Laboratory Expansion Plan

Boss lady, your focus seems a little off… Fitz froze for a moment before answering, "I’m not too sure. You should ask Simmons about that. For some reason, she’s very sensitive about money. Scientists shouldn’t be like that. Well, a complete set of equipment would probably cost over ten million dollars, and that wouldn’t even be the best kind."

Over ten million?

Skye’s eyes instantly turned into dollar signs. She could practically see countless little bills flying out of her wallet. That feeling…

It hurt so much!

"Buy it!"

Old Wang knew Skye too well, so he quickly sealed her mouth with True Qi, then comforted her. "It’s not like we’ll only use it once. We’ll make the money back soon enough."

The Titanium Alloy Staff and Titanium Alloy Gauntlets were no longer really suitable for him, and they had suffered some damage. Old Wang planned to remake them into a Guiding Cane and give it to Daredevil, Matt. He was an expert with a staff.

Stick and Black Sky Elektra also needed better weapons, as well as custom-made high-tech uniforms.

The only one who would save them some money was Ghost Rider Robbie. Anything corroded by Hellfire was his weapon—and his ride.

"In my name, place an order with S.H.I.E.L.D… Go directly to Director Fury."

Old Wang spread his five fingers and shook his left hand. "I’ll give you fifty million. We can’t afford a first-rate laboratory, but we absolutely need a second-rate one."

The laboratories of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s technology division were naturally first-rate. Leaving aside the construction costs, their annual research funding alone was probably several hundred million, or even one or two billion, perhaps several billion. Stark Industries spent well over ten billion a year on research.

Old Wang did not have that kind of money.

Pairing first-rate scientists with a second-rate laboratory was already an injustice to them. Naturally, Old Wang would do his best to meet Fitz’s requests.

If there were not so few researchers and so few research projects at present, Old Wang might have simply thrown in five hundred million.

Money in hand did not count as money.

Only money spent counted.

"The laboratory must be expanded, and it has to be done fast."

Old Wang said, "It would be best if it could be completed within a month. The area has to be large enough to encompass the entire abandoned factory… No, that still isn’t enough. Buy the land around it too. Contact Director Fury and ask him to help. I helped him deal with the Winter Soldier and Crossbones, kept the Obelisk out of Hydra’s hands, and even saved Coulson and May. He owes me several favors. It’s time for him to repay them."

Fitz was stunned.

Boss, are you sure he owes you favors? Would he even acknowledge them?

Why do I feel like he wants to eat you alive?

"Recruit researchers and engineers publicly. They don’t necessarily have to be trustworthy, but they must be capable."

Old Wang continued, "Contact your classmates, teachers, Lucy, Eli’s classmates and teachers, and your former colleagues at S.H.I.E.L.D. No matter how much S.H.I.E.L.D. pays them, I’ll pay double—at least double. Top scientists can get up to ten times as much. Tell them I have the best research projects here. That should be a bigger draw."

Fitz did not know what to say.

Boss, the director won’t just want to eat you alive. He’ll want to eat me alive too.

You’re big, so you’re the main course. I’m small, so I’m the appetizer…

"Tony announced that Stark Industries was shutting down its weapons division. Quite a few people were poached, so we can try poaching some too."

After thinking for a moment, Old Wang added, "We’ll leave that to fate. Stark Industries pays too well. We can’t compete."

At least you have some self-awareness, Boss… Fitz hurriedly nodded.

"The laboratory’s security is extremely important. It must be guarded by strong and reliable people." Old Wang recalled a very important issue.

The Winter Soldier, The Hand’s Five Fingers, a section of dragon bone, a vast amount of knowledge copied from the Darkhold, laboratory equipment worth over ten million dollars, and these scientists—none of these could be measured by wealth alone.

If they really counted it all up, this laboratory, established less than three months ago, was worth even more than a multinational corporation at the bottom of the Fortune 500.

"Uh, Dr. Eli hired more than a dozen veterans as security guards, and we purchased security equipment worth one million dollars from S.H.I.E.L.D."

Fitz hesitated before saying somewhat awkwardly, "Director Fury also sent over a special forces squad. He said it was free assistance for an ally, so there was no need to inform you… They arrived an hour ago."

Old Wang chuckled. Fury, do you think I don’t know what that Egghead of yours is plotting every day?

If you weren’t afraid I’d storm into Triskelion Headquarters and beat people up, you’d probably have tried to seize everything already, wouldn’t you?

"Those people aren’t reliable."

Old Wang narrowed his panda eyes into slits. "I’ll send someone over."

Never mind the people Egghead had sent.

As for those veterans, who knew how many were S.H.I.E.L.D. agents and how many were Hydra agents?

The entire world belonged to S.H.I.E.L.D., but at its root, it belonged to Hydra.

The laboratory was both a prize and bait.

They could not let Hydra truly swallow it.

"It’s time to go."

After drawing blood and taking samples, Fitz returned to the laboratory to conduct research, while Old Wang took Skye out into sparsely populated areas.

He could not spend twenty-four hours a day trading shockwaves with Skye either. Life needed loftier pursuits and pleasures. Flesh and blood needed to be elevated; it could not remain forever at the primitive level.

Skye’s Inhuman ability was a major problem. One careless mistake could cause a man-made disaster on the scale of a natural catastrophe.

They could only stay far away from populated areas and minimize the damage as much as possible.

Of course, they would definitely not leave San Juan.

The guests had not arrived yet. How could the host leave?

Skye was very smart. Three years of martial arts training had strengthened her mind considerably, and her control over her body had reached a level beyond that of elite athletes. In only a few days, she had gained a basic familiarity with her shockwave ability.

This ability was easy to learn but difficult to master. It required not only constant experimentation, but also a certain level of scientific knowledge—

Without knowing the resonant frequency, how could one trigger resonance?

Even if she could experiment slowly, she could not test every frequency. She needed at least a general range.

Fortunately, Skye’s IQ was not low, and with Old Wang accompanying her, she studied diligently.

Skye’s ability covered an enormous range. She could even manipulate ultrasonic and infrasonic waves. This ability might be difficult to use against godlike beings such as Hulk and Thor, but against somewhat weaker enemies, such as Black Widow or Hawkeye, it was absolutely one of the most powerful area-of-effect abilities.

In other parallel universes, Skye had even shattered Wolverine’s heart, knocked Magneto unconscious, and fought Sentry.

Old Wang had high hopes for her.

But he would not be overly impatient. Neither a right-hand woman nor a left-hand man was his head, much less his legs. Whether Quake or Ghost Rider, they were only external strength—only helpers.

In life, the only person one could truly rely on was oneself.

As the days passed, some strange people slipped into the vast city of San Juan.

Through a secret channel, Daredevil, Stick, and Black Sky Elektra quietly arrived at the Darkhold Laboratory, leaving only Ghost Rider Robbie and his younger brother to watch the shop and, when the night was quiet, maintain law and order in New York.

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Hydra members were both investigating the suddenly appeared underground ancient city, and among them, a crucial figure had already emerged.