Chapter 270: Restarting Project Moho
Dr. Pym didn't know if he believed Harry's words, but judging from his reaction, he accepted using the Ant-Man suit to fight aliens.
But there's no need for his Ant-Man suit now.
Peter's shipboard AI transmitted back the location of Xandar and other data. Now, if Harry wants, he can also fly there with the ship.
There's no point in just flying there. You might also be captured by the Nova Legion unless you bring a fleet that can cripple them.
Fist is the last word.
To accelerate development, the focus must be on extraterrestrial assets.
Although the status of the Osborn Group on Earth is already quite high, there are still many restrictions on the development of the planet. As long as the Osborn Group is still mixed with the countries of the Earth Federation, it will inevitably be restrained by the United Nations. This is the "tradition" of the Earth, where laws must be abided by.
Letting Harry serve as a consultant to the UNSC is already a considerable concession. Although the Osborn Group actually has the conditions to compete with other countries, these are all tacit understandings.
If one day they covet Harry's skills and unite to impose sanctions, he will have to work hard to deal with it.
Now the countries of the Earth Alliance may be thinking about how to restrain the Osborn Group.
There are a lot of superheroes on Earth. Some of them will give the official platform, and some may not, but no matter which side they are on, they will definitely not support Harry in the conflict between the Osborn Group and the officialdom.
Therefore, it is inevitable for the Osborn Group to directly explore outer space without terrestrial connections. The FTL engine is still just a legend on Earth. It is somewhat foolish to sell this technology for money; it is comparable to Darren Cross selling Cross Particles for only a few billion dollars.
Taking a rough inventory of extraterrestrial assets, Osborn has several: a factory complex in the asteroid belt of the solar system, half ownership of the Mayflower colony, and Kepler 22b. The distance between these bases is vast, but the entire company's resource allocation can be completed uniformly under the link of the psychic network.
In terms of logistics, the Cross Particles provided by Dr. Pym are cheaper and more abundant in supply. With Cross Particles combined with two FTL operation modes of warp speed and hyperspace navigation, the efficiency of interstellar logistics will be very high.
The development of Kepler 22b will be a long process. The ultimate goal is to transform this ocean planet into an ideal city full of industrial areas and urban agglomerations. The current development is still in the early stages.
The first thing to solve is the large swamps and strange alien flora and fauna near the landing site.
Even before landing, Harry knew that this was an ocean planet, so the colony ship was equipped with plenty of equipment for reclaiming swamps, and drones flew out of the colony ship.
They all carry reduced modular aqueducts, water pumping stations, and soil compressors. Controlled by high-precision satellites hovering in orbit and colonial shipboard AI, these drones can accurately locate their construction sites and then head toward them. They drop these shrunken devices at designated locations.
The equipment was restored in the air, and the construction of the huge drainage system was completed instantly. The machines rumbled and unfolded with the help of construction drones.
In the first stage, the machines need to drain water to remove waterlogging. The excess water will be flocculated into the water pumps at each node and then uniformly transported to low-lying areas to form reservoirs.
In the second stage, the modified engineering drones will deeply plow the soil and send the swamp soil to the soil compressor for processing, promoting the oxidation and maturation of the swamp soil.
While drones were carrying out project construction, scientific researchers moved outward under the escort of the exploration team, using scientific research exoskeletons and various instruments to collect local plant samples along the way.
These data will be transmitted back to the colony ship AI. Through complete cataloging and classification, gene sequencing, and the use of shipboard supercomputers to simulate the alien plant ecosystem, in conjunction with gene editing and propagation mechanisms, jars of specially made selective defoliants are produced in the spacecraft's production center.
After completing the construction, the aerial drone returns to the colony ship, loads Canary equipment and selective defoliants, and sprays the continent. In the end, only plant communities that meet the requirements of the colony will be left on the continent.
Plants are an important part of the ecosystem. The death of large tracts of plants makes animals uneasy and lose their cover. They start rioting restlessly.
The biological species here are not complicated. As an ocean planet, you can count the terrestrial species on one hand, with slightly more amphibians.
It is conceivable that the types of marine life must far exceed these two species, but it is not yet at the stage of developing the ocean.
The strength and speed of these animals far exceed those of creatures on Earth, but they are ultimately no match for all kinds of modern weapons.
Under the cover of fighter planes, the riflemen and pilots of the Osborn Group dispatched to eliminate these alien monsters.
After destroying their original natural habitat and using drones to suppress them, there were soon no more living animals near the landing site.
These wild animals will be gradually driven to a specific area, ultimately controlled by various protective panels to build an alien zoo to enhance the biological research of the Osborn Group.
Now that Peter is missing, these alien zoos will be managed by the synthetic David, who just happens to sponsor his alien research.
Speaking of which, Harry found it a bit strange: alien creatures actually used DNA as the carrier of genetic information.
After the initial clearance, the landing site has been able to carry out construction. In addition to standardized housing, the first phase of the project will also build a super-large synthetic human manufacturing factory, a drone factory, and a genetic clinic here.
These facilities will help synthetics and humans make individual adjustments to better observe the physical changes of the colonists and proactively adapt to changes in their bodies.
The individual transformation of humans and synthetic humans is no longer a scientific issue, but a technical and engineering issue that requires the investment of time and resources. In terms of resources, Harry has already provided enough; all that is needed is time.
The drone factory will complete iteration and scale expansion under the research of engineers. Intelligent life forms on this planet will no longer need to participate in repetitive and heavy physical labor. This alone will put them decades ahead of the USA.
Once the city reaches a certain scale, it will become the new planetary headquarters of the Osborn Group.
However, this is a barren galaxy, and a huge amount of resources still need to be transported from the solar system during the construction process. The value of the asteroid mining belt is still very high.
At the same time, the value of the Mars base remains significant. After all, it is the place where Harry first carried out climate recovery on the planet, and the data is very valuable.
Mars also has another important purpose: the Martian core has cooled down. Although it was bombarded twice by hydrogen bombs, the energy generated by the hydrogen bombs is not of the same order of magnitude as the energy required to activate the core.
This means that Mars has less geological activity, and the temperature of the Martian mantle is low. At the same time, because there is no ocean on the surface of Mars, the difficulty of drilling is greatly reduced.
Harry is going to restart a drilling program on Mars that was once carried out on Earth:
Project Moho.
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Chapter 271: The Ambition of Dilian
The "Moho Drilling Plan" was actually the first scientific drilling initiative, launched in the late 2020s. Its main purpose was to drill through the Moho, uncover the secrets of the Earth's mantle, and achieve significant breakthroughs in geoscience research.
There are many challenges in the drilling plan on Earth: First, the Earth's core is not "dead"; crustal activity is still frequent, and there is a vast ocean covering the surface. To drill underground, one must first overcome the challenges of underwater operations.
The site selected for the Moho Project was on the coast of La Jolla, where they eventually drilled 948 meters into the ground at a water depth of 315 meters. However, the project was aborted due to technical difficulties and high costs.
On Mars, engineering construction is much simpler. There is no ocean covering the surface; you only need to find a relatively low point on the surface and select a suitable location to start the Moho drilling.
Additionally, Mars has a smaller volume and density than Earth, so drilling is not particularly difficult, and there is less concern about potential crustal movements affecting the drilling.
The benefits are numerous:
Although it is very different from Earth, Mars is still a planet, and humans have never obtained geological samples at this depth.
Furthermore, since it has now been confirmed that there is water on Mars, buried deep underground in the form of ice, it suggests there are likely substantial mineral resources underground on Mars, ensuring that resources will never run short. Each additional mining method provides more options.
Finally, while drilling into the Earth's mantle theoretically poses no devastating risks to the planet, the Earth's crust is a complex system. Even if it does not destroy the Earth, it may still lead to significant earthquakes or tsunamis, or cause tremors that could be concerning for humans.
Besides, there is a "celestial " in the Earth's core.
The drilling plan for planetary cores will help researchers deepen their understanding of planetary formation processes, which is very beneficial for advancing planetary transformation technology. It is crucial to know that there are many planets in the habitable zone of the universe, but their cores are extinguished. If a method can be found to rekindle these cores, it would represent a significant breakthrough.
Moreover, Harry was able to gather the information he wanted from these technological advancements: if he wanted to detonate a planet's core and obliterate the planet, how much energy would it require?
After discussion among the Scientific Research Department, the site for the Mars Moho drilling was finally decided upon: the Greek Plain, which is the lowest point on Mars.
"Then let's start transferring resources." Harry reviewed the entire Moho drilling plan and found no issues.
"Sir, Ms. Hardy and Mr. Osborne are requesting communications."
"Access."
"Harry, there may be some problems with your plan. The Earth Alliance intends to arrange a new director for the UNSC," Felicia stated directly.
Facing Felicia's concern, Harry scratched his head—So they are finally acting up?
I sold them some engineering ships, sufficient for their development within the solar system, but where are they? Is this floating?
Fortunately, I didn't reveal the FTL engine to them.
After hearing Felicia's report, in simple terms: they were greatly inspired by the vigorous development of the Mars colony—
What incentive? Of course, it's the motivation to seize resources.
Breaking out of Earth, colonizing Mars, and mining asteroids would be a massive technological breakthrough. We don't know how many years or months it will take to break out of the solar system. What if we don't find a way to balance the countries now, leading to a future shortage of resources?
They began to express their implicit dissatisfaction with Harry Osborn holding the position of supreme commander of the UNSC and planned to strengthen their control over the UNSC by establishing a parliament.
Mars is the first colony of humanity. They want to establish a "Mars Parliament" within the UNSC in the name of Mars to become the highest authority of the UNSC, with members being representatives from various countries.
In other words: the "traditional" method of societal operation weighs heavily on Harry Osborn.
This incident is undoubtedly advantageous for other countries, but it presents challenges for the Norman authorities: everyone knows that the Osborne Group achieved its current status without Norman's assistance.
Norman still has one year left in office. Three years later, the situation in the USA has improved significantly. The crime rate has decreased, foreign wars have ceased, welfare has improved, and even the conditions in neighboring countries have seen substantial enhancement.
However, Norman is the final obstacle to establishing the Mars Parliament, so some unflattering voices have emerged in the USA.
"Currently, there are protest groups, most of whom claim I have caused the USA to lose its hegemony," Norman remarked nonchalantly.
It's merely a matter of "number one in the world" and "world hegemony."
If you insist on saying so, this statement isn't entirely off-base. The USA has indeed lost its hegemonic position. In the past, the USA also used its dominance to inject resources into interest groups, such as the Roxon Group and AIM.
In essence, there is little difference; it was the military industry that hollowed out the USA in the past. The military-industrial complex generated substantial profits, yet ordinary Americans did not reap any benefits.
Now, it is the Osborne Group hollowing out the USA, but at least they have obtained affordable nuclear fusion energy, excellent aerospace technology, universal health insurance, and a hyper-realistic virtual reality community.
At that time, Norman's slogan was "Make America Great Again." Greatness does not necessarily mean riding on others' shoulders. Stability and development are the core necessities. Investing resources in the Osborne Group has narrowed the gap between the rich and the poor, decreased the crime rate, and improved employment rates. Isn't it remarkable that it allows humanity to step off Earth?
So, Norman genuinely believes there is no issue. This kind of attack from external forces does not threaten him. Living a good life is genuinely commendable.
After all, the American people were once coerced by the government into fighting. They engaged in many more meaningless wars to sustain the military industry while neglecting the needs of ordinary citizens. The quality of life for the populace was not significantly better.
Now, Norman is more like an expression of their "needs," allocating tax dollars toward transactions with the Osborne Group to build the USA. The two scenarios differ fundamentally.
As for those MPs connected to the Beat Company, they are currently receiving funding from the Osborne Group.
The capital, the populace, and the high-ranking officials are all Norman's allies; thus, there is no reason Norman should not be re-elected.
However, the establishment of a parliament in the UNSC aligns well with the inertia of past propaganda. This cannot be reversed in a matter of one or two strokes.
But the problem is not overly concerning. At most, it may result in losing some support, and Norman can simply veto it with one vote.
"They've initiated a speaker, and I suspect they're trying to start a tug of war," Norman said.
Harry immediately grasped their intention: Norman would remain in office for at most five more years, and starting to promote and hype this topic now would also become a competitive weapon in the next presidential election.
There is no reason for candidates to assist Harry in maintaining his position. Conversely, after several other forces have amplified the "anti-Osborn" narrative, candidates advocating against Osborn will naturally garner these votes.
It may not succeed in one attempt, but the ultimate goal of this strategy is to hinder the expansion of the Osborne Group, potentially leading to a long-term process.
Besides, five years is not a long timeframe, and they were unaware that, in just a few days, the Osborne Group had already departed the solar system.
Before Harry could ponder further, Felicia surprised him with a revelation:
"And they've found a breaking point—there's been a synthetic killing in Detroit."
This is no trivial matter.
No wonder they suddenly became dishonest. It turned out there was a flaw.
Harry stroked his chin. There was nothing wrong with the synthetics in the Osborne Group, but something must have happened in the USA.
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Chapter 272 Don't Hinder Them
For the same product, the sales situation and principles observed within the Osborne Group and in Dilian are different.
For example, in the virtual reality warehouse, the Osborne Group will only sell castrated biological computer cores to Innovation Network Company. This is akin to the CPU of a computer, but the entire virtual reality warehouse machine is designed, produced, and sold by Innovation Network Company.
The same applies to synthetic humans. The machines and core components for producing synthetic humans are manufactured and sold by the Osborne Group. Osborne basically does not export finished products directly.
The company currently responsible for producing and exporting synthetic humans to society is called Model Control Life. Harry holds a controlling stake, but the CEO of this company has a very special status.
She is a synthesoid who left the Osborne Group, named Amanda, and appears to be a middle-aged Black woman.
According to records, the reason for her resignation was her desire to help synthesizers integrate into society. Detroit had just declared bankruptcy and was a very suitable city for promoting synths.
This person is now reporting to Felicia about the whole story of the android killings. Harry is beside Felicia, but Amanda is unaware of his presence.
As mentioned earlier, the core components for producing synthetic humans by Model Control Life must be purchased from the Osborne Group. So far, Osborne has exported a total of five synthetic human cores to Model Control Life, which means that there will never be more than five Model Control Life synthesizers in circulation.
However, Model Control Life also needs to generate profit. These five units were sold out in one go. Just providing follow-up services isn't enough to make money, so what should they do?
Of course, these synth cores are recycled.
Amanda kept these cores in the company and sold these synths to the outside world through remote data transmission. Once the time was up, she launched the next generation of synths and began to scrap the previous models.
This method can be described as quite business-savvy. In just ten months, Model Control Life has completed two iterations of synthetic humans.
It was obviously a core batch, but it was sold several times.
However, these synthetic humans are serious "conscious beings." What Amanda did is equivalent to placing a person's brain in a life-sustaining chamber, repeatedly restarting their consciousness without them realizing the abnormality, and turning them into slaves.
After restarting twice, some synthesizers experienced an exception:
When a wealthy man planned to buy a new version of the synth at home, the synth broke out. The sense of crisis of being abandoned, along with the residual issues caused by restarting the synth matrix, prompted drastic action, resulting in the death of the wealthy man.
After Harry read the report at hand regarding Amanda's actions, even he, a major boss, had to call in an expert: Amanda is also a synthetic human, and her behavior is tantamount to using her own kind as consumables.
This situation is quite ironic: Harry originally thought that synthetics would have the best understanding of their kind, making it most suitable for a synthetic to perform this job. However, this individual backhandedly locked her own kind in a small cage and repeatedly exploited them.
One must understand that the complexity of the synthesizer matrix exported by the Osborne Group seems to be only 0.2, but this is actually a very high level. The level of Ultron is estimated to be around 0.02.
Performance and consciousness are different. If Amanda behaves this way, it's not unexpected that the synthetic humans would exhibit excessive behavior.
So what is her motivation? Logically speaking, these synthetics should not have such a strong obsession with profits. Moreover, this behavior of using similar beings as expendables does not fit the definition of "help."
The murderous synthetic was shot dead by the police who arrived later, and the wealthy man's daughter is currently receiving psychological treatment.
After hearing this, Felicia said, "I think you should understand that Mr. Osborne's expectation for synthetics is to integrate into society, right?"
Amanda nodded, "I know, but humans have very deep prejudices against synthetics, so we can only proceed step by step..."
"Step by step?" Harry felt a bit amused and interrupted Amanda's speech.
Amanda was stunned. Converted to the calculation speed of an old computer, her brain's floating-point calculation speed could reach 5 quadrillion times per second. But even so, she still experienced a moment of excitement after hearing Harry's voice.
"You see, there are currently 70 synths employed in the Osborne Group, but we have never heard of these synths committing crimes within the group.
And you, since the second product iteration of Model Control Life, synthetic humans have learned to commit crimes.
Tell me, what results did your step-by-step approach achieve? Should I iterate you?"
While listening to Amanda's report, Harry also learned about the current situation in Detroit. In general, it was quite different from what he had imagined.
"Mr. Osborne, I..."
"That's enough, Amanda. You were the first to resign and leave the company. I thought you could manage this job, but now it seems you are not suitable for it.
The review team will arrive in Detroit soon and cooperate with the investigation."
Amanda's emotions fluctuated violently, but she didn't take any action on the surface. She only paused briefly before lowering her head.
"Yes, Mr. Osborne."
...
There were crowds protesting outside Model Control Life Company, but the place was surrounded by the Detroit Police Department (DPD).
DPD stated it was an investigation, but in reality, it was protecting the lives of the model-controlled people who were attacked by the angry crowd.
After all, these synthetic humans, which are low in price, have superior performance, and are completely obedient to humans, are truly a valuable asset to revitalize the economy and cannot be ignored.
These synthetic humans can be put to work in factories without paying wages. It can stimulate consumption and only requires a little investment in publicity. This has turned into an iconic product of Detroit. Everyone wants to buy one, especially those who don't want to get married but still have strong needs—of course, there are also married individuals.
Not to mention that the DPD director also specially ordered two X-love synthetics from the model-controlled beings that can shrink specific organs at will. Synths of this type can sell for millions outside.
Everything is negotiable. If the CEO of Model Control Life is so generous, how could he be a bad person?
It's just that he is enjoying himself at home. The DPD officers are now in a miserable position—even with their police exoskeletons, body armor, and explosion-proof shields.
The angry crowd yelled at the police officers, shouting words starting with "F" like rap, and the DPD police officers were on high alert.
They do have exoskeletons, but one must understand that exoskeletons are almost universal now, not to mention all kinds of prosthetic transformations. It's hard to say whether there are dangerous prosthetic lunatics among the crowd.
Soon, the crowd quieted down: a floating transport plane without jets appeared in the sky, and a group of fully armed black soldiers jumped from an altitude of over ten meters.
Compared to the outer armor on their bodies, the exoskeletons worn by the DPD looked like rags.
Their faces were covered by full-coverage helmets, and the sensors on the helmets flashed a dangerous red light. The weapons in their hands were as exquisite as handicrafts, standing in stark contrast to those wielded by the police officers.
This is an army.
The DPD police officers nervously gripped their firearms. In response to their tension, these dark troops stopped firmly in front of the DPD cordon. When the chief called out to them, they remained silent.
The sergeant was at a loss, but soon the order came down:
Don't hinder them.
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Chapter 273 Synthetic Human Method
The censorship team walked into the company unnoticed, confiscated all the information, and took control of the central control room of the model-controlled life.
Amanda made no objections throughout the entire process. As someone who resigned from Osborne Company to become CEO of Osborne Downstream Enterprises, no one understands the power of Osborne better than she does.
She thought the matter would end here, but she saw a member of the review team walking toward her.
"Ma'am, please return to the factory for inspection."
Amanda's mood suddenly fluctuated: in her company, returning to the factory for inspection means restarting.
She had done this to other synthetics many times, but now it was her…?
Yet, in the face of the review team, she had no choice but to accept the investigation obediently, just like those synthetics who returned to the factory and restarted at her request.
Amanda is indeed a very capable synthesizer. No matter how her actions conflict with Harry's ideas, she genuinely thinks and acts, which sets her apart from most synthetics.
In the current industrial structure of Osborne, robots without consciousness do labor, while a large number of synthetics and some human engineers control robots through AI for mass production, with humans and a very small number of synthetics responsible for scientific research.
Within Osborn and the team, most humans have undergone various genetic modifications, prosthetic implants, and replacements. In terms of hardware, they are not necessarily weaker than synthetic humans, and their receptive capabilities are much stronger. Moreover, Harry has clearly stated within the company that synthetics and humans are equally subject to corporate law.
In addition to a clear division of labor, the Osborne Group is currently in the stage of outward expansion. They do not need to compete for resources, but rather must work together.
Therefore, there is no dispute between synthetics and humans within Osborn.
As a result, Amanda believes that if synthetic humans want to be promoted in Earth society, they must take a different path.
As a thoughtful AL, she referred to some historical events and believed that to determine the status of synthetic humans in society, integration must be achieved through significant events.
She references the history of multiracial integration, such as the integration of black individuals into societies outside the African continent.
What is the process?
Being trafficked, self-consciousness awakening, becoming a collective, showing political value, and ultimately forcing society to enact changes.
This is beneficial for the development of her company and also advantageous for the development of synthetics—in her opinion.
On the other hand, she discovered that multiple restarts and experiences of oppression seemed to cause the synthetic person's personality evidence matrix to be violently deformed…
It is possible to increase the intensity of consciousness of synthetic humans to a higher level.
In other words, she believes this is the only way for synthetic humans to evolve.
It's just that as an AL, although she has innovative abilities, she still has limitations. She wants to learn from history, but she doesn't realize that history is created by people. The birth of synthetic humans is an unprecedented case in history.
If you want to make progress, history can only serve as a reference and cannot be copied.
Regarding Amanda's approach, Harry could only comment: Rabbits can bite people when they are anxious, let alone synthetic humans with performance surpassing that of humans. Sooner or later, they will ponder why they can only be slaves.
"Sir, the complexity of this lady's matrix has increased slightly, but it is relatively scientific, and her desire for control has escalated rapidly." Oycle provided the scan's conclusion.
Harry roughly understood what was happening. Simply put, the woman had indeed gone astray.
Her goal was eventually twisted into "using her own kind to complete the intervention in human society and enhance the collective control of synthetic humans over human society."
But as we all know, the powers of synthetic human rights and synthetic human groups sometimes do not overlap. Amanda is merely replicating the behavior of tyrants in history who used their own kind as fuel.
Just like the USA in the past, it helped all the people fight wars, enriching a few small groups while ordinary people suffered.
This Amanda directly sold the original product of the synthesizer, and it was only a matter of time before an abnormality occurred.
This move is indeed very clever. It transfers the conflict to society and turns it into a conflict between humans and synthetic humans.
"But it is indeed of great research value—I want to recall those synthetics; is it possible?" Harry asked Felicia.
Product recall is a social issue, and there are no technical difficulties. The only challenge is whether the buyer is willing to do it.
"You can try, but it will definitely be difficult. Slave owners rarely give up their power, you know." Felicia shrugged, indicating that it was also difficult for her to handle.
The buyers all received synthetics that met their requirements—these synthetics were almost indistinguishable from humans, working diligently without complaint, and they didn't require payment. Thus, recalling the synthetics would be quite difficult.
And if you spend money to recall… you may encounter resistance; this is undoubtedly a loss-making venture.
After hearing this answer, A and Oycle in the laboratory felt a bit dejected.
It is tragic that just because of Amanda's personal actions, the synthetics missed the best opportunity to gain human rights.
If not given the right guidance and power from the start, how long will it take for these synthetics to obtain human powers?
Seeing this, Harry said: "Do you want to restart or destroy her?"
Considering that her actions turned synthetics into tradable goods… Amanda is like the source of all evil that created the "synthetic slave trade" in the new era. It would be understandable if these ALs wanted to eliminate her.
"She should be destroyed." This is the response given by A. As the director of social security and combat, it considers the prevention and elimination of threats. This proactive creation of conflicts is undoubtedly extremely harmful to social stability, but for a synthetic human, it doesn't know how to "help" her. After all, Amanda is not unemployed.
On the other hand, destroying her is very relieving.
"She should not be executed privately." This is the response given by Oycle. As Harry's research director and company management assistant, his ideas align more closely with the rule of law: there is no law that stipulates individuals should be responsible for the birth of a certain system. Even slavery, like kings, were not executed for monarchy, but for atrocities.
But should we simply let her go? What on earth should they do?
After the two ALs finished speaking, they quickly completed the information exchange in the network, and Harry noticed that the complexity of their matrices had increased again.
Artificial life is truly remarkable.
"... Destroying her won't truly solve the problem. The most pressing issue is to change the existing system." A and Oycle reached a consensus.
What they want to achieve is not merely executing Amanda. Today, when problems have arisen, Amanda is like a person pushing a stone atop a mountain. Even if they solve her, the stone will not stop once it starts to slide.
Oycle will provide A with information on the interactions between synthetics and humans within the Osborne Group, and A will utilize its position to better assist synthetics in obtaining citizenship, possibly even encouraging parliamentarians to enact new synthetic laws.
"So be it—" Harry shrugged. To be honest, if it weren't for the fact that it might impact the company's image, he wouldn't care.
But for AL, they certainly do not want to see their own kind enslaved. A and Oyce are made from his blood. This can be seen as a concern for the mental health of employees.
Upon awakening Amanda, the woman's eyes appeared a bit dazed: she thought she would be rebooted, just like the synthetics she sold.
Just when she was still pondering why this was the case, another string of information flooded into her mind:
"Ms. Amanda, on behalf of the American Social Relief Center, I arrest you on seven counts of bribery, labor law violation, and providing illegal transactions."
Not directly destroying her does not mean that she will not be held accountable.
Investigating her under these charges for a few years and then settling the accounts together when the law is improved will not only enhance the law but also bring justice to the synthetics.
It is no longer a private execution then.
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Chapter 274: Stark Industries' New Business
After sending Amanda to prison, Model Control Life Company was paralyzed.
This company was almost entirely managed by Amanda. As an advanced AL, she had the ability to handle the company's normal operations. However, the decision-making side was not as efficient.
This got Harry thinking: is letting a company promote synths really the right thing to do?
The problem may not be that the managers of the synths are humans or synthetics, but rather that this is a "company."
As long as it is a company, its purpose is basically to make profits. If its main business is synthetic human-related technology, then it will definitely try its best to make profits through it, eventually circling back to the starting point.
The Osborn Group does not produce synthetics internally for profit. The two are different. Furthermore, if a synthetic awakens its consciousness of freedom and plans to run away, the factory can immediately produce a top, which is very flexible.
So far, there are still only a few such synthetics. Most synthetics are still accustomed to this kind of "in-company" life and will not easily escape from the company's framework system.
After thinking for a while, Harry felt that it would be better to close the synthetic private purchase business directly and let Stark Industries place orders according to the production needs of various countries.
"Sir, these synthetic human matrices have improved to varying degrees. I think they will be very suitable for working in the company," Oycle said after completing the inspection.
"That's it, how's the recall going?"
"Most of them have been successfully recalled, but some buyers are very resistant. In addition, the end-of-life waste logistics of Model Control Life is outsourced to other companies. Does it need to be stopped?"
Although the synthetic humans sold to the outside world by Model Control Life are still far behind Osborn's technology, this is considered cutting-edge technology and should be handled with caution.
"Stop everything. Follow-up work will be assigned to Stark Industries."
"Speaking of which, sir, Mr. Stark is concerned about this matter."
Tony is also one of the creators of the synths, so it makes sense that he would be concerned about this.
Harry suddenly felt that instead of having to work hard on this matter and get dirty, it would be better to let Tony handle it. Stark Industries really needs to expand its business.
On the other hand, if this matter hadn't been used as a political weapon to attack Norman, he actually didn't care too much about the USA's attitude toward synthetics. Anyway, as long as there were no problems with the Osborn Group, that would be fine.
Thinking of this, Harry said, "Just in time, call him now. I'll see him if I have anything to do."
The call was connected, and Tony appeared on the screen. It looked like this guy was researching new technologies in his laboratory. It looked like nanotechnology. Helen Cho had recently published a lot of papers on nanotechnology. Maybe that gave him inspiration.
"Long time no see, how have you been lately?" Harry asked.
"It's not bad. I don't have to go bombing Hydra and rebels every day." Tony put down what he was doing. "I heard there were synth killings in Detroit, and I guess that's what you're trying to say - is there something wrong with the Matrix?"
"Well, I think there is nothing wrong with the factory-set matrix. It's just that Amanda, the CEO of Model Control Life, doesn't treat them as human beings." Harry shrugged. "You know, the consciousness and thinking of these synthetic humans fully meet the standards of intellectual life, but Amanda treats them as commodities, so this happened."
Tony took a sip of his drink, thought for a moment, and said, "So what's the problem?"
Harry choked at these words. Where did it come from? Didn't you say it yourself?
"...How to put it, it's the same old story, where synthetics awaken their repressed sense of freedom, then develop cognitive dissonance and take drastic actions. It's like... well, the human rights movement, you know."
"Well... Jarvis, do you feel like I'm oppressing you? If so, I hope you can take the initiative to bring it up. Do you want a raise or something else? Don't take advantage of me while I'm sleeping..." Tony pointed to his head.
Tony also upgraded Jarvis' software, and now Jarvis is also an intellectual life form.
Not Ultron, not Vision, just the original Jarvis.
But Tony, a guy who likes to install backdoors for others, didn't dare to use the biocomputer provided by Harry as a carrier, so Jarvis's "body" became extremely huge.
"Of course not, sir, but this software upgrade is indeed wonderful," Jarvis responded.
Tony smiled. He could also feel the changes in Jarvis. Watching the AI that had been with him for decades suddenly turn into a living thing... it felt amazing.
"Speaking of which, this kind of vicious murder was not what we originally expected." Tony returned to the topic.
"But in our vision, synthetic humans should be a part of society, not a commodity - I thought synthetic humans would treat synthetic humans well, but it turned out that I was wrong."
Harry admitted his mistake, but he still thought too well - after all, the word "oppression" was also summed up by humans in society, and it was not surprising that synthetics would learn this from history.
But the huge role of synthetic humans is obvious: with this new member, society no longer has to worry about manpower shortages.
Harry played the economic performance of Detroit in the past few months. These data can effectively prove that the synthesoids have indeed improved the bankrupt city, but the dilapidated environment and wrong practices will lead to greater conflicts.
This is what Amanda wants to do, but Harry wants to avoid.
"...So I thought, how about letting you produce synthetic humans? You can communicate the production plan directly with my father, and then provide them with guidance according to our vision."
"Me?" Tony pointed at himself.
"It's you, you are Iron Man. If you want to offset the negative effects of these things and endorse the legitimate rights of synthetic people, this person can only be you."
Of course, there is another practical reason: Osborn Group is fully fledged and there is no need to invest a lot of energy in intervening in the development of Stark Industries.
Tony touched his chin. It's not bad to say that, he is Iron Man.
So he nodded: "Yes, but I want Banner to join my team - is he still with you?"
Dr. Banner initially joined the Osborn Group solely to solve abominations, and later strengthened cooperation due to the establishment of Project Olympus.
Now that both plans have solved the technical problems, it's time to assign him a new task.
"He is still on the H.A.M.M.E.R., and he is currently studying the data sent back from Mars - I will tell him."
After saying that, Harry asked Oycle to transfer all the engineering drawings and technical information to Jarvis. The two discussed nanotechnology again, and the conversation came to an end.
"Who would have thought that a few years ago you were a minor who knew almost nothing about AI, but now you can create AL, which is a great improvement." Tony praised Harry like a teacher.
Harry didn't bother to complain about his tone of voice that always treated him like a child.
Tony added: "I'm going to organize a party in a while - a superhero party, will you come?"
"No thanks, there are new plans for the Mars colony."
"Okay - if you have any other projects, please call me." Tony winked at Harry.
Greenhouse gas capture projects can make Stark Industries a lot of money.
-------
Chapter 275: Mars Parliament
After dealing with the issues on Earth, Harry wanted to shift his focus back to Mars.
The colony on Mars is currently under the jurisdiction of the "Mars Parliament." According to the latest United Nations law, the parliament is primarily controlled by three major powers. The reason the other two major powers aren't included is simply because they lack the capability for independent spaceflight.
Why should they get a seat if they can't reach space on their own?
The smooth construction of the Mars colony was entirely due to the technology of the Osborn Group. Without the Osborn Group, the space race would still be ongoing.
Harry understood this, and so did the others. By bypassing him and taking the lead in establishing the Mars Parliament, it was clear they wanted to unite to suppress the Osborn Group.
For political reasons, it wasn't convenient for Norman to oppose this proposal, but if Harry requested it, Norman would undoubtedly support the Osborn Group.
Several other countries understood this as well.
In the holographic conference room, Harry called representatives from several other countries.
The conference room was quite simple, with darkness all around except for a beam of light in the middle where the executors under supervision should stand.
Standing there meant being subject to all-round scrutiny from the audience. Harry had reported to them from that position before.
This time, Harry sat at the same height as them.
"Everyone, let me be blunt. I know what you are thinking, but the establishment and development of the Mayflower Colony cannot happen without the Osborn Group."
It could even be said that with the Mayflower Colony owned by the rising Osborn Group, Harry could develop outer space by himself if he wanted, and it's the same now.
The representatives fell silent.
It's a matter of course that enterprises are controlled by the state, but this kind of control isn't because the name is "enterprise," but because it's controlled, it is called an enterprise.
But the Osborn Group... can already be called a "giant" enterprise.
The sinking of Tokyo caused violent turbulence in the world economy. If the Osborn Group gave up its business, the impact would be even greater than Tokyo Sinking.
Without it, social development would regress significantly.
Osborn Group's unique socialized parenting measures and synthetic human technology allow the group to have an autonomous human system and even form a small society internally.
Even if these countries unilaterally declare the Osborn Group illegal, Harry still has employees willing to safeguard the company's interests.
And these employees can run all aspects of the company normally: foreign wars, confidentiality work, scientific research, and development, etc. This is just like a country disguised as a company.
Or a company that pushed boundaries, all because of Norman's indulgence and support.
Feeling the eyes of other representatives looking at him, Norman didn't feel the slightest emotion in his heart.
What is this called? A thief who steals a hook, steals...
Of course, when it comes to the development of the United States alone, it is absolutely prosperous, but it only supports the monster of the Osborn Group.
"I agree with Harry. We cannot leave behind the heroes. In the process of going to space, the power of enterprises has played a huge role. We should set up a seat in parliament to represent the voice of enterprises." Norman took the lead in expressing his position.
What else could the other two representatives say? Of course, they agreed. Otherwise, the Mars Parliament would have no meaning if the Osborn Group and the United States left.
But compared to the original five major countries, now they've removed two and added one new one, which can be considered an improvement.
Then the seat representing the Osborn Group lit up, and Harry smiled with satisfaction.
Now, the Martian market is truly a "free market" for him.
"Then I have a proposal here: The Osborn Group plans to purchase a piece of land on Mars for scientific research. In exchange, I can give up the administrative rights of the Mayflower Colony."
Harry took the opportunity to state the purpose of his trip: the Greek plains, which will serve as the location for the Mars Moho Project.
For Harry, the scientific research value of Mars is greater than the colonial value, and the Osborn Group does not need a Mars colony to boost the company's confidence. He already has something better.
The other two representatives were a little surprised: Osborne's first proposal when he joined the Parliament was to give up the administrative power of the Mayflower Colony?
They thought the Osborn Group would propose making Osborn Group products the only special products for the colonies.
In their view, Harry's proposal might mean that the Osborn Group intends to open up a new colony, but opening up a new colony is not as good as what they have now. Exchanging the ownership of a piece of land for the administrative power of an existing colony is completely unreasonable.
It's just that this is a bit strange: it is indeed normal for companies to buy land, but the Osborn Group's land purchase seems a little different...
Finally, after Norman voted to agree, the other two representatives also nodded.
"Now that Mr. Osborne has made his request, we also have a proposal: How can we exploit other resources in the galaxy in an orderly manner?"
This is a good question. You must know that there are many resource-rich planets in the solar system. If nothing else, the moon is a great treasure.
The moon is rich in helium-3, which is the main raw material for the current new generation of nuclear fusion technology. The fusion reaction rate is high, and the neutron irradiation is very low.
This element is rare on Earth, but it is everywhere on the moon.
In addition to helium-3, the moon is rich in many elements, especially iron, which is used in large quantities by humans. It has large reserves and is easy to mine and smelt. On the other hand, the lunar soil itself has certain protective capabilities. Perhaps material science can learn from this and make some breakthroughs.
In addition to the moon, Saturn, Jupiter, and various other planets are treasure troves containing a large number of resources, so it is not surprising that some representatives raised this issue.
Of course, what they most want to mine must be the moon. After all, the moon is the closest to Earth, and the Earth Alliance does not have FTL technology or Cross particles.
But the moon... there is probably a large group of Inhumans on the far side of the moon, and there is even a leader with incredible abilities.
Of course, we don't know their intelligence level. From a scientific point of view, the closed Inhuman race has a high probability of suffering from various inbreeding complications, which will have a bad impact on the intelligence of the population.
From the perspective of a traveler, the behavior of the lunar Inhumans in the TV series is also relatively difficult to describe.
If the Inhumans were not there, Harry would have chosen the moon as the first space development object, instead of traveling all the way to Mars and the asteroid belt.
So Harry thought for a moment and expressed his agreement to the plan to mine the moon—but before that, they should have some military capabilities.
This proposal was put forward by another representative: "We should strengthen the UNSC's naval power to prepare for the next contact with aliens."
After saying that, the other people looked at Harry: Harry is a member of Parliament and the top commander of the UNSC.
Upon seeing this, Harry said: "Guys, I have thought about it carefully and I think the UNSC command system does need some changes. We can consider changing to a better appointment system.
But the strengthening of armaments can be carried out at the same time, and I agree with what the representative said."
Although it was only a verbal agreement, it was already a very big concession.
Thus, the first Martian Parliament came to a successful conclusion.
-------------------------
Chapter 276: The Best Laser
The Mars Moho Project will be the largest drilling endeavor in human history. Correspondingly, the drilling rig it will utilize will be the largest and most efficient drilling rig ever constructed.
The engineering transport ship of the Osborn Group is hovering over the Greek plains. The construction drones have already laid the foundation here. This is not a foundation in the traditional sense. In addition to supporting the building, it also has the ability to adjust modular buildings to complete the final assembly.
The palm-sized modular building is placed at the designated location and then restored from its reduced state. The building and the foundation are connected. After receiving an energy supply, the foundation carrying the modular building begins to slide. The construction is completed under the operation of the construction robot arm and the movable floor, finalizing the assembly.
The operation process resembled a puzzle, and soon the Moho Project Control Center was completed.
After the internal self-inspection was finished and everything was confirmed to be normal, these buildings were connected to the Osborn control network.
"Construction is complete, and the transport ship is about to land."
The transport ship's AI prompted the engineers and researchers. The roof of the building on the ground slowly opened, and the top floor of the building became a separate landing area.
After landing, the roof closed, and employees completed physical checks and identity verification in the landing zone to ensure everything was in order.
Once the landing inspection was complete, employees could enter the work and living areas to control the Mars Moho project in real time.
The control center started operating, and engineering drones swarmed out to begin the Moho drilling under the engineers' control.
The Moho drilling rig does not use traditional drill bits. Strictly speaking, this drilling rig does not have "drill bits" but uses laser rock-breaking technology.
This technology has been verified on asteroid mining stations, and laser devices have been weaponized and installed on frigates.
However, they are also photons, and photons of different frequencies have different energies.
Currently, thanks to the materials left by the Chitauri and the Dark Elves, the Osborn Group already has materials and designs that can focus X-rays at this level, which is much more efficient than the visible light emitters from two years ago.
Above the drilling hole, the energy of the array is converted into photons, which are adjusted by the focusing crystal to form a high-energy X-laser that melts, crushes, and evaporates the rock.
The powerful thermal shock also breaks the surrounding rock material into fine particles. The strong pressure generated by the evaporation of the molten material in the drilling area is enough to cause the broken material to rise to the surface.
Thanks to Mars' low gravity, these materials can fly very high. However, as the drilling depth increases, it is still necessary to spray a liquid stream into the drilling area to enhance the thermal shock effect and help these fine particles eject from the wellhead.
Drilling proceeded smoothly.
The entrance to the hole was quickly surrounded by a circle of metal devices. Since this drilling may be converted into a mine in the future, it is not as narrow as a scientific research drilling. On the contrary, it looks as spacious as an open-pit mine.
As drilling progresses, the depth of the well becomes increasingly invisible to the naked eye, and the empty deep well looks like the entrance to hell—but robots working up and down the well walls eliminate this fear.
Everyone knows that this is not a hole to hell, but a project for the future.
"Boss, these lasers are running well. We will be able to get samples of the Martian mantle soon."
Phineas reported to Harry on the drilling operations. His excellent weapons design capabilities made him a military weapons expert for the Osborn Group.
Although it is a weapon, as long as it is used properly, it can also become an excellent production tool, such as the laser drill currently in use.
After reading the excavation data, Harry said: "The X-ray is very good. Can it be improved further?"
From the perspective of technological progress, although X-lasers are good, they are not the photons with the highest energy.
The energy level of gamma photons is one level higher than that of X-rays. However, it is still difficult to control these photons and weaponize them.
Phineas shrugged: "I have also done experiments in this area, but the current focusing crystal is not enough to control gamma rays."
By reverse-engineering the various remains of the Chitauri and Dark Elves, the Osborn Group's materials science has advanced significantly, but it is unlikely to make any breakthroughs in the short term.
"Well... maybe you can change your technical approach."
"Change my approach?" Phineas didn't understand.
Harry smiled: "Regarding gamma rays, there is a super expert on gamma rays in this world—Bruce Banner."
This person is a true expert on gamma rays and specializes in what can be called as gamma metaphysics.
Banner developed a gamma ray focuser while studying the super soldier serum. This technology broke through the limitations of materials and could produce a dense gamma ray flow.
In the outside world, Banner only had a few papers on gamma rays, but in the official U.S. records, Harry could see the complete test records and technical details.
"These are Banner's research on gamma rays. I think you can learn from them and see if you can find a better way."
Harry tapped the terminal on his arm and sent the information.
"Bruce Banner's technology...I'm going to try it now." Phineas was very excited to explore new technology.
From laser weapons to gamma rays, this is basically the cutting edge. Once this step is taken, the only thing left is to increase the power and then move the launch array to the space battleship.
In space, the Osborn Group does not have any weapons that can be used, and they hope that gamma lasers can bring about some breakthroughs.
Before Ronan can lead his fleet to attack the Nova Empire, he must have enough naval power to participate in the battle for the Power Stone.
After hanging up the communication, Harry returned his gaze to Kepler 22's star base.
"Sir, the construction of Kepler 22's star outpost has been completed. The shipyard has been constructed, and production can begin at any time." Oycle reported.
This base is similar in size to the Odyssey base in the solar system, but the internal buildings adopt a modular design to facilitate the application of the design in other galaxies. After all, not all star bases need to be filled with docks.
Considering the largest large warships that may be put into production in the future, the shipyard in the base takes up a lot of space.
The size of the current star base is only enough to support the operation of two shipyards.
"Very good, let's start transferring alloy resources. Now it's time to design a new ship. Open the ship designer."
Everything is ready. Now it's time to design a new ship.
The history of the development of human combat units is bigger, faster, and stronger, and frigates are only the smallest units among space battleships.
This is just the beginning.
---
Chapter 277: Expanding Arms
An ordinary frigate is not large, only about ten times the size of Star-Lord's small aircraft.
There are advantages to being small: flexibility, a smaller target, and being harder to hit. However, for combat units, being larger has its benefits. A larger ship means more powerful energy, stronger weapons, and greater destructive power and deterrence.
Currently, the classification of spaceships is similar to naval battleships of the old era. The lowest level is a small ship such as a frigate, which is mainly responsible for more flexible tasks.
Harry plans to add a destroyer to this class. The frigate will be designed to enter the atmosphere and support the army.
The destroyer is about three times the size of the frigate. If the weapons that the frigate can carry are small, then at this level, the weapons carried by the destroyer can already be called medium-sized shipborne weapons.
The destroyers will serve as the vanguard of the fleet, located at the outermost edge of the defensive perimeter.
Further up is the cruiser, on the second level of the defense circle. This size of ship is close to a kilometer and can carry large ship-based weapons. With the same technology, the power of large ship-based weapons is several times that of small ship-based weapons.
There are no bottlenecks in designing a warship of this size, but the Osborne Group's arsenal cannot withstand it.
Why can't it withstand it? Even the most powerful large-scale X-laser launcher cannot cause significant damage to the cruiser at once.
You must know that Earth's war technology has developed to the point where spears are stronger than shields. There will be situations where spears are not as good as shields, which shows that the weapons technology of the Osborne Group is somewhat backward in the interstellar era.
However, the designs of these battleships are modular, leaving ample room for future weapon updates, so continuing the design is not a problem.
The highest level of the navy in the old era was reserved for behemoths such as battleships and aircraft carriers, and their names are still used in the new era.
They will be equipped with super-large weapons that can hit targets tens or even hundreds of thousands of kilometers away, and may even extend to millions of kilometers.
After thinking about it, the ship designer in Harry's hand created a giant battleship over ten kilometers long.
But it's useless to be vain.
Considering the positioning of this battleship, Harry's thinking slowed down.
Why do ships need to be big? This is because ships are weapons carriers, and more powerful weapons require more space. But the problem is that the Osborne Group currently does not have weapons of this level...
On the other hand, although the combat distance of battleships in this universe seems to be only a few thousand kilometers, Harry always feels that a ship the size of a battleship must carry something different...
For example, a deadly weapon that can strike across millions or even tens of millions of kilometers, rival the speed of light, and allow "indigenous people" who cannot detect it faster than the speed of light to observe and die, is truly a "beyond visual range" strike weapon in the space age.
The Osborne Group does not yet possess such weapons, so the battleship design is simply unnecessary.
"Sir, this ship seems to be ridiculously big," Oycle reminded from the side.
Not only is it unnecessary, but the size of the ship also creates many problems.
According to Oycle's calculations, it would take more than ten years for such a volume to accelerate to one percent of the speed of light; otherwise, the spacecraft would disintegrate. This is already the result of an extremely reasonable allocation of thrusters.
It is difficult to accelerate and decelerate. Insufficient materials will cause the large spacecraft to completely lose its maneuverability.
In addition to the problem of hull stability, such a large spacecraft also requires a huge amount of energy, generates an equally exaggerated amount of heat, and requires larger heat dissipation components.
There are various other problems, large and small, that prove that the technology at this time is not enough to support such a large ship.
Of course, if the entire vibranium spaceship can be used, these problems will not exist. The problem is that it is too expensive. If you want to mass-produce it, you have to rob Wakanda...
Well, maybe I have to find a way to open the door to free trade in Wakanda. One ton of vibranium a year can no longer satisfy the appetite of the Osborne Group.
Sighing, Harry closed the ship designer.
"Let's do this first. Produce these three fleets according to the proportion."
"Okay sir, based on the current alloy production capacity and shipyard assembly capacity, we can complete the construction of a division in two months."
In the original organization, a division should have one battleship, four cruisers, nine destroyers, and fifteen frigates.
However, now that the capital ship design is lacking, other ship types can only be produced first.
"How's the training going in the Army?"
"Very good, sir."
Compared with the US Military, the Osborn Group's army has fewer people but higher quality. Whether it is the conventional army CM armored riflemen, special forces pilots, or the secret weapon Spartan warriors, the technology used can be called advanced.
Even if you encounter unscientific individuals like Thor or Thanos, you can still release Bomb to top it.
However, in the space age, some of them will definitely transfer to the navy, so the army will also have to expand its recruitment.
"Is there anyone chosen for the fleet commander?" Harry asked a key question.
Fleets also need people to command them. Oycle cooperated with Innovation Network Company to develop many interstellar battle scenarios to test the subject's ability in fleet command.
Picks include both synthetics and humans.
At present, with the support of AI and various transformations, humans can also have the same data processing capabilities as AL.
It's just that in terms of decision-making, AL has not yet shown its potential, especially in war.
At present, it seems that AL often has the advantage in terms of results, but in other aspects... it's hard to say.
After all, they don't understand politics - asking people to die is a technical job. Some use beliefs to unite others, some use ideals, some package lies into the first two or other things, etc.
This unity not only refers to those who go to the battlefield but also to a series of people who belong to the war side, such as logistics, production, etc.
A large number of simulation results show that AL does not fully understand the stakes.
"It's the same old story, with synthetics commanding more efficiently, but often with disastrous consequences in other ways."
"Try the cooperation mode: the one with a higher overall evaluation will be the main commander, and the one with a lower overall evaluation will be the deputy commander."
"Let them form a decision-making group and understand." Oycle wrote down the instructions. Next, he will contact Innovation Network Company to prepare for virtual reality updates.
"One last thing, there is still no news from Mr. Parker's AL assistant Karen."
Since the last impact information and coordinates were sent back, Karen has been unable to be contacted.
"I hope Peter can withstand it." Harry had no choice but to wait for the fleet to take shape.
But fighting aliens is Spider-Man's only way, I believe he can survive.
----------------
Chapter 278: Two Peters
Klin Prison, known as the highest-security prison in the Nova Empire, is located in the asteroid belt of the Xandar system. It is a large-scale space war.
The criminals here are either depraved or cruel.
Now, in front of Peter, there was a group of ferocious aliens sitting, but their expressions were quite shocked.
"You mean there are billions of people on Terlan Star?" a blue-skinned bald alien exclaimed, astonished.
Well, although they are all vicious criminals, they are all carbon-based creatures in the conventional sense and resemble Earthlings in every way.
English can be communicated without any barriers.
Peter encountered a warm "welcome ceremony" on his first day in prison, but the object of their welcome was Spider-Man...
So under Dr. Otto's gaze, Peter yelled an apology while knocking most of the prison's thugs into confusion. Peter's explanation for this was:
"As an Osborne employee, is it normal for me to do some genetic modification?"
Now Peter has become involved with some prisoners—though they are said to be extremely vicious, many of them are minions in a certain predator team, and most of them can communicate normally.
Peter was stunned for a moment and confirmed, "Yes, about 68 billion people to be precise. If I remember correctly—is this a lot?"
According to the inferences of some experts on Earth, the planet can accommodate at least around 100 billion people. That is still the data from the old era. According to today's technology, Earth should be able to support even more people.
These aliens seem to be similar to Earthlings in terms of size, physical fitness, living habits, etc., but considering that they have been a spacefaring race for a long time, they should not have seen so many people.
"Boss, we haven't heard of any planet with so many people. There seems to have been a Titan planet a long time ago with billions of inhabitants, but it exploded due to a resource crisis," said another prisoner who was slightly smaller.
Dr. Otto and Peter looked at each other: Did it explode because of a resource crisis?
"Resource crisis? Aren't they going to colonize space? I mean, there's no need for so many people to be crowded on one planet, right?"
"Hey, there are so many planets that people can colonize." The speaker waved his hand, as if he thought this question was very easy to answer.
"Then you can't transform a planet yourself? I mean, there should be many transformation candidates in the universe."
"Transform the planet?" Everyone looked at each other, then burst into laughter. "Boss, we have only heard that there is something called the Ember of Creation that can transform a planet, but that thing is just a legend."
This answer made the two of them think deeply: Is there something wrong with the universe, or is there something wrong with them on Earth?
Mars has entered the recovery process. As long as the magnetic dipole shield keeps operating, this dead planet will become habitable sooner or later. At most, the gravity will still need to be adapted.
Environmental transformation is a costly project, but it is better than everyone dying on that Titan. What do the aliens think...
But it's useless to think about it. After all, what these prisoners say doesn't have much credibility; it's all hearsay.
Lying on the chair, Peter took a sip of the alien drink. There is a supply center inside Klin Prison. This alien drink tastes surprisingly good and is almost like soda.
After several months of prison life, he has somewhat adapted to life here.
But he still hopes Harry can get him out soon—who wants to go to jail?
At this moment, a few floors below suddenly fell into commotion.
"Kill the murderers! Kill them!!"
"Murderer!"
"Wait to die!"
Peter poked his head out, and there seemed to be newcomers: a man who looked similar to an Earthling, a tall alien with skin that resembled tree bark, a green-skinned woman, and... a raccoon?
These prisoners seemed to have been activated by some kind of switch. The agitated individuals even threw out uneaten synthetic food and hit the Earthling.
"Get out!" The little follower beside him suddenly roared, startling Peter.
"I think if they could have gotten out, they would have gotten out," Peter reminded kindly.
"Oh... that's right." The prisoner thought for a moment and then continued to shout: "Go to hell!"
"Wait a minute, wait a minute, who are they?"
"I do not know either."
"What?"
Peter thought to himself, you don't know what you are making fun of?
The little follower added, "But that woman is very famous. Her father is Thanos, a butcher, and her daughter is not much better.
That madman is killing people all over the universe. People like us may be doing it for money, but he is different. Defeating the opponent's fleet is just the beginning. His purpose is to kill half of all life on the planet."
Half of all life on Earth would be more than 30 billion people. This number made Peter shudder.
"Oh, it's Idiot Lan. The big guy is rushing in front again." The follower who was watching the fun pointed down.
Peter saw a huge blue alien standing in front of the Earthling, and the attendant said in a low voice:
"Look at this little meat, I'm going to eat you with Gannavian jam..."
The strong blue man had once said this to Peter.
The follower laughed loudly after saying this and wanted to go back and pat Peter on the shoulder because the last time the alien said this, he was beaten up by Peter.
Only he found that Peter was missing.
Peter jumped down with a swish, and was about to say something to help these newcomers when he saw the giant tree man thrust his finger into the blue alien's nostril and then lifted him up high.
The little raccoon pointed his index finger at the sky and shouted to the crowd on the side: "Let us say ugly things first. This guy is one of ours.
You want to mess with him? It's best to weigh yourself first—or if you have the guts, let us help you try how much you weigh!"
As soon as the words fell, the big blue man was thrown to the ground. He covered his nose and rolled on the ground in pain, crying and muttering, "I hate you."
After the raccoon and tree man finished speaking, they walked toward Peter: "Do you have anything else?"
"Uh... no, I mean, I thought you needed help..."
"Interesting—I thought this was a prison and not a nursery. Now get out of the way, you young boy!"
"Okay." Peter raised his hands and ducked aside.
Star-Lord stepped over the big guy and passed Peter. At this moment, the two Peters looked at each other, feeling an inexplicable feeling in their hearts.
What Peter was thinking was: This guy is the alien who looks most like an Earthling that he has seen in the past few months.
What Star-Lord is thinking is: Is this kid stupid? Help?
---
Chapter 279: The Fight Over the Shower Room
At ten o'clock at night, Star-Lord's eyes in the Datong Shop were as wide as bells, and he remained motionless.
A dozen prisoners slept in a room of less than 10 square meters. The so-called "human beds" were nothing more than this.
Feeling the unique hybrid alien "body fragrance," on his left, an alien with an upper body was hugging his waist like a wife; on his right, a guy with his back facing him was pulling and scratching his own white belly.
Was the friction sound between grandma's nails and skin so loud?
"Why do that tree and that woman have separate cells?" Star-Lord muttered to himself.
"According to my observation, this prison is set up like this. High-risk criminals who can be beaten are assigned to separate cells."
A voice came from the crowd in the east.
Star-Lord frowned. "Who are you?"
"Peter Parker was captured here by the Nova Empire a few months ago."
Star-Lord recalled this voice and matched it with the voice of the young man he had encountered earlier today.
"Your name is Peter too?"
"Why do you say that? What's your name?"
"My name is... well, Star-Lord."
"That's cool. There's also a band on Earth called Star-Lord—but you probably don't know that, so do you have a star?"
Star-Lord frowned at this: "That's strange. There's also a band called Star-Lord where I come from."
Now it was Peter's turn to frown. "Where are you from?"
"Missouri."
"What?" Peter jumped up on the spot.
The aliens nearby also frowned, but they were fast asleep and just turned over. Peter quickly covered his mouth upon seeing this.
"Why are you reacting so loudly? Is there something wrong with Missouri?" Star-Lord was confused.
"You're from Earth!"
"I'm not. I told you I'm from Missouri..."
A more mature voice came from the crowd in the west. Dr. Otto couldn't help it: "Isn't Missouri just on Earth? Those stories about aliens abducting earthlings and performing brain surface sulcus reduction surgery—are the legends true?"
Rocket Raccoon's laughter came from another corner: "Pfft, they're saying you're an idiot, Quill."
Star-Lord was stunned and immediately sat up. "Who are you?"
"We are Osborn Group employees, from Earth," Peter pointed at Dr. Otto and himself. "So how did you, an Earthling, end up here? Did we just bump into each other by mistake...?"
Without listening carefully to Peter's thoughts, Star-Lord saw a group of people outside the door escorting Gamora to who knows where. He raised his arms around his waist and quietly followed.
"Hey, where are you going?" Peter asked in a low voice.
Rocket Raccoon got up when he sensed something was wrong. Quill was part of his escape plan, so nothing could go wrong.
Before going out, he thought for a moment and waved to Peter : "Boy, don't you want to help? Follow me, hurry up!"
Peter pointed at himself, then looked at Dr. Otto. The doctor nodded toward him. Making friends is a good thing.
So a few people sneakily followed the group to the shower room.
They saw three prisoners controlling Gamora in the corner, while a strong alien man slowly walked toward her.
"Drax the Destroyer, the most notorious prisoner," Peter quietly introduced the strong man to everyone, but honestly, he found Drax to be quite reasonable.
"You can tell by his size what he wants to do," Star-Lord said, staring inside.
Drax slowly approached Gamora, stared at her, and said, "Ronan killed my wife and daughter... without blinking an eye."
As he said this, he looked at the prisoners aside and thought of his wife and daughter's faces. He became enraged and shouted, "And laughed like crazy!"
"It's not your turn to take her life yet."
The name Drax the Destroyer frightened these minions, and one prisoner obediently handed over the knife.
Drax calmed down and took the knife. "Ronan ruined my family, and I want him to pay for it in blood..."
Before he finished speaking, Gamora took a deep breath, used the gap between them to hand over weapons, grabbed the two prisoners controlling her, violently broke their wrists, snatched the knife, and struck them with lightning speed, putting two daggers at Drax and another prisoner's necks.
Gamora looked into Drax's eyes and said, "I'm not Ronan's family, nor am I Thanos's."
As she spoke, she slowly put down the dagger in her hand and took a step back.
"I'm your only hope of stopping him."
But Gamora's words irritated Drax. The strong man yelled and pushed Gamora against the wall with one hand, pressing a knife against her neck and angrily saying, "You are just talking nonsense!"
Seeing this, Star-Lord couldn't sit still and walked toward them with outstretched hands, wanting to be a peacemaker.
But Peter was faster than him and grabbed Drax's hand on the spot.
"Mr. Drax, this lady doesn't seem to be the enemy you are looking for. Let's hear what she has to say..."
Drax was quite powerful, but the key was that he was a dead-brainer. As he spoke, he increased the pressure and started a strength contest with Peter.
"Peter Parker! This trouble isn't just about the fight in the shower room! You can't control this!" Drax yelled with increasing strength.
Seeing this, Star-Lord hurriedly stepped forward and said, "I know you want to kill Ronan, but what you're doing now isn't a brilliant move."
"Aren't you the boy this woman wants to kill?" Star-Lord's identity was more convincing, and Drax halted his actions.
"She's really not the first woman to try to kill me."
Star-Lord began to change the topic, sharing his alien girlfriend's history of love and hatred and showing the "medal" on his body to everyone, but he didn't notice that Gamora's eyes gradually turned contemptuous when she looked at him:
Scumbag!
"...And here, have you seen the Asagavarians? They have tentacles and teeth like needles..."
Now Peter couldn't hold back anymore: "You and aliens? Humans can't, at least they shouldn't..."
"Please, is this the time to say this? Shut up!" Star-Lord quickly replied to Peter.
"Listen, I know you don't want to hear this, but what I want to say is that this woman betrayed Ronan. You can spare her life and avoid becoming Ronan's executioner."
Drax thought it over, and it seemed that this was true. He let go of his hand.
"Keep her; she can help you find Ronan, and then you can..." Star-Lord traced an arc on his neck with his finger.
Seeing this, Peter said, "He means she can help you kill Ronan—they don't like metaphors."
Star-Lord nodded. "That's what I mean."
Drax looked at the two of them, finally took the prisoner's knife, and walked out of the shower room. "You are very strong, but remember what you said to me: I will kill Ronan myself."
After the matter was resolved, Peter moved his shoulders. "This man is really strong."
Seeing that the situation was stable, Rocket Raccoon came out and asked curiously, "Is this hand of yours a robotic hand? I didn't know you had such strength."
"Well, biotechnology."
"Not bad. Do you want to join my jailbreak plan?"
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