Chapter 43: Improved Green Goblin Serum
After returning to New York, Harry immediately found Dr. Connors. This research was crucial for how he intended to handle retroviruses.
In the institute, Harry was reviewing Connors' first-phase report.
"This tube of what I call Human serum which can offset the violent factors in the serum of genetically modified animals, greatly reducing the risks associated with these genetically modified animal serums. However, this is a confrontational offset. When this reaction occurs in the human body, it will have a negative impact, causing significant damage."
In other words, Norman would not be transformed into a monster by the genetically modified serum, but this serum was toxic to him.
"The serum contains a rare self-healing factor, which is speculated to come from this genetic sequence."
"This allows this... friendly sponsor to possess incredibly terrifying powers and reactions." Connors glanced at Harry but did not inquire where he obtained the serum.
The serum was, of course, based on Peter's blood, which had not been used for transfusions.
Harry examined the data and discovered that half of the genetic sequence came from a genetically modified spider, while the other half should be Peter's own genes.
Once the genes are spliced, it enables the cells to translate a series of brand-new proteins, significantly enhancing Peter's physical fitness, allowing Spider-Man to possess super strength and reaction speed.
In other words, only Peter could utilize the genetically modified spider serum, and only Peter had the fortune to have this gene inserted at this location.
If the gene were not inserted into this position and the mutation were deeper, he would become a six-armed Spider-Man. If the mutation went even further, he would turn into a giant spider monster.
This was too coincidental... Perhaps we should find an opportunity to delve into the origin of this technology.
After all, in some Marvel settings, Peter's parents were connected to this development.
Now, Harry possessed the secret to Spider-Man's power.
However, until Osborn acquired the ability to directly genetically modify the human body, Spider-Man could not be replicated.
Nevertheless, this self-healing factor could be cultivated in a culture room and used as an auxiliary material for strengthening agents.
"So, I cultivated this self-healing factor and added it to the human body enhancer. As long as one can survive the violent reaction during the first injection, the impact of the enhancer on the mind can be greatly reduced, and it may even be completely overcome."
Connors quickly led Harry toward the laboratory.
"But it's not one hundred percent safe."
Connors didn't respond, just nodded.
"Among the 100 experimental subjects, 34 mice died, 57 mice became violent to varying degrees, and the rest..."
Harry looked at the remaining mice and saw that they were extremely docile, their eyes seeming to possess intelligence—though they were also kept in more complete equipment.
"The ability to complete the water maze test has improved significantly. They can even achieve an 80% correct answer rate without any training. They even respond to language, just like..."
"Like a trained dog?"
Connors nodded.
"The speed and reaction times have also significantly improved, especially the two front teeth. Their hardness has increased substantially. I had to change their containment measures."
The housing for these mice was a huge tempered glass enclosure, resembling a simple ecological circle. It was clear that Connors cared deeply for these mice.
That meant a nine percent success rate...
"Although the success rate is only nine percent, this... this is by no means a failure of great importance. We have taken the first step." Connors looked excited.
After all, biological enhancement technology was an enduring legend in this world, not to mention Connors had joined the military—no one disliked Captain America.
"Doctor, where is your information stored?" Harry suddenly asked.
Connors was taken aback for a moment and pointed at the computer.
"But the experimental data has not yet been entered into the computer..."
"This computer is out of commission, Doctor, and you will need to complete the experiment at Osborn's facility."
"But..."
Harry shook his head, interrupting Connors.
"Someone has hacked into your computer."
"What?!"
Connors understood the experiment's significance!
"But he only found materials for genetically modified serum, not data on human enhancers or human serum."
Harry sensed the message from Lenin.
After all, Dr. Connors had been in the military, and although his confidentiality measures seemed paper-thin to Harry, this overt and covert act appeared to have deceived the intruder.
The remaining experiments must be conducted under covert measures.
Soon, Harry erased all information from the Connors Institute and transferred it to the new research facility.
This was a secret facility located underground in the explosion zone.
Under the guise of reconstruction, Harry could conceal the existence of this area to the greatest extent and complete the construction without anyone noticing.
Although there was no definite evidence yet, many signs indicated that mysterious organization activities were behind these operations.
If you were a local, you might be a little confused, but Harry knew that only a few underground gangs ranked high in the world.
No matter who was directly attacking him, they likely had some involvement with Hydra behind it.
Though the Osborns were already one of the top families in the United States, Harry was still too young to play dirty.
"This... this shouldn't be an illegal building, right?" Connors was shocked by the vast underground space.
"Doctor, what is the name of the Governor of New York? This project is entirely legal, but no one is promoting it, so naturally, no one knows about it." Harry smiled, patting Connors on the shoulder before taking a ceramic capacitor out of his pocket.
"What is this?" From the outside, it looked like an inconspicuous keychain, neither beautiful nor special.
"A high-energy capacitor. Carry this with you. It can help you remain stealthy and monitor your surroundings."
Stored in the capacitor is part of Lenin, which can directly monitor surrounding electronic devices and even humans with abnormal physical signs.
After Harry's training, Lenin had gradually become unfathomable.
"Just hold this little device close to any circuit connected to the Osborn grid, and it will charge instantly."
Harry held the capacitor close to the circuit, and in an instant, the battery bar was full.
"Instantly full?" Since following Harry, Connors had grown somewhat immune to these black technologies, so he wouldn't make a fuss. "Can I use it to charge my phone?"
"Yes, it can be controlled by voice. It can even be used as a grenade."
"What?!"
"Literally, you can throw it out and use it as a grenade in an emergency. But let's not dwell on that; let's take a look at your new laboratory. It just so happens you can also show me the new medicine; I have some ideas."
Connors's lab was in an area still under construction, but his lab had been completed as a priority.
It basically maintained the same configuration as he had at Imperial University and was equipped with Osborn's latest potion maker. Almost all known biochemical materials were stored here, and they could be processed automatically by simply entering the data—faster and more accurate than manual operation.
"Anyway, Dr. Connors, this lab belongs to you now. Let's take a look at your new drug."
After entering the data, the maker quickly produced Connors' new potion—Connors was full of praise for the convenience of this equipment.
Compared to the harsh fluorescent green before, the color of the enhancer after adding the self-healing factor was much softer and appeared more reliable.
And the system responded to this.
[Improved Green Goblin Enhancer]
[Use the enhancer after Spider-Man's self-healing factor is perfected to improve the user's strength, speed, reaction ability, and intelligence. This has a significant effect on the Osborn family due to the retrovirus in them.]
[Use with caution; it is still unsafe. Perhaps you should find a way to continue improving it.]
---
Chapter 44: The Ultimate Green Goblin?
So is this the reagent that the little Green Goblin pursues in the movie...
It's not that great; the success rate is 9%, but it can indeed be said to be a life-saving straw for a dying person.
"Dr. Connors, do you remember the drug I injected into my father last time?"
Harry operated the maker.
"I think it can enhance the effect of the self-healing factor you mentioned, thereby overcoming the side effects."
"That's it!" Connors nodded. "I think so too, but whether it really has a miraculous effect requires experimentation."
Soon, the maker spat out the active enhancer.
"The cost is 200 million US dollars each, and now it's in your hands, Doctor."
"200?"
"Yes, 200 million, just the cost."
Connors knew that this potion would be valuable, but he didn't expect it to be so expensive.
But in fact, Harry obtained the technology from the Cheat System, and the most important cost of drug research and development was zero for him.
As for why it was priced at 200 million, Harry estimated the hands and the explosion it would create as scientific research costs, and the cost of 200 million was quite appropriate.
Extending life expectancy—some people buy it.
The experiment took a total of 10 potions, and Harry and Connors finally determined the dosage and ratio of the final version of the enhancer.
Connors still planned to continue the experiment, but Harry had already received a hint from the system.
[Ultimate Green Goblin Enhancer (Special Offer)]
[Significantly improves the user's strength, reaction, speed, memory, and intelligence, and has a transforming effect on the Osborn family's retrovirus. Derived from the retrovirus present in Norman and Harry Osborn , it is completely compatible for them ]
[Special tribute to Harry Osborn, the redemption of the Osborn family.]
[It is detected that the host has obtained harmless human enhancer technology.]
[Gene mapping technology has been unlocked: individual genome positioning through gene sequencing, opening a new era of customized medicine and therapy.]
[Open mission chain: Bloodline.]
[Why are some families born powerful? Why are some families born with curses?]
[Task content: Collect DNA sequences from patients with 5000 genetic diseases: 1/5000]
[Collect 50 human genes with positive traits: 2/50]
"Dr. Connors, this is what we need."
Harry looked at the two potions shining like emeralds in front of him and stopped Dr. Connors' operation.
"But... could the dose of the enhancer be too much? This is much higher than the safe value we speculated, and even crystallization occurred."
Facing Connors' doubts, Harry shook his head and took the initiative to walk onto the test stand.
"Let's inject it now and call my father over. This medicine may also be effective on his disease."
The system has determined that this potion is harmless—although judging from the description, it is likely that it is only suitable for use by the Osborn family. It would be pointless for Harry to hesitate any longer.
Norman arrived at the laboratory 30 minutes later, and Harry was already standing in the reinforced chamber.
He was the one who knew the Green Goblin Enhancer best. After hearing the news, his first reaction was to stop Harry from conducting the experiment directly, but it was already too late.
"Connors! Why don't you stop him?"
Norman's expression was terrifying, especially the green horniness that resurfaced on his surface, looking like he was about to turn into some kind of monster.
"Ahem... that potion is very dangerous! You can't let Harry inject the potion like this!"
"It was Harry's decision! I persuaded him, and he said there would be absolutely no problem with the potion. Believe him, Norman!"
Connors didn't look like he was lying, so Norman could only turn his eyes to Harry, finally putting Connors down and walking to the physical examination table.
The data on the physical examination table were all normal, except that the sound of Harry's heartbeat was a little scary.
It sounded like war drums beating.
Bang bang—bang bang!
The human enhancement chamber simultaneously supplied Harry with enhancers, gases, and nutrients, and the process lasted for several hours.
When the gas dissipated, Harry's naked body appeared in their sight.
Every muscle on the body seemed to have been carefully crafted, and the vitality contained in it was extremely surging.
"Harry, can you hear me?" Connors opened the intercom.
"Yes, Doctor." Harry's voice remained unchanged.
This reinforcement ended faster than the Spartan Project; perhaps because it had already been strengthened once, Harry didn't feel any pain at all but felt a sense of relief.
"Great, now for the cognitive test. See the point?"
A red point of light appeared in front of Harry.
"Very good, now the angle of view moves with the light spot... Very good, normal."
"What is this?" A crocodile appeared on the screen in the enhanced cabin.
"Crocodile, green crocodile."
Connors conducted cognitive tests and psychological interviews in turn, and Harry was very cooperative.
Both Harry and Connors understood that this was necessary and that any negative emotions such as resistance or irritability during the interview would be considered abnormal.
"...The project is all over, and the enhancer did not cause mental damage to the subject... The physical examination will now begin."
The most important sanity check was over, and Norman waved his hands excitedly—another epoch-making technology!
And this time, the technology was based on his research breakthrough!
"Wait a minute..." Connors' confused tone made Norman's heart skip a beat.
"The sampler cannot reach the specified depth... There seems to be something underneath your skin?"
"Yeah, I felt it too." Harry looked at the sampler. "I can control it, and it should be fine now."
"What is that?" Norman came up.
The sampler quickly penetrated Harry's body and obtained all-around data.
"This is... the thing that prevents the sampler from going deep. The amino acid sequence of this thing is 99% similar to the protein transcribed by the retrovirus!"
"It's unbelievable... the protein produced by the retrovirus denatured and turned into a strong cuticle... the enhancer changed the viral RNA and turned the protein into a harmless cuticle. Under your skin!"
Harry now understands that the retrovirus is really a genetic disease of the Osborn family. This setting also exists in this world, but it is not as obvious as in the *Amazing Spider-Man* movie.
The modifications to Project Spartan did not eliminate the virus, but now it is no longer a problem.
Compared to skin, this layer of cuticle can even be controlled by him, just as he controls breathing.
"I see... Harry, you are a genius! How did you know that this concentration of enhancer can achieve this effect?"
Connors was truly convinced, but it was hard for Harry to say that he was cheating.
"Inspiration, you know, is hard to explain."
Harry clenched his fist. This layer of cortex could even break through the subcutaneous tissue and float to the surface of the skin.
Compared with the scale texture in the original work, this thing is more like an emerald, shining brightly under the light.
He even suspected that if the Osborn Group hyped this new type of gemstone, someone in the market would pay for it.
It turns out the Osborn family really does have an heirloom. The green goblin's destiny .
---
Now that the enhancer has been proven effective on Harry, of course, it is Norman's turn.
But Norman's strengthening is somewhat thrilling.
Compared to Harry's calm demeanor, the reaction that occurred on Norman's body was very violent. Large areas of green cuticle appeared on the skin, and then fell off piece by piece.
The muscles twisted and contorted like worms, and the expression on Norman's face was far from pretty...
Harry frowned—he felt an inexplicable anger in Norman.
Norman's childhood experiences and personality were not very good, and he was not even a qualified parent as an adult.
This can be attributed to his life experience: when the Osborn Group was still in the hands of Amberson, Harry's grandfather, it encountered a serious crisis due to improper policies.
The family's censure of Amberson was witnessed by Norman, which was the main reason why Norman's character became cold-blooded.
When Harry was born, his wife Emily had serious health problems. She died when Harry was three years old.
Norman also had high expectations and requirements for Harry. In the original work, this has always been a burden on the little Green Goblin.
After that, Norman made the same mistake as his father again—the enhancer project almost caused him to lose the management rights of the company and even resulted in him giving the company away.
It wasn't until Harry awakened the system that everything changed. The experience of facing setbacks but being rescued by Harry and returning to the company made Norman let go of many things.
Anger and the urge to destroy everything are manifestations of the character flaws hidden beneath the surface of successful entrepreneurs—when he was young, he did not understand the scolding of his father by his family; when he was in his prime, he was filled with grief and anger over his wife's departure; and when he was middle-aged, he made a fatal mistake just like his father.
The original Green Goblin enhancer strengthened this emotion, giving Norman the Green Goblin personality.
This time, the side effects of the enhancers have subsided greatly, and both Osborn Enterprises and Harry have embarked on different trajectories.
Lying in the reinforced warehouse, Norman heard a strange voice telling him to destroy everything, but he easily dismissed it.
There will be no more Green Goblin.
Harry opened his eyes, relieved that Norman's abnormal emotions had dissipated.
If something really went wrong, Harry would use his psychic powers to forcefully comfort Norman, but it was hard to say what results this would yield.
"The enhancer has been absorbed, Norman. How do you feel?" Connors turned on the loudspeaker.
"Very good. I feel a lot more relaxed." As he said this, a layer of cuticle appeared on Norman's hands, but it resembled scales more than Harry's.
"This thing...is really convenient."
Connors participated in the entire process of strengthening the Osbornes and felt a bit bitter.
Why don't I have this talent? It makes no sense!
Compared to Harry, he just wanted to grow another arm. Is that so difficult?
Harry noticed Connors' wry smile and patted him on the shoulder.
"Doctor, are you thinking about your hand again?"
"Yeah." Connors didn't hide his thoughts. "Do you really think the lizard serum has no future?"
"Actually... the lizard serum has its value, but it's really not promising to rely on it to simply replicate the regeneration ability of reptiles." Harry didn't sugarcoat his words.
"However... this incident gave me a new idea. Oscorp can record the own genetic profile and develop customized medical treatments."
Harry shared his vision.
The Osborn Group will provide medical assistance to patients with genetic diseases worldwide and explore new gene therapies.
And not only gene therapy but also tissue and organ cloning must be put on the agenda—this technology has already been developed in semi-mechanical artificial organs, and now Osborn wants to make it a separate project.
Among them, cloning an entire arm and completing the repair of broken limbs will be a milestone.
"How about it, doctor? Is this more reliable than the lizard serum? In fact, isn't this treatment of retroviruses also a kind of gene therapy?"
Introducing a healing factor, a gene, or a certain protein into target cells from an external source can certainly be regarded as gene therapy.
"That would be a miracle." Connors quickly became fascinated by the prospect that Harry explained. "Do you remember what I told you? Using your own wisdom to obtain the self-healing ability of reptiles seems like my vision is narrow now."
"That's the thing about scientific research. Sometimes you run into obstacles." Harry was also not modest. Dr. Lizard was indeed obsessed, or it could be said that these Frankensteins were almost like this.
And paying attention to employees' emotions, guiding them to the right path, and correctly pursuing their ideals and beliefs—isn't that Osborne's purpose?
These Frankenstein-type villains are all talented. Going out to rob banks or something is too low-key; they might as well come and work for me.
This is the path to changing the world.
"Father, how do you feel?"
Not far away, Norman had already walked out of the enhanced warehouse and was feeling his new body on the test site.
"I feel... I feel like I've become Captain America." Norman jumped a little after saying that, about three or four meters high.
"Father, you have to stay normal when you go out. Although the super governor is good, it is not easy to be entangled by the officials."
"Super Governor? Not a bad name. Don't worry, I certainly know how to keep a low profile. Osborn is not Stark."
There are many benefits to hiding your strength; the biggest advantage is that you can pretend to be a cat and eat the tiger.
Harry may not be able to defeat those Hydras, but their tricks are the same. In the political arena, it is difficult for them to outsmart Osborne—after all, Harry has never done anything easy to pull off, and Norman was governor again.
As for the more obscene assassinations and kidnappings... Harry really wanted to know their expressions when they came to kidnap Norman.
"Also, Father, since you now have a super physique, you should modify your aircraft yourself."
As he spoke, an aircraft slowly entered the laboratory.
Seeing this, Norman's eyes lit up—what man doesn't like modifications?
"Then, Dr. Connors, I will be placing some guards around you. I hope you understand this."
Connors nodded; this technology was very important, and Harry told him that someone had hacked into his computer.
It's just that Connors has no idea who did it. After all, this is the United States, and it seems very safe in Connors' eyes.
"Here are some of my thoughts about gene therapy. You can take a look, and it may give you some inspiration."
Harry sorted out some of the system's technology and handed it over to Connors.
"In addition, I hope you can serve as a consultant for this project. I think you won't refuse, right?"
"Of course! I would be happy to become a consultant for the Osborn Group!" Connors took the USB flash drive excitedly, "But what is the name of this plan?"
Harry thought for a moment, and suddenly a phrase flashed through his mind:
The 21st century is the century of biology.
So he said mischievously: "Let's call it the 'Biological Era' project."
---
After solving Norman's problem, it's Frank's turn next.
In the secret facility where Frank's family lived, Frank and Harry were sitting cross-legged across from each other.
The two of them had their eyes closed tightly, like old monks in meditation, with scanners covering their heads.
Harry is testing whether Frank has developed psychic powers.
After a long time, Harry raised his eyebrows.
The "happy" emotion appeared in Harry's mind, although it was very weak. It had almost no impact on Harry, and it was even difficult to detect.
"I felt it, but... it was much weaker than I imagined."
As Harry finished speaking, both of them opened their eyes.
The psychic interference caused by Frank could even be said to be almost inaudible. If Harry was not gifted with a sixth sense, he might not even be able to feel this emotion.
"So will this work?"
"It's hard to say, but maybe this emotion that you're emitting through meditation on your own family life will do wonders for your family."
In zero energy theory, cognition is a very important link.
Shared experiences often make it easier for people to get closer to each other. Simply put, his family members should recognize this happy emotion more, strengthen the connection between them, and gradually wake up.
"Are you finished?" Dr. Connors's voice sounded over the loudspeaker. "The scans showed that areas of Frank's brain were very active and his cerebrospinal fluid metabolic rate was increased, which was amazing."
If it develops normally, the theory of psychic energy should take root in brain science, and Dr. Connors can naturally see the clues from the brain images.
"Yes, doctor, everything is progressing normally."
Then let's start the actual battle.
Frank sat next to his wife and children and immediately got into the mood.
In order not to affect Frank's performance, Harry did not use instruments to monitor their status. Instead, he directly let Lenin enter their heads and monitor their bioelectricity.
Because of this, Harry noticed that the currents in the two people's brains began to appear strange. If their brains were originally like a pool of stagnant water, now it was as if a clear spring had stirred up the stagnant water.
It worked.
"Ha..." After sitting quietly for more than two hours, Frank finally couldn't maintain his state, broke away from his memories, and returned to reality.
"Frank, are you okay? I have good news for you; your family, they are responding."
Frank laughed through tears at the news and touched his family's faces.
Harry and Connors were also happy for the man.
To be honest, Harry admires ordinary humans like Frank more. In the original work, he does not have an absurdly high IQ, a strong body, or high-tech equipment. He rarely has teammates—and is even often criticized by his assistants. He is often betrayed.
He is strong-willed, but in the world of superheroes, he is destined to be considered a lost man.
"I want to try again." Frank said to Harry.
But Harry shook his head.
"It's school time now. Aren't you going to pick up your daughter? Maybe we can have a meal together."
Frank was stunned.
He has not been home for a long time in order to study what Harry left behind—these are confidential information that Frank can only study in the facility.
Whenever his daughter called, he would excuse it by citing work, which Harry didn't think was good.
"You're right...thank you."
...
"Freak!"
Ever since Lisa returned to school, she kept hearing someone call her that.
Most people would highly praise the artificial liver in her body, thinking it was the crystallization of wisdom.
But for students who don't open their eyes, Lisa is a monster with an artificial object in her body—a scientific monster like Frankenstein.
Of course, it's also possible that they don't know anything and just want to find someone different to bully.
As she passed them, Lisa could always hear them calling her a freak under their breath.
Especially these days, Frank hasn't been at school for a long time.
Frank didn't come to pick her up. The people from the Osborne Group came. They separated themselves from those annoying guys, but they also made more people afraid to approach them.
She lay on the wall of the corridor and looked at the Osborne Group's luxury car outside the school, where several Osborne bodyguards in suits were waiting for her.
But she wanted her father to pick her up more; she didn't like the bodyguards of the Osborne Group.
So she walked to the back of the teaching building and took out her phone.
"Lisa, call Dad, he will come pick you up."
"But he is very busy..."
"But you should call him."
Lisa was talking to herself constantly—as if someone was actually talking to her.
But this is not schizophrenia; just a manifestation of loneliness.
"Ha, freak, can Osborne's people not find you?"
An arrogant-looking girl approached, followed by a few followers.
Lisa didn't want to cause trouble and just wanted to leave quickly, but these people were obviously here to stir up trouble.
"Osborne's people are outside; you shouldn't do this..."
"Really? By the time they find you, we will have already left...ah!"
Lisa's expression became very surprised; it was Frank who came to pick her up!
The girl who was speaking suddenly found herself flying up—no, someone was grabbing her hair!
"What's your name?" Frank looked terrible. His family had died once, and he was very sensitive to this kind of thing.
Especially since this incident was caused by him neglecting his daughter, he was tortured by guilt.
"I...let me go, my name is Norris Donna, I know I was wrong..."
"No, you don't know." Frank's punch left a deep mark on the trash can and even made blood stains on his hand.
"Next time I see you doing something like this, my fist will fall on your parents. Do you understand?"
"I understand! Sir, please spare me; I really know I was wrong..."
"Very well, now apologize to my daughter!"
The girl who was so arrogant just now could only start to apologize in a low voice.
At this time, Harry also came over.
"Is it violence on campus?" Harry glanced at the situation, "Should we change schools, or change the principal?"
Harry also couldn't understand what these children were thinking. Couldn't they see the Osborne brand on the car outside?
Lisa didn't speak, and Frank was a little heartbroken—if Lisa still had friends, she would hesitate or shake her head, but she didn't.
"Well, let's change the school. By the way, call the parents of these children and ask them to come and apologize tomorrow." Harry waved his hand and made arrangements for the people on the side.
It's really not easy to solve the problem of children, so let's find a new environment.
Several children had long been frightened and were stunned in place.
"Lisa, this Mr. Osborne and I have gifts for you. Shall we go home?"
Lisa nodded and hugged Frank tightly.
---
Chapter 47: Trouble with the Chicago Power Grid
"So you are also an educator focused on solving school violence," Hurley said as she opened the makeup box.
Harry spread his hands with a little effort. What he didn't expect was that this matter would make the news the next day, with many media outlets highlighting him as a practitioner opposing school violence.
"You've gotten a lot stronger. Have you been working out while hiding out recently?"
Harry, lying on the bed, shrugged. "I'm still growing and getting stronger every day. This is normal."
"Yes, yes, you are still young, but I am already old."
From the tone of her voice, Harry sensed something was wrong.
Seeing this, Harry pulled her back, took out the syringe, and injected her before Hurley could react.
"...What is this?" Hurley's face was full of confusion, but Harry perceived a hint of panic and fear—not because of the injection.
Harry smiled. "I won't take your kidneys and sell them. Why are you so nervous?"
Despite the fact that Osborne now sells many kidneys—artificial kidneys—each month.
"An activity enhancer that costs $200 million per dose can extend life and enhance cell vitality." Harry pulled out a mirror. "Look, how does it feel?"
After realizing that Harry truly didn't intend any harm, Hurley focused on her face.
Although she was only 24, her long-term irregular work schedule and high-intensity work had taken a toll on her.
The potion took effect quickly, and soon she noticed her body feeling much more relaxed, with the skin on her face appearing more hydrated.
"You're young too. Let's see if you're almost the same as you were in college."
"This... I haven't heard that the company has this project. Did you do it yourself?"
"Yes, $200 million is just the cost price. How much do you think it should be sold for?"
As soon as he heard work-related questions, Hurley immediately started thinking and picked up her phone to read.
"What are the specific effects of the medicine? Is there any specific experimental data?"
"I don't know, but it should extend life by at least ten years. This indicator is hard to record..."
"Ten years? That's so powerful. Only the wealthy can afford this price. For the rich, even $10 million would create a huge market..."
Before Hurley could finish speaking, Harry took her phone away.
"It doesn't matter how much you sell it for; the key is you shouldn't show any expression. I just spent another $1 billion in the blink of an eye."
In the end, although Hurley tried to remind Harry of the importance of this potion, he ignored her. After so many days of work, what was wrong with giving himself a day off?
This experiment not only solved the Osborn family's genetic disease but also saved the secret resurrection potion for one person. Harry was not in a good mood.
Young people, full of energy, needed to vent.
.....
It wasn't until the next night that they discussed the matter seriously.
"I plan to dilute the potion potency, reduce its potency, and then sell it to the wealthy and politicians at a high price. Then, I will use the full-effect potion in exchange for their political support."
Harry's move was very similar to that of Hand and Hand, but the activity enhancer was much weaker than Dragon Bone. Still, Harry was not a street rat like a gangster, so this condition wasn't too unreasonable.
With this card, President Norman of the United States was confirmed.
"...That's great. Do you want to do it now?"
"In a few years, the president has just been elected, so there's no point in doing it now."
Besides,even if everything goes well, being president wouldn't be easy.
Now that I release it, what should I do if they raise the price?
"Okay, would you like to take a look at the company's latest financial report?" Although he knew Harry wouldn't care, Hurley still asked.
"No, thank you. The company has been making profits anyway."
It's not that Harry couldn't read financial reports; he just found it a headache, which seemed endless.
He wanted Lenin to process all the information and report it to him like an artificial intelligence, but reality didn't seem that simple.
Lenin was invincible in terms of hardware, but the software still needed training. Harry often trained Lenin to use the network for transmitting information, but the results weren't ideal.
Overall, Lenin was nearly invincible when it came to copying data from storage devices and following wires to find things.
But following the wireless network was like ordinary people learning a foreign language; it still took time.
As for Tony's artificial intelligence, the only value of that system was to serve as a learning material for Lenin. Putting it on Osborne's internal network? Don't even think about it.
"Okay, let's be the hands-off shopkeeper again," Hurley said, raising her eyebrows half-complainingly.
"Then, I want to start a new project. I've invited Dr. Connors as a consultant and person in charge. Remember to give him a project grant."
Harry briefly told Hurley about the "Biological Era" project.
"Sounds a bit like... the Human Genome Project," Hurley said as she jotted it down.
In fact, Osborne was responsible for part of the Human Genome Project and had earned a lot of funding.
"Absolutely, but more focused on medical uses."
"Is that a public welfare project?"
"Hmm... more or less, half charity, half scientific research."
Hurley wrote down these projects one by one. As for the company's daily operations, as long as there were no major problems, Harry basically didn't need to expend any energy on them.
"That's about it. Is there anything that happened in the company recently that I need to deal with in particular?" Harry asked.
"There is one thing I may need to report to you. Max has been notifying the company that the power station in Chicago is in big trouble."
"That civil society organization has been wreaking havoc, and construction cannot proceed normally."
Harry was stunned. Sabotage? So bold? Is the municipal government just sitting by? Why don't they arrest them all?
He used to think it was just an ordinary demonstration with little impact, but now it seemed that was not the case.
"What's the name of that non-governmental organization?" Harry became curious.
"According to Max's description, it's a hacker group called DedSec. They seem to be suing the government and a company called Bloom on the Internet for violating their privacy rights."
DedSec? Bloom?
Harry suddenly became energized. These two entities seemed unlikely to appear in the Marvel world.
Maybe it's another anomalous project, like the Progenitor virus.
"It looks like the situation is indeed a bit complicated. Prepare a plane for me. I'm going to Chicago."
Nothing is going on in New York for the time being. General Ross has gone missing again and may be organizing the capture of Hulk.
I have some time to go and see if what's happening in Chicago is what I imagined.
Harry got off the bed and got dressed.
"Plane? Aren't you going to fly there yourself this time?"
"Yes, a plane. You seem to be a lot bolder. Are you teasing your boss?"
---
Chapter 48: ctOS
Chicago's industry is highly developed, with a wide range of categories, making it an ideal location for opening a branch.
Harry had always wanted to find a place to expand the company and transfer production capacity outside of New York to mitigate the impact of the New York War on the business.
Previously, he couldn't manage locations that were too far away, but now, as long as he lays out the power grid, Lenin can control this area.
Therefore, he was always curious about what was preventing the construction of an electric grid in Chicago.
"Mr. Osborne, thank you for coming to Chicago. There are many opportunities here, and many people want to meet you."
Harry was greeted by the mayor, a portly man with a bloated figure.
Harry paid little attention to what he said—upon meeting, this guy incessantly talked about who wanted to meet him, discuss various matters, and where a banquet would be held, which began to irritate him.
While sitting in the car, Harry suddenly noticed a highly advanced advertisement on the billboard across the street.
"...ctOS connects everything, embraces smart life, and makes the world a better place."
The next moment, the advertising screen became distorted—
Creeeak—
The jarring sound of tires skidding on the ground sent a wave of tension through everyone's hearts. A blue car slammed into another white car. The traffic lights at the intersection suddenly flashed. Just moments ago, the orderly traffic turned chaotic, resulting in a series of car accidents right in front of Harry!
In the midst of the chaos, a man covered in blood crawled out of the first white car that was struck, panic etched across his face.
Moments later, a man emerged from the blue car, wearing a peaked cap, a black scarf wrapped around his face, and holding a pistol in his hand...
Boom!
This man shot someone on the street in broad daylight!
In the frenzy, the man in the peaked hat approached the body for a brief moment before swiftly grabbing a motorcycle and vanishing into the chaos.
"What's going on? Call the police!" Donald shouted in clear panic. After barking orders at the people in the front seat, he quickly glanced at Harry, attempting to explain the situation.
But Harry simply chuckled, a look of enigmatic amusement on his face.
"Every city has its share of outrageous criminals, and I can certainly understand your predicament, Mayor Donald," Harry remarked, unshaken. "But... is this ctOS system truly as powerful as advertised?"
Hearing this, Donald's face flushed red.
"Of course! Is Mr. Osborne interested in this?"
"Interested." It was far too intriguing. "This is a remarkable invention."
[Abnormal project found: ctOS (from the Watch Dogs series)]
[Description: A super central control system that integrates monitoring, Internet of Things, data analysis and prediction, and precise push notifications. The city operates like a large movable toy in the hands of its owner.]
[Control or destroy ctOS in exchange for technology.]
"Yes, I also believe this is a remarkable invention!" Mayor Donald's face brightened as he spoke.
He had relied on this system and its masterminds to turn things around and become the mayor of Chicago.
As he spoke, Donald hurriedly operated his mobile phone, instructing the control room to clear the route for Harry's convoy.
Miraculously, the once chaotic streets slowly opened up for Harry. Just like Moses parting the Red Sea, ctOS separated the traffic flow for him.
And Harry knew that this system could do far more than that.
As long as it involved a device connected to the Internet—thanks to the promotion of ctOS, nearly all devices in Chicago were linked to the Internet, even the heating valves on the streets and the lift bridges connecting the city could be operated in real-time.
With ctOS, developers had also created a data prediction system known as "Bellweather," used to forecast various data, including lottery outcomes, stock trends, and even an individual's likelihood of committing a crime.
Moreover, it could subtly prompt and guide users to fulfill its desires by pushing constant messages.
For instance, if it wanted someone to divorce their spouse, it would provide information on how to test for infidelity, the signs of a cheating partner, and how a woman could secure a larger portion of property post-divorce, and vice versa.
With the assistance of this system and the control of the hidden mastermind, Donald had successfully reversed his declining fortunes and was elected mayor of Chicago.
Bellweather had even successfully predicted Donald's election, making promotion even easier. The more data it accumulated, the more it could accomplish. One could only imagine the power this system would eventually wield.
This scenario mirrored how Hydra used Dr. Zola to monitor the world post-World War II.
"An incredible system. The individual who developed it must be a genius. Perhaps I should take some time to meet him."
"Great! In fact, their investors are eager to meet you as well."
Harry smiled. What Donald was introducing him to was not the development team, but the "investors"—in other words, Donald's puppet master, Quinn, a formidable gang leader.
However, Harry had no interest in Quinn. If things went according to plan, he could resolve the matter without ever meeting him.
"But... there are always some less intelligent individuals who resist progress." Donald sighed.
"Oh? That's truly foolish. Who are they?"
"A hacker group called DedSec insists that we have violated citizens' privacy rights. It's utter nonsense!"
"Well... this system does have that capability, and their concerns are reasonable. But I trust you're not such a person, right?"
"Of course not. But if they only oppose the promotion of ctOS, they are also hindering your company's project at every turn. Last week, they even openly blocked construction on-site!"
Now, Harry understood the trouble Max had been mentioning.
Presumably, these hackers believed that Osborne and Quinn, the mastermind behind ctOS, were allies, or someone led them to think they were on the same team.
But Harry and Quinn were not part of the same faction. He had never been fond of collaborating with gangsters, even if the gang supported the mayor as a mere puppet.
"Hmm... I think I understand the issue."
The solution was simple: just replace the mayor and eliminate Quinn.
This was precisely what the protagonist Aiden Pierce did in the original storyline. What Harry needed to do now was fund the protagonist group from the original work and recruit them to work for him.
After arriving at his residence, Harry bid Donald farewell and then called Hurley.
"Hurley, help me investigate Bloom Company. It appears to be an emerging technology firm. What would it cost to acquire it?"
"What? You're quite the reckless CEO. Let me find out..."
At that moment, Lenin informed Harry that his phone was experiencing unusual activity—someone was attempting to hack into it.
Harry smirked, allowing Lenin to thwart the invasion.
"This is a new information company based in Chicago. It seems they have ample funding, but you should take note of the following:"
"Well... this company seems to generate a lot of controversy. There's a hacker group accusing them of employing illegal methods to monitor citizens' privacy... and," Hurley paused.
"They're hiring mercenaries with questionable backgrounds at high salaries to safeguard their facilities. Are you sure you want to proceed with the purchase?"
"In that case, help me investigate the mercenaries they've hired and offer them a better contract. Additionally, look into the private armed contractors near Chicago. I want to hire several armed squads."
It's acceptable to dismantle it; I'm going to take action against ctOS.
---