Chapter 229: Chapter 229: Wakanda
When Han Yu said those words, Stark felt as if his entire worldview was being challenged. He even started to scrutinize Han Yu, wondering if he'd been mind-controlled and was looking for an opportunity to get him killed. Otherwise, why would he say something so outrageous?
Han Yu rolled his eyes in exasperation under Stark's suspicious gaze and said, "You know what Steve's shield is made of, right?"
"Of course. It's a rare metal—vibranium. If I could get my hands on some of that, not even much, just half a ton, I could completely upgrade my Iron Man suit."
Speaking of which, Stark couldn't help feeling a little envious. He'd had his eye on Cap's shield for quite some time. Unfortunately, there was only that one, and Steve wielded it with such proficiency that Stark couldn't bring himself to snatch it away. Besides, even if he did, it wouldn't be enough to meet his needs.
"Well, what if I told you there's an entire mountain of that metal still unmined?" Han Yu said with a casual smile.
"A mountain?"
Hearing that, Stark felt goosebumps rise all over his skin. A mountain of vibranium—that was an insane amount. He could upgrade not just his suit but his entire Iron Legion with it. At that point, Stark would truly be invincible.
On Earth, aside from intercontinental missiles or other weapons of mass destruction, Stark was confident he could withstand pretty much anything.
Was Han Yu bluffing? That didn't seem likely. There was no reason to do that, especially at a critical time like this. Then Stark remembered—Han Yu had mentioned they were seeking reinforcements from Wakanda. If he was talking about a mountain of vibranium, that could only mean one thing: Wakanda had an entire mountain of it.
Stark stared at Han Yu in disbelief. He didn't say a word, but Han Yu simply nodded, the meaning clear without needing to be spoken aloud.
"That explains it," Stark muttered. "No wonder Wakanda hides itself from the world. If word got out about something like this, it'd be disastrous for them. Even with the most advanced technology, wealth and power always attract danger. The king of Wakanda is a visionary, that's for sure."
His words were sharp and insightful, laced with a hint of admiration. With that much vibranium, Wakanda could easily dominate the world if they wanted to. But doing so wouldn't necessarily be in their best interest.
There would always be those who coveted such resources. No matter the risks, people would come after it. That would mean constant invasions—maybe just small ones, but even flies become annoying when there are enough of them.
By choosing to remain hidden and isolated, Wakanda had made a wise decision.
"We're almost there. You'll see for yourself soon enough," Han Yu said, steering their craft toward a dense forest.
Stark thought they were preparing to land, but judging by the speed, that didn't seem to be the case at all. "Hey, hey, hey! What are you doing? That's a forest! Trees, Han Yu! Trees!"
Ignoring Stark's shouts, Han Yu's lips curled into a slight grin as he accelerated straight toward the trees.
Despite the energy shield around them, the maneuver was enough to make Stark instinctively squeeze his eyes shut, bracing for impact. But the expected crash never came.
His eyelids twitched before he cautiously opened his eyes—and what he saw left him utterly speechless.
Towering skyscrapers stretched before them, unlike anything he'd ever seen. The city seamlessly blended futuristic technology with the aesthetics of an ancient tribal culture. Mud-brick structures characteristic of primitive tribes were integrated into sleek, concrete high-rises.
"What is that? A levitating train? They've reached a level where this kind of tech is used casually?"
Stark's sharp eyes quickly locked onto a train speeding through the city—not running on tracks like an ordinary high-speed train, but floating effortlessly in midair. Its rapid movement made it clear this wasn't some experimental prototype.
He also spotted small, car-sized aircraft gliding through the city like everyday vehicles. People on the ground laughed and chatted, unfazed by the futuristic marvels soaring above them.
"Well? I told you I wasn't lying," Han Yu said with a grin.
Stark, who had just been filled with disbelief, was now completely convinced. He never imagined that such an advanced technological nation could exist, hidden from the rest of the world.
Suddenly, something struck him. He turned around to look back at where they had entered, but there was no forest at all—just an open plain stretching out behind them.
"So those forests were just an illusion… such advanced camouflage technology," Stark muttered in awe.
Even he, with all his technological prowess, hadn't made significant progress in this kind of large-scale stealth technology. Yet Wakanda had managed to conceal an entire nation with it.
This alone proved that Wakanda's technology was at least a century ahead of the outside world.
"By the way, you said we're here to find reinforcements. How exactly do we meet this country's leader?" Stark asked.
The moment the words left his mouth, he noticed Han Yu's lips curl into a faint smile. Stark immediately had a bad feeling, as if he already knew what Han Yu was planning.
Sure enough, Han Yu found an open clearing to land. After dispersing the green energy around them, he casually stood there with his hands in his pockets.
Stark glanced at him with a puzzled look, then shifted his gaze into the distance. There, seven or eight sleek, flat aircraft were speeding toward them. Seeing this, Stark sighed and shook his head in resignation.
"This method is a bit… barbaric. But surprisingly effective."
If they had tried the conventional approach to meet Wakanda's leader, there was no guarantee they'd even get an audience. After all, Wakanda had never revealed its advanced technology to the outside world, and they clearly had little interest in external collaborations.
In other words, Stark's identity as a powerful arms dealer held no weight here. Following Han Yu's bold, direct approach actually gave them a better chance of meeting the leadership.
As Stark pondered this, the Wakandan aircraft had already arrived. From one of the ships, seven or eight dark-skinned warriors leapt down, each holding a long spear aimed directly at Han Yu and Stark. They barked out words in a language neither of them could understand—likely an indigenous African dialect.
"What are they saying? And seriously, spears? This is supposed to be a high-tech nation. Why are they still using spears?" Stark whispered to Han Yu, his confusion evident.
It felt surreal. Knowing Wakanda was a technological powerhouse, yet seeing warriors armed with spears, created a strange dissonance in his mind. If he hadn't witnessed the floating trains and aircraft with his own eyes, he'd have thought this was some elaborate prank.
"Those are energy weapons—functionally the same as guns. They just prefer this design, so they've crafted all their energy emitters in the form of spears. Don't be fooled by how they look; most of the materials are made from vibranium," Han Yu murmured, his voice low enough for only Stark to hear.
Hearing this, Stark's confusion cleared. He nodded in sudden realization, and that strong sense of contradiction he'd been feeling gradually faded away.
Want to read the chapters in Advance? Join my Patreon
https://patreon.com/Glimmer09