469

[Golden Hand]

Anton Vanke glanced at Old Stark, opened his mouth, but was speechless.

Dufran said, "In Mr. Vanko's opinion, our device is probably worth nothing, so he decided to let the gang do 0 dollars purchase from us."

"Just last night, we were attacked by more than two dozen gunmen on our way back to the hotel. Fortunately, Hinchrub and I managed to apprehend these gangsters quite effectively. Isn't that right, Artgio? Ivanov?" Ivanov looked pale, his mouth twitching as he struggled to speak. "Yes, it happened exactly like that."

A rare look of anger crossed Old Stark's face as he confronted Anton Vanko directly, "Didn't I warn you about this?"

Anton Vanko argued vehemently, "I'm sorry, Stark... They were trying to blackmail us. We couldn't let them succeed. I did this for the company!"

Old Stark banged on the table, his voice raised, "But now you've endangered the company! If this gets out, Stark Industries' reputation will be tarnished. Have you thought about the consequences?"

"I'm sorry, Stark. I truly am..." Anton Vanko realized the gravity of his mistake and could only apologize profusely, "I'll take full responsibility. I won't let the company be dragged into this."

"How can you not be involved? Anton Vanko, I thought you were as meticulous in your decisions as you are in your experiments. But this... this was reckless!" Old Stark struggled to contain his anger.

Anton Vanko hung his head in silence.

Old Stark took a deep breath and called out, "Jarvis!"

A tall, thin middle-aged man with a submissive demeanor entered the room promptly, "Mr. Stark."

"Lock these three up and ensure no one else knows about it."

"Understood."

Jarvis acknowledged and escorted Ivanov's gangsters out of the room. Dufran said nothing, watching them leave before closing the door.

Old Stark sat back heavily in his chair, exhaling deeply. "I'm deeply sorry for this, Dr. Dufran. I trust you haven't informed anyone else about this... incident."

Dufran nodded, "Of course not. Stark Industries remains my most respected company."

There was a heavy silence in the room for a while, with Old Stark at a loss for words.

After a moment, he spoke again, "Dr. Dufran, are you still willing to sell us the device?"

"Absolutely. The price remains unchanged: $100 million in cash and 20% of Stark Industries' stock." Dufran placed the Shiar Empire Energy Stone on the table from his briefcase.

Anton Vanko couldn't help interjecting, "This is blatant blackmail!"

"Enough, Vanko," Old Stark intervened firmly.

Dufran added, "I'm optimistic about Stark Industries' future. I'm willing to hold onto these stocks long-term, at least into the next century."

Old Stark studied the energy stone on the table before nodding slowly, "Alright, I agree."

Once Anton Vanko's actions were exposed, Stark Industries Group would undoubtedly suffer. As the company's founder, Old Stark couldn't bear to see such a downfall.

The only way to mitigate the damage was to accept Dufran's offer: $100 million and 20% of the company's stock for the energy stone.

Thus, Dufran became one of Stark Industries Group's largest shareholders, committed to holding the stocks for the long haul, aligning with Stark Industries' interests.

It was the only viable option for Old Stark, albeit at a steep cost. However, gaining possession of the energy stone offset some of that cost.

After a brief deliberation, Old Stark agreed to Dufran's terms.

Dufran couldn't help but smile, extending his hand to shake Old Stark's, "Here's to a fruitful partnership, Mr. Stark."

"Indeed, a fruitful partnership," Old Stark replied, his smile forced.

They discussed details for another hour before Dufran and Hinchrube departed Stark Industries, leaving Anton Vanke and Old Stark alone in the room.

"I'm sorry, Stark..." Anton Vanko murmured into the tense silence.

Though a short time had passed, he felt a deep attachment to Stark Industries and Howard Stark himself. The outcome left him consumed with guilt.

Old Stark, hands in pockets, stood by the window, exhaling audibly. "I hope this device brings us significant returns."

"I'll give it my all," Anton Vanke promised, his only path to redemption. "In five years, at most, I'll complete the Arc Reactor project. You can trust me, Stark."

---

Antarctica, Hearth Valley.

Forseti exited the simulation chamber, reflecting on the recent battle, when a knock came at the door.

"Come in."

The door opened, and Dufran and Hinchrub entered, dressed in suits and leather shoes. "My lord."

"You're back. How did it go? Did the energy stone sell to Howard Stark?" Forseti inquired with a smile.

"Yes, here's the agreement we signed with Stark Industries. Please take a look." Dufran handed over the document.

Forseti skimmed through it, eyebrows lifting slightly. "One hundred million dollars and 20% of Stark Industries' stock?"

"What do you think of the deal?" Dufran asked.

Forseti nodded approvingly, "You've proven yourself a true business knight, Dufran. I had hoped for nothing less than a hundred million."

In truth, he wasn't sure of the stone's true worth, but getting Stark Industries to part with a fifth of its shares was no small feat.

Dufran inquired further, "My lord, how should we proceed with the funds and stocks?"

"What's your proposal?"

Without hesitation, Dufran replied, "We could establish a secular investment firm. The firm would hold onto Stark Industries' stocks long-term, using the hundred million dollars as capital for further investments."

"Very well, proceed as planned. You will oversee all secular business affairs for the Knights moving forward." Forseti nodded, then recalled something, "By the way, have you considered a name for the investment firm?"

"Not yet."

After a moment's thought, Forseti suggested, "Let's name it 'Golden Hand'."

The Knights of the Silver Hand were dedicated to combat and practice in the non-secular realm. Directly naming a secular entity after them wouldn't be appropriate.

"Golden Hand..." Forseti nodded to himself, satisfied with the choice, appreciating its aptness and symbolism.