Ted walked out of the Good Luck Restaurant and hung up the sign, "Open as Normal."
"Good evening, Deadpool. Keep an eye on your territory," Ted greeted the dog lying lazily beside the door.
Deadpool, the dog, rolled his eyes with a human-like expression, stretched out his paw, and resumed his lounging position. Ted looked around, nodding in satisfaction at the cleaner streets surrounding the restaurant.
Hell's Kitchen had always been one of New York's most notorious neighborhoods, a place where tourists were better off avoiding entirely. It was comparable to a mini-Gotham in terms of crime, covering just 25 blocks but filled with dangerous characters. Walking through it, even in broad daylight, could mean a drug addict asking for cash or a hooded stranger threatening you with a gun.
Where there are criminals, there are also those who rise to fight them. Hell's Kitchen had its share of heroes, from Daredevil to Luke Cage, and in the past, the streets were crawling with gangs and pimps. But ever since Ted Ye took over the Good Luck Restaurant, this little part of Hell's Kitchen had become a lot more manageable. The street outside had grown quieter and more civil, even drawing in some customers from outside the neighborhood.
Ted chuckled to himself. "I'm not the protagonist, after all. I haven't even fully tamed Hell's Kitchen, and the alien wars are coming soon," he muttered.
He had been living in this Marvel Universe for over 20 years now, but his journey wasn't like the heroic tales others might tell. He wasn't born with superpowers or thrown into Kamar-Taj to become the next Sorcerer Supreme. Ted wasn't wronged in his previous life—his parents were alive, his sister was adorable, and his life back then was just… normal.
Then, one day, he woke up in Hell's Kitchen with no grand prophecy or chosen-one mission to guide him. Life here was gritty and dangerous. Climbing out of the bottom in a place like Hell's Kitchen wasn't glamorous, but Ted had made the most of it, managing to build something close to a sanctuary with his restaurant.
Still, thoughts of Tony Stark lingered in Ted's mind. If he could save Stark, maybe he could finally form an alliance with the billionaire, bring some investment into Hell's Kitchen, and convince the crime lord Wilson Fisk—better known as Kingpin—to clean up his act a bit.
As Ted thought about all this, he didn't notice that a pair of eyes across the street were watching him closely.
"No signs of abnormal behavior from the target," Natasha Romanoff whispered into her headset.
"Copy that, keep observing," a voice responded.
Natasha had been watching Ted since their meeting that afternoon. Something about him didn't sit right with her. He seemed too composed, too in control, especially for someone living in such a chaotic part of the city.
"Woof!" Dog Deadpool interrupted Ted's thoughts, causing him to glance down.
"Ted, I think someone's watching us. I can smell them—multiple people. One of them was here earlier this afternoon," the dog warned.
Ted's face darkened, and he sneered quietly. Without a word, he turned back into the restaurant. He had little tolerance for S.H.I.E.L.D. and their surveillance games. He knew their type—always watching, always meddling, claiming it was for world peace but really just obsessed with control.
As the night wore on, more and more people began to filter into the restaurant. Nearby residents strolled casually down the now-peaceful street, creating an atmosphere that was rare for Hell's Kitchen at night.
Watching from her vantage point, Natasha Romanoff couldn't help but be surprised. "If I didn't know I was in Hell's Kitchen, I'd never believe this street could be so quiet and safe," she muttered. It looked more like an ordinary neighborhood, not the infamous crime-ridden district she knew.
It was clear to Natasha that this transformation had something to do with Ted Ye and his influence on the people here. She observed as nearly every passerby slowed down when walking by the Good Luck Restaurant, offering friendly greetings to the dog out front.
"This Chen Ye is more interesting than I thought," Natasha whispered to herself, adjusting her earpiece as she prepared to report back.
"Keep an eye on him, Natasha. I want to know exactly how they plan to find Tony Stark," Nick Fury's voice crackled through her headset. "This guy has two mutants with him, and from what I've gathered, he doesn't seem too fond of us. If necessary, take action. I'm sending more agents your way."
"Understood, Director," Natasha replied, glancing once more at the busy street before refocusing on her mission.