Marvel: Starting with Iron Man in the Apocalypse

The joint laboratory has entered a high-intensity, fast-paced operation. Significant progress has been made in research on the T-virus's anomalous mutations, but this has also raised more unsettling questions. The virus's violent response to foreign energy (especially void energy) suggests that its underlying code may be far more complex than previously thought, possibly even involving cross-dimensional interference. This possibility hangs like a shadow over the minds of everyone involved in the research.

In search of more direct evidence, Chen Haotian turned his attention to the various mutant samples he had collected during the previous encounters. He was particularly interested in the "command-type" mutant that had displayed near-tactical intelligence during the battle for the water purification equipment, and the several "tyrant-type" mutants he had killed while patrolling the armory's perimeter—mutants with exceptionally strong physiques and even localized keratinization on their skin. Their biological structures might hold deeper secrets about the virus.

In the center of the laboratory, on a rigorously sterilized and reinforced alloy dissection table, lay the remains of the "commander" mutant. When it died, Tony's sonic weapon had shattered most of its internal organs, but its head and part of its nervous system remained relatively intact. Dr. Wesker personally performed the surgery, his movements precise and calm. The scalpel cut along the seams of the skull, carefully dissecting the scalp and muscle tissue.

Tony stood to the side, watching with interest, toying with a fragment of a void energy crystal, faintly glowing blue, that had been salvaged from a generator. "Seriously, Doctor, your technique is more refined than even the chief surgical advisor at Stark Industries. Thinking of switching jobs? The salaries and research environment in New York are far better than this awful place."

Dr. Wesker didn't even look up, focused on his work: "Mr. Stark, if one day we can all leave here alive, and you can offer me a job that doesn't involve dissecting aliens or mutant monitor lizards, I'll seriously consider it." His tone carried a hint of weary humor. The skull was opened, revealing a grayish brain covered in bizarrely proliferating tissue.

Chen Haotian stood on the other side of the dissection table, his sharp gaze scanning the exposed brain tissue. Unlike Tony, he didn't focus on technical details, but rather on the overall structure and any unusual points that defied common sense. His academic genius and high IQ had made him accustomed to finding patterns and connections between information.

"Notice the connection area between the frontal and temporal lobes," Chen Haotian pointed to a part of the brain. "The proliferating tissue here is unusually dense, almost covering the original neural circuits. This may be the basis for its higher cognitive functions, but it may also be some kind of... external 'signal receiver' or 'processor'."

Dr. Wesker followed instructions and used fine tweezers and a probe to part the viscous, overgrown tissue in an attempt to observe the structure beneath. Just then, the tips of his tweezers touched something hard, producing a faint "click" sound.

"There's a foreign object." Dr. Wesker's movements froze instantly, and his tone became serious.

All eyes turned to them. Tony also dropped his nonchalant expression and moved closer. Chen Haotian's heart skipped a beat, a premonition rising in his mind.

Dr. Wesker operated more carefully, using a miniature suction device to remove the surrounding mucus and broken tissue, gradually revealing a small, irregularly edged, silver-gray metal plate. It was deeply embedded in the cerebral cortex, eerily fused with the surrounding neural tissue and viral proliferations, as if it were part of the brain itself.

"What is this? Shrapnel? Or an implant that was already in its brain when it was alive?" a researcher couldn't help but ask.

"Unlike shrapnel, the structure is too... intact. And if it's an implant, what technology can achieve such a perfect integration with tissue that has been severely modified by the T-virus?" Dr. Wesker frowned, gently trying to move it with tweezers, but the metal piece didn't budge, as if it were welded to the brain tissue.

Tony had already taken out his multi-functional detector and aimed it at the metal piece. "Jarvis, scan the composition and structure."

The detector emitted a low hum, and data began scrolling across the screen. A few seconds later, Tony's eyebrows rose, his face showing a mixture of surprise and intense interest. "Interesting... very interesting. The composition is unidentifiable; there's no matching alloy in the database. The structure... exhibits unnatural geometric symmetry, with a weak, persistent energy signal inside... but not any known form of energy, and extremely low radioactivity background."

Chen Haotian stared silently at the metal piece, which was only about the size of a fingernail. Its surface was smooth, without any visible joints or patterns, but its cold texture and otherworldly style caused a very faint, almost imperceptible tremor in the transmigration runes within his body. This feeling was similar to the resonance he had experienced in the laboratory, but clearer and more direct, as if it were a… distant call, or a faint sense of similar energy.

"Can it be taken out?" Chen Haotian asked, his voice calm, but a thoughtful glint in his eyes.

"It's embedded too deep and entangled with nerve tissue. Forcibly removing it could damage its structure or trigger unknown reactions," Dr. Wesker assessed the risks. "More sophisticated equipment and techniques are needed."

"Then let's start with in-situ analysis." Chen Haotian made a decisive decision. "Tony, focus on energy detection and try to analyze the characteristic frequency and source direction of its energy signal. Doctor, collect tissue samples from the surrounding area, focusing on analyzing the interface between the metal and biological tissue. I need to know how this thing 'grew' into its brain and whether it has affected the direction of viral mutation."

New instructions were given, and the lab sprang into action once more. Tony began adjusting the detector's parameters, attempting to capture more details of the faint energy signal. Dr. Wesker, meanwhile, carefully used a miniature sampler to collect cellular tissue from around the metal plate.

Chen Haotian took a step back, crossed his arms, and stared at the brain embedded with the unfamiliar metal fragments on the dissection table. His mind raced, connecting the discovery before him with his previous research on the abnormal mutations of the T-virus. A man-made virus… sensitivity to foreign energy… the unknown metal fragments embedded in the brain…

A bold hypothesis gradually took shape in his mind. Could these metal fragments be one of the root causes of the T-virus's "abnormal mutations"? Or perhaps, some higher entity is using these fragments to "guide" or "monitor" the virus's evolution? Was the Umbrella Corporation aware of this? Or were they merely pawns being used?

The appearance of this fragment not only failed to answer previous questions, but also expanded the boundaries of the mystery to a grander and more dangerous dimension. It points to a power beyond this world, which subtly contrasts with Chen Haotian's own identity as a transmigrator.

He subconsciously touched his chest, the spot where the runes were hidden. The runes remained silent, but the faint tremor he had felt earlier was no illusion. This metal fragment from the mutant's brain seemed to have formed some unknown connection with his deepest secrets.

"Tony, have you got the results from the energy signal analysis?" Chen Haotian asked, suppressing the turmoil in his heart.

Tony stared at the screen, his fingers swiping rapidly: "The signal is weak, but consistently stable. The spectral characteristics... damn, I've never seen this pattern before. It's not like electricity, not like radiation, not like any known particle stream... if I had to describe it, it's a bit like... extremely diluted and degraded magical energy residue? But my knowledge of magic is limited, this is just a guess."

Magical energy? Chen Haotian's eyes narrowed. Magical powers certainly exist in the Marvel universe, but in this zombie-infested world, the appearance of creations related to magic?

"Record it all, every single piece of data, without missing a single detail," Chen Haotian said in a deep voice. "This fragment may be the key to our understanding of the 'anomaly' in this world, and may even... determine whether we can return safely."

The atmosphere in the laboratory grew even more tense and excited because of the unexpected discovery of the metal fragment. They realized that what they had unearthed might not only be the truth about the virus, but also touched upon a deeper, more chilling secret behind this world. Chen Haotian knew clearly that this secret was likely connected to his ability to traverse the universe in some unknown way. The autopsy continued, but the focus had completely shifted to the strange metal, gleaming with an ominous cold light, embedded in the dead brain.