Chapter 3: Questioning the Heart

"Don't shoot!" At the same time, Aunt May's voice also rang out.

But it was too late.

The Vulture had already collapsed in a pool of blood.

At this moment, the scenes of Uncle Ben and Urich's tragic deaths flashed through Peter's mind.

He knew more than Aunt May did.

He knew that Uncle Ben wasn't someone who owed a factory owner money, had his legs broken, and was left in an abandoned factory to be torn apart by wild dogs.

Instead, that despicable factory owner hired the Green Goblin, who captured Uncle Ben and brought him to the abandoned factory. Then, it was this very Vulture who used his sharp fangs to tear off chunks of flesh from Uncle Ben's body and devour him alive!

So when Peter discovered Uncle Ben's remains, all that was left was a bloodied skeleton and his intact head, preserved to allow identification!

This hatred, this hatred...how could he bear it?!!

"You killed him?" 

"You actually shot an unarmed person?"

"Who do you think you are?"

"Do you think you're above the law?"

Aunt May looked at Peter in disbelief, firing one question after another.

Having regained control of his body, Peter was at a loss for how to respond to Aunt May's barrage of questions and her gaze.

"But he would have killed you..." he mumbled.

"Killed me? Yes, so you want me to thank you for that? Is that what you want?" Aunt May seemed overbearing at this moment.

Peter stared blankly at Aunt May, saying nothing, not knowing what to say.

Aunt May looked as if she could see through his black goggles into his eyes. She froze for a moment, then didn't voice the words she was about to say.

She took a deep breath, turned away, and said with some despondency, "Child, I want to tell you something. In this era, we are mere weeds. If everyone's actions have no rules, then we are truly nothing."

"We humans should not live in a world where we kill each other like animals!"

Peter fell silent again.

He could understand Aunt May.

Like Uncle Ben and his past self, she was just an extremely humble member of this dark era.

But she and Uncle Ben had always been doing what they felt they had to do, with their humble existence.

They stood against the despicable employers who deliberately withheld wages and the ugly pharmaceutical companies that deliberately raised drug prices.

They were like fireflies, trying to use their faint light to dispel the darkness of this era.

But what was the end result?

Uncle Ben was captured by the Green Goblin and devoured alive by the Vulture.

Aunt May had also narrowly escaped harm!

Even he had been attacked by members of the Green Goblin's gang not long ago!

If it weren't for Urich, he might also be dead.

"Ma'am, I understand, but what you don't understand is that some people won't follow your rules. These people might follow my rules instead! And my rules are violence!"

People like Aunt May would stand in the light, illuminating the world.

But people like him were destined to lurk in the darkness.

He was Peter, the Peter who had traveled from the 21st century, but he was also Spider-Man, the Noir Spider-Man!

Peter turned and left.

He needed to resolve this matter.

He didn't know the relative flow of time between this world and his own, but based on his understanding, he was currently utilizing something akin to a quantum entanglement state to enter this world from his own, inhabiting the body of the Noir Spider-Man.

So theoretically, at least during the period he was inhabiting this body, the time in both worlds should be synchronized.

In his world, there were still about four hours until morning, and Mr. Stark had said he would visit in the morning, so as long as he returned within four hours, it would be fine.

After briefly organizing his own affairs, Peter began to consider the whereabouts of the Green Goblin's gang.

If nothing went wrong, the other two people who could become his assistants - Felicia and Jonah - were likely there at this moment.

"The meat processing plant!"

"Urich's files called this place the 'execution chamber,' a common 'office' used by the Green Goblin's gang. If nothing is amiss, it should be here, right?"

Peter stood atop a factory building, finding a skylight, though it was locked.

But this was no problem for Peter. He extended his hands, gripping one side of the skylight, and exerted tremendous force. With tens of tons of strength, the skylight quickly deformed and was pried open!

Peter casually tossed the deformed skylight aside, without any intention of compensating for the damage.

Besides, if all went well, the Green Goblin's gang would cease to exist after today, so who would come to demand compensation from him?

Peter crawled down the wall, his keen hearing soon picking up the sound of voices.

Following the voices, he finally saw the targets of this mission.

Below, there were two massive cages.

One cage held the kidnapped J. Jonah Jameson, bound in chains, emaciated, and clearly having endured a great deal of torture.

The other cage held a large tiger, which Peter had seen in Urich's files – it was Kraven the Hunter's companion.

In front of the cages stood several people.

The "Green Goblin" Norman Osborn, Kraven the Hunter, and...Felicia!

As expected, Felicia had also been brought here.

"Oh, my dear Felicia, what should I do with you?" The Green Goblin said with his hands in his pockets, looking at Felicia.

"Hmph, you could apologize to me, Osborn," Felicia maintained her usual coldness; she was the proprietress of the Black Cat club, a tough character capable of decisively killing, "Then you could have one of your sycophants call me a car."

"Call a car? Hehehe..." The Green Goblin let out a peculiar laugh. "I admire your bravado, my dear, but it won't do you any good."

Saying this, he pointed to the cage next to them, "You might as well ask Jameson. He's been cursing at me for a week now, but he still can't escape the fate of having his guts ripped out and dying."

"Jam-Jameson!" Felicia turned her head and finally noticed the person locked in the corner cage, greatly surprised.

"Why so surprised?" The Green Goblin clicked his tongue. "Oh, that's right, you thought Jameson was shot and killed by Spider-Man a few hours ago, didn't you?"

"But I knew that information because I have people at City Hall. How did you know?"

"Let me guess, let me guess, my dear..." The Green Goblin slowly paced around Felicia. "You have a connection with Spider-Man, don't you? He's your little lover? You had him kill Jameson, didn't you?"

Felicia's expression turned sour. "Just like how you sent Jameson to kill Ben Urich? Do you think you're very clever, Osborn?"

"What do you mean?" The Green Goblin's face darkened as he stared intently at Felicia.

(end of chapter)