"Well, well, well! Look who it is—our very own superhero, Qin Xiao!"
"It's a real pleasure to meet you! This plane is quite impressive. I'm Justin Hammer—you've probably seen my face on the cover of *Time Magazine* recently. Compared to what you've accomplished, my achievements are nothing!"
Qin Xiao hadn't expected to run into this guy. He wasn't exactly a villain, nor was he a hero—more of a comic relief character in the movies, deliberately trying to imitate Tony Stark.
Even less expected was Justin Hammer's enthusiastic greeting. He launched into a flurry of introductions before making a gesture mimicking Qin Xiao's leg-splitting strike with his Tang Dao against the Iron Monger's armor.
"I have to say, that move was absolutely spectacular! And between you and me, I'm a bigger fan of yours than Stark's!"
Justin Hammer extended his right hand toward Qin Xiao.
Qin Xiao shook it.
This was a contradictory man, forever seeing Tony as a rival yet idolizing him all the same.
Justin Hammer had been meticulously imitating Tony Stark's speaking and walking style, especially after Tony announced that Stark Industries would no longer manufacture weapons.
Hammer's company was flooded with defense contracts, its stock soaring and gracing the cover of *Time Magazine* multiple times.
This success went to his head, making him believe he had firmly surpassed Tony.
Unfortunately, the emergence of Tony's Iron Man Armor overshadowed all of Hammer's business triumphs. Regardless of the volume of his contracts, in the public eye, Tony remained the undisputed number one.
Qin Xiao found the man before him, desperately trying to mimic Tony's persona, somewhat laughable.
*East Sea Mimicry*, he thought. Hammer's frantic, self-congratulatory antics and forced humor were a pale imitation of Tony's effortless, roguish charm.
"Hello, Qin Xiao!"
Qin Xiao had no intention of engaging with this awkward figure, preparing to leave with Daisy and the others.
But Justin Hammer stepped forward, blocking his path.
"Hold on, I wanted to chat with you about something. Are you heading to the races too? Me too! There's a helicopter waiting for me over there. If you don't mind, we could chat on the way. Are these lovely ladies and this handsome gentleman your friends? They're welcome to join us!"
*If you don't take advantage of a good deal, you're a fool.* Since he still needed to find a way to get to the races, hitching a ride on the helicopter was a brilliant idea.
Qin Xiao nodded slightly. Justin Hammer cheered and hurried ahead to lead the way.
"I don't like this guy. He talks so theatrically, like a stage actor!" Thor remarked bluntly.
"Me neither. I bet he's up to no good by looking you up!" Daisy said, tugging on Qin Xiao's hand.
On the helicopter, they covered a thousand miles in a day. Daisy was thoroughly pleased with Qin Xiao, and he felt like a parched man finally finding water. They decided to extend their fleeting romance until the end of their journey.
"Doesn't matter. We just needed transportation, and that helicopter looks perfect!"
***
Compared to Tony Stark, Justin Hammer was more of a pure businessman.
In terms of material wealth, he was no less extravagant than Tony, perhaps even more so.
The helicopter picking him up was a modified Mi-26, originally developed by the Soviet Union, and it was over forty meters long.
It was the size of a small passenger jet, and its interior was decorated like a miniature nightclub, utterly ostentatious.
"You know, we're developing our own individual combat armor, just like Tony Stark's—Iron Man, *pew pew pew*! But ours is bigger, stronger, and more powerful. It's a joint project with the Ministry of Defense, and I'm sure we'll have a finished product soon!"
As soon as they boarded the helicopter, Justin Hammer pulled Qin Xiao to a sofa and launched into these rambling, nonsensical remarks.
"But I heard your project was suspended after Tony leaked your experimental videos at the last Senate hearing!" Qin Xiao cut in, mercilessly exposing his vulnerability. The previous day at the Senate hearing, Tony had utterly crushed him.
"That was just for show! We've actually continued the project and even signed a secret agreement!" Hammer said with a smug grin.
"Well, good luck with that! But I still don't see what this has to do with me."
Qin Xiao didn't hold back, his voice as stiff as steel.
"To be frank, we've already signed a contract with the Ministry of Defense. The order is secure. But the public doesn't see it that way. They need to believe our country has armor far more powerful than Iron Man to protect them. They need confidence, and you are that confidence!"
"Me?" Qin Xiao looked utterly bewildered.
"Exactly, you. Tony was defeated by Obadiah's Iron Monger. You were the one who took down that behemoth. Everyone saw the video: Tony sitting there in pieces, and you were the one who finished him off, weren't you?"
"At the Stark Expo, I'll secure a booth from Stark Industries to showcase our new armor. I want you to attend and engage in a brief combat demonstration with the armor. Nothing too serious—just a staged performance. Do you understand?"
Qin Xiao understood perfectly. This man wanted him to publicly lose to his armor, thereby proving he was superior to Tony Stark in the eyes of the world.
This wasn't just about his personal ambition; there was a political undertone to it.
After all, just days earlier, Congress had held a special hearing demanding Tony Stark hand over his Iron Man Armor.
Regardless of their motives, the government wanted their weapons to appear more formidable than Iron Man's—even if it was only a superficial display, just enough to convince the public.
"Of course, I understand. I'll put on a spectacular show, then lose to your armor, right?" Qin Xiao said with a smile.
"Bingo!" Justin Hammer snapped his fingers.
"Exactly! Of course, we won't let you do this for free. I'll pay you a endorsement fee based on the highest global celebrity endorsement rates, and you'll gain the friendship of certain influential members of Congress!" Justin Hammer laid out his terms.
Qin Xiao had initially intended to mock the man and refuse outright. But then, as if struck by a sudden idea, a mischievous smirk spread across his face. "No problem at all. But we'll need to negotiate the endorsement fee carefully. After all, I'll be losing in front of the whole world. This is about my superhero honor, isn't it? How much is that worth?"
For Justin Hammer, nothing was more important than defeating Tony Stark. Unless he could truly develop armor capable of defeating Tony, Qin Xiao was the perfect candidate for the job.
With both parties willing, a record-breaking, sky-high endorsement deal was quickly struck aboard the helicopter.
-----------------------
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