The press conference ended amidst two extreme emotions.
One was the technology sections of various media, with reporters like excited bulls, each wishing they had eight hands, frantically rushing to draft articles during the conference, some even calling their bosses to urge for immediate reporting, vying to be the first to publish the big moves of Umbrella.
Among them, CNN was the fastest, and they also knew how to attract attention.
Less than half an hour after the conference started, CNN broadcast a news flash: "Umbrella Product Launch: This is a Massacre."
Subsequently, "Massacre" became the most frequently used word in news related to the Umbrella product launch.
"February 24th, Umbrella Corporation slaughters the global electronics industry giants!"
"IBM, Intel, Microsoft, Apple... Umbrella Corporation's executioner's blade fell equally on every electronics industry giant."
"Once, the electronics industry was shining with stars, but in the future, there will only be one sun, and that is Umbrella."
"Filled with unbelievable technology, Umbrella Corporation's Queen of Blue computer seems to come from the future!"
"Chip technology enters a new era, experts believe it's at least a decade ahead of the industry!"
"The storage field faces a reshuffle, the once giants about to be slaughtered, how will they respond?"
Compared to the collective climax of media reporters, none of the attending competitors could laugh.
Paul Otellini and Steve Ballmer lost a hundred dollars each, but the young man named Morpheus didn't take their money, instead saying with pity, "You better keep it for yourselves, buy some alcohol, get yourself drunk, it might be easier to accept."
They couldn't help but ask Steve Jobs, "Steve, you have the keenest insight, what do you think of this conference? Is there any possibility they're exaggerating?"
At this moment, Jobs, not yet wearing his iconic turtleneck, looked at them with the same pity as Morpheus.
"I just feel that selling my Apple shares in 1986 was a wise decision. After today, they're worthless."
...
After the conference, Morpheus and Patrick had dinner together.
The latter was extremely excited, drinking quite a bit, even coaxing his breastfeeding wife, Audrey, into taking a small sip of champagne.
"Morpheus," a drunken Patrick became less composed than usual, starting to lean on Morpheus, "I've always wanted to thank you."
"Ha?" Morpheus chuckled, "You're drunk, Patrick."
"No, I'm serious."
"You could have chosen anyone," Patrick said. "Many people could replace me, but you chose me."
"Sometimes, when I think back to that afternoon, besides feeling lucky, I also feel fear."
"I'm afraid, what if that day you weren't looking for me, or I wasn't there because of something, or I didn't believe what you said..."
"I would have missed out on the medication, missed out on Umbrella, missed out on the Queen of Blue, missed out on today..."
"What a regret that would be!"
Morpheus was surprised to see his partner having such feelings.
He was also touched; since that autumn over three years ago, on the path he wanted to take, Patrick had always been his most important helper, and sometimes even his friend.
To be so appreciated by his friend made Morpheus feel joyful.
"You know what, I visited you three times that day, to make sure I could be in your office when you returned, I put in a lot of effort. I'm not someone who easily gives up on my ideas. Even if it happens again, I would still make you believe me and work together with me."
"Is that so?" Patrick was surprised and touched, "Ha, I didn't know I was that important."
"Of course, you are very important, my friend."
Saying this, Morpheus suddenly realized that among the people he interacted with, indeed only Patrick was special.
The researchers at the institute, the wizards involved in the research, and even the Wood siblings who had been with him for not a short time, to Morpheus, seemed more like his subordinates; he couldn't consider them friends.
But perhaps because he started struggling together with him from his humble beginnings, Patrick felt more like an equal partner, even when Morpheus felt uncertain about the future, he would seek advice from him.
Patrick was very moved, suddenly finishing his drink in one gulp as if he had made a decision, and pulled his wife Audrey in front of Morpheus, "Actually, we have a request, we've been hesitant to ask."
He looked at his wife, who smiled and said, "Patrick wants you to be little Ares's godfather."
"Godfather?" Morpheus was stunned. "But... I'm not religious."
"Patrick is half a Buddhist, and I'm an atheist," Audrey laughed. "Godfather is just a convenient term, it's more like an additional legal guardian for little Ares, like an uncle to him."
"This..."
Morpheus was momentarily at a loss, godfather, me? Suddenly feeling like he had to shoulder some responsibility, he instinctively wanted to refuse.
Audrey saw his dilemma, "Of course, it's just Patrick's sudden idea, it's okay if you don't want to."
"Sorry..." Morpheus sighed, "I've never encountered such a thing... I don't know how to be a godfather..."
"Of course, of course, no worries," Audrey said. "I knew this idea was too sudden. After all, you're only in your twenties, not even a girlfriend yet."
"Suddenly asking you to be a child's guardian is indeed a bit unreasonable."
Audrey half-jokingly lightened the awkward atmosphere.
"Right, right, it's my lack of consideration," Patrick also said. "Don't mind it."
Although he said that, Morpheus still felt a bit embarrassed and excused himself with other matters, hastily leaving.
After Morpheus left, Audrey sighed, "Seems like we scared him off, I told you it wasn't a good idea, will this affect your relationship?"
Patrick shook his head and sighed, "I just feel he's been too lonely all this time. But perhaps that's just his way of life. I'm just a mortal, while he's a genius. I shouldn't try to understand a genius with a mortal's thoughts..."
"Oh, is that so? What a pity, it seems I married a crybaby fool."
"When did I ever cry?" Patrick couldn't help but laugh.
"So you admit you're a fool?"
"Humph, your foolish husband is going to be on the cover of Time magazine tomorrow!"
...
Morpheus returned to the Magic Research Institute and found Andrew Tuck, wanting to hear his latest research report.
Andrew talked about their research on werewolf transformation, confirming the relationship between werewolf transformation and rabies virus, finding that during a full moon, werewolves indeed have a thousand times more rabies virus in their bodies than in a non-full moon state.
And discovering that inhibiting the werewolf's nervous system, blocking their recognition of the moon, even if they see the moon, they won't transform, thus confirming the psychological recognition factor in werewolf transformation.
Morpheus listened half-heartedly, gradually feeling better.
"By the way, director, today happens to be a full moon, and we heard from the mental research team that you possess a powerful spell that can influence others' minds. I'd like you to use this spell to verify if altering werewolves' cognition can affect their transformation..."
"Oh? How so?" Morpheus was curious, suddenly understanding, "You want to replace 'the moon' with another trigger?"
"Yes!" Andrew was excited. "If feasible, maybe we can allow werewolves to control their transformation actively."
"Not a bad idea," Morpheus praised. "Oh, right..."
He snapped his fingers, and a domestic sprite appeared beside him.
"Go, tell Laura to call the security store, tell them to be careful, today is a full moon, don't be careless. And also, call the Muggle security team."
...
After the transformation research team tortured those two poor werewolves for half the night, confirming that "imagery replacement" could indeed control werewolf transformation, Morpheus successfully released his stress and slept contentedly in his office.
The next morning, his door was suddenly pushed open by Laura Kruger.
Morpheus, still sleepy, looked at his assistant, wondering if she had finally decided to switch from work assistant to life assistant. But, was this timing a bit too late, or too early?
However, Laura's words immediately woke him up.
"Director, the Muggle security team was attacked by werewolves! There was a massacre on the scene, and your partner, Mr. Patrick, is seriously injured!"
___________________
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