The Reporter

Wail~ Wail~ Wail~

Bumblebee was locked in a fierce fight with the Lizard, but outside the school building, urgent sirens suddenly began to blare.

"I'm Sheriff George Stacy of the Queens Police Department. We've surrounded the building..."

This had to be one of the fastest police responses in America's history. New York's police had broken their usual habit of showing up only after the fact. Less than ten minutes had passed between the Lizard's attack and their arrival.

Part of the reason was that the Queens Police Department was nearby, but more importantly, George Stacy's beloved daughter, Gwen, had called for help herself. The anxious sheriff had rushed over at the head of a team without a moment's delay.

A large number of reporters had arrived alongside the police cars. Like cats catching the scent of fish, they had keen noses for a story, and quite a few had even reached the scene before the police.

"Finally!"

Hearing the police calling out from outside, Li Si lost interest in teasing Spider-Man and turned to the Lizard with an amused look.

"Not good. He's going to run!"

Peter Parker's expression changed sharply.

At the same time Peter spoke, the Lizard reacted too. He stopped struggling with Bumblebee, smashed through the wall, and tried to make a break for it.

"Bumblebee!"

Li Si quickly murmured a string of commands into the wireless earpiece at his ear.

Under Li Si's detailed instructions, Bumblebee shed his usual sluggishness. The motors and hydraulic systems throughout his body roared to life, and he charged straight at the Lizard, blocking his path.

"Roar!"

Although the Lizard suffered from severe mania and split-personality symptoms, he still retained Dr. Connors's original thoughts and instincts. Like any other person, he was inherently wary of the police as an institution of force.

In his panic to escape, he stopped dodging and decided to meet Bumblebee head-on once more, roaring as he slammed into him.

But the moment they collided, the Lizard—who had planned to take the hit and use the momentum to escape through the bathroom into the sewers—went pale and grimaced in agony.

With the full force of every mechanical system in his body focused into the impact, Bumblebee struck with at least thirty tons of force. Combined with his own considerable weight, the blow felt to the Lizard no different from being hit by a locomotive.

Crash!

Glass shattered.

Bumblebee's massive body carried the Lizard straight through the window, and the two of them plunged from the second floor.

"Ah! The monsters are out!"

Seeing the two enormous monsters tumble down, everyone outside screamed in terror.

"You're surrounded! Stop fighting and surrender, or we'll use force!"

The police surrounding the school building reacted as soon as the two fighting monsters appeared. But faced with two enormous creatures whose clashes shook the air, they could do nothing but hold their pistols at a distance and shout.

No one dared to fire. The giant robot was made entirely of metal; even a fool could see that bullets from ordinary handguns wouldn't do a thing.

As for the lizard creature, he could fight the robot to a standstill. Whether firearms would even work on him was anyone's guess, and no one dared risk provoking the inhuman monster.

By then, Li Si had Peter Parker put his mask back on and swing them down through the broken window.

"Li, what are you doing here? Get over here!"

George Stacy, who was directing the officers nearby, paled and shouted urgently.

"Mr. Stacy, please get your people to back off a little. I built that robot. He can stop the monster attacking the school!"

Li Si hurried to stop George Stacy from coming over to pull him away. With one sentence, he made his position clear and distanced himself from the attack. Then he gave Gwen, standing not far away, a meaningful look.

Gwen understood what Li Si meant. She pushed through the crowd, hurried over, and whispered an explanation in George Stacy's ear.

George Stacy paused when he heard Gwen out. He glanced at Li Si with a frown, then nodded and grimly gestured for the nearby officers to retreat.

The police backed away, but the reporters, who were utterly unafraid of dying for a sensational story, ignored the officers' attempts to stop them. Waving their press badges and cameras, they surged forward as flashes went off without pause.

"Everyone, please keep your distance. My robot has the lizard monster tied up, but flying debris could still injure you!"

Most of the cameras were focused on Bumblebee and the Lizard as they fought fiercely, but quite a few were filming Li Si and Peter Parker too—and they were undoubtedly filming Peter more often.

Li Si had prepared long ago to get on television and boost his reputation. There was no way he would let Peter Parker steal the spotlight now. With a casual smile, he offered a gentle warning that drew the reporters' attention toward himself.

"Viewers, please take note. I'm Mary, a CBS field reporter. I'll be taking you live to the monster attack at Midtown School of Science and Technology in Queens!"

"As you can see, the camera is showing you the scene. A giant yellow robot is battling a lizard monster. And we've also spotted a familiar face here: our very own New York hero, Spider-Man!"

A crowd of reporters rushed over, but although Li Si's face was stiff from smiling, none of them seemed interested in interviewing him. Instead, they launched into lightning-fast commentary straight to their cameras.

Fortunately, they soon got to the point.

"Spider-Man's suit is badly damaged, and he appears to be injured. He hasn't joined the battle between the two, but take a look at the handsome young man beside him."

"According to the latest information, the giant robot currently fighting the lizard monster was built by this young man. As soon as the monster appeared, he took control of his creation and sent it to stop the attack."

"And according to our earlier interviews with students at Midtown School of Science and Technology, this young man is one of their classmates. He's only eighteen years old, and I can already see the birth of another genius inventor on a par with Tony Stark!"

The reporters from all the television stations spoke at breakneck speed, yet every word was crystal clear. They delivered their introductions without even pausing for breath, and their acting talent was off the charts. Their faces were lit with just the right amount of excitement and enthusiasm—far more impressive than some of those pretty-boy idols.