Moscow, Russia.
Outside the State Duma building, a group of reporters caught State Duma Deputy Sergei Kravinoff just as he was leaving a meeting. They swarmed him, eager to interview the political rising star who had only returned to his homeland after the collapse of the Soviet Union.
"Mr. Sergei, there are reports that some State Duma deputies said 'deputies who frequently miss meetings should be disqualified,' which is actually a jab at your annual trips and vacations to Africa. What's your take on that?"
"Regarding that, as I've said in previous press conferences, this isn't a deliberate act against any individual. It's simply an action in response to deputies who miss relevant State Duma meetings. I haven't deliberately missed any meetings without following the proper procedures—thank you."
After spouting a series of completely meaningless platitudes, Sergei Kravinoff opened the door to his car, smiled, and got in. Once the door was closed, he couldn't help but complain to his driver: "God, these reporters are so annoying."
"I'm sorry, sir, but I can't relate," his driver replied, resigned to his boss's complaints. He then passed along a message to Kravinoff: "Mr. Romanov is waiting for you at your home."
"Romanov. The boring 'nobleman.' The nobility all died out after 1917. It's been almost a hundred years, and some people still can't let go of these things. What a bunch of utterly tedious people."
Half an hour later, at Kravinoff Manor.
"Romanov, my friend!" Sergei exclaimed happily, embracing the portly broker in front of him. This man was a lobbyist for many oligarchs and interest groups in the country, many of whom could trace their roots back to noble families from the Tsarist era. They had, therefore, formed a covert political alliance.
It was plausible that Sergei Kravinoff was a member of this alliance, as his family, the Kravinoffs, were great nobles during the Tsarist period and a branch of the Romanov dynasty, even holding the title of Grand Duke when the Tsar fell. However, it was unlikely that Sergei Kravinoff was a willing member of this alliance, as he was genuinely indifferent to these people who still addressed each other by various noble titles in the 21st century.
"It's a pleasure to see you, Grand Duke Kravinoff," Romanov said, predictably using the noble title he disliked the most. Romanov then accepted a hunting rifle from a servant and presented it to Sergei. "This is a hunting rifle with a full crystal body, specially carved by a gem artisan in South Africa, Grand Duke Kravinoff. A small token of my esteem."
"Thank you. I'm sure it will look very nice hanging in my study."
Sergei was completely unfazed. He and Romanov then talked about many things. He had initially thought that the broker was there to solicit some investment for someone, perhaps to open a new factory in some city, but after circling around, Romanov suddenly asked an unexpected question.
"Do you remember your father's illegitimate son, Dimitri Smerdyakov?"
"The traitor who betrayed the country, joined the country's super-soldier program, and then defected?" Sergei frowned. "Why are you bringing him up?"
"He's dead, Grand Duke Kravinoff."
Sergei let out a long breath.
Dimitri was dead. The death of his half-brother didn't surprise Kravinoff. After the revolution, his ancestors had moved their entire family to the outskirts of New York, where they built Kravinoff Manor. The family lived in New York for more than seventy years, only returning to Russia after the collapse of the Soviet Union. They then used the family's connections to re-enter politics.
However, unlike Sergei, who was the legitimate heir and doing very well for himself, his illegitimate brother Dimitri couldn't tolerate life in the declining Russian economy. He missed his life in New York. As a result, after joining the Foreign Intelligence Service, he always harbored thoughts of defecting. After undergoing a series of leftover Soviet-era surgeries, he became the Foreign Intelligence Service's ace agent, "Chameleon."
He then obtained enough intelligence from the Foreign Intelligence Service and chose to defect.
Kravinoff disapproved of his brother's actions and had long expected his death. He poured himself a glass of vodka and asked, "Did the Foreign Intelligence Service find him and eliminate him?"
"No... they didn't."
Romanov shook his head and then took out a file, handing it to Sergei. "This was given to me by a friend in New York. It documents Dimitri's true cause of death. If you need it, you can keep it."
Romanov left, leaving the file behind. Sergei sat at his table and opened the file, reading it carefully. There was almost no detailed information about his brother's true cause of death. Instead, it repeatedly mentioned the existence of a very strange person—Spider-Man.
The intelligence, which no one knew who had passed on, described a new American super-soldier: his power came from America's super-soldier research program and was a product of the famous Oscorp Industries. He was now a new member of the Avengers, and before that, he had had several encounters with Chameleon.
In the end, Chameleon died in a very intense battle, and everything seemed clear: Spider-Man killed Chameleon.
But there was a problem.
It was obvious that someone was using him as a pawn, hoping he would go after Spider-Man. Regardless of whether he could actually kill him, Sergei would not fall for this kind of plot. He put down the file, stroked his beard, and then got up and left the reception room.
As he walked out, his old butler, who had been looking after him from his days in New York until now, asked as usual, "Sir, are you still going to South Africa for vacation this winter?"
"South Africa... There are no longer any animals on Earth worth hunting. Ever since I received the Super-Soldier Serum, there have been virtually no animals on Earth that I cannot hunt." Sergei shook his head, uninterested. But then he realized something. He returned to the reception room, looked through the file again, and then came back out.
"Book me a ticket to New York. A private vacation. I'll explain it to the party leader and the president."
"?"
"Dimitri is dead, and I don't know who killed him." Sergei handed the picture of Spider-Man from the file to his old butler. "Perhaps this person can tell me who killed Dimitri."