Chapter 136: New Energy Development

**

That evening, Link delivered the ring and bouquet of roses to space but didn't linger, as he still needed to discuss the guest list with Jessica.

In fact, there weren't many names on the list. Link didn't have many friends left from his school days, and there weren't many others he felt worth inviting. Most of his current friends were fellow Avengers. Apart from them, there were Wilson and Vanessa. Jessica's side wasn't much different—she planned to invite Trish, her foster mother, McCall, Frank, and lawyers Matt Murdock and Foggy Nelson.

As for the rest of their acquaintances, they could take them out for dinner instead of inviting them to the space headquarters.

After going over the list, Jessica hesitated and asked, "Do you think I should invite my foster mother?"

"If you do, she might start showing up regularly."

Link paused, suddenly recalling Jessica's foster mother, Dorothy Walker, who had only adopted Jessica to give Trish a companion. Dorothy was notorious for her greed. In the past, she even sent a teenage Trish to a director's room for career advancement. Neither Jessica nor Trish had a good relationship with her, and now that Jessica was getting married, the decision of whether to invite her or not became a dilemma.

Link asked, "Do you want to invite her?"

"I'm not sure," Jessica replied, shaking her head. "I really don't know what I want, but I know inviting her will bring a lot of problems."

"What kind of problems?" Link chuckled. "Giving her a million a month? Is that too much for us to handle, or will it still not be enough for her?"

"Jessica, if money can solve the issue, it's not really a problem for us. We're getting married, and my assets are now ours."

Jessica quickly shook her head. "That's too much—you don't understand her. Ten thousand a month is more than enough."

Ten thousand dollars would allow Dorothy Walker to live comfortably. But Link wasn't someone who worried about money. With the profits from Osborn Group's pharmaceutical sales alone, they were pulling in massive earnings. Though their strategy was based on low margins and high volume, they had swiftly captured global market share and dominated the industry.

Other pharmaceutical companies couldn't compete, and even countries notorious for mass-producing generic drugs were finding it difficult to push back because Osborn's prices were already low.

Furthermore, the controlled nuclear fusion power project had successfully secured a deal with New York City. It didn't conflict with Stark Industries since Tony's arc reactors weren't designed for large-scale energy production, while controlled fusion was perfect for powering entire cities. The two companies were on different paths.

New York City was already building three fusion power plants in carefully selected locations to supply the entire city. This would save vast amounts of resources for a metropolis of nearly ten million people—not even counting the millions of transient residents.

With three fusion power plants, they could generate enough energy for the whole state of New York. Osborn Group had also acquired the city's main electricity company, taking control of its energy distribution.

In the U.S., there were over 3,200 different energy companies divided across five major grids. New York belonged to the eastern grid, but the distribution of energy was often fragmented and inefficient.

With Osborn Group's development of controlled nuclear fusion, a seismic shift rippled through the country. Oil, coal, and other energy industries saw their stock values plummet. However, cornering the market would take time.

While some contemplated underhanded moves to stop Osborn's expansion, Link's membership in the Avengers made them hesitate. The Avengers now had a fleet of space warships and a fully operational space headquarters, which was enough to make anyone think twice before crossing them.

Not to mention, Link's infamous reputation in the underground world as the "Grim Reaper" was no exaggeration. His title had been earned through bloodshed and victories. Now that he had a nano-suit, even ordinary bullets were useless against him.

With the Avengers growing stronger and possessing advanced technologies, challenging Osborn Group seemed futile. They were taking advantage of this period to buy out smaller power companies, consolidating them under a new entity dedicated to green energy.

Osborn Group was also working to integrate these power grids while preparing to retrofit older plants, gradually shifting toward full-scale controlled nuclear fusion.

Norman Osborn's ambition was vast—he aimed to monopolize the entire national power grid. Sensing this, other companies tried to negotiate their way into the game, seeking a share of the profits before it was too late.

But Norman wasn't foolish. The current version of Osborn Group was a debt-free entity, buoyed by consistent profits from pharmaceuticals. Although the margins were low, the sheer volume of sales made up for it. After all, people everywhere got sick, and the demand for medicine was unrelenting—a never-ending stream of revenue.

Moreover, Osborn Group's investments remained relatively focused. Their key areas were pharmaceuticals, weapons manufacturing, and now green energy. The weapons sector was primarily involved in subcontracting, building parts for planes and spacecraft, and producing their own fighters like the Yan-class jets.

Link and Norman had discussed the direction of electric vehicles, and they agreed to delay establishing charging stations. Though electric vehicles were the future, moving too quickly could provoke the powerful fossil fuel industry.

Controlled nuclear fusion was already causing significant disruption, especially in the coal sector. By pacing their expansion, Osborn Group could reduce opposition from the divided energy sector, easing pressure.

Their current goal was simple: consolidate the power grid. Once they had control of the entire national grid, they wouldn't have to fear anyone.

Link was also developing ultra-high-voltage transmission technology. However, because the U.S. operates on a 110V system, they needed to convert power for homes and businesses at the point of delivery. That couldn't change, as household appliances were built for 110V.

The power plants themselves had to be built with significant fortifications. Controlled fusion had minimal risks, but they still had to account for potential external threats.

Thus, the plants would be constructed with triple-layered shells: an outer, middle, and inner shell, making them strong enough to withstand a nuclear strike.

Additionally, three separate emergency shutdown protocols were in place, ensuring absolute safety. To address public concerns, Osborn even appeared on *Trish Talk*, a popular talk show, explaining the extensive safety measures.

Given that the Avengers' space headquarters also relied on controlled nuclear fusion, the public felt reassured.

(End of Chapter)