The Mechanical Arms for Professional Drain Cleaning

Harry said Dr. Octavius is a nuclear energy expert, but that's not entirely accurate.

Dr. Octavius isn't just a nuclear energy expert; he's also highly skilled in mechanical engineering and artificial intelligence.

In some ways, Dr. Octavius could be considered a low-budget, less attractive version of Tony Stark.

Of course, this refers to the movie version; in the comics, it's said that Doctor Octopus easily defeats Iron Man in various battles.

Harry invited Su Ye over to discuss investing in Doctor Octopus's new project: nuclear fusion technology, which involves combining tritium isotopes to release immense energy.

This is the legendary artificial sun technology, which is said to generate up to ten billion watts of power when completed.

According to Harry, if this technology succeeds, Dr. Octavius could even win a Nobel Prize.

However, Su Ye wasn't optimistic about the project. He couldn't pinpoint the exact problem, but he knew that even after Octavius sacrificed his wife, he failed and ended up creating a bomb instead.

Unlike Stark Industries' reactors, which only blow upwards, Octavius's device could destroy all of New York if it exploded.

Conducting such a high-risk experiment in New York City was no joke. Su Ye didn't want to relocate, let alone risk being blown up during his evening jog.

So, after Harry's introduction, Su Ye's first question was, "Dr. Octavius, have you considered relocating your lab? Maybe to Washington D.C.? It's only a few hundred kilometers away."

In the movie, if Spider-Man hadn't cut the power in time, Dr. Octavius's artificial sun would have exploded on its first attempt, leaving him no chance to roam as a villain.

And if it were to blow up in Washington D.C.… well…

As they say, as long as no one gets hurt, it's fine!

Dr. Octavius had no objections to Su Ye's suggestion. As long as he got funding, he wouldn't just move to Washington D.C.—he'd even go to China.

Harry, however, had some concerns. He pulled Su Ye aside and said in a low voice, "Xiao Ye, if we move to Washington D.C., our company won't be able to supervise the project well. Plus, it won't be easy for us to observe the experiment up close."

Su Ye almost swore out loud. A project this dangerous, with zero safety guarantees, and now they wanted a crowd to watch? Were they in a hurry to die?

Why not set up in some remote mountain area and conduct the experiment remotely? Why insist on being so close and courting disaster?

"This is your project to fund. I can only offer advice, but you'll have to make the final call. That said, I have one small request."

Su Ye lowered his voice and whispered, "Make sure to notify me in advance when the experiment starts."

"Are you coming with me to watch?" Harry asked excitedly.

Su Ye shook his head. "I'll be traveling, as far away as possible."

"..."

After hearing Su Ye's words, Harry began to hesitate about funding Dr. Octavius's experiment. After all, Su Ye had more expertise in academic matters, and his opinions were usually more accurate.

Even though Su Ye was only a high school graduate, Harry had never regarded him as an ordinary one.

After all, he was Spider-Man!

"Maybe we shouldn't invest in this project," Harry said awkwardly, his tone tinged with regret.

This was, after all, Harry's first investment project since taking charge of Oscorp. Giving it up so easily left him feeling a bit reluctant.

Seeing Harry's expression, Su Ye patted him on the arm. "Don't lose heart. We're here already; let's take another look."

Meanwhile, Dr. Octavius, unaware that Harry was on the verge of pulling funding, was happily fiddling with his equipment.

After Su Ye and Harry walked around, they soon spotted a piece of equipment in the corner. It wasn't very large, about the height of a person, and was covered with a cloth.

"Dr. Octavius, what's under here? Can we take a look?"

"Of course," Dr. Octavius replied with a smile as he walked over and lifted the cloth, revealing a piece of high-tech but oddly shaped equipment: a ring about twenty centimeters wide, embedded with four… metal eels.

This metallic device, resembling four interlocked metal eels, was none other than Dr. Octavius's famous mechanical arms.

Composed of a unique mechanical structure and equipped with special optical, sound, and pressure sensors, the arms are controlled by artificial intelligence, enabling them to perform tasks beyond human capability and imagination.

These four mechanical arms are not only resistant to high temperatures and magnetic forces but can also extend and retract. They move with the agility of a dragon spitting fire and rest as quietly as a turtle exhaling.

"These mechanical arms were specifically designed for my artificial sun project…"

Dr. Octavius launched into a technical explanation filled with jargon. Once he finished, Su Ye patted Harry on the arm.

"This is impressive. If you're planning to invest in Dr. Octavius, I suggest focusing on this."

These mechanical arms shouldn't be limited to just being arms; Su Ye was already envisioning various alternative uses for them.

They could be scaled down and used specifically for unclogging drains—capable of clearing four drains at once or two drains and two sewage lines. That's efficient and logical.

Creating different models for sale could have tremendous market potential.

And drain cleaning is just the simplest application. These mechanical arms could be widely used in high-tech precision manufacturing and medical fields.

As for concerns about AI turning on humans, it could be controlled via external power or networks. Worst case, it could be downgraded to a simpler version with fewer functions—as long as it sells, it works.

After listening to Su Ye, Harry began to seriously consider the mechanical arms and their market potential.

Dr. Octavius, on the other hand, became anxious. He had never heard the tale of "buying the box instead of the jewel," but he could sense a similar situation. The investors weren't interested in his artificial sun project—they were focused on the tools he'd developed for it!

"These mechanical arms aren't meant for commercial applications," Dr. Octavius said with a frown, trying to steer the conversation back to his artificial sun project.

"I'm willing to move to Washington D.C. I can handle the transportation and setup of the equipment. All I need from you is funding and tritium for the experiment."

Su Ye smiled. "Relocating the lab doesn't affect the development of these mechanical arms. They're two separate matters."

"Also, think about it this way: if the mechanical arms sell well, you can fund your artificial sun project independently through patent revenues. At that point, both the glory and the results will be entirely yours, Mr. Octavius."

"At that point, you won't just be a Nobel Prize winner; you'll also be the chairman of Octavius Enterprises, excelling in both science and business."

"Then, you'll no longer have to worry about funding or materials. You won't have to rely on investors and can pursue any research you want. Your life will be yours to control."

"Thinking about it that way, doesn't it feel a bit exciting?"

Dr. Octavius's mouth twitched. "That's true, but…"

"No more 'buts'!" Su Ye threw an arm around Dr. Octavius's shoulders. "Your wife isn't young anymore, and you wouldn't want her to… ahem… waste her limited time stuck in this lab with you, would you?"

"The world is vast. Don't you want to explore it? Even if you don't, wouldn't your wife? Or… would you prefer she explores it with someone else?"

"She wouldn't!" Dr. Octavius interjected firmly.

Su Ye nodded. "See? You know she wouldn't. But would you really let such a wonderful wife sacrifice everything for your experiments and career without any reward?"

Dr. Octavius's expression faltered. "But if the artificial sun succeeds, I could also…"

"I told you, investing in your artificial sun now is just charity from capitalists. But working on these mechanical arms? That's earning money through your own skills," Su Ye suddenly raised his voice.

"So, do you want to rely on capitalist handouts to fulfill your selfish dream, or use your own abilities to reach the pinnacle of life, slap the capitalists in the face, and fulfill the dreams you share with your wife?"

"Your wife is watching you from over there!"

Dr. Octavius turned to look at his wife, Rosalie, a kind-faced, well-educated, and dignified middle-aged woman. Despite everything, he still held onto a shred of stubbornness.

"The artificial sun is the newest form of clean energy. The sooner it's realized, the sooner it can benefit humanity."

Su Ye shrugged. "The mechanical arms are also cutting-edge technology. Used in research and medical fields, they can equally benefit humanity."

After a moment, Dr. Octavius finally nodded. "Alright, you've convinced me, Mr. Su."

"No," Su Ye shook his head. "It wasn't me who convinced you—it was your wife."

The two exchanged smiles, while Harry, standing nearby, finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Indeed, bringing Su Ye along to discuss the project was a wise decision. They avoided a dangerous venture and found a safe, profitable one instead. Perfect.

With everything settled, Oscorp and the independent Octavius Lab quickly began their collaboration.

Funding would soon be in place, and Dr. Octavius needed to temporarily set aside the artificial sun project to focus on refining the mechanical arms.

According to Su Ye's plan, Dr. Octavius first needed to develop an independent AI program as the control center for the mechanical arms, which would not be integrated into the arms themselves.

This approach would eliminate the need for control chips in the arms, thus avoiding safety risks like the arms malfunctioning due to chip damage.

Next, they would develop simplified versions of the mechanical arms with fewer functions to cater to different industries' needs.

Throughout this process, Su Ye planned to send a disguised persona to oversee the project.

This was part of the contract's additional terms: Oscorp would assign personnel to manage the AI component of the mechanical arms and participate in technological development.

Dr. Octavius now viewed the mechanical arms as a means to generate income, all in preparation for his artificial sun project. Thus, he held back little in terms of sharing the arms' technology.