Multiverse: Deathstroke

Chapter 195: Ch.194 Origin of the Plan

Chapter 195: Ch.194 Origin of the Plan

Su Ming returned to his home in the Wilson Tower. The weather in New York had been poor recently, reminding him of Gotham. Moreover, New York was quickly becoming a city full of masked individuals, not just crazy people but also the first wave of heroes.

Steve Rogers had a part in this, but more so, it was due to a long-planned setup from the past.

Steve's transformation wasn't just some spur-of-the-moment military plan. It was born out of competition with Germany, and the origin wasn't Dr. Erskine's serum—it was mutants.

More than 20 years ago, there was an American soldier named John who fought in World War I and traveled to Europe. However, he was captured by the Germans after a shipwreck. The Germans discovered that even though John had fallen into a deep sleep underwater, he hadn't died. His body was as hard as steel, able to withstand bullets and shells, and he possessed immense strength.

They stored him in a large water tank, keeping him in a secret base for study.

HYDRA, of course, learned about this and believed that this man was a divine revelation. If one such person existed, there had to be more around the world. If HYDRA could harness their powers or bloodlines, they could conquer the world.

So, they recruited a team of scientists to study this mutant thoroughly. Dr. Erskine was among them.

The scientists discovered the source of John's powers—it was his unique genes.

In the 1860s, the geneticist Mendel proposed the idea that an organism's traits were controlled by inherited factors, though this was merely a logical deduction at the time. By the early 20th century, geneticist Morgan, through experiments on fruit flies, realized that genes were located on chromosomes and arranged linearly on them. He concluded that chromosomes were the carriers of genes.

At that time, several German scientists looked at the samples and saw humanity's future. Because of the mystery and uncertainty of these genes, they were labeled as "X genes."

Early experiments were highly unsuccessful. What happens when you forcibly combine mutant genes with normal humans? The answer was a genetic collapse, turning subjects into nothing but puddles of liquid.

The research team soon split over differing opinions about the direction of the studies.

Dr. Erskine, who witnessed the death of so many test subjects, felt remorse. Coupled with the fact that Red Skull had stolen his serum and turned into a monster, Erskine secretly contacted the U.S. military and defected.

Nick Fury successfully rescued him, and Erskine brought the serum idea to America.

Why was the serum that Steve injected called a "serum"? A serum is the yellowish transparent liquid that remains after blood coagulates and the fibrinogen is removed from plasma, or it can refer to plasma from which fibrinogen has been removed.

Its primary role is to provide essential nutrients, hormones, growth factors, and binding proteins. It offers cells protection, allowing them to adhere to surfaces and preventing mechanical damage.

This serum came from a blood sample, specifically the blood of John Steele, the mutant.

The serum did not contain the X gene, but it was already accustomed to powering a body with an X gene. So through a series of methods, Erskine made the serum compatible with a normal human body.

Though the transformed person wasn't as powerful as the original, this was still the most gentle approach.

Of course, Dr. Erskine wasn't the only expert on the team. In fact, the true genius wasn't him—he was just the first to succeed.

There was a Jewish doctor named Erik Schmidt, whose identity as a Jew was exposed, and he was thrown into a concentration camp by Red Skull. Using only basic medicines from the infirmary, without any research facilities, he relied solely on his memory and hatred for the Nazis to create a chemical compound. This compound triggered mutations in the body, simulating the presence of the X gene, allowing a person to achieve mutant-level powers.

Dr. Schmidt transformed his cellmate, Kien Marlowe, whose real name was Brian Falsworth, son of the famous British masked commander "Union Jack" from World War I.

Dr. Schmidt tragically died, but Brian became a new superhero, the "Destroyer," thanks to the sole vial of the compound, which became known as the "Destroyer Formula."

Meanwhile, Professor Hans Bruder, who remained with HYDRA, benefited from the disappearance of the other two and gained full authority and support. He had access to the original mutant and countless prisoners of war and Jews for live experimentation.

Through continued research into the X gene, and with numerous samples to draw conclusions from, Bruder eventually found a way to fuse the X gene with ordinary people, though it had flaws due to limited genetic engineering techniques.

Those subjected to the transformation didn't exhibit John Steele's bulletproof ability. Instead, like the offspring of mutants, each individual manifested unique abilities.

This new drug was called "X Compound," also known as the "Longevity Elixir." While there were risks involved, successful injection of this compound extended one's lifespan.

This substance also circulated among the upper ranks of the Nazis and HYDRA, as the promise of immortality was an irresistible temptation.

These experiments had far-reaching consequences. Future developments, like Nick Fury's Infinity Formula and the Winter Soldier's enhancements, stemmed from Dr. Berthold Sternberg's research on Steve's blood.

Similarly, the "Leech" formula used in the Red Room for Black Widow was derived from the X Compound by Leviathan scientists.

So, many Marvel heroes can actually trace their origins back to mutants.

Steve's participation in the SSS project, codenamed "Weapon I" by the military, was the start of a program that would continue with "Weapon II," "Weapon III," and eventually, the infamous "Weapon X" project.

That led to the creation of the artificial mute Deadpool, the enhanced Wolverine, and the production of X-23.

The military's experiments never stop. In the future, they would even use alien genes for experimentation, constantly seeking stronger weapons.

The competitive spirit of striving for higher, faster, and stronger was deeply ingrained in them.

That's why future Marvel companies—any biotech firm—would have mutant gene labs, tirelessly researching mutants. To them, mutants weren't just weapons; they were a goldmine.

Wealth, power, longevity—all hidden within the X gene.

At this time, mutants remained in hiding, too secretive to be found without mobilizing a nation's resources. But in the future, as technology advanced, it would become easier for ordinary people to capture mutants.

With easier access to mutants, research would progress faster, and people would have more ways to gain superpowers.

This meant that in this increasingly unfamiliar world, Su Ming would face even more variables.