In the bio-cabin of the 'Lord of the world', Weyland lay nervously in the egg-shaped instrument pod, slowly closing his eyes with a tense heart.
For this day, he had given almost everything!
The giant corporation Weyland-Yutani, which he painstakingly created, along with years of painstaking research, and the manufacturing technology and theories of synthetics.
But, compared to the return, Weyland believed he had profited!
As long as he could possess a longer lifespan, with his genius mind, he could completely create even more brilliant achievements, and even engrave his name forever in the history of humanity, and even the future!
When he awoke again, he would be completely transformed, possessing a long lifespan that surpassed that of a human!
Viggs sat at the control panel, picked up the short flute next to him, and played a tune. Then, the activated bio-instrument pod injected a large amount of viscous liquid inwards, until Weyland was completely submerged, covered by a seemingly transparent but tough membrane.
Adjusting the genetic lineage of a creature was effortless for the 'Engineers' who specialized in this field.
Soon.
With the help of holographic projections, Viggs re-adjusted Weyland's genes, re-injecting vitality into the aging cells.
Through that transparent membrane, one could even clearly see Weyland, lying in the bio-instrument pod, from his almost completely bald head gradually growing dark hair, the wrinkles on his face diminishing, and his body, shriveled due to muscle atrophy, seemingly inflating as if pumped with air.
Although Weyland still looked like an old man from his appearance, his overall demeanor had become completely different.
Even Emrys, who was observing, couldn't help but be deeply shocked by the level of bio-genetic engineering displayed by the 'Engineer' race.
Completely different from the development direction of the Imperium of Man, the Engineers as a whole leaned more towards 'creation'.
"I have implanted a nano-level bio-neural control device deep within his cerebral cortex," Viggs said.
Viggs finished the gene-editing project and handed the control terminal to Emrys: "As long as you have the control terminal, this human will never betray you."
[Item detected: Bio-Neural Control Terminal (Superior)]
[Holding the controller allows you to receive signals from the nano bio-neural control device, manipulating the controlled subject at a neural level]
[Energy available: 500 units]
After the Traveler's verification confirmed there were no issues, Emrys put the control terminal into his armor: "Thank you very much for your cooperation, Viggs."
Although he had the control terminal, to truly win over a talent like Weyland, merely having a 'stick' was clearly not enough; there also needed to be a 'carrot'.
Isn't this... the Infinity Formula serum 'extorted' from S.H.I.E.L.D. in the Marvel universe, now coming in handy?
Emrys planned to have Viggs optimize the Infinity Formula serum to match the human genes of the xenomorph universe.
The greatest advantage of the Infinity Formula serum is that while it can prolong life, it must be taken continuously; once interrupted... the consequences would be unimaginable!
This way, there would be a double insurance.
At least, for several decades, Emrys would no longer have to worry about the possibility of Weyland's betrayal.
So, the question arises.
What about a few decades later? Will he no longer have to worry?
Emrys never underestimated anyone, especially a genius like Peter Weyland, but no matter how clever a mind, it's impossible to span multiple fields and, in just over a decade, develop an antidote to the anti-Infinity Formula serum.
He was confident that in a few decades, even if Weyland truly chose to betray him, he would then possess absolute power to destroy his opponent!
"If you need this kind of technology, I can give you this part of the data first," Viggs said sincerely. "I just hope to return to my homeworld as soon as possible."
"I completely understand how you feel, Viggs."
Emrys looked at the eager 'Engineer' in front of him and slowly said, "Don't worry, I will keep my promise, but before we officially depart, we still need a little preparation."
"Can I help you?"
Viggs proactively asked.
Having been in stasis for two thousand years, he was very concerned about the situation on Paradise world. What accident had occurred that caused the Space Jockey fleet to completely lose contact with their homeworld!
As long as he could resolve the issues here as soon as possible and return to Paradise world, he wouldn't mind lending a small hand.
"I know you're anxious, but don't rush," Emrys said, feeling greatly relieved. Such an obedient heretic as Viggs was truly rare.
While comforting the impatient Viggs, he said, "But this matter will require your cooperation with Weyland to be possible."
"?"
Viggs' face was full of question marks.
Although not explicitly stated, Emrys did see a hint of disdain in Viggs' eyes.
He didn't believe that with Weyland's level of knowledge, he could be of much help.
"What do you think of the 'embryos' nurtured by humans infected with black water?" Emrys asked with a smile, seeking his opinion.
"From a professional genetic engineering perspective, it is undoubtedly an excellent creature," Viggs stated his opinion truthfully. "Being able to expand its body size by more than a dozen times out of thin air within hours of birth, without ingesting any nutrients, is highly worthy of study."
This is the most terrifying aspect of the xenomorph life form; it can grow its body size by more than a dozen times in a short period without ingesting any nutrients!
But Emrys shook his head, smiling, "You're wrong, Viggs, the advantages of that thing are not just that simple."
Looking at the puzzled Viggs, he continued, "The greatest advantage of that thing is its ability to change its biological form according to the host's physique, even incorporating some of the host's advantages, and then combining its own genetic advantages to become a perfect killing machine."
Viggs' expression finally showed a subtle change, as if he had guessed something, and he looked at Emrys in surprise: "You plan to cultivate this terrifying creature?"
"That's not entirely accurate."
Just as Viggs breathed a sigh of relief, thinking there was no need to create such a terrifying creature.
Emrys wore a gentle smile on his face, but the words that came out of his mouth truly made Viggs feel a chilling fear:
"Not only do I want to cultivate this creature, but I also want you to cooperate with Weyland, combining the technology of synthetics to recreate a new 'species'!".
Viggs was uncharacteristically silent for a long time, then squeezed out a 'complex' expression: "Your idea is very good, but... it's too difficult to implement."
This idea completely transcended his imagination.
It even challenged the upper limits of the Engineers' technology and the lower limits of their morality.
Of course, that's assuming the Engineer race even has a concept of 'morality'.
Viggs looked at Emrys with some alarm: "You're not planning to use this creature against us, are you?"
"What are you thinking?"
Emrys glanced at him and sneered, "To deal with you, do I need to go through so much trouble?"
Although this was quite insulting, Viggs inexplicably felt much more relaxed. Since it wasn't to deal with the 'Engineers', why should he care?
"It's very, very, very difficult to combine the advantages of two species!" Viggs gave him a heads-up, saying, "You must be mentally prepared; there are too many problems to overcome in a short time."
From the Engineers' perspective, he said 'very difficult' three times, which shows just how difficult it truly is.
But Emrys had long expected this and smiled, "It's okay, I'm not in a hurry."
Combining 'xenomorph' and 'Synthetic' would certainly not be something that could be accomplished in a short time.
At least, this idea is currently still in the conceptual stage.
Between it and true realization lie countless problems waiting to be overcome.
Whether it's the xenomorph still in its embryonic state or the technology of combining synthetics, both are major challenges.
But once it can truly be completed, by then he will possess a legion of synthetic Aliens that are completely subservient to him!
About several hours later.
Wayland completed his gene recombination and awoke from the bio-instrumentation pod. His first reaction was to check his body for any changes.
Touching his still aged face, Wayland felt a bit disappointed.
But soon, the abundant physical strength and vigorous energy filled Wayland with ecstasy. He felt decades younger, his body brimming with vitality!
In short, his back no longer ached, his legs were no longer sore, and he could climb dozens of floors in one go without panting!
Immediately after, as if to verify that he had truly gained a new lease on life, Wayland bounced around the bio-chamber like a monkey until Viggs, unable to watch any longer, slapped him to the ground, finally calming him down.
"I'm very glad to see you so active, Mr. Wayland ," Emrys said with a smile, offering his congratulations.
"I apologize, it's been a long time since I've felt this sense of freedom," Wayland said, a little embarrassed, casting a grateful glance: "I have you to thank, sir. If it weren't for you, I might never have felt this taste of youth again!"
"It's alright, Mr. Wayland, I completely understand your excitement, but… I need to tell you something." Emrys deliberately paused, building Wayland's anticipation before continuing: "In fact, in our race, there is a serum that can help you restore a younger appearance, and even have a longer lifespan."
Upon hearing this, Wayland was like a shot of adrenaline, his eyes filled with longing: "What do you need me to do for you, sir?"
He was a smart man, so he could immediately guess.
There's no such thing as a free lunch in this world; if you want to gain something, you inevitably have to pay a price!
After experiencing the taste of 'youth,' Wayland was even more unwilling to grow old. He hoped for eternal life, a more youthful appearance, and a longer lifespan!
"Regarding this part of the content, I will provide it to you in the form of data, Mr. Wayland."
Emrys patted his shoulder and said earnestly: "You can establish a laboratory on LV-233. When I return next time, I will bring you something satisfactory, and I hope you can also give me a satisfactory answer."
That data contained a detailed description of 'xenomorph' creatures, including Facehuggers, Chestbursters, Warrior Aliens, and other forms, with comprehensive information on their appearance, characteristics, abilities, and a… concept!
Xenomorph Queen!
The task Emrys gave Wayland was to find a way to cultivate complete Aliens on world LV-233. Of course, if he could go a step further and cultivate an 'Xenomorph Queen,' that would be even better.
But unfortunately.
The Xenomorph Queen is a product of mutual engulfment and competition in a vast xenomorph hive during natural evolution, acting similarly to an ant queen!
Once there is an Xenomorph Queen, it is equivalent to… possessing countless xenomorph legions!
The next day.
Emrys bid farewell to everyone and, with Viggs, who was eagerly looking forward to going home, embarked on the journey to Paradise world.
Rumble!!!
The ground for several kilometers around the entire ruins was violently shaking.
Then, the earth's crust tore open, revealing layers of metal buried deep underground. Soon, the entire 'World Controller' was completely presented before the crew of the Prometheus.
The colossal object, three hundred meters in diameter, made human-made spacecraft appear somewhat 'cute' in front of the World Controller.
Soon, the World Controller broke through the clouds.
Under the action of its faster-than-light engine, the spacecraft instantly shot like an arrow from a bowstring, flying towards the vast deep space of the universe!
Compared to human faster-than-light engines, the Engineers' technology level was clearly higher, capable of flying at hundreds of times the speed of light after a brief acceleration!
"Tsk…"
Emrys sat in the cockpit, looking at the spacecraft streaking through interstellar space at a visible speed on the holographic projection, and couldn't help but think: "If I took this back and showed it to the Emperor, wouldn't he give me an award?"
Of course, he was just thinking about it.
To expect a spacecraft capable of hundreds of times the speed of light to change the current state of the Imperium of Man was nothing short of a pipe dream.
It should be known that, under favorable Warp navigation conditions, the flight speed of Imperium of Man ships is almost comparable to faster-than-light spacecraft, though there might be a tiny bit of risk.
Moreover, the most important issue is that, given the vast area of the Milky Way Galaxy and the enormous territory of the Imperium of Man, hundreds of times the speed of light… is truly a bit insufficient.
Therefore, the faster-than-light engine, while seemingly wonderful, practically… cannot solve the fundamental problem.
At most, it can serve as an alternative solution when locations are close or when Warp storms rage.
"I wonder what kind of technology the Necrons have that allows them to move so fast in the physical universe…"
Emrys suddenly thought of the Necrons.
They are indeed the overlords who defeated the Old Ones and imprisoned the C'tan sixty-five million years ago. Their technology level… is simply fabricated, too outrageous!
…
After half a month of continuous travel in the universe, the world Controller finally arrived at 'Paradise world.'
"I… I'm finally home!"
Viggs excitedly controlled the spacecraft, docking it above the ritual plaza, next to the huge mothership shaped like a scorpion's tail.
That giant scorpion-tailed mothership hung inverted above the ritual plaza, its length estimated to be several kilometers. The World Controller looked like a tiny speck in front of it.
What a pity… this thing just looks big. Aside from serving as a harbor for spacecraft, it has virtually no other use.
Otherwise, Emrys would have already snatched it.
Below, a large crowd had gathered in the ritual plaza.
"If it followed the plot… deploying black goo now would surely make for a spectacular scene, wouldn't it?"
As Emrys' mind wandered, a bold idea suddenly sparked: "Wait, can't I cooperate with the Inquisitors? Using black goo to execute extermination orders would not only perfectly eliminate life on a world but also preserve the world's value. Wouldn't that kill two birds with one stone?"
Unbeknownst to him, his thoughts had already begun to be deeply assimilated. However, this couldn't entirely be blamed on Emrys, as anyone squatting in a cesspit would similarly get infected!
"As agreed, the other spacecraft is also mine."
Emrys looked at the complete small Engineer spacecraft, abandoned hundreds of kilometers away on the holographic projection, a brilliant smile on his face.
He followed Viggs to Paradise world partly to acquire the technology left by the Engineers, and partly for this abandoned small spacecraft.
"Of course, I won't break the agreement."
Viggs didn't care about that spacecraft; after all, it wasn't considered a valuable item among the Engineers.
The spacecraft's appearance, unlike the World Controller, resembled a 'key.'
The most important point was that the spacecraft was a 'battleship'!
The World Controller was primarily used for transport and deployment by the Engineer race and lacked the capability for interstellar combat or attack, so it wasn't a true warship!
That 'battleship,' however, was genuinely equipped with weapon arrays and possessed interstellar strike capability, often used for escort, reconnaissance, and enemy detection.
Looking at the battleship in the holographic projection, Emrys was practically grinning from ear to ear.
Compared to Emrys, who had 'something for nothing' and received two spaceships out of the blue, Viggs was in a terrible mood.
Although he had a vague guess on the way back and forth to 'Paradise Star' that something major might have happened to his home world.
But, he never expected the situation to be worse than he imagined!
The remaining Engineer race on Paradise Star seemed to have suffered a devastating blow to their technological level, directly regressing to an agricultural civilization.
No, to describe the current Paradise Star race as an agricultural civilization might even be an overestimation.
To put it bluntly, aside from their long lifespans, the remaining members of the race on Paradise Star were almost reverting to the 'tribal era'!
"What on Paradise happened?"
Viggs couldn't believe his eyes, repeatedly checking the World Lord's report.
He had only been in stasis for two thousand years; how could the once highly technologically advanced Paradise Star have fallen to its current state?
But soon, after reviewing the mothership's flight log and gradually understanding the details, Viggs, upon learning the truth, felt as if his whole body was drained, his pupils dilated several times, and he slumped in the pilot's seat.
Emrys glanced at Viggs' distraught appearance.
To describe it in human terms, it was probably a sorrow greater than a dead heart?
The movie did not detail the specific reasons for the decline of the Engineer race, so he also didn't know what happened.
But from the subtle clues, it could be inferred that the Engineers very likely split into two factions.
One faction advocated creation, which was depicted at the opening of the movie, voluntarily drinking the black water, leaping into an Earth mountain stream, and using their own DNA combined with the black water to create life.
The other faction advocated destruction, which was the 'Space Jockey' faction Viggs belonged to, intending to travel to Earth to deploy the black water, but along the way, due to a black water leak, they were forced to go into stasis on LV-233.
The culprit behind the decline of Paradise Star's technological level was very likely the 'Destruction Faction'.
"My dear friend, if you don't mind, could you tell me what happened?" Emrys' tone was gentle, and he first expressed his sincerity: "If your home world has encountered any difficulties, within the scope of my ability, I am willing to provide you with necessary assistance."
"I'm sorry, I probably can't fulfill my promise."
Viggs' face was bitter, and he clenched his fists with a pained expression, his face even showing a hint of ferocity: "After I entered stasis, Elder Sarthos, the leader of the Destruction Faction, decided to lead a portion of our people to explore and develop outside the Milky Way Galaxy, hoping to find a solution to our fertility problem."
"Then, the rest who didn't want to go were abandoned?" Emrys had already roughly guessed the rest.
"Exactly, Sarthos abandoned the vast majority of our people, leading a fleet composed of elites out of the Milky Way Galaxy."
Viggs painfully closed his eyes, his hoarse, low voice filled with resentment: "For this expedition, Sarthos took all of Paradise Star's elites, leaving only the most ordinary citizens, including all the warships, information storage rooms, etc. Paradise Star now has nothing left."
As he said this, Viggs' emotions were at an all-time low.
When extreme sorrow and extreme anger converge, the result is not hysteria, but silence.
Just like Viggs, he fell into an abyss, not saying a word.
Looking at Viggs, whose mental state had completely collapsed, Emrys frowned. This wouldn't do.
Viggs was his designated Chief Biologist, and in his future concept of a bio-xenomorph army, this important piece could not be missing.
"I understand how you feel right now, but you must pull yourself together."
Emrys could only resort to his previous life's PUA rhetoric, comforting the despondent Viggs: "Even if you want to give up, think about the people of Paradise Star. Can you really bear to abandon them?"
Viggs blinked, somewhat bewildered: "What you said seems to make some sense."
"So, you must pull yourself together even more and work twice as hard!"
Emrys put on a serious expression and said: "You should lead the remaining people to restore the glory of the Engineers, and let the traitor Sarthos and his group see who truly inherited the will of 'D'. So, you have a heavy burden, Viggs."
A passionate speech immediately rekindled hope in Viggs.
"You're right, my friend!"
Viggs excitedly clasped Emrys' hand, his eyes shining: "I must prove to Sarthos who truly carries the bloodline of 'Deacon'. They are just a bunch of cowards who abandoned their people. I must lead our people to restore the glory of the Engineer race!"
"Good, very spirited!"
Emrys didn't forget to encourage him: "Remember, you are the one who carries the bloodline of 'Deacon', the hero who saves your people."
Just a few words made Viggs as pumped up as if he'd been given a shot of adrenaline, his blood boiling.
He even began to envision himself leading his people to restore the glory of the Engineer race in his mind, and being etched into history!
What an honor!
"As a friend, I am willing to provide you with necessary support within my capabilities."
Emrys struck while the iron was hot, with an expression of unwavering righteousness, but his words mercilessly sold out Weyland: "If needed, contact Weyland in my name."
"Thank you so much, friend!"
Viggs was so moved he almost shed tears, gripping Emrys' hand tightly.
"Of course, aren't we friends?"
Emrys deliberately emphasized 'friends' in his tone, smiling warmly and enthusiastically: "Since we are friends, of course we should help each other, shouldn't we?"
Looking at such a generous 'friend', Viggs felt a deep sense of shame for his previous vigilance.
Suddenly, seeing the somewhat damaged armor on Emrys, a flash of inspiration crossed his mind, and he immediately operated a few controls in the cockpit.
A giant holographic image unfolded, showing a map of Paradise Star's surface.
However, one location was specifically magnified by Viggs. It was a massive structure filled with Engineer style, similar to a temple.
But due to its age, the entire temple was almost covered by vine-like plants. If it weren't for the world Lord's holographic image, it would probably be very difficult to discover.
"Found it, the Original Sanctuary!"
Viggs was so excited he was incoherent, even shedding tears: "Sure enough, Sarthos didn't take it!"
With that, he explained to Emrys what the 'Original Sanctuary' was.
This was a sanctuary specially cultivated and built by the Engineers at the peak of their civilization, used to store information.
"Oh? Does that mean it contains all of the Engineers' technology?" Emrys' eyes lit up, and a bold idea suddenly sparked in his mind.
However, Viggs shattered his fantasy, shaking his head and saying: "There were originally thousands of similar sanctuaries. This sanctuary stores information about biological armor. With these materials and equipment, I can specifically tailor a biological armor for you."
The Engineer race's biological armor is different from the concept of mechanical armor.
Biological armor would fit the wearer perfectly like a second skin, providing comprehensive enhancements.
Although it was not as flashy as mechanical armor in terms of expandability, it was far superior in terms of safety, comfort, and versatility.
"Alright, then I owe you a big thanks, Viggs."
Emrys, adhering to the principle of accepting all comers, smiled and generously accepted Viggs' kind offer.