"Happy is a chatter, I see."
"Emotional Happy was arranged by Tony to spy on Pepper."
"Is he jealous?"
"Why are you jealous? He was just talking about superheroes."
"Tony is probably the most annoying thing right now, having to hear such words."
"Hey, I don't know if his anxiety will act up."
"It needs to be intervened with by a psychiatrist or through drug therapy."
"Let me tell you, Killian doesn't have any good intentions, right? He must be thinking about taking Pepper away."
"It has to be."
"I didn't expect him to have a rival in love."
"Happy can also speak, and he's talking about Pepper."
"That's not right, he's now under Pepper's authority, who is the boss of Stark Industries."
"Uh, it seems so. Hahaha."
The screen keeps moving.
[ Pepper and Killian have returned to their seats. Killian is talking to Pepper about his achievements. He says: "Imagine if you could hack into the center of any organism and reprogram its DNA." ]
[ Pepper responds with some lack of interest: "That's amazing. Unfortunately, it sounds like it can also be used in the military, for transforming soldiers and private armies. Tony..." ]
[ Killian interrupts: "Tony?" ]
[ Killian looks at Pepper and says, "Thirteen years ago, I invited Tony to join AIM, but he refused. Now I see another genius in charge, she doesn't have to report to Tony, and she's not so conceited." ]
[ Killian compliments Pepper, but she responds with a light smile: "My answer is not to accept it." ]
[ "I've tried my best to help you." The two walk out of the building, and Killian says, "Well, I'm a little disappointed. But as my father said, through the fog of failure, you can always see the brilliance of victory." ]
[ Pepper smiles and replies: "That's a profound speech, but I don't quite understand what it means." ]
[ Killian chuckles: "I don't either. My father's a fool." ]
[ Pepper lowers her head, smiling gently. ]
[ Killian adds: "We will meet again." ]
"This Killian, coming to Pepper for sponsorship?"
"Killian shows no sign of anger. Maybe he's relieved."
"He praises Pepper, but she doesn't agree."
"He probably thought Pepper and Tony had separated, but they're still a family."
"Thirteen years ago, Tony and Pepper didn't know each other, right?"
"The idea of invading and controlling the DNA of any organism is too tempting."
"It's simply unimaginable to artificially encode genetic material."
"In other words, did he succeed? We don't know the full story yet."
"From the past lives of countless Immortal Warriors, there's just too much high-tech innovation."
"Those iron bumps surpass VR glasses; they're immersive."
"Tony's condition seems to be worsening."
[ Luxury seaside villa. Pepper drives up, sighs, and walks into the room. She says apologetically, "Sorry, I'm late. Just now... what is this?" ]
[ In the hall, Tony's suit sits on the sofa, leaning with one arm. ]
"This posture is badass!"
"Is Tony about to commit a crime? Hahaha!"
"Why is the armor so funny?"
"Haha, Tony's an interesting person."
"I guess Pepper is going crazy."
"A suit that crosses legs! No one's left."
"Just self-entertainment."
[ Pepper walks in and asks, "Are you going to wear it inside the house? What is that, Mark 15?" ]
[ Tony lifts his arm to look, then says, "It's Mark 42. Same difference. People always have hobbies." ]
[ Pepper sits down, taking off her shoes, and says, "Do you really have to wear your hobby in the living room?" ]
[ Tony walks over in his suit and replies, "New clothes need some getting used to. You understand, the crotch is always a little tight." ]
[ Pepper bursts into laughter. ]
[ "Have you seen your holiday gift outside?" ]
[ Pepper smiles: "I saw it, and I definitely won't miss such a big holiday gift." ]
[ Tony says, "Well, you asked. Tomorrow, I'll call a crew, they'll blow the wall first." ]
[ Tony presses on Pepper's shoulders: "Are you busy today? Want a shoulder massage? I won't be verbose, but do you like that custom rabbit?" ]
[ Pepper turns her chair and says, "I'm very grateful for your creative love ideas. Why don't you take off the mask and give me a kiss?" ]
[ As she speaks, Pepper stands up and strokes Tony's suit. Tony taps his head with his fingers, making a dangling sound: "This damn thing, can't open it. Want to kiss through the mask's gap?" ]
[ Pepper laughs: "Looks like I'll have to find a crowbar in the garage to get it off." ]
The audience in the live broadcast nearly dies of laughter.
"I didn't expect Tony to say such adorable things!"
"That's not true, he was a master of love back then!"
"Isn't Tony in his suit? That's funny."
"Their romance really is something."
"Absolutely, couples are like that."
"Uh, you mean I'm single?"
"Why do I feel so sad?"
"He never wore armor at home before, but now he does."
"It shows his dependence on the armor is quite high. His insecurity might have influenced many habits."
"Hey, something always feels off about him."
"But he's really come up with tons of suits, I've seen many."
"A true Tony-style love confession."
"Smile! Hahaha."
[ Pepper heads directly to the underground garage. Tony hurriedly calls out, "There's a radiation leak in that garage." ]
[ Pepper happily descends the stairs: "I'm willing to take that risk." ]
[ Tony walks down and says, "It's too dangerous. At least let me find you a protective suit or a Geiger counter." ]
[ When Pepper enters the basement, she finds Tony doing pull-ups with a headset-like transmitter on his head. Behind her, Mark 42 descends the stairs smoothly and stands beside Pepper. ]
Everyone watching the live broadcast is stunned again. They initially thought Tony was wearing the suit underneath, but it turns out to be remote-controlled.
"It can be operated remotely?!"
"I didn't expect that the suit could be remotely controlled."
"Isn't there a delay? If it's a little delayed, wouldn't it just disappear?"
"Is there a delay? It depends on the network environment and computer speed."
"Behind JARVIS, there must be a supercomputer."
"I really didn't expect Mark 42 could be remotely controlled!"
Everyone is excited. Being able to control such a battle suit is just too cool.
In the office of Essen Heavy Industries:
Chief Engineer Astor gazes at the Mark 42 descending the stairs, full of wonder. His team members talk about the remote control technology.
"This is incredible, he can control the suit remotely."
"Freeing your hands, that's great."
"Haha, it's amazing, but it doesn't seem very practical. Better to wear it directly."
"Can't argue with that. Still, it reduces some danger."
"Exactly, especially in hazardous environments, remote operation is ideal."
Suddenly, someone exclaims in shock: "I don't know what kind of signal Tony was using. We're still developing 5G, but I think his tech might have surpassed it."
The others pause, considering the scene just shown, and realize.
"In remote control, the key issue is latency."
"Even in the same room, it's wireless. Under such complex maneuvers, minimizing control delay is impossible. All actions must be transmitted in real time."
"5G, at least 5G!"
The Terra Federation is working with multiple research institutes to develop 5G technology. Once realized, it will usher in a new era across many fields.
5G, the latest generation of cellular communication, extends beyond 4G, 3G, and 2G. It aims for high data rates, reduced latency, energy savings, lower costs, increased capacity, and massive device connectivity. In the Internet of Things, everything can be interconnected seamlessly.
As the next leap in communication tech, 5G's speed far exceeds 4G, making the Internet of Everything more stable, efficient, and secure.
In autonomous driving, 5G's high transmission rate and low latency are game-changers. The automotive industry is actively promoting 5G applications, and with its help, self-driving tech is rapidly maturing. Car manufacturers are investing heavily in this technology.
In VR and AR, 5G enables high-definition, real-time video streaming with excellent performance.
And Tony's Mark 42 has already surpassed many R&D efforts. Everyone is stunned by the ultra-advanced real-time communication tech that Tony has mastered.
Astor shook his head amid the team's chatter, voice firm with conviction. "It's wrong. All of it is wrong."
Everyone turned toward him, puzzled. "Mr. Astor, what's wrong?"
He rubbed his temples, trying to steady the tremor of disbelief in his chest. "The core focus of the Mark 42… we've been looking at it all wrong. It's not about 5G, or even 6G signaling." He paused, voice trembling with excitement. "It's Jarvis."
A stunned silence fell across the room. "Mr. Astor, Jarvis is powerful, sure, but not in this area, right?"
Astor's eyes gleamed with conviction. "Then tell me, what's Tony doing right now?"
"Uh… pull-ups?" someone answered hesitantly.
"And the Mark 42?"
"He just came downstairs and was standing, wait..."
A collective gasp swept through the lab.
"Wait, this isn't a remote control?!"
"Hold on, you mean Jarvis is commanding the Mark 42 and interacting with Pepper?"
"No! It's Jarvis inside the suit! Based on Tony's emotions, tone, and micro-expressions, the AI responds in real time to his every move!"
The room erupted.
"It is Jarvis!"
"This isn't just artificial intelligence anymore. This is life!"
The lab filled with shouts and disbelief. Everyone's previous admiration for Jarvis was shattered and replaced by awe.
Traditional remote control systems were simple, walk, turn, execute fixed motions, requiring only basic inputs. But the Mark 42? It mirrored Tony's movements precisely, as if it shared his very instincts. That level of synchronization… it wasn't programming anymore. It was intelligence.
Breathing heavily, Astor sank back into his chair, steadying himself. "The technological sophistication of the Mark 42 far exceeds our previous assessments. Aside from the Arc Reactor, the true core, without question, is Jarvis."
His words carried both wonder and fear. Jarvis wasn't just smart. He was aware. When he piloted the suit, no one could even tell there wasn't a person inside. Even the top engineers at Essen Heavy Industries hadn't realized it wasn't Tony in the armor.
Astor gave a wry smile. "Even if we could build another Mark 42, we'd still be hopelessly behind."
"Shame," someone muttered.
"Remote control? Nobody inside?" Kasey narrowed his eyes at the armor standing beside Pepper. He'd wanted to challenge Iron Man himself, but now? Fighting to the death would be pointless. The one standing there wasn't Tony. It was Jarvis.
Lara looked up and asked, "Brother, do you think Jarvis is controlling the Mark 42?"
She paused, a spark in her eyes. "What if we fed our martial techniques into Jarvis's database, let him use them in combat? Wouldn't that make him unstoppable?"
Kasey froze, then lightly smacked her on the head. "Do you realize how insane that idea is?"
Lara rubbed her head. "It's still awesome though!"
At that moment, the director entered, eyes wide with amazement. He'd come to check on the team, but that one sentence stopped him cold. Inspiration struck like lightning.
"The Terra Federation's AI might be primitive," he said, "but that doesn't mean it can't evolve. Integrating martial movements into AI combat protocols, maybe not for direct armor control yet, but as an auxiliary system? It's genius!"
His mind raced with possibilities. AI had never been designed for combat; it had grown from e-commerce and data optimization systems. But now, thanks to Lara's idea, a new frontier was opening.
Kasey grinned. "Director, maybe we should keep it simple, build fighting robots."
The director's face lit up. He clapped Kasey on the shoulder. "Exactly. Fighting robots, now that's a concept fit for our current resources."
He left soon after, muttering ideas under his breath, leaving the team in stunned silence.
Meanwhile, the live broadcast chat was still surging, though the numbers grew more slowly now.
[ The mechanical arm lifted the plate and handed it to Pepper. She pushed it away angrily. "You're really boring, to a certain level." ]
[ Tony had a translucent blue helmet on his head, showing a receiver. "Sorry," he said softly. ]
[ Pepper looked at him and said, "Tonight is date night, but you can eat it without waiting for me." ]
[ Tony pointed to Mark 42 and said, "He's just..." ]
[ Pepper interrupted with a smirk. "You're talking about yourself!" ]
[ Tony clenched his fist. "Yes, I mean… we're just entertaining you. I was doing some work, ate something afterward. I don't know if you'll go home or not. Maybe you've been drinking with Aldrich Killian." ]
[ Pepper stared blankly at Tony, then turned to glance at Mark 42. "What?" ]
"Oh, Tony's jealous," someone chuckled.
"Why does Mark 42 look so silky?"
"Is Jarvis running the Mark 42?"
"Pepper and the suit exchanged glances, this was genuinely funny!"
"I've already taken a screenshot of this," someone else said through laughter. "I'm dying of laughter."
It seemed Tony wasn't too angry with Killian after all.
"Stingy man," someone muttered, still amused.
[ Pepper, a little annoyed, asked, "Killian, are you monitoring me?" ]
[ Tony quickly responded, "Happy noticed." ]
[ "No, you're just monitoring me. I'm going to bed," Pepper said firmly. ]
[ Tony raised his hands apologetically. "Don't leave, Pepper. I admit I was wrong, sorry." ]
[ He sighed, lowering his hands. "Lately, I've been in a mess, and I haven't told you everything for a while." ]
[ Pepper walked back toward him. "Really? I didn't even notice." ]
[ Tony hugged his shoulders, softly saying, "Some of what I've experienced… I still can't explain it. I'm just a man hiding inside an iron shell. I haven't collapsed yet, probably because you moved in and live with me." ]
[ His emotions grew more turbulent. He stepped closer to Pepper and whispered, "This is great. I love you. I'm very lucky. But, baby, I can't sleep. If you fall asleep, I'll come down. Do your thing, beat and beat, but danger's coming, and I must protect the one thing I can't lose." ]
[ He pointed at Pepper with a stretched finger. "It's you. These suits of mine, they're just…" ]
[ Pepper's voice was low. "They're just machines." ]
[ Tony replied softly, "But they're part of me." ]
[ Pepper shook her head. "That's just a pastime mode." ]
[ Tony sat on the workbench. "Maybe." ]
[ Pepper approached and gently hugged Tony's head against her chest. She held him tightly, then removed the receiver from his head. "I'm going to take a bath first. Want to come with me?" ]
[ Tony eagerly responded, "Even better." ]
The audience watched the exchange between Tony and Pepper in silence. This was Tony's first time after the Chitauri battle that he openly confessed his inner struggles to someone. The scene moved everyone deeply.
"Tony, has it been this serious?"
"I'm just a man inside an iron shell. So sad."
"Tony! You're stronger than they are!"
"You're the real hero."
"Tony is really under a lot of stress."
"He's telling the truth, Thor, Rogers, Hulk, who isn't stronger than they look? Only Tony's just an ordinary man."
"His only support is that suit."
"Honestly, this broke my defenses. I couldn't hold back the tears."
"The closest person to him, Pepper, didn't even realize how bad he was."
"Then he'll be lonelier."
"It's heartbreaking to see him like this."
"As if I could just hug him!"
"He's a hero!"
"In Tony's heart, Pepper was everything."
"Even amid severe anxiety, he was trying to build a stronger suit to protect her."
"Tony said danger was coming, what danger could it be?"
"It was Tony's own worry for Pepper."
At the Federal Hospital.
In the general consultation office, Jay turned his pen and smiled gently. "Speak, say it all. Open up about what's bothering you, and you'll feel better."
Tetsuo nodded. Anxiety disorders, facing and sharing the reasons behind anxiety, was a good way to start healing.
Suddenly, the screen flickered. The lights dimmed. Tony and Pepper lay on the bed. But Tony's sleep was restless, eyes closed, twitching, sweating profusely. The intense trembling woke Pepper sharply.
Jay's pen froze. He frowned at the screen. "It's worse than I thought. It's developing into a severe sleep disorder."
His expression grew serious. The battle with the Chitauri had left a deep imprint on him.
His pen snapped suddenly, his eyes fixed on the screen. "What's going on?"