Chapter - 6: Ambush

Listening to Aeon mention that killing people can provide the fastest bio-energy, Adrian's brows furrowed involuntarily.

Although in the Marvel universe, killing might be considered normal, he couldn't help but feel uneasy about the idea of taking someone's life.

However, despite his discomfort, Adrian understood that he needed to overcome this moral conflict, especially since he had acquired this unique ability and was preparing to embark on a journey to Afghanistan.

If he couldn't even bring himself to take a life, how could he possibly confront the dangers awaiting him in Afghanistan?

When terrorists will attempt to abduct Tony Stark, hesitating to take a life could mean sacrificing one's own life to the terrorists.

'Apart from killing, what other methods are there to obtain bioenergy for the next gene extraction, similar to the way I consumed ants earlier?' Adrian asked.

'According to the energy value, an ant can provide 0.1 bio-energy to the host, and the energy consumption of the next gene extraction by the host requires one thousand energy.'

'A thousand?' Adrian's eyes flashed with determination. Though the ratio seemed small, in reality, acquiring a thousand wasn't difficult.

According to Adrian, ants are prolific breeders. Some large ant colonies can reach millions or even tens of millions in number. Even in smaller colonies, there are still thousands or more.

With some large number of ants, acquiring a thousand energy wouldn't be a problem.

And in this world, there are more than just ants.

As the younger brother of Tony Stark, Adrian is not lacking in resources. After all, Stark Industries is one of the largest arms manufacturers in the Marvel universe. In the arms industry, profits are substantial.

Almost immediately, Adrian sought out Pepper Potts, spending a significant amount of money to have her arrange for the purchase of a large quantity of cockroaches, ants, and other creatures for him.

"Hey, what's with all the madness today? You know you've got that briefing with me later, and instead of preparing for it, you're tossing around in the gym like a man in adrenaline rush. And then there's this whole thing with Pepper saying you've spend a fortune on some scrapyard and a load of ants. What are you doing? You're not plotting some prank against me, are you?" Tony Stark quizzed Adrian as they crossed paths in the living room.

"As if I don't know whose eyes got so roughed up," Adrian remarked, shooting Tony a weird glance.

"...…" Tony.

Adrian ignored the speechless Tony, went straight out of the door, and then drove the car to the waste factory location as directed by Pepper.

After arriving at the waste factory, he unlocked the door with the key Pepper had given him and powered up the old factory. Inside, he noticed several large boxes placed centrally, covered with black cloth.

With curiosity, he hurried over and removed the cloth, revealing a large number of ants and cockroaches inside.

Ten minutes later, Adrian left the factory with a satisfied smile on his face.

Adrian decided to eliminate all the cockroaches and ants by burning them to death. Though the method was cruel, he considered it a preferable alternative than killing them by hand.

As Adrian left the factory, he made sure to lock the door behind him and headed towards his sports car.

As Adrian was about to get into his car, he heard the sound of revving engines and shouting. Glancing around, he spotted a group of individuals with colorful hair, leather jackets, and weapons, riding motorcycles as they closed in on him, surrounding him menacingly.

As he spotted the approaching group, his brow furrowed in confusion. He wasn't necessarily afraid, but he couldn't fathom how these people had managed to track him down and why they were confronting him here.

Adrian's mind raced, trying to piece together how these individuals had found their way to the remote waste factory he'd purchased through Pepper.

It's always a bad thing to be spotted by people while killing a large number of ants and cockroaches. That's why he purchased this warehouse in a remote location.1