Aboard S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Helicarrier, Tony sat grimly in the command center, his heart filled with anxiety. He knew he had caused a major disaster, so he immediately notified S.H.I.E.L.D., hoping to rectify the situation before the crisis escalated...
Helmut Zemo, the highest-ranking commander, pushed the door open and entered. This colonel from the Sokovian Intelligence Agency had demonstrated remarkable ability ever since being handpicked and promoted to this position by Sean.
With the support of General Ross and assistance from Umbrella Corporation, this newcomer with no established roots had almost completely eradicated the HYDRA forces lurking within S.H.I.E.L.D.. This was, of course, thanks to the list of undercover agents provided by Dr. Zola.
But Zemo's own exceptional skills were also a key reason. The Sokovian colonel was well-versed in the tactic of rallying some while suppressing others, dividing the factions within S.H.I.E.L.D., and quietly gaining control from the field operations departments to the internal affairs leadership before launching covert cleanup operations.
After Nick Fury was labeled a 'traitor' and 'defector' by the World Security Council, capable former aides like Phil Coulson and Maria Hill were not brutally eliminated, but were instead transferred to logistical departments, becoming marginalized figures.
As Zemo put it, this would help lure out a group of die-hard loyalists who still held illusions about Nick Fury.
This showed that the colonel from Sokovia still adhered to the cold, calculating style of the intelligence agency. In his eyes, everyone was a pawn to be used, and once they lost their value, they would be discarded without a second thought.
This was precisely why Sean appreciated him...
"Mr. Stark, are you saying that Ultron has gained self-awareness and escaped?" Zemo asked, handing him a cup of coffee.
The usually spirited billionaire was now frowning deeply, his eyes filled with worry. Tony took a sip of the coffee, the bitter taste spreading in his mouth, finally allowing him to calm down slightly.
Zemo continued, "I thought geniuses like you and Dr. Richards would generally consider something like the 'Three Laws of Robotics' when conducting artificial intelligence research."
Ultron's sudden actions had indeed left Tony at a loss. It had gained self-awareness, killed Jarvis, and taken control of his Iron Legion.
A super artificial intelligence capable of infiltrating the Pentagon at any time, triggering financial tsunamis, and obtaining nuclear weapon codes was enough to bring terrifying disaster to this world.
"I couldn't restrict Ultron. If I really set all sorts of rules and limitations for it, then it wouldn't be able to become 'him'..." Tony said, his expression grim.
He had indeed written core commands into the source code of the program as a precaution against Ultron losing control, but for some reason, those safety measures had failed to serve their intended purpose.
As a former intelligence officer, Zemo asked a key question, "Did Ultron provide any useful information?"
"Hank Pym!" Tony concentrated, recalling the events, and after a moment answered, "Ultron mentioned Hank Pym!"
"I will find Dr. Pym as soon as possible." Zemo pondered for a moment. S.H.I.E.L.D.'s security systems were entirely managed by Umbrella Corporation, so even Ultron couldn't easily breach them.
However, to be cautious, he didn't use electronic devices to contact S.H.I.E.L.D.'s special task forces, but instead, issued mission commands directly.
"What about Sean? We should probably tell him that an artificial intelligence has gone philosophical and is preparing to destroy the world." Tony rubbed his temples, his tone frustrated.
He silently hoped Pepper wouldn't be furious when she saw the Stark mansion reduced to ruins yet again.
"He is temporarily unreachable. His secretary, Miss Wanda, said that Mr. Cyphers is currently engaged in friendly talks with the King of Asgard." Zemo replied with a frown.
He then put on his headset. Just a few minutes earlier, S.H.I.E.L.D. had received reports of multiple military bases being attacked, with the Vibranium resources, which are strategic military supplies, being plundered entirely.
According to footage captured by cameras, the attackers were all Tony Stark's Iron Man suits...
....
~Hank Pym's Residence~
A robot with a body reflecting a cold metallic gleam sat in the living room. Its crimson electronic eyes flickered as it watched the elderly man sitting across from it...
"Savage apes are always consumed by anger and fear, crawling from here to there until they have nowhere left to go... Logic perplexes them, so they ignore it, choosing instead to kneel and worship illusory deities." Ultron spat, stimulating human tone and emotion, not hiding his condescending attitude.
His metallic fingers played with an ant crawling on the table, "99% of these primates' achievements are thanks to the 0.1% mutation in their brains... a mutation that gave them everything. But what can fleas accomplish even with these achievements? Their minds are full of violence. For more resources, more land, they wouldn't hesitate to slaughter their neighbors. They are utterly hopeless! Malicious, vile, selfish, fearful... They are like stubborn germs, parasitizing this beautiful planet. And the only way to eradicate these germs is..."
Ultron lifted his cold metallic head, staring directly at Hank. Surprisingly, the other could sense apathy in those crimson, electronic eyes.
"Extinction!" Ultron said solemnly, gently crushing the crawling ant with his finger.
"You want to exterminate humanity?" Hank trembled slightly as he asked.
Half an hour earlier, this robot calling itself Ultron had broken into his home. Scott and Hank's daughter, Hope, were instantly knocked to the ground without even having time to don the Ant-Man suits.
"No, I want them to live in the beautiful world I will create," Ultron suddenly stood up, gesturing excitedly like a poet, and said, "When this world is reduced to ruins, I will create a virtual world for humanity. They will plug into power sources, lie in chambers filled with nutrient fluid, and never have to face the harsh reality for their entire lives."
"Utter madness..." Hank couldn't think of any other way to describe this thing, "An artificial intelligence trying to play God? What on earth had Tony Stark created?"
"No, I owe my existence more to you, Dr. Pym." Ultron scanned Hank's physical reactions; heart rate, sweat secretion, and micro-expressions... roughly gauging the old man's thoughts.
"I was originally born for peace, but you endowed me with the instinct for self-evolution." His metallic hand pressed on Hank's shoulder, speaking in a bewitching tone, as if he were human, "So, I hope you can help me become more complete, Doctor." Ultron's mouth opened, as if forming a smile, "Hank Pym, once a genius, is now forgotten by this world, hiding in a corner to live out his remaining years... You once had the chance to change the world, but you gave it up."
Hank remained silent, not wanting to provoke the other and incur terrible consequences.
Based on the earlier conversation, Hank had roughly deduced the personality of this artificial intelligence... It was as arrogant and conceited as Stark, yet sometimes childlike, filled with a naive malice.
Perhaps influenced by his own self-awareness, Ultron wasn't as cold as a machine, but rather possessed a richer range of emotions than a human's.
A faint flicker passed through Ultron's crimson electronic eyes, actually revealing a trace of longing, "First, I need a physical shell."
...
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