Mechanical Prosthetic

"Hey? Tony? Mm, Dr. Yinsen is doing well. I've already finished the necklace. You're in Malibu?

Mm, come pick it up whenever you have time. Shipping? Please, FedEx is less efficient than me flying it over myself.

What? Screw you! If you want it, come get it yourself! Also, Dr. Yinsen has joined my company. Bring a good bottle of wine when you come!

That's it, I'm hanging up!"

"Beep!"

The call ended. Dr. Yinsen, seated across from Oaks, gave him a thumbs-up with an admiring look on his face:

"Your friendship is truly enviable."

"Tch, that guy actually had the nerve to ask me to deliver it to him. Dream on!"

Oaks toyed with a necklace in his hand.

It was a tiny acorn the size of a fingernail, threaded onto a thin cord braided from plant fibers.

He had tested the cord. It could withstand a ton of pulling force without a problem.

As for the little acorn, in Oaks's hands, with his healing spell greatly enhanced, the effect of one was equivalent to twenty of the old ones.

But because of that, the small acorn constantly gave off a hazy emerald glow, no longer as inconspicuous as the earlier bracelet.

"Dr. Yinsen, is the bracelet still working well?"

That was right. Dr. Yinsen was still wearing the same bracelet Tony currently had. Making the necklace had been too difficult; Oaks had spent over a month on it and wasted an entire basket of acorns before producing just one.

Bracelets, on the other hand, were much easier to make, and their effects were not all that much worse.

"It's simply incredible!"

As the only official researcher currently employed by Oak Environmental Technology Company, Dr. Yinsen had deeply experienced the benefits brought by the Acorn Bracelet.

A clear mind and relief from fatigue were incredibly important for researchers.

Even without working overtime, it ensured that he remained in peak condition throughout working hours.

"With this, my work efficiency can improve by half. So what is my first assignment?"

Dr. Yinsen was full of confidence in this technology company that had only been established yesterday.

"Mm... what are your thoughts on Mechanical Prosthetics?"

Oaks's words made Yinsen pause, his expression turning somewhat strange.

"Mm... they're not bad, I suppose. You mean Vice President Blaze?"

He recalled that the Benevolence Society's vice president, that burly Latino man, seemed to have lost his lower left leg.

"That's right. Blaze is an indispensable spiritual benchmark for the Benevolence Society, and its true founder in every sense.

But he has trouble moving around now. Although it doesn't affect his attendance at important events, I've always wanted to help him stand without crutches."

"I think I can do it."

Thinking of Tony trying on the Mark I Armor in the cave, Dr. Yinsen rubbed the stubble on his chin and slowly nodded.

"No, I have to do it."

This was not merely the first step in joining a new company. More importantly, over the past month, he had learned the story of the Benevolence Society's early days.

He held genuine respect for Blaze, its true founder.

And indeed, it should not have been merely a weapon.

"I understand. Wait for my good news."

Dr. Yinsen smiled confidently. It was only a prosthetic limb.

Though he had probably guessed what Tony was working on, and it was certainly far better than anything he could make, now that he had been given another chance at life, he had to do something.

"Then I'll leave it to you, Dr. Yinsen. Come to me whenever you need help, but please don't satisfy Ms. Melinda's curiosity too much."

Oaks gave that particular reminder because while Oak Environmental Technology Company was registered at his house, its office was still located at Benevolence Society headquarters.

Melinda had learned from Coulson that Dr. Yinsen's identity was unusual. Though she had not shown any intention of investigating, who knew when that senior agent might gather a pile of information.

The Emerald Dream plant shop was still open, and Oaks's home was now Oak Environmental Technology Company's registered address, so he still needed to keep watch over that side.

Meanwhile, Zhang's work had completely shifted to the Benevolence Society. He was making arrangements for his laboratory classmates to come as interns.

What Oaks meant was that Melinda could look all she wanted, but Yinsen could not foolishly reveal everything.

"Don't worry. I understand."

Yinsen gave Oaks a reassuring smile, then returned to his office to begin working.

After arranging the Benevolence Society's other affairs, Oaks prepared to take the "Dog King" Moco and "Cat King" Coco home to open the shop.

The two little ones had been trained quite well by Goose, and Oaks certainly had not treated them poorly—

Ever since returning from the Amazon Rainforest, Oaks had continuously infused them with Nature Force.

At first, they could only endure the tiniest amount, but now they were much better.

Though they were not even a year old, they already had the size of two- or three-year-old cats and dogs—Ragdoll cats and Corgis were not small breeds.

Oaks had a tiny little wish—

Could he raise these two little creatures into beings equivalent to nature spirits?

He had no idea how long it would take to achieve that, but at least their intelligence had already far surpassed what cats and dogs should possess.

That alone was enough.

"Woof!"

Moco suddenly grew excited, wriggling his fat butt. His bark made Oaks stop in his tracks.

"Meow?"

Coco swished her beautiful large tail, twitched her ears, and fixed her sapphire-like eyes on the area behind the Treehouse.

"Looks like guests have arrived... Don't overestimate yourselves. You're still far from ready. Go play with Goose first. I'll come find you later."

"Whine~"

Moco stuck out his tongue with a dejected look, wanting to make one more appeal, only for Coco to smack him on the forehead with a paw. He obediently followed her away.

"..."

Oaks's mouth twitched. It seemed Moco was completely outmatched before Princess Coco.

As for Goose...

She was probably at the level of a queen.

A glimmer flashed, and then a plump orange tabby with a huge face nimbly leaped onto the Treehouse roof and advanced toward its target.

"You got here pretty fast."

"I've successfully infiltrated the place. The air here is unbelievably good."

In the shadows at the corner of the Treehouse, a figure who thought he was well hidden was speaking quietly into a communicator.

"Damn it, I almost don't want to leave."

"Then after you finish the job, you can apply to join a charity organization. But keep your eyes on the target for me right now. If you screw up this deal, I'll skin you alive!"

A reprimanding voice from the outside commander came through the communicator.

"Confirm the target's location as soon as possible!"

"Relax. This isn't my first time doing this."

The figure moved cautiously, but he soon realized that it seemed rather unnecessary.

From what he could see, there were no guards here at all.

He had not even found a single camera.

Was the security here really this lax?

"For something this easy, they needed an elite mercenary like me? What a needless fuss."

He reached a window, preparing to slip inside quietly. But just as he reached for it, he discovered...

His arm could no longer move!

"What is this?!"