Ethan's original plan was straightforward: take down a gang, gather funds to buy one or more lithography machines, and bring them back home. With the scanning ability of his Black Hole Eye and its nanoscale precision processing, he could personally upgrade and manufacture advanced technology. The pursuit of such tech had been a long-standing goal where he came from.
If Ethan could secure a couple of these machines, it wouldn't matter if he was an outsider—or even an alien. Gaining citizenship would likely be a formality.
Why go through all this trouble?
In America, discrimination was rampant. You couldn't enter politics or climb the ranks of a major corporation. Starting a high-tech company? You'd be suppressed and unable to grow. Even marrying into certain circles or buying a house in a nice neighborhood came with pressure from all sides. And if your kids wanted to get into a good school? They'd need to outscore others by a wide margin!
But back home, armed with superpowers and lithography machines, Ethan could tap into vast resources. He might even have a hand in building spaceships someday.
The Black Hole Eye grew by absorbing matter, but its mass requirements were astronomical. Earth's Schwarzschild radius was a mere 9 millimeters—meaning even if he consumed the entire planet, the gravitational range of his black hole might only increase by 9 millimeters. Of course, his Black Hole Eye wasn't exactly a true black hole, but either way, Earth was nothing more than a speck of dust to it.
To develop his powers, he'd need to venture into the cosmos.
By his original plan, this was supposed to be a sci-fi story: leveraging the black hole's cutting-edge processing to push technological boundaries. But now, he'd stumbled into a realization—this was the Marvel Universe?
That meant the plan had to change.
In the Marvel world, chips were low-tier tech. Above them loomed perfect human serums, Iron Man suits, fusion batteries, nanotech armor, vibranium, sky carriers, Destroyer armor… If Ethan went back home clutching a lithography machine now, it'd be like picking up a sesame seed and dropping a watermelon.
"Tony's taste might be questionable, but the Iron Man suit is undeniably cool—especially that nanotech version from later on!"
Plus, a black hole was a glutton for matter. The entire Earth wouldn't satisfy it. That's why he needed to reach space. And if he wasn't mistaken, wasn't a certain hammer about to crash down soon? Forged from neutron star material, swallowing it would surely outclass devouring a few Earths. Best of all, the hammer was small—easy to consume. Eating a planet? Slow and inefficient.
Then there were the Infinity Stones scattered across Earth, boasting infinite energy…
"Boss, everyone's here!" The door swung open, and a few bodyguards ushered in three men: two white, one brown-skinned.
"These are the three lieutenants running our Gray Rat Gang's turf," Ryan introduced. "Sano Bilson, Pigg Schultz, and Hu Tianxiang."
Sano Bilson stood nearly 1.9 meters tall, muscular, with a fierce glare that screamed trouble—though when his eyes softened, he looked almost normal. Pigg Schultz was only 1.7 meters, stocky and round, his face glistening with oil. He didn't look like a gangster—more like a butcher. As for Hu Tianxiang, with his tan skin, 1.7-meter frame, and slight build, he had an honest smile and innocent eyes. He seemed less like a gang leader and more like a farm boy.
Perhaps having heard Ethan's exploits from the bodyguards on the way, the three eyed him curiously. Except for Hu Tianxiang, the other two radiated challenge and skepticism.
Ethan glanced at Hu Tianxiang. "Local?"
"From down south," Hu Tianxiang replied.
"Oh, got it…" Ethan's brief spark of interest faded. He turned to the group. "You've probably heard about me. I'm taking over as the boss of the Gray Rat Gang. Any objections?"
The three exchanged looks. Pigg Schultz spoke up, his voice gruff. "They say you're tough, but I don't buy it. Hit me with a punch. If you can knock me down, I'll follow you."
Ethan stood, walked over to Pigg, and gave his shoulder a light pat. Then he turned to Ryan. "Get me some food—something quick. Also, call a meeting in an hour."
Sano and Hu Tianxiang stared, dumbfounded, as Pigg crumpled to the floor. "Come on, that's a bit dramatic, isn't it?"
Pigg, pale and sweating, gasped, "Bro, help me up, quick…"
The Gray Rat Gang was founded in 2002, but its roots stretched back to 1993. The Bronte brothers, fresh out of high school with no prospects, took to the streets with knives, robbing anyone they could. Their boldness caught the eye of the Hager family, who recruited them. The handsome Bronte soon won the heart of the Hager family's eldest daughter and married into the clan.
Later, during a turf war with the Viper family, the Hagers lost many members—including Bronte's wife and father-in-law. Left with the remnants, Bronte founded the Gray Rat Gang. After six years of hard work, it grew into a small outfit of 127 members, controlling two blocks in Hell's Kitchen.
For context, Hell's Kitchen spans streets 35 to 58—24 in total—crossed by 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th Avenues. These form a grid of 96 neat blocks. The Gray Rats held turf between 46th Street, 12th Avenue, and 10th Avenue. To put it simply: walk straight down that street to 5th Avenue, and you'd hit Times Square, the world-famous heart of New York.
"This is a prime spot!" Ethan hadn't spent much time in America and was unfamiliar with Hell's Kitchen. But now, with a New York City map in front of him, he saw its potential. To the west, the Hudson River and a dozen docks offered easy transport. To the east, Manhattan's Times Square—the bustling core of the country. This was practically New York's inner circle! Yet, due to gangs, newcomers, and social tensions, crime stayed high, and the economy stagnated.
"In America, the straight path doesn't get you far. But the underworld?" Ethan pulled out an ink pen and circled Hell's Kitchen on the map. One, it could make money. Two, it gave him control over a faction. Three, being in New York yet behind the scenes made it perfect for meddling in bigger events.
He tapped the table, lost in thought, when Ryan jogged in.
"Boss, I got the food! Wasn't sure what you liked, so I grabbed some fried chicken, ribs, spicy tofu, steamed buns, grilled wings, and dumplings."