051. Polaris in the Bar

Tony Stark spread his arms wide, shaking his head in disbelief. The outcome had clearly caught him off guard.

"Well, I guess that took a little more luck than I expected."

He tried to laugh it off but was clearly perplexed. "Guessing the Super Lotto numbers is one thing, but that was... something else."

Tony, never one to back down from a challenge, casually grabbed two boxes of dice from the bar counter and handed one to Jiang Chen.

"How about we up the stakes? Let's see if you're as lucky with dice. Higher roll wins."

Jiang Chen smiled and shook the dice box, playing along. As they rolled, Tony continued to speak, trying to make his point.

"The Mandarin's crew isn't just some ragtag group of thugs. These guys are highly trained, and they've got the best tech money can buy."

They both revealed their dice—Jiang Chen won again.

Tony raised an eyebrow. "You've gotta believe me when I say the Mandarin's dangerous. He's got almost no weaknesses."

Without waiting, he shook the dice again, but once more, Jiang Chen came out on top.

"Damn," Tony muttered under his breath, his frustration starting to show. "He can manipulate people's minds—sometimes one person, sometimes a dozen. With those abilities, your chances of beating him are slim to none."

He rolled again, and yet again, Jiang Chen won.

"Seriously?!" Tony exclaimed, his voice louder than before. "This is getting ridiculous."

Leaning back in his chair, Tony gave a heavy sigh. "Okay, okay, I get it—you're lucky. But I'm serious, Mandarin is no joke. If you're planning on going after him, you better have a solid plan, because luck might not be enough."

Tony pushed the dice away and took a more serious tone. "I heard Mandarin's on the move—near the border. I'm telling you, don't rush in. Think it through. I'd like to see you come back in one piece."

Jiang Chen raised his glass in acknowledgment, watching Tony leave the bar, still shaking his head in disbelief.

As he turned back to his drink, a girl with striking green hair slid onto the barstool next to him. She didn't look like the typical bar-goer—no flashy clothes or heavy makeup. Instead, she had a cool, almost rebellious vibe.

"One tequila shot," she told the bartender as she dropped her bag on the counter.

Jiang Chen glanced at her, something about her appearance tugging at his memory, but he couldn't quite place it.

"I know you," the girl said, turning to face him fully for the first time.

Jiang Chen blinked. Her features were familiar, and it finally clicked.

"I've seen you on TV," she continued with a casual smile.

"Not surprising," Jiang Chen replied, leaning back in his seat, still processing who she was.

The bartender set her drink down, and the girl lifted the glass, offering a toast. "Care to join me?"

Jiang Chen raised an eyebrow. "You sure you can handle that? Strong stuff."

She downed half the tequila in one go and set the glass down with a grin. "I didn't come here to play it safe. Actually, I came here to find you."

Jiang Chen coughed slightly, caught off guard by her directness. "Well, luck seems to follow me everywhere."

The girl smirked. "You should remember my name."

Jiang Chen tilted his head. "Why's that?"

"I'm Lorna Dane."

The name hit him like a bolt of lightning. Lorna Dane. Magneto's daughter. Polaris.

Jiang Chen's eyes widened for a split second before he composed himself. "Polaris, huh? What's a mutant like you doing here?"

Lorna shrugged, finishing her drink. "Wanted to see if you're as impressive in person as you are on TV."

"And?" Jiang Chen asked, amusement flickering across his face.

She grinned. "Better than I expected."

Jiang Chen chuckled and shook his head. "You're a little young to be out drinking like this."

Lorna leaned in slightly, her voice dropping to a playful whisper. "I'm old enough to know what I want. And right now, I want to see where this goes."

Jiang Chen studied her for a moment, not entirely sure what to make of her boldness. "You sure you know what you're getting into?"

Lorna smirked and raised her hand. With a slight wave, the car outside the bar lifted into the air before settling gently back down. "I can handle myself. Besides, I didn't come all this way to back down now."

Jiang Chen couldn't help but be impressed by her display of power. "Alright, but don't say I didn't warn you."

Without another word, the two left the bar together, though Jiang Chen didn't take her back to his place. Instead, he led her to a nearby hotel and checked her in.

"You can stay here tonight," he said, handing her the room key. "But don't get any ideas. Tomorrow morning, I expect you to head back home."

Lorna took the key and looked at him with a smirk. "I ran away for a reason, you know. Part of it was to meet you."

Jiang Chen raised an eyebrow. "And now that we've met?"

Lorna tossed her bag onto the bed, glancing back at him. "I think I'll stick around for a while. You're even more interesting in person."

Jiang Chen chuckled softly. "Rest up. We'll see what happens tomorrow."

As he turned to leave, Lorna called after him, "You really should remember my name. You're going to be seeing a lot more of me."

Jiang Chen paused at the door, smiling faintly before walking out. Polaris, Magneto's daughter. This could get interesting.