Chapter 56: Turmoil in New York

Night fell.

Gwen returned home from the hospital.

Although she wanted to stay with her in the hospital, the doctor refused her request to stay by citing that the patient was still in a critical condition.

She wearily opened the door to her room, tossing her keys onto the table before collapsing onto the couch.

Her body sank into the darkness of the night, feeling utterly exhausted and powerless.

This sense of fatigue and powerlessness enveloped her entirely, both mentally and physically.

Lying on the couch, she covered her face with her hands, unable to muster the energy to do anything.

Outside, the rain started again, a constant drizzle that had persisted throughout the day, leaving the entire city with a damp, musty smell.

After a while, she got up from the couch and went to her father's room to gather some clothes.

A picture frame on her father's desk caught her eye.

In the frame, she was being held by her father, while her mother smiled beside them, splashing seawater towards her.

She was very young in the photo, with her short golden hair still sandy from the beach, the sunlight glaringly bright.

When was this?

Probably during the summer vacation when her parents took her to Cooper Beach for a trip?

She suddenly recalled the feeling of being on the beach back then.

Walking along the white sandy beach with her parents, every grain of sand shimmered under the sun.

The sand beneath her feet was warm, the tide kissing the shore, the air carrying a salty scent without the bitter taste of seawater or the unpleasant fishy smell.

If possible, she really wanted to stay there, on that beach, basking in the bright sunlight.

"Snap!" Gwen placed the picture frame into her bag.

At the same time, she dismissed such childish thoughts from her mind.

What's in the past is in the past, what's the point of dwelling on meaningless things now?

"Peter is right, I need to pull myself together. Even if I'm broken, I have to win. Isn't that what being a hero is all about? Accompanying more responsibilities?"

Adjusting her mood, she left her father's room.

"Buzz~!"

Her phone vibrated in her pocket.

She took out her phone and saw an incoming call from an unknown number.

After hesitating for a moment, she answered the call.

"Hello, this is Gwen."

After a few words with the person on the other end, Gwen's face suddenly changed.

"Boom!"

On top of the tallest municipal clock tower in Brooklyn, Peter landed with a splash of rainwater.

Covered in a sleek black exoskeleton, his cloak slowly receded behind him.

The exoskeleton fitted him perfectly, raindrops falling from the sky reflecting off its shiny black surface.

He reached up and gently removed the facial portion of his mask, revealing his face.

Gazing at the city skyline beneath the night sky, he took a step forward, standing on the edge of the rooftop.

In the distance, the city skyline was illuminated by colorful lights, shrouded in a mysterious fog.

Peter stared at the distant skyline for a while before reaching towards his chest.

Since the subway incident, there had been no movement from the embryo inside him.

There were no symptoms like sudden vomiting or dizziness as before.

It seemed that the xenomorph embryo had entered a new stage.

This new stage appeared to be more stable than the previous one.

And...

He slowly extended his hand forward.

In the rising mist, his fingers began to deform towards the direction of xenomorph claws.

With his thoughts, the claws became sharper and more lethal.

These claws were not like ordinary xenomorphs, they were primarily designed for sharp and lethal attacks, and he could feel that they also endowed him with greater agility.

What type of xenomorph was incubating inside him?

With a thought, his hand returned to normal, covered again by the exoskeleton.

He remembered reading about a type of xenomorph called the "Spiderweb Xenomorph."

This xenomorph, based on the human-host xenomorph - the "Warrior," was created by blending the genes of a jumping spider.

Predominantly blue in color, with a pointed oval head, compared to other types of xenomorphs, its jumping ability was significantly enhanced, capable of effortlessly leaping to heights of about five meters.

Was the xenomorph embryo he absorbed from Frank's genes a "Spiderweb Xenomorph"?

Lost in thought, Peter took a deep breath, closing his eyes, feeling the power surging within him.

No!

It wasn't just the "Spiderweb Xenomorph."

The violent and murderous desires that had been churning inside him seemed to be gradually decreasing.

The most common type of xenomorph he remembered was the "Drone Xenomorph," also known as the "Stalker Xenomorph."

This type of xenomorph walked on two legs, possessed logical thinking with a sense of group cooperation, and its body was filled with streamlined mechanical structures.

They were responsible for exploring unknown locations, transporting large objects, and protecting the "Xenomorph Queen." Compared to normal xenomorphs, their attacks were more aggressive and proactive.

Peter suspected that the embryo inside him was a "Drone Xenomorph."

The naked killing intent and the impulse to destroy and hunt seemed to have originated from it.

But now, these impulses were gradually diminishing. Did this mean that the embryo was evolving from a "Drone" to another form?

Placing his left hand lightly on his chest, he felt the two "heartbeats" inside.

Shaking his head, he pushed aside these complicated thoughts and focused on the matter at hand.

Lifting his head, Peter's gaze fell on a building opposite.

Matt Murdock's law firm was there.

Taking a step forward, he "whooshed" downwards, his body rapidly descending.

The "cloak" on his back instantly appeared, halting his descent, propelling him towards his destination.

The last person George Stacy saw was this guy.

He wouldn't believe that the other party was innocent in this matter.

With a "thud," Peter landed on the rooftop of the building where the law firm was located.

But as soon as he landed, he noticed a figure approaching not far away.

At the same time, from a nearby alley, a cat's meow suddenly sounded from a trash can.

Seeing that there might be other unwanted guests arriving, Peter frowned.

Tonight, it seems that he is not alone here?

Shaking his head, his face was covered with the extension of the exoskeleton, blending his body completely into the darkness.

...