"These mutants are insane, daring to land on Ellis Island."
Tony shook his head, took a bite of a cookie, and then sipped some milk.
After a while, once he was full, he began making his way to the underground lab.
There, on the workbench, lay a sleek and lightweight suit of armor—the Mark V.
Since Tony had decided to travel to Japan to seek out clues, his usual bulky armors were not suitable to bring along.
Thus, he created the latest version, the Mark V—a suit that could transform into a suitcase for easy transport.
"Jarvis, how did the defense tests go?"
"Mr. Stark, the defense tests still haven't passed due to the armor's insufficient thickness."
"Sigh..."
Ever since his encounter with the insectoid creatures, Tony had developed an anxiety about his armor's durability.
But the Mark V was designed for mobility, naturally compromising on armor thickness.
However, recalling Pepper's earlier words, he abandoned the idea of further improvements.
Funds were tight; he was in no position to invest more.
"Alright, this will have to do. Let's test its capabilities."
He walked over to the workbench, took the Mark V, placed it on his feet, and pulled up the two handles.
With a series of clinks and clatters, the Mark V slowly unfolded, starting from his feet, and gradually covering his entire body.
After about ten seconds, Iron Man appeared.
However, compared to his usual gold and red armor, the Mark V was red and white, appearing thinner and less ostentatious.
"Not bad. Looks like I'm ready to go. Jarvis, book me an international flight... never mind, that will take over a week. Just get me a ticket to Japan."
"Very well. The earliest tickets are for a flight departing tonight with a layover in Los Angeles or a direct flight departing tomorrow morning. Which one would you prefer, Mr. Stark?"
"Tomorrow morning."
He disliked layovers, as they meant wasting an extra couple of hours at the airport.
After some time had passed, just as Tony was packing up the Mark V, the lab door opened.
"Tony, there's big news. Come see the broadcast!"
Seeing Pepper's serious expression, Tony quickly followed her to the living room.
"Stark Industries' Arc Reactor new energy source has passed all tests and received official approval. It will be officially launched in a week, reducing electricity costs across New York by 0.3 cents."
"Umbrella Corporation announces a partnership with Stark Industries to promote Arc Reactor new energy nationwide, signaling Umbrella's entry into the new energy sector!"
"Stark Industries has reached a new weapons deal with the military valued at over one billion dollars!"
"Following these positive announcements, Stark Industries' stock price has surged from fifty dollars this morning to eighty dollars, and it's still climbing."
Watching the news, Pepper frowned slightly.
"How could he collaborate with Umbrella? Doesn't he know what kind of company that is?"
"Pepper? What's wrong? Isn't this good news?"
"It is, but I've looked into Umbrella. In their early days, they were involved in quite a few shady deals. And I have a feeling things aren't that simple; there must be some sort of conspiracy behind this."
"I think Obadiah is just out of options. If Stark Industries' stock price didn't rise soon, he'd probably be torn apart by the shareholders."
"That's true. He needs to stir things up."
Pepper nodded, but her furrowed brow didn't relax.
"By the way, Obadiah sent us an invitation to a party tonight, celebrating the stock surge. Are we going?"
"Why not? We need to warn him to be cautious of Umbrella. He can't risk a takeover."
"Agreed."
Both understood that as long as Stark Industries was under Obadiah's management, it would remain Stark Industries. But if Umbrella swallowed it up, it would become Umbrella Industries.
...........
Meanwhile, on the top floor of the Umbrella Building in New York, Adam sat in his executive chair, listening to Felia's report.
"Boss, we've successfully combined the self-healing gene with the progenitor virus, creating a new strain. However, we're facing challenges with the energy-absorbing phagocytic gene"
"These genes absorb any external energy, and when the progenitor virus encounters them, it's immediately consumed, making fusion impossible."
"Have you tried reducing the activity of the phagocytic genes?"
"We have. Initially, when the phagocytic genes and the progenitor virus come into contact, nothing happens. But once the phagocytic genes regain their activity, they still consume the progenitor virus."
"Then cut open the cell membrane, identify the genes responsible for the phagocytic factors, and try combining them with the progenitor virus."
"Understood."
With a new direction, Felia nodded and quickly left the office.
Outside, Luna saw Felia leave and gave a slight smile before entering the office herself.
"Boss, this is the order from General Ross."
Adam took the document and glanced over it.
"The price is quite low?"
"General Ross is purchasing directly, bypassing the procurement department. He also promised to get the Japanese authorities to cooperate with us."
"Good, not bad."
Although the G-virus was being sold cheaply, getting a connection like General Ross couldn't be measured in terms of money. A word from him could sometimes yield significant benefits for Umbrella.
Just as Adam set down the documents, Luna came over, bending down to reveal a generous view.
"Boss, Obadiah has invited you to a party tonight to celebrate Stark Industries' rising stock price."
Due to the increasingly warm weather, Luna was not wearing her usual formal suit today but a low-cut tank top that exposed her midriff.
A faint fragrance filled the air as Adam's lips curled into a slight smile.
"It's time to meet this big spender."
He glanced at the stock prices on the computer screen.
They had already risen to ninety dollars. Not bad. In a little while, it would be time to reap the rewards.
In truth, he never intended to take complete control of Stark Industries. Without Tony, Stark Industries was just another ordinary arms company, not much different from Hammer Industries.
To put it bluntly, the weapons Stark Industries could produce, Umbrella could also manufacture. The only difference was the lack of the corresponding industrial infrastructure, which made production costs higher.
From the beginning, his plan was to make a quick profit and then exit.
On the other hand, the space company capable of launching satellites was his real target. Once he had his own satellite in orbit, many plans and projects could be more freely executed.
But even though the space company's rockets had frequently failed in recent years, its market value remained high. To finance an acquisition, he needed to bleed Stark Industries first.
At this moment, Luna sat down on Adam's lap, wrapping her arms around his neck.
"By the way, Oscorp recently released a new product that rapidly heals wounds. It's starting to cut into our market."
"Oscorp, huh? After I'm done dealing with the Yashida Corporation in Japan, I'll handle them."
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