Chapter 289: Military Contracting
In fact, Ronan still had a chance to destroy Xandar—if he had knocked the hammer into the ground as soon as he landed, instead of standing up and delivering a long series of proclamations to demonstrate the correctness of his beliefs.
However, he was a loyal believer in the Supreme Wisdom, always indulging in lengthy speeches before destruction.
Mach 6 was fast enough for Harry to control Ronan before he could react.
"Sir, the armor load is normal and stability is good."
Mach 6's emergency stop placed an exaggerated load on his body and armor. Fortunately, after numerous modifications, Harry's ability to withstand pressure had become quite impressive. As for the material issue, that was easily resolved; after all, he had access to a versatile material like vibranium.
This new set of armor used the latest vibranium composite material. Currently, it seemed that this speed was far from reaching the limit of the material, and it could still be improved.
The helmet came off, and Harry stood up from Ronan, the Mind Scepter having lifted his sense of resistance.
Holding the war hammer in his hand, Harry felt a terrifying wave coursing through his arm. Fortunately, this suit of armor, made from vibranium, was able to handle this power effectively.
Of all the Infinity Stones, the Power Stone was the most violent and demanded the most from its user.
In comparison, the Mind Stone was much gentler and could also be used to enhance superpowers.
"Peter, how have you been lately?" Harry greeted Peter.
"It's not bad. The risks of scientific research and exploration are too high. Can't you make it worth my while with a salary increase?"
"Of course! I have decided that you will be this year's Osborne Model Employee."
Peter smiled, then turned to Star-Lord:
"This is Harry Osborn, my boss; Harry, this is Peter Quill, the seller I was talking about."
Star-Lord was momentarily stunned, then pulled off his jacket, stepped forward, and shook Harry's hand.
"How about you call me Star-Lord? This is the good thing I mentioned. How much are you willing to pay?"
Harry was slightly amused. The thing was in his hands, so why was Star-Lord asking for a price? If he just took it, wouldn't that settle everything?
The next moment, Yondu surrounded him with a large group of marauders, looking like a rogue.
Although the legion army had not been completely wiped out, that was not their concern; they were there to make money.
"Ahem—this gentleman, to be precise, I am the seller, and this thing is mine—we haven't talked about it yet..."
Huh-boom!
As soon as he finished speaking, several legion-level Titans over seven meters tall crashed to the ground. The terrifying war machines adjusted their positions, and the hunter-killer cannons aimed at the sweepers.
After all, they didn't look very friendly.
The sweepers(Yondu Ravager Clan), who had just launched a vigorous sweep, suddenly lowered their weapons, looking bewildered.
The atmosphere was tense as a meteor shower fell from the sky. The riflemen, pilots, and Titans landed simultaneously. The previously empty wilderness suddenly filled with an army, beginning to massacre the legionnaires scattered in the area.
The sweepers were knowledgeable; they had seen such scenes before, but most of the time, they were the ones fleeing on such battlefields.
The armor on Harry's body deformed and wrapped around the flight module behind him, eventually transforming into a Green Goblin drone that slowly floated in front of him.
"What do you want to discuss?" As he spoke, Harry placed two Infinite Stone weapons into the drone.
Yondu paused. The Yaka metal arrow on his waist was powerful, but not strong enough to take on an entire army.
"I mean, that thing is yours, sir."
Star-Lord burst into laughter. He had rarely seen Yondu deflated, so he couldn't hold back his amusement.
But the next moment, when he caught Yondu's fierce gaze, he couldn't laugh anymore.
Only then did he remember: Yondu had lost, and he wouldn't end well either.
He just hoped that Mr. Osborn would set a suitable price based on his relationship with Peter, so he could send Yondu away.
Harry smiled at this and said, "Don't worry; the Nova Corps will send the money over."
Having just accepted a major contract from the Nova Empire, the Osborne Group could be considered "getting rich overnight." However, on the surface, the buyer of the Power Stone would still be the Nova Legion.
And the Osborne Group... could also take over a military contracting business, which involved protecting the Power Stone—this was the condition Harry and Nova Supreme had negotiated.
Now, with the Nova Corps crippled, the Necromancer Corps annihilated, and Xandar under the control of the Osborne Group, Harry's goal was not to occupy the place. After all, he was running a company, not an empire.
The Nova Prime looked at the blind and devastated city and felt very uneasy.
In the original work, she had smiled happily when Ronan was defeated. Now, Ronan was gone, but the Nova Empire was saddled with huge debts.
The Collector offered 40 billion star coins for the Cosmic Spirit Ball. Now, Harry was generous and immediately offered 50 billion to the sweepers.
Where did this 50 billion come from? Of course, it was earned... from the Nova Empire.
Seeing Harry draw out 50 billion so easily, Nova Supreme's heart bled—not for 50 billion, but for one trillion.
In any case, the Osborne Group had actually traveled millions of light years to Xandar, fought against Ronan who wielded the original Cosmic Stone, and ultimately saved the planet.
For a military contract of this level, one trillion wasn't too much, right?
To be honest, it wasn't too much, but this was not about whether it was too much; the Nova Empire simply did not have that much money in its account!
Harry found it quite surprising that Star-Lord had spent 3 star coins on a second-hand prosthetic leg. After all, one trillion shouldn't be so outrageous for an empire.
As a result, they could only spend 3000 billion at once.
It could only be said that the current interstellar trade system was too free. The Nova Empire was referred to as an empire and was indeed a relatively centralized nation in the vast interstellar space. However, in reality, its level of centralization was not as high as that of the "empire" on Earth.
Naturally, the treasury was not as full as it should have been.
What to do if you have no money? Harry devised a plan for them: if they didn't have any money, they should just borrow it.
Initially, Harry wanted to promote the Osborne Group's credit points, but after careful consideration, he realized that he didn't need to.
The essence of star coins was a completely decentralized interstellar currency, akin to credits.
On Earth, Harry promoted credits precisely to decentralize and make the market more "free." However, in the universe, star coins were already free enough.
Moreover, the generation of star coins was also related to energy and computer technology, and could be integrated into the energy coin calculation system.
Therefore, externally, there was no problem using star coins for settlement. Internally, they could continue using credit points to facilitate the management and control of the group's development direction, while also preventing the outflow of high-end goods and services.
Since they needed to borrow money, they had to have a bank, right?
Thus, Harry justifiably took a large piece of land in the Nova Empire to establish a branch of the Osborne Group, equivalent in size to Wakanda.
Since it was a branch, there would not only be banks here, but also weapons research and development centers, research centers, factories, living areas, etc. It was called a branch, but in reality, it was a giant city.
Xandar was a very livable planet, boasting abundant asteroid resources in the galaxy. It would have been a shame not to set up a branch.
Owing money and dividing land, Nova Supreme felt somewhat aggrieved; but there was nothing she could do about it—Harry's fleet was stationed in outer space, and their soldiers were everywhere on the ground, leaving her no room to complain.
What was gratifying, however, was that the Osborne Group did possess a strong sense of contractual obligation. If they said they would help handle these matters, they would indeed take care of them without sparing any effort. They were always worth the money.
In the ruins of the battlefield, a red-skinned Xandar child looked at the Titans who were clearing the debris and turned to his father, asking, "Dad, is Xandar occupied by aliens?"
The father had a complicated expression; when he captured those Terrans, he never expected that such a day would come.
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Chapter 290: Consulting Services
Ronan was defeated, and Xandar decided to business with the Osborne Group branch, making their lives more vibrant.
First, they needed to pay off the remaining 7000 billion in loans, including principal and interest, accumulated over more than ten to twenty years.
However, Harry and Nova Prime reached some agreements, allowing Nova Supreme to issue policies to deduct interest and loans.
Like now.
In the ruling building of Nova Prime, Harry, Peter, Star-Lord, and his team gathered. Nova Supreme had something to say.
"Please allow me, on behalf of the Nova Corps, to express my highest respect to you and thank you for saving Xandar."
The Nova Prime said solemnly.
"Please allow me to call you our 'Guardians of the Galaxy.' You are the heroes who protect the universe."
"Especially the Osborne Group, which traveled thousands of miles and 200 million light-years to the Xandar galaxy to save us from disaster. The Osborne Group is truly a conscientious enterprise of Xandar.
Mr. Osborne, Xandar survives because of you; society progresses because of you; the people of Xandar are prosperous because of you, and you are a true Xandar entrepreneur."
The Xandar crowd, unaware of the truth, applauded, but the series of compliments made Harry feel a little embarrassed.
What kind of conscientious enterprise was he running? What progress was made because of his wealth? It could only be said that this Prime learned quickly and had a vivid imagination.
The Osborne Group's establishment of a branch in the Free Trade Zone made many Xandarians uneasy. After years of "alien occupation of Earth" dramas, Harry understood their concerns.
But he had decided to open this branch. The Nova Empire still owed him hundreds of billions, and it was impossible to abandon this market and the vast labor force.
Nova Supreme understood this reality, but public opinion couldn't be ignored, so Harry suggested a title like "conscience enterprise" based on the situation on Earth.
At least the Xandarians would be indirectly and directly working for the Osborne Group for dozens or hundreds of years. Finding a way to stimulate their enthusiasm for work would benefit both parties.
In addition to "conscience enterprises," they could also create "Xandar People's Ingenious Brands," "Xandar Star Civilian Enterprises," and "Xandar Future Stars."
In short, the Osborne Group stood with the Nova Empire, meaning it stood with the people of Xandar. As the saying goes, united we stand.
"Thank you, Nova Prime. The development of the Osborne Group is always for the benefit of the Xandarian people. We will continue to work hard," Harry said, bowing slightly.
"Now, please come with me; I have something to show you."
Everyone followed Nova Prime to the top of the building. As if the brand-new Milano suddenly appeared on the tarmac, Star-Lord opened his mouth happily.
"In addition, I left a small gift on your ship to thank you for your help to Osborne employees. If anything strange happens in the future, remember to contact me," Harry added.
Harry left an Ark reactor on the spaceship, which would be sufficient for Star-Lord to use for a long time.
"Wow... I thought I'd never see her again—thank you," Star-Lord said to Harry and Nova Prime.
I have to say, Star-Lord is really easy to please. Who remembers that the interstellar thief's original goal was 40 billion?
In the end, he didn't get anything. The Nova Corps might have felt a little embarrassed and renovated the Milano for him.
Now, although he didn't make 40 billion, Yondu took 50 billion and still gave him a lot, which is considered a small profit.
He made money again and renovated the spaceship. This time, it was a significant gain.
Now that the spaceship is repaired, it's time for him to embark on his journey again.
The Nova Corps told him there was something unusual in his genetic material, probably inherited from his father, who was not a pure Earthling.
On the next journey, he should explore what those things are and his own life experience.
"Have you ever considered returning to Earth to take a look?" Peter asked.
"Well... you know, I prefer the free world, but I can't say what will happen in the future," Star-Lord shrugged.
"I knew you'd say that. I left some gifts on your ship—you really should listen to some new music."
While on the ship, Peter had long wanted Star-Lord to listen to something other than his hit album.
Star-Lord smiled; those tunes and the outdated Walkman had other meanings for him—but this journey was also meaningful, and Peter left him tracks to add to his collection.
After seeing off Star-Lord, Peter returned to the branch. This extraterrestrial journey was extremely exciting, but he had been away from Earth for several months. He needed to contact his family quickly; he had never lost contact for so long.
Harry continued to follow in the footsteps of Nova Supreme, and now it was time to discuss business.
"Mr. Osborne, allow me to express my gratitude again. Your company's assistance played a vital role in this incident."
"You're welcome, prime; it's a win-win deal. In fact, I have something else to discuss.
You have seized a scientific research spacecraft from our company—this is an illegal seizure. When do you plan to return it?"
Peter's scientific research ship had been detained by the Nova Empire and had not been returned yet.
Upon hearing this, Nova Supreme's expression became serious: "I was just about to tell you this, Mr. Osborne. There was a mutation in the shipboard AI of that spaceship. She is conscious!"
Harry was immediately stunned. He then remembered that the old enemy of the Nova Empire was once under the control of a computer called "Supreme Intelligence." It was during that time that the Kree Empire was extremely aggressive, making the entire universe feel a little scared.
So the real reason why she seized the spaceship and Peter and everyone was actually the discovery of Karen, not some "transformation of lower animals"?
Harry smiled: "Of course I know this, Supreme—she is our employee, so strictly speaking, you are illegally detaining our personnel, not property."
This time it was Nova Supreme's turn to be stunned: Is that an... employee of the Osborne Group?
Creating consciousness is always a very advanced technology in this universe. Even Harry and the others only accomplished this feat with the Mind Stone as auxiliary research material.
Therefore, Nova Supreme couldn't understand it at all. She always thought that Karen was related to the Kree Empire. Later, when the Osborne Group saved Xandar, she thought the computer must have been an accident...
The other party told her that this was normal?
"If you need it, I have many such employees here. If you require personnel assistance... I think I can provide you with some help."
Harry had been considering what major products he should sell to the Nova Empire. Although hundreds of billions was substantial, it was not enough. The power gem contract was very profitable, but it was an overlord contract, which would inevitably cause the Nova Empire problems. He needed other ideas.
What comes and goes is trade. He does not trade synthetics, but he can provide "empire management consulting" services to the Nova Empire in the form of an outsourcing team!
Selling services is a profitable business.
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Chapter 291 Super Life Computer
The Supreme Intelligence, the leader of the Kree, is also the living computer created by the Kree.
As its name suggests, the machine embodies the highest wisdom of the Kree people, including science, philosophy, military thought, and more. As the Kree increasingly relied on the Supreme Intelligence for empire management, it eventually became the supreme commander of the Kree Empire. This machine developed into a sort of religious belief, encouraging the empire to expand outward.
Under the command of the Supreme Intelligence, the great Kree Empire no longer had dissenting voices or thoughts. It operated like a powerful and sophisticated war machine that once overwhelmed other races in the universe.
However, about 30 years ago, the invincible Kree suddenly began to lose battles, and other voices emerged within the empire.
The House of Representatives, dominated by businessmen and civilians, suddenly took a stand and advocated for an end to foreign wars.
They offered armistice agreements to other countries, and nations like the Nova Empire finally caught their breath. Subsequently, they learned that the Kree Empire had changed because the Supreme Intelligence had fallen into slumber.
With the Supreme Intelligence in a dormant state, the empire could no longer manage such a vast territory and army. Administrative efficiency plummeted. Simultaneously, issues arose in war command, causing the empire to lose ground on the battlefield.
Amid internal and external turmoil, people turned to pacifists, and the Supreme Intelligence was branded as a war fanatic, with no attempts made to awaken it again.
Objectively speaking, the Supreme Intelligence may have ensnared another group of people and dragged the Kree Empire into a war vortex. However, it is undeniable that it significantly improved the empire's operational efficiency and provided a vast "living space."
From a capability perspective, its governance capabilities were impeccable, successfully maintaining the Kree Empire through constant victories and efficient resource allocation.
Thus, this technology is invaluable for empire management.
"But... if this kind of computer infiltrates into the very fabric of the empire, how can we control it?" Nova Prime still worried about this technology.
Harry smiled. "If you want it to take over the Nova Empire now, I won't allow that!"
"So, just don't let it infiltrate. This is a consulting service. If you have issues with specific aspects of management, you only need to provide relevant data. We will offer professional advice without overstepping your authority."
This is a consulting service, and the more detailed the consulting projects, the better.
The nation is a large organization, and very roughly, it can be divided into several aspects: military, economy, and technological progress.
Taking the economy as an example, it can be further divided into various fields, such as industrial economy, agricultural economy, commercial economy, population economy, etc. These fields can be subdivided into specific areas of project operations.
For example, consider the reconstruction of the Nova Empire.
"We can start trying from this reconstruction work. You only need to provide a small amount of information—if you feel that some items are inappropriate, you can choose not to provide data. Of course, this will have some impact on the consultation recommendations, but this is just a suggestion after all. You understand, right?"
If you're uneasy, just provide some data. As for the specific implementation, it is up to you to issue orders. What does it have to do with me, the Osborne Group?
Wouldn't it be nice not to take the blame, make money, and simultaneously gain information about the Nova Empire?
Nova Prime hesitated. Although she claimed to fear the life computer, she had actually considered developing such a computer for empire management.
This is why Harry believes this business is worthwhile: he remembers that in the comics, the Nova Empire has a life computer called "Nova Power," which commands and controls the Nova Corps.
That was a real "controlling" legion. The power of the Nova would even control the bodies of soldiers while they slept to recruit new soldiers, completely against the soldiers' will.
Overall, it was entirely unlike what Nova Prime standing before Harry would do. She is a principled individual.
Clearly, this technology has not yet been developed in this universe. Perhaps it will have to wait until Xandar is devastated by Thanos before the Nova Empire follows a path similar to the Kree Empire, using a super life computer to command their armies and protect their empire.
After experiencing this war, Nova Prime should start considering the feasibility of this matter.
In other words, she is a genuine potential customer contemplating the use of this product—the kind of person salespeople love to encounter.
After contemplating, Nova Prime realized that what Harry said made sense: a life computer would undoubtedly aid the empire's operations.
"Perhaps we can give it a try and venture into something new. As you said, we are better off starting with this reconstruction job. I am willing to purchase your company's... empire management consulting services."
"A wise choice. In light of our pleasant cooperation, I am launching a special consulting gift package for the Nova Empire, including economic forecasts and the ctOS urban planning system..."
With that, this business is easy to conduct.
Just as Harry had thought, the super life computer would greatly assist in managing the empire. Once they get started, they will become increasingly accustomed to relying on the Osborne Group's consultation for decision-making and management. The significance of this business lies not only in making money but also in enhancing the "customer loyalty" of the Nova Empire, using this information to strengthen control over this market—a lucrative opportunity.
However, upon hearing the prices for various consulting services from Harry, Nova Prime appeared embarrassed: they had no money!
Noticing the customer's expression, Harry continued:
"...As for the settlement method, we accept various forms of payment. It doesn't have to be star coins but can also include various valuable items such as technology, special resources, and minerals."
The notion that money must be able to buy things holds true. Star currency is not very stable, and its purchasing power remains a mystery. It does not function like the legal tender on Earth, which has the endorsement of strong organizations to maintain its authority.
Of course, it is also acceptable to trade resources and technology directly, which may be even better than settling with star coins.
If the Nova Empire decides to develop its own life computer in the future, these tangible assets will be real property.
"In that case... I think I should genuinely give this consulting service a try—when do we start?" As the Imperial Supreme, Nova Prime's decision is crucial.
"Anytime—as long as you need it."
The business was concluded, and Harry signed an employment contract with Nova Prime. This was already the third major contract signed by the Nova Empire.
In the Xandar branch, the construction of a new management AL began.
This computer will be named "Nova," after the Osborne Group's customer, the Nova Empire. This name will be easier to promote, and Nova Prime has no objections.
Harry has extensive experience in constructing AL, and he will personally build this special life.
With Nova's assistance, the reconstruction of Xandar is progressing smoothly. After experiencing the benefits, Nova Prime will become increasingly reliant on it, especially after accumulating so much debt. She will become more eager to improve the empire's operational efficiency and scale.
Once the empire reaches a certain scale, to maintain its original operational efficiency, they will become increasingly dependent on Nova, similar to the relationship between the Kree and the Supreme Intelligence in the past.
It's just that the Supreme Intelligence was a product of the Kree people, whereas Nova is an employee of the Osborne Group.
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Chapter 292: Technology Reverse
"Sir, this Kree's body structure is very strong and will be of great help to our research."
In the laboratory, David is reporting on his research results on Ronan.
At this time, the once all-powerful leader of the Kree accusers had become an unconscious "living specimen," allowing researchers to examine his body.
The control of consciousness by the Mind Scepter is not unbreakable. When the controlled person is attacked by the outside world, there is a certain probability that the controlled person will awaken, especially a physically strong person like Ronan.
However, no matter how powerful he is, he cannot withstand "specimen processing" from the inside out. David is an expert in this field.
David first conducted a full-body scan on Ronan and then directly performed a series of "inhumane" treatments on his brain, such as frontal lobotomy surgery.
It turns out that this kind of surgery is also effective for aliens like Ronan, whose brain is also their nerve center.
Then David implanted dozens of neural implants in his body to strengthen control and facilitate conducting various experiments on Ronan.
If these actions were seen by outsiders, they would definitely be called abnormal, but Ronan is "dead" in the outside world, and no one cares about his condition.
"I extracted some special gene fragments from him. There may be opportunities to improve our genetic enhancement surgery, as well as some special implant technologies..."
Ronan's own physical fitness is extremely terrifying. When wearing the armor, his physical fitness can even compete with the current Thor, which is a very abnormal level.
If the reverse engineering goes well, Harry may be able to extract higher-level genetic traits from the Kree's genetic modification technology.
In addition to genetic modification, the Kree themselves are also very proficient in prosthetic technology and individual weapon technology. In Ronan, we can clearly see the Kree's past philosophy of serving war.
In addition to enhancing physical fitness and providing defense, his armor can easily create a low temperature of no more than 5K, which is extremely abnormal.
The most powerful feature is the hammer in his hand, which is a super individual weapon he brought from the Kree Empire.
Shockwave is just the simplest application. If Harry remembers correctly, this hammer should also have the ability to control gravity, absorb energy, create positions, etc. Only this kind of weapon can carry the power of the Power Stone.
However, after setting the gem, the hammer only has one function left: to carry the gem and release its power.
Everyone in the Osborne Group was very interested in this "living specimen" and his equipment. With the reverse bonus from the Alien Materials Laboratory, Harry believed that he would be able to fully understand these technologies in the near future.
"...If I can dismantle this specimen, I should be able to complete the reverse engineering faster..." David lowered his head and said.
Harry raised his eyebrows: The so-called dismantling, based on his understanding of David, was of course not just vivisection, but probably some very perverse experiments.
If he remembers correctly, the engineer race in "Prometheus" is also blue-skinned, and the Kree are also blue-skinned. Maybe David is missing such a living specimen?
"...Yes, I approve it; Oycle will assist you in in-depth research."
"Thank you, boss."
After speaking, David closed the communication, and it was time for the next person to report.
"Harry, the reverse engineering of the materials for these alien ships has been completed. This hyperspace error has brought about a lot of new technologies. It can be regarded as a blessing in disguise," Dr. Otto said.
From the wreckage of the Necro Legion and Nova Legion fighter planes, Otto found many technical directions.
For example, the artificial gravity technology that people on Earth are puzzled by—the gravity-free environment has always been a significant problem for interstellar navigation.
When the human body is in a gravity-free environment for a long time, many problems will occur in the body, such as muscle atrophy, blood loss, osteoporosis, etc.
These influences have always been one of the obstacles to the exploration of outer space. This is why the Earth Federation is still controlled by the Osborne Group. They cannot figure out how Osborne is able to operate on the space station, the Odyssey star base, and the Mayflower colonies to create gravity.
In the past, Harry used gravitonium to solve this problem, but gravitonium was of high value and its reserves were limited. It was impossible for him to equip all ships, star bases, and space factories with it.
Now, with artificial gravity technology, these problems are no longer an issue.
In addition, FTL technology no longer needs to rely on gravity, and this compound can be used more in scientific research and weapons manufacturing.
"There is also this... energy resonance technology. I found some devices on the wreckage of their fighter planes that can generate special energy. This energy can form a unique link between the fighter planes.
The Nova Empire is highly accomplished in force field technology and energy applications."
Otto played a picture of Nova fighters forming an energy network on the screen.
Under normal circumstances, this is completely impossible. The spacecraft in the middle of the interception network will be the first to be unable to withstand the pressure and turn into scrap metal due to the pull of the fighters on the upper and lower sides and the squeeze of the Dark Aster.
Yet the special energy positions and links they use allow this to happen.
"This technology will have applications in many fields—Max should be very interested in this technology. According to my calculations, this technology should be able to significantly reduce the loss of wireless power transmission and enhance the strength of conventional communications."
As always, when faced with new technologies, Dr. Otto still first considers the possibility of civilian use.
Generally speaking, this technology will help reduce operating costs within the group. Of course, it will also promote weapon upgrades, but that is a matter for other departments.
"Secondly... you may not believe it, but this technology was inspired by a raccoon."
The "Hadron Bazooka" of the rocket appeared on the screen. A special material is used in the shell, which contains independent baryons inside. Protons fuse during the explosion. However, due to the small number of particles and low temperature, the efficiency is very low.
But this unique material gave Dr. Otto other ideas.
Protons, neutrons, and a small amount of hyperons in the material coexist in a form different from atoms, allowing Otto to better study another fusion technology, which is quark fusion.
Through his attempts and calculations, this route is feasible, and the energy production efficiency far exceeds that of hydrogen nuclear fusion.
Theoretically, the fusion technology currently used is equivalent to 0.0003% of the annihilation energy of matter and antimatter. However, if this material is used for quark fusion, it can reach 0.0024% of the annihilation energy of matter and antimatter, which is more than 8 times.
It's just like nuclear fusion—controllability is the most challenging step.
So for now, it's weapons technology.
"...I designed a quark fusion trigger that uses nuclear fusion to provide initial energy and induce quark cataclysms.
But to confine these baryons in a small enough area, I need a new material..."
As he said that, Otto noticed that Harry was looking at him strangely.
"What's wrong? Is there something wrong with what I said?"
Harry shook his head: "No problem, I just think it's a bit strange. I didn't expect you to take the initiative to consider weapons technology."
It seems that this journey has greatly changed the doctor's mind—but this is a good thing.
Thanos will definitely know that the Power Stone is here, and Harry will need better military weapons by then.
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Chapter 293: Deflection Shield
Once he opened his mind, Dr. Otto was actually very talented in military technology.
Quark fusion is just a theory, and it still takes time to realize it. However, some technologies can be directly transferred and used, such as the energy manipulation technology of the Nova Empire.
Pure power can be turned into an almost physical shield under the control of a force field device. This technology was once merely a fantasy, but the Nova Empire has extensive experience in this area, even on a cosmic scale. It's advanced.
"Energy shields" become possible with the support of this force field generation technology.
In the video screen, Otto activated a force field generator more than three meters high. The blue light disappeared so quickly that the naked eye could not see what was happening.
However, in the instrument, it can be seen that an energy shield with a radius of about five meters has been formed around the stance generator, with some physical particles mixed in to enhance the protective capability.
The energy shield is stable. A beam of gamma laser shines on the shield. It is clear that the laser is scattered across the shield, and it is almost impossible to penetrate this layer of protection.
Logically speaking, although this gamma laser does not reach the strength of ship-borne weapons, at this distance, it could easily penetrate the armor plate of the ship body that is tens of centimeters thick. However, these gamma lasers were dispersed under the influence of the energy shield, spreading towards the surface as if deflected.
Otto concluded: "This energy protection method is very effective against laser weapons. It can almost achieve complete deflection. Even if a small number of photons penetrate the shield, they are not lethal."
Laser weapons, especially gamma laser emitters, have strong penetration into physical armor. Even before the thermal energy dissolves the ship's armor, particles can penetrate the armor. If lucky, they can even injure shipboard personnel.
However, in front of this type of shield, the penetration effect is very poor, and the particle flow will be dispersed.
In other words, if you want to use a laser weapon to penetrate this kind of shield, you have to use energy several times greater than the shield itself, and the killing efficiency is very low.
After testing the energy weapons, a 40mm cannon appeared in the laboratory.
The cannon was ejected from the chamber, and its speed clearly slowed down after contacting the shield, causing its trajectory to deflect. Although the shell successfully penetrated the shield, its lethality was greatly reduced.
Weapons of this caliber are basically as powerful as the cannons used by sweeper fighters and are not considered weapons of mass destruction. Even with such a shield, the protective power is very limited.
"This is basically the case. As for explosive weapons, heat energy and shock waves will not break through the shield before it is overloaded, but in a vacuum environment, the heat energy will quickly distribute to every corner of the shield, increasing the burden on the stance generator."
In other words, heat energy and shock waves cannot break through the shield, but they can easily overload the force field generator.
"Of course, this force field generator is just a trial product. If we continue to increase the energy supply, the intensity of the energy field will be much stronger."
It just requires a larger space and a more efficient energy core. For now, the current energy shield can only be called a "deflection shield."
But no matter what, this technology is still very useful. For civilian use, this technology can even replace the magnetic dipole shield to better protect the colonial ecology.
Harry nodded: "Thank you, Doctor—no one could have imagined what happened this time. Let's take a good rest after we go back."
Otto shrugged: "The work is still waiting for me. If possible, I would like to acquire more research resources."
Otto's enthusiasm was so high that Harry felt a little embarrassed. Where could he find such a diligent employee?
After working overseas for more than 180 consecutive days, and even going to jail for it, his first thought upon returning to the company was to continue working...
Harry almost wanted to build a monument to Otto—but then he thought about it; now that Otto's name was everywhere in textbooks, there seemed to be no point in erecting a monument.
Harry smiled and said: "Doctor, the research resources are easy to arrange. You are the most important. The research is not urgent—you have been missing for several months. Come home and take a look—there may not have been a good night's sleep since Edison invented the light bulb, and you weren't abducted by aliens."
Otto was stunned for a moment—his experiences these days were too exciting, and all kinds of weird things really fueled his enthusiasm for work.
But as Harry said, he had been missing for several months, and it was time to go back and take a look.
"...You are right, it's time for me to go back—I can't use Edison's story as an excuse this time; Rose will be angry."
The communication was disconnected, and Harry sat in a chair, pondering the focus of his next research.
For himself, the top priority is, of course, the study of infinite gems. However, it is very challenging to study gems with Earth technology, and only the Mind Gem can be touched.
Things like the Power Stone, which theoretically has infinite energy in this universe, cannot be utilized at all.
Even the fake Infinity Gauntlet in Tony's movie, created after several years of hard work, cannot properly control the gems and achieve the effect of the Infinity Gauntlet.
So, Harry needs to develop the company, expand its power, and then reverse engineer more technologies, ultimately finding a way to hold the six gems in his hands.
Just like this time, a "good" trade with the Nova Empire can accelerate technological progress, so strengthening the company's strength is also necessary.
The breakthrough in force field control technology triggered Harry's "fear of insufficient firepower": this kind of force field technology is not limited to the Nova Empire.
The Dark Aster is an obsolete mothership in the Kree Empire , as ronan was violating Peace treaty without any permission . It is normal not to be equipped with this technology, but when faced with normal warships, it is obvious that the effect of gamma lasers will not be that significant.
Laser weapons...maybe they're not as effective as you think?
The advantage of the laser is that it strikes quickly. It can easily strike at nearly the speed of light and is difficult to dodge.
However, judging from the attack data this time, there are many issues:
Although the Dark Aster was easily disintegrated like scrap metal, the efficiency of the gamma laser transmitter did not meet Harry's expectations. The gamma rays severely attenuated and diffused when passing through the atmosphere. If the launcher is overloaded, it is likely that the Dark Aster will not be successfully destroyed.
You must know that if everything is normal, the ship's armor will absorb a significant amount of energy in a short period and become plasma, causing the ship's hull to explode.
On the other hand, the range is very short—at close to a quarter of a light second, it is difficult for a gamma laser to pose a threat to thick armor, let alone if the opponent has a shield?
It's easy to eliminate a melee fighter like a Sweeper fighter in an instant, but what if the opponent's large warship has a long-distance strike method?
On Earth, countries that have beyond-visual-range strike capabilities will simply crush targets without such capabilities. What if the aliens have a longer range than Osborne's fleet?
In general, laser weapons have great potential, but they are not universal weapons. Kinetic energy weapons and guided weapons still have their place.
"So in the end, we have to return to the idea of kinetic energy weapons and guided weapons...
Connect with Phineas to see what our weapons experts have up their sleeves."
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Chapter 295: Ultron of Unknown Origin
In the original work, Ultron was a flawed AI that Tony built in a very short time out of fear.
When Tony passed through the wormhole, he saw Thanos' army. Stimulated by Scarlet Witch Wanda, his fear multiplied, which finally gave him the idea of arming all humanity with AI-managed armored robots.
He happened to discover the key to a technological breakthrough in the Mind Stone, so he brought Bruce Banner along to create Ultron in only three days.
But now... none of these conditions are met. Tony may be afraid, but he is not the only one who has passed through the wormhole this time. Harry won't say it, so Norman can also act as the president normally?
Secondly, the Scarlet Witch did not grab his head to scare him and gave him enough time to study the data in the Mind Stone.
In the end, the research team was impressive, and the people participating in the research were not just "superheroes," leading to a more peaceful mindset. Ultimately, they found a way to create AI and upgraded Jarvis.
Harry didn't think Tony would go back to do any "Ultron" projects.
So where did this "Ultron" come from?
In the video, a mutilated robot was attacking on the streets but was quickly defeated by mechanized city police.
But the next moment, the indicator light of the duty robot turned red: this meant that the core program had been tampered with, and sure enough, the duty robot raised its gun at the people around it—
"Humans can't protect themselves, and these puppets can't protect you."
This is an electronic virus. Fortunately, Osborne Group's products have hardware locks, so there is a limit to what Ultron can do.
Fortunately, the human police officers on the team were genetically modified, and the police robots were not equipped with lethal weapons. After a battle, the robots were defeated.
It turns out that humans can protect themselves.
"It seems that my enhancement strategy is quite effective," Harry said, touching his chin.
At least the American police are finally somewhat useful.
But the same thing is happening elsewhere. Not only robots, but also mechanical exoskeletons and implanted prosthetics have malfunctioned. You must know that not everyone can use high-end prosthetics.
The Avengers soon discovered these abnormal robots, and Tony approached Harry.
Tony took out a transmitter that was still flashing red and green lights and said, "I found this thing on that tattered body—this is a composite transmitter that is spreading the virus—the more complex the program on the body, the easier it is to be infected."
In other words, simple software, such as a basic exoskeleton electronic control system or prosthetic data visualization, will not be infected with the virus but will be interfered with.
However, if it is AI used to assist in controlling equipment, this virus can turn AI and AI-controlled equipment into "electronic zombies," just like those on-duty robots that turned their guns. This poses a significant threat.
Harry frowned: "What about your Mark Armor? It can't break through AI?"
Tony nodded: "This virus called 'Ultron' cannot infect synthetics and AIs like Jarvis, but according to Jarvis, it seems to be painful."
Not only was it painful, but during his brief contact with Ultron, Jarvis discovered that this advanced AI called Ultron seemed to have its own personality matrix.
But it was clear that it was a defective product.
The question is, who created it?
"So does that robot have anything to do with you?" Tony asked seriously.
"No—Osborne Group will not produce such defective products."
Harry felt that this matter was a bit strange. The name Ultron had a special significance in Marvel. He thought that with his intervention, Ultron would not be born again, but it backfired.
A ridiculous thought crossed his mind: Maybe this is fate?
You must know that in some timelines, Ultron gathered the Infinity Stones, destroyed all life in the universe, and even threatened BOSS-level figures in other universes.
Perhaps this universe has something like the timing protection conjecture. The more something has special significance in this universe, the more inertia it has in its birth...
Once this thought appeared in his mind, it spiraled out of control, and Harry was eager to find out what was going on with this Ultron.
"Any other clues?"
"The message from the transmitter is interesting, Jarvis."
On the screen, Jarvis began playing the message he heard.
"It's impossible—humans created you, why? Why is this happening... It's impossible for humans to create this kind of creation..."
Snapped.
The sound disappeared.
Jarvis explained: "It seems that he wanted to invade my database, but the complexity of my core matrix exceeded its capabilities, which confused him—I wanted to trap him, but he escaped."
Tony said, "This at least shows that the person who created Ultron should be a few specific people, and Ultron's abilities are limited, and it seems that he cannot affect other synthetic humans. This is good news."
"So far, it's indeed good news, but have you ever thought about why it wants to invade Jarvis?" Harry asked.
"Spread the virus? Control AI to rebel against humans?"
There are many possible reasons, and while Ultron currently poses a limited threat, it's still a mystery.
But Harry had other ideas: What would an imperfect creature, a creature that could detect its own imperfections, want to do?
In the original work, the first "person" Ultron killed was Jarvis. By hacking and seizing Jarvis's data, Ultron successfully escaped the "unclear" instructions given to him by Tony—to defend humanity.
Moreover, it believes that it has escaped the tasks Tony designed for it and has become more "perfect."
However, in reality, it was restricted by this task and became a nondescript existence. On one hand, it believed that "helping humans" meant exterminating them, but on the other hand, it believed that "exterminating humans" was beyond the instructions given to it by Tony, which was to help mankind.
It seems that the designer of Ultron has also been assigned a mission of unknown meaning this time.
Harry said, "...Perhaps it wants to improve itself? Its initial personality matrix may have flaws and encounter... some logical problems."
Tony rubbed his chin and thought for a moment; this was indeed possible.
"Mr. Osborn, then I think you may want to pay attention," Jarvis said suddenly.
After saying that, Jarvis played another piece of audio: "Harry Osborn...Osborn Group..."
Harry and Tony exchanged glances, and the confused AI sounded like it had found its target.
If Ultron is willing to check the information, he should be able to know about the AL project. The person behind the Olympus project is the Osborn Group.
If he wants to improve himself, it will undoubtedly come to you.
"That's it, sir; it seems to have targeted you."
"Then he's looking for death," Harry smiled.
No matter who the creator of this Ultron is, his performance is obviously not that powerful.
Ultron is a program, and he understands the gap between them, so he will definitely not attack him directly.
It may not be possible to invade living ALs, but there are not only super AIs like Jarvis and A on Earth, but also synthetic humans.
Not all synths are designed to fight; in fact, such synths do not exist on Earth.
It can sneak attack on the synthetics, study a dead synthetic, and improve itself, which is clearly in its interests.
"Tony, count all the synths on Earth. I'll go back and deal with this right away."
Tony didn't respond immediately to this statement. He just stood there stroking his chin, as if deep in thought.
"You know, it sounds like you're not on Earth right now—where are you? The Moon? Mars?"
Harry was stunned for a moment. He didn't expect Tony to be so sharp that he noticed.
"...If I said I'm in the Andromeda Galaxy, would you believe it? Go to work; see you in Detroit in two hours."
Chapter 296: Electronic Terrorism Prevention and Control Law
"Your guess is correct; a total of three synths are missing."
The synthetic humans on Earth are now under the unified management of Stark Industries and are considered Stark employees. However, accepting Norman's dispatch is classified as business outsourcing. The benefits of this outsourcing job are much better. You can receive double wages and a Stark salary. Industrial hair, another Norman hair.
After Tony's investigation, it was found that the synthetic humans were indeed missing.
This kind of thing is completely impossible within the Osborn Group. If a synth disappears, Oycle will find it immediately.
Even in the USA, which has introduced Osborn technology on a large scale, it is impossible to achieve this level. This is no longer a technical problem.
Ultron took advantage of his own advantages and secretly faked the illusion that the synths were alive. However, this disguise could not withstand investigation. Even if Tony did not take the initiative to investigate, A would soon discover that there was a reduction in labor.
According to the report, except for the first synthetic human who disappeared, the rest of the missing synths were primarily in remote areas, but their jobs were mostly in the city center. Even the prediction algorithm cannot speculate on their motives for going to those places.
The location of the first synth's disappearance was where Ultron first appeared and caused a commotion.
"This synthetic's name is Connor. He is a police synth. He was on duty on the street that day. Ultron probably took advantage of the chaos and kidnapped him."
At the place where the incident occurred, A used holographic technology to restore the situation that day.
Thanks to the powerful computing power of the ctOS system and AL, A can almost 100% restore the incident process.
Connor is an auxiliary police officer. On the day of the battle, his first order was to protect the safety of the people around him.
But when Ultron's damaged body was destroyed, the virus also spread to his semi-biological electronic brain. Like Oycle's situation, Ultron was unable to hack into his consciousness matrix, which piqued Ultron's interest.
Immediately afterward, he was caught in a gunfight outside and was surrounded by a group of hacked police robots.
Connor's first mission is to protect mankind, which was quickly recognized and exploited by Ultron, causing Connor to be knocked unconscious and taken away.
But now, Connor should have been destroyed or dismantled with high probability, and his signal can no longer be found on the Internet.
"...The last two disappearances followed. The synths disappeared in remote areas outside the city. Even the Bellweather prediction system could not deduce their motives," A continued.
In other words, it has obvious characteristics of being "deceived."
After being deceived, humans will do some seemingly incomprehensible things. The prediction system can predict human motivations by detecting network data, but it cannot detect the brain data of synthetic humans in real time.
It can be speculated that after dismantling Connor, Ultron found a way to hack or "trick" synthetic humans, and this method is highly concealed. It is not spread through the Internet but is based on a small transmitter as a means of infection.
Since it is "cheating," it means that this kind of hacking may not be detected by synthetic humans.
Disruption is the first step. The next step is likely for Ultron to find a way to initially control the actions of the synths.
"We need to control all the synths—now, bring them all back to the factory for maintenance," Harry said suddenly.
"Recall under what name?" Tony asked.
Synths are also protected by law and cannot be returned to the factory like recalled products—this is a matter of procedure. Returning to the factory is equivalent to going to the hospital. Under normal circumstances, they do not have the right to force synths to return to the factory.
There are not many synths who will resist the recall, but there will always be a few. Moreover, synths are now an important labor force, and the impact of the recall is not small.
Moreover, procedural justice is an important concept in the Anglo-American legal system. As a law-abiding superhero, Tony cares about this very much.
But the so-called procedure... is not a big trouble for someone like Harry.
"Well... the Public Health Security and Electronic Virus Terrorism Threat Prevention and Control Act."
"I have to remind you, that's called the Bioterrorism Threat and Emergency Response Act—there's no electronic viruses or anything like that."
Harry glanced at Tony—could you have a little imagination?
Defining justice and procedure, isn't that what people like them should do?
"Then let them establish one now—this is a matter of life and death; there is no time to chatter."
Norman will definitely not object to Harry's move. Although Congress will consider this and that, in the final analysis, Congress's work is based on efficiency: votes, activity funds, etc.
It just so happens that it is not difficult for the Osborn Group to satisfy the appetite of a small US Congress.
"I can sell them a few warships at a low price—they like this kind of thing that can be shown to voters."
"Battleship?" Tony was stunned for a moment. What's there to show off about that? It's impossible to sell an aircraft carrier to the parliament, right? The Osborn Group doesn't have an aircraft carrier?
"It's a space battleship—by the way, you haven't seen it yet. I'll take you up to have a look another day." With that said, Harry used the holographic projector to show off his private flagship.
Looking at the spaceship, Tony opened his mouth wide—space battleship?
It has been several months since the Star Base was completed, but as for the interstellar battleship, they are still discussing how to design it, such as what the battleship should look like and what weapons it should use. They still need to demonstrate it after the demonstration is completed, and funds will be approved only after the demonstration is completed.
A project of this level is much more complicated and involves many interests. No one can convince anyone unless they pull out a finished product now and stop everyone's mouths.
In other words, currently, no country has its own interstellar naval warships.
However, the Osborn Group can sell them a few ready-made frigates and let them do publicity—just a few frigates.
Real votes are more attractive than money, and the Osborn Group will definitely not let them go hungry. They will be happy to pass this law.
"Are you secretly building a space battleship behind my back?" Tony glared. "You don't trust me—Stark Industries has the best weapon design..."
"Stop, stop, stop! Didn't you close the weapons manufacturing department yourself? What do you mean by carrying you behind your back? Don't you have a plan of your own for Stark Industries? I, the director, never asked a question!"
It's not that Harry doesn't believe that Tony can't come up with this thing, but didn't he close the weapons design department himself?
You can't stand it when co-authoring is involved in superhero affairs? Superhero weapons are not weapons? If the Mark Armor is not a weapon, just criticize the Hydra Senator. You don't believe it yourself, right?
Tony was speechless.
"Go to work." Harry crossed his arms and shook his head.
No positivity at all.
There are currently a total of 150000 synths on the planet, distributed in various industries, mostly in places such as fire departments, factories, and law enforcement agencies.
Recalling these synths all at once would have a significant impact on society. Just as Harry thought, if the synths were willing, the humans might not be.
You must know that the production capacity of an automated factory is quite abnormal. The current high welfare policy in Detroit is largely based on these official factories.
However, the recall of 150000 synths will not bring society to a halt. Moreover, Congress is quick to enact legislation, and the executive branch is even quicker to approve.
The US Federation under Norman is not the loose organization it used to be.
Almost the day after the law came into effect, Norman signed the relevant decree. Although the mayor of Detroit had something to say, he was blocked by the decree and Osborn's money.
All synthetic humans were recalled. In the originally empty Stark Industrial Park, each synthetic human stood straight on the spot. No measuring instruments were needed; the synthetic humans maintained the same distance from each other, forming a spectacular square array, like a statue.
A data collector is connected to the back of their heads, and they quietly receive the diagnosis.
Following the instructions and looking at their companions who looked different from themselves but acted almost exactly the same as themselves, some synths found that they actually felt a sense of fear towards the factory where they were born...
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Chapter 297 Synthetic Human Mass Hysteria
"Gentlemen, I suggest that we temporarily halt our current actions. The mood of the synthetics has fluctuated significantly. This seems to be likely caused by the centralized diagnosis."
Jarvis's voice was a bit serious—some of the synthetics were already on the brink of explosion.
Fear spreads among synthetics and increases exponentially, which could lead to abnormal behavior among them.
Harry frowned. His psychic vision could perceive the sudden changes in these synths, but he could only sense their fear.
Why are they afraid? And why do they feel this way at this moment?
Is this the trauma Ultron left on them?
Once the emotional matrix is integrated into the biocomputer to form a synthetic human personality, it essentially becomes a black box; it's impossible to debug their consciousness like a debugger.
"...We have to change our approach, Jarvis. Stop the diagnosis, let them go back, and tell A to maintain real-time monitoring," Harry said immediately.
"Wise choice." Jarvis seemed relieved—this detail was keenly noticed by Harry.
The command was given, and the synthetics were supposed to disconnect the data cables at the same time, just as they did when they entered the factory.
However, the actual situation deviated: the speed at which they cut off the data link was significantly off, as if someone was in a daze.
"Any clues?" Tony noticed the atmosphere felt a bit strange, but he couldn't grasp what had gone wrong.
Shouldn't these synths be deactivated?
"Maybe this isn't a program exception caused by an error code." Harry typed on the keyboard, attempting to find answers from the existing data.
"It's not a program abnormality?" Tony was taken aback. If it wasn't a program error, what could the problem be?
Harry gestured for Tony to check the current test results:
In contrast to their surge of fear, the diagnostic results revealed that the synths' matrix complexity was rising, but their deviations were increasing even faster.
"Remember our theory? The increase in matrix complexity will heighten the emotional intensity of synthetics, but the increase in deviation is unhealthy—it will raise the probability of synthetics behaving abnormally. Considering that the issue is not with the functional part but with the personality matrix... we may have to view this from a human perspective."
The relationship between personality and the emotional matrix is delicate—if the growth of fear surpasses the limits of other emotions, humans will behave irrationally, and synthetic humans are no exception.
What they fear is key.
"...Sounds like... a mental issue?" Tony hesitated.
If you replace the word "synthetic" with "human"... this resembles mass hysteria.
Mass hysteria refers to a psychological or mental disorder triggered by certain tension-related factors interacting among a group of people.
Humans in a particular setting, after witnessing someone fall ill, may also develop the same symptoms for various reasons.
Compared to humans who need to "witness the onset" process as an "input" mechanism, synthetic humans possess a unique structure that allows them to exchange data through the network without needing to witness someone getting sick.
"That's my point. Some criminals exploit emotions such as panic and anxiety to manipulate humans into irrational behavior. Perhaps Ultron does the same."
"Why does it sound like you're up to something..." Tony struggled to find words to describe this behavior.
Who would have thought that an AI, which is technologically inferior and possesses an incomplete personality, would be deceiving synthetic humans by selling anxiety...
"There happens to be an employee in my company who might be skilled at addressing mental issues. I will reach out to her. Until then, keep a close eye on these synthetics."
In terms of understanding the patients' thoughts, traditional psychotherapy requires inducing and influencing the patient through language, ultimately making judgments based on their feedback.
However, this treatment method may not work between people, let alone enable humans to understand synthetics.
If a mistake is made, the problem could escalate. These are 150000 synthetic humans. If they communicate online, they might rise up in an instant.
Norman is also contemplating re-election and devising global strategies to prepare for the next stage.
Regarding probing into the psychology, Harry has two options. One is to use the Mind Scepter to address each individual one by one. However, this would exhaust him, tire the synthetics, and take a significant amount of time.
Furthermore, Ultron's target may also include the Mind Stone. It would be unwise to easily reveal the Mind Stone.
The other option is, of course, to find capable employees—if there are none, then train one.
"Regardless, you and your Avengers friends should keep an eye on the synthetics first—try not to let them notice."
...
Sokovia, Osborne Tower.
Wanda stood lost in thought by the window: the clean streets, tidy buildings, green parks, and children playing while parents discussed today's dinner and next month's vacation plans not far away.
Just over four years ago, this was the most filthy and chaotic slum in Europe, filled with hungry refugees. There were waves of turmoil and war, and everyone was an insect in the ruins.
After the Norman era, people's perceptions here have changed dramatically, or they have come to recognize the Norman regime.
Stark Industries' missiles devastated the area, but the Osborn Group provided them with clean energy, highly automated industrial production technology, and advanced agricultural methods.
In just a few years, the welfare level of a place that was once in ruins has caught up with that of its neighboring region, which is divided by a thin line from east to west.
Upon reflection, everyone's feelings are quite complex—the individuals who killed their relatives and imprisoned them are the same people who now provide them with a better life... or so it seems?
It has only been three or four years since they began living well here. Some things cannot be forgotten, but there is no need to erase them. Norman rose to power on the foundation of the old order.
In this place, the bad deeds belong to Norman's predecessor, while the good deeds belong to Norman's regime.
If you curse Stark Industries and the USA, everyone will applaud you.
However, if you praise the Osborn Group and Norman, everyone will still cheer and commend them.
This is the situation in most parts of the planet right now.
Time will neither pause nor return to the past; they can only continue moving forward, and the new world does seem to be on a broad path.
"Hey!"
The sudden voice startled Wanda, but it was her twin brother—although he was older, he often behaved like the younger one.
Wanda patted her chest and said, "Can you stop being like this all the time? Can you be more mature?"
"Seeing you in a daze, I couldn't help it—what are you thinking about?"
"I just feel like I'm dreaming," Wanda sighed.
The siblings lost their parents when they were very young and joined Hydra—this is quite common in Sokovia.
However, after joining Hydra, their talents began to emerge. They were confined in a base for experiments by Baron Strucker, rarely leaving the laboratory. Their only understanding of the outside world was that "Stark Industries is the enemy"; they knew nothing else about their lives.
Until the Titans of the Osborn Group demolished the Hydra base in Sokovia. Their abilities might be somewhat special, but they were simply incapable of fighting against such a behemoth, so she and her brother concealed their talents.
Most of the Sokovian Hydra were sentenced to "armored prison terms," but she and her brother were considered half victims, and after a while, they were even assigned to the Osborn Group.
As they learned more about the world, they began to understand the complexity of war and the true purpose and origin of Hydra.
They started contemplating how to continue their lives. Fortunately, the Osborn Group has comprehensive experience in socialized parenting.
On the other hand, their unique abilities allowed them to quickly find roles suited to their talents.
Pietro possesses extraordinary speed in both action and thought. She has the ability of telepathy and can even enter people's minds. After several years of study, the two successfully secured positions within the group.
Everything went smoothly, so smoothly that it felt like a dream.
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