Improved Serum

"Doctor, what exactly happened?" Chen Mo asked seriously.

"Do you remember the suggestion you made before leaving for Europe?" Dr. Erskine asked, looking at Chen Mo.

"You mean improving the Super Soldier Serum to increase the success rate of enhancement?" Chen Mo remembered that whether it was the original serum before its improvement or the Enhanced Serum injected into him and Steve, neither had been completely successful in animal trials.

Although the test animals' bodies had been successfully enhanced, without exception, they seemed to endure immense pain during the process. They struggled desperately, quickly lost consciousness, fell into comas, and ultimately died.

Post-experiment examinations found that their brains had been overstimulated beyond what they could endure, causing brain death.

They concluded that this was because the physical alterations during enhancement were too drastic, bringing intense pain with them. Later experiments confirmed this.

Thus, the existing enhancement serum placed extremely high demands on the recipient's willpower. Once they could not endure the pain of enhancement, they would end up like the experimental animals—fall into a coma and ultimately suffer brain death.

So Chen Mo had suggested that Dr. Erskine improve the serum, making the enhancement process gentler and reducing the pain of transformation, thereby lowering the need for willpower and increasing the success rate.

Now, it seemed that Dr. Erskine had succeeded.

"That's right. I researched along the direction you suggested and found that improvement was indeed possible. Based on some of the theories you proposed, I conducted further research and experiments, and finally succeeded in developing the Improved Serum."

Dr. Erskine smiled proudly.

"The animal trials were a complete success. Though they struggled violently during enhancement, they did not fall unconscious. Everything was normal after the experiments ended."

Chen Mo looked at Dr. Erskine and asked in a certain tone, "So you used yourself for the human trial?"

"That's right. I succeeded, didn't I?" Dr. Erskine smiled breezily.

Chen Mo shook his head helplessly. Normally, the proper procedure was to first test it on death row prisoners or volunteers. After all, experiments carried certain risks. If a scientist tested it on himself and failed, the entire project would come to an end.

But Dr. Erskine was far too kindhearted. If not for orders from his superiors, along with Red Skull's successful precedent, Dr. Erskine would never have allowed Steve to undergo the experiment.

"Doctor! I hope this never happens a second time!" Chen Mo said sternly.

"You are the core of the entire Super Soldier Project and one of the most important core members of S.H.I.E.L.D. If anything happens to you, the consequences would be unimaginable!"

Rather than being angered by Chen Mo's attitude, Dr. Erskine smiled gently. "As you command, Commander!"

At that moment, Howard suddenly rushed over with his eyes gleaming.

"Doctor, does that mean I can be enhanced too?"

As Howard spoke, he was practically drooling. Thinking of Chen Mo's powerful physical abilities, Howard could not wait to undergo enhancement immediately, then finally turn things around and repay every bit of bullying he had suffered at Chen Mo's hands!

Thinking of this, Howard looked at Chen Mo with a somewhat eager expression.

"You can. But I forgot to mention that because the Improved Serum makes the enhancement process gentler, its effects are considerably weaker than both the original and the Enhanced Serum. After enhancement, all physical attributes will be roughly three times those of an ordinary person. The advantage is that there is no need for Vita-Ray exposure. As long as you replenish enough nutrients, a direct serum injection can complete the enhancement."

Howard immediately deflated at those words. Then he thought about it again. Even Steve, after receiving the Enhanced Serum, was no match for Chen Mo. He had better stop dreaming. It seemed he would never be able to turn things around in this lifetime.

Feeling Chen Mo's teasing gaze, Howard looked like he wanted to cry but had no tears.

Then Dr. Erskine suddenly added, "Also, I specifically researched the issue of lifespan and bodily freezing that you mentioned."

"A body enhanced by the serum has extremely active cells. After freezing, the body's metabolism nearly comes to a halt, but once thawed, the cells can quickly regain their activity. During that period, life is practically frozen!"

"In other words, your idea of halting the body's aging through freezing is feasible!"

"Additionally, I had indeed overlooked the issue of lifespan before. While enhancing the body, the serum also strengthens cellular vitality, greatly slowing cellular aging."

"Originally, only you and Steve had successfully undergone enhancement, so there was no real basis for comparison. After the Improved Serum succeeded, I specifically conducted animal trials. The results showed that the lifespans of serum-enhanced animals were indeed greatly extended!"

"The changes that occurred in me prove it as well!"

Howard instantly perked up again.

"Then what are we waiting for? Doctor, enhance me now!"

The enhancement process with the Improved Serum went very smoothly. Although Howard howled in pain midway through, he still successfully completed the enhancement.

After getting down from the experimental chair, Howard carefully felt the changes in his body.

His previously untrained body seemed filled with inexhaustible strength. When he threw a punch with force, it actually produced a sharp whistle through the air.

Howard was thrilled. He tried jumping straight up again and leapt more than two meters into the air, startling himself so badly that he nearly lost his footing and fell when he landed.

Beaming, Howard hurried to the mirror, eager to see whether he had become as tall and muscular as Chen Mo and Steve.

The result, apparently, disappointed him somewhat. Though the Improved Serum was still remarkably effective, allowing one to reach three times the physical ability of an ordinary person, with strength, agility, endurance, and other attributes all becoming extremely powerful.

But perhaps because it did not break through the limits of the human body, the physical changes were not especially dramatic. Outwardly, he merely looked straighter and sturdier than before, rather than undergoing the massive transformation Steve had.

Seeing Howard's disappointment, Dr. Erskine smiled faintly, stepped forward, and patted him on the shoulder.

"Didn't you notice?"

Howard did not quite understand.

"Notice what?"

Dr. Erskine pointed to his own head.

Howard focused and felt carefully. A look of delighted surprise bloomed in his eyes.

"Oh my God! My brain!"

"My thinking speed is so fast! And my memory!"

"God, this feels incredible!"

Watching Howard excitedly shout and yell beside him, Chen Mo could not help rolling his eyes. What a hopeless fool!

Dr. Erskine merely smiled at the sight. He himself had only just completed enhancement, and after feeling the enormous improvements in his thinking, analysis, memory, and other mental abilities, he had not behaved much better than Howard.

"We should all thank you." Dr. Erskine looked at Chen Mo and spoke earnestly.

Seeing Chen Mo open his mouth to respond, Dr. Erskine waved a hand to stop him.

"In my view, the value of the Improved Serum is limitless. It allows ordinary people like us to undergo enhancement as well."

"Beyond improved physical abilities and extended lifespans, the most important thing is its enhancement of the brain. It has brought enormous help to our scientific research. During this period, many difficult problems that had troubled me for a long time have been solved one by one. Every experiment and research project has become effortless, and everything suddenly seems so simple."

"You know what this means to a scientist—and what it means to this world."