chsdbacks Page 26
Page 26
Following behind Lin Tian were the Maximov siblings.
Pietro, dressed in a borrowed suit, seemed somewhat uncomfortable, but his eyes remained sharp as he warily scanned his surroundings.
Wanda wore a simple yet elegant little black dress that Lin Tian had chosen for her.
With a touch of makeup, she shed her previous haggardness and immaturity, revealing a pure and refined beauty, yet with a hint of mystery and danger.
She stayed close to Lin Tian, her eyes filled with dependence and...possessiveness.
Especially when she saw the burning gazes of the women in the banquet hall looking at Lin Tian, her face instantly darkened, and she exuded a chilling aura that seemed to lower the temperature around her!
"Welcome to Stark Tower!" Tony Stark was the first to greet him, a warm smile on his face, extending his hand. "This must be Mr. Lin Tian, I've heard so much about you!"
"Mr. Stark, you're too kind." Lin Tian smiled and shook hands with Stark. It seemed casual, but there was a subtle, almost imperceptible force in his fingertips.
Two equally proud and powerful men engaged in a silent contest the moment they shook hands!
Stark felt an overwhelming force emanating from his opponent's hand, causing his palm to go slightly numb! He was horrified!
That's incredible strength! This guy is definitely not simple!
Lin Tian sensed the subtle energy residue left on Stark's hand from years of wearing Iron Man armor, as well as a deeply hidden, special fluctuation belonging to the Arc Reactor.
“This beautiful lady must be Miss Pepper Potts?” Lin Tian released her hand, turned to Pepper, and smiled charmingly. He even very gentlemanly took Pepper’s hand and gently kissed the back of it. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Potts. You are even more charming in person than in the magazines.”
Pepper was caught off guard by Lin Tian's sudden gentlemanly gesture and... near-perfect looks. Her cheeks flushed slightly, and she subconsciously said, "Thank you... Mr. Lin is also very handsome."
Stark, who was standing to the side, froze instantly when he saw this scene!
Holy crap! This guy actually flirted with my girl right in front of me?!
An unnamed fire instantly surged into Stark's heart!
Natasha, who was mixed in with the crowd, felt inexplicably displeased when she saw Lin Tian kiss Pepper's hand!
That bastard! He flirted with me and then went to flirt with someone else?!
Wanda was so angry her face turned pale! She wanted nothing more than to rush up and tear that eyesore of a woman to shreds with her chaos magic!
In an instant, the atmosphere in the banquet hall became even more strange and turbulent because of Lin Tian's small action.
Lin Tian, however, seemed completely oblivious, still smiling warmly and enjoying the feeling of being the center of attention.
Tonight's banquet, a trap set by Hongmen, seems to be even more interesting than he imagined.
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Chapter 43: Verbal Clash, Each with Their Own Hidden Intentions
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Stark led Lin Tian and his group to a relatively quiet corner of the banquet hall.
The room was furnished with comfortable sofas and coffee tables, and Jarvis thoughtfully served a variety of exquisite snacks and drinks.
Pepper had company business to attend to, so she left after a brief chat, which made Stark and Natasha secretly breathe a sigh of relief.
Now, in this small corner, only Lin Tian, Wanda, Pietro, Stark, Natasha, and... Hawkeye Barton, disguised as a waiter, remain.
As for Captain America, he continued patrolling nearby, keeping a close eye on the situation.
“Mr. Lin,” Stark broke the silence first, raising his glass with a fake smile, “First of all, I sincerely apologize for the misfortune that my company’s products caused to the Maximov siblings.”
When Long spoke apologetically, there was no trace of remorse in his tone; instead, it carried a condescending and condescending air.
Upon hearing this, Zhong Wangda and Pietro's faces instantly turned cold, their eyes filled with hatred!
Especially Wanda, whose chaotic energy began to fluctuate uncontrollably once again!
Qun Lintian gently patted Wanda's hand, signaling her to calm down.
Then, he looked at Stark, still smiling, but his tone became somewhat playful: "We have received Mr. Stark's 'apology.' However... a mere verbal apology doesn't seem quite enough, does it?"
Stark raised an eyebrow: "Oh? Then what does Mr. Lin consider enough?"
“It’s very simple,” Lin Tian held up three fingers. “First, publicly acknowledge Stark Industries’ responsibility in the Sokovia incident and compensate all the victims.”
"Second," he paused, his gaze sweeping over the Arc Reactor on Stark's chest, "cease all weapons research and production. Mr. Stark is so intelligent, shouldn't he use his talents in more meaningful ways?"
6 “As for the third…” Lin Tian’s smile became even more meaningful, “Perhaps… Mr. Stark could consider sharing the core code of your artificial intelligence ‘Jarvis’ so that it can serve all of humanity?”
7. The three conditions Lin Tian proposed were increasingly demanding!
The first condition is that it damages the reputation and interests of Stark Industries.
The second condition is tantamount to taking half of Stark's life.
The third condition directly touches upon Stark's most core technological secrets!
5. After hearing this, Stark's smile vanished completely, replaced by icy coldness and...anger!
“Mr. Lin, are you extorting me?” Stark’s voice turned cold.
“Extortion? No, no, no,” Lin Tian shook his head. “I was just offering some reasonable ‘suggestions.’ After all, what are these compared to the parents and home that the Maksimov siblings lost?”
His tone remained calm, yet it carried an undeniable air of authority!
Natasha and Hawkeye listened with their hearts pounding!
This Lin Tian... he's incredibly audacious! How dare he so blatantly threaten him on Stark's territory?!
Is he truly fearless, or does he have ulterior motives?
“Mr. Lin, you seem to have a lot of confidence in yourself?” A cold glint flashed in Stark’s eyes, and the fingers on the sofa armrest twitched slightly, as if he were… activating some device.
Lin Tian seemed completely oblivious, simply picked up the glass of red wine in front of him, took a small sip, and then... smiled.
“Confidence is built on strength, Mr. Stark.” He put down his glass and looked calmly at Stark. “Just like those little toys you’re secretly activating now, hidden in the walls.”
what? !
Stark's expression changed drastically!
How does he know? !
He actually managed to detect that I had activated the emergency defense system?!
At this moment, the last shred of hope and contempt in Stark's heart vanished completely! In its place was deep apprehension and a trace of fear!
This man is so scary!
Natasha and Hawkeye were also shocked!
They had no idea that Stark had secretly activated the defense system! Lin Tian actually...
The atmosphere instantly became extremely tense! It felt like the air itself was about to freeze!
Wanda and Pietro also sensed the tense atmosphere, their bodies tense, ready to fight at any moment!
Just when a great battle was about to break out!
Lin Tian suddenly laughed.
“Hehe… just kidding, Mr. Stark, why are you so nervous?” He waved his hand, the domineering and cold look on his face disappearing, replaced by his lazy and playful smile. “We’re all… ‘friends,’ so let’s talk things out.”
He looked at Wanda and Pietro: "What do you think?"
Although Wanda didn't understand why Lin Tian had suddenly changed his attitude, she still obediently nodded.
Pietro frowned and remained silent.
Stark was somewhat bewildered by Lin Tian's rapid change of expression, which was faster than flipping through a book.
What does this guy want to do?
Slap me, then give me a treat?
“Alright,” Stark forced a smile, suppressing his anger and apprehension. “Since we’re ‘friends,’ the terms… can we discuss them some more?”
He decided to appease Lin Tian first, and then make a long-term plan.
“Of course we can discuss it.” Lin Tian nodded readily. “Compensation is a must. As for halting weapons development… well, perhaps Mr. Stark could consider… shifting the focus to clean energy and artificial intelligence? That would be more beneficial for world peace.”
He made no further mention of sharing Jarvis's core code, as if it had just been a casual remark.
Stark's heart stirred slightly upon hearing this.
Clean energy... artificial intelligence...
This is indeed the direction he should take in the future.
Could it be... that Lin Tian really just wants to... guide me onto the "right path"?
The moment the idea popped into his head, Stark dismissed it.
Impossible! This guy is definitely up to no good!
But on the surface, he still showed a thoughtful expression: "Hmm... Mr. Lin's suggestion... is very constructive. I will... seriously consider it."
"That's good." Lin Tian nodded in satisfaction, then stood up. "It's getting late, we should take our leave. I hope that next time we meet, we can have... a more pleasant exchange."
He glanced at Natasha, a hint of ambiguity in his eyes: "Natasha, will you see us off?"
Natasha was taken aback for a moment, then realized what she meant and quickly stood up: "Okay...okay."
Lin Tian, accompanied by Wanda and Pietro, and with Natasha's "accompaniment," headed towards the elevator.
Stark watched them leave, his eyes filled with a terrifyingly gloomy expression.
"Jarvis!" he commanded in a low voice, "Analyze all of Lin Tian's micro-expressions and physiological data just now! I need to know what he was thinking!"
"Yes, sir."
Hawkeye walked over, his face grave. "Tony, this guy... he's too dangerous. We have to find a way to deal with him!"
“I know!” Stark waved his hand impatiently, “but… we can’t act rashly before he shows his true fangs.”
He had a hunch that the seemingly harsh conditions Lin Tian had just proposed might just be a smokescreen.
What is his real purpose...?
This so-called "Feast at Hongmen" ultimately ended in an eerie yet harmonious atmosphere.
But everyone knows that this is just the calm before the storm.
Lin Tian's actions in New York have already created ripples, and an even bigger storm is quietly brewing.
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............
New book release! Please add to your favorites, give flowers, leave reviews, anything you can ask for!
I'm begging for as many free flowers, ratings, monthly tickets, comments, and likes as possible!
These data are extremely important during the new book release period. I'm begging you guys to lend a hand and make some money!
I also hope everyone won't hesitate to vote for more updates. Although the author's typing speed isn't fast, just give it a try!
Chapter 44: Elevator Seduction, Natasha Goes Soft
Inside the private elevator, the smooth metal walls reflected the silhouettes of the four people.
The atmosphere was somewhat awkward.
Pietro remained wary and cautious, keeping his distance from Lin Tian.
Wanda stood close to Lin Tian, her little hand even... secretly hooking Lin Tian's little finger around hers. Her gaze towards Natasha was filled with a sense of... hostility and smugness, as if asserting her dominance.
Natasha felt uncomfortable under Wanda's hostile gaze, and thinking of Lin Tian's words in the living room earlier, "You and Natasha are different," she felt a mix of emotions.
She secretly glanced at Lin Tian beside her.
His face still wore that lazy, playful smile, seemingly completely unaware of the silent tension between the two women beside him.
Or perhaps... he actually enjoys it?
This bastard!
Natasha cursed inwardly, but couldn't help feeling a little... distracted.