RNP Chapter 3930 The MU Superbody Incident ()
Chapter 3930 The MU Superbody Incident ()
Chapter 3930 MU: The Superbody Incident (Part 10)
On the presidential plane, Stark was resting with his eyes closed. To avoid being disturbed by the noise, he wore headphones, which were playing the latest news reports on a loop.
"The Federal New Technology Science Research Center is the first research institution established by President Wayne since taking office. It aims to integrate new technologies that have emerged in the last decade and those that may emerge under the new system in the future, to compare and promote them, and to consider their potential for implementation as soon as possible."
In his recent speech at Columbia University, President Wayne pointed out that the existing education system in the United States is deeply entrenched in problems, especially in higher education. Educational and research resources have long been controlled by the elite class, academic cliques and family-run research projects have been repeatedly banned but still persist, and young researchers have no upward mobility, leading to a further loss of highly skilled industrial talent, which is completely detrimental to the return of industry.
At the same time, the President also stated that, despite this, the damage should not be done by throwing the baby out with the bathwater; large-scale dismantling of research projects would be even more detrimental to scientific research. Therefore, he established the New Technology Science Research Center and plans to allocate more research funding over the next decade to young researchers capable of developing new technologies and producing new results. Reportedly, many universities have protested this move, arguing that it undermines the foundations of the Union…
Stark impatiently took off his headphones, muttering, "I've spent my whole life doing scientific research, and now I'm a junior researcher..."
Then he turned to look at Doom next to him and saw the other man leisurely tossing snacks into his mouth. He got angry and tried to sit up straight by holding onto the armrest. He swung his arm and almost hit the flight attendant next to him.
He apologized while lowering his voice and said, "That Batman brought us here just to put us in some new, unknown scientific research organization? Nick Fury is the director of the Defense Security Agency now!"
“Batman didn’t invite you,” Doom said.
“He didn’t invite you,” Stark said, arms crossed. “You insisted on coming. I was worried that you’d mess up the universe with your information flow research and embarrass us, so I came to keep an eye on you.”
"So you should be happy that Doom has been put into a new, unknown scientific research organization, because there is very likely that there is no equipment to support the experiments there."
"But wouldn't it be even more embarrassing if you couldn't produce any results?"
Doom believes, "If your anxiety hasn't improved, you might want to try seeing a different therapist."
“Haha, it’s because my therapist’s been unavailable lately,” Stark sighed, arms crossed. “I don’t know what the people in this universe are thinking, making Batman president. Aren’t they afraid he’ll change the name of America to USB?”
“Doom thinks it’s a good idea because it sounds like data transfer would be very smooth,” Doom said.
"Come on, there's already an elusive electronic life form. If data transmission becomes even smoother, we won't even be able to catch a whiff of exhaust fumes."
The two chatted as the plane landed quickly. As Stark stepped out of the cabin, he instinctively put on sunglasses, but then took them off as he walked down the stairs. This Gotham city was utterly devoid of sunlight; it was almost winter, and it was drizzling all day.
Stark took the umbrella from the bodyguard; Doom, already wearing a cape, didn't need it at all. The two walked to their car, and as soon as they got in, Stark frowned.
"This car's engine seems to be..."
“They’re using magical energy,” Doom said. “Looks like they’re not short of energy on their side.”
"To guard against electronic life?" Stark said, unbuttoning his suit jacket. "You can never have too much magical energy. If that guy hadn't caused quite a stir here, Batman probably wouldn't have chosen to install a magical engine in an ordinary car."
“This isn’t an ordinary car,” said the driver in front. “It’s the Batmobile.”
“Oh, I see. All the cars that have passed through Batman’s hands are Batmobiles,” Stark scoffed. “Did he engrave his beloved bat symbol on the engine? Is that engine also called the Bat Engine?”
"Yes, if you look closely at the seat back, you'll see an embossed bat pattern underneath. That's the Batmobile's logo, sir."
Stark was genuinely curious. He looked down and reached under the seat to feel for some fine lines on the edge of the seat cover, but he couldn't tell whether they were bats or not.
Just as he was about to continue his rant, he looked up from this angle and saw the driver's pale jawline. The other man turned his head slightly, and his familiar profile appeared even sharper in the cold, overcast light, like a fragment of a past suddenly bursting into his memory and filling a gap in his past. The moment Stark saw him, he knew that all his assumptions about Schiller's youth were inaccurate—this was Schiller's youth, without confusion or indulgence; he had already completed his self-exploration, precisely dissecting the world like a sharp scalpel.
"Hello, Dr. Stark, I am Agent Rodriguez."
“I don’t care who you are,” Stark said, extending a hand in a blocking gesture. “First of all, don’t call me Doctor. It makes me sound like a mad scientist.”
"Hello, Agent Rodriguez, or should I address you as Chief?" Doom began. "Actually, Doom quite likes the title of Doctor, because he knows very well that mad scientist isn't necessarily a derogatory term. Everyone is mad at some point in their pursuit of knowledge. Those with a strong thirst for knowledge and exploration are often more likely to change the world, aren't they?"
Stark shoved him aside, put one hand on the back of the passenger seat, stuck his head between the two seats, and said, "Fine, call me whatever you want. So you're the FBI Director Batman was talking about?"
"Yes, to show our welcome to our distinguished guests, the President asked me to come and pick you up personally. Would you like me to introduce you to the New Technology Science Research Center?"
“I need you to introduce yourself to us,” Stark said. “I really can’t think of any Schiller who could be the FBI director. Are you really cut out to be a secret agent?”
"As you wish, Doctor. Although it may be a bit presumptuous of me to say this, I am probably the most suitable of all the Schillers to be an agent. I don't waste time talking nonsense, nor do I devote most of my energy to figuring out how to increase other people's consultation fees by 30% every year. I don't have an overly excited spirit or boundless energy, and I never create unnecessary trouble. Because I am focused, I am efficient."
“Then you really should change your name,” Stark couldn’t help but say.
“Very good advice, Doctor, but I hope you will consider the current situation before making suggestions.”
"what?"
"You were sitting in the car, so unsafe that you weren't wearing a seatbelt, and I was the one driving."
As soon as he finished speaking, the car swerved sharply, and with a bang, Stark's head slammed into the side window, his shoulder and half an arm hitting the car door hard. He screamed and instinctively touched his head, gasping in pain.
“The first-aid kit is under the seat,” Stark heard Schiller in front of him say. “You have 20 minutes before you meet the president. If you want to go to see him with that bump on your head, you can probably skip the bandage.”
Stark opened his mouth, but swallowed the curse he was about to utter. Indeed, he was in the car now, the other man gripping the steering wheel and pressing the accelerator; he could give him another bump on the head at any moment. It was best to say as little as possible.
But if Stark were so easily subdued, he wouldn't be Stark. He rubbed his head haphazardly with iodine, then pressed an ice pack against it, and said, "So you're also hired by President Batman? You work for him?"
“Normally yes,” Schiller said. “If you’re asking what secret agents usually do, you’ll be disappointed. My job is far less thrilling than in spy movies. My main job right now is to work with the president to advance his policies and to handle any security incidents that may arise.”
“Sounds pretty busy,” Stark leaned back, putting his hands behind his head, his elbow nearly hitting Doom beside him again. He pulled back slightly and said, “So what’s the biggest thing you’ve done in this universe?”
“I must have tricked you,” Doom said.
Stark rolled his eyes and ignored him. Schiller, meanwhile, said as he drove, "Does framing myself to uncover the traces of electronic life count?"
“Oh, I thought you guys were all good at pulling off those cosmic-level big events,” Stark said with a smirk. “Sure, being a government lackey is nice too, coming to my company every day under all sorts of pretexts for coffee and donuts, and then going back to badmouth me. You guys are pretty good at that, aren’t you?”
"I don't like eating donuts."
"So you like drinking coffee?" Stark seemed to have suddenly caught Schiller red-handed. He said, "Standing next to the coffee machine, spending two hours choosing your favorite flavor, then three hours changing the milk carton, and then leaning against the counter next to the coffee machine, stirring your coffee with a spoon while complaining about work to your colleagues, that's how a pleasant day goes by."
"You seem to have a deep prejudice against spies, Dr. Romanov. Is Mrs. Romanov aware of this?"
"Guess where my prejudice comes from?"
"So you and she are actually quite close, then her prejudice against you isn't entirely unfounded."
“Hiss…” Stark inhaled angrily. He was about to say something when he heard Schiller say from ahead:
"I heard you claim to be the smartest person in your universe? Isn't that a coincidence? I recently sniped that smartest person in the universe, but unfortunately, God was on his side. Are you carrying a mech?"
Stark was startled and stammered, "I...I didn't bring it. Wasn't it said that electronic life forms might infiltrate the mechs and we weren't allowed to bring them?"
Schiller reached for a cigarette case from the passenger seat, but Stark noticed a strap had been inadvertently pulled between the two seats. Stark didn't know what it was and was about to ask when Doom nudged him with his elbow and pointed to the reflection in the windshield—a sniper rifle was lying prominently on the passenger seat.
Stark immediately shut up.
But as they say, curiosity killed the cat. Not long after, Stark asked again, "Are you sure you're Schiller? You seem completely different from the other Schillers."
"Oh? What's the difference?"
“You… I mean, the other Schillers wouldn’t threaten me like that; they’ve all been quite friendly to me.”
"Including me when I was a child?"
"Uh, that guy wasn't very friendly, but he's a kid, and you're an adult. There's no need to be so hostile towards someone you've just met, is there?"
"Are you talking about yourself, Dr. Stark?"
“What do you mean?” Stark said, somewhat displeased. “Are you saying I’m hostile towards you? Where have I been?”
"Can you shut up?" Doom couldn't stand it anymore. He shoved Stark back into his seat and said, "There's an old Chinese saying, 'If you're sick, go get treatment.' You really should give your psychiatrist a raise."