At a certain air base near New York, a military transport plane slid along the runway for a distance then slowly stopped.
Beside the plane, waiting to receive besides Tony Stark's assistant Pepper Potts and driver-bodyguard Happy Hogan, there was also a pretty blonde teenage girl.
The transport plane's rear hatch slowly opened, lowering toward the ground. Tony Stark walked down the ramp supported by Dr. Yinsen.
Chen Mo and Phil Coulson followed behind them.
That day when the two met, Chen Mo's opening words nearly made the already exhausted Tony Stark rush up and fight him desperately. Even if you saved me, you can't take advantage of me!
Just as Tony Stark angrily stared at Chen Mo's face, he suddenly realized Chen Mo's appearance was virtually identical to someone in a photo at home. And that person's identity was precisely his godfather, Special Forces Commander Chen Mo.
Unlike Steve, who'd once been a big star performing and promoting everywhere and even made films, Chen Mo had left few images. Although his later fame wasn't smaller than Captain America Steve's, the impression he left the world was more that mysterious image wrapped in black steel armor, carrying sword and shield.
The photo in Tony Stark's home was one of the few photos Chen Mo had left showing his face.
Due to the rather distant time, plus his body nearly collapsed and brain dizzy and confused, Tony Stark hadn't recognized Chen Mo at first sight.
But that photo was taken seventy years ago, yet Chen Mo now looked virtually unchanged from the photo. Compared to accepting the person before him was Chen Mo who'd disappeared seventy years, Tony Stark was more willing to believe this was someone who looked identical.
However, Chen Mo being his godfather was something the two had decided privately back then. Very few people knew. He didn't think this person who'd saved him would claim to be his father just to take advantage.
This complex situation turned Tony Stark's already dizzy head into even more of a mess. The dizzy feeling intensified accordingly. For a moment he couldn't figure it out at all.
Tony simply set aside his doubts for now and staggered onto the helicopter supported by this young man claiming to be his father.
After returning to Bagram Air Base, following rest and treatment, Tony Stark finally recovered.
From Yinsen he learned that those who went to the terrorist base to rescue him that day were actually only three people. The special forces unit he'd thought had eliminated all the terrorists was actually just Chen Mo alone.
Those terrorists were equipped with Stark Industries' most advanced weapons. Although personnel quality was lacking, the absolute numerical advantage of over a hundred people plus advanced equipment and powerful firepower—it was truly unimaginable how one person eliminated them all.
This inhuman formidable combat power he'd only heard of from his father Howard. Even the combat style was so similar.
When he was small, Howard had told him many legendary stories about his godfather, the Special Forces Commander.
Single-handedly charging into Hydra bases, under siege by hundreds of enemies yet moving as if through an uninhabited realm, with his own strength eliminating well-equipped, formidably powerful Hydra armies—his combat power alone exceeded the entire Special Forces.
Possessing such astonishingly powerful strength, as far as he knew besides Chen Mo there was no one else. Even Captain America Steve Rogers was somewhat inferior.
This made Tony Stark begin somewhat believing this young man identical to the photo was his godfather.
And what Agent Phil Coulson subsequently told him completely resolved his doubts, making him fully accept Chen Mo's identity.
It turned out after Chen Mo piloted the aircraft into the sea that year, he hadn't died but was frozen in ice.
Not long ago, that Hydra super bomber was discovered by an expedition team. They subsequently found the frozen Chen Mo inside and dug him out.
After Chen Mo awoke, the first place he went was the Chinese Martial Arts School in Brooklyn, New York.
Tony Stark knew that place. When he was small, his father Howard had taken him there and told him about them fighting side by side, destroying two major mafia families in one night.
Even now, when free he'd still go sit at the martial arts school, feel the place his godfather and father had once stayed, practice martial arts with his Uncle Wang Kun, incidentally tease his little grand-disciple. Chinese seniority rankings were really interesting—he liked them very much.
Just now Wang Jin practiced diligently at the martial arts school every day, his kung fu improving greatly. He was already somewhat no match. To maintain elder dignity, he'd been going less recently.
He knew that martial arts school was founded by Chen Mo. Captain America Steve Rogers had also studied there under Chen Mo. It could be said to be his home in this world, which was why he'd rushed there immediately upon waking.
Hearing this, Tony Stark had basically confirmed Chen Mo's identity.
And hearing Chen Mo had rushed to rescue him the first moment learning he was in trouble moved him tremendously.
After all, this was his godfather. Having a father felt truly good, Tony Stark thought.
Toward Chen Mo as godfather, Tony's heart held no resistance.
Never mind he'd long known he had an impressive godfather and worshipped him tremendously, always hoping to see him in person—just Chen Mo rushing to rescue him the first moment learning he was in trouble, and appearing in time when he was about to collapse—Tony Stark deeply accepted Chen Mo as godfather.
Walking down from the transport plane, Tony Stark and red-eyed, smiling Pepper Potts gazed affectionately at each other. The pretty girl beside them, seeing Tony was somewhat bedraggled but fine, secretly breathed a sigh of relief. First she curiously examined Chen Mo and the others, then seeing the two flirting obliviously, helplessly rolled her eyes.
"Since you're fine, I still have to go to class. Be more careful in future—don't make Pepper worry again."
After the little girl finished her lecture, she turned and got into a compact Beetle on her own and drove away.
Tony somewhat uncomfortably rubbed his nose and said to Chen Mo.
"This is Sharon, the orphan of my father's comrade entrusted to my care. She was very obedient as a child but grew more rebellious."
Chen Mo smiled slightly without speaking. This should be Steve and Carter's daughter, Sharon Rogers. Of course Tony didn't know her true identity—after all, Steve and his wife had faked their deaths decades ago.
Although she appeared somewhat rebellious, Chen Mo could see she still cared about Tony Stark very much, just wasn't good at expressing it. She acted decisively and directly—quite like Carter.
"Pepper, this is my godfather I told you about. He's the one who rescued me."
Tony introduced Chen Mo to Pepper.
Pepper of course knew who Tony's godfather was. She was one of the few who knew this secret. But hadn't this legendary commander disappeared for decades?
Looking at the young Chen Mo before her, Pepper couldn't help but open her mouth in shock.
...
After leaving the airport, they went directly to the press conference venue. Just like in the film, Tony Stark announced at the conference closing Stark Industries' weapons manufacturing department, immediately causing tremendous waves. Chen Mo didn't stop this.
Subsequently, Chen Mo and Yinsen followed Tony back to his seaside villa. Agent Phil Coulson returned alone to the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division New York branch.
Brock Rumlow hadn't returned with them. Chen Mo had left him in Afghanistan to eliminate remaining terrorists. At the same time, Chen Mo issued him a secret order through Hydra.
Secretly collect the crashed Mark I wreckage scattered in the desert, as well as the Mark I design blueprints Tony Stark left in the cave.
As a Hydra spy, Crossbones Brock Rumlow wasn't fighting alone in the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division. Many Special Forces members under him were Hydra.
He only needed to divide forces—have others eliminate remaining terrorists while he led Hydra members executing the secret mission.
The design blueprints were in the cave. That day Chen Mo had them directly take Dr. Yinsen back to base, so no one had touched them. They were easily obtained. But the Mark I Iron Man suit scattered in the desert took considerable effort to fully collect.
Due to hasty equipment, connections between parts weren't firm enough. During the unpowered descent, due to vibration, the Iron Man suit had already shown disintegration tendencies. Many parts fell off during this process, scattered over several hundred meters.
Brock Rumlow led his subordinates, spending nearly a full day before finally collecting all of Mark I.
Subsequently, following Hydra's command requirements, Brock Rumlow secretly contacted Obadiah Stane.
Toward this tumor in Stark Industries, Tony's long-trusted partner, Chen Mo didn't plan to directly eliminate him.
He was also an important link in Tony Stark's growth path. Having experienced his betrayal, Tony Stark truly matured. He still had some value to Chen Mo—counted as a decent whetstone.
But these were all future matters. Back at the villa, Tony Stark quickly began creating Mark II. Toward his godfather and lifesaver, Tony Stark had no defenses, granting Chen Mo and Dr. Yinsen access to the laboratory.
Regarding Iron Man suit manufacturing, Tony didn't hide from the two. Chen Mo could personally witness the Iron Man suit's birth and personally participate.