Chapter 145: R: It's Useful (Part 1)

In the bustling press conference venue, the guests who came to participate were all dressed in suits and leather shoes, and there were many big shots among them.

The seats on the left were occupied by military and political dignitaries, and there was even an advisor from the White House. On the right sat well-known figures from the business world, including Pepper and Stark, Osborn, the head of Hammer Industries, and the bosses of more than 20 companies, large and small.

In the back right were people from academia, including Schiller, Strange, Connors, Yin Sen, and more than 30 other Ph. D. holders or well-known university professors. Adding these two rows of people in the back together, there were probably hundreds of Ph. D. degrees.

Among them, Strange and Schiller sat together on the far right, behind Stark. Both were dressed in suits and sat straight in their chairs. Strange didn't even turn his head, just whispered to Schiller, "The theory that the so-called immortality factor has a repair effect on the nervous system is really such nonsense that I can't even read it."

"Whenever you can't read it, just think about the string of numbers at the end of the contract."

"So for the next few months, I have to be in this kind of occasion every day, like a lying charlatan, reading those theories that are completely bullshit?"

"No, you have more things to do in the next few months, such as resigning and moving, and most importantly, counting money."

Speaking of this, the host of the press conference invited Strange to the stage. Strange stood up, straightened his suit and tie, and walked to the front of the stage with a speech draft.

"... Just like the research results previously announced by Stark Group and Osborn Group, as an expert in the field of neurosurgery, after I obtained the precious experimental samples, I also discovered the secret of human body self-repair and anti-aging from them..."

Stark, who was drowsy in the audience, was patted by Pepper. He gave a start, then rubbed his eyes and looked around. He found that the chair next to Schiller was empty, so he quietly walked over, sat down next to Schiller, and said, "How much money did you promise him to make him say such lies without changing his expression?"

"In short, much higher than his salary."

"I thought he would be the kind of person with some professional ambition."

"He certainly does. He prides himself on being the most powerful neurosurgeon in the world, and the facts are indeed so. You haven't heard of his name, have you? 'God's gift to the human medical community'."

"What a big tone. I haven't even called myself 'God's gift to the human scientific community'."

"I promised him a number he couldn't refuse and hired him as the attending physician of the new sanitarium. You know, he has a big name, enough to hold this position."

"What about you? I thought you would serve as the attending physician yourself."

"No, I am the Dean. I don't have time to treat patients myself. I have many things to do."

"You two unscrupulous quacks." Stark concluded, "Whoever goes to your hospital is really unlucky."

After a while, Strange finally finished speaking. When he came back, he found that Stark had occupied his seat. He and Stark stared at each other, neither willing to give way. There was no other way, so Dr. Yin Sen next to them moved another chair for Strange.

Strange said to Stark, "You'd better ensure that the salary paid to me by your so-called joint group is worthy of my brain being polluted by these terrible theories."

Stark let out a disdainful snort from his nose and said, "Your annual salary is not as much as Stark Group earns in one minute."

"Don't say that." Then Schiller comforted Strange, "I'll take you to meet Senator Bolt later. He is very interested in the immortality factor and happens to lack a private health consultant."

"Wait." Stark looked at Schiller suspiciously and said, "How come there's a senator involved?"

"Are you guys collecting money from multiple parties? You two are consultants for the Joint Group, and both Osborn Group and I have to pay you salaries. You are also employed by S. H. I. E. L. D., and Nick should also give you remuneration. There should also be a salary for you in the construction funds of the sanitarium. Now, you are going to get to know a senator??"

Strange's eyes turned, and he said, "I think it is also necessary to appropriately broaden the career path."

Schiller agreed very much and said, "That's right, and they are begging us to do so. The lords on Capitol Hill all want to know some information about the medicine from me in advance, but you have to know that I am just a psychologist and don't understand the specific medical principles. At this time, I always need some professionals to provide me with help."

"By the way, Stephen, you and Dr. Connors should get your stories straight later. Those senators have their own health consultants, and they are your enemies..."

Strange let out a snort and said, "I'm just pretending to be a liar, and those health consultants are a group of ignorant, true liars."

Then, he leaned his upper body toward Schiller and asked in a low voice, "Is what Stark just said true? You intend to collect money from multiple parties?"

"Not me, but us." Schiller also leaned his body over, and the two huddled together to discuss in a low voice. Schiller said, "A new technology that can change the future of humanity is on the market. What do you think is the most lacking now?"

Before Strange could answer, Schiller answered himself, "All forces hope that someone can explain to them what kind of thing this is and what changes it can bring."

"As the ones who truly participated in the research, we have the clearest and most explicit right of interpretation. Everyone wants to fight for it. We not only collect money from multiple parties, but we serve whoever offers the highest price."

"But I actually can't explain anything." Strange said, "I've read Connors's research report. In fact, we haven't cracked this thing..."

"You don't need a real explanation. You just need to use the professional terms you've learned and repeat one sentence over and over—'It's useful'. Remember, this is the main theme for the next few months. Repeat 'It's useful' over and over."

"Is it really useful?"

"Don't ask such stupid questions." Schiller looked around. There were senators in suits and military representatives in uniforms. He said, "We are just emotionless harvesting machines. How long these rich and powerful leeks live, what does it have to do with you?"

"I like your attitude very much." Strange turned his head and said, "It seems I had some misunderstandings about you before. We still have a lot of common topics."

"Don't forget, once the resignation procedures for the Presbyterian Hospital are done, you will immediately go to the sanitarium to work. The positions for the next two months are fully booked, and you will be very busy next."

"What about the split?"

"Just as we agreed..."

Stark heard them discussing in low voices for a long time. He was curious about the content of their discussion, but he was embarrassed to lean over and eavesdrop openly, so he pretended to be disdainful and said, "You two unscrupulous quacks, you must not be talking about anything good."

Strange and Schiller looked at each other and said, "We might be unscrupulous..."

"... But definitely not quacks."

After the press conference, Schiller took Strange to the office of S. H. I. E. L. D.'s reception center. Nick was waiting for them in the office. As soon as Schiller walked in, Nick walked up and shook hands with Strange, saying, "This is the Chief Consultant for the Immortality Factor series of products, right? Hello, I am Nick Fury."

Strange looked at the environment in the S. H. I. E. L. D. office up and down. Before he could ask the questions that filled his stomach, Schiller said directly to Nick, "The construction period of the sanitarium should be at the end, right? When can it open?"

"The former owner of that old bank used it very sparingly. In fact, there are not many places to repair. It can open within about a week."

"What about the ribbon-cutting ceremony? Is it arranged?" Nick and Schiller walked to a table and sat face to face, with Strange sitting on the side.

"No problem. Everyone who should attend will attend. In addition, the follow-up construction plan for the sanitarium has also been put on the agenda, but for these follow-up constructions, you have to talk to Stark and Osborn Group. They are the real investors."

"Also." Nick looked at Schiller and said, "What do you intend to call this sanitarium? It can't be called Immortality Factor Sanitarium directly, right?"

Schiller smiled and said, "How about calling it Arkham Sanitarium?"

"Arkham? This should be a surname, right?" Nick froze for a moment just after speaking, and then he and Strange looked at the ring on Schiller's hand.

Schiller continued, "Just a joke. The name is not important. You guys decide..."

"No, no, no, sorry. You don't have to say the reason. The naming right is yours. You can name it whatever you want."

Schiller looked at the two of them. Nick and Strange's expressions were very strange, and he knew that these two must have misunderstood something.

When everyone's attitude toward a misunderstanding is "No, you don't need to explain," it is already difficult to clarify. And when they take an attitude of "I understand, I understand everything," don't even think about clarifying.

Regarding the source of the freezing technology in Schiller's hand, Nick and Strange both knew something. Schiller claimed it was "I have a friend," but the more he said this, the more everyone felt he was covering up something.

"I have a friend," right? Those who understand, understand.

In any case, the name was decided so carelessly. Because it was too careless, on the day Arkham Sanitarium opened, no one knew why this sanitarium was called Arkham.

Schiller had been relatively low-key before. He was not as famous as Strange in medicine, and most of the time he was behind the scenes. Except for a few core figures, others didn't know much about him.

So much so that most people thought this dean's surname was Arkham, so Schiller directly lost his real name, and most people called him "Dean Arkham" instead of "Dean Rodriguez."

The day Arkham Sanitarium opened for the ribbon-cutting was a rare sunny day. At the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Schiller invited all his friends in this world and conducted intensive training for them the night before.

"... Yes, I'm sure it's useful. Although I am responsible for pathology research, I have also learned about some confidential research results. Of course I can tell you this..."

"Oh, right... That's right, I'm a high school student, and I'm just helping Dr. Connors in the laboratory. What? Have I seen the exact report? I can't disclose that to you. This is confidential... Fine, I can only tell you that so many researchers are studying this thing together, it can't be completely useless, right?"

"Indeed, I am a Ph. D. in physics, but I think you have a misunderstanding of the scope of physics. I did participate in this experiment, especially in the research and development of medical equipment for the immortality factor. Do you think I would spend so much energy on something useless?"

"Prolonging life? You are too conservative in estimating its effect. Sir, as a psychology expert, I can responsibly tell you that it is also effective in regulating human emotions..."

"In short, don't ask so many questions. I am Stark! Stark tells you it's useful, so it's useful!"

"I think you heard..."

"Right, that's right, we all say so..."

"Is there any problem with this?"

"Do you want me to emphasize it again?"

"It is certainly effective..."

"It's useful!" ===== CHAPTER 146 =====