Chapter 11: Test Subject Codename "Spider-Man"
"Ahhh!"
In Oscorp's underground Level 2 laboratory, faint screams and groans added a sinister atmosphere to the bright, sterile lab.
The moment Batman entered Oscorp, he'd found a computer and hacked the system to locate the laboratory.
Patrolling security and secure doors were nothing to Batman. He now hid in a surveillance blind spot, observing the scene before him.
Before him stood a transparent containment tank holding a man in tattered clothes, covered in filth. His body displayed grotesque skeletal deformations, ribs protruding forward forming a pigeon chest.
The laboratory contained over fifty such transparent tanks. Each held a human being.
Most were already dead. The few still alive were barely breathing, delirious, as if they'd endured extreme torture.
They could only survive via equipment inside the tanks maintaining their vital signs. Even if Batman wanted to rescue them, he couldn't.
Beyond varying degrees of deformity, these people shared one characteristic: disheveled and filthy, no different from alley beggars.
"Or perhaps they were beggars, simply captured by Oscorp for forced human experimentation."
"Theoretically, I should expose this directly to police, let the NYPD investigate and terminate Oscorp's human experiments."
"But does this have government or military backing? Perhaps exposing it directly to media is the optimal choice."
Batman wore only tactical clothing without any of his former Batsuit's functions. He had to find this laboratory's corresponding surveillance room and send the footage to the Daily Bugle's email.
After sending, Batman didn't rush to leave. He rapidly reviewed various laboratory materials.
"Test Subject 5 showed enhanced physical abilities. Testing revealed strength eight times that of ordinary humans. Side effects included growing eight squid tentacles and acquiring all squid characteristics. The only successful experiment to date."
"Experiment provides new direction for super soldier serum, but Subject 5 escaped and remains uncaptured."
The records clearly referred to Squid-Man.
Other test subject records were uniformly marked as failures. Batman's original purpose was collecting evidence of Oscorp's crimes, but unexpectedly at the bottom of numerous files was an unnumbered record:
"Unnamed test subject, suspected to be a more perfect and successful existence than Subject 5. Codename 'Spider-Man.' Specific subject identity unknown. Theory: outsider stole serum, consumed it, and gained powers."
"Theorized abilities: super strength, super speed, super reflexes, healing factor, web generation, danger precognition."
This information struck Batman like a hammer blow.
"Peter Parker is Oscorp's test subject? At the cost of dozens of lives?"
Batman suddenly felt as if two mountains pressed on his back, suffocating him.
"No. This isn't right."
His iron will brought Batman back. He clearly remembered Peter's journal explicitly recording how he gained abilities.
During a visit to Oscorp's biotech facility, he was bitten by a genetically mutated spider.
This completely contradicted Oscorp's records. "Spider-Man" was an accidental product, not a "test subject."
"Perhaps it's just Oscorp's wishful thinking. They happened to be researching super soldier serum while Peter operated as Spider-Man in New York."
"But I must personally visit Oscorp's biotech facility to verify."
Oscorp's biotech facility occupied the twentieth floor and above in Oscorp Tower. As the company's claim to fame, Oscorp kept it in plain sight.
Unlike the human experiments hidden on underground Level 2.
Taking a deep breath, Batman stopped reviewing paper files. After opening a laboratory computer, he hacked into Oscorp's core secrets.
Core secrets were mostly biotech content—the foundation of Oscorp's success as a multinational corporation.
Besides human experiments, most of this company's business and experiments were legal.
Beep beep beep...
Oscorp's security system detected the intrusion. Alarms immediately sounded.
Batman was about to quickly leave when a file named "Spider Slayer" stopped him.
"The subject codenamed 'Spider-Man' very likely holds the key to super soldier serum success. Compared to Squid-Man, Spider-Man who's active daily in New York is easier to capture."
"Spider Slayer Plan: Using powered armor provided to the military and glider technology as foundation, modified specifically to target 'Spider-Man'..."
Crash...
After rapid footsteps, the security door Batman had opened but not locked was violently kicked open. The sound of weapons cocking followed. Based on what he heard, fifty-one people total.
"System shows an intruder here... Fuck, Norman didn't tell me he was conducting these kinds of cruel human experiments?! This is what I've been protecting day and night?!"
A melodious yet sharp female voice reached Batman's ears from his hiding place.
From his position, he could only see a figure in silver-white combat gear with silver-gray short hair. A slender but powerful waist and full hips traced a striking curve.
"Uh... Silver Sable, that's because Norman only required us to guard outside the laboratory. With the security doors, we couldn't get in here," someone said quietly.
Silver Sable was momentarily speechless. Norman had indeed instructed her exactly that way.
"So... Miss Sable, what should we do?" someone asked hesitantly.
Silver Sable answered without hesitation:
"Catch the intruder. First earn Norman's commission, then send Norman to prison to get preached at by gay inmates..."
"Remember, no shooting. Some of these poor people seem to still be alive."
"You guys work. I'm taking photos to expose this place."
Batman silently produced gel explosive and sprayed a tiny amount on the ground. This group bursting in after hearing alarms had completely disrupted his plan.
But it didn't matter. The more people who knew about Oscorp's human experiments, the better. From what this woman "Silver Sable" said, they only had an employment relationship with Oscorp and deeply abhorred the human experiments.
'I can't let them capture me. I have too much left to do.'
Batman thought silently, stealthily moving far enough from the gel explosive. With a click, he detonated it.
The sprayed gel was pitifully small. Batman didn't intend it as an attack. He only wanted to attract Silver Sable's group's attention.
1 vs 50. The advantage was his. Batman actively burst from his hiding place.
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