Schmidt's Sinister Schemes

When Han Lin returned to the S.H.I.E.L.D. base once more, he found Dr. Erskine and Dr. Steinberg.

They were fiercely arguing over problems with the experiment.

"Is there anything I need to know?" Seeing the two top life science geniuses, both well past middle age, growing increasingly agitated and nearly coming to blows, Han Lin spoke up at the right moment to interrupt their argument.

Dr. Erskine was still too angry to speak. Dr. Steinberg, however, began explaining.

"My Infinite Formula came from a legend. It was said that Newton discovered the secret to immortality, and that secret was hidden within the Infinite Formula. My version of the Infinite Formula was an incomplete formula Schmidt happened to find while gathering divine relics.

"Schmidt pulled me away from the Super Soldier Serum project because he wanted me to restore the formula. After Erskine escaped Hydra's research base, Schmidt began consolidating all the experimental data.

"But while perfecting the Infinite Formula, I added some of the underlying formulas from the Super Soldier Serum. Our recent research suggests that the Super Soldier Serum and the Infinite Formula may resonate with each other."

"So if Schmidt obtains the Infinite Formula and injects it, he could gain even greater power? What is there to worry about? Why not just call Steve back and have him inject the Infinite Formula?" Han Lin asked uncertainly.

"No, this only applies to Schmidt. The underlying Super Soldier Serum formula I added to the Infinite Formula was from a half-finished serum. The Infinite Formula was originally meant to slow aging and strengthen the body, greatly reducing the rate at which humans age. But combined with the half-finished Super Soldier Serum, it would become a violent drug that rapidly multiplies cells and dramatically boosts vitality.

"Our calculations show that if Schmidt's people manage to derive the Infinite Formula, he will gain unprecedented power. Steve, on the other hand, would only be slightly strengthened after injecting it."

"Then where exactly is your disagreement?" Han Lin asked after roughly grasping the situation.

"I want to study the resonance between the Infinite Formula and the Super Soldier Serum, to make the two drugs undergo a qualitative transformation. Erskine thinks that would be wrong, but I believe that only greater power will allow us to better fight Hydra," Dr. Steinberg said firmly.

Dr. Erskine roared, "The intoxicating feeling brought by power has made you lose sight of yourself! Ever since the Simplified Super Serum was injected into your body, you have been trying to obtain information on the enhanced serum. After I sternly refused, you discovered that the Infinite Formula and the half-finished serum could resonate, which is why you began this research.

"I think the Infinite Formula is already powerful enough. It can give people lifespans and healthy bodies far beyond those of ordinary humans, and it has tremendous potential for cellular activation. It is a healing drug, not a power-enhancing drug. I do not want to create a force even stronger than the Super Soldier Serum."

Hearing Dr. Erskine's furious roar, Han Lin could not help but feel alarmed.

The development of events had exceeded Han Lin's expectations. For some unknown reason, Dr. Steinberg had become obsessed with the pursuit of power. Han Lin did not know why, but this abnormal behavior felt deeply wrong.

Han Lin quickly asked, "Dr. Steinberg, have you left the base recently? Have you met anyone?"

Dr. Erskine shook his head. "I do not know. Recently, I have only been going between the laboratory and my quarters. But after he discovered that the two drugs could resonate, he began acting strangely and obsessively trying to learn about the enhanced Super Soldier Serum."

Dr. Steinberg nodded as well. "I have never left."

A chill ran through Han Lin's heart as he thought of Bucky's fate. After Bucky disappeared, Hydra revived him, then subjected him to endless brainwashing and missions. He had even killed Howard and his wife.

If Han Lin was right, Dr. Steinberg had likely been brainwashed before he was rescued. He simply had no memory of it himself.

Certain commands had been implanted into his subconscious. Whenever his research touched upon sensitive information or matters, they would subtly influence the scientist and make him press ahead with his research.

Han Lin's expression darkened as he asked, "Dr. Steinberg, when you were at the Hydra base, did you ever fall asleep for no reason? Or have you ever experienced gaps in your memory?"

The moment Han Lin said this, Dr. Steinberg froze. He had always assumed it was due to exhaustion from his experiments, but now that he thought about it, during his final month with Hydra, he had often suffered memory loss and woken up in his own bed.

Seeing Dr. Steinberg's expression, Han Lin knew he had been brainwashed. "Dr. Steinberg, it is possible that you were brainwashed without realizing it. And in your subconscious, you may have already completed the formula, allowing Schmidt to take the drug formula from you.

"While you were working for him, you may also have exposed the resonance between the serum and the Infinite Formula. And because he knew about your relationship with Dr. Erskine, he had always been wary of you.

"So when you discovered the resonance again, the mental suggestion from the brainwashing was triggered once more. That is why you developed such a stubborn urge to research greater power—because that is what Schmidt wanted."

Dr. Steinberg found Han Lin's speculation hard to believe. "That is impossible. How could Schmidt have done such a thing?"

"The food," Han Lin stated his guess. "He used drugs together with brainwashing to implant psychological suggestions, then made you forget what you had done. You would repeatedly return to the day before you discovered the resonance between the two drugs. Then the cycle would repeat endlessly."

"If that is true, then I should never have been able to leave the Hydra base. Why did I choose protection from the United States?" Dr. Steinberg asked in confusion.

Han Lin replied seriously, "Schmidt sent you here to see whether I possess the complete Super Soldier Serum. He saw my immense power and guessed that I had developed it through research involving the serum. He wanted to steal that information by placing someone we needed, someone who had been brainwashed, inside the Strategic Scientific Reserve. He planned to trade an Infinite Formula for the Super Soldier Serum.

"He knew the Infinite Formula's enhancement would only benefit himself, so he intended to use a drug that strengthened the body and slowed aging to exchange for the powerful Super Soldier Serum formula. It was a very worthwhile deal.

"I originally thought Schmidt was cowardly, but now I think I need to reassess him. His viciousness has taken me by surprise."

"Doctors, now that we have discovered this problem, I will arrange for someone to monitor you around the clock. We cannot allow Schmidt's forces to grow stronger because of this."

Hearing Han Lin's words, the two doctors, now calmer, both nodded.

"I will also be in the laboratory recently. Dr. Steinberg, is there no way for your Infinite Formula to go any further? Having to inject it over the long term would be troublesome."

Dr. Steinberg shook his head. "I have researched it for a long time. An injection once a year can greatly slow the body's decline, but it does not actually increase vitality. Its effect is simply that when you are one hundred years old, you can still maintain the youthful body of a thirty-year-old.

"What truly takes effect is the slowing of cell division, allowing people to live to around one hundred and twenty. But cell division has a limit. Once it reaches that point, no amount of injections can keep the body alive. The annual injection merely keeps the cells in that state.

"Once the injections stop, the cells lose their activity and die rapidly. That is how the Infinite Formula works."

Han Lin looked at Dr. Erskine, who nodded and said, "That is what our recent research has shown. It slows the rate of cell division, while strengthening the body enough to keep it free from disease. That is why it can greatly extend a person's lifespan.

"Remember, we have injected the Super Soldier Serum, but our bodies will still age. The Infinite Formula operates differently. It directly affects the rate at which cells divide."

"In that case, let us classify the Infinite Formula as a S.H.I.E.L.D. secret on the same level as the Simplified Super Serum. Only the six core members may access it. Dr. Steinberg, do you have any objections?" Han Lin asked.

Dr. Steinberg said nothing about that, but he was still unwilling to give up on combining the two drugs. "So we are just abandoning the combination of the two drugs?"

Han Lin hesitated as well, but when he thought of Schmidt, that venomous snake, he shook his head and drove the thought from his mind. "Seal it for now. Postpone the research indefinitely."