Marvel: A Lazy-Ass Superman

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The project of activating the X-Gene in ordinary humans and transforming them into mutants was successfully completed with the aid of Kree Empire research materials on the Inhumans.

After a month of observation, the test subject, Bill Johnson, showed entirely normal physiological indicators. He could move and live like an ordinary person, and there were no signs of genetic collapse.

As for helping Bill develop his mutant abilities, neither Bill himself nor Magneto ever brought it up. Black Superman was more than happy to save himself the trouble.

From this alone, one could see that the Brotherhood of Mutants was even less proactive in cultivating its members than Professor X’s School for Gifted Youngsters.

If someone actively approached Magneto for help, he would provide it generously and wholeheartedly.

But if nobody asked, Magneto would never force anyone to train. His attitude could only be described as extremely hands-off.

Perhaps this stemmed from his own childhood in a concentration camp, where he had been forced by the Nazis to train and develop his powers.

Given such painful memories, it was understandable that he didn’t wish to impose similar pressures on others.

With the crucial X-Gene Activation Drug now complete, the remaining challenge was how to transform mutants on a large scale to realize Magneto’s vision—replacing humanity by turning everyone into mutants.

Black Superman designed several possible approaches, including the one he considered most practical.

The drug could be aerosolized and dispersed through the air. Then a magnetic-field generator would expose those who inhaled it to a specific magnetic field, activating their X-Gene.

Other options included targeted transformation using injections and magnetic helmets, or area-wide transformation combining the drug with magnetic-field generators.

For every proposed method, he even prepared conversion charts detailing the required quantities of medication and the size of the affected area.

That way, Magneto could simply follow the charts without having to calculate dosages and coverage himself.

At this point, Black Superman’s involvement had reached its limit.

Whether implementing the plan was right or wrong, how exactly it would be carried out, and what obstacles it might encounter—that was now Magneto’s problem.

Black Superman could serve as a technical consultant behind the scenes, but there was no chance he would stand on the front lines carrying out the plan himself.

If he truly agreed with the Brotherhood’s ideology and methods, why would he hide his face every time he appeared and refuse to reveal even his real name?

For that reason, everyone who knew Black Superman’s true identity tacitly kept silent.

Magneto likewise had no desire to see him standing on a battlefield where the X-Men might appear.

Among the mutants Magneto had gathered, the two strongest close-combat fighters were Sabretooth and Toad.

Sabretooth had been so thoroughly traumatized by having his hearts ripped out that he no longer had any temper left.

Toad simply went out of his way to avoid Black Superman altogether.

Magneto didn’t even want to imagine the casualties if Black Superman were actually unleashed against the X-Men.

Moreover, Magneto firmly believed that mutant rights could only be won by mutants themselves.

The involvement of outside forces would only distort the purity of their ideals.

As payment, Black Superman took the multifunctional electron microscope with him.

His position had always been clear:

Everything he had done wasn’t free assistance—it was a transaction.

Working for nothing was out of the question.

As long as both sides benefited, there would always be opportunities for future cooperation.

So despite Mystique’s fierce objections, Magneto still allowed Black Superman to take the microscope.

One reason was simple: nobody in the Brotherhood knew how to use it, nor did they have much need for it.

Mystique insisted that she’d rather dismantle it into scrap metal than waste resources.

In response, Magneto merely placated his old friend while urging Black Superman to hurry up and remove the thing so they wouldn’t have to look at it anymore.

Compared to a machine assembled from junk parts, a drug capable of changing the fate of mutantkind was obviously far more important.

Magneto understood that much.

With the mutant project concluded, only one task remained:

Verifying the reliability of the dementia treatment.

Although both technologies originated from Kree science, and the X-Gene Activation Drug had proven effective and free of major side effects, nobody could guarantee that the dementia medication would be equally safe.

Without human trials, Henry simply couldn’t relax.

The problem was that he had no intention of randomly kidnapping people off the street for experiments.

Nor could he bring himself to trick confused elderly patients in nursing homes into taking his medication.

Even though animal testing had already demonstrated the drug’s safety and lack of harmful side effects.

While struggling with the issue, Henry suddenly thought of a certain place often called the Pharmacy of the World:

India.

In 1970, India enacted legislation prohibiting pharmaceutical product patents.

Without patent protection, anyone could manufacture a given drug—or even modify its formula and production process.

The policy effectively reduced drug costs and benefited India’s vast impoverished population.

What should have driven foreign pharmaceutical companies away instead turned India into a playground where companies from around the world ran wild.

As long as approval was obtained from India’s drug regulator—the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO)—any company could produce a particular medication.

And the integrity of certain Indian officials was... well, everyone knew the reputation.

As a result, India became the cheapest place in the world to conduct human drug trials.

Elsewhere, final-stage human testing required researchers to purchase insurance for participants.

If side effects occurred and were proven to result from the experimental drug, substantial compensation could follow.

In India, however, things worked differently.

Simply spread word that a medication might treat a particular condition, and patients suffering from that condition would naturally come to purchase it.

The company merely had to track and record the buyers’ conditions afterward.

In effect, they could conduct human trials while simultaneously making money from drug sales.

India had, however, signed the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) in 1994 as part of its efforts to join the WTO.

The agreement required India to revise its pharmaceutical intellectual-property laws during a ten-year implementation period.

The deadline for those sweeping changes had not yet arrived.

That meant there was still room for convenient shortcuts in India’s pharmaceutical testing environment.

If India merely offered those advantages, it wouldn’t have mattered much to a Kryptonian.

But Henry happened to have a useful connection there.

After calculating the time difference, Henry took his cellphone up to the rooftop of his apartment building and placed an international call.

The phone was answered with a greeting in Hindi.

”This is Kingo Manor. How may I help you?”

”Is Mr. Karun Patel available? This is Henry Brown. May I ask if Mr. Kingo has any free time?”

Henry replied in fluent Hindi.

”Ah, Mr. Brown. Greetings. My employer has filming scheduled today as well, but he’s still at home. I’ll transfer you now. Please hold.”

After a short wait, someone else picked up.

Kingo greeted him in English.

”Henry, my friend! It’s been a long time since I’ve heard your voice. The last time was New Year’s, wasn’t it?

”What made you think of calling me today?

”By the way, why don’t you come to India for Christmas? I’ll have a royal feast prepared just for you.”

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