Chapter 95: Another Option
"Let's discuss them one by one."
Harry said as he found a place to sit down, and so did Tony.
"Very good, but I'd rather sit on that sign." Tony pointed to the Arabic barbecue sign under Harry's butt.
Harry scratched his head: "You can sit over here if you want, this sign is quite long."
Not only that, the quality is pretty good and it didn't break into pieces.
"Forget it, forget it." Tony waved his hand. "Let's talk about the first one. We need to deal with these alien things properly."
Harry said: "I agree, Osborn and Stark will provide funding and official supervision."
Tony nodded, that's what he was thinking too.
Neither mentioned whether officials would need to contribute money - clearly, they didn't.
As for supervision, when Norman came to power, this supervision organization was also under the control of the president.
Referees and players are all our own people.
"Actually Osborne's people are already on the way, and Manhattan will probably be closed for a while."
"You move so fast?" Tony expressed surprise. He still gave himself a day off.
"Of course, aliens may carry some bad microorganisms on their bodies, which is not a trivial matter." Harry shrugged.
Not only that, Harry has asked Hurley to talk about real estate acquisition according to his own ideas, and the Osborne Building is going to be replaced.
This invasion will have a huge impact on New York real estate. Those alien microorganisms are not Harry's alarmist; they do exist.
Buy up lots of land, drive out the companies, and Osborne will build a real superstructure here.
The new Osborne Group campus will be a huge fortress-like building.
In the fortress, Osborne will first build a huge Osborne Biological Building here, which houses the world's largest genetic clinic, biological research institute, and even sociological research center, representing the world's most advanced medical technology and biotechnology. Here, Osborne would study the secrets of life.
These alien creatures will also be dragged here for study.
"Alien virus." Tony thought thoughtfully and immediately stood up from the ground. He intended to touch his chin with both hands but remembered that he had touched the ground just now and put his hands back.
Looking at it like that, Harry was really afraid that he would put on the Mark armor and run away in the next second.
"In short, Manhattan will be closed for a period of time, and municipal and state governments will use Osborne's construction robots to complete infrastructure repairs."
"Well, construction robots are a good idea. Why don't we talk about it outside?" Tony said.
"Well... there's a camp not far away."
After all, Tony is not an enhanced person, and now that his mentality has changed, it would be better to find a place to sit down and talk.
After walking out of the disinfection channel, the first aid point was full of injured people, with wailing in his ears and a bloody first aid scene in front of him. Tony felt a little heavy.
Here, no one paid much attention to him, and no enthusiastic fans asked him for autographs.
In comparison, Harry is much more cold-blooded.
The two found a place to sit down outside.
Tony said: "The second thing is, your system, ctOS, restart it."
He knew that the last time Hulk caused trouble in Harlem, with the help of ctOS, the area was evacuated in less than 30 minutes.
But this time, due to some social opposition forces, ctOS's work efficiency was not that high.
Most of the people lying in the hospital now are opponents. I believe that the lessons learned this time are enough to make them change their minds.
In fact, the media is already preparing articles at this time.
"Of course, I'll restart it," Harry said.
Tony continued: "Not only that, I want to join your development team, and there will be a more powerful artificial intelligence that uses this information to manage the city, without even the need for human intervention."
Harry was stunned. Was Tony talking about Ultron?
But the development of Ultron should have started after Tony was interfered by the Scarlet Witch's magic and then obtained the Mind Scepter.
That is to say, Tony actually had this idea for a long time, and the efficiency of ctOS made him realize that they needed this thing.
Harry probed: "...Let me guess, do you still want an Iron Legion to protect the earth 24 hours a day?"
Hearing this, Tony paused and circled twice.
Finally, he raised his head: "Yes, although this is just an idea, I think it is necessary."
A steel army is on standby 24 hours a day, monitoring the world and preparing for war at any time.
I have to say that Tony really dares to think.
But in Harry's view, defending everything one owns is not only a responsibility, but also a right. If this responsibility and right are deprived, human civilization will gradually degenerate into a civilization wrapped in a iron cradle.
This would leave a civilization incomplete.
"But I have to say, I don't agree." Harry sighed.
Tony looked confused.
"Create the Iron Legion and hold all mankind in the palm of your hand like a baby? Tony, tell me, is there anyone who grew up in a cradle?"
"People must learn to walk, run, fall in love with something, and then fight for what they love. The struggle will fail or succeed, and then regret or pride. This is just a small example. What I want to say is that no one will be complete without links, and the same is true for civilization."
"Let the steel soldiers fight, and the war seems to have become someone else's business, just like the United States now. To them, the war is just the lines of small words in the newspaper every morning. The small words write good news, and they live well. Bad news means tightening your belt."
"But tell me, is this what war is all about?"
Tony was silent, of course, he knew that was not the case.
He was once such a person. As the largest arms dealer in the United States, he would not think about how his inventions would look on the battlefield or the role these weapons would play on the battlefield.
To him, all these war-related things are just a line of small characters, a line of numbers, words, or arranged shots with little meaning.
"If people cannot succeed in society but can only fail, civilization will lack motivation; if people can only see the number of casualties but not the truth, civilization will become cold-blooded; if this war is not fought by people, and if a civilization cannot face war, then such a civilization is a giant infant civilization."
"Tell me, do you think the giant infant civilization is a normal civilization?"
In fact, in the original book, the countries in the world that rely entirely on superheroes to fight wars are almost like giant babies - aliens come and go, and countries around the world are still studying how to restrict superheroes and how to master such "humanoid weapons". Thinking about worlds beyond Earth.
Harry just said this to let Tony understand one thing - that war needs people, or members of civilization, to fight.
After a long silence, Tony said: "But at least they are still alive."
Harry nodded: "I don't deny this. But I still stick to my opinion."
Tony said: "It seems...we didn't talk about going together?"
"Not entirely...I have to say that if this artificial intelligence...can become part of our civilization, I still support your idea."
Tony was stunned for a moment: "Sorry? But I didn't understand what you meant?"
Harry said:
"I mean, we can create a healthy life that can think, create, and do all the things that humans can do. The only difference from humans is that electricity or other things flow in its blood vessels. This let it maybe have some unique gifts, but it can still be considered a life."
"Instead of creating an execution machine that is born to only know how to obey - no one..."
Chapter 96: The Prototype of a New Project
"Wait a minute, we are talking about artificial intelligence. You may not understand. This thing is completely different from humans in terms of capabilities..."
Harry said with certainty, "You are talking about AI; I am talking about AL, artificial life."
Tony paused and continued, "I mean, if you use this idea to create a super intelligence, then we humans..."
Harry glanced at Tony strangely, "You are an expert in artificial intelligence. Tell me, does artificial intelligence mean omniscience and omnipotence? Doesn't computing require electricity? Just like humans need money, artificial intelligence may also need electricity. What about trading?"
"Interesting conjecture, but the computing efficiency of artificial intelligence is much higher than that of humans! In other words, they are stronger than humans..."
Tony was interrupted by Harry before he finished speaking:
"This is the case now, but humans will evolve and have great potential. We can strengthen ourselves in the process."
"In addition, I don't need to tell you that most of the best materials in the world are built with carbon as the core. It is not advisable to believe in silicon-based life."
Tony had a "are you serious" look on his face.
Harry said, "I'm serious."
Apart from anything else, it currently seems that only "living bodies" like humans can have psychic powers. According to some conjectures in the psychic theory, if emotions are poured into the machine through some means, this will be a huge amount of data. If strong emotions can even destroy the data structure of artificial intelligence. Simply put, the emotions of life are poison to artificial intelligence.
The Mind Scepter is in Harry's hand now, and he really isn't afraid of artificial intelligence.
Without the Mind Stone, what Tony created was at most a flawed program - in fact, Ultron was a flawed intelligent program.
What Harry wants is obviously not artificial intelligence, but artificial life, and Tony understands what he means.
Tony stared at Harry for a long time and said, "...You are not conducting any illegal and dangerous human experiments in private, are you? By the way, the Abomination is still in your hands! If you did it, you should surrender quickly--"
"NO, I have not..."
"Stop quibbling, you must have--"
"I didn't." Harry pressed his hands to tell Tony to stop. "I didn't, okay?"
There was an argument, and Harry finally won.
All participants in the experiment were voluntary and satisfied with the experiment.
"Really?" Tony asked again.
Harry held his forehead, "Really not, can you be more serious?!"
Tony smiled and patted Harry on the shoulder - standing on tiptoe.
"Okay, to be serious, I want to meet the ctOS development team. In addition, I agree that your father is running for President of the United States. Let's find an opportunity to discuss this matter."
"You agreed? Did you appoint the President of the United States? You are such a narcissist."
"Thank you for the compliment. I have to go back and take a rest. Wait for my call!"
After seeing Tony off, Harry walked towards the underground base.
This underground base in the suburbs was basically unaffected by the battle, and Aiden didn't notice any Hydra or anyone approaching.
Frank's family has been unable to wake up for a long time, and Harry plans to use the Mind Scepter to wake them up.
"Boss, so I'm going to use this alien weapon to wake up my family? Will it be useful?" Frank said, looking at the psychic scepter in Harry's hand, a little nervous.
Harry didn't answer the question.
If the Mind Scepter can't wake up your wife and children, then there's nothing I can do.
"Pay attention to the scepter. I want you to directly enter the consciousness of your wife and son. It is up to you to save your family."
This gem allows the user to enter the minds of other people. Under Harry's control, it will help Frank enter the minds of his family.
Holding the scepter in hand, Harry felt that this gem had greatly strengthened his sixth sense, and his thoughts seemed to have become some kind of ammunition. He could easily put his thoughts into other people's minds.
This power is addictive.
"Frank, get ready." Harry used the scepter to connect the consciousnesses of the two people to be saved.
Frank nodded and looked at the Mind Stone.
Staring at it, he felt that the surroundings were distorted, and everything was collapsing into the yellow gem...
His consciousness was sucked into the gem and projected into the consciousness of his family...
Boom!
A gunshot woke Frank.
The world around him was only black, white, and red, and he arrived at the day when his family was murdered.
That day they arranged to meet in the park, but Frank came late...
A gun battle broke out between gangsters and a group of people in police uniforms, and his family happened to be in the middle of both parties!
"No!"
Bullets rained down on his family, and the scene reminded him of his experience of being ambushed in Vietnam. Those people were clearly right under his nose, but he didn't notice them until they opened fire!
Frank relives the events of that day, and his family falls apart.
The world started to spin again in the next second, and Frank immediately understood what he was going to do; he was going to save his family in this illusion!
The gang's vehicle was parked on the roadside, where they were conducting a transaction...
Frank immediately rushes into the gangster's deal!
His extraordinary senses made the enemy's movements seem to be in slow motion in his eyes. Frank easily snatched the firearms from their hands, and then named them one by one -
One shot, two shots, three shots...every bullet missed.
In a short time, he had killed all the gangsters, and the New York Police Department vehicles slowly stopped.
Just when Frank thought the problem was solved, he discovered that the men in police uniforms still raised their pistols...
His pupils shrank sharply, and his modified senses and nerves allowed him to play every detail of the scene that killed his family in slow motion in an extraordinary way - whether it was these people in police uniforms or gangsters, there were people on both sides. It was aimed at his family!
Boom!
The world resets again, and Frank only has anger in his eyes--
His family did not die by accident, but by deliberate murder!
He wants to clear out everyone on both sides!
He rushed into the gang members like a mad beast, killing everyone quickly and ruthlessly, and then raised his gun at the oncoming people.
If you are guilty, you must die.
Frank's eyes were red, and he pulled the trigger.
.....
The fight ended quickly, and Frank approached his family. His wife was holding her two children tightly, shaking.
"It's okay, Maria, it's all my fault. I will never leave you again."
Frank hugged his family tightly, and the vision ended.
Frank, who returned to reality, heard the coughs of Maria and his son Frank - they were alive!
[Task: Summoning Spirits]
[Description: Help the resurrected person regain consciousness.]
[Reward: Theory: Psionics]
[The task is completed, the reward has been issued]
Sure, here's the revised version of Chapter 97, ensuring consistency with your previously established character names and terms:
---
Chapter 97: Vote for Osborne
The tender moment passed quickly, and Frank's family needed rehabilitation.
Especially after having so many parts replaced, they needed time to become familiar with their new bodies.
As for the new reward [Theory: Psionics], it explained an advanced use of psychic abilities, such as what is commonly known as psychic dialogue. A legion of psychics could even rely on this method to link their consciousnesses together.
Regarding the sensing object, this theory also assumed something else, perhaps God or something else.
Harry looked at the scepter in his hand. This scepter could strengthen his psychic abilities. He could feel that there was really something outside the invisible barrier.
Compared to those beings, he seemed to be living in a small bubble, which separated them. Now, Harry had mastered the method of bypassing the bubble and attracting the attention of those beings.
He put down the scepter, cold sweat dripping from his forehead - this was much more terrifying than Thanos' fleet.
In addition, he also found that he was connected in some wonderful way to a powerful being in the core of the earth, transmitting some kind of energy to it...
It seemed there was still a lot to do.
Harry only trusted Lenin to guard the scepter. After laying a super grid around it, Harry left the vault.
Harry and Frank were standing outside the infirmary. Dr. Connors was examining the two resurrected people. They looked very excited and kept muttering words like "Jesus Christ."
"Do you want to take a break?" Harry asked Frank.
Although he knew that was impossible, Frank was probably very motivated right now and the last thing he wanted was to rest.
Frank took a deep breath and said: "I always thought they were in an accident, but now it seems that they were murdered."
Harry looked at Frank: "Any clues? Who would do such a thing?"
"They are very powerful..." Frank changed his words mid-sentence, "Well, what I mean is that the two groups on that day were actually working together to fake the scene."
"Very good, pretending to be a police officer, right? Our scope has been narrowed down, is there anything else?" Harry didn't say where he had narrowed it down, and everyone understood it tacitly.
Frank was silent for a moment, but finally decided to speak out: "The only reason I can think of is because of the things I did overseas."
Although Harry already knew the ins and outs, he still had to listen to it in case something was different from what he remembered.
"While we were overseas, a commander was parachuted above and gathered some people from various units to form the Cerberus Squad."
"This team does everything out there: assassinations, kidnappings, interrogations..."
Frank smiled to himself as he spoke.
"What a bunch of beasts. But we just did it. As a soldier, I can't doubt my superiors, but now that I think about it, there are a lot of tricks in it."
Harry thought for a while, and Frank probably had to investigate this matter himself.
Just in time, it can be used to attack the Rollins family, NSA, and CIA, and prepare for what will be done next.
Harry said, "You want to figure this out? I can give you a day off."
Frank nodded.
"Then go check it out. If you need help, just ask. Bring your equipment."
Frank smiled: "You are really the best boss in the world."
"You're welcome, you should be considerate of your employees." Harry shrugged, it was good for him anyway.
.....
Just a few days later, various forces started questioning the United States: Where are the aliens? What did you say to them? Should this contact be the responsibility of the United Nations? What you are doing is eating alone!
Alexander also used this to continuously put pressure on the President of the United States. This time he represented other countries and was quite confident.
But once he wants back Loki's sceptre , it's time for him to make small moves again.
Not surprisingly, the President of the United States, Ellis, quickly compromised and asked Norman to hand over Loki.
The next day, Norman took to social media to harshly criticize the current president! He said that under his leadership, America will be great again!
In fact, the current US government is already in dire straits, especially the president, who cannot be tough even if he wants to. Moreover, he will definitely step down at the end of his term.
"What was just thought to be an alien invasion caused huge damage, but a group of superheroes emerged on the scene, some of whom were called the Avengers."
"Perhaps when it comes to this, many people will be disappointed with the official, but what we want to say is that New York Governor Norman Osborn is also at the forefront of this battle. He, Harry Osborn, and Tony Stark together redirected the nuclear bomb launched by the United Nations Security Council into a wormhole and ended the battle."
"Not only that, the satellite launched by the Osborn Group a few days ago discovered energy anomalies in central New York before the disaster occurred and notified the state government before the incident."
"This allowed the National Guard led by Governor Osborn and other superheroes to arrive on the battlefield almost at the first moment of the disaster and minimize the damage."
"And the civil defense measures built after the governor took office also played a very good role."
"Unfortunately, because Osborn shut down ctOS before, the evacuation efficiency this time is far less than the previous one in Harlem. Many people were unable to evacuate in time, and rescue is being organized on site."
After the host finished speaking, the camera switched to the rescue scene.
The power armor printed with the Osborn Group logo moved away boulders one after another, and the medical power armor immediately treated the rescued injured.
"The situation on the scene is still not optimistic, but thanks to these big guys, the rescue is proceeding in an orderly manner."
The camera then moved to the distance, and you could see Norman was also at the scene, wearing an armored suit, and he easily moved the stone away.
"And our governor is obviously very reliable, and maybe he should be given a title like Governor of the United States... Let me get closer."
The reporter moved closer to Norman.
"Governor Osborn, you are the first governor we have ever seen who can lead the charge. What are the names of the superheroes you lead? For example, the Avengers?"
"No, but you can call them 'concerned citizens' organizations."
Everyone on the side laughed when they heard the words "enthusiastic citizens."
Norman continued: "Seriously, they are indeed not an organized force, but if they are willing to fight to protect the people, I suggest that they design a symbol for themselves, such as a powerful hammer."
"Hammer, right? What's the moral of that?"
"Yes, its meaning is to crush our enemies and protect our homeland."
"That is a great symbol. Now the American people hope that you can participate in the presidential election at the end of the year. Do you have this plan?"
Norman smiled in front of the camera, as if he had thought for a moment.
"I have. In fact, I originally planned to run for president after my second term, but now it seems I need to change my plan."
As he spoke, Norman shrugged, his tone containing dissatisfaction with the authorities.
However, he was dissatisfied with this qualification - New York was almost bombed by a nuclear bomb, and he even carried the nuclear bomb himself.
While talking, Captain America also appeared in the distance of the camera, carrying rocks.
"It's Captain America." Norman said and shouted to Captain America: "Captain, can you wave to the American people?"
As the spiritual leader of the American people, Captain America certainly didn't mind showing up at this time to appease people.
The image of Captain America waving to Norman became the last shot of the broadcast and will surely become a classic photo.
The broadcast screen closed, and the host said: "Okay, thank you to the reporter in front for bringing us the picture. Off topic, I don't know who you will vote for, but I will definitely vote for Norman Osborn."
"To be honest, I really hope the election will be held tomorrow. After all, what's the use of a president who can't even stop others from launching nuclear bombs on us? We are the United States."
---
Chapter 98: Buying Land and Recruiting Talent
Now that the Battle of New York is over, it's time for Harry to re-plan the city.
Buying real estate felt like picking cabbage at the vegetable market. Harry discovered a strange virus on the Chitauri the next day, which spread by static electricity. However, relying on Osborn's genetic technology, Harry quickly extracted antibodies from immune Chitauri and produced an antiserum through cloning technology.
Manhattan was completely sealed off, and Osborn became one of the officially licensed post-disaster reconstruction contractors. It can be said that they were quite well-fed.
Starting from the central city, large tracts of low-priced land were bought by Harry. The world's largest biotechnology research center and extraterrestrial materials research center will be built here. The new Osborn Building will be quite huge.
Due to the alien virus, no one can enter or leave now. Fortunately, the construction robots developed by Harry are quite efficient. Just needing to transport a steady stream of construction materials here, and a small number of engineers can maintain 24-hour construction.
Driven by Osborn and Stark, the Damage Control Bureau was quickly established.
"Adrian Toomes, you are very brave. Do you want to subcontract?" Harry looked at the middle-aged man with interest.
This is the Vulture in the original story. Initially, he signed a debris cleanup agreement with the city and was then intercepted by the Damage Control Bureau. But this time Harry discovered the virus on the Chitauri in advance, and Norman completed the blockade. A small team from nowhere was not qualified to enter Manhattan.
Everything is the responsibility of Osborn, Stark, and the government-owned Damage Control Bureau. They have the final say on who can enter Manhattan and who has the qualifications.
"Yes, I was a contractor responsible for infrastructure construction before the disaster. We have experience, technology, ability, and equipment..." Adrian paused. He wanted to say that they had equipment, but looking at the various construction robots and power armor, he couldn't say it.
The Battle of New York caused him to lose his job and construction contract, so he had to find a way out.
As Harry knocked on the table, he thought: This guy is a talent, or at least his team is.
His subordinate Phineas Mason, a tinker, is a very talented weapons maker.
"You know what? Normally, I wouldn't hire a small team like yours. These things are very dangerous, but for the sake of your courage--"
Harry turned around and waved at the passing power armor team. These powered armors were carrying a huge piece of Chitauri equipment remains. At Harry's signal, they put the thing on the ground, stirring up a layer of dust.
"You said you are capable, prove to me that you can handle this thing properly."
Adrian was stunned for a moment, then looked at his companion: "What are you waiting for? Work!"
Several people quickly moved and took out various tools.
The tinker was a fat man wearing homemade goggles on his head, but he didn't know what they were for.
"Okay boss... Let me take a look at the structure of this thing first... We have to disassemble its shell from this place. These are where the lines are connected... Interesting, these gems are some kind of energy conversion devices..."
The tinker kept muttering as he quickly dismantled the huge alien debris into pieces.
"The rest..." Phineas looked closely at the core parts.
One minute passed... 1 minute passed, and half an hour passed. The dismantling speed of Adrian's team was not as fast as before.
He looked at Phineas and then at Harry, as anxious as an ant on a hot pot.
"What now? How about we continue to dismantle it from here..." Adrian was anxious, about to hit it with the crowbar in his hand.
"No, no, no, this is a structure I've never seen before. I need to study it more!" Phineas stopped him - this is an alien creation. If it explodes accidentally, it will be over!
But Adrian was afraid that Harry wouldn't give him this chance, so he wanted to quickly dismantle the core to prove himself!
The dispute between the two was witnessed by everyone. Both sides insisted on their opinions, but Adrian had more supporters, and the crowbar was about to hit this energy core...
Boom!
The crowbar missed the core, and an Osborn employee in an exoskeleton grabbed the thing. Adrian felt relieved. But Harry clapped instead.
"Yes, at least this gentleman's skills are up to par." Harry pointed at Phineas.
Adrian felt even colder. Was Harry going to recruit Phineas and kick him out?
Harry walked around, pretending to ponder, and then said: "But after all, it was your courage that allowed me to see such talent. How about this? You and your team come to Osborn. You can be a project manager or something."
"What?" Adrian was stunned.
"That's it. You and your team will come to Osborn to be responsible for the research and recovery of alien weapons. This is a big project."
Adrian and Phineas looked at each other: although the result was not what they imagined... working for Osborn seemed good, at least they wouldn't have to worry about running out of work.
"My assistant will contact you. You must learn to work with my equipment, especially these power armors and construction robots. The old working methods are too inefficient and unsafe. The alien virus is not a lie."
When they heard about the alien virus, everyone in Adrian's team was stunned for a moment, and then quickly rubbed their hands - they really thought it was a lie before!
Harry said amusingly: "Of course, these things that have been moved out have been disinfected and processed strictly - now I have some doubts about my decision. Can you act more professionally?"
After recovering these extraterrestrial debris, this team can continue to work at the Institute of Extraterrestrial Materials. It just so happens that they lack talent to host this area. Osborn will start developing weapons in the future.
After a day of work - actually a day of inspection, Harry decided to give himself a break. Then Tony called.
"Kid Osborn, do you want to come to the barbecue? You can bring your team, Dr. Otto, the skateboard family, and the red pajama baby."
Harry thought for a while:
Dr. Otto and Dr. Selvig are exchanging academic experiences; Norman is conducting political activities; Frank is investigating the situation in Kandahar with his team, and the remaining soldiers are helping the official police the battlefield.
The baby in red pajamas is arguing with Uncle Ben and Aunt May at home.
"Uh...my team is very dedicated. Where are you?" Harry looked at the time. It was still early, and the sky was still bright.
"You are really a black-hearted capitalist. Dubai, I have reserved a beach here!"
Dubai, right... Harry finally figured out why these people were having a barbecue so early.
"Um... Okay, no need to interrupt, but what I want to say is that some kind of virus was found on those Chitauri, and you need to get a physical examination."
There was no sound on the phone.
---
Chapter 99: Avengers Assemble...Cure
Rebuilding takes a lot of time, and the speed at which New York was rebuilt after the battle in the original story was obviously unscientific.
The cleanup of the war zone will be carried out in different areas. The entire battlefield is divided into four circles, with the center being the Stark Tower in Midtown. The degree of battle damage decreases outward.
However, some companies that like to compete against Osborne have had their buildings badly damaged and need to be addressed last.
Of course, if these companies plan to enter the market early, Harry will not stop them. The news that there are microorganisms here has been released. While some companies might play devil's advocate, the reality is that these microorganisms are dangerous. The electrostatic shock generated by the explosion will paralyze their equipment.
Losing data means losing business, and losing business means having no money. This has a much greater impact on them than the loss of a few lives.
In terms of biotechnology, even though Osborne claimed to be second, no one really dared to say they were first. They had to be somewhat defensive.
After this incident, the real estate value in Manhattan will drop significantly. After all, no one knows if another accident will happen here and cause their equipment to be scrapped.
"We all know that the Osborne Group has contracted most of the work in the redevelopment of Manhattan. Isn't this unfair to other companies?"
Since taking on the contract, Harry has been appearing on television more and more.
Reporters from WHIH news are interviewing Harry.
"That's a good question, let's watch a video."
The video shows a microorganism that has never been seen on Earth.
Researchers in chemical protective suits hold electrostatic generators and shock experimental mice.
"This is a 'gift' given to us by those aliens," Harry said while playing the video. "This foreign microorganism will change the host's molecular density and polar magnetic field, causing the host's brain to continuously be charged. Eventually..."
One second the mouse was crawling around normally, and the next second a violent static shock erupted.
"That's how it will be."
The mouse in the video died on the spot, and its body slowly floated.
"If humans are infected, this static electricity shock should be able to paralyze all electronic equipment on a block, which is equivalent to an EMP shock. Not only that, residents within the range are likely to be infected."
The reporters at the scene silenced themselves, then crossed their hands with uneasy expressions—Harry Osborne had been at the scene!
Seeing the reporter's reaction, Harry smiled: "Don't worry, the transmission route of this microorganism is different from any other microorganism we know. It spreads through static electricity, which is why you can see in the video that the researchers were shocking the mice."
"And we've almost developed an antiserum...well, it's the antidote."
"Now you know, this news is not fabricated by Osborne to support the governor's blockade of Manhattan. Chemical protective suits are being upgraded every day. Who knows what is in outer space?"
After speaking, Harry spread his hands.
However, blocking Manhattan does have many advantages, such as being able to purchase a large amount of real estate at low prices.
This attack has closed down many companies, directly affecting the U.S. economy, and this impact will soon spread worldwide.
"In short, the Osborne Group can both handle these alien microorganisms and have the most advanced construction robots to reduce manpower requirements. There is no doubt that we are the most suitable company to take charge of post-war reconstruction work."
After saying that, Harry turned and left. He still had things to do.
In the underground facility, the Avengers have been waiting for a long time.
"So Osborne has an underground base? Doesn't it need to be kept secret?" Banner marveled while observing the advanced equipment through the glass.
"You should have heard of their ctOS system, right? That thing can even monitor an entire city—under restricted circumstances, how many probes do you think are watching us in this facility?" Natasha said while looking around, focusing on places where surveillance cameras might be placed.
"So no agents can break into this place?" Tony answered, "Neither can you?"
Natasha glanced at Tony and nodded.
"Great, I want to get one of these too." Tony snapped his fingers.
It seemed like Agent Coulson was impressed that he took his elevator straight to the top of Stark Tower.
Soon everyone arrived at the treatment room that Harry had prepared for them. Harry had been waiting here for a long time.
"Welcome, Avengers," Harry said, fiddling with his synthesizer.
"That's cool. Is that a pharmaceutical synthesis device used within the Osborne Group?" Banner's eyes lit up when he saw it.
Just imagine his reaction if he knew that this thing could also replicate his Hulk serum.
"Okay, boy, I saw what you just said on TV. How are you going to treat us? Also, I think my body is pretty good," Tony said bluntly.
Harry pointed to the electrostatic meter beside them.
"Congratulations, one of you won the prize."
This result is not surprising.
Among other things, Black Widow's weapon "Widow's Sting" has an electric shock function. Others may survive, but she is 100% infected.
This matter was not mentioned in the original story, and Harry was not sure whether it was considered a bug.
"Agent Romanoff, Black Widow, infected." The test results came out, and Harry ruthlessly pronounced the verdict.
Everyone looked at each other.
"Next...Captain America, Steve—you should be okay with me calling you that, right? I paid royalties to the military, and you are also infected."
After hearing Harry's words, the captain stood aside silently.
This is not difficult to guess—the captain has had several close encounters with aliens. The probability of static electricity being generated during the battle is indeed very high.
"Dr. Banner...good news, you are already immune, and you already have enough antibodies in your body." Harry curled his lips. It was obvious that these were antibodies born from Hulk.
"Tony, good luck, negative."
"Agent Patton, negative."
The last person, Thor.
Harry looked at Thor up and down for a while, and everyone followed his gaze.
"Forget it."
Whether he is infected or not is not a problem at all for this big man—is Thor afraid of static shock? The answer is of course no.
After checking, Harry started the reagent synthesizer, requiring a total of two doses of antiserum.
"I have a question. I heard that this antiserum is still in the experimental stage?" Natasha raised her hand.
Harry nodded: "Yes, you are the first batch of human experiment subjects."
Everyone was stunned when they heard this, and Harry couldn't hold back his laughter.
"Please, you are Avengers and superheroes. If you don't go with me, who will?"
It's just a joke, there's nothing wrong with the antiserum.
"This virus, I mean, is it possible that it has spread among the population?" Banner continued to ask questions while the equipment was synthesizing antiserum.
"Well, because of its unique way of spreading, I don't think it has spread among the crowd." Harry shrugged.
"But is it possible?"
"Yes." Harry nodded, "But it's not a big problem. I wonder if you have heard of the 'Canary Device'."
The Canary device is a drug diffusion device. The principle is very simple. You only need to fill it with raw materials—whether it is antigens, antibodies, or other things, and it will form a cloud that can cover an entire city block.
Theoretically, polio can be completely cured with this thing in one afternoon. This thing has great potential.
"I heard that it was the most powerful medical device or the most powerful biological weapon. I thought research on that thing had stopped?" Tony...
**Chapter 100: Artificial Life and Co-evolution**
The treatment was over, and the Avengers went back to their homes.
But Tony left Banner behind, and the three of them mysteriously found a hidden conference room.
Tony sat down and said to Harry: "By the way, before we talk about business, I want to tell you that the Security Council still does not intend to let Loki go, and Thor plans to take Loki away directly."
Due to pressure from several other countries, the weakened United States has delegated its power to negotiate with aliens. It must be said that Ellis is indeed a weakling.
Unsurprisingly, these people didn't consider diplomacy at all - Harry felt a little helpless, just waiting for the Avengers to send him off, right?
Harry nodded helplessly and threw a USB flash drive to Tony, which contained some details about the transport of Loki and the Tesseract.
"Okay, now you know why I asked my father to run for the election, right?"
Harry said as he turned on the holographic projection and now entered conference mode.
"So what are we doing here mysteriously?" Banner was a little confused.
Faced with Banner's question, Tony thought about how to speak.
"Let me tell you, Tony wants to build a super artificial intelligence, and then form an army of Iron Soldiers, and use this super artificial intelligence to control the Iron Soldier Army and protect Earth," Harry finished the words in one breath.
Banner looked at Tony after hearing this.
After hearing this, Tony looked at Harry: "Thank you, I mean you expressed what I meant very well, but your expression sounded a bit cold-blooded. What I want to do is..."
Tony paused, as if thinking of how to express himself better, but in the end, he gave up and said to Banner: "Yeah - that's pretty much it. I'm going to arm the world."
Banner said: "Let's not mention that you want to develop artificial intelligence without telling the team, but the world you describe seems a bit cold, Tony."
"I have seen a colder world." Tony looked at Harry, "He has seen it too."
Harry nodded in acquiescence.
And strictly speaking, Tony has not seen a colder world - the illusion caused by the Scarlet Witch.
But now the birth of the Scarlet Witch is largely decided by Harry. Maybe she will be a researcher at the Osborn Department of Magical Science and Technology in the future.
"So you think so too?" Banner looked over.
Tony answered before Harry spoke: "He said that would make human civilization incomplete, but we can go further. We recognize the citizen nature of creation, and it is no longer a simple tool so that civilization on this fragile blue planet can be in a stronger posture to face threats."
Banner seemed to have heard something more interesting and looked at Harry with a frown: "Well, I have to say that this is indeed a more... more humane idea, but it is also more outrageous - you know what? I feel like we are discussing the setting of a science fiction novel about intelligent robots..."
Harry shrugged. "Anyway, this is the situation. Now the decision is in your hands. Which side do you choose, Doctor?"
"Wait a minute, two, let's not mention your differences in ideas. What we are discussing now is advanced technology. Why do you think we can definitely conquer this technology?"
As soon as he finished speaking, the door of the laboratory opened.
A giant claw reached in, it was Dr. Otto who had arrived.
Dr. Otto greeted: "Hello, everyone."
Tony said: "We have the world's top research team and sufficient funds. If this technology is achievable, then we are the most likely to realize it."
Not to mention Tony, Jarvis is his classic work on artificial intelligence.
Although Dr. Otto seems irrelevant, his robotic arm is actually a very powerful artificial intelligence. This thing was originally used to control artificial small suns in real time, and Jarvis's ability to process data is not weak.
Then there was Harry... Banner looked at Otto and then at Tony, his eyes seeming to ask: What about you?
After all, although Harry also has certain inventive abilities, he is still inferior to these big guys.
Harry clapped his hands, and a storage platform stretched out from the ground, with the Mind Scepter placed on it.
"I scanned this thing - don't look at me like that. I didn't steal it. For some reason, it's in my hands now. You can ask Fury."
While responding to Dr. Banner's doubts, Harry released the scan.
The blue holographic image beats slowly, like a brain.
Dr. Banner was shocked the first time he saw this thing. He walked around the holographic image and said, "This is so beautiful."
Tony and Harry looked at each other and both smiled and shrugged.
"If I asked you to guess, what do you think it's doing?" Tony said.
"Thinking." Banner said without thinking. "I mean... this isn't a human brain, but these things look like... neural networks, these things are like neurons firing..."
Others have seen this scene a long time ago, but they still sigh about it. The most disturbing thing is Dr. Otto's mechanical claw. From the expressive point of view, it is hard to imagine that this thing is closer to Tony's vision than Jarvis. "Ultron".
Tony said: "This will be the key, whether you choose my Ultron or his civilization upgrade plan."
"Ultron? Is that the name you gave your artificial intelligence? It sounds like fantasy." Banner said while walking around the holographic scan. "Of course, the other one sounds more fantasy."
"Then choose, doctor, which one do you prefer?"
Banner looked at Harry, then at Otto, then at Tony.
"I would like to ask first, which one did Dr. Otto choose?" Banner said.
Otto shrugged, "The latter kind, I like challenges, and I don't like weapon development."
Banner was still hesitant, and he said to Tony: "So should we tell the team about such a big thing first?"
Tony sighed: "Dr. Banner, I'm not saying that the team is bad, but the smartest people in the team - and the smartest people outside the team are all here. I don't want to affect our project because of endless arguments."
The Avengers had just completed their first assembly, and they had not even teamed up to fight the KB elements. Banner obviously still remembered the quarrel on the aircraft carrier, and soon stopped worrying about the team.
"I choose the latter one," Banner said, "it sounds more humanistic."
Harry and Tony looked at each other and smiled: "Look, I knew Dr. Banner would agree with me."
Tony waved his hand in surrender.
"Very good. Since we chose the second option, we need to expand the research team."
Harry clapped his hands as he spoke, and the candidate information appeared on the holographic projection.
"Dr. Connors, I don't need to introduce this. He is an expert in biotechnology and is now in charge of the Biological Era Project."
"Dr. Helen Cho, she is studying a technology called Regenerative Cradle, nanomaterials, used to repair and print the human body. She can help us study the body materials of new life forms..."
Halfway through, Banner interrupted: "Wait a minute, wait a minute, I thought we were talking about computer technology? Artificial Life?"
This reaction was seen by Tony, and he joked: "You see, Dr. Banner instinctively rejected your idea."
Harry smiled and said: "Dr. Banner, if you are talking about artificial intelligence like Jarvis or Dr. Otto's assistant, it is indeed computer technology."
"But I'm talking about artificial life now, and we're going to bring together the best minds in the world - not just in computing, but also in life sciences, materials science, genetic engineering, bioengineering, neurophysiology, psychology, philosophy, economics and finance..."
"All, areas."
"We will create a life that is different from humans but will have a place in this civilization."
"This new life, we will call them 'synths'."
While creating new life, creating a new future world is the purpose of this project.
Banner was stunned.
"Creating...life? I thought we were talking about some...like an updated version of Jarvis? At best, a citizenship issue?"
Harry replied: "Further, the form is just a shell, the key is intelligence. This new creation, no matter what form it is, should think like a human being and serve civilization like a human being, not a tool."
Banner said with an exaggerated expression: "Wow, that doesn't sound good. A better race? Are you sure they won't replace humans?"
Harry shook his head: "In the process, we will deepen our understanding of life and create better lives. This does not mean that the Creator has stopped making progress. The technological improvements we have gained during this process will also affect ourselves. This kind of relationship is more like--"
Dr. Otto moved his claws, the atmosphere was stagnant, and Harry continued:
"Coevolution."
Chapter 101: The Reversal Begins
In the original work, Bruce Banner and Tony Stark completed Ultron in just three days.
Harry Osborn felt that this might be one of the reasons why Ultron had significant flaws.
Now that Harry is involved, it is impossible to rush the work in three days, and it is impossible to create another Ultron.
Besides, Tony isn't that extreme now, so Harry thinks it's fun.
They need to dismantle and study the things scanned on the mind scepter and extract the matrices that make up various emotions. This process alone will be extremely long. Even the amount of matrix data for one emotion is huge, surpassing Jarvis's limit of data handling.
Just extracting these matrices is not enough; it is also necessary to ensure that they can convert and influence each other like human emotions.
After extracting the matrix, they also have to consider how to load such huge data into appropriate storage and processors—the "brain" of this new life.
There are still various problems that need to be solved urgently. Creating Ultron seems a bit childish compared to this project.
It is foreseeable that they will spend a lot of time and energy on it, but the scepter will not escape. They can study it slowly and are not in a hurry.
Osborn will be responsible for promoting social development, planetary unification, and cultural integration during this process. In a divided world, humans will harm humans. If they want this new life to not take the slaughter of humans as a goal after thinking about it, they must first solve this problem.
The first discussion was over. Several people initially broke down what needed to be done for this project, and then completed it module by module. Even such a simple step took three full days.
"It's really crazy," Banner said.
Crazy, of course, but there are only a few ultimate goals for humanity, and it would be nice to give these superheroes something to do.
Tony agreed, "Even from my perspective—you are right. But Harry, you really have to study hard."
Harry scratched his head. There were many things discussed in the past few days that he couldn't quite understand, but every time these guys said something, the others would show an "I see" expression, which made Harry a little doubtful about life.
He began to wonder if in this world, science and technology were engraved in the DNA of these characters called "super high IQ," and the process of inventing things was more like "I am thinking."
But he felt like he had been really influenced. He really needed to catch up on Marvel science in private.
Anyway, the results are very gratifying, and the research goals have been roughly established.
In the first stage, they still need to develop a super artificial intelligence that can control ctOS globally, but the purpose is management, not world peace or the like.
"I have a final question, why did we choose Greek mythology as the code name for the project?" Banner asked.
Harry smiled, "Well, Rome conquered Greece and then took over their mythology. Aren't we also conquering life itself in reverse?"
But those things are not just myths.
Tony tapped his pen on the table, "I like how you said it, so we're using Roman-Greek mythology."
Before the meeting ended, Dr. Banner asked, "Does this project need to be kept secret? I mean..." Banner paused, "This project is somewhat sensitive."
Several people looked at each other and then looked at Harry.
"The ultimate goal is kept secret for now, other than that it doesn't matter."
"Including artificial intelligence?" Tony also answered.
"Including artificial intelligence."
...
What is brand loyalty?
Brand loyalty means that consumers have a special preference for a certain brand, so when they continue to purchase such products, they just recognize the brand and give up trying other brands.
And those who are now betting on the door of Osborn Tower should be called brand fanaticism.
There are rumors everywhere that the system was supposed to complete the first upgrade before the Battle of New York, but the joint investigation by the NSA and FBI was not completed, and before the war, many people caused damage to controlled public facilities, resulting in evacuation efficiency issues. Various low-level problems arose.
Not only that, a considerable number of people who were influenced to abandon ctOS before the war regretted it.
There were even civilians who voluntarily accepted ctOS dispatch and were seriously injured when rescuing those die-hards. This incident was reported as a typical one:
"Alex Murphy, a police officer, had his day off on the day of the incident, but he still put on the exoskeleton he just bought and joined the team to evacuate those people."
Reporters on the front lines of WHIH News are walking down the aisles of the hospital, which is packed with people.
As the reporter walked, he introduced the person he was about to interview.
"Unfortunately, during the evacuation, he was involved in the fighting to rescue a girl who was separated from her parents and was seriously injured. Now let us interview this heroic citizen—Oh my God!"
Opening the door to the ward, the reporter exclaimed at the sight in front of her.
Alex's whole body was completely wrapped in bandages, with only his two eyes and mouth exposed.
Still, he smiled kindly for the camera.
"Hello, my condition seems to have surprised you, but don't worry, I'm out of danger." Alex pretended to be relaxed, "I could only speak yesterday, so I might have some slurred speech. Forgive me."
"Oh my god...how did you...I mean, how did you become like this?" The reporter originally wanted to say, how did you survive, but her professionalism made her change her story in time.
"This is a question... I was choosing a powered exoskeleton at the Osborne flagship store—I was one of the first people to be certified with a powered exoskeleton. I was very happy at the time."
"When I was thinking about which model to buy: a heavy-duty model for housework or an all-terrain model for rock climbing, all of a sudden, all kinds of alarms went off."
"Soon, most people were guided by various public facilities and hid in the nearest civil air defense facility—"
"Then that thing appeared in the sky—it was really like a dream."
"Then ctOS told me that there are still many people who are not obeying the evacuation instructions and are trapped on the ground, and asked me to assist the military in evacuation."
"At first, I joined with a certain death mentality, but then I discovered that trench-like passages had been built outside. All I needed to do was to evacuate with the masses under the cover of those power armors and militiamen—because they did not obey the municipal government to evacuate and missed the best opportunity."
"Everything was normal at first, and I even fought a few aliens—the process was almost safe, but then... I found a little girl squatting in the corner on the street, so I rushed out by myself into the trenches."
"Then...the alien almost hit me, and the explosion turned me into what I am now—but fortunately, the girl was saved."
The reporter sighed repeatedly after hearing this.
"You're a real hero, Alex. Have the girl's family been found at last?"
Alex's expression darkened, "Her father was at the gate of Osborn Tower when the incident happened, where the fighting was fiercest."
"That's really..."
The reporter didn't finish, but the story was complete enough.
The identity of the little girl was quickly discovered: her name was Kate Bishop, the daughter of publishing tycoon Derek Bishop.
The tycoon obviously stood against Osborne. Before the war, he published many books with negative news about ctOS. His appearance opposite Osborn Tower was also related to this.
Compared to the lame stories concocted to attack Osborne before the Battle of New York, this story is more true than anything else.
Now, most of the people standing in front of the NSA headquarters in New York were infected by this story. Many of them were exoskeleton owners who participated in the rescue. They saw the horrors of the war.
Most of what they were thinking was—if the US Military hadn't stirred up trouble in advance, maybe there wouldn't have been so many deaths.
Sooner or later, this contradiction will be intensified, but the situation has reversed, and Osborne will become the shield that breaks the spear of official public opinion.
Then become the new official.
---
Chapter 102: Bishop Company
"Ms. Bishop, nice to meet you. I'm sorry about what happened to you."
"Thank you, Mr. Osborn."
Eleanor Bishop, wife of the late publishing tycoon Derek Bishop, stood with her daughter, Kate Bishop.
"This is my daughter. The doctor said she needs time to recover. I'd better take her with me..."
Kate Bishop, who was supposed to be the next generation of Hawkeye, stood next to her mother, seemingly still recovering from the attack.
It was possible that Eleanor hoped to bring Kate along to gain sympathy.
"Please take a seat, ma'am."
Bishop had come seeking help.
In the original story, Derek Bishop owed a lot of money to Kingpin and died during the Battle of New York, causing the company to collapse. Eleanor had to work for Kingpin and transitioned from a publishing giant to a private soldier.
Many years later, with the help of Hawkeye Clint, the grown-up Kate Bishop would end up killing her parents and getting her mother into trouble.
Now, seeking development opportunities, Kingpin's mission was to find trouble for Osborn. Clearly, he hadn't done a good enough job, and Osborn didn't intend to cooperate with Hydra, so their issues were several meters high.
The discussion between Eleanor and Harry was simple, mainly about money.
Harry was happy to turn enemies into friends, and Eleanor was not a troublemaker and was easy to control.
"I have been informed of the situation by my assistants, and Osborn is willing to help."
Harry was ready to lend money. After the war, Osborn acquired some banks that were doing well but faced bankruptcy due to the New York War, reorganizing them into Osborn Bank.
After driving away the complicated shareholders, Harry had always wanted to get involved in the financial field.
So now, the Bishop family's creditor became Osborn.
"Osborn is willing to lend you money, and we can also be a little more lenient on some debt issues," Harry said, relaxed. The publishing industry was still important, and people always had respect for books.
At least for now, even if the situation changed in the future, they could switch to new media under Harry's instruction.
Eleanor's expression improved when she heard this, but she didn't respond—Osborn hadn't stated any conditions yet.
But Harry simply looked at her with a friendly smile.
Were the conditions in the agreement?
Eleanor picked up the agreement and read it repeatedly. Based on her experience, the agreement was completely normal—the loan amount and interest rate were even low.
Additional conditions stated that Osborn would control Bishop Publishing Company, but this was also proposed by Eleanor herself. By selling the shares to Osborn, Bishop made money to some extent...
So where was the pitfall?
After looking at herself, Eleanor shook her head, then looked at Kate beside her, and then at Harry blankly.
At this moment, Hurley walked in. Harry took the file, and the two seemed to have a whisper, indicating a very close relationship between Mr. Osborn and his assistant.
And Hurley was quite tall and well-behaved...
So where was the pitfall?
Harry noticed Eleanor's look and wondered if he should symbolically ask for something.
At this time, little Kate spoke: "My father said that the technology Osborn has is dangerous and can monitor all of us. You must have no good intentions."
Harry shrugged. He didn't expect that the publishing giant truly thought this way—he was obviously one of the people controlling public opinion.
But then again, this was where public opinion was most powerful.
Eleanor suddenly panicked: "Shh!" Covering Kate's mouth, Eleanor looked at Harry nervously, "Mr. Osborn, she..."
Harry patted little Kate on the head: "Kate, right? Your father was... well, a thoughtful man, but he was obviously misguided."
"Someone told him: Osborn will do this, Osborn will do that, but you see, the technology in our hands has saved many people."
Harry rubbed his eyes.
"Keep your eyes open, little Kate."
Kate also followed Harry's example and rubbed her eyes, saying, "Like Hawkeye? He has very good eyes."
Harry smiled and didn't answer Kate's question.
"Anyway, Ms. Bishop, this is the agreement. But I have a few ideas. We can publicize what happened this time..."
The most powerful aspect of public opinion is that it defines justice and reasonableness, or other things—beliefs, religions, ideals, or other incentives.
Inspire people to become the better versions of themselves that they imagine and do better.
For example, Derek was a good man in a sense.
He truly believed what those agents and friends were saying: that Osborn was controlling them, to the detriment of everyone.
So he worked hard, just hoping to make people see the "threat." In fact, he did a good job as an "anti-Osborn vanguard."
People believed what he said because it made sense, especially in a peaceful environment where people looked at these things rationally.
But if the environment changes—the background becomes: if not for their obstruction, ctOS could have prevented more people from dying...
He becomes a fool and a bad person who does not listen to advice and endangers others, especially when his company and family also change direction and admit this point of view.
Maybe this incident can also become an allusion for Osborn fans to refute others.
An alien invasion is something everyone knows and cannot be fabricated at will. Harry must try his best to let Osborn's influence reach as many places as possible through this matter.
Eleanor is a weak woman, but Kate is not, and motivating her with "facts" to promote Osborn is excellent.
With Osborn's help, Bishop Publishing Company could survive. With Harry's connections, more people would naturally believe and buy into the superhero relationships they recorded and published.
Bishop would sing Osborn's praises and grow bigger and bigger.
Soon, the market would be filled with legends about heroes and stories about how ordinary people became great thanks to ctOS and Osborn's products.
All the old ideas of the past would be replaced by new ideas in the new era.
This much business was enough for Bishop Company to survive the difficult period. Eleanor's face was full of disbelief. Osborn is so good?
Harry continued to maintain his professional smile and said: "Anyway, I am also a director of Bishop Company now. I won't make it difficult for my industry to survive, right?"
"I...the attack changed everything. Thank you for giving me this opportunity."
Eleanor was extremely grateful to Osborn for this chance.
If it weren't for Osborn, she would have to sell off various assets—even then, it was entirely possible she would not be able to repay the money. After all, Manhattan's real estate was still in a downturn, and even if it might rise again in the future, by that time, Bishop's Company would be long gone.
"So that's it for today. Goodbye, Ms. Bishop, and remember to follow the news. And Kate, it's nice to meet you."
Before leaving, Kate suddenly asked, "The person who saved me, will he get better?"
Harry smiled, "That's the problem... Osborn is always willing to help others; he will stand up."
Alex had signed a deal that would not only get him on his feet but make him better.
Chapter 103: Apollo Project
Alex Murphy lay on the operating table at the Osborne Underground Research Facility.
"Doctor, how is he doing?"
Due to the aftermath of the battle, Alex had suffered extensive spinal deformation, comminuted fractures of his left hand and foot, and severe internal organ rupture.
In other words, he should have died on the day he was injured.
Connors looked at the data and said, "Not bad...the organs are functioning normally. Are you ready for an interview? Relax, your family is outside. Do you want to say hello to them?"
"Of course."
As soon as he finished speaking, a projection of his family appeared in front of Alex. His son and wife were waving to him from outside.
Alex smiled happily.
"Alright, everything is normal. We can proceed to the next step of medical treatment," Connors paused. "There are several options available, and you can choose according to your situation."
The projection changed.
"In the first option, we use the mature previous-generation technology to treat you. This technology has been verified."
"A year ago, a soldier was injured while participating in an experiment on a certain military weapon. He suffered high-level paraplegia and internal organ damage."
Looking at the descriptions of these precedents, Alex felt familiar: "Is he the one who participated in the Hammer Industries weapons experiment?"
Connors replied, "Yes. Knowing this makes it easier to explain. This technology is quite mature with almost no accidents, and the soldier has returned to normal."
"It's just that the previous-generation technology has some imperfections. For example, the soldier's movements are still slower than before he was injured."
Alex roughly understood: "It's like a ruptured Achilles tendon. What grows back is just a type of fiber. Although it can support normal activities, its strength is low."
Connors said, "I didn't expect you to understand this. That's pretty much it. This kind of prosthesis is sufficient for daily use, but its accuracy and sensitivity are lower. After all, this is a spinal fracture."
"What about the other options?"
The projection transformed again.
"The second option is to accept the next generation of artificial prostheses. This generation has higher sensitivity. Some users of the previous generation reported accuracy degradation when using string instruments like guitars or violins."
"The second-generation prosthetic body is designed to upgrade sensitivity, accuracy, and stability, but it is still under experimentation. The experiment started over a month ago, just before..."
Connors showed his prosthetic limb.
"In summary, the performance is better, but it is still experimental."
Alex nodded, motioning to move on.
"The next plan is even more radical."
The projection showed the structure of the human body.
"We know that the central nervous system is divided into the spinal cord and the brain."
"Whether it's the first or second generation prostheses, they mostly interact with the spinal cord and peripheral nervous system. The more radical approach is to connect to the brain."
"Even Osborne's experiments in this area have been limited."
As far as Connors knew, only Frank's transformation had directly connected to the brain, designing almost the entire nervous system.
"So this would be more dangerous," Alex understood.
"That's right," Connors continued. "Additionally, considering your occupation, we will replace your limbs and internal organs with stronger ones, giving you a superhuman physique suitable for law enforcement."
"If you choose this option, Osborne will fully cover your medical expenses."
This technology not only offers medical treatment but also enhances the human body, allowing these pioneers to represent the future.
After a brief silence, Alex asked, "By participating in this experiment, will you replace my body with a fully mechanical one?"
"RoboCop?" Connors smiled. "Your name is exactly the same as the protagonist in the movie."
"In the first stage, we'll provide you with the best prosthetics for your lost arms and legs, while using exoskeletons to supplement power for the rest."
"In the second stage, we'll strengthen your body or adjust the mechanical prosthesis to achieve balance and unity."
Alex hesitated, "That's it?"
Connors nodded, "That's it. I know what you're thinking, but the human body has great potential. In your case, we can constantly observe the difference between the two."
"Why can't I just grow a new hand?"
Connors shrugged, "Of course, it's possible, but not now. Maybe in a year, five years, or ten years, you'll be able to replace these mechanical prostheses with your own hands. It depends on the speed of scientific progress."
"I still have a question. Why did you choose me?"
"Don't misunderstand, this isn't the RoboCop crew. Everyone with similar war injuries has received this invitation."
The injured come from all walks of life—police, firefighters, doctors, researchers, financial workers...
The enhancement directions for different professions vary.
For example, if Alex agrees to the transformation, he will have a more powerful body that can connect directly to ctOS for duty.
If you're a researcher, the transformation focuses on memory units like the hippocampus to enhance memory and thinking.
The actual classification is much more detailed. The data from these individuals can also advance human body science.
As for why these people... because they have the courage to be the first—whether that courage comes from family, reputation, or something else, they are more likely to join.
"So, what's your answer?"
Alex was silent, reading the surgery statement.
The agreement stated that if an accident occurred, the recipient might suffer from neurological diseases, brain lesions, etc.
In short, if a problem occurs, it's significant.
only...
This is a world of superheroes. Americans like Alex grew up listening to stories of Captain America.
The recent Battle of New York made him realize that he could also be a hero.
Outside the glass wall, his wife and son were waiting for him to make a choice.
What would they think? They should want me to be a hero, right?
Alex was silent for a long time, then made a life-changing choice.
"Doctor, I am willing to join this cyborg project."
Connors waved his hand towards the monitor, and the platform began to move. In Alex's puzzled eyes, the walls and ground shifted like a moving maze.
"Very well, but this is not a cyborg plan."
Eventually, they entered a huge laboratory facing the sun.
Alex looked at the rising sun, speechless.
The laboratory was filled with researchers in white coats and high-precision robotic arms. Many people like him were undergoing transformation or had completed surgeries and were adjusting to their new bodies.
In front of the window, a participant with partial transformation was playing a guitar facing the sun.
Connors smiled, opened his arms to the entire laboratory, and said to Alex:
"Welcome to the Apollo Program."