Chapter 5: The Choice

"What nonsense are you talking about?" Peter turned and kicked him.

He didn't need to look to know who it was - it was the hunter Craven, whom he had knocked out before. This guy's physical fitness and willpower were indeed impressive. He had recovered from the dizziness caused by such intense pain in such a short time. However, all these things were meaningless in the face of overwhelming power and useless.

Swish!

The hunter Craven was smashed into a glass container nearby, shattering the glass directly.

"Ahhh!" He let out a horrified scream.

The spiders in the container frantically crawled onto his body, quickly covering him entirely and injecting their venom. In a moment, the hunter Craven became motionless. His face, clothes, and even his body were probably crawling with poisonous spiders, looking extremely miserable and terrifying.

"Hey, listen up, Spider-Kid. I think you should really learn decisiveness from these black widow spiders," Jonah said from behind. "Although I often defame you in the newspaper, you know, that's my job. But I actually quite admire you. It's just that you're a bit disappointing today!"

"Compassion is reserved for the kind. Being compassionate to the wicked is violence against the kind!"

Peter was silent for a moment, then turned and went after the Green Goblin.

He was not a foolish person. On the contrary, he was very intelligent. He understood the reasoning that Jonah had expressed. He just couldn't accept it at the time. Emotionally, he was more inclined towards what Aunt May had said earlier. But the rationality infused by the Shadow Spider-Man told him that Jonah was right. This was the true way to deal with evil people! To prevent good people from being harmed further, the wicked must be given their due punishment!

Some thoughts gradually took root and germinated in Peter's mind. One day, they would grow into towering trees!

The factory had an underground passage. Although he didn't come here often, Osborn thought he was quite familiar with the place. Because of his profession, he did "odd jobs" for various capitalists and even high-ranking government officials.

Like killing Spider-Man's uncle Ben Parker.

Ben Parker had helped organize protests that led to the closure of three sweatshops owned by Adolph Kravenoff. To get revenge on Ben Parker, Kravenoff hired the Green Goblin. He also bribed the deputy police chief of the New York Police Department to ensure the police would not interfere and paid off the mayor of New York City. The relationships were intricate and complex.

As an existence similar to a whiteglove, if one day the Green Goblin ran into trouble or was abandoned by some of those involved, he would face a thunderous strike.

The Green Goblin had anticipated this day would come and had prepared this escape route for himself in advance. Little did he expect that this escape route would not be used for that purpose but instead for the pursuit by Spider-Man.

At this time, Felicia Hardy, who was being held captive by the Green Goblin, also coldly taunted him with a psychological attack.

"It's useless, Osborn. It's all over!"

"Do you think your partners in City Hall will still protect you after this incident?"

"No, they won't!"

"Everyone who had ties with you in the past will make sure you stay silent forever before you can expose them!"

"You're doomed!"

Felicia's words were sharp as knives, piercing the Green Goblin's heart.

The Green Goblin's expression turned grim. "Shut up, Felicia!"

He was trying hard to find the exit through the dim light here.

It turned out that although he had memorized this underground path many times before, it was still difficult to find the route he remembered in the absence of a light source.

"Felicia, run!"

Swish!

A figure flew over and grabbed the Green Goblin, pinning him to the ground before he could react.

"Surprised?" Peter sneered coldly.

However, the Green Goblin didn't seem afraid. Instead, he mocked Peter with a sneer, "So, the cute little Spider has caught the big bad Wolf and thinks he has the upper hand, doesn't he?"

"Then, before we end this farce, why don't we see who's under the mask first!"

With that, the Green Goblin reached for Peter's mask.

"No!" Peter hurriedly raised his hand to block him. No matter which world he was in, he didn't want his identity under the mask to be revealed, as it could bring unimaginable consequences to his loved ones.

Slap!

In his panic, Peter's hand struck the Green Goblin's face.

Rip!

The Green Goblin's facial skin made a tearing sound, ripping open.

Beneath the torn facial skin, an ugly face covered in greenish-blue warts was revealed!

"This!" Peter was shocked. He didn't understand why the Green Goblin's face looked like that.

However, at that moment, the Green Goblin's swift and precise grab tore off Peter's mask as well.

Seeing Peter's face under the mask, he growled viciously, "So it's Ulrich's worthless sidekick?"

"What's the matter, kid? Never seen a freak show before?"

Peter was still in shock. "Green Goblin... So this is..."

The Green Goblin's eyes revealed intense murderous intent and hatred. "All my life, I was stoned by other kids from a young age. I could only make a living in freak shows, being gawked at as a deformed freak in exchange for a piece of black bread."

"But not anymore!"

"When they utter the name Osborn now, what I hear is respect, reverence!"

"And the few who have seen this face know that one of us must die!"

"So, are you ready to die, little Spider?"

The fully unleashed Green Goblin seemed to have infinite power and was actually starting to break free from Peter's restraint!

While Peter was stunned, the Green Goblin pushed him away, nearly making him fall on his butt.

Buzz~

At that moment, his spider-sense triggered.

Peter instinctively turned his head to the side.

Bang!

A bullet whizzed past his head.

The Green Goblin looked at him in shock, as if unable to believe that Peter could dodge a bullet at such a close range.

It was as if he had foreseen it!

The gunshot and spider-sense also snapped Peter out of his daze.

He pounced forward again, using his webbing to bind the Green Goblin.

"Come on, kill me!" the Green Goblin struggled for a few moments but couldn't break free from the webbing, realizing that his situation was hopeless.

Peter slowly raised his gun. In his mind, flashes of Uncle Ben's body, Ulrich's body, and Aunt May's and Jonah's words echoed.

"...I don't want to live in a world where people slaughter each other like animals."

"Compassion is reserved for the kind. Being compassionate to the wicked is violence against the kind!"

"What should I do?" Peter murmured to himself, uncertain if he was asking his high school self or the owner of this body he had merged with - the Shadow Spider-Man.

An idea gradually emerged in his mind.

It seemed to be the answer from the Shadow Spider-Man.

Peter suddenly raised his head and lowered his gun.

Bang! Bang!

To the Green Goblin's astonishment, Peter swiftly struck out, breaking his hands and feet.

Then, he leaned down and looked directly into the Green Goblin's eyes, saying, "You will be interrogated. You will apologize to the public for everything you've done!"

Then, if they don't kill you, I'll send you on your way!

Peter silently added in his heart.

(end of chapter)