"Long time no see, Silas!" Ned exclaimed when he saw Silas at the school gate.
Over the last seven days, only Peter and Ned had occasionally gone out, while Silas had been busy with unknown activities.
"Long time no see," Silas replied with a smile. "How are things with you and Kate?"
"We've peacefully broken up," Ned answered.
Peter, standing nearby, was surprised. "Why didn't you tell me?!"
"Hey! What's there to talk about?" Ned said with the air of a love guru. "Youth, that's just how love is. Hope you experience it soon and become a big boy."
"I think I'm big enough," Peter interjected abruptly.
This startled both Silas and Ned.
Ned looked incredulous. "Turns out, Peter, you're the one who..."
"Alright, let's go to class! Come on! Goodbye, Silas!" Peter quickly stopped Ned from speaking further and dragged him towards the classroom.
Silas shrugged and walked toward the classroom alone, noticing the lingering traces of the fight with the Lizard along the way.
Although they had been covered up, the damage was still faintly visible.
"Hey, Silas, what are you looking at!" Misty suddenly appeared behind Silas, sounding delighted.
Silas recognized her voice instantly, turned, and smiled. "What happened today? You sound so happy?"
"Nothing much. I'm just pleased that you're not late after a week off."
"Usually, if anyone sees you, it means they're already late and need to run to school," Misty said.
Silas clutched his chest dramatically, feigning hurt. "Oh~ Misty, you disappoint me so much."
"Come on, it's the truth," Misty retorted grumpily.
"What are you guys talking about, fellas?" Jeff said, spinning a basketball in his hands.
Silas replied, "Nothing." Then, pointing to Jeff's basketball, he asked, "Speaking of which, when does the basketball tournament start?"
"Sigh~" Jeff said with disappointment. "It was supposed to start this week, but that whole Lizard mess happened, so now we have to play at another school."
"That's too bad," Silas said.
Jeff nodded in agreement. "I know! Besides, the Lizard only damaged the walkway. What does that have to do with our basketball court?"
"Give it a rest. We have to play wherever the higher-ups say. We can't disobey, unless your dad is rich."
"If he was rich, he could help the school build something, and the entire stadium would practically be yours," Misty complained.
Jeff held up the basketball with both hands. "I wish! Unfortunately, my parents are just ordinary workers. If I get rich in the future, I'm totally doing that."
"Forget it. Maybe next life," Silas patted Jeff on the shoulder.
Jeff slapped Silas's hand away and said, "Can't you wish for something good, Silas?"
"This is the best-case scenario. Or would you prefer the life after the life after that?" Silas asked.
"Forget it, Silas, I don't want to talk to you anymore. You've lost me as a friend," Jeff said, dramatically putting on a tearful expression, as if Silas had deeply wounded him.
Just as Silas was about to say something, the school bell rang.
"Looks like we need to rush to class, fellas!" Jeff exclaimed.
So the three of them hurried toward the classroom, making it inside just as the bell finished ringing.
Clinton (a.k.a. Hell's Kitchen)
This area was dirty and chaotic. No one wanted to stay here, but life forced them to survive here.
"Time to pay up, kid," two tall, muscular men blocked a skinny young man.
These two muscle-bound men were named Sibert Gaul and Jesse Gaul. They were brothers who specialized in bullying the weak and robbing them.
They claimed to be collecting protection money, promising to protect those who paid them.
The skinny young man was named Pace Lane.
"No..." Pace retreated a few steps fearfully, stuttering, "You said it was... protection money... but you haven't protected... me at all."
"Kid, you might be confused. Protection money means I can protect you from our beating, not from anyone else's," Sibert laughed.
Jesse was less patient. He grabbed Pace's collar and shouted, "Hand over the money! Or I won't be nice."
"But... my money... was all taken by those people earlier," Pace trembled with fear.
Jesse glanced at Sibert, who gave him a look.
Jesse began to pat down Pace's body.
"What are you doing! Help! Help!" Pace began to struggle, but his small build was no match for them.
"F***!" Jesse slapped Pace hard across the face, causing Pace to see stars.
Jesse held a few crumpled dollar bills in his hand. "Sibert, this kid was playing us!"
"Hmph~" Sibert took a deep breath, walked up to Pace, grabbed his hair, and lifted him up. "Kid, you dare to mess with us."
SMACK! Sibert slapped Pace across the face. Both sides of Pace's face quickly swelled up.
"I... I'm sorry. I'll give it to you... next time. Please spare me..." Pace mumbled vaguely.
"Spare you?" Sibert put Pace down and told Jesse, "Brother, remember this face. We beat him every time we see him!"
"Don't worry, my memory is great," Jesse said.
Just then, a few people approached from a distance. Jesse and Sibert immediately took off running. Regardless of what these people were doing, the newcomers were greater in number, and they had to flee.
Pace was left behind, half-unconscious.
"Take him away!" That was the last thing Pace heard before falling completely unconscious.
Oscorp Tower Underground Lab
"Is the subject awake?" Norman asked his subordinates, dressed in a white lab coat.
A subordinate looked at the data on the computer and said, "All data is beginning to recover. The serum has started to be absorbed by his body! The first successful test subject has been born!"
"Excellent." Norman finally smiled. Due to the recent pharmaceutical incident, he had been constantly impeached by the shareholders.
The calls for impeachment only gradually disappeared after Norman promised not to conduct such experiments again.
But Norman was unwilling to give up the experiment he had worked so hard to develop! Especially since he needed it himself!
After capturing several homeless people these past few days, none of them were compatible with the serum. After days of hard work, they had finally captured a successful test subject!
"Where... where am I..." Pace slowly opened his eyes. He found himself in a room, his limbs restrained. He was strapped to an operating table.
"Let me go! Who are you!" Pace was terrified when he saw the people in white coats behind the glass.
The thought of human experimentation immediately surfaced. The news had been reporting on the disappearance of many homeless people these past few days.
But he wasn't homeless! He was just an ordinary young man who was constantly bullied.
"Pace Lane, twenty-three years old..." Norman then ordered his subordinates to briefly read out Pace's information.
"Who are you really!" Pace was so frightened that in his panic, he actually managed to tear free of the restraints on his wrists and ankles.
After breaking free, Pace stared at his arms in shock. "My strength..."
"How is it? This strength was bestowed upon you by us," Norman said.
"Who... are you really..." Pace looked up at Norman. He could tell Norman was the one in charge.
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