It was more than enough. With the current capabilities of the Black Queen, even someone like Ultron would be blocked from the internet without a problem.
"The calculations are complete..."
Having the Black Queen made things convenient. Zod had only sipped a few cans of Coke, and the Black Queen had already calculated multiple formulas for super beastized soldiers.
"Taking into account the genes of Earth's species, only ten formulas exist for super beastized soldiers."
Zod was unsurprised that some species were too difficult to collect genetic samples from. A whole planet producing only ten types of super-beastized soldiers, including Bronsky, felt... limited.
"I'll need to track down mutants like the Hulk or the Golem."
Zod mused. Peter Parker, for instance, could be considered a type of lycanthrope, but his spider genes were recessively fused into his genetic structure, unlike Zod's own dominantly adjusted genes, which allowed for transformation.
Thus, Peter's DNA wouldn't be much help for the beastized soldiers, as the Black Queen had already accounted for various spider genes in her calculations.
Bronsky and other super beastized soldiers could hold their own in hand-to-hand combat against the Hulk, while standard beastized soldiers were strong enough to challenge tanks. However, even with this power, they couldn't stand toe-to-toe with an entire human army just yet, so their presence needed to remain covert.
Zod had no interest in ruling Earth like some power-hungry villain; his eyes were set on the stars. He didn't study beastized soldiers and war machines to dominate the planet—his goal was far more cosmic.
He aimed to secure his place in the galaxy. Competing with the billions of humans who could barely leave their star system? Pathetic. Zod's ambitions were far beyond such trivialities. As a Kryptonian in his previous life, his research always had planetary implications.
Suddenly, a message was broadcast across the globe's underground networks.
A mysterious figure was hosting an irregular fighting contest in New York, USA, seeking the best fighters. The champion, or anyone who stood out, would receive an extraordinary prize.
This so-called "irregular fighting" was essentially just underground black market brawling. Besides being forbidden from using weapons, contestants fought until they were forced to step down—usually when unconscious or worse.
While black market fighting was once all the rage, it had fallen out of favor. Official matches, with established rules and worldwide broadcasts, offered far greater rewards and a significantly lower casualty rate.
Black market fights were dangerous, and though the pay could be high, the risks of permanent injury or death were even higher. Many fighters found themselves physically broken, unable to continue after a few matches. It wasn't worth risking their lives for such little gain.
Professional fighters had full support teams—nutritionists, trainers, PR specialists, and agents—while underground fighters had nothing but their desperation.
Naturally, professional fighters grew stronger and sharper than their underground counterparts. Most spectators of black market brawls were simply looking for bloodshed, which only desperate individuals would provide.
However, the right incentives could change everything. If the rewards were significant enough, even professional fighters would consider turning to the underground scene. While a few might remain steadfast in their refusal, most would definitely be swayed by the promise of enough money or power.
And this contest was no ordinary offer.
After developing the new formula for super beastized soldiers, Zod wanted to recruit the best candidates for the transformation. Fighters who put their lives on the line daily made perfect material. That's why he approached New York's underground kingpin, Wilson Fisk, also known as the Kingpin.
Fisk was surprised that Zod had sought him out. Zod, a global figure of renown, was beyond reach for most people. Even the U.S. government, despite their frustrations over Zod selling war machines, didn't dare challenge him. They knew if they pushed too hard, Zod might leave the U.S. altogether, which would be a disaster for them.
As for trying to secretly kidnap Zod to serve their interests? That was a non-starter. The corporate elites and capitalist powers in America would revolt, unwilling to let that happen. Cross that line, and someone would die.
Several powerful families and major corporate conglomerates had already planned to send their daughters or women to approach Zod, hoping to form advantageous alliances.
To put it bluntly, if Zod wished it, Wilson Fisk's empire could vanish overnight. While Fisk was a lifelong nemesis for heroes like Spider-Man and Daredevil, Zod could easily crush him without a second thought.
However, Zod wasn't interested in such trivial power plays. Fisk still had value to him.
"Spread the word globally. Inform anyone capable of fighting that this contest exists. Whether they show up or not is irrelevant, but make sure they know. The champion will receive one hundred war machines."
Fisk was taken aback. He was tempted to join the competition himself. Given his strength, winning would be easy unless some obscure villain like Taskmaster decided to participate.
For years, Fisk maintained his fighting edge by sparring with ten professional boxers at once, sending each to the hospital after their sessions.
One hundred war machines equaled an army. Even the U.S. had only one hundred at the moment, although they were ramping up orders due to a recent terrorist incident involving stolen war machines in the Middle East that had derailed a "Justice Action" operation.
Though the U.S. government wanted to make a huge deal out of terrorists obtaining war machines, they ultimately didn't pursue it. After all, not even Stark Industries was completely clean when it came to arms dealing. These corporate giants were only out for themselves, all deserving to be hanged at the gallows.
Meanwhile, war machines had also surfaced in Russia. The red-painted machines bristled with weapons, each one a mobile point of firepower. Could they fly? Not yet. But with Russia and China each placing orders for over a hundred war machines, and many other wealthy nations following suit, the U.S. had no choice but to increase their own order.