DOTM: Chapter 519/520

Chapter 519: Racing Against Time

Charlie Holloway was initially displeased with Ethan's actions, but Ethan's subsequent words made him completely forget his previous annoyance.

"Mr. Peter Weyland? He's also on the ship?"

He wasn't the only one with this question. Almost no one had expected Peter Weyland, the one who funded this scientific expedition, to come along as well.

Considering Mr. Peter Weyland's age, this kind of ultra-long-distance interstellar travel, along with the long and life-threatening hibernation, would very likely cause him to end his already limited life in his sleep before even reaching the destination.

"Are you sure Mr. Weyland will find what he wants here?"

"I am absolutely certain."

Facing David's question, Ethan gave a very affirmative answer.

"Wake him up now, and he can meet the being he's always wanted to see right away. This will also save you an extra trip back and forth."

Just like before, although David wanted to confirm it himself, he couldn't refuse when facing Ethan because that wasn't on Ethan's list of options.

"Mr. Weyland's physical condition isn't very good. Although he's using a more advanced hibernation pod, he requires more recovery procedures, which I can't handle alone."

Therefore, the cabin where Peter Weyland's hibernation pod was located didn't just contain the boss behind the scenes, but the entire medical team.

Before waking Peter Weyland, David needed to first wake these medical personnel. Then, once the medical staff were able to work normally, he would proceed to wake Peter Weyland.

"Rich people!"

The original film didn't provide much detailed introduction or footage of this, and at that time, the entire expedition team was on the verge of collapse from being tormented by the parasites, so no one paid attention to what David was busy with.

So, when Peter Weyland appeared, he was in a state of recovery with the help of a group of medical personnel.

But now, everyone on the ship had come along and watched the entire process as David first woke the medical personnel, then helped them recover physically, and finally, together with the medical staff, woke Peter Weyland.

The medical personnel had already noticed that something was off. Anyone with normal intelligence would realize something was wrong seeing this scene of a crowd gathering.

But they didn't say anything or do anything dramatic. Their job was simply to ensure Mr. Peter Weyland woke up smoothly and could regain his mobility as quickly as possible. Everything else was none of their concern.

So, all the work proceeded in an orderly fashion, and Ethan stood there with his arms crossed, waiting.

He appeared very patient, to the point that it bothered Hill and made her curious.

"I've always been curious."

"Curious about what?"

"You must know why this person named Peter Weyland is looking for the Engineer, right?"

"I do."

Of course, Ethan knew. Peter Weyland's true purpose in seeking the Engineer was very simple, he didn't want to die. Even though he had lived longer than most ordinary people, he still didn't want to die. He hoped that this great race that created humanity would grant him a longer life.

Regarding this point, although he found Weyland's behavior a bit naive, Ethan could still understand it.

It's not surprising for someone who is close to death but unwilling to die to do anything. Moreover, there is actually some hope in his action. The only unreliable part is why would the Engineers grant you a longer life. Mr. Weyland perhaps never considered, or deliberately ignored, this point. He simply wanted to seize this only opportunity.

As the person in charge aboard the Prometheus, Meredith Vickers looked at Peter Weyland before her, her emotions somewhat complex.

From the plot, it was known that Meredith was Weyland's illegitimate daughter. She seemed to want something from her biological father, but unfortunately, Peter Weyland simply ignored her requests.

Ethan thought Meredith wanted formal inheritance rights so she could take over Weyland Corporation after Mr. Weyland passed away. Unfortunately, Weyland didn't agree because he had no intention of dying. He certainly didn't want his empire to fall into anyone's hands, not even his own daughter's.

Pulling his gaze back, Ethan continued to answer Hill's question in a low voice.

"I can give him what he wants, but I don't want to."

Hill nodded, indicating she understood.

"Then why are we here, joining this group of people?"

"Because I was bored..."

"..."

Hill frowned. What kind of answer was that? Joining this group because he was bored, would that make it less boring?

Seeing her confused expression, Ethan could only explain a few more sentences.

"Since we're not planning to just snatch the item, we have to stay here and wait for the right moment, which means we'll be staying here anyway. Why not find a place with a slightly better environment and some excitement to watch?"

This time, Hill completely understood. On this barren planet, the best environment was undoubtedly aboard the Prometheus, and the so-called excitement was probably what these scientists were about to do.

However, before that, it seemed they had to deal with the minor issue of Peter Weyland.

As the owner of Weyland Corporation, Mr. Weyland was not an easy person to get along with normally, especially when he had just woken up from hibernation to find a large group of people staring at him. That feeling was definitely not pleasant.

"What is going on?"

Mr. Weyland's face was already darker than Captain Janek's.

"David!"

The fact that the first person Peter Weyland questioned when he saw something was wrong was David, not Meredith, revealed something about his personality. He didn't trust anyone at all, and his trust in David was probably based on David being a robot.

"Some special circumstances have occurred."

The surrounding medical personnel were busy, but Mr. Weyland's expression didn't improve. After Meredith escorted the onlookers away, the cabin containing the ship's most advanced medical equipment was left with only a group of medical personnel, Meredith, and Ethan.

"It was you?"

Weyland spoke with the tone of a superior, and even though he couldn't stand up straight, he still tried to hold his head high, observing Ethan before him with the posture of someone in charge.

He really couldn't see anything special about this young man. Why were both David and Meredith telling him that the situation was out of control?

Weyland began to frequently eye Meredith. He suspected whether this illegitimate daughter had done something behind his back. Could this stranger have been secretly placed on the ship by Meredith?

What did she want to do? Weyland thought of his Weyland Corporation. Even though he had almost drained all of Weyland Corporation's cash flow and put all his effort into building the Prometheus, the framework of the entire corporation was still there. As long as the managers were clear-headed and operated it steadily, Weyland Corporation could still recover into a powerful super-corporation.

Weyland Corporation was very attractive, and he wouldn't be surprised if someone wanted to seize it and would do anything for that purpose.

"I think it would be better if you were a little more polite."

Ethan didn't want to get involved with this old man. It would be best if Weyland simply ignored his presence and continued focusing on finding the Engineer he had been thinking about.

But that was impossible. The moment he stood there, he had already become a thorn in Weyland's side.

In this situation, the simplest way was to display sufficiently powerful force, compelling the other party to not dare to do anything to you at all.

Ethan didn't need to do anything complicated. He just needed to gently wave his hand, causing various objects placed around them to float into the air, including a heavy piece of medical equipment. Given Weyland's physical condition, let alone being hit by this thing, even a slight brush could be instantly fatal. In fact, he didn't even need to move his hand. Making the gesture was just to make it clear to the old man in front of him that he was the one doing these things.

Seeing the miraculous sight before him, Peter Weyland finally began to believe what David had quietly told him earlier. This person was very likely not from Earth.

Not from Earth, then could it be the Engineer?

Weyland lost that feeling of being superior. As an excellent businessman, he was very skilled at displaying the appropriate attitude when necessary.

"No need to guess, I'm not the Engineer you're looking for, but you'll meet one soon." Ethan knew what the old man wanted to ask and casually withdrew the spell. "As for whether you want to rush over immediately or rest and recover before going, that's up to you."

Weyland didn't speak. Ethan's words contained a lot of information. Although he still had many questions, the most important thing at the moment was to find humanity's creators.

"How much longer until I can move?"

"At least three more hours."

David gave the minimum recovery time. Three hours would allow Weyland's body to regain full function, but his muscles would still be weak, making free movement impossible.

However, this was not a problem for Weyland at all. His body was very old and already lacked much mobility. He would need the assistance of a mechanical exoskeleton to go out and meet the Engineers anyway.

"We'll depart in three hours..."

"As a kind guest, I'd like to give you a friendly little warning, a silicon storm will arrive soon. If you depart in three hours, you might run into this storm."

Weyland was silent for a moment, then gave the order in a more resolute tone.

"We depart in two hours!"

His remaining life could now be measured in seconds. He was unwilling to stay on the ship and wait for the storm to pass. He wanted to find the creators before the storm arrived. If things went well, perhaps he could gain a new life.

Ethan smiled and said nothing more. Based on the current developments, this old man could indeed gain a new life, if reincarnation existed in this world.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 520: Ugly Rejection

At Peter Weyland's request, or rather, command, the search party quickly completed a series of preparations.

Ethan also changed into the gear from the Prometheus, accompanied by Hill.

Logan and Ada did not go with them. They stayed on the Prometheus, ostensibly to monitor Meredith and prevent her from doing anything drastic, such as ordering the Prometheus to ascend immediately and leave everyone stranded on the planet.

Although Ethan wasn't afraid of that happening, as long as Logan was on the ship, she wouldn't do it, which saved a lot of trouble.

This time, Elizabeth didn't offer any profound insights on the matter of Jackson and Ethan preparing weapons, because it wasn't her place as an employee to give orders anymore. With the big boss, Peter Weyland, here, even if she wanted to say something, Charlie, whose brain was slightly more functional than hers, stopped her in time.

Even though he still believed this was purely a scientific expedition and didn't require weapons, he couldn't guarantee that they wouldn't encounter any danger, especially with Peter Weyland involved. If something really went wrong...

In this situation, Charlie wasn't in the mood to mock David the robot for putting on a hood like a normal person. Everyone quietly went about their preparations, then quietly got into the vehicle and headed toward the structure in the distance.

The search party successfully entered the target structure. The process was smooth, and just then, the Prometheus sent a signal.

"The silicon storm is coming. You'd better get back within fifteen minutes."

Janek's suggestion was perfectly reasonable, but both Peter Weyland and Elizabeth Shaw, refused to retreat at this time.

Are you kidding? They finally made it here, and they were supposed to leave just as they were about to get answers? Even Charlie, who still retained some rationality, couldn't accept it.

"We won't be threatened by the storm in here. We can wait until the storm is over before going back."

"We don't know how long the storm will last. I strongly advise you to return immediately, or you'll be in big trouble when your suit's oxygen runs out."

At this point, the exploration team had also completed the analysis of the air composition inside this cave. They found that the air in this place did not have such a high carbon dioxide content.

Just as in the original plot, Charlie began to act recklessly. This guy actually wanted to take off his hood.

Seeing the behavior of these scientists, Hill frowned and wanted to stop them, but Ethan held her back. "Let them do it... After all, this is their final madness."

Charlie took off his hood, and Elizabeth followed suit, removing hers as well.

Several other scientists also wanted to do the same, but when they turned their heads, they saw Ethan still standing there, watching the two of them with the look of someone observing idiots.

"Hey."

The geologist, Fifield, waved at Ethan, getting his attention.

"The air here is breathable. Aren't you going to take off your hood?"

Because of Fifield's question, Weyland, who had also been about to remove his hood, stopped his action and quietly watched Ethan and Hill, who were still wearing their hoods.

"I know the air here is breathable, but so what? Do you think you can just breathe freely without worry just because you've landed on a completely unfamiliar planet and the air is breathable?"

Ethan's words confused the scientists a bit, but the experienced security consultants immediately understood something.

The oldest and most experienced Weyland stopped his action immediately, and even prevented David from trying to help him.

"I'll just keep it on."

"Okay, sir."

David had already taken off his hood, but he was a robot. Although he also realized the problem, he didn't put the hood back on.

Fifield didn't understand Ethan's words and continued to press, "What does that mean?"

"The air in some quarantine zones is also harmless to the human body. Would you walk in without any protective gear?"

These scientists weren't actually stupid, they just lived too much in their own world, focused on things they were interested in, and didn't think comprehensively about many things.

Plus, with someone taking the lead, they immediately started imitating without bothering to think about the consequences.

With Ethan explaining it so clearly, several people who had originally wanted to take off their hoods gave up the idea, and some who had just taken them off immediately put them back on.

Only Charlie and Elizabeth were now a bit awkward. Charlie also realized he had done something foolish, but he was a bit embarrassed and awkwardly held his hood, looking at Elizabeth.

"It's okay, it's just a possibility after all."

Elizabeth firmly supported her husband, but Charlie was more rational than her. He felt that his pride was not as important as his and Elizabeth's lives, so he obediently put his hood back on in the end.

Ethan then specifically said to the two of them, "Remember to undergo a full-scale cleaning and a thorough physical examination when you get back, and until you get reassuring results, the two of you will be quarantined."

"We're fine."

"Whether you're fine or not isn't up to you to decide."

Elizabeth was repeatedly left speechless by Ethan's retorts, but in this situation, no one supported them. In fact, the other scientists were secretly blaming these two for putting them at risk. After all, they were the ones who had taken the lead in taking off their hoods.

"In that case, if the storm lasts too long, will the oxygen we brought be enough?"

This was the biggest problem now. They had originally thought that the breathable air in this cave had solved one problem, allowing them to explore here with peace of mind and wait for the storm to pass before returning to the Prometheus.

But now it seemed that even if there was breathable oxygen here, they still needed to guard against various unknown dangers. They still had to rely on the oxygen they carried, and if the oxygen ran out before the storm passed...

"It's enough..."

What everyone couldn't understand was what judgment Ethan had based his incredibly certain answer on.

What they didn't know was that, in Ethan's view, the plot had already changed. The search party, trapped here by the storm, likely wouldn't have many people survive until their oxygen ran out.

Even if they didn't take off their hoods due to his reminder, it didn't mean these people were safe.

Because of the search party's entry, some objects inside this place, which looked like a structure but was actually a spaceship, would awaken from their dormant state due to the sealing, that black liquid that could parasitize living organisms, obtain their genes, and ultimately form new life.

For the rest of the time, Ethan didn't offer any opinions, just quietly followed the search party as they explored the area.

They found the room filled with piles and piles of jars, and they also found several Engineer corpses.

Elizabeth and Charlie were very excited. These discoveries proved that all their previous theories were correct.

Weyland was also thrilled. This seemed to indicate that his chance of gaining new life had increased.

Hill was very curious. Since joining Ethan's team, she had rarely participated in his various plane activities. This was her first official participation in such an operation, and she was truly witnessing new life forms and another civilization.

She realized she had missed too much before, and it seemed she needed to participate in these activities more often in the future.

"What exactly are these things?"

"Some kind of weapon that can destroy a planet."

Seeing all the scientists scattered everywhere searching and examining, Hill took the opportunity to ask Ethan.

She noticed that Ethan always kept a certain distance from these jars, showing no curiosity at all, and even looking a bit disgusted and repulsed. It was clear he knew what these were.

But she had absolutely no idea these things were such dangerous items.

Weapons capable of destroying a planet?

"The black substance stored inside these can parasitize most organisms in the universe, adjusting and optimizing its own genes using the host's genes, eventually becoming a more powerful creature."

Ethan briefly introduced the substance.

"You should know what this thing is too. Actually, this stuff is Xenomorph..."

Hill's expression became very strange. Of course, she had seen that classic movie, but the Xenomorphs didn't look like this, did they? Weren't they egg-like?

"Those are improved, more complete products. These... you can consider them prototypes."

The monsters produced by this black liquid after parasitism didn't seem to have a fixed form. At least the one born after David poisoned Charlie, who then infected Elizabeth, looked like an octopus, or squid. And it was only after this octopus parasitized an Engineer that the new life form born was closer to the famous Xenomorph.

After staying in this weapon warehouse for a while, the group continued to explore the cave. Before long, they finally found the control room.

After some fumbling and with the presence of David, the robot who had figured out the Engineer language, they quickly understood that they were not in a cave or a temple, but an Engineer spaceship.

Hill looked at the cockpit. She suddenly thought of something.

"Since you're looking for a spaceship, why not take this one?"

This spaceship should be ownerless now, right? It would be much easier to just take it than to take the Prometheus.

But Ethan shook his head firmly.

"This spaceship is just too ugly. I don't want to go on adventures in the universe flying a donut..."

(To be continued.)

Felt this Prometheus arc was a little intriguing, so I went ahead to watch the movie. Yeah, the author wasn’t wrong, most of the crew was really "courting death" 😂.

But yeah, it was a pretty decent watch. I'll be watching the whole franchise now.