"So, how can I get access to high-tech weapons?"
After returning home, Ethan Chen had already pushed aside the memory of taking down a wanted criminal. His mind was now consumed by one pressing question—how to get his hands on cutting-edge weaponry.
"There haven't been any defense expos or aerospace shows lately, so there's basically no chance of getting close to high-end weapons right now."
In China, if you wanted to see or even touch top-tier technology, events like military exhibitions were the only viable entry points. Unfortunately, none were scheduled anytime soon.
"But I'm not interested in regular weapons—I want to replicate… no, I want to research the Iron Man armor!"
Once his Huaqiangbei system completed the analysis of Iron Man's suit, Ethan was confident he could manufacture an entire iron army.
Unfortunately, it was still only the year 2008. Even Iron Man hadn't made his debut yet. Talking about building an Iron Legion was putting the cart way ahead of the horse.
"And on top of that, I got threatened by two ordinary guys today. That's seriously humiliating. I really need to work on enhancing my physical strength."
When it came to body enhancement, Ethan had his eyes on Captain America's super serum—the legendary formula that elevated human physical ability to its absolute limit.
Of course, the serum had its drawbacks. The saying goes, "Good becomes better, bad becomes worse." Ethan didn't exactly see himself as a good guy, so he wasn't aiming to become Captain America 2.0. But he had something better—the Huaqiangbei system.
One of Huaqiangbei's most powerful features was its scientific optimization engine—it could quickly upgrade any technology, ironing out flaws and boosting performance. Weaknesses and side effects? Not a problem in Ethan's hands.
"But wait—Captain America, if I remember correctly, is still frozen beneath Arctic ice, right?"
He first shows up in The Avengers back in 2012—still four years away.
(PS: Don't worry about that Fruit 11 reference earlier.)
"I can't wait four years. So... what about the Hulk?"
When it comes to enhancing the human body, Ethan suddenly remembered another Avenger—the Hulk.
Real name Bruce Banner, he transformed into the Hulk after exposure to gamma radiation during an experiment. Now, when he gets angry, his strength multiplies astronomically. That's definitely a form of biotechnology.
"So, Xiao Ai—can Huaqiangbei analyze and harness Hulk's technology?"
"No tech is beyond Huaqiangbei!"
Xiao Ai's voice was filled with absolute confidence. The Hulk may be volatile, but controlling that kind of power? Totally within Huaqiangbei's capabilities.
"In other words, as long as Huaqiangbei comes into contact with the Hulk, it can analyze and optimize that transformation tech?"
Hearing this, Ethan felt genuinely shocked. Huaqiangbei was no joke. A controllable Hulk formula? That sounded insane—in the best possible way.
"Oh, and let's not forget—Spider-Man! Ant-Man! Black Panther!"
In the Marvel universe, it's always been the same: the poor gain power through mutations, the rich through tech. But in truth, all those 'mutations' are rooted in science too. As long as Huaqiangbei encounters them, it can analyze and replicate their tech perfectly.
Take Spider-Man. Peter Parker gained powers after being bitten by a radioactive spider—a creation of Oscorp Industries, a tech company.
Ant-Man's powers come from Pym Particles, developed by Dr. Hank Pym. That's hard science. Even better, Pym Particles don't just shrink and enlarge—they're later used for time travel.
If Ethan could obtain that technology, the possibilities would be limitless.
"As for Black Panther, isn't Wakanda entirely powered by advanced tech?"
If he ever got access to Wakandan technology, Ethan's research would skyrocket.
"Looking at it all, it seems I have quite a few opportunities in front of me!"
These superheroes had now become targets—not to defeat, but to study. Their abilities and gear were things Ethan could absolutely replicate with the help of Huaqiangbei.
"But this is the Marvel world. All the superheroes are American or from the West. China seems so powerless here…"
Well, okay—Black Panther doesn't count. Wakanda is fictional, after all.
Still, the idea that a powerful Black nation would team up with America? That's ridiculous.
Let's not forget—what was one of America's biggest historical exports?
Slavery.
Even today, racism hasn't vanished in the U.S. So to imagine Wakanda closely allied with the U.S. just didn't sit right with Ethan. It felt off.
At that moment, a new weight settled on Ethan's shoulders.
He finally understood the mission Xiao Ai mentioned: "Revive the greatness of China." It wasn't some random slogan. In this world, China really needed a hero—someone to put it back on the map.
"All the superheroes are American. The U.S.—a country only 200 years old—is full of them. But China, with its 5,000 years of civilization, doesn't have even one?"
Well, to be fair… there were some supervillains...
That only made it worse—a complete disrespect to his homeland.
After a long, silent pause, Ethan opened his eyes, now burning with conviction.
"I'll lead China to the top of the world."
Are Americans proud of Iron Man? Then watch—he'd put every Chinese soldier in a better suit of armor.
Proud of Captain America and the ultimate human enhancement? He'd make sure every soldier in China was physically stronger than Steve Rogers himself.
Ethan's dream went even further—he wanted every ordinary citizen in China to be able to say with confidence: "We're no weaker than any superhero."
"I want to make Iron Man suits a household item!"
He envisioned a future where the suits were as common in China as cars are today.
And why not? With Huaqiangbei's tech, they could reduce production costs to almost nothing. Steel suits would be "as cheap as cabbage."
"And if it's only for domestic use, we can leave out the weapon modules. That'll cut the cost down even more."
Of course, that was just for everyday use. If the time came—say, if war broke out—the weapons could be reinstalled. Then, every citizen could truly become a soldier.
If alien forces ever dared invade Earth, they'd be met with a nation of Iron Men.
"…I'm getting sidetracked. Back to the Avengers—Xiao Ai, I've been wondering. What about the magic used by Thor or Doctor Strange? Can the Huaqiangbei system analyze that too?"
"In this world, magic is just another form of science. So of course it can."
"…Wait. Are you telling me that even magic can be reverse-engineered?"
"Awesome. My Huaqiangbei is unstoppable."
Ethan was stunned speechless. Once again, the power of Huaqiangbei left him in awe.
In this moment, all of Ethan's scattered thoughts could be summed up in just one sentence:
"Huaqiangbei is freaking awesome!"