Chapter 78: Dr. Helen Zhao

Bang, bang, bang.

In the villa's gym, Daniel Davis resumed his daily routine after returning from his latest adventure. Despite his mastery of magic, Daniel never neglected his physical conditioning. The capabilities of the Op-Op Fruit relied heavily on stamina, so maintaining his physical fitness was crucial.

Unlike magic, which required innate talent, physical strength could only be enhanced through relentless training. There were no shortcuts here.

Daniel didn't keep his training a secret; he openly installed a gym in his villa. After all, most wealthy homes had such amenities. As for how much they were used, one could look at Tony Stark's gym, which, before his transformation, was mostly frequented by Pepper.

The equipment Daniel used now was almost entirely custom-made with a 3D printer. His physical prowess was too much for standard equipment. A typical punching bag would be sent flying with a single punch, much like how Captain America would handle it.

Kamar-Taj's magic could heal the body and enhance physical capabilities. This was why, in a way, it made sense that Kamar-Taj's sorcerers would use magic to cut down enemies.

Thor's immense power had initially left Daniel awestruck, but he had come to terms with it. After all, Thor was the God of Thunder and Odin's son. It would be surprising if he weren't formidable.

Such innate advantages were simply out of reach for most people.

"S.H.I.E.L.D. moves quickly," Daniel noted with a chuckle, seeing how the news framed the New Mexico incident. The official line was that it was a terrorist attack. 

There was no mention of Asgard or the Destroyer in the media. Only Daniel and S.H.I.E.L.D. knew that Thor was an Asgardian. As for the Destroyer, anyone who had first encountered it had been killed, and survivors could only describe it as some kind of advanced robot or armor, akin to Iron Man's suit.

Given Tony Stark's emergence as Iron Man and the public appearance of the Iron Patriot, not to mention the earlier attack on Stark Expo, such revelations wouldn't be overly concerning.

With the second major terrorist event following Stark Expo being linked to Stark Industries, the USA ramped up its counter-terrorism efforts significantly.

"The Anti-Stark coalition is coming together." Although the news didn't contain anything particularly noteworthy to Daniel, Red Queen's surveillance revealed something interesting: Following Obadiah Stane's death, most of his subordinates were dismissed by Stark Industries, and many were even imprisoned.

Stark was lenient towards Stane, but not towards his underlings. It was obvious who had built the Iron Monger.

In this chaos, Mysterio started to connect with some of Stane's former associates. These individuals were highly competent, many holding doctorates. One, in particular, was the chief research officer for Stark Industries' drone program, responsible for creating Mysterio's drones.

Stark Industries could afford to lose these people, but for Daniel, their research was invaluable. Mysterio had used his advanced holographic systems to trick even Spider-Man effectively.

"It seems the holographic system isn't fully developed yet. Keep pushing, Mysterio. When you finish, I'll have a special gift for you—a ticket to meet Mephisto."

Mysterio's final holographic system would be far more advanced than what Stark and Daniel currently had, able to integrate directly with drones. Such technology, if misused, could be incredibly dangerous. As a responsible individual, Daniel decided to neutralize this threat early and safeguard the technology himself to prevent its misuse.

"Norman Osborn hasn't been captured and is still Oscorp's CEO. Did Spider-Man go soft, or did Osborn manage to escape?" After checking up on Norman Osborn's status, Daniel found it less concerning.

"Dr. Helen Zhao, hello." At the New York Empire Hotel, Daniel met Dr. Helen Zhao, the future pioneer of nanotechnology. Knowing her potential, Daniel wasn't going to miss this opportunity.

Once nanotechnology was developed, its applications would be vast. Nanomedicine alone could resolve many current health issues like limb regeneration and kidney stones. Not to mention the potential for nanotech cars and planes—the economic value was immeasurable.

"You're the chairman of FeiFei Group?" Dr. Helen Zhao looked surprised upon meeting Daniel.

"That's right. Our group has secured medical licensing and is setting up a lab for this field. If you agree, Dr. Zhao, you'll have full control over this lab," Daniel offered.

At this point, Dr. Zhao wasn't yet famous. Offering her full control of the lab, along with unlimited funding, was enough to win her over.

He wouldn't make such an offer to just anyone, but for Dr. Zhao, enabling the early arrival of nanotechnology was worth the investment.

Daniel wasn't a native Westerner, and unlike Stark, he didn't need vast amounts of materials. As someone who rarely indulged in luxuries, he had significant cash reserves sitting in the bank.

"Why choose me?" Dr. Zhao asked, puzzled. Her research was in nanotechnology, but she wasn't a leading authority in the field. Many were more prominent than her, and she was just a regular researcher at the moment.

Research into nanotechnology had been ongoing, but since no significant breakthroughs had been made, investment had waned. Capitalists generally hesitated to fund projects that didn't promise immediate returns.

"I've read your papers. You have a fresh perspective. In this field, you show more promise than those so-called experts. Just sign here, and the lab is yours. I have a good relationship with Stark, so I can get any equipment we need," Daniel said, pointing to the contract with a smile.

"With such good terms, how can I refuse?" Dr. Zhao said as she signed the document.

"I'd like to see the lab first."

"In a hurry, aren't we? How about we have lunch first?"

"Lunch can wait. I can't wait to see the lab," she insisted.

"Alright then."

Soon, Daniel led Dr. Zhao to the FeiFei Group's headquarters on Staten Island. Stark had initially suggested buying a building near Stark Industries for Daniel's headquarters, so their companies could be close.

But Daniel had refused. To avoid getting caught up in the Battle of New York, he hadn't even bought a villa in Manhattan. There was no way he'd place his company near Stark Industries, making it an easy target for the Chitauri.

It wasn't just about being a target; if Dr. Zhao were harmed, the entire nanotechnology project could be jeopardized.

"Alright, this place is all yours now. If you need anything, contact him." After introducing a secretary to Dr. Zhao, Daniel left.

With Pepper Potts busy with Stark Industries, Daniel had to personally handle matters at FeiFei Group. After all, as the company's owner, he couldn't remain absent all the time.

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