Marvel Magic Case Files

Chapter 597 Brain-Computer Interface (Second Update)

"Hey boy! What brings you to see Uncle Tony all of a sudden today?"

Perhaps it had been too long since they last met, but Tony Stark was somewhat enthusiastic about Salomon's sudden visit. Although Salomon's arrival at Stark Tower was still as abrupt as ever, Stark had grown accustomed to the arcane sorcerer's uninvited visits. As far as he knew, Salomon traveled between London and New York daily via portals, so it made perfect sense that he would use a portal to travel from London to Manhattan as well.

For some time prior, Stark had only met with managers and executives from Salomon Industries. Most of these people liaised with Pepper Potts and had little interaction with Tony Stark, who was in charge of technology development. Therefore, he still didn't know the name of the blonde girl who had come to discuss business, and he didn't bother remembering the names of the people coming and going. He only knew that the girl was in charge of all of Salomon's investments. Furthermore, after the disbandment of S.H.I.E.L.D., Stark, who had relied on lobbying funds and political influence to protect many agents and styled himself as S.H.I.E.L.D.'s successor, focused most of his energy on eliminating Hydra, significantly slowing down the pace of new technology development.

Salomon rolled his eyes.

"Miss Potts has signed a brain-computer interface technology exchange agreement, Stark." He said coldly, accepting the drink offered by the dim-witted robot named Little Dumb in Stark Labs. "I know what you've been up to lately," he said, "but the combination of virtual reality and brain-computer interface technology is..."

"My God! You're only a few years old, yet you look exactly like those old guys on the board!"

Stark sized Salomon up and down. For some reason, he sensed a quality in Salomon that was so different from any other American. Under the tutelage of Eton College and Athena, Salomon had learned how to dress, how to be self-disciplined, and how to converse like a gentleman, making him seem like Old Money from 1920s New York. He looked at him again and again, and finally realized that it was Salomon's English-style suit, striped tie, and somewhat inconspicuous ruby ​​lapel pin that made him look like an Oxford economics student, like a member of the Jazz Age bourgeoisie from the book *The Great Gatsby* that he had read in high school.

This makes Stark, with his garage full of luxury cars, look like a nouveau riche. And indeed, the Stark family is indeed New Money; even Howard Stark himself has been called a nouveau riche more than once.

"And that brain-computer interface technology is actually yours? When did you start researching neuroscience? Is this magic? How come I didn't know about this?" Stark was surprised at first, then immediately put on an unhappy expression and poured himself a glass of wine.

"What do you need this technology for?" he asked casually. "Even I can see that this technology doesn't have the advantage of widespread adoption. After all, not everyone can make the decision to undergo brain-computer interface surgery. This technology is too advanced and won't be accepted by the market. Stark Industries is just using it as a technology reserve and won't start production immediately."

"I need this technology, Stark. I'm not short of money, and I'm not in this for the money. On a galactic scale, gold and diamond mines are everywhere. Earth's financial games mean nothing to me. Technology and resources are what truly matter." Salomon cut to the chase. "Injecting signals into the brain from the outside, strengthening certain neural connections, allows for rapid learning of certain knowledge. That's the real purpose of brain-computer interfaces: to assist learning."

This is Stephanie's purpose in coming to Stark Industries: the learning-assisted function of a brain-computer interface. An ordinary person cannot learn to operate a spaceship several kilometers long through ten years of education. Therefore, Salomon needs this technology to instill a vast amount of knowledge about piloting a spaceship into one person's brain. Of course, an ordinary person's brain cannot process such massive amounts of data, so the achievements of the biological laboratory's neuroscience department are also needed, using a brain-computer interface to connect external mechanical aids for thinking.

"Who are you planning to use it for, yourself? And aren't you worried about damaging your brain?" Stark was somewhat incredulous at Salomon's words.

"The person using this technology isn't human, at least not entirely human, Stark. If you're willing to conduct research, I can open up some of my technological reserves to you—the kind of magical technology that's been transformed into modern technology."

Stark clicked his tongue; he didn't quite understand what Salomon meant.

What does it mean to not be 100% human? What percentage of purity does humanity still possess?

However, he didn't want to ask that question now; he was interested in the bait Salomon had thrown out.

"Like your chemical analyzer? That's also modified from magical technology, right?" Tony Stark suddenly became interested. "After you licensed that patent to me, I studied your chemical analyzer. Some key components still need to be manufactured by the Stark Corporation itself. I really don't understand how you managed to build those things in middle school."

"Just take out your wand and wave it," the sorcerer shrugged.

"Are you kidding me?"

"No, that's true."

Those new to the world of magic often have a misconception: they believe powerful magic is the kind that can create explosions, cause earthquakes, and collapse city walls. However, truly powerful magic manifests itself in small, inconspicuous ways. Creating a semiconductor that doesn't yet exist in the prime material plane is far more difficult than creating a fireball. What a fireball can do, a grenade can do, and even more. Creating a non-existent technological product requires not only extremely high theoretical magical skills but also knowledge from many other disciplines.

The elevator chimed, and Maria Hill, dressed in a business suit and holding a document, stepped out. She immediately spotted Tony Stark and Salomon standing face-to-face.

"Stark, here's a document that needs your signature." She walked over, gently brushing aside the obsequious mechanical arm that Little Dazed was extending, without even glancing at Salomon. She avoided eye contact with Salomon as much as possible; this was a rule established when Nick Fury was still leading S.H.I.E.L.D. Except for Natasha Romanoff, no other Level 8 or higher agents could make eye contact with Salomon to prevent intelligence leaks.

"The consent form for the Avengers' supersonic Quinjet modification was sent to me by Miss Potts."

"Oh! The old man couldn't resist anymore?" Stark took the pen, glanced at it casually, and signed it. He had long heard that Steve Rogers was eager to hunt down the remnants of Hydra, but at that time the White House hadn't yet authorized the Avengers' actions, so many things had to be done in secret. "Want to join?" He looked up at Salomon standing to the side. "I know young people always want to go where they can use their abilities..."

"No, thank you." The sorcerer shook his head indifferently. "I have no interest in the struggles between mortals."

"Ha! 'Mortal'?" Stark shoved the file back at Maria Hill. "You sound a lot like Thor now. No, more like Loki, that horned golden bastard."

"I have my responsibilities, Stark. Kamar-Taj doesn't concern itself with the petty squabbles of mortals; as long as humanity survives, anything goes. If Hitler could fight off aliens, do you think Kamar-Taj would support him?"

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(End of this chapter)