After chatting with Howard for a bit longer, Ryden was kicked out.
He headed down to the forty-sixth floor, which was still a vast, empty space.
The sweet reception manager, Kathy, had received orders to come up and welcome the minority shareholder.
Young, handsome, and most importantly, wealthy.
A man like this was a hot commodity.
Hoping to "get the moon by being close to the terrace," Kathy began her charms.
"Mr. Hunt, per the Chairman's instructions, this entire floor is your laboratory. It's being reserved for you, and you can design the layout however you like. We will help you set it up as soon as possible. Additionally, all the materials you need will be moved in."
As she spoke, Kathy deliberately showed off her figure, clearly trying to snag this so-called "golden turtle" of a husband.
Ryden didn't mind her little moves.
In fact, he was secretly enjoying them.
Back then, he had chased girls everywhere and still ended up a "single dog."
Now, without even trying, women were throwing themselves at him.
It felt great.
Still, he knew exactly why this was happening.
It was because of his status and position.
If he were just a homeless man in a forest park, no one would even give him a second glance. They'd turn around and leave immediately.
"Mhm. Give me the floor plans. I'll take them back and think it over. There's no rush."
With beauties all around him, Ryden was no longer the impulsive boy he used to be.
He was... well.
A pervert with standards.
Kathy stepped back, slightly disappointed. But when she caught the young shareholder sneaking a glance at her, a sense of pride welled up inside her.
After all, she still had it.
After saying goodbye to Howard and leaving Stark Industries, Ryden looked up at the blue sky.
How many more surprises did this world have in store for him?
He got into his car and drove back to Brooklyn.
The Old Sailor's Bar had become the gathering place for the core members.
Though small, it was the birthplace of the Spades Gang.
What started as a tiny bar with just a few people had grown into the third-largest gang in Brooklyn.
They even monopolized an industry.
Street food stalls.
Even gangsters believed they had status and dignity.
They usually dealt in "high-end" businesses like smuggling.
Who would do something like the Spades Gang?
Setting up stalls on the street.
Doing things that disgraced the identity and status of a mobster.
They were a complete embarrassment to the criminal underworld.
Of course, that was only because those people didn't understand the profits involved.
Neither the Tewa Gang nor the Rens Gang realized that this industry was a path to extreme wealth.
True, a single snack didn't earn much.
Only a cent.
But the volume was terrifying.
An average stall selling two hundred portions a day meant two dollars.
A hundred stalls meant two hundred dollars.
A thousand stalls meant two thousand dollars.
Okay.
It still didn't sound like much.
But this was the Great Depression after World War I.
People fought over jobs that paid twenty dollars a month.
Letting pennies accumulate and quietly making a fortune was the correct approach.
If everyone knew, what would be left to earn?
Even gang members didn't make much.
Many barely scraped by.
Those at the bottom couldn't even afford food.
"Please, have a heart, let me see Marlos! He and I were brothers-in-arms!"
A drunkard was begging the security guards at the bar entrance.
His hair was a mess, and the stench coming off him made it clear he hadn't bathed in ages.
He looked no different from a vagrant.
Before even getting close, Ryden could smell the foul odor.
Covering his nose, he put on a mask painted with the Hydra logo to hide his identity.
"Hehe, Lionel, how can you bear to come to me for help? Didn't you go to Gotham City to make it big? Haha! Look everyone, this is the boss who used to lead me! Look how well he's doing now, suit and tie and all... tsk tsk tsk, truly impressive! Didn't you say you were going to dominate New York City back then? Look at you now!"
At some point, Marlos walked out with a group of brothers.
He was dressed in a suit and looked like a proper gentleman as he mocked the man mercilessly.
It looked like a classic rising-underdog revenge scene.
Wait.
That name sounded familiar.
Ryden searched his memory.
Diana, Hera, Sif, Valkyrie, Carol, Selina, Hill, Maria...
Why were they all women's names?
No.
He was sure he had seen that name somewhere before.
In the distance, the drunkard continued pleading.
"Oh no, Marlos, you're the boss. I knew back then you'd carve out a path for yourself. I wasn't wrong about you. With me around, I can definitely help you dominate all of New York City. Then Gotham and Metropolis will bow at our feet!"
As he spoke, the drunkard became increasingly lost in his own delusions.
Marlos covered his nose and kicked him in the stomach.
"Enough, Lionel, you bastard! You screwed me over back then and cheated me out of my entire fortune! Bullshit. If I weren't in a good mood today, I'd have you chopped up and fed to the dogs!"
His eyes were filled with pure disgust.
As if he were staring at a pile of filth.
"Mhm. Lionel. Total scumbag. Domestic abuser. Beats his wife and kids. A complete failure."
Ryden muttered quietly.
"He's not famous, but his son is."
"A genius with a terrifying IQ."
"Lex Luthor."
"Also known as Baldy Luthor."
Everything clicked.
An idea began to form.
Ryden walked straight toward the bar.
The guards hesitated when they saw the octopus-shaped mask on his face.
That mask was reserved for high-level members.
They didn't stop him.
Hydra was the perfect scapegoat.
Any dirty work could always be pushed onto them.
Inside his private office, Ryden pressed a red button.
The battery connected to an electromagnet sent out a unique signal.
A device hidden inside Marlos's coat began to vibrate.
Outside, as Marlos was still venting his anger, his expression suddenly changed.
He turned to his bodyguards.
"Keep an eye on him. Wait for me to come back. I'll... catch up with him properly later."
"Master Ryden, you're here! Welcome, welcome! Is there anything you need me to do?"
The more Marlos experienced, the more terrified he became of Ryden.
This man was terrifying.
A venomous snake.
Quiet and unassuming most of the time.
But once his prey appeared, he struck without mercy.
"Enough with the flattery you can't even stand to hear."
Ryden glanced at him.
"Is that man outside your friend?"
"No, no, how could a piece of shit like that be my friend! He was a boss I followed before. He scammed all our money and ran. Left us bankrupt and homeless. He's trash!"
Marlos finally exposed his past.
Hatred twisted his face.
It made sense.
Anyone scammed into bankruptcy would be filled with resentment.
This was a grudge carved into bone.
Ryden had no intention of helping a scumbag.
But that man couldn't die yet.
Someone who could stand against Superman in the future was too valuable to waste.
The real question was-
How to control Baldy Luthor?
That required careful thought.
Aha.
Hehe.
A cold smirk slowly curled at the corner of Ryden's mouth.
Marlos shuddered.
Goosebumps crawled across his skin.
When his young master smiled like that, it meant someone was about to have a very bad day.
Silently, he offered a five-minute prayer for that unlucky soul.
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