Captain America, known to the world as Steve Rogers, had once been weak and frail before receiving the serum. The Super Soldier Serum completely transformed his body, giving him strength, endurance, and agility far beyond any normal human. If the Huaqiangbei System could replicate this serum, then Ethan Chen could achieve a similar transformation!
"Not just that," Ethan thought, his eyes gleaming with ambition. "I could create an entire legion of super soldiers!"
Well… maybe not a "Captain America Legion" in China. That name wouldn't quite work here. He'd need to localize it. Captain China? Hmm, that still didn't have the right ring to it.
Wait! According to traditional Chinese naming conventions, you'd want to emphasize grandeur. The word "Big" or "Great" is often added to names to convey power and presence—like "Great Hero Guo Jing" or "Mighty Yang Guo" from the classic martial arts tales.
So, in that spirit, Iron Man wouldn't be Iron Man. He'd be "Big Iron"! And Captain China? He'd have to be "Captain Big China!"—a ridiculous name, yes, but one that made Ethan chuckle as the idea bounced around in his head.
…
Pushing the nonsense out of his mind, Ethan sipped his tea calmly, nursing his sore hand from the shooting range while keeping an eye on the progress bar in his Huaqiangbei System. After about an hour, the optimization of the M4 rifle was finally complete.
"The aesthetics can be redesigned without affecting performance," the system reported, "and appearance changes help avoid accusations of plagiarism."
Ethan studied the data in the optimization interface and quickly understood the upgrades made to the M4.
"The effective range and rate of fire have increased significantly, stability is vastly improved, even the bullet specifications are different now. And the whole design looks new. This isn't just an upgrade—it's basically a whole new weapon."
Even better, the system included full blueprints for the gun. That meant he didn't need to manufacture it personally. He could hand these designs over to any competent arms manufacturer, and they'd be able to produce it—legally or not.
The improved M4 was far superior to the standard-issue version.
"Too bad I can't test it here," Ethan muttered, glancing around. Cameras were everywhere in the shooting range, and explaining how he got his hands on a weapon that hadn't technically been invented yet would be a logistical nightmare.
"That's one thing I have to hand to the Americans," he sighed. "An extra gun lying around? Hardly news over there."
Of course, he knew that was a double-edged sword. The U.S. had far more gun-related incidents because of that culture. Say what you will, China's tight control made it a lot safer overall.
Time to head out.
It was a shame he didn't have access to throwing weapons yet—grenades, for example—but Ethan had still gotten a lot out of this trip. His system now held blueprints for over a dozen firearms. With time and further optimization, he could build an arsenal of next-gen weapons.
Not that it would be easy to launch a private arms business in China.
Private weapons manufacturers? Practically non-existent here.
But what if it wasn't private?
Ethan suddenly had a thought. What if he formed a new company and offered to hand over part—or even most—of its shares to the government?
His intention wasn't to make money, after all. His mission was clear: contribute to the revitalization and strength of China. Helping the military build a cutting-edge weapons factory aligned perfectly with that goal.
He could offer his designs and resources. The government could provide legal status and infrastructure. Everyone wins.
Iron Man tech, Super Soldier Serum—none of it would be for sale to just anyone. These were strictly for use by Chinese forces. There'd be no risk of international leaks if the factory were government-aligned.
"Still… how do I convince them to let me do it?"
Ethan tapped his fingers on the table. "I'd need to build a reputation first. Maybe… brand myself as China's Tony Stark?"
If he could make enough noise—revolutionize enough tech, build a few breakthrough prototypes—the military would come knocking on his door.
"But realistically, I'm not there yet…"
He let out a self-deprecating laugh. In this world, he was just a nobody. A second-rate student who paid his way into university. No outstanding credentials, no track record of success.
His previous life hadn't helped either. He'd studied economics, which didn't do much in a world of engineering and weapon design.
Ethan shook his head, deciding to shelve the grand visions for now. There would be time for that later.
He got up and made his way to the parking lot.
His hand was still sore, but the swelling had gone down. He could drive again.
Outside, the sun still hung high in the sky, so instead of heading home, Ethan drove straight to his family's factory.
He wanted to evaluate its production capabilities—see what kind of infrastructure it had, what could be upgraded, and what needed to be overhauled. This was the starting point of his empire, humble as it may be.
After an hour on the road, Ethan arrived at the industrial zone on the city outskirts. His family's factory was small, and mostly handled OEM orders for cheap electronics and plastic toys.
But to Ethan, it was a goldmine.
With the Huaqiangbei System at his disposal, even this tiny factory could become the birthplace of revolutionary technology. Bit by bit, he would upgrade it. Slowly expand. Eventually, it would be capable of producing the kind of advanced gear he had in mind.
There were no superheroes yet. Iron Man hadn't shown up. The Avengers didn't exist. So there was no immediate need to panic. Instead of stressing over a fictional future, Ethan decided it was smarter to focus on building a real foundation.
He marched into his father's office with determination in his step.
"Hey, Ethan! You're up!" his dad said with surprise and a warm smile.
Mr. Chen was still hunched over paperwork, busy managing the modest business. He was a practical man, not overly ambitious, but honest and hardworking.
"You scared us with that water rescue," his dad continued. "You can't even swim, and you still jumped in!"
Ethan's expression grew complicated.
In his past life, his parents had been simple farmers. When he fell into debt, his father had secretly gone to work on a construction site, despite his age, just to support him. An accident eventually claimed his father's life, and the grief crushed his mother soon after.
Now, he had a second chance.
And this time, he would make sure things turned out differently.