บท 189: Bio Battle Armor - Scorpion
At Oscorp, Norman Osborn wore a cold expression as he set down his phone. The "American Military-Industrial Club" had proven its prowess by intercepting critical information firsthand.
"That old guy really did betray me after all," Norman muttered, conveniently forgetting that it was he who first decided to cut ties with Ethan.
Suddenly, the sound of wheels clattering filled the room as a surgical table, with a person strapped to it, was pushed into the operating room. Norman, donning his long-unworn white lab coat, was accompanied by two assistant scientists—new friends provided by his benefactors.
The man strapped to the table was terrified, desperately trying to scream, but his mouth was gagged. His limbs flailed in vain against the restraints holding him down.
Norman put on his mask and gestured to his assistants. "Begin the procedure."
They injected the restrained man with a hefty dose of sedatives, quickly sending him into a peaceful sleep. Above the operating table, robotic arms extended, preparing to install green metal components.
In a separate room, a man was observing the surgery through a camera. Watching the scene unfold, he clapped in approval, saying, "Excellent, excellent—now this is the kind of innovation I expect from a high-tech enterprise. Mr. Osborn, care to explain your invention?"
As Norman made incisions into the subject's skin and began implanting electronic components, he explained, "Dr. Otto has been researching a neural interface device designed to convert mechanical signals, electrical signals, and biological signals, allowing humans to control mechanical prosthetics without delay. However, as you can see, the technology still has significant flaws. It's currently only suitable for simple medical machinery, but even then, it has issues such as high latency and frequent errors due to the body's immune responses and psychological factors."
Norman paused before adding, "What Otto doesn't know is that I've been secretly improving the technology myself."
"I call this invention the 'Scorpion Armor,' a powerful biological weapon. The armor's exoskeleton is inspired by the outer structure of a scorpion, capable of withstanding immense pressure."
The exoskeleton was directly connected to the subject's nervous system and bones through incisions, essentially welding it to the body.
"And it has a scorpion's tail, crafted from a high-strength alloy of my own design. The force it can generate is enough to topple an armored vehicle, and the tip can easily pierce through the armor of a main battle tank, like slicing through butter."
The tail was fitted with a sharp neuro-stimulator, which was implanted into the subject's tailbone, piercing the bone and connecting to the spinal cord.
"The tail isn't just for physical attacks. The armor is also equipped with a range of biochemical weapons: tear gas, poisonous gas, corrosives—anything you can think of, all developed with Oscorp's proprietary formulas. These were sponsored by the military, but due to humanitarian treaties, they were never deployed on the battlefield."
The tail was fully integrated, and the armor's complex system, along with its biochemical weaponry, was nearing completion.
Looking at the nearly-finished suit of armor, Norman shook his head with a tinge of regret.
"There is one flaw though—due to its structure, which violates human biomechanics, and the additional neural components, the wearer is unlikely to control the armor properly. It could lead to catastrophic bone fractures, nerve damage, and other issues. This is the same challenge that Otto's neural interface hasn't been able to solve."
He continued, "But if the armor can't adapt to the human body, then the human body must adapt to the armor. I plan to introduce scorpion genes into the wearer's system."
The man observing through the camera appeared intrigued. "But didn't you say that the Lizard serum isn't in your possession? Where did you get this technology?"
"Ah, my friend, don't underestimate Oscorp. We've mastered genetic modification for a long time, although we've struggled to create the perfect genetic blend and integrate it into humans. Even the finished serum in Connors' possession has serious issues, such as uncontrollable aggression."
"Now, I'm attempting to solve this problem—this armor comes equipped with biological monitoring systems. It can track vital signs, regulate hormone levels, and balance the wearer's physiology in real-time. You can think of the suit as constantly working to keep its wearer in peak physical condition."
Norman left out one crucial detail: Oscorp was indeed far behind the International Genetic Cooperative in terms of genetic technology. The scorpion serum would almost certainly kill the subject, but the question was how long it would take and how horrific the death would be.
Norman, however, did add, "Yes, the armor has its flaws, but that's why human trials are necessary, isn't it?"
The man on the screen applauded in approval, "Exactly, that's the spirit of scientific exploration."
The surgery was a success, and the man was now fully encased in the green Scorpion Armor. The only feature that distinguished him from the armor was the orange-red lenses covering his eyes.
Norman, satisfied with his creation, concluded the modification.
"There were supposed to be three suits in the Bio Battle Armor series. The Scorpion Armor is for special tasks. One was meant for front-line combat, and the last was for air superiority."
"Unfortunately, the military cut funding before we could finish them."
"That was before you met your new friend—me. Mr. Osborn, let's see how your creation performs, and then we'll take full control of Dr. Otto's project. I'm also quite interested in the other two suits. Why don't you restart the research now?"
"Of course. But for the air superiority suit, we'll need to get some technology from an old stubborn man. You might've heard his name: Adrian Toomes."
"Oh, I know him well—a master of electronics and mechanical engineering. Don't worry, we'll handle it."
Norman took a sip of water, staring at his masterpiece. The part of him that had once been a cautious scientist, guided by ethics, was gradually fading away.
He had broken through the limitations of weak morality, reaching a level that the old Norman Osborn could never have achieved.
The conversation ended on a satisfied note. "It's been a pleasure working with you, Mr. Osborn," the man on the screen said.
"And with you," Norman replied.
Meanwhile, preparations were underway for Ethan's trial, and the news that Ethan was ready to turn state witness shocked everyone. Just days ago, he had remained stubbornly defiant.
However, Leo wasn't surprised. Ethan had enjoyed the high life under Oscorp's backing for years. Now that the company was cooperating with the investigation, it was no surprise that he would flip.
Leo shrugged, "Not everyone has the courage to face prison time—especially when they can sell out their partners. Ethan claims that Oscorp directed him to use an unknown serum that led to the students' lizard-like transformations. He's still trying to muddy the waters by mixing up the cause of their deaths and cancers."
"But once we recreate the events in court, the judge will determine who's really responsible. Today's goal is to wrap this case up. It'll help your case a lot, Peter, so stand tall."
Peter nodded firmly at Leo.
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