Chapter 275: Reality is Cruel

The people on the street faintly let out exclamations.

In such an atmosphere, Spider-Man, Peter Parker, hurriedly swung through the steel jungle, eventually returning to his home in Queens.

He swiftly and nimbly clung to the edge of his second-floor bedroom window, gently pushed it open, and then climbed inside.

Just as he removed his Spider-Man suit, there was a knock on the door, followed by a gentle voice: "Peter? It's time for dinner."

"I'll be right there, Aunt May."

Peter immediately responded, quickly stashed his Spider-Man suit under the bed covers, and walked over to open the door. He was greeted by Aunt May, who looked at him with a tender smile.

He quickly took her hand and headed downstairs, listening to her talk while also pondering the issues he had been thinking about earlier.

This kind of situation happened every day at home.

After finishing lunch, Peter washed the dishes and carried the trash bag outside. When he reached the large trash bin on the street, his Spider-Sense suddenly kicked in at full force.

He felt two pairs of eyes watching him intently, with one of them giving off an especially strong, oppressive feeling.

After tossing the trash bag into the bin, he turned towards the source of the gaze. What he saw shocked him.

Not far away, by the side of the street, a very luxurious sports car was parked. In the car, seated in the driver's seat and passenger seat, were two people. Even though they were 20 or 30 meters apart, Peter Parker could clearly see their faces through the windshield.

Two of the most famous faces in America right now.

Iron Man, Tony Stark, and Captain America, Steve Rogers.

Peter Parker stood still, his brows immediately furrowing.

He heightened his Spider-Sense to its maximum, sensing whether any other Avengers were nearby. If there were, it would indicate that danger was close; otherwise, there was no reason for the Avengers to be deployed.

In recent years, the Avengers hadn't been deployed frequently, but each time they were, it was to deal with a significant crisis—powerful supervillains or major threats.

It was precisely because of this that the Avengers' reputation had grown stronger worldwide in recent years.

Even the public opinion crisis surrounding mutants in mainstream society had improved significantly.

Fortunately, Peter sensed no other threats besides the two in front of him. He had to consider his Aunt May, who was at home; if something happened to her, Peter wouldn't know what to do.

But then, Peter immediately realized that perhaps they were here for him?

Sure enough, the next scene confirmed Peter's thoughts.

Tony Stark, seated in the car, and Steve Rogers, Captain America, opened the doors and stepped out. Neither of them was in uniform; Tony was wearing a suit, while Captain America wore a somewhat vintage T-shirt and a leather jacket.

They looked a bit out of place with the flashy sports car.

After getting out of the car, Peter saw the two of them walking straight towards him. His heart sank.

Before Peter could say anything, the approaching Tony Stark sized him up and said, "Wow, I didn't expect Spider-Man to be such an ordinary kid."

"So skinny, yet you can unleash tens of tons of strength. By the way, where does your webbing come from? Some special kind of thread?"

Tony Stark thoroughly examined Peter from head to toe, making it clear that he was being open and aboveboard.

Peter did not refute; instead, he fell silent.

He knew the influence of the Avengers and understood how easy it would be for a billionaire like Tony Stark to investigate him.

He glanced at Captain America, Steve Rogers, then looked back at Tony. "So, you're here for me?"

"Yes, Peter, we've been watching you for a long time. We've always known what you've been doing, and it's really impressive. Compared to those who lose control and turn to crime after gaining power, your kindness is astonishing."

Rogers spoke up, praising him: "But with your abilities, you shouldn't be hiding them."

"You can do so much more, Peter."

Rogers genuinely admired Peter Parker, especially after gathering information about him. He didn't know how Peter became so enhanced, but he did know that the first thing Peter did after gaining his powers was to earn money by fighting.

This beginning was completely different from those who immediately turned to evil after gaining power.

Especially after the unexpected death of Uncle Ben, although Peter Parker was overwhelmed by hatred for a time, frantically searching for the criminal to seek revenge, he ultimately did not kill the criminal and chose to let the police take him away.

Since then, he had started fighting crime, doing so every day.

Fighting criminals but not killing them.

Such character is rare, and he has consistently maintained it to this day.

That's why Tony and Rogers wanted to recruit Peter into the Avengers—he was an ideal candidate.

Joining the Avengers required thorough vetting, and Peter had passed.

Facing the invitation from the Avengers, Peter's heart surged with excitement for a moment, but he quickly fell silent, contemplating many things. Did he really want to join the Avengers?

No, he was New York's friendly neighborhood Spider-Man, and he liked that life. If he joined the Avengers, he might not have as much time to spend with Aunt May.

Moreover, he still wanted to pursue the person he secretly loved, Mary Jane.

Tony Stark had investigated Peter Parker thoroughly, knowing everything about him from childhood to the present. He understood Peter Parker's current life situation clearly and could even analyze Peter's inner thoughts.

So, he spoke up, walking over to Peter and placing a hand on his shoulder, then turning towards that house—the home of the person Peter secretly loved, Mary Jane.

"Kid, do you know what love is? Do you know what it takes to maintain love? Do you know what you'll need once you've successfully gotten together?"

"As harsh as it sounds, the answer is money."

Tony bluntly stated a very harsh reality: "You work, you pursue love, you walk down the aisle together—all of it requires money, especially after having children."

"Otherwise, the pressures of life will weigh heavily on you."