Chapter 115: The Kree Temple

Exchange for “Teleportation Spell.”

After having tricked a certain mage—or perhaps an entire timeline—Old Wang, accompanied by Skye and the Winter Soldier frozen solid like an ice pop, arrived in the outskirts of San Juan.

Gazing upon this city he had recently visited, Skye suddenly felt a surge of emotion:

It turned out that Wang had been thinking of me from the very beginning; otherwise, he wouldn’t have placed the “Dark God’s Tome Laboratory” here.

[Skye’s favorability +100, raised to ‘Inseparable as Water and Milk’]

“Let’s go.”

Perhaps because the mage they had deceived this time was more reliable than the last, the teleportation deviation was minimal—less than ten kilometers.

The two quickly found the abandoned factory and entered the hidden laboratory within.

“How’s the progress?”

Old Wang glanced around, noting that the lab was nearly complete, filled with expensive instruments he couldn’t understand but was pleased to see nonetheless.

Investment breeds returns. Hopefully, the millions poured in won’t go to waste.

“Brain mapping is an incredibly complex technology. Without the Dark God’s Tome, even given twenty years, I wouldn’t have been able to figure it out. That tome is truly wondrous. May I have another look?”

Lucy’s eyes brimmed with fascination for the Dark God’s Tome, as if it were her true lover, and the one Hydra had taken was merely a stranger.

However, this public lover wasn’t in the lab but in Old Wang’s possession, off-limits to everyone else.

Few could resist the dark power emanating from the tome. Old Wang didn’t want his scientists falling one after another into corruption, becoming slaves to the dark magic. Even Skye could only read it under his close supervision.

Seeing no reaction from Old Wang, Lucy was disappointed but dared not show it. She quickly added, “We’ve preliminarily understood the theory behind brain mapping and are now developing the related equipment. Dr. Fitz is an expert in this field. I think it will take no more than three months to finish.”

“One month. At most one month, Mr. Wang... Boss.”

Fitz was still awkward with the new title, seeing that Wang was about his age.

While typing rapidly, he explained at a breakneck pace, “Short-term memory mainly involves neuronal activity and connections between neurons, especially the hippocampus beneath the cerebral cortex. Long-term memory relates to the formation of new synapses. The Dark God’s Tome’s explanation of memory far surpasses my imagination, reaching an entirely new level. My plan is to stimulate the cerebral cortex with electromagnetic waves at specific frequencies and use feedback to perform brain mapping. The detailed process is as follows...”

He rattled on incessantly until Old Wang interrupted, “What about memory uploading?”

“Memory uploading, while complementary to brain mapping, actually belongs to a different field. S.H.I.E.L.D. already has some technology in this area, even capable of modifying memories. However, the process is painful and causes irreversible damage. My idea is...”

Fitz continued at length, leaving Old Wang with a pounding headache.

Though he had studied science and engineering in a previous life, it was only at an ordinary university level and long forgotten. No matter how simply Fitz explained, Wang’s mind was overwhelmed, utterly lost.

Not wanting to waste time, he cut in, “How long until it’s done?”

“Two months.”

Fitz held up two fingers. “At most two months, and I can perfect the brain mapping and memory uploading technologies.”

Impressive... Old Wang nodded. Fitz was indeed far more dependable than Lucy and the others.

“Uh... the lab funds are running low.”

Lucy seized the moment while the boss was pleased, cautiously adding, “We need an additional... five million.”

Out of fear, she dared not ask for more, and didn’t mention salaries or bonuses at all.

“I’ll give you ten million.”

Old Wang was flush with cash and completely unfazed.

Brain mapping and memory uploading were technologies with vast potential, enough to change the world and achieve a form of “immortality.”

Though not true immortality, many would be convinced.

Most importantly, through these technologies, he could access all the memories of the Five Fingers of the Hand and the Winter Soldier, even modify some of them.

Not only would he uncover countless secrets, but he would also secure their loyalty—far more reliable than brainwashing.

“I’ll sign contracts with you all later. Fixed salary plus project bonuses. The harder you work, the more you earn.”

Old Wang’s words brought a bright smile to Lucy’s face, filling her with hope for the future.

Fitz, however, was more intrigued by the freezer nearby. “Boss, what’s in there?”

“A product of the Super Soldier Program... You worked at S.H.I.E.L.D., so you should know something about it.”

Old Wang didn’t open the freezer; some secrets shouldn’t be widely known.

Fitz clearly knew something, his eyes lighting up. “Could it be...”

He was about to say it might be the project that created Captain America, or even a second Captain America inside, but Wang quickly interrupted, “Put it in a separate lab. You and Simmons will handle the research. Keep it secure; what’s inside is very important.”

Fitz nodded quickly.

The Super Soldier Program was a legend among every trainee at S.H.I.E.L.D.’s academy.

From World War II until now, over sixty years had passed, and countless attempts had been made to recreate Dr. Erskine’s formula—all failed, including the rebooted Super Soldier Program under General Ross.

The boss truly was extraordinary, daring to pursue this research himself—and entrusting it to me.

This was incredibly exciting!

To follow in the footsteps of a great man and embark on a marvelous journey.

Perhaps, with the knowledge from the Dark God’s Tome, I could push further and develop a formula even more perfect than Dr. Erskine’s, creating a super soldier mightier than Captain America.

“Wang?” Skye couldn’t help but remind him, “We have important business here.”

Old Wang smiled and looked at Fitz. “Have you found it?”

“Found it!”

Fitz rapidly typed a few commands, and a three-dimensional map appeared on the screen.

“Upon your order, I procured special equipment from S.H.I.E.L.D. and modified it. In less than a day, I located the buried underground city and completed the scan.”

Seeing Skye’s puzzled expression, Old Wang explained with a smile, “The Kree temple.”

Skye understood.

It was the place where rituals were held to absorb Terrigen Mist and activate genes!

Wang really had thought of everything for me and had prepared well in advance...

“What would be the impact if the underground city collapsed?” Old Wang asked Fitz.

“Ah?” Fitz was confused.

Boss, weren’t we here to explore the underground city? Do you plan to blow it up?

Though puzzled, he thought for a moment and replied, “It might cause partial area collapse. However, the city is deep underground, so the impact won’t be too severe. Collapse could cause seawater to flood in, submerging the entire city... Please be careful.”

“That’s good.”

Old Wang glanced over the entire 3D map, committing it to memory.

“Skye, let’s go.”

The two made their way to a coastal watchtower, found a hidden passage, and entered the underground city.