Tony's attitude made Hong Fei swear an oath—if Xu Wenwu didn't teach that man a brutal lesson, he'd start reading his own name backward. Fei Hong. Feihong. Huang Feihong. Actually, that last one had a nice ring to it. Xu Wenwu had ruled with an iron fist for millennia... until love softened him.
Another case proving even legends fall for love. Though Hong Fei had only recently recruited him, he trusted Xu Wenwu completely. The man had power, experience, and wore his devotion to family openly—practically handing Hong Fei his vulnerabilities on a silver platter.
If he couldn't utilize someone like that, Hong Fei might as well dissolve the team and work solo. As for Xu Wenwu's authoritarian tendencies? A millennium of command left its mark. But Hong Fei had defeated him in battle, then resurrected his beloved wife. Faced with overwhelming strength and life-changing mercy, even kings kneel.
Hong Fei had shown him respect from day one. And while Xu Wenwu might live forever, Yingli's extended lifespan depended entirely on Hong Fei's continued goodwill. Serving him wasn't just logical—it was the only choice. Frank, as Hong Fei's longest-serving lieutenant, understood this dynamic perfectly.
When Xu Wenwu and Frank spoke, they did so as equals. With others? Not so much.
Especially not with Tony—a sarcastic, complaining, needling bastard who'd clashed with Hong Fei before. Given their history and Tony's contrarian nature, opposing everything on principle? The man was practically begging for a beating.
Honestly, Hong Fei had already prepared dragon bones for Tony's eventual resurrection. He just hoped Xu Wenwu would remember to leave some pieces intact. Tony caught the strange glint in Hong Fei's eyes and shivered.
"What fresh hell are you plotting now?"
"Nothing."
"Then why're you eye-fucking me with murderous intent?"
"Fine. I'll stare at Steve instead."
Hong Fei shifted his gaze, but Tony remained uneasy, subtly shifting into a defensive stance. Steve chose that moment to clear his throat.
"Tony, there's actually another matter."
"Oh?"
"Take a look."
Hong Fei slid the contract across the table.
Tony scanned it rapidly, snapped it shut, and frowned. After a long pause, he tapped the document.
"This your brainchild?"
Hong Fei shook his head.
"Dr. Cho's initial proposal. I just refined it. What you're holding is the finalized version."
"So you want my likeness and merch rights."
"Yes."
Tony crossed his arms, chin lifting.
"And why would I grant that?"
Hong Fei remained impassive.
"No reason. Take it or leave it."
Tony studied him for an uncomfortably long moment before reopening the contract.
"I'll sign."
Steve brightened immediately, but Hong Fei kept his expression neutral. Right on cue, Tony added, "On one condition."
Hong Fei raised an eyebrow.
"I want equity."
"Goodbye."
Hong Fei turned and walked away without a second thought, snatching the contract as he went. Tony's eye twitched. Who walks out of negotiations that fast? Was this even a negotiation? Did the man understand basic deal-making? Thankfully, Steve remained behind to smooth things over.
Steve lunged forward, catching Hong Fei's arm.
"Slow down, Hong. This deserves proper discussion."
He turned to Tony with an expectant look.
"You've seen hundreds of contracts. Surely you recognize the real value here beyond just the numbers."
Tony waved the document.
"Obviously. It's about profit-sharing—"
"Is that all you see?"
Steve's shoulders slumped.
"You're missing the point entirely. This isn't just about money. We're building infrastructure for the future."
The room fell silent as Tony processed this. After a long pause, he extended his hand.
"Let me review it again."
Hong Fei remained motionless until Steve plucked the contract from his grip, spreading it across the table. He guided Hong Fei to a chair with gentle pressure. The only sound became the methodical flipping of pages until Tony finally looked up, eyebrows raised.
"Clever. Surprisingly so. This was your design?"
His gaze fixed on Hong Fei.
"Who else?"
"Frankly? I expected something more self-serving from you."
Hong Fei's lip curled.
"Sign or don't. Spare me the commentary."
Tony's expression darkened instantly. Steve winced at the outburst, tugging Hong Fei's sleeve.
"We're negotiating here. There's no need for—"
"I know how negotiations work," Hong Fei cut in.
"But good faith discussion doesn't include baseless accusations."
"What accusations?"
"Demanding equity shares."
"Non-voting shares with oversight rights only."
A derisive snort escaped Hong Fei.
Tony's jaw tightened.
"Care to explain that noise?"
"You want to micromanage my work? Keep dreaming."
Tony's fist clenched.
"I—"
"What? Going to punch your way through this?"
Hong Fei squared his shoulders.
"Try me."
"Gladly! Think I can't take you?"
"Oh, you can take me—straight to the morgue."
"Enough!"
Steve's chair screeched as he launched to his feet. The sudden silence rang louder than their shouting.
Steve massaged his temples, surveying the two glowering men.
"Every single time. Must you turn every meeting into a pissing contest?"
He held up a hand as Tony opened his mouth.
"Don't. Just listen."
"You're grown men, not schoolyard rivals. If shouting solved problems, we wouldn't need the Avengers. Your personal feud? Fine. But this—" He jabbed a finger at the contract.
"This affects every enhanced individual who might follow in our footsteps. For their sake, for the civilians we protect, can you two behave like professionals for five damn minutes?"
Hong Fei gave a curt nod.
"Done."
"Same," Tony muttered.
But this plan is not just about the two of you; it concerns the people with various superpowers who might appear in the future. On this matter, I truly hope you can temporarily set aside your grievances. Just for the sake of public duty, for the sake of the ordinary people who need to be protected, can you?"
Hong Fei nodded first: "I can."
"I can too!"
Tony refused to be outdone.
"We still need oversight."
Hong Fei met his gaze.
"The Superpower Park project won't accept interference from any individual or organization. But I'll make all non-private information publicly available."
"Convenient," Tony shot back.
"How do we know you're telling the truth?"
Before Hong Fei could reply, Steve cut in.
"Enough, Tony."
His voice hardened.
"I'll vouch for him—with my name and reputation. Is that good enough for you?"
Tony wanted to argue. The way Steve blindly trusted Hong Fei made his teeth ache—like watching someone get swindled while insisting they got a bargain. But he bit his tongue. One wrong word now, and what remained of the Avengers would shatter.
"Of course I trust your word, Cap," he said instead. "But let's be honest—we could fund this ourselves. Money isn't the issue."
Steve didn't flinch.
"Your money, maybe. And this is Hong's vision. Taking it would be theft."
Tony's mouth twisted, but he stayed silent. Hong Fei shot him a look. Flaunting wealth? Try me. Next time I'll empty your vaults without a second thought. The tension hung thick until Steve sighed. He grabbed the contract, slung an arm around Tony's shoulders, and steered him toward the adjoining room without another word. Hong Fei stayed seated. This mock negotiation was effectively over—the rest depended on Steve. Not that he doubted the outcome. He'd considered forcing Tony's hand before arriving, but every plan had flaws. Conflict was inevitable; the alternative would've meant bloodshed. Playing nice would've only deepened Tony's suspicion. Better to let them clash, then have Steve clean up the mess. Iron Man mattered to the park, yes. His dual identities drew crowds. But Hong Fei didn't need him. The others would come. If Tony held out? Let Arthur stir the pot online. Watch how fast public opinion turned. Pride was a sword you swallowed. Dependence? A ladder to nowhere. If Tony still refused after this, fine. Let them all go their separate ways. Much later, Steve emerged alone, contract in hand. Relief softened his features. He waved the papers at Hong Fei from across the room, grinning as he approached.
"He signed. We're halfway there." Hong Fei stood up and smiled.
"Not halfway—one hundred percent."
The rest would fall in line. Who'd dare refuse now?