Chapter 79: A Flash of Inspiration

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The building wasn't completed yet, and Osborn Industries couldn't relocate at the moment. With no laboratory or automated factory of his own, Link found himself with nothing to do for the time being.

While he was at ease, Norman Osborn, on the other hand, became quite busy. After taking just a single day off, he immediately began overseeing the testing of the special drug and actively communicating with the regulatory bodies.

The scale of the biological experiments was substantial. Given that Link's genetic injection cured Norman's illness, Osborn had full faith in him. He swiftly expanded the testing, using quantity to save time. Once the required number of tests was met, the meticulously compiled data was submitted.

Furthermore, Osborn released the test data and results to the media, demonstrating great success. Some media outlets initially suspected that Osborn Industries was falsifying data, but after Norman successfully filed a patent for the drug and invited third-party organizations to conduct their own tests, providing samples for evaluation, those doubts quickly dissipated.

With the willingness to allow third-party evaluations, the media had little more to say. Osborn Industries' open invitation for external verification only boosted their credibility.

Thanks to Norman Osborn's lobbying efforts, the regulatory approval process moved swiftly. Lobbying, a common practice in the West, involved providing indirect benefits to regulatory officials in return for smoother approvals. This led to the rapid greenlighting of human trials.

These human trials were conducted at a hospital in Hell's Kitchen, where many impoverished people, unable to afford proper medical care, welcomed the offer of free treatment. The Jessica Charity Foundation's legal firm provided pro bono legal support to ensure the patients' rights during the trials.

In addition, Norman Osborn invited several media outlets to document the process. The trials were to be filmed and turned into a series of reports, featuring over ten different special drugs being tested on human subjects—a rare and significant event.

The diseases targeted were those that had long stumped medical professionals. Now, with the special drugs, different treatment plans could cure varying degrees of these conditions. This was a blessing for many patients, and the coverage proved to be a hit.

Patients, their families, and individuals concerned about healthcare or personal illness became the program's loyal audience. Although the episodes were short, they instilled confidence in viewers as they witnessed patients gradually recover over time.

Each of the ten special drugs required a considerable number of patients, and with three phases of trials necessary, even more participants were needed. Fortunately, the number of willing patients was high. They were all poor, and after thorough background checks and identity verifications, they signed contracts drawn up by Matthew Murdock, ensuring their legal rights. The first phase participants signed their contracts in front of the media.

Luckily, the hospital had expanded recently; otherwise, it wouldn't have been able to accommodate so many people. Patients with similar conditions were grouped together, and each required thorough examination to rule out other complications. Detailed medical records were kept for each individual, ensuring comprehensive treatment plans were devised.

The meticulous preparation gave viewers a sense of reassurance. With such tight controls and media oversight, it was clear that Osborn Industries had full confidence in their human trials. With everything in place, the first phase of the trials commenced.

Link followed the progress daily, watching updates on the trials with Jessica.

"Darling, your drug is incredibly effective," Jessica remarked. "In the first group, even patients with mild symptoms are showing significant improvement."

"After the first treatment course, they have a good chance of fully recovering."

Jessica, who managed the foundation, had a detailed understanding of the treatment process. She enjoyed digging into the details.

Link smiled, fully aware of the efficacy of his drug. "After the first batch is cured, have them stay in the hospital for observation for at least three weeks."

"That's stipulated in the contract. Have Matthew remind them not to assume they're fully cured and leave immediately. It's crucial for Osborn Industries."

"These patients are poor and not well-educated. Once they feel better, they might rush off to work—or worse, fall into crime. If something goes wrong, who'll be held responsible?"

Jessica paused for a moment before nodding in understanding. These people had no health insurance, and their conditions were difficult to treat without medication. Once cured, they might disappear, off to deal with life's struggles—legal or not.

"I get it. I'll remind them. Won't you go see for yourself?" Jessica asked. "You are the head of the foundation, after all."

"No, it's better if I don't make frequent public appearances. I need to maintain a bit of mystery for now," Link replied. "After all, I am a SHIELD agent. While I don't have many missions right now, too much exposure wouldn't be wise."

"There's no coverage of me in the media yet, so I'm still somewhat under the radar."

In the future, when he inevitably joined the Avengers, his public exposure would increase significantly. But by then, Osborn Industries' new headquarters would be completed, and he could simply live and work there.

The idea pleased him. A high-rise penthouse where he could work and relax, basking in the sun, while having all the tools he needed to develop whatever he wished. He could even create his own gear—especially his nanotech suit—right in the automated factory.

However, Link wasn't idle. He had been thinking about ways to improve his hoverboard design, coming up with numerous ideas, none of which quite satisfied him.

Noticing him drift off into thought, Jessica leaned in and gave him a playful kiss on the cheek.

"Darling, what's on your mind?" she asked.

"Oh, just thinking about the design for my hoverboard," Link responded. "None of the ideas I have seem to work. If it gets too big, it won't fit my needs. After all, I'm not meant to be the heavy hitter."

Jessica wasn't sure what he meant by "heavy hitter," but she ventured, "If there really are aliens out there, how do you think they design their ships?"

That gave Link a sudden spark of inspiration, and he grinned. "Darling, you're brilliant! How did I not think of that?"

"Huh?" Jessica looked confused, but before she could ask more, Link grabbed his laptop and darted off to his study.

She rolled her eyes, realizing her boyfriend had entered "mad scientist mode" again.

Link, in fact, had just thought of alien spacecraft, specifically the Ravagers' fighters, which had a shape strikingly similar to a hoverboard. Their unique wing configuration made them incredibly agile.

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(End of Chapter)