought, he opened his front door and stepped outside.
Ethan lived in a modest neighborhood. Despite his family running a small factory and being relatively well-off, they didn't live in a fancy villa or gated estate.
His parents were extremely frugal. Their home was a humble apartment in a quiet, low-key urban complex.
"Honda, begin analysis..."
Sliding into the driver's seat of his car, Ethan instinctively tapped the dashboard, initiating the Huaqiangbei system's analysis on his vehicle.
Though it looked like a basic car, it was actually packed with sophisticated technology. Just the engine alone was more advanced than those found in many domestic Chinese cars.
"Not bad..."
As he drove, Ethan muttered to himself, "I think there's a shooting range on the outskirts of town."
That was his destination today.
Despite the firearm restrictions in place in China, regulated shooting ranges were one of the only legal places civilians could experience handling real guns.
Ethan's objective wasn't to play with guns—he needed detailed data on modern firearms. Once analyzed, he could begin improving their design through scientific research.
He had no intention of manufacturing or smuggling weapons. That wasn't his style.
As a law-abiding citizen, his interest was strictly in research—to enhance weapons technology so that future Chinese soldiers could be better armed.
"Only superior weapons can truly protect the people."
In contrast to Tony Stark—who famously abandoned his arms business—Ethan wanted to be a weapons developer.
In his view, superior firepower meant superior defense.
Upgraded firearms were only Ethan's first step.
After a 30-minute drive, Ethan arrived at the shooting range just outside the city. The area was remote—understandably, since gunfire would be too disruptive closer to residential zones.
Despite the distance, the range was a popular destination for gun enthusiasts who wanted to experience the thrill of live shooting.
In China, only licensed, government-approved shooting ranges like this one allowed such activities.
During the drive, Ethan had completed the full tech analysis of his car—and even scanned a few vehicles traveling the same direction.
"I've always wanted a Porsche, but my parents would never go for it..."
After parking, he noticed a sleek sports car in the lot next to him. He chuckled to himself.
Coincidentally, the Porsche seemed to be headed to the same destination.
While on the road, the Huaqiangbei system had already analyzed most of its tech—up to 90% completion. All Ethan needed now was one physical touch to finish the scan and unlock full reproduction capability.
At 90%, it was technically a "parallel import"—a near-clone.
But Ethan didn't want cheap knockoffs.
He wanted the real deal—and more than that, he wanted enhanced designs.
Just one touch would get him the rest of the way there. That last bit of data could be the key to future breakthroughs.
And making that touch?
A walk in the park.
As he passed through the parking lot, Ethan casually walked by the Porsche and gently brushed his hand against it. It looked like nothing—but in his heads-up display, the analysis jumped from 99% to 100%.
The Porsche's complete technology was now fully accessible through the Huaqiangbei system. He could replicate it at any time.
"Hey! Don't go touching people's cars! Can you even afford it if you scratch the paint?"