Chapter 150: Leading the Enemy? No! Embracing the Future!
If LA Corporation truly achieves cold nuclear fusion, it will become the world's leading LA Corporation —bar none.
As soon as Niccolo expressed his desire to witness the device in the video firsthand, Li Ang instructed LA Corporation's security personnel to bring the miniature cold fusion core to Niccolo.
For safety, the core was placed in a reinforced glass case.
When Niccolo laid eyes on the core, glowing with a faint blue energy, it was as though he glimpsed a new dawn for humanity through that shimmering light.
Only at this moment did Niccolo fully believe that Li Ang's claims were not mere exaggeration.
"Mr. Li Ang, have you really achieved cold nuclear fusion with this polymer?!" Niccolo suddenly felt an urge to cry.
If Li Ang had informed him earlier that the polymer could create a controlled cold fusion device, he would have followed Francis's example long ago—not to betray, but to embrace a brighter future!
The biotech company appeared to focus on bio-genetics and pharmaceutical development, but in reality, it had built its wealth on royalties from its patented alcohol-2 fuel technology—a "new energy" breakthrough.
The exorbitant royalties from alcohol-2 patents formed the company's core revenue. Projects like cloning humans or animals were merely secondary ventures.
However, the production of alcohol-2 required genetically modified wheat that consumed vast tracts of arable land, reducing space for food crops. Worse still, alcohol-2 wheat was toxic and unfit for human consumption.
While it could be processed into barely edible food, most impoverished individuals would rather eat indigestible plastic products than risk being poisoned by alcohol-2 wheat derivatives.
It was no exaggeration to say that the famines and food shortages in this cyber world were inseparably tied to the massive cultivation of alcohol-2 wheat by corporations.
But if cold fusion could be widely implemented, humanity would no longer be shackled by energy crises. Oil and alcohol-2 would pale in comparison to fusion.
And with freed agricultural land, humanity's food shortages could also be alleviated.
"Mr. Niccolo, if seeing is believing, then you should know I wouldn't joke about something like this," Li Ang said calmly, signaling the security guards to remove the fusion device to prevent any unforeseen accidents.
As LA Corporation's personnel carried the core away, Niccolo's eyes lingered on the device with evident reluctance. But soon, he regained his composure.
Niccolo knew that if LA Corporation shared its cold fusion technology, it could rely solely on patent royalties to become a global giant.
At that point, companies like Biotech and PetroChem—currently energy titans—would be reduced to groveling at LA Corporation's feet.
If Li Ang so desired, he could obliterate both Biotech and PetroChem with ease, yet he hadn't done so.
This restraint suggested Li Ang wasn't aiming to completely upend Biotech but rather sought to acquire it with minimal disruption.
Of course, even if Li Ang intended to "flip the table," Niccolo understood that neither Biotech nor PetroChem could compete with LA Corporation—a corporation that had grown wealthy through warfare.
Moreover, with Arasaka Corporation as an ally, LA Corporation boasted the combined strength of the most powerful ground-based military group and the aviation power of a Ford-class aircraft carrier.
Even if Biotech and PetroChem joined forces with the European Space Agency, they would stand no chance.
Why? Because LA Corporation also had the backing of the High Knights. If the ESA dared to hurl meteorites at LA Corporation's territories, the High Knights would retaliate by targeting orbital platforms.
Unlike humanity, the High Knights didn't reside on Earth. They welcomed a mutually destructive scenario.
After analyzing the power dynamics and background forces, Niccolo finally made his choice.
"Mr. Li Ang, you win," he said with a long exhale, sounding like both a defeated soldier and a weary wanderer.
Niccolo understood that the moment cold fusion appeared, his side had already lost.
As a shrewd corporate executive, Niccolo knew better than anyone that humanity's future could not be obstructed by sheer willpower. The advent of the polymer signaled the dawn of a new era.
Better to surrender and cooperate while LA Corporation was still willing to negotiate than risk being discarded into the annals of history.
"I'm willing to relinquish my shares, but I have one condition—you must agree to it!" Niccolo demanded, his tone grave as he stared at Li Ang.
"You must allow me to join LA Corporation's polymer research division. Even if I start as a junior researcher, I don't mind!"
Despite his corporate ruthlessness, Niccolo harbored an almost obsessive passion for biological research.
Caught between the allure of power and the pursuit of truth, Niccolo leaned toward the latter. Otherwise, he wouldn't spend so much time in his company's labs.
If polymers could revolutionize plants and nuclear materials, who's to say they wouldn't have extraordinary effects on human bodies?
Joining LA Corporation was Niccolo's only chance to grasp this scientific "truth." He couldn't afford to pass up what might be the opportunity of a lifetime.
"Mr. Niccolo, your dedication to science is admirable. I accept your request and will arrange for you to join LA Corporation's Vavilov Institute of Research," Li Ang replied, clearly pleased with Niccolo's cooperation.
Li Ang appreciated dealing with pragmatic individuals who saved him time and effort.
"Out of curiosity, what projects are ongoing at the Vavilov Institute? Is it just cold fusion and leaf nodes?" Niccolo asked.
The Vavilov Institute was a mystery even to someone as connected as Niccolo. While corporate research institutions were usually well-documented, LA Corporation's operations remained an enigma.
This mystery indicated that either LA Corporation had achieved unprecedented technological self-sufficiency or had acquired a cutting-edge research facility capable of rivaling major corporations.
Either scenario proved LA Corporation's dominance.
Li Ang openly explained the primary applications of polymers. Hearing that polymers could restructure plants to grow on the Moon, Mars, or in extreme climates, Niccolo was left speechless.
These technologies seemed too fantastical to believe—like a dream.
"Mr. Niccolo, at the Vavilov Institute, you will witness humanity's finest scientific achievements—technologies poised to transform this cybernetic world," Li Ang declared.
Niccolo pinched his thigh, wincing at the sharp pain. This was no dream.
"Mr. Li Ang, I underestimated your capabilities and ambitions. I thought you were merely setting me up, but it turns out your target is the entire world," Niccolo admitted with a wry smile.
Having grasped LA Corporation's true intentions, Niccolo chose not to resist. Under overwhelming power, aligning oneself with the tide was the only sensible option.
When a new era arrives, resistance only leads to being crushed under history's wheels.
Satisfied with Niccolo's submission, Li Ang concluded their conversation.
"I will soon host a meeting aboard the Skystar One airship, inviting executives from global corporations to discuss LA Corporation's plans," Li Ang announced.
"There, I will demonstrate the full potential of polymers. Mr. Niccolo, you won't want to miss it."
Li Ang was referring to the polymer's ability to form collective neural networks for drones and robots—a technology poised to redefine human civilization.
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