S.H.I.E.L.D. Headquarters
“Still no word from Spider-Man?”
Harry stepped into Nick Fury’s office, asking as soon as he entered.
Nick Fury, who was reviewing some documents, glanced up at Harry and shook his head.
“No, nothing. It’s like he vanished into thin air. Our agents can’t find a trace.”
Harry frowned, “It’s been three days. If something hadn’t happened to him, he should’ve returned by now.”
“Yeah, he usually shows up at night, but there’s been no sign of him for the past three days.”
Nick Fury rubbed his temples, shifting the topic. “How’s Stark doing?”
Harry nodded, “He’s fine. He wasn’t hurt. We have people watching him constantly to make sure he doesn’t get kidnapped again.”
“That’s not the main issue.”
Nick Fury stood up and moved to the large window, his one eye filled with concern.
“Hydra hasn’t been completely wiped out, and we still haven’t found that strange spine. That’s what worries me the most.”
“Is Hydra really that scary?” Harry asked, puzzled.
“S.H.I.E.L.D. is the world’s top intelligence agency. Shouldn’t we be able to handle what’s left of Hydra?”
Nick Fury explained Harry’s confusion. “You don’t understand. Hydra was the world’s nightmare in its time. If they’ve resurfaced, there’s a larger scheme at play.
“And Stark is part of that plan. It’s possible even your father is entangled in this.”
“What?”
Harry was taken aback, his fists clenching involuntarily as he took a deep breath to calm himself.
He wasn’t that naive young man anymore.
He had to change.
Impulsiveness, anger—those were fatal weaknesses.
“So Spider-Man is one of their targets too? Since that incident, he hasn’t returned… maybe he’s already…”
“Harry, it’s them who should be worried.”
Nick Fury interrupted Harry before he could finish.
Gazing out at the neon-lit night, his voice carried an uncharacteristic calm.
“Spider-Man won’t die. Anyone who messes with that guy is in for big trouble.”
Harry sighed suddenly. “Spider-Man won’t die, but Xia Luo is different. He’s disappeared again, and I still have to keep it from Uncle Ben.”
“He went traveling again?” Fury asked.
“How should I know… Fine, next time, let me know before you investigate the people around me.”
Harry turned to leave.
“And don’t go after Xia Luo. He’s my only friend,” he warned.
Nick Fury calmly replied, “You said the same thing about Spider-Man.”
“A new friend needs a little sweet talk to build rapport.”
“Who taught you that?”
“Xia Luo.”
“Xia Luo…”
Nick Fury pondered for a moment before voicing his suspicion.
“Haven’t you ever considered…?”
“No, he’s just who he is. He doesn’t say, I don’t ask. That’s the most basic respect between friends.”
“Friends…”
Nick Fury seemed to recall something, and the stoic man allowed a small smile to break through.
“I have a friend like that too. But she’s always too busy.”
Harry wasn’t interested in hearing Nick Fury’s story. He walked straight out of the office.
When the elevator doors opened, Harry was surprised to see Steve Rogers standing there.
“We’ve met,” he said, stepping into the elevator and pressing the button for the first floor.
Steve smiled, “Yes, sorry about last time.”
“No problem. It’s in the past.”
As the elevator descended, the two remained silent for a while.
Harry glanced at the shield in Steve’s hand. “You on a mission?” he asked, breaking the silence.
Steve nodded, “Yes, a troublesome one.”
“No need. I can handle it.”
“Ding~”
The elevator doors opened, and Steve waved. “I’ll be off.”
“See you.”
Harry watched Steve’s hurried figure, frowning.
“Something feels off about him today.”
He shook his head, dismissing the thought, and took out his phone to call Pepper Potts.
“This is Harry Osborn. When would be a good time to sign the contract…?”
Not long after, in a secret underground base…
Clank, clank…
As the rusted metal door slowly lifted, Steve walked down a dimly lit hallway.
At the end was a massive laboratory.
Inside the lab, advanced equipment and devices filled the space, but the most noticeable was a giant glass container filled with light blue nutrient fluid.
Bubbling noises
Bubbles occasionally rose from the bottom of the container, where a brain floated, twitching slightly. The equipment connected to the brain started to sound alarms.
“What’s happening?” Steve asked, approaching a bald man standing nearby.
The bald man didn’t acknowledge Steve’s arrival. His attention was fully on the data displayed on the computer screen, and his face grew increasingly astonished.
“Spider-Man’s brain is becoming more active. It’s matching the data you provided last time. If everything goes as expected, we’ll soon witness his revival.”
His voice trembled, face flushed with excitement.
“Mr. List, please stay calm.”
Steve frowned, staring at the increasingly active brain with a mix of anticipation and unease.
Noticing Steve’s concern, List chuckled. “Don’t worry. We’ve divided his body into dozens of parts, each stored in different facilities. Even if he revives, he won’t be able to move.”
Steve took a deep breath, “I see. If his cells remain active, could we extract his regenerative factor?”
List, filled with confidence, nodded. “Absolutely. This is my area of expertise.
“Once we obtain those regenerative factors, our soldiers will become the most terrifying force in the world. Our plan for global domination will begin ahead of schedule.”
“Excellent.”
Thinking of the future, Steve’s eyes gleamed with barely restrained ambition.
“Spider-Man, thank you for helping me achieve my goals.”
No longer holding back, Steve’s face twisted into a malevolent grin.
In the dim light, his shadow seemed to stretch out into a series of monstrous tendrils, snaking through the lab.
From an ordinary soldier to where he stood now, no one knew the sacrifices he had made.
His best friend, the woman he loved—both had given up their freedom and lives for this great cause.
It was his choice. He had no regrets.
Looking at the brain floating in the glass container, Steve’s smile turned to scorn.
“Superhero? What a joke. The world is survival of the fittest. Showing mercy to the weak is no different from suicide.
“If you have great power but still let yourself be shackled by ordinary morals, you’re destined to lose.
“You chose to be Spider-Man. I chose ultimate power over the world. The outcome was determined from the start.”
Steve didn’t know why he felt the need to say this to a brain, but he was certain he was right.
He never saw himself as the villain in this story.
But soon, reality would show him who the true protagonist of this world was.
“Steve, something’s gone wrong.”
Suddenly, List received a message and shot up from his computer.
“The Spider-Man samples stored at other facilities have escaped!” he shouted.
“What?!”
Steve’s face contorted in shock. “Escaped? Are you sure you’re not joking?”
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