Nolan remained calm. Deep down, he truly did not think this had anything to do with him.
But soon, Susan glanced his way.
Their eyes met.
Nolan was a veteran of romance. In the main universe, he had navigated effortlessly between several women. Yet the moment he saw Susan's expression, something felt… off.
His heart skipped.
Damn it.
Susan Storm seemed to have fallen for him.
This was not how the story was supposed to go. How did it end up like this?
Nolan began reviewing everything he had done.
In his memory, Susan Storm was supposed to be Victor von Doom's girlfriend. Though, to be fair, there was one small problem. He could not clearly remember when Susan and Victor had actually become a couple.
Then there was his own behavior.
Ever since meeting Susan in the university library, they had spoken on the phone almost every day.
Susan's understanding of gamma-related fields was deep, and she had been a huge help to his research on controlled gamma particles. On top of that, Nolan had deliberately drawn closer to her.
After all, if he maintained a good relationship with Susan, no matter what side he took in the future, it would at least give him some room to maneuver.
But he had never considered the possibility that Susan might fall for him.
Not even once.
Yes, Susan Storm was attractive. Incredibly so. And conversations with her about research were genuinely pleasant.
As Nolan thought about it, realization finally struck.
Maybe he was not mistaken after all. Susan Storm really did like him.
He could see it clearly.
And the others were not fools either.
Aside from Ben Grimm, both Victor von Doom and Reed Richards had noticed where Susan's gaze kept drifting.
It was painfully obvious.
So obvious that neither of them could even come up with a comforting excuse for themselves.
Victor felt miserable, and deeply irritated.
He had believed Susan was already his. And now, some man who had appeared out of nowhere was taking her away.
Reed Richards stared at Nolan with a gaze sharp enough to devour him whole.
But before long, both men reined in their expressions.
They were adults, after all. They knew how to manage their emotions.
Reed was very clear on the purpose of this meeting. He immediately took out the documents and began explaining the project.
After just a few minutes, he was already speaking animatedly, as if nothing earlier had ever happened.
He did not notice Susan's gaze dim for a brief moment.
This was the reason they had never worked out.
She wanted a man.
She wanted someone capable, yes. But brilliance and emotional neglect were not the same thing.
He had not changed at all.
Susan finally let go.
When Reed finished his explanation, a smile appeared on Victor von Doom's face.
Even Nolan had to admit it. Reed Richards might lack charisma as a speaker, but his competence was undeniable.
"In that case, here's to a successful collaboration."
After exchanging a few thoughts with Nolan, Victor von Doom agreed to invest in Reed's project.
They also finalized the launch schedule.
In one and a half months, a solar storm would arrive. That would be their window.
It was about to begin.
Nolan calculated silently, confirming that there were no holes in his plan.
Susan's feelings had caught him off guard, but it was not an unsolvable problem.
The Fantastic Four should still come together… right?
For some reason, Nolan suddenly felt uneasy.
"My cursed luck with women," he muttered.
Nolan sighed helplessly.
Ever since arriving in this world, he had tried to keep a low profile as much as possible. Yet somehow, emotional debts still found their way to him.
Did he dislike Susan Storm?
Of course not.
She had a great presence, a good personality, and a mature charm that more than lived up to the phrase "older sister appeal." Enough to make Nolan understand the kind of happiness Tony Stark used to enjoy.
That kind of allure was hard to resist.
But Nolan had too many concerns.
So even after realizing how Susan felt, he never took the initiative to pierce that fragile layer between them.
He even reduced contact with her for a while.
But it barely helped.
Susan knew too much about gamma particle research. Nolan might have a system, but his time in this field was still limited.
In many cases, he needed guidance from a true expert.
And Susan was the best choice.
A month passed in the blink of an eye.
Preparations moved forward steadily.
Nolan also found several promising research breakthroughs.
If he could push through them, his chances would improve significantly.
"Sir, Ms. Storm has arrived," Red Queen reported as she appeared inside the laboratory.
Nolan froze for a moment, slightly surprised.
"She came here?"
Question aside, he still left the lab and returned to his office.
"Susan, what brings you here today?"
"I'm here to inform you that we're about to begin the flight simulation tests."
Today, Susan looked especially striking.
Her professional outfit accentuated her figure rather than hiding it, and the heels beneath her feet made her already tall frame even more elegant.
A closer look revealed light makeup.
Nothing heavy. But it was precisely that refined subtlety that highlighted her features.
"Ms. Storm, you look beautiful today," Nolan said sincerely, his tone carrying a hint of playful warmth.
He quickly caught himself and dialed back the flirtation.
Susan smiled at the compliment.
"Who exactly will be participating in this mission?"
Susan explained, "Victor will be the captain. This mission means a lot to him, so he insisted on going himself. Aside from him, there's you, me, Reed, Ben Grimm. Ben is Reed's longtime partner. And finally, my younger brother, Johnny Storm."
She sighed lightly.
"Johnny and Ben never really get along. I just hope they do not cause trouble this time."
"This is serious business. I'm sure they understand that," Nolan replied.
When the simulation began, Nolan stepped into the spacecraft and immediately encountered a tense standoff.
"Hey, big guy, what are you doing here? Are you sure you even know how to fly a ship?" Johnny Storm sneered at Ben Grimm.
Anger flashed across Ben's face.
"Kid, my advice is to go home and ask your mom."
Their argument escalated rapidly.
Reed Richards had no choice but to step in.
"That's enough, Ben. Don't forget why we're here."
He could not scold Johnny, so his words naturally fell on his closest friend.
Ben snorted heavily but held his tongue.
At that moment, Nolan and Susan walked in.
Johnny's eyes lit up when he saw them.
Before he could speak, Susan cut in sharply.
"Johnny, you're an adult now. Stop provoking Ben all the time."
She knew full well that most of the trouble was Johnny's fault.
Johnny looked dissatisfied, but she was still his sister. He then turned his gaze toward Nolan with a mischievous grin.
"So you must be Susan's boyfriend. I'm her brother, Johnny. Maybe sometime we can go ride motorcycles together."
That single sentence detonated the unspoken tension between Nolan and Susan.
Nolan glanced at Susan, cleared his throat, and said calmly, "Sorry, I think you misunderstood. Susan isn't my girlfriend."
There was a trace of regret in his heart, but who knew when he might leave this world? It was better not to leave emotional entanglements behind.
Susan stiffened briefly, disappointment flickering in her eyes.
Then she regained her composure.
Reed Richards walked over, glanced at Nolan, then turned to Johnny.
"Johnny, long time no see."
Johnny shrugged.
"Yeah. Looks like Susan's still single. That's unfortunate."
Reed curved his lips into a faint smile and looked toward Nolan, clearly about to say something.
Nolan beat him to it.
"None of your damn business!"
The words came out sharp and clean.
Instant relief washed over Nolan.
He had been holding that in for a long time.
Reed Richards' eyes burned with anger.
Damn you, Nolan Locke. Do you think I have no temper?
Nolan met his glare coldly, one hand gripping the nearby railing.
When he released it, a visible dent had formed in the reinforced alloy.
Reed froze.
Nolan curled his lip in disdain.
Thankfully, it was only a simulation bay. And that railing was not a critical structure.
On the real ship, he would not be able to pull that off.
With the unspoken tension laid bare, the rest of the collaboration became noticeably awkward.
Susan seemed to sense it and deliberately kept her distance from Nolan.
All Nolan could do was sigh quietly.
After the space simulation ended, he pushed aside those thoughts and returned to the lab to finish his unfinished research.
This was far too important.
After snapping at Reed, borrowing the gamma energy inverter would probably become more difficult.
Still, it was manageable.
Finally.
Three days before launch, Nolan completed his research.
It was time to go.
With his work finished, Nolan found himself unusually free over the next few days.
He even had time to watch television and go out for exercise.
"Red Queen, give me a report on recent major global events."
He did not have the time to track everything himself, but Red Queen could handle it easily.
More importantly, he had knowledge from the main universe. By comparing timelines, Red Queen could calculate deviations.
"Mole Group has acquired PPC Technologies. Through data analysis, evidence related to Hydra has been uncovered…"
Red Queen continued reporting.
"Based on news sources and underground intelligence, Bruce Banner may have appeared in New York. Inhumans…"
"Bruce Banner is in New York?" Nolan grew serious.
And the Inhumans Red Queen mentioned were just as important.
Their powers were formidable, especially Black Bolt, whose voice alone carried world-shattering force.
Even the Hulk might not withstand Black Bolt's full roar.
What an interesting world.
Nolan smiled, though a headache soon followed.
With Black Bolt in play, things became complicated.
Still, the central issue remained the Fantastic Four.
Reed Richards' restless supergenius mind would have a massive impact on the future.
And there was one problem Nolan had always tried to avoid thinking about.
Galactus.
If the Fantastic Four existed in this world, then Galactus would likely appear as well.
A cosmic entity that devoured planets.
Right now, Nolan could barely imagine what he could use to oppose something like that.
In the original story, the Silver Surfer ultimately turned against Galactus.
But Nolan was living in this world now.
From the moment he arrived, everything had already changed. No one could guarantee that the Silver Surfer would still be redeemed.
He could not even be sure that, even without him, this world would not be destroyed by Galactus.
After all, this universe had far more than just the Fantastic Four.
And most importantly.
Even if the Silver Surfer was redeemed, then what?
The Surfer's power did not come from himself, but from Galactus.
Using borrowed power to kill the one who granted it?
That joke was not funny at all.
Maybe he needed to prepare in advance.
Before Galactus arrived, he needed a way to resist him.
Everyone knew Galactus existed in a state of perpetual hunger.
If Nolan could hold him off for a time, perhaps Galactus would abandon this world as an unworthy meal.
As for killing Galactus.
That idea was best left as a thought experiment.
Three days passed in the blink of an eye.
The spacecraft was ready for launch.
Nolan and the others boarded the vessel that would change their destinies.
Victor von Doom greeted Nolan.
"Let's hope this voyage goes smoothly."
Victor thought of the board members who had spoken with him before launch.
Failure would cost him dearly.
"Of course," Nolan replied with a smile.
Unfortunately, his thoughts were nothing like Victor's.
As much as he regretted it, this journey was destined to be anything but ordinary.
Soon, the spacecraft launched and entered the vast expanse of space.
"Everyone, this mission will last one week. I wish you all a pleasant journey," Johnny announced cheerfully.
He loved everything about space. Its loneliness, its beauty. Every time he gazed out the window, anticipation filled him.
Planets drifted around them like ornaments hanging in the void.
Mysteries unfolded everywhere.
Even Nolan, who had been to space more than once, could not help but marvel at the sight.
While waiting for the solar storm, Nolan and Reed conducted their respective experiments aboard the ship, without interacting at all.
Susan occasionally discussed gamma particle research progress with Nolan.
This time, Nolan intended to obtain the ability he desired. But that was something to do quietly.
On the surface, he had other projects underway.
Suddenly, a malfunction occurred aboard the spacecraft.
Nolan frowned slightly.
Victor approached.
"What's going on?"
He cared deeply about the ship's condition. Any serious problem would spell disaster.
"It shouldn't be anything major. I'll go fix it," Ben said as he suited up.
Only Nolan's eyes gleamed.
It was beginning.