Chapter 11: The Birth of the Ghost Spider

Ethan Hayes drove back to school. It was already afternoon, with dusk settling in, casting long shadows. Standing in his parking space was a familiar face, a beautiful blonde woman—Gwen Stacy—looking visibly upset.

Seeing her expression, Ethan gave a helpless smile, though something stirred within him as he parked the Lincoln Navigator in front of her.

"Gwen, sorry to keep you waiting," Ethan said apologetically, knowing full well he had left her waiting for half an hour.

Gwen Stacy's voice was icy cold. "I accept your apology, Mr. Hayes."

"Get in, I'll take you home," Ethan offered, not wasting time with further excuses.

Gwen got into the car, clearly still annoyed. "Do you know it's not polite to make a girl wait, Ethan?"

"I'm really sorry, Gwen. I had some urgent business to handle at the bank today, and I completely lost track of time," Ethan explained sincerely.

Gwen wasn't interested in his reasons. "Drive. Osborn Group Building."

Ethan couldn't help but feel like a full-time chauffeur now. But hearing the mention of the Osborn Group, a glint of interest sparked in his eyes. Was Gwen interning there? The Osborn Group was a world-renowned company, and with an internship, Gwen's academic future seemed more than secure. Based on her grades alone, she could go to any top university in the world.

Even if Ethan's grades surpassed hers, the lack of connections and endorsements would make it harder for him to choose a prestigious path. But that didn't matter to him anymore. He had already lived through university once, and now, with his growing wealth and power, he didn't need to rely on formal education to succeed.

"Osborn Group? That's impressive, Gwen," Ethan said with a smile.

Gwen's mood visibly improved. "Obviously." There was a hint of pride in her voice. While she was normally a kind and gentle person, she always seemed to want to assert her strength around Ethan, as if competing with him.

"Congratulations on securing an internship at the Osborn Group. With their recommendation and your grades, every university will want you," Ethan added, his tone genuinely admiring.

Gwen's demeanor softened further. She even forgot she was angry about being kept waiting. "I'm thinking of applying to Cambridge," she said, her gaze drifting to Ethan.

"Cambridge is a great choice, though personally, I prefer New York's sunshine to the fog," Ethan remarked, a trace of disappointment in his voice.

Gwen hesitated, suddenly questioning her choice. Was Cambridge really the best option?

Soon, Ethan pulled up to the Osborn Building. "Do you need me to come in with you?" he asked.

"Would you like a tour of Osborn?" Gwen teased, her mood now fully lightened.

"I've always wanted to see it," Ethan said, putting on an excited expression, though inside he was preparing for the next stage of his plan. Whether this was the world of the original Spider-Man or The Amazing Spider-Man, it didn't matter to him. What mattered was completing the task.

[Seize the opportunity of Peter Parker and create the birth of Ghost Spider. Task level: blue.]

"I can invite you in, but no running around," Gwen said, extending the invitation.

"Deal!" Ethan replied, parking the car.

They entered the Osborn Group building together, Gwen easily navigating security protocols thanks to her internship. After getting a visitor pass for Ethan, she led him to the floor of the genetic modification department.

In her white coat, Gwen Stacy looked stunning—more like a doctor than a high school student. Ethan couldn't help but admire her, though he kept his feelings hidden, pretending to be more interested in the genetic modifications on display.

Still, no test spiders were in sight. Ethan figured this must be the Amazing Spider-Man version of the story.

Suddenly, a familiar face caught his attention. Peter Parker?

A smile crept across Ethan's lips. The mission had officially begun. It wasn't just about creating the Ghost Spider; he needed to make sure Peter played his part as well.

Ethan watched Peter from a distance, keeping his head down to avoid attracting attention from the security guards. Gwen, meanwhile, followed Dr. Connors, but she noticed Ethan's movements.

Peter Parker? Gwen was surprised to see him here.

Two security guards soon approached Peter, who, realizing he had been caught, was escorted out of the building and blacklisted from the premises.

Ethan gave Gwen a sly smile before slipping into the restricted area of the lab.

Worried, Gwen quickly followed him, fearing he might cause trouble and get into serious trouble with the Osborn Group.

Ethan, meanwhile, had managed to sneak in by following a man in a suit. He memorized the security code the man entered and then froze the door's sensor using his freezing powers, making sure it wouldn't close behind him.

"Perfect," Ethan whispered to himself, stepping into the lab.

Gwen, not far behind, entered the lab but couldn't find Ethan anywhere. She walked further in, eventually finding herself in the spider lab.

Ethan, now elementalized, had turned himself into a block of transparent ice, hidden in the shadows, waiting for the right moment.

[Congratulations to the host for completing the mission: Birth of the Ghost Spider. You have received the blue blind box reward. Due to Task Mode: ongoing, the next task is now available.]

[New Mission: The Will of Vengeance. Burn the flames of vengeance throughout Hell's Kitchen to avenge your parents and destroy the Hell's Kitchen Triad. Task difficulty: White - Blue.]

[Note: The more criminals you eliminate, the higher the mission rewards.]

Ethan smirked. "This task is practically a freebie."

With his job done, he slipped out of the testing area, returning to the visitor area just as Gwen emerged from the spider lab, rubbing the back of her neck and looking a bit disoriented.

"Gwen, are you okay?" Ethan asked, feigning concern.

"I'm fine," she said quickly, though she still seemed dazed. "You didn't go into the testing area, did you?"

"That was the testing area?" Ethan said innocently. "I was just looking for the bathroom. I didn't cause any trouble, did I?"

"No," Gwen said, trying to shake off her unease. "Let's just go."

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