Chapter 49 : Californium

"Madness, as you know, is like gravity. All it takes is a little push."

----The Joker

.....

[Californium is a radioactive, synthetic, actinide element with the symbol Cf and atomic number 98. It was first synthesized in 1950 by bombarding curium with alpha particles at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Californium is named after the state and university of California.] 

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"Wow... Look at what I found. A box of sodium-containing micro-lattice purple gold, perfect for cushioning pads," exclaimed Jude, his eyes gleaming with interest. Lucius, however, wore a frown, clearly concerned about Jude's fascination with this ultra-rare material. The micro-lattice metal was already an advanced civilian material, lighter and harder than typical counterparts. The sodium-containing micro-lattices in purple gold surpassed ordinary micro-lattices, boasting a metal quality more than ten times stronger. This material was part of an ongoing research project at Wayne Group, undisclosed to the public.

"Mr. Herbert, I advise you not to think lightly of this. Even within Wayne Group, the full extent of its properties is not fully understood. It's an experimental product, and there might be dangers associated with it," cautioned Lucius.

"It's okay. You might not understand because your hands are trembling, but I won't disregard it. I will mark it."

"This... alright."

Taking a few more steps, they passed by numerous boxes, but Jude merely glanced at the labels without approaching them. These were high-value items of little use to him until they reached the rare-element snow storage area. This area, marked separately in the southeast corner, was isolated with special glass to prevent leakage, offering a temporary top-up in case of emergencies.

Inside, long tubes were arranged horizontally on metal shelves, each engraved with identification names such as lithium, rubidium, cesium, tantalum, tungsten, molybdenum, and vanadium—elements rare on Earth or challenging to synthesize artificially. Jude marked the necessary ones, each serving a specific purpose in his intricate plans.

He then walked to the radioactive area, his primary objective. It was dangerous yet intriguing, containing numerous elements stored in lead boxes. The first set included the eight naturally radioactive elements: polonium, radon, francium, radium, actinium, thorium, protactinium, and uranium. Although potentially harmful to human tissues, these elements were less menacing than the over 1,000 artificially synthesized ones.

As Lucius expressed concern about the radioactive elements, questioning if Jude was planning to create a nuclear bomb, Jude retorted, "Lucius, I said, you have to open your eyes. What's so special about nuclear bombs? The scope of that stuff is so large that only fools who want to die will use nuclear bombs."

"Then you are preparing?"

"What I want to make is a weapon that is powerful but not easy to spread. Simply put, it is used in single-player combat to avoid hurting the innocent."

"Could you do me a favor? There are too many boxes, and they are all the same size; my eyes are getting lost."

Lucius nodded helplessly. "Well, what do you need?"

"Po-210, radium 226, americium 241, plutonium 238, uranium 235..."

Lucius frowned as he listened. "They are all elements that can be used as neutron sources, but they are not for nuclear bombs. What do you want to do?"

"What do you do? You will be able to see the finished product soon. Don't be too surprised at that time. In addition, prepare some californium. It is an essential part."

Lucius's heart thumped. "How much californium do you need?"

"Just so-so, 500 grams is enough."

Lucius's dark face instantly turned into the bottom of the pot, and the two rows of white teeth were particularly dazzling. He finally couldn't help but roar: "Are you crazy? Do you know the value of the californium element? 1 gram of californium? The market price of the element is 30 million U.S. dollars, and the black market is even closer to 50 million. Do you want Mr. Bruce to go bankrupt?"

Jude was startled by his sudden roar and hurriedly said with a smile, "I'm just kidding; why take it seriously? 100 grams is enough."

"10 grams; there is no room for discussion. Even if you leave, telling Mr. Bruce will be useless. In addition, you must leave here and not stay for another second!"

Lucius was also in a hurry. After Jude came in, it seemed that he had only selected a dozen items, but all of them were very rare. If he continued, the potential losses would be significant, prompting Lucius to order an eviction. The value of Jude's selections was close to 1 billion U.S. dollars.

To be honest, Jude had no choice but to compromise. Regardless, this trip had yielded a substantial harvest, and with the vast resources of the Wayne Group, future collaborations with Bruce promised numerous opportunities for financial gain. As they left the facility, Lucius closed the gate with an air of secrecy.

"I say, Brother Lucius, is this necessary? If I want to come in, no door can stop me unless you move everything away."

Lucius staggered, recalling Alfred's warning about Jude's potential invisibility. He contemplated changing locations.

Jude reluctantly watched the last door close, and dark thoughts emerged: "Big dog, sooner or later, we will come to fight the local tyrants to divide the land." Remembering his early exploits as Rogue, Jude reflected on the lucrative heists he had undertaken.

As he moved his fingers casually, the value he gained far exceeded his previous endeavors. The power of science, especially those rare elements, made them some of the most precious substances on the planet. The vibrating black market in Wakanda priced them at ten thousand dollars per gram.

"Mr. Herbert, what are you thinking? I always feel danger."

"Illusion—it's your illusion. Get me a laboratory soon. Stephanie must have started that little girl."

Lucius, eager to expedite Jude's departure, quickly escorted him to the 37th floor.

"Mr. Herbert, this is the most comprehensive laboratory in Wayne Group. It is now yours. How many people do you need?"

Jude opened his hand, exaggerating and mocking: "Are you kidding? I'm enough. Now you only need to do one thing: quickly bring my things and add some good wine, although only for one day. But I haven't had a proper drink in a long time, and then you can leave."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course, the more I drink, the more energetic I get."

Driving away a somewhat daunted Lucius, Jude embraced the laboratory equipment in excitement. Every time he saw these instruments, the DNA in his blood pulsed with anticipation.

"The Wayne Group's laboratory is a first-class existence on this planet, stronger than Cobblepot Technology, which I used once."

"Haha, I am coming, baby!"

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