Chapter 269: Unlocking the Talisman
Time flew by quickly. Silas and Peter were about to start school, ushering in their long-awaited college years.
"Only three days until school starts. How are you boys feeling? Are you ready?" Ben Parker asked, sitting comfortably on the sofa.
"All set, Uncle Ben," Peter replied, a spark of anticipation in his eyes for the journey ahead.
Silas, on the other hand, looked indifferent. For him, attending university was little more than a formality to maintain his cover as a normal teenager.
"College days... those really bring back memories," Ben Parker sighed, his voice thick with nostalgia.
Back then, they were all vibrant, energetic young people. Now, they were middle-aged, feeling the constant pressure of being phased out by a rapidly changing society.
"What do you have to be nostalgic about, Ben? I recall you only finished high school," Aunt May interjected, walking over and playfully deflating Ben's sails.
"Cough, cough—" Ben Parker gave an embarrassed chuckle. "How would you know whether I attended college or not?"
Aunt May ignored Ben's silver tongue and turned to the Parker brothers. "College is a miniature society. You need to learn how to manage your interpersonal relationships and understand the basic rules of the world out there."
"We know, Aunt May," Peter said, his interest waning the moment she started lecturing. He much preferred listening to Uncle Ben's colorful stories about his youth.
"Peter, you need to listen to me seriously. And Silas, put your phone down," Aunt May commanded.
Silas sighed and set his phone aside. Aunt May's "sermon" mode was officially engaged.
Sensing the impending danger, Ben Parker quickly stood up. "I just remembered there's something I need to check on the car in the garage. I'll be going now."
"Is that so? Well, go on then," Aunt May said, eyeing him suspiciously but ultimately letting him go.
Once he heard her approval, Ben Parker breathed a sigh of relief and practically skipped toward the garage with a joyful expression.
With Ben gone, Aunt May began her lecture to the Parker brothers. Usually, Ben would have to endure this alongside them, but this time he had been smart enough to use the garage as an excuse to escape.
Finally, after about ten minutes of repetitive reminders and advice, Aunt May finished. She stood up and headed to the kitchen to prepare dinner.
"I'm dying, Silas," Peter groaned, flopping onto the sofa like a boneless fish. Listening to Aunt May was more exhausting than stopping a runaway train.
Silas rubbed his temples. "Aunt May is hitting that 'preachiness' phase of life, Peter. You have to be patient with her."
Having said that, Silas also collapsed onto the sofa. The two brothers lay there like corpses, completely motionless.
"Is May done?" Ben Parker's head popped through the doorway. Once he spotted May busy in the kitchen, he walked out as if a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders.
"Uncle Ben, you totally abandoned us this time," Peter complained.
Usually, if Uncle Ben was around, he would draw a significant portion of the "fire."
"I call that being tactical," Ben Parker gloated, feeling proud of his quick escape.
Silas rolled his eyes. "Sure, Uncle Ben. By the way, how's work going? Everything smooth?"
With Silas acting as the secret benefactor behind the scenes, Ben Parker's life at Parker Industries was undoubtedly very comfortable.
"Of course! Everything is going perfectly. So perfectly, in fact, that sometimes I feel like I'm dreaming," Ben said, lighting up at the mention of work.
It felt as though Parker Industries had been tailor-made for him. In less than a month of working there, he had already been promoted to team leader.
"After I graduate, I definitely want to intern at Parker Industries," Peter suddenly chimed in. He had a great deal of admiration for the company's vision.
"Well said, Peter! I'll be waiting for you!" Ben Parker supported the idea wholeheartedly. The thought of uncle and nephew working at the same company, looking out for each other, was a heartwarming prospect.
"Silas, where do you plan to work in the future?" Ben turned to ask.
"Isn't it a bit early for this...?" Silas said, deadpan. They hadn't even stepped foot on campus yet, and they were already discussing post-graduation plans.
"It's never too early, Silas. Life planning needs to start as soon as possible. That's how you develop a different mindset from the average person," Ben insisted.
"Then I guess I'll go to Parker Industries too," Silas said casually.
Since the company belonged to him anyway, he could just assign himself a position and continue being a "hands-off" boss.
"That's a great idea, Silas. Parker Industries is thriving; it's on track to rival the likes of Stark Industries. Choosing them is a very wise move."
Ben Parker was now a staunch advocate for the company, largely because he felt so valued there.
"I think Parker Industries is pretty good too," Silas agreed. He hadn't expected Little Black to do such a phenomenal job.
When he first established the company, he just wanted it to be worth a few tens of millions. He hadn't expected the market value to soar into the tens of billions.
While there was still a gap between them and the established giant that was Stark Industries, Parker Industries had been around for less than a year. Its growth rate far exceeded Stark's, which had already reached its peak. Parker Industries, however, was still climbing.
"Hahaha—I really look forward to seeing the two of you there," Ben Parker beamed, already imagining the Parker brothers working together.
Later That Night
After everyone had finished dinner, Silas returned to his room and locked the door.
"Time for the next Talisman." After obtaining the Sheep Talisman, he hadn't unlocked any new clues.
Since merging with the Sheep, his attention had been focused on the Shadow Generals and the Symbiote experiment. Talisman collection had been temporarily sidelined.
"System, I want to unlock a new Talisman."
As soon as he spoke, his consciousness was pulled into that familiar, mysterious void.
"Use Sin Points to unlock." Despite having a surplus of Justice Points, he preferred using Sin Points.
Simply put, Sin Points were easier to acquire. His current Sin Point total was more than double his Justice Points.
However, the further he progressed, the more Silas realized that the things redeemable with Justice Points were just as valuable. The magic scrolls he could get from the Justice shop were incredibly practical. For instance, the Flame Scroll he used against Riot produced temperatures even more terrifying than the fire from Shendu's mouth. That single move had cost him 1,000 Justice Points—a significant sum.
"Come to me! My next Talisman!"
Silas reached out and touched a floating orb of light. The light began to condense, slowly taking the shape of an animal.
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