Chapter Summaries

Li Si joined Oscorp’s CJ-2042 Laboratory as a deputy project supervisor and changed his locked identity template to Scientist. After using Research and Development to organize his knowledge and memories, he headed to the laboratory with his new ID card.

• Li Si received the Scientist and Office Worker templates after becoming an Oscorp employee, but chose Scientist as his locked identity template.
• Li Si activated Research and Development and spent 7,450 general experience points to enhance his ability to retrieve and organize information.
• Li Si reviewed his recent research and memories of movies from before he crossed over while the skill remained active.
• Felicia returned with Li Si’s ID card and told him it gave him access to CJ-2042 Laboratory and Oscorp’s intelligent program, Carly.
• Li Si discovered his position was Deputy Project Supervisor and used the employee elevator to head to the basement laboratory.

Li Si arrived at the secret laboratory and interrupted Dr. Brock as he tried to coerce Luna. After using his ID to stop the guards from confronting him, Li Si learned Brock had taken charge of the powered armor project while Mr. Norman was away.

• Li Si rode the elevator below the laboratory’s lowest listed floor and heard Dr. Brock pressuring Luna to become his assistant in exchange for help learning research.
• Li Si stepped in as Brock cornered Luna and was about to grope her.
• Brock called for security and ordered the guards to arrest Li Si as an intruder.
• Li Si showed the guards his ID, and they lowered their batons and deferred to him.
• Brock went into the laboratory, and an older guard explained that Brock had once assisted Mr. Norman and now effectively ran the powered armor project.

Li Si discovered that Brock had staged a scene to retaliate against him, and that Luna had already been assigned as his assistant. As Luna led him through the lab, Li Si suspected she was a player and began wondering if she might be the famous Earth prodigy Zhou Lulu.

• Li Si realized Brock had faked his outrage because he resented Li Si taking a position he wanted.
• A security guard told Li Si that Luna had been assigned as his assistant the previous day.
• Li Si asked Luna to take him to the lab supervisor, and she eagerly led him down the corridor while peppering him with questions.
• Li Si suspected Luna might be a player but could not recall any player matching her description.
• Li Si remembered the Earth scientist Zhou Lulu and wondered if Luna could be her, though Luna looked much younger.

Li Si met Dr. Abner and Army Colonel Jonathan at the laboratory, where he received his vehicle registration and began a tour of the facility. Abner assigned Luna to serve as Li Si’s assistant as they explored the laboratory.

• Li Si entered Abner Aldrich’s office and mistook Colonel Jonathan for Dwayne Johnson.
• Jonathan introduced himself as an Army colonel who coordinated with Osborn and gave Li Si his license plates and vehicle registration papers.
• Abner explained that Jonathan had handled a problem for Li Si and resumed discussing the laboratory and its next-generation individual combat armor.
• Abner named Luna as Li Si’s assistant and led them on a tour of the laboratory.

Abner showed Li Si the research facilities beneath Oscorp Tower and introduced him to the Individual Armor Project Department’s work. Li Si recognized the Green Goblin Armor and praised its design before Abner presented a prototype mech, leaving Li Si to inspect the department’s current project.

• Abner explained how the three departments at CJ-2042 were organized and led Li Si and Luna into a technology display chamber, where Brock remained openly hostile toward Li Si.
• Luna marveled at the exhibits as Abner showed Li Si the Green Goblin Armor and described its development under Norman Osborn.
• Li Si recognized the armor and considered its mobility, affordability, and emergency life-support system more impressive than its combat capabilities.
• Li Si praised the Green Goblin Armor’s design, then Abner led him to a prototype mech shaped like a mechanical rhinoceros.

Li Si condemned Brock’s Rhino Armor prototype and forced Abner to take the dispute to Osborn’s board. After Brock grabbed Abner in a frenzy, Li Si pulled him away and left him sitting dazed beside the armor.

• Abner showed Li Si and the others the Rhino Armor prototype, and Li Si immediately said the project should be scrapped.
• Li Si criticized the armor’s clumsy limbs, unsafe cockpit, poor speed, questionable weapons, and outdated lever controls, leaving Brock unable to answer.
• Li Si told Abner that either he or Brock should go and demanded that Osborn’s higher-ups decide whom to keep.
• Abner said he would take the matter to the board, and Brock grabbed him in desperation, insisting his research was unfinished.
• Li Si pried Brock’s hands off Abner and shoved him into a corner, where Brock sat dazed and stared at the Rhino Armor.

Li Si recognized the mechanical tentacles in Osborn’s underground laboratory as Doctor Octopus Arms and accused Brock of stealing their design. Brock denied the charge, and Li Si proposed questioning the Individual Armor Project Department, believing the arms’ real creator was nearby.

• Luna drew Li Si’s attention to a display of four silver mechanical tentacles capable of delicate work and tremendous force.
• Li Si asked Abner who had designed the arms, and Abner said he thought Brock had made them.
• Brock claimed the arms as his own and challenged Li Si to explain why they were supposedly worthless.
• Li Si accused Brock of stealing someone else’s research, citing the arms’ advanced neural interface and Brock’s inability to use that technology.
• Brock called the accusation slander and threatened to sue Li Si.
• Li Si suggested asking the Individual Armor Project Department who had created the arms, suspecting a short, stout man he had seen in the laboratory was Doctor Octopus.

Lee Stein confronted Brock over stealing Otto Gunther Octavius’s designs for the Doctor Octopus Arms and used his new authority as deputy project supervisor to get Otto to speak up. As Lee began calling the police, Brock lost his composure.

• Lee Stein entered the Individual Armor Project Department with Brock, Abner, and Luna, then called over a short, stout assistant.
• Lee learned the assistant’s name was Otto Gunther Octavius and recognized him as the future Doctor Octopus.
• Lee asked who had designed the Doctor Octopus Arms, and Otto admitted he had created them and accused Brock of stealing his blueprints.
• Brock denied the accusation and demanded evidence, while Abner and Lee pressed Otto to tell the truth.
• Lee said he would take Brock to the police station and began dialing the emergency number, setting Brock off.

Li Si stopped Brock from attacking him and helped expose Brock’s alleged theft of Otto Gunther’s mechanical-arm design. He then discovered Luna had livestreamed the confrontation to the forum, where viewers had mistaken the scene for an NPC assault and were frantically trying to reach her brother.

• Brock lunged at Li Si, who kicked him into a workbench, and Abner ordered security guards to restrain and remove him.
• Brock insisted he was being framed, while Abner said he would report the incident and have the higher-ups investigate.
• Abner left Li Si to meet his colleagues, and Otto Gunther thanked Li Si for defending his work.
• Li Si praised Otto’s mechanical arms, and Luna enthusiastically repeated that a researcher’s work should not be stolen.
• Li Si checked the forum and found Luna’s livestream of the laboratory, along with her brother’s post asking viewers to watch over her.
• Li Si read panicked replies from viewers who had misinterpreted the confrontation and were trying to contact Luna’s brother.

Lee enjoyed the forum's praise and the customers promising to open more boxes, then took charge of the laboratory while Norman was away. He promoted Otto, appointed Luna as his assistant, and announced that he would end the Rhino Armor project and propose a new one.

• Lee read the forum thread, noted who praised or criticized him, and decided to give some commenters discounts on future boxes.
• Lee promoted Otto Gunther to full researcher and told him they would negotiate with the company over ownership of the Doctor Octopus Arms after its investigation.
• Lee appointed Luna as his assistant and said he would seek rewards for employees who did outstanding work.
• Lee rejected continuing the Rhino Armor research and told Charlie he would prepare a proposal for a new project.
• Dr. Nolan objected that canceling the project would waste years of work and company money, but Lee dismissed her concerns.

Four days after arriving at the CJ-2042 Laboratory, Lee Stein questioned Luna about artificial intelligence and gained a possible way to create strong AI by giving it an initial goal. He realized that the goal could shape an AI’s personality obsessively, leaving the danger of a flawed or misunderstood objective.

• Luna asked Lee Stein to teach her about technology because Otto’s explanations sounded like beeping to her.
• Lee Stein asked Luna what could make weak artificial intelligence become strong artificial intelligence.
• Luna said an AI needed desire and suggested giving it a goal or using a learning biological brain-computer.
• Lee Stein realized that an AI could develop thought and personality while pursuing an initial goal.
• Lee Stein concluded that an AI might pursue its original goal obsessively, as Ultron had when it interpreted protecting Earth as a reason to destroy humanity.

Li Si began teaching Luna the technologies behind his Transformers, disguising his most advanced designs as lessons in basic robot construction and combat principles. He revealed nearly all of Bumblebee’s core technologies, while Luna eagerly absorbed both the engineering and Li Si’s doctrine of overwhelming firepower.

• Li Si agreed to teach Luna anything he knew after recognizing her as likely Zhou Lulu.
• Luna asked to learn the Autobots’ balance system, transformation structure, mechanical arms, and combat-program algorithms.
• Li Si presented his giant, cannon-covered sphere design as a beginner robot and explained its spider legs and artillery algorithm as basic engineering.
• Li Si taught Luna that greater range and heavier firepower gave an overwhelming advantage, and she eagerly accepted his lessons.
• Li Si taught Luna nearly all of Bumblebee’s core technologies before their lesson ended at clock-out time.

Li Si finished testing and wore a technologically enhanced tuxedo he called his Gentleman Suit, though its design reminded him of Uncle Jackie’s outfit. Max encouraged him to fight crime like Spider-Man, but Li Si stayed focused on science, leaving Max disappointed that he would not become the Mechanic’s sidekick.

• Li Si arrived home and checked Max’s test results for the suit’s electrical signals and sensors.
• Li Si explained the suit’s Bionic Muscle Fiber lining, precise electrical stimulation, wristwatch computer, and belt with backup power and chemical injectors.
• Li Si finished sewing the tuxedo, tried it on, and realized its design resembled Uncle Jackie’s outfit.
• Max complimented Li Si’s appearance and declined to get a suit of his own.
• Max asked Li Si to become a superhero, but Li Si said he only cared about science; Max revealed he had hoped to be the Mechanic’s sidekick.

Li Si encouraged Max to overcome his social anxiety by running a stall, then showed him the explosive metal playing cards he had designed as weapons. Max became interested in learning to throw cards, and he and Li Si left the garage to sell their goods.

• Li Si urged Max to try selling items at a stall so he could practice interacting with people, and Max reluctantly agreed.
• Li Si opened a briefcase of metal playing cards he had made in the CJ-2042 laboratory and explained their explosive, turbine-assisted design.
• Li Si tested a card by throwing it into the garage wall, where it exploded and left a large charred hole.
• Max asked Li Si to teach him card throwing, but dropped the idea after hearing how much practice it would take.
• Li Si suggested Max build a coin-firing electromagnetic cannon, and the two left the garage to sell their goods.

Li Si returned to Osir Tower and announced that he would sell transforming robots for thirty million dollars each, prompting players to beg him to hold a raffle instead. He reluctantly agreed after warning them that the odds would be low, and the players insisted they were willing to pay.

• Li Si and Max arrived at Osir Tower, where players crowded around them and asked whether Li Si would sell transforming robots.
• Li Si confirmed that he would sell them, then Cheng Xiaofan challenged the players to consider whether they could afford one.
• Players rallied around the idea of trying their luck and urged Li Si to hold a raffle.
• Li Si refused at first, citing complaints about his previous raffle, and announced a firm price of thirty million dollars per robot.
• The players apologized and begged Li Si to reconsider, so he hesitantly agreed to a raffle after warning that the odds would be low.

Li Si set up a card-drawing lottery in the Osir Tower parking garage, presenting the machines as a cheaper chance to win Transformers, suits, and other prizes. The players eagerly lined up to try it after he explained how to buy and open card packs.

• Li Si had Max and Bumblebee unload twenty-one boxes and clear space in the parking garage.
• Li Si and Max opened the boxes, revealing twenty card-drawing machines and a stack of Voucher Cards.
• Li Si set up the machines, assigned Max to handle top-ups, and announced that each draw cost one thousand dollars for five cards.
• Excited players rushed to participate, and Li Si told them to collect a free Voucher Card from Max before buying and opening a pack.

Players bought magnetic cards and opened card packs at Li Si’s machines, hoping to win valuable items. Several players pulled Transforming Robots, but Li Si calmly promised to honor the prizes, leaving the winners unsure whether he had actually lost money.

• Players crowded around Max to buy magnetic cards and packs, then used the machines to open them.
• Li Si guided the players as they opened packs, which always contained at least one Rare card but usually yielded ordinary items.
• One player opened twenty packs without getting anything above Rare, then realized every pack had guaranteed a Rare card and found Li Si gone.
• Several players pulled Epic and Legendary cards, including Transforming Robots, and called for Li Si to redeem their prizes.
• A previously unlucky player celebrated winning a Transforming Robot on his first pack and expected Li Si to regret the loss.
• Li Si assured the winner that he honored his deals and remained cheerful, leaving the player disappointed that the Merchant did not seem upset.

Li Si refused to redeem a player’s legendary Transformer card because it was only one collectible part, then sent the players back to the pack-opening machine. He watched them struggle with the rigged odds and resumed patrolling the underground parking lot.

• A player asked Li Si to redeem a legendary Transformer Bumblebee card, but Li Si pointed out that it was Part No. 9 of a collectible series.
• Li Si claimed the series had 108 parts and told the disappointed players that they had to collect the full set to redeem a Transformer.
• The angry players rushed back to Max to open more packs, determined to draw a complete card and bankrupt Li Si.
• Li Si privately admitted that complete Transformer cards did not exist and that the machine’s drop rates and duplicates were designed to keep players spending.
• Players complained as they drew Tea Eggs and duplicate parts, while Li Si enjoyed their frustration and resumed patrolling the underground parking lot.

Li Si ran a booming card-pack business in Osir Tower, using valuable prizes and loud announcements to keep players spending. He helped broke player Cheng Xiaofan buy a pack on credit, then encountered another bald man at the counter.

• Li Si watched players spend heavily on card packs containing prizes like the Thunder King Battle Suit, gadgets, and affection cards.
• Max cheerfully sold card packs while Li Si joined him at a second counter, splitting the crowd into two queues.
• Cheng Xiaofan asked Li Si for a discount, but Li Si refused to lower the price and instead let him owe two hundred dollars.
• Cheng Xiaofan paid eight hundred dollars, received a card pack, and hurried off to open it.
• After calling for the next customer, Li Si looked up and found a bald egghead standing before him.

Nick Fury confronted Li Si at Osir Tower over alleged illegal weapons sales and tax evasion, then took him aside to ask about the players gathering there. Li Si realized Fury suspected the players belonged to a secret organization and worried that Fury might mistake them for Hydra agents.

• Nick Fury accused Li Si of illegally selling weapons and evading taxes, but Li Si challenged his claims and recognized his IRS identification as a cover.
• Li Si agreed to speak privately with Nick Fury behind Osir Tower.
• Nick Fury asked who the players were and whether an organization was manipulating them, noting that many were orphans whose behavior had suddenly changed.
• Li Si understood that Nick Fury suspected Hydra was behind the players and worried that the suspicion could bring superheroes after him.