Norman was still hesitating, but Aaron already had everything planned. He closed his eyes and patiently waited for the answer.
Norman was a smart man, he knew how to choose.
Sure enough, after hesitating for a moment, Norman thought of Harry, who was coming home from school, and finally made up his mind.
"I... agree."
"A wise choice." Aaron praised with a faint smile.
He stood up and patted Norman's shoulder, speaking earnestly like a boss to an employee, "Norman, you are a smart man, and you have made the best choice."
"Believe me, a few years from now, you will definitely be proud of today's choice. No, maybe it won't take a year, perhaps a month, or maybe half a year?"
"As long as you work hard to develop the corporation for me and handle my affairs, super strength, long life, high status... all will be yours."
"Do well from now on. I have high hopes for you, young man."
"I will give you everything you dream of, and far beyond your imagination."
Norman felt dazed. Those were his words. Even that chair was his.
"Then, boss, what are your instructions next?" Norman asked, feeling slightly awkward after a period of discomfort.
Calling someone else 'Boss'...
In his entire life, this was Norman's first time.
Even the term 'Boss' felt strange and unfamiliar.
After hearing this, Aaron pondered briefly and said, "First, the corporation headquarters will be relocated to another country. We can also implement a dual headquarters model, but the New York location can only serve as an important branch. The headquarters here must be moved to another city."
Norman asked, "Boss, may I ask why?"
Aaron replied without hesitation, "Because of safety. It's too unsafe here. I don't want aliens to mess up my tool—ahem, my hard work, when they arrive one day."
Norman's eyebrow twitched. You just said it, didn't you? Tool! Osborn Industries is just your tool! That was his life's work!
His treasure was just a toy in another man's eyes. Damn it, just thinking about it made him want to explode.
Norman was still a bit confused, but he generally understood.
The U.S. is unsafe. Or rather, New York is the most unsafe.
"Understood. I will go and organize a suitable plan." Norman nodded.
"Second, immediately organize a group of biology experts to fully analyze the potion I gave you and mass-produce it as quickly as possible. At the same time, during this process, I will send you an email containing some items I need. You must mobilize the corporation's full strength and connections to collect them all for me as soon as possible."
With Osborn Industries, even certain illegal items could smoothly pass security checks under the guise of scientific research. Even if someone discovered them, they would just turn a blind eye.
Norman's heart skipped a beat. "I will arrange it immediately and have them acquire the items you need as quickly as possible."
Aaron nodded in satisfaction. Talking to smart people was easy. With just one sentence, Norman understood the priority of the tasks.
Scientific research was secondary. Fulfilling Aaron's personal needs was the most important thing.
Because Aaron was the boss.
"Third, there can only be one voice in the company. I don't care what method you use, you must deal with everyone else."
Although Aaron didn't care about money, that didn't mean he was willing to let other rats share the cake.
Although Norman had the final say in Osborn Industries, he was actually only the major shareholder, and the smaller shareholders combined could still rival him. They could even attempt a coup at times.
Norman was a smart man, but he was also a scientific lunatic who had no interest in fighting for power with those shareholders focused on such matters. So much so that during the corporation's worst period, he was almost kicked out by the combined small shareholders.
This forced him to inject the Green Goblin serum and send them to meet God with a bomb.
Norman realized. He hesitated for a moment and made a throat-slitting gesture. "Like this?"
Aaron rolled his eyes. "You are the major shareholder. I don't want this matter to have any future complications."
Just tonight, and tomorrow you will be the major shareholder.
Norman felt unpleasant inside. Fine, he was a hired laborer now. When the boss spoke, he had to do the job.
Aaron beckoned, and Norman approached him with a puzzled look.
Placing his hand on Norman's body, he silently thought, 'Melt away Norman Osborn's family hereditary illness.'
In an instant, Norman felt something being drawn from his body.
His soul? Or was it his vitality?
He wasn't sure if it was an illusion, but his body seemed to feel much lighter.
The fatigue from many sleepless nights of research also lessened, and he felt more energetic.
It was as if his body had a second life?
"You may leave. From now on, you no longer need to worry about the family hereditary illness taking your life at any moment." Aaron waved his hand.
"Ah? I'm cured?" Norman's eyes widened.
It was that simple?
He just placed his hand on him, and he was cured. What kind of method was this?!
"What did you think? Did you expect me to cut you open? It's just a small problem, so easy."
"..."
Norman walked out of the laboratory in a daze, encountering other security guards and people working overtime along the way, hearing 'boss' repeated again and again. He sighed helplessly.
He didn't know if he was sighing because it was his last day as the master here, or because his half-lifetime of futile effort was not as effective as Aaron's single touch.
Or perhaps both?
Coming outside, Norman looked up at the sky. It was clearly the sun setting, yet in his eyes, it was full of vitality, like the sun rising.
He silently repeated Aaron's name in his mind.
He knew that his life had undergone a major change today.
The future would either be an abyss or Heaven, depending on that mysterious man, Aaron.
After Norman left, Aaron also departed Osborn Industries.
He wasn't afraid that Norman would go back on his word and flee to another place. As long as he wanted to find him, even if Norman ran to the ends of the Earth or hid in the depths of the ocean, there would be no escape.
The next day.
The sun was high in the sky.
Aaron was woken up by a violent doorbell.
Without even opening the door, he knew the pheromones definitely belonged to Kate, accompanied by a faint fragrance.
Everyone's pheromones were different, but Aaron could accurately analyze the differences. He could even control these pheromones to some extent.
He wondered if Mystique or the Skrulls could copy these pheromones when they transformed. Hmm, he could try it sometime.
Mixed with the faint fragrance was the smell of the ocean.
Oh, and Eleanor?
Then he heard Eleanor's scolding, seemingly telling someone not to disturb Aaron's rest.
The doorbell stopped.
Aaron got up, washed, and then opened the door.
"Hello, Mr. Aaron, I'm so sorry to disturb you. Kate really wanted to see you, she dragged me over to see you early this morning." Eleanor said with a hint of apology.
Kate, beside her, rolled her eyes frantically.
Aaron looked up at the sky. Indeed, it was quite early, the sun was directly overhead.