Chapter 46: Research, Business, Talent, Super US Dollars
Take pharmaceutical companies, for example. According to data compiled by the Federal Pharmaceutical Company, the actual cost for a pharmaceutical company to successfully develop a drug is USD 1.395 billion. When accounting for the time and opportunity cost of capital, calculated at a nominal interest rate of 12-14%, the total cost to develop a new drug reaches USD 2.558 billion.
While the investment in the Genetic Recombination Technology project led by Professor Connors isn't that high, it has already cost Oscorp nearly USD 400 million to date.
USD 400 million might seem insignificant compared to Oscorp's market value of several hundred billion dollars.
But don't forget, this is just one of over a dozen biological experiment projects led by Norman Osborn.
Although Oscorp is a publicly listed company with a market value in the hundreds of billions, it has shareholders and a board of directors.
Without seeing returns, they won't stand by and watch Norman Osborn throw money away.
Norman Osborn's shares are also not enough to contend with all the directors on the board, forcing him to make concessions on many matters.
Therefore, upon hearing that Tang Song intended to invest 500 million to take over the Genetic Recombination experiment, he hesitated! Based on Professor Connors' current experimental progress, completing this project would require at least another USD 400 million in investment.
And all of this is predicated on Connors being able to overcome the technical barrier in Genetic Recombination.
Now, Tang Song is willing to pay USD 500 million to acquire this project. If Norman Osborn agrees, Oscorp would not only recover its cost on this project but also make a slight profit.
However, this project is related to the treatment of his own transcriptional gene virus, which is also the reason for Norman Osborn's hesitation.
As evening approached, Norman Osborn had the butler prepare a lavish dinner.
The long oak table was laden with a dazzling array of delicacies, including perfectly seared Australian veal steak, thinly sliced Libyan ham on silver plates, French baked escargots...
Norman Osborn used his silver knife and fork to cut the steak in front of him, looking up as if casually asking, "Tang, are you familiar with Mr. Moon from the Republican Party?"
Tang Song glanced at Norman Osborn, reached out, grabbed a lemon, tore it open casually, and squeezed a few drops of juice into the water in front of him.
"We met once, but through an acquaintance's introduction, I lent some strength during this New York election."
Tang Song took a small sip of the water with lemon, then complimented Norman Osborn, "Speaking of which, in the true upper circles of New York, Mr. Norman is the one with truly extensive connections."
"Extensive connections," Norman Osborn smiled, sighing deeply in his heart.
...
"Mr. Norman, I hope you will give my proposal further consideration!"
After the dinner, Norman Osborn saw Tang Song off at the entrance of the villa.
The two shook hands. The driver nearby opened the car door. Before getting in, Tang Song didn't forget to say to Norman Osborn.
Norman Osborn smiled, "If this project is indeed transferred, I will give Mr. Tang priority!"
The Rolls-Royce slowly drove away. In front of the Osborn Villa, Norman Osborn pulled out the red string from his neck. At the end of the string was a jade carved Wushi Pai. This was the meeting gift prepared by Tang Song.
In the back seat of the Rolls-Royce.
Skye nestled in Tang Song's arms, holding a tablet computer, wearing headphones, and watching a soap opera.
Today at Osborn Manor, she had played golf and ridden horses for half the day. Now she was feeling lazy and didn't want to move.
Tang Song lowered his head and kissed her forehead.
"Later, I'll teach you some things!"
Skye snuggled into Tang Song's arms, softly "Mm"-ing, lazy like a kitten.
"Is the 'Great Yin-Yang Joyous Union Scripture' from the Joyous Union Sect more effective, or is the 'Maiden Heart Sutra' from the Charm Female Sect more suitable?..."
Tang Song held Skye, his left hand rotating a string of beads made of jade, pondering in his heart.
Just then, two mountain bikes passed by outside the car. Riding them were two white kids who looked like high school students.
One of the high school students, Tang Song had seen a photo of him with Norman Osborn at Osborn Manor.
Harry Osborn. Tang Song's gaze shifted to the other boy with a slightly baby face.
"Peter Parker, Spider-Man?"
Tang Song's eyes immediately gleamed. A significant factor in his confidence to take over Professor Connors' project was this Spider boy.
A boy bitten by a spider transforms into the Superhero Spider-Man.
A very Federation fairy tale.
But no one tells you that this boy's parents were top-tier biology doctors.
They once worked for Oscorp and were close friends with Norman Osborn.
Norman Osborn invested heavily to fund their experimental research.
But what Norman Osborn didn't know was that these two close friends had a hidden identity.
S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents.
To protect the so-called world security, upon the success of their experiment, these two destroyed all experiment data and vanished without a trace.
And their child, after being bitten by a mutated spider from Oscorp, gained supernatural power.
Clearly, this couple tampered with the boy's gene, just like Superman's parents hid the codex inside his body.
Tang Song watched the laughing boys ride past, the string of beads in his hand spinning rapidly.
Perhaps, later, he should donate a sum to the Midtown High School committee to provide free physical examinations for these children.
Watching Peter Parker's figure disappear through the car window, Mr. Tang's mind was working.
...
As Tang Song returned to the Manor, a business negotiation at the top floor conference room of Hammer Tower was also drawing to a close.
Wearing carbon fiber glasses, a white shirt, and a black vest, Justin Hammer stood up and shook hands with Lane.
"Well then, it's been a pleasure doing business!"
Lane closed the signed contract, put it into an archive bag, and handed it to the lawyer beside him.
"The deposit will be transferred to your company's account in seven days. We trust in Hammer Industries' speed, and hope you won't disappoint us!"
Lane said to Justin without smiling.
Watching his secretary escort the others out of the conference room, Justin Hammer's face, previously full of smiles, immediately fell.
As the Federation's second-largest Arms Company, after Stark Industries, Hammer Industries, although somewhat lacking in high-end weapons, was still a force to be reckoned with.
Justin Hammer had long heard rumors about the Italian Army's equipment upgrade. Now it seemed this large piece of meat had already been eaten by someone else beforehand.
Justin Hammer slammed his fist heavily on the conference table in front of him. However, he then had a change of thought and suddenly started laughing.
Although he couldn't get it, he at least acted as a subcontractor this time. If he remembered correctly, regarding this arms bidding for Italy.
Obadiah had previously released news that Stark Industries was determined to win this arms bidding.
Justin Hammer touched the contract he had just signed on the table and suddenly wanted to see Obadiah's face after losing the bid.
Unfortunately, Tony Stark had always been indifferent to the company's operations, otherwise, he might have had the chance to see his old classmate throwing a tantrum.
Justin Hammer pictured Tony Stark's angry face in his mind and even hummed a little tune happily.
His neurotic behavior caused the blonde secretary beside him to quietly step back.
...
In the Manor's bedroom, on the soft, large bed, there was enough space for three or four people to roll around.
Skye nestled in Tang Song's arms, drawing circles on his chest with her finger. Tang Song smoked a post-coital cigar, his hand restlessly exploring Skye's body.
"Do you remember the Qi Circulation Route I taught you? Follow what I taught you and circulate that warm Qi Flow thirty-six times a day..."
Skye's face was flushed, "Boss, I have a bad memory. How about we practice like this every day, and you teach me in bed!"
Tang Song extended a finger and lightly scraped her nose, just about to flip over and mount.
By the bedside, his mobile phone suddenly rang.
Tang Song picked it up and saw the caller ID was Kane's phone number. He answered it casually.
"Boss, the talks with Hammer Industries are settled. We need to prepare a USD 300 million deposit in seven days!"
Tang Song blew smoke rings, holding the phone in one hand and playing with a green stem in the other.
"Have finance prepare the money in advance, and also prepare another fifty million to transfer to the account in Italy, to prepare some meeting gifts for our several generals!"
"Understood, Boss, I'll arrange it right away!"
...
"Prepare yourself, we'll go to Italy in a few days!"
Skye wrapped her arms around Tang Song, rubbing her face against his chest, her voice lazy:
"Boss, are you really going into the arms business?!"
As Tang Song's semi-private secretary, Tang Song didn't hide many things from her.
She naturally knew what kind of business her Boss was doing.
But discussing a USD 500 million business with the President of Oscorp during the day, and then engaging in this kind of cross-border military procurement at night.
Even though Skye had been a super hacker for a long time and had seen many big scenes.
The business Tang Song did still left her dumbfounded.
"Boss, Italy has its own Arms Company, why are they still bidding externally?"
Is Italy's military strength strong? You know, although it was a defeated nation in World War II, its annual military expenditure is as high as USD 32 billion, ranking eleventh in the world.
Italy's military industries are developing quite well. The army possesses self-developed tanks, battle vehicles, and attack helicopters.
The navy possesses self-developed aircraft carriers and amphibious assault ships.
The sophistication of the Italian Army's equipment is already outstanding among European nations that are constantly reducing their military forces.
Why would Italy, with this level of industrial capability, choose foreign companies to bid for its military equipment upgrade this year?
The explanation given by the Department of Defense was to prevent domestic corruption.
"Of course, it's because there's a lot of room for manipulation! Otherwise, what would we eat!""
Tang Song laughed, patted Skye's perky backside, and got up to go to the study.
The study was elegantly furnished, with various books neatly arranged on the sandalwood bookshelf.
At the desk, a notebook lay open. Tang Song held a fountain pen and wrote a few names in the notebook.
Hammer Industries, Stark Industries...
Tang Song used the fountain pen to specifically circle the names Hammer Industries and Oscorp.
...
In the early morning, after a night of rest and recuperating his Qi Flow, Tang Song got up feeling refreshed. He did some light exercises, performed a few stances, and made his bones and joints pop with crisp sounds.
"Boss, the person has been brought back!"
A large Underground Supermarket in New York.
The supermarket was converted from a Cold War Air-Raid Shelter. After the end of World War II, the Federation and the Soviet Union had several close calls, almost escalating into nuclear war.
For this, both sides built a large number of Air-Raid Shelters and nuclear Bunkers.
With the dissolution of the Soviet Union, many of the Federation's Air-Raid Shelters were abandoned.
Some of these Air-Raid Shelters were leased by the government to businessmen and gradually converted into supermarkets and bars.
This supermarket was leased in this manner. The price was cheap, the area was large, and most importantly, on the second underground level of the supermarket, there was a hidden space.
An underground space the size of several football fields, where over a dozen burly men were undergoing physical training.
In a corner of the underground Air-Raid Shelter, countless old directories and archive bags were piled up, weighing dozens of tons. The raw material for these directories was acid-free paper.
Acid-free paper is the basic material for manufacturing US dollars and also the most basic anti-counterfeiting mark.
Next to the directories were barrels of color-shifting ink. The numbers on the anti-counterfeiting code of US dollars can change color by changing the angle of the paper, which is because color-shifting ink is used.
Intaglio printing press, plates, acid-free paper, color-shifting ink, are all indispensable items for manufacturing Super US Dollars.
"Mr. Tang!"
Li Wen looked somewhat constrained, his wrinkled suit adding a touch of dejection.
Under someone else's roof, even the famous The Painter couldn't help but feel a bit humbled.
Towards talent, especially talent that could create profit for himself, Tang Song was always generous.
Kane, standing nearby, handed over a cigar. Tang Song trimmed it and offered it to Li Wen.
"Don't worry, your new identities for you and Ms. Wu in the Federation were already sorted out the moment you landed in New York. Also, I've deposited USD 20 million into your account. Once these Super US Dollars are printed, I will deposit them into your account!"
Tang Song smoked his cigar, exhaling smoke, "But the situation outside is tense right now, you'll have to bear with staying here for a few days!"
"No problem, I'll print these Super US Dollars as quickly as possible!"
Li Wen took the lighter offered by Kane and lit the cigar.
"There's enough acid-free paper here to print 70 billion Super US Dollars. These funds circulating in the market are enough to cause a financial shock in nearly half of the Federation. The FBI and the Federal Economic Investigation Bureau will definitely investigate the source of these Super US Dollars!"
Li Wen smoked his cigar and looked at Tang Song, "I have some old clients, they're wholesalers, and they're tight-lipped!"
"Another USD 10 million for you!" Tang Song looked calmly at Li Wen, his eyes cold.
"USD 30 million is enough for you and Ms. Wu to achieve financial freedom anywhere in the world."
A trace of dissatisfaction flashed deep in Li Wen's eyes. 70 billion Super US Dollars, even if wholesaled at a tenth of the price, would be worth USD 7 billion.
"30 million, did he think he was a beggar?!"
"This is the list. Previously, our goods were supplied to some warlords in the Middle East, and some international organizations!"
Despite his resentment, Li Wen knew well the principle of having to bow one's head when under someone else's roof. He didn't say much, tearing off a piece of the inner lining from his wrinkled suit.
Tang Song took it and saw some messy numbers on it.
"This is the Morse code I set," Li Wen translated the meaning of these numbers to Tang Song.
Ten Rings, among the dozen or so buyer forces, Tang Song saw a familiar name.
Tang Song didn't say anything, handing the list to Kane beside him.
"Cooperate well with Mr. Li and hurry up and print these Super US Dollars!"
"Yes, Boss!"
Kane, his face cold, nodded to indicate understanding.
"To welcome the two of you, I've prepared a villa for you in the New York City Area. If you need anything, you can tell Kane directly! Relax, feel at home here, no need to be polite!"
(End of Chapter)