area51novel Page 134
Page 134
Hawke said again.
Without saying anything more, Hawke just smiled at him.
Barney was startled, and without saying a word, immediately turned around and got to work.
Although... he highly doubted that Hawke was joking. It was already surprising enough that a tycoon's son like Hawke could understand the experimental data on the Extremis virus left behind by Stern, but now he actually wanted to operate it himself...
It's as absurd as when he was a child, [the orphanage's grandfather was cooking, and he was helping to light the fire. Suddenly the pot caught fire, and he was standing there holding the lid, at a loss, while the grandfather shouted, "Cover it up!" And then that year, the grandfather turned into light].
It's said that when people are pushed to the limit, they'll do anything, except math.
The Extremis project involves not only advanced mathematics, but also multiple disciplines such as virology, neuromedicine, bioengineering, genetics, and epidemiology.
Thorough research on a virus often requires a vast amount of knowledge, which is insufficient for a single discipline and necessitates interdisciplinary collaboration and comprehensive research.
So Barney found it hard to believe that Hawke, after looking at the data for less than ten minutes, was able to replace Stern and personally conduct experiments on the Extremis virus.
But since young master Hawke insisted on doing it, he would comply.
Having failed in his mission to guard Stern, he was in an awkward position and had no right to ask any questions.
Anyway, it's just a matter of a few more chimpanzees dying.
During his time in North Africa, Barney had seen far too many chimpanzees die in experiments with the Extremis virus. To be honest, Stern was truly ruthless; he didn't treat those chimpanzees as human beings at all. Dozens of them dying every day was commonplace.
Barney left the lab with a sense of absurdity to arrange the experimental subjects.
Hawke was the only one left in the vast core experimental area. He was intently reviewing the last few experimental records left by Stern, and the complex data streams on the screen were reflected in his deep eyes.
Just then, the airtight door of the laboratory slid open silently, and a figure in a white coat strode in.
The woman was tall, with her long brown hair neatly pinned up at the back of her head. She wore frameless glasses on her nose, and her eyes behind the lenses were sharp but carried an undisguised anxiety.
She was Betty Ross, the quintessential Western beauty in Hawke's eyes.
“Mr. Ryan!” Betty’s voice was tinged with urgency and confusion as she went straight to Hawke’s console. “Excuse me. About Dr. Stern… I just heard he was kidnapped by unidentified people? What happened?”
A barrage of questions was fired at him like a machine gun.
Betty genuinely cares about Stern, or rather, about the Extremis project, because it's a project that has already been successful, but the success rate has been stagnant.
Hawke looked away from the screen and at Betty.
“Dr. Betty, please calm down. We are investigating Dr. Stern’s case with all our might. We have confirmed that the Roxon Group was the one who took action.”
"Roxon Group?" Betty was taken aback. This was another behemoth, though it was no longer what it used to be, it was still a giant.
Hawke pursed his lips. "Because they once wanted to acquire AIM, but I refused, so they have held a grudge and want to seize AIM's Extremis virus."
“This will never happen again. I assure you, Betty. Your safety, and the safety of this project, is now one of my highest priorities.”
Betty's tense shoulders relaxed slightly.
The undeniable confidence emanating from Hawke was like a reliable lifeline for her, who was completely lost at that moment.
Because of Bruce's affair, she and her father, General Ross, have very little contact now, and she has no one to rely on.
Her occasional contact with her father always revolved around things that seemed utterly absurd to her, such as asking her to find a way to marry Ryan.
In fact, Betty Ross is a good match for the Lane family. As the only daughter of a powerful American admiral, Betty is also one of the top Celestial Dragons in the United States.
Betty slightly raised her eyes and glanced at the handsome Hawk Lane. She had to admit that, putting everything else aside, Hawk's looks and physique were indeed hard to resist.
“Thank you, Mr. Lane…” Betty’s tone softened, “but Dr. Stern… without him, the subsequent experiments…”
“This is exactly the follow-up arrangement I wanted to discuss with you,” Hawke interrupted her, a challenging look on his face. “Stern is gone, but the project cannot stop. I will personally take over the key experiments that follow.”
"You?!" Betty looked up in astonishment, her eyes wide behind her glasses, filled with disbelief.
This is exactly the same as Barney's previous reaction, or even worse.
She was well aware of the complexity and danger of research on extremist viruses, which was by no means a field that laymen could handle.
"Surprised?" Hawke chuckled.
He casually pulled up a few key data reports he had previously browsed: "Take a look at this one, 'Optimization Model for Serum Adaptive Mutation Rate'... Stern's approach is ingenious, and this one too, 'Report on Cross-Species Transplantation Stability of Neural Synaptic Linkage Pathways'..."
Hawke fluently pointed out several key points in the report and offered his own insights, with a level of accuracy far exceeding Betty's understanding of what a "spoiled tycoon" could be!
This absolutely requires a solid theoretical foundation to do!
Betty's gaze towards Hawke completely changed.
The initial disdain and skepticism quickly dissipated, replaced by disbelief and a kind of...treasure-discovery-like amazement.
This young master, who is rumored to be a womanizer and a vigilante in a tight-fitting suit in Brooks, actually has such profound scientific knowledge.
This disguise (Li Qianhao)... is just too successful!
Just then, Barney's voice came through the intercom at the door: "Young Master, the test subjects are ready, three in total."
Hawke said to Betty, "Let's go, Dr. Betty. As Stern's right-hand woman, she can help me keep things under control."
Betty nodded instinctively.
Soon, three gangster-affiliated chimpanzees were placed on the experimental operating table.
Hawke stood in the laboratory, using a computer to remotely control various instruments to perform surgical modifications on a chimpanzee.
Barney observed Hawke's experimental techniques and found them quite impressive, with a process similar to Stern's experiments. Well, there might be some subtle differences, but Barney couldn't discern them; they were too complex.
Betty, on the other hand, noticed that although Hawke's technique was clumsy, his steps were basically correct, indicating that he had definitely studied Stern's past experimental logs carefully.
"Perhaps, young master really does know how to conduct experiments with the Extremis virus?" Barney muttered to himself, feeling a bit absurd.
Others might not know what this young master looks like, but how could they not know?
Although he wears the skin of a superhero, he actually often preys on innocent women.
He's either visiting a prostitute, or on his way to one.
Countless young women, cool and aloof women, mature women, and even international supermodels, actresses, and singers in America have fallen for his jeans.
As it turns out, this guy turned out to be a top scientist?
This is getting a bit too far, okay?
244 Look, even if his head is blown off, can it be restored?
“OK.” Hawke pressed Enter with great interest, watching a chimpanzee being sent to the experimental chamber for the final extremist virus treatment: “Now, we just need a little more time.”
Hawke had a feeling he had a high chance of success, at least 80% certain. If not... then he could try again next time with an 81% chance.
Hawke was scrolling through Twitter while waiting for the experiment results.
Half an hour later, suddenly, on the large electronic screen, a fist smashed through the steel plate of the experimental chamber, revealing a large hole.
Barney immediately stepped in front of Hawke, pulling Hawke and the chair backward, but he wasn't nervous at all. Betty was the same; clearly, this wasn't the first time they had faced this situation.
Looking at the fist that seemed to pierce through the experimental chamber, Hawke laughed heartily.
"It's done!"
Hawke's first Extremis virus compatible candidate is a success!
Betty stared at the electronic screen, feeling numb. Stern had failed countless times in this experimental base before finally succeeding some time ago.
Hawke conducted an experiment and succeeded on his first attempt?
Is there a newcomer protection period?
583 Barney looked at Hawke, completely bewildered. After hesitating for a moment, he honestly replied:
“Young Master, it cannot be considered a success yet. Stern has done this to others before, but the Extremis virus in the test subjects is not stable enough. In less than ten minutes, or if someone is intentionally injured, the Extremis virus will immediately explode.”
"Then let's continue with the experimental testing."
Hawke smiled indifferently, took out a walkie-talkie, and spoke in English to the chimpanzee who had just come out of the experimental chamber in the laboratory, offering him a huge reward of 100 million US dollars to cooperate in the experiment.
fortunately.
This chimpanzee can understand English.
“A million dollars? No, no, no?” The chimpanzee had just easily torn through the incredibly thick steel plate of the experimental chamber and stepped out, staring blankly at his lava-like arm, when he suddenly heard Hawke’s words. Upon hearing this, he shook his head, flashed Hawke a set of white teeth, and held up a finger: “I want 10 million dollars.”
"can."
Hawke agreed without hesitation.
Since they're all dead anyway, I'd give you a hundred million without a problem. It's ghost money, I'll just burn it for you.
No one would believe that Hawke would let a gangster chimpanzee who had successfully gained enhancements from the Extremis virus leave his lab safely.
So the chimpanzee greedily licked its lips and began to actively cooperate with Hawke in the experimental tests.
Under the watchful eyes of Barney and the Expendables, the chimpanzee completed all the experiments Stern had conducted to test the Extremis virus's capabilities, displaying superhuman strength. Moreover, the Extremis virus was very stable; a finger could be cut off and it would grow back, as could a hand, and eventually, an entire arm could be cut off and it would regrow.
Barney's eyes lit up with excitement; how enviable it would be if they could also obtain such enhancements.
"Okay, let's do one last experiment..."
Hawke said into the walkie-talkie:
"After that, you can get your $1000 million."
The chimpanzee grinned: "What 1000 million dollars? I just said 1 million dollars!"
Through the various tests Hawke had just conducted, he came to a deeper understanding of just how powerful his abilities were, surpassing human limits.
It's no exaggeration to say that he now feels he can defeat an entire regiment of soldiers by himself. With such power, $1000 million is no longer enough for him; he wants $1 million.
The chimpanzee's eyes gleamed with cunning:
"And there's no time to waste. Right now, have someone (agei) deliver one hundred million dollars to me, or I'll destroy this base. I imagine it cost far more than one hundred million dollars to build this base, didn't I? But now I possess the power bestowed upon me by God, and I can easily penetrate the reinforced concrete of your base. You don't want to see me kill countless of your loyal subordinates, rush to your side, and grab you by the neck, do you?"
Hawke sighed, "A chimpanzee is a chimpanzee. Has it become so arrogant after gaining power? What gave you the illusion that you can negotiate with me now?"
The chimpanzee grinned menacingly, its entire body instantly transforming into a fiery figure radiating a temperature of 3000 degrees Celsius, proclaiming its immense power in Hawke's direction.
Hawke, however, calmly took out a remote control and pressed a button.
"boom--!!!"
The chimpanzee's head exploded with a bang, blowing off its upper body as well.
Nanobombs.