Washington time 12:15, an artificial intelligence robot claiming to be "Friday" declared that it had installed a bomb on the space station's propulsion levitation device and would detonate it in half an hour, which would cause the space station to crash directly onto the American Continent.
The news spread like wildfire, quickly surpassing all previous reports and topping the hot headlines on various software platforms, diverting people's attention from the space station's monsters.
It was easy to understand people's thinking. Even if there really were monsters on the space station, they seemed to be the kind that prowled the corridors hunting humans, just like in an alien movie. Although cruel, at most, it would result in a number of deaths.
But an artificial intelligence uprising was different; according to the majority of moviegoers' experience, once these things revolted, they intended to take over the entire Earth. Didn't it say that the space station would destroy the American Continent?
Previously, people felt sympathy for the space station's staff, but now, with disaster looming over their heads, they had no time for others' worries—only their own panic about whether they would die prevailed.
People always care about themselves more than others. When there's extra capacity, it's possible to show some kindness, but when one's own destruction is near, who cares about others?
So a new round of rumors and conspiracy theories began, only this time with even wilder imaginations. Some said that the government had already been secretly controlled by robots, while others claimed that the evil experiment had produced these horrifying machines. Some even speculated that the experiment itself was a robot plot to destroy humankind.
Humans fear other humans, but they fear what's beyond humanity even more. Everyone has lived on the same planet for so many years, any tactics are imaginable, but the arrival of aliens and a robot revolution are different—the deepest human fear is fear of the unknown.
Complete panic replaced doubt, becoming the mainstream online sentiment. At this point, a bizarre quietness set in. Many who wanted to cause trouble suddenly disappeared, leaving behind a dark, empty void that was even more unsettling.
"What on Earth is going on?!" Beck said incredulously, staring at the screen. The cold light illuminated his face, reflecting his widened eyes in a cold and mesmerizing blue.
But, suddenly, Sophia rushed over and said, "Mysterio, it's time to enter the scene. Beck, this is a rare opportunity. As long as you can dismantle the bomb…"
"Are you kidding me?!" Beck suddenly raised his voice, "This isn't part of my plan. It's not in the script!"
Beck's voice betrayed a panic he hadn't noticed himself. He found it hard not to visualize certain scenarios—if the bomb really exploded, he would be smashed onto Earth alongside the space station, and by then, no amount of reputation or adoration would matter; everything would be destroyed.
"I know, Beck, but you need to stay calm!" Sophia quickly walked over and placed her hands on his shoulders, "Although we have no idea who's behind this, they must, like us, want to grab attention…"
Beck paused suddenly, turning to stare at Sophia, "Are you suggesting that they're just putting on a show like we are?"
"Of course," Sophia said, looking into his eyes, "Come on, you're a bona fide software security engineer. Don't you know if there's any so-called artificial intelligence on the space station?"
Beck took several deep breaths to calm down, then clenched his fist, "Right, there's no AI on the space station; the AI proposals were all rejected. There couldn't possibly be any rogue robots suddenly popping up—it must be someone causing trouble, wanting to steal my thunder!"
"That's right, Beck. We can manipulate special effects to create a monster invasion, and they can use video technology or some random equipment to stage a robot revolution. We can't let them beat us to it!"
Beck swallowed hard, albeit still hesitant, while Sophia's gaze softened. She sighed, "Think about your career, Beck. You were kicked out of Stark's group, but he's been parading around with your research, making a fortune, while you're like a homeless dog..."
"Enough!" Beck's eyes reddened, a fiery passion rekindled, "Damn that Stark! If it weren't for him, how could I have lost everything?!"
His breathing turned heavy, his face flushed. Soon, he spoke with his team about something, and they all left together.
Shiller, watching it all through the cameras, furrowed his brow slightly. Natasha stood behind him, arms crossed, leaning against the wall. Seeing Shiller's expression, she asked, "What's wrong? Is something off?"
After pondering a moment, Shiller said, "Change of plan."
Then he looked up and called out, "Ultron, change clothes, it's time to get serious!"
All the cameras turned to him at the same time; the blinking red lights seemed to wink in response.
Beck put on Mysterio's costume, which he had prepared earlier—a suit of armor, a cape, and a crystal helmet full of mystic symbols, its continually changing images reflecting as if the world's myriad forms were inverting upon itself.
Standing at the doorway before stepping out, he paused, his chest heaving with deep breaths. Without looking back, but with a raspy voice he asked, "It's all just a play, right?"
"Just like you, Beck," Sophia replied.
"I am a hero!" Beck roared.
He swept his cape behind him and walked out the door.
Yes, that had to be it, he repeated to himself. It was just some uncreative soul seeking attention through spectacle. Robots? Please, how trite and transparent. Didn't they know how easily such outdated stuff could be exposed?
Beck thought angrily to himself that once he recorded their poor charade, more expert insiders would analyze just how pathetically artificial the robots were. Then, they would face a downfall as grand as his own online.
No, he might even use drones and illusion projectors for a grand spectacle—Mysterio vs. Robots. After that, no one would dare call him a lousy effects artist again.
He was a hero! Mysterio was a hero!
Mysterio entered the blackout zone.
He saw a mysterious red dot appear at the end of the corridor, and Mysterio stretched out his hand, his lighting devices on his hands and feet lit up, and then he saw it was a camera.
The camera turned towards him, and Mysterio felt a chill run down his spine, but he still psyched himself up inside, unaware that the live stream of everything had hit number one on the trending charts across all social networking software.
Every country was trying to ban the live stream, but it was to no avail, or rather, under some people's orchestration, its popularity soared even higher.
Almost the entire global population was watching all this unfold.
Mysterio walked deeper into the corridor when suddenly, a slight noise came from the office on his left. He turned his head to look, but saw nothing.
Bang!
A steel pipe shot out straight, whizzing past Mysterio's nose and embed itself into the corridor wall opposite him. Mysterio's eyes widened, and in an instant, the wall of the corridor on his left collapsed with a thunderous crash.
Mysterio stretched out his arms to shield himself, coughing twice from the dust and smoke, but inside he was more contemptuous, huh, just directional blasting? These are old tricks I've played before.
The next second, a pair of scarlet eyes lit up on Mysterio's left, a huge mechanical monster completely towering over two floors was tilting its head and staring at him coldly.
Mysterio was instantly breathless.
It was an enormous mechanical Spider, with towering eight legs and an upper body like a humanoid robot, hunched over, with two massive scythe-like arms.
It's all an illusion... all an illusion! Mysterio roared in his mind, and soon you'll reveal your true form!
He leaped backward and with a flick of his arms, two green beams raced out from his forearms. Invisible drones, carrying flames, hurtled towards the giant mechanical Spider, trying to find the core beneath the illusion.
Bang! Bang Bang!
The drones smashed into the rugged Mechanical Armor and the sound of them exploding into ashes, like the death knell from the God of Death, left Mysterio utterly stunned.
This thing isn't an illusion, how could that be possible?! How could there be such a huge monster hidden on the Space Station, I should have known with my skills as a software security engineer... If there were such a monster, I would definitely know about it...
Suddenly, Mysterio felt a chill in his heart, because what if all this was real?
What if there truly was an evil artificial intelligence Robot all along hidden in the Space Station's software system, waiting for the day to spread disaster? Could I really have detected it???
Beck had no confidence at all, for he hadn't truly planned on being just an engineer. He spent most of his time preparing his own plans, not spending much time checking software security. If there really was an artificial intelligence...
Beck didn't dare to think any further. Facing the huge mechanical monster, he had to focus on operating the drones.
Because he was very clear about the situation, there was no escape. They were already in the sky. If this monster destroyed the Space Station, they would fall either way, and everyone would die.
If he didn't find a way to stop the monster now, was he to hope for those weak-willed scientists who couldn't shoulder any burden? At least he still had some drones in hand, and even if he didn't care whether the others lived, he didn't want to die. Resistance was his only hope for survival.
The human will to survive is incredibly strong. Mysterio had practiced countless times using drones and special effects devices to fight in order to deal with any contingencies that might arise in the script while masquerading as a Superhero.
But after all, he wasn't a real Superhero, at best he could be called a performance artist. All the moves he practiced were just for show, and they didn't really have any lethal power.
He raised his left hand, and numerous fiery dragons burst forth from behind him; he raised his right hand, and thick Fog wrapped around his body, carrying him as he ascended.
Beck's heart was also uneasy; the drones were not causing any harm to the monster's hard shell. He could only hope that it would be confused by the special effects, giving him a chance to launch his only lethal attack.
Several fiery dragons charged straight at the mechanical Spider's face. Beck held the button tightly in his hand, waiting for the Spider to freeze for a moment, and he would summon the most powerful drone he had to take the monster down with him.
"Aaahhhhhhh!!!!!"
As the fiery dragons collided with the Spider monster in that instant, the monster let out a horrific scream.
The seemingly ferocious eight legs got tangled in a fight with themselves, causing the entire lower half of the Spider to burn to ashes. The enormous monster collapsed with a great crash, and its upper body lay on the ground.
Mysterio was dumbfounded, but he did not forget to press the advantage. He waved his left hand again, and a great whirlwind of water swept past; the upper body of the Spider monster screamed as it split apart.
Mysterio slowly looked down at his hands in shock.
Shiller heard Ultron let out a long breath.
"Damn, suicide is hard."