Underneath Fisk Tower, in an area originally used to store the corporation's redundant servers, now completely cleared out and renovated, a new, slightly crude metal plaque hung at the entrance. On it, in an industrial-style font, was carved: Equipment Research Department.
Rather than a high-tech research center, it looked more like an enlarged, extremely chaotic, and personalized combination of a university engineering lab and a scrap yard. All sorts of unidentifiable instruments, tangled wires, half-disassembled mechanical structures, and mountains of metal, plastic, and composite material scraps were everywhere. The air was filled with a mixed scent of solder, engine oil, and some peculiar chemical reagents.
The temporary head of the department, the young engineer named Leopold "Leo" Fitz, was excitedly gesticulating in front of a half-finished workbench. His hair was messy, his goggles pushed up on his forehead, and his lab coat was stained with oil and suspicious burn Marks.
"Perfect! A truly brilliant design! Look at this energy circuit! Look at this structural stability!" He muttered to himself, looking at a strange device with two handles that seemed to be cobbled together from rusty pipes and a scrapped car gearbox.
Wesley stood at the doorway, carefully avoiding a metal coil on the floor that was still emitting faint electrical arcs, his brows furrowed as he surveyed the disaster scene left by this "creative storm." Behind him was Sandman Flint, who had just finished his training and been summoned over.
"Dr. Leo," Wesley cleared his throat, trying to get his attention, "the Kingpin is very concerned about the Equipment Research Department's progress. He has reviewed the initial design drafts you submitted... He hopes you can produce a prototype that can undergo actual testing as soon as possible."
Leo spun around abruptly, his eyes bloodshot from excitement but terrifyingly bright: "Mr. Wesley! And Mr. Sandman! You've come at a perfect time!" He dropped the pipe device, quickly walked to the other side of the workbench, and pulled back a dust cloth, revealing several... items underneath.
"Please behold! The Equipment Research Department's first batch of prototype products! Adhering to the Kingpin's highest directive of 'practicality first, controllable cost,' and incorporating the combat data of various heroes, these are the fruits of our painstaking labor!"
The first thing that caught their eye was a shield. But it was entirely different from the smooth, sleek, circular shield of Captain America, which symbolized honor and justice. This shield was an irregular polygon, its surface uneven, as if crudely welded together from various metal plates of different materials and colors, with even some rough edges. Most bizarrely, a fist-sized, continuously flashing green, horn-shaped sound emitter was embedded in the center of the shield.
"Is this... a shield?" Sandman Flint asked hesitantly.
"Exactly! The 'Multi-functional Adaptive Protective Unit · Prototype'!" Leo proudly patted the shield's surface, producing a dull clang, "Don't mind its... well, industrial aesthetic. Its defensive performance, after simulation, is sufficient to withstand continuous fire from conventional rifle bullets! The built-in shock absorption module can absorb over seventy percent of the impact kinetic energy! More importantly, it has an intelligent assistance system!"
He pressed a button on the shield's handle.
Immediately, the horn in the center of the shield emitted a burst of harsh electrical static, then a flat, emotionless electronic voice sounded:
"Defense mode activated. Impact force calculating..."
"Warning: User heart rate elevated. Recommended to remain calm, take deep breaths."
"Keep going. You can do it. Don't give up."
"Based on the latest combat analysis, it is recommended to move three meters to the left to evade potential long-range attacks. Repeat, move three meters to the left."
Sandman: "..."
Wesley: "...It's... cheering him on?"
"Exactly!" Leo explained excitedly, "Considering the potential psychological fluctuations heroes might experience in high-pressure combat environments, I specifically integrated a 'Tactical Encouragement and Basic Physiological Monitoring Module'! It not only provides physical protection but also becomes the hero's most loyal comrade, offering mental support! Isn't it thoughtful?"
Wesley rubbed his temples, feeling his blood pressure rise slightly. He pointed to the next piece of equipment.
It was a folded item, resembling a vest, made of a matte, finely granular gray fabric, but covered with pockets of unknown purpose, hooks, and several exposed, blue-glowing energy conduits.
"This is the 'Basic Tactical Load-bearing Platform · Prototype'!" Leo picked up the vest, shaking it open with a clatter, "It uses a special composite fiber, providing basic anti-cut and anti-stab functions. Most importantly, it has a modular design! Look, small tool kits can be attached here, spare magazines can be inserted here (if the hero uses a gun), there's a reserved energy battery interface here, and there's even an integrated simple medical kit here, containing hemostatic gel and stimulants! Comprehensive functions, meeting the basic needs of heroes in various complex environments!"
Sandman looked at the vest, which seemed designed for wilderness survival or interstellar warfare, paused, and asked: "Dr. Leo, I am Sandman... My ability is sandification; most physical attacks are ineffective against me. And, when I fight... my body often turns into sand, this vest..."
Leo froze for a moment, then slapped his forehead: "Oh, right! Mr. Sandman, your ability characteristic is matter assimilation! Conventional equipment indeed isn't very suitable! No problem!" He immediately dropped the vest and rummaged through the clutter under the workbench, pulling out a... spray can.
"Then this! 'High-Efficiency Sand Particle Interfacial Activator · Prototype'!" Leo handed the spray can to Sandman, "I analyzed your combat data and found that there's still room for improvement in your sand particle cohesion strength and energy conduction efficiency! This spray! It can temporarily alter the physical properties of sand particles, enhancing their mutual adhesion and energy carrying capacity! Simply put, spray this, and your sand spears will be harder, your sand shields thicker, and your sandstorms more powerful! It lasts for about ten minutes!"
Sandman skeptically took the item, which looked no different from a commercially available hairspray can, with "For Sand · Do Not Spray Eyes" scribbled crudely on the can with a Mark-pen.
"And this!" Leo then pulled out a palm-sized device covered with buttons and a small antenna, "'Portable Environmental Dust Aggregator · Prototype'! When activated, it can generate sound waves of a specific frequency, forcibly attracting dust and fine particulate matter within a hundred-meter radius, quickly replenishing your 'ammunition'! Especially suitable for combat in cleaner indoor environments!"
Sandman looked at these two "pieces of equipment" in his hands, momentarily unsure what expression to make. It sounded... potentially useful? But the appearance and description made it difficult to feel confident.
Wesley took a deep breath, trying to keep his tone steady: "Dr. Leo, your... creativity and efficiency are commendable. However, regarding the equipment's aesthetic design and... user experience, could you consider some optimization? For example, the shield's... cheerleading function?"
Leo's eyes widened, as if he had heard something incredible: "Optimization? Mr. Wesley! These are all for ultimate practicality and cost control! What use are those flashy, impractical appearances and interactions, other than increasing manufacturing costs and distracting the user? The equipment of our association pursues inner beauty! It pursues practical combat value!"
He pointed to the shield, which was still rambling in a flat electronic voice, "Environmental noise detected too high, recommend checking hearing," his tone fervent: "Listen! How timely this reminder is! How thorough this care is!"
Just then, a communicator in the corner of the Equipment Research Department rang; it was Kingpin's direct line.
Leo immediately rushed over to answer: "Kingpin! Fitz of the Equipment Research Department reporting!"
A moment of silence passed on the other end of the communicator, then Kingpin's deep voice came through: "Fitz, I've seen your 'Sandstorm Generator' design blueprint."
Leo instantly tensed: "Yes, Kingpin! What do you... think?" That blueprint was an auxiliary equipment he conceived based on Sandman's abilities, aiming to expand Sandman's control range and precision over sand and dust through energy field resonance, but its appearance... was a hybrid of an industrial blower and octopus tentacles.
There was another few seconds of silence on the communicator.
"...The principle is feasible." Kingpin's voice betrayed no emotion, "Manufacture a prototype for testing as soon as possible. Appearance... is not important; ensure the function is realized."
"Yes! Kingpin! Mission accomplished!" Leo, as if injected with a stimulant, excitedly ended the call, then turned to Wesley and Sandman, waving his fists, "Did you hear that? Kingpin said appearance isn't important! Function is king!"
Wesley looked at the engineer, immersed in his own World, then at the can of "sand hairspray" and the "dust vacuum cleaner" in Sandman's hand, and sighed helplessly.
He had a premonition that the future style of the association's heroes, under Dr. Leo's "meticulous crafting," would likely rush towards an increasingly peculiar, yet potentially... unexpectedly practical direction.
Sandman Flint weighed the spray can in his hand, then looked at the shield, which was still muttering to itself, "According to the database, victory belongs to those who persevere to the end," a complex expression of confusion, helplessness, and a hint of curiosity on his face.
Perhaps... it wouldn't hurt to try?