The thing that could change the Osborn family's fate was right in front of them.
Norman stared at the vial in Bant's hand. Desire flashed through his eyes, along with doubt. Could the illness that had plagued the Osborn bloodline for generations really be cured?
Or was it just another empty dream?
His breathing quickened. In a low voice, he said, "Then let's try it!"
Truthfully, Norman had no real confidence that the medicine in Bant's hand would work.
But he also knew he didn't have many years left, while Harry's life had only just begun.
Even if Bant's medicine failed, even if Norman died on the operating table, at least Bant would have a failed case to learn from. Next time, Bant could get closer to success.
At least… Harry would have a better chance of surviving.
"I'll go first!" Norman said.
Bant had been about to say they could do it together, but he understood Norman's concern. That was something a father could never ignore.
He led Norman into a sealed lab. Norman changed into a patient gown and lay down on the cold operating table. At that moment, he seemed to let go of everything and even joked:
"So no restraints? If I turn into some lizard monster, you'll be in danger, Xiao Ban."
"You won't turn into a monster, Uncle Norman," Bant said.
Bant injected anesthesia into Norman's body. As Norman's consciousness began to fade, he grabbed Bant's hand, like he wanted to entrust him with something. But all Bant heard was:
"Take care of… Harry…"
"I told you, it'll be fine." Bant shrugged, then twisted the Little Broken Watch. "Omnitrix, repair the genes of the human in front of me."
The core of the Little Broken Watch began to flicker.
"Gene repair and reconstruction program preparing. Would you like to select random species DNA?"
Bant immediately shook his head. "Select Earth human DNA."
If he used alien DNA to repair him, it would alter Norman's appearance as well. In that case, Earth human DNA was obviously the most suitable choice.
Once the command was given, the watch's glow enveloped Norman like a scanner.
"Gene repair successful."
"One down," Bant muttered.
He put the watch away, turned to Harry, and used the same method to cure him as well.
About half an hour later, Norman and Harry finally woke from anesthesia.
"I…" Norman started.
"The treatment was a success, Uncle Norman," Bant said with a smile.
Norman didn't react much at first. The anesthesia still hadn't fully worn off. After a while, he began to understand what had happened, but it wasn't until several hours later that Norman truly confirmed it.
He was completely healed.
This body that had long felt like it was sliding into decline now brimmed with energy again, like he'd returned to his youth.
At that moment, even if he were asked to research all night, Norman felt he could keep going without a problem.
Even Harry felt a little stronger than before.
That wasn't strange.
Bant had only instructed the watch to repair them using human DNA, but it was the healthiest human DNA possible.
"This is incredible!" Norman exclaimed.
When he looked at Bant again, only gratitude remained in his eyes.
"I truly don't know how to thank you, Xiao Ban!" Norman's eyes turned red.
Then, as if remembering something, Norman said, "Xiao Ban, about this serum, I want Primus to sell it under the name of cooperating with Oscorp."
"What?"
Harry and Connors both stared at him in disbelief.
What did Norman Osborn mean by that?
Biting the hand that fed him?
Connors felt unhappy.
"Dad! Xiao Ban just saved us!" Harry shouted, even he, usually timid, unable to hold back. He glared at Norman with contempt. "And you're thinking about taking his research成果?"
Bant wasn't angry. He understood Norman's thinking.
"Don't get mad, Harry. I think Uncle Norman wants to use Oscorp's name to help us open the market, and also help us fight off people with bad intentions."
"That's right. I don't intend to take any profit," Norman said.
Once the serum was released, it would be a massive blow to existing medical tech companies in this country and even across the world. Those companies, who had already divided up the cake, would never sit by and watch an unknown Primus crush their利益.
Norman's proposal was basically an umbrella for Primus.
With Oscorp standing in front, nobody would notice Primus's role. Oscorp would draw all the fire.
"But if we do that, Oscorp will…" Connors said worriedly.
It was hard to imagine whether Oscorp, already on shaky ground, could survive once it became the target of every arrow.
"Of course it can!" Norman said, fired up. "I've got enough energy now to grind them down." His eyes shone. "And this benefits Oscorp too. Your drug will succeed. And it can give Oscorp, which has lost the public's trust, a chance to breathe again."
Bant nodded.
It was a true win-win plan. He had no reason to refuse.
Revitalized, Norman took Harry and left with sharp decisiveness.
Bant could already imagine it. The people who had betrayed Norman would soon face his thunderous retaliation.
In fact, the very next day, Bant saw Norman at a press conference on the news.
Norman looked energetic, and he finally responded to the monster incident. That meant Norman had already taken back at least most of the shares.
That night, Norman had Harry bring Bant a share transfer document.
A transfer of 20%20% of Oscorp's shares.
Earlier, Norman had suggested Bant buy Oscorp stock. Now, he was directly gifting those shares into Bant's hands.
Including the portion Bant had purchased himself, Bant now held 25%25% of the shares, almost a quarter of Oscorp's ownership.
Bant didn't care much about the shares. Right now, he was selecting factories.
"Eunice, pull up the data and run evaluations. Also draft a sales plan…" Bant said.
This was how sales worked. Scientists only needed to invent, but the things they had to consider were far more complicated.
"A company can't run on just two people. Good thing Eunice can handle a lot of it now."
Meanwhile, Mendel Storm also noticed Norman Osborn showing his face in public again.
At the same time, he realized the person who had been steadily buying Oscorp stock these past two days was actually Norman himself.
"He planned it all from the start!" Mendel Storm was furious.
He couldn't shake the feeling he'd been played. After Norman returned, Oscorp's stock price rebounded slightly.
But then he thought again. So what if Norman took the company back?
"Norman, you're about to die. You still think you can turn the tide?" Storm shook his head with a cold sneer. "Let Oscorp be buried with you!"
Peter, however, knew nothing about any of this.
But over these past few days, he had gotten himself into trouble as well.
And his trouble was also in Manhattan.
In Hell's Kitchen.
/-\
~ PLEASE! don't forget to leave a REVIEW!
~ +20 Advanced Chapters Available on my Patreon!
https://p-atreon.com/Its_Zack
(Just remove the hyphen (-) to access Patreon normally.)
/-\
~# Keep the chapters coming - Support with Power Stones!
~# Every 50 Power Stones = Bonus Chapter