Chapter 124: Serfs Rise Up and Sing Their Songs

Tony pondered seriously for a long while before finally speaking.

“Ten percent is too much. I can give you one percent at most.”

At that, Zhong Shenxiu looked at Tony in surprise.

He was actually giving him something? He had only tossed out the request jokingly.

He had assumed Tony would agonize over it, refuse outright, and advise him to choose another wish. He had never expected Tony simply to turn ten percent into one percent.

After all, Stark Industries was a true global supercorporation, deeply rooted across the world. Although its stock had been plunging recently, its dragon-like foundation remained intact.

Even one percent of its shares, with nothing more than the annual dividends, represented a fortune that an ordinary person could never accumulate in tens of thousands of years.

With that one percent of the shares, so long as Zhong Shenxiu did not squander it recklessly, his financial troubles for the rest of his life would likely disappear forever.

It was an unexpected gift—so unexpected that even Pepper, standing nearby, was shaken by Tony’s decision.

Tony, however, gave a bitter smile.

“But, Xiu, there’s something I have to tell you. Stark is facing an unprecedented crisis right now, and the stock keeps plummeting. If this continues, that one percent could end up being worthless.

“So I still suggest you choose something else. If you want money, I can probably come up with quite a bit more right now...”

Zhong Shenxiu shook his head.

“No. I’ll take the one percent.”

Nonsense. Tony had already invented the Iron Man armor. Given Tony’s flamboyant personality, it would not be long before his identity was exposed. Once that happened, with Tony leading the way, Stark Industries’ stock would truly begin to soar.

Choosing money instead of shares at a time like this would have been the act of a fool.

But in Tony’s eyes, Zhong Shenxiu’s actions meant something entirely different.

Tony rarely spoke so openly from the heart. He was the proud Tony Stark, after all, and would never willingly expose his weakness.

Yet after hearing all this, Zhong Shenxiu had still chosen shares that might turn into nothing at any moment instead of money that was already within easy reach.

To Tony, that was the rarest kind of trust.

Sure enough, Xiu really was a good person. Once again, Tony arrived at the same conclusion as Coulson.

“By the way, what’s been happening with Stark Industries lately? I’ve seen quite a few reports about it,” Zhong Shenxiu asked.

He genuinely had no idea.

In his memories, the flood of news surrounding Stark Industries was supposed to come after Tony announced the closure of the weapons division. Although the stock had continued to fall afterward, the news had gradually died down.

But now, another wave of reports had suddenly emerged, leaving Zhong Shenxiu curious.

Could it have something to do with the robbery he had carried out a few days ago?

Tony glanced at Pepper.

“Let Pepper explain. She can make it clearer.”

Pepper nodded and began explaining with the serious air of an elite businesswoman.

“It started when Tony announced that he was shutting down the weapons research division. That caused the first major shock to Stark Industries, and the stock plunged.

She glanced at Tony from the corner of her eye. When she saw that he was not angry, she continued.

“Although the stock kept falling afterward, the uproar gradually died down, and fewer people talked about it. But then, a few days ago, the weapons research division of Stark Industries was attacked by terrorists.

“Normally, that incident wouldn’t have amounted to much. But somehow, a rumor began circulating.

“The rumor claimed that Stark Industries had publicly abandoned its weapons division while secretly continuing to develop and sell weapons behind the scenes. Then, after the activities were discovered by a vigilante of justice, the vigilante had flown into a rage and wiped the entire operation out.

“And the most infuriating part is that most of the media actually believed it. After they launched a massive campaign spreading the story, Stark Industries’ image became darker and darker. The stock had begun to stabilize somewhat, but now the decline has intensified again...”

Pepper could not help sighing.

What a mess...

The more Zhong Shenxiu listened, the more awkward he felt.

It really was connected to him.

He had known nothing about the rumor, though. Most likely, one of Stark Industries’ competitors had started it.

He glanced at Tony and saw that the bitter smile had vanished from his face, replaced by a confident expression that betrayed not the slightest emotion.

“I will never reopen the weapons division,” Tony declared firmly.

Pepper agreed with Tony’s principles, but at this point, the only way she could think of to save Stark Industries was compromise. Thus, she followed up cautiously:

“But if Stark Industries continues like this, it may really have to declare bankruptcy. Tony, do you have any other options?”

Tony fell silent. He truly had no way to save Stark Industries other than reopening the weapons division.

After thinking for a moment, Zhong Shenxiu said, “What if you changed industries? The clean-energy sector is still largely undeveloped. I can sense that the device in your chest is capable of generating a considerable amount of energy.”

Since he had been given one percent of the shares, Zhong Shenxiu did not mind telling Tony about the direction of his future transformation in advance.

After all, he was now half tied to the same ship as Stark Industries. Of course, he could still jump overboard whenever he wished. Even now, there were probably many people trying to buy Stark Industries stock, and he could certainly sell it for a good price.

But that so-called good price would still pale in comparison with the fortune he could make by restoring Stark Industries to its former peak.

So Zhong Shenxiu chose the latter.

Tony looked at him with slight surprise and answered honestly, “Actually, I had the same thought before... But I couldn’t find a good way to put it into practice. And with Stark Industries’ reputation getting worse by the day, transforming the company would be even more difficult.”

“Perhaps Stark Industries needs a hero,” Zhong Shenxiu said casually.

The hero he had in mind was Iron Man.

In Iron Man 2, it was the emergence of Iron Man as a hero that completely reversed Stark Industries’ tarnished reputation, accumulated through years of arms dealing.

Tony, however, assumed that Zhong Shenxiu was referring to him.

Does Xiu mean that Stark Industries needs a hero to save it—and that I am that hero?

Tony interpreted Zhong Shenxiu’s words as encouragement directed at him.

Then he fell silent once more.

“All right, enough about that. Lift your shirt and let me see the wound,” Zhong Shenxiu said, bringing the conversation to an end and moving on to the true purpose of Tony’s visit.

Tony would be treated, and he would draw cards.

Zhong Shenxiu cut open the blood-soaked bandages around Tony’s abdomen. Only then could he see the wound clearly.

A large portion of the flesh had already festered, and the thin layer of peritoneum Zhong Shenxiu had painstakingly restored earlier had long since vanished.

Rather than alarmed, Zhong Shenxiu felt a little pleased.

The worsening of Tony’s condition meant he would have more chances to draw cards.

“Healing.”

With a silent invocation, Zhong Shenxiu placed the green light in his palm against Tony’s abdomen.

One second...

【Ding~ Passive ability, Iron Heart, acquired. Would you like to learn it?】

The moment the system message appeared, Zhong Shenxiu’s pupils contracted.

It had only been one second, and the one-percent chance of obtaining Iron Heart had already triggered?

A single draw, and he had struck gold.

Zhong Shenxiu had never imagined that a man with his astonishingly terrible luck could one day become the chosen favorite of fortune.