Building Superheroes at Marvel

At 7:30 in the evening, the Metropolis Hotel in New York City.

Kyle, clad in a sky-blue suit, escorted Alice out of the car, drawing envious glances from those nearby.

Once an overlooked figure, Kyle had now become a powerful entrepreneur in New York City. His transformation from a shadow to a key player in the city's business scene was undeniable.

The reason for his presence at the event tonight? Kyle had received an invitation to a high-profile charity auction. In essence, the event was a form of social whitewashing, an opportunity for some to burnish their public images. While Kyle wasn't particularly inclined to attend such gatherings, he couldn't resist the allure of the event—especially with one specific guest on the invitation list: Tony Stark.

It was for this reason that Kyle decided to attend the event.

"Master, there's word that an antique from the Sumerian period will be up for auction tonight. The scientific research department has requested that we secure it," Gasco, his housekeeper, whispered as he approached the pair at the entrance.

The news had come earlier that day, but Gasco, being a servant, couldn't make decisions without Kyle's approval. However, Gasco had already verified the information through Dr. Green, a well-respected researcher, and everything checked out—despite Green's somewhat unusual taste in hair color. Though his green hair was eccentric, Dr. Green's abilities were exceptional.

"Since they need it, we'll take it," Kyle responded after considering the request. He surveyed the room briefly, noticing a few familiar faces and a number of waiters but no one he could recognize immediately. It seemed unlikely he would run into anyone he knew tonight, but he agreed without much hesitation.

Two months had passed since the launch of the Water Company, and the company had transformed dramatically. Financial reserves were ample, and the crystal stockpile was more than sufficient. The No. 7 crystal alone had enough to implant superpowers into 200 people, with no shortage in sight. Construction costs had already exceeded one billion, and Kyle had even purchased several lottery tickets as part of his usual routine. The spoils, however, were mixed in quality.

Following Gasco's lead, the three of them entered the auction room.

The space was essentially a banquet hall, with an auction table placed at the front and rows of chairs set up for the attendees.

"Boss, our assigned seats are No. 5, No. 6, and No. 7," Alice reported, pulling out a small notebook from her bag, which was filled with detailed notes.

She quickly scanned the entries, noting the numbers on the chart before sharing the information with Kyle. The seats were modest, with the room only holding fifty people in total, and already two-thirds of the seats were taken.

"Gasco, where's Natasha?" Kyle asked, casually scrolling through his phone to pass the time. It had been hours since he last saw her, and he couldn't help but wonder where she had gone.

"Miss Natasha is in the company," Gasco replied in a low voice. "She didn't attend because she was concerned that her identity might be exposed."

Gasco, as the housekeeper, was not qualified to attend the event, but due to Kyle's special status, they had allowed Gasco to sit alongside him as a gesture of respect.

"Right, that makes sense," Kyle mused, his eyes wandering over the guests. His gaze fell on a man sitting at No. 42, whose slightly round bald head gave him an unmistakable look.

"That's Heatwell," Kyle said, recognizing him immediately. "One of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s senior agents and a high-ranking Hydra member. The people with him are probably also from S.H.I.E.L.D. or Hydra, though I'm not sure what their motives are tonight."

Kyle glanced around the room, already piecing together the intentions of the various players. Most of the gems and jewelry on auction were likely to pique Nick Fury's interest, but the real item of intrigue was the so-called Sumerian cultural relic.

"Interesting. How much are we working with tonight?" Kyle asked, his thoughts shifting back to the auction.

Gasco answered promptly, "All available funds are at your disposal, but for the sake of future developments, we can only use 7 billion tonight."

Kyle nodded, his mind already set on what he intended to do. The air carrier project that S.H.I.E.L.D. was building likely kept Heatwell from having too much liquid cash to spend, so Kyle felt confident about outbidding him for the cultural relic.

"Got it. I'm placing my bet on the Sumerian relic," Kyle muttered.

...

Ten minutes later.

The remaining seats were filled, and as expected, Tony Stark arrived fashionably late, claiming the first seat.

The next two seats, No. 2 and No. 3, were occupied by two high-profile individuals Kyle didn't recognize, though they were likely among the elite in New York's power structure.

"Welcome, everyone, to this charity auction. I'm Erica Claire, your auctioneer for the evening."

The well-dressed female auctioneer introduced herself, and a staff member emerged from behind the scenes, carefully carrying the first item for auction.

After unveiling the black cloth, the item on display was a breathtaking crown that gleamed brilliantly under the spotlights.

"This is the first lot of the evening, Maria Vittoria's pearl crown."

"The crown is constructed with a series of scroll-like loops, featuring pearls and old-cut diamonds," the auctioneer continued. "A detachable structure below allows it to be converted into a necklace, with the base of the crown inlaid with cushion-shaped diamonds, arranged in a stunning cluster pattern."

"The piece features 11 drop-shaped baroque pearls, all identified as natural seawater pearls, with an unmatched luster."

Despite the auctioneer's enthusiastic description, the first item didn't seem to captivate the high-profile guests. The chatter in the room indicated that many of them were less than interested in this particular lot.

"Gasco, I want that crown," Kyle said with a gleam in his eye. His gaze flickered across the room, noting that no one appeared particularly eager to bid. It was the perfect opportunity to secure the piece.

Kyle intended to give the crown to his future wife, knowing it would earn him significant favor. With the crowd disinterested and no serious competition, he made his move.

He would walk away with the crown—and his future reputation enhanced.