Chimpanzee Caesar

A silver Chrysler drove into the State University of New York. Sean and Harry were both students at Stony Brook, a campus located on Long Island in the suburbs. It was a renowned public research university in America, enjoying a high academic reputation worldwide and earning the moniker "Public Ivy."

The car entered the campus and proceeded along a lush, tree-lined path, eventually stopping in front of a cluster of rather old-fashioned white buildings. This had originally been a laboratory established within the university, a place that had produced many famous figures in science, even several Nobel Prize winners. Later, Norman Osborn had purchased it with his funds and handed it over to Dr. Connors as a research facility.

It had recently changed hands again, bought out by a businessman from Hell's Kitchen, and now it belonged to Curt Connors.

Harry, stepping out of the car, was naturally unaware of the full story. He took a deep breath, feeling a knot of anxiety in his stomach. After a conversation with Sean a few days prior, he had carefully reviewed the research data that had been sent over and then submitted it to Osborn Industries' research department for evaluation. The results indicated that the profitability prospects for this new drug were extremely considerable.

Therefore, still harboring a degree of skepticism, Harry decided to visit in person. If the final outcome satisfied him, then rescuing Osborn Industries from its crisis would no longer be a hopeless endeavor.

"Harry, you're here earlier than I expected," Sean and Dr. Connors stood on the steps, appearing quite pleased by their guest's arrival. "Shall we take a stroll first, or go see Caesar directly?"

"Let's walk around for a bit. I've never been here before," Harry smiled, not wanting to appear too eager.

Sean nodded and said to Dr. Connors, "I'll show Harry around first. Doctor, you go bring Caesar out. Be careful, that little guy's been quite temperamental lately."

The naturally reserved, one-armed middle-aged man nodded in agreement. He wasn't particularly skilled at socializing or small talk. Moreover, Osborn Industries had unceremoniously abandoned Connors when he needed help the most, so he didn't harbor much goodwill towards the struggling corporate giant.

In any case, he could leave everything to Sean. This student always managed to impress, and this new drug for brain degeneration was also something the student had researched; he had only participated in some improvements.

Connors thought this as he turned to leave. He was a pure scientist and had always been grateful to Sean for rescuing him from his personal predicament.

"The laboratory's core project currently remains Dr. Connors' research into cross-species genetics. Limb regeneration also holds vast prospects in the medical industry. I imagine we'll have many opportunities for collaboration with Osborn Industries."

Sean walked ahead, speaking eloquently, while Harry followed behind, quietly observing the somewhat dated laboratory. Osborn Industries had its own research department, investing significant funds annually into research projects across various fields. For example, the previous glider and human enhancement programs were projects undertaken to appease the Department of Defense.

Technological research and development was an industry that demanded substantial investment, and returns were not always guaranteed. As the new president of Osborn Industries, Harry knew well that many research projects, which appeared to have great potential at first glance, were in reality merely unattainable fantasies. Even with substantial investment, no returns could be expected.

If Sean is truly a scientific genius...

Harry looked at the young boy explaining the research rooms. The boy was around his age, yet he exuded a steady aura in his every move, inspiring an involuntary sense of trust.

Perhaps his friend was truly a genius like Tony Stark or Reed Richards. Otherwise, why would Dr. Connors be so obedient to him?

"Hey, Harry, what are you doing here?"

Gwen asked in surprise, carrying a stack of documents. She had also heard about Osborn Industries' recent situation. This classmate, who had taken over his father's business, had taken a leave of absence. How could he be at Dr. Connors' research lab?

"Sean has a great product, and I came to take a look. It might just bring the company back from the brink," Harry winked at Sean beside him. The experienced young Osborn could clearly see that Gwen had a favorable impression of his friend.

Sean chuckled wryly. After a brief exchange with Gwen, he led Harry to the center of the research lab. Dr. Connors had already completed the preparatory work and was awaiting their arrival.

"This is Caesar, a chimpanzee from the South African rainforest," Sean explained, pointing to a young chimpanzee sitting in a room behind a transparent glass window. "Chimpanzee DNA is very close to human DNA. The difference between chimpanzee DNA and human DNA is less than 1%. That's why I chose a chimpanzee as the subject for live experimentation."

"What's he doing?" Harry stood by the glass window, looking somewhat puzzled.

The young chimpanzee, named Caesar, sat on a chair like a well-behaved student. On the table was a rack and several metal discs of varying sizes. A researcher walked in carrying a plate of fruit.

"It's the Tower of Hanoi. He has to move those discs from one peg to another, and the larger disc cannot be placed on top of a smaller one. The perfect solution is fifteen moves. Caesar can do twenty moves, and he's improved to sixteen moves these past few days."

Harry could hardly believe it. He watched as the chimpanzee skillfully moved the metal discs, quickly completing the game. Then, the researcher handed him the plate of fruit.

"This... is incredible!"

Sean was not surprised by Harry's reaction. Dr. Connors had looked equally shocked when he first saw it. "Initially, Caesar couldn't complete this game. No matter how much we trained him, he couldn't develop the thinking and memory. Later, I injected him with a drug called ALZ-112. It's a gene therapy drug that allows the brain to create cells for self-repair. In biology, this is called neurogenesis."

"Of course, you could also think of it more simply as a miracle drug for treating Alzheimer's disease – senile dementia!"

Harry looked at the chimpanzee in the room, who was learning simple drawings and words. He couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement. This was an unprecedented new drug, one that could bring substantial returns to Osborn Industries!

"Are there any side effects?" Harry, in his excitement, suddenly asked, as if remembering something.

He certainly hadn't forgotten that the human enhancement program had dragged Osborn Industries into the abyss. It was abandoned by the Department of Defense precisely because the side effects of the injected serum couldn't be resolved.

"There's a slight one," Sean said with a slight smile, looking at the anxious Harry. "So far, only one side effect has appeared with the 112 serum. For some reason, green spots have appeared on the chimpanzee's irises. However, this should not manifest in humans."

"So, how about it, Harry? Shall we cooperate?" Sean gazed calmly at him. The moment of decision had arrived. "This drug isn't limited to Alzheimer's disease; it's also effective for various neurological conditions. Its potential is limitless, and it can bring us immense profits!"

Harry remained silent for a moment, his gaze fixed on the chimpanzee in the room, who seemed no different from a human. He made his decision. With Osborn Industries' resources and network, ALZ-112 could enter the production phase and reach the market as quickly as possible.

"We still need to conduct human trials, Sean. If the results continue to satisfy everyone, Osborn Industries will become your partner!"

Sean raised an eyebrow and patted Harry on the shoulder, laughing. "Of course. Remember what I told you?"

"The future belongs to you and me!" The young boy's eyes sparkled with intense confidence.