Chapter 22: Greeting
[Central City Science and Technology High School], referred to as Central City High School. This name, though cumbersome to certain time travelers, represents the "elite" in New York. Attending an elite high school, then entering an Ivy League college, and finally joining a famous corporation as part of the management team or becoming a highly esteemed researcher. This is the life of an elite individual. Some attending this high school are there due to their parents, while others are there because of their true talents. For example, Peter Parker; unfortunately, due to his personality, his grades are good, but his popularity in school is certainly not as high as that of his old neighbor, Gwen Stacy.
Then, a classic case of bullying that happens in countless parallel worlds happened again. In front of a group of classmates, Eugene "Flash" Thompson, a tall and burly student with a crew cut, bullied his classmate Gordon on the first day of school. Then he caught sight of Peter, who was passionate about photography, and immediately wanted Peter to come over and help him leave evidence of his "great achievements".
To be honest, it's quite a challenge for Thompson to put Gordon in that position. Even if the big boy in high school is skinny, he still weighs a hundred catties (Chinese unit of weight), and Thompson can actually hold him horizontally, with his head down, pressing him against a table to eat a meal, or rather, using his face to eat steak.
Subsequently, Peter was beaten by Thompson for not being willing to join in the cruelty. Gwen hesitated about whether to play the role of a rescuing hero. Honestly, if any guy had to rely on a girl to protect himself, he would be labeled as "soft" no matter where he was.
Just then, Mr. Lightning suddenly sensed that something was off in the atmosphere. Three burly men in suits, each wearing earphones, stood in front of him. The students around them were intimidated by their presence and began to slowly retreat. The students at the elite high school certainly had sharp eyes. Men dressed like this, without question, were bodyguards. Three of them appeared right away, and looking at the black SUV and the brand new Rolls-Royce Phantom parked on the side of the road, it was evident that they meant business. Eugene's mind went blank – did he just kick an iron plate?
The leading bodyguard approached: "Hello! My name is Louis. My boss wants to have a chat with Mr. Parker about a minor matter. Would Mr. Parker mind coming with me for a moment? Your minor dispute can be resolved afterward." Louis' words were not aggressive, but that presence was not something that any young student reading books could stand up to.
"Uh, I'm sorry, I don't mind." Even "Flash" Thompson's tongue got tied in knots. Gwen felt something was strange and bravely stepped forward, "May I ask if you have any business with Peter?" Louis gave a gentle smile, "Oh, Miss Stacy, is it? It's nothing major. My boss is interested in making an investment, and he just came to inquire about Mr. Parker's parents, Richard and Mary."
Gwen was taken aback, "You know my name?" "Actually, your name, Miss Stacy, was also on our list of candidates, but unfortunately, Osborne Industries extended an invitation first. If you don't mind, you can also come and listen," Louis explained. The group of students stared at the bodyguards as they helped Peter pick up his things, dusted him off, and straightened his clothes. Throughout the process, the three bodyguards didn't even glance at Eugene "Flash" Thompson, but poor Flash was feeling immense pressure!
"Peter, I, well, I didn't really want to hit you." "It's alright, forget about it. I don't mind." Peter was quite forgiving. By the roadside, a bodyguard opened the car door, and Peter and Eugene got in. They were immediately stunned by the luxurious furnishings inside the car, almost causing them internal injuries. There weren't any extravagant gemstones, but the handcrafted leather seats, artistically arranged decor, and various user-friendly facilities gave an artistic sense.
Gwen glanced at the inconspicuous "handle" on the door. In fact, it was a hidden umbrella, albeit a somewhat expensive one, costing five figures in US dollars. As they sat down and the bodyguard closed the door, the two young people felt a bit uneasy as they looked at the person sitting across from them. Truth be told, this young man didn't seem much older than them. But looking at his clothes, his watch, and the attractive secretary next to him with a laptop, Peter and Gwen realized they had probably encountered someone on the same level as Tony Stark.
"Hello, Mr. Parker, Miss Stacy, I'm Ang from Gotham City. I apologize for intruding on you so suddenly." Ang began speaking, and his secretary, Dana, handed the two across from them gold-thread-embellished business cards. "The Stark Group's division of biotechnology and research?" Gwen was genuinely startled. If she were to investigate, Tony would definitely admit it because someone was receiving dividends from their stocks there, and other business transactions were also recorded there.
Ang got straight to the point, "I'm planning to invest in the field of biotechnology recently. Actually, I wanted to ask Mr. Parker, how much do you know about your parents, Richard and Mary?" Peter got nervous, "Uh, my parents left me at a young age. My uncle and aunt raised me. I know very little about them." They continued to chat for a dozen or so exchanges, and even Gwen, who was just listening, felt embarrassed.
Because... Peter was clueless! "Oh! That's really a shame. Your father is an admirable scientist. If you ever aspire to pursue research in this field in the future and have suitable projects, you can come find me. I wouldn't mind investing in you." Ang glanced at Gwen, "Of course, Miss Stacy, the same goes for you. I've seen your achievements. Given time, you should be able to lead a department. If you find it difficult at Osborne Industries, you're welcome to join me."
"Oh, thank you for your appreciation, Mr. Ang." Gwen practically dragged the absent-minded Peter into the conversation. After getting out of the car, the two young people still felt like they were in a dream. "Peter, are we dreaming? Such a big shot took an interest in us." Peter was bewildered and suddenly said, "Could he have some other motive?"
"Come on, what kind of background do we have? Does he really need to scheme against ordinary folks like us?" Although Gwen was quite confident in her appearance, she compared herself to the beautiful secretary on the other side and felt that she couldn't win by much! Especially when that secretary had such a melodious voice.
In fact, not only were Peter and Gwen puzzled, but the Lancelot sisters were as well. Gotham City in this world was really close to New York, both on the same coastline. Driving without traffic would take just about an hour. Did Ang come all the way here just to meet two students? As a matter of fact, yes. Despite the ongoing chaos in Gotham City, with major gang battles and Batman being swamped, in Ang's eyes, those were just trivial matters for mortals.
Let Batman worry about those minor villains who lacked superpowers. Ang's original target was the world-famous Spider-Man, Peter Parker. However, upon seeing the heavily patched photos of the female Spider-Man online, Ang realized that although the fusion of worlds might not have brought Spider-Man, it surely brought the female Spider-Man, Gwen!
According to the so-called "history," with Gwen's Spider appearing, Peter should have transformed into the Lizard Man during the accident. But in the midst of the invasion of zombie heroes, Ang didn't dare to make any guarantees. In any case, "The rich rely on technology, the poor rely on mutation." Both Spider-Men were good investment prospects. And compared to the two of them, Ang valued their enemies more...
Under Ang's seat was not only Keaton's leather suit, but also a pair of Chaos Blades, made from the same material as Iron Man's armor, reinforced with Red Soul. "Hehe! My greatsword is so thirsty!"
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