Chapter 54: The Fired Hammer, War Machine
Inside Hammer Tower.
The sound of hurried footsteps echoed from the Stark Expo venue, each step pounding like a drum against Justin Hammer's nerves.
He needed to confirm the progress of his two top subordinates once again.
At that moment, Hammer's face radiated smug satisfaction—he had personally witnessed the flawless Iron Man suit provided by Jiang Feng.
It was no longer a crude blueprint, but a tangible, real masterpiece.
In the upcoming Expo, Hammer was absolutely confident he could publicly humiliate Tony Stark.
He would show the world one undeniable truth: Tony wasn't the only arrogant playboy genius.
Everything Tony could do, Hammer could do—and even better.
The only question left for Hammer was just how ruthlessly and thoroughly he would crush Tony's pride.
This wasn't just about retaliation—it was about total domination.
As soon as he stepped into the research lab—
"My God! What is this?!"
Hammer's pupils contracted sharply, his body freezing as though struck by lightning.
His gaze was locked on the massive steel behemoth standing in the center of the lab.
It loomed like a mountain, its overwhelming presence seeming to freeze the air.
Hammer's breath caught in his throat.
It was the Iron Monger—previously just a skeletal frame—now reborn in its fully completed glory.
Standing over three meters tall, its size was more than a full tier above any standard Iron Man suit, like a giant metal beast.
Thick arms, broad shoulders—every inch armed to the teeth: rocket launchers, Gatling guns, heavy energy cannons, and an array of devastating weapons densely covering its surface like armor scales, all glinting with a cold, deadly light.
The mix of deep black and dark gray camouflage paint gave it a heavy, oppressive aura.
From afar, the entire suit looked like a steel tower of death.
"This is incredible! Absolutely unbelievable!"
Ignoring everything else around him, Hammer rushed toward the Iron Monger in a daze, nearly wanting to hug the steel giant.
Up close, staring at this piece of heavy armor—a work of art—his blood surged, his face flushed, his breath quickened.
There was no doubt in his mind: this invincible steel beast could crush Iron Man into scrap metal.
"No, it can't be called Iron Monger anymore! I'm renaming it—Hammer Smasher!"
Hammer punched the air in excitement as he made the announcement.
Everyone knew that "Hammer" was the English meaning of his surname.
Thus, the name meant "the hammer that smashes," or more directly, "Hammer's Heavy Smash."
In his name, he would crush everything.
In his mind's eye, he pictured thrilling, bloody scenes—the massive Hammer Smasher leaping from skyscrapers, bringing mountain-crushing force to turn enemies into pulp.
Even the almighty Iron Man would be flattened into a twisted pile of scrap under its weight.
The thought was beautiful.
Lost in his endless fantasies, Hammer let out bouts of self-satisfied, almost foolish laughter.
After laughing for a while, he suddenly realized something was wrong.
"Wait… where's Jiang? Where's my right-hand man?"
His smile vanished instantly as he scanned the lab, only to find no sign of Jiang Feng.
Instead, in the corner stood a solitary, familiar figure—
Ivan Vanko.
The Russian Hammer had pulled out of prison stood there with a toothpick in his mouth, a smirk of mocking amusement on his lips.
"Where's Jiang Feng?"
Hammer's brows furrowed as he walked toward Ivan, the earlier excitement giving way to confusion.
Jiang was always diligent and precise, never late, never absent without reason.
Like a perfectly running gear in Hammer Industries, he was always on time.
"Who knows? Maybe he got tired of the job? I haven't seen him today," Ivan drawled lazily, his smirk widening.
Hammer's face darkened.
He quickly took out his phone to call Jiang Feng—but no matter how many times he dialed, the call wouldn't go through.
Only the cold, unfeeling busy tone echoed in his ear.
"What the hell… overslept? Or ran into trouble?" he muttered, puzzled.
Hammer still fully trusted Jiang, never imagining that the employee he treasured so highly had already decided that morning to completely abandon him—turning the tables and "firing" his own boss.
As Hammer stood in thought, trying to make sense of it, the lab door burst open.
His secretary—known for reading the room and currying favor—came stumbling in like an overexcited ball of flesh, his face trembling with excitement and eyes shining.
"Mr. Hammer! Great news! Absolutely great news!!"
Panting heavily, the short, balding man nearly jumped in place.
"What news? Spit it out!" Hammer snapped impatiently.
Wiping no sweat, the secretary blurted out the explosive revelation.
"The military just called! Last night, they acquired one of Tony Stark's Iron Man suits! They're inviting Hammer Industries to help with the modifications!"
"What?! Tony Stark's Iron Man suit?!"
Instantly, the gloom clouding Hammer's mind vanished like the tide.
It was replaced by wild joy and a burning frenzy.
He had dreamed of owning one of Tony's masterpieces, dismantling and studying it.
And now, this long-desired prize had landed in his lap in the most dramatic way possible.
Jiang Feng was instantly forgotten—his entire focus now locked on the Iron Man suit.
"Get my private jet ready! We're going to the military base right now!" Hammer barked.
Practically dragging his secretary, he rushed out of the lab.
In the corner, Ivan—who had overheard every word—suddenly flashed a dangerous glint in his eyes.
"Tony Stark's suit? Hmph. If that thing really ends up in Hammer's hands…"
His smirk was no longer playful, but cold and calculating.
"Maybe I can hack into its core system."
Last night, Ivan had already confirmed that Hammer Industries' software was nothing but flimsy garbage in the face of real technology.
Infiltrating it would be effortless.
This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity—not only to control Iron Man's suit, but to drag that arrogant man into the abyss.
"Heh… Tony Stark, your Stark Expo will be your burial ground," Ivan whispered, his voice like the hiss of a venomous snake.