Noah Technology Park.
This land and its surroundings form a high-tech industrial development zone.
Covering an area of one square kilometer, ten times the size of Franklin Park—it was once home to nothing more than the 15-story experimental building of Universe Biotechnology Co., Ltd.
But now, through a combination of collaboration, strategic acquisitions, and generous donations, Bardi has taken control of every inch of land, every building, every cutting-edge research facility, and every high-tech factory within the park. His influence has extended so far that even the various members of the city's fragmented "family" either joined him or ceded their assets to him.
And this is only the beginning. Bardi has already planned an expansion nearly three times the current size of the park. A massive metropolitan center will soon rise here, an unparalleled hub of technology that will shape the future of the world.
The sun shone brightly, casting dazzling reflections off the glass walls of the Universe Biotechnology Co., Ltd. laboratory building.
Situated in a corner of the park, its glass exterior gleamed under the sunlight. Despite not being the tallest or most striking structure, this laboratory had become the focal point of Noah Technology Park. Scientists and engineers passing by couldn't help but steal glances at it, because this entire park had, in effect, become one man's private domain.
A biotechnology company that had risen like a legend, achieving fame across the United States in just a few months, and now, its reputation was spreading across the world.
Specialized heart disease treatments, Sildenafil, drugs to inhibit Parkinson's disease, treatments for kidney failure and uremia... A series of groundbreaking medical advancements had propelled Universe Biotechnology Co., Ltd. to an unprecedented rate of growth. It was no longer just an emerging enterprise—it had become a global giant, one that could not be ignored.
By skillfully splitting the entrenched power structures of the metropolis and forming strategic alliances with its old aristocratic families, Bardi had become a rising star. His influence and wealth skyrocketed.
News of his accomplishments spread rapidly across the United States, reaching every corner through the roads he paved. In just a few days, he and his company had been hailed as the future of American medicine.
The New York Times called Universe Biotechnology "a beacon of hope for America's future," citing its role in tackling previously incurable diseases.
In its latest issue, Time Magazine featured the company on its cover, describing it as a "leading innovator in next-generation medicine" with "unlimited potential."
The Wall Street Journal went even further, declaring that anyone who could secure shares in Universe Biotechnology Co., Ltd. would be guaranteed a future as an unshakable financial powerhouse.
This year's Nobel Prize in Biology or Medicine had already been awarded to Universe Biotechnology Co., Ltd. for its groundbreaking discovery: the theory of immune system specificity and the principles of monoclonal antibody production.
From its inception, the company had ascended at an unstoppable pace. No one could stand in its way.
And now, at the helm of this biotech empire, stood its leader—Bardi.
But even as he controlled the future of medicine, his own body was in crisis. His genetic structure was nearing a second collapse. Every nerve tingled, his body constantly on edge. Even a sip of brandy would set off an abnormal burning sensation, forcing him to adjust his diet with extreme caution.
He desperately needed the Codex of Life to transform himself, to rewrite his genetic structure but he wasn't rushing. He was a patient man, ensuring that every piece was in place before making his next move.
At the same time, he never lost sight of the bigger picture. His condition might be deteriorating, but he had countermeasures in place. Just as he had planned for the future of his company, he had also devised ways to stabilize his own existence.
For various blueprints for the future, the present can always be used to investigate the emergence of superheroes, control future heroes, recruit capable villains, analyze global reactions, predict upcoming changes, and make subtle adjustments accordingly.
As for the overarching strategy, even if Bardi were to disappear for a decade, his plans could still be implemented smoothly, with the future unfolding largely as he envisioned.
During the day, he and Raven worked on carving the clones, embedding stable Azarathian magical formations. The magic system of Azarath was a fully developed civilization in its own right, and its unique magical principles amazed Bardi.
Throughout the process, Raven showed only brief confusion but did not ask too many questions. She simply followed Bardi's instructions, engraving the magic formations as directed and providing several magical instruments—tools capable of controlling the surrounding area, manipulating magnetic fields, and stabilizing space.
In addition, Bardi had prepared a specially designed jammer to disrupt wormhole construction sufficient to prevent Jor-El from escaping.
Bardi was certain that Jor-El had some means of escape. That was the only reason he had managed to reach Earth and stand against him.
He hadn't sought out Jor-El from the very beginning precisely because he was wary of the Kryptonian's next move. He was also concerned that Jor-El might simply vanish without a word.
Carving the magic formations was no easy task. Kryptonians had inherently weak resistance to magic yet showed strong rejection toward it. The only way to forcibly stabilize the structure was to inject magical energy at a level their genes could withstand, pushing them to their breaking point.
It took a considerable amount of effort from both of them. Despite a few minor setbacks, they successfully completed the process.
By evening, all the preparations Bardi had assigned were completed smoothly and efficiently.
He then used spore brain cells—a biological control mechanism, to temporarily seize control of the minds of all high-ranking generals stationed at the three nearest military bases with nuclear capabilities. These spore brain cells acted according to Bardi's orders, but they could only survive for a week before dying off. Once they perished, the affected generals would lose all memory of their actions, effectively reducing them to empty shells with no recollection of what had occurred.
The United States and the Soviet Union were still entrenched in the Cold War, and there were an overwhelming number of nuclear warheads available—any of which Bardi could forcibly control at will. However, rendering several high-ranking generals into mindless husks was bound to attract attention. But compared to obtaining the Codex of Life, such minor inconveniences were insignificant.
Just like nuclear weapons themselves, these measures were a deterrent—a looming threat rather than an active weapon. They would serve only to endanger Clark Kent's life.
Jor-El might be able to withstand a nuclear explosion, but his son certainly wouldn't possess that level of resilience.
This was the real insurance policy Bardi had set in place for himself. The nuclear option was not intended for immediate use, it was only a contingency, meant to be deployed if he were to lose or if the battle reached a deadlock that required a drastic shift in balance.
Bardi was confident in his victory, but he was also prepared for failure.
Meanwhile, Hera had successfully hacked into and taken control of two military test satellites, reprogramming them to serve a new purpose. When the time came, they would flood Nevada with red solar radiation, significantly weakening the physical abilities of Kryptonians.
Everything was in place.
As Bardi waited for his confrontation with Jor-El in two days, he strategically placed operatives across multiple cities: Central City, Coast City, Blue Valley, Calvin City, Keystone City, Star City, Fairfield... one by one, he stationed people in key locations to gather the intelligence he needed.
However, the data collected seemed unusually excessive.
Leon contacted him from Midtown with a report.
"Boss, there are more than 300 people named Barry Allen."
(To be continued.)