Prototype: The Genesis of Evolution
Chapter 22

Dr. Otto

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Never mind the upcoming love-hate saga between Spider-Man and the Green Goblin. Chen Changsheng was already driving to Dr. Otto's home to discuss a partnership with him, though this time Chen Changsheng's stated reason for visiting was "a dialogue between college students and renowned scientists"...

That was the excuse Chen Changsheng had come up with for himself. After all, in the eyes of outsiders, Chen Changsheng had always been someone who majored in biology.

After exchanging ideas with Dr. Otto, Chen Changsheng's greatest impression was that he was a pure scholar.

Dr. Otto's greatest ambition was to complete the Nuclear Fusion experiment and contribute his share to the advancement of human technology.

After happily chatting with Dr. Otto for a while, Chen Changsheng learned that Otto was not only an expert in nuclear physics, but also highly skilled in mechanical manufacturing and software engineering.

Chen Changsheng naturally believed Dr. Otto's words. After all, he was the future Doctor Octopus.

Not to mention those four mechanical arms, which were far more flexible than human arms—that alone was the best proof. And then there was the Nuclear Fusion Reactor designed by Dr. Otto.

After talking with him, Chen Changsheng felt that Dr. Otto was more suited to being his friend than Tony Stark. After all, a man who earnestly taught others, loved being a teacher, and worked tirelessly for the advancement of human technology was more trustworthy than a playboy.

Coincidentally, Dr. Otto had currently fallen into a bottleneck in his research. Without an infusion of funds, it would be difficult for him to achieve anything greater.

At the same time, Otto's mind had been overworked for far too long. He should relax a little and take a break. He was not a robot, after all.

Chen Changsheng invited Dr. Otto to design some professional support weapons for his Bio-Tyrant and offered Otto a considerable sum of money.

This was a piece of cake for Dr. Otto. Money was not important. As one of the world's top nuclear physicists, Dr. Otto was not short of small sums. What he lacked was the billions needed to build an Artificial Sun...

After Chen Changsheng described his requirements for the Tyrant's weapons, Dr. Otto immediately said that he already had some ideas.

Good grief, was this the world of the greats? He was practically on par with Tony Stark. Chen Changsheng, a pseudo-genius, trembled in fear.

After happily saying goodbye to Dr. Otto, Chen Changsheng went to see Dr. Connors as well.

Dr. Connors had officially joined Umbrella Corporation. Chen Changsheng had even given him the title of Chief of Umbrella Corporation's Biological Research Department, with his sole responsibility being the study of genetic fusion.

Chen Changsheng allowed Dr. Connors to recruit his own scientists. As for their salaries, they would be paid at the highest level in the industry.

Chen Changsheng had not restored Dr. Connors's severed arm. After all, need created motivation. He believed Connors would soon develop the potion Chen Changsheng wanted.

Without his former emotional burden, Dr. Connors became even more enthusiastic. Every day, he devoted himself entirely to tense research work. He had already made great progress on the temporarily controllable genetic Enhancement Potion, and it would not be long before he achieved results.

Although these things could not be monetized yet, their future prospects were certainly vast. After all, internal superiority had always been one of humanity's most enduring obsessions.

Gene potions that could cure disabilities would be the most promising project in the future. Who could say they would remain healthy for their entire lives? Sooner or later, everyone would have to deal with a company like his.

Overall, Dr. Connors's life had become much better, and he was much happier as well.

The only thing that saddened Dr. Connors was that his favorite student, Peter Parker, had already left him. Even though Dr. Connors repeatedly invited Peter to his laboratory, Peter continued to refuse. There was now a rift between them.

Dr. Connors knew why. After all, during the battle in the sewers, the two of them had seen through each other's identities. Even the most broad-minded person would inevitably harbor some resentment after that.

And Spider-Man was someone who hated evil to the bone.

Whether it was Peter Parker or Dr. Connors, neither of them could recapture the feeling of being teacher and friend. If they truly stayed together, they would only think of their violent battle in the sewers...

That was why Peter Parker rejected Dr. Connors's invitation and changed his major.

Of course, Peter had his own reasons as well. As Spider-Man, he had no way to devote too much time to taking part in Dr. Connors's endless research.

One day, Peter Parker would realize what he had missed, but he probably would not regret it. After all, he was Spider-Man, the good friend of the citizens of New York City.

When faced with a choice between advancing human technology in the future and protecting the citizens of New York City, Peter chose the latter. Who could say that was wrong? It was simply a pity that Peter had such a brilliant mind.

Peter had now joined the Daily Bugle family. Starting his working life as an intern reporter, he finally realized how difficult it had been for Aunt May to work two jobs to put him through school.

Chen Changsheng was happy to accept all these changes. Everyone had to grow, and a genius like Peter needed to mature even faster.

Just like Uncle Ben's death—it had not driven Peter's growth?

With great power came great responsibility.

Superheroes had their own pursuits, and they had the ability to balance their lives and dreams. Chen Changsheng did not possess that ability, so he could only devote himself wholeheartedly to living.

What should he do with the rest of the day? It was getting late. He might as well go to Gwen's house and mooch a meal first.

Captain George had been exhausted after a full day's work. When he dragged his tired body home, he saw a happy family.

A virtuous wife, a beautiful daughter, and two adorable but mischievous sons—George felt that his life was completely fulfilled. He was deeply satisfied, and even the fatigue of the day faded considerably. This was the warmth of home.

Hmm? Wait, who was that man sitting in the seat that belonged to him? Damn it, it was Jack again. It was bad enough that he was exchanging flirtatious glances with Gwen, but why was he sitting so close? And take your dirty hands off her!

George coughed heavily to announce his return, but awkwardly, no one looked toward the door. The two boys, just like Gwen, were clinging to Chen Changsheng and who knew what they were doing.

At that moment, George wanted to sing a song: I played blind to match your performance, but unfortunately, no one was willing to listen.

He angrily walked over to his precious daughter. Only then did the family seem to suddenly notice George, and they all called out together, "Dad."

With everyone's eyes turning toward him, George felt that he was finally receiving the attention he deserved. After coughing lightly, George prepared to give a little speech, but at that moment, Helen's voice came from the kitchen.

"George, are you home? Perfect timing. Dinner's ready."

"Okay."

"Yay!"

George's two sons ran toward the dining room first. Gwen and Chen Changsheng followed hand in hand, leaving George, who had been preparing to give a speech, standing awkwardly in front of the empty television.

All kinds of dishes covered the dining table. No one in the family started eating. On one hand, they were waiting for George; on the other, they were listening to Chen Changsheng tell a story.

Only when George reached the table did he hear what Chen Changsheng was saying. It turned out that Chen Changsheng was recounting what had happened with Gwen a few days earlier.

George suddenly felt his stomach churn again. The scene of the Lizard People's severed limbs being thrown into a heap and mixed into bloody sludge remained vividly etched in his mind.

"Did the Lizard People come from the center of the earth?" the two little boys asked, extremely interested in the subject.

"Of course. They lived underground hundreds of millions of years ago, and now they're preparing to counterattack the surface." Chen Changsheng began spouting nonsense without hesitation, making it sound perfectly reasonable and leaving the two boys gasping in excitement.

Listening to Chen Changsheng's nonsense, George felt a toothache coming on. As a police officer with the NYPD, he knew more than most people, especially since Gwen was interning at Osborn Industries. George had even made a point of asking about the matter.

George did know that Chen Changsheng had rescued Gwen ahead of time. In that regard, he was quite satisfied with Chen Changsheng. But still, the boy could not just make things up.

Seeing his sons preparing wholeheartedly to fight for humanity and help defeat the underground Lizard People, George decided to reveal a little information and show off his imposing presence.

"Ahem. Don't listen to Jack's nonsense. Those Lizard People were merely poisoned by bad people and infected with a genetic potion, which turned them into Lizard People. In the end, they were just innocent passersby." George's voice grew lower and deeper as he spoke, eventually taking on a solemn, dignified quality. Clearly, he also knew what had ultimately happened to those innocent people.

Because of the heaviness in George's voice, the family gradually fell silent, unsure how to continue.

George also thought of the people who had recently gone to the NYPD to report that their family members had been taken away by the military and then vanished without a trace. He felt somewhat disappointed as well.

Who could have imagined that 350 people had gone missing, while only 200 had been sent for treatment? Where had the other 150 gone?

With a little thought, George could guess that they had most likely been taken away by certain people for research.

George had also visited Osborn Industries, but the answer he received was that they had only taken in those Lizard People, injected them with an antidote, and sent them all home.

Osborn Industries had all kinds of video records, and its paperwork was complete. George naturally knew they were telling the truth. But that was precisely what worried him: some unknown force had interfered in the Lizard People incident.

However, this was not something a minor police officer like George could get involved in. When he came back to his senses, he found the entire family staring at him, leaving him somewhat embarrassed. Apparently, he had just spaced out.

But what was wrong with that fellow Jack? Why was he winking and grimacing at him?

Following Chen Changsheng's gaze, George finally noticed the situation in front of him. The table was a complete mess, and at some point, a thick layer of food had piled up on the plate before him. It seemed that all the food on the table had ended up there.

After covering up his embarrassment, George finally asked again, "Jack, what are your plans after the semester begins? I heard that you and Gwen both applied to New York University."

Before starting college, Gwen had already found an internship at Osborn Industries, laying the foundation for her future university life.

George saw that Chen Changsheng always looked idle, so he had no choice but to remind the boy. After all, judging from the current situation, this boy really was the most likely to become his son-in-law.

Hearing George's words, Chen Changsheng became unusually serious.

Putting down his utensils, Chen Changsheng glanced at Gwen before saying, "I plan to study hard first, improve my knowledge, and lay a solid foundation for the future. I won't spend too much effort on anything else."

"Mm, very good. Young people should keep their feet on the ground. Completing your studies and finding a good job are what really matter. By the way, aren't you going to find an internship somewhere? Like Gwen? You could also earn some tuition money." Speaking from the perspective of someone with experience, George offered Chen Changsheng some advice.

"Oh, it's fine. Magic Forest has already established its sales channels, and the orders are now booked through the New Year. I just need to proceed step by step. I'll be able to earn enough money to finish my studies. By the way, George, I've started a new company. Can Gwen come work for me? I guarantee she'll receive the best treatment." Chen Changsheng's answer was still serious and calm, and he casually mentioned his current situation as well.

Hmm... George inwardly cursed himself for being careless. He had actually forgotten that this wild boar was involved in the most profitable fruit business.

But what did he mean by starting a new company? Although George did not know what kind of company Chen Changsheng had started, he still agreed to let Gwen help him.

The two had already confirmed their relationship. In the future, Gwen would have a share of all Chen Changsheng's property. She should get involved early and support each other. That was the true meaning of living together.

In the end, George had already accepted Chen Changsheng as his future son-in-law. Although the boy sometimes did not sit well with him, George decided to make some concessions for the sake of his precious daughter's future.

What George did not know was that the new company Chen Changsheng mentioned was the very company handling the Lizard People incident. If he had known, George would certainly have pointed at Chen Changsheng's nose and asked, "Where did you take those innocent passersby?"

George was a police officer with a strong sense of justice, after all.

The family chatted happily together, while Chen Changsheng gradually began thinking about how to arrange a position for Gwen. Giving her any random post would not be a problem, but he could not be too careless about it.

After thinking for a long time, Chen Changsheng thought of Pepper. She was the only all-around career woman Chen Changsheng had ever met. If Gwen became like Pepper, she would certainly make a suitable and capable wife.

With that thought, Chen Changsheng decided to send Gwen to intern with Little Pepper at Stark Industries for a while.

Given Chen Changsheng's relationship with Tony Stark and Pepper, this was only a minor matter. Even if Chen Changsheng wanted to place a pig inside, Tony would probably agree readily. At worst, he could simply keep out of sight and out of mind.

With Gwen's genius-level talent, Chen Changsheng believed it would not take long for her to grow into a professional manager capable of standing on her own.

The only thing he was worried about was whether Gwen's studies would suffer. If George found out that his daughter's grades had declined, would he take out his service pistol and fight Chen Changsheng to the death?

Chen Changsheng quietly glanced at George, who was laughing and playing around with his sons, and could not help shivering. A daughter-obsessed father was truly terrifying.

If you think this book is good, remember to add it to your bookshelf so you can find it again next time.

End of Chapter
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