Chapter 103: Attending the Stark Expo

The following evening, Wang Jing and Alice arrived at the Stark Expo opening ceremony as planned.

Before entering the venue, a throng of reporters waited in anticipation, expecting Tony Stark to arrive in his Audi R8 or a Rolls-Royce. Alas, until the very moment the ceremony was set to begin, there was no sign of him.

However, the next moment, every camera flash in the area converged on a yellow Chevrolet sports car. The muscle car, vibrant and imposing, pulled slowly to a stop in front of the red carpet. A man with an unfamiliar Asian face stepped out of the driver's seat. Dressed in a sharp suit, he appeared unremarkable, giving off the impression of a chauffeur. This man, Wang Jing, who had been mistaken for a driver, walked around to the passenger side and opened the door with gentlemanly grace, inviting Alice out.

When the reporters caught sight of Alice in her elegant evening gown, they were captivated by her beauty, hastily snapping photos of the stunning scene. Yet, when they saw her link her arm with Wang Jing’s, a chorus of confusion and heartbreak rippled through the press. Ignoring the crowd, Wang Jing and Alice walked directly into the venue.

As they moved away, the reporters began to speculate about their identities. Some guessed Wang Jing was the heir to some wealthy dynasty, while others whispered that he was being kept by Alice. The rumors were endless.

Inside, Wang Jing and Alice found their seats—two prime spots arranged by Tony Stark, situated very close to the central armor-disassembly platform. After taking his seat, Wang Jing realized he was sitting next to Pepper Potts and Colonel Rhodes.

Upon seeing Alice, Pepper Potts’s eyes lit up. "Wow! You must be the friends Tony invited. Your dress is absolutely beautiful!"

"Thank you, and you look lovely as well, Miss Potts," Alice replied gracefully.

Wang Jing began chatting with Colonel Rhodes, who was seated nearby. "Hello. I’m James Rhodes, the liaison between the military and Tony. I hear you also possess a suit of armor similar to his?"

"That’s correct, though mine is arguably more advanced than his," Wang Jing said confidently.

"Would you mind telling me how you came to possess such technology?" Colonel Rhodes asked with a serious expression.

"That’s a trade secret, I’m afraid I can’t tell you," Wang Jing said, wagging his finger.

Just then, the crowd looked toward the night sky. Fireworks erupted above, and the faint silhouette of a transport plane passed overhead. A bright light appeared in the sky, descending rapidly, until with a loud thud, Tony Stark, clad in his Iron Man armor, landed precisely on the disassembly platform at the front of the stage.

As Tony gestured with his arms, the music reached a crescendo. A ring of pyrotechnics ignited around the edge of the stage, and the audience erupted in thunderous applause.

As the armor was stripped from Tony’s body, a group of bikini-clad models wearing glowing bracelets surrounded him. When the music stopped, Tony cracked his knuckles and began an arrogant, impromptu speech. It was brief and perfectly showcased his ego and vanity, yet it was highly effective, driving the crowd into a frenzy.

As the ceremony concluded, Wang Jing was about to leave when Colonel Rhodes called him over. "Hey! This is for you." He pulled an envelope from his breast pocket and handed it to Wang Jing.

"You are required to attend the Armed Services Committee hearing at the Senate tomorrow with Tony. Since you’re a friend of his, I’ll give you a heads-up: the hearing starts at nine. If you don't show up or if you're late, you'll be placed on a wanted list!"

Wang Jing accepted the subpoena and asked, "You'll be there too, right?"

"Yes. They’ve asked me to serve as the military weapons consultant. I’m just following orders," Rhodes said with a helpless look.

"I hope Tony doesn't beat you up for it," Wang Jing said with a smile.

"I hope so, too," Rhodes chuckled before turning to leave.

"Are you planning on going tomorrow?" Alice asked as she walked over after saying goodbye to Pepper Potts.

"Of course I’m going. I have no intention of following their rulings anyway. If it comes down to it, I can just have a clone of Ivan Vanko finish them off!"

"How do you plan to get there? It’s over 400 kilometers to Washington," Alice asked.

"I’ll fly, of course. I don't feel like driving for hours in the middle of the night," Wang Jing said, heading toward the exit.

Outside, Wang Jing found Tony Stark and his bodyguard, Happy, waiting by the car. As he approached, Wang Jing waved the envelope. "Let me guess, you got a subpoena from the Armed Services Committee, too?"

"Uh-huh! That's right. And a beautiful woman delivered it to me personally. I would have liked to chat more, but I'm in a rush. Ugh! God, they actually want me in Washington by 9:00 AM!" Tony complained.

"If Pepper hears you say that, be careful she doesn't make you kneel on a washboard when you get back."

"Uh-huh. So, how do you plan to handle tomorrow?" Tony asked, changing the subject.

"Don't you Americans always say that private property is sacred and inviolable?"

"That's true, but that doesn't include weapons!"

"Do you really think these suits are weapons? I think they're more like high-tech prosthetics," Wang Jing said with a grin.

Tony laughed at the remark. "Haha, you think just like me. But my suit might pass as that—can yours? If I recall correctly, you have a railgun on your back that packs a hell of a punch!"

"Don't worry about me. I have my ways of handling it," Wang Jing said confidently.

"Can you tell me in advance?" Tony asked curiously.

"No. That’s confidential."

"Fine. Since you won't tell me, I'll see you later. I have to hit the road tonight!" With that, Tony stepped on the gas and sped away.

Watching Tony disappear, Alice turned to Wang Jing. "Are we heading back too?"

Wang Jing shook his head and looked toward a patch of darkness across the way. "I'm not done with everyone yet."

Alice followed his gaze and caught a faint glint in the shadows. Though she didn't know who was there, she remained on high alert. Just as they stared intently at the reflection, the headlights of a passing car illuminated the object hiding in the shade.

In those few seconds, Wang Jing realized it was a red vintage convertible. It looked familiar, though he couldn't place it at first. It wasn't until a familiar figure stepped out of the shadows that it hit him: the car was 'Lola,' the prized possession of S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Phil Coulson.

And the man stepping out of the darkness was none other than Phil Coulson himself.