They traveled through time at the same time, but the villainous scientist

Chapter 167 Agreement
"Gipsy Danger!"

The middle-aged man spread his arms wide, basking in the thunderous applause and cheers, his face beaming with pride.

However, in this frenzied ocean, the isolated island in the center of the first row seems out of place.

"Dual-driver...deep neural collaboration..."

"They actually used the technology from that paper... in this kind of situation!"

Ritsuko Akagi practically spat out those words through gritted teeth.

That two-person neural collaboration should be based on the "Full Dive" technology proposed by Zhang Qi.

This system can directly read the brain's quantum signals and then exchange data at the sensory level.

The value of this technology should lie in its potential as a key to exploring human consciousness and even deciphering the soul.

And now these guys are actually using them as weapons...

"Okay, that's normal."

Scientists propose theories simply because the theories are already there.

As for how to use it, that's not something we can decide..."

Zhang Qi held down Ritsuko Akagi, his expression somewhat strange.

He truly hadn't expected that these industrial giants, backed into a corner, could unleash such astonishing potential, transforming it into the operating system of a giant robot.

And isn't this the name of the main character's mech from Pacific Rim?
Just then, the lights in the venue changed again.

The chairman raised his hand, and a carefully edited promotional video began to play on the giant screen behind him.

The film opens in a massive steel shipyard that seems to reach the sky.

Accompanied by a stirring symphony, countless robotic arms, like diligent worker ants, were making final adjustments to the massive body of the "Dangerous Wanderer".

Arcs of electricity erupted, and the sounds of steel clashing mingled with the roar of engines.

Then, the "dangerous wanderer" began to take heavy steps. Each step made the ground tremble.

Then it started running, and the built-in gyro stabilizer gave its huge body a level of agility that was completely disproportionate to its size.

With a control system operated by two people, every turn and every evasive maneuver demonstrates astonishing agility.

Finally, it easily lifted a container truck weighing tens of tons and tossed it hundreds of meters away as if it were a toy.

boom--!
The intense explosion effects were amplified by the top-notch sound system, reverberating throughout the venue and shaking the eardrums and hearts of everyone present.

The film ends with the image freezing on the silhouette of "Dangerous Gadgetman" standing amidst flames and ruins, like a steel warrior.

“Wow——!!!”

Thunderous applause erupted again, this time more enthusiastic than ever before.

Everyone present—the financial giants, industrial tycoons, and political figures accustomed to controlling the world from behind the scenes—stood up and applauded vigorously.

Their eyes shone with a light, a light of renewed confidence.

This machine is a miracle they created with their own hands.

It does not rely on any "suitable individuals" of unknown origin, nor does it need to be influenced by any mysterious organization (NERV).

This is the clarion call for them to reclaim their position as the protagonists of the world!

The middle-aged chairman on the podium basked in the thunderous praise. He bowed slightly in acknowledgment, but his gaze precisely swept across the crowd and landed on the figure who remained seated motionless in the first row.

His eyes held a hint of provocation and the smugness of a victor.

"Dr. Zhang Qi..."

He used the microphone to ensure his voice could be clearly heard in every corner of the venue.
"As the founder of controlled nuclear fusion technology, the core of this 'Dangerous Ranger' was realized based on your theories."

What is your opinion of our 'child'?

All eyes in the room once again focused on Zhang Qi.

Ritsuko Akagi felt immense pressure; she could even hear the suppressed, hostile breathing of the people around her.

She looked at Zhang Qi nervously, wondering how he would respond to the question.

Zhang Qi simply tapped the armrest slowly and rhythmically with his fingertips. He raised his head, met the chairman's gaze, and the playful smile on his face finally turned into a clear evaluation.

“A… very interesting toy.”

The sound wasn't loud, but it was like a needle that instantly punctured the enthusiastic and inflated balloons in the venue.

The applause stopped abruptly.

Everyone was stunned; they wondered if they had misheard.

Toy?

On the podium, the middle-aged chairman's smile instantly froze, and the smugness in his eyes quickly faded, replaced by a hint of anger.

"Dr. Zhang Qi!"

He emphasized his words, trying to maintain his composure.

"I hope you can set aside your position as a NERV member and give a fair evaluation from the perspective of a pure and rigorous scientific researcher."

This 'Dangerous Ranger' combines the world's most advanced achievements in materials science, energy science, and precision engineering; its power and precision are unprecedented!

He paused, his voice growing louder and louder, as if he were reading a battle proclamation.

"Apostles? Whatever they are, they are ultimately just organisms made of protein!"

We've analyzed its combat footage, and its strongest defense is nothing more than some unknown energy field!
But all energy has its limits! Under the continuous physical impact of the 'Gipsy Danger' at a rate of millions of tons per minute, any flesh and blood, along with its ridiculous force field, will be utterly crushed by the steel torrent forged by humankind!

"well said!"

"That's right! Using humanity's own power!"

His words immediately drew agreement from the surrounding crowd, reigniting the atmosphere.

They needed such a declaration to soothe the pent-up frustration they had felt from being suppressed by the Apostles and NERV for so long.

Looking at the excited scene before him, Zhang Qi's smile deepened.

He slowly stood up, his calm demeanor contrasting sharply with the frenzy around him.

"Ignorance and arrogance are humanity's greatest original sins."

He spoke softly, his voice not loud, yet miraculously drowning out all the noise.

"However, I think... no matter what I say, you probably won't believe me, right?"

His gaze swept over the chairman, over the tycoons glaring at him, and finally, he shrugged and made a proposal that caught everyone off guard.

"In that case, shall we give it a try?"

"Use your big toy to fight the apostles?"

"Varied……!"

The middle-aged chairman's pupils contracted sharply; he had never expected Zhang Qi to say such a thing.

The room fell into a deathly silence; everyone was stunned by this insane proposal.

Use this newly released engineering prototype, which costs enough to bankrupt a small country, to fight against that monster that can easily destroy an entire UN army?

The chairman's heart pounded. His mind raced. Risk? The risk was enormous! Although the "Dangerous Wanderer" had strong theoretical data, it had never been tested in actual combat.

If they are easily destroyed by the apostles under the watchful eyes of the world, their "World Heavy Chemical Industry Federation" will become a complete laughing stock, and all their investments and efforts will be in vain.

But... the opportunities are also unprecedented!
Currently, the task of fighting the Angels is almost entirely handled by NERV, leaving no opportunity for external organizations to intervene.

All of the world's resources and attention are focused on NERV.

If "Dangerous Wanderer" can seize this opportunity, even if it cannot defeat the Apostle, as long as it can demonstrate impressive performance in battle and inflict effective damage on the Apostle...

Therefore, the United Nations' attitude will inevitably change!
Massive amounts of money and political support will flood them like a tidal wave!

They will tear a piece of the "Savior" cake from NERV's hands!

It's a big gamble.

To gamble on a future that could change the world order at the cost of a single prototype.

The middle-aged chairman's breathing became heavy. He stared intently at Zhang Qi, trying to detect even the slightest hint of a joke in the other man's deep eyes.

But all he saw was calm, an unfathomable calm.

"Are you... telling the truth?"

He took a deep breath, his voice trembling slightly with excitement.

"Ah."

Zhang Qi nodded and answered affirmatively.

Having received a definite answer, a resolute glint flashed in the middle-aged chairman's eyes.

He clenched his fists, as if he were holding the reins of the future.

"it is good!"

He gritted his teeth and said with all his might,

"The next time the apostles attack, let us, the Dangerous Wanderers, take the lead!"

This decision was like a bombshell, causing the entire press conference to erupt in excitement.

……

A few days later, in Tokyo-3, at NERV headquarters, in the Central Command Tower.

The huge office was dimly lit, with only a desk lamp lit on Gendo Ikari's desk.

He rested his signature hands on his face, with a newspaper spread out in front of him. The front page headline featured a sensational report on the world-renowned press conference and the crazy bet.

"Dr. Zhang Qi,"

Gendo Ikari put down his newspaper, his gaze behind his glasses falling on Zhang Qi, who had just entered the office.

"What exactly do you want to do?"

“We clearly have simpler and more direct ways to deal with the provocations of the World Heavy Chemical Industry Federation.”

"Simple? Direct?"

Zhang Qi walked to the opposite side of him, casually pulled out a chair and sat down.

"Does the Commander-in-Chief mean to use SEELE's power to suppress them politically?"
Or... should we just let their prototype 'accidentally' fail during testing?

Gendo Ikari did not answer, but his silence itself was an answer.

“That’s too boring, Commander Gendo.”

Zhang Qi smiled.
"Moreover, this only treats the symptoms, not the root cause. Rather than suppressing them, we should make use of them."

He gently pushed a chip containing data in front of Gendo Ikari.

"I have two objectives."

First, it is time for humanity to more clearly, using their most prized 'steel', to personally experience what kind of enemy we are fighting against.

Only when they suffer greatly will they truly develop awe.

"second……"

A glint of light flashed in Zhang Qi's eyes.
"I think their technology is very good..."

Gendo Ikari picked up the chip and inserted it into the terminal.

An incredibly complex and sophisticated design proposal immediately popped up on the screen.

The title is: [EVA Dedicated General-Purpose Exoskeleton Armor System - Mark I].

That's an additional layer of powered exoskeleton added to the existing armor of EVA.

This system, powered by the fusion energy inside the EVA, can significantly enhance the EVA's physical output and defense capabilities, while also allowing it to carry more and heavier external weapon modules.

Furthermore, the device is linked to EVA's nervous system, eliminating the need for a large number of computing units.

Gendo Ikari's gaze lingered on the design drawings for a long time, with only the faint buzzing of the terminal remaining in the office.

"I see……"

After a long while, Gendo Ikari finally spoke, understanding Zhang Qi's actions.

The World Heavy Chemical Industry Federation possesses the world's top precision machining and manufacturing capabilities, which is NERV's weakness.

Given their current relationship with NERV, it's highly unlikely they would willingly manufacture parts for EVA.

Therefore, we must first inflict a crushing defeat on them.

Only when their painstakingly crafted "Iron God of War" proved utterly ineffective against the Apostles, and when all their pride and hope were ruthlessly crushed.

They will then realize that the only way to get a share of the spoils in the war against the Angels is to cooperate with NERV.

At that time, NERV will extend an olive branch to them in the guise of "cooperative research and development," and naturally take over their manufacturing capabilities for its own use.

"If there's another plan like this next time,"

Gendo Ikari looked up; the light from the screen reflected off his glasses, obscuring his eyes.

"I hope you can inform me in advance."

"learn."

Zhang Qi stood up and casually waved his hand.
"If there's nothing else, I'll be going now. I still have a lot of work to do."

After saying that, he turned and walked towards the door without any hesitation.

The office door slowly closed, once again separating light from darkness.

Gendo Ikari maintained his classic pose, but his face, hidden in the shadows, slowly darkened.

Zhang Qi...

He is influencing the course of the world at an unimaginable speed.

The Human Instrumentality Project was conducted in secret, so Zhang Qi should not have known about it.

But for some reason, he felt uneasy...

(End of this chapter)