Chapter 18 Separation

"Eddie?"

Jameson's eyes flickered with recognition as he realized that the man he just saw indeed looked very much like Eddie from his memories.

He had only met Eddie once, but all the information he had collected about Eddie had left a deep impression in his mind.

"Could that man really be Eddie?"

Despite his suspicions, Jameson found it hard to believe.

The image of someone kicking down that heavy iron door was like a scene from an old Captain America video from seventy years ago.

"Yes, it's Eddie," Anton confirmed. "Eddie infiltrated the homeless shelter, which is how we got the video footage. But afterward, he became a volunteer and was taken to the research facility."

He summarized the situation briefly.

With just a few words, Jameson grasped what was going on.

"So, Eddie's transformation is connected to Drake's research."

Jameson rubbed his chin, understanding dawning on him as he muttered, "No wonder Norman Osborn is willing to go all in to acquire the Life Foundation. Looks like there's more to this than I thought."

"Are you saying Norman Osborn knows the Life Foundation's secrets?"

Anton was shocked.

"More or less. Norman has gathered some information. Otherwise, he wouldn't have come to us at this time, allowing us to name our price."

Jameson scoffed, "You have to remember, Norman Osborn is not someone who lacks patience."

"A bunch of sly old foxes,"

Anton shook his head, realizing just how inexperienced he was.

If it weren't for the way the situation with public opinion had unfolded and Osborn's backing, the Life Foundation wouldn't have been as vulnerable as he had initially thought.

Back at the Daily Bugle.

When he got out of the car, Jonah Jameson waved and left, showing no nostalgia for the place he had worked at for decades.

Anton went upstairs to find his colleagues brimming with excitement.

"Anton, we did it!"

Someone cheered, "The Life Foundation is finished!"

They had watched the press conference and saw right through Carlton Drake's stubborn responses as a kind of concession.

However, the sudden incident at the end of the conference had sparked a lot of discussion.

"That person looked familiar, didn't they?"

"A man carrying a woman burst out of the research facility—it almost seems like a beautiful love story."

"Regardless, it's undeniable that the Life Foundation was conducting some kind of special experiments inside."

"The Life Foundation is done for!"

Everyone was talking at once.

"Alright, this is only the first stage of victory. We still have a lot of work to do."

Anton signaled for everyone to quiet down and said loudly, "Next, we're going to keep up the momentum and completely crush Drake in the court of public opinion. We can't give the Life Foundation a chance to make a comeback."

He paused, then added, "When this is all over, bonuses will be doubled!"

"Generous boss!"

The crowd cheered.

Anton smiled as he walked into his office, but once he sat in his chair, his face turned serious.

He dialed Phil's number.

"Boss, did you see what just happened?"

At that moment, Phil was standing by the Golden Gate Bridge, still looking shocked and unable to hide his astonishment.

"That man was Editor Eddie, I'm sure of it. That had to be him."

"I know,"

Anton replied. "The Life Foundation may have lost in public opinion, but they won't let Eddie go so easily. Stay in San Francisco and keep looking for him. I'll do everything I can to support you."

"Understood,"

Phil replied with a resolute nod. "I'll find Editor Eddie for sure."

After hanging up, Anton rubbed his temples, feeling a headache.

Venom!

He was almost certain that Eddie had bonded with the symbiote and gained the ability to transform into Venom.

This wasn't the end but rather the beginning.

However, if the Life Foundation resorted to force, Anton's options would be limited.

He could only hope Eddie would be able to withstand the pressure.

Maybe, once Oscorp proceeds with its acquisition of the Life Foundation and wrests control from Carlton Drake, Eddie would be temporarily safe.

Otherwise, Eddie's only choice might be to defeat Carlton Drake completely with Venom's abilities, just like in the movies.

But nothing was certain.

The situation was already deviating from the original movie plot.

The Daily Bugle's involvement, combined with Oscorp's interference, had completely stirred up the waters.

The future couldn't be viewed through the same lens as before.

"Waiting like this isn't a solution,"

Anton muttered, frowning. "I need to get the Batman suit out as soon as possible. If I could have Batman's abilities, even just a basic suit, I wouldn't be so defenseless…"

He immediately made a call and learned that the film crew was entering the final stages.

With the pre-planned special effects design, the majority of the effects work had been completed.

Once these two tasks were finished, only editing and promotion remained.

The novel version of Batman serialized in the Daily Bugle was also nearing its conclusion.

The compelling plot and high quality had made the novel increasingly popular in New York, attracting a lot of readers.

He checked the number of Batman fans—there were already over 210,000.

The progress wasn't bad, but Anton was still impatient, feeling as though he had a weight hanging over his head, leaving him without a sense of security.

He called Betty and instructed her, "Get in touch with the advertisers and ramp up the promotion for the Batman novel. I want all of New York City to know Batman's name before the movie premieres."

"That's going to cost quite a bit, Anton. Your personal account is out of funds."

Betty shrugged, looking helpless.

"Why my personal account?"

Anton scowled, nearly snapping, "The Batman novel is published by the Daily Bugle's publishing division. The publisher can't just ignore promoting a book written by its owner, right?"

"You're the boss; you call the shots."

Betty had no further reason to refuse and left the office, swaying her hips.

Meanwhile.

In a secluded corner of San Francisco.

Eddie set Dora down and said seriously, "We need to separate."

"Why?" Dora looked shocked. "Are you planning to abandon me and escape alone?"

"No."

Eddie explained, "Carlton Drake won't let me go, but you're not his target. You can find a safe place to hide and wait for things to blow over."

"No, my daughter is still in Drake's hands."

Dora rejected the idea outright. "As a mother, I can't risk my daughter's life."

Eddie thought for a moment and suddenly said, "As a senior researcher, you must know a lot about the Life Foundation's inner workings, including Drake's secrets, right?"

"What are you getting at?" Dora asked warily.

"Don't forget, I used to be a journalist," Eddie said. "You can go to the Daily Bugle and expose this information. With the help of public opinion, Drake wouldn't dare to harm you. As far as I know, you're not the only one with family he's holding hostage."

"What about you?" Dora asked again.

After a brief pause, Eddie grasped his situation.

"I'm in serious danger right now and can't be seen by the public."

He gave a bitter smile. "You know, Drake is a madman. I'm the only human who's successfully bonded with the symbiote. He won't let me go easily. His pursuit will only stop when he loses his power."

"This…"

Dora clenched her teeth. She wasn't stupid and knew now wasn't the time for a sentimental farewell. Decisively, she said, "In that case, let's part ways here."

"You should give me a way to contact you."

She paused, then added, "If you need help, I'll do what I can. After all, I know far more about the symbiote than you do."

Eddie nodded. "Alright, I have a private email. Write it down."