Chapter 8: The Super Soldier Who Obeys Unconditionally
"What is this written about?"
Cuneiform writing is one of the oldest forms of writing. How could someone like Norbert Berkowitz know about this?
However, Dr. Norbert Berkowitz discovered that as his eyes swept over these ancient symbols, the previously stagnant serum-derived formula began to unravel and disintegrate, with red, blue, and purple lights flashing in turn.
"What the hell is going on?"
Dr. Norbert was taken aback. This was an unexpected development. Just as he considered turning off his derivative skills, a voice in his subconscious stopped him.
After a moment of contemplation, he decided to continue observing.
He then turned to another page. This page contained only text, with no illustrations.
After reading the page, Dr. Norbert noticed another change.
Among the three colors—red, blue, and purple—the purple light grew significantly stronger, completely overshadowing the red and blue lights. The time it took for the purple light to appear was equivalent to the combined time of the red and blue lights. The serum formula, which had previously stagnated, now appeared much more stable.
The three colors seemed like three forces, constantly entangled with each other.
Seeing this effect, Dr. Norbert turned the page once more.
The book felt very heavy in his hands, though it only contained a few pages. The paper was thick and rough, resembling some sort of leather.
With each page he browsed, the purple light grew brighter. When Dr. Norbert finished reading the last page, the purple light from the shattered derivative formulas became almost blinding. The once stagnant formulas began to move again, faster and faster.
When the last formula completed, they gleamed with a dazzling purple light.
But then, his energy and stamina were completely drained.
"Damn, not again..."
Slumping into a chair, Dr. Norbert rested for a while until he finally regained his composure. Despite being injected with the super serum, the sudden exhaustion nearly overwhelmed him.
A faint purple light flickered before his eyes, exuding a mysterious aura. Dr. Norbert's lips curled into a silent smile.
The latest version of the serum had been successfully derived, and all relevant information appeared in his mind. The cheat system was truly powerful, and the efficacy of the serum was exactly as he had imagined.
Not only did it retain the serum's ability to enhance the human body, but it also ensured that those injected with the super serum would obey specific commands, making it the perfect tool for creating an army of super soldiers.
"What on earth is this book?"
Looking at the ancient tome in his hand, Dr. Norbert couldn't shake the feeling that it was shrouded in a faint layer of mystery, beckoning him to explore further.
Instinctively, he attempted to analyze the book.
*Bang!*
It felt as if Dr. Norbert had been struck by a car traveling at 100 kilometers per hour. He was flung backward, embedding into the wall of the laboratory. The impact caused the entire lab to shake violently.
The violent vibration caught the attention of the Hydra soldiers nearby. A group of them burst into the room and saw Dr. Norbert embedded in the wall. They hurriedly pulled him out.
"Doctor, are you okay?"
They had no idea what Dr. Norbert was working on, only that Commander Schmidt placed great importance on him. If anything happened to Dr. Norbert, Schmidt would not be pleased.
"Cough, cough, cough... I'm fine. You can leave now."
Assuring them of his well-being, Dr. Norbert glanced at the book that had fallen to the ground, still shaken.
When he had attempted to analyze the book, a massive blood-red eye phantom had appeared in his mind's eye. That eye instilled only one feeling in Dr. Norbert:
Terror.
It seemed that if he gazed at that eye for even a second longer, he would be reduced to cosmic dust.
"It seems I'm still far too weak."
Mocking himself silently, Dr. Norbert resolved to keep the matter of the book in his heart.
He realized that the book was beyond his current abilities and that he wasn't ready to delve deeper.
For now, the more pressing matter was to implement the second phase of his plan.
******
"Doctor, what are your orders?"
Keira hurriedly entered the laboratory to find Dr. Norbert standing by the test table, holding two light blue test tubes.
Three months had passed since Dr. Norbert had derived the new version of the serum. Noticing Schmidt's growing impatience, Dr. Norbert decided to proceed with the second phase of his plan.
"Oh, Keira, please ask the commander to come here. I have something very important, and I can't leave now," Dr. Norbert said, raising the test tubes in his hands.
"Uh, doctor... If the commander asks..."
Keira was taken aback by the request. She had seen arrogant people before, but asking a subordinate to summon a superior was audacious. For a moment, she was unsure whether she should comply.
Dr. Norbert, sensing her hesitation, smiled slightly. "Don't worry. Just tell the commander that I want to invite him to witness an experiment. I believe he will be very pleased to come."
Seeing Dr. Norbert's confidence, Keira had no choice but to nod and hurried out.
Dr. Norbert then resumed his work. He knew that words alone wouldn't convince Schmidt. He needed to prepare a sample reagent to demonstrate the efficacy of his serum.
This was the first time Dr. Norbert had made a super serum by himself, yet he handled it as if he had conducted tens of thousands of experiments before. The reagents were at his fingertips, and he could measure the exact dosage by instinct.
His operation was both fierce and precise, yet steady and assured.
Anyone watching would have questioned whether they were witnessing a scientist or a sorcerer.
Schmidt arrived sooner than expected. As soon as he entered the laboratory, he saw Dr. Norbert at the test table, carefully adding something to a test tube containing a blue reagent.
The blue reagent slowly turned into a light purple, emanating a mysterious aura that suggested it was no ordinary substance.
Waving Keira away, Schmidt closed the door himself and walked toward Dr. Norbert.
"Doctor, what is this..."
"Oh, Commander, you arrived just in time. I must thank you for the books you provided. They've been incredibly helpful and have inspired me greatly. Without them, the development of the serum wouldn't have gone so smoothly."
As an experienced veteran, Dr. Norbert wasn't foolish enough to claim all the credit. If he could, he would have preferred to attribute the serum's success entirely to Schmidt.
Schmidt seemed pleased, but his primary concern was the serum. He asked eagerly, "Doctor, has the serum been successfully developed?"
"Not yet."
Dr. Norbert shook his head.
Schmidt's expression darkened. That wasn't the answer he was expecting.
Dr. Norbert's expression remained calm as he explained, "Commander, this serum requires materials that are not available at the base, so I had to use a substitute. The effect of this serum is not ideal yet."
Schmidt's expression softened slightly upon hearing this. "What kind of material is it? I will send someone to find it immediately."
"You won't be able to find it now," Dr. Norbert replied, delivering another frustrating result that nearly caused Schmidt to lose his temper.
Not wanting to aggravate Schmidt further, Dr. Norbert quickly explained, "Commander, the material needed for the serum is a fungus called Amanita muscaria. This fungus isn't rare, but it usually only appears in autumn, in pine and deciduous woods. Since it's only June..."
Schmidt frowned upon hearing the explanation. "Isn't there anything that can be used as a substitute?"
"If you want to achieve the best results, only Amanita muscaria will suffice. Other substitutes..." Dr. Norbert handed the finished serum to Schmidt, "While they might achieve similar effects, there could be certain drawbacks, and potentially serious side effects."
Schmidt raised an eyebrow. "With Amanita muscaria, what effect will the serum have?"
Dr. Norbert smiled and said something that made Schmidt's heart race.
"They will obey your orders unconditionally."
Chapter 9: The Little People's Counterattack
A super soldier who obeys orders unconditionally!
This is undoubtedly the most perfect war weapon that countless ambitious individuals yearn to possess.
In the original context, the U.S. government and military have never ceased their research on super soldiers. It was precisely due to an accident in this research that Bruce Banner was exposed to gamma rays and transformed into the Hulk.
Now, Dr. Norbert Berkowitz informed Schmidt that the super serum he had developed had this exact effect. Even a supervillain like Schmidt couldn't help but feel his heart race and his blood boil.
"Doctor, I need you to start the serum experiment as soon as possible."
Schmidt's impatience was evident, even though Norbert had mentioned the best option.
"But..."
Dr. Norbert Berkowitz appeared hesitant.
"Nothing, Doctor." Schmidt interrupted Norbert, hesitated for a moment, and then looked up. "Doctor, are you willing to sacrifice everything for Hydra?"
Norbert was taken aback.
Sacrifice everything?
Wasn't this a case of "killing the donkey after the load is done"?
As this thought crossed his mind, Norbert dismissed it. Only he could produce the new version of the super serum. Schmidt shouldn't be so foolish, as it would be detrimental to him.
As long as he wanted the super serum, he would protect himself with all his might.
There had to be other reasons for this inquiry.
Norbert couldn't quite guess what they were.
After ensuring there was no threat to his personal safety, Norbert replied without hesitation, "I am willing to sacrifice everything for Hydra. Long live Hydra!"
"Excellent, Doctor. From today, you are officially a member of Hydra, specifically in charge of the super soldier project."
Schmidt was delighted and formally appointed Norbert as the head of Hydra's super-soldier program.
Norbert understood what this meant.
The so-called "head" had previously been a temporary appointment, but this time it was genuine.
It also meant that Norbert's current status was equivalent to Dr. Zola's position within Hydra; he was Schmidt's true confidant.
Before Hydra's destruction, as long as Norbert didn't provoke Schmidt, he posed almost no security threat.
Since Norbert was now a member of Hydra, Schmidt had nothing to hide. He immediately briefed Norbert on Hydra's current situation.
After hearing Schmidt's words, Norbert understood why Schmidt was so focused on the super soldier project.
The imperial army was fighting on two fronts, and its strength was significantly reduced. Recently, shocking news emerged from the empire: the army on the western front had suffered a defeat, losing millions of troops.
The troops on the Western Front were not only the most elite but also accounted for almost four-fifths of the empire's total force.
Losing millions of troops in one fell swoop had irreversibly changed the entire war situation.
Schmidt had previously had unpleasant encounters with the empire's leaders, and now a more intense conflict had erupted due to this situation.
"Doctor, although the empire has failed, this is our best chance as Hydra. I need soldiers, I need an army, and I need an invincible army."
"With your super soldiers and the weapons developed by Dr. Zola, the world will eventually be ours."
Schmidt openly revealed his ambitions to Norbert for the first time.
Norbert played along, engaging in a drama of gods and fervent believers.
"Commander, I will definitely create an absolutely loyal super army for you."
"Time waits for no one, Doctor. We must start the experiment immediately."
This time, Norbert did not hesitate and nodded immediately, "Understood, Commander. The experiment can start at any time."
"Good. Prepare yourself. I'll have someone get things ready, and we'll start the experiment tomorrow."
As Schmidt stood up to leave the laboratory, he paused at the door, turning back to smile mysteriously at Norbert.
"By the way, Doctor, are you satisfied with your assistant?"
Norbert was momentarily stunned but then responded with a smile that conveyed unspoken understanding, "Very satisfied, thank you, Commander."
＊＊＊＊＊＊
"Cough cough cough~"
"Dr. Ramon, are you okay?"
A patrol officer noticed that Ramon seemed very weak, coughing heavily while leaning against the wall, and quickly stepped forward to ask.
"I'm fine. Just caught a cold."
He waved his hand and struggled to leave while leaning on the wall.
Back in the medical area, Ramon hurried into his infirmary, ignoring the curious looks around him. He rifled through the cabinets, found a sealed syringe, rolled up his sleeves to reveal his arms covered with needle marks, and injected the liquid from the syringe.
As the liquid was slowly injected, Ramon's mental state greatly improved, and his face gradually regained color.
"Ramon, what are you doing?"
As soon as Keira entered, she saw Ramon removing the syringe from his arm. The name on the syringe made her expression shift drastically, and she exclaimed loudly.
Ramon's mouth curled into a nervous smile, though panic was evident on his face. He quickly stood up, pulled Keira inside, closed the door, and whispered urgently, "What are you doing? Keep your voice down."
Keira's chest rose and fell rapidly, her expression serious as she asked sternly, "Ramon, do you know what you're doing? That substance can't be used indiscriminately. Have you forgotten what happened to those people?"
"It's just an analgesic. No need to make a fuss."
Ramon's eyes flickered, avoiding Keira's gaze.
Keira's intuition told her that Ramon was hiding something from her. Recalling what the guard had told her earlier, she wondered if something was wrong with Ramon's condition.
"My dear, are you feeling unwell? Even though you're a doctor, I think you should get checked out."
Hearing Keira's words, Ramon felt a surge of relief; everything was going according to plan.
"No need. It's just that the humidity here has aggravated my old problem, and I'm in so much pain that I needed to use an analgesic."
Keira was immediately reassured by Ramon's explanation. His old problem was rheumatism. While not fatal, it was quite painful.
"Alright, but that medication shouldn't be used indiscriminately."
"Okay, I promise. I'll be careful with its use."
Ramon took Keira's hand, gazing at her affectionately until her face turned pink.
"My dear, I have something to discuss with you."
Seeing the moment was right, Ramon adopted a cautious demeanor.
"What is it?"
...
"What? You want me to steal the super serum?"
Keira looked at Ramon incredulously, unable to believe that he, usually so timid, would propose such a thing.
"No, I'm not asking you to steal it. I didn't ask you to steal the super serum."
Not everyone within Hydra knew about the super serum project, but with Keira's connections, Ramon was aware of it.
It was too risky to ask Keira to steal the serum; he wasn't that foolish.
"Then what do you want?"
"I need you to use your abilities to help me develop a recovery reagent for that guy."
Keira's expression shifted, her heart conflicted as she fell silent.
Without Ramon's mention, Keira had almost forgotten her abilities.
"My dear, I know I shouldn't bring this up, but this old issue has been tormenting me terribly. I have to use analgesics to alleviate the pain. You know, if this drug is overdosed... I..."
Ramon lowered his head in guilt, though his eyes covertly studied Keira, whose expression kept changing.
He had a purpose from the start: Keira's abilities.
A recovery potion?
What a deception.
While Norbert was in a coma, Ramon participated in experiments with two versions of the serum. He vividly remembered the changes observed in the subjects after injection.
From what Keira revealed about the reagent Norbert had her work on and the subsequent changes, Ramon knew that Norbert had definitely used the super serum, not a recovery potion.
Moreover, Norbert's willingness to inject himself with it indicated he had used the genuine serum, though Ramon had not disclosed this to anyone.
Having faced Schmidt's threats and abandonment, Ramon had changed.
He longed for power and control over his destiny.
Despite being a talented doctor, to some, he remained just a dispensable figure.
There are many like him in the world. While many harbor such ambitions, few have the means to realize them.
However, he had an extraordinary girlfriend.
His girlfriend had been involved in the development of the super serum, managing all the processes herself.
This knowledge of Keira's abilities gave Ramon hope for a comeback.
-------------
Chapter 10: Memory Flashback During the Experiment
"Dear, we don't actually need to make it ourselves. The doctor is very easy to get along with. It should be no problem for me to ask him to make a recovery potion."
Keira's naivety nearly made Ramon lose his composure. Wasn't she giving the enemy a reason to eliminate and silence him? Fortunately, he quickly found an excuse.
"Keira, you know I don't like him. Think about it: why did he let me obtain something that I didn't use at all when he was making the potion?"
"And I wasn't allowed to participate in making the potion. Instead, you, a layman, were asked to do it."
"He clearly doesn't want the potion's recipe to be leaked. If you ask him to make the potion now, he might think we're threatening him. Perhaps this potion formula is a military secret, just in case..."
Keira's heart skipped a beat. She wasn't foolish, but her concern clouded her judgment. It was about her lover's health, and she had to ensure everything was done correctly.
Realizing the gravity of the situation, she remembered that this was a military base filled with secrets and people who had disappeared mysteriously.
During her time as Norbert Berkowitz's assistant, Keira had learned many secrets previously unknown to her, such as super serum, human trials, and energy weapons programs...
But...
Seeing Keira fall silent, Ramon, who was not anxious, hugged her tightly.
Ramon was very aware of Keira's abilities, as he had been her doctor when she was his patient.
Keira possessed an ability known as memory flashback. Once she had seen something, regardless of how long ago, she could recall it through this ability and create a phantom, as if projecting a movie from thin air.
The longer the apparition lasted, the clearer the details, and the greater the strain on Keira.
In the past, she had struggled to control this ability, often suffering from intense headaches due to spontaneous memory flashbacks. Over time, Keira developed a deep fear and aversion to her power.
With Ramon's help, she had gradually overcome the uncontrollable aspect of her ability.
Ramon believed that if Keira could use her power to retrace the entire process of making the serum, her talent would allow her to replicate it exactly as Norbert Berkowitz had.
Then, he would surely be able to replace Norbert Berkowitz.
After all, he had an advantage that Norbert Berkowitz did not possess.
Ramon was confident that Keira would overcome her fear for him, just as she had followed him despite the odds when he was forcibly recruited.
Love can blind people, especially someone like Keira who was so infatuated.
After a confrontation between between them, Keira finally agreed to use her powers.
Ramon nearly leaped with excitement but managed to compose himself and embrace Keira, ensuring she didn't notice his face contorting with excessive anticipation.
After some sweet talk, Keira was completely smitten.
Seeing the opportunity, Ramon seized the moment: "My dear, I kept all the materials that the doctor used to make the potion last time. How about we start today?"
"No, the doctor will conduct a super serum experiment tomorrow. I still need to prepare many things. The commander will also be there by then. Let's wait until tomorrow."
"There will be an experiment tomorrow?"
Ramon genuinely did not know about this.
"Yes, I came here just to inform you that I might be very late tomorrow."
Keira nodded. This was the purpose of her visit; tomorrow was their secret date, and she didn't want Ramon to misunderstand.
She could sense that since becoming Norbert Berkowitz's assistant, Ramon had harbored some vague hostility towards Norbert Berkowitz.
Ramon was a bit disappointed but reluctantly kissed Keira goodbye.
"Alright then, see you tomorrow."
"See you tomorrow."
After Keira left, Ramon remained behind.
He reasoned that since the serum experiment was scheduled for the next day, he, having participated in two previous serum experiments, might also be asked to join tomorrow's experiment. Perhaps someone would notify him later.
As the night grew late, he found himself alone in the medical area with no one arriving.
"Norbert Berkowitz, you bastard, I am your savior, and you are ostracizing me. I will never let you go."
In the dim light, Ramon's expression turned menacing, and a chilling aura surrounded him.
Norbert Berkowitz had no idea he had an enemy in the base.
The next day, in a laboratory filled with various instruments, Dr. Zola, the head of Hydra's scientific division, Colonel Villa, the head of Hydra's combat division, William, the head of Hydra's special agents, and Schmidt were all present. Schmidt stood on the second floor of the laboratory, observing Norbert Berkowitz, who was busy below, indicating how much he valued this experiment.
Unlike other researchers, Norbert Berkowitz preferred not to bring assistants. Hence, the only other participant in this experiment, besides him, was Keira.
The equipment in the Hydra laboratory was highly advanced and replete with cutting-edge technology.
However, Norbert Berkowitz found it useless. If he hadn't familiarized himself with it yesterday, he wouldn't even know what these instruments did.
After pretending to adjust the equipment, Norbert Berkowitz signaled Schmidt upstairs that he was ready.
"Bring them in."
With a whoosh, two strong Hydra soldiers, one on the left and one on the right, entered, holding a terrified man with an iron mouth mask. They were followed by a team of fully armed Hydra soldiers.
As the man entered the laboratory, he saw the test bench, shaped like a space capsule, in the center. His eyes filled with terror as he struggled fiercely.
Bang~
A Hydra soldier behind him struck him unconscious with the butt of his rifle.
The two Hydra soldiers quickly placed the man into the experimental chamber and secured him with ropes. Their practiced movements suggested this was routine for them.
After preparing everything, the heavily armed Hydra soldiers did not leave but spread out around the laboratory, clearly experienced in handling potential accidents.
With everything ready, Norbert Berkowitz then decisively pressed the switch.
Didi didi...
The instruments roared to life, and the purple serum flowed into the experimental chamber through the catheter, completing the injection in seconds.
...
Whoosh whoosh.
Apart from the low roar of the instruments, the experimental chamber was silent.
The scene was different from what was expected. Schmidt looked down at Norbert Berkowitz below, his eyes cold and emotionless.
"Doctor, what's happening?"
Norbert Berkowitz was worried. Among the previous four versions of the serum, except for the one injected into Captain America, the other three had been tested, including one on himself.
He had never encountered a situation where there was no reaction at all after the injection.
This latest version came from a mysterious occult book Norbert Berkowitz dared not analyze. The serum was similar and intersection of bio chemistry and occult potions nd herbal medicine .Such an unexpected outcome was beyond his predictions.
But he was confident in his abilities.
Meeting Schmidt's cold gaze, he replied confidently, "Commander, please wait."
Seeing Norbert Berkowitz's confidence, Schmidt reluctantly nodded, "I hope the doctor won't disappoint me."
Roar~
As soon as Schmidt spoke, a roar of agony emanated from the experimental chamber, piercing through the space constraints.
Schmidt's lips curled into a smile as he looked down expectantly.
Bang~
A loud noise reverberated as a deep fist mark appeared on the door of the experimental chamber, followed by continuous painful roars from inside.
As time passed, the noise grew louder, and the experimental chamber began to shake violently, as if it could no longer contain the monstrous force within.
The Hydra soldiers on alert raised their weapons, aiming them at the experimental chamber, prepared to act if necessary.
"Doctor, please evacuate immediately."
Two Hydra soldiers quickly approached Norbert Berkowitz and Keira, escorting them out of the laboratory.
Norbert Berkowitz was eager to leave, quickly exiting the laboratory with Keira.
At that moment, a loud noise erupted, followed by silence in the experimental chamber.
The Hydra soldiers exchanged looks and finally focused on Norbert Berkowitz.
"Doctor, what should we do?"
"Open it."
Norbert Berkowitz licked his lips, his voice trembling with anticipation. This was his first experiment as a researcher, and he was both excited and fearful about his initial work.
Qi~
The sound of air escaping was heard as the experimental hatch slowly opened, revealing the person inside.
Hiss.
Keira took a deep breath and looked at Norbert Berkowitz beside her.
----------
Chapter 11: Mentality
In the experimental cabin, a sculpture-like man lay quietly inside, his body shining with metallic luster, showcasing his strength.
However, although this man had his eyes open, he did not react at all. He did not even blink. He was as lifeless as a corpse.
"You go and put that thing on him."
Norbert Berkowitz excitedly directed the two soldiers to place an iron ring on the man. The ring was connected to many wires, similar to the ones used by Hydra to brainwash the Winter Soldier in the movies.
Norbert then went to a nearby instrument and turned on a switch.
A slight buzzing sound filled the room as the man in the experimental cabin began to twitch as if electrocuted, and his eyes started to move around.
Norbert hurriedly stepped forward and raised a finger in front of the man. The man's eyes, which had been rolling around, seemed to find focus. His dull eyes stared blankly at Norbert's finger. His twitching body slowly returned to calm.
After the man regained his composure, Norbert's finger began to move slowly, and the man's eyes followed suit.
Seeing this, Norbert pointed at the man first.
"You are number one."
Then he pointed at himself again.
"I'm Norbert Berkowitz."
Next, he pointed to Schmidt's position on the second floor.
"That's Commander."
Finally, he lightly snapped his fingers in front of the man's eyes.
*Pop!*
Something magical happened.
The once lifeless man seemed to come to life. His once vacant eyes regained their spark, and he slowly walked out of the experimental cabin.
He walked to the center of the laboratory with somewhat mechanical steps and stood upright there.
"Number One, I order you to move forward ~ turn left ~ turn right ~ stand still, raise your hands..."
Following Norbert's commands, the man named Number One began to follow the orders one by one.
Later, Norbert ordered someone to bring equipment to test strength, such as sandbags, and commanded Number One to demonstrate his strength.
Number One's performance was exceptional, with all physical indicators surpassing those of ordinary humans by several times.
Schmidt, observing from the second floor, became increasingly excited. It seemed this experiment was a success. Everything Norbert had instructed was carried out perfectly, but he was curious about the combat capability.
"Doctor, conduct a test of combat ability."
Norbert looked embarrassed and did not immediately carry out Schmidt's order. Instead, he turned around and went up to the second floor to stand in front of Schmidt.
"Commander, I'm afraid this isn't enough."
"Why? Doctor, you did it. Look~ this is exactly what I need."
Schmidt didn't understand and was even a bit angry. A super soldier who obeyed orders completely was what he had always dreamed of. If Norbert hadn't been the developer of the serum, he would have been a corpse by now.
Norbert did not answer, but raised his wrist and looked at the watch on his hand.
"It's almost time."
"Doctor, did you hear me?" Schmidt suppressed the anger in his voice.
Norbert ignored him and stared seriously at the time on his watch.
"3~2~1."
*Bang!*
As soon as he finished speaking, there was the sound of heavy objects falling downstairs.
"Doctor, what's going on?"
After kicking the body under his feet, Schmidt couldn't figure out why someone who was fine just moments ago suddenly died.
If Norbert was responsible, he didn't believe it, but Norbert had accurately predicted this would happen, down to the very second, making Schmidt wonder if there was something more to it.
If Norbert knew what Schmidt was thinking, he would definitely give him a thumbs up.
Congratulations, you guessed it right.
Too bad there are no prizes.
All of this was, of course, Norbert's doing. How could he hand over the serum Schmidt wanted so easily?
After staying in this base for so long, he was no longer as cautious as when he first arrived.
After learning about the current situation from Schmidt the day before, he realized that this was not only an opportunity for Hydra but also for him.
He should be bolder.
He wanted more.
Schmidt, while a supervillain in the movie, was more of a careerist in Norbert's eyes.
The final boss in the Avengers movie, Thanos, was more of an idealist than a villain. Thanos wasn't purely evil like the comic book villains.
And judging from the series of arrangements after Avengers 4, it seemed the official narrative might clear Thanos' name.
For now, this setting didn't matter much.
As the number one villain in Captain America's world and a true careerist, Schmidt was brutal and cruel, but he also had a magnanimity that ordinary people couldn't match.
However, this generosity was often reserved for those valuable to him.
For example, Norbert.
Injected with the super serum, Norbert's senses were beyond ordinary people.
During the recent dangerous attempts, he could sense Schmidt's very obvious murderous intent towards him, though Schmidt still appeared kind.
For this alone, Norbert had to admire Schmidt.
Creating the infamous Hydra in Marvel, Schmidt was not just an ordinary careerist.
Schmidt's patience made Norbert feel that he had made the right move and was now indispensable to Hydra.
What kind of woman can make a man want to stop?
Apart from looks, it's more about means.
A woman who skillfully uses her charm can make you feel like she's always seducing you.
But when you try to get closer, she stays away, always just out of reach.
This is what is called distance producing beauty.
Why do women wear less and less? Wishing to reveal everything that should be exposed, and also cover what shouldn't be exposed, but no matter how little it is, there's still so much hanging on me?
This is also a form of distance that creates beauty, but it's just visual distance.
Just like a sexy beauty in a bikini compared to the same person wearing nothing, who is more attractive?
I believe 90% of people will choose the bikini.
Why?
It was obvious that only a few parts were covered, and nothing more was revealed. The person was still the same.
The same principle applies here.
Covering a few points creates visual distance.
The less you can obtain, the more you want it.
Even if the difference is only one percent, it feels incomplete.
Norbert's role at this time is to be the beautiful woman in a bikini who refuses to welcome Schmidt.
You want to get me without paying any price?
Don't even think about it.
I've seen enough of this game. At worst, I'll switch to a different strategy. Anyway, it's just for you to see, but you can't have it.
Changing the soup without changing the medicine is too simple for Norbert, who has a golden finger.
Be straightforward.
Just play mind games.
Be bold in your approach.
Until Schmidt's mentality breaks, until he's willing to hand over resources, until the last drop of oil is squeezed out.
As for whether Schmidt's mentality will break and he'll destroy himself at all costs, Norbert wasn't worried.
With Schmidt's current level of tolerance for him, as long as the operation was done correctly, Schmidt would definitely flock to the pie Norbert was setting before him.
"Commander, I wonder if you remember that I mentioned yesterday that something was missing."
"You mean Amanita muscaria?"
Norbert nodded and handed a record in his hand to Schmidt: "Yes, that's it. All indicators of today's experimental subject met the requirements, except for his brain waves. After the serum injection, there was a particularly high peak, then it plummeted, and finally there was no movement at all. This is the experimental data."
"This is what I call brain death."
"The brain is the most critical part of a human being. Without it, even if the body is alive, it's just a walking zombie."
"Number One seemed to be completely obeying orders just now, but this was only a subconscious behavior, as the human body needs the brain to control it."
"Number One's brain is dead, and his body only responds to my orders as signals released by the brain."
"And the most important thing is that I don't know if the Commander has noticed, but Number One can only execute the simplest orders every time. Even turning left or right requires my command before he can execute it. The same applies during the physical test. Whether it's a punch or a kick, my orders need to be very detailed. If they're even slightly vague, Number One will stop moving."
Schmidt glanced at the experimental data in Norbert's hand and recalled that it was indeed like this.
Seeing Schmidt acknowledge his explanation, Norbert continued: "Amanita muscaria contains a special neurotoxin (fictional) that can maintain brain cell activity and retain basic consciousness after brain death. At this point, if you train it again, you will get the most perfect super soldier."
"Number One's brain is dead, and the enhanced serum can only keep his body active for about ten minutes. This must be managed with detailed orders."
To put it bluntly, Norbert was telling Schmidt that the experiment had failed, but not due to his own errors, and at the same time offered a glimmer of hope.
When it comes to mind games, you also need a certain level of control.
Norbert didn't want to blow up Schmidt if he didn't get what he wanted.
Schmidt was very unwilling. Success was right in front of him, but he was impeded by a small Amanita muscaria.
Although Amanita muscaria wouldn't be obtainable in a few months, he couldn't wait.
News had come from the USA that Dr
. Erskine had died. Schmidt knew very well that there was no possibility of getting a second super soldier serum in the near future.
But now, Schmidt had already let Norbert go, so he couldn't afford to act impulsively.
Schmidt stared at Norbert coldly: "What's the price?"
Norbert smiled slightly: "Amanita muscaria and more."
Schmidt remained silent, but he turned to leave. He still didn't say whether he agreed to the conditions.
Soon, Schmidt came back with a bottle of Amanita muscaria and handed it to Norbert.
Norbert took the bottle and smiled.
In the end, he got what he wanted.
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