“Dr. Gero, I just came to take a look since it’s been a while. I hope I’m not disturbing?”
As Lin Chen replied, he carefully examined Dr. Gero in front of him.
It had been so long since he last saw him that Dr. Gero was looking somewhat strange to him, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on why.
“Of course not, Your Majesty, please come in.”
Dr. Gero waved his hand and invited Lin Chen and the others to proceed deeper into the laboratory.
Compared to Lin Chen and Bardock, who had visited a few times before, Lazuli, who was here for the first time, was even more curious about her surroundings, occasionally pausing to observe.
Although Dr. Gero had been talking with him all this time, Lin Chen noticed that his gaze would occasionally fall on Lazuli.
“What’s the matter, Doctor? Why do you keep staring at Lazuli?” Lin Chen inquired.
Dr. Gero chuckled and said, “Your Majesty, why does this lady seem to resemble an Android?”
“You can tell?” Lin Chen asked with a smile.
Dr. Gero replied, “I don’t sense any aura from her, just like when facing an Android.”
“That’s right, she is indeed an Android, but from another world,” Lin Chen said with a smile.
Dr. Gero’s gaze instantly sharpened.
“Another world?”
Lin Chen waved his hand with a smile, saying, “Let’s not talk about that for now, Dr. Gero. I came this time to see the progress of the Androids research. In the past, I haven’t paid much attention to your research. After investigating a few days ago, I found that your research progress seems to be slow. Can you explain the reason?”
Dr. Gero’s face stiffened. “Your Majesty, research is not child’s play, and I cannot control the speed of research either.”
“Is that so? But I heard that the research materials on your side have been constantly depleting, Doctor. Why is there only consumption but no results? Can you explain that?” Lin Chen said differently.
“This…” Dr. Gero appeared nervous, his gaze darting around as if he was trying to come up with an excuse.
After a moment, just as he was about to speak, Dr. Gero was interrupted by Lin Chen.
“Doctor, you don’t need to explain. I will confirm it with your assistants.”
“Very well, Your Majesty. Take your time, I have other matters to attend to.”
Seeing Dr. Gero turning to leave, Lin Chen signaled to Bardock beside him, who nodded in response and quickly followed behind Dr. Gero.
After the two left, Lin Chen turned to face those assistants and asked, “Everyone, I’m curious about your opinions on Dr. Gero. In the several years you have been working with him, have you noticed anything suspicious?”
The assistants exchanged glances, and one of them spoke up, “Your Majesty, if you had asked this question a month ago, I would have definitely answered that Dr. Gero had been wholeheartedly devoted to his research.”
“And now?” Lin Chen furrowed his eyebrows slightly.
“Now?” the assistant hesitated, “Recently, there have been some strange occurrences.”
“Strange occurrences?”
“Yes, about a week ago, when I went to see Dr. Gero for some work, I happened to hear him talking to someone, but when I entered the room to find him, there was no one there,” said one of the alien assistants.
“I’ve noticed something strange too,” another alien assistant raised their hand and said, “About three days ago, I saw Dr. Gero in the Android laboratory of the research institute. Later, when I went to his office because I had forgotten a document, I found him there as if he had never left.”
“What’s the matter with that?” Lin Chen asked curiously.
“Your Majesty, there is only one route from the Android laboratory to Dr. Gero’s office, so how did he return to the office without me noticing?” the assistant asked in return.
Lin Chen was speechless for a moment, and Lazuli next to him also exclaimed, “Huh? Could it be that Dr. Gero can teleport?”
Lin Chen narrowed his eyes, increasingly feeling that Dr. Gero seemed to have a secret.
Continuing on, just as Lin Chen was about to ask these individuals about the slow progress in Android research, there was a sudden explosion nearby.
Amidst the intense shaking of the laboratory, Lin Chen sensed that someone nearby was engaged in a battle.
“Hmm? This is Bardock’s aura. Is he fighting someone? Why can’t I sense the other person’s aura?”
“It’s an Android!” Lazuli said.
Lin Chen immediately snapped back to his senses. Androids, they were the only ones who wouldn’t emit any aura during a fight.
“Could it be that Dr. Gero has reached a dead end and revealed his intentions?”
…
“Damn it! Where did these guys come from?”
Bardock looked at the Saiyan standing in front of him. The Saiyan had an expressionless face and looked almost identical to himself. Suddenly, a terrifying energy surged from his hand.
Boom!
In the next instant, the energy Bardock released vanished!
No, to be precise, it was absorbed by the person in front of him.
Seeing his energy being absorbed by the opponent’s palm, Bardock’s eyes revealed a hint of astonishment.
“He can absorb my energy?”
Bang!
At that moment, Bardock suddenly heard a sound of wind behind his head. He quickly lowered his head, evading a strike from behind, then turned around and threw a punch, only to be caught by the other person.
And the person before him shocked Bardock even more.
“Raditz?”
He never expected that the person would turn out to be his own son!
Wait!
Bardock quickly realized something was off.
He wasn’t his son because he couldn’t sense any signs of a living person’s aura from him. He is an Android!
But what was going on? Raditz was perfectly fine, right? How could there be an Android that looked exactly like him? And who was the other Android that resembled him?
“Damn it! Dr. Gero! Come out! What the hell is going on?”
Just as Bardock shouted, Dr. Gero had already returned to his laboratory.
However, inside the laboratory, another Dr. Gero stood there.
Seeing Dr. Gero enter, this other Dr. Gero exclaimed in panic, “What are you doing? It’s all because of you! I have no way out now!”
“Don’t panic.” The Dr. Gero who had just entered wore a sinister smile. “Isn’t this perfect? After all, you were going to leave someday. If I hadn’t gone out to meet them in your place just now, you would probably have been captured by them already.”
“But this wasn’t my plan at all! I didn’t intend to confront the Saiyans so early! My world’s Android 17 and 18 haven’t been completed yet! The Ultimate Android plan also needs more time! And more importantly, without the Saiyans’ support, where will I get the resources and equipment for my future research? I can’t go back to Earth; otherwise, everything will be exposed!”
The real Dr. Gero expressed his anger.
Meanwhile, the other Dr. Gero chuckled and said, “Don’t worry, everything is within my plan! As for research resources and equipment, I happen to know a place that can provide everything you need. Even without Android 17 and 18, relying on that place alone, you will be able to destroy all the enemies in this world!”
229 Dr. Gero’s rebellion and two Gero…
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