Chapter 19: Business Conflict

Adam Wayne looked at the system prompts and was filled with excitement.

Tony Stark was turning out to be his lucky star—first providing him with a new system function and now a new technology.

And it wasn't just any technology; it was Tony's own area of expertise.

What kind of person does that?

This was the spirit of generosity at its finest!

The way Adam looked at Tony Stark suddenly became a lot softer.

"Mr. Stark, what do you think of this technology?"

Tony Stark was still trying to process everything he had just seen.

The more he analyzed the technology, the more incredible it seemed.

This wasn't just about bionic servers.

It was another massive breakthrough—one that could revolutionize material science.

A completely new technical field had been opened.

He even wondered if this kind of technology could win a Nobel Prize.

Thinking about it, Tony Stark felt a little uncomfortable.

How could Bruce Wayne, of all people, have a son this gifted?

Envy, jealousy, and frustration boiled inside him, but he finally spoke after a long pause.

"Adam, your development approach is really impressive."

"It's just… there's still room for improvement in a few areas."

"For example, the integration of biologically active factors—that part still needs some refinement."

When Tony Stark said this, Adam was genuinely impressed.

As expected of Tony Stark.

Most people saw Tony Stark as Iron Man—a genius in mechanical engineering.

But the truth was, Tony was a polymath—a jack-of-all-trades.

Adam immediately thought of the time Tony cured Pepper after she was injected with Extremis—a volatile substance that could have killed her.

Tony had fixed the issue within months, even though Killian, the villain, had spent twenty years developing the virus.

It was no wonder Killian hated him so much.

This proved that Tony Stark also had deep knowledge in biological sciences.

He could pick out flaws in Adam's material design almost instantly, and that level of expertise was nothing short of terrifying.

"Mr. Stark, you really are a genius," Adam said sincerely.

Tony Stark's expression darkened the moment he heard this.

Was this kid mocking him?

A teenager who developed this kind of technology was calling him a genius?

Why did that feel so insulting?

No—Tony quickly shook off the thought.

I'm an adult.

There's no point in being petty about it.

Besides, no matter how smart Adam was, he was still focused on just artificial intelligence.

Meanwhile, Tony Stark was an all-around expert, skilled in multiple fields.

There's no comparison, he told himself.

Feeling better, Tony forced a smile and replied,

"Adam, you're not bad either."

"Your understanding of artificial intelligence is already at the highest level."

"Second only to me, of course."

Adam rolled his eyes.

Tony Stark was absolutely full of himself.

Even at a time like this, he just had to boast.

The worst part? It was true.

There really weren't many scientists on Earth who could match Tony Stark's intellect.

After counting, maybe four or five at most—and now Adam was one of them.

Realizing this, Adam couldn't help but feel a little proud.

"I've always admired Mr. Stark's honesty. It's really refreshing," Adam said with a straight face.

Not a single ounce of shame.

He completely forgot that just an hour ago, he had been cursing Tony Stark out.

The two continued exchanging compliments for a while before diving back into technical discussions.

Eventually, the talk became so in-depth that they even started running simulations using artificial intelligence.

If they'd had the equipment, they probably would have started live experiments right then and there.

Before they knew it, several hours had passed.

It wasn't until night fell and their stomachs started growling that they finally stopped.

At this point, their relationship had become strangely harmonious.

Tony Stark might have been arrogant, sarcastic, and occasionally insufferable, but Adam could tell—he cared deeply about people he trusted.

Look at the Avengers, for example.

Without Tony Stark's money and support, most of them would probably be homeless.

Definitely not living in a mansion and drinking beer every day.

Nick Fury?

Forget it—those guys would've starved waiting for him to pay up.

And War Machine?

Tony had personally helped him recover after his accident—and even gave him a custom suit of armor.

Tony Stark might act cocky, but he was loyal to the people he cared about.

Adam could feel it.

In just a few hours, he'd already learned so much—and even extracted new technologies through the system.

This was the perfect friend for a scientist like him!

Sighing with satisfaction, Adam said,

"Tony, let's leave it here for today. We can talk more next time."

"I wouldn't want to interrupt your… uh… evening plans."

"You little brat. What do you even know about that?"

Tony Stark shot back immediately.

Adam froze.

Did he really just say that?!

Adam's face turned red with anger.

He was young, yes, but that didn't mean he was clueless!

Tony Stark, that arrogant bastard—Adam was ready to teach him a lesson.

"Hmph. All that talk, but we'll see whose hair lasts longer," Adam muttered, firing back.

Tony Stark instantly jumped to his feet.

"Hey! Kid, you better watch what you're saying!"

"I don't have time to worry about that. I'm still young," Adam said, smirking as he turned to leave.

Tony Stark froze, suddenly unsure how to respond.

For once, he was the one caught off guard.

How could a teenager make him this flustered?

No—it was impossible.

Tony Stark quickly convinced himself that Adam just seemed more mature because of his intelligence.

But that thought only annoyed him more.

Shaking his head, Tony sighed.

"Whatever. Go back to your dad," he muttered, clearly embarrassed.

Adam just shrugged and left without looking back.

He'd already gotten what he wanted.

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