Osborn on the Edge of a Cliff

"Huh?"

When Harry heard Peter say he wanted to go into business, a huge question mark appeared on his forehead.

"What kind of business do you want to start? Handmade burgers or an ice cream cart?"

Harry was not deliberately trying to be sarcastic.

It was simply that, in his understanding, given Peter's family circumstances, those were the only kinds of small businesses Peter could possibly start.

Of course, even if Peter wanted to pull him into that kind of "public-facing" work, Harry, the young master of a wealthy family, would still choose to join without even frowning.

After all, they had been friends since childhood. Their bond was rock-solid!

"This isn't a good place to talk. Let's find somewhere quiet."

Peter got into the convertible sports car with Harry. Before long, the two arrived at a secluded café.

After sitting down, Peter did not beat around the bush. He directly took out the "smartphone" design sketches he had drawn in class that day.

"Harry, what do you think phones of the future should look like?"

"Phones of the future?"

Harry froze for a moment, then glanced at his latest-model BlackBerry phone.

Its screen was large, but it still was not touch-enabled. He had to use the tiny buttons below it to type messages.

"Bigger, with more functions? Better signal? Or... more games?"

"Or maybe press a button and a holographic projection pops out?"

"No."

Peter shook his head and pushed several extremely common future smartphone designs in front of Harry.

There were models like the iPhone 6, with only a Home button remaining.

There were also true full-screen models, as well as all kinds of foldable-screen designs.

"Although I also look forward to touchable holographic projection technology, that idea is still too far ahead of its time at this stage.

Compared to something so completely conceptual, I want to produce phones that are more feasible..."

As Peter began explaining his "smartphone" in incredible detail, Harry's eyes widened.

Looking at those simple concept sketches in his hands, his breathing gradually became rapid.

Although he was not a professional researcher or technician, as the heir to Osborn Group, he possessed business instincts far beyond those of his peers.

So, as Peter continued his description, Harry quickly realized that this so-called smartphone truly had enormous potential!

If this thing could really be made, then all current phone manufacturers would have only two paths left in the future.

Either follow behind them and pick up scraps, or be completely swept into the garbage heap of history!

"Peter... th-these were all... your ideas?" Harry's voice trembled.

"Of course."

Peter nodded calmly, then dropped another bombshell.

"Also, a friend and I have solved the core energy issue.

Once we use the new battery we developed, the battery life of the phones we produce will be more than three times that of our competitors.

You know what that means, right?"

As Peter laid out his entire plan, Harry could no longer sit still.

He was only an eighteen-year-old senior in high school. He simply could not remain as calm and composed as Peter.

"Peter! Your idea is incredible! And it's highly feasible! Almost every difficulty involved can be achieved with current technology.

And with the custom battery you and your friend developed as our core competitive advantage... as long as we have sufficient funding, we'll achieve tremendous success in no time!"

At that moment, Harry was acting as though he had gone slightly mad.

It could not be helped. Old Norman's oppressive style of education had left Harry with an extremely severe psychological shadow.

The current Harry could be said to dream of earning his father's approval, of making his father see him in a new light.

Before this, he had no real ability. Whenever he faced his father's suppression and ridicule, he could only sulk by himself.

But now, with the new kind of phone Peter had proposed, he felt that he could finally hold his head high.

Harry could not help grabbing Peter by the shoulders, his eyes burning as he said,

"This project can really succeed! As long as you bring the new battery, I can definitely persuade my father. At the very least, I can secure an opportunity for him to meet with you alone.

I believe that once you put these concepts in front of my father, even he will be amazed!"

At that moment, Harry seemed to have already seen his father patting him on the shoulder with a pleased expression and sighing, "I knew you could do it!"

So he thumped his chest carelessly and readily promised that it would definitely work out.

What Harry did not know at that moment was this.

The father he considered capable of anything, Norman Osborn, was currently enduring unprecedented pressure.

Osborn Group, top-floor office.

Norman Osborn tightly gripped the armrests of his chair, the veins on the backs of his hands bulging.

At that moment, he held a medical examination report in his hand.

The report showed that the genetic collapse within his body was accelerating.

His private physician had even declared that if an effective treatment could not be found, he might have less than a month left to live!

The shadow of death was steadily closing in on him.

And what frightened him even more than death was that the work of his lifetime—Osborn Group—was now standing at the edge of a cliff!

"Norman, the military has issued an ultimatum."

A board member sitting across from him spoke in a grave tone.

"They have no interest whatsoever in the military aircraft project. They even directly said that Stark and Hammer Industries were enough for weapons projects.

The only thing they want from us is the human physical enhancement serum project.

If we cannot produce results that satisfy them during this week's demonstration, they will withdraw all funding. That is an outcome we cannot accept."

This news was like a heavy hammer striking Norman's already fragile nerves.

Over the past few years, as his health had worsened, he had lacked the energy to pay attention to the company's many projects.

This had indirectly led to the group investing in several enormously expensive projects under the idiotic decisions of several shareholders, projects that offered almost no return on investment.

These burdens had caused Osborn's financial pressure to grow increasingly severe, bringing it nearly to the brink of collapse.

If word got out at this time that Osborn had also lost military funding, its stock price would certainly plummet as well.

Those shareholders who had long been dissatisfied with him would, like sharks smelling blood, tear him and the empire he had built to pieces without hesitation!

"I understand."

Norman waved a hand wearily. Only after he had dismissed the board member did his final breath of resolve drain away, leaving him slumped limply in his chair.

After wallowing for about half a minute, Norman rubbed his face and forcibly pulled himself together again.

Harry still did not possess the ability to stand on his own.

For his son's sake, he had to live. He had to clear away every obstacle preventing his son from taking over Osborn Group!

For that, he could pay any price!