Chapter 117: Quinn International's Invitation
The Mandarin once again hijacked broadcasts across the United States, but in cities where ctOS was launched, the scene only lasted a few seconds before cutting back.
The TV screen went black for a few seconds, but quickly changed back to the TV show they were watching.
It was a very good intimidation tactic to let the United States witness Ellis's compromise and the Mandarin's toughness, but now more than half of their wishful thinking has been overturned.
This extremely threatening hijacking broadcast was converted into a few lines of text for some people. Of course, they can still choose to watch these videos later, but this will make the video lose its impact.
Under the threat of the Mandarin, Ellis made the call but could not wait for Osborn's call. The guy took a deep breath and then said harsh words:
"Norman Osborn, you have once again rejected my teachings."
"America, you have ushered in a cold-blooded president, but your cold-bloodedness cannot save you. Your equipment, military, and those blasphemous semi-cybers are of no use!"
The Mandarin made a long list of threats, but the effect was obviously not that good, and it even made people feel a little funny.
Norman Osborn has high-tech equipment, an army, and cybernetics. What do you have? Suicide attacks?
As for Ellis, the unfortunate guy was terrified.
Harry and Tony watched the whole thing, each holding a cappuccino.
Tony said, "What are you going to do with this guy?"
Harry shrugged: "How can we handle it? If a terrorist attack is carried out on the mainland, you can handle it how you want. But my father will not officially take office until January next year, and he is still in Ellis's term. You might as well ask him how to deal with it."
"It's you, don't you have the urge to reveal your home address and have a 1v1 duel with this Mandarin?"
Tony showed an "Are you kidding me" expression and said: "Why should I have a 1v1 reality show with him?"
Harry smiled - that's what you were meant to do.
But after all, Happy is fine now, and what happened at the Theater did not have any serious consequences. Tony Stark's mood is very stable.
Thinking of this, Harry asked: "Where has your Mark armor been upgraded?"
"MARK42, we are currently working on remote operation procedures. I plan to let Jarvis control these suits."
Judging from Tony's words, his development progress is slower than that of the original work.
Thinking about it, Tony has been busy researching the Mind Stone during this period. It is normal for the research on Mark Armor to be slower. According to this inference, maybe his anxiety disorder is not that serious.
Killian's primary purpose was to put the Vice President on the throne, and he attacked Tony because he might have an impact on the plan - and to take personal revenge, and Tony happened to reveal his address.
But what will they do now?
Tony continued, "Speaking of which, I want to develop an armor specifically designed to deal with the Hulk, and I'm going to pull Banner along with me."
Harry nodded, "So you want to recruit me too?"
"I want you to lend me your Abomination to experiment with the new armor after we finish designing it." Tony smiled so hard that he deserved to be beaten.
Seeing this ungrateful smile, Harry also smiled: "I want to join in, otherwise we won't have to talk."
Abomination coaching fees are expensive.
Norman stood on the podium early the next morning.
"We will not give in to a terrorist element. This provocative behavior must be punished, not compromised!"
In fact, the reason is very good, but it is obvious that someone is obstructing it again.
The main focus is on Norman's cold-bloodedness. This argument believes that since Norman can ignore the life and death of one person, he can also ignore the life and death of more people.
Not long after the anti-nuclear bomb incident, some people forgot about it and took these arguments seriously, which surprised Harry.
The Norman anti-nuclear bombs may have ulterior motives, but they truly saved many people during the war.
Fortunately, this year is an election year, otherwise, this matter might really be said to be negative in a few years.
Norman on the podium was tough.
"We will not and should never give in to these terrorist elements!"
"To demonstrate our courage and confidence, I will be on a speaking tour in all 50 state capitals."
"I got you all."
The fact that Norman was going on a lecture tour at this special node detonated the country.
As a president who was named by terrorist elements before he took office, this behavior can be said to be quite bold. Red necks applauded it, ordinary people were worried about it, and wealthy people were silent about it.
Many people feel that this scene is very similar - a president who is close to the people goes among the people to be close to the people...
This is what Harry wants. As a company that has nothing to do with the old forces, Osborn will do many things that will offend the interests of his enemies, and they will jump at it.
Rather than taking over a system where each has its own evil intentions, it would be better to have a fierce collision, expose all the problems, and then let Norman use the banner of public opinion to clear out these guys.
After all, this country is a political power, and these words have a very heavy meaning.
"It's definitely not a wise idea to go on a speaking tour like this at this point in time, and I'm sure you've considered that." Hurley said symbolically.
"Facing such terrorist elements, contempt is the most appropriate attitude to show." Harry replied.
"Okay, let's talk about other things. Quinn International is willing to negotiate with us about the mine, but he requires you to go to Malta to negotiate with him in person."
Harry raised his eyebrows: "What's the reason?"
"Ian Quinn's name has always been on the IRS list." Hurley paused and added hesitantly, "Appropriate reasons, but I don't recommend you go."
"Is it because this is a sensitive period?"
Hurley nodded.
In fact, if you look at it normally, Harry has long said that he wants to buy a mine, and it is normal to get caught up in the fight for the mine.
It is not unusual for Quinn International to be willing to negotiate: as long as they blackmail Osborn severely, they would not mind looking for mines elsewhere.
If you don't know that there is a Hydra in the world, it would be really difficult to connect this company that has fled the United States long ago to the domestic election.
Harry smiled and said, "But... this mine is very important. If he is willing to sell it, it would be worthwhile for me to go there myself."
Quinn International has a total of 11 mines, only this one is the latest one it plans to purchase.
If Harry guessed correctly, Gravitonium was in it - even if he guessed wrong, it didn't matter. This was a mine that had not yet been fully explored, but Harry knew it was a gold mine.
The key is to give them a "feeling that this wave is very stable."
"Get the plane ready - I'm going to make our own plane."
In addition to cars, Osborn is also developing various civilian aircraft. With Osborn's batteries and the propeller designed by Harry, the era of electric aircraft is coming.
It just so happened that I personally went off to advertise for Osborn.
Chapter 118: Roxon
Before setting off for Malta, Harry had one more task to complete.
The minerals collected from asteroids had successfully arrived at the space station. In addition to a small amount of californium, these resources also included a significant amount of rhodium ore, as well as some new composite materials formed in a microgravity environment.
These materials were assigned to Dr. Otto for research.
A portion of the metal would be transported back to Earth for reprocessing, while the remainder would stay on the space station for research on microgravity material processing.
However, Harry currently lacked the right talents to lead research in this area, so progress was relatively slow.
Dr. Helen Cho could not join Osborn Industries for the time being due to some domestic matters, and it would probably take a few months before she could come.
The spacecraft slowly landed at the Osborn Space Base, and Harry warmly hugged the astronauts who emerged from the capsule—these were all hardworking employees.
Matt Watney was among them. He had completed his duty period, having been stationed on the space station for six months to study soil and plants. This time, he was returning to Earth for a vacation.
Harry smiled and patted his shoulder. "How was it, Watney? Was this space trip enjoyable?"
Watney was clearly satisfied with the space trip. The space station was luxurious, though the small social circle of more than 10 people was a slight drawback.
Because of the abundant energy and sufficient space, their lives were quite good, and they could even play console games.
Compared to the tasks they performed at NASA, their work on the space station felt more like living.
Watney nodded. "It was great. I think I'll miss the mission here. I hope I get another chance in the future."
Harry said, "There will be a chance."
After this mission, Watney would return to NASA to prepare for the Mars plan, but what he didn't know was that NASA had agreed to Osborn's Mars plan.
With these mission experiences, the space center had become quite proficient in the spacecraft maintenance process.
There was no problem inside the spacecraft; it only needed to replace the shell that was severely damaged when passing through the atmosphere before it could continue with the next mission.
The next mission was rather special. It was both a drill mission and could become an actual combat mission depending on the situation.
Harry would use senior veterans from Osborn's security department to conduct orbital airdrop experiments. This task was completely confidential.
The only thing the outside world would know was that these troops, who had shown their prowess in the Battle of New York, would disappear for a period of time to conduct some kind of scientific experiment, and Norman's safety would be temporarily taken care of by the 13 modified individuals.
This airborne mission was led by Frank Castle.
Harry stood in front of 40 soldiers and said, "So this is an airdrop mission from an altitude of 180 kilometers. Any questions?"
These soldiers wore the latest individual armor, each equipped with combat AI to assist in combat.
It was impressive to see 40 super soldiers who had fought aliens standing neatly in front of Harry. Hiring such veterans for Osborn's security provided peace of mind.
"No, boss. I just want to see those guys pulled off the platform quickly," Frank said.
Harry smiled. Frank's equipment featured a large white skull, making him very conspicuous among the soldiers.
The white skull symbolized mortality, originally meant to remind people to cherish life, but Frank used it to intimidate opponents, which worked well.
Halfway through, Frank's phone rang. He looked at Harry, seeking permission to answer it.
Harry nodded.
"Billy? How are you... You want to see me? Sorry, but I'm a little busy and have to go on a long trip.
Next week? I probably won't have time next week. Sorry, brother, I'm very far away."
Billy Russell was like family to Frank, so he unconsciously said this, forgetting his security responsibilities, thus not needing to keep his whereabouts secret.
Harry stood aside, not reminding Frank—as long as he didn't reveal the orbital airborne mission.
"Very well, soldier. Now board the ship and proceed with the mission."
The warehouse of one of the engineering ships had been transformed into a delivery area. The spacecraft would dock at the space station and then release these super soldiers when needed.
Watching the spaceship ascend, Harry also boarded his private plane. It was time for him to set off for Malta.
Meanwhile, Norman was in a meeting with a corporate giant.
Roxon Petroleum CEO Dario Agger.
The company hoped that Norman would maintain the government's policy of promoting Earth's resource development, such as oil.
Norman, of course, did not give a clear answer—this was simply impossible.
Relying on advanced energy technology, Osborn must promote their energy revolution. The value of oil as a fuel had greatly declined, mainly being relevant in the chemical industry.
Roxon monopolized most of the domestic industries through the petrochemical industry, but this did not mean they could do whatever they wanted. In fact, Roxon's size warranted antitrust action long ago, but no strong official pushed for it.
After chatting for a while, the two sipped tea and entered a rest period.
Norman commented, "Harry would really like these tea leaves. It's a pity he's not here."
Dario had brought these items, knowing that Harry Osborn, a CEO who appreciated Eastern culture, would enjoy them.
Dario suddenly asked, "I know your company has invested a lot in human enhancement projects. What does Mr. Osborn think of human enhancement technology?"
Norman smiled, leaned back on the sofa, and crossed his legs.
"I think you've already met those 13 city heroes. They are the answer. If it weren't for Harry, I might have stuck to a technology destined to fail."
Dario continued, "We hope to restart this program. Osborne has made excellent progress in this area."
Dario paused and added, "Actually, our company also has some research in this area. If we cooperate, we might truly realize this dream."
Norman thought: You're such an opportunist. You didn't talk about cooperation when my research was struggling, but now you're interested?
Outwardly, Norman said, "Then you may have approached the wrong person. Osborne is now Harry's property, and I've stepped away from company business. It was Harry who advocated stopping the transfer of the human enhancement project in favor of exoskeletons and mechanical modifications."
"As much as I hate to admit it, I think he was right and I was wrong. My research had indeed reached a dead end."
Norman's expression was very emotional, as if he had genuinely abandoned his research.
The conversation bore no fruit, and the two discussed other economic policy issues. Norman was evasive, making no promises.
Dario looked at the time and said, "Well, I'm very happy to have had this meeting with you, Mr. President-to-be. It's getting late. I think I have to go back."
"I'm also excited to have this conversation."
They stood up and made gestures of invitation.
Dario accidentally knocked over the cup, spilling tea on Norman's clothes.
"Oh my... I'm sorry, Mr. Osborn, I really didn't mean to."
Norman waved his hands. "It's okay, Mr. Agger. Just a small issue. I probably can't see you out like this. I hope you don't mind."
Dario quickly responded, "Of course, Mr. Osborn. This is my fault."
Dario walked out of the room.
After getting into his car, he took out his phone.
"Let's get him a convertible."
Chapter 119 Soldier Blonsky
Quinn International is a multinational company dedicated to mining around the world. The company has a wide range of businesses, but their CEO has focused on mining in recent years.
Of course, this is just an appearance. Mining is to find gravitonium.
In fact, in private, Quinn International is also related to high-tech companies such as Cyber Technology and AIM.
What connects them is a special character of Hydra called "clairvoyanc.e"
Harry didn't know if Cyber Technology was still researching mechanical prosthetics, but judging from the current progress, their research progress should not be as advanced as Osborn's.
As soon as I got on the plane and left the United States, someone acted like a monster again.
An organization called the "Superpower Oversight Committee" appeared in the country, and they requested that teams of superheroes like the Avengers be kept under surveillance to ensure that they would not do anything harmful to the world.
Interestingly, the first target they chose to criticize was the security department of the Osborne Group, that is, Frank and his good brothers who showed their talents in the Battle of New York.
They believe that it is quite scary for a company to have such a large-scale army, and they must be placed under the supervision of the people - that is, they are a non-governmental organization.
There is obviously a big sponsor behind this organization. It has only been a few days since Harry took off, and various organizations have appeared all over the country to give speeches and lobbying.
On the plane to Malta, Harry received a call from Hurley.
"The CIA requested to investigate Osborne's private security force on the grounds that it might be involved in the mysterious disappearance of a tactical team a few months ago, and they suspected us."
"The NSA also intervened in the investigation. They requested the whereabouts of Frank and others on the grounds that this armed team may threaten domestic security - they said this was an investigation to appease the public."
This is the team that Frank kidnapped a few months ago when he went to find his comrade Garner.
However, the CIA and NSA have already taken care of things internally.
Soon the country will undergo another reversal.
"Interesting, it seems that the opponent is quite confident. What request did they make?" Harry threw the darts in his hand.
"They asked that this force be included in their surveillance. This is the core demand - in fact, they sent a 25-page demand letter. Do you want to see it?"
"It still doesn't work, just handle it. Has Peter arrived in Miami?"
Harry arranged an all-expenses-paid study trip for Peter to Miami.
"He arrived two days ago and he had a great time there."
As for the learning content, it is about the application of infrared rays in human body temperature measurement. The fake Mandarin is there, as well as his criminal gang.
After a brief communication, the two hung up the phone.
Except for the team that Frank brought to the sky, the other security personnel were engaged in serious security work.
Of course, they don't use the same equipment as Frank.
The security department has gradually been divided into two parts. Each elite team uses the most advanced individual armor and aircraft, and each one is a super soldier.
Ordinary security personnel use cheaper exoskeletons, which are flexible and lightweight, but they can still be regarded as super soldiers.
These two months before Norman takes power are their last chance, and they will definitely want to take a chance.
Harry threw out the dart in his hand and landed firmly on the dartboard.
"Ois, open the hidden hatch."
"The hatch is open, the target is in a semi-sleep state, and the neural implant program is normal."
The cabin door slowly opened, and there was a special laboratory on the lower floor of the plane. Abomination sat quietly in a special glass cage.
He wasn't completely asleep, he just couldn't muster the strength.
Compared to the state when he was consumed by the desire for power when he became an abomination, he is much more awake now.
At least he remembered that his name was Emil Blonsky.
In front of him, his life was constantly replayed - until the night he caused a scene in New York.
Hearing the sound of the hatch opening, he raised his head in exhaustion. Harry was slowly walking in here.
"Good afternoon, Private Blonsky."
"You're not Ross, where are we?" Blonsky's voice was like the murmur of a dying person, as dry as a wooden board that had been exposed to the sun for several months, as if it would be wiped out in the next moment.
"My private jet, this is the second time we have met, I am Harry Osborn." Harry operated the control panel and switched the screen in front of Blonsky.
"You have caused significant damage in New York City and the state has sentenced you to life in prison at Blackgate Prison."
Although Harry didn't explain, Blonsky could guess that this prison must be Osborne's private prison.
"...The state government has no right to try me, only a military court..."
Harry interrupted: "The state government does not have the right to try Sergeant Emil Blonsky, but it can try a monster who has an unknown origin and smashed Harlem to pieces."
"As for Emil Blonsky's verdict, it's true that the jury is still out. It depends on your attitude."
Blonsky lowered his head, knowing it was time to negotiate.
But what he was thinking was: when I get out of the cage, no one can stop me.
Harry looked at the data coming from various sensors in Abomination's body, and recalled something in his mind:
In this world, Dr. Erskine, who developed the most successful super soldier serum, once said: The super soldier serum will make the good better and the bad worse.
But this doesn't just apply to the so-called super soldier serum. In reality, anything that makes a person stronger than others will have this effect.
In fact, before Blonsky was injected with the Hulk serum, it was considered a successful enhancement, but his desire for power and struggle drove him crazy until he turned into abomination. This desire has expanded to a terrifying level.
Feeling the malice coming from Abomination through his psychic abilities, Harry shook his head.
He originally wanted to control the big man through a harmonious way, but it seemed unreliable at the moment.
Harry waved his hand: "...Okay, it seems you are still the 'abomination', stand up."
Hearing Harry's voice, Abomination stood up with trembling feet, and a ridiculous feeling spread in his heart:
Is this my body?
The implantation and modification surgery on Abomination was quite successful and thorough. From his brain to his spine, every part was covered with biological controllers.
Under the control of these devices, it is like a toy that cannot even decide whether to be angry or sad.
"You...what did you do to me?" The dry voice of hatred was trembling.
Ois's voice sounded: "Sir, the control level has reached 64% of the predicted value, and the parts that failed to meet the standard have been marked."
"The negotiations have broken down, Mr. Blonsky. The military court will soon make a suitable sentence for you, probably forced service or something like that. Are you satisfied now?"
Abomination still wanted to say something, so Harry's index finger and thumb touched each other and slid from the left to the right of his mouth.
Abomination was surprised to find that he could not say anything, as if he had become mute, grabbing his neck with both hands.
Ignoring the disgusted move, Harry opened the design panel and several mechanical hands reached into the glass prison.
In the research on controlling hatred, the control mechanism of the hormones emitted by the Purple Man on ordinary people gave Harry a lot of inspiration.
However, it is obvious that his design is still too conservative and he needs to increase the dose.
Chapter 120 Mining Rights Negotiation
"...This is inhumane," General Ross said via video.
Harry smiled.
"General, Abomination caused over $2000 million in property damage in Harlem, which was ultimately borne by civilians."
"Not only that, three innocent citizens were maimed as a result, and four citizens were killed by flying boulders while hiding in their homes - this was still a situation where ctOS was conducting an evacuation. If not for ctOS, you tell me, how many people would have died fighting in the downtown area."
"Or is there a special scale in your heart to measure the value between them?"
"It's kind of me to give him a chance to fight for a living. If he makes any significant contribution in the future, I will consider restoring his rights. What do you think?"
Ross on the other side of the video did not speak. After all, he was also responsible for this matter, so he could only acquiesce to Harry's statement.
"Very well, General. You are about to become Secretary of State. I would like to congratulate you first and see you later."
The plane landed in Malta, a country with pleasant scenery. Although the country is small, it is very developed and has great benefits - free education, free medical care, and retirement insurance.
Ian Quinn, the CEO of Quinn International, has done well here and even bought the former Prime Minister's Office.
"Welcome, welcome, Mr. Osborn, you are welcome to Malta." Ian Quinn smiled and stretched out his hand towards Harry.
It sounded as if he were a Maltese official.
"Nice to meet you, Mr. Quinn." Harry shook hands with him.
"How is it here? The scenery is beautiful, the climate is pleasant, and the most important thing is that there are no prisoners' spies and foreign forces eyeing us businessmen. You should also consider immigrating here. I know their president very well, and he will welcome talents like you."
Harry smiled: "I am also very familiar with the President of the United States. Has Mr. Quinn ever considered immigrating back to his hometown?"
The atmosphere paused, and Quinn's smile froze.
"Hahaha, just kidding, this is indeed a nice country."
The former Prime Minister's Palace of Malta looks like a fortress on the outside, but it looks very grand.
The two found a place to sit down and got straight to the point.
"Before we start talking about the Daisy Lode, I want to ask a question: Why did Osborne suddenly become interested in mining?" Quinn said.
"Well, this is just a sudden idea. Osborne's consumption of metals is increasing day by day. To reduce the impact of external factors, I want to develop some downstream industries that can give priority to Osborne."
"Full industrial chain production? Osborne's appetite is not small."
Harry smiled and said nothing. He had nothing to respond to. If given the opportunity, each of these companies would be eager to do all the business.
Everyone is the same in this regard.
"Does Mr. Osborn know what's in this mine?" Quinn asked.
"It's mainly sphalerite and chalcopyrite. If you're lucky, there will be antimony and gold mines. In short, the value is very high, and the resources produced are all what Osborne needs."
Quinn said with his professional smile: "Does Mr. Osborn know about gravitonium?"
Harry looked at this guy for two seconds and nodded:
"It's an imaginary element, but no one has actually seen it, and if I remember correctly, Dr. Franklin Hall is an expert on it. What do you want to say?"
Quinn said: "I won't hide it from you. In the past 20 years, I have searched 6 mines on 12 continents, just for this thing."
Harry nodded to show that he understood, and then spread his hands: "So what does this have to do with this mine? You won't tell me that there is this element in it, right? If you want to use this to raise the price, Mr. Quinn, The Osborne Group can look elsewhere for mineral deposits."
Raise the price with a substance that has so far only existed in imagination? Normal thinking would be to reject it directly.
Quinn kept looking into Harry's eyes as he spoke, wondering if the young man who had led Osborne to this point knew something.
To be honest, he was not sure where the gravitonium was. After all, this was an imaginary substance.
But Osborne, a company that had nothing to do with mining, suddenly focused on a mine that he valued, which made him very confused.
In terms of size, Quinn International is much larger than Osborne. After all, Quinn International is a multinational company with operations all over the world. Investors come from all over the world, and Osborne's foreign business is not extensive. The investors are not complex, and the number of shares outside has even been decreasing.
But Osborne's skills are much better than his, and he must be cautious.
But Harry didn't look like he was lying.
"...Actually, Dr. Hall and I are classmates. I know much more about gravitonium - there may indeed be such a substance underneath this mine."
Harry rolled his eyes: "Are you serious? Mr. Quinn, if you are serious, I will leave now."
Harry said as he stood up.
Quinn hurriedly stopped Harry - his mission this time was to hold back the Osborne boy and sell the mine if necessary.
"Wait a minute, Mr. Osborn, that's not what I meant!"
Harry sat back down.
Next, the two had a serious discussion about the mineral vein.
It can be seen that Ian Quinn still does not want to sell the mine. He first recommended to Harry several mines that he had already mined, saying that these mines were very good, and then came up with a bunch of valuation documents.
Harry just looked at it twice before putting it back, and said that he was not here to take over the deal today, but that he just wanted to buy a new mine and mine it himself, just to test the new technology.
Then Quinn pulled away and asked: What technology? Can it be sold? Can it be used by us?
Harry said that it has not been commercialized yet, and that they can continue to cooperate if there is an opportunity in the future, so that they can continue to talk about business.
All in all, they talked for several hours with no results. As the saying goes, there are many purposes for negotiation, and they may even be outside the negotiation table. At this rate, this negotiation looks like it will take several days.
Harry showed his impatience appropriately and said that he was on a tight schedule this time and the results would be available within 3 days.
Harry's impatience was within Quinn's expectation. After all, according to reliable intelligence, Osborne had very few "super soldiers" at his disposal locally.
But that's not his concern.
At night, Harry looked at the night view of Malta in his room.
The time he gave Quinn was 3 days, and it took him 2 days to fly from the United States to Malta, so the time to start the operation should be within these 5 days.
In the distance, Harry's private jet flew into the sky.
After the plane reaches high altitude, a spaceship will be responsible for transporting Abomination to the space station. This big guy will follow Frank on the airborne mission.
So no matter who does it, their information is correct:
In the United States and even on the ground, there are indeed very few super soldiers available to Osborne.
Chapter 121: The Opening of the Lecture Tour
John F. Kennedy was a brilliant president.
Not only that, his younger brother also suffered the same fate, and the truth of this matter is still a mystery to this day.
This matter is very complicated, but the core reason is that the president was originally very active on the Vietnam issue, and even did a lot of persecution against unspeakable doctrines. However, as time went by in power, his thoughts changed a little bit. He no longer advocated active opposition to "hostile forces" or investing resources in fighting wars.
This angered some of the military-industrial complex - in this world, it was probably the Hydra behind it. However, the president's "victory" in the Cuban Missile Crisis and high public support made it difficult to force him to step down by other means.
On top of that, the president initially courted the support of some whites in an effort to win votes. However, as the Black civil rights movement deepened and intensified, he changed his stance, which again antagonized some powerful underground organizations such as the Ku Klux Klan.
Not only that, his policies also seriously offended the oil group's interests.
It can be said that he provoked everyone he could. He had enemies at home and abroad, both private and official, and from capital groups.
It is worth mentioning that during this incident, the Osborne Group was in a period of decline. During World War II, Osborne focused on biotechnology and fighter production under the leadership of William Osborne. However, the emergence of Captain America made William invest all his resources in human enhancement technology. This decision caused them to fall behind in the development of the military industry, almost leading to William being kicked out of management, and nearly resulted in the company being acquired by Stark Industries.
History often repeats itself, and Norman also encountered the same problem.
But fortunately, his son Harry's innovations allowed Osborne to embark on a completely different path.
Turning back to the current situation, Norman now represents high-tech companies like Osborne and Stark Industries. They no longer have to rely on oil for energy. However, due to the importance of petrochemicals, Roxon remains a significant player. Norman is already considering launching an antitrust investigation into Roxon.
In terms of resources, Osborne will soon announce asteroid mining, focusing on outer space development.
Some giants, like the super monopoly company Roxon hidden behind, will definitely be dissatisfied with this shift.
Osborn had no intention of collaborating with Hydra from the beginning, which they had already tested. Furthermore, Osborn has been allied with Stark Industries for a long time, so Hydra has no intention of wanting him to remain in this position.
In addition to Hydra, the NSA and CIA also have reasons to deal with Norman. CIA Director Marianne and NSA Director Lafite pretended to join the enemy. With the addition of the current and next vice presidents, they also have official insider support.
The tough approach to criminal organizations means that powerful underground organizations, like the Kingpin, will not mind joining the operation. They will be responsible for separating the bright and the dark.
In short, Norman has made many enemies, but "just by chance," he carried a nuclear bomb, and public support is very high. Conventional means cannot prevent him from taking office.
And "coincidentally," these enemies all think they are united and there is an opportunity now.
The history is too similar, but for both parties today, the dust has not yet settled:
When Norman dies, everything remains the same; if Norman comes to power alive, a new era begins.
During a break in their discussion, Harry stared at the blue sky outside the window, which aroused Quinn's interest.
"What is Mr. Osborne looking at?"
"Blue sky," Harry said. "The sky is blue because the atmosphere refracts sunlight. If you want to see the real universe, you can only break through the atmosphere and enter outer space."
Quinn didn't know what Harry wanted to say, so she laughed twice. "This is a well-known thing, isn't it?"
Harry looked away, suddenly feeling that the boss of the Quinn Group was stupid and ugly, even though he was actually very handsome and highly intelligent.
"Mr. Quinn, I have changed my mind. 400 billion dollars is my final offer. If you cannot accept it, I will leave now."
Harry knocked on the table. 400 billion was already a premium. The Daisy vein is very likely to contain gold, but the total gold content of this mine cannot exceed 400 tons. Judging from the current gold market price, even if it does, the total price of 400 tons of gold is only more than 200 billion dollars. Plus some other resources, the total price is around 380-400 billion.
To be honest, if it weren't for the possibility of Gravitonium, Harry wouldn't even want to look at these mines. Osborne's asteroid mining technology has already begun to take shape, and there is really no need to fight to the death with these old companies on the ground.
"400 billion? Mr. Osborne is really generous, spending so much money to buy such a mine," Quinn said.
Harry shrugged. "As I said, I just want to find a suitable place to practice new ideas. 400 billion is not too small, but it is far from too much. As a fund for a meaningful attempt, I think it's reasonable."
"That's a good price, deal."
Harry was stunned by Quinn's sudden agreement. To be honest, there was no need for Mr. Quinn to really give up the mining rights. After all, his purpose had been achieved.
Unless this guy still wants to cross paths with Osborne elsewhere.
Quinn waved his subordinates to deal with the matter and then said, "Now that the matter is settled, why not have a meal together tonight? The food here is quite unique."
Harry smiled and shrugged. "Of course."
Food that looked very unique was brought to the table. The appearance alone was worth a lot of money, but except for the steak, Harry didn't like these things. He would rather eat Western fast food.
At dinner, Quinn did talk about some other business matters.
Quinn said while cutting the steak, "Has Mr. Osborne ever thought about selling the patents for those high-tech prosthetics? I mean, Quinn International has resources all over the world. It would be a pity not to promote such good technology globally."
Harry said, "Well, will Mr. Quinn reveal the Gravitonium prospecting method?"
The two smiled and did not continue the topic.
"Speaking of which, today is the day your father is on a lecture tour in Texas." Quinn clapped his hands and his men turned on the TV.
Harry looked at this guy with a half-smile, thinking that this sanctimonious guy had a dark heart.
"Thank you, you are so considerate. My father is quite critical of me insisting on coming here," Harry said with a smile.
On the TV, a reporter was excitedly reporting on the scene.
"Mr. Osborne will arrive at the scene soon. Wait a minute - did I read that right? That's a car, that's a convertible!" the reporter said weirdly.
The convertible drove slowly, surrounded by 13 cool motorcycles with Osborne logos, and Norman sat in it and waved.
"Wow, these motorcycles look really cool. I wonder if you have seen the movie RoboCop. I think the producer must ask Osborne to collect the copyright fees."
"The people driving them now are 13 urban heroes. They look like ordinary people now, and I like them."
"But in a convertible... this Mr. Osborne has real ideas - wait a minute, what's going on!"
As he spoke, the tires of the car retracted into the car, blue ion currents spurted out from inside, and the car just floated in the air under the action of the propellers!
Quinn clapped his hands in feigned surprise, but it was obvious that he didn't take it seriously.
-----
Dario looked at the picture in the video and was speechless.
The convertible was not sponsored by them—though he had this intention, Norman refused, insisting he would use Osborne's car.
He thought Osborne would arrange an armored vehicle for Norman that could provide all-around protection, but it turned out to be a convertible!
But this car is truly no ordinary convertible; this thing can actually fly!
Isn't a convertible that can fly still a convertible?
"Arrogant fool, how many bullets does he think his flesh and blood can withstand?" Dario remarked.
"...Maybe he has other arrangements," Killian, the person in charge of AIM, said through the communicator.
Originally, AIM wanted to deal with President Ellis, capture him, and support the Vice President.
But now Norman's threat was obviously greater, and they were willing to join forces with Roxon to use Ellis's last time in office to eliminate Norman.
Ellis and Roxon obviously had a close relationship, but for Roxon and the company, it didn't matter even if they changed the vice president—they were of the same party, after all.
Moreover, the kidnapped Roxon Company accountant was not truly dead; they had a premeditated plan to further control the United States.
Dario said, "But we also have arrangements. Have you dealt with the two iron cans?"
A few days ago, the CIA provided the president with intelligence: the Mandarin signal was in Pakistan, so Iron Patriot Rhodes flew there.
Just like in the original novel, poor Rhodes was captured by the Desperate Soldiers.
This time, Rhodes was beaten badly. A few hours ago, the video of Rhodes being tortured was sent to Tony.
Rhodes, who was beaten beyond recognition, enraged Tony. Jarvis traced the sender's address without much effort. Iron Man was indeed a super weapon and was deployed very quickly. He arrived within a few hours.
Then a dozen Extremis soldiers opened the box for Tony.
Compared to the original work, Tony was beaten worse this time. Fortunately, MK42 was completely disintegrated before being manipulated by AIM. No one except Tony could put it back together.
The entire process from Tony's departure to his capture took less than 12 hours, and no one noticed anything wrong—the public was used to Iron Man flying around in the sky.
The Iron Patriot quickly approached the location where Norman was speaking, and Killian replied through the communicator:
"Everything is ready; get prepared to deal with the aftermath."
.....
This was a speaking tour designed to showcase Norman's toughness and people-friendly nature.
He would drive through the streets in a convertible to Dealey Plaza and give speeches.
Since the purpose was to be close to the people, Norman leaned out of the car without hesitation and cordially shook hands with the people on both sides of the road.
Osborne's bodyguards kept observing and communicating in the dark to ensure that no suspicious persons approached. Soon, Norman arrived at the designated location with his skull intact.
Norman walked onto the podium with a confident smile on his face. The crowd was delighted to see such a president.
"I know many people are a little concerned about today's scene—what happened here is fresh in the memory of every American."
"But I am still willing to choose this place as the first stop of my lecture tour. If for no other reason, it is to tell everyone: We are strong, and no one can do whatever they want here."
Norman opened his arms wide, and the crowd cheered in response.
"I must say, that incident has always been a disgrace to our country—no matter who Kennedy was, whether Democrat or Republican, he was the elected president, and what happened here is an embarrassment!"
"And today, something even more shameful happened: a terrorist, thousands of miles away, terrified everyone through a video, and the White House was so big that it was helpless to do anything about it? Shame."
"But fortunately, my predecessor left me a strong man—Iron Patriot Colonel James Rhodes!"
As Norman finished speaking, Iron Patriot appeared on the horizon.
"According to official information, the colonel has been launching a counterattack against these terrorists in the past week, with remarkable results."
The Iron Patriot landed on the ground, and the crowd on the side moved aside.
"Thank you for coming, Colonel Rhodes."
It was Iron Patriot on the surface, but Killian was inside.
The armored figure walked up to the podium step by step and stood in front of Norman.
Norman smiled: "Now say hello to everyone, Colonel Rhodes."
But Iron Patriot raised his arm towards Norman, and the repulsor cannon was charging—
boom!
The repulsor cannon directly knocked down a corner of the podium. At the critical moment, Norman grabbed both of his arms and narrowly avoided the attack!
This sudden change stunned everyone. No one knew why the Iron Patriot suddenly attacked Norman, and no one knew how Norman Osborn managed to grab the strong armor and dent it...
"You are indeed here," Norman smiled coldly.
Killian was shocked: he was a Extremis Soldier and wore steel armor, but the entrepreneur in front of him was much stronger than he was!
"The intelligence is wrong; Plan B!"
boom!
The huge explosion instantly engulfed several streets around the square. Such a large-scale explosion was simply unbelievable!
In Norman's security channel, the bodyguards were already in chaos. The enemy planned to use assassination methods, but they were not just using sniper rifles; they were going to attack directly!
In the eyes of those people, this was not an assassination; it was a public execution!
The people screamed and ran away as helicopters suddenly surrounded the area. Such a huge battle made it hard to believe that this was in the United States, and the person they wanted to deal with was the president!
Just when the 13 modified soldiers wanted to rush over to protect Norman, a group of desperate fighters with red bodies suddenly rushed out of the crowd and blocked them.
Killian opened his mask and said, "Yes, we're here."
Although Norman was surrounded by bodyguards wearing exoskeletons, the explosion still caught them off guard. Moreover, they didn't carry any heavy firepower; most of them had pistols and the like.
The newcomers were fully armed!
Not only that, they also wore exoskeletons and even ignored the law, mounting thick bulletproof armor—
"Are you sure there are enough people?" The Green Goblin appeared on Norman's arm; he tore off Iron Patriot's arm and then knocked off Iron Patriot's helmet.
This series of military punches stunned Killian—those two hits made him feel like an elephant had run over his face!
Before Norman could continue to ravage him, several armed helicopters aimed at this location. Norman had to dodge those heavy machine guns, allowing Killian to escape to the side.
The machine guns of the armed helicopters chased Norman and fired, but within a few seconds, the Green Goblin aircraft arrived, instantly cutting through the helicopter that was shooting wildly and flying toward Norman!
The aircraft had battle armor specially designed for Norman. It could be said that as long as he stood on the aircraft, running or fighting could be determined by Norman's thoughts. Unfortunately, the next second, the flight path of the aircraft shifted as if it had malfunctioned—
Not only that, there were issues with all the electronic devices around!
It's EMP!
The cyborgs also experienced a moment of incoordination. Although EMP would not completely paralyze them, it would take some time for the equipment to restart.
The enemy seemed prepared for this. He took out some kind of weapon from his body and inserted it, instantly paralyzing these modified soldiers.
Seizing the moment when the aircraft failed, several missiles destroyed Norman's aircraft. It was Killian who did it!
"This armor is still somewhat useful, Mr. Osborn." Killian walked out of the nearly half-damaged Iron Patriot, "Don't you think there are enough people?"
Killian pointed behind Norman.
Before Norman could see what Killian was referring to, several howitzers fired over!
boom! boom! boom!
The howitzers chased Norman and bombed him. Although Norman was extremely powerful and fast, and protected by Green Goblin armor, the attackers still bombarded him. His clothes were tattered, and he was in a mess.
The smoke cleared, and the attacker walked out of the flames of war:
It was a cold man wearing a mask and sporting metal arms.
---
Chapter 123: Nitrobenzonitrate Bomb
On the TV, Iron Patriot raised his arm, but Norman dodged it, and then the TV signal was cut off.
Due to the fierce fighting at the scene, it was naturally impossible for reporters to continue sending back footage, and the news station was already in chaos.
"What? What happened?" Quinn asked, feigning surprise.
Harry said nothing and handed the signed mining rights transfer agreement to the bodyguard.
Harry stood up and said, "Sorry, Mr. Quinn, but I have to go."
"Of course, Mr. Osborn, and it's a pleasure to work with you." Quinn bowed slightly. "I believe Mr. President will be fine."
Harry smiled and said to Quinn, "Mr. Quinn, you know, Osborn has broken out of the atmosphere. You should watch more news."
Harry's words and attitude left Quinn a bit confused, but his work was done.
Walking back to the plane, Harry connected with Frank in orbit.
"Frank, the action begins."
"Copy that, boss." Frank stood in the airdrop pod on the track. "You all heard it, it's time to take risks."
"Airborne protocol activated. Good luck to you, soldiers." Oyce's voice sounded.
Silence fell on Frank's ears. The sun at an altitude of 200 kilometers was particularly dazzling, much more so than it was on the ground.
...
"Killian from AIM, I know you. Are you employed by that Terrorist group?" Norman asked. "Or are you the Terrorist?"
"What's the difference, Mr. Osborn?" Killian smiled.
"So who is this? A super soldier with a gleaming mechanical hand?" Norman marveled. "Where did he come from? I can see that his technology is different from the one you use."
After the Winter Soldier shot the grenade, he stopped using his weapon and instead walked toward Norman.
It seemed like the two of them were trying to capture Norman alive.
"I'm more interested in your technology, Mr. Osborn. You lied to us," Killian said.
Unlike the two of them, the Winter Soldier didn't have the habit of communicating feelings before taking action, so his mechanical arm slammed into Norman.
Boom!
However, this seemingly powerful punch was easily received by Norman, but his opponent was like a robot, not hesitating because his attack was easily countered and continued to punch Norman.
Although Killian still wanted to continue speaking, now was obviously not the time.
Despite Norman being much stronger than these two in terms of basic numerical values, Killian's high temperature and the Winter Soldier's combat skills caused him a lot of trouble. Norman was not a combatant, after all, and soon found himself at a disadvantage in the battle.
Norman kicked the two of them away at the expense of being hit by Killian in the melee, and looked up at the sky.
"What are you looking at?" Killian couldn't help but ask again.
Norman let out a long breath—he finally didn't have to be beaten anymore.
He pointed to the sky, where 40 airborne pods were streaking across the sky like meteors!
Boom—
These days, foreign objects have brought the fighting situation to a standstill, and everyone is wondering what will emerge from them.
Pfft—tsk.
The drop pod opened.
The aircraft in the airborne pod quickly dispersed to every corner of the battlefield, and the firepower carried on them suppressed the assassins into corners.
40 veterans who had fought Inhumans walked out of the drop pod, taking over the battlefield.
"We're on both feet."
"Are you going to put down your weapons or let us blow you up?" Frank patted the assault rifle in his hand. "These things are meant for Inhumans, but I wouldn't mind trying them on you."
These desperate soldiers and special forces soldiers looked at each other, about to continue fighting when another oversized airborne pod hit the ground.
It was clear that this drop warehouse was made more roughly, smashing open the entire square.
Killian looked at the thing and felt something was wrong.
"We need support." Killian said into the communication device.
But he suddenly discovered that Dario had already cut off all communications!
"Plan C, bring the bomb," Dario ordered his men.
This was the worst option and the last resort. No matter what Osborn could do, the "bomb" would turn them into ashes.
Roxon had nearly acquired the recipe for such a bomb decades ago, but they ultimately failed because of the SSR.
Dario found this device in his predecessor's safe, but they were never able to reverse engineer the technology.
This was the last trinitrobenzene bomb in the world, and Dario wanted it to guide Norman to the end of the world.
.....
Boom!
The huge airdrop warehouse had not been opened for long, and Frank reported helplessly:
"Boss, the 'big item' seems to be stuck."
"...I know, there's nothing we can do. Let it figure it out on its own." Harry had nothing to do, but it wasn't a big problem.
"Received."
The barrel of the assault rifle in Frank's hand glowed blue. It was a Gauss rifle. The 8mm metal spikes accelerated out of the barrel under the influence of the magnetic field, making a terrifying scream...
This kind of ammunition was designed to pierce various hard shells, and the bulletproof armor on the agent's body was easily penetrated as if made of paper.
Not far away, Curtis held an energy weapon that emitted a red laser. This was the work of a tinker. Using alien crystals, they could make the gun instantly produce ultra-high-energy lasers, easily melting the enemy's skull.
"Sometimes I feel like we are the Inhumans," Curtis said.
Frank smiled and said nothing.
The battle competed on the tactical proficiency of man and weapon, and the equipment and weapons in Frank's and his companions' hands were undoubtedly much better than those of these desperate soldiers.
In order to sneak in as close as possible to the podium, they didn't bring any weapons with them. How could they compete with the weapons in Frank's hands?
Killian looked at the situation around him, and his face began to look ugly. The Winter Soldier stopped taking the initiative to attack and circled there, looking like he was waiting for something.
Norman sat on a rock. The battle was nearing its end.
"It's time to end the farce, you two. We are indestructible. It would be better for you and your metal-armed friend to surrender early. What kind of technology is that on him? It looks strange."
Killian looked at the Winter Soldier with suspicion, and Norman noticed this detail.
"What other methods do you have? It seems that you don't know, Mr. Killian." Norman spread his hands. "Osborn has never been like this. Have you ever considered changing your job?"
Killian said nothing; he always felt that something was coming.
The next moment, the Winter Soldier ran away!
In the sky, an F-22 fighter jet was flying toward them, then dropped a bomb with an orange light...
Boom!
At this moment, the huge airborne pod was finally kicked away by the creatures inside—
A monster in black armor came out, grabbed the bomb that was about to explode, and threw it into the sky!
---
Chapter 124: Say Hello to You Inside the Eyes
What is the power of abomination?
At least it exceeds 100 tons, and Abomination's jumping ability is quite abnormal. In Harry's records, the best result is 2,304 meters.
The airwave generated by the furious jump even overturned the drop pod beside him!
This gigantic monster leaped high into the sky, grabbed an orange bomb, and threw it into the air—
**Boom!**
The nitrate bomb Trinitrobenzene was the work of Howard Stark, but unfortunately, it was stolen and ended up in the hands of the Roxon Company.
The explosion radius of this explosive is approximately 450 meters, far exceeding any existing explosive in the world!
The killing radius of the Tomahawk missile is only about 90 meters. This is a large cruise missile, and this kind of bomb is only the size of a palm, but its explosion radius is five times that number!
The shock wave and thermal pressure made people breathless, and a terrifying fire vortex formed in the sky. The violent airflow washed over everyone's faces, as if the end of the world was coming—
Then the fireball began to collapse inward, consuming the oxygen in the air, and finally dissipating.
People seemed to be surviving a disaster, gasping in the murky air.
If this bomb were to explode in an urban area, it would be the largest and deadliest terror-attack in U.S. history, even more severe than 9/11.
But Norman was still standing firm.
**Boom!**
Abomination crashed to the ground, and the armor on his body deformed. It looked like the monster was nearly trapped in it.
When Norman regained his senses, the fighting had ceased, and the bomb left everyone stunned, as if in the wake of an atomic explosion.
Frank was also greatly shocked. This was the first time he had seen such a powerful bomb.
But he soon composed himself.
"Clear the battlefield and try to capture these guys alive. I'll go after the masked man." Frank issued the command and stood on the aircraft, flying high into the sky.
"Killian, it seems the battle is over. Do you have any other trump cards?" Norman's expression was grim. If this bomb were really dropped, no one would be able to escape it.
Killian said nothing; he was also a little confused.
But he soon realized— it was time for him to run!
The next moment, several Cyborgs shot neurotoxin projectiles into his body.
"...Sergeant Blonsky, please assist Mr. Castle in capturing the masked man with the metal arm." Norman kicked Killian, who was lying on the ground, then issued orders to Abomination.
Through the thick restraint armor, there was no emotion in Abomination's eyes.
"Received."
As the words fell, Abomination leaped high.
Norman was not worried about Abomination not being able to keep up. If necessary, Abomination could chase him all the way to the West Coast.
Through the video feed, Harry's expression was far from good—he had not expected the other party to drop a nitrate bomb in the capital of Texas!
And wasn't that issue resolved by the SSR after the war?
Fortunately, he had transported his abomination to him just to be safe.
The terror-attack is truly a useful excuse, but does Roxon Company think they can just brush their hands clean and escape this time?
If you know who is lurking in the shadows and where they are, you only need a little light to force them into a corner and wait quietly for their demise.
On the plane, Harry had already donned all his equipment. From the outside, it appeared as if Harry Osborn had returned to the plane as quickly as possible after the incident, waiting to take off.
The next moment, Peter called.
"Harry, I found a man here who looks a lot like a Terrorist. He's surrounded by a group of armed guards. I think I should tell you..."
"You found him? Excellent. What's the situation over there?"
"Yeah, um... a group of people went in, and they were all armed..."
"Peter, get rid of those people—I mean trap them, all of them. Someone will be there soon to deal with them, and it's up to you to hold them off until they arrive."
Peter on the other end of the line was taken aback for a moment: "Is this a mission?"
"...Yes, it's a mission. Also, use your spider abilities more, understand? If there's danger, neutralize the Terrorist first."
"Copy that, Agent Spider is ready to serve you." Peter replied in a low voice.
Harry held his forehead: "You're already a college student, Peter."
After ending the call, Harry's seat deformed, and a set of angular combat armor covered his body.
Then a drop window opened beneath his seat.
Oyce's voice sounded, "The Executor E-1 armor has been prepared, the satellite has processed the information, and it has arrived at the designated location. The delivery window is now open."
"Start delivery."
Harry's seat flipped back, throwing him out of the plane. An aircraft caught him steadily and flew toward Quinn's residence.
Due to the chaos at the scene, Quinn was unaware that Osborne had won the battle. He merely drank his wine, humming in a relaxed mood.
It was late at night, and a perfect time to unwind.
But before he could turn around, the black figure on the glass startled him so much that he nearly dropped his drink!
Harry was wearing the latest equipment, and the aircraft was cruising in the sky. For a moment, Quinn didn't recognize who he was.
"Who are you?" Quinn asked, attempting to sound calm, then asked tentatively, "Osborn?"
Harry did not answer his question and walked toward him step by step.
"The clairvoyant says hello."
Quinn's pupils constricted, which led to him being knocked unconscious by Harry before he could press the transmitter.
After incapacitating Quinn, Harry found his underground research lab, which housed many valuable items.
He had even built a full-scale gravity controller here, with a large amount of data and technology stored within.
Harry whistled while instructing Lenin to copy all the information. Because the current was too strong, these devices would be irreversibly damaged if read.
It felt good to assume the name of Clairvoyant.
Killian's operation of impersonating the Mandarin had inspired Harry. He could also use Hydra's name to achieve similar goals.
Using the name of Hydra to attack Hydra's forces would allow them to claim hardship. In the original story, Alexander slapped Fury and Captain America with labels, but this time he took the initiative to lend their names for use.
The data in Quinn's computer confirmed Harry's suspicion: Quinn International hasn't unearthed any gravitonium yet, and it's most likely located under that mine!
...
Dario Agger, who was sitting at home, was so furious he almost lost his mind!
He had brought out the last nitrate bomb in existence, and he hadn't even managed to kill Norman Osborn yet!
Fortunately, he could still use various means to distance himself from the matter—at least he wouldn't let Osborn get the evidence.
As for the losses this time, they could only consider withdrawing from the United States and focus elsewhere. The losses had already been overwhelming, and now they could only think of ways to stem the tide.
Throughout the entire incident, several clues that could lead back to him would be handled by the remaining gang members, mainly several key witnesses in Texas. In this way, even if someone accused Roxon of involvement, a complete chain of evidence could not be formed.
The first batch of killers would eliminate politicians, the second batch would eliminate the first batch, and the second batch would die unexpectedly—the old method.
As for how his other partner handled the aftermath, that was not up to him.
It was clear that the days of relying on the U.S. government to do whatever it wanted might be over.
Due to Osborn's new energy source, Roxon's stock price had dropped significantly. Not only the stock price but also the price and consumption of oil had taken a hit. They needed to develop a new energy source as soon as possible.
They didn't understand nuclear fusion, but they had other technologies, a more powerful, mysterious energy source.
Agger downed his drink in one gulp, then slammed the glass to the ground.
---