Three days later, in the morning.
"Linen, if the studio only focuses on exorcising evil spirits and solving supernatural events, then our efficiency in making money is way too low."
Handing over the business plan to Linen, Barbara said seriously, "I've been studying the market these past few days. You know how obsessed Europeans and Americans are with mysterious things."
"Just from my research alone, there are huge business opportunities here."
She pointed to the plan. "If we can produce a batch of goods — small gadgets for exorcism and blessings, for example — and have Jessica use her father's connections to boost our studio's reputation…"
"Then believe me, within a year, we'll be able to buy a single-family villa on Manhattan's Upper East Side!"
"As for the processing plant, I've already made contact. Now we just need your approval."
Looking at Barbara's excited expression, Linen put down the plan and nodded. "No problem on my end. I can invest two hundred and thirty thousand dollars right now."
"That's settled, then!"
Seeing Linen agree, Barbara quickly took the plan and turned to Jessica. "You'll handle the studio's operations. As for the startup funds and the processing plant fees, I suggest each of us invest thirty thousand dollars."
"Jessica, we need to be clear about one thing — even though we'll be earning money from these mystical products, the real core of this studio is Linen."
"If we don't have someone with real skill holding the reins, then even if we open up the market, no one will buy from us."
"So, for the long term, each of us will only invest up to thirty thousand dollars — that's ten percent each. Linen must hold eighty percent of the shares. He's the foundation of this business."
Barbara understood perfectly who the true center of the studio was.
Rather than letting future conflicts over profits ruin their friendship, it was better to make things clear from the start.
Linen would be responsible for real cases and problem-solving. Barbara would handle marketing and product design, while Jessica would leverage her father's connections for publicity and partnerships.
Only by maintaining this balance could their studio thrive and grow.
After all — relationships are relationships, but interests are interests.
"Are you kidding? Don't forget we studied the same major!"
Getting up and kissing Linen lightly on the cheek, Jessica said with a smile, "I'll start working those connections right away. Also, we need a way to make the studio famous in one go!"
"Leave the planning to me, Linen. Just cooperate when the time comes."
"I have an idea too!"
Hearing Jessica's words, Barbara grabbed her bag and stood up. "Let's go together. I still need to contact the processing factory. We can brainstorm how to make the studio go viral on the way."
Watching his two senior partners march out like a pair of strong-willed businesswomen, Linen could only shrug. He picked up an orange from the fruit bowl and peeled it slowly.
The main goal of the studio was to make money — and to ease his financial pressure.
After all, only when he wasn't worried about money could Linen focus on making videos and improving his power.
So rather than saying who was helping whom, it was better to say that they were helping each other.
Tossing a slice of orange into his mouth, Linen's gaze fell on a photo of Victor Landon in the newspaper. Gradually, an idea for his next side quest formed in his mind.
After perfecting his plan, Linen got up and walked outside.
Once he left the apartment, he drove off.
Across the street, a customer in a nearby fruit shop pressed a hand to his earpiece.
"The target has left. Should we follow him?"
"Don't act rashly," came the calm reply through the headset. "We can't afford to mess with someone who's caught Nick Fury's attention."
"Our mission is simple — just make sure this young man named Linen doesn't interfere with our operations."
"Compared to him, our main plan takes priority."
"Understood."
The man nodded, picked a few fruits, and casually walked to the counter.
Inside his car, Linen glanced at the rearview mirror and smirked.
He had already sensed the people tailing him that morning.
As a magician, his spiritual perception was sharp — almost impossible to fool.
Still, this was convenient. After all, in the last video he fabricated, he had hinted to Natasha that something was wrong with S.H.I.E.L.D.
He'd been wondering how to make the next video feel more convincing — and now, those fools had come knocking on their own.
It was like someone sending you a pillow when you were about to fall asleep.
At the same time, outside Victor Landon's apartment—
"Damn it! In Asgard, a beast like this would have been executed on the spot! When my father was alive, he'd have ordered the guards to drag him into the square and have the executioner chop off his head before all of Asgard!"
Sitting in the passenger seat, Thor slammed his fist angrily on the dashboard.
Watching his fury, Natasha Romanoff, who was behind the wheel, smirked while chewing her gum. "Easy there, big guy. Isn't Linen already planning to deal with him?"
"And honestly, if you weren't so curious to see whether he's a magician like your brother Loki, I wouldn't have brought you here."
"Someone like that deserves to die," Thor muttered, still fuming. "His existence is an insult to justice."
That was exactly what Natasha had expected.
After hearing both her and Nick Fury mention Linen's mysterious abilities, Thor had grown curious about the magician — insisting on coming along.
And that anger of his? Natasha had deliberately stoked it by telling him about Victor Landon's crimes.
This was part of her mission — to test Thor's temperament.
Even though the "spoiler videos" didn't clearly show Thor's role among the Avengers, it was obvious that the Earth's future was closely tied to him.
That was why Fury had assigned this task to Natasha.
From what she'd just seen, her conclusion was simple — this thousand-five-hundred-year-old god-prince was… well, a bit too straightforward.
Seriously, how could such a "simple" man survive that long in Asgard — a realm filled with politics and deception?
If he had been raised in the Red Room, without his divine strength, he'd never have made it to "graduation."
Tsk…
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