This wasn't his home universe.
In his original universe, Nolan had plenty of concerns. That world was full of hidden powerhouses, and he had countless ties and obligations to consider. Every move he made needed to account for how others might react.
Here, however, those concerns were far fewer.
After all, in this world, he was just a passerby.
Working with the Fantastic Four wasn't on his agenda. On the contrary, he was more interested in collaborating with Victor Von Doom.
There were many reasons for this. Ultimately, Victor had only become a villain because of Reed Richards. Calling him a villain was somewhat misleading he mainly just opposed the Fantastic Four.
Since he wasn't truly evil, he fell within Nolan's range of potential collaborators.
Most importantly, Nolan wanted a shortcut.
The Fantastic Four came into being because of space travel funded by the Doom Corporation. The crew had been exposed to gamma radiation, resulting in uncontrollable mutations.
The outcomes were unpredictable.
Reed Richards, known as Mister Fantastic, gained the ability to stretch his body like rubber and became nearly immune to physical attacks. Susan Storm, the Invisible Woman, could generate protective fields and turn invisible. Johnny Storm, the Human Torch, could generate flames close to the temperature of the sun.
Ben Grimm, the Thing, didn't fare so well. His mutation left him unable to maintain human form, transforming him into a rock-like creature.
Victor Von Doom, meanwhile, gained tremendous power but gradually mutated into a being with metallic features.
Overall, the results were a mix of advantages and drawbacks. Powers without side effects were a huge gain, and even those with drawbacks weren't necessarily useless.
Nolan's eyes flickered with thought.
Reed Richards might be a morally questionable person, but his scientific methods were impressive. He had even developed devices capable of restoring people. If necessary, Nolan could always switch alliances.
Now, Nolan already possessed superhuman strength. With his suit, he was even more formidable. Yet he had never forgotten one truth: what he had was truly his own. Without the suit, he could be controlled, and that was unacceptable.
He had considered using his system to handle matters, but entering the Fantastic Four's world presented a valuable opportunity.
With a clear objective in mind, Nolan set to work. He needed a credible identity that would allow him to collaborate with the Doom Corporation.
Soon, a small tech company quietly emerged. With affordable, high-quality products, it began to grow rapidly.
Two months later, Nolan was deep in his laboratory at Locke Technologies.
"Sir, Galiston Bea is here," Red Queen's voice reported.
Nolan nodded and set aside his work. He was in the process of designing a new suit.
Starting from scratch was never easy. He had to slowly build the framework of Locke Technologies. Only half a month ago had he completed the first-generation Red Queen. A fully upgraded version would take at least another two months.
This was the drawback of technology. If he had personal power enhancements, he could have dominated effortlessly.
Leaving the lab, Nolan returned to the office.
"Galiston Bea, it's been a while," Nolan greeted with a smile. Up close, it was a professional smile, precise and measured.
Galiston Bea returned the smile.
"Mr. Locke, Locke Technologies is developing faster than ever. I envy your brain it can handle so many projects at once."
Nolan laughed lightly.
"Locke Technologies earns money, don't you as well?"
To grow a company so quickly in just over a month, Nolan couldn't rely solely on himself. Galiston Bea was a shareholder he had attracted through technical cooperation.
This wasn't his home world, so he didn't need to slowly secure absolute control. As long as he retained majority shares, that was enough.
"That's true. It seems my initial investment was a wise choice," Galiston Bea said thoughtfully. When Nolan had first approached him, Galiston hadn't paid much attention. Who could have guessed that the seemingly unremarkable Locke Technologies would grow so fast?
"Perhaps our company could go public in three years," Galiston added.
"Hopefully," Nolan replied, not pursuing the topic further.
Galiston shrugged and smiled.
"You once mentioned your interest in outer space research. Coincidentally, I know a company planning a project in that area. You might want to check it out. That said, Mr. Locke, I advise against Locke Technologies getting involved right now. Space research can be profitable, but losses are likely as well."
"Of course. I won't rush. This is just preparation for the future. But what company is it?" Nolan asked, curious.
"Stark Industries."
Nolan frowned at the answer. He already knew about this world's Stark Industries and that it also had Captain America. Compared to his home universe, however, this world had no magic. That much Nolan had confirmed after observing Stark Industries.
In other words, this was a world where the Fantastic Four and the Avengers coexisted.
Interestingly, Captain America here was a woman.
"Stark Industries has always focused on military tech. How are they involved in space research?" Nolan asked.
Galiston Bea smiled.
"Stark Industries is very wealthy. Tony Stark's achievements in energy and military technology are well-known, but that doesn't mean he hasn't touched space science especially the mysterious gamma particles."
Nolan nodded. Unexpected, but reasonable. After all, it was Tony Stark. He just hoped nothing went wrong.
"Mr. Galiston Bea, if you have the chance, could you help me get in touch with Tony Stark? I'd like to discuss this matter with him."
Galiston Bea looked troubled.
"Locke Technologies is too small at this stage."
Nolan paused, then realized: at this point, Tony Stark was still the arrogant playboy. Approaching him now would likely get him ignored.
"Then forget it," Nolan said. He didn't want to strain relations with Galiston Bea, a valuable ally. But he hadn't abandoned the idea of connecting with Tony Stark. He planned to leverage Stark's resources as a stepping stone toward future collaboration with the Doom Corporation.
Starting a new company was difficult.
After sending Galiston Bea off, Nolan sighed. In his home universe, Locke Technologies ran smoothly without his daily involvement. Here, without capable and trustworthy executives, he had to handle every detail himself.
"Sir, your schedule at Columbia University is arranged," Red Queen announced.
Nolan's spirits lifted. Columbia University held particular significance in this world. Both the Fantastic Four and Victor Von Doom had graduated from there.
He had long planned to visit, under the pretense of consulting a professor about gamma radiation. This also added color to his otherwise shallow backstory, increasing his cover's plausibility.
Frankly, Nolan didn't know much about gamma rays. Their importance in the Marvel universe intrigued him, and he wanted to learn more.
After consulting the professor for most of the day, Nolan spent $300,000 to secure this opportunity. Instead of leaving, he headed to the university library to compare his newly acquired knowledge with books, then conduct deeper research in his thought laboratory.
He was particularly focused on controllable gamma mutations. Could their direction be influenced in some way? If so, he could prepare in advance.
Nolan stayed in the library until nearly closing time. Reviewing the texts, he felt the day had not been wasted.
"Controlled gamma mutations… theoretically possible," he murmured.
Gamma radiation was infamous for its unpredictability. Many scientists had tried to research controllable mutations, with most attempts ending in failure. But a few experiments suggested possible outcomes.
"This theory exists, but only at the current stage. Prediction remains impossible," a voice said. Nolan looked up, surprised.
A woman stood before him, clearly older than the students around. Her presence radiated mature charm.
"No. In this book, Introduction to Gamma Rays, there's mention of research into controllable gamma radiation. Most experiments failed, but some data suggest it's not impossible," she explained.
Nolan's face showed a trace of regret.
"Perhaps the author lacked funding, so the experiments were shelved," he added.
"I've read this book as well. The research is innovative, but some theories contradict one another. The author intended a professional text, but eventually had to settle for a popular science book combining multiple ideas," the woman said, shaking her head.
Nolan smiled, saying nothing. The theories were intriguing, but verifying them would require costly experiments something he could now attempt in his thought laboratory.
He extended his hand.
"I'm Nolan Locke. Perhaps we could discuss gamma radiation further sometime."
The woman smiled and shook his hand.
"Susan Storm."
Nolan hid his surprise. Meeting the Invisible Woman so easily was unexpected.
Compared to Jessica Jones, Susan Storm's figure was noticeably more striking, and Daisy Johnson and Sharon Carter couldn't compare at all.
"Susan Storm, it seems you have extensive knowledge of gamma radiation," Nolan said.
"Only a basic understanding," he humbly replied.
"Gamma rays have broad applications. If they could produce controllable mutations, it would be significant for humanity."
Susan's eyes widened slightly. Nolan's demeanor reminded her of someone she knew.
Glancing at the clock, Nolan said, "Looks like the library's closing."
Susan nodded. They had been talking for some time.
After parting, Nolan kept Susan's number, a small smile on his lips.
This was a pleasant surprise. Perhaps he could leverage this connection to subtly influence the early, fragile Fantastic Four alliance.
Back at home, Susan held Nolan's number. Though they had just met, she felt an unexpected kinship similar interests, shared viewpoints.
The next day, Susan arrived at her workplace, the Doom Corporation, founded by her old classmate, Victor Von Doom.
After graduating, she had been recruited quickly by Victor.
"Boss," she greeted as she entered the office.
Victor sighed.
"Susan, I've told you many times you can call me by my name. After all, we're old classmates. Honestly, I hope you'd become my girlfriend," he said.
Susan's expression twitched slightly. She had never forgotten someone from her past, though Victor had been extremely kind over time.
She hesitated but shook her head.
"Boss, perhaps you should reconsider your space investments. Right now, the Doom Corporation's space projects are our biggest loss. The board is pressing heavily."
Victor frowned. Space projects were costly, but crucial for his tech empire. Success would bring enormous fame and power.
"Never mind. Our ship is ready, and I don't plan to sell it before launch that would be a true loss. I never engage in losing ventures," Victor said, glancing at Susan thoughtfully. He had heard that an old classmate was seeking investment. For a moment, he considered it… then dismissed the thought. He didn't like that person.