Chapter 6 The Osborne Group
The morning sun shone into the Osborn Groupheadquarters building. Gwen opened her locker when suddenly the news on her phone caught her attention.
"According to a witness of last night's Park Hyatt Hotelincident, the one who killed the robbers and rescued them was a man wearing a demon mask. According to citizen reports, they saw the 'demon' in various districts of New York last night."
"Although the demon stopped the crime and rescued the hostages, it's hard to describe him as righteous. He seems to take pleasure in torturing and killing humans, toying with and tormenting his targets before killing them, and many of his heinous acts are simply criminal…"
"It's worth mentioning that the 'demon' possesses unique supernatural abilities, including invisibility, flight, and fire blasts, similar to the new Superhero in black appearing on the streets of New York. It's unknown if there's any connection between the 'demon' and that Superhero…"
Gwen frowned slightly, then suddenly remembered what someone had said to her yesterday, "Even if he was righteous yesterday, who knows if he'll become an evil criminal tonight?"
Gwen shook her head, shaking off some strange thoughts. A moment later, she took out her work uniform, changed into it, and walked out of the lounge.
Gwen was interning with Dr. Connors' team, not only participating in research projects but also serving as the intern team leader. Today, a new batch of interns arrived.
So her job this morning was to give them a brief tour of the Osborn Group, mainly focusing on scientific instruments and research achievements… On the same floor, the men's restroom door was pushed open from the inside. Arthurstopped at the sink to adjust his collar, then naturally joined the flow of employees after exiting.
Entering the Osborn Group required an appointment or proof of employment, which Arthur naturally didn't have. He could only take an unconventional route.
Fortunately, the internal security management of the Osborn Group was relatively lax. Even Peter, before he became Spider-Man, could easily access confidential research labs. Arthur, with the power of the Twelve Talismans, naturally strolled through the Osborn Group as if in his own garden.
Arthur looked around the atrium and immediately spotted the intern team. His gaze searched, looking for Peter's figure.
According to the plot, Peter Parker would impersonate intern Rodrigo and enter the Osborn Group today, attracting Dr. Connors' attention with his unique way of thinking during a Q&A.
Subsequently, Peter accidentally knocked over a document from an Osborn Group executive's hand. He discovered a familiar logo on the document, a logo related to his father's research before he passed away.
So Peter followed that executive and entered a research lab called the "Bio-Cable Development Unit."
There, Peter was bitten by a mutated spider, thus undergoing genetic mutation and becoming Marvel's most popular Superhero—Spider-Man… also known as the Pajama Boy in the Avengers.
Arthur came to the Osborn Group today not to witness the birth of Spider-Man, the protagonist of the Marvel Universe. He just wanted to see if his villain system would react to Peter, who had already become Spider-Man.
After all, this concerned the unsealing of a Talisman. Only unsealed Talismans could be subsequently upgraded, thereby enhancing his power and allowing him to live comfortably in this dangerous Marvel Universe.
In fact, Arthur had also considered getting Spider-Man's abilities before Peter, but he thought better of it. After all, Spider-Man was just a street hero, and except for "Spider-Sense," his other abilities were completely outclassed by the Twelve Talismans.
Moreover, everyone's physique is different. The healing power of the Horse Talisman existed within his body, so he might have been bitten by the mutated spider for nothing.
Of course, the most important thing was that without Spider-Man, the Superhero camp would lose a workforce. Then Dr. Octopus and Electro, these minor villains, would have to be dealt with by Arthur himself, wasting his time. And it was uncertain what unexpected events might occur if the plot were changed.
So far, Peter's figure had not appeared in the intern team, but Arthur was not in a hurry. He waited patiently.
"Welcome to Osborn. My name is Gwen Stacy, a graduating student from Midtown School of Science and Technology, and also Dr. Connors' intern team leader, so I'll be with you all throughout the tour…"
Arthur looked in the direction of the voice. Gwen stood at the front of the intern team, holding a notebook, her silky blonde hair particularly striking. Instantly, all the interns were attracted by this beautiful girl.
She wore a white lab coat over a short skirt, leaving a section of absolute white between the skirt and her boots. The black short skirt accentuated her figure, and the lab coat and notebook added a touch of intellectual elegance, making her capable yet graceful.
"Wherever I go, you go. That's the most basic rule. Now, please follow me." Gwen led the interns on the tour, "Dr.Connors' team specializes in biomedical and chemical sciences. This is the biological tree developed by the Osborn Group. You can gather around to observe it."
The interns gathered around curiously. The biological tree used holographic projection technology to display the chaotic biological tree of Earth, enough to shock these inexperienced high school students.
"This is the content researched by the interspecies department. Below is a demonstration of cloning technology…" Suddenly, Gwen's voice paused. The reason was that her gaze passed through the crowd of interns and she saw a rather familiar figure.
Black hair, wearing a suit, his figure appearing somewhat thin, with a straight back… It was Arthur, the new Asian transfer student. Last night, photos of Arthur pressing the school bully Fletcher's head into a lunch tray went viral on the school forum, and many classmates voted him the new school bully of Midtown Tech.
And at this moment, Arthur turned around, preparing to leave.
Why was Arthur here? Gwen was a bit puzzled. The Osborn Group was a World-class biotechnology and chemical science company, and Arthur was just a graduate with rather poor grades. She found it hard to connect the two.
Suddenly, Gwen remembered Arthur saying "See you tomorrow" yesterday afternoon. Could it be that he followed her to the Osborn Group? This was not impossible. As an excellent and beautiful girl, Gwen was used to crazy admirers.
"As is well known, the technology for cloning single organisms has long existed, though it's still imperfect. Osborn's cloning research focuses on cloning specific biological tissues, such as individual human organs," Gwenregained her composure and continued her introduction, "Once this technology succeeds, it will bring about a leapfrog advancement in modern medicine. Many incurable diseases could be treated by replacing human tissues. Everyone, please gather around to see our cloning experiment examples…"
Gwen walked out from the crowd and looked again in the direction where she had spotted Arthur. Arthur was already about to turn the corner, gradually disappearing into the crowd.
"Lucy!" Gwen urgently called out to a colleague, "Please take them for me. It's a very simple tour…" Seeing her colleague's troubled expression, Gwen quickly said, "I need to go to the restroom! Please, please!"
"Then come back quickly," Lucy smiled helplessly and agreed.
Gwen put down her notebook and quickly chased in the direction where Arthur had disappeared.
Chapter 7 Gwen Spider-Man?
Arthur felt a bit surprised; Peter didn't come to Osborn Group today.
He wasn't sure of the exact reason Peter didn't come, but it was definitely because his arrival had changed the plot.
However, Arthur wasn't worried about Spider-Man's problem; as long as Peter wanted to uncover the reason for his parents' disappearance, he would eventually find the Osborn Group, whether it was tomorrow or next weekend, it was only a matter of time.
What Arthur was pondering was whether the plot of the Marvel Universe would change from now on.
Suddenly, Arthur, still deep in thought, froze; someone was following him...
It wasn't that his senses were sharp, but rather that the person following him had such poor tracking skills, full of flaws: following too closely, footsteps, reflections on the smooth wall...
Who could be following him?
Had the Osborn Group discovered his intrusion?
But clearly not; if Osborn's people had discovered him, they would simply call security to kick him out, after all, he wasn't wearing the demon mask, so the Osborn Group's people had no need to fear.
Arthur showed no weakness, he calmly continued to turn into a less crowded passage, and after turning the corner, it was a blind spot with no surveillance, Arthur's figure instantly vanished.
"Snake Talisman · Invisibility!"
After becoming invisible, Arthur silently leaned against the wall, quietly listening to the faint footsteps gradually approaching, and slowly he saw the figure of the tracker.
It was Gwen; Arthur was a bit surprised.
Why wasn't she supervising the interns, and instead following him?
"No one?"
Gwen stared blankly at the empty passage, now doubting if she had seen the wrong person earlier...
Gwen's eyes swept across the deserted passage; at the end of the passage was an open door, clearly, if someone had come here, they could only be hiding behind that door.
It couldn't have just disappeared into thin air, could it?
Her brows furrowed slightly, as if she was debating whether to go in and look; she lingered for a moment, but ultimately, curiosity won out.
Gwen recalled Arthur's words from yesterday, "See you tomorrow," and those questions resurfaced.
What was Arthur doing at the Osborn Group?
He even entered such a confidential research lab...
Arthur leaned against the wall, watching this scene calmly.
Gwen walked past him towards the end of the passage.
He turned his head to look at the door at the end of the passage, a sign posted next to it.
"BIOCABLE DEVELOPMENT UNIT"
Arthur was a bit bewildered; according to the plot, Peter Parker should have accidentally entered this research lab where mutated spiders were bred today...
But why was it Gwen Stacy entering now? And because she was following him!
After a brief thought, he didn't stop Gwen from entering there, but instead silently followed behind Gwen.
Arthur remembered that in the parallel Universe Earth, Stacy became a Superhero named "Spider-Woman" after being bitten by a radioactively infected spider...
Could it be that he had entered a Marvel parallel Universe? Or had the Marvel Universe changed its course under his influence?
After all, his influence far exceeded that of a butterfly.
Was the Superhero born today not Peter Parker's 'pajama baby', but Spider-Gwen?
Fortunately, none of this seemed important to Arthur.
Gwen's sense of justice and mission was no weaker than Peter's; even as an ordinary person, she played a significant role when Spider-Man eliminated villains.
So, Arthur believed that if Spider-Gwen were born today, she would also be a qualified Superhero.
Gwen cautiously entered this mysterious research lab...
Gwen had never been to this place before, as she was still just an intern.
Upon entering here, Gwen was also awestruck by its intelligence and technological feel.
In the center was an assembly line that manufactured various bio-cables, their design and research inspiration all derived from the miraculous spider silk.
Spider silk is far stronger than humans imagine; in terms of mechanical strength, spider silk fibers are comparable to the strongest carbon fibers and high-strength aramid and Kevlar fibers, but its toughness is significantly superior to the aforementioned fibers.
Next was a fully automatic machine that tested the toughness of these bio-cables.
Spider silk as thin as hair was continuously stretched into various shapes under the machine's immense pulling force; not only did it not break, but it also maintained its original toughness after contracting.
Gwen looked around; the room was empty.
For some reason, Gwen felt a bit uneasy.
"Mr. arthur? Arthur?" Gwen whispered as she groped her way into the inner room.
And Arthur watched all of this calmly from the side.
This was a constant temperature room bathed in blue light; a giant machine rotating at a constant speed filled the entire room.
The rotating machine was covered with various spiders, and their silk intertwined to form many huge webs.
Gwen was also awestruck by this sci-fi scene; she guessed this must be the breeding room for mutated spiders.
Before she could even look for Arthur, under the blue light, the transparent spider silk became sparkling and shimmering, and Gwen couldn't help but reach out to touch it.
Suddenly, an unexpected change occurred; the giant machine rotating at a constant speed began to slow down, the spider webs twisted as the silk churned, emitting creaking sounds, and countless mutated spiders fell, landing on the ground and on Gwen's hair.
"Oh no..."
Gwen shook off the spiders; the feeling of multi-legged animals touching her skin was truly unnerving...
Gwen looked at the mutated spiders covering the floor and prepared to bolt, but after only a few steps, a sharp pain suddenly shot through her neck.
"Ah!" Gwen almost crashed into the wall.
She leaned against the wall to steady herself, reaching back to touch the wound on her neck.
"[Superhero · Spider-Gwen detected, Rabbit Talismanhas been unsealed, can be upgraded with villain points.]"
"[Try to make Spider-Gwen generate negative emotions; more surprises await your exploration!]"
The system's female voice's prompt sounded so beautiful to Arthur.
But was it okay to bully a girl? Especially such a beautiful girl.
Girls are wonderful and lovely creatures; more villain points must be accumulated!
"You were bitten by a spider."
Gwen immediately turned around upon hearing this voice, and seeing Arthur's face, she felt a bit annoyed.
Today was truly unlucky; she would definitely be complained about by Lucy, the substitute, when she got back.
Who knew if those experimental spiders were venomous...
However, she had no reason to be angry; after all, she had brought all of this upon herself!
If her curiosity hadn't been so strong, nothing would have happened, right?
Gwen could only blame her bad luck.
Arthur approached Gwen, reaching behind her neck to pull off a strand of spider silk.
Arthur held up the silk, indicating for her to look.
A small spider dangled from the end of the silk, clearly visible in the light, not terrifying, but the thought of being bitten by such a creature was somewhat unsettling.
"Do you need me to look at your wound?" Arthur said very enthusiastically, "If the situation is very serious, you should go to the hospital, because we don't know if these spiders are venomous."
"I think I probably should..." Gwen turned around decisively, then suddenly turned back and said, "Thank you."
Arthur and Gwen exchanged glances, and he smiled slightly.
Gwen immediately averted her gaze, "Why are you here?" She began to change the subject.
"I'm interning in the Biomaterials Department at Osborn Group; this department is responsible for the research work on the 'Green Goblin Bio-Cable' project, and this is one of our department's studios."
Arthur was serious; he never needed a draft to lie.
Chapter 8 Talisman Upgrade
As he spoke, Arthur began to work with his hands, gently parting Gwen's golden hair, strand by strand. Her hair was incredibly soft and thick, like ripples stirred by a breeze on a lake.
Arthur then turned down her collar and saw a very small wound, like an insect bite. It looked a bit red and had formed a tiny hard lump.
"It looks a bit red and swollen. May I touch it?"
"If it's convenient, yes, thank you."
Now Gwen didn't think Arthur was so bad. Although he had poor grades and engaged in school bullying, at least he bullied the school bully, which was like defeating a villain.
Moreover, he also had a gentlemanly and polite side, knowing how to act appropriately with girls.
Arthur extended his index finger to touch the wound on the back of Gwen's neck, and a faint golden light flashed.
"Horse Talisman - Heal!"
Under the power of the Horse Talisman, the wound on Gwen's neck healed at a visible rate, and the redness and swelling quickly disappeared.
The moment Arthur's finger touched her, Gwen couldn't help but tremble slightly. She thought it was a physiological reaction, which made her feel a little shy, and her face unconsciously flushed red.
But Gwen was an outgoing and cheerful girl who wouldn't blush or feel shy from physical contact with the opposite sex, which made her a bit confused.
Gwen suddenly noticed that all the abnormalities on her neck had disappeared. The wound had been a bit itchy and slightly painful, but after Arthur touched it, all those negative sensations vanished... Without a logical answer, she could only attribute it to psychological reasons.
Arthur tidied Gwen's collar and hair. "There, no problem. You're very lucky; that spider was non-venomous."
"Thank you." Gwen smoothed her hair and smiled. "So, can we continue with our previous question? Why are you here?"
"I'm interning here..."
"Where's your work ID?" Gwen held out her hand, palm open. "All Osborn Group employees have work IDs, including interns."
Indeed, Gwen had a name tag clipped to her chest.
"Uh..." Arthur's expression remained unchanged. "I meant I'm planning to intern at Osborn and came to scout it out first."
"Are you following me?"
"No, you're following me. You followed me here, which is why you got bitten by the spider."
Gwen smiled and pressed her hand to her forehead. "Alright..."
"What I mean is, none of that matters. I snuck in. The reason I'm here is..." Arthur smiled, "I love science, I absolutely love science. Osborn's achievements and status in biological science are like Stark Industries' in the arms industry, so I came here."
"How did you get in without a work ID?" Gwen asked curiously. "Such a mysterious student, Arthur..."
"That doesn't matter either. We should go. This lab is quite confidential. The 'Green Goblin Biocable' project hasn't even been released yet. It would be very bad if someone found us messing around in here," Arthur said. "You don't want to get fired from Osborn, do you?"
Gwen shrugged, looking at the spiders all over the floor, and the two slipped away.
They only chatted briefly on the way. Arthur stopped in front of the elevator. "I have to go."
"OK, I still have to go back to work," Gwen said, nodding.
Arthur handed her a glass test tube. Inside was the mutated spider that had bitten Gwen, but it was now dead.
Under the light, the spider in the glass test tube was brightly colored with long legs.
"It's really beautiful," Gwen exclaimed after taking it. "But thinking about it biting me, I want to flush it down the drain..."
"Ding!" The elevator arrived, and the doors slowly parted.
"Don't do that," Arthur said. "It'll be worth collecting. Bye-bye."
Arthur stepped into the elevator.
"Bye-bye." Gwen waved... The elevator went straight down to the first floor. After Arthur exited, he found a public seat in the lobby and sat down, eagerly opening the villain system to check.
The fluorescent blue 3D interface appeared, and sure enough, the Rabbit Talisman emblem was already lit up.
[Rabbit Talisman Lv1, upgrading to Lv2 requires 1500 villain points, speed increased to 50 meters per second.]
Arthur's villain points were still at 8011 from last night. He didn't hesitate and immediately chose to upgrade.
[Lv2 to Lv3 requires 2000 villain points, speed increased to 100 meters per second.]
Arthur continued to click upgrade repeatedly until he had upgraded the Rabbit Talisman to Lv4. He still had 2011 villain points remaining, which was not enough to support the next upgrade, so he stopped.
At this point, the Rabbit Talisman's speed had reached 160 meters per second, which was already very impressive.
After all, the Bugatti Veyron is the fastest production car in the World, and its maximum speed per second is only about 120 meters per second. Not many Superheroes can keep up with a Bugatti Veyron; at least Captain Americaand Spider-Man can't even smell its exhaust... Arthurlooked at the villain system's upgrade description for the Rabbit Talisman. Each upgrade required more villain points, but the speed increase would also be significantly higher.
It's worth noting that Arthur discovered that the highest level, Lv12, was not upgradeable. The villain system prompted that upgrading a Talisman to Lv12 required all twelve Talismans to reach Lv11.
When the Rabbit Talisman reaches Lv12, speed can be infinitely stacked, even surpassing the speed of light, thereby gaining the ability to travel through time. In Marvel's setting, this is the power of the Time Stone... After some simple calculations, Arthur found that if he wanted to upgrade from his current Lv4 to Lv11, he would need 31500 villain points, and his speed would then reach 5 times the speed of sound.
However, Arthur still believed in balanced development. Upgrading the Rabbit Talisman to Lv7, with his speed reaching the speed of sound, would be completely sufficient.
After all, there are very few useless Talismans among the twelve, and many Talismans, when upgraded, can greatly enhance his combat power.
It seemed that the cost of upgrading Talisman levels was still within an acceptable range, as the system store showed that a "Firearms Mastery" or "Driving Mastery" skill required 2500 villain points to redeem, and a Porsche 911 worth around 200,000 U.S. dollars only needed 5500 villain points to redeem.
Arthur's goal was now clear: to earn more villain points. villain points could not only be exchanged for various skills in the villain system but also used to upgrade Talismans, making their importance self-evident.
"Hey!"
Arthur's thoughts were still engrossed in the system when a voice roused him.
"Always running into you in unexpected places," Gwensaid. "Arthur, we meet again. I thought you'd left already."
Arthur looked up. Gwen was standing before him, pretty and vibrant. She had already changed out of her work uniform and was carrying a small bag.
"I'm just resting here, summarizing what I learned from visiting Osborn today," Arthur said, standing up and looking at the opulent decor around them. "It's truly high-tech and luxurious. So, what about you?"
"I took time off. It seems to be that damned spider; my body is having some adverse reactions, and my overall mental state isn't good," Gwen said, shrugging. "If it's still like this later, I might have to consider going to a community hospital or something. Actually, I feel like I should go to the hospital now, if it weren't for a certain guy telling me that spider wasn't venomous..."
"Indeed, that spider was not venomous, I guarantee it!" Arthur smiled. "You look quite unwell. Do you need me to take you home?"
Chapter 9 Spider-Woman
The subway sped by, carrying the whistling wind, as several hoodlums, adorned with heavy metal accessories and bizarre outfits, gathered at the back of the car.
They danced pole-style on the car's handrails, creating an irritating racket.
But even in this noisy environment, Gwen leaned against Arthur's shoulder and fell asleep.
Even in her sleep, Gwen's brows were slightly furrowed, indicating she was not in a good state.
Truthfully, with Gwen leaning close and the scent of her hair filling his nostrils, Arthur's mood was quite good.
However, the boisterous and oddly dressed hoodlums at the back of the car were too loud, and their words contained insults directed at Gwen's figure and Arthur's skin color.
Arthur gently rested Gwen's head on the seat, then stood up and walked towards the back of the car, a slight smile on his face.
"Hey, buddy, is that your girlfriend?" a black man with a metal chain around his neck sneered provocatively, "How many dollars for two hours?"
Arthur didn't waste words with him, because even insulting the other party's mother would be a loss for him, and he didn't even want to have physical contact with him.
Arthur delivered a kick, and the black man was sent flying to the ground, hitting a handrail and bending into an arch before stopping.
Arthur also used the soles of his shoes to incapacitate the other hoodlums, leaving only a pink-haired woman.
The pink-haired woman trembled all over when she saw Arthur approaching, terrified. "Damn it, I actually met a Bruce Lee on the subway today!"
The scent of her cheap perfume was acrid, making her a walking air polluter.
"I don't hit women, unless I'm in a bad mood," Arthur said, pinching his nose with a frown, "You stink too much. Can you go to the next car?"
The pink-haired woman nodded repeatedly. She shakily turned to leave, when suddenly she flew up, landing face-first on the floor of the next car, a footprint imprinted on her backside.
"I forgot to tell you, my mood is quite bad right now," Arthur mumbled to himself, "You were the loudest just now, and now you're flying the highest. Isn't that fair?"
Arthur retracted his foot and rubbed it back and forth on the floor, as if he had just stepped on something dirty. He just wanted to vent some negative emotions and earn a small wave of villain points.
Arthur turned around. Gwen had already woken up and was quietly watching him. Arthur shrugged with an innocent expression.
"Sorry I woke you up," he walked to his seat and sat down, "Was I too violent just now?"
"I thought you'd say they all fell accidentally..." Gwenpursed her lips and said, "But I hope you don't kick my butt in the future. I don't want to fly."
"How could I? Men in our country are always polite to women, especially to beautiful women," Arthur said, looking into Gwen's eyes.
After a second of eye contact, Gwen turned her head away from Arthur's gaze and said, "I know, they probably offended you... But perhaps your method was too aggressive. After all, violence cannot solve problems, and it will only make things worse."
"No, no, no, you're wrong, Gwen," Arthur said, "One day you'll realize that violence is the best way to solve problems. If the problem gets worse, it means... you need more violence!"
— —
Arthur walked through the school building. The students in the corridor automatically parted to create a wide path. He arrived at his locker.
On the other side, Peter entered on his skateboard, a bandage still wrapped around his head, looking utterly dejected.
"Parker?" a teacher called out to him, "Do you still want your skateboard?"
"I think so..." Peter picked up his skateboard.
"Then wheels up, OK?"
"OK! OK." Peter reluctantly held the skateboard above his head. "Is this okay, teacher?"
"Good, don't let it touch the ground!"
Peter nodded repeatedly, but as soon as the teacher entered the classroom, he started skateboarding in the corridor again.
Coincidentally, his locker was next to Arthur's. Petercautiously glanced at the person next to him as he took out his books.
"Mr. arthur?" Peter tentatively greeted.
Arthur nodded to Peter; his mood had been good lately.
Arthur spent several nights leaving the demon mark in the streets and alleys of New York, earning a lot of villain points and successfully upgrading the Rabbit Talisman to Lv7.
Now, "Demon"'s popularity surpassed all Superheroes. Demon not only struck fear into villains but also caused headaches for other Superheroes and the Police.
Many young people imitated his bizarre actions, and even toy manufacturers' various demon masks were selling out.
"Hello, I'm Peter Parker... the person you saved that noon. I hope you still remember me," Peter extended his hand, "I haven't had a chance to thank you. Thank you for helping me that noon."
Arthur gave him a faint glance, ignoring his request for a handshake. "Don't worry about it. I remember saying that day that I didn't intend to help you; I just wanted to play with someone. Maybe next time, it'll be your turn to be unlucky again."
Peter chuckled awkwardly and didn't mind.
"Was what you used that day 'Kung Fu'? I'm a fan of BruceLee, and I also love 'Kung Fu.' Can you teach me? Or we can discuss it first. I heard you always check talent before taking on disciples..." Peter was excited, "You're really stylish, you're cool, you're super handsome! You're my idol..."
"Thank you for the compliment," Arthur patted his shoulder and said with a smile, "Because of your good judgment, you dodged a bullet. I was just thinking about stuffing your head into the trash can..."
Suddenly, Arthur was drawn by a news report.
"Recently, a new street hero has appeared on the streets of New York. She wears a black and white jumpsuit and a pair of blue ballet shoes. She fights criminals and protects many single women who return home alone after work at night. People call her Spider-Woman..."
Beside him, Peter was still talking: "You like quiet students? If you're willing to teach me 'Kung Fu,' I think I can also be taciturn..."
"Shut up!" Arthur interrupted the talkative Peter. He walked over to the classmate who was watching the news report. "Excuse me, classmate, can I take a look?"
"NO, my mom just bought this for me. You can't take it..." The girl reacted strongly. She clutched her iPad in fear, her eyes darting around with apprehension and helplessness, but everyone avoided her gaze.
Arthur was already wondering how evil his persona truly was, because his villain points were fluctuating again, and the girl in front of him was genuinely afraid... "I just want to see this news for 30 seconds. Classmates should trust each other."
"Alright then..." The girl held up her iPad with both hands, cautiously turning one side of the screen towards Arthur.
Arthur watched the screen, his face full of black lines.
Currently being interviewed was a single woman who had been rescued by Spider-Woman: "She is my God—Spider-Woman. She is a true Superhero. Our whole family is very grateful to her. If it weren't for her, I might have been assaulted by a drug addict..."
The scene shifted to Spider-Woman constantly shooting webs and swinging between skyscrapers. Behind her were Police cars in a chaotic pile-up after colliding with private vehicles, sirens blaring wildly. A thrilling chase ended with Spider-Woman's victory.
Next, a reporter interviewed Chief George Stacy, the Director of the New York City Police Department, at a press conference at the Police station.
"But many of us believe she is righteous. She not only fights criminals but also helps many people," the reporter said.
"We wear the badge of justice, and that desperado wears a mask! We don't deny that she has done some things to help citizens, but evil seeds cannot blossom into righteous flowers. She also has no law enforcement authority; she acts recklessly on the streets and often makes a mess of things."
Chief George stated righteously, "According to incomplete statistics, the damage caused by Spider-Woman has exceeded a million dollars, and she has seriously interfered with Police work."
"The New York City Police Department Director promises the citizens that we will bring Spider-Woman to justice in the shortest possible time!"
Arthur chuckled after reading it. He thanked the girl and turned to leave. The timid girl breathed a sigh of relief when she realized Arthur wasn't going to snatch her iPad.
He was naturally certain that Spider-Woman was Gwen Stacy, who had been bitten by a mutated spider a few days ago. It seemed her adaptability was good.
However, the current situation seemed very interesting. Spider-Woman had caused some trouble, and Chief George was constantly thinking about bringing her to justice and sending her to prison. What would happen if Chief George saw his own daughter after Spider-Womantook off her mask?
Would he put justice before family? Or would he pretend nothing happened and let Gwen go? Just thinking about that scene, Arthur found it amusing.
Chapter 10 Demon Vs Spider-Woman
At a crossroads, in the last few seconds of a green light, the only pedestrian on the crosswalk was strolling leisurely.
It was drizzling at night, and he wasn't holding an umbrella, just wearing the hood of his hoodie.
"Beep beep beep!" A red Ferrari honked continuously and aggressively, and the young, hot-headed man even stuck his head out the car window and yelled, "Get out of the way! You damn idiot, an eighty-year-old grandma walks faster than you!"
The pedestrian suddenly stopped, standing directly in front of the Ferrari, and slowly turned around.
The rain was clearly visible falling in front of the car's headlights, and the dazzling light hit the pedestrian's face... it wasn't a face, but a demon mask.
The young car owner was stunned for a second, then angrily cursed again, "You damn bastard, why are you pretending to be a demon? Wearing a mask to cosplay? I'm Captain America!"
The demon still didn't speak, just bared its teeth in a chilling smile.
The car owner's jaw dropped, and fear instantly descended. If it was a mask, it couldn't smile, unless it was truly a demon's face... The Ferrari engine roared, crossing the line just as the green light turned on. The car owner looked at the demon in front of him with a ferocious expression, but suddenly the demon vanished. The Ferrari drove over the crosswalk, hitting nothing.
The car owner looked in the rearview mirror, and the demon was standing in its original spot, smiling at him again.
But his fear had significantly lessened. The Ferrari had completed 0-60 mph acceleration in three seconds; a demon couldn't catch up to a super sports car speeding like lightning!
After speeding for several kilometers, he reached the Brooklyn Bridge, where he finally slowed down and let out a long sigh of relief.
Before he could fully relax, a "thump-thump" sound echoed, someone was knocking on the car window.
A chill ran down the man's spine. Who could catch up to a car going sixty kilometers per hour and knock on the window? The answer could only be a demon... The man accelerated again, trying to shake off the demon, when suddenly a loud bang came from the car roof, and the Ferrari's roof was even deformed under the immense force.
The grating sound of metal being cut emanated, and the man could already imagine the scene of the demon lying on his car, slowly tearing open the roof with its claws... Immense fear made his limbs stiff, and after a driving error, the Ferrari crashed towards the bridge's guardrail.
"Boom!" A loud crash echoed.
Fortunately, he slammed on the brakes in time; only half of the Ferrari's body went off the bridge, the rest was stuck, and the airbags deployed, enveloping him, only causing him minor impact injuries.
The accident on the bridge also caused a traffic jam, with the honking of private cars rising and falling.
But the teeth-grating sound of cutting metal continued... The demon hadn't let him go. The man even wanted to start the car and drive into the river to end it all... "Help! Save me!" The man screamed incessantly.
The demon finally slowly tore open the roof, stood on the roof, and smiled at the man trapped by the airbag, slowly extending a hand... it was actually a human hand.
The hand grabbed the man's collar. The man screamed non-stop. Under the demon's immense strength, the man was slowly pulled out, but in this short process, he sustained several fractures. The demon only used brute force, not caring if it would injure him.
"Let's learn traffic laws together," the demon was still smiling, "Promise me that next time you'll remember to yield to pedestrians, okay?"
The man almost fainted. His heart pounded wildly, his screams drowning out all the car horns.
[villain points +80, +80, +80...]
"Hey! Mr. Demon, I think you should put him down!"
Arthur heard this familiar voice and couldn't help but smile again. He slowly turned around.
The Miss Spider in a white and black tight suit was slowly descending, hanging upside down by a web. Her bent-leg movements and agile figure were just like a spider. The spider genes subtly influenced her every action.
"Alright, as you wish." Arthur casually threw the man off the bridge.
"NO!"
Spider-Gwen leaped out nimbly. Her wrist quickly shot out a web, catching the falling man. She tied the web to the bridge, then slowly walked towards the demon.
"No! No! Don't come over!" Arthur raised his hands as if surrendering. He said with a grin, "I did as you said, Miss Spider!"
The demon mask could alter Arthur's voice and attire, so to Gwen, the voice sounded particularly unfamiliar.
"That's not funny at all, Mr. Demon!" Spider-Gwen said angrily, "You'll have to pay for your actions!"
Spider-Gwen shot a web, but Arthur grabbed it.
"What is this? Web? Not a bad idea..."
Arthur's voice cut off abruptly. Before he could finish speaking, he was pulled flying by the immense force from the web. The un-upgraded Ox Talisman could only increase strength by a few hundred kilograms, while Spider-Gwen could easily lift a car. Currently, he was definitely no match for Gwen in terms of strength alone.
Watching the flying demon, Spider-Gwen prepared to throw a punch, aiming right for his face with the demon mask!
Suddenly, the demon extended its right hand, and Spider-Gwen saw a dragon totem light up in its palm.
"!!!"
Her Spider-Sense gave a warning. Suddenly, she felt danger. Spider-Gwen chose not to attack but immediately jumped away. She spread her body, landing as lightly as a spider, supporting herself with one hand on the ground to maintain balance.
"Boom!"
A pillar of Fire shot out, directly hitting the spot where she had just stood, scorching the concrete floor black.
"Dragon Talisman: Blazing Fire!"
Spider-Gwen looked on with lingering fear. If she had been hit, she would have at least lost a layer of skin, if not died. Currently, her spider suit had no protective capabilities.
Arthur rolled several times after landing, then stopped. He stood up and brushed off non-existent dust from his body, as elegantly as a gentleman bowing to his dance partner.
Spider-Gwen stood up and clapped her hands, "Very elegant, Mr. Demon, if only your landing hadn't been so clumsy!"
"Thank you for your compliment!" Arthur bowed. His hoodie and jeans outfit subtly changed, instantly transforming into a meticulously tailored tuxedo, with only the demon mask on his face remaining the same.
"Oh! How did you do that?" Spider-Gwen couldn't help but exclaim, "Holographic projection? Rapid 3D printing technology? Nanomaterials? Or some kind of illusion? It couldn't possibly be real magic, could it? That's completely unscientific!"
Arthur was still smiling. It seemed that no matter which World's Spider-Man, they couldn't escape the talkative trait.
"It's great to meet you, I'd love to chat more!" Spider-Gwenextended her hand into the air, "But this really isn't a good place. We've already affected traffic, so I'm going to deal with you quickly!"
Spider-Gwen leaped up abruptly. With her Spider-Sense, choosing close-quarters combat with the demon was undoubtedly the best method. In their recent skirmish, she had also realized that the demon's strength wasn't particularly great.
"Whoosh!" She shot a web, grabbing onto the bridge's steel cables, and her body swung like a pendulum, flying out rapidly, extending a long, straight leg, intending to deliver a flying kick.
But suddenly, the demon in front of her vanished. Spider-Gwen's attack missed, and she couldn't help but be startled. Was the demon's speed really that fast?
Suddenly, someone tapped her left shoulder. Spider-Gwen didn't hesitate for a moment, dodging and delivering a sweeping kick, but this attack also missed. Then, someone tapped her right shoulder again, and Gwen punched again...