Animal Totem

Many people believe that Kingpin was the emperor of New York City's underworld.

He was considered to control most of the dark side of New York and was the Uncrowned King.

But that's not actually the case.

Kingpin's criminal empire is headquartered on the East Coast, while in New York, the underworld is a complex web of intrigue, and even in Hell's Kitchen, he can only occupy a portion of the territory.

His rivals include the infamous the Hand and even Hydra.

However, one thing is certain: Kingpin a formidable figure in the underworld, with immense influence. His businesses span many industries, and he has a presence in both the criminal underworld and legitimate society, as well as in government.

Kingpin had long since infiltrated the New York Police Department, with many officers working for him. Therefore, whenever Chief Stacy managed to find some evidence and were about to take action, Kingpin was always well-prepared.

They either need to clear themselves of any wrongdoing, or they should retaliate against the police and teach them a lesson.

At this moment, Kingpin could not immediately demand that the Police Station release the Green Goblin.

This time, Spider-Man has clearly gone astray; he's made a huge fuss about Green Goblin's defeat, and the whole of New York is watching Green Goblin closely.

If that were all, it wouldn't have been so bad, but Norman Osborn then launched an attack, accusing the Green Goblin —Mendel Stromm —of stealing property from the Osborn Enterprise.

"That idiot Stromm!"

Kingpin sat in a black chair, his body as broad as a mountain.

As a very cautious person, Kingpin it hard to imagine how Stromm had managed to find so much evidence of his crimes with Norman Osborn.

Kingpin already knew that shortly after Green Goblin was captured, Norman had come looking for him with a huge stack of files, at least dozens of pages long.

The speed and comprehensiveness of the evidence were so great that it was as if Stallman had personally delivered it to him.

Moreover, Green Goblin is arguably the first Superpowers mutant villain to be captured so far, so he has attracted a lot of attention.

It's simply impossible to get them out of there directly.

"Mr. Fisk, should we arrange a prison break?"

Bullseye asked tentatively.

Kingpin a moment. Of course, he wouldn't risk his life for someone worthless. But according to his intelligence, Stromm should still have a few unused vials of modified Lizard Serum, also known as Green Goblin Serum.

The serum's value was enough to make him take the risk.

However, he didn't think that just because he saved the Green Goblin, the other party would obediently hand over the serum.

Kingpin leaned back in his chair, the leather seat sinking deep into his skin.

He took a puff of his cigar and exhaled a thick cloud of smoke. "Not now."

Kingpin believed that this was the time when security would be at its tightest to prevent Green Goblin from escaping trial. Breaking him out now would not only be troublesome, but Green Goblin might not even remember his kindness.

The underworld boss grinned menacingly, clearly holding people firmly in his grasp. He said, "I need to let him know his situation first so I can better control him."

When Kingpin twelve years old, he had already begun to use all sorts of factors to intimidate and dominate others.

His obesity, which was once ridiculed by others, has since become a source of power for him to dominate others.

Today, beneath that white suit, there's hardly any fat left.

Bullseye understood what he meant.

Meanwhile, at the New York Police Department, Stromm, bound hand and foot, still wore his tattered Green Goblin Armor, his green skin and scarlet eyes intimidating anyone who stood before him.

Norman and Matt stood on the outside of the one-way glass, watching the monster.

"I was surprised you hired me as your lawyer, Mr. Osborn." Matt, wearing sunglasses and holding a guide cane, didn't look very reassuring.

Someone recommended you to me.

In fact, Norman was also very surprised after obtaining Matt's information.

He found it hard to imagine that a blind lawyer like Matt could handle a case so well, or even win it.

However, because it was Ben's recommendation, he still gave up the professional team hired by the Osborn Corporation and spent a sum of money to hire Matt instead.

"Then I have to thank him for bringing me such a big deal." Matt smiled, didn't press further, and instead began to discuss the case.

"Your evidence is very comprehensive," he said, pausing for a moment.

It has been discovered that some of the evidence does not entirely match up.

However, he didn't expose it.

Some things are never simply black and white. The Green Goblin attacked Norman Osborn and his son not long ago, so it's understandable that Norman wanted to make things worse for him.

"The rest of the demands are likely to be met, but getting the remaining serum back is almost impossible," Matt said.

There were far more people eyeing those few vials of reagents than they had imagined.

Underworld forces, the military, and many other special organizations...

For over seventy years, the United States has been trying to replicate the Super Soldier Serum and recreate the Captain America myth, but with little success.

Although Lizard Serum has side effects, many people don't care.

Norman had anticipated this.

Ultimately, his research into Lizard Serum or other human enhancement agents was also due to military support. Now that the results are in front of him, even if it's just a semi-finished product, it's still money the military has poured into it. How could they possibly give up?

Norman nodded, a slight downward curve to his lips, and said, "The serum isn't important. To be honest, the Osborn Corporation has no interest in failed experiments."

That sounds a bit pretentious.

However, Norman was also trying to abandon the serum approach.

It's not that this path is destined to fail, but rather that the costs involved are too high while the returns are extremely small.

Previously, the military invested hundreds of billions or even trillions of yuan into this bottomless pit. In addition, he himself needed the drug to change his fate, which is why he jumped into this huge pit without hesitation.

Anyway, he doesn't care about selling his grandfather's land, and he doesn't feel any burden spending the military's money.

But things are different now.

His and Harry's genetic defects have been cured, and the fate of the Osborn family has been completely rewritten, so he is naturally in no hurry.

On the other hand, it's still the same problem.

Insufficient funds.

He's not like Ben, who can transform into Grey Matter to conduct research, thereby reducing R&D costs to near zero.

Even if he develops the serum himself, it might be difficult to succeed, even if it bankrupts Osborn.

Norman also has no intention of accepting military investment again.

The military is like a greedy wolf.

Once their funds are invested in the Osborn Corporation, what they want will definitely not be just serum.

If Norman had nothing, it would be fine, but the Self-Healing Serum is nominally developed by him and Primus, but no one would believe that the real potion came from Primus.

To most people, Primus was just a shell of the Osborn Corporation.

Norman's use of this shell company to deceive Stallman and regain all of Osborn Corporation's shares is the best proof of this.

For the military, since the Superhuman Serum wouldn't yield results in the short term, it wouldn't be bad to take the Self-Healing Serum as a temporary solution.

In addition, there was one last reason that made Norman temporarily abandon the path of continuing his research on Lizard Serum.

That is, Ben did not intend to conduct research on animal-enhanced serum.

For Ben, with Lizard Serum as a model, optimizing the side effects was not difficult.

However, there are some things in the Marvel Universe that cannot be explained by science alone; they also involve elements of the occult.

It's like Lizard Serum; theoretically, it can be completely optimized, but whether that's actually possible is another matter.

This is because it may very well involve the power of Animal Totem.

So-called Animal Totem are actually a mysterious force from the belief in supernatural deities originating from Multiverse.

The most famous Totem is naturally the Spider Totem, whose power comes from the ancient goddess Neith and the "Web of Life and Destiny." Those chosen by the Spider Totem will gain the power of the spider, or become a spider monster.

Once chosen by Totem, one becomes a link in the supernatural food chain.

Spider-Man is like that, and so are most of Spider-Man enemies. That's why Spider-Man's enemies are always based on animals.

Moreover, once you get this stuff on you, it's very difficult to get rid of it.

Just like Spider-Man has adjusted the antidote for the serum for Connors more than once, without exception, Connors always turns back into the Lizard Man.

Connors seems fine now, but Ben can't guarantee that he won't suddenly go berserk again someday.

In fact, the first Subjugation Disc that Ben used after returning from Sakaar was not in Green Goblin's body, but in Connors' body.

Anyway.

Ben didn't want to get involved with these mystical things until he was powerful enough.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have gone through all that trouble; he could have just copied a dozen lizard or some other Superpowers serum and injected them into Uncle Ben and Aunt May, then he wouldn't have had to worry about their safety.

"Since you don't care about the serum, I think others will give in too," Matt said.

Negotiation is a process of mutual compromise. Of course, he couldn't just tell those people that he didn't want the serum. Instead, he had to insist that everything Stromm stole was Osborn's property.

Then, after a period of back-and-forth, it would be much simpler to give up the serum by making other demands.

Matt and Norman left the Police Station together.

Shortly after they left, a police officer walked into Green Goblin's cell.

"Stromm, you have greatly disappointed that gentleman."

These words immediately made Green Goblin raise his head, his ferocious expression turning urgent. He growled in a hoarse voice, "You're Kingpin's man? Then let me out right now!"

His gaze seemed to penetrate the officer's entire body, but the officer was clearly disguised; although wearing a police uniform, he was completely covered up.

The officer showed no emotion when he heard Stallman mention Kingpin's name.

He said calmly:

You need to prove your worth.

"He wants the serum? That's impossible!" Stromm grinned, raging.

You have plenty of time to think it over.

The policeman didn't say anything more to Stromm's refusal. He turned and left, locking the door again, leaving the Green Goblin baring his terrifying fangs in the darkness.

Ben paid no attention to what was happening at the Police Station.

What he cares about more is the upcoming Stark Tech Expo.

The specific date is two months from now.

This was the message Felicia told him.

"The school is almost finished, but since summer vacation is just around the corner, we're not holding classes this semester." Felicia sat in a chair, swaying from side to side, holding a drink.

After returning to Queens yesterday, Ben didn't forget to say hello to Felicia.

So the two of them arranged to meet today.

She was equally curious about Ben's whereabouts over the past month, but Ben could only brush it off by saying he was doing research.

Fortunately, Felicia is easy to fool.

Or rather, when a girl's mind is filled with you, she will subconsciously believe anything you say.

"That's incredible."

She said excitedly, while looking at Ben with her beautiful eyes.

"Not long ago, your grades were about the same as mine, but now you've started your own company and achieved great success, and you've even learned to invent!"

Ben noticed that her eyes, like Mary Jane's, were emerald green, like deep spring water.

How did you do that?

"Maybe it was just a sudden epiphany."

Ben would have a hard time explaining the watch to her, although she might be willing to try on the size of the Four Arms...

Fortunately, Felicia didn't delve into it. She felt that Ben must have always been a genius, but his genius wasn't very obvious before and had only recently begun to emerge.

"I wish I could be like you." Felicia sighed. As a girl from a wealthy family, she was more ambitious than most people.

But reality is always cruel.

Then she shook her head, casting aside this unrealistic fantasy, and, regaining her composure, looked at Ben: "So? Are you planning to visit the Stark Expo?"

She blinked her big, bright eyes, her golden eyelashes trembling in the sunlight, looking like she was saying, "Quickly invite me to come with you."

"I do plan to attend, but as a company representative, not as an audience member; I'll be a presenter."

"You received an invitation?"

Felicia said in surprise.

"If Price, the inventor of the Self-Healing Serum Primus, isn't on the invitation list, then this exhibition doesn't deserve to be called a World's Fair."

Upon hearing this, Felicia's eyes immediately lit up with admiration.

It's important to understand that while the Hardy Foundation is wealthy, it's nowhere near as rich as the truly wealthy.

Take this expo, for example. Even if Hardy emptied the foundation's coffers, he couldn't put it on, though he would still qualify to participate.

And so, Ben and Felicia agreed to attend the exposition together.

However, before that, Ben first needs to determine his works to be exhibited.