Chapter 176: Blood Disease
Oscorp's twentieth floor, in the laboratory that once belonged to Professor Curt Connors.
The person currently here obviously wasn't Professor Connors—who was busy researching limb and prosthetics technology on North Brother Island—but rather his replacement, Professor Miles Warren.
Unlike when Professor Connors occupied this space, when the lab contained various small white mice, reagents, and instruments, the laboratory had now expanded to nearly half the floor's total area. Biological organs floating in glass vessels were visible everywhere, along with a large machine of unknown purpose.
This made the laboratory appear somewhat sinister and horrifying at first glance, but for Oscorp—a company built on biological technology—these elements were perfectly normal.
Professor Miles Warren, a genius scientist in genetics and cloning who'd previously taught biochemistry at Empire State University, had research directions completely different from Professor Connors.
The laboratory's various arrangements reflected genetics and cloning focus.
However, today's protagonist wasn't Miles Warren but another biochemistry genius he'd recruited to Oscorp—Professor Michael Morbius.
Morbius was simultaneously a doctor who'd achieved exceptional accomplishments in medical fields, the youngest scientist of Greek descent to win a Nobel Prize.
He currently sat in a specially manufactured insulated chair, upper body bare, lower body wearing only boxer briefs, slightly curled black hair tied back, face bearing his characteristic melancholic atmosphere.
Besides them, Harry Osborn was also present in the laboratory. He looked somewhat worried at Professor Morbius, asking the room's fourth person:
"Max, based on your professional judgment, this is truly safe?"
Max Dillon, Oscorp's foremost senior electrical engineer, had been summoned to this laboratory. He was currently attaching various electrode patches to different locations on Professor Michael Morbius's bare body.
"One hundred percent safe, Mr. Osborn." Max Dillon stated solemnly. "Actually, these currents are extremely minimal. They won't cause any pain sensation whatsoever."
Harry Osborn looked toward Professor Morbius. When the actual recipient of electric shock therapy nodded calmly while sitting in the chair, Harry finally relaxed.
"Harry, just treat this as a unique physical examination. No need to worry."
Professor Miles Warren smiled reassuringly at Harry Osborn.
"I'm more concerned about Professor Morbius's physical condition..." Harry Osborn said with some worry.
From Professor Morbius's first day joining Oscorp, Harry Osborn had learned he suffered from a blood disease entirely worthy of being named after Michael Morbius himself.
Harry Osborn refused to watch such an extraordinarily talented top biological scholar die from illness. He'd retained Morbius.
Hoping to use Oscorp's biological technology to cure Morbius while also hoping he and Professor Warren would combine their strengths, elevating Oscorp's technological capabilities another level.
Professor Warren ignored Harry Osborn's thoughts. He simply stood before a nearby control console, counting down three seconds before pressing a button.
Harry Osborn's heart immediately tensed.
But fortunately, Professor Morbius showed no reaction. His face still bore that unique melancholic quality as he tilted his head back gazing at the ceiling—though this melancholic expression paired with his naked torso created a somewhat incongruous image.
Treatment continued for nearly half an hour. The laboratory's heating kept Morbius from catching cold.
But when the experiment ended, he still rose quickly from the insulated chair, retreating to the laboratory's corner to dress. Then he urgently used a blood sampler to prick his fingertip, placing the blood sample beneath a microscope for observation.
Harry Osborn, Miles Warren, even Max Dillon all watched him somewhat nervously.
Though Professor Morbius was silent and reserved, his warm heart and various large and small acts of kindness had already earned him certain reputation within Oscorp.
Even Max Dillon—someone who barely interacted with Professor Morbius—hoped to hear good news.
But Morbius simply stared at the electron microscope's screen, shaking his head melancholically:
"Failed."
"Oscorp will spare no effort helping you find a cure for your disease." Harry Osborn immediately stepped forward to comfort him.
"If Professor Connors were still here, perhaps we could try using his regeneration technology to simply create new blood for you..." Professor Miles Warren also consoled Morbius not to lose heart. "I'll find ways to locate him during this period."
Harry Osborn's lips moved as he started to speak. Seeing the silent Professor Morbius, he couldn't bear to speak directly, instead leaning close to Miles Warren's ear to whisper:
"It's useless. I've already searched. Beyond Professor Connors occasionally providing temporary regeneration stabilizers to Metro-General Hospital, I haven't found any trace of his whereabouts."
"Gentlemen, if there's nothing else, I'll take my leave. Many matters require my attention." Max Dillon wasn't skilled at comforting others. He directly proposed departure.
Harry Osborn nodded, telling Max Dillon:
"No problem, Max. Though this treatment failed, it still occupied your work time. I'll have finance calculate compensation for you."
Max Dillon didn't refuse. He needed money to support his large family. He simply nodded slightly to Harry Osborn with gratitude:
"Thank you."
---
"Deploy all Arkham suit functions. Full analysis and scanning of Tony Stark's body."
Over a hundred meters from Stark Tower in an empty room within another building, Batman wore the Arkham suit and instructed Oracle AI.
"Executing immediately, Bruce." Oracle AI responded.
A human silhouette rapidly outlined itself in Batman's white lenses. Then came the easiest element to scan—the skeletal structure. Followed by blood vessels. Body temperature.
Ten minutes later, an impossibly detailed three-dimensional human figure appeared on Batman's white lenses, more complex than even the most comprehensive medical anatomical diagrams.
In this human model's chest cavity location, three metal fragments—two large, one small—were distributed among different veins, constantly attempting to flow toward the heart position with blood circulation.
But under the miniature reactor in Tony Stark's chest, they remained magnetically adhered, unable to reach the heart, staying in place instead.