"You stole my technology! And you used my technology to snatch my project away!"
Adrian felt a turmoil in his chest. The fury of that day resurfaced, and he saw Norman Osborn's hideous face again, only this time it was constantly deforming and twisting.
"You thief! You shameless robber!"
Norman's face transformed into some kind of monster, a terrifying, green creature that roared and grinned as it lunged at him.
"Ah!"
Adrian jolted awake from the nightmare and turned on the bedside lamp. He looked at the empty bed where his wife used to be and wiped his face. He had a new, well-paying job and no longer needed to care about that damned Osborn.
Why was he still having these dreams?
Adrian looked at the clock. It was just past 4 AM, still very early. He frowned, wondering what to do, but then, he shook his head. For some reason, Adrian felt a mix of vexation and endless energy. After a moment's thought, he decided to get out of bed and continue designing and improving his wings. The overall structure was mostly finished; he just needed to make some minor adjustments.
Adrian had never felt his thoughts flow so smoothly. He quickly finished redesigning the wings. He then checked the time and, after making breakfast for his daughter, loaded the unfinished wings into the back of his old Jeep, covered them with a tarp, and drove to the new lab A.I.M. had equipped for him. He should have waited for the researchers to arrive before starting work.
But he was full of energy and couldn't wait. He began to modify and charge the wings himself. When the A.I.M. researchers arrived at the lab and saw the scene, they were all stunned: the half-finished bionic wings mentioned in the report were now complete and strapped to Adrian's back. The old man smiled happily at the dumbfounded young people and asked, "What's wrong? Don't you think it's beautiful?"
"Yes, Mr. Toomes… but... it wasn't supposed to be finished yet."
"It's true that it wasn't finished before today, but now, it is."
Adrian smiled and activated his wings. With the low hum of the anti-gravity engine, his feet successfully lifted off the ground. The surrounding researchers involuntarily gasped in awe. They saw no energy being released by a propulsion system. This wasn't an anti-gravity device created by the thrust of an engine, but a genuine device that made a person float using a pure gravity generator.
In reality, the wings themselves weren't moving at all; the wing design was simply Adrian's personal preference.
"Haha, it's a success! I did it!"
Just as he finished speaking, the wings emitted a series of black smoke and then fell off completely. The researchers rushed to check on Adrian. Fortunately, he was unharmed, just slightly pinned down.
But the researchers were all incredibly excited. This meant that the anti-gravity engine was feasible and a success. A.I.M. had a keen eye, found an excellent scientist, and achieved a scientific breakthrough.
The researchers cheered, and Adrian laughed. They worked all morning, and Adrian had never felt so good or so happy. He continued to work and laugh with his colleagues until noon. They all ordered pizza and beer for lunch. After the meal, Adrian was picking his teeth with a toothpick when his phone rang. He looked at the caller ID and saw that it was Norman Osborn.
So, with everyone watching, he answered the call.
"Mr. Toomes, I never thought you would be so… despicable, stooping to use a child to get back at me…"
"Fuck you, Norman," Adrian swore. He had never felt so good. "Our business is our business. What does it have to do with the kids? The kid didn't even tell me he was your son, and I don't care if he is. He's a good kid, much better than you, you asshole."
Norman Osborn on the other end of the line was completely unprepared for that response and was at a loss for words. But Adrian wasn't done yet.
"Use a kid to get back at you? Do you think everyone is like you? You think everything can be used for your own gain, everything is an attack on your business. You think your son's dating life is some kind of plot against you. Not everyone is like you, thinking of their children as pawns to be used for profit, you scumbag!"
"Besides, why would I need to get back at you? I've found a new backer who isn't afraid of yours! I can continue my research on my anti-gravity engine, and I can provide technological support to superheroes. That'll make your kid so jealous."
"Go make your pathetic money!"
After insulting Norman Osborn, Adrian felt a sense of euphoria he had never experienced. He had never felt so comfortable, being able to curse out Norman Osborn so thoroughly. It was incredibly satisfying.
Norman Osborn on the other end was left completely confused. Was Adrian Toomes really this kind of person? He hadn't seen it before, but it didn't matter. If he was, then he didn't have to worry about Harry being deceived. After all, the man had zero emotional intelligence and couldn't possibly pose any threat or scheme against Harry. On the contrary, he had to worry that Harry might learn bad habits from this guy.
As for the researchers in the lab, they had heard the conversation, but since this was their first time meeting Adrian, they didn't know what his personality was like before. They just assumed this was how their new leader was.
"That Norman Osborn is a disgusting capitalist! I admit, his products are cheaper than mine, and I couldn't compete with him. He stole my technology, and there was nothing I could do. But so what!"
Adrian laughed happily, grabbed a can of beer, opened it, and cheered with his new colleagues. "Let him go make his stupid money! Everyone, we are creating the future right here!"
"Creating the future! Woohoo!"
Inspired by Adrian's enthusiasm, the researchers all grabbed beers and celebrated with him. Norman Osborn was nothing! They had created a real anti-gravity engine!
I handpick only the finest and most captivating novels for you. Don't forget to check out my other novels!
p@treon HongMengZi