Melting Pot Concept in Marvel

"Hello, Mr. Aaron. Nice to meet you!"

"I'm Curt Connors."

"And I'm Otto Octavius."

Two bespectacled, middle-aged men greeted Aaron enthusiastically.

Aaron sat with his fingers interlaced, leaning back against the conference table. He looked relaxed, seemingly in a good mood. Curt and Otto found it a bit odd—hadn't they heard from others that Aaron was always accompanied by a secretary? Where was she now? They paused for just a moment, then quickly dismissed the thought.

After all, women could only slow down their 'drawing of swords'—they had more pressing matters at hand.

Aaron exhaled a bit, flashing a kindly smile but not getting up.

"Dr. Curt Connors, you've had some past collaboration with Oscorp, trying to use lizard genetics to develop a strengthening serum that would allow limb regeneration. Unfortunately, you failed. So some time ago, Mr. Norman cut off your funding, correct?"

At Aaron's words, Curt Connors interjected urgently, "Actually, Mr. Aaron, my research has reached a critical point. I'm only a step away from success! Just give me a little more time, and I can develop a limb-regeneration formula—maybe even strengthen human physique, moving us closer to perfection!"

Aaron remained noncommittal. Whether Curt succeeded or not, Aaron knew the likely outcome. A 'perfect human'? More like the Lizard. In Curt's scenario, all of America might end up with the Hollywood-esque horror of "Rise of the Lizards," where Dr. Curt Connors leads a reptilian horde to overthrow humanity and become Earth's new overlords, possibly even domesticating humans…

"I recall Felicia… mm…she told you to bring something showing your current achievements?"

"Did you bring it?"

Curt noticed Aaron didn't appear interested in the scene he was describing, so when he heard Aaron's question, he nodded immediately.

"Right here!" he said, cautiously taking a small box from his briefcase. Inside was a vial of green serum. One look at that color alone was enough to make anyone suspect it was unsafe—like some bioweapon. If you knew it was lizard-based, you'd call it the Lizard Serum; if not, you might think it was some toxic sludge.

"You won't mind if I take a look?" Aaron spoke calmly as he took the Lizard Serum from Curt and held it up in the air. "I've heard it has plenty of flaws?"

Curt showed no worries about the serum being stolen. Oscorp had backups of that data anyway, but it had been shoved into storage and likely would never see the light of day again.

"As of now, it hasn't shown any effect on our test subjects… but I've found the problem lies in the 'decay-rate algorithm.' If we can fix that algorithm, we can endow humans with a healing factor!"

Connors was obviously eager to prove the effectiveness of his research.

"So… you're still stuck at the theoretical stage?" Aaron summarized, raising a doubt: "Then let me ask you this, Dr. Curt—if you do solve your decay-rate algorithm, how can you ensure that the foreign genes you introduce won't take over human bodily functions in unintended ways?

For instance… sure, a person might gain a healing factor, but also turn their skin a deep green, sprout scales and a long tongue, and let animalistic instincts override their human thinking…"

Connors couldn't give a definite answer. As Aaron noted, Curt was still in the theoretical stage.

"It's possible—but I'm confident I can solve it! After all, I'm the world's top authority in herpetology. I can handle these issues—trust me!"

Off to one side, Otto nodded slightly in agreement. "I know Curt well—he really is capable."

Aaron snorted softly, casually placing the serum in a nearby cabinet. He shut his eyes for a moment, then pulled out another vial containing a pale-green liquid.

"What's that…?" Curt Connors asked, baffled.

"This is precisely what you've been dreaming of," Aaron replied.

"A limb-regeneration formula."

Curt's pupils shrank. "You… you've actually succeeded?! My God, that's impossible!"

If Oscorp genuinely had such a capability, the news would have already caused a massive global frenzy. Meanwhile, Oscorp's current leadership upheaval—handing the reins to a young, handsome Easterner—had caused investor confidence to plunge like a waterfall. Their share price kept dropping, only stabilized by Oscorp's deep-rooted foundation. Yet even so, outside opinions were skeptical of the corporation's future. After all, who would believe some 20-something man from the East could helm this giant ship better than a shrewd middle-aged man like Norman?

"This is a limb-regeneration formula—not just some run-of-the-mill cold medicine!" he thought in disbelief.

"So… do you dare try it?" Aaron said with a smile. "In theory, it's perfectly successful, but has never been tested on a human. You'd be the first."

Otto's face changed instantly. "Don't do it, Curt!" They'd been classmates in college and maintained a good friendship ever since—one a renowned biologist, the other a renowned nuclear physicist. Otto had no wish to see Curt die young from gulping down some unknown concoction.

Connors hesitated, glancing at Aaron's nonchalant demeanor. "I don't know your background, or why Mr. Norman handed the company to you," he began. "But I doubt a man who runs a billion-dollar empire needs to kill a small fry like me with such methods."

On the black market, his life was worth a mere million at most. If he died here, Oscorp would take a blow of hundreds of millions, if not more. The U.S. president might not even be "worth" that much. With that logic, Connors firmed his resolve.

"Should I inject it or just drink it…?"

"Either way is fine," Aaron replied.

Otto grew even more anxious. He wasn't a biology expert, but he certainly wasn't ignorant—he'd designed mechanical arms, after all. A formula that can be "drunk"? That seemed highly suspect. Wouldn't stomach acid destroy it?

Connors wavered another second, then raised the vial and drank it down.

One second… two seconds…

"Strange… nothing's happening? It's like I just drank a slightly sweetened beverage," Curt muttered, suspicious. But no sooner had he said so than he felt itching in the stump of his missing arm. Searing pain spread at the wound site, as though something were forcing its way out from the flesh.

Before his and Otto's eyes—and at visible speed—a completely normal right arm grew back!

Both of them stared, jaws slack, speechless.

"A miracle! It's a miracle!" Curt gasped. "Mr. Aaron, you've performed a miracle! Limb-regeneration formula is the greatest breakthrough in medical history—no Nobel Prize could possibly match this achievement!"

He was utterly convinced. Tears streamed down his face as he flexed his restored arm.

"That was the first—and only—dose of the limb-regeneration formula in the world," Aaron added softly.

Connors paled. Staring at the empty vial, a rush of complicated emotions welled up in him. So this was that saying from the East—'a scholar will sacrifice himself for the one who truly understands him'?

"Mr. Aaron…" he started.

"And now, Dr. Curt Connors," Aaron said, "do you wish to join us in recreating this formula?"

Aaron looked utterly calm, showing no sign of regret that the sample was gone.

Connors didn't hesitate even for a moment—he nodded hard.

"It would be my honor to work for you! Even if you don't pay me a dime, I'd willingly give you my service!"

~~~

Patreon(.)com/Bleam

— Currently You can Read 20 Chapters Ahead of Others!