Tony hesitated, glancing at Pepper's hopeful expression before finally saying, "Although I don't believe you, I'll let you try. But I'm warning you-if you have any bad intentions, I won't let you off easily!"
"Rest assured," Su Zhan replied with a calm, confident smile. His goal was only Extremis; whether it was Iron Man or the future "Rescue" Pepper, he had no intention of making enemies-not until he was truly powerful.
Su Zhan stepped up to Pepper, extending his hand. "Relax, don't resist. The process might be a little painful, but I promise there won't be any danger. I have no desire to be chased by Iron Man and the Avengers, so just trust me-you'll be fine."
"Hey, what are you going to do?" Tony called out anxiously as Su Zhan placed his hand gently on Pepper's shoulder.
Su Zhan glanced at him and said calmly, "Don't misunderstand. I have no intention of taking advantage of her. Trust me, I'm not interested in someone else's woman."
As soon as he finished speaking, Su Zhan felt a surge of power well up inside him, as if he could swallow everything. Instantly, he sensed a special energy flowing from his palm into Pepper's body.
Pepper's face twisted in pain, but she didn't cry out. Tony watched her closely, his nerves stretched taut, his eyes locked on every detail.
The process lasted about five minutes. Suddenly, Su Zhan released Pepper, sweat beading on his forehead as he sat down heavily, exhausted.
"Are you okay? How do you feel?" Tony hurried to support Pepper, his concern obvious and genuine.
Pepper shook her head, her voice trembling but relieved. "I'm fine. I can feel it-the Extremis virus is gone. I can't sense it at all anymore."
"That's good, but let's go back and check in detail," Tony said, still worried.
"What about him?" Pepper asked, glancing at Su Zhan.
Su Zhan waved her off. "Don't worry about me. I'll be fine after a little rest."
"Let's go," Tony said, supporting Pepper as they left. Although he was curious about Su Zhan and his ability to absorb Extremis, Pepper's health was his priority.
As Tony and Pepper disappeared into the distance, Su Zhan finally let himself grin, unable to contain his excitement.
Success!
He could feel the changes in his body, the surge of new power. With a thought, his arms grew hot as magma, and when he touched the ground, the surface sizzled and corroded beneath his hand.
His arm returned to normal. Su Zhan picked up a piece of scrap iron from the wreckage and jabbed it into his own arm. It hurt, but he couldn't help but laugh as the wound healed rapidly before his eyes.
While it wasn't quite the near-immortal regeneration of Wolverine, it was still incredibly powerful. Even if he lost an arm or a leg, it would grow back. At the very least, Su Zhan no longer had to worry about dying easily. He now possessed an extremely strong survival ability.
"This is just the first step, just the beginning!" Su Zhan whispered to himself, barely able to contain his excitement. Then, he turned and left the ruins behind.
Three days later.
Su Zhan drove a gleaming convertible sports car, dressed in sharp new clothes, and parked on a bustling city street. He was young, handsome, and exuded a kind of quiet confidence that drew admiring glances from passersby. Several women tried to strike up conversations, but he politely declined them all.
As for where the sports car came from? For Su Zhan, money was never a problem. He simply found a wealthy person, had a "friendly" conversation, and got what he wanted.
Trouble? He wasn't worried. He needed to stay alert and visible.
During those three days, Su Zhan had already figured out his next plan.
He was going to join S.H.I.E.L.D.!
That's right-joining S.H.I.E.L.D., although it sounded a bit humbling, was his best option for now. S.H.I.E.L.D. would soon be dismantled, Hydra would re-emerge, and joining S.H.I.E.L.D. wouldn't be too restrictive. His target was Phil Coulson, who was killed by Loki after the Battle of New York but later resurrected to form a special agent team.
According to the timeline, it was the plot of "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." Su Zhan's goal was to join this team.
Although he had integrated the Extremis virus, he was still not very strong in the vast Marvel world. To become king, he had to grow stronger. There were many abilities in "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." that were relatively easy to obtain. With S.H.I.E.L.D.'s resources, he could gradually become stronger without running around blindly searching for abilities.
Furthermore, being a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent would allow him to interact with other superheroes.
Although it seemed a bit limiting to join someone else's organization and not be the one in charge, all he really needed was an identity-one that was perfect for his early development!
But joining S.H.I.E.L.D. wasn't easy. Tony Stark had probably already informed S.H.I.E.L.D. about him. However, for now, Su Zhan didn't sense anyone from S.H.I.E.L.D. monitoring him. After all, the Battle of New York had just ended, and there was a lot to deal with. Even if someone did come to contact him, joining S.H.I.E.L.D.-let alone Phil Coulson's team-wouldn't be easy. So, what was the point of joining S.H.I.E.L.D.?
Fortunately, whether it was his protagonist's aura or another benefit of his transmigration, Su Zhan discovered the heroine of "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.":
Skye!
The talented hacker who had just joined the "Rising Tide" organization would later join Coulson's team and gradually uncover her own origins. An Inhuman, the superhero Quake, capable of amplifying vibrational frequencies. Eventually, she would become the only agent besides Director Nick Fury to have Level 10 clearance!
But for now, she hadn't joined S.H.I.E.L.D., so Su Zhan planned to contact her first. Then, when she joined S.H.I.E.L.D., he could join alongside her.
"There she is."
He watched as Skye exited a nearby coffee shop, her long brown hair cascading over her shoulders, a fitted jacket hugging her figure, her delicate features blending a hint of Western allure with something uniquely her own. Su Zhan started his car, the engine purring, and slowly followed her, ready to make his move.