The Stark Industries New Product Launch.
The lights were dim, the room abuzz with a thunderous roar.
Reporters from all over the world, Wall Street's financial titans, and leading figures from the tech industry packed the entire venue to the brim. Flashes from cameras flickered like a dense constellation of stars in the darkness, popping one after another, capturing every potential headline-making moment.
Backstage, Tony Stark was adjusting his Windsor knot for the seventeenth time, his movements as stiff as a teenager on his first date.
"Are you sure you want him to go on alone?" Pepper Potts stood beside him, her brow slightly furrowed. She was dressed in a crisp white business suit today. As the CEO of Stark Industries, she should have been the star of this press conference, but now, like Tony, she was just another anxious member of the backstage audience.
"What's the alternative?" Tony's voice was a little dry. "Am I supposed to go up there and speak for him? Tell everyone, 'Hey, this is something my son cooked up. I have no idea how it works, but he's damn brilliant'?"
Pepper had no response to that.
Ever since he'd been "checkmated" by the combined efforts of Fury and his own son, Tony had been trapped in a swirl of complex emotions. He was immensely proud of Paul's genius, yet deeply worried about the boy's untamed, meteoric growth.
In the end, pride won out over anxiety.
He decided that instead of hiding a gem destined to shine, he would personally place him under the world's spotlight.
That was the Stark way.
"He's here," Pepper said softly.
Paul emerged from the dressing room.
He was wearing a custom-tailored black casual suit over a simple white T-shirt, with a pair of limited-edition sneakers on his feet. The fourteen-year-old stood tall and straight, having shed some of his boyishness. His face, which had inherited the best features of both his parents, showed no sign of nervousness about the impending global broadcast.
He walked calmly to Tony, reached out, and expertly readjusted his father's tie, which was nearly choking him.
"Dad, relax," Paul's voice was quiet but carried clearly to Tony's ears. "With that look on your face, anyone who didn't know better would think Stark Industries is about to declare bankruptcy today."
Tony opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but found that all words seemed inadequate. He could only clap his son heavily on the shoulder, the force making Paul wince.
"Go on," Tony said. "Show them what a Stark is really made of."
Paul nodded, turned, and walked without hesitation toward the stage entrance, toward the light.
When the figure of Paul Stark appeared center stage, a commotion rippled through the audience.
"What's going on? Where's Tony Stark?"
"Who is this? His illegitimate son? Stark Industries is letting a kid host a product launch?"
"Is this some kind of international joke? A publicity stunt?"
Murmurs, camera shutters, and doubtful questions mingled into an invisible wave of pressure, crashing down on the lone figure on stage.
Yet, Paul just stood there quietly, letting the flashes illuminate his face as bright as day. He waited a full thirty seconds, until the clamor below had gradually subsided and all eyes were fixed on him, before he slowly raised a hand and took the microphone.
"Ladies and gentlemen, good afternoon."
The young man's voice, broadcast through the state-of-the-art sound system, reached every corner of the venue. It was clear, steady, and carried a composure that completely defied his age.
"I know many of you came here today to see Tony Stark. But I'm afraid he's not the main event."
He paused, surveying the crowd, his gaze sweeping over the faces of astonishment, curiosity, and disdain.
"In the past, my father was called the 'Merchant of Death' by some. His weapons defined an era. But eras... have a way of changing."
"Today, I am not here to display a more powerful weapon, nor to show off more advanced technology." A faint smile touched Paul's lips, a curve that held both confidence and a challenge.
"I just want to introduce you all to... a new friend."
As he finished speaking, he snapped his fingers lightly.
From the side of the stage, a red briefcase was slowly brought forward by a robotic arm.
Everyone held their breath. The Wall Street elites, in particular, craned their necks, their eyes gleaming with greed. Could it be a miniature energy weapon? Or some kind of revolutionary communication device?
Under the watchful eyes of thousands, Paul stepped forward and gently pressed the switch on the briefcase.
*Pfffff...*
A soft sound, like a marshmallow expanding in the air, was heard.
Following that, a white, chubby, inflatable robot slowly "stood up" from the case in an adorably clumsy manner. It had two round black eyes connected by a single black line, looking just like a simple emoji.
The entire hall fell into a dead silence that lasted for a full three seconds.
Then, someone let out a stifled snort, and it was immediately followed by a tidal wave of laughter and gasps.
"My God! What is that? An inflatable doll?"
"It's so cute!"
"This is the new product? Has Stark Industries gone into the toy business?"
The women in the audience, especially, were instantly captivated by the chubby figure. Countless phone screens lit up, all aimed at the robot, snapping pictures frantically. On social media, the hashtag #StarkLaunchMarshmallowRobot began to trend, spreading like a virus.
The reporters below exchanged confused glances. This wasn't the right tone at all! What happened to the promised hardcore tech?
As for the Wall Street titans, they frowned, their anticipation turning to disappointment. A toy? They didn't have time to play house with some rich kid.
Just then, Paul's voice rang out again.
"I know you all have a lot of questions right now," he said, walking over to the robot and gently patting its soft "belly." "His name is Baymax. And he's my personal healthcare companion."
"A healthcare companion?" someone shouted. "What can he do? Remind me to take my vitamins on time?"
"He can do far more than you can imagine."
Paul looked at Baymax and gave the command, "Baymax, initiate a full scan."
"Hello. I am Baymax," the robot said in a gentle, electronic voice. Its two round eyes looked at Paul, then it raised an arm. A soft blue light emanated from its palm, scanning Paul from head to toe.
A few seconds later, a screen on Baymax's chest lit up, displaying a series of complex physiological data.
"Scan complete," Baymax's voice remained gentle. "Paul, according to the data, you only slept for four hours and seventeen minutes last night, and your heart rate is slightly above the normal average. I recommend you go to bed before ten p.m. tonight and reduce your caffeine intake."
The crowd erupted.
"How...?"
"How did it know that?"
"Baymax is equipped with over ten thousand medical diagnostic procedures, a retractable hyperspectral camera, and high-precision sensors," Paul's voice cut cleanly through the murmurs. "In a matter of seconds, he can complete a preliminary assessment of a person's vital signs, disease risks, and even their emotional state."
His gaze landed precisely on a slightly pale financial tycoon in the front row.
"For example, this gentleman," Paul pointed to him. "I would guess that you've been experiencing frequent chest tightness and a dull ache in your left arm recently, correct?"
The tycoon's face changed, and he subconsciously touched his chest.
"Baymax, conduct a remote preliminary diagnosis for this gentleman."
Baymax's eyes turned toward the tycoon. A much finer beam of light flashed for an instant.
"Based on thermal imaging and heart rate variability analysis, this gentleman has a potential risk of early-stage coronary atherosclerosis. Risk level: Moderate. It is advised to seek a detailed electrocardiogram and angiogram immediately."
*Boom!*
The entire venue exploded.
If before, Baymax was just a cute toy, now, in everyone's eyes, he had become a walking medical miracle.
The Wall Street elites who had been sneering just moments ago now had a fire in their eyes hotter than any of the camera flashes.
Early disease screening!
What did this mean?
It meant a colossal market worth trillions! It meant that the average human lifespan could potentially be extended once again! It meant that money could, in a very real sense, buy *time*!
"He is not just a robot," Paul's voice was filled with power, echoing in everyone's ears. "He is the guardian of every family, the future of preventative medicine! He can detect early-stage cancer, warn of stroke risks, and provide the most professional first-aid guidance in the event of an accident!"
"Imagine a world without tragedies caused by delayed treatment. Imagine our parents, our children, all having an always-online, always-gentle healthcare manager."
"This is Baymax."
Paul opened his arms. Behind him, the endearingly clumsy Baymax slowly waved its chubby hand at the audience.
"This is my gift to the world."
The applause was thunderous.
And it was unending.
Backstage, Tony stared blankly at the screen, at his son bathed in light, at the boy he once thought still needed his protection, now accepting the world's praise like a conquering king.
His eyes, for some reason, grew moist.
Pepper came to his side and handed him a glass of water, her own voice trembling slightly. "Tony... he did it."
Tony didn't answer, merely clenching his fists in silence.
The press conference was over, but the era of Paul Stark had only just begun.
Paul came off stage, walked through the crowd of well-wishers, and returned backstage. He ignored the reporters swarming for an interview and went straight to Tony.
"So? How was it?" he asked, raising an eyebrow with a smug look that begged for praise.
Tony looked at him, a thousand words caught in his throat. In the end, they came out as one sentence: "It was okay. Just a little bit worse than my first press conference."
Paul rolled his eyes.
Just then, the seemingly ordinary digital watch on his wrist vibrated almost imperceptibly.
A virtual screen, visible only to him, instantly projected onto his retina.
**[J.A.R.V.I.S. PRIVATE ALERT]**
**[Unknown signal source detected attempting to infiltrate Stark Industries main server via public data stream during live broadcast.]**
**[Infiltration attempt blocked.]**
**[Tracing signal source... Preliminary location: Hammer Industries.]**
**[WARNING: Subject detected using partial... Obadiah Stane's encrypted backdoors.]**
The smile on Paul's face instantly froze.