Chapter 417: The End
Diego's voice trembled slightly. He recognized Shadow Storm; it was the same Predator who had discovered their tracks when they were spying on that black spaceship.
Shadow Storm looked towards Diego at the sound. The gaze beneath the Predator Mask was incredibly cold. As Diego's eyes met his, that emotionless look reminded him of the butcher next door killing Luoluo Pigs. That Uncle, who had been killing Luoluo Pigs for decades, looked at others as if contemplating where to make the first cut.
In Shadow Storm's hand, he still clutched half of a severed head. The lower jawbone, including the mouth, had been cut off. Blood dripped onto the smooth silver-white floor.
This terrifying and chilling scene scared Diego so much that his teeth chattered uncontrollably. He quietly shuffled closer to Abad.
Shadow Storm's gaze followed suit, landing on Abad.
Abad faced Shadow Storm directly. As a warrior, his instinct immediately sensed Shadow Storm's terror. Almost subconsciously, the control chip embedded in Abad's head entered a high-speed combat readiness state. The energy source inside his chest cavity immediately transmitted energy throughout his entire body, activating various combat modules.
Shadow Storm looked at Abad, who was facing him as if facing a formidable enemy. No expression could be seen on his face beneath the Predator Mask. His gaze only lingered on the two of them briefly. After nodding towards Tang Song, he carried the High Evolutionary's half-head and walked out of the Main Control Room.
"He, he, that, that head he's carrying is still alive! I saw him blinking!"
Diego was restless. As the Toad with the best eyesight in the entire Tribe, he had never wished more that his vision wasn't so outstanding. The sight of that half-head bleeding tears had truly terrified him.
"Mr. Tang!"
Abad patted Diego's shoulder, then turned to look at Tang, who claimed to be a good businessman. His eyes were filled with caution and fear.
As the captain of a Star Pirate Group that had plundered hundreds, if not thousands, of merchant fleets, the merchants who had died by his hand numbered no less than eight thousand, perhaps even ten thousand. Yet, he couldn't discern the origin of the person before him.
That was a Predator! He had never seen, nor even heard of, anyone who could command a Predator.
Such an absurd thing, even if he spoke of it, others would think he was joking!
"I'm a businessman doing business. It's quite reasonable for me to hire some bodyguards, isn't it?"
Tang Song didn't seem to feel embarrassed. He explained with a smile. By now, the water on the small red clay stove had boiled. He picked up the exquisite golden pot and poured the scalding boiling water into the purple clay teapot. A fragrant scent of tea infusion immediately filled the entire Room, carried by the white boiling steam.
"Come, try my tea. This is a unique drink from my Homeworld. It can refresh your spirit!"
Looking at the clear, yellowish-green tea infusion in the tea cup placed before him, and smelling the fragrance of the tea, the trembling Diego couldn't help but swallow saliva. After glancing at Abad and receiving his nod, he cupped the tea cup in both hands and took a sip of the tea infusion.
That fragrant taste instantly made Diego forget the terrifying, bloody, broken head from moments ago. He finished the tea in the tea cup in two or three gulps.
After drinking the tea infusion from the tea cup, Diego held the tea cup and looked at Tang Song with timid, wide eyes, wanting to speak but hesitating.
Tang Song picked up the purple clay teapot in front of him and refilled his tea. Seeing how much he liked it, Tang Song simply called someone over and had them replace his tea cup with a large tea mug about half the size of his head, filling it with tea. Diego hugged the large tea mug and drank with relish on the side.
Abad also picked up the tea cup in front of him and drank it in one gulp. He wasn't very fond of the slightly bitter tea fragrance, so he simply put down the tea cup and looked at Tang Song with some hesitation: "Mr. Tang, those Predator Ships are all your people, so what about this incident?"
Tang Song picked up his tea cup and took a sip of tea. He said straightforwardly: "The owner of this Spaceship beneath our feet wanted to disrupt my business, which is why this conflict erupted!"
"Fortunately, the matter has been resolved. He will spend the rest of his life in an Incubation Chamber! This Planet suffered collateral damage. I will provide some compensation to the natives of this Planet and to you."
"Presumably, that half-head was the owner of this Spaceship!" Abad said with a bitter smile: "You actually don't need to give any compensation. In this Star Zone, destroying a Habitable Planet is a common occurrence. It's the law of the jungle. Even the Nova Empire won't interfere too much as long as it doesn't happen within their Territory!"
Tang Song looked at Abad in surprise: "You see things quite clearly!"
The reason he had this period of traveling together with the two of them was that he had divined that an opportunity related to him would fall upon them. He just hadn't expected the opportunity to be related to that MODOK.
MODOK must have come into contact with other parts of the Main God, involving multiversal level existences, which was why he hadn't been able to directly divine him. However, his art of divination was still quite accurate. Although he didn't directly divine MODOK, he did divine the clue.
It was precisely because of this period of traveling together that Tang Song invited the two of them for tea. Originally, this tea was meant to entertain three people, but MODOK refused the toast and chose the penalty drink instead.
And it was precisely because he saw that the two of them had brought clues about an unknown Main God component that Tang Song proposed to give some compensation to the natives of the Planet beneath their feet.
He hadn't expected this modified human before him to directly refuse. There weren't many people in this World who could be so clear-headed about themselves.
"I used to be a Space Pirate!" Abad admitted: "Having lived for hundreds of years, I naturally understand many things."
"I appreciate clear-headed people. Are you interested in working for me?" Tang Song put down his tea cup and extended an invitation to the modified human before him.
Abad, however, shook his head: "Thank you for your kindness. Since disbanding the Pirate Group, I just want to live the life of an Ordinary Person without fighting and killing..."
"I understand, everyone has their own aspirations!" Tang Song smiled. Then he beckoned, calling over a Black-clothed Bodyguard from the side and giving an instruction. The Black-clothed Bodyguard quickly returned with a silver briefcase. At Tang Song's signal, he gave the briefcase to Abad.
"Mr. Tang, is this?" Abad asked, holding the briefcase in both hands, full of doubt.
"It's nothing. My main purpose for coming this time was to find someone. You brought the person to me, so this is my remuneration for you," Tang Song waved his hand.
Abad became even more confused: "Find someone? We brought someone here?"
However, seeing that Tang Song had no intention of giving an explanation, he was sensible enough not to press further.
Abad and Diego stayed in the Pinnacle Main Control Room, accompanying Boss Tang for half an hour of tea. Then, Abad somewhat nervously proposed their departure to Tang Song.
Fortunately, Boss Tang had no intention of forcing them to stay, so the two left guided by a Black-clothed Bodyguard.
"Abad, where's that MODOK?!"
Diego held a can of tea in his hands, walking with Abad down the Silver-White Corridor. He looked around, somewhat puzzled.
It was then that Abad suddenly understood who Tang Song had been referring to. Diego was about to say something else, but Abad quickly covered his mouth, held him under his armpit, and quickened his pace.
The Peak Spaceship, the size of the Moon, was moored in the pitch black Space, surrounded by nearly a thousand disc-shaped Predator Ships.
Abad carefully piloted his small spaceship through the midst of these Predator Ships. Fortunately, the Predator Ships showed no intention of attacking them.
"Click!"
Diego on the side opened the silver briefcase. Inside, neatly stacked, were over a dozen fist-sized blue energy crystal stones.
"Wow! So beautiful! These things must be very valuable!"
Diego picked up a piece and examined the energy crystal stone carefully under the lights overhead. Illuminated by the lights inside the spaceship, these blue energy crystal stones emitted a magnificent blue light. He couldn't help but exclaim.
Abad turned his head to look, and the expression on his face instantly froze. He was a connoisseur. The sensor device in his body easily identified the powerful energy source contained within these energy cubes. "These energy crystal stones are enough for us to buy ten new spaceships!"
"So, where do we go next?"
"Where do you want to go?"
"How about the Nova Empire? I've always heard those unscrupulous merchants say the Nova Empire is very prosperous. I want to see it!"
"Then let's go to Xandar. That's the administrative Planet of the Nova Empire! It's also the most prosperous Planet in this Star Zone!"
In the cold space, a spaceship gradually moved away.
Meanwhile, in a cabin used for detaining Experiment Subjects aboard the Peak Spaceship, MODOK, stripped naked, had awakened from his coma.
The first thing he did upon waking was reach for the Ant-Man Transformation Device at his waist. As long as he had the Ant-Man Transformation Device, no place could trap him. But his hand met empty air. He looked at his naked figure reflected on the smooth silver-white wall.
MODOK cursed angrily, uttering various "Fuck" and "Bitch" for over half an hour.
Without his equipment, with his deformed body, he couldn't even stand independently.
MODOK cursed until his throat was dry, but the two Black-clothed Bodyguards standing at the entrance stood there like sculptures, letting him curse without paying him any mind... "Water, I want water!"
MODOK's throat was uncomfortably dry, and he wanted some water to drink, but no one paid attention.
Another half an hour passed. The hatch slowly slid open to the sides, and Tang Song, dressed in a white suit, walked into the Cell.
"What exactly do you want? The Company has already been taken by your Tang Group. With Professor Pym there, I don't think you lack Pym Particles!"
MODOK leaned against the wall, barely propping up his MODOK, and looked at Tang Song with eyes full of resentment.
"I asked Professor Hank Pym. The conflict between you and him was because you wanted to use Pym Particles for military use! That's why you went your separate ways!"
Tang Song pulled up a chair and sat down in front of MODOK, looking down at the MODOK before him.
"Yes, so what? Once Pym Particles are developed into weapons, they will be a great killer weapon that determines the entire World's landscape. At that time, the Company's market value will also increase hundreds or even thousands of times, and I will become the richest person in the World! It's all Hank Pym's fault, that old stubborn fool! If he hadn't hidden the research data related to Pym Particles, I wouldn't have ended up like this!"
MODOK glared at Tang Song hatefully and said: "Doesn't your Tang Group acquire my Company because you covet Pym Particles too!"
"So, it's just for money!" Tang Song tapped his cane on the floor.
"Isn't it enough for money?" MODOK retorted: "Whether on Earth or in the Milky Way Galaxy, it's always better to have money than to be a poor ghost with none!"
MODOK mocked: "Are you going to tell me that money can't buy everything?!"
"No!" Tang Song rubbed his cane. "I want to say, I am rich enough. I can make you a rich person!"
Tang Song raised his cane and pointed it between MODOK's Eyebrows: "I can also help you get rid of this deformed body and restore you to a Normal Person!"
Tang Song's words struck MODOK like lightning. After a long while, he came back to his senses and asked tremblingly: "What do you want from me? I have nothing now except this deformed body!"
"Tell me, what exactly did you encounter in the Quantum Realm?" Tang Song's words were light, yet they were like Buddhist chants entering his ears, causing MODOK to fall into a trance-like recollection.
"The Quantum Realm, many prokaryotic organisms, they are very beautiful, and also terrifying, like being at the Seabed—"
"And what else? Did you encounter anything strange, or magical things—" Tang Song's gentle voice entered MODOK's ears, making him feel drowsy, but the words from his mouth didn't stop at all.
"Yes, I encountered a quantum storm and was swept into a patch of golden light. There was a damaged Square there—"
"What was on the Square? An orb of light?" Tang Song's spirit lifted.
"No orb of light, a lot of golden light flying everywhere. After being illuminated by that golden light, my consciousness felt like it was teleported to another Universe! I can't remember clearly..."
"Ocean, pirates, zombies... I must be dreaming. How could I turn into a sea monster several thousand meters tall, turn into a zombie..."
Tang Song looked at MODOK, who was speaking incoherently as if in a dream. He drew a calming talisman in The Void and placed it between his Eyebrows, letting him sleep soundly.
Tang Song sat on the chair and pondered for a long time, thinking about the information revealed in MODOK's words. Main God Plaza, was it just a spirit transmission?! After a long while, Tang Song glanced at MODOK, who was curled up asleep in the Corner, got up, and left the Cell.
"Give him a more comfortable Room and arrange for a few people to take good care of his daily needs!"
"Yes, Boss!" The two Black-clothed Bodyguards guarding the entrance bowed.
In an Incubation Chamber used for experiments, a head with red hair was immersed in pale green nutrient fluid. Rocket Raccoon stared blankly at the High Evolutionary, who had been reduced to an Experiment Subject. His eyes were very complex, and he didn't know what he was thinking, not even noticing Tang Song walking up behind him.
"What are you thinking about?"
Tang Song walked up beside Rocket Raccoon and looked at the High Evolutionary in the Incubation Chamber with him.
"It feels like a dream. Ever since escaping the Laboratory, I've thought about defeating him every moment. Now that he's soaking in here, I'm a little confused whether this is a dream or reality!"
Rocket Raccoon sighed with a deep tone, completely changed from his former liveliness.
"Bang!"
Tang Song raised his hand and punched Rocket Raccoon on the forehead. The severe pain on his head instantly made Rocket Raccoon let out a howl, and he jumped up. He bared his teeth and glared at Tang Song: "What are you doing?"
"Does it hurt?!" Tang Song glanced at him sideways.
"Of course it hurts! Otherwise, let me punch you and see!" Rocket Raccoon said defiantly.
"It's good that it hurts. Pain means you're not dreaming. Instead of spending time here sighing, you should go to the Laboratory and do the experiment several more times. I've done what I promised you. For the Doomsday Project Research, hurry up!"
"Tang Bapi!!"
Rocket Raccoon quickly ran towards the hatch. Just as he was about to run out, he turned back, made a face at Tang Song, cursed, and then ran out of the hatch.
Tang Song raised the cane in his palm, and a silver light chased out of the hatch... "My eyebrows, my fur—"
Soon, Rocket Raccoon's wailing could be heard outside the hatch.
(end of chapter)