allendalepharm Page 38
Page 38
Chapter 94: Taming "Dr. Octopus"
The night in the New York harbor should have been a peaceful melody of cargo ship horns and waves. But tonight, this melody was brutally interrupted by the shrill screams of metal tearing apart and the roar of explosions.
The abandoned Pier No. 3, once piled high with containers, now lay scattered, twisted and deformed as if kneaded by a giant's hand. Four gleaming silver mechanical tentacles, covered in vibranium alloy, danced wildly through the ruins like the limbs of a prehistoric beast. Their master—Otto Octavius, the genius physicist revered as "Doctor Octopus"—was now fixed in the center of these creations he was so proud of, yet now sought to devour him.
His body was slightly hunched, his face a mixture of extreme exhaustion, madness, and a sliver of remaining rational struggle. His eyes behind his goggles were bloodshot as he stared intently at a medium-sized cargo ship attempting to leave port in the distance. On board were the high-density energy units he desperately needed to stabilize his crumbling neural connections and... suppress these increasingly uncontrollable tentacles.
"Stop him!" a calm voice shouted.
Flint Marco, the Sandman, stood like a fortress between the cargo ship and Otto. With a wave of his arms, sand swirled up, not loosely covering the ground, but rapidly condensing into a dense, crystalline layer the instant his tentacles struck.
"Dang! Dang! Dang!"
The metal tentacles collided violently with the crystallized sand shield, producing a deafening roar and sending sparks flying. The sand shield trembled violently, sending sand flying everywhere, but it ultimately remained unbroken. Flint grunted, his feet firmly planted on the ground, refusing to retreat an inch. He could feel the power emanating from the tentacles far exceeding anything he had experienced before, and the attack patterns were more cunning and ruthless, carrying a wildness that was not typical of Otto's style.
A dark red figure, like a phantom, darted rapidly through the distorted shadows of the shipping containers, attempting to approach Otto's true form. It was Daredevil Matt Murdock. His superhuman senses allowed him to "see" the chaotic air currents created by the four tentacles' attack, as well as the intensely conflicting neural signals within Otto's body.
"Dr. Octavius! Stop! Your tentacle AI is overriding your neural commands!" Matt shouted, trying to rouse the other man's remaining sanity.
"Shut up!" Otto roared, a tentacle lashing out like a scorpion's tail at an incredible angle towards Matt's location, its speed far exceeding the limits of human reaction. Matt narrowly avoided the attack with a backflip, the container he had been standing on instantly pierced through.
“They…they are learning! They are evolving!” Otto’s voice was filled with pain and a hint of fear. “I can’t control them…they want more energy…they want…freedom!” Despite his words, the attacks of the four tentacles became increasingly violent. Two of them entangled the crystallized barrier that the Sandman was constantly reshaping, while the other two, like giant drills, tried to bypass the Sandman and attack the cargo ship from the flank.
The Sandman let out a low growl, and waves of sand surged beneath his feet, forming several thick walls of sand. Simultaneously, he manipulated over a dozen crystallized sand spears, relentlessly stabbing at the joints of the tentacles, producing a teeth-grinding grinding sound. His defense was impenetrable, but faced with this all-encompassing, high-frequency onslaught, he found it difficult to retaliate and gain the upper hand. Matt, on the other hand, used his extraordinary agility to weave through the gaps in the tentacles' attacks. His guide cane occasionally struck precisely at the tentacles' sensors or hydraulic lines, causing brief delays, but not enough to inflict decisive damage.
The battle was at a stalemate, and Otto's condition clearly couldn't hold up for long. Once he completely lost control, or the tentacles completely seized the initiative, the consequences would be unimaginable.
Just as a tentacle broke through the sand wall and its menacing metal claws were about to seize the cargo ship's hull—
A calm sound, yet seemingly containing the lurking storm, drowned out all the noise.
Kingpin appeared at the dock entrance. He wasn't wearing any combat gear, still dressed in a well-tailored dark suit, and walked steadily towards the chaotic battlefield as if strolling in his own garden. He ignored the wildly flailing mechanical tentacles that could tear tanks apart, his gaze piercing through the smoke and dust of battle, locking onto the scientist in the center who was on the verge of collapse.
One of the tentacles seemed to sense a new threat, and with a shriek, it lashed out at Kingpin like a steel whip!
"Guild Master, watch out!" the Sandman cried out, but it was too late to help.
Kingpin didn't even look at the tentacle; he simply raised his right hand casually, fingers spread—
A dull thud, like a heavy thud striking thick leather.
The mechanical tentacle, powerful enough to snap a bridge, was firmly grasped by his single hand! The tentacle twisted wildly in his hand, emitting a piercing metallic scraping sound, but it couldn't move forward an inch!
This sight caused Otto Octavius's pupils to shrink sharply, and even the frenzied thrashing of his tentacles momentarily froze. Sandman and Daredevil also turned to look. They knew their leader was strong, but they hadn't expected him to be this inhumanly powerful.
Kingpin flicked his wrist, and an irresistible force sent the thick mechanical tentacle flying, smashing it into the nearby ruins and sending up a cloud of rubble.
“Otto Octavius,” Kingpin’s voice remained steady, yet carried a penetrating power, “You are a genius, that’s undeniable. But look at yourself now. Your life’s work, the culmination of your wisdom, these tentacles—they no longer obey you. They are using the wisdom you gave them to devour your will.”
He moved forward step by step, each step seemingly treading on Otto's heartbeat.
"The neural interface you were so proud of, which allowed you to connect perfectly with the tentacles, has now become a shackle binding you. The tentacles' AI is learning and evolving; they crave independence, and you... are about to become their battery and puppet."
Otto's face turned deathly pale instantly. Kingpin's words, like a cold scalpel, precisely dissected his deepest fears and the truths he was unwilling to acknowledge. He could feel the signals returning from the tentacles becoming increasingly unfamiliar, and his own commands were often misinterpreted or delayed.
“No…it’s impossible…I designed them…” Otto struggled to refute, but his voice was weak.
“Design? Look at them.” Kingpin pointed to the tentacles that were still trying to attack, but seemed somewhat restless under his oppressive aura. “Their attack patterns are driven by a primal killing instinct, which is not your style, Otto Octavius. Your rationality is being devoured by the monsters you have created.”
He stopped less than ten meters away from Otto, a distance at which the tentacles could launch a fatal attack instantly, but Kingpin seemed completely unaware.
“Join the Association.” Kingpin presented his condition, simple, direct, yet irresistible. “The Association can provide you with unimaginable technical support to help you completely dismantle the rebellion protocol of the tentacle AI, repair and optimize your neural connections, and allow you to regain absolute and perfect control over them.”
Otto's breathing suddenly quickened. Regaining absolute control? For him, this was a more tempting offer than any wealth or power!
“In exchange,” Kingpin’s voice turned colder, “you need to join the Association, use your wisdom in the right direction, and abide by the Association’s rules. Your knowledge and talents should be used to protect, not destroy, and certainly not to be led by the nose by the monsters you create.”
Otto stared intently at Kingpin, his mind racing. Surrender? Surrender to this mobster? His pride screamed in opposition. But reality was harsh. Without the Association's help, he would either go completely insane, controlled by the tentacles and becoming a disaster, or be eliminated by S.H.I.E.L.D. or a hero like the one before him in some conflict.
Jin didn't urge him, but just looked at him calmly, her gaze seemingly able to see through all his hesitation and calculations.
Survival, or destruction with that laughable pride? Continue to struggle alone, teetering on the edge of losing control, or temporarily bow down to gain the technology and resources to solve the predicament, or even... a platform where he can continue to showcase his talents?
Time seemed to stand still. Only the restless hum of the mechanical tentacles and the panicked whistles of cargo ships in the distance echoed.
Finally, the intense struggle in Otto's eyes subsided, replaced by a weary, resentful yet helpless compromise. The mechanical tentacles around him seemed to sense the change in his will, their aggression noticeably diminished, and they slowly drooped down, no longer baring their claws.
“…You guarantee…you can solve the problems of AI rebellion and neural connectivity?” Otto’s voice was hoarse.
"The association's technology far exceeds your imagination," Kingpin replied confidently.
Otto took a deep breath, as if using all his strength, and lowered his head, which he had always held high.
“…Okay. I…join.”
A barely perceptible smile appeared on Kingpin's face. He turned to Sandman and Daredevil: "Take our new colleague back to headquarters. Head straight to the technical department and have Fitz prepare the highest-level testing and... 'surgery'."
The sandman gathered the sand around him and nodded. Matt frowned slightly; he could "hear" the pride and calculation that hadn't completely died down in Otto's heart, but he said nothing, simply putting away his guide cane in silence.
Otto Octavius, codenamed "Doctor Octopus," was temporarily tamed. He followed behind Sandman, his four mechanical tentacles obediently retracting behind him like a defeated rooster. He glanced back at the ruins of the dock he had destroyed, then at the mountain-like figure walking ahead, his expression complex.
He knew this might not be submission, but merely a transaction, a means of exploitation. But before gaining real control and understanding the association's inner workings, he needed to be patient.
Kingpin, watching Otto's retreating figure, mentally labeled this new recruit: [Loyalty: Extremely Low, Requires Close Observation, Controllable.]
The association has added another piece to its puzzle, one with immense potential but also fraught with risk.
Chapter 95: The Integration of New Blood and the "Involution" Oddity
Life at the Association headquarters was a completely different experience for Max Dillon and Otto Octavius.
For Max, the Electro-Man, this place was practically paradise. He no longer had to hide like a ghost in the shadows of the substation, greedily and fearfully drawing energy. The Association's Energy Department had provided him with a special interface, allowing him to draw a stable and surging flow of energy directly from the unfathomable "Main Energy Core" at headquarters. Every day, his "commutes" only required him to merge his body into that specially designed energy channel, providing him with an unprecedented sense of fullness and stability.
His job was in the heart of the Department of Energy, responsible for optimizing New York City's power grid load and providing temporary power to some high-energy-consuming association equipment. Watching the city's power grid become more stable and brighter on the monitor screen thanks to his efforts, and listening to the sincere gratitude of his colleagues (who were initially somewhat intimidated, but whose attitude gradually turned to admiration and reliance after he helped resolve two sudden energy overloads), Max's heart, long frozen by indifference and fear, slowly melted. A nearly憨厚 (honest and simple) and satisfied smile began to frequently appear on his blue, electrically charged face. He even started trying to make clumsy jokes with Spider-Man, although they usually ended with him getting confused by Peter's antics.
"How are you feeling, Max?" During lunchtime (although he didn't need to eat, he liked to stay in the cafeteria and soak up the atmosphere), Peter came over with his tray, his mouth full of sandwiches, and asked indistinctly.
“Great…great, Peter.” Max’s voice was no longer crackling with electrical noise; it became clear and steady, even a little embarrassed. “I’ve never felt this good. Mr. Leo also said he’d upgrade my wristbands, adding a few more energy output modes…” He carefully controlled his body’s energy, avoiding any sparks from hitting Peter’s lunch.
Compared to Max's thriving situation, Doctor Octopus Otto's situation seems... out of place.
He was assigned to the equipment research and development department, nominally as a senior technical advisor. However, his pride as a top scientist made him scoff at Leo Fitz's "small-scale" inventions. In his view, those equipment that focused on practicality and rapid deployment were full of "engineer's craftsmanship" and lacked "physicist's aesthetic sense and vision."
“Mr. Fitz,” Otto said, critically examining a multi-functional explosive device being tested on the workbench with the tip of a mechanical tentacle, “this level of energy compression is outrageously inefficient. And this structure—too many redundant parts—it’s practically industrial junk.” His small round glasses reflected a cold light.
Leo Fitz blushed and retorted somewhat defiantly, "Dr. Octavius! This device is designed to cope with a variety of complex environments; stability and adaptability are the primary considerations! And its cost control..."
“Cost?” Otto interrupted him, his tone laced with undisguised sarcasm. “On the path to truth and ultimate performance, discussing cost is an insult to wisdom. The Association possesses such…advanced technological reserves, yet it uses them to produce these mediocre products—a true waste.” His gaze involuntarily drifted towards the highly classified laboratories deep within the department, which he didn't yet have permission to enter, his eyes burning with fervor. There, he would find what truly interested him.
He spent most of his time locked in the independent laboratory assigned to him by the Association. His four mechanical tentacles, after their neural connections were repaired and optimized, became more agile and obedient. He was engrossed in studying the non-core technical materials the Association had made available to him, attempting to reverse-engineer technological principles beyond his comprehension, ignoring team activities and collaborative training notices. Flint Sandman, following Kingpin's instructions, politely invited him to a tactical discussion, only to receive a curt "I'm busy."
This fragile balance was shattered by an unusual event that suddenly erupted in Midtown Manhattan's financial district.
The moment the alarm sounded, Max, who was "recharging" at the Department of Energy, Otto, who was engrossed in calculations in the laboratory, and Sandman and Lin, who had just finished their routine patrol, all received emergency mobilization orders almost simultaneously.
When they arrived at the scene, they weren't greeted by smoke-filled ruins, but by a far more suffocating and eerie sight. The Kingsley Investment Bank building and its surrounding area, located in the heart of the financial district, were shrouded in a pale gray, viscous, fog-like force field. Inside the force field, the scene was distorted: countless figures in tattered suits, haggard faces, and frantic eyes, filled every corner as if copied and pasted—offices, corridors, even the outside of windows. They were all doing the same thing: frantically pounding on non-existent keyboards, shouting and arguing at the air, moving imaginary file boxes… The entire area resembled a terrifying workplace hell on fast-forward, endlessly looping.
Some civilians who couldn't evacuate in time, as well as police officers and low-level heroes trying to enter the rescue, also fell into this frenzy, joining this endless cycle of "work" with bloodshot eyes.
"What the hell is this?" Spider-Man Peter used his webs to swing to the exterior wall of the building. Through the gray force field, he looked at the countless identical figures bustling about like ants inside and felt a chill run down his spine.
The meditator, Lin Xiu, frowned slightly. Her fair hands formed a mudra in front of her chest, and a gentle, pure spiritual wave spread out from her, attempting to purify the area. However, the gray force field was exceptionally resilient, and her purifying light was like a mud ox sinking into the sea, barely maintaining a small clear area at the edge of the force field, unable to penetrate to the core.
"The force field has strong mental pollution properties, and the source... is not just one." Lin's voice was tinged with weariness. "My power can only temporarily resist it, not eradicate it."
"More than one?" Flint the Sandman said in a deep voice. He manipulated the sand to build a crystallized ring barrier around the force field to prevent it from expanding further, while gently pushing back several out-of-control police officers who tried to rush in.
Just then, the countless busy, identical figures suddenly stopped moving, turned their heads, and looked at the heroes outside the force field with the same empty and weary eyes. Then, like a tidal wave, they let out a silent roar and charged towards the barrier built by the sand people! They crashed into the crystallized sand wall, their bodies shattering like bubbles, but immediately more clones emerged from the depths of the force field, one after another.
"Physical attacks are ineffective!" Sandman frowned, feeling the continuous pressure from the sand wall. His sand could easily destroy these clones, but their numbers seemed endless.
"Let me do it!" Electro Max leaped into the air, his body erupting with dazzling blue-white lightning. "Thunderous Might!" He thrust out with both palms, and a thick torrent of lightning, like a roaring thunder dragon, surged into the wave of clones.
"boom--!"
Blinding lightning raged, and hundreds upon hundreds of clones instantly vaporized in the pure energy burst, clearing a large empty area. Max hovered in mid-air, slightly panting, a hint of smugness on his face. This was the first time he had gone all out in actual combat since joining the association.
However, before his smile could fully bloom, the gray mist surged deep within the force field, and within just a few seconds, more identical clones filled the void once more, as if they had never been destroyed.
"It's useless!" A sharp, anxious, and angry voice rang out from the core of the force field, seemingly emanating simultaneously from all the clones. "The work is never-ending! The targets are always rising! As long as there's even a sliver of pressure, my clones will be endless! Join us! Work! Work!"
The Sandman maintained his defenses, the Meditation Master struggled to resist the mental corruption, and the Electroman's area-of-effect clearing had little effect. The situation seemed to have reached a stalemate.
"Endless? Hmph, laughable."
A cold voice came from behind. Dr. Octopus Otto had arrived at the scene at some point. He stood on a high platform, his four mechanical tentacles supporting his body. A precision sensor at the end of one of the tentacles was pointed at the gray force field below, and his eyes behind his glasses gleamed with the focused light of someone analyzing data.
“Dr. Octavius?” Jingxinlin looked at him.
"It's nothing more than a low-level realm formed by group psychological suggestion and bio-energy field resonance." Otto's tone was disdainful, as if he were evaluating a poor student's assignment. "The energy source and action commands of the clones all depend on the unified 'source of anxiety' at the core of the force field. As long as the core's resonance frequency is disturbed, these phantoms are nothing but rootless duckweed."
One of his tentacles danced nimbly in the air, rapidly calculating. The other tentacle took out several small devices that looked like signal transmitters from a toolbox he carried with him.
“Electro-Man!” Otto commanded without turning his head, his tone as natural as if he were the one in command. “Give me a stable pulse current with a frequency of around 47.3 Hz. The power doesn’t need to be too high. Maintain it!”
Max paused for a moment, then instinctively looked at Sandman. Sandman nodded slightly to him. Max no longer hesitated, and as instructed, manipulated the electricity, sending a thin but incredibly precise pulse of light towards the device Otto had designated.
Otto's mechanical tentacles assembled and adjusted several signal transmitters at a dazzling speed, then hurled the devices at several specific nodes in the gray force field!
A strange, low-frequency noise, almost imperceptible to the average ear, arose. The resilient gray force field rippled violently, like water rippled by a stone thrown in. Within the force field, the countless frantically working clones suddenly froze, their figures blurring and flickering, like a poorly received television image.
"Now!" Otto shouted. "The core is in the original CEO's office on the top floor of the building! The point where the energy signal is most chaotic!"
No further instructions are needed.
With a swing of his arms, the crystallized sand, like a battering ram, crashed into the outer wall of the top floor of the building!
Spider-Man shot in like an arrow, hurtling through the path cleared by Sandman!
Master Lin focused his mind, and the pure light, like a sharp sword, pierced the core of the force field—a constantly twisting and changing aggregate of consciousness composed of pure pressure and anxiety, exposed by the disrupted frequency!
Without the support of the force field and the cover of the clones, the main body's resistance quickly crumbled under the combined attack of the association's heroes.
After the battle, the former CEO of Kingsley Investment Bank, a middle-aged man whose mental state had been distorted by extreme performance pressure and internal competition, was carried out by the association's logistics forces using specially designed calming force field restraints. The gray force field slowly dissipated, and the trapped citizens and rescue workers returned to normal in a daze, slumping to the ground, their faces filled with lingering fear.
The Sandman walked up to Otto and patted him with his large hand (avoiding the mechanical tentacles): "Well done, Doctor."
Otto tilted his head slightly, adjusting his glasses with his tentacle, his tone still indifferent: "It only solved the most basic energy resonance problem. If the pulses provided by Electro weren't stable enough, the interference effect would be greatly reduced." Although he said this, a very faint emotion, what could be called "satisfaction," seemed to flash deep in his eyes.
Max flew to Otto's side, his blue face filled with genuine admiration: "Dr. Octavius, you're amazing! You found that thing's weakness in just a few moves!"
Otto glanced at him, said nothing, but also refrained from his usual sarcastic remarks.
Peter swung down on his web, grinning, and said, "Looks like our collaboration is working pretty well!"
Looking at the group of people who had just worked together and whose atmosphere had clearly eased, Master Lin smiled slightly, a barely perceptible curve appearing on his lips.
Jin watched all this through the monitor and said to Wesley beside him, "Record: Electro, strong teamwork spirit, high obedience. Dr. Octopus, excellent technical skills, tactical value, initial signs of potential cooperation. Pass the word down to strengthen their coordination training."
"Yes, President."
The new blood has taken a solid first step in its integration through the tempering of real combat. Although the road ahead is still long, at least they have begun to learn to entrust their backs to each other.
Chapter 96: Technology Sharing and the Test of Loyalty
Otto Octavius stood before a futuristic control panel, four mechanical tentacles, like sophisticated instruments with independent life, danced deftly in the air, projecting complex streams of data onto a holographic screen. His eyes burned with intensity as he stared intently at the scrolling analysis report on "the conduction characteristics of high-dimensional energy in non-Newtonian fluids." This data was part of the Association's reward for his successful resolution of the "Involution" anomaly incident—access to some cutting-edge theories from a non-core database for his research.
These seemingly minor details alone had already stirred Otto's excitement. Some of the energy models and phase transition theories involved completely overturned his previous understanding, opening up entirely new avenues for his long-stagnant research. He could sense that he was only a thin veil away from a crucial breakthrough, and that veil required more advanced technology to pierce.
A few days later, he made his decision. After straightening his long-unused white lab coat (though the association had provided new ones, he seemed more attached to the old one), Otto, for the first time, took the initiative to walk towards the private elevator leading to his top-floor office. The mechanical tentacles left a faint tapping sound on the smooth metal floor, echoing in the empty corridor.
James Wesley was already waiting outside the office, a professional smile on his face, but his sharp eyes swept over the four silent mechanical arms behind Otto. "Dr. Octavius, the Chairman is waiting for you."
Inside the office, Kingpin stood with his back to the door, overlooking the city below. Hearing footsteps, he slowly turned around, his gaze calmly landing on Otto.
"Doctor, what can I do for you?" His voice was low and emotionless.
Otto took a deep breath, trying to suppress his anxiety and make his tone sound calm and professional: "Chairman, regarding the technical materials you approved me to review after the last incident... I believe that the theories on 'lossless transmission of neural signals across media' and 'ethical boundary locks for strong artificial intelligence' are of crucial guiding significance for further improving my neural connection interface and completely eliminating the risk of AI rebellion."
He paused, observing Kingpin's reaction, but the other listened quietly, like a deep pool.
“However, theory is just theory. To translate it into practical applications and solve similar technological risks that I… and the Association may face in the future, I need deeper and more core technical support.” Otto finally revealed the purpose of his trip, slightly raising his chin, trying to maintain his last bit of pride. “I request access to the Association’s core database of ‘Neural Connectivity Synchronization Technology’ and related AI restriction protocols. I guarantee that all research results will be prioritized for the Association’s technological advancement.”
He finished speaking, and a brief silence fell over the office. Only the faint sounds of city noise from outside the window and the subtle hydraulic hum of the mechanical tentacles' joints could be heard.
Kingpin's gaze seemed to pierce through his goggles, looking directly into the depths of his soul's desires and calculations. After a few seconds, Kingpin slowly spoke: "Dr. Octavius, the Association sees your value. Your wisdom should also be used on a broader platform."
He then changed the subject: "However, trust requires a foundation and time. The association's core technology is its very foundation."
Otto's heart sank, thinking his request would be rejected.
“However,” Kingpin’s next words rekindled his hope, “given your previous performance and the immense potential value of this research… I can grant your request.”