Watching Ororo and Charisse's group drive away from his estate, Zhou Yi turned and walked into the depths of the building. Perhaps too much had happened that night, leaving Zhou Yi feeling quite energetic and sleepless, so he chose this time to resolve some long-standing issues.
He walked quietly into his Underground Room, a private retreat he had created for himself. The space, spanning over four hundred square feet, was entirely white—walls, floor, and door—designed to promote focus and relaxation. It was also, crucially, a place to hide secrets.
Approaching the left side of the room, Zhou Yi pressed both hands against the pure white wall. With the application of his immense power, the wall slowly opened upwards with a rumbling sound, revealing the doorway.
Once Zhou Yi stepped through the wall-turned-door, the door's construction was clear: it was a solid alloy door without a password or any unlocking device, opened only by brute force. The door was twelve feet high, seven feet wide, and three feet thick.
Constructed from heavy, high-temperature-resistant metal, the door alone weighed 480,000 pounds (approximately 220 tons). Furthermore, four giant hydraulic metal arms attached to the door provided an additional 176,300 pounds (about 80 tons) of resistance.
This meant that opening the door required a minimum of 660,000 pounds (300 tons) of force. Zhou Yi knew only a handful of people besides himself possessed such strength.
Of course, unique Mutants like Mr. Magneto or those who could phase through objects, like Kitty, could bypass the door, but he didn't build it to guard against them; it was meant to deter thieves and ordinary spies. He was genuinely curious how a spy would feel discovering this behemoth.
As Zhou Yi entered, the massive door slowly closed, merging seamlessly with the wall, leaving no trace of a doorway.
"Welcome back, Darling Yi!"
As Zhou Yi stepped to the center of the room, a red light scanned his body. A moment later, a gentle female voice spoke, accompanying the activation of bright lights, mechanical equipment, and advanced instruments. The room transformed into a futuristic science fiction lab.
"Long time no see, Medusa," Zhou Yi responded with a smile.
Medusa was an artificial intelligence (AI) software created with the help of Tony Stark. Like Tony's JARVIS, she possessed independent thought and comparable computational and analytical capabilities.
However, JARVIS was more advanced and leaned toward human-like qualities due to a special, irreplicable serendipity, while Medusa was more inclined towards electronic rationality. For Zhou Yi, she was more than sufficient.
"It has been 410 days, 13 hours, and 26 minutes since your last visit. How may I assist you this time?"
"How is the analysis of the last materials coming along?" Zhou Yi asked.
"As per your request, the analysis has been completed, and modifications have been made to the existing prototypes."
"Show me!" Zhou Yi said, walking toward the center.
A holographic image soon appeared. It displayed a silver-white metal substance. Medusa demonstrated the material's properties, showing abnormally active atoms freely deforming in response to various experimental impacts.
"As per your request, I analyzed the metal composition formula provided by Mr. Stark and modified the original nanometal. What you are now seeing is Alpha Nanometal Type Seven. It possesses excellent energy conductivity, powerful self-compression capability, metal memory repair, and secondary deformation function. After deformation, it is extremely stable. Furthermore, it is largely unaffected by temperature, undisturbed by magnetic forces, and extremely resistant to pressure. Its mass is only one-third that of ordinary alloys. I believe the current Alpha Nanometal has fully met your requirements."
"Very good!" Zhou Yi clapped his hands. "What is its cost?"
"According to my calculations, in the most optimized mode, it is 15,680 U.S. dollars per ounce."
"That's about ten times the price of platinum. This cost is not cheap, and I don't think anyone would want to buy these materials."
"Shall I archive it, label it as a failed product, and begin research and development for Alpha Nanometal Type Eight?" Medusa asked rationally.
"Archive the file. Notify those research labs to continue with new development. Development direction awaits recording. Medusa, how much of this metal can we produce now?"
"Based on our inventory, I can complete 1,240 pounds of Alpha Nanometal Type Seven within 17 hours."
"Very good, start production. Also, Medusa, open the search engine, search for 'armor,' scan my body type, and perform automatic optimal matching. I need an armor that is sturdy, durable, and cool!"
"Command issued, workshop production started. Search initiated, scan completed."
As Zhou Yi watched countless armor models assemble, reconfigure, and optimize before his eyes, a playful smile appeared on his face.
Ever since meeting Tony Stark, Zhou Yi had entertained this plan. His surprise encounter with the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier today confirmed it was time to proceed. Having immense power, nearly inexhaustible wealth, and extraordinary social status, the only thing left to pursue was excitement.
Just like Tony Stark, Zhou Yi wanted to try the thrill of being a Superhero under a secret identity, despite his personal concerns about family and friends. Today, his plan was finally beginning.
Simultaneously, on the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier, Agent Phil Coulson arrived at the observation deck and walked toward the core hub, where Director Nick Fury stood. Fury, a Black man in a black leather trench coat and a signature eye patch, looked sternly at Coulson.
"Officer, Phil Coulson reporting to you," Coulson saluted.
Fury casually returned the salute. "Last night, while I was enjoying a sweet dream, Commander Hill woke me up. She told me a guy who could fly, and fly very fast, appeared within our jurisdiction. What's even more ridiculous is that as S.H.I.E.L.D., with the most advanced equipment, we only got a mosaic that couldn't even clearly show a person's face. So now, I hope my most capable subordinate can bring me some good news."
"Of course, Officer. I think I bring good news!" Coulson smiled, handing over a miniature storage device.
"A storage device, Officer!" Coulson quipped when Fury asked what it was.
"I certainly know it's a storage device and not a lighter! Thank you for the reminder, Agent Coulson. What I want to know is what's inside it?" Fury, visibly irritated, maintained his dark expression.
"These are the data and analysis results I obtained from the underground bar. If I'm not mistaken, the person we're looking for is among these individuals," Coulson explained.
Fury inserted the device into the control panel. Experimental data and the profiles of three individuals appeared on the holographic projection.
Vampire Evidence: "These are the results of our investigation into the dust and radiation in the bar. The dust is biological tissue residue. Using Level Seven access, I confirmed these residues belong to a non-human Vampire, designated 025, who has a peace agreement with the organization."
Radiation Evidence: "The radiation results indicate high-intensity ultraviolet radiation residue, clearly someone used a killer move against these Vampires."
Fingerprint Analysis: "The final data comes from fingerprint information I found on a wine glass in the only place without Vampire remains. According to the data comparison, there are three suspicious individuals."
Suspect Profiles
Coulson pointed to the magnified images of the three individuals:
Joe Albert (Bartender): "Currently 47 years old, a professional bartender. Suspiciously, he died seven years ago from a 'Beast' attack. His death record is still at the Pennsylvania police station. I investigated his death record and autopsy report and determined that this person is already a member of the Vampires. Therefore, his level of suspicion is the lowest."
Nysha Makinos: "This charming Young Miss is the only daughter of the late tycoon, Alida Makinos, founder of the European Health International Financial Conglomerate. It's truly surprising, she is already forty-six years old. Ms. Makinos rarely appears in public and rarely interacts with strangers."
Fury's Conclusion: "Makinos... I remember him. In the records from sixty years ago, he represented the North America region's Vampires in signing the peace agreement. It seems this Ms. Makinos should be his daughter. A pure-blood Vampire!"
Yi Zhou (The Most Suspicious): "This Young Master is named Yi Zhou, a Chinese American. He has a complicated family background: his mother is Ms. Zhou Lan, a famous fashion designer; his biological father died in a mission accident; and his stepfather, a banker, died in a plane crash. He has a half-sister, Charisse Ferguson. The family moved to New York eight years ago."
Financial Status: "The rest is the success story of this Mr. Yi Zhou. He started trading stocks at age eleven, was a famous stock trader by sixteen, and through several bold investments, his net worth skyrocketed. Now, Mr. Yi Zhou is the third Major Shareholder of Stark Industries, a Major Shareholder of Osborn Industries, and holds a majority of shares in several cutting-edge scientific research studios."
Profile Summary: "Young, a billionaire, with an excellent personal relationship with Tony Stark, and influential partners in Congress. A philanthropist, a lavish investor, and a seasoned martial arts enthusiast. I remember what I was doing in my twenties—shining shoes? Well, it seems I've really wasted my life."
Fury looked at the data and then at Coulson. "Are you sure this person is the most suspicious?"
"I trust my judgment, Officer," Coulson said confidently.
"That's what I'm most worried about, Phil. You're the best analyst under my command, and this guy's identity is the kind that absolutely cannot be touched. Frankly, what I least want is for such a person to become our target." Fury pointed to Zhou Yi's image.
Director Fury's Orders:
"Commander Hill, this guy is yours for now. Arrange personnel to monitor him and his family twenty-four hours a day. But remember the safety protocols: absolutely no exposure, and no contact with the target."
"Yes, Officer!" Commander Hill answered crisply.
"Officer, what about me?" Phil Coulson, feeling sidelined, quickly asked.
"I have another mission for you. I need you to contact Stark; we need some technology he possesses."