The taxi pulled up at the company's main entrance.
Herman looked up at the red-and-white emblem shaped like an open umbrella, and his eyelid twitched twice.
"What a nasty joke."
He figured this had to be the [All-Seeing Eye]'s twisted sense of humor.
He walked straight through the company entrance. No one stopped him. The identity granted by the [All-Seeing Eye] was flawless.
The moment Herman stepped into the skyscraper belonging to Umbrella Biotech, he was greeted warmly by security personnel and staff alike.
"Boss."
"Good morning, Boss."
Everyone acted as though they had known him for years, bowing and greeting enthusiastically, which left him feeling uneasy.
Clearly, these were people meeting him for the first time, yet they behaved like old acquaintances. Once again, Herman marveled at the terrifying influence of the [All-Seeing Eye].
"A tech company armed to the teeth, huh."
He noted the security staff, all fully armed with gear more advanced than what most special forces carried.
He recalled the [All-Seeing Eye]'s briefing: every one of Umbrella's security officers had been recruited from elite special forces around the world.
Herman's eyelid twitched again, especially when the head of security jogged over to greet him, making it twitch even harder.
Albert Wesker.
"What the hell is this…"
Herman couldn't help but feel like the new company buffs just kept stacking endlessly. He gave the man—sharing a name with the infamous Resident Evil villain—a long look, relieved only that this version wasn't a cold-eyed brute with slicked-back hair.
"Keep up the good work. Don't let the company down."
Herman patted Albert Wesker on the shoulder twice, then walked past him. Under the burly man's eager gaze, he stepped into the elevator and rode it straight to the chairman's office at the top floor.
Whether it was coincidence or perfect timing from S.H.I.E.L.D., Herman had barely arrived before one of their agents appeared right on schedule at Umbrella Biotech.
"Hello."
The visitor was an attractive young woman.
Herman recognized her instantly as another of Nick Fury's trusted operatives—Barbara Morse, better known as Mockingbird.
She had once been sent by Fury to infiltrate Hydra as a deep-cover agent.
It was hard to say whether she was here representing Hydra's interests or simply carrying out Fury's orders.
"Let's skip the small talk and get the contract signed."
Herman summoned the company's legal counsel, along with the relevant scientists and project leads.
Mockingbird, sharp and efficient, wasted no time. Most terms had already been negotiated, and this was little more than a formality.
Once the partnership was confirmed, she signed on behalf of the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division, formalizing Umbrella Biotech's collaboration with S.H.I.E.L.D.
There were no penalty clauses—only a stipulation for technology sharing. Likely, Fury knew just how difficult replicating the Super Soldier Serum truly was.
Of course, it could also be because they knew Herman would never pay out anyway.
Once the contract was sealed, the agents accompanying Mockingbird handed over the relevant documents.
The scientists practically vibrated with excitement as they received the data. The Super Soldier Serum—the very formula that had created Captain America—was legendary. No scientist could resist the chance to study it. Clutching the files, they rushed straight into the labs.
With the contract signed and Mockingbird's team gone, Herman left the chairman's office as well.
After greeting the sultry secretary, he originally planned to head back to Stellar Tower. But once inside the elevator, he changed his mind.
"Since I'm already here, I should check out the company's talent."
He pressed the button for the sixteenth-floor laboratory.
The Sixteenth Floor Lab.
Its head was Helen Cho.
She was the scientist who had caught Herman's attention when he first inherited this identity—a genius whose intellect rivaled Tony Stark himself.
Where most women befriended Tony because of their looks, Helen had earned his respect purely through knowledge and brilliance.
Now, within Umbrella Biotech, Helen Cho was spearheading a project that practically radiated black technology—the Regeneration Cradle.
It was the kind of nanotechnology that could rapidly repair injuries the moment someone lay inside it. Not only could it treat countless illnesses, but in the future, after Ultron's creation, the Regeneration Cradle would even be used by him to grow a vibranium body.
Entering the sixteenth floor, Herman passed through several strict checkpoints—changing into protective gear, undergoing disinfection—before stepping into the laboratory of Helen Cho's [Regeneration Cradle] project.
"Chairman."
Helen, who had been working on calculations, immediately set her work aside when she learned of Herman's arrival.
For those with high intelligence, emotional intelligence was rarely lacking. Outliers were simply exceptions.
"I'm just here to see how the project is progressing. No need to be nervous."
Herman smiled warmly at the scientist before him, clad in protective gear, her face and figure both striking.
"Well… progress is still rather slow, but I have a feeling we'll achieve a breakthrough soon."
Helen's expression carried a trace of worry, likely out of fear that Herman might cut funding. She knew all too well how profit-driven businessmen could be.
"I believe in your talent. Don't worry. If you run into difficulties, come to me. I'll find a way to support your research."
His answer caught her completely off guard. Herman knew that a breakthrough with the Regeneration Cradle—this piece of true black technology—would never be simple.
In many ways, its technological value surpassed even Tony Stark's Iron Man armor. This was the domain of nanotechnology.
On the original timeline, it would still take Helen several years to succeed. But once it did, the invention would be epoch-making.
A little waiting was nothing. Herman might lack in other areas, but with a divine body, time was the one thing he had in abundance.
"Thank you, boss! I won't let you down!"
Helen's response was swift, her worry vanishing instantly. She hadn't expected such costly research to receive unwavering support from the top.
For a moment, she was genuinely moved.
As the saying goes, a scholar will sacrifice for the one who truly understands them. Scientists like her cared little for profit—they only wanted to realize their dreams and see their research through.
Perhaps because she hadn't expected the chairman to be so approachable, Helen hesitated briefly before cautiously speaking again.
"Chairman, could I withdraw from the other project for now? I don't feel I can contribute much there."
She watched Herman's reaction carefully.
"What project?"
Though Herman had inherited information about the company, he wasn't aware of every research detail. He only had access to what a chairman was supposed to know.
"It's the Mold discovered in Louisiana. In the Stairway of the Sun Project, it plays a critical role in catalysis and integration."
What!
What are you talking about!
Mold?
Stairway of the Sun?
This time, Herman's eyelid didn't twitch. Instead, his heart nearly stopped beating…
What kind of company had the [All-Seeing Eye] saddled him with?!
A mere Silver-level identity!
And it was playing at this scale?
...
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