The internal power shifts within Stark Industries, while not as dramatic as the upheavals of a royal successions, were far from simple.

  It was nothing like in urban novels, where as long as the eion was alive, they could suppress all dissent within the pany. Such a situation was impossible to occur here.

  Howard Stark was aging, and after Maria’s death, he became even more frail. The rapidly deteriorating Howard no longer had the ability to tinue geing value for Stark Industries. His decisions could no longer be relied upon to steer the pany in the right dire.

  In this situation, even though he had once held high prestige within Stark Industries during his younger years, it no longer had any impact.

  People may show respect for someone based on their past achievements, but that doesn’t mean they would still follow their orders.

  In Ameri panies, owning the most shares doesn’t automatically make someone the chairman.

  When the chairman o longer bring bes to the pany uide it forward, shareholders have the right to remove them from their position a a more qualified person to take over.

  As for the former chairman, he would bee a major shareholder, losing all authority and only be able to wait for the annual dividends.

  Therefore, Tony taking over Howard's position was far from smooth sailing.

  He had to create value for Stark Industries in a short amount of time. Otherwise, ohose below him started gettiless, any moves he wao make would be hindered and difficult to implement.

  For Tony, the quickest way to achieve this goal was to seek external cooperation.

  And what pany could bring bes without posing risks to Stark Industries?

  Naturally, it was Wayerprises, a ons pany that had lost its leader, mubsp;like Stark Industries.

  ……

  In Gotham City, at Wayne Manor.

  Reid pced the freshly brewed tea on the table and quietly sat across from Tony, elegantly sipping his tea.

  Oher hand, Tony, young as he was, couldn’t keep his posure. Even though he tried to remain calm, the slight trembling of his hand as he held his tea betrayed his ihoughts.

  "Alright, I have to admit it, Alfred, you really do know how to stay calm. I lost."

  Tony finally gave in. He shouldn’t have tried to pete in patieh a man in his seventies. After all, he was only 21! How could he possibly remain posed?

  "Looks like Mr. Stark is ready to get down to business?"

  "That's right."

  After giving up on maintaining a calm demeanor, Tony spoke directly.

  "I want to colborate with Wayerprises."

  "Well, then you should approach Wayerprises directly through Stark Industries, not e to me, a lonely old butler, right?"

  Reid still asked knowingly. He firmly believed that only by maintaining trol could this colboration be more stable.

  Even though he kony's character and that he was uo take any underhanded as, Reid hadn’t fotten that Stark Industries still had an Obadiah Stane. While Howard was still alive, his influence had greatly diminished, but he could still keep Obadiah in check for now.

  From Reid’s observation, however, Howard’s physical dee had been so severe that, perhaps within a few years, he might pass away.

  Even though Reid had happened to save Howard after his arrival, it had merely postponed Howard's death by a few more years.

  "Alright, Alfred, enough with the cryptic remarks. I genuinely want to cooperate with you. Trust me, I would never do anything that would harm the Wayne family."

  Tony, not wanting to waste more time with Alfred, made a direitment.

  "I don't know how you mao temporarily suspend Wayerprises' listing, and frankly, I don't want to iigate it. You are a loyal butler and a man worthy of respect."

  "Simirly, with your wisdom you should uand that the suspension of Wayerprises' listing is only temporary. As long as is are at stake, even with Earle dead, others will emerge. Only by stabilizing the value of Wayerprises we secure the hearts and minds of those involved. I am willing to help you, and iurn, I need your help as well."

  With that, Tony took out a dot and pced it oable in front of them.

  "This is the colboration I propose. Wayerprises has a plete industrial supply that help Stark Industries rapidly expand its industry. Of course, during this process, Wayerprises will also stand to profit."

  Reid gently picked up the colboration dot.

  After arriving in this world, Reid had done some research. By the end of 1991, Stark Industries had already bee the rgest ons glomerate in the U.S., and the Stark family had lohe wealthiest in the try.

  However, the Stark Industries of this time wasn’t yet at the level of dominanbsp;it would achieve when the Iron Man storyline began.

  Due to the limitations of the era's teological level, even though Howard was a genius, the ons and equipment he created weren’t particurly outstanding when pared to those produced by other panies.

  The reason Stark Industries became as wealthy as it did iure rimarily due to Tony's rise to power. Riding the wave of the teological explosioook Stark Industries to unpreted new heights.

  Naturally, Reid could see Tony’s ambition in the dot. He was fident that Tony could push Stark Industries even further, but the prerequisite for that was the unity within Stark Industries.

  A partnership with Wayerprises would not only accelerate Stark Industries’ expansion by leveraging Wayerprises' industrial , but it would also help stabilize the internal dynamics of Stark Industries.

  Iure, as Stark Industries soared to new heights, Wayerprises, maintaining its colboration with Stark Industries, would also rise along with it.

  This was the situation Reid most wao see, and it was the final step in seg the future of Wayerprises.

  "As the butler of Wayerprises, I must say, this is a colboration I ot refuse."

  Now that the objective had been achieved, there was o tinue pretending to be reserved.

  Reid pced the dot directly oable, then looked at Tony aended his right hand.

  "I guarahat there will be no issues with this colboration. Also, I have a gift I’d like to give to Mr. Stark."

  "A gift?"

  Upon hearing that the colboration had been firmed, To out a sigh of relief.

  He could have gone directly to Wayne Enterprises for cooperation, and they wouldn’t have refused. However, without Alfred as a stabilizing link, Wayerprises wouldn’t be as trolble. At a critical moment, they might everay Stark Industries.

  Now that the goal had been achieved, he naturally felt relieved.

  But when he heard that Reid was a gift, Tony was taken aback.

  "What kind of gift? It’s not some health supplements, right? I’m only 21, I’m not in need of that stuff."

  Reid simply smiled slightly, then replied.

  "It’s information about the assassin."

  **

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