Marvel: A Lazy-Ass Superman Chapter 658: Opening the Black Box

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Most of the information on the disc had already been obtained by Oscorp from the Indian side after applying pressure and securing the original materials Henry had provided.

Comparing the two sets of data, they were essentially identical.

The differences, however, were precisely what Norman Osborn cared about most.

Specifically, the "black box" within the pharmaceutical production line—the mysterious device that the Indian companies had referred to as the "Filter."

This set of documents explained it in detail.

Henry had never intended to hide that part.

For one thing, a mid-sized Indian pharmaceutical company was not on the same level as Oscorp. If he wanted someone like Norman Osborn to exercise caution, he needed to demonstrate enough value to make himself worth dealing with.

Just as he had done with Tony Stark.

Secondly, Henry was admittedly a little curious about what might happen to the Green Goblin serum if Oscorp was indeed still conducting related research.

Thirdly, the disc naturally contained a few little surprises of its own.

Opportunities to infiltrate the internal servers of a company on Oscorp's level didn't come around every day.

So Henry had generously scattered some bait.

---

The device's official designation in the documents was:

Nano-Scale Filtration and Purification Unit.

One of its functions was easy enough for everyone to understand.

Simply put, it removed impurities and purified materials to an astonishing purity level of 99.9999999%.

However, the methods used to achieve that purification incorporated numerous groundbreaking innovations.

Its second function involved pharmaceutical solutions.

Using a process somewhat similar to electrolysis, the machine converted substances into nano-scale particles.

Any powder that failed to meet specifications would be filtered out and sent back through the manufacturing cycle until every encapsulated particle met the required nano-scale standard.

That portion, however, was completely beyond the comprehension of the biotechnology researchers present.

The documents contained far too much knowledge and technology that exceeded Earth's current scientific capabilities.

The concept of nanotechnology itself wasn't new.

Academic discussions regarding it had existed as far back as 1959.

Yet even now it remained largely confined to laboratory research, with relatively little practical application.

---

The United States, moving faster than any other nation, was already preparing to submit a national nanotechnology initiative to Congress in the near future.

That was information available only to someone operating at Norman Osborn's level.

And yet here sat a fully functional real-world application.

Its success in India demonstrated that it achieved effects no one had anticipated.

The documentation didn't merely include blueprints and operating instructions.

It contained the technical principles behind every step, the underlying scientific knowledge, and extensive research reports.

If properly organized, the material could easily produce more than ten papers worthy of publication in major international scientific journals.

Some researchers, trembling with excitement, privately believed the work could earn Nobel Prizes for several consecutive years.

As for patentable technologies?

There were even more.

Every one of them occupied entirely blank territory in humanity's current knowledge base and patent records.

After all, the machine wasn't simply throwing materials through some mysterious process and magically producing nano-particles.

It included self-testing procedures and automatic recycling of substandard products back into the manufacturing process.

The complexity involved was on an entirely different level.

---

After spending an hour listening to his researchers repeatedly alternate between:

"How is this even possible?"

and

"This actually might work!"

Norman Osborn finally interrupted their increasingly obsessive enthusiasm.

He pulled the MD disc from the drive and held down the laptop's power button, forcing the machine to shut off.

The researcher who had been nearly possessed by the information on the screen immediately opened his mouth to protest.

Then he turned around and saw who had done it.

The face every employee in Oscorp feared.

His outrage vanished instantly.

"One question."

Holding the MD disc between two fingers, Norman asked,

"The information in here is genuine, isn't it?"

"Well... there are still parts I don't fully understand—"

"I don't care whether you understand it."

Norman cut him off.

"I want to know whether you can build that machine with this information."

"Yes, we can. There are just some underlying principles I don't quite—"

"Stop advertising your ignorance."

Norman stared at the stereotypical engineer who couldn't adapt his answers to the situation.

Then he handed the MD disc to the department director.

"Form a dedicated project team. Highest possible classification level."

"Verify every technology described here. Once confirmed, file patents immediately."

"Begin clinical trials for the Alzheimer's treatment at once. Push it through the FDA process as quickly as possible."

Most importantly—

"Build the nano-purification unit."

"And reevaluate the entire Super Soldier Serum project from the ground up."

---

The research director possessed sufficient authority to raise professional concerns.

So he cautiously said,

"Mr. Osborn, the documentation specifically states that materials can exhibit behaviors and properties different from their macroscopic state after nano-scale processing."

"If we apply this directly to the Super Soldier Serum project, could it produce undesirable effects?"

"The documents also devote considerable attention to the environmental hazards posed by nano-scale substances."

At the mention of the perpetually stagnant project, Norman's temper flared.

"Then test it."

"Find solutions."

"Isn't that your job?"

"If I already knew the answers, why would I need any of you?"

"Yes, Mr. Osborn."

The director immediately backed down.

Possessing the authority to offer advice and objections did not mean possessing the courage to challenge Norman Osborn directly.

Such a person likely didn't exist anywhere on Earth.

---

Once the orders had been issued, the first step was securing the MD disc.

A specialized safe was brought in to store it.

As a corporation that frequently worked on military contracts, Oscorp already had established procedures for handling classified materials.

There was no need for Norman to personally guard the data.

Although the detour had delayed the rest of his schedule, Norman Osborn found himself in an unusually good mood.

Losing one researcher in exchange for something this valuable?

That was a trade worth making.

A pity such opportunities didn't come around often.

---

By ordinary standards, the logical next step would be to recruit Henry Brown at all costs.

However, Norman recalled a certain group that had once approached him claiming to represent a secret organization.

They had informed him that the researcher was one of Henry Brown's targets.

Several individuals with similar backgrounds had already died at Henry's hands.

They had also claimed Henry was an alien.

At the time, their cooperation had produced no results.

Norman had eventually concluded they were lying.

Now it appeared they had been telling the truth.

The only difference was that Henry Brown hadn't chosen assassination.

Instead, he had deliberately walked straight into the trap Norman had prepared.

If that part was true...

Then were the rest of their claims true as well?

---

If Henry could casually produce technology that surpassed Earth's current scientific level, did that mean he possessed even more extraterrestrial technology?

Norman found it difficult to believe that a person with no formal education could independently develop:

cinematic-grade digital imaging technology,

Alzheimer's medication,

nano-scale purification systems,

and numerous other advanced technologies across completely unrelated fields.

So should he simply seize the alien technology by force?

If Henry were an ordinary person, Norman wouldn't hesitate for a second.

But today, someone had silently placed an MD disc on the desk inside his private study.

That act felt less like fulfilling a business agreement and more like a demonstration.

A warning.

Combined with the earlier trap that Henry had cleverly avoided, it no longer looked like luck.

Nor did it look like fear of Norman's influence.

Rather, Henry had recognized the trap for what it was and simply chosen not to step into it.

Until he understood exactly how Henry was accomplishing these things, Norman Osborn had no intention of openly turning against him.

Reckless actions taken with poor odds of success weren't bravery.

They weren't even worthy of being called a gamble.

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