Chapter 89: Abomination's Celestial Island Labor Camp
As soon as Thena left, the intercom in the laboratory rang again.
Ryan thought it was Thena returning, so he casually picked up the device outside the lab.
"Sir, urgent military intelligence!"
Ryan set down his experimental equipment and exited the laboratory. The super-soldier standing at the door saluted and reported: "Sir, radar and drones have detected a naval fleet heading toward Celestial Island. Expected arrival in nearby waters in thirty-seven hours."
Ryan frowned. "Has the federal government sent any notification?"
"Negative, sir." The super-soldier nodded affirmatively.
Corvus Glaive had taken his team to the United States. If there was news, he would have reported immediately. Federal President Ross hadn't provided any information, and even the federal fleet stationed nearby hadn't responded. This was highly abnormal.
Ryan ordered, "First, confirm their identity. Notify the nearby federal fleet to intercept and issue warnings. If they persist, sink them."
"Yes, sir!"
The super-soldier departed to carry out orders. Disturbed by the interruption, Ryan lost interest in continuing his experiments and simply locked the lab door and walked outside.
The central plaza was nearly deserted. The two busiest locations on Celestial Island were the palace construction site and the cargo dock. Since Celestial Island had no civilian population, the streets were largely empty of activity.
Ryan walked to the defense control center.
Several large screens monitored the surrounding waters and island perimeter. Upon seeing Ryan enter, several super-soldiers quickly stood and saluted.
Ryan waved them down and walked to the screens, studying the footage from a high-speed reconnaissance drone.
"Sir, approximately twenty minutes to reach the designated intercept location."
"Good. What's the status of the island's defenses?"
Since he considered Celestial Island his sovereign territory with federal government support, Ryan naturally wanted robust defenses, including military capabilities.
A super-soldier pulled up a spreadsheet on his computer. "Sir, the island has recently installed eleven CIWS close-in weapon systems with 4,500 rounds of ammunition, three long-range strike missile launchers, 435 AIM-series air defense missiles, 322 precision strike missiles, and a radar base station recently integrated with satellite systems. We also have two drone swarm combat systems and numerous small arms."
The weapons weren't concentrated solely in the settlement—the Celestial skull mining operation also had defensive installations.
Corvus Glaive managed these systems, Corvus handled federal liaison, and Ryan was largely hands-off.
Ryan, unfamiliar with military operations, acknowledged the briefing and continued watching the drone feed.
Minutes later, the high-speed drones arrived at the designated area and quickly spotted a fleet of five warships advancing toward Celestial Island.
Seeing the Japanese naval ensigns flying from the vessels, Ryan immediately ordered, "Destroy them and send all survivors to the mines!"
"Yes, sir!"
The soldier, without hesitation, immediately issued combat orders.
Corvus had drafted several battle plans. Modern conventional warfare prioritized long-range strikes supplemented by close-in defense. If the enemy possessed sufficient firepower, special forces teams of super-soldiers would deploy.
Following predetermined combat protocols, all weapons activated immediately upon command.
Modern warfare operated beyond human direct control—almost entirely computer-managed.
Radar and satellites provided targeting data, missile systems delivered precision strikes, and even drone swarms operated on pre-programmed algorithms. At the command authorization, computers automatically executed combat sequences.
Instantly, short- and medium-range missiles launched from their batteries, streaking straight toward system-acquired targets.
The first wave of attacks quickly reached the battlefield, with over a dozen missiles aimed at five warships.
The Japanese naval vessels responded rapidly.
Vertical-launch anti-aircraft missiles flew to intercept, and CIWS systems unleashed torrents of fire, forming a defensive screen attempting to stop incoming missiles.
BOOM! BOOM!
Explosions echoed across the water, successfully intercepting most missiles, but two penetrated the defenses.
One struck the deck, while another, through sheer chance, struck the bridge directly.
"Execute Order Three, initiate second attack wave. Prepare CIWS and respond to enemy counterattacks."
"Execute Order Three-Two, deploy eleven Super-Soldier teams for offshore boarding operations."
"Execute Order Three-Three, launch armed attack helicopters."
On the Japanese flagship fleet, two warships sustained hits. The other three immediately halted their advance and assumed defensive formations while lifeboats deployed for rescue operations.
The nearby federal fleet attempted to assist, but orders from Celestial Island forced them to withdraw, observing from a safe distance.
The White House, Washington D.C.
"Mr. President, we have a serious problem!"
Ross frowned at the aide who'd barged in without protocol. "What's gotten you so panicked?"
"Mr. President, there's been an engagement!"
The aide delivered documents to the president's desk and explained breathlessly, "The Pacific Fleet's interception failed. Admiral Nissen has been relieved by the Pentagon. The Japanese fleet approached Celestial Island and exchanged fire just five minutes ago."
"Damn incompetent fool!" Ross cursed the Pacific Fleet commander, then immediately called the Pentagon.
Several minutes later, President Ross sighed and hung up.
The latest intelligence had arrived: one of Japan's five warships was sunk, and the remaining four had been captured.
It wasn't that the Japanese fleet was incompetent or that the federal weapons provided to Celestial Island were particularly advanced. It was that Celestial Island's super-soldier legion was simply overwhelming.
Each soldier wielded either a minigun or grenade launcher, and their adamantium armor made them virtually invincible.
Once they boarded, it became a one-sided massacre.
"Mr. President, the Japanese Prime Minister is requesting a call."
Ross muttered under his breath, "What were they thinking?" Complaints aside, the call still needed to be answered.
Celestial Island
The four captured Japanese warships were towed by the federal fleet to a nearby dock. After repairs, they could be repurposed, even if not for combat operations.
All Japanese personnel had been sent to the mines near the Celestial's skull to work. If they refused, they'd be feeding the fish. There were no other options.
President Ross was concerned about geopolitics and international relations. As America's closest Pacific ally, Japan could be criticized, but he couldn't simply abandon them.
Returning to the Oval Office, he immediately called Ryan.
Ring, ring, ring!
"Yeah?"
Ross cleared his throat. "Dr. Ryan, I just received intelligence about a conflict between Celestial Island and Japanese forces. What's the situation there?"
"Everything's fine on Celestial Island. If you're calling to plead for the prisoners, I suggest you save your breath before you damage our relationship," Ryan said indifferently.
Ross was momentarily speechless.
Ryan scoffed and continued, "We're short on manpower for developing Celestial Island's mining operations. I actually hope this happens more often."
Mining adamantium was incredibly difficult. Extracting whole blocks was nearly impossible. Most miners ground off adamantium powder bit by bit, then melted it into ingots using high-temperature lasers.
"But—"
President Ross attempted to interject, but Ryan interrupted, "There are no 'buts.' I have use for those warships, and I need the prisoners. If you're not satisfied, let Japan keep sending people. I'll gladly accept them. That's it."
Further conversation was pointless. Ryan was busy with experiments and didn't have time for extended debates, so he hung up.
The President, on the other end, sighed helplessly at the dial tone.
Ever since Ryan completed his colorless serum experiment on the starfish, he'd discovered an interesting phenomenon while analyzing the data.
The starfish tissue had incorporated the immortality gene program, but unlike Mr. Immortal's version, it possessed super-powered regenerative abilities.
Because starfish already possessed limb regeneration capabilities, the enhancement had amplified it exponentially.
Three days post-experiment, a tissue fragment from Ryan's sample had miraculously regenerated into a miniature starfish. Its growth rate had normalized, but its injury recovery was incredibly rapid, rivaling even Wolverine's healing factor.
"Unfortunately, it's a mutated gene. If only it could be integrated with Eternal genetics."
Upon discovering this extraordinary resilience, Ryan experimented with his own blood, but the results showed complete incompatibility.
The moment the two gene sequences made contact, cells died. Ryan hadn't yet determined the cause.
It was completely dark when he finally left the lab.
Returning to his residence, he found Abomination sitting on the front steps.
"Aren't you supposed to be overseeing mining at the skull site? What brings you back?" Ryan asked, pulling two beers from the refrigerator and tossing one to Abomination.
Abomination caught the beer Ryan tossed. "Sir, I'd like to request authorization to establish a recruitment center. Those Japanese prisoners are incredibly hardworking and obedient, far superior to workers we've employed elsewhere. We could 'recruit' more of them for operations here."
Ryan was stunned. The Japanese prisoners wanted more prisoners sent?
What, turn Celestial Island into a prison labor camp?
"Are you serious?" Ryan questioned.
Abomination shook his head. "One of the Japanese prisoners proposed it himself. I promoted him to supervisor, and the guy went all-in."
"Incredible. Handle it yourself. Don't bother me with this kind of operational detail in the future."
Ryan then discussed adamantium mining with Abomination.
Hundreds or even thousands of workers mined less than ten kilograms of finished product daily. Individual miner output was measured in grams. To increase adamantium production, manpower needed to increase dramatically.
"You can manage the recruitment center yourself. If you need equipment, contact logistics. Corvus will help you procure supplies."
"Understood, sir."
Abomination tossed the empty beer can into the trash, then stood to leave.
As soon as he departed, Ryan received a call from Mexico.
"Sir! Commander Corvus..."
End of Chapter 89
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