Preparation

Christmas was approaching in the blink of an eye. James was in no rush to urge Mr. Daniel to head for Africa; he had plenty of time to wait. This teacher, who had traveled for many years, needed a rest, and the preparations for such a journey would also require a fair amount of time.

James had already prepared to start opening factories in the northern United States. His surveys of the northern regions over the past year had given him a general idea of how to proceed.

The Howlett family had a deep foundation in agriculture and animal husbandry and had accumulated considerable wealth, but they were still a blank slate in the industrial sector. He intended to join forces with Herbert Vernon and the machinery factory owner, Tom, to break into the heavy industry sector of the United States.

According to his memories, the American Civil War would break out in full force within four or five years. Before that, he had to establish a certain industrial foundation. By taking advantage of the massive demand for steel and machinery during the Civil War, he could accumulate his first batch of original capital and provide timely assistance to the Northern army to secure political capital.

However, what worried him most was the state of Victor Creed. The awakening of the mutant gene had profoundly influenced Victor's personality and spirit since he was a child.

James had been carefully observing Victor's life. His fierce and overbearing appearance, combined with his taciturn personality, meant that almost no one dared to approach him. The desire for predation that originated from the depths of his bloodline drove this man to run deeper into the forest more and more often to find a way to vent. James knew he had to find a way to restrain Victor's bestial nature. He needed a rational helper, not a bloodthirsty beast.

"You want to open a factory?" Herbert Vernon emerged from the construction site looking rather disheveled, surprised to learn that young Mr. Howlett wanted to enter the industrial field.

"And in the United States, of all places! You must know the current situation in the United States; who knows when a war might break out? By then, all your investments might go down the drain!" Mr. Vernon looked at James with some confusion, feeling more and more that this young man was a prodigal son who acted on every whim.

First, he wanted to dig such a large cellar for no apparent reason, and now he wanted to run to the United States to throw his money away. He feared that the family fortune old Mr. Howlett had spent a lifetime building would be squandered by this grandson within a few years.

"That's right, Mr. Vernon. I intend to open a factory in the United States, though the specific direction is still under consideration. The Vernon family has a deep foundation in engineering; I wonder if you have any interest in cooperating with me?"

James said to Vernon with a smile. He understood what was going on in the fat man's head. In fact, James did not want Vernon to join on a large scale; the business he was considering would become a behemoth in the future, and sharing it with others was not his style.

"If you don't intend to buy shares, I can continue to cooperate with you through employment, including the future construction of the factory and certain technical support. What do you think?"

"In that case... I can still be of help!" The small eyes buried deep in the fat on Vernon's face flickered, and he agreed readily. He then added with a trembling, smiling face: "Don't you worry! With so much big business taking care of me, I will definitely give you the most favorable price! It will absolutely be more cost-effective than finding a contractor in the United States."

This cunning fat man was busy calculating in his heart. It was impossible for him to invest his own money to play along with a wealthy young master, but how could he let go of a big business that could make him money?

An adult coyote had its neck gripped by a thick hand. The fingernails, sharp as a tiger's claws, were embedded deep into the coyote's flesh. It whimpered twice and stopped struggling.

Victor felt a sense of satisfaction. He was no longer satisfied with hunting herbivores like deer, roe deer, or antelope. Compared to simply eating raw meat with blood, he was more fascinated by the wrestling and fighting with carnivorous beasts. Whether it was his own claws or the beast's claws tearing through flesh, it left him completely intoxicated.

The animals of Lage Forest, besides having to face James, that monster who destroyed the environment, also had to be careful of the pursuit of Victor, that beast. They were truly living through troubled times.

Victor walked toward the manor with a leisurely pace. In order to hunt fierce beasts and stay away from areas where humans might enter, he had to go deeper and deeper into Lage Forest. This area was rarely visited by humans, but the broken tree trunks and rubble told him that something very unusual had happened here.

The cracks and scratches on some of the large tree trunks could barely be attributed to an adult brown bear going crazy, but the spiderweb-like radiating cracks on several giant boulders and the fist print in the middle, where the outline could almost be identified, let Victor know that he was not the only one with special hobbies and abilities.

Forests and rain were the easiest things to wash away scents. Victor looked around for a long time, sniffing from time to time, but he didn't get a trace of human scent. He continued his return journey with some reluctance, but there was a hint of excitement in his eyes.

"Providing channels for machinery procurement and technical training is certainly no problem. If I heard you correctly, Mr. Howlett, you wouldn't object to me joining in, would you?" The owner of the machinery factory, Tom, who forged training equipment for James, said cautiously. He seemed to have completely different thoughts than Dudley Vernon.

"Yes, Boss Tom. I apologize, your full name is..."

"Tom Widdell, Mr. Howlett. I'm more used to being called Tom," Boss Tom said nonchalantly. He was not an industry giant like Herbert Vernon, and in this era, the business a large machinery factory could receive was very limited. Compared to a local tycoon like the Howlett family, he could only be considered a blacksmith shop owner.

"I must say, your proposal surprises me, Mr. Widdell. This is not an investment direction that most people are optimistic about. May I ask why you chose to join?" James asked with great interest.

"I've lived in Edmonton my whole life. I know what kind of person your grandfather is, and I've always heard that you have been very intelligent and knowledgeable since you were a child. Moreover, the blueprints and designs you gave me... although I still don't understand what they are for, I can tell they are not ordinary objects. If I can become your partner, then taking some risks is worth it!"

Mr. Tom Widdell said quite sincerely. James's smile grew even richer. He stood up, reached out, and shook hands with Boss Tom: "We will discuss the specific details later. You will mainly provide technical and channel support; it won't cost you your family fortune. In the future, your family and descendants will be grateful for this decision."

James exuded an indescribable confidence. Boss Tom reported some progress on the machinery casting and promised that everything would be completed before next autumn.

After sending Boss Tom away and returning to the study, James looked at the map of North America hanging on his wall and drew red circles around several cities in the United States. Even with his long lifespan, he still felt a sense of urgency. There were too many strong things to face in the future. Even that lone Wolverine, no matter how many times stronger he was, would be powerless alone. Wolves are only at their strongest when they are in a pack; a lone wolf is destined to be adrift and miserable.

This Christmas was much livelier due to the addition of Mr. Daniel. Mr. Howlett was now basically unable to move on his own, and his voice was getting quieter and quieter. James estimated that he could only make it through this Christmas and would not live to see the next one.

His mother, Elizabeth, had been taciturn for many years and had been mentally unstable, even asking to save seats for John and Tony during such holidays. Every family that looked prominent and prestigious had its own untold suffering.

After the grandfather and mother finished the Christmas dinner symbolically, they were sent back to their rooms by servants. O'Hara listened to Daniel tell stories of his travels and experiences, laughing and shouting from time to time, whether nervous or happy. James looked at the snow-covered Rocky Mountains outside the window, feeling dazed, thinking that if there were no such challenges and crises in this world, living quietly like this would also be a thing to rejoice in.