Funeral and New Medicine

The drizzling rain fell like countless silver threads from the overcast sky. Cars lined the road outside the cemetery, each person somber, faces etched with deep grief.

This was the renowned Trinity Church, located at the intersection of Broadway and Wall Street in Manhattan. Mr. Norman Osborn, a man of great prominence in life, was having his funeral here.

The successful entrepreneur who had single-handedly built a vast commercial empire now lay quietly in a cold coffin. A solemn priest stood before the tombstone, addressing the silent crowd, recounting Norman Osborn's glorious past and remarkable achievements. Harry Osborn, the new heir to Osborn Industries, wore a look of profound sorrow. Despite his often distant relationship with his father, the true departure of the only family he had left in the world left him feeling overwhelmingly sad.

"Harry... you need to pull yourself together. Uncle Norman wouldn't want to see you like this..." Mary Jane, with her fiery red hair, gently comforted her boyfriend. Peter, watching from not too far away, couldn't help but lower his head and sigh.

The young, inexperienced Spider-Man had no idea what had happened that night. He had been knocked unconscious by the Green Goblin. When he woke up, he found a charred corpse. Peter had never imagined that the person behind the Green Goblin mask would be Harry's father, the respectable Uncle Norman.

Ultimately, Peter decided to keep this cruel truth hidden. Harry was already bearing the pain of losing a loved one. If he were to learn that his father, so respected by outsiders, was actually the cruel and bloodthirsty Green Goblin, the consequences were unimaginable.

As for him and Mary Jane...

Peter glanced at the red-haired figure accompanying Harry, then walked dejectedly into the rain. His numerous battles with the Green Goblin had matured the young Spider-Man significantly. He understood that as long as he wore the Spider-Man suit, he could never truly be with Mary Jane. Moreover, the person who needed her most right now wasn't him.

"Peter, where are you going?" Sean, holding a black umbrella, called out to Peter, who was turning to leave.

Seeing Sean arrive with Gwen, Peter managed a weak smile. "I have something to do, I need to leave for a bit."

Watching Peter's lonely figure hurry away, Gwen looked up at Sean and asked, "Peter, and Mary Jane and Harry, what's going on with them?"

Sean, holding his black umbrella, shrugged helplessly, indicating he didn't know either. Watching Spider-Man and his best friend caught in a complicated love triangle felt rather strange, like watching a real-life soap opera.

Gwen didn't press further. She walked closer to Sean into the cemetery. Today, she wore a demure black dress and a touch of light makeup. Her long blonde hair was pinned up in a bun, completely unlike her usual youthful and lively appearance, instead exuding a hint of mature elegance.

By the time the post-funeral mass and communion reception concluded, it was nearing evening. Harry, having seen off all the guests, walked into the living room, a hint of apology on his young, handsome face.

"Sorry, Sean, I didn't expect to be this busy. You've been waiting for me all afternoon."

Harry apologized to his friend as soon as he spoke. He had been swamped all day, dealing with the company's shareholders and sorting through his father's connections. A series of trivial matters piled up, leaving the young Osborn heir no time to even drink water.

"I'm sorry about your father..." Sean leaned back on the sofa, taking a small sip of his rich black coffee. "You don't need to apologize to me, Harry. You have many things to handle, both for the company and for yourself... I can understand how that feels, having a reliable family member suddenly gone, and having to face the whole world alone. It's not easy..."

Harry's eyes reddened slightly. He knew all too well about Sean's difficult past. His parents had passed away when he was young, and then his only uncle had also left this world. He had lived a solitary life.

"Thank you for your comfort. I'm grateful you can say these things to me at a time like this... It makes me feel a bit better, at least not as sad as before." Harry, gradually shedding his former flippant nature, patted his friend's shoulder. He was trying hard to learn to be a capable company leader, no longer merely indulging in pleasure as he had before.

"Taking the first step is always the hardest. I've heard about the recent situation at Osborn Industries. Those shareholders aren't optimistic about you and are looking to jump ship from the Osborn Industries vessel, taking a hefty payout with them... They're just a bunch of vampires, only concerned with making more profit and don't care about anyone else's life or death."

Sean put down his cup, his gaze fixed on Harry, his deep eyes seeming to burn with a fire. This was his first official step – to use Osborn Industries as a vast stage to achieve his goals!

"I never knew you knew so much about Osborn Industries..." Harry seemed startled by his friend's sudden change.

He suddenly felt that Sean, sitting opposite him, was somewhat unfamiliar. Sean sat up straight, still wearing a faint smile, but he possessed a powerful aura akin to his father's, making Harry doubt his own eyes for a moment.

"The news is all over the papers every day. Everyone is predicting the downfall of Osborn Industries, believing this massive commercial empire will collapse with your father's departure."

Sean tried to slowly stir Harry's emotions. He understood the young Osborn heir well. Unlike his cunning and resourceful father, Harry was simply a kind-hearted rich kid, possessing the strengths and weaknesses of youth. He was warm to friends, liked chasing pretty girls, enjoyed a comfortable life, and lacked the drive to strive for more.

Compared to Norman, who had built Osborn Industries from the ground up, Harry was undoubtedly a more suitable partner.

"I'll convince those shareholders. Osborn Industries won't go bankrupt! I will definitely make it through this crisis successfully!" The youthful passion surged, and Harry spoke grandly, though he had no confidence within.

He understood how critical Osborn Industries' current situation was. They hadn't secured the Department of Defense's procurement qualification, and the substantial upfront investment had gone down the drain. Furthermore, the fallout and impact of the Green Goblin incident had caused the company's reputation to plummet. The broken cash flow, coupled with internal divisions, had pushed Osborn Industries to the brink of collapse, ready to shatter at any moment!

Meeting Sean's profound eyes, which seemed to see through everything, Harry felt increasingly uneasy. He was just a young man who had hastily taken over the family business, without any systematic training or business education. Suddenly having to manage a vast commercial empire involved in multiple sectors like military industry, healthcare, and energy, he was bound to feel lost. Moreover, there was no one trustworthy within the company.

"To overcome this difficulty, the most important thing is to compensate for Osborn Industries' huge losses in the military sector and let those shareholders see hope and prospects again. In short, you need a powerful new product that can generate substantial profits as soon as it's released!"

Sean held the chips he had prepared. Harry might doubt his intentions at first, but if he wanted to save Osborn Industries, he had no choice but to cooperate with him.

Besides, he wasn't deceiving this poor child who had just lost his father. He needed a stage to showcase his talents, and Harry needed to stabilize Osborn Industries' crisis. Both sides would benefit from the cooperation.

It was a win-win situation, so why not!

"What exactly do you want to say?" Harry looked at Sean, who had always maintained control of the situation. Could his friend possibly help Osborn Industries overcome this crisis?

"Harry, Dr. Connors and I recently had a new research breakthrough for treating Alzheimer's disease. We conducted preliminary in-vivo experiments, and the results proved to be very effective." Sean sat on the sofa, throwing out the bait he had prepared. "If you're interested, you can visit the laboratory. I injected a chimpanzee named 'Caesar' with ALZ-112 – it completed the Tower of Hanoi very quickly, in just twenty steps. The optimal solution is fifteen steps."

"Harry, it's time for Osborn Industries to give up on the military industry. You're not Tony Stark; you can't get Department of Defense officials to willingly send you endless orders. The profits in the medical industry are much more substantial, with immense potential and prospects. As long as the new drug passes the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) review – I believe Osborn Industries can certainly expedite this process, and then vast sums of money will flow into our pockets."

Hearing Sean's description of the prospects, Harry was undoubtedly tempted. In fact, besides trusting his friend, he had no other choice. Osborn Industries was in a precarious state, and if he couldn't come up with a solution, his father's life's work might be lost.

This was something Harry absolutely could not tolerate. He had to save Osborn Industries!

"I need the research data and results..." Harry exhaled heavily, slumping onto the sofa as if all his strength had drained away.

"You'll see them tomorrow!" Sean stood up, gazing at the conflicted Harry with a smile. "You won't regret this decision, Harry. The future belongs to you and me!"