Chapter 142: Massacre

The launch ended in two extreme emotions.

One was the reporters from the technology sections of various media, each like an excited bull, everyone wishing they had eight hands, starting to frantically rush the manuscript during the launch, some even calling their bosses on the other side before the launch was over to grab the first release of Umbrella's big moves, competing to publish Umbrella's big moves first.

And among them, CNN was the fastest, and they also knew how to attract eyeballs.

Less than half an hour after the launch started, CNN TV station released a flash: "Umbrella Product Launch: This is a Massacre."

Subsequently, the two words "Massacre" immediately became the vocabulary with the highest number of citations related to the Umbrella product launch news.

"February 24th, Umbrella Company launched a massacre against global electronics industry giants!"

"IBM, Intel, Microsoft, Apple… Umbrella Company's butcher knife fell equally on every electronics industry giant."

"Once, the electronics industry was full of stars, but in the future, there will only be one sun here, and that is Umbrella."

"Full of incredible technology, Umbrella Company's Blue Queen computer seems to come from the future!"

"Chip process enters a new era, experts believe it is at least ten years ahead of the industry!"

"The storage field is facing a reshuffle, how should the once giants about to be massacred respond?"

Compared to the collective climax of media reporters, the friendly companies who attended couldn't laugh at all.

Paul Otellini and Steve Ballmer each lost 100 dollars, but the young man named Murphy didn't take their banknotes, but said with full pity: "You'd better keep it yourself, buy some wine to drink, get yourself drunk, maybe it's easier to accept."

The two couldn't help but ask Steve Jobs, "Steve, you have the most sensitive eyes, what do you think of this launch? Is it possible they are exaggerating?"

At this moment, the Jobs who hadn't worn a turtleneck sweater yet looked at them with the same eyes as Murphy.

"I just think that selling my Apple shares in 1986 was a wise decision. After today, they are already worthless."

…

After the launch, Murphy and Patrick had dinner together.

The latter was extremely excited, drank a lot of wine, and even encouraged Audrey, who was still in the lactation period, to drink a small sip of champagne.

"Murphy," Patrick, who had drunk too much, was no longer as steady as usual, and actually started to hook shoulders and back with Murphy, "Actually, all along, I have wanted to thank you."

"Ha?" Murphy found it funny, "You've drunk too much, Patrick."

"No, I'm serious."

"You could choose anyone," Patrick said, "There are many people who can replace me, but you chose me."

"Sometimes, when I think of that afternoon, besides a trace of luck, there is more, a kind of fear."

"I'm very afraid, if you weren't looking for me that day, or I didn't appear because of something, or I didn't believe your words…"

"I would have missed White Medicine, missed Umbrella, missed Blue Queen, missed today…"

"What a big regret that would be!"

Murphy looked at his partner in surprise. This was the first time he knew the other party had such feelings.

He was also a bit moved. Since the autumn three years ago, on the road he wanted to walk, Patrick had always been his most important helper, and sometimes his friend.

Being able to be so grateful by his own friend, Murphy couldn't help but feel a joy.

"Guess what, I looked for you three times that day. In order to be able to sit in your office when you came back, I spent quite a bit of effort. I'm not a person who will easily give up my ideas. Even if it came again, I would definitely still make you believe my words and work with me."

"Is that so?" Patrick looked at him in surprise and moved, "Ha, I didn't know I was so important."

"You are of course very important, my friend."

Saying this sentence, Murphy suddenly found that it seemed that among the people he interacted with, only Patrick was special.

The researchers in the institute, those wizards who participated in the research, and even the Wood siblings who hadn't followed him for a short time, were more like his subordinates to Murphy. He couldn't treat them as friends.

But perhaps because they fought together when he was still humble, Patrick was more like an equal partner, and even when Murphy felt lost about the future, he would find him to seek advice.

Patrick was very moved. He suddenly drank the wine in his hand, as if he had made some decision, and pulled his wife Audrey to Murphy, "Actually, we have a request, we haven't been embarrassed to open our mouths."

Saying that, he looked at his wife, who smiled and said generously: "Patrick wants you to be Ares Jr.'s godfather."

"Godfather?" Murphy was stunned, "But… I don't believe in religion."

"Patrick is half a Buddhist, and I am an atheist," Audrey said with a smile, "Godfather is just a convenient way of saying it, actually more like an additional legal guardian for Ares Jr. Patrick has no brothers, so it's like an uncle to Ares Jr."

"This…"

Murphy was a bit unresponsive for a while. Godfather, me? Suddenly it seemed like he had to bear some responsibility, making him instinctively want to refuse.

Audrey saw his embarrassment, "Of course, this is just Patrick's sudden whim, it doesn't matter if you don't want to."

"Sorry…" Murphy breathed a sigh of relief, "I haven't encountered this kind of thing before… and I don't know how to be a godfather…"

"Of course, of course, it doesn't matter." Audrey said, "I said this idea was too abrupt, you are only in your twenties, and you don't even have a girlfriend yet."

"Suddenly letting you be a child's guardian is indeed a bit unreasonable."

Audrey teased half-jokingly, easing the awkward atmosphere.

"Yes, yes, it was my lack of consideration," Patrick also said, "Don't mind it."

Although he said so, Murphy still felt a bit embarrassed, said a few more words to the two, and then made an excuse that he had other things to do, and left in a hurry.

After Murphy left, Audrey sighed, "Seems like he was scared away. I said this wasn't a good idea. Will this affect your relationship?"

Patrick shook his head and also sighed, "I just feel that he has always been too lonely. However, perhaps this is his way of life. I am just a mortal, and he is a genius. I shouldn't use a mortal's thoughts to speculate on a genius…"

"Oh, is that so? Then it's a pity, I seem to have married a stupid husband who loves to cry."

"When did I love to cry?" Patrick was dumbfounded.

"Then you admit you are a stupid husband?"

"Hmph, your stupid husband will be on the cover of Time magazine tomorrow!"

…

Murphy returned to the Magic Research Institute and found Andrew Tooke, saying he wanted to hear his recent research report.

Andrew talked about their research on werewolf transformation, confirming the relationship between werewolf transformation and rabies, finding that there would indeed be a large amount of rabies virus in the werewolf's body during the full moon, more than a thousand times more than in the non-full moon state.

And it was found that suppressing the werewolf's nervous system and blocking the werewolf's cognition of the moon would prevent transformation even if the werewolf saw the moon, thus confirming the psychological cognitive factors in werewolf transformation.

Murphy listened absent-mindedly, and his mood gradually improved.

"By the way, Director, today happens to be the full moon. We heard from the scientists in the Mind Research Group that you have a powerful spell that can influence others' minds. I want to ask you to use this spell to verify whether tampering with the werewolf's cognition can affect their transformation…"

"Oh? How to do it?" Murphy was a bit curious, and suddenly understood, "You want to use another trigger to replace the 'moon'?"

"Yes!" Andrew said excitedly, "If it's feasible, maybe we can let werewolves actively control transformation."

"Not a bad idea," Murphy praised, "Oh, by the way…"

He snapped his fingers, and a house-elf appeared beside him.

"Go, let Laura call the Security Shop, tell them to be careful, today is the full moon, don't let their guard down. Also, let her call the Muggle Security Corps too."

…

After the Transfiguration Research Group tortured those two poor werewolves for most of the night, confirming that werewolf transformation could indeed be controlled through the "imagery replacement" method, Murphy successfully released the pressure and slept contentedly in his office.

Early the next morning, his door was suddenly pushed open by Laura Kruger.

Murphy looked at his assistant sleepily. Did this girl finally understand and prepare to transfer from a work assistant to a life assistant?

But, at this time, was it a bit too late, or too early?

However, Laura's words made him lose all sleepiness immediately.

"Director, the Muggle Security Corps was attacked by werewolves! A massacre occurred at the scene, and your partner, Mr. Patrick, was seriously injured!"

(End of this chapter) ===== CHAPTER 143 =====