Osborn's Response

"Who am I? Sorry, you don't have the right to ask questions for the time being. Now, onto your research—are you trying to create biological weapons?" Luo Xia asked Dr. Connors with a playful tone.

"No, this is merely a healing serum, and I am on the verge of removing its side effects. This will be an epoch-making medicine capable of repairing all external trauma." Dr. Connors said excitedly.

"Including limb regeneration, I presume." Luo Xia gestured toward Dr. Connors's severed arm.

"That is my lifelong wish." Dr. Connors admitted.

"That, I can understand. I had a comrade-in-arms who lost both his arms to a booby trap while defusing a bomb. He told me that even three years later, he still dreams of his hands while he sleeps. And every time he sees his son throwing a ball at him, he can't help but twitch the stumps that remain of his arms."

"And then?" Dr. Connors asked.

"Later, he changed careers to study prosthetics, and finally, before his son turned ten, he was able to play catch with him—though by then, his son didn't really play with balls anymore." Luo Xia continued.

"A sad story." Dr. Connors sighed.

"It seems you are also in the business of creating such sad stories. I've heard that quite a few people have gone missing in the sewers. The kind where you see neither hide nor hair of them, dead or alive." Luo Xia said.

"That was an accident! When the side effects take hold, my mind becomes clouded, and they attacked me first..." Dr. Connors tried desperately to explain.

"To be fair, if I saw you looking like that, I would attack you too. It's your fault for being ugly and coming out to scare people." Luo Xia said mercilessly.

Dr. Connors could only remain silent; he could not come to terms with his own actions either.

"However, I have some good news for you: the people you killed all seem to have been scum." Luo Xia offered a consolation.

"So, you mean I didn't do anything wrong?" Dr. Connors asked curiously.

"No, I mean you're lucky that I don't have a reason to kill you." Luo Xia replied.

Luo Xia held no hostility toward Dr. Connors, nor did he have any intention of eliminating him on behalf of S.H.I.E.L.D.

On the contrary, Luo Xia was quite interested in Dr. Connors's research; although the serum had severe side effects, it could truly save lives in critical moments.

Especially for Tony, who was about to undergo surgery. Although the combination of Norman Osborn's nano-surgical instruments and Dr. Strange's medical skills offered a high chance of success, Luo Xia still needed a backup plan just in case.

"Then, congratulations. From now on, you work for me." Luo Xia said to Dr. Connors.

"Commander, I don't think he will offer his loyalty. Shall I put an arrow in his knee? That way he'll be willing to kneel before you." Violet raised her slender arm, her palm rapidly transforming into a mini-cannon aimed at Dr. Connors's leg.

Hearing their exchange, Dr. Connors said in terror, "What are you going to do? Turn me into a monster like her?"

Bang. With a soft sound, the glass door of the refrigerator was shattered by a shot from Violet.

"Watch your tongue, you green-skinned lizard from the sewers. Otherwise, I have a hundred ways to make you regret it so much you'll want to swallow your own tongue." Violet threatened coldly.

Luo Xia waved his hand. "Alright, let's try to be peaceful."

As Violet shifted her cannon back into a palm, Luo Xia continued, "Doctor, I don't want to waste time, so let's be direct. You work for me from now on, perfecting your serum. I need your research results, and in return, I will ensure your personal safety. Naturally, I will also provide you with appropriate experimental materials. But if you refuse, in order to protect my secrets, I will have no choice but to make you pay for the lives of that sewer scum."

"So you want me to be your slave for the rest of my life?" Dr. Connors asked dejectedly.

"Doctor, you overestimate yourself. All I want is the serum." Luo Xia shook his head.

Dr. Connors was quite dissatisfied with Luo Xia's attitude, but for now, he had no choice but to compromise.

Deep down, he still harbored thoughts of playing along, waiting for a chance to inject himself with the serum again and teach Luo Xia a lesson.

Unfortunately, Luo Xia did not give him that opportunity. The young man, whose primary principle was caution, took a silver-gray metal bracelet off his wrist and fastened it onto Dr. Connors's severed arm.

"A small gift, consider it an advance on your salary."

Luo Xia snapped his fingers, and the metal bracelet rapidly expanded to form a metallic arm, covering the stump.

Dr. Connors looked at his new arm in astonishment, trying to move his fingers. At first, it was a bit clumsy, but the Sensor Glove seemed to automatically memorize the muscle movement patterns of his severed limb. After a few attempts, he successfully controlled the mechanical arm to clench into a fist.

At this rate, it would likely take only two or three days of practice to rival a real arm. The effectiveness of the Sensor Glove shocked Dr. Connors; if he had possessed this technology earlier, he never would have gone to such lengths to turn himself into a lizard monster.

"You've felt my sincerity. However, if you plan to run away, or if you attempt to inject yourself with the serum again to resist..."

Before Luo Xia could finish, Dr. Connors's metal arm suddenly gripped his own throat. Not only that, but a blade popped out from the wrist of the mechanical arm, pressing against his neck.

It wasn't until Dr. Connors was nearly suffocating that Luo Xia allowed the metal arm to release him.

Luo Xia had absolute control over all equipment modified with AllSpark energy, which was the source of his confidence in handing out such gear.

"Dr. Connors, I suggest you don't do anything foolish. Violet doesn't need to sleep and can monitor your actions through this bracelet 24 hours a day. And as for her temper, you've already seen it. As for the experimental materials, I'll have them sent to you in a few days. This place isn't bad, so don't waste it."

Luo Xia offered a final warning, took a few vials of serum from the refrigerator, and left the sewer laboratory.

Dr. Connors practiced for a while and found that the metal arm was indeed excellent, with flexibility no worse than his other hand. When Dr. Connors picked up a vial of the green healing serum, he hesitated for a long time, ultimately unable to bring himself to inject the liquid into his veins.

When Luo Xia returned to the original spot with the Energy Activation Device and the healing serum, Skye and Daisy were nowhere to be seen. It seemed they had been frightened by the earlier violent explosion and had finally decided to leave the sewers.

However, upon walking to Skye's hideout, Luo Xia found a note left on the table: "I'll be coming to you for the money for the computer and the camera later!"

Luo Xia merely smiled, not taking the matter to heart.

Following the path he had come by, Luo Xia exited the sewers. Just as he was about to take off his foul-smelling coat and go home for a shower, he heard Violet's reminder: "Commander, Mr. Norman Osborn, the CEO of Osborn, has agreed to your appointment."

"That's great. When is it?" Luo Xia asked.

"This... it's right now." Violet replied awkwardly.