This translation device could be considered a very common item in the universe. Civilizations that reached a certain level, or intelligent beings who frequently traveled among various civilizations, would typically carry one.
Of course, there were exceptions. For instance, Asgard did not mass-produce such products. They were accustomed to a more traditional method—directly learning and mastering the languages of the universe. The long lifespan of Asgardians gave them this foundation.
Someone like Thor not only understood the languages of all major civilizations but could even understand the language spoken by Groot, the tree creature.
Asgard's method couldn't be widely adopted. After all, there were massive differences in lifespan between races. Not all civilizations were as peaceful and stable as Asgard. Many who traveled the universe struggled just to survive, and simply didn't have time to slowly learn languages. More importantly, learning one or two languages wasn't enough. There were so many in use across the universe, and it wasn't uncommon for someone to spend years learning a few, only to find they'd become obsolete. That would be a tragedy.
It was exactly this kind of environment that created a large market for translation tools.
This inconspicuous little device contained nearly every known language in the universe, ensuring that any alien language you heard could be converted into something understandable.
To the user, the other person would always seem to be speaking in their "native language."
The device, about the size of a fingernail, could be attached behind the ear. It could stick to the skin like a normal mechanical device, making it visible at a glance, or it could alter its appearance so that others couldn't tell you were wearing anything.
"This thing is amazing."
Tony turned it over in his hand, studying it for a long time, trying to figure out its inner workings. If he didn't need it immediately, he would've wanted to take it apart on the spot.
"No need to rush. We'll buy some standard items later. Those will be enough to keep you busy for a while."
Even though they were just civilian products, the technology they contained was enough to boost Tony Stark's tech level by several tiers. The Stark Group would also undergo massive changes.
It was foreseeable that even without relying on the highly profitable arms business, the Stark Group—armed with advanced civilization tech—would remain one of Earth's top companies, and could even become its leading tech powerhouse.
"Now I feel like the shares I gave you back then were absolutely worth it!"
Just based on the technical data Ethan had already brought him, Tony felt that even if he gave Ethan more shares, he still wouldn't be losing out.
"Don't feel like you owe me. Once you get those things, I'll get what I want from you. It's a win-win."
"You're right, my friend. It's a shame I don't have any wine. Otherwise, I'd definitely share a drink with you!"
Now that they had the translation devices and could communicate freely with the locals on Xandar, there was no need to hide in their lodgings. They could move around and experience the alien scenery.
Of course, to avoid trouble, someone with decent combat ability should accompany them. The cities on Xandar were well-secured. Even if conflict broke out, the Nova Corps would quickly intervene to stop any violence.
Moreover, Xandarians themselves were fairly peace-loving and rarely caused trouble. Ethan only arranged for protection against other races.
Xandar was a very open and civilized planet. Naturally, it had travelers and even residents from many different races.
"Don't worry, we won't go far. We'll just explore nearby."
To Evelyn, Imhotep, and the others, even the cities of the 21st century felt futuristic. Those novelties alone could keep them reminiscing for quite a while.
Unexpectedly, they had now arrived on an alien planet. Facing a city full of aliens, it was hard not to feel nervous. Thor was technically an alien too, but he looked like a human, so they hadn't fully processed that before. But the aliens on Xandar came in all shapes and colors. Even many humanoid ones had pink, green, or blue skin, making it clear they were no longer on Earth.
In that kind of environment, even someone as bold as Evelyn didn't dare to wander off. Jonathan, who often caused trouble, didn't dare make a move either. Ethan had already warned him in advance—Xandar's laws were strict. Although its people loved peace, they had no sympathy for criminals and weren't hesitant to act.
On a high-tech planet like this, any of Jonathan's tricks would easily be detected. It was best for him not to "touch" anything he wasn't supposed to.
"Relax, I'm the most honest one here!"
After spending time together, everyone knew what he was like and gave him a look of deep mistrust.
"I'll keep an eye on him."
O'Connell volunteered, saying he would keep watch over Jonathan and make sure he didn't cause any trouble.
Ethan nodded, then began asking Thor if he knew of any underground merchants on Xandar.
Bringing up such a topic in front of the Xandarian reception staff was a bit inappropriate. Sure enough, the pink-skinned staff member looked very awkward.
What was even more frustrating was that Thor, the Prince of Asgard, didn't care at all about maintaining the image of a "friendly neighbor." He straightforwardly said that he knew a few such merchants, and there was even one nearby. He could take Ethan there.
Strictly speaking, the topic they were discussing was against Xandarian law. Should he pretend not to hear it? Or report it and arrest these "guests"?
As he struggled internally, Ethan noticed his conflicted expression and offered a brief explanation, "We just want to buy some technical data. That shouldn't be a problem, right?"
Hearing Ethan's clarification, the staff member's expression softened a bit.
In the universe, it wasn't uncommon for relatively backward civilizations—or individuals who had left their home planet—to go to advanced planets and buy more developed tech. Even entire civilizations sometimes did this. It wasn't a rare occurrence.
Even on Xandar, there had been similar deals. If the authorities saw them, they'd deal with them. If not, they'd pretend not to know. As long as the underground merchants didn't sell sensitive Xandarian tech, most people turned a blind eye.
"Ahem, as long as it's not something too sensitive, it should be fine."
"Don't worry, we're not planning to buy weapons or warships."
Ethan did want to buy a spaceship, but after recalling the appearance of ships in the Marvel Universe, he realized the only one that fit his aesthetic was the kind of fighter jet Star-Lord flew. That model seemed exclusive to the Ravagers, and if he wanted one, he might need to find Star-Lord himself.
After settling things with the Xandarian reception staff, Ethan, Thor, and Tony went straight to the nearby underground merchant.
Ethan had been wondering if it would be the same one from Guardians of the Galaxy, but unfortunately, the one Thor introduced wasn't that person. It was someone who hadn't appeared in the films.
This was a light-skinned Xandarian who looked no different from a human. He quickly met Ethan's group and provided a large amount of technical data in various categories that Tony needed.
After Thor paid and the transaction was completed, Tony sincerely expressed his thanks.
He had just been shopping like crazy, buying up almost every piece of technical data that caught his interest. Many of the items weren't even urgently needed, meaning he had bought a lot of extras.
Thor didn't mind and generously footed the bill, which Tony truly appreciated.
Although Ethan had been watching the whole time, he still didn't really know what Tony had actually bought in the end.
"How was the haul?"
"Haul?" Tony immediately knew what Ethan was curious about. "With this data, over half of the projects I'm currently researching can be declared obsolete."
The newly acquired materials covered multiple areas. Some of the things Tony had only been conceptualizing now had complete production methods. And they were mature technologies, no further testing required.
"Buddy, give me some time, and I could convert your Prinz Eugen into a spaceship."
It was a great idea, but Ethan didn't think it was necessary.
"The Prinz Eugen is almost finished. No need to delay construction for modifications. I need to use it soon." As for a spaceship, he'd rather just build a new one.
Besides, Ethan could tell Tony wasn't making the suggestion out of practical needs—he just wanted to use the Prinz Eugen as a platform to test all the new tech he'd just gotten.
If Ethan really agreed, Tony would definitely go wild, completely gutting the Prinz Eugen and rebuilding it from scratch. That might actually take more time than just building a new ship. Who knew when Tony would actually finish the so-called spaceship version of the Prinz Eugen?
"You'd better draft a plan and prioritize these technologies."
Ethan didn't want to let Tony randomly pick projects to research. That might eventually result in a major breakthrough, but before then, all those technologies would just sit idle, unable to be put to practical use.
"Take the nanite repair tool, for example. That's something we need in large quantities right now."
With this technology, not only would regular maintenance become easier, but even major damage could be handled easily. Damaged parts could be directly repaired using this tech.
Combined with the technology Tony had already mastered, it was now possible to build repair robots. When something broke, these robots could rush over and patch up the damage themselves. It was incredibly convenient.
(To be continued.)