"It's settled then." Tony decided to randomly place ten micro-monitors in the alleys of Queens, and if there were no clues after a week, he would immediately dismantle them.
Tony took a disgusted sip of the drink on the table. "Make ten micro-monitors for me, J.A.R.V.I.S."
"Certainly, sir. I am happy to oblige," J.A.R.V.I.S. operated the robotic arms beneath him.
At the Parker Home
"What?! A picnic tomorrow! That's amazing!" Peter exclaimed excitedly when he returned and heard the news.
Aunt May smiled and said, "Yes, it's been a long time since we went out as a family."
"That's so cool! What do I need to prepare? Water? Food? Or should I plan the picnic activities?" Peter asked eagerly.
Just then, Silas and Ben Parker returned to the living room.
"Silas!" Peter greeted Silas, then went to Ben Parker's side. "Uncle Ben, Aunt May said we're going on a picnic tomorrow? That's awesome!"
"I'm sorry, Peter," Ben Parker said with an apologetic look. "That old fellow in the garage broke down. The picnic tomorrow might have to be canceled."
"Oh, no~" Peter's excited mood immediately plummeted.
Ben Parker patted Peter's shoulder with his right hand. "Cheer up, kid. If we can't go on a picnic, we can go hang out at the amusement park instead."
"Yes, Uncle Ben." Peter forced a smile. He had really hoped for a picnic, but the amusement park was fine too.
"Oh! Right!" Peter remembered the five thousand dollars. But what excuse could he use to get Uncle Ben to accept it?
Peter and Silas were facing the exact same problem: how to tell Uncle Ben.
"Alright, boys, don't just stand there looking lost. Come on! Sit down next to me. Want to watch the game?" Ben Parker noticed that both boys were finally home.
"Coming, Uncle Ben!" Silas and Peter said in unison.
Aunt May looked at the three men sitting on the sofa like father and sons. "Who wants some snacks?"
"Me! I love cookies the most," Ben Parker said, raising his hand.
Osborn Corporation Laboratory
"Check to see if the subject is normal," Curtis "Curt" Connors told the other personnel.
The staff watched the data continuously loading on the computer while looking at the experimental white mouse. "Subject is normal..."
"No! The subject's heart rate is rapidly accelerating! Wait! The subject is dead," the staff member exclaimed in shock.
Professor Connors sighed, feeling his empty sleeve, his mood sinking.
But he quickly recovered, as failure was not new. This was already the best performance the experimental subject had shown so far.
Connors had originally been conducting his own limb regeneration experiments in his private lab, but then Norman Osborn approached him.
Norman invited him to join his human enhancement serum experiment. Connors only hesitated for a moment before accepting Norman's invitation.
Because Norman had ample resources and facilities, he could research his limb regeneration while simultaneously assisting with the enhancement serum.
As for Norman, he certainly knew Curt's little secret, but he was also using Curt to further his own research on the enhancement serum. They were simply using each other.
"How is it coming along, Professor Connors?" Norman arrived at the lab.
Connors reported truthfully, "It's close. We just need a few more rounds of experiments."
"But time is running out. Our new product launch conference starts next Wednesday. That's only four days away." Norman looked at Curt with cold eyes.
The launch wasn't supposed to be this early, but Connors's research team had claimed a breakthrough that would be completed in just a few days. Therefore, Norman bought up the headlines for the entire week to build anticipation for his new product!
Most importantly, he desperately needed this product to prolong his life!
"I understand," Connors nodded.
After seeing Norman off, they resumed their work.
At night, after all the staff had left, Connors expertly took the three test tubes he had been working on during the day.
He returned to his own lab.
Click!
Professor Connors switched on the light. Inside a transparent container were five lively white mice, but they all had one thing in common: they were missing their tails!
Professor Connors used his mouth to put on his gloves, picked up a logbook, and wrote on the table: 326th experiment. This time, I improved the serum's...
"Alright, let's begin the experiment." Professor Connors closed the book, opened a small hatch, and gently pulled out a white mouse.
Squeak! Squeak! Squeak!
"Be a good boy~ Don't worry, you'll be healthy soon." Professor Connors used a tool to position a cannula into the mouse's abdomen and then tightened it, securing the mouse.
Taking out one of the test tubes, Professor Connors drew the liquid into a syringe, aimed for the mouse's neck, and injected it.
Squeak! Squeak! Squeak! After a few seconds of agonizing squeaking, the white mouse went still.
"Hmm..." Professor Connors sighed, his mood sinking again. Another failure.
It doesn't matter, I still have two more chances! Professor Connors placed his hope in the remaining two test tubes.
Ten minutes later...
"Ah!" Professor Connors angrily kicked the table. He had failed again! Everything seemed right, so why did he keep failing?
After a long while, he turned off the light and went back to his upstairs room. He picked up the newspaper on the table and started reading.
Spider-Man?
Professor Connors frowned. What was Spider-Man? He knew who Iron Man was.
He then began to read the article, which detailed Peter's crime-fighting activities from that day.
"Wait!" Professor Connors quickly put down the newspaper and went to his bedroom computer to search for information about Spider-Man.
Although Peter had only just started, news about him was already spreading online.
Professor Connors opened a video recorded by a passerby.
In the video, Peter descended from the sky, subdued a car thief, shot a web line, and swung away again.
There were many other videos captured by various cameras uploaded online, including footage of Peter fighting.
With just a few easy punches, he took down several criminals who were ganging up on him.
"Wait! Spider?" Professor Connors seemed to have been struck by inspiration.
Coincidentally, a gecko crawled past Professor Connors's line of sight.
"A gecko!" Professor Connors showed no fear, reaching out and grabbing the lizard's body.
At that moment, the gecko's tail instantly detached. Professor Connors held up the gecko like a priceless treasure. "I know! I know!"
Peter, who was enjoying dinner, had no idea that Professor Connors had received a cascade of inspiration because of him.
He was happily listening to Ben Parker's praise, though Ben Parker didn't know he was praising his own nephew.
"Look at tonight's paper. It's truly fascinating. Spider-Man? He's a guy bursting with justice. I really admire him," Ben Parker exclaimed.
Peter quickly nodded. "I know, right? I really wish I could be like him."
"I don't wish that for you, Peter. He faces dangerous criminals every day," Aunt May countered Peter's view.
Ben Parker also nodded in agreement. "She's right, Peter. It's fine to occasionally help others and do good deeds, but you should try to avoid this kind of vigilantism."
"But, Uncle Ben..." Peter was about to defend his own acts of heroism.
But he was stopped by a pointed look from Ben Parker.
Only Silas, who knew the truth, watched Peter's smugness with amusement.
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