American comics: Starting with Luke the Maker

“Reversal Crystal?”

Nick and Pierce were instantly intrigued. They looked at the fist-sized crystal with great interest, the light reflected from its facets even more dazzling and alluring than the world's finest gems in Pierce's eyes.

“What are its effects? I mean, how do we use it?” Pierce asked eagerly.

“Effects? You should know that if Inhumans want to awaken their abilities, they first need to use a rare mineral called Terrigen Crystal.” Luke's words were unanimously agreed upon by Nick and Pierce, who knew Luke was right.

“Reversal Crystal can be understood as the opposite of Terrigen Crystal.” Luke didn't keep them in suspense. “If Terrigen Crystal represents the evolution of abilities for Inhumans, then Reversal Crystal represents the degradation and sealing of abilities.

In other words, within the influence of the Reversal Crystal, the abilities of Inhumans are sealed. They will no longer be superpowered individuals with inhuman powers, but merely ordinary people stripped of their abilities.”

Pierce was overjoyed, but out of caution, he asked, “What about Inhumans with a high degree of awakening? Does it affect all Inhumans, or only those who are not proficient in controlling their abilities?”

He had to ask this question. The image of the robed woman effortlessly taking down several of their serpent heads was still etched in his memory. He didn't hesitate to assign the highest threat level to her and the so-called god behind her.

“That requires your own testing. My experimental data shows that it will cause all Inhuman genes to become dormant. From this point of view, its birth is to counter all Inhumans with active Inhuman genes.” Luke gave a slick answer. Although he was confident in his technology, there was no need to be too assertive in front of Nick and Pierce. Such assertiveness might make the suspicious duo even more wary.

“If, I mean if, this crystal is ineffective against a certain Inhuman, or if the effect is not satisfactory, what is the best solution? Can you provide better and more advanced technology?” Pierce asked Luke hesitantly and repeatedly. His persistence even aroused some suspicion from Nick Fury beside him.

“If it's not ineffective, but the effect is weak, can't you just increase the dose?” Luke knew that the certain Inhuman Pierce was talking about was most likely the living fossil of the Inhuman race. If the other party could indeed be immune to the effects of the Reversal Crystal, then Luke's interest in him might be even greater.

After all, just like Superman, a Superman who cannot be immune to the effects of Kryptonite is certainly worth studying. A Superman who can be immune to Kryptonite and magic is naturally of greater research value!

Pierce was not satisfied with Luke's answer, but he didn't say anything more. He changed the subject and turned to other directions: “What is the range of influence of such a large Reversal Crystal? If an Inhuman comes into contact with it, will the effect be more obvious?”

“Such a large crystal has an influence range of about ten meters in diameter. If it can come into contact with the other party's skin, the effect will naturally be better. You can even mix some Reversal Crystal into metal to use as handcuffs, or even as an auxiliary material for a building where Inhuman criminals are imprisoned.” Luke calculated and gave a radiation range.

Pierce frowned slightly, “Is there a way to have a larger range?”

“What do you mean? Are you referring to continuous material accumulation, or short-term use?” Luke glanced at Pierce and asked.

“What are the differences between the two effects?” Pierce perked up, keenly hearing some exciting implications from Luke's words.

“The former refers to items made by accumulating materials, which have a lasting effect. The latter refers to using some technical means to maximize the energy inside the crystal in a short period of time. The effect is short-lived and has a time limit, but the range can be radiated wider!” Luke explained in detail.

“For example? Are you referring to only using the Reversal Crystal as an energy product?” Nick interjected. After the appearance of Black Bolt and other Inhumans, as well as the Inhumans of Maximus's faction in Attilan, he had thought about how to specifically counter those Inhumans.

Admittedly, according to Black Bolt and their statements, the awakening of many Inhumans is uncontrollable. Wanting to awaken powerful abilities without any changes in oneself requires great luck. Although many Inhumans awaken, most of the abilities they awaken are varied and not particularly strong, at least in combat.

For example, an Inhuman awakens a pair of butterfly wings. These wings can carry him to fly a little higher for a short time, but the wings are relatively fragile. Because the body shape does not change much, it is considered a successful case of eugenics and good breeding in Attilan. But you can't say that her ability can provide her with much combat power. And most of the abilities that Inhumans awaken are similar to this.

“Of course.” Luke nodded, “Whether it's used as energy to stimulate, or as a material to make an additive, it's fine.

You can use it to make certain types of melee weapons, which will allow your agents to gain an absolute advantage in melee combat if you become enemies with Inhumans in the future. These weapons have Reversal Crystal added to them.

You can also make it into bullets. When shooting at Inhumans, the bullets will also affect their abilities. Perhaps it won't have much effect on Inhumans who are extremely skilled at controlling their abilities, but for those who have just awakened or have difficulty controlling their powers, any slight influence on their abilities may directly lead to their defeat or even death.

The above is small-scale confrontation. If you want to fight a positional war in advance, as long as you are in an open area with not much architectural cover, you can even use the weather to mix the material powder into those catalysts and conduct artificial rainfall. I have done relevant simulations in the data dimension. As long as the dosage is properly adjusted, it is enough to affect a considerable range of Inhuman abilities. The more open the area, the greater the impact on the Inhumans. The air will also carry trace factors of the crystal for a period of time, and the reaction will be greater after being inhaled into the body.

The last one is to use specially made equipment to stimulate the energy in the crystal in an instant and turn it into energy shock waves radiating to the surrounding area.

The above two are effective application methods that can have miraculous effects in a wide range in a short period of time without requiring terrain. I'm just giving you a few examples.”

“Sounds good, what do you think?” Pierce looked at the Reversal Crystal with gleaming eyes again, and at the same time, turned his head to look at Nick beside him, asking for his opinion.

“Indeed, it's good. What about the cost?” Although Nick was also very satisfied with this, as someone who had done business with Luke many times, past experience told him that Luke really didn't lack good things and good technology, but at the same time, the price he sold them for was really stimulating.

When the US dollar was used as the settlement currency before, it was okay. In any case, S.H.I.E.L.D. gritted its teeth and squeezed some from here and there. If it really didn't work, it would write a few more reports with serious wording and apply for more funding from above. But since the energy new currency was used as the settlement currency, business with Luke was outstandingly inhumane!

Anyway, Nick couldn't find any comparable samples for each subsequent technology. It was completely a technological monopoly, but he couldn't do anything about it.

S.H.I.E.L.D.'s status was inexplicably transformed from that of a sugar daddy to that of a younger brother of a debtor. Nick even felt a little lacking in confidence when facing Luke now.

Luke didn't have any concealment throughout the whole process, and everything was done under Nick's nose. Nick knew very well that the new currency was a big pit, but it was an open conspiracy. Anyone who sat in Nick's position, as long as their head wasn't broken and their IQ was still there, would know that they had to follow. Not following meant completely giving up the future. It was also equivalent to giving up the future development and related powers of S.H.I.E.L.D..

Nick could only hope that as a consumable, Luke could show mercy this time and not cut him so quickly. Even if it was a dull knife cutting meat slowly. Although he knew this was unlikely.

“One new currency, five hundred grams.”

But perhaps he heard Nick's heartfelt voice, or Nick thought that Luke finally had a moment of conscience. This time, the price Luke gave didn't exceed Nick's psychological bottom line, and there was even a certain distance from the bottom line he had drawn in his heart. This really gave Nick a feeling of joy and wanting to tear up.

“One new currency, five hundred grams! Let's sign the contract!” Nick still felt a little unreal, but he rarely began to urge Luke to draft the contract and have him and Pierce sign it. He wanted to set the price now and not give Luke any chance to go back on his word. He even forcibly suppressed the urge to ask Luke if he had made a mistake, for fear that if he asked, Luke would say to him: I made a mistake, it's one new currency, five grams. Wouldn't he explode on the spot?

Strictly speaking, the price Luke gave was still not very cheap, but Nick, who felt [good value for money] for the first time at Luke's place, was already very satisfied. At least this price allowed for more places to arrange and use it.

When doing relevant experiments and using consumables, he would at least not have the feeling of being so heartbroken that he couldn't breathe. In just a few years, Luke had transformed the director of S.H.I.E.L.D., who spent money like water, into a thrifty miser. The only thing that made Nick feel a little comforted was that his skills in making money and cutting costs had also increased significantly during this time.

As one of the permanent directors of S.H.I.E.L.D., Pierce had seen some of the information provided by Nick about the new currency in the later stage, so he had a rough estimate of the purchasing power of the new currency in his mind. After hearing the price reported by Luke, he also thought that the price was not too expensive.

This made him glance at his old partner Nick with a strange look. He had heard Nick complain to him a lot about how outrageous Luke's technology prices were, while submitting various resource application requests for support. The other party's expression and tone at the time were still vivid in his mind, without any pretense, and truly empathetic.

For a period of time, Pierce believed it to be true, thinking that Luke's technology prices were really so expensive that even Nick felt heartache. But today, he found that everything didn't seem to be what Nick told him.

It was still Luke's exclusive technology, and it was still technology customized according to S.H.I.E.L.D.'s needs. According to Nick, Luke would generally ask for a very high price at the beginning of the delivery of such technology, at least for the first one or two batches of finished products. But hearing is not as good as seeing, and seeing is not as good as experiencing it yourself. This time, after the business he personally participated in, he found that Luke was still very conscientious in doing business!

Although the price of the Reversal Crystal was still expensive, compared to the bloody tears that Nick told him, it was simply a model of a businessman. Pierce also understood that this kind of technology specially customized for S.H.I.E.L.D. must be sold more expensively to recover the early research, experiment and other costs.

The question is, why did Nick lie to him? Or rather, why did he exaggerate Luke's greed?

Thinking of the fact that his old partner seemed to have embezzled funds secretly over the years, this gave Pierce a realization. Although Hydra had also imperceptibly taken a large share of the embezzled money, this also inevitably meant that you, Nick, had embezzled! Pierce was not angry at Nick's embezzlement of funds, after all, he and his Hydra were also beneficiaries. But he was angry that this time, Nick actually ate the new currency, this new track, all by himself!

He was also envious of the new currency!

He also wanted to participate!

Pierce thought it was time to find a time to have a good heart-to-heart with Nick.

Nick, on the other hand, felt a little scalp tingling from Pierce's inexplicable gaze, and his heart tightened. When he wanted to carefully observe Pierce's expression, the other party had already turned his head and started communicating with Luke again. He frowned and seriously thought about it, and after feeling that he had not revealed anything unusual, he could only temporarily suppress the strange emotions that had suddenly arisen in his heart, and not show them outwardly.

The urgent task at hand is to sign the order with Luke first and settle the business, creating an actual fact. Everything else can be discussed later.

PS: I have seen the comments, but I can only fill in the foreshadowing pits for the time being. Asking a question, will there be any repulsion to the plot of eroding and invading other universes in the form of avatars in the future, just like the magic gods of other dimensions? Everyone who has been following up to now, please also give your opinions.