Chapter 691: The Infinite Event (VII)

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"Tap, tap, tap..."

The sound of shoe heels striking the cold floor echoed crisply through the silence. With a creak, the iron door was pushed open, and a figure, clad in a sophisticated suit and leather shoes, emerged.

He stepped forward, exchanging a brief handshake with a person in a white lab coat before accompanying a doctor into the room.

As the lights gradually brightened, it revealed not the comforting sight of a hospital room with medical equipment but rather, iron bars reminiscent of an interrogation chamber.

Within the barred enclosure lay a sickbed, and on it, a patient in hospital garments. His limbs were restrained, attached to the bars. The sight caused the suited figure to avert his gaze, a frown pulling at the corners of his mouth, seemingly unable to bear the scene before him.

The consecutive sound of high heels against the floor followed, accompanied by the jingle of keys. Natasha entered the room, glancing between the two men. "What are you playing at with all this secrecy?" she demanded.

Without waiting for an answer, she approached, unhooked the keychain from her waist, and unlocked the door to the bars. All three proceeded inside, gathering around the sickbed.

At the head of the bed was an oddly distinctive device, displaying a series of complex readings. The doctor in the white coat pulled out a medical chart, jotting down the data, while the figure in the suit covered his face, troubled. "Is what we're doing truly justifiable? He seems to be in so much pain..."

Hearing this, Natasha, who was adjusting the curtains, turned back to observe the patient.

The patient's appearance was peculiar; he was bald, his eyes deeply sunken, his skin a pale, ghostly white. He lay trembling, his mouth half-open, his fingers scribbling aimlessly on the bedsheet, as if tracing some indecipherable symbol.

"Schiller... We're heading straight to hell for this," the suited man, Coulson, inhaled sharply, his voice a mix of despair and frustration. "This is inhumane. We shouldn't—"

Schiller, engrossed in his notes, paused, turning to Coulson but offering no explanation. Shortly after, the communication device at Coulson's waist buzzed, and Nick Fury summoned him away.

Once he had left, Natasha moved to the other side of the sickbed, staring down at the patient. "I don't understand why Nick insists on keeping him in the dark. He's going to feel so guilty about this."

"Don't you think it's difficult to explain to someone like Coulson that all SHIELD agents are now Hydra, that all Hydra have become SHIELD agents?" she questioned, sighing. "Honestly, I don't know how you managed it. Poor Coulson still believes we're experimenting on injured, dying SHIELD agents."

"In a sense, he's not wrong," Schiller replied, bending over with gentle movements to adjust the patient's bedsheet. However, as he drew near, the patient shuddered, his teeth chattering, trying desperately to move away but hindered by his restraints.

Straightening up, Schiller continued, "He's Hydra, but he's also served S.H.I.E.L.D. well. Without them, Nick wouldn't even have ten decent agents."

"That's why I'm working so hard to save him. If the experiment succeeds on him, many Hydras disguised as S.H.I.E.L.D. will be saved. His sacrifice is worth it."

Natasha lowered her eyelids, following Schiller out of the room and into the next. As per routine, Schiller noted the numbers on the machines, tidied the disheveled bed, and engaged in one-sided small talk with the patient, ignoring the fear in their eyes before moving on to the next room.

There were roughly twelve rooms in total, each housing a patient in a similar state—hairless, with skin a pale shade of blue, their expressions mirror images of terror upon seeing Schiller.

After making rounds, Schiller returned to his office at the S.H.I.E.L.D. base, his desk cluttered with materials, most related to the ongoing experiment.

Natasha, standing across from him, inquired, "Any progress?"

"I may not grasp the medical aspects, but the mental state of the patients remains a significant concern," he explained.

"Those revived with the medicine are experiencing varying degrees of mental disarray. With GH209, the patients' nervous systems are stable, but they suffer intense hallucinations and auditory disturbances. GH211 induces severe paranoia, GH215 causes non-linear memory syndrome, GH221 leads to pressure-induced aphasia..."

"Moreover, they all exhibit symptoms of incoherent speech, some scribbling meaningless symbols..."

Setting down the materials, Schiller sighed, "Instead of scrutinizing my progress, perhaps urge Nick to find a more reliable chemist. Over 200 experiments and still no breakthrough. Can't you consider that the issue may not lie with me?"

"We must keep this experiment under wraps," Natasha said softly, shaking her head. "Don't forget, apart from us, no one knows that most of the agents in S.H.I.E.L.D. are actually from Hydra."

"If word gets out that we're using S.H.I.E.L.D. agents as test subjects, Nick's position as Director will be jeopardized. Therefore, the confidentiality level of this plan is Level 10. In the whole of S.H.I.E.L.D., only Nick's confidants may have a snippet of information."

Tapping the table lightly with the pen in his hand, Schiller said, "In over 200 experiments, the subjects inevitably suffered massive psychological trauma, exhibiting various symptoms of mental disorder afterward."

"How likely is it that it's related to the medical raw materials?" Natasha inquired.

"It's hard to say. There's definitely a relationship, but how substantial it is, I fear we'd need another 200 experiments to ascertain that," Schiller responded, standing up and walking toward the window. Looking out at the scenery, he continued, "The Kree, serving as the raw material for the medicine, have a life form completely different from ours. Using their bodies to produce medicine and injecting it into humans will inevitably lead to various issues."

"I warned you before this experiment began; it might cause irreversible damage to human psychology and mentality," Schiller shook his head.

"But S.H.I.E.L.D. needs this technology, especially Nick," Natasha argued, her toe tapping on the ground. "If agents can be resurrected, he won't need to scour the world for expendables."

"Doctor, I know it's inhumane, but these are all Hydra agents. Considering their past atrocities, it's not entirely unacceptable, right?" Natasha leaned against the wall, her posture revealing her exquisite curves, yet Schiller was fixated on the materials in his hand, frowning deeply.

"You should speak with Coulson about this."

Natasha sighed, turned, and left. Soon, she was knocking on the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s office door before entering.

Nick looked up from a pile of documents. Natasha shook her head, "Still no progress."

Nick exhaled, "Schiller is no mediocre doctor. If he's also out of options, it seems there won't be any breakthroughs for a while."

"Resurrection isn't that straightforward. If it were so easy, I'd suspect it to be a Kree trap," Nick put down his pen, stood up, and joined Natasha, leaning on the desk.

"Unfortunately, during our time in the Andromeda Galaxy, the mutants only captured a Kree councilor, and not a pureblood. If we had gotten more, we would have had more experimental materials."

"I've always wanted to ask, which genius scientist came up with using Kree to develop resurrection medicine? There's no logic in it," Natasha questioned, puzzled.

"Do you recall the physical examination we conducted on the Kree councilor? Uncertain of this alien's physiological structure, we invited several renowned biologists for a consultation, including Dr. Connors, the creator of the Lizard Serum."

"Dr. Connors has unique insights into extracting genes from other beings and harnessing their strengths for human benefit. He discovered that a particular gene within the Kree grants them rapid healing and shapeshifting abilities. Essentially, like lizards, Kree can also serve as serum material."

"But how was the resurrection function discovered?" Natasha pressed.

"If this series of medicine only endowed humans with healing powers, what would differentiate it from the Lizard Serum? The research on the Lizard Serum is far more advanced, and its ingredients are readily available."

"It wasn't until Dr. Connors found that the concentrated Kree medicine could significantly enhance human vital signs, even resurrecting the recently deceased, that I formulated the Tahiti Project," Nick explained, his eyes widening with aspiration. "If we could achieve unlimited resurrections, I'd have an endless supply of employees, and no longer fear them being worked to death..."

Natasha glanced at him, rolled her eyes, and departed without a word.

Meanwhile, outside Stark Tower's laboratory, Connors received some materials from Schiller. He flipped through them and said, "Still no progress in this area? If the side effects are too severe, it will limit the scope of this medicine's application."

Connors closed the documents, facing Schiller, "Let me reiterate, I personally oppose any form of resurrection. Had you not asked me to use the success of the Lizard Serum to inspire Nick, I wouldn't have participated in this experiment."

"Don't worry, we have plenty of time," Schiller approached, patting Connors' shoulder with a smile. "Of course, it's not about resurrection. It's just that a particular client of mine is incredibly demanding. I have to resort to methods beyond mere deception, engaging in a more profound 'interest exchange' under the principle of absolute consent..."

"You have difficult clients?" Connors leaned back, sizing up Schiller. "Who?"

"Death," Schiller replied with a knowing look.

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Next Chapter>>Chapter 692: The Infinite U Event (VIII)