Chapter 26

"Our philosophy at Li Corporation is to improve human life, so our research and development always aim in that direction..."

At the product launch event, Leo followed the script Jack had prepared, smiling as he introduced and promoted the new product. The product's exceptional effectiveness and affordable pricing caused a frenzy among the journalists, who began clamoring for details after his presentation.

Leo calmly answered their questions one by one.

"Boss, the response is fantastic. Once this press conference is over, there should be plenty of media coverage about our company and product. This will help us establish a foothold here in New York," reported a brown-haired man in his thirties, visibly excited. This man was none other than Jack, who was truly in charge of running the company.

Leo patted Jack on the shoulder and smiled. "It's all thanks to you. You've worked hard during this period."

"It's nothing. If it weren't for you saving me back then, I'd probably be rotting in some gutter, and my family wouldn't be living well like they are now," Jack replied solemnly. After graduating, Jack had returned to his home country, Sokovia, to start a business. 

With his knowledge and business acumen, he built his company from the ground up. However, as his business grew, he made enemies. Unable to defeat him through fair competition, they resorted to underhanded tactics, forcing him into bankruptcy and causing his brother to rack up gambling debts.

When Jack and his family were on the brink of despair due to the debts, Leo had stepped in, resolving all their problems and eliminating those who had wronged them. Jack's dedication to managing the company was his way of repaying Leo's life-saving kindness. Watching the company he managed grow also brought him great satisfaction.

"Take care of yourself, too. Make sure to take more of the enhanced strength pills. Even though you don't like martial arts, they will improve your health significantly," Leo advised before leaving.

He had initially saved Jack because he needed a capable manager, but Jack's business prowess had far exceeded his expectations. Jack's effective management had played a significant role in making Li Corporation one of Sokovia's top companies within three years.

As the saying goes, good wine needs no bush, but a good product still requires excellent management and marketing, or it risks being overshadowed by competitors.

---

Just as Leo got into the car, a new mission notification sounded in his ear. He opened the panel to check. Since arriving in New York, several side missions had appeared, far more frequently than in Sokovia. These missions, like stopping a thief or rescuing a small animal, were too simple and offered rewards of little value to him, so he ignored them. They would disappear once the time limit expired.

"New main mission!" Leo's eyes lit up as he saw it wasn't another trivial side mission but a main mission that could open a new world. Eagerly, he opened the new main mission to examine the details.

[Main Mission: Expand Li Corporation.

- Basic: Establish Li Corporation as a top-tier company in New York.

- Intermediate: Make Li Corporation a company on par with Stark Industries at its peak.

- Advanced: Transform Li Corporation into an entity far surpassing Stark Industries at its peak.

Mission Rewards: New small world with different initial identities and talents based on completion level.]

"I knew it, main missions are never easy," Leo muttered, rubbing his forehead. As a martial artist, his expertise lay in combat and assassination, like the mission to infiltrate the Hydra base. Business and relationship-building tasks were his weak points, yet the main missions always seemed to focus on those areas.

The first main mission had been about courting and marrying Wanda, which took him three years and genuine feelings to complete. Now, the second mission was to run a company, which seemed far more complex than single-handedly defeating the Chitauri.

Making Li Corporation a top-tier company in New York seemed achievable with Jack's skills, but reaching the level of Stark Industries at its peak was a daunting challenge. Selling medicine, though profitable, couldn't compare to the revenue from arms dealing. Stark Industries, founded in the 19th century, spanned aerospace, military, medical, security, and high-tech industries, all highly lucrative sectors. At its peak, Tony Stark's net worth was estimated to be in the billions.

"The usual approach won't work," Leo thought, shaking his head to clear his mind of conventional strategies for growing Li Corporation. Managing a business wasn't his strength; if he focused solely on that, he might never achieve the advanced completion, even if Thanos arrived.

"I need to think outside the box," Leo mused, new ideas forming. The company's day-to-day operations would still be Jack's responsibility, but he needed to leverage his strengths to indirectly grow the company.

Calming himself, Leo realized he didn't need to rush the second main mission. The potential of the first world hadn't been fully tapped. His immediate priority remained enhancing his strength. Greater power would grant access to more resources, accelerating the completion of the main mission.

This second main mission, while seemingly about business, was fundamentally a test of resourcefulness. Stark Industries' success wasn't just due to Howard and Tony Stark's business acumen but their innovative capabilities. While Leo lacked inventing skills, he had access to an additional small world, greater strength, and knowledge of many secrets.

With careful planning, the new main mission might not be as insurmountable as it seemed.