Dr. Radha was feeling quite triumphant. After Dr. Curt Connors’ disappearance, he had taken over as head of the cross-species genetic transfer project. Stepping into this position meant he was now part of Oscorp’s middle management and even had the opportunity to communicate directly with Norman Osborn.
Sitting in what was once Dr. Connors’ office, he took a deep breath, savoring the feeling of power.
This was the day Dr. Radha had dreamed of for years. Over a decade ago, he was nothing more than a sidekick to Richard Parker and Curt Connors. But now, with one dead and the other missing, he had finally risen to the top.
“I am the real victor here!”
He leaned back in the office chair, propping his feet up on the desk.
Suddenly, the phone on the desk rang out frantically. The sharp, piercing sound disrupted his contentment, quickly becoming an annoyance.
Dr. Radha frowned as he picked up the receiver.
“What is it?” he snapped.
“Freddy! What the hell is going on? How did someone get their hands on the experiment footage from the veterans’ hospital?! The company is in serious trouble, and the stock price is already plummeting!”
As soon as the call connected, a storm of rage blasted through the receiver.
“I… I’m sorry… I’ll investigate right away and find out who leaked it!” Radha stammered, panic gripping him as he fumbled, falling out of his chair. In his panic, he pulled the phone cord, sending a pile of documents crashing to the floor.
He hadn’t watched TV and had no idea what had happened.
“Investigate? By the time you figure it out, Oscorp could be bankrupt! Useless! I’ve already ordered the hospital to relocate the test subjects. Be ready to take the fall for this.”
Dr. Radha’s confidence evaporated instantly, leaving him standing frozen in the office like a lifeless shell. The severity of the experiment’s exposure would mean not only losing everything he had just gained but also landing him in prison for life.
It was over. He had barely been in his new position for a day, and now it was all falling apart.
“Wait, Norman Osborn wants to see you. Get over here,” came a voice from the other end of the line. To Dr. Radha, it was as if the voice had come from the heavens, pulling him back from the brink of despair. He clutched the receiver so tightly he nearly crushed it.
“Yes… yes! I’ll be there right away!”
Radha shouted excitedly, rushing out of the office. A few seconds later, he ran back in, having kicked off his shoes in his haste.
Driving Oscorp’s company car, he sped through the streets as fast as possible, reaching Norman Osborn’s mansion in record time. The security team, already informed of his arrival, allowed him through without question.
In a high-tech medical suite filled with the latest life-support systems, Dr. Radha finally came face to face with the head of Oscorp, Norman Osborn.
Osborn lay in a hospital bed, attached to several machines that kept his fragile body alive. His skin was pale and riddled with gray-green blotches—a result of the genetic disease that had plagued his family, slowly draining his life force.
“You’ve arrived, Freddy,” came Osborn’s voice, weak but still commanding, through the breathing machine.
“Hello, Mr. Osborn,” Radha began, ready to defend himself, but Osborn silenced him with a wave of his hand.
The television in the room was broadcasting the footage of Dr. Curt Connors’ live confession. It was Radha’s first time seeing it, and the sight left him pale with fear.
“Are you certain Connors injected himself with the Lizard serum?” Osborn’s voice, though faint, remained sharp.
“Yes… yes. We found several molted tissues on his office desk and the floor. After analysis, we confirmed that the DNA matched Connors’. He definitely injected the serum,” Radha stammered.
On the screen, although Connors had tried to hide it, it was clear that his lost arm had regrown. Unfortunately, the footage was too blurry to serve as solid proof.
“If that’s the case, then Connors has clearly discovered a way to control the instability of the Lizard gene,” Osborn said, removing his breathing mask and slowly sitting up. His body was as fragile as a flickering flame, with very little time left.
“Freddy, can I trust you?”
Radha was trembling with excitement, bowing deeply.
“Yes, Mr. Osborn! Only death could change my loyalty to you.”
Osborn smiled faintly. He had heard such pledges of loyalty countless times before.
“I believe you, Freddy. I need you to do something for me. I need you to create a serum. When I lose control and transform into a beast, I want you to find Connors and have him restore my consciousness. If you succeed, you will become the second-largest shareholder in Oscorp.”
Osborn dangled the bait with expert precision.
He had long mastered the art of manipulating people like Radha—those desperate to climb the corporate ladder. All it took was dangling the right carrot in front of them, and they would work themselves to the bone.
Radha’s eyes widened to their limits, his face contorting in joy.
“Of course! I can definitely do it, Mr. Osborn!”
Osborn nodded approvingly.
“Remember, no one must know that I’ve injected the serum. If the other shareholders find out I’ve become a monster, they’ll start plotting their own moves.”
“I understand, Mr. Osborn. I’ll get started on the serum immediately!”
“No. You’ll make it right here. And I don’t need the Lizard serum. I need something far more powerful.”
The genetic disease that afflicted the Osborn family was far too severe. Even the Lizard’s regenerative abilities might not be enough to save him. Norman Osborn’s target wasn’t the Lizard—it was something far greater, a creature that had once ruled the Earth in ancient times.
Years ago, in a copper mine in the Philippines, a mining company discovered a radioactive pocket deep underground. During a cave-in, miners stumbled upon the massive skeleton of a creature over 100 meters tall and 170 meters long.
The creature was so enormous that even the largest dinosaurs would look small in comparison.
According to Oscorp’s research, this creature had a lifespan of hundreds of millions of years. If Osborn could integrate its genes, he wouldn’t just cure his genetic disease—he could achieve immortality and live forever.
The closest genetic match on Earth to this legendary creature was the Lizard. That was the true reason Osborn had funded Dr. Connors’ research for all these years.
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