Chapter 154 Zhao Hailun Joins Without Hesitation

After Orion Cross finished explaining, Skye stood there in a daze, seemingly feeling the power within her body while also digesting and processing the knowledge Orion Cross had given her.

"Let’s go to the laboratory and test her abilities."

Zhao Hailun glanced at Skye and spoke to Orion Cross. "The power she released just now was enough to cause a tsunami. If she can’t control it, she might not even be able to make it back to the city."

A trace of panic flashed through Skye’s eyes.

Just as Zhao Hailun had said, if she could not control this immense power, earthquakes might occur wherever she went. How was she supposed to return to New York like that?

"Don’t worry. You can control it."

Orion Cross placed a hand on Skye’s shoulder and smiled.

"Do you know why you couldn’t sense the true power of the Elemental Lord?"

"Why?"

Skye looked up into Orion Cross’s eyes.

She was also puzzled. Orion Cross could identify the origin of her ability, so why couldn’t she?

"Because of the caution you developed from your hacking skills."

Orion Cross had only just realized that Skye’s ability actually contained this additional characteristic.

"What?"

Skye was completely confused. What did her hacking skills have to do with this?

"I remember you told me that you can hack into S.H.I.E.L.D.’s network, but you can’t do it without being discovered. The most important thing for a hacker is being able to hide their identity after launching an attack, right?"

Orion Cross looked at Skye.

"That’s right. I told you that."

Skye nodded.

"Think of your hacking ability as the full power of the Elemental Lord, and your ability to conceal your identity and prevent yourself from being tracked as your control."

Orion Cross explained.

"I understand."

Using hacking as an analogy, Skye immediately understood.

No matter how advanced a hacker’s attack techniques were, if they could not conceal their identity, they would never launch an attack casually.

Likewise, her control was currently insufficient, so the power hidden within her body was being suppressed.

If she wanted to use that power, she either needed to improve her control or reach a situation where she had no other choice.

"If that’s the case, does that mean I’m completely in control of my power right now?"

Skye clenched her fist, feeling the power available within her.

Instead of feeling disappointed that so much of her strength had been suppressed, she was incredibly happy.

She had originally been an ordinary person with no combat experience.

Deep down, she had been worried that after gaining superhuman abilities, she might lose control just like Hulk and Abomination.

But now she could completely control her own power.

Not only was its destructive potential considerable, it also possessed limitless room for growth.

How could she not be happy?

"Dr. Hailun, help me test my abilities."

Skye came back to her senses and looked toward Zhao Hailun, who had been waiting beside them for quite some time.

"No problem."

Zhao Hailun nodded expectantly before looking at Orion Cross.

She had not forgotten her main objective.

Orion Cross was the reason she was here.

Skye’s appearance was merely an unexpected bonus.

Elemental manipulation and nanotechnology were fundamentally different things. In fact, they could even be considered somewhat incompatible fields.

What Zhao Hailun cared about more was the physical condition of Skye and Orion Cross.

Had they merely reached the limits of human beings, or had they already surpassed those limits by a considerable margin?

The three of them arrived at the research laboratory in the center of the island.

Zhao Hailun walked to the entrance and scanned her face in front of the camera.

"Welcome to Stark’s Super Handsome, Super Cool, Super Awesome Ability Testing Laboratory."

An electronically synthesized voice rang out as the laboratory doors slowly opened.

Once everyone entered the laboratory, all the lights in the room instantly came on, and the equipment powered up.

The air conditioning automatically started, and even the coffee machine beside them began heating up.

"Mr. Stark asked me to extend his welcome to everyone, Dr. Hailun, Mr. Cross, and Miss Skye."

JARVIS’s voice echoed throughout the room.

"Impressive artificial intelligence technology. If I had something like this, I could probably finish building the Regeneration Cradle by the end of this year."

Zhao Hailun was not surprised by JARVIS’s presence. She had known about it for a long time. Instead, she sounded somewhat envious.

"Good afternoon, JARVIS."

After greeting JARVIS, Orion Cross picked up a cup and walked over to the beverage machine to pour himself a soda.

"You look down on weapons, don’t want an Iron Man suit, and aren’t interested in the Arc Reactor, but artificial intelligence caught your attention?"

"Exactly. Right now, I’m only interested in advanced artificial intelligence and your body."

Zhao Hailun said it with a perfectly serious expression, despite how improper the statement sounded.

"Hmm?"

Orion Cross suddenly felt that the problem was no longer whether he was wearing yellow-tinted glasses.

"Oh, and I’m also interested in her body."

Zhao Hailun pointed at Skye, who was checking the laboratory equipment and network connection in front of a computer.

"Huh?"

Skye stopped typing and turned toward Zhao Hailun with a bewildered expression.

"Then I invite you to join my team. You can have access to my body whenever you want... my data, I mean."

Orion Cross walked over to Zhao Hailun.

"Your team?"

Zhao Hailun snatched the cup from Orion Cross’s hand and drained the soda in one gulp.

"Is it a superhero team? I don’t have any abilities, and I don’t want to fight."

"No. Do you know Ragnarok?"

Orion Cross helplessly took the cup back and walked over to the beverage machine to fill it again.

"Are you talking about the Norse legend or the new company?"

Zhao Hailun walked over to Orion Cross, picked up the cup from the table, and drained it again.

"The company... Wait, can’t you pour your own drink?"

Orion Cross stared at Zhao Hailun speechlessly as she reached for the cup again.

"Prosthetics. If my Regeneration Cradle technology becomes widespread, your company will inevitably be affected."

Zhao Hailun immediately understood the key issue and turned toward Orion Cross.

"That company belongs to you?"

"Exactly."

Orion Cross admitted it directly. There was nothing worth hiding.

"I’m in."

Zhao Hailun extended her hand toward Orion Cross without the slightest hesitation.

"That decisive?"

Orion Cross was somewhat surprised as he shook her hand.

"It’s mutually beneficial. I can get so many things I want from you. Why wouldn’t I agree?"

Zhao Hailun gave Orion Cross a faint smile.

"Besides, I’m a scientist, not a businesswoman. I don’t like haggling."