The afternoon's dim, yellow sunlight shone on Old Bridge Town, New Mexico, an inconspicuous border town on the map.
"Professor, thank you for coming all this way. You must see what I've discovered. I already have over ten data observations."
"Although I still don't understand what it is, it will definitely be an incredible discovery."
Jane Foster, who had picked up her Professor from the town entrance with her assistant Daisy, excitedly chattered about her discovery.
The two discussed animatedly.
Next to them, Daisy, with her hands casually in her jacket pockets, boredly kicked a roadside pebble. She was only there to be Jane's assistant and earn six college credits.
"Jane, based on your description, that phenomenon sounds too incredible, like… like mythology."
Walking quickly along the road, Selvig, with his half-white hair and scholarly demeanor, listened with a frown.
Among his many students, Jane was one of his most outstanding, but for the past six months, she had been wasting her time and energy on a strange phenomenon.
"Or it could just be… a light refraction caused by atmospheric activity."
He said it vaguely, not wanting to dampen his student's enthusiasm, not wanting to tell her that half a year's effort was just chasing a mirage.
"No, Professor."
But Jane Foster, with her extremely keen scientific intuition, wanted to continue to argue.
"Who are you?"
Upon reaching their private studio, Daisy froze and asked, confused, "What do you want here?"
Inside the studio, filled with various observation equipment, a handsome man in a suit sat on a chair, while a Black woman in a green dress with gold earrings stood beside him, looking serious, more like a guard than a secretary.
"You left the studio door wide open. Aren't you afraid of being robbed?"
After sizing up Selvig, Ron's gaze turned to Jane and Daisy, and he first asked indifferently.
Selvig was considered an authority in astronomy within the Marvel scientific community. After Loki's invasion of Earth, he sought out Selvig to study the Cosmic Cube.
He also used his own algorithms to calculate the existence and convergence of the Nine Realms and knew Hulk and Ant-Man.
"The residents of this small town are very simple. These are all professional instruments used for astronomical measurements, and many of them I assembled myself."
Taking off her sand-proof scarf from her neck and placing it aside, Jane, with her delicate features and elegant demeanor, answered while looking at the two with confusion.
Daisy, with her fair skin and voluptuous figure, pushed up the glasses on her beautiful face, summarizing it for her in one sentence.
"These things are expensive and unsellable, and the penalties are extremely severe. If no one wants to spend more than twenty years in prison for a pile of scrap metal in the latter half of their life, no one should be interested in these things."
Because of this, they dared to leave both the front and back doors of the studio open and walk across a street to pick up Selvig.
"By the way, who are you?"
"Ron, Najia."
"This is my Professor Selvig…"
After learning their names and introducing the three of them, Jane Foster tilted her head, curiously asking, "May I ask why you are here?"
"Jane Foster, I intend to invest in your research."
Ron said.
Jane Foster, apart from her future identity as the female Thor, was also a very young astrophysicist, one of the rising stars in the scientific community.
"Invest?
My research is indeed very short on funds, but…"
Jane Foster was very short on money; her research over the past six months had nearly emptied her savings.
But she couldn't understand why someone would invest in her. Astronomy had always been a niche science, extremely difficult to apply commercially, so private investment was rare.
"Ten million U.S. dollars has already been transferred to your personal account."
Najia, who was beside him, pressed a miniature earpiece in her ear, gave an instruction, then turned her head and interrupted in a crisp tone.
"Ten million U.S. dollars?"
Skeptically opening her phone, Jane Foster was startled. The message notification showed that she indeed had an extra ten million U.S. dollars transferred. She couldn't help but cover her mouth, and Daisy, who was beside her, leaned over to count, also covering her mouth.
"Thousand, ten thousand, hundred thousand…"
"…"
"Jane, actually, I've always wanted to tell you that during my time as your assistant, I've deeply fallen in love with astrophysics."
Suddenly grabbing Jane's arm, Daisy was serious, as if she intended to dedicate the rest of her life to science.
"…"
"Daisy, stop messing around." After saying something speechless to Daisy, Jane Foster turned back and asked in disbelief, "Who exactly are you?"
Ten million U.S. dollars was not a small sum, and it was transferred without even asking.
Moreover, the well-trained aura about Najia made one involuntarily think of official organizations.
"I merely have a little money to spend as I please."
At this moment, Ron, as the King of Wakanda and the richest man on Earth, said calmly and slowly.
After calculations, his net worth was now close to 98 trillion U.S. dollars. If one were to include the profits from various high-tech technologies after Wakanda's founding.
Buying the entire globe was impossible, but buying Europe as a backyard garden was not a problem.
Selvig, who had been silent, suddenly flushed slightly and coughed twice.
For this scientist who liked to take off his pants and run naked when deep in thought, his personality was not that rigid or serious.
"In fact… I also have some research in astronomy."
"Professor Selvig, I have some research under my command that perhaps you could help with."
Ron said slowly, accepting all comers.
Both of them had significant roles in the Marvel Universe storyline and were top scientists, so investing in them would not be a loss.
Especially after learning that Wakanda's shield was better at defending against energy attacks and couldn't withstand a slightly larger yield nuclear bomb, he was somewhat dissatisfied.
True geniuses in Marvel often had multiple degrees. Selvig could tinker with the Cosmic Cube, so he must have some research in energy, which might be useful.
"I also study science. I recently had an idea for an academic project."
Looking at Ron, Daisy said eagerly.
"I think you're more suited to be an assistant."
Under her expectant gaze, he looked her up and down and said mercilessly.
Daisy studied social sciences. Did social science count as science?
And she didn't seem very smart.
…
At night, Ron, now an investor in the studio, proposed going to the wilderness with the three of them to observe data, and naturally, no one refused.
The three only thought that this person, who seemed like a wealthy young master, was merely curious.
Outside the town, an RV was parked in the vast wilderness, under a magnificent night sky filled with stars.
A cool night breeze blew through the window. Sitting calmly inside the spacious vehicle, Ron looked at the distant night sky while Jane and Selvig fiddled with their equipment. Daisy, sitting next to them, boredly took out her phone.
The driver, originally Daisy, had been replaced by Najia at his signal.
"Appear, why aren't you appearing yet?"
Jane anxiously watched the data on the instrument screen, but when the predicted time reached Zero, no phenomenon occurred in the night sky. She couldn't help but murmur anxiously, secretly glancing at Ron.
"For the past seventeen times, the prediction has been accurate to the second. What's wrong tonight?"
After the studio received investment, problems arose on the first day in front of the financier, making it hard not to panic.
But in reality, he looked indifferently at the night outside, not caring at all about her research.
At this moment, a huge, rolling light suddenly lit up in the sky.
"Jane, didn't you say there would only be tiny auroras?" Selvig stared blankly at the distant sky, stunned.
"Najia, drive quickly, we need to get there for a close observation."
Although this time was different, it was clearly an unusual astronomical phenomenon. Jane excitedly shouted impatiently.
Buzz!
The RV suddenly started, chasing after the light.
Ron narrowed his eyes, looking at the changing celestial phenomenon in the distance.
He was very curious if Thor, who had been cast down to the mortal realm, was still being watched and protected by his father, Odin, who used his divine power from across the Nine Realms, even while in Odin Sleep.
After all, Odin did not have the ability to resurrect people; he was powerless when Queen Frigga died.
If it was the former, remote control and protection would likely consume a lot of energy.
"Then… if Thor encounters danger a few more times, will Odin, the King of the Gods whose fearsome reputation once shook the Nine Realms, be directly exhausted to death?"