Chapter 73: Shortcuts
A week later.
New York City is a world-class metropolis with a total area of 1,200 square kilometers and a population of approximately 8.6 million. It significantly influences the global economy, finance, media, politics, and other fields.
Standing on the top floor of Osborne Tower, overlooking the city, always filled Harry with a profound sense of satisfaction.
The city would fully launch ctOS in two hours.
Harry could hardly wait to hold it in his hands.
"Boss, everything is normal; ctOS can go online at any time," T-Bone's call came in.
The water supply system, power distribution stations, suspension bridges, traffic lights, various public valves, and cameras across different areas are all connected to the network. Just waiting for Harry's order, these systems would connect to the Internet and transmit data to the ctOS server.
After processing this data through T-Bone's algorithm, every operation in the city would be optimized, and efficiency would be improved to an astonishing level.
"Then start it."
Huge data streams flooded into the server, encompassing electricity, vehicles, and pedestrians. The entire city paused for a moment as ctOS recalibrated their routes.
The streets began to flow again. Those looking at their phones remained engrossed, and those conversing continued their discussions, unaware of the brief pause.
They only noticed the traffic lights flickering, feeling as though they were still walking their designated paths. What they didn't know was that everyone's route had been planned, and now they were all taking shortcuts.
The shortcut Osborne had orchestrated for them.
"Everything is normal; ctOS is functioning as intended, and data is being exchanged properly. We did it!" T-Bone's voice was filled with excitement. The data processing capability of ctOS 2.0 was far superior to that of 1.0, and New York was a much larger stage than Chicago!
At the moment of startup, Harry noticed that the program left by Hydra in the server attempted to transmit data.
However, they could only access the information Harry was willing to provide, and Lenin easily filtered out all sensitive data, putting Hydra in parental mode, leaving them unaware of any discrepancies.
From now on, no one could access New York's ctOS network without Osborne's authorization.
"Aiden, ctOS is online. Keep an eye on those agents. Your mission is to secure the underground base. Authority has been granted to you."
"Received."
"By the way, if you find any surveillance equipment of unknown origin, feel free to dismantle it—God, there's so much of it." At the end of his sentence, Harry sighed.
Harry felt confident having Aiden play this role.
While still in Chicago, Aiden became a legend by exploiting ctOS vulnerabilities. Now, he had evolved into a serious watchdog in New York.
Aiden was undoubtedly the top choice for maintaining confidentiality.
"Frank, how are you doing?" Harry called Frank again.
"Not bad. Dr. Connors said their brain activity is becoming increasingly active. Any new tasks?"
"Just checking in; how's the recruit training going?"
"Not bad. I can adapt to air combat, but boss, when will we update the weapons?"
Harry reassured him there was no immediate urgency regarding weapons.
Currently, they came standard with a type of dart that could create electric energy explosions known as arc stars. Additionally, they were equipped with some conventional weaponry.
Harry had been contemplating switching their aircraft to drones. After all, drones were suited for combat, but controlling them remained challenging for ordinary humans.
On the other hand, Norman... After retrieving the glider, he had been crafting some classic weapons, like pumpkin bombs.
Harry slumped in his chair, wishing to savor this gratifying feeling for a while longer.
But now was not the time for leisure; he needed to use ctOS to locate someone.
Mr. Blue, who had been collaborating with Dr. Green—Samuel Stern.
At this moment, he should have accumulated enough Hulk serum, and it was time to collect it.
Just then, Norman called in: "Harry, General Ross has come to New York. Do you remember the mechanical soldier plan you prepared? I'm planning to talk to him about it soon."
Harry was taken aback. Wasn't General Ross's operation a covert mission? Why was he notifying Norman?
When did the covert operations of the military and S.H.I.E.L.D. start submitting applications before taking action?
Sure enough, feedback from ctOS indicated that General Ross had already been active around Harlem and had captured Dr. Banner there.
The conflict would commence in a few minutes, and it was time for ctOS to demonstrate its capabilities.
"Okay, Dad, I'm starting to evacuate people now; we need to lock down Harlem."
"Are you sure? He mentioned this was just an ordinary capture mission?"
Banner was being escorted onto the plane, and Blonsky must have been urgently requesting Stern to inject him with gamma serum.
"I'm certain, Dad; I also spotted their tanks and helicopter gunships... Damn, if this were an ordinary capture operation."
Harry immediately called Peter after finishing his conversation with Norman; this incident presented a perfect opportunity for him to hone his skills.
"Peter? Do you have time now? I need you to come over. The address is on your mobile."
"Of course, is it about the internship?"
Harry replied as he donned his suit, "That's about it. Remember to wear your pajamas."
Hearing that he was about to wear "pajamas," Peter paused for a moment before leaping out of bed excitedly and performing a backflip.
Harry listened to the commotion on the phone and mused: Young people should channel their energy; this shouldn't be deemed child labor.
After all, since he wasn't being paid a salary, he was merely a volunteer at best.
Once in his suit and aboard the aircraft, Harry sped towards his underground facility to make some preparations.
Dr. Stern couldn't be saved, and this doctor wasn't a legitimate scientific researcher. He was a top villan in comics. Harry had reservations about using him.
However, the Hulk serum and research information in his laboratory must be acquired.
In addition to these items, Harry had another target: the mutated Blonsky, also known as Abomination.
In the original story, this guy was imprisoned by General Ross and celebrated as a war hero.
But now, New York was under Norman's control. Want to be a war hero? Dream on!
He intended to implant a neural device in Abomination that could control his movements, transforming him into an "electronic zombie."
If this concept worked, Osborne might even possess an army of monsters in the future.
Most of the data General Ross provided Harry was inaccurate, but Harry could use this information to create a rough design.
Then, he would have Peter on-site, using a conductive rod to guide Lenin in performing a full-body scan on Abomination, allowing Harry to acquire the most realistic and detailed data and make modifications and adjustments on the spot to develop a suitable neural implant.
Currently, it appeared that only Peter could manage the on-site scanning—not even Frank could assist.
"Aiden, a man in red pajamas will be arriving shortly; clear a path for him."
With that, Harry headed toward his laboratory.
---
Chapter 74: Neural Implant Completed
"General, they seem to be... evacuating?"
On the helicopter, a soldier reported to Ross about the unusual situation below, making no secret of his doubts.
Looking towards the street, General Ross found the scene in front of him oddly pleasing:
If you looked closely, you could see that these pedestrians were still engaged in their own activities—talking, arguing, hanging around...
But from the sky, they appeared to be flowing smoothly towards the various civil defense measures in the area. Their movement was so orderly that it looked like an organized evacuation of an army.
"What's the name of Osborne Group's new city management system... ctOS? It's a powerful invention," General Ross praised. "This algorithm may also be applicable to military command."
Ross's idea wasn't unreasonable, but ctOS is based on a vast network of public facilities in the city, making it challenging for the military to implement.
However, Banner, sitting next to him, looked confused:
Although he had been on the run, he hadn't had time to understand the new technology of the Osborne Group and what they had accomplished.
But he had a general understanding of the city management system: monitoring, data collection, unified planning, and then feeding back data to control the city.
Now they seemed to be evacuating... What had they seen?
Boom!
A series of explosions erupted in the direction of the academy where Banner had been captured!
Abomination surged like a mad monster, sweeping away everything in its path—
Yet, there were hardly any panicked citizens on the streets to enhance the atmosphere...
"Hulk, it's Hulk on the street!"
Hearing the voice on the intercom, several people in the helicopter exchanged glances.
That was definitely not the Hulk.
Meanwhile, at the Osborne Group Laboratory, Harry typed furiously on the computer. He wanted to get involved in the incident before Abomination was captured.
Though his attention was focused on the computer, Harry's keen sixth sense made him aware of someone stealthily approaching from the ceiling behind him.
"Agent Spider, be ready for action at any time," Peter whispered from the ceiling. "What's the mission?"
Harry waved, and a video feed of Harlem appeared on the screen.
"This thing, I need you to contain them, especially the strange one."
"Them? There seems to be only... well, there are two now, but they all look weird in the video?" Peter scratched his head.
"The one with the bald head," Harry said, pulling out a conductive rod. "To use this, you have to insert this into him. This will help me get his detailed physical data."
Next, Harry was set to create a neural implant capable of suppressing Abomination's activity.
For safety, a new element reactor was installed on the conductive rod to provide sufficient energy for Lenin to gather data on Abomination's body.
"Copy that. I promise to complete the task," Peter replied quietly.
.....
The battle between Hulk and Abomination raged intensely, and within moments, half of Harlem had been destroyed by their clash.
After kicking Hulk away, Abomination turned his attention to General Ross's helicopter...
The immense force allowed Abomination to easily carve a grip into the wall, preparing to climb to the top of the building.
General Ross, however, insisted on bringing the helicopter closer, firing a minigun at Abomination, which prompted Hulk to pursue them.
Just as Abomination ran past a water tower, he abruptly changed direction and leapt toward the helicopter!
Boom!
In a critical moment, Hulk took off as well, but Abomination managed to catch the edge of the helicopter, while Hulk grabbed Abomination's foot.
The combined weight of the two giants caused the helicopter to tilt dangerously!
"Damn it, we have to make an emergency landing!" the pilot shouted. "Hurry up—"
Before he could finish, the helicopter's tail crashed into a billboard, leading to a dramatic black hawk-down scenario in downtown New York—
Boom!
The helicopter crashed, transforming into a heap of scrap metal, fuel spilling out of the wreckage...
But Hatred remained unscathed!
Hulk wanted to help his girlfriend escape from the plane that could explode at any moment, but Abomination stood in his way.
At that moment, both Banner and Hulk knew they had to eliminate this monstrous abomination...
Peter had been watching the wall nearby for a while.
"Harry, why don't we take action? That plane is leaking oil..." Peter's tone was tinged with nervousness. Though agile, this was his first time in battle. He was just a high school student, and even Spider-Man experienced an adrenaline rush.
"No, just wait."
"I have to say, this is the most thrilling action I have ever participated in. You know when people are nervous, their bodies secrete a lot of adrenaline, which can lead to poor performance, right? I think we need to act in advance..."
Harry ignored Peter's thoughts; he needed to wait for the right moment.
Abomination quickly subdued Hulk, who could only watch as the oil dripped more and more from the plane. Betty's desperate and helpless eyes intensified Hulk and Banner's anguish. At that moment, Banner's defenses began to crumble, and he gradually realized one thing:
He needed Hulk—at least for now.
"...You can only watch her die!"
The hateful whispers ignited Hulk's fury. His strength began to surge, and he shed his prior weakness. The roars of the two giants gradually evened out.
This time, Hulk's roar carried Banner's will.
"Kick the bald head and bring him under control. Move," Harry ordered, sensing the moment had come.
Peter was already prepared to spring into action, webs flying as he kicked Abomination in the face.
The kick disrupted the balance of power between the two monsters, allowing Hulk to land a solid punch on Abomination, sending him crashing into the wall.
With his hands free, Hulk rushed toward the plane that was about to explode. With a clap of his hands, he created a gust of wind that instantly extinguished all the flames!
"That's so cool..." Peter exclaimed from his perch on the wall, awestruck. "This is incredible..."
"Peter? Mission!"
"Uh, on the way!"
While Abomination was slammed into the wall, Peter inserted the conductive rod into Abomination's body, and the pulsating blue arcs locked around him like a cage!
"Uh-huh, uh-huh!" Abomination twitched violently as the electric current affected him!
"Harry... the power consumption seems a bit alarming... are you using AA batteries?" Peter noted the sharply decreasing power, feeling a surge of panic.
The data was quickly transmitted through the special link between Lenin and Harry, who swiftly operated the production table with both hands.
"Um... Harry? The big green guy found me. Maybe you can negotiate terms with him? After all, you are both green... Wow!"
Hulk rescued Betty and Ross from the plane, turned around, and saw Peter, scratching his head before approaching him with a menacing look.
"Oh my god... hurry up, hurry up! I don't want to be caught between these two giants..." Peter's gaze darted between the two colossal figures.
"Mission accomplished, Peter. Now you're free to do as you please."
After Harry glanced at the keyboard one last time, the robotic arm on the production table ceased its movements, revealing a gleaming neural implant resting on the machine bed.
With the knife thrown aside, it was now time for him to make his appearance in person—performing an operation on Abomination.
Peter paused for a moment after hearing this: "Freedom? Uh... Mr. Hulk, I also have a green friend. I mean, I'm here to fight this bald head too. Do you like cooperation?"
Hulk frowned. This little guy seemed to be talking a bit too much, but he didn't appear to be an enemy.
"Roar!"
He bellowed, indicating for Peter to get out of the way.
---
Seeing the Hulk charging toward him menacingly, Peter wisely jumped away.
The two super-strong men struggled together again.
Hulk was very angry now, and the abomination after being electrocuted was obviously much weaker, putting him at a disadvantage in the hand-to-hand fight.
"He's killing Blonsky..." Ross muttered.
"We can't let him do this!" Betty suddenly exclaimed when she heard this. "We have to stop Bruce!"
"Uh... it's a bit difficult," Peter replied while jumping up and down as if warming up. "But you can give it a try."
After hearing this, Ross looked Peter up and down. Why did he feel that the kid in front of him had some anti-human skills? And what was that thing he shot from his wrist?
A cracking sound filled the sky; it was Harry coming.
"General Ross, this is what you call a 'simple arrest operation,' right? My father is helping you deal with external pressure now. You owe me."
General Ross opened his mouth but was speechless. On one hand, he was shocked that this mysterious man was Harry, and on the other hand, he had lost the confidence to speak since the appearance of Abomination.
"Which one is your target? Are neural implants useful?" Although he knew that Hulk was Ross' target, he still had to pretend.
After all, this project was a top-secret mission, and he didn't know anything about it.
"The green one; that thing is useless!"
Ross felt a little guilty saying this—this was a top-secret project, and although he had asked Harry for help, the data he gave Harry was incomplete, and some of it was even fake.
"Really? I think the data you provided is insufficient. Now you can see if Osborne's technology is useful. Spider-Man, you go and contain the big green guy, and I'll deal with the bald head."
Harry waved to Peter and took the conductive rod.
"Agent Spider, got it." Peter lowered his voice again.
One rode a flying machine while the other joined the battlefield using spider silk.
.....
On the other side, Hulk punched Abomination into the ground.
"Hey, Hulk, look over here!"
Peter sealed Hulk's hand with spider silk, but Hulk cleared it in an instant.
Hulk became irritable again, yelled at Peter, then grabbed rocks and cars from the ground and threw them at Peter!
"Hey, big guy, calm down! I can't let you kill that guy; this is for your own good!"
Peter dodged the rocks, and Hulk roared and chased after him!
Peter's speed was quite agile, and he could barely contain Hulk by relying on the spider silk and the surrounding terrain.
"Big man, calm down. When I'm in a bad mood, I swing between the buildings. It's a great way to relieve stress, right?"
Peter found some relief swinging back and forth, but Hulk became even angrier.
Hulk sniffed, and the power under his feet suddenly increased!
The Hulk became faster, and Peter couldn't cope with it. In the end, he was slightly scratched by Hulk's enormous fist—
boom!
Peter crashed like a meteorite, smashing straight through a residential building.
The irritable Hulk pounded the ground. Hulk was like a temperamental child; his abominable rage soared.
There was nothing standing in front of him now.
"No! Bruce!" Betty rushed to the scene at this moment. She was the only one who could calm Hulk down.
Looking into his girlfriend's eyes, Hulk calmed down a little and sniffed unhappily.
Facts proved that although Hulk was a little grumpy, he was still reasonable...
Hulk shook his head, looked at Betty, and then at Peter, who was struggling in the ruins not far away.
"Aunt May will definitely scold me to death..." Peter struggled, half of his body emerging from the debris, his clothes in tatters.
"I can solve this problem; come on, I can solve this problem..."
Just as Peter was catching his breath, a dark shadow enveloped him.
"I'll go... I can't seem to solve this problem..."
Looking up, the massive green face made Peter's heart stop.
"Uh... Mr. Hulk? We can sit down and talk without having to do anything?"
Hulk looked down at Peter. Just when Peter thought he was finished, Hulk didn't take action.
"Spider, you can't break it." Hulk looked at Peter and spoke incoherently.
"I guess this means we're friends?" Peter said, a bit confused.
Then Hulk suddenly lifted the ruins off Peter's body! The violent movement made Peter scream—
"My back!"
As for Harry...
Without Hulk's fist education, Abomination shook his head and pulled himself out of the ground, but before he could wake up, the disgusting electric current penetrated his body again!
This time, the electric current didn't just scan his inner structure; it seemed to be a sharp blade, breaking open his back...
This was indeed the case. Harry had replaced the front end of the conductive rod with an experimental blade. The current formed an ultra-high-density plasma at the tip, breaking through Abomination's tough skin.
Painful screams resonated throughout Harlem as the plasma knife in Harry's hand pierced deeply into Abomination's back. Abomination's body was extremely resilient, and even the plasma knife took time to penetrate as deeply as Harry wanted.
The plasma knife advanced bit by bit, and the foul burnt smell made people grimace.
A sense of crisis constantly stimulated Abomination's brain, and he knew that if he acted again, the game would be over!
"Roar!"
Abomination's physique was indeed extraordinarily strong. Even though he was injured to this extent, he could still swing his fist at Harry!
Harry frowned as the aircraft beneath him ascended, allowing him to dodge the fist.
The weakened Abomination unleashed a flurry of punches but was not much of a threat to Harry.
However, the implantation operation was also forced to be halted.
This was troublesome.
The high-energy plasma knife was just a trial product; it was a weapon reliant on a conductive rod. However, the conductive rod itself was not strong enough, making it impossible for Harry to compete with Abomination using this tool.
He needed someone to keep Abomination in check.
boom!
A massive boulder knocked Abomination unconscious. It had been thrown by Hulk!
Peter swung toward Harry: "Harry, Mr. Hulk seems to be quite easy to talk to. He'll help us!"
Harry looked at Peter's tattered clothes and shook his head secretly. "That means he can talk to you well with your body."
Then again, it seemed Hulk had indeed become good friends with Spider-Man.
"Okay then, control your abomination, and I'll perform the surgery on him."
Hulk looked at Harry warily, but Harry showed no hostility toward him.
Hulk's big green head couldn't help but feel strange—it was the third person today who was not hostile to him.
Hulk struggled with Abomination again, but this time, with Peter joining in and Abomination being severely injured, the two quickly subdued Abomination.
Peter continuously shot spider silk, using reinforced concrete to bind Abomination's limbs, while Hulk wrestled to keep Abomination under control, preventing him from breaking free. This time, several freaks forced Abomination into submission.
Harry maneuvered the aircraft to the wound where Abomination had been opened. There were already signs of healing here, demonstrating the strength of Abomination's resilience.
The plasma knife penetrated deeply into Abomination's spine again. This time, Abomination couldn't even scream; he merely clawed at the ground in agony.
The depth was sufficient. After assessing the nerve implant in his hand, Harry dug directly into Abomination's spine and placed the implant in the designated location.
Not only that, the plasma knife also created a large opening on Abomination's surface, and Harry embedded the entire reactor into Abomination's body to continuously supply energy to the neural implant.
If he wanted to control this thing, ordinary energy would not suffice.
"Complete."
Hearing Harry's words, Hulk regained his strength and discovered that Abomination had indeed stopped moving.
"Awesome! We have this guy under control!" Peter looked at Hulk and raised his palms. "Big green guy, high five?"
Seeing that the battle was over, General Ross approached. He looked at the three standing and then at Abomination lying on the ground, and his mood was not very good.
"Spider-Man, look here; I still have things to do." After Harry said that, he rode the aircraft and left.
Looking at the people gradually surrounding him, Peter felt a bit lost.
"Uh... what do we do?"
As soon as he finished speaking, the Abomination on the ground stood up again, but everyone was surprised to find that Abomination seemed to be suffering from a lack of coordination in his limbs.
He wanted to move his feet, but his hands slapped him. When he attempted to move, his head spun around, almost breaking his neck.
Under everyone's nervous gaze, Hulk slapped Abomination back to the ground.
---
---
Naturally, what Harry still has to do is harvest the gamma serum.
And deal with Samuel Stern.
Although this guy had no voice in the movie, Harry remembered that he was a supervillain. The gamma serum would be injected into his brain, doubling his intelligence and granting him powerful intuition, computational thinking, and information storage, as well as a logical and philosophical structure.
In short, he is a very difficult villain to deal with.
Upon arriving at the academy, Harry frowned:
All the serum was gone, save for scraps, and Samuel Stern was nowhere to be found.
Fortunately, ctOS had captured the doctor's figure two kilometers away.
His head had undergone drastic changes, becoming extremely large and turning green.
He walked with a limp due to his injuries, and Harry soon found himself in front of him.
Upon seeing Harry, Dr. Stern, who could become the "big boss," wore a peculiar smile on his face.
"Are you also here to pursue the power of gamma rays? I can give you what you seek..."
puff!
Samuel stared at Harry in disbelief, gripping the plasma knife that penetrated his head with both hands, as if he couldn't believe that Harry would actually kill him like this.
Harry shook his head. If this had been Dr. Samuel Stern in a normal state, he would have hoped to find him to study the gamma serum.
But once he became a so-called "villain"... their behavior became unpredictable and often at odds with Harry's goals.
Especially an outrageous supervillain like Big Boss. In the comics, he even possessed the ability to control minds and project gamma rays!
He didn't appear in the movie anyway, so it would be safest to eliminate him himself.
Although Professor Stern was dead, his research materials were still there.
"Harry? Well, the big green guy is gone. Now General Ross seems to be taking away the big bald guy. What should I do?" Harry received a communication from Peter.
"The National Guard is here. You can head back now. Good job. Remember to report to the company in a few days."
Osborne had prepared an internship for Peter.
"Of course, I remember! By the way, can you reimburse me for the losses incurred during the mission? I mean, my clothes—Aunt May will scold me to death. Of course, if I don't have them..."
Harry rubbed his chin. To be honest, he was quite surprised, because Spider-Man typically wouldn't seek reimbursement from others.
"Okay, make sure to get better quality clothes next time. Your pajamas really need an upgrade."
.....
"The US Military recently launched a capture operation in Harlem, targeting the mysterious giant Hulk."
"The operation eventually escalated into a fierce battle in the city, resembling a war zone."
"Fortunately, the governor and the Osborne Group used ctOS to evacuate citizens in advance, and no one died in this incident. Let's hear the description of the eyewitness:"
"Is this a live broadcast?" a Black man said in front of the camera.
"Yes, it's live."
After receiving a positive answer, the man took a deep breath:
"Forget you, US Military!"
"You're telling me that a weird guy who wreaks havoc in the city is a war hero?"
"Governor, you can't just let them run away! They have to pay the price!"
Norman spread his hands toward General Ross and his party.
After this incident, the public's evaluation of the federal and state governments could be described as polarizing.
One was seen as forcibly requisitioning state resources to carry out arrests, while the other evacuated citizens in a timely manner and promised to provide subsidies to those affected.
Ross's expression was somewhat uneasy, but abomination was crucial.
They wanted to steal the Abomination that day, but who knew that the National Guard would immediately surround the area?
As everyone knows, New York State, with Osborne's support, is extremely wealthy. General Ross's army had a power armor team that night, with 10 units of power armor.
After the incident, the New York State National Guard arrived with hundreds of troops, 100 power armors, and tanks, placing the entire area under military control.
Ross was shocked by the speed of deployment. This was New York City!
In fact, in addition to the military, S.H.I.E.L.D. also sent agents to negotiate, and now they were looking at Ross with an unfriendly expression—Did you, the military boss, overlook too much in your work?
"We understand that your bureau is dissatisfied with what happened that night, but the subject you captured is related to national security..."
Norman didn't like hearing this:
"Agent, I don't know who you represent, but you really need to find out how much of the nation's gross product New York contributed last year."
"Now this guy is causing immense damage in New York State, and you want to just walk away and tell me it's for national security?"
"Who do you work for? I want to see your work ID." Norman extended his hand.
The agent was helpless and could only take out his identification.
"National Security Bureau, right? Speaking of which, it seems that the National Security Bureau was utterly ineffective during these incidents. They are really a bunch of losers."
The agent didn't dare to respond—firstly, he didn't have the courage, and secondly, he was not from the National Security Agency; he was from S.H.I.E.L.D.
After a heated exchange, everyone understood that Norman would never be released. Even a few minutes later, the federation called and instructed Ross to leave this mess alone. The internet was already blasting him.
So everyone could only leave Norman's office in despair.
"General, I have something to tell you." When Ross was about to leave, Norman called him back.
"Remember what you told me before?" Norman said with a smile.
Of course, Ross remembered: The enhancement technology you have is just an idea. Stop doing it, and the military will withdraw sponsorship of your enhancement project.
I'm referring to the Green Goblin Enhancer.
This was a sharp slap in the face. Norman wanted to show Ross his superpower now, but unfortunately, it wasn't the right time yet.
Ross could only nod silently.
"If you meant to mock me, you've already done so."
"No, I'm just curious. You've already achieved significant results with the Osborne Group's power armor, so why do you still want to pursue such a dangerous experiment?"
Faced with Norman's question, Ross certainly couldn't admit that this project originated a few years ago, and that there was some inferior powered armor at that time.
But now that he thought about it, power armor was indeed much more reliable. If it weren't for his contribution to the power armor project, Congress would have discarded him to a remote military base.
In fact, the original scenario was almost like this. After the incident, he was tied to the Abomination and sent to a mysterious military base to study it. He didn't show up until the Avengers Civil War, but by then, he had been promoted.
Ross said: "Super soldier, do you still need to ask? The United States has always wanted to have a second Captain America."
Norman smiled and made a new proposal to Ross: "I think we can continue to cooperate, General. Enhancement can take many forms."
Norman handed Ross a document.
Compared to human body enhancement technology, what Norman presented to Ross should be classified as "human body modification technology."
As we all know, Osborne has made remarkable achievements in replacing human body parts, including ultra-high-sensitivity prosthetics, artificial organs, and more.
This proposal aimed to militarize this technology, transforming the heart into a power source, blood vessels into energy supply lines, and limbs to be driven by stronger power rather than muscle cells.
Overall, this project aimed to create a "RoboCop"-style super soldier.
"...to completely transform people into cyborgs, mechanical super soldiers." Ross looked at Norman, "This is turning people into monsters."
Upon hearing this, Norman smiled.
"Have you forgotten that Bronsky was imprisoned by us? He was once a loyal soldier. Now he is the real monster."
"A loyal and enthusiastic soldier was deceived by you, and a physically disabled and mentally impaired living dead was taken out by you. You are the largest monster production base."
"Osborne just wants these soldiers to move again."
Monster production base... These words reminded General Ross of several modern wars.
Ross fell silent. He felt a chill, but he didn't know what he was feeling uneasy about.
Perhaps it was the idea of human body modification surgery, perhaps it was Norman's concept of squeezing the last bit of value out of soldiers, or perhaps it was the "monster production base" that Norman referred to.
It's just that... he is the primary person responsible for the birth of abomination. If he feels discomfort about something, it can only be him.
"I will think about it."
As Ross was about to step out of the door, Norman added: "Of course, if you are still interested in researching the Abomination, we can also cooperate. We are old partners, aren't we?"
"...Osborne just plans to have a hand in everything, right?"
General Ross looked at Norman and left quickly.
Norman smiled: The problem now is not that Osborne intends to get involved; the problem is that your plan cannot continue without Osborne's participation.
The federation could ask Osborne to hand over the Abomination, but it couldn't compel the state to do so.
---
Chapter 77: The Swaggering Purple Man
Hulk disappeared from sight.
But not Abomination. He is in Osborne Prison in New York State, and everyone knows it.
Outrageously, the military insists that Blonsky, aka the Abomination, is a war hero and intends to blame it all on the Hulk.
However, to eliminate the fear of martial law among New York citizens, Harry released the permissions of ctOS that day, allowing everyone to witness the battle through undamaged surveillance.
Although the big green man didn't appear to be a normal person, the big bald man was clearly the one who took the initiative to cause damage.
At this point, Nick thinks so too, but his immediate boss, the International Security Council, believes they need to recruit Abomination as a candidate for the Avengers plan.
So they need to send in an agent who can screw up the deal.
In the original books, this man is Tony Stark.
But here, the conversation on Norman's side has become complicated, and on Harry's side, Agent Sitwell is present.
Sitwell looked at Harry's half-smiling expression and felt an inexplicable sensation—this seemed to be the first time they met, yet the way Mr. Osborne regarded him didn't appear as if it was their first encounter.
This Sitwell... is in the same group as Alexander Pierce, the head of the Security Council. They are both Hydra.
So he made a very generous offer to Harry.
"...This is our condition." After Sitwell finished speaking, he took a sip of water silently.
These conditions include a wide range of political support, such as helping the Osborne Group pass a bill in Congress to deregulate Iron Man Suit-related equipment.
Currently, any group or collective that wants to purchase the Osborne Group's Iron Man Suit or powered exoskeleton must be certified by the relevant organization before they can buy the civilian version of this equipment.
While they are called civilian versions, in reality, these exoskeletons should be referred to as industrial exoskeletons, most of which are utilized for work production.
Once the bill is passed, Osborne can sell limited versions of the equipment to the public. This presents a significant market, but it is also a very sensitive topic.
Gun control has always been a hot issue in the United States, especially concerning these advanced pieces of equipment.
This is just a small example. In short, the conditions are very generous.
"Nice offer...but I refuse."
It would be foolish to hand Hydra a knife. Abomination is quite valuable as research material.
As for support for the bill... after this incident, public sentiment will only grow stronger, and it will merely be a matter of time before Congress passes the bill.
Sitwell was taken aback.
"You see, the people of New York State have a strong voice, and I can't simply hand him over."
Although Harry said this, his expression was quite perfunctory.
Sitwell understood that Harry had no intention of surrendering his abomination.
It didn't matter to him; anyway, he could always complete one of Hydra and S.H.I.E.L.D.'s missions.
After shaking hands amicably, Harry sent Sitwell away.
"Another agent?" Hurley walked in, holding a piece of information as usual.
"Yes, for such a big monster, I know it must have something to do with the US Military."
Harry frowned as he spoke.
He found a strand of white hair on Hurley, but he had injected Hurley with an active enhancer a few months ago, which shouldn't have happened.
"Are you under a lot of pressure lately?" Harry placed the file on the table.
"It's always been significant," Hurley sighed.
Seeing this, Harry walked to the snack machine and fiddled with it to retrieve a plate of pizza.
"Then take a break and enjoy Georgia's Vino Savannah flavor, your favorite."
"Harry." Hurley's tone was slightly helpless, but in the end, he set down the information and picked up the pizza.
"After all these years, you haven't changed your taste." Harry also sat on the sofa. "Remember what I said about taking a vacation? I genuinely think we should take a break."
By now, SHIELD has gone to study Thor's hammer, and Coulson went to New Mexico not long after the opening of Stark Expo; the plot should be nearing its conclusion.
The only valuable thing over there is the Destroyer, but they can't allow all the benefits to go to Harry. If the Snake Shield is genuinely concerned, things will become very troublesome.
"...Where to go?"
"Santorini?" Harry pondered about the places he had never visited. "Fiji? Or perhaps a desert? Sandboarding is fun. Where do you want to go? But I would say these places are quite similar."
As Harry spoke, he activated the holographic projection to display images.
As they watched, the atmosphere in the office became ambiguous.
The next second, the two shared a passionate kiss—
"How about just staying here?"
"Osborne Group's president's office?" Harry smiled and touched it with both hands. "Not bad."
Office romances are generally prohibited, but what about your boss having a romance in the office?
The office is the boss's home, and the law doesn't have much control over love affairs at home.
To be precise, the top floor of Osborn Tower is truly Harry's home, much like the top floor of Stark Tower.
It wasn't until night that the two concluded their passionate exchange.
What a beautiful day.
...
The next day.
[Quest Chain: Bloodline]
[Task progress: Treat 5000 patients with different genetic diseases and record the causes: 256/5000
Collect 50 human genes with positive traits: 6/50]
Leader(Samuel sterns), Abomination, and Hulk granted Harry three new special genes, but Harry silently complained: Can these gamma-ray beings be classified as humans?
It was predictable that this task would take Harry a long, long time.
However, with ctOS, it will be much easier to locate these individuals with special abilities.
Striking while the iron is hot can also help alleviate the public's fear of superpowers.
The target is British, wearing a black coat and a purple scarf, accompanied by a woman.
At first glance, passersby might assume they were a couple, but Harry knew that this man was far from innocent.
The man's nick name is Kilgrave, also known as the Purple Man. His ability allows him to release a special virus that can control the behavior and thoughts of those around him. It is quite a nefarious power.
It appears that SHIELD really wasn't lying about the Purple Man in New York, but someone used this as a cover to infiltrate the ctOS server.
The woman next to him is under his control and is named Jessica Jones, a woman with superhuman abilities.
"Frank, do you see the target?"
"Yes, boss. What abilities do you think this person possesses?"
"Don't concern yourself with what this fool is capable of. Pay attention to my signal later."
Yes, fool.
After ctOS was installed in New York, most agents withdrew from the city. Even superpowered individuals who remained in New York knew how to keep a low profile.
Only someone like Kilgrave could be described as foolish. Was he truly challenging the intelligence of ctOS?
Harry had discovered him a few days ago. As usual, this man broke into private homes and forced others to work as his servants, not just once or twice.
Although he was not recorded entering and performing any acts within the homes, his repeated visits to different residents' houses had caught ctOS's attention.
Moreover, this individual seemed to have some issues with his mindset. He keeps causing chaos in various places in New York and then leaves it for Jessica to clean up.
After doing this several times, ctOS directly marked this individual in red:
Extremely dangerous criminal! The probability of criminal activity is 99.9%!
After Harry's observation, he confirmed that this was indeed the Purple Man.
There appeared to be a mysterious organization called IGH behind the Purple Man, but Harry didn't care.
No one can do as they please in New York unless Osborne gives them the green light.
"Okay, boss."
Frank's hand rested on the trigger.
And Harry adjusted his clothes; he still had a speech waiting for him outside.
---
Chapter 78: Easy Capture
"Citizens of New York, meet again."
In the past year, Osborne Group has held numerous press conferences—not only its own independent ones but also joint press conferences with various military branches, state governments, New York City, Chicago City, and others.
"But it seems everyone is still enthusiastic."
"Of course, all I care about is when we can buy power armor! I love those big guys!"
Everyone chuckled at the shout from a man in an Iron Man sweatshirt, which seemed at odds with his speech.
"Good question, but it's not Osborne's decision. You'll have to go to Washington and ask." As if recalling something, Harry added, "But don't say I asked you to ask, or they might summon me to a hearing."
Clearly, the crowd had witnessed that impressive hearing before.
Under the control of the Osbornes, the demand for autonomy in New York State has grown significantly. As we all know, the American people have always been wary of official institutions, but these incidents have distanced the Osbornes from the federal government.
The US Military took the blame, allowing Norman to implement various policies in New York State.
The laughter subsided, and Harry continued.
"I believe you all saw what happened in Harlem. Two enormous, mysterious giants wreaked havoc there."
"But fortunately, the evacuation was completed under ctOS's plan, and residents took refuge in the nearest civil air defense facilities—many of which were recently built. No one died in this emergency."
"Of course, there are some unfortunate citizens who chose to resist ctOS. These individuals did not enter the shelter in time. Thankfully, the New York Police Department arrived quickly, but it consumed a significant amount of public resources."
Harry gestured broadly, emphasizing his point. The core idea was that the Osborne group wasn't to blame, and those who previously resisted were now inconveniencing public resources.
"Indeed, the world is a dangerous place, but ctOS connects us so we can tackle these risks together."
After finishing his speech, he activated the big screen. The focus was on a British man sitting outside a coffee shop. Under ctOS control, he couldn't even receive news about this conference, unaware of his exposure.
Even calls from his accomplices were intercepted by ctOS, leaving him isolated.
This British man, dressed in a black coat and a purple scarf, was seated opposite a beautiful woman. At first glance, they appeared to be a couple.
However, the woman's expression was stiff.
The crowd was slightly baffled. Was Osborne monitoring citizens?
"You may be wondering why we are observing this couple," Harry remarked, as images began to flash on the screen. "This is not a typical couple. This man possesses the ability to control people's minds."
The audience erupted in murmurs—mind control? It sounded like some sort of outlandish conspiracy theory.
"Look at the footage—it's all surveillance from public areas."
Kilgrave, the purple man, lived in different houses each day. Sometimes the homeowner was a Wall Street executive, sometimes a police officer, and sometimes a community leader.
"You might be asking: Why does this guy frequently live in other people's homes? Does he have too many friends? Let me tell you, that's not the case."
ctOS displayed the occupations and details of those individuals, most of whom were unrelated to each other. Kilgrave, the purple man, was labeled as a freelancer from the UK with no fixed acquaintances.
"It's truly intriguing, isn't it? An unknown freelancer freely entering and exiting various homes and high-end hotels... Doesn't he work? Doesn't he have a home? And what about that woman—what is their relationship?"
"The answer is: it doesn't matter."
"He has the ability to control others with his words."
After Harry finished, he played the video of Kilgrave entering a house:
Kilgrave knocked on the door, and a middle-aged woman opened it.
"Who are you?" she asked, looking skeptical.
"Your friend; you'll invite me into your house."
Upon hearing Kilgrave's words, the woman's suspicion vanished, replaced by a smile as she invited him inside.
This bizarre scene sent shivers down the spine of everyone who witnessed it. While one scene alone might not hold much significance, ctOS captured over a dozen such instances.
In truth, all the moments of Kilgrave using his abilities were recorded by Harry, although some filming locations were more sensitive.
"It's chilling, isn't it?" Harry grinned. "He can deceive one or two people, but he can't fool all of us. ctOS caught him."
"His unusual behavior was flagged as highly criminal by ctOS. Initially, we thought he was committing burglary, but it quickly became clear he posed a greater threat than a mere thief."
"The NYPD has surrounded the location."
Harry devoted the remainder of the time to the big screen.
ctOS guided the purple man to a less crowded street by manipulating traffic signals.
But soon, Kilgrave noticed the shift in pedestrian flow. He controlled some hurried individuals on the street, directly asking if someone was following him.
This scenario felt increasingly surreal.
Harry adjusted his headset.
"Execute."
A tranquilizer dart accurately struck Kilgrave's neck—this individual had superhuman recovery abilities, so Harry prepared a dose strong enough to sedate an elephant.
Kilgrave's collapse may have triggered a response from Jessica, but Frank was also targeting her.
Another anesthetic was administered, but Jessica did not fall immediately.
Perhaps Kilgrave had given her some suggestion, prompting her to swing her fist wildly!
Initially, the crowd found these events somewhat unbelievable, but after Jessica smashed a stone statue several meters high with a single punch, they were only delighted.
The powered armor from the New York Police Department quickly surrounded Jessica. This woman was astonishingly strong, and thankfully, the powered armor was not just for show.
The anesthetic took effect swiftly, and both people were apprehended.
Norman arrived on the scene promptly, addressing the anxious citizens.
"The danger has been neutralized. All the information Osborne possesses has been handed over to the prosecutor's office. The judicial authorities will prosecute him immediately, and he will face justice."
"And this is the new technology I wish to share with you: Based on data collected by ctOS, New York will effectively prevent crime and capture every criminal hiding among us—even super criminals!"
"The police force will no longer be merely a reactive body or resource sponge, but a robust barrier between ordinary citizens and criminals!"
"New York is about to become safer!"
The news revealed today was undoubtedly challenging for many to accept right away. Mind control? A strange woman?
However, applause began to emerge from the crowd. Once the first person clapped, a second quickly followed, and soon the applause grew louder.
Harry understood that for Americans, who are naturally suspicious and value privacy, this alone wouldn't fully quell their doubts. Still, there would be forthcoming developments that could address their concerns.
Privacy stood on one side, while life safety stood on the other. With a little hype, anxiety would drive them towards Osborne.
Perhaps in the near future, someone would still post comments online like, "Why do you want privacy? Are you a criminal?"
---
Chapter 80: Returning
While Harry was calmly building his own space station, the launch center on the ground had long since been disbanded in confusion.
They didn't actually know what the ship was doing; they thought it was just a test flight.
But after 24 hours, Harry gave them a long speech and sent them home.
If you think about it, this launch mission is really mysterious. They don't even know the names of the astronauts...
But private property is sacred and inviolable, and they can't control that much.
However, the rumor still started a week later:
No news from the Osborne Group's aviation aircraft after the test flight!
Two weeks later, it became:
Osborne Group aviation test flight failed! The whereabouts of the astronauts are unknown!
Three weeks later, it became:
The Osborne Group treats the lives of astronauts as trivial and conceals the information! Harry Osborn stayed in the command room for three weeks without leaving, and he seemed to be repenting!
Harry didn't want to care about this at all, and he only said that he had no problem with Norman and Hurley's questions.
But Harry's absence for several weeks still made those around him guess: He was on the space shuttle!
"This is just a scientific experiment. Don't you think I'm living a good life now?"
Harry showed off his daily necessities in the spaceship.
"I modified the snack machine into a version that can be used in space, and it feels good."
Norman and Hurley showed different reactions to this.
Norman's reaction was: He's so strong; he deserves to be my son. I'll take care of things on the ground for you first.
Hurley looked a little nervous.
Her relationship with Harry was a bit like Tony and Pepper Potts, except that the relationship wasn't very pure at the beginning, in every sense of the word.
In the fourth week, the space station was completed.
The core part of the space station is 76 meters long and 130 meters high. The construction of the outer layer is finished, and Harry needs to enter it personally and place the Ark reactor on it.
Before getting gravity, the space station would rotate around its core on its own, using centrifugal force to simulate gravity.
Wearing aviation armor—this is aviation equipment developed by combining the armor technology of Obadiah and Ivan Vanko. It is equipped with a jetpack and some laser equipment, and is mainly used for operations such as repair or mining.
If Tony saw it, he would definitely scream plagiarism.
With the reactor installed, the entire space station lit up.
There is only a basic frame structure inside now, which looks a bit empty.
Standing in the empty space station, overlooking the Earth through the huge glass, a strange feeling grew in Harry's heart.
[The core part of the orbital space station has been established]
[Task Release: Board of Directors]
[Task description: Complete the construction of the space station and hold a board of directors on the orbiting space station]
[High in the sky, we will decide their fate here]
Harry smiled; he was the only one on the Osborne Group's board of directors.
Now it's time to return to the surface.
.....
During Harry's month of retreat, the ground had already exploded.
Every day, a large number of people marched and protested in front of the Osborne Building. Most of the leaders of these protests were parachuted in from other states. You can imagine the composition.
I just don't know whether their purpose here is to make Osborn miserable or to test Harry's position.
These children who were used as gunmen had little impact. Anyway, their actions did not have much effect on Osborne.
Moreover, these people's movements stopped after someone discovered that there was a huge artificial satellite in the sky.
For such a big satellite, if someone put that thing up, why shouldn't the whole world know about it?
However, the fact is that no one has claimed responsibility for this, but everyone knows that only Osborne has recently launched something into outer space...
"The Osborne Group will hold a press conference today."
Hurley released the relevant information in accordance with Harry's instructions. With the help of various forces, the whole world was paying attention to what the Osborne Group had launched.
However, the press conference was about to begin, and still, no one saw Harry Osborn.
"Harry? Don't tell me you're still up there?" Hurley called Harry's phone while setting up the scene.
"It's true that we're still up here, but we'll be at the scene soon. I'm going to start descending. See you soon."
After hanging up the phone, Hurley sighed.
It seems that Harry wants to stage a show of stepping on the spot again.
"Gentlemen and ladies, the press conference will start in an hour. Please take your seats in an orderly manner." Hurley looked at the time and started to warm up.
"Ms. Rachel, we want to know why Mr. Harry Osborn hasn't shown up yet? Does he still plan to stay in that command room?"
"Mr. Osborn is on his way here and will be at the press conference."
"Really?" The speaker looked around and said jokingly, "I hope there won't be a traffic jam. It's not a long way to get here. He only has an hour."
Hurley smiled and nodded, silently making a mental note of this idiot.
You like to be the first person, right?
And the CNN radio reporter who laughs the loudest will give you a shout-out in a few days.
Time passed by, and no matter how confident Hurley was, a few minutes before the press conference was about to begin, he began to feel uncertain.
At this moment, the crowd suddenly exclaimed!
"What's that? A UFO?"
The conference was held in the open air in an industrial park in Osborne, a suburb of New York. Everyone saw the shining flying objects in the distance.
"The beautiful blue arc, is it some kind of new jet?"
"Wait a minute, I feel like it's getting bigger...!"
"It's coming towards us!"
The surprised sounds immediately turned into panic, and the huge spaceship grew bigger and bigger like a meteorite under everyone's gaze...
Boom!
The spacecraft flew into the industrial park with a huge sound in the air, and its powerful thrusters stirred up strong winds that made people unable to open their eyes.
In the end, the spacecraft landed safely on the tarmac that had been prepared long ago, without any loss or damage.
"Is this an alien invasion? Should we run away?" Someone asked blankly, looking at this spaceship with a science fiction atmosphere.
Hurley looked at the dull looks of these guys and smiled happily: "It seems that Mr. Osborn, whom you have been thinking about so much, has arrived. There was no traffic jam on the road, and everything went well."
"Harry Osborn? Is he in this thing?" Musk also arrived at the scene and jumped up immediately, as if he was frightened.
"I am indeed in it, Musk. Of course I can ride on my own spaceship. Do you think this is true?"
The cabin door opened, the long stairs were lowered, and through the smoke generated during landing, Harry in a suit slowly walked out.
"Long time no see, everyone, how have you been this month?" As he said this, Harry pulled off his clothes and walked out with his chest puffed out.
The scene immediately exploded. If the security at the scene hadn't stopped them, these reporters would have wanted to climb into the spacecraft and take some photos!
---
Chapter 81: Space Fighter
The construction ship returned to the surface, and everything changed.
Those fools who "enlivened the atmosphere" at the press conference were filled with regret. Those innocent reporters—Osborne's mouthpieces—had the opportunity to enter the spacecraft and take photos.
"Osborn shocked the world again! The super spaceship returned successfully, and Harry Osborn personally piloted the spacecraft!"
"What did Osborn do during the month he disappeared?"
Regarding these issues, Harry kindly expressed that he had placed a satellite in the sky and did not accomplish anything monumental.
With Harry's confirmation, the mystery of the huge artificial satellite was solved—it was Osborne's satellite!
From the perspective of ordinary people, since the appearance of Iron Man, the changes in the world have gradually begun to feel fantastical.
Iron Man, capable of replacing nuclear deterrence; a giant that can smash urban areas to pieces; unmanned iron soldiers; nuclear fusion; neural implants...
Now, it was a super spaceship.
The evaluation report on the Voidrunner Type [-1] was immediately sent to the Weapons Development Department of Congress, and the director of the Weapons Development Department, Rhodes, approached Harry once more.
Congress wanted Harry to develop a military aerospace aircraft for troop projection and strategic bombing—essentially, weapons development.
The thrusters and energy technology on the engineering ship surpassed existing technology. This device was as advanced as the Mark armor.
In Congress's eyes, Osborne had never been interested in weapons development, so they held little hope.
However, after the initial conversation, they discovered that Harry actually relented… even though the price was steep.
"It's quite interesting. Two years ago, my father was worried about the military canceling orders. He was almost ousted by a group of greedy old men, and the company was on the verge of being acquired. Now Congress has come to us."
Harry said with a smile while rubbing his chin.
Rhodes frowned as he looked at the detailed bill issued by Harry, which outlined the budget needed to develop aerospace fighters.
"This is excessive—200 billion in research funding each year? Why don't you just rob a bank?" Rhodes exclaimed in disbelief. "Wait a minute, don't you have ready-made technology?"
This was merely the engine development of the aerospace aircraft, not the entire aircraft!
Harry spread his hands, "Your money was stolen anyway; what's wrong with sharing it with me?"
Although others may not be aware, as one of Congress's sponsors and partners, Harry had some insider knowledge.
For instance, military spending this year was close to 6000 billion US dollars.
And 6000 billion… seems like a lot; that is for conventional weapons.
If S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Space Carrier was placed in front of Congress, not to mention 200 billion, they'd have to pay 2000 billion and feel they were making a profit after the purchase.
Although that thing didn't have any outstanding achievements—the first was destroyed by the alien Loki, which was somewhat excusable, but the next three ships were taken down by Captain America and Black Widow as soon as they appeared; they were scrapped.
All one can say is that it is worthy of SHIELD. If you have money, you can be reckless.
"Research and development is incredibly costly, and this is an aerospace fighter—it's different anyway. I know you've been conducting research on aerospace carriers. Have you achieved any results after spending tens of billions on that project every year?"
Harry spread his hands.
But he knew that that endeavor had indeed produced some results, though they had been appropriated by S.H.I.E.L.D.
The price had already been set; it simply depended on what Congress thought.
As for why Harry suddenly relented—developing the aerospace plane would take a few years, right? By that time, Norman would be in office.
Rhodes thought for a moment and said, "So you don't plan to sell the ready-made thrusters and spaceships?"
Harry shook his head; he was merely here to steal funds.
Selling finished products was too foolish.
"Okay, okay, I will convey your feelings to Congress." Rhodes held his forehead. He was not a member of the House, so it wasn't his place to make the decision.
The first negotiation was fruitless; Rhodes returned with Harry's conditions, and the military committee needed time to deliberate.
The Osborne Group would also assist them in considering the offer, hoping to gain approval.
After all, giving money to someone is not a gift; it's better to give it to oneself.
After seeing Rhodes off, Harry called Frank.
After landing, Harry assigned Frank a separate task: to recover a special projectile located somewhere in East Africa.
"Frank, did you find anything?"
"Found it. It's 101 meters off from the coordinates you provided. The sensor data has been collected… the bomb has been planted."
"Very well, return then."
As Harry issued the order, the projectile was blown to pieces. Not only that, these fragments would be cast into the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, completely obliterating the remnants.
Feeling the data return, Harry smiled. All indicators were normal.
This mysterious projectile, if it were part of something like a spaceship, would be termed an escape capsule.
And if it were part of a strategic aerospace aircraft, it should be called a drop pod.
Judging by the sensor data, the projection cabin could essentially meet the needs of ordinary people without causing loss of limbs. However, this level of projection would still induce strong discomfort in passengers, and in severe cases, it could even result in various internal injuries.
A trained soldier could largely overcome these issues, but suborbital airdrops remained perilous.
But those concerns were for ordinary people.
And if it were transformed into a bomb...
Considering the projection height and explosive power, the error of 101 meters was nearly negligible.
Therefore, the aerial bomber that Congress desired was truly not an unattainable goal for Osborne.
"Although I don't know what you're thinking, I must remind you that your investment in aerospace technology has cost the company a significant amount." Hurley's voice pulled Harry back from his thoughts.
Harry slapped his forehead; that was indeed a concern.
Though the existing business was highly profitable, the projects Harry was undertaking were not low-cost.
Aside from biotechnology—which was relatively inexpensive and mostly acquired through underhanded means—others, such as nuclear fusion power stations, while yielding substantial profits, would take time to recoup the investment.
Many biotech companies had yet to produce large-scale sales of drugs like active enhancers. This particular product represented the real massive profit.
The true production cost didn't even exceed 20, yet the least effective active enhancer alone could fetch a staggering price of 1000 million.
The pursuit of immortality by the wealthy was truly madness.
After some contemplation, Harry stated, "Then let's just produce another batch of Type 1 active enhancers. In addition, Dr. Connors has completed the development of a new drug."
The original enhancer had been diluted into several versions. When fully utilized, types 1, 2, and 3 could probably extend the user's life by 10 to 20 years. Those old geezers loved it.
Harry felt much better thinking about how he could harvest wealth from these old men.
That was a substantial sum.
Furthermore, the development of a wound healing spray derived from it had also been completed, which represented another windfall.
"Very good; it seems our chairman and CEO has figured out how to reap wealth." Hurley joked, tapping the tablet in his hand.
"Now Osborne is making progress in the world every minute, so how can his cash flow be stifled?"
That being said, prior to the New York War, financial capital maintained considerable control over the world. Harry envied those individuals now because they could generate income even while reclining.
Removing other forces and monopolizing Osborne ensures the independence of the Osborne Group, but just like Stark Industries, independence also equates to isolation.
If it hadn't been for trickery, he would have been sliced into pieces by others.
In Iron Man 3, Tony was in the United States, and his home was destroyed by an armed helicopter.
"Not only that, I've also contemplated how to spend the money. Osborne Aerospace needs to expand its scale. We require our own outer space operation team."
"So the president doesn't plan to continue as an astronaut, right?" Hurley joked.
Harry pondered as he removed his coat: I'll see if you still have the energy to joke later.
---