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Starting in 'The Boys' to Become the Ultimate Lifeform_chapter_0358_en
Chapter 358
Chapter 357: Godolkin Underground Research Base
Hughie picked up the half-empty can of nerve agent from the table, shaking it gently as he muttered, "Starlight spent a fortune buying this stuff. Can't waste it, there's still a good bit left."
"I advise you to put that down quickly. If the Novichok leaks, everyone here will die because of your clumsy hands," Mother's Milk said. The Novichok he mentioned was widely recognized as the world's deadliest nerve agent, its toxicity surpassing over a hundred types of organophosphorus nerve agents, truly the king of toxins.
"It won't be that bad, will it? This can should be well-sealed." Hughie subconsciously held his breath, then reluctantly put down the iron canister.
"I don't care how you plan to deal with Homelander next, but if you want my help, you have to take care of Black Noir first." Soldier Boy, standing nearby, felt a surge of energy after inhaling the contraband. He brushed off the remaining powder from his hands, picked up the shield by his feet, and walked over to Billy.
"Help me kill Black Noir, and I'll help you kill Homelander. What do you say? Want to cooperate with me?"
Before Billy could answer, Starlight, dressed in plain clothes, said with some difficulty, "Killing Black Noir probably won't be easy. Aside from some large public events, he basically stays in Vought Tower all day, like a robot, only doing what Vought programs him to do. I've tried to approach him, but it didn't have much effect. If we want to kill him, we'd have to sneak into Vought Tower and also avoid Homelander and the others."
"Let's wait a bit longer. We need to formulate a detailed plan."
Hughie preferred to be cautious. After all, one slip-up could lead to the entire team's demise.
"By the time you figure out a plan, Homelander will be old and dead. Besides, when have your plans ever succeeded? If you ask me, we should just storm Vought Tower, take out Black Noir, and if Homelander dares to stop us, we'll just kill him too."
Soldier Boy's patience was limited. Coupled with the failure of the plan to kill Mr. Jervis this time, it had made him deeply suspicious of Billy and the others' intelligence. Since he couldn't rely on their plans, he might as well follow his own ideas.
Sometimes, being simple and direct could yield miraculous results.
"Let me think about it." Repeated injections of temporary Compound V put a heavy burden on the body, so Billy wanted to take a break.
"Half a month. I'll give you half a month, tops. If the time is up and you still haven't come up with a good method, you'll have to listen to my opinion. Otherwise, I don't mind killing all of you myself and going after Black Noir and Homelander alone." Soldier Boy, having delivered his ultimatum, picked up his shield and walked towards the exit of the underground passage.
"In some ways, this guy is worse than Homelander." Watching Soldier Boy's retreating back, Billy said with a grim expression.
…………
Godolkin Underground Research Base.
Dr. Cardosa, in charge of virus research and development, handed a report to Xia Shang.
"Shetty has always wanted me to develop a virus that can control superpowers, and the drug that suppresses Cate's superpowers is a derivative of that virus." The brainwashed Dr. Cardosa completely regarded Xia Shang as his most trusted person, thus answering almost every question Xia Shang posed.
"It's clear that drug is just a semi-finished product," Xia Shang said softly, flipping through the report in his hand.
"That's right. Although that drug can suppress superpowers, it also affects the user's mind. Based on my long-term observation, Cate's mental state has become extremely unstable, with a constant risk of collapse."
Dr. Cardosa picked up the medicine bottle from the table and poured a pill into his palm. "Among numerous experiment subjects, Cate has lasted the longest. Some Supes would go completely mad the moment they took the drug, but Cate is different. She's very special. Her innate superpowers are a huge burden to her."
"Why?" Xia Shang asked.
"Because she can't control her superpowers. That's why, when she was a child, her brother disappeared and hasn't been found since."
"And this drug I have can happen to help her suppress her superpowers. It's like a child being unable to lift a truck; if you replace the truck with a toy car, Cate can easily lift it."
After hearing Dr. Cardosa's words, Xia Shang guessed that Shetty likely controlled Cate by exploiting her dependence on the drug.
"If she doesn't take the drug for a long time, can Cate awaken her true superpowers?" Xia Shang summoned his panel and looked at the fusion condition for the talent skill as he spoke.
[Fusion Condition: Ensure Cate's mind doesn't collapse while allowing her to fully awaken her Superpowers]
Dr. Cardosa pondered for a moment, stroking his chin. "Based on my experience, it should be possible, but... during the awakening process, her mind is very likely to collapse from being unable to withstand the surging superpowers. It's like forcibly pouring water into a water cup; the cup walls will shatter from the unbearable pressure."
"Is there no solution?" Xia Shang was unwilling to give up the highly potential superpower, [Cognitive Intrusion].
Dr. Cardosa frowned. After half a minute, he slowly began, "It's not entirely impossible for her to awaken her true superpowers without her mind collapsing, unless she frequently uses her superpowers. If she does that, her mind will have a process of adaptation. The human mind is like rubber; it has a certain degree of flexibility. As long as she continuously uses her superpowers during the awakening process, she might be able to adapt to the surging superpowers."
"Understood."
Xia Shang was about to leave but stopped.
"Oh, right. How is the research progress on Sam's side?"
"It's not going very smoothly. Like Cate, his mind has also developed problems, but compared to Cate, his drug resistance is a bit stronger." Dr. Cardosa led Xia Shang to the door of the Monitoring Room.
The brainwashed Guard, upon seeing Xia Shang, pushed open the door to the Monitoring Room without hesitation.
"The virus capable of restraining superpowers is already showing initial results," Cardosa said, pointing to one of the monitoring screens.
"The Supe in this Room is nineteen years old, his Name is Chic. He was previously arrested by the Federal Bureau of Superhuman Affairs for Crime, and later Shetty requested him. His superpower is similar to Golden Boy's; he can continuously release flames."
Cardosa spoke while pressing a green button on the control panel.
"This button makes a piercing noise ring out in the Room. Supes are generally sensitive to noise, so once the noise starts, their emotions will go out of control, causing them to unleash their superpowers."
(End of Chapter)
Hughie picked up the half-empty can of nerve agent from the table, shaking it gently as he muttered, "Starlight spent a fortune buying this stuff. Can't waste it, there's still a good bit left."
"I advise you to put that down quickly. If the Novichok leaks, everyone here will die because of your clumsy hands," Mother's Milk said. The Novichok he mentioned was widely recognized as the world's deadliest nerve agent, its toxicity surpassing over a hundred types of organophosphorus nerve agents, truly the king of toxins.
"It won't be that bad, will it? This can should be well-sealed." Hughie subconsciously held his breath, then reluctantly put down the iron canister.
"I don't care how you plan to deal with Homelander next, but if you want my help, you have to take care of Black Noir first." Soldier Boy, standing nearby, felt a surge of energy after inhaling the contraband. He brushed off the remaining powder from his hands, picked up the shield by his feet, and walked over to Billy.
"Help me kill Black Noir, and I'll help you kill Homelander. What do you say? Want to cooperate with me?"
Before Billy could answer, Starlight, dressed in plain clothes, said with some difficulty, "Killing Black Noir probably won't be easy. Aside from some large public events, he basically stays in Vought Tower all day, like a robot, only doing what Vought programs him to do. I've tried to approach him, but it didn't have much effect. If we want to kill him, we'd have to sneak into Vought Tower and also avoid Homelander and the others."
"Let's wait a bit longer. We need to formulate a detailed plan."
Hughie preferred to be cautious. After all, one slip-up could lead to the entire team's demise.
"By the time you figure out a plan, Homelander will be old and dead. Besides, when have your plans ever succeeded? If you ask me, we should just storm Vought Tower, take out Black Noir, and if Homelander dares to stop us, we'll just kill him too."
Soldier Boy's patience was limited. Coupled with the failure of the plan to kill Mr. Jervis this time, it had made him deeply suspicious of Billy and the others' intelligence. Since he couldn't rely on their plans, he might as well follow his own ideas.
Sometimes, being simple and direct could yield miraculous results.
"Let me think about it." Repeated injections of temporary Compound V put a heavy burden on the body, so Billy wanted to take a break.
"Half a month. I'll give you half a month, tops. If the time is up and you still haven't come up with a good method, you'll have to listen to my opinion. Otherwise, I don't mind killing all of you myself and going after Black Noir and Homelander alone." Soldier Boy, having delivered his ultimatum, picked up his shield and walked towards the exit of the underground passage.
"In some ways, this guy is worse than Homelander." Watching Soldier Boy's retreating back, Billy said with a grim expression.
…………
Godolkin Underground Research Base.
Dr. Cardosa, in charge of virus research and development, handed a report to Xia Shang.
"Shetty has always wanted me to develop a virus that can control superpowers, and the drug that suppresses Cate's superpowers is a derivative of that virus." The brainwashed Dr. Cardosa completely regarded Xia Shang as his most trusted person, thus answering almost every question Xia Shang posed.
"It's clear that drug is just a semi-finished product," Xia Shang said softly, flipping through the report in his hand.
"That's right. Although that drug can suppress superpowers, it also affects the user's mind. Based on my long-term observation, Cate's mental state has become extremely unstable, with a constant risk of collapse."
Dr. Cardosa picked up the medicine bottle from the table and poured a pill into his palm. "Among numerous experiment subjects, Cate has lasted the longest. Some Supes would go completely mad the moment they took the drug, but Cate is different. She's very special. Her innate superpowers are a huge burden to her."
"Why?" Xia Shang asked.
"Because she can't control her superpowers. That's why, when she was a child, her brother disappeared and hasn't been found since."
"And this drug I have can happen to help her suppress her superpowers. It's like a child being unable to lift a truck; if you replace the truck with a toy car, Cate can easily lift it."
After hearing Dr. Cardosa's words, Xia Shang guessed that Shetty likely controlled Cate by exploiting her dependence on the drug.
"If she doesn't take the drug for a long time, can Cate awaken her true superpowers?" Xia Shang summoned his panel and looked at the fusion condition for the talent skill as he spoke.
[Fusion Condition: Ensure Cate's mind doesn't collapse while allowing her to fully awaken her Superpowers]
Dr. Cardosa pondered for a moment, stroking his chin. "Based on my experience, it should be possible, but... during the awakening process, her mind is very likely to collapse from being unable to withstand the surging superpowers. It's like forcibly pouring water into a water cup; the cup walls will shatter from the unbearable pressure."
"Is there no solution?" Xia Shang was unwilling to give up the highly potential superpower, [Cognitive Intrusion].
Dr. Cardosa frowned. After half a minute, he slowly began, "It's not entirely impossible for her to awaken her true superpowers without her mind collapsing, unless she frequently uses her superpowers. If she does that, her mind will have a process of adaptation. The human mind is like rubber; it has a certain degree of flexibility. As long as she continuously uses her superpowers during the awakening process, she might be able to adapt to the surging superpowers."
"Understood."
Xia Shang was about to leave but stopped.
"Oh, right. How is the research progress on Sam's side?"
"It's not going very smoothly. Like Cate, his mind has also developed problems, but compared to Cate, his drug resistance is a bit stronger." Dr. Cardosa led Xia Shang to the door of the Monitoring Room.
The brainwashed Guard, upon seeing Xia Shang, pushed open the door to the Monitoring Room without hesitation.
"The virus capable of restraining superpowers is already showing initial results," Cardosa said, pointing to one of the monitoring screens.
"The Supe in this Room is nineteen years old, his Name is Chic. He was previously arrested by the Federal Bureau of Superhuman Affairs for Crime, and later Shetty requested him. His superpower is similar to Golden Boy's; he can continuously release flames."
Cardosa spoke while pressing a green button on the control panel.
"This button makes a piercing noise ring out in the Room. Supes are generally sensitive to noise, so once the noise starts, their emotions will go out of control, causing them to unleash their superpowers."
(End of Chapter)
