Chapter 146: 146

Words : 1253 Updated : Oct 9th, 2025

| Gotham City - September 11 Joseph had spent all night planning for the expansion of his company on his bed. Nova had already absorbed his computer so he was able to interface with documents on his HUD. He was making a new corporation called BellCorp. Original name? No. Did he care? No. He decided Bell Studios would deal with entertainment, while BellCorp would act as a holding company for a vast array of divisions. The social media app PikPok and cryptocurrency BellCoin would be transferred to subsidiaries under BellCorp, while all the finished games like MyCraft, RobLux, and Sweet Smash — along with games still in development like GTA (Gotham Theft Auto) and Oversee, a first-person hero shooter — would remain with Bell Studios. Having an AI that could do the work of several people in seconds made him stop and think about how to responsibly use such a power. He decided that for all things entertainment and art, Nova wouldn't touch them. He would let humans handle that. It wouldn't be fair to fire the people who had been working hard just because he had his AI back. So Mr. Jack and all his other employees would keep their jobs. BellCorp would start by focusing only on software, since they were high-margin and quick to scale. The first subsidiary, BellWare, would handle: Cloud Computing & AI Services – Selling Nova-powered automation tools to companies, including data analysis, logistics optimization, customer service AI, and security monitoring. Cybersecurity Solutions – Creating unhackable security systems for corporations, governments, and high-profile individuals. Smart Infrastructure – Designing AI-managed city systems for traffic, utilities, and emergency response. Enterprise SaaS – AI-powered business management platforms for accounting, HR, and marketing automation. The second subsidiary, BellFinance, would have BellCoin under it and handle: High-Frequency Trading – Using Nova's predictive modeling to dominate stock, crypto, and commodities markets. Banking & Digital Payments – Integrating BellCoin into a secure, global payment platform. Investment & Venture Capital – Using AI to identify and fund promising startups before anyone else. The third subsidiary, BellComm, would have PikPok under it and handle: Streaming Platforms – Competing with Metflix or LexTube using AI-personalized curation. News Networks – Providing fact-checked, AI-assisted journalism. Telecommunications – Offering secure, encrypted communication networks. The fourth subsidiary, BellGuard, would handle: Surveillance Systems – Predictive crime mapping, ethically managed to avoid abuse. Non-lethal Weapons Development – AI-designed crowd control and law enforcement technology, once the company was stable.. Private Security Contracting – Nova-led risk assessment and crisis response teams, once the company was stable. The fifth subsidiary, BellEdu, would handle: Personalized Learning Platforms – AI tutors for every subject and skill. Corporate Training Systems – Custom simulations for industries like aviation, engineering, and medicine. Remote Learning Hardware – Affordable, AI-powered tablets for developing regions. Once stable, BellCorp would expand further with new subsidiaries. BellEnergy: Clean Energy Development – Fusion reactors, ultra-efficient solar panels, and AI-optimized wind farms. Battery Technology – Lightweight, long-lasting power cells for electric vehicles and electronics. Mining & Materials – AI-controlled mining operations for rare minerals, sourced in non-exploitative ways. BellHealth: AI-Driven Drug Discovery – Rapid development of new medicines, vaccines, and treatments. Personalized Medicine – Custom treatment plans based on genetic profiles. Medical Devices – AI-assisted surgical robotics and wearable health monitors. BellTransport: Freight & Shipping Optimization – Reducing costs and delivery times for global supply chains. Space Transportation – Long-term investment in reusable rockets and orbital infrastructure. BellIndustries: Factories – Human workers with AI-monitored quality control. Construction Robotics – AI-run building crews capable of assembling skyscrapers or housing rapidly. Custom Consumer Electronics – Nova-designed gadgets that surpass current market standards. BellSpace: Asteroid Mining – Harvesting rare metals from space. Terraforming Research – Using Nova to model planetary engineering projects. Deep Space Exploration – Probes and autonomous ships. Joseph planned for BellCorp to surpass LexCorp in five years. Of course, it could happen faster but that would invite more suspicion and distrust if his growth was even more explosive than he'd already set. Year 1 – Establish BellCorp as a legitimate, diversified software firm. Year 2 – Expansion into Infrastructure & Energy. Goal: Enter essential sectors that governments need but are slow to modernize, ensuring political protection and steady revenue. Actions: Smart City Systems – Partner with municipalities for AI-managed utilities, traffic, and emergency services. Green Energy Projects – AI-optimized solar farms, wind power, and early-stage fusion reactor research. Logistics Optimization – BellCorp's AI solutions cut costs for shipping companies. Covert Projects – Nova designs autonomous construction drones for rapid building in disaster zones, earning global goodwill. Year 3 – Public Dominance in Multiple Fields. Goal: BellCorp becomes a household name in tech, finance, and infrastructure. Joseph is recognized as a "tech visionary" akin to Lex Luthor's public persona — but younger and cleaner. Actions: Healthcare & Biotech – Launch BellHealth with AI-assisted diagnostics and drug research. Finance Expansion – Nova's predictive analytics make BellCorp a titan in investment banking. PR Moves – Philanthropic initiatives in education, affordable housing, and global clean water. Year 4 – Strategic Disruption & Space Entry. Goal: Quietly edge into sectors that give near-total control over resources and communications. Actions: Satellite Network – Launch BellSat constellation for global internet, communication, and observation, marketed as a rival to Star Labs or WayneTech satellite services. Asteroid Mining Prep – Secure government contracts for deep space resource exploration. AI Agriculture – Fully automated farming systems to address world hunger, while also controlling the food production chain. Defense Contracts – Non-lethal defense systems for cities, airports, and political figures, tested first in Gotham. Year 5 – Quiet Global Monopoly. Goal: BellCorp becomes too big and too beneficial to dismantle, giving Joseph immense influence. Actions: Global Financial Integration – BellCoin becomes a widely accepted global payment method. BellCorp Defense Grid – A network of AI-monitored satellites capable of detecting and intercepting global threats, meta-human or otherwise. And that was the plan. Pretty straightforward. Laying it all out like this, it almost seemed like he was a supervillain with a plan to take over the world. But in his mind, the plan wasn't about domination — it was about progress. He avoided automating everything when he could have humans do it. He wanted to create new jobs, not destroy them. It would be disastrous if the public turned against him because his AI took away too many jobs. Nova's role would be limited to establishing new companies and their initial products, after which Joseph would hire a full staff. Nova would not be a constant background operator for all systems. Joseph would have it create specific AI tailored for each task, so BellCorp's operations wouldn't collapse if Nova was unavailable, such as if he went off-world. The next several days would be spent establishing the first five subsidiaries. There were, of course, a few obstacles to work out. The biggest one were banking and financial restrictions. Major banks, investment firms, stock markets, and regulators might hesitate to conduct high-level financial dealings — especially multi-million-dollar transactions — with someone under 18 or 21. International markets could be even stricter. His workaround was simple: He would appoint a trusted corporate proxy, Selina, to serve as the public-facing head of certain BellCorp divisions until he turned 18 or 21 and give her a small amount of shares in exchange. He'd already been doing that for Bell Studios. The next few weeks were already looking very, very busy for him.

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