Chapter 55: Can Broken Pieces Still Win?

"From the beginning with Josh and Frank, the subway incident, to now with my father, it seems death loves me so much that it's almost never left me."

Gwen's helpless gaze turned to Peter. "I said some really hurtful things to my father before. If he doesn't wake up this time, I... I don't know how to face it."

Gwen fell into a state of extreme self-blame, her hands crossed over her chest, her eyes staring blankly ahead.

Peter sighed lightly and sat down beside Gwen.

"This isn't your fault, Gwen. You don't need to connect these things and blame yourself."

Though he had anticipated that George Stacy might get into trouble, he never expected it to happen so quickly, catching everyone off guard.

Seeing Gwen's sad expression, he fell silent for a moment before comforting her, "Things haven't reached the worst point yet."

Gwen nodded in response, looking at Peter. "Thank you, Peter, for being with me."

She wiped away the tears from her face and said softly, "I've always made a mess of my life, thinking I was special enough. But now I realize, maybe being special isn't all that good. The cost is too heavy."

Gwen thought of being bitten by the radioactive spider.

At first, she felt fear and dread, afraid of becoming a monster like Frank.

Then, when she found out there were no changes to her body, it was more of surprise and anticipation.

Anticipation of becoming a superhero like Spider-Man, helping more people in need.

But now she suddenly realized that her uniqueness might make her life even heavier.

Gwen lifted her head, looking at Peter with slightly red eyes. "I don't know what to do, Peter. I'm starting to doubt what I've been standing for."

Her conviction to help others wavered suddenly.

Peter, sitting beside her, remained silent. His gaze drifted to the diminishing rain outside.

Did every Spider-Man have a pessimistic fate?

Did each one lose something?

He suddenly remembered what Mrs. Weber had said, that the ones they loved or who loved them were nearing the shadow of death.

Was she talking about Gwen?

Shaking his head, he dismissed such thoughts.

With an alien symbiote residing in his chest, logically, he should have been dead long ago.

Yet here he was, still alive, battling against fate. How could he succumb to the so-called destiny?

"Gwen."

Peter suddenly turned his gaze to her, asking, "I remember you once said you wanted to become a superhero, right?"

Gwen, hearing Peter's question, hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Yes, I did."

Peter looked directly into Gwen's eyes and said, "Your father is right. Ordinary people can't win at everything, but heroes can. Even though they may be battered and broken, they always come out on top, don't they? Because they're heroes."

Though he considered himself a selfish person, he wasn't blind to Gwen's pain now.

He had claimed before that he couldn't empathize with her, but now he contradicted himself.

Did he need to add "hypocrite" to his list of negative labels?

With countless thoughts swirling in his mind, he told Gwen, "I believe that if you want to be a hero, you won't be easily defeated."

Gwen looked at Peter in astonishment, tears shimmering in her eyes.

She desperately wanted to express all her thoughts to Peter, or perhaps just throw herself into his arms, cry her heart out, and then gather her strength to face everything.

"I..."

Gwen pondered, but what came out of her mouth was, "Can I really do it? I can't even save my dad right now."

"The first person a superhero saves is usually themselves."

Peter shifted his gaze to the crowd in the hospital corridor. "Start with yourself, Gwen, and gather your spirits."

"Okay."

Gwen nodded, her confusion and self-doubt gradually dissipating.

Her previously restless heart began to calm down.

It felt like with Peter by her side, she had the courage to face anything.

Peter was right; perhaps this was the hardship that heroes experienced, the responsibility that came with their abilities.

Taking a deep breath, Gwen composed herself.

She was about to speak to Peter when footsteps echoed in the corridor.

"Peter, Gwen!"

Harry hurried towards them, waving from afar.

"Harry?"

Gwen looked at Harry in surprise, wondering why he was here.

"The rain outside is quite heavy."

Harry shook the raindrops off his umbrella and said to them, "I rushed over when I got the news."

Gwen was surprised and asked Harry, "How did you come here, Harry?"

"Peter called me."

Harry glanced at Peter beside him.

"Harry is a well-known rich kid, and their family knows quite a few top doctors in the US."

Peter explained the reason he called Harry: to leverage the Osborn family's resources to mobilize more medical assistance.

Grateful, Gwen looked at him with thankful eyes.

"Cough, thanks for the straightforward praise of my rich kid status, Peter. Gwen, I've already had my dad invite the most famous doctors in the US to consult on Uncle Stacy."

Harry turned to Gwen. "Uncle Stacy will be fine."

Though Harry was currently in a cold war with his father, he broke the silence to seek help from Norman after receiving Peter's call.

"Thank you, Harry, thank you!"

As Gwen was thanking Harry, other members of the New York Police Department began to arrive one by one.

A few minutes later.

"Captain DeWolfe."

Peter approached Captain DeWolfe. "Can we talk?"

Captain DeWolfe looked at Peter, momentarily stunned.

She knew Peter's identity, the classmate of Gwen who had given her old partner quite a headache.

"Of course."

Realizing, Captain DeWolfe nodded.

"Who was the last person Captain Stacy contacted?"

Peter asked her.

"Matt Murdock."

Captain DeWolfe said directly. "We reviewed the office surveillance footage and didn't find anything unusual about him."

She knew what Peter was asking.

After George collapsed, she also focused the investigation on Matt, suspecting him of foul play.

But after reviewing the surveillance footage, they found no evidence of him posing any danger to George.

Matt Murdock?

Hearing this name, Peter frowned.

Was it this malicious litigator again?