C 109

"General Ross, don't worry. If Osborne Company falls into my hands, I assure you that Osborne will fully support your efforts to develop gamma rays and help put your soldiers on the strongest evolutionary path."

In the Hammer Industrial Building, with Justin Hammer at the helm, he sat in his spacious office, gazing out at the stars outside the window, speaking to the person on the other end of the phone in a persuasive tone. 

He smiled and added, "At the same time, Hammer Industries can provide you with better equipment to help you capture that green monster."

"Justin, stop your advocacy," came the calm, indifferent voice of Thaddeus Ross on the other side of the phone. "If you can get Osborne Company from Osborne, no one will object. The military will remain silent. After all, no one wants a young man, barely a teenager, in charge of such a huge company."

"I can rest assured about that," Hammer replied, his smile growing more confident.

"But remember what you said," Ross finished, before hanging up.

Hammer looked at the stars and the neon lights of the distant city, his smile fading as he took out his phone and sent a signal.

Anton emerged from the sewer, contemplating Norman's request.

Since the end of the Green Goblin incident—just a short time after Norman's disappearance—the infighting within Osborne had reached a critical point.

In other words, it was a state of utter incompatibility, poised to explode at any moment. Even if Anton hadn't paid much attention, the latest news made it clear that Harry Osborn's situation was dire.

Harry was being pursued by many shareholders, yet he still managed to hold on to the initiative.

Osborne was such a massive company, but Harry couldn't keep it to himself. So many people hated him—so much that it was personal.

But as Norman had said, even if Harry quit Osborne and became a wealthy man, he might not find peace.

As long as Osborne remained, it would never truly belong to anyone else. Osborne had been firmly stamped with Norman's mark.

There was only one way forward: Harry could never truly inherit Osborne.

"Is there actually military involvement in this?"

Anton was slightly surprised when he heard Norman's concerns and touched his chin.

Regarding the shamelessness of the old American military, although he had expected it, he hadn't anticipated they would sink this low.

To be involved in something like this, especially when they were in the wrong... well, to some extent, it was reasonable.

"Hammer Industries..." Anton recalled the news he had just seen.

Justin Hammer, the head of Hammer Industries, had joined forces with some members of Osborne's Board of Directors, launching a powerful "offensive" against Harry, the majority shareholder who had inherited Norman's position.

They united and filed an injunction on the grounds that Harry was too young and inexperienced to manage the company. They demanded that Harry Osborn be stripped of all the responsibilities he was in charge of at Osborne, retaining only his position as a shareholder.

This caused quite a stir among onlookers.

In the end, Harry, with the support of his allies, narrowly vetoed the "unreasonable" ban.

Once the news broke, it was clear that Osborne's internal divisions had torn the company apart.

Outsiders, led by Justin Hammer, were now aiming to take Osborne Company from the Osborns.

In fact, based on Harry's weak position, Osborne's support was not as strong as it appeared.

Clearly, Harry had only just managed to secure a foothold in the company.

His situation was precarious, like standing on the edge of a cliff, with the possibility of falling into the abyss at any moment.

For Hammer and the others, since legal routes weren't working, they turned to the underground world to resolve the matter.

This was a common approach. Norman had done the same.

He had mastered the situation, which allowed him to establish and build Osborne Company into what it was today.

At the peak of Norman's leadership, even the military had to rely on Osborne for overseas operations.

Even Stark Industries, the other corporate giant, was in a similar position.

Howard Stark, the founder of Stark Industries, had emerged from the war, hardened by blood and darkness.

He was even one of the founding members of SHIELD.

Otherwise, Tony Stark's announcement that Stark Industries would withdraw from the arms industry wouldn't have caused such a huge sensation.

Anyone with a discerning eye understands why.

Why do you think Stark Industries holds such a special position in the United States?

In the original plot, during the Iron Man hearings, Tony Stark shut down those politicians—did he leave proudly?

Did they really think he was reasonable?

After a brief trial by fire, Harry seemed to have matured, his immaturity washed away.

At this point, through a few key reminders, he realized that Hammer Industries and the military had formed an alliance.

He then integrated the private armed forces left behind by Norman and made full preparations, awaiting the enemy's arrival.

Both sides knew that this would be the first and final battle.

If Harry could hold on, Osborne would stay in his hands.

If not, he would likely be ruined for the rest of his life.

Harry guessed that they wouldn't kill him, but they'd probably leave him lying in a hospital bed for the rest of his life, or paralyzed in a wheelchair, unable to speak.

For him, it would be worse than death.

Suddenly, a man with a serious expression and a muscular build appeared beside Harry.

"Boss, they're coming!" he said in a deep voice.

"Are you ready?" Harry asked.

"Always ready," the man replied.

He was Cromwell Donald, the leader of the private armed forces under Norman's command.

Cromwell had been adopted by Norman as a child and had been raised with unwavering loyalty to the Osborne family.

One have to say that Norman was a visionary man before his transformation into the grumpy Green Goblin. 

As early as more than a decade ago, he formed this private armed force and sent them to places like France, South Africa, and the Middle East, where they experienced the trials of war and became even braver.

Despite this, Harry still didn't feel fully confident.

He knew that what he would face tonight was the most terrifying enemy he had ever encountered.

Quickly, the moonlight grew scarce.

A group of heavily armed, grim-looking thugs arrived at Osborne Manor on the outskirts of New York.

"They're coming!"

Cromwell's face shifted slightly as he received the signal from the hidden sentry.

At the same time, a man in a green suit, like a ghost, descended onto Osborne Manor.

He stood at the highest point of the manor, looking around, and spotted a small figure next to the manor, where he saw a trembling figure.

Rustle!

With his sharp senses, he faintly heard the sound of clothes brushing against leaves in the distance.

….

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