In the original novel, Aldrich Killian is the founder of the Extremis Virus.
This person appears to be a third-rate researcher who has been overlooked for many years.
In reality, he is ruthless and has a terrifyingly deep and cunning mind.
I still hold a grudge against Tony for a casual remark from over a decade ago.
They secretly established Advanced Idea Mechanics and secretly developed the Extremis Virus.
The Extremis Virus can repair physical defects, regenerate severed limbs, and overclock and enhance the body.
However, the original virus had extremely strong side effects, causing body temperature to soar to over a thousand degrees Celsius.
Losing control of emotions can lead to spontaneous combustion and a rampage, ultimately resulting in being burned to ashes.
Killian subsequently used the virus to recruit a large number of mutated mercenaries.
In an attempt to force Tony to submit, they kidnapped Pepper Potts.
They even forcibly injected Pepper with the Extremis Virus, nearly causing her to spontaneously combust and die.
Although Tony was initially in the wrong, what this guy did went too far. Killing Tony would have been enough; why hurt innocent people?
Rimuru frowned slightly at this thought.
Although the current situation is completely different from the original work.
He had arranged for the Transformers Jazz to provide Pepper with round-the-clock close protection long beforehand.
As the original Autobots Scout, Jazz has maxed out his combat, reconnaissance, and counter-tracking abilities.
The human body can withstand missiles without sustaining any damage; human-made thermal weapons are completely ineffective.
Even if Killian detail were deployed, they would not be able to touch a single hair on Pepper's head.
In theory, Pepper is 100% safe from any danger.
Logically speaking, we could simply give up and wait for the story to unfold on its own.
The more Rimuru thought about it, the more uncomfortable he felt.
A hidden danger never means it won't erupt.
Killian is a paranoid, vengeful, and utterly unscrupulous person.
No one can say for sure whether he will bypass the Jazz and resort to underhanded tactics.
Moreover, the Extremis Virus itself is extremely valuable.
In the original work, the virus only developed two functions: combat and self-healing.
It's a waste of top-tier gene repair capabilities; it's truly a terrible misuse.
Rimuru immediately made up his mind: to take the initiative and strike first.
Instead of waiting for the other party to cause trouble, nip it in the bud.
Incidentally, they also took control of the entire Extremis Virus.
Yes, that's right, I'm doing this to rid the people of a scourge.
With a thought, Rimuru directly connected to the Black Dragon System within his body.
Black Dragon is a virtual big data terminal that covers all hidden networks worldwide.
Military intranets, underground black markets, and clandestine research databases can all be hacked without leaving a trace.
[Beep! Black Dragon Big Data network activated, search target: Aldridge Killian ]
[Search tags: Extremis Virus, Advanced Idea Mechanics, Maya Hansen ]
[Estimated search time: 11 seconds, incognito search, leaving no IP trace]
The cold, impersonal system notification sound flashed through my mind.
Rimuru leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes to rest, and casually touched his cuffs.
He was relaxed and had no sense of tension about dealing with the enemy.
Eleven seconds passed in the blink of an eye, and a massive amount of information was directly flooded into my mind.
It's three times more detailed than the Marvel S.H.I.E.L.D.. archives.
All of Killian's whereabouts, funding, and experimental data over the past two decades are readily available.
After reading all the information, Rimuru out laughing and couldn't help but make a sarcastic remark.
"So this person started the experiment two years earlier than the original story?"
"They secretly stockpiled twelve live test subjects, all of them homeless people."
Currently, the Killian has not colluded with any behind-the-scenes forces within the military.
Maya Hansen is not yet deeply bound to him.
The current stage is the time when eliminating him is the least costly and least disruptive.
Moreover, his underground laboratory was located in an abandoned factory in the suburbs of Maryland.
The location is remote, and he hacked all the surveillance cameras, so no one has been near it for years.
Perfect for a quiet, unnoticed ending, without alerting S.H.I.E.L.D.. or the media.
At 2 a. m. that night, the night was pitch black and moonless.
Without notifying anyone, Rimuru teleported alone to the perimeter of the laboratory.
It was enveloped in an invisible Magicules barrier, making it undetectable by the naked eye, infrared, or radar.
Five armed mercenaries patrolled the perimeter of the factory.
It is equipped with the latest thermal imaging rifles and Blackout mines.
To the average person, the precautions were already watertight.
But in Rimuru's eyes, it was full of loopholes.
He casually flicked out five strands of Magicules silk as thin as hair.
The silk thread precisely struck the nerve nodes in the back of the necks of the five people.
The five of them didn't even have time to blink before they fell asleep on the spot.
The entire process was completely silent, not even the sound of footsteps disturbed it.
Rimuru strode straight into the sealed underground laboratory.
The laboratory was sweltering, with temperatures approaching forty degrees Celsius.
The walls were covered with black marks from high-temperature scorching.
The three test subjects had reddish skin and were emitting faint white steam; they were on the verge of going berserk.
Killian, dressed in protective gear, stared intently at the holographic data, gritting his teeth as he recorded.
Maya Hansen sat to the side, her face full of conflict and hesitation.
The virus's fatal flaw has been discovered, and the experiment needs to be terminated.
Killian was the first to notice the unusual atmosphere and turned his head sharply.
But there was no one in his sight, and he could not sense any life.
"Who's there? Come out! The security system didn't alarm!"
Rimuru immediately deactivated his invisibility, slowly revealing his form.
With his hands in his pockets, he wore a gossipy, spectator-like expression.
His tone was casual and humorous. "Stop shouting, the security guard outside is sound asleep."
Killian's pupils contracted sharply, and he instinctively reached out to touch the emergency alarm.
As soon as the fingertip touched the button, the button was instantly melted into molten iron by the Black Flame Lightning.
The circuitry was completely burned out, utterly eliminating any possibility of rescue.
Who exactly are you? What do you want? Funds? Technology?
Killian forced down his fear and pretended to be calm as he negotiated.
He had spent many years in the lower classes and was used to solving all problems with money.
Rimuru scoffed, too lazy to waste words with him.
"I don't lack money; I have shares in both Stark and Osborn."
"I only want all the original data and finished product stock of the Extremis Virus that you have."
Killian's face instantly turned ashen, and he immediately activated the experimental subject's berserk program.
Three high-temperature test subjects roared and lunged at Rimuru, their body temperatures soaring to over a thousand degrees.
The air was distorted by the high temperature, and the floor tiles melted and bubbled.
In the realm of Marvel's regular combat forces, this is an extremely troublesome and lethal move.
High temperatures can melt most alloys, and its self-healing ability is terrifying.
But in Rimuru, it's just child's play.
Rimuru only released a faint aura of Magicules.
The extreme high temperature was instantly and completely absorbed and neutralized by the void energy.
The three berserk test subjects froze in place, unable to move.
The entire process took less than three seconds, and all of them lost vital signs.
There was no explosion, no fire, and no external traces.
So clean that even subsequent forensic examinations could not determine the cause of death.
Killian's legs went weak on the spot, and he collapsed to the ground.
His confidence completely crumbled, replaced by extreme fear in his eyes.
Killian slumped heavily onto the scorching hot laboratory floor.
The collar of his suit jacket was askew and torn open, and his back was already completely soaked with cold sweat.
He stared blankly at the three silent test subjects lying on the ground, the last glimmer of hope in his eyes shattered completely.
The temperatures of over a thousand degrees Celsius just now, enough to melt steel and iron, and the Extremis rampage that could crush special forces.
In the hands of this seemingly harmless boy, he didn't even last a second.
The entire process was eerily quiet; there were no explosions, and no heatwave.
It's as if the Extremis Virus he spent years developing and risked everything for, was just a pile of useless scrap metal.
The immense contrast and suffocating despair instantly gripped his heart.
The next second, the extreme fear was forcibly pushed aside by overwhelming humiliation and anger.
Killian suddenly looked up, his bloodshot eyes staring intently into the air, a hoarse and frenzied growl escaping his throat.
He could no longer feign composure; all the dark emotions he had suppressed for over a decade completely collapsed and erupted!
"Genius? Tony Stark is a load of bull!"
He braced himself on the scorching ground with both hands, his knuckles turning white and trembling from the force, his voice filled with a twisted madness.
Why should everyone fawn over him, idolize him, and look up to him?!
"A child prodigy, from a distinguished family, any invention he makes can amaze the world!"
"But what about me?!"
Killian's chest heaved violently, releasing all the resentment that had been building up for over a decade.
"I, Aldrich Killian, have dedicated myself to scientific research since childhood!"
"I'm no less intelligent or lazier than him. I've stayed up countless nights researching all sorts of obscure technologies!"
"I chased after it desperately, giving it my all to stand on the stage, wanting to be noticed by someone!"
"And then what happened?!"
He roared at the top of his lungs, his eyes filled with resentful redness, every word brimming with years of pent-up grievances and hatred.
"At the press conference more than a decade ago, I mustered all my courage and risked my only future to go find him!"
"I was filled with awe, regarding him as my lifelong idol, and I spoke with him fervently about my research ideas!"
I thought I could gain some recognition, a chance!
"But how did he treat me?"
Killian gritted his teeth, his tone filled with utter humiliation.
"A perfunctory response! A dismissive wave! Treating me like an insignificant joke!"
"A casual 'we'll talk about it next time' completely shattered all my hopes at the time!"
"I waited for him on the rooftop all night! I was shivering from the cold and became the laughingstock of everyone there!"
From that day on, everyone thought I was a delusional, third-rate good-for-nothing!
"Nobody believes in me, nobody respects me, and I'm denied all resources and opportunities!"
He abruptly raised his hand, pointing to the residual data of the Extremis Virus still flickering on the holographic screen beside him.
His eyes burned with a fanatical and insane light, and he roared almost hysterically.
"Look! Take a good look at what I've created!"
" Extremis Virus! It can regenerate severed limbs, overclock and enhance the physical body, and break through the limits of human genes!"
"Able to transform ordinary people into super soldiers who are immune to firearms!"
"The result of ten years of relentless, dark experiments, achieved through countless trials and errors and with the loss of countless lives!"
"I was so close to perfecting it! So close to making up for all the side effects!"
"I almost crushed Tony Stark and showed everyone my talent!"
Killian stared intently at Rimuru, who stood leisurely in place, looking completely calm.
Despair, anger, resentment, and humiliation—all these emotions twisted together into the most insidious malice.
" Tony Stark achieved immense fame and popularity solely through his background and luck."
"I poured half my life's blood into it, gambled everything, but all I can do is crawl and struggle in the gutter!"
"Why?! Why is he so high and mighty, while I deserve to be looked down upon and trampled on?!"
"My research, my hard work, my resentment—why should they be so easily crushed by you?!"
"I'm a genius too. I've always been one of the best among my peers since I was a child. Why should I be as humble as an insect in front of you?"
Maya Hansen, who was standing to the side, was already frozen with fear, cowering in the corner and trembling.
She had never seen the usually obsessive and reserved Killian reveal such a mad and terrifying side.
The only sound in the sealed laboratory was Killian's heavy, frantic breathing.
The heatwave still lingered, but it no longer held any deterrent power.
Rimuru, hands still in his pockets, raised an eyebrow slightly as he watched Killian had completely broken down and gone berserk.
His face still wore that nonchalant expression of watching the drama unfold, but inwardly he was silently complaining.
Tsk tsk, a classic case of a twisted genius obsession compounded by the backlash of long-term inferiority complex.