Chapter 54

"Hey, don't forget to pay me for the consultation later," Fang Mo reminded Tony.

Seeing Tony's silence, Fang Mo continued, "Remember what I said earlier? I sold that bottle of medicine to S.H.I.E.L.D. for $9.9 billion. Since we're friends, I'll give you a discount. You only need to pay for three potions instead of four."

"And for the cardiac resuscitation performed by none other than God of Thunder, Thor, would a few million dollars be a problem?"

"After you settle the payment, you'll have spent a total of $30 billion. Thanks for being my customer," Fang Mo said, reaching out his hand to Tony.

"Is that your fee for the consultation?" Tony Stark couldn't help but comment. "After this surgery, you'll practically own all of Stark Industries."

"If I don't make dirty money, am I still human?" Fang Mo replied happily.

"Stark Industries has made money from selling weapons. If I don't make money from Tony Stark, can I still have a clear conscience?"

"You can still be considered human," Tony Stark responded, speechless. Pepper left angrily a while ago, and he was frustrated.

"I'm definitely not human!" Fang Mo said emphatically, patting his chest.

Tony facepalmed, covering his face and not wanting to say anything anymore.

If it were someone else, they would have exploded by now considering his personality. But Fang Mo had saved his life multiple times. Even if Tony Stark didn't want to admit it, he had come to appreciate Fang Mo. He couldn't bring himself to get angry with him.

Fang Mo also knew when to stop.

Noticing Tony Stark's change in mood, he walked over and patted his shoulder, saying, "Alright, let it go. If palladium doesn't work, try finding a radiation-free element to replace it."

"You think I haven't tried that?" Stark sighed. "I've tried all the known elements and combinations. There simply isn't an alternative... Also, palladium doesn't emit radiation."

"You've tested all the known elements?"

"Yes," Tony looked genuinely troubled. "I understand Pepper's concerns, and I understand everything, but I just can't find a solution..."

"I can see that," Fang Mo nodded. "You're really confused right now."

Tony remained silent.

"But where I come from, when people face difficulties and confusion, they usually have heartfelt conversations with their parents," Fang Mo said slowly. "Not to beg for help, but to seek comfort and guidance from their family's love, to find the right path in life again."

"..." Tony glanced silently at Fang Mo. "My parents have been dead for over twenty years."

"But Howard Stark will always be your father," Fang Mo smiled. "One of the founders of S.H.I.E.L.D., a senior researcher of the Tesseract, the maker of Captain America's shield... your beloved father."

"What are you trying to say?" Tony Stark was taken aback. He knew what Fang Mo meant, but the anesthesia made him feel light-headed, making it hard to think straight.

"Even now, he can still teach you a lesson," Fang Mo continued. He pointed to Nick Fury, who was nearby. "See him? The director of S.H.I.E.L.D., also known as the man who calls himself 'AllSpyFather.' He used to be your father's employee."

"What?" Thor was stunned.

"I have to clarify..." Upon hearing this, Nick Fury wanted to defend himself, but Fang Mo suddenly took out a bottle of regeneration potion and played with it in his hand. Then he spoke solemnly, "...Yes, indeed, I worked for your father. Mr. Howard Stark was a great man."

"Wait... you're saying my father was one of the founders of S.H.I.E.L.D.?"

Only then did Stark react.

"Your father left something for you," Nick Fury said. "I wanted to give it to you earlier, but due to some misunderstandings and conflicts..."

"It wasn't a misunderstanding," Tony Stark immediately retorted, pointing directly at Natasha.

"Alright, alright, don't blame her." Seeing the situation, Fang Mo acted as a mediator. "She's also had a tough life, spending most of it on missions, risking her life. If you want to blame someone, blame Director Fury."

"?" Natasha looked confused at Fang Mo's words.

"I won't ignore what you just said," Nick Fury spoke up. "I'm responsible for the safety of my employees' lives. So, what did you predict this time?"

"That's a story for later. I'll tell you when I'm in a good mood," Fang Mo waved his hand. "For now, just give Tony the things and let him create the new element. I still want to make some money from Stark Industries. How can I continue playing Minecraft if he keeps going like this?"

"I'll send someone to get those files," Nick Fury said.

After a brief explanation, everyone went their separate ways.

Thor went to find his girlfriend Jane, Nick Fury took Natasha back to S.H.I.E.L.D. to retrieve the files, and Tony Stark couldn't wait to leave and return to his seaside villa.

As for Dr. Ho Yinsen...

He was the owner of the hospital and had to quickly deal with the mess on the ground.

After handling all the troubles, Fang Mo returned to his house in the suburbs of New York, planning to take a short rest.

Honestly, Fang Mo didn't expect Tony Stark to cause such a fuss.

According to the original story, Tony was affected by palladium poisoning a while ago, and then S.H.I.E.L.D. stepped in. As a result, he invented a clean new element and resolved the threat of the Whiplash villain.

This plot even happened before Thor.

But unexpectedly, Stark used an extreme method of enhanced metabolism to withstand the palladium poisoning and even solved the Whiplash problem just because of a golden apple. If it weren't for his own recklessness, he could have probably used the old palladium reactor for the rest of his life.

That was quite embarrassing.

You see, Fang Mo had only given him the golden apple as a temporary solution.

But once materialized, the golden apple turned out to be incredibly potent.

Even Fang Mo didn't anticipate that.

In the game, the golden apple was just an ordinary healing item. But in reality, it became a sacred object, similar to the golden apples in Norse mythology.

You should know that anything associated with myths and legends is considered powerful. Enhanced physical abilities, immortality, and eternal youth are considered normal. Just like the peaches of immortality and ginseng fruits, they allow one to become immortal with a single bite.

And it was because Stark consumed the golden apple that his metabolism greatly increased, allowing him to successfully metabolize the palladium in his body.

If an ordinary golden apple was already that potent, wouldn't an Enchanted Golden Apple send someone straight to heaven with a single bite?

Thinking about this, Fang Mo felt tempted to try it out.