Spider-Man Was the First Cash Cow

Early the next morning.

Benny walked out of his room with his head lowered, looking at his old phone.

Harry had sent him a text message.

The message said that the funds had arrived and all the other procedures had been taken care of.

"Harry's efficiency is pretty impressive."

Fortunately, he had a rich second-generation kid like Harry helping him. Otherwise, even if Benny had money, starting a company would not have been easy. The biggest problem was that he was too young. But now, with Harry's financial power and identity backing him, none of that was a problem.

He and Harry had agreed to meet at Williamsburg Bank after school today and open a business account while they were at it.

Besides that, he still had to make a trip to the Tax Bureau and the State Government.

Benny had actually been impatient for a long time. He had even considered asking the school for leave and going there in the morning, but Harry seemed to have something else to deal with.

Just as he came downstairs, another door opened behind him.

Peter hopped down the stairs while putting on his coat, looking rushed.

"Want to go to Osborn with me today, Benny?" Peter asked.

"What are we going to Osborn for?"

Hearing the question, Peter glanced toward the kitchen. Seeing that Aunt May was still making breakfast, he lowered his voice.

"That Lizard Man from last night might show up again. Connors is an expert on reptiles. I think he might be able to analyze the Lizard Man's habits or find some other weakness."

At this point, Peter still had not suspected that Connors had turned into the Lizard Man.

"No, I have other things to do," Benny said.

Peter's gaze immediately turned suspicious.

"Other things?"

"Why have you suddenly become so busy lately?" he asked curiously. "You used to come straight home after school. I've never seen you do anything else. Are you hiding something from me?"

"Stay out of your big brother's business." Benny plopped down at the dining table.

"Good morning, boys." Uncle Ben was reading the newspaper. When he saw the two of them come over, he immediately greeted them. "These really are troubled times. Even Lizard Monsters are showing up now."

"What? Uncle Ben, how do you know about the Lizard Man?" Peter asked in alarm.

"The newspaper." Uncle Ben spread the paper open for them to see.

<Masked Spider-Man and Lizard Man, Two Monsters Wreak Havoc on Williamsburg Bridge!>

"What monsters?" Peter shouted in disbelief.

"I mean... Spider-Man was saving people! How can they report on Spider-Man like that?"

Benny glanced at the newspaper.

"The Daily Bugle. Then it's fine."

He was not surprised in the slightest by the Daily Bugle's attitude toward Spider-Man.

J. Jonah Jameson, known as the one-and-a-half-generation Spider-Man, had always hated Spider-Man and was Spider-Man's biggest hater.

Jameson's maniacal grin flashed through Benny's mind.

"He was talking about that Spider-Man freak. Why are you getting so worked up?" Uncle Ben asked curiously, raising his head.

"I, it's just, well..." Peter was rendered speechless, then forced out an excuse. "I just think he was doing a good thing. Like you always told me, he has the ability, so he goes and helps others."

"That may be true, but how much do you really know about him?" Uncle Ben said.

"That..."

It did not feel good to devote himself to helping people, only to end up being suspected.

Especially since Peter could not reveal his identity. He had no way to defend himself.

Seeing how wronged he looked, Benny could not bear it and hurriedly said:

"At least, he has a pretty good reputation on YouTube."

That was the truth.

News of the masked freak battling the Lizard Monster on Williamsburg Bridge had already spread everywhere.

The blurry videos on YouTube had received an enormous number of likes.

Even though it was Peter's first day as a hero, saving those cars on the bridge that had nearly fallen into the East River had won him quite a few admirers.

At present, Iron Man was the only publicly known Super Hero in the world. Spider-Man's appearance had clearly filled that gap quickly.

"I believe time will prove all of this for Spider-Man. What do you think, Peter?"

"You're right!"

Peter was actually very easy to satisfy. After hearing Benny's words, he immediately sat down happily, ready to enjoy breakfast with them.

After breakfast, Benny and Peter prepared to head to school.

"Aren't you going to work, Uncle Ben?" Benny asked.

Uncle Ben would usually be heading to work by this time, yet today he was still at home reading the newspaper.

Uncle Ben's expression became a little unnatural.

"No. I have the morning off today. Want me to drive you to school?"

"No need." Benny and Peter shook their heads.

Only after the two of them walked out the front door did Uncle Ben let out a sorrowful sigh. Looking at his wife, he said wearily, "I really don't know how to tell them that I've already lost my job."

"I've been a technician for thirty-five years, but they want to cut costs and increase profits..."

He had been sitting at the dining table reading the newspaper early in the morning because he was actually looking to see if he could find any work.

"Don't worry, Ben." May comforted him. "We've gotten through harder times than this. This is nothing."

"But the children still need to go to college," Ben said.

If Peter and Benny's grades were not good enough for college, that would have been one thing. But one of them was a genius, while the other worked hard at his studies.

"They need to go to college. I can't let money make them lose that opportunity."

May walked over and hugged him.

"You'll find a job."

Outside the door.

Benny and Peter stood there silently.

"I didn't even know. I mean, he never tells us anything," Peter said somewhat incoherently.

"Uncle Ben just doesn't want us to worry. He also doesn't want us to miss an opportunity that could change our lives," Benny said.

They headed together toward the bus stop.

Along the way, Peter said heavily, "Benny, we have to find a way to help ease his burden. We're grown up now."

"You're right, Peter." Benny nodded, thinking of something interesting.

"I happen to have a money-making idea that would suit you perfectly."

"What is it?"

"Do you remember the Daily Bugle?"

Peter nodded blankly. "They wrote articles smearing me—I mean, Spider-Man. But I believe they'll slowly change their minds."

Unless Spider-Man disappeared, Jameson would never stop smearing Spider-Man.

Benny thought.

"Actually, they're paying for photos of Spider-Man. Those videos on YouTube are too blurry."

"Yeah!" Peter's eyes lit up. "You're right! I happen to have a camera, and I know where to find Spider-Man!"

Who could say that Peter Parker selling photos he took of Spider-Man was not cash-cow behavior?