Chapter 564 30. We generally call it "the wise man's cage"
Fox's Nest, a research institution under the Hope Council.
Mason has never been here, and there is very little information about this place even in the Society of Stars system. However, the smartest group of people Mason has met so far in his parallel world adventure are basically from here.
A research team composed of Tony No. 7, the Supreme Beast and the legendary Gods. These true geniuses gathered from various worlds do not need to fight or worry about the existence of themselves and their families. Their life security is The most senior level in the entire council system.
Basically, all they need to do is report what they want, and someone will immediately come to meet their needs.
Tony No. 7, who has the most interactions with Mason, has joked more than once that after the impact of the incident, the quality of life of these people not only did not decline due to the apocalypse, but actually improved a lot.
This fully proves that talents are not only valuable in the 21st century, they are among the highest-end resources at any time. However, enjoying such high-level benefits naturally requires them to bear heavier responsibilities than others.
The only reason for the fox's nest to exist is research.
Conducting necessary research on impact events and all areas related to them, this organization has produced many amazing results in the seventeen years since its establishment.
For example, the Star Map of Parallel Worlds used by the Star Club’s current exploration system, and the World Gate, the most important carrier for these pioneers to travel between worlds. The body of this thing was created by the first group of researchers from Fox Nest. Designed and produced by us.
In addition, just like the logistical duties played by Team K in the current Rebel Alliance, Fox Nest also assumes the mission of designing various weapons for the warriors and providing military advice when necessary in the Conqueror system, as well as for those who have numerical superiority. The overall maintenance of the liquidator corps and the upgrade and iteration of the cannon fodder soldier production line.
If the Hope Council is the "brain" of the entire system, then the mysterious organization Fox Nest is the thinking center of the brain.
Praise words such as precision, professionalism, rationality, and efficiency can all be used to describe this organization, but conversely, cold-blooded, cruelty, and ruthlessness are also synonymous with it.
For example, in the preparation stage for an impact, just modifying one data in the analysis report they submitted to the council can cause multiple levels of worlds to be strategically abandoned.
The resources of the Hope Council are huge, but this organization cannot choose to save everyone when it needs to make a choice.
Of course, as the impact situation enters the "deep water zone", as the cruel world battle royale comes to an end, as the number of worlds that survive the impact becomes fewer and fewer and the strength of the existing individuals becomes stronger and stronger, Fox The "good days" for nest scientists are also over.
Tony Seven didn't fully disclose to Mason the dire situation they now faced.
The fact is that a major review has begun in the fox den.
Since five days ago, research groups have been continuously being laid off, and many researchers have had their identities taken away on the grounds of "waste of resources" and "low value."
Those with better luck will be sent to a certain garden world or assigned to serve as staff officers in the Cleaner Corps, while those with less luck will be dragged out on the spot.
Regarding this kind of treatment, the researchers at Fox Nest dare not speak out. Although they have made remarkable research achievements in other fields, they have made very little achievements in the most important mission that Fox Nest needs to undertake when it is established.
In seventeen years, they have produced few effective responses to the shock.
If you don't do your job well, you won't be so confident when faced with layoffs.
"I created more than 30 efficient war weapons for the Conquerors! I participated in the design of the Pioneer Star Map! I made contributions to the Council!
You can't do this to me!
My project is perfect! This is shameful academic suppression! The results of my experiments prove that I only need a little more resources to develop shock-resistant ones. Ah! ”
When Tony 7 completed his meeting with Mason and changed back into his researcher uniform and walked into his work area, he heard a wailing sound like a slaughtering pig as soon as he entered the door.
It was the voice of M.O.D.O.K. 4, its harsh sonic signature instantly recognizable.
Tony No. 7 blinked, made himself a cup of coffee, and walked over to watch the excitement. Many researchers working together in this experimental area had gathered here.
They looked at M.O.D.O.4 with different expressions as they were being forcibly taken away by the Fox Nest guards.
The big-headed intelligent robot had energy-limiting devices on its hands. He was placed on a suspended trolley in a very embarrassed state. He made a lot of noise and was carried by a blue device that blocked the sound.
Many guards in white armor were cleaning this guy's laboratory. All kinds of data were downloaded and backed up and then destroyed. They were busy. Judging from their skillful movements, this was not the first time they had done this.
Tony Seven took a sip of coffee.
The relationship between Tonys and M.O.D.O.K.s has never been good, but seeing his old rivals in the field of research being treated in this way makes this prodigal genius feel like a rabbit is dead and a fox is dead.
"Isn't M.O.D.O.K. 4 in charge of the 'Impact Shield' project? I remember that the priority of that project is very high, how could it be suddenly"
He whispered a question to Amadeus Zhao No. 8, who clenched his fists next to him. The latter curled his lips and replied softly:
"That project was cancelled. The Pharaoh's team responsible for the review submitted a report after several tests. They believed that with our current technological level, we could not produce an ideal 'impact shield', and that continuing to study it would be a waste. Resources.
I heard that they arranged a new job for the M.O.D.O.K. team and wanted to transfer them to serve as staff in the Conqueror sequence, but they were rejected by these arrogant guys.
I heard that they also had a conflict with the Pharaohs, and as a result, they were kidnapped and still have to be imprisoned to await trial after the attack. ”
"Another waste of resources? This is a terrible excuse."
Tony No. 7 narrowed his eyes and looked at M.O.D.O.K. No. 4 being taken away. He whispered:
"The feasibility of their project is obviously very high. Everyone agrees on this. I think the reason behind it is not that simple."
"Shh, you're going to have to shut up now, if you don't want to be in the cell with M.O.D.O.K."
A familiar voice sounded behind Tony Seven.
He looked back and saw that it was Hank the Beast wearing a white coat, with the Utopia emblem hanging on his chest, representing his true identity.
The supreme beast.
His status in Fox Nest is higher than that of researchers like Tony No. 7. He is also one of the members of the committee responsible for evaluating the work results of his peers. He is holding a very delicate tablet in his hand like a patrol.
"The fourth impact is approaching, and everyone is under great pressure. I don't think you still have time to mourn the suffering of others."
Hank looked around and said in a neither serious nor serious tone:
"Have you finished your research? Have you written the report? Has the paper been approved?"
It was like a classic speech made by a tutor to graduate students, which made the researchers watching the excitement disperse in a hurry. Some people whispered behind their backs about these "bastards of the committee", but in the end no one dared to say it out loud.
"You come with me."
The Supreme Beast said something to Tony Seven, and his business-like tone made Seven's heart skip a beat.
He followed Hank to his work area. This mechanical laboratory was filled with various future technologies and was filled with various styles of armor and weapon models.
The specific job of Tony No. 7 in Fox Nest is this. In addition to being responsible for frontline observation when an impact occurs, he also needs to provide personalized upgrade suggestions to Conqueror sequence armor users on weekdays.
He is a "war engineer" and is mostly bound to the conqueror sequence, so he is not worried about being "unemployed" in a short period of time.
"In ten minutes, a fox nest guard will come to you."
The moment the laboratory door closed, Hank wasted no time and said directly to Tony No. 7:
"The charge you were charged with is 'obstructing unity'. As for why you were arrested at this time and the real reason for your arrest, I believe you know it well.
You've been in contact with that guy too often, and you've been to Osborne Tower a little too often, but don't worry about it dragging down your companions.
The other Tonys were clean enough to stay on and complete your project. ”
"Hey."
Tony Seven's heart sank, but on the surface he didn't care and just curled his lips and said:
"So, I was implicated by Mason?"
"Absolutely, because his recent activity has caused the council to label all information and personnel related to him as unstable factors.
The connection between you and him is very secretive, and they can't get any solid evidence, but in this situation, it is somewhat unnecessary to talk to the council about the rules.
I guess after this attack is over, the fox nest will also be officially closed.
The resources provided to us have allowed them to achieve enough results, and they also need to reasonably allocate resources to deal with the more cruel games that follow. ”
The Supreme Beast glanced at the tablet in his hand and said slowly:
"I'm just here to remind you. If you have any 'contraband' in your hand, get rid of it quickly to avoid being caught and executed on the spot."
"Thank you."
Tony Seven looked solemn, put down his coffee cup, turned on the quantum computer next to him, inserted the hard drive that Mason gave him, uploaded all the simulation data about the tuning fork of the universe to the backup database of Tony's Legion, and then began to delete Tonys. The world fusion theoretical model that I helped Mason create before.
This scene made the Supreme Beast behind him narrow his eyes.
Especially after seeing that the world integration theory that had been openly abandoned by Utopia was advanced to the next stage by Tony's Legion, he was quietly relieved.
That was the method that mutants came up with in this era to deal with the coming apocalypse, and they poured all their efforts into Utopia.
"I said, has the matter become this serious?"
While Tony No. 7 was busy, he asked in a low voice:
"If there is no Fox Nest, how are those stupid and crazy MPs going to deal with the next trouble? This impact is not the end, are they ready to give up?
Or are they going to continue with their stupid 'Terminal Star' plan? ”
"Neither."
Hank coughed and said:
"They just decided to act."
"Action?"
Tony No. 7 was stunned for a moment, and then asked:
"That's scary to think about, Hank.
You see, I will be arrested soon. Whether I can leave the detention area alive is unknown, so I want to ask you a very important question, and I hope you can give me an answer.
Everyone in the entire Fox Nest has the same questions as I do about the projects that have been axed recently.
For example, the impact shield of the M.O.D.O.K. team was researched for twelve years and has been repeatedly verified in two impacts.
Their idea is definitely feasible! Moreover, it successfully protected twenty-eight colliding garden worlds during the third impact. The design has been largely completed and only needs final fine-tuning before it can be adopted as a conventional defense system.
But just as they were putting the final touches on it, the project was shut down. You say M.O.D.O.K.s are wasting resources, but in fact, I think you are really wasting resources. ”
"First, correct one of your mistakes."
Hank waved his hand and said:
"The M.O.D.O.K. team has completed the design modifications, and the impact shield project has been successfully completed. Its full set of data and drawings have been uploaded to the Council's Doomsday Database.
Secondly, the reason why M.O.D.O.K.s encountered trouble was not because of their designs, but because they participated in a small group formed by Ronan, the commander of the sixth sequence of conquerors, half a month ago.
They are causing trouble for themselves.
Just like your personal contact with Mason, they probably had a premonition of the end of Foxden and wanted to find a home. Unfortunately, they chose the wrong collaborator.
It was just a 'fishing law enforcement', and the M.O.D.O.K.'s and some lower-level councilors were the fish caught. ”
"I'm not interested in the fate of those mechanical heads! That's not what I want to ask."
Tony Seven completed the data deletion. After entering the instructions to format the database, he stood up, picked up his coffee cup, turned back to Supreme Hank and said:
"What I want to say is the project itself!
Since I joined Fox Nest three years ago, I've seen too many promising projects suddenly come to an end at some point. What seemed like normal academic deliberation is actually abnormal when I think about it now.
Tell me honestly, does the Hope Council have the same 'salvation plan' as Mason? I mean the kind that is at least theoretically possible! ”
This question silenced Hank. After a few seconds, he nodded and said:
"Yes, and more than one.
The 'Pocket Universe' project proposed by the Fantastic Four sixteen years ago, the 'World Dimension Upgrade Quantum State' project completed by Hank Pym fourteen years ago, and the 'Era Survival' project promoted by Bruce Banner eleven years ago The author's life enhancement experiments and ancient projects that have existed since the birth of Fox Nest.
The 'New Protoss Reproduction' experiment that simulated the fourth dimension where Apokolips was located to avoid the impact, and even the Speed Force Matrix submitted by Mason not long ago.
These projects have all passed the test at the theoretical level. They can all be called 'salvation plans', and the estimated success rate of each one will not be less than 10%. ”
"But"
Tony No. 7's eyes widened and he said:
"But I've never heard of any of this! If they had a plan, why would they sit back and watch... Wait! Where are those people? Where are the researchers who came up with a feasible solution?
They were all "
"Waste of resources, hindrance to unity, worthlessness, uncontrollable tendencies, militarism, authoritarian tendencies, etc."
Hank looked at Tony No. 7 and said quietly:
"Why do you think these ridiculous charges that can't even be deceived by one of our own people are placed in a scientific research institution like Fox's Nest? Both M.O.D.O.K. who was just taken away and you who are about to be taken away will witness those outstanding talents with their own eyes. The final outcome.
Tony, listen to me, the dark ages brought about by the impact were never a simple technological issue.
I witnessed with my own eyes the birth of the Council of Hope. From the moment it was born, this organization was not simply about surviving the apocalypse and gaining new life.
People like Mason just want the disaster to end.
Others who saw the ‘opportunity’ wanted more.
This cosmic era is coming to an end, but that does not prevent it from giving birth to a monster Leviathan that will grow by devouring the resources of the apocalypse and become king in the next era.
You should have heard the saying that chaos is the ladder to power.
They had already climbed up, so how could they personally destroy the ladder that allowed them to go higher, just to save a group of people they didn't know at all?
Why?
Just because the innocent people are pitiful?
Kindness, conscience, these things are luxuries in this era. ”
"They clearly have many plans but are unwilling to implement them, just for this ridiculous reason?"
Tony smashed the coffee cup in his hand on the ground, and the debris flew everywhere. He shouted angrily:
"Then what is the value of us being here?"
"Preventing our wisdom from being used by others is the greatest value of Fox Nest's existence. We often ridicule the Garden World as pig farms, but is Fox Nest not a 'smart fish tank' in the hands of the Council?"
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Hank glanced outside the laboratory. The Fox Nest guards in white armor were already walking towards this direction.
He shook his head and said to Tony No. 7:
"Didn't I say it?
We are the ladder in their hands. Those who want to play the role of savior have already stepped onto the altar, so naturally they have to take away the ladder to avoid competition from those who come after us.
But don't worry, Tony.
They may be good at monopolizing and creating darkness, but they are novices on the road to salvation, and there are already people who started earlier than them.
Wait patiently in the jail cell and never commit suicide.
I suspect that you and I will have the opportunity to witness the wonderful spectacle of the dark altar forged by our wisdom collapsing, just as the stars have just collapsed.
That scene must be wonderful. ”
The moment the guards opened the door to the laboratory, Hank coughed, reached out and tore off the researcher badge on Tony's chest. He said to the angry Tony in a cold voice:
"Tony Stark No. 7! You will be sentenced to imprisonment and await trial for obstructing unity! Do you want to plead? This is your right." (End of Chapter)