Soft music floated through the air like a warm stream.
The melody was calm and elegant, making people relax unconsciously as if they were standing beside a gentle spring.
As Rorschach walked into the magnificent hall, he felt a strange sense of déjà vu.
For a brief moment, he almost believed he had returned to the 21st century instead of the 1960s.
The entire place looked like a crystal palace.
Golden chandeliers glittered above. Polished marble floors reflected the lights, and the surrounding walls were decorated with intricate carvings and priceless paintings.
To be honest, the luxury of this villa exceeded Rorschach's expectations.
Apart from certain architectural styles that still carried the old-fashioned charm of the era, the place was easily the most extravagant location he had visited in both of his lifetimes.
Looking around, Rorschach saw men and women dressed in elegant suits and expensive gowns walking calmly through the hall.
Every person carried themselves with confidence.
Their hair was styled perfectly.
Their shoes shone like mirrors.
Every smile was polite.
And completely fake.
"First time in a place like this?" Howard Stark asked from beside him.
Rorschach nodded honestly. There was no reason to hide something so trivial.
Stark looked amused.
"So? What do you think?"
Rorschach thought about it for a moment.
Then he answered seriously.
"It's a pity a place like this hasn't been smashed by the Hulk yet."
Stark blinked.
"Hulk?"
He looked completely confused.
Was that some kind of modern joke young people used these days?
Just as Stark was about to ask further, several voices suddenly called out.
"Howard!"
"Stark!"
"Mr. Stark!"
A group of guests approached enthusiastically.
Every one of them greeted Stark with respect.
Even in a hall filled with wealthy elites and influential figures, Howard Stark was still one of the most eye-catching individuals present.
"Mr. Stark," Rorschach said calmly, "I'll look around on my own."
Stark had already been surrounded by people.
Rorschach quietly slipped away.
Inside the hall, a casual exhibition had been arranged for the guests.
Several glass display cabinets stood throughout the room.
Inside them were various strange and fascinating items.
Ancient swords.
Rare antiques.
Mysterious stones.
Historical relics.
Each cabinet included a small description explaining the artifact.
Rorschach walked slowly between them.
For a moment he felt as though he were visiting a museum full of rare treasures.
Surprisingly, it wasn't boring at all.
One cabinet displayed a small stack of yellowed papers.
"Leibniz's Notebook."
The description read:
"In 1684, Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz published the first paper describing calculus and defined the core concept of differential mathematics. This notebook records his entire process of constructing the theory."
Rorschach stared at it briefly.
So even the ultra-rich were interested in mathematical history.
He moved on.
Another display contained an old pocket watch.
"The Wright Brothers' Pocket Watch."
The sign explained:
"The invention of the airplane is one of humanity's greatest achievements. Behind the successful flight of the Wright Flyer were countless experiments."
"This watch was used by the Wright brothers to measure flight time during their early tests."
The watch itself had long since stopped ticking.
Next came something far stranger.
"Count Dracula's Ring."
Rorschach raised an eyebrow.
Dracula.
That name carried serious cultural weight.
The vampire count had appeared in countless novels and films.
And in the Marvel universe, Dracula was even a real character.
Rorschach suddenly realized something.
If werewolves existed in this world—and he already knew they did—then vampires probably existed too.
After all, werewolves and vampires almost always appeared together in legends.
Which meant…
Dracula might actually exist.
Just as that thought crossed his mind—
A notification appeared inside his head.
[Special energy source detected.]
Rorschach's vision instantly shifted.
The familiar scanning interface appeared again.
The ring inside the glass cabinet was highlighted.
[Analyzing energy source…]
[Energy value: 276 Origin Points.]
[Status: Extractable.]
Rorschach's eyes widened slightly.
Two hundred seventy-six Origin Points.
And extractable.
This was an unexpected jackpot.
Originally he had only come here hoping to trigger a mission related to the mechanical lifeforms.
Instead he had stumbled upon another special energy source.
If he obtained this ring, he would gain 276 Origin Points immediately.
Not bad at all.
"System," Rorschach said silently, "extract the energy source."
[Extracting…]
[Extraction failed.]
Failed?
Rorschach paused.
Then he understood.
The system probably required physical contact with the energy source.
Remote extraction would be far too convenient.
In that case, the solution was simple.
Buy the ring.
Rorschach made his decision instantly.
He glanced around the hall, searching for Stark.
Unfortunately, Stark was still surrounded by a group of socialites.
Worse, he seemed to be flirting with several women at once.
Typical.
Rorschach sighed.
It looked like he would need to wait.
Hopefully Stark wouldn't completely forget their mission after meeting a few beautiful women.
Rorschach returned his attention to the display cabinet.
Up close, the ring actually looked very ordinary.
In fact, it was rather ugly.
He couldn't understand why such an unattractive ring contained a special energy source.
The description beneath it mentioned the so-called "Impaler Duke," but the explanation sounded vague and unimpressive.
"You seem very interested in that ring."
A cold voice suddenly spoke beside him.
Rorschach froze.
A man stood next to him.
He hadn't noticed the man approach at all.
The stranger wore a long dark coat.
His long hair and aristocratic posture gave him an unmistakable classical aura.
Rorschach felt a chill.
With his current perception and hearing, someone approaching silently should have been impossible.
Which meant one thing.
This man was not ordinary.
Then Rorschach's eyes moved slightly.
He noticed something on the glass surface of the display cabinet.
The polished glass reflected his own face clearly.
But the reflection of the mysterious man beside him…
Did not exist.
.....
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