Chapter 68

I'm sorry for the delay in updating yesterday. Please forgive me.

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Leaving Earth to develop on Mercury wasn't a spur-of-the-moment decision for Liu Rui'an, nor was it just to address Skye's suspicions. While the Earth in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) may seem safe, Liu Rui'an was well aware of the actual dangers it faced. Even if the MCU differs from the comic and animated versions, the overarching background set by Marvel, especially the short films and spin-off series created to enrich the 'Earth-19999' setting, clearly indicates the high level of danger in this world.

Even with Kryptonian genes, Liu Rui'an wasn't invincible. For example, there was a certain green-skinned giant with tremendous growth potential. Additionally, there were numerous superbeings in the MCU, some of whom had already appeared or were hinted at, capable of destroying star systems or even the universe. Although these beings were not on Earth, who knew if they might show up later?

In such a situation, staying on Earth to develop in the short term might be fine, but in the long run, who knew what dangers might arise. Previously, lacking the capability for interstellar colonization was one thing, but now that he had more interstellar technology, it would be a problem not to find a safer "nest" for himself.

Moreover, the Kryptonian genes obtained from "Man of Steel" required absorbing a large amount of stellar energy to become stronger. Establishing a base on Mercury, the planet closest to the sun, was naturally the best choice.

However, although he had decided to temporarily leave Earth, Liu Rui'an wasn't foolish enough to just leave without a plan, nor did he intend to never return. Even though the base on Mercury had already taken shape, it couldn't compare to the prosperity and bustle of Earth. Plus, Liu Rui'an still had an important matter to attend to, so this long journey couldn't happen yet.

"My master, haven't you noticed?" After Skye left the bedroom, the starling, projecting a sweet little girl image, asked.

"Are you talking about Skye suspecting that I am Imperius and also doubting that I am not from her race?" Liu Rui'an, opening the independent dressing room, smiled and asked in return.

"Master, you are always wise."

The sweet little girl said, her eyes twinkling with admiration, showing no sign of flattery and giving off a cute vibe.

"Not wise, but because of this?" Liu Rui'an, who was already used to her flattery, pointed to his temple and said.

"How do you plan to dispel her suspicions? According to my analysis, she's not the only one who suspects you are Imperius," the starling, dressed in a princess gown, said.

"Why dispel them? Isn't it better to keep some mystery?" Liu Rui'an, choosing a casual Tang-style suit designed by a veteran designer, said while changing.

"Aren't you going to deal with SHIELD?" The starling, watching him undress without any hint of shyness, asked.

"No need. It's better to let them keep guessing," Liu Rui'an, putting on his pants, shrugged and said.

At this moment, the starling suddenly paused and then said, "Master, the 'Star Lost' project has been completed. Should we keep it here or move it to the Mercury base?"

"Completed now?" Liu Rui'an, somewhat surprised, asked.

"The project was completed three days ago. In these three days, a thousand sets of hardware have been produced and are awaiting final internal testing," the starling continued to report.

"This is a pleasant surprise." Liu Rui'an, dressed, smiled and said, "OK, let's start the internal testing."

"By the way, has the quantum network between the Mercury base and Earth been set up?"

"It's in the final debugging stage. Once the internal testing is complete, the 'Star Lost' project can truly be launched," the starling answered without hesitation.

'Star Lost' is actually a space sandbox game. While the plot has many novel highlights, it still follows the old tropes of space exploration, space war, and civilization development. The difference is that this game uses virtual reality technology, not 2D or 3D. It's the kind of game often seen in web novels, where a high-fidelity virtual reality experience can be achieved through a game helmet and a game pod.

After obtaining the relevant technology from the "Tron: Legacy" world, Liu Rui'an arranged for the starling to research these technologies and also established the 'Star Lost' project. Due to the vast and profound background of this virtual game and the need to connect with reality in many aspects, from astrophysics to daily life, Liu Rui'an required everything to be done to perfection. Additionally, the technology required for the game terminal was already quite advanced, so even with quantum computers, the development speed of 'Star Lost' wouldn't be fast.

Of course, if Liu Rui'an was willing to sacrifice other projects and allocate all the starling's resources to 'Star Lost,' it would be a different story.

As for the quantum network, it is a long-distance information transmission technology based on quantum communication. With this, the problem of long delays due to distance, or even the inability to enter the game, would be solved. As long as the corresponding network nodes were established, one could play the game from Mercury or even neighboring star systems without any issues.

Of course, spending so much time and resources on this game wasn't just a momentary impulse for Liu Rui'an. Well, to be precise, it wasn't entirely.

As a宅男 (otaku) who loved reading web novels, Liu Rui'an often yearned for the virtual games frequently featured in game-themed novels. Since he now had the capability, there was no reason not to realize his fantasies.

Moreover, 'Star Lost' was more than just a game. According to the starling's design, it would not only serve as a new profit growth point for Umbrella Technology but also become a unique "cradle" for talent cultivation, technology research, and even real interstellar exploration and development.

"Very good news, it's worth celebrating."

Liu Rui'an, satisfied, finished dressing and planned to continue his date with the girl. However, just as he put on his well-fitted casual Tang-style suit, the starling had new news.

"Master, Aldrich Killian is here to visit."

"Who?" Liu Rui'an, stopping in his tracks, asked in surprise.

"Aldrich Killian, the founder of the Advanced Idea Mechanics (AIM) organization, born with a disability, one of the targets you asked me to search and monitor," the starling said, providing the details.

Immediately connecting the name with the character, Liu Rui'an said, somewhat surprised, "Wait, why would he come now, and directly to me?"

"Based on the information you provided, it's highly likely he's here to seek cooperation on the Extremis virus project," the starling calmly analyzed.

"Extremis virus?" Liu Rui'an, instantly recalling the relevant information, smiled and said, "Since he's here, there's no reason to refuse. Please bring him to the terrace."

"As you wish, my master." The starling, receiving the order, disappeared.

Meanwhile, Aldrich Killian, dressed in a well-fitted suit with no visible signs of his disability, was interestedly looking around the exhibition area in the Umbrella Technology reception hall. The exhibition area displayed all of Umbrella's past and current achievements, with the most attention-grabbing being the information about the "NEW" bio-drink.

After a short wait, a staff member brought him a temporary access card. Playing with the card, which was about the size of a playing card, and looking at his own photo on it, Aldrich Killian smiled and followed the staff member into a dedicated elevator.

The high-speed elevator was fast, and in just a few seconds, the elevator doors slid open with a "ding." Even though Aldrich Killian's status and wealth had long lifted him out of the realm of a nobody, he still had to admit that the host was quite particular about his enjoyment when he saw the twin sisters waiting to greet him.

Seeing the target appear, Liu Rui'an stood up from his chair and extended his right hand with a smile, "Hello, Dr. Aldrich Killian. I am Liu Rui'an, you can call me Liu or Prophet."

"Hello, Prophet," Aldrich Killian, who had done his "homework" before coming, naturally wasn't surprised by the title and smiled in response.

After some pleasantries, Aldrich Killian felt a bit uneasy under the other's scrutinizing gaze.

"Prophet, you should know why I'm here, right?" Aldrich Killian, who could be considered handsome, asked.

Knowing that this was likely due to his nickname, Liu Rui'an smiled and said, "I look forward to Dr. Killian's demonstration. I believe we will work together very well."

Faced with this response, Aldrich Killian's eyes flashed with uncertainty. Although he had learned through some channels that the host had the nickname "Prophet," he had reservations about what it meant. His reservations weren't about the nickname itself but about whether the host truly lived up to it.

However, it seemed that the host's abilities were not as simple as he had thought.