Chapter 28
Lower District.
Alex's undercover agents in the Lower District, as well as Jack — who had been reluctantly pushed into becoming a gang boss and was finding it extremely exhausting — had found no trace of Danton Black.
He had already fled the Lower District and was hiding in Jones Town.
Jones Town was originally a middle-class residential neighborhood in the southern part of Central City. The area, known as Naan District, was built near a forest on the city's outskirts, with a modest hill nearby.
The sight of the sunset in the evening was beautiful — golden afterglow bathing the hilltop in warm light.
Inside one three-story red house, faint traces of blood and a slight stench of corpses lingered beneath the bed in the master bedroom.
Click… Hiss…
Danton Black took a can of Goose Island Sofie beer from the refrigerator. With a bored expression, he popped the tab open with his finger. The aroma of pale lemon peel and dried orange peel wafted from the aluminum can, spreading through the living room with a fizzy scent.
Danton walked over to the sofa and threw himself onto it without restraint, lounging as freely as if it were his own home. He narrowed his eyes and took a big gulp of the beer. The refreshing flavor of pale lemon peel and dried orange peel burst across his taste buds.
"Ahhh…"
He let out a heavy sigh. The beer scent filled the room, carrying a trace of intoxicating pleasure. This kind of hedonistic, unrestrained, completely free life — he loved it. He couldn't get enough.
The corners of his mouth curled into a faint smile. He casually rested his feet on the coffee table, crossed his legs, picked up the remote from beside the sofa, and turned on the television.
"Those cops must be so scared their legs are shaking!"
Danton Black's new form of entertainment was taunting the Central City police. He had never imagined how fun it would be to break the rules, challenge authority, and toy with a group of law enforcers — watching their helpless, fearful expressions as they desperately called for backup while surrounded by him.
The feeling of controlling their lives and making them grovel at his feet was simply wonderful.
He took another heavy swig of beer, a smile on his lips, waiting to see the police looking miserable and flustered under the reporters' relentless questioning on TV.
"Controlled nuclear fusion is a clean and noble energy source. The fusion reaction primarily uses hydrogen isotopes. Unlike nuclear fission, nuclear fusion does not produce long-term or high-level nuclear radiation, does not generate nuclear waste, and of course does not produce greenhouse gases. It basically causes no environmental pollution. Once controlled nuclear fusion is truly achieved, it will be…"
Danton Black looked at the TV with disdain, sneering at the exaggerated claims.
He was a nuclear physicist himself. He knew exactly how difficult it was to achieve controlled nuclear fusion. From the current state of science and technology in the world, it was simply impossible. This was nothing more than a fantasy about nuclear energy for now.
Of course, if someone actually managed to achieve controlled nuclear fusion, there was no doubt he would become a great man of this era — remembered for generations, the pioneer of a pollution-free energy age. It was impossible to imagine the wealth, power, and status he would possess. He would stand at the very top of humanity.
But that was impossible. The science and technology of this era were not yet advanced enough to achieve controlled nuclear fusion.
Danton Black took another sip of Goose Island Sofie beer, letting the pale lemon peel and dried orange peel flavors explode in his mouth, then pressed the remote.
He didn't want to watch these boastful science channels. He wanted to see his own wanted notice on TV and the embarrassed faces of the Central City police — that would bring him some real entertainment.
"In 1939, American physicist Hans Bethe experimentally confirmed that accelerating a deuterium nucleus with an accelerator and colliding it at extremely high speed with a tritium nucleus causes the two nuclei to fuse, forming a new nucleus — helium — plus a free neutron. In this process, 17.6 million electron volts of energy are released. This is the principle behind the sun's continuous shining and heating for 4.5 billion years…"
Danton Black frowned. Why was every channel talking about nuclear fusion? He pressed the remote again.
"The emergence of controlled nuclear fusion marks the arrival of humanity's next technological explosion…"
Danton Black's frown deepened. He lost all interest in drinking the beer in his hand. Channel after channel kept talking about controlled nuclear fusion, with not a single mention of him. This made him extremely dissatisfied.
He should be the center of the world!
Danton Black's face darkened. Irritation boiled in his heart. He pressed the remote harder and harder. The next several channels all unanimously discussed or speculated about the future after controlled nuclear fusion arrived — humanity stepping into the space age and other unrealistic fantasies.
There was not a single report about his own "great achievements."
Danton Black's face fell completely. His visible frustration and dissatisfaction were unmistakable. The button he kept pressing had sunk inward, and cracks had formed in the plastic of the remote.
Suddenly.
As the channels flickered, Danton Black caught sight of a familiar face. He froze for a second, then quickly switched back to the previous channel.
"Dr. Martin Stein will arrive in Central City on November 15th and deliver a speech on his published work on controlled nuclear fusion at the Central City New Expo Hall. The U.S. Department of Energy Deputy Secretary, the head of the S.T.A.R. Labs branch, Ferris Air, LexCorp, and many other top executives from leading global corporations will be in attendance."
"There is confirmed information that Martin Stein will collaborate with several world-leading corporations to establish a group dedicated to perfecting controlled nuclear fusion, guiding the future of the world's energy."
"It is foreseeable that this group will become one of the world's top energy conglomerates. In the future, it will gradually dominate all current energy resources on the planet."
"Martin Stein — the man who perfected controlled nuclear fusion — will become the world's richest man in the future. He could even be described as the person with the most wealth and power in the coming era."
Danton Black watched Martin Stein on the television. He slowly lowered his feet from the coffee table. His eyes were glued to the screen, unblinking.
The person on the screen looked exactly like the Martin Stein he knew — no difference at all!
But!
How could something like controlled nuclear fusion possibly be developed just like that?
This was impossible!
Danton Black's eyes stung from staring so hard. He clenched his hand violently, crushing the can of Goose Island Sofie beer. Orange-yellow beer liquid spilled from the opening, dripping onto his skin with a cool sensation that snapped him out of his shocked daze.
"This is impossible!"
Danton Black's heart leaped like it was being electrocuted, as if it wanted to jump out of his chest. Blood surged through his veins. His face flushed with a trace of red.
He refused to believe it. How could this be possible?
This was controlled nuclear fusion. He knew better than anyone what kind of world-changing impact possessing this technology would have.
With this clean, pollution-free energy source, Martin Stein could possess endless wealth, become the leader of this era, a great man — money, fame, status, everything would be his!
Danton Black's eyes turned slightly bloodshot.
"Fuck! How is this possible!"
He stood up abruptly, stepped over the sofa, and went into the bedroom. Ignoring the stench of corpses and bloodstains under the bed, he turned on the computer. With an irritable mood and his leg shaking nonstop, he waited for the computer to boot up.
After the Microsoft startup screen, he quickly opened a browser, typed in "World Science Magazine," and opened all the published scientific reports.
He easily found the report on Martin Stein's controlled nuclear fusion. He scanned through it rapidly, scrolling with the mouse.
It was a very complete theory. But theory alone wasn't enough. The most damning part was that, based on this theory, the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) organization had conducted partial simulation experiments just one day ago — and the results matched the report perfectly.
The ITER organization was now preparing for formal experiments and had already officially invited Martin Stein to participate.
This meant the report was real and effective — it could actually produce genuine controlled nuclear fusion energy.
"Impossible!"
Boom.
Danton Black's mind felt like it had been struck by lightning. He was dizzy and completely unwilling to believe it.
The superior who had once reported him for stealing equipment and then disappeared had, at this moment, become the king of the world!
"Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!"
Danton Black's breathing grew heavy. His heart pounded wildly. His eyes turned red. An unwilling, burning jealousy surged into his brain and took over his mind.
The thought of Martin Stein being worshipped by the world, hailed as a great man, possessing everything — money, fame, power, status — made his blood boil. When he remembered Martin Stein's ugly, self-righteous face when he reported him to the police, Danton Black's heart grew even more agitated and restless. Martin's face kept flashing in his mind nonstop.
Why?
I am the one who should be above everyone!
I am the one who should have everything!
You all should be groveling at my feet!
His eyes reddened. He grabbed a chair and smashed it into the computer.
Bang!
The screen exploded instantly, sparks flying with a sizzling sound.
"I am the king of the world!"
His face twisted. His emotions ran wild. His skin flushed with rage. He panted heavily, his ferocious gaze filled with deep hatred for Martin Stein.
Jealousy had completely distorted his features.
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