Chapter 19: Heart-Shaped Grass

Staring at the valley ahead, unprotected by a shield, and at the city nestled in the mountains, George thought of the Vibranium and Heart-Shaped Grass within—both invaluable resources.

He directed his nine remaining Shadow Clones to transform into African finches and dispatched them to investigate the Vibranium mine and Heart-Shaped Grass cultivation area.

Then, George withdrew his consciousness.

That afternoon, Mori personally invited him to dinner. George politely declined, citing other commitments. Since it wasn't time for profit-sharing, the dinner was only a goodwill gesture, and George had lost interest in such social niceties.

Instead, he had a clone notify Paul and leaned over his desk to begin drawing.

An hour later, Paul knocked. George poured him a glass of wine and asked, "Is everything progressing smoothly? Any difficulties?"

"Yes, Boss. I was just about to report. Your novel, Of Mice and Men, is nearing its end in the paper. Feedback has been excellent. Publishing houses have already contacted me. Another book, Questions for Smart Kids, is also gaining attention. I plan to negotiate both together."

He continued, "The patent application is underway; it'll take at least a month. I'm also finalizing the company location and will begin registration immediately afterward."

George nodded. "Handle the negotiations. You can give up a bit on profits, but ensure strong promotion."

"That won't be an issue. Sales of the paper have increased thanks to our novel. If you revealed yourself as the author, people would line up for autographs."

George smiled. "Then let's speed things up. We can organize a book signing soon."

In America, a bestselling author enjoys tremendous fame. That was exactly what George needed —a reputation.

Glancing at the documents on the table, George added, "I've decided to establish the company in New York. The patent should be approved by June. Please arrange a booth for us at the New York Technology Expo on June 15th."

He handed Paul another set of patent documents. "Submit these too—they need to be processed before the expo."

Paul studied the documents. These technologies would reshape an entire industry. He silently thanked himself for joining George.

"Also, reach out to Coca-Cola shareholders. See if anyone is willing to sell. A higher price is fine—I just want 10% to start. We can negotiate slowly."

George remembered Coca-Cola had changed hands in 1919 for under $3 million. That deal happened just before Prohibition, suggesting deep political connections. George never intended to buy the entire company—just a piece.

After discussing the company and other businesses George had his eye on, Paul left.

The company was still in its early stages. Mostly errands, minimal mental load.

In the following days, George frequently visited the library, recalling and sending out Shadow Clones again. He could now maintain over 40 long-term clones, though some matters still required his physical presence.

Two days later, a clone sent back a memory—they had located the Vibranium warehouse and the Heart-Shaped Grass.

George dispatched two clones and flew toward Wakanda himself, disguised as a finch. The mine was located behind the Black Panther God statue, a discovery made by chance.

The mine wasn't a crude cave but an advanced facility with a mechanical door. Shortly after landing, George saw female guards escorting an adult and a child to the entrance. The guards knelt in greeting.

He assumed they were Wakandan royalty. George couldn't tell them apart, and they weren't speaking English.

Inside, the cave was bright and full of machinery. Conveyor belts transported ore into processing rooms. The newcomers took the left passage, pausing to glance at George in his finch form, but did nothing else.

George didn't follow. His goal wasn't people—it was resources.

Flying deeper in, he saw workers extracting raw Vibranium ore. Wakanda had the largest known deposit of a meteorite that fell 10,000 years ago.

George didn't touch the raw ore. He lacked the tools and knowledge to refine it.

Returning to the entrance, he perched on a cliff opposite the mine to observe. An hour later, the group exited. Once the mechanical door shut, George flew back inside.

He followed the conveyor belts through four rooms and reached a storage area. Refined Vibranium was neatly arranged in dispensing bottles on shelves. Stark bought this stuff by the gram; here, it was stored by the ton.

George had no immediate use for it and couldn't sell it, but collecting some wouldn't hurt. The security was astonishingly lax.

He considered sending Wakanda a bill for security consulting.

Then, at the warehouse's far end, he returned to human form and used his spatial dimension to store about four tons of Vibranium. That should suffice.

When the miners left, George followed them out and flew toward the palace, where the Heart-Shaped Grass was cultivated. Clones had previously mapped the route.

Guards were minimal—just two at the entrance. George dodged a few maids and made it safely to the cultivation cave.

Inside, green vines sprawled across the floor. Palm-sized purple flowers bloomed like morning glories, each with a central fruit. These were Wakanda's divine plants—the Heart-Shaped Grass.

Mutated by Vibranium, these herbs could strengthen the human body with no side effects. George harvested three and flew away without delay.

Back home, he dismissed the clones. Wakanda's reaction to the theft? Not his problem.

Three days later, he arrived at his PL Winery. In the cellar, he found Ryan learning wine-tasting from Allison.

"Uncle Ryan, long time no see!" George hugged him.

"Not that long. Didn't expect such a massive winery!"

After greeting Allison, they moved to the villa's living room. Coffee was served.

"How are you adjusting?" George asked.

"It's great. Nothing much to do, and I've been learning winemaking."

"Good. This will be our wine distribution base for Mori. It's important.

"Nearby cities like Vancouver still meet smuggling demand, but once they can't, this place will draw attention. Security is key."

They moved to Ryan's room. George fetched kitchen tools, processed the Heart-Shaped Grass into a liquid, and explained, "This rare plant can enhance the human body. It might heal your injuries."

"From your teacher again? But you should keep it. I'm safe here; you need it more."

"I have extra. I'll take it later."

"Alright. What do I need to do?"

"Just lie down."

Ryan drank the bitter liquid and quickly fell asleep. George returned to his room, drank his dose, and lay down.

The Heart-Shaped Grass had no side effects. In the movies, Black Panther and Golden Panther both simply slept afterward.

Would it heal? Certainly. It enhanced body functions, including self-healing. George remembered Black Panther's wounds vanishing post-consumption.

Even if it didn't heal Ryan, there were other options. Across infinite worlds, something would work.

As the potion took effect, George's consciousness faded.

He didn't enter a spirit realm like in the movies. That was fine—he wasn't Wakandan and didn't want an awkward meeting with a panther god.

When he awoke, it was evening. Starving, George headed to the kitchen and found Ryan feasting.

George ordered steak for three and sat across from him.

"How do you feel, Uncle Ryan? Did it work?"

Ryan stood, took a few laps around the room, then sat and said simply, "Thank you, George."

He poured wine for George, toasted, and drank in one gulp.

— End of Chapter 19 —

📝 Translator's Note

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