Stark Tower, Top-Floor Laboratory.
A massive holographic projection hovered in mid-air, displaying an incredibly complex, spiral-shaped molecular structure model. Every bond, every atom in the model, flickered with an unstable red light, like a rabid beast trapped in a cage of data.
Paul stood before the model, the crimson glow reflected in his eyes.
Around him were scattered mountains of empty energy drink cans and coffee cups. The air was thick with a peculiar smell, a mixture of ozone and caffeine.
The server cluster, controlled by J.A.R.V.I.S., was running frantic calculations at a rate of tens of billions per second. The hum of the cooling fans composed a monotonous yet thrilling symphony.
It had been seventy-two hours.
Forgoing sleep, Paul had completely immersed himself in the fragmented research left by Dr. Erskine and the data from Steve Rogers's blood samples.
The Super-Soldier Serum.
A miracle capable of altering the global balance of power, a legend that drove countless ambitious men to madness.
And now, the final piece of that legend's puzzle was right before his eyes.
"Wrong... it's all wrong..."
Paul muttered to himself, his fingers swiping rapidly through the air, pulling up stream after stream of data for comparison.
The red light of the model remained glaring.
Its structure was too perfect, and also too fragile. Any minor disturbance would cause the entire chain to collapse, unleashing enough terrifying energy to destroy its host.
This wasn't science. It was more like... metaphysics.
Dr. Erskine was like a drunken artist who, guided by a fleeting flash of inspiration, had used the wildest techniques to twist and meld countless possibilities, ultimately creating the one-of-a-kind "work of art" that was Steve Rogers.
And that work of art could not be replicated.
The consequence of a forced replication would only be the birth of monsters like the Red Skull.
Paul's brow furrowed deeply.
He didn't want an "miracle" full of uncertainty. He wanted a "tool" that was stable, controllable, and could be used for his own ends.
If I can't replicate it directly... then I'll deconstruct it!
A new idea exploded in his mind like a bolt of lightning tearing through the night.
He stopped trying to restore the perfect "work of art" and instead, like a master surgeon, began to perform a precise "operation" on the complex molecular structure.
"J.A.R.V.I.S., isolate all peptide chains related to cell proliferation."
"Filter out the enzyme catalysts responsible for mitochondrial energy conversion efficiency."
"Eliminate all chemical bonds that could affect the central nervous system, especially those influencing the amygdala's emotional response..."
A series of commands issued from Paul's lips.
On the holographic model, countless streams of data flashed by.
The massive red structure began to be dismantled, piece by piece. Some parts were flagged green, for "beneficial"; some yellow, for "pending"; while the majority were marked gray and unceremoniously dragged into a virtual recycling bin.
Paul's eyes grew brighter and brighter.
He discovered that in Dr. Erskine's formula, the components that were truly decisive, the ones that made Steve Rogers "Captain America," were not those that enhanced muscle and bone.
Instead, they were the "functional" components that could unlock human potential, optimize metabolism, and grant cells a near-infinite regenerative capacity.
That was the true core of the Super-Soldier Serum!
As for the side effects that made one paranoid, irritable, even insane... they were merely the unavoidable "static" generated as the core catalyzed the human body.
And what Paul had to do was filter out all of that "static"!
He didn't want a super-soldier.
He wanted a perfect biological energy source... one that could support his brain operating at a thousand times its normal speed!
"Found it!"
Paul's pupils contracted sharply as his finger pointed with precision in the air.
From the deepest part of the model, an extremely tiny structure, one that glowed with a golden light, was isolated by him.
This was the source of it all.
An unprecedented composite protein, it was like a key that could unlock the shackles on every cell in the human body.
"J.A.R.V.I.S., using this as the core, reverse-engineer all green-flagged modules. Objective: create a high-concentration nutrient solution that provides only cellular-level energy supply and repair functions!"
"As you wish, sir."
The lights in the laboratory dimmed as all computational power was focused on a single point.
A massive torrent of data began to madly spin, reconfigure, and fuse around that point of golden light...
Time ticked by, second by second.
Finally, when the last set of data was integrated, the entire holographic model, in an instant, shifted from an unstable red to a color representing perfection and stability... emerald green!
*Voom—*
With a soft hum, the model froze.
Success.
A tremendous wave of exhaustion washed over him. Paul's vision went black, and his body swayed, nearly sending him crashing to the floor.
"Sir, your heart rate is accelerated and your blood pressure is low. I advise you to rest immediately," J.A.R.V.I.S.'s voice said with a hint of human-like concern.
"Shut up, J.A.R.V.I.S."
Paul panted, but an irrepressible grin spread across his face.
He staggered over to the substance synthesizer on the side and uploaded the final formula.
The machine whirred to life with a low hum.
Soon, a test tube slowly slid out from the dispenser.
Inside was a half-full vial of a viscous liquid that looked like molten gold, shimmering with a mesmerizing glow under the lights.
It appeared so gentle, yet it contained a terrifying energy that would drive any biologist to madness.
Without a moment's hesitation, Paul placed the test tube into the adjacent ultra-high-strength centrifuge and molecular stability tester.
"Initiate high-speed electron bombardment, power to maximum!"
He had to be one hundred percent certain this thing wouldn't have any "surprises" for him after entering his body.
The bombardment began. The data on the instrument's display jumped wildly before finally stabilizing into a perfect, straight line.
The molecular structure was indestructible.
Seeing this result, Paul's taut nerves finally relaxed completely. He slumped to the floor, leaned his back against the cold machine, and fell into a deep sleep.
...
The next morning, the first ray of sunlight streamed through the blinds, falling on Paul's face.
He snapped his eyes open, feeling none of the grogginess of a hangover. Instead, he felt an unprecedented clarity and vitality.
Just one night's sleep had swept away all his fatigue.
Perhaps it was a natural talent of this body, or perhaps... a side effect of his memory fusion with Hiro Hamada.
He stood up, stretched his limbs, and his gaze immediately fell upon the center of the lab.
It was time.
"J.A.R.V.I.S., bring up the final design for Project Prometheus."
"Of course, sir."
A blue light screen unfolded before Paul, displaying the design for a sci-fi-esque, silver-white cryo-pod, hovering silently.
This was his previous concept, a brilliant and insane plan.
And now, with the creation of the golden nutrient solution, the final missing piece of that plan was in place.
"Let's begin!"
Paul's eyes shone with excitement, his hands becoming a blur across the virtual keyboard.
In less than half an hour, he had perfectly integrated the nutrient solution's circulation system, metabolic waste filtration system, and high-pressure liquid oxygen supply system into the cryo-pod's overall design.
Every detail had been run through hundreds of millions of simulations to ensure it was flawless.
"Initiate 3D printing and simultaneous system integration!"
At his command, the entire laboratory seemed to come alive.
Several large, industrial-grade 3D printers started up simultaneously. High-precision laser beams scanned back and forth across a bed of special alloy powder, and the cryo-pod's components took shape at a visible rate.
Robotic arms swung, precisely grabbing, assembling, and welding the printed parts.
Circuit boards were embedded, various sensors were installed, and energy conduits glowing with a faint blue light were connected one by one.
A work of art filled with a futuristic aesthetic was gradually becoming a reality in his hands.
The smooth lines, the silver-white metallic sheen, the semi-transparent lid...
Paul's eyes were filled with utter fascination.
This was his Prometheus, the tool he would use to steal the "fire of the gods"!
Just as the cryo-pod was nearing completion, with only one final step remaining—connecting the vial of golden nutrient solution to the main circulation system.
Paul picked up the test tube and was about to walk over.
Just then.
*Bzzzt.*
A private, encrypted communicator in his pocket suddenly vibrated.
This communicator was independent of the Stark network, a channel of absolutely secure communication he had built for himself using knowledge from his past life and the top technology of this world.
Only a handful of people knew of its existence.
Paul frowned slightly and took out the communicator.
On the screen was a single, triple-encrypted anonymous message.
The message was short, just one sentence.
[Someone is tracking the progress of your research.]