Warehouse

Some time later...

The sun hung low, beginning to turn into nightfall as darkness began enveloping the city.

Sol glided through the city with his webs before he landed on the edge of a rooftop. He looked ahead of him as he saw old, abandoned warehouses with men equipped with firearms patrolling and guarding it.

He watched as men unloaded crates marked with the unmistakable Alchemax logo, confirming his worst suspicions.

In this world, as someone that had a deep interest for science and technology, he obviously knew of Alchemax and Oscorp in this world, especially as someone who was a fan of comic books and movies in his previous life.

Oscorp, the dream company for many aspiring scientists, was where some of the greatest minds in the world worked. For someone who had a passion for science, it was easy to see why it was a place so revered.

People flocked to Oscorp, eager to push the boundaries of what was possible. The cutting-edge technology, the groundbreaking research — this was where innovation happened. It was also the birthplace of many spider-people across the multiverse.

But Oscorp's reputation wasn't spotless. For all its genius, there were countless questionable experiments that went on behind closed doors. They were known to push moral boundaries, conducting trials that often had disastrous results. But despite their not so good ethics, they still weren't as bad as Alchemax.

Alchemax was darker — much darker.

It was a corporation that didn't just have a small connection with the criminal underworld. It was directly involved.

Their laboratories and boardrooms may have looked legitimate on the surface, but Sol knew better. Alchemax had deep, corrupt ties to everything from drug syndicates to illegal human experimentation.

Their reach extended into places most people didn't even realize existed.

Sol continued to observe, piecing together what he could. The guards were on high alert, more so than usual. Whatever they were transporting in those crates, it wasn't standard merchandise. His instincts told him that this wasn't just another arms deal or shipment of drugs. This was something far worse.

A low murmur of voices could be heard from the men gathered near the entrance of the warehouse, their tones hushed, almost fearful.

"We need to move faster," one of the men said, his voice barely audible from Sol's vantage point. "The boss doesn't want us hanging around too long. He's worried about... you know... him."

"Yeah, I heard," another replied, glancing around nervously as if expecting someone to leap out of the shadows. "The 'vigilante shrouded in darkness', right? They say he's taken out entire gangs by himself. Like against 10 people... and they'd be the one in caskets with some broken bones instead!"

A man just snickered as he said, "You don't actually believe those bedtime stories, right? It's probably just exaggerated nonsense and just some random guy trying to play hero. Even if he comes here, we can easily deal with him!" He spoke, swinging his gun around with confidence.

A man replied with an annoyed expression, "Are you slow? This guy is practically flying through the sky and brutally beating criminals up. There's literally videos of it. Moreover, loads of criminals are being gifted to the police like it's Christmas day! Even one of my cousins was wrapped up! And I saw his face, it was nearly unrecognisable!" He shuddered.

Another man agreed. "Hell, if he shows up right in front of me, I might just politely turn myself into the police. I'd rather serve some jail time than have every bone in my body broken. Though, I heard he isn't that bad if you cooperate — calls himself the friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man..."

Sol listened, feeling a little amused and satisfied. 'Vigilante shrouded in darkness? That's a nice nickname.'

After getting some information, he leaped silently from rooftop to rooftop, edging closer to the main warehouse.

He spotted an open window leading into the warehouse and slipped inside without a second thought.

Quickly observing, he noticed some people walking about and doing tasks.

Sol dropped down behind a stack of crates, slipping into the shadows.

The interior was dimly lit, the air thick with the musty smell of old wood and metal. The warehouse was vast, with rows of stacked crates stretching out in every direction. Sol moved cautiously through the shadows, his symbiote suit blending seamlessly into the darkness.

As he neared the center of the warehouse, he saw two men gathered around a table, reviewing documents and blueprints. Sol crouched behind a stack of crates, listening intently.

"We're behind schedule," one of them grumbled. "These enhancers aren't ready yet. We need more time."

Another man, slammed his fist on the table. "We don't have time! Alchemax wants results. This foundational version is good enough to sell. The final product will be here in a week, and we can worry about perfecting it later. For now, we move these out, and we make the city addicted. It's only going to get stronger from here."

Sol felt some shock. 'Enhancers... likely powerful drugs then.'

Using his symbiote and silk, he created thin black threads before he flicked it, quickly wrapping it around the two men's neck.

Their eyes nearly buldged out of their sockets as they grabbed their necks, attempting to pry the thread off. They tried to suck in a breath, only to feel that no air was going into their lungs.

They quickly began feeling their vision fade from the lack of oxygen being transported to their brain before a force pulled them.

"Heuk!"

The two were quickly pulled into the shadows.

Once their body went limp, Sol removed the thread around their neck as he webbed them up tightly and sealed their mouths.

With quiet steps, he walked to the table. Picking up a random document, he read through it.

He immediately noticed the numbers and chemical symbols... the names of distribution points of the crates... and most alarming, a breakdown of a substance — one that looked far more sophisticated than any drug he had seen before.

His mind raced as he scanned the formulas. This wasn't some simple street-level narcotic. Alchemax was developing something new, something dangerous.

His hunch had been right.

These weren't just drugs — they were working on enhancers that strengthened physiological factors, or officially known as: the SPF.7 Serum, substances designed to alter the human body, to push it beyond its natural limits. The formulas were complex, and the side effects were staggering. From what he could gather, the drug wasn't stable yet. The side effects were brutal — violent outbursts, permanent neurological damage, severe addiction.

Sol felt a chill. If they perfected such a drug... if they could eliminate the worst of those side effects...

The outcome would be terrible...

The more refined version would undoubtedly plunge the city into chaos.

Just as he began to devise a plan to collect more information, he heard the unmistakable sound of footsteps approaching.

"Shit." Sol mumbled as he glanced at a ceiling corner. He hadn't noticed the camera!

"Don't hesitate, the pest has strange abilities! Litter him with holes!" A voice commanded.

As the men swarmed in, he knew he had to act fast. The first thug burst through the nearby doorway, rifle at the ready, but Sol was faster. He jumped to the ceiling, dodging the gunfire with agile movements.

He pounced on a nearby guard. With a powerful kick, he sent the man sprawling against a stack of crates, knocking him out cold.