A talent like this—though not quite at Hank Pym's level—was at least a weakened version of Ivan Vanko.
Among ordinary people, he would easily count as a genius.
After all, whether it's Hank Pym or Tony Stark, besides being geniuses, they share one crucial trait: they are protagonists. They have the protagonist aura.
Otherwise, if you truly measured IQ, there might not be much difference between them.
But what does having a protagonist aura mean?
It means that even if I were stuck in a cave, I could handcraft an Arc Reactor myself—something that even my father, with all his resources and a top-tier lab, couldn't manage. I did it.
It also means that in today's human technology—or even two hundred years from now—when humanity couldn't even approach the level of Pym Particles, I could invent it with a sudden flash of inspiration.
And you, my disciple, have access to all the resources of a company, and after all these years, you still haven't produced anything that even comes close to what I crafted by hand back then.
This is the difference between an ordinary genius and a genius protagonist.
So even though he seems like a hardworking underling, when Hank Pym could handcraft it decades ago, and now he has hundreds of times more resources and still struggles, Lin Feng doesn't underestimate him at all.
Because this is normal. The Pym Particle technology level—how many forces in the entire universe can truly grasp it?
Normally, humanity would need to reach the pinnacle of technological development.
The fact it landed in the hands of mere "little Earth monkeys" is entirely because they are protagonists. They exist in the Marvel Universe, after all.
Enough said?
For geniuses among ordinary humans, Lin Feng never underestimates them.
He had been eyeing the Pym Particle technology for a long time. Hank Pym sealed it because he couldn't foresee the future—but deep down, that was just the usual Western "do-gooder" mindset.
Tony Stark's reluctance to hand over the Arc Reactor is similar: a genius protagonist unexpectedly develops a super-powerful technology but refuses to collaborate with the military or use it to harm civilians, triggering a series of strategic maneuvers.
Without such high-tech, would the U.S. be any less efficient at wiping out cities with bombs? It's just self-comfort.
To Lin Feng, Pym Particles don't need to be applied to the military to have unimaginable civilian applications.
For instance:
Shrinking a massive nuclear reactor into a permanent nuclear battery.
In aerospace, humans currently face massive challenges carrying enough supplies into space. With proper Pym Particles, you could shrink materials before launch, reducing space transportation costs to one-thousandth, ten-thousandth, or even one hundred-thousandth of the original.
Humans could realistically build space cities.
Even in warfare, look at Ant-Man: a single punch can destroy a Leviathan-class Chitauri ship. Sure, it's still not on Thor's level, but it can be mass-produced.
Hulk and Thor can't be mass-produced.
The applications are extensive. With proper use, it could easily become a hundred-trillion-dollar-level technology in the long run.
"Yes, our company has many valuable projects and assets, but due to recent circumstances, we need outside help. Mr. Lin, you are the most knowledgeable about science, so I hope to collaborate with you," Darren Klaus said.
What? Lin Feng doesn't know science?
With this much money? Impossible! Even if he wanted to write Chinese characters on a Wasp suit, he'd still be a top science genius.
Lin Feng smiled slightly: most knowledgeable in science? Or richest?
"No need to beat around the bush. I know your company's situation and your conflicts with the board. You don't need to lie—I already know. Your options now: either you get kicked out like your mentor, or they withdraw their investment, leaving Pym Tech a worthless company, bankrupt." Lin Feng said bluntly.
Darren Klaus clenched his fists, wanting to argue, but he knew Lin Feng was telling the truth. He couldn't bear either outcome.
He was only the company's CEO with some shares, not many.
Previously, expelling Hank Pym relied on Pym's daughter Hope van Dyne's betrayal and the board's support. But even then, Pym still held a large number of shares.
Even so, they couldn't avoid expulsion. What power did a senior employee like him have?
If the latter scenario happened, it would be worse: his shares, his wealth, everything tied to Pym Tech. If the company collapsed, he would instantly plummet to the bottom of society.
In a social Darwinist environment like the U.S., falling to the bottom makes recovery extremely difficult.
"I'll invest, but I want controlling shares," Lin Feng said. "If you can do that, I'll invest in this company—or rather, in you. You're recreating Pym Particles—I can invest in you. As for Pym Tech? Ha. A company worth less than ten billion, and if your internal issues get exposed, maybe not even one billion remains."
"Think carefully: either stay in Pym Tech and sink with it, or I invest in you until you successfully recreate the Pym Particles."
Darren Klaus's breath quickened. He was a scientific prodigy, Hank Pym's top disciple, but after dealing with capitalists every day, he had almost forgotten his greatest advantage.
"One billion. If you join me, I can set up a company with one billion invested. I'll give you twenty percent of the shares—meaning you do nothing and already have a two-hundred-million net worth. Think it over and let me know," Lin Feng said.
Darren Klaus's eyes turned red. Two hundred million!
Years of working for Pym Tech and his personal net worth couldn't compare. With Lin Feng on board, his social standing would instantly rise, and most importantly, Lin Feng would trust and fund him, freeing him from constant shareholder scrutiny.
Those shareholders have no idea how hard it is to recreate Pym Particles.
He couldn't decide immediately and left to think.
After Darren Klaus departed, Lin Feng opened a portal at home, grabbed his notebook, and began recording:
[Today Darren Klaus came seeking investment. Looks like the capitalists forced him into a corner.He recently teamed up with shareholders to expel Hank Pym and now risks being kicked out himself—a true boomerang year.Pym Particles—another universe-altering tech. Too bad Hank Pym's old-school thinking blindfolded him; he never realized it's a goldmine.A common trait among Marvel's genius: hoard inventions, act petty.The Ant-Man family is useful in saving the world, but a single slip could bring about the apocalypse. Especially the original Wasp, still trapped in the quantum realm.If she's rescued improperly, it could trigger a zombie world.Five-Stone Zombie Thanos—scary, right? I'm terrified. If it goes that way, this timeline might as well be cut off.Even worse, a true zombie Marvel universe: Spider-Man spits veins instead of webs. Tony Stark develops a machine to travel between universes because his own universe has been devoured—nothing left to eat.Intelligent zombies, hungry for everything—even their own allies.A world like that is pure despair. Nothing survives. Everything is consumed. Hunger drives them to unspeakable horrors.]
—
At Columbia University, Gwen had just finished class when her diary began heating up—signaling an update.
She immediately said goodbye to her friends, found a secluded corner, and read the diary.
Opening shock!
Reading the content made her jump. She never imagined a zombie universe could exist.
Just seeing the diary's record made her hair stand on end, cold sweat streaming down her body.
[End of Chapter]