"Is this Stark Industries? It definitely looks more impressive than Hammer Industries…"
The next day, as scheduled, Ethan Chen arrived at the Stark Industries industrial complex located on the outskirts of New York. After presenting his appointment details, he was granted access. Strolling through the beautifully landscaped campus, Ethan couldn't help but admire the environment.
Compared to Hammer Industries, this facility was in another league—more modern, more sophisticated, and undoubtedly more prestigious.
"Haha, of course. A second-rate company like Hammer Industries could never compare to us."
While Ethan was being shown around by a corporate guide, a booming laugh rang out behind him.
"Mr. Stane, it's an honor to meet you," Ethan said, turning around to see a tall, bald man with a thick beard.
It was Obadiah Stane, the current CEO of Stark Industries. In the original Iron Man storyline, he was Tony Stark's father's old friend and Tony's business mentor after Howard Stark's death. But behind the scenes, Obadiah was no saint—he was the one secretly selling weapons to terrorists and even orchestrating Tony Stark's kidnapping.
"Haha, I read about you in the paper. What you said yesterday was quite something," Obadiah laughed, slapping Ethan on the shoulder with a broad grin. "You young people—bold and full of promise!"
"You're being too kind," Ethan replied with a modest smile. "I just couldn't stay quiet after hearing the inappropriate things Justin Hammer said."
"You're absolutely right. As someone in the public eye, attacking a sovereign nation in such a setting—utter foolishness. He crossed a line. This kind of recklessness is exactly what's dragging Hammer Industries down."
Obadiah shook his head. "Justin Hammer has embarrassed not just himself but America too."
This was no exaggeration. At this point in the timeline, superheroes hadn't yet appeared, and global tensions were still governed by the conventional balance of power. China, like in Ethan's original timeline, had emerged as a global powerhouse, thanks to rapid advances in economics, military capabilities, and technology.
Only someone as shortsighted as Justin Hammer would publicly insult a country like China.
The confrontation from the day before had been picked up by reporters hungry for controversy and had since gone viral. Naturally, it reached Obadiah's ears. Through social media and global news coverage, even people back in China had heard of it—and many praised Ethan for standing up to blatant disrespect.
Even in the United States, people appreciated bravery. Despite being on foreign soil, Ethan had defended his homeland without flinching, earning himself a reputation as a budding "hero."
Though both Obadiah and Justin were arms dealers, Obadiah had far more cunning and influence—and arguably, more sinister intent.
"Young, patriotic, and unafraid to speak up—that's the kind of spirit I wish we saw more of here," Obadiah said, signaling to the tour guide to give them privacy.
"You flatter me. I just did what any proud Chinese person would've done," Ethan replied humbly. "In that kind of situation, I think anyone from my country would've reacted the same way."
"That's truly admirable," Obadiah said with a hint of envy. "The younger generation here doesn't share that same drive."
The United States, being a much younger nation historically, didn't have the same cultural emphasis on collective patriotism. Here, motivations were often driven more by individual gain than national pride. Public support for war or policy was typically rooted in whether the average citizen would see personal benefit.
Ethan just smiled. "Maybe. Every country has its share of good and bad."
He wasn't looking to argue. Ethan had bigger goals in mind—revitalizing China's global standing—and he knew that meant strengthening the younger generation. To do that, he planned to arm China's youth with tools like enhanced technology, powered armor, and even advanced theoretical sciences.
"Anyway," Ethan shifted the conversation, "Mr. Stane, the reason I'm here is to discuss the possibility of licensing your weapons designs for collectible toy models. We're hoping to secure authorization to produce accurate scaled versions. As for the licensing fee—"
Before he could finish, Obadiah raised his hand with a sly smile.
"Actually, Mr. Chen, I already know why you're here."
Obadiah's tone remained casual, but his eyes were sharp with interest. "The toy industry does have incredible potential. But I've been thinking about something bigger. I wonder if you'd be interested."
Ethan nodded. "I'd love to hear it."
"I did a little background checking," Obadiah continued. "Your family owns a major manufacturing plant back in China, correct?"
Since Ethan's father had arranged the meeting, this didn't come as a surprise. Corporate due diligence was standard.
"China is a massive market. And with smartphones just starting to take off, I believe that in a few years, it'll become one of the most lucrative emerging markets. With a population of over 1.3 billion, it's destined to become the world's largest consumer base."
It was 2008, and smartphones were still relatively new. Most people were still using devices from Nokia or Motorola, but the industry's direction was clear.
"Oh?" Ethan was intrigued. Obadiah's business insight was surprisingly accurate. If the man weren't so morally corrupt, he could've made an honest fortune.
"With the rise of smartphones, intelligence will become key," Obadiah explained. "We at Stark Industries are developing our own artificial intelligence platform. Ideally, I want every smart device in China to be powered by our system."
Ethan's heart skipped a beat. He immediately realized what Obadiah meant—Jarvis. Stark's groundbreaking AI assistant.
This man wanted to implant Stark's AI into every single Chinese smartphone? That was a bold—and terrifying—idea.
"If we can partner on this," Obadiah continued, "and move forward with our AI initiative, I'll happily authorize the full catalog of Stark weapon designs for your toy production. Free of charge."