Chapter 30: The Appearance of Iron Man

Killian watched Jiang Chen leave, his once confident smile frozen on his face. The anger that brewed beneath the surface finally began to spill over. Just a man who grew stronger thanks to a serum—what right did he have to treat him like this?

A bitter laugh escaped Killian's lips. "It's because I'm still not strong enough," he muttered, his voice thick with self-loathing. His hands clenched tightly, slamming down on his lifeless legs with frustration. They were numb, without feeling, but the act served as a painful reminder of who had caused this—Iron Man.

He had once idolized Tony Stark, believing the man to be the greatest mind of their time. Years of admiration had built up into an obsession, and when he finally got the chance to meet his hero, he had been ready to show him the fruits of his labor, the culmination of his research. But what had he gotten in return?

Nothing.

Killian had waited on a rooftop for hours, hoping for a single moment of Stark's time. Instead, he had been discarded, ignored by the selfish, arrogant man he once idolized. That night had broken something inside him. Stark's neglect, his callous disregard, had left Killian crippled—both physically and mentally. The bitterness in his heart had only grown since.

He would make them all pay.

Just then, the door to his room creaked open, and a man in a black suit stepped inside.

"Doctor," the man said, his voice cautious, "should we take care of that person?" He was referring to Jiang Chen.

Killian's lips curled into a sneer. "Do you think you have the ability to deal with him now?" he retorted.

The man's body tensed, fear flashing in his eyes as he shook his head.

Without warning, Killian's hand lashed out, slapping the man hard across the face. "Trash! What good are you if you can't even handle a simple task?!"

The man swallowed his pride, his face burning from the strike, but he didn't dare speak back. He knew better than to cross someone who had the power of Extremis coursing through his veins.

After a moment of silence, Killian took a deep breath, his anger subsiding. "Tell the others to stop capturing people for the Extremis experiments," he ordered, his tone more controlled. "And no more terrorist bombings for now."

The man looked confused. "Doctor, are we not continuing the research?"

Killian's face twisted with rage. "Did I say we were stopping the research?! That fool Quon has been too reckless. Too many explosions, too many disappearances. Does he want the whole world to find out what we're doing?"

The man's entire body trembled under Killian's fury. "Then… how should we proceed with the experiments?"

"We relocate," Killian said, his voice icy. "And I'll decide who the test subjects will be from now on. Our priority is perfecting the serum."

Without another word, the man fled the room, leaving Killian to his thoughts. His expression shifted back to one of cold calm. Jiang Chen was dangerous, no doubt about it, but there was no need to rush. Without money and a stable life, the man would come crawling back to him sooner or later.

Killian chuckled softly as he straightened his suit.

Meanwhile, Jiang Chen was in a high-end hotel in the heart of New York City. He had just finished another round at the casino and was preparing to leave. His winnings had reached an impressive $10 million in less than ten minutes. The small crowd around him whispered excitedly, marveling at his unbelievable luck.

One man, however, wasn't as impressed. Caleb, a wealthy businessman, stood across from Jiang Chen, his face contorted in disbelief. "How can this be?!" he spat, his pride wounded. Losing that much money in such a short time was a blow to his ego.

Jiang Chen smiled, unfazed. "It seems today is my lucky day," he remarked casually, getting up to leave.

But Caleb wasn't done. "What? You think you can just walk away after winning all that?!" he sneered, his anger boiling over. Pulling off his luxury watch, a limited edition Patek Philippe, Caleb slammed it onto the table. "I'll bet this watch! It's worth more than all the money you've won combined!"

Jiang Chen glanced at the watch, recognizing its rarity. He raised an eyebrow, amused by Caleb's desperation. "Alright, one last round," he agreed, sitting back down.

Caleb, determined to reclaim his dignity, added smugly, "And if you lose, you'll have to strip down and hand over everything—your money and your clothes!"

Jiang Chen chuckled. So, that's what this is about? Caleb wanted to humiliate him in front of the crowd. "Fine," Jiang Chen said, "but if you lose, you'll do the same."

Three minutes later, the cards were dealt, and once again, Caleb lost.

Jiang Chen stood up, grinning. "Well, go on, then. A bet is a bet."

Caleb's face twisted in fury. He glanced at his bodyguards, and before Jiang Chen could leave, several large men surrounded him, their intentions clear.

Jiang Chen sighed, cracking his neck. So, this is how it's going to be? He was about to deal with the situation when a familiar voice rang out from the crowd.

"Is this really necessary over just ten million dollars?"

Jiang Chen turned to see Tony Stark, dressed sharply in a tailored suit, casually making his way toward the table.