Restart, Spider-Man! [150]
George looked over the scene—a gaping crater in the asphalt—and shook his head.
"Using this kind of firepower for a few small-time thugs…you'd think we had a supervillain on the loose."
"I think Spider-Man's a bit rattled," another officer speculated.
A portly officer chimed in, "You mean last night's incident?"
"Yeah, that big green bird ruffled his feathers."
"Agreed. Looks like that bird really got under Spider-Man's skin."
"Poor criminals just happened to cross paths with a Spider-Man on the edge."
"Swatting flies with a cannon—what a waste!"
"Hah! Wait till you hear the joke about nuking bugs."
"Oh, I know that one—it's all over the internet."
With laughter, the officers got back in their cars and drove off.
Under a streetlight nearby, Ben Parker and Aunt May waited for Xia Luo's return, wisely staying silent about last night's events.
Apparently, they too assumed Spider-Man was lashing out after his run-in with the green bird.
Seeing their silence, Xia Luo nodded approvingly.
"Good. Looks like you got my point. We'll save the rest of the training for tomorrow. Dismissed."
With a quick web shot, Xia Luo swung off into the night and was soon out of sight.
However, he hadn't actually gone far. He kept his distance, watching as the two continued their patrol.
Sure enough, they didn't head home but stayed out, swinging around the city.
After all, in this crime-ridden place, there was always room for a hero—or three—to step in.
Especially with Kingpin "missing," the crime rate in the city had surged. The underground world was in turmoil, with various gangs clashing for territory, causing bloodshed daily.
Two hours later, Ben and May stumbled into the middle of an underground gang skirmish.
Under Xia Luo's watchful eye, they barely managed to handle the situation. But it was clear that this was only the beginning—similar incidents would become all too frequent.
With a new idea forming, Xia Luo grinned to himself.
My uncle, the Kingpin?
He smirked. Now that had potential.
When Ben and May finally called it a night and headed home, Xia Luo raced back, getting there first.
In the dark living room, baby Kingpin lay clutching an empty bottle, peacefully asleep, the contentment on his face a reminder of the battle he'd waged for every last drop.
Xia Luo let the little guy sleep.
The next day, he made a point of visiting Professor Connors.
"You want to build a neural-wave sensor?" Connors looked at Xia Luo in surprise. "What are you planning to use it for?"
Xia Luo shrugged. "Kingpin turned into a baby, and he's staying at my place. I'm hoping to 'interview' him about some of his…activities."
"Kingpin…is a baby?" Connors blinked, struggling to remember.
"Yeah." Xia Luo nodded. "With him out of the picture, the underground world's plunged into chaos. Gangs are fighting for turf every night, and it's driving me nuts."
Since he hadn't managed to nab Adrian last time, Xia Luo hadn't earned a "redo." But he figured that restoring order to the city might get him a few points.
Seeing Xia Luo's determination, Connors nodded thoughtfully.
"Captain Carter did mention you're Spider-Man's liaison, and that you'd be helping him. I'm not opposed to that.
"But I'm afraid my usual tools won't cut it for what you need. The only person I know who could build that kind of device is Otto."
"Dr. Octavius?" Xia Luo raised an eyebrow.
Connors nodded. "Yes. To assist with his fusion project, he developed a neural-link system that connects directly to the brain. One chip is all you'd need."
"Got it. Thanks, Professor, for the heads-up."
"Anytime."
As Xia Luo turned to leave, Connors seemed to hesitate before calling him back.
"Wait—I have something to tell you."
Xia Luo turned. "What's up?"
Connors took a deep breath. "I think I know."
"Know…what?" Xia Luo felt a slight pang of tension.
Connors met his gaze steadily. "Spider-Man—I know who he is."
"Professor…"
Seeing Connors' certainty, Xia Luo's expression turned serious.
So, he figured it out.
Impressive, Professor.
"Sorry, Professor, I actually wanted to—"
"Spider-Man is…your father!" Connors declared, as if revealing a profound truth.
Xia Luo: "???"
"Uh…Professor, you're sure about that?"
"Absolutely."
Connors turned to his computer, where a series of data files about the mutated spider's DNA flashed across the screen.
"Richard and I were classmates, good friends. I knew about some of his work.
"He started studying this kind of thing ages ago."
Xia Luo glanced at the genetic information displayed on the monitor, eyebrows raised.
"And this is…?"
"The genetic data of the Parker family," Connors explained. "Richard borrowed my computer once, so his data left traces.
"When he suddenly disappeared, he didn't get a chance to delete them."
Xia Luo took it in, processing the implications. "How does this relate to Spider-Man?"
Connors looked pained. "I discovered the Parker family's genes are uniquely compatible with mutated spider cells. It may have been a clue Richard left me, though I couldn't interpret it back then.
"All these years, I had hoped to use this data to find your parents. But I fear I missed the chance to uncover that trail. My own oversight cost me my one opportunity to find them."
Before Xia Luo could respond, Connors continued, "But because of Spider-Man, I think a second chance has come."
He smiled. "You see, your position as Spider-Man's liaison isn't just by chance. Spider-Man must be a member of the Parker family."
He leaned forward. "And the strongest possibility is your father, Richard Parker."
Xia Luo scratched his head. "So, in theory, I could become Spider-Man too?"
Connors nodded. "Yes. If a mutated spider were to bite you, you'd definitely become Spider-Man—and even stronger than those other mutated cases.
"It wouldn't just be you—Ben and May could probably—no, they have. I'm certain the two Spider-People from the pyramid incident were them."
"Why?"
Connors explained, "If they didn't know me, they'd have sent me to the police right away, not hidden me in a storeroom until the Carter family showed up to claim me."
Xia Luo's eyes widened.
"So, Uncle Ben and Aunt May are the Spider Duo everyone's been buzzing about?"
"The Spider Duo?" Connors hadn't been keeping up with the news, but he liked the sound of it.
"Looks like they've come to terms with being Spider-People," he chuckled.
Xia Luo rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "If Uncle Ben's dad was Richard's brother, then yeah, the Parker genes make sense. But Aunt May? She's not even blood-related. Why would she turn into a stronger Spider-Person?"
Connors gave the screen another look, frowning. "Good question. I'll need time to figure that one out."
Xia Luo smiled. "Not a big deal. Thank you, Professor. You've already been a huge help."
Connors shook his head. "No, I'm the one who should be thanking you. Whether or not Spider-Man is Richard, I trust he'll keep you safe."
"I'm an adult now. I can keep myself safe," Xia Luo replied, feeling a bit proud.
Connors looked at him with pride in his eyes.
---
Before long, Xia Luo left Professor Connors' lab and made his way to the coastal villa to find Dr. Octavius.
"Oh, Xia Luo! Finally! You must have heard I'm entering the final phase of the fusion experiment for the artificial sun?"
In the lab, Dr. Octavius had already constructed a new set of mechanical arms. They moved seamlessly at his command, and if he'd thrown on a trench coat and sunglasses, Xia Luo would have believed "Doc Ock" was making his debut.
"Congratulations, Dr. Octavius. This is a huge step," Xia Luo said with a smile.
Dr. Octavius handed the arms over to an assistant and smiled back. "I should be thanking you—those formulas you shared sparked new ideas and helped me get to this stage sooner than expected."
Xia Luo blinked in surprise. So, the artificial sun project was partly his doing?
Dr. Octavius clapped him on the shoulder. "In three days, we'll enter the final fusion stage. I'm inviting a host of journalists. You should come watch." He leaned closer with a conspiratorial smile. "I've added your name to the project record as a contributor. Don't tell anyone; it's a surprise just for you."
Xia Luo's heart swelled with mixed emotions.
"Dr. Octavius, I really haven't done much at all…"
"No, Xia Luo, you don't realize how invaluable those equations were for me," Dr. Octavius said, glancing fondly at the fusion reactor. His eyes gleamed with excitement.
"Without accurate tritium data, the experiment would have been impossible. You solved my biggest problem. So, you deserve a share in the result."
Turning to Xia Luo, he added, "You're a genius, and you deserve this. You and I—we'll both be remembered as two of the greatest scientists. People will remember our names.
"Also, Xia Luo, I consider you a friend, and I'm grateful we met."
"I…"
At that moment, Xia Luo was at a loss for words.
Despite having met only a few times, Dr. Octavius was willing to share the credit for his life's work. Xia Luo knew he wasn't worthy of such an honor, yet he couldn't find a way to explain that to Octavius, whose sincerity rendered him silent.
Seeing Xia Luo hesitate, Dr. Octavius handed him a cup of coffee.
"No need to get so emotional, kid. You've got a great future ahead of you."
"Yes, I'm trying my best to get there," Xia Luo said with a deep breath and a smile. "Actually, I need a neural-wave sensor. It's for a system to help people who can't speak communicate."
"Of course. I have a spare chip; it'll take no time at all."
"A spare chip?" Xia Luo raised an eyebrow. "The kind that powers the arms?"
"That's right. It's one of my proudest creations."
That night, Xia Luo returned home with the neural-wave device in hand.
"Alright, little guy. Let's try out this new toy I got for you."
He placed the device, which looked like a pair of headphones, on baby Kingpin's head and pressed the power button.
"Bzzz…"
In an instant, baby Kingpin's head spun with dizziness.
The sensation faded just as quickly. He looked up at Xia Luo, his little face full of anxiety.
"What did you do to—wait, can I… can I speak?"
As the words came out, baby Kingpin's eyes widened in delight.
"I can—I mean…no, it's this device you put on me."
The device echoed his thoughts, and Xia Luo smiled with satisfaction.
"Perfect. Now, baby—no, Mr. Fisk—you can communicate with me properly."
Baby Kingpin quickly adjusted to the neural-wave device and frowned, lost in thought.
"This little devil starved me for so long. I'm not going to—wait, what's happening to my thoughts?"
He held his face in horror.
"What is this?! How are my thoughts—"
"Mr. Fisk, the device will tell me whatever you're thinking." Xia Luo pointed to the headset with a mischievous grin.
Seeing his mind laid bare, Kingpin immediately tried to rip the device off.
"Take it off, you demon! I don't want this thing!"
But Xia Luo was quicker, holding his tiny hands down with a dark smile.
"Your empire is massive. You must have ways to manage your people from the inside. Right?"
"Of course, I—wait, no! I'll never tell you, you monster. Let me go—"
"One bottle of milk for one answer."
"No! I refuse! I… wait, why do I actually want to agree?"
"Great, it's settled."
"But I didn't say yes!"
"Your heart says you did."
"No, it's this wretched baby body! For the record, I don't even like milk!"
That night, Xia Luo got the information he wanted, removed the chip from the device, and rendered it useless.
On their way back home, Xia Luo intercepted Ben and May.
"Spider-Man, sir!"
"That's right. Just your friendly nephew Spider-Man."
Xia Luo tossed them a folder filled with intel.
"You two have an assignment: take down Kingpin's criminal empire. Everything you need is in here."
"What?" Ben caught the USB drive, looking perplexed.
"With just this?"
"Yep."
"The records of their crimes are all there," Xia Luo explained. "I'll have Captain Carter back you up. Unlike Kingpin, they aren't immune to legal consequences.
"Once you've dealt with them, Carter will install her own people to monitor the organization. After that, the shape of the empire is up to you two."
"Up to us?"
"Yes. Dismantling the empire would just leave the gangsters loose in society. Better to control them through…darker channels."
Ben and May exchanged a look.
"I get it. You're asking us to become the next Kingpin."
"But…we can't. It's too unbelievable."
"Yes, we're nowhere near qualified."
Their refusal didn't surprise Xia Luo.
He looked them in the eyes, his voice firm.
"With great power comes great responsibility. Believe in yourselves. You can do this."
"With great power…"
"...comes great responsibility?"
They turned the phrase over in their minds, their eyes starting to glow with new resolve.
The impact of that line was as potent as a designer handbag on a woman.
By the time they looked up again, Xia Luo had already vanished.
---
T/N: He just outed himself as their nephew...oh well they prob thought it was a joke
Also now this is uhh ACTUALLY Chapter 151, but it's 150 since TWO of the chapters were actually just announcements, so yeah just ignore chapter numbers anyway it's just there for order
If you notice anything that feels off, just let me know—I don't mind fixing things up.
Oh, and don't forget to sit up, grab some water, and take it easy while you're here. No rush, right?
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