Chapter 144: The Birth of the Mark I Iron Suit

Agent Phil Coulson stared at Chen Mo in utter disbelief. 

Wasn't he expecting a dismissive refusal—a chance to launch into a self-righteous tirade about upholding world peace and protecting all of humanity? Yet, Chen Mo had agreed so decisively that all of Coulson's carefully honed arguments went to waste. And what were those final words supposed to mean—"I've been mobilized?" 

For someone like Chen Mo—a Hydra autocrat and a key leader within S.H.I.E.L.D.—the titles of U.S. Major General and Commander of the Homeland Division's Special Operations Task Force held little intrinsic appeal. However, having such a public, official designation would greatly facilitate his upcoming operations. 

After all, while the might of Hydra and S.H.I.E.L.D. is enormous, both organizations are meant to operate behind the scenes. They aren't supposed to parade their power in public, making it highly inconvenient to deploy them openly. 

Over seventy years ago, Chen Mo had enlisted in the U.S. military alongside Steve and then soon joined the Strategic Scientific Reserve founded by the Allied nations. Accepting the rank of U.S. Major General and assuming command of the Homeland Division's Special Operations Task Force is simply a restoration of his former identity. 

Moreover, even though he has accepted these two appointments, Chen Mo has no intention of submitting to anyone's command. 

"I've claimed the power—duty? I've been upholding world peace for ages. Anyone who dares meddle or issue empty orders will soon learn what it means to invite their own disgrace," he thought. 

Of course, the military, the government, the International Security Council, and even Nick Fury himself would never be so naive as to think they could command Chen Mo at will. A glance through his long-sealed file would reveal a man known for his decisive, no-nonsense approach—a man who is proud, coldly efficient, and fiercely independent. 

Chen Mo is the epitome of a doer; when tasked with safeguarding world peace and fighting the forces of evil, he gives nothing short of his all. Yet, he operates on his own principles and methods, showing no deference to the powerful. Expecting him to be commanded like a regular soldier is simply unrealistic. 

This was precisely why Nick Fury initially suspected that Chen Mo's appointments might face some resistance. Given Chen Mo's unruly nature, Fury had anticipated pushback. However, it seems that the politicians and military brass have finally come to recognize his true value. They never expected Chen Mo to follow orders blindly—he is meant to serve as a strategic asset. In routine matters, they can manage on their own, but when a major crisis threatens humanity, Chen Mo will undoubtedly step in with full force. 

After all, Chen Mo once dismantled the formidable Hydra, altered the course of World War II, and even, at the last moment, prevented a devastating bombing by unhesitatingly piloting Hydra's super bomber into the ocean. His ideals and character have never been in question—and it is precisely for these reasons that they are willing to entrust him with such authority. 

To them, Chen Mo is their ace up the sleeve. On regular days, he's simply expected to contribute steadily; in critical moments, he will display his immense value. All they require is a modicum of oversight—and Agent Phil Coulson is just the right man for that role. 

Coulson is composed, seasoned, and possesses exceptional organizational and operational skills. Not only can he effectively assist Chen Mo and support his endeavors, but he can also serve as a vigilant supervisor. Thus, when Nick Fury learned that Chen Mo was recruiting Coulson and transferring him into the Special Operations Task Force, there was no objection. 

Although Chen Mo accepted the appointments, he only intended to enjoy the authority they granted him, not to submit to anyone's command. In truth, Chen Mo had already been fulfilling his responsibilities diligently—seventy years ago, he initiated the Ice Warrior Project to prepare for potential alien invasions.

To Chen Mo, the entire world was his domain, and safeguarding its security was his duty as Earth's sovereign. For now, it was akin to a king traveling incognito, adopting the title of imperial envoy to facilitate his actions.

That afternoon, Chen Mo and Agent Phil Coulson boarded a helicopter bound for Washington.

As the helicopter landed on the rooftop helipad of the Homeland Division's headquarters, elsewhere, Tony Stark was stepping off his private jet.

This was the U.S. Air Force Base in Bagram, Afghanistan. At the foot of the aircraft's stairs, a group of senior officers from both the U.S. and Afghan militaries stood ready to welcome Tony Stark.

"Hello, General!" 

Dressed in a sharp suit and sunglasses, Tony Stark descended the stairs with a spring in his step, a roguish smile on his face as he extended his hand to the senior U.S. officer at the forefront.

The base commander shook Tony's hand with a smile. 

"Hello, Mr. Stark. We're looking forward to your weapons demonstration."

---

Several kilometers away from Bagram Air Force Base, in a desolate and uninhabited area:

On a high ground, several military Humvees were parked, surrounded by dozens of armed U.S. soldiers standing guard. Nearby, a group of senior officers from both nations listened intently to Tony Stark's presentation.

"Is it fearsome? Or is it awe-inspiring?" 

"I wonder, is it possible to be both?" 

"Now, let me introduce you to the masterpiece of Stark Industries' 'Freedom' weapons series." 

"This is the first missile system equipped with our proprietary propulsion technology." 

"Some say the best weapon is one you never have to use." 

"I personally disagree." 

"I prefer the weapon you only need to use once." 

"This is my father's wisdom, and it's the military's wisdom." 

"This wisdom has been proven by history." 

"Take the opportunity to test this weapon, and I can guarantee that those bad guys will never want to crawl out of their holes again."

With that, Tony gestured to the operators nearby. Immediately, a missile truck stationed not far from the group sprang to life. Accompanied by the hum of motors, the missile on the weapon rack rose, adjusted its direction, and aimed at a mountain range several kilometers away.

Moments later, one of the three missiles was activated, its tail spewing a fierce stream of white flames as it detached from the weapon rack and shot into the sky at high speed.

The powerful thrusters endowed the missile with an incredible speed. It quickly traversed more than half the distance, reaching the airspace above the target mountain range before beginning its descent.

Suddenly, a burst of fire lit up—the missile's outer casing was flung aside, revealing dozens of neatly arrayed miniature missiles inside. These smaller munitions were then ejected from the main missile. Their rear thrusters ignited simultaneously, propelling them rapidly toward the mountain. Guided by their targeting system, the dozens of little missiles spread out evenly to deliver a comprehensive strike on the entire mountain.

"I solemnly present to you the Jerrico Missile," Tony Stark announced. He then slowly raised both hands, extending them outwards at his sides.

Behind him, dozens of missiles with burning tails began to cascade from the sky. They struck the mountain, triggering massive explosions. The explosion hurled the mountain's soil into the air—plumes of dirt rising as high as hundreds of meters—and the ensuing shockwave burst forth at high speed, battering everything in its path.

The tremendous blast sent a torrent of rushing air and debris surging toward Tony Stark and those nearby, sending the soldiers staggering and even displacing hats from their heads. Yet Tony Stark was well prepared; merely taking a few steps forward with the force of the shockwave, he nonchalantly adjusted his suit and walked over to several large metal crates emblazoned with the Stark Industries logo.

He opened one of the crates, and a rush of cold air blasted out. From the bottom of the box, a set of precisely arranged wine glasses, ice cubes, and several bottles of fine liquor were automatically elevated to the top. Grabbing a glass of whiskey on the rocks as he strolled along, Tony quipped, "A one-time purchase exceeding $500 million comes with free booze—For peace."

The entire weapon demonstration was an overwhelming success. The enormous power of the Jerrico Missile electrified all the military personnel present. Later, during a phone call with long-time company veteran Obadiah Stane, Tony Stark was brimming with confidence, declaring that this venture was yet another huge profit-maker.

However, while returning to base by vehicle, they were ambushed by terrorists. Every soldier assigned to Tony's close protection was killed, and Tony himself sustained severe injuries from a missile—ironically, one manufactured by Stark Industries—that the terrorists fired.

When Tony eventually regained consciousness, he found himself confined in a cave. Shockingly, an electromagnet had been embedded into his chest, connected by a wire to a car battery. It turned out that in the missile's explosion, countless shrapnel pieces had left their mark on his body. Dr. Ethan, who was also being held captive by the terrorists, had operated on him to remove most of the fragments. However, a few pieces lodged near his heart could not be extracted. If these fragments were ever to move into his heart, they would gradually tear it apart, condemning him to a slow, tragic death.

This electromagnet was designed to attract and hold the shrapnel in place, preventing them from reaching his heart—and in doing so, it saved his life.

Soon after, the terrorists demanded that Tony Stark manufacture for them the same formidable Jerrico Missile he'd demonstrated earlier. Coupled with his deteriorated condition and the grim discovery that all of the terrorists' equipment was built by Stark Industries, Tony found himself utterly disheartened, with his fighting spirit nearly extinguished. He almost resigned himself to a fate of waiting to be executed.

Fortunately, with Dr. Ethan's encouragement, Tony eventually rallied. Deep down, he knew that even if he did build the missile for them, they wouldn't let him go afterward. So, while he outwardly agreed to their demands, he was secretly plotting an escape.

In the face of such desperate circumstances, Tony's mind remained crystal clear. A brilliant idea rapidly took shape, and he swiftly finalized all the designs. With Dr. Ethan's help and by utilizing the tools and raw materials provided by the terrorists, Tony quickly engineered a miniaturized Arc Reactor to replace the cumbersome car battery—installing it directly in his chest.

A little over ten days later, the Mark I suit was finally complete. It was time to act.

But just as they began assembling the Mark I on Tony's battered body, their evasion of the surveillance cameras aroused the suspicions of the terrorists who had been monitoring them. They immediately dispatched several armed men to the cave where Tony and Dr. Ethan were held.

After a series of shouts outside the cell door went unanswered, a few terrorists, growing impatient, forcefully opened the heavy cell door. Instantly, a bomb that Tony had previously planted on the door detonated, obliterating the intruders in one explosion.

But the explosion would soon attract even more enemies, and the Mark I Iron Suit's programming hadn't finished transmitting—leaving their situation extremely perilous.

Seeing how dire the circumstances had become, Dr. Ethan grabbed a rifle from a fallen terrorist, bolting out of the cell in a desperate bid to buy Tony some time—even if it meant sacrificing his own life.

Though he had never been in a real fight before—and every round he fired ricocheted off the cave's ceiling—his frenzied, no-holds-barred barrage, driven by an unyielding, daredevil spirit, managed to force several terrorists attempting to storm the cave back outside.

But just as he roared to drive a group of trembling, death-fearing terrorists to the entrance, he discovered that a dozen armed militants had taken up positions, their dark barrels fixed squarely on him.

With a resigned heaviness, Dr. Ethan slowly lowered the rifle. *"The time I've bought for Tony should be enough, right? My family is already gone…I guess it's time I joined them."*

At that moment, the sound of fierce gunfire suddenly erupted from outside the cave.