At that moment, Link considered diving into studying. Having immense power was certainly great for ensuring his safety, but he was entirely lacking in both technology and magic. For now, he decided to leave magic aside. The Ancient One might be aware of him, or maybe not yet, but magic in this world often came at a cost, and Link wasn't particularly fond of that.
However, in the realm of technology, why wait for others to develop nanotechnology when he could do it himself?
With this thought, he immediately took action. Link went online and began searching for resources, starting with computer hardware and programming. He had to start from the basics since his original self had studied psychology, a field where he excelled. But in other areas, particularly technology, both he and his past self were far from proficient. So, he needed to begin learning from the ground up.
After browsing through some books online, he headed out to a large bookstore to buy what he needed. He loaded up on books about computer hardware and software, determined to test how powerful his super-brain really was. Despite his ability to read a book in seconds, he bought them all, and drove home in his fifth-generation Mustang Shelby GT500, with the backseat piled high with books.
Once home, the bookshelves in his study finally had something to fill them. He organized the books and began reading from the most basic ones.
A sudden gust of wind seemed to sweep through the study, and in just a few seconds, he had finished an entire book. Closing his eyes, he reviewed the material.
He remembered everything, and more importantly, he understood it. Link was thrilled. This was his first time trying out this learning method, and it left him wanting more.
It turns out, people love to learn—it just depends on whether they find joy in it.
For Link, the ease with which he could absorb knowledge made him happy. In just ten minutes, he had finished reading all the books, and it truly felt like he was flying. Now, he just needed to verify how well he had actually grasped everything.
There was only one laptop in the house—the one S.H.I.E.L.D. had given him—and it wasn't suitable for testing his newfound skills. Besides, most regular computers couldn't keep up with his reaction speed.
This left him a bit frustrated, so he turned to the internet and started browsing publicly available papers and research.
He was so engrossed in reading that he didn't even notice when evening came. Most of the content was accurate and easy for him to understand. For the few errors he spotted, he left comments in the discussion sections of the papers, offering corrections. This also allowed him to test whether his comprehension was correct, and the satisfaction of rapid learning fueled him even further.
"Hey, darling, what are you reading?" Jessica asked curiously as she walked into the study. When she had come home and noticed Link's jacket and shoes at the door, she figured he was somewhere in the house.
"I'm reading research papers," Link replied, looking up. He hadn't even realized Jessica was home. He had been too engrossed. "I decided to study computers—both hardware and software—and ended up getting completely absorbed."
Jessica raised an eyebrow. "What made you suddenly want to study?"
"Well, I had nothing else to do," Link said, shrugging. "I used to be a professional gambler, but now my status and position have changed, and some things just aren't appropriate anymore."
"After thinking it over for a while, I figured learning would be a good idea. I can read extremely fast, and my memory is exceptional, so learning should be easy—just like when I studied psychology."
"And the results are amazing. I never fully utilized this ability before."
Jessica wasn't too surprised. Link was like Superman, but with superior learning abilities. Ever since she found out about his powers, she had started reading Superman comics.
"Not bad. Maybe you'll even surpass Tony Stark one day," Jessica teased, encouraging her boyfriend.
Link chuckled, pulling Jessica onto his lap. "That's very possible. I've actually been thinking about our gear for a while now. Even though we don't plan to reveal ourselves, there are some things we won't be able to control. Haven't you been reading comics lately?"
"Superman's suit is crucial. I may be bulletproof, but you aren't, and I still need an excuse for being bulletproof myself."
"A form-fitting suit would be really important. But this is real life, not a comic book—we can't just wear our suits under our clothes."
"That's why I've been thinking about nanotechnology."
Jessica's eyes lit up. "That's a great idea. You really are a genius. Keep it up!"
She gave Link a kiss and then got up to change and prepare dinner.
Link, meanwhile, returned to reading papers. He read at lightning speed and left comments on many research papers. Some authors took his feedback seriously, while others ignored it. He didn't mind, though—he was thoroughly enjoying the process.
Meanwhile, the investment negotiations were nearing completion. All parties were eager to finalize the deal, driven primarily by charitable motives, with profit becoming a secondary factor. With everyone on the same page, they agreed on a mid-range valuation for the company, pushing the value of United Construction Company to $50 billion.
The Rand Group invested $2.5 billion, taking a 5% stake. Stark Industries invested $5 billion for 10%, and Jessica's charity foundation invested another $2.5 billion for a 5% stake.
United Construction owned a lot of land, most of which had been acquired using funds from The Hand. The cost had been substantial, but it was all under the company's name, meaning it now belonged to Fisk. If Fisk were to develop it on his own, it would take decades, but now, with a hundred billion in funding, he could proceed with multiple projects simultaneously.
Taking Link's advice, Fisk presented his ideas to the board. First, he proposed developing the land near the docks into affordable housing for workers, given that the environment there wasn't ideal for high-end office buildings or luxury apartments. The area would also include low-cost businesses such as bars, convenience stores, and barber shops. Additionally, a public school would be essential for the community.
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(End of Chapter)