"Then you promised to send me to outer space?" Lin Feng asked, raising an eyebrow, half-curious and half-expectant.
Tony Stark leaned back on the couch with his usual swagger, a glass of scotch in hand. "Oh, buddy, that's easy for me. You want to go? Then I'll send you up there. No big deal."
He shrugged as if granting someone access to space were no more complicated than ordering pizza. Of course, in his mind, it wasn't. After all, Tony Stark was no ordinary man—he was a genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist, and he had a point to prove: he wasn't stingy when it came to those he deemed interesting.
Lin Feng exhaled in relief. He'd expected Tony to agree, but it still felt good to hear it out loud.
"I knew it," Lin muttered with a smirk. "I figured you'd say yes."
Tony stood up, smoothing the crease on his blazer and walked over, giving Lin Feng a friendly slap on the shoulder.
"A week from now, Stark Industries is launching a new artificial satellite. You'll hitch a ride with it."
His voice was casual, but behind it was the hum of precision planning already underway.
"Oh—and one more thing," Tony added, grinning as he turned toward the door. "Go check out your new place."
Lin raised an eyebrow.
"My villa has a strict no-men policy, unless you're a supermodel," Tony added, half-joking, half-serious, waving his hand dismissively. "You, my friend, are many things, but not a swimsuit model."
He wasn't exaggerating. The famous Stark mansion had rarely seen male guests unless they were robots, employees, or Avengers in need of an argument. Lin Feng had clearly overstayed the hospitality window.
Tony nodded toward the garage. "Take a ride from the collection. Consider it a housewarming gift. It's not like you can Uber from here."
Lin opened his mouth to protest, but Tony was already walking away.
"Fine," Lin replied with a resigned nod. "I'll take a look."
Mission complete, goal secured—he now had a house, a ride, and a ticket to space. Not bad for a week's work. He headed to the garage, where rows of sleek sports cars gleamed under artificial lights like a mechanical art gallery.
Naturally, he chose the Audi R8.
He remembered it being Tony Stark's favorite in the early MCU films. Driving it felt like tapping into Stark's essence—arrogant, fast, and thrilling.
---
As the sun dipped below the horizon, Lin Feng roared into the driveway of his new villa, nestled in a quiet hillside neighborhood north of Malibu. The compound looked more like a small private estate than a simple house. A clean, minimalist architectural design met the eye—white stone walls, broad glass panels, and a modern fountain out front where crystalline water danced in time with the breeze.
The two-story villa sat squarely in the center of a vast green lawn. Walking inside, Lin was surprised by how spotless everything was. Clearly, Pepper Potts had arranged for a cleaning crew to prepare the place. Marble floors shone under the warm ceiling lights, and tasteful artwork adorned the walls. It was minimalist but luxurious.
The backyard, however, stole his heart.
A glimmering swimming pool stretched along the back patio, flanked by recliners and shaded canopies. Lin Feng stood at its edge, hands in pockets, imagining future moments—laughing by the pool, drinking cocktails, maybe pulling someone special into the water with him.
His mind wandered.
Who would that "someone" be? There were plenty of beautiful women in the Marvel universe. His imagination drifted wildly.
Hela? No… those dark circles under her eyes gave her a vibe that screamed "evil queen." Not his type.
Natasha? Closer. Smart, independent, incredibly skilled. But she felt too similar to him somehow—like an older sister who'd always be one step ahead.
Wanda? Now there was an option. Compassionate, powerful—and, let's be honest—built like a dream. But could he handle the chaos magic? Could he survive those "two big bears," as he jokingly thought to himself?
He laughed softly and shook his head, brushing the fantasies aside.
---
Later that evening, after unpacking a few essentials, Lin opened the fridge and found it well-stocked with high-quality ingredients—filet mignon, lobster tails, imported cheeses, organic vegetables. Pepper must have had it filled for him.
He chose a thick steak and a cold bottle of beer. Though not a gourmet chef, he could manage a decent meal. Within twenty minutes, a medium-rare steak sizzled on his plate, seasoned perfectly and still steaming.
As he chewed, he sat alone in the villa's dining room, reflecting on his current situation.
The timeline he had dropped into was Iron Man 1—the starting point of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. That meant the real chaos hadn't begun yet.
Thanos—the Mad Titan—was still out there, searching the cosmos for the Infinity Stones. Captain America remained frozen beneath the Arctic ice, but soon S.H.I.E.L.D. would find him. Thor would be exiled to Earth soon too, sent to learn humility among mortals.
And Bruce Banner? Lin couldn't remember exactly if the Hulk came before or after Thor's arrival—but either way, he was definitely somewhere out there.
Then there were the younger heroes—Peter Parker was probably still in high school, maybe even middle school. Stephen Strange hadn't lost the use of his hands yet; he was still an egotistical neurosurgeon, not the Sorcerer Supreme.
And Gu Yi…
That one concerned him slightly. The Ancient One could see across dimensions and time streams. If anyone were to notice an out-of-place variable like Lin Feng—a literal time traveler—it would be her.
But Gu Yi wasn't known for aggression. She didn't attack unless provoked. And plenty of aliens had visited Earth over the years—none of them had been expelled on sight.
Still, one worry nagged at him: Superman's magic resistance, or lack thereof.
In every version of the lore, Superman had always struggled against magic-based attacks. Lin Feng wasn't yet fully powered, but if he planned to become a superhuman being modeled after the Man of Steel, he needed a way to counter that glaring weakness.
Still, one step at a time.
His current priority was completing the second novice task: Acquire complete Kryptonian powers. The rest could wait.
After polishing off the last bite of steak, Lin washed up and collapsed onto the large, cloud-like bed upstairs. Sleep came quickly, fueled by a full stomach and excitement for the days ahead.
---
One week later…
As morning sunlight poured through the windows of the villa, Lin Feng's phone buzzed on the nightstand. He reached for it groggily, eyes still adjusting to the light. The name on the screen lit up:
Tony Stark.
He answered with a half-yawn. "Hello?"
Tony's voice was full of energy on the other end. "Hey, Lin! Ready to make history? Your space trip starts today!"
A notification pinged on Lin's smartwatch—the address of the launch site, sent via Jarvis.
"Come on, buddy. Don't be late. You don't want to miss the last bus to orbit," Tony teased.
"I'm on my way," Lin replied, already leaping out of bed.
Skipping breakfast entirely, he threw on a jacket, grabbed his wristband, and raced out the door.
Moments later, the R8 screamed down the highway, tires gripping tight as the wind whipped past the windows. Lin's excitement was electric—today was the day he'd ascend beyond human limits.
An hour later, Lin skidded into the launch complex. Tony was already there, waiting near the base of the towering rocket.
"Cutting it close, aren't we?" Tony said with a grin as they boarded the private elevator.
In the confined space, Tony tossed Lin a sleek black wristband with an electronic display and a built-in earpiece.
"What's this?" Lin asked.
"Your boarding pass," Tony said with a snap of his fingers and that trademark smirk.
Lin narrowed his eyes.
"Relax, man. It's a biometric monitor and comms device. Tracks your vitals, lets you talk to me or Jarvis if anything goes sideways."
Lin clipped the band to his wrist. "Got it."
"Pop in the earpiece," Tony instructed. "Jarvis will walk you through everything. Now, let's get you to your seat."
They reached the top of the rocket. Tony approached the hatch and tapped a few commands. A hiss of pressurized air followed as a small door opened in the side.
"Here we are. Your chariot awaits," he said, gesturing toward the reentry capsule inside.
"If anything happens, just talk to Jarvis. He'll bring you home."
Lin nodded. "Understood."
Tony smirked. "I can't wait to see how powerful you get after this."
Lin Feng chuckled, stepping into the pod. "Strong enough to punch through your suits with one hand, probably."
"I'd say that's terrifying… but also kinda awesome," Tony replied, backing away.
Inside, the capsule was sleek, compact, and stark white. It wasn't originally built for a passenger, but Tony had made last-minute modifications—his brilliance shining through even in limited time.
Lin fastened his harness, adjusted the straps, and took a deep breath.
This was it.
The countdown began outside. Technicians cleared the area. Fuel lines detached. The final systems check flashed green.
And above it all, Lin Feng sat silently—one man, on the verge of touching the stars.
His Kryptonian transformation was just minutes away.
And the universe would never be the same again.
---
To be continued...