The dark Audi screeched to a halt on the deserted road late at night.
Tony gripped the steering wheel, a sudden, inexplicable palpitation gripping him. He gasped for air.
"What's wrong with the power supply?" Tony asked, his voice laced with agitation.
"This is my suit, I can't... Oh God, it's happening again..." Tony shoved the car door open and collapsed onto the ground.
This wasn't the first time he'd experienced this.
The moment he learned his suit might be unusable, a wave of panic washed over him uncontrollably.
Anxiety neurosis! Anxiety disorder, in short!
This condition had appeared after the Battle of New York.
The unknown threat left Tony perpetually feeling insecure.
Even the slightest hint of trouble, or a mere mention of the Chitauri or New York, would trigger an episode.
Now, he was on his way to Miami to find the Mandarin who had destroyed his villa, only to be told his armor might not be operational.
Panic surged, and Tony felt his breath falter.
"Tony?" Harry's young voice came through the phone.
"Are you having an episode again? I didn't mention New York!"
Tony's eyes widened, his breathing becoming more rapid. "Yes, yes, you just said it!"
"You said it when you were saying you didn't mention it!"
"Uh... alright..." Harry sounded a little embarrassed.
"Oh, god," Tony gasped, his head swimming. "What should I do?"
"Deep breaths, Tony, deep breaths!" Harry tried to guide Tony through the symptoms.
"You're a mechanic, right?"
"Yes! I'm a mechanic..." Tony replied, his breath ragged. He'd introduced himself that way before.
Harry's voice came again: "Then why don't you build something?"
The question stunned Tony for a moment, then a spark ignited within him.
Right! He called himself a mechanic, a master of mechanical engineering.
From a seemingly ordinary hardware store, Tony could assemble countless weapons!
Even without his armor, he wasn't defenseless.
Why not build something to counter the Mandarin?
As he thought this, Tony's symptoms began to subside. The inexplicable panic waned, and his breathing steadied.
Tony nodded, his tone regaining a semblance of calm. "Yeah, I'm a mechanic. Maybe I should build something..."
But the next second, as a black figure flew toward him from the distance, Tony suddenly had another idea!
"Okay, thanks, kid."
"Maybe I have a better way! Talk to you later!"
With that, Tony ended the call, leaving Harry on the other end utterly bewildered.
"A better way? What's he talking about?"
Harry glanced at the Mark 42, which was currently charging.
"Jarvis, do you know what he's talking about?"
"Uh... no..."
Lin Feng, clad in a black suit, landed in front of Tony.
He had seen Tony having an episode from afar and felt a pang of confusion.
With his presence, the Chitauri invasion had been resolved with minimal casualties. There had been no nuclear bombs, and Tony hadn't flown through a wormhole. So why was he suffering from anxiety?
"Hey, Tony!" Lin Feng suppressed his confusion, intending to probe gently.
"Christmas Day, and you're not at a party with Pepper, what are you doing out here in the middle of nowhere?"
He gave Tony a thorough once-over, his tone laced with amusement. "Did you upset Pepper again? Can't even sleep on the couch?"
Dropping a couple of playful remarks, Tony immediately forgot his recent embarrassment.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah."
"Pepper didn't like my Christmas gift, so she kicked me out."
"As you can see, I'm forced to wander out here in the wilderness..."
With a pile of troubles weighing him down lately, Tony couldn't be bothered to argue with Lin Feng.
"What did you give her? That ridiculously oversized teddy bear rabbit?" Lin Feng asked. He remembered in the original story, Tony had gifted a huge, inexplicably large stuffed bunny.
It had left Pepper speechless at the time, wondering if Tony thought she was small.
Tony looked surprised. "How did you know?"
Lin Feng was speechless. It really was that enormous stuffed bunny. Who would like such a thing? Only Tony!
"Alright, enough of that. I saw the news!" Lin Feng said. "Your house was blown up! And this... Mandarin character showed up?"
"You're something else, broadcasting your address to the entire world!"
Tony sighed. Of course, he knew he'd made the news. His information was plastered all over the papers.
"I regret it a bit now. The news is practically planning my funeral!"
"No big deal, just don't be so impulsive next time!"
Lin Feng clicked his tongue. He knew Tony had a lot on his plate lately, much of it stemming from his anxiety.
After a moment's thought, Lin Feng pulled two small square boxes from his system space.
He'd bought them on his way here.
He handed one to Tony. "Here!"
Tony took it instinctively.
"What is this? A Christmas gift?"
As he spoke, Tony opened the box.
The moment he saw what was inside, Tony’s face broke into a smile.
It was a cheeseburger!
"Alright... this might be the best Christmas gift I've received all year!"
With that, Tony sat back down on the ground and began devouring the burger.
Lin Feng, not one for pretense, sat down beside Tony with a burger of his own and started eating. He then asked casually, "Tell me, how did you get anxiety?"
Upon hearing Lin Feng's question, Tony paused mid-bite. "How do you know everything?"
"Hey..." Lin Feng offered no answer, simply staring at Tony as he ate.
They sat there eating, Lin Feng waiting for Tony to speak.
The silence stretched, thick and uncomfortable.
Soon, Tony grew restless under Lin Feng's gaze, and the burger lost its appeal.
"Alright, alright..." Tony took a deep breath. He hadn't intended to speak about it, as it was rather embarrassing...
"I don't really know how to explain it..."
"You might not know, but the last battle in New York..."
"You know, those alien scumbags called the Chitauri..." Tony gestured with his hands.
"Though I hate to admit it, they left a profound impression on me..."
Tony's expression was complex. He composed himself before continuing his account.
"Lin Feng, you know I don't have your superhuman strength. I don't even know if my armor can withstand another invasion!"
"If they ever return, and you're not here, what will we do?"
"I'm a little... alright, I really don't want to admit it, it's rather embarrassing..."
"I felt fear..."
Tony exhaled deeply, as if a weight had been lifted.
He had only mentioned these things in passing to Pepper.
Now, saying them to Lin Feng brought a sense of release.
Sharing his fears with his superhero friend wasn't embarrassing...
Lin Feng nodded sagely, without a hint of mockery.
If Lin Feng didn't possess his superhuman abilities, he too would feel a sense of dread.
After a moment's thought, Lin Feng uttered a profound truth.
"I can relate to what you're saying. There's a saying: 'All fear stems from insufficient firepower!'"
"Your current state is a textbook case of fear of insufficient firepower!"
Seeing Lin Feng's earnest expression, Tony blinked, pondering his words.
What he said... made a lot of sense.
"Nice watch, very fitting for you..." Lin Feng quipped, lightening the somber mood.
Tony wore a children's watch, a gift from Harry.
"Seriously, Tony, do you need my help with this one?"
"You know, I can easily take care of that... Mandarin guy!"
Lin Feng didn't immediately offer his direct assistance.
Tony was proud and had a strong sense of self-esteem. That so-called "Mandarin" was Tony's adversary.
He respected Tony as a friend, and if Tony genuinely needed help, he would ask.