Chapter Summaries

Li Si suggested that George Stacy recruit Spider-Man as a police officer, easing the tension during dinner with Gwen’s family. After George rushed off to an emergency, Li Si realized that Dr. Curt Connors had become the Lizard despite his attempts to alter the events.

• Li Si proposed that George Stacy offer Spider-Man a position on the force, and George decided to raise the idea with his superiors.
• George received an urgent call from the station, hurriedly put on his uniform, and left in a police car.
• Gwen admitted she feared her father might not return from dangerous police work, and Li Si comforted her with a teasing promise to make him a superman.
• Li Si reflected that Curt Connors had become the Lizard despite his warning and efforts to change the events leading to it.

Li Si ignored the faction quest as Spider-Man and Lizard battled, choosing to spend the evening with Gwen instead. After they confessed their feelings, he entrusted her with five million dollars to invest in Stark Group stock and arranged to pick her up the next morning.

• The game system announced a faction quest asking players to support either Spider-Man or Lizard, but Li Si decided to stay out of the battle and join Spider-Man's faction later.
• Li Si and Gwen kissed and made their relationship official.
• Li Si gave Gwen a bank card containing five million dollars and asked her to buy Stark Group stock with all of it.
• Li Si told Gwen not to go to school early and said he would pick her up in the morning, then drove away in Bumblebee.
• Gwen's mother praised Li Si as a catch, and Gwen blushed and hurried inside.

Li Si brought Gwen to school and discovered that Li Ritian and Ye Xi had befriended Peter Parker after meeting him in their Kick-Ass and Hit-Girl outfits. Expecting the Lizard to attack the school, Li Si stayed on alert all day, but the attack never came, and he decided against searching the sewers for the Lizard.

• Li Si brought Gwen to school and saw Li Ritian, Ye Xi, and three other players talking with Peter Parker.
• Gwen worried about Peter, but Li Si reassured her that the newcomers were probably his friends.
• Li Si checked the faction quest and saw that 261 players had joined Spider-Man's side against 153 on the Lizard's side.
• Li Si considered bringing players in Electro-Shock Suits to fight the Lizard, then dismissed the idea because they were too weak and inexperienced.
• Li Si spent the school day waiting for the Lizard to attack, but school ended without incident.
• Li Si considered searching the sewers for the Lizard, then abandoned the plan because Bumblebee would be at a disadvantage there.

Li Si’s long wait ended when the Lizard attacked his school, and he revealed Bumblebee’s robot form to Gwen before heading back to confront the monster. He left Gwen in the parking lot calling her father for help as students began recognizing that Bumblebee followed Li Si’s orders.

• Li Si and Gwen lounged on campus, and Li Si complained that he had spent three days waiting for the Lizard to appear.
• The Lizard smashed through a school corridor wall, and Li Si shielded Gwen before leading her out of the building.
• Li Si took Gwen to the parking lot and ordered Bumblebee to transform into combat mode, shocking her with the reveal.
• Li Si told Gwen to wait and call her father, then returned toward the school with Bumblebee to hold off the Lizard.
• Jeff noticed Bumblebee following Li Si’s orders and told his friend that Li was taking the robot to stop the Lizard.

Li Si and Bumblebee found Spider-Man Peter Parker fighting the Lizard, Curt Connors, in the school library. Li Si tried to stop Curt, but when Curt attacked him, Bumblebee struck him through several walls.

• Li Si and Bumblebee searched the wrecked school and found the fighting in the library.
• Li Si encountered the music-listening librarian, who fled after realizing the battle was real.
• Li Si entered the library with Bumblebee and ordered Curt Connors to stop.
• Curt attacked Li Si, but his claws only scratched Bumblebee's armor.
• Li Si ordered Bumblebee to activate its close-combat program, and Bumblebee punched Curt through two walls.
• Peter Parker watched the blow land and retreated into a corner.

Bumblebee and the Lizard fought through the library while Li Si stalled for time, and Peter Parker’s chatter led Li Si to expose that he knew Spider-Man’s identity. Peter learned Li Si had built Bumblebee, but Li teased him with a $400,000 offer and left him regretting turning it down.

• The Lizard used his agility to attack Bumblebee and tried to reach Li Si, but Bumblebee and Peter Parker kept blocking him while the fight wrecked the library.
• Li Si let the battle continue and warned Peter Parker to stop providing sound effects or fight the Lizard himself.
• Li Si revealed that he recognized Peter Parker as Spider-Man, and Peter removed his mask after realizing his identity was already known.
• Peter asked about Bumblebee, and Li Si explained that he had built the robot and offered to sell Peter one for $400,000.
• Peter refused the offer, then regretted it when Li Si said he had been planning to give him one before Peter turned it down.

Li Si directed Bumblebee to stop the Lizard from escaping as police and reporters arrived at Midtown School of Science and Technology. The fight continued outside while reporters identified Li Si as the young inventor behind the robot and Spider-Man as a wounded hero.

• George Stacy arrived with police after Gwen called for help, and reporters gathered at the school.
• Li Si ordered Bumblebee to block the Lizard's escape, and Bumblebee smashed him through a second-floor window.
• Police and reporters gathered around the battling monsters, while Li Si asked George Stacy to keep the officers back.
• Gwen explained Li Si's position to George Stacy, who ordered the police to retreat.
• Li Si warned reporters about flying debris and drew attention to himself as television crews reported on Bumblebee, the Lizard, Spider-Man, and Li Si.

Li Si used Shadow Follow Mode to make Bumblebee mirror his movements and overwhelm the Lizard. After pinning the Lizard down and shocking him unconscious, Li Si left the reporters and Peter Parker stunned.

• Li Si told the reporters to step back and had Peter Parker stand in a specific spot while he warmed up.
• Li Si activated Shadow Follow Mode, and Bumblebee began anticipating the Lizard's movements and landing a barrage of punches.
• Li Si mimicked Bumblebee's movements, and Bumblebee slammed the Lizard's head into the ground with a powerful punch.
• The Lizard recovered and lunged at Li Si, but Bumblebee copied Li Si's body slam and pinned him down.
• Li Si ordered Bumblebee to use maximum electricity, and the current burned the Lizard until he passed out.
• Peter Parker watched the fight and worried that he would not survive an attack like the one Bumblebee delivered.

Li Si defeated Lizard, secretly injected him with an antidote, and completed three faction missions for large rewards. As players reacted to the sudden end of the event and Li Ritian set out to find Spider-Man, reporters crowded around Li Si for an interview.

• Li Si used Bumblebee to inject Lizard with an antidote that removed the foreign genes from his body.
• The system announced that Li Si had completed three faction tasks, earned 70,000 faction points, and unlocked the faction shop and a hidden achievement.
• Players across New York protested that the faction mission had ended unexpectedly, while Li Ritian blamed someone else for claiming the rewards first.
• Li Ritian gathered Ye Lin and Wang Ze and led them to find Spider-Man and learn what had happened.
• Reporters surrounded Li Si before he could inspect the faction shop, and he prepared to answer their questions.

After Bumblebee’s fight, Li Si faced reporters who questioned the legality and purpose of his robot. He rejected the superhero label while saying he would help during disasters, then revealed Bumblebee could transform into a yellow sports car.

• Li Si told reporters that he had designed and built Bumblebee, while his friend Max had handled its circuitry and electrical attack.
• A reporter accused Li Si of bringing a dangerous robot to school, but Li Si challenged him to identify any law he had violated.
• George Stacy defended Li Si by explaining that he had been invited by the Queens Police Department as a special consultant.
• Li Si told Mary that he did not want to be called a superhero, but would stand alongside superheroes when people faced unavoidable disasters.
• A tabloid reporter asked whether Bumblebee was intended for military use, and Li Si demonstrated that the robot could transform into a yellow sports car.

Reed abandoned his plan to steal Lee Stein’s car after learning Bumblebee was a powerful robot, while Max saw a news report crediting him for Bumblebee’s circuitry and electric attack. Max celebrated being recognized on television, convinced that his talent and name would no longer be overlooked.

• Reed warned Tom Cruise that Lee Stein’s car was a robot and refused to take part in stealing it.
• After watching the news, Tom Cruise panicked and confirmed that Lee Stein had not discovered their plan.
• At Oscorp Tower, Max saw a report showing Bumblebee’s battle with the Lizard Monster and Lee Stein crediting Max’s work.
• Max loudly told the elevator passengers that he had designed Bumblebee’s circuitry and electric attack, but they thought he was delusional.
• Max felt vindicated as he realized that the news had finally made his talent and name visible.

After Curt Connors was arrested, Li Si realized Oscorp would conceal Connors’s identity to avoid a scandal. He reassured Gwen, then left her after noticing George Stacy speaking with Peter Parker about Spider-Man becoming a cop.

• Curt Connors regained his human form, apologized to Li Si, and was escorted away by the police.
• Reporters prepared to publish stories about the Lizard incident, but Li Si recognized Dr. Lada’s arrival as a sign that Oscorp would keep Connors’s identity secret.
• Li Si comforted Gwen and suggested Connors had been overcome by the animalistic effects of his genes.
• Li Si pointed out that George Stacy was speaking with Spider-Man and reminded Gwen of his suggestion that Spider-Man become a cop.
• Gwen revealed she had figured out Spider-Man was Peter, and Li Si left her to take care of a few things.

Li Si searched Curt Connors's sewer laboratory for research that could help him create temporary transformation serums without permanently altering his genes. He uncovered Connors's recorded confession implicating Norman Osborn and copied it, intending to expose the evidence.

• Li Si found Curt Connors's temporary laboratory in the New York sewers and began copying its files.
• Li Si examined Connors's research and valued its temporary genetic-connection technique as a way to gain strength without permanently changing his genes.
• Li Si watched Connors's video confession, in which Connors accused Norman Osborn of forcing an unfinished serum on him and seeking human test subjects.
• Li Si copied Connors's confession onto a portable hard drive and said he would make it public.

After completing his missions, Li Si spent his seventy thousand faction points on an Achievement Point, equipment, and two technologies, using the remainder to buy General Experience. The technology transfer flooded his mind with painful data and left him with a nosebleed.

• Li Si returned home, ate the burgers he had bought, and opened the faction shop to inspect his seventy thousand points.
• Li Si spent twenty thousand points on a limited Achievement Point, which he valued for its use in bringing items or abilities into reality.
• Li Si exchanged points for a Lizard Tail Whip, Potent Growth Hormone Technology, Bionic Muscle Fiber Technology, and eighteen thousand General Experience.
• Li Si realized the Lizard Tail Whip was the severed tail the Lizard Doctor had lost to Spider-Man, fitted with a metal handle.
• Li Si received the technical data transfer and cursed as the information caused severe pain and a stream of blood from his nose.

Li Si upgraded his Commoner Template to level 3 and checked his status, then impulsively spent experience to raise two knowledge fields. With his enhanced energy keeping him awake, he faced the rest of the night at four in the morning.

• Li Si spent his remaining general experience to upgrade the Commoner Template from level 0 to level 3.
• Li Si checked his status panel and saw that his attributes and knowledge had improved, with Cyber Knowledge and Energy Dynamics Knowledge close to leveling up.
• Li Si spent 350 experience to raise Cyber Knowledge to level 4 and Energy Dynamics Knowledge to level 3, then regretted wasting the points.
• Li Si closed the status panel and washed his face, but his boosted energy left him wide awake at four in the morning.

Li Si browsed the forums and found players complaining about his loot boxes while praising Bumblebee’s fight with Lizard. The discussion also reignited speculation that Li Si was a player, and he was stunned to find someone defending him.

• Li Si read forum complaints blaming him and the Astral Gaming Company for disappointing loot boxes.
• Players praised Bumblebee’s fight with Lizard and asked whether they could obtain a robot like him.
• Li Si considered using a lottery to profit from players eager to get Bumblebee.
• Li Si read a revived faction-quest thread where players argued over whether he was a player.
• Li Si saw someone defend him in the forum discussion and was dumbfounded.

Li Si read a debate about whether he was a player, then checked the morning news and realized Osborn had helped shift public attention toward his achievements. He was pleased that the coverage advanced his plan to gain fame in American academic circles.

• A forum poster argued that Li Si had to be an NPC, citing game mechanics and a canceled mission, and promised to livestream himself eating shit if the New York merchant proved to be a player.
• Other readers agreed with the poster, and Li Si read their discussion before putting it aside to watch a movie.
• At dawn, Li Si searched the news and found extensive reports praising his fight against the Lizard Doctor and his work on intelligent robots, but none mentioning Osborn or Curt Connors.
• Li Si concluded that Osborn had arranged the publicity to distract the public from the Lizard Doctor, and he welcomed the coverage because it helped build his reputation in American academic circles.

Li Si received the clue to the Scientist Template after attracting recognition in American academic circles and considered how its research skill worked. He waited for the military and Osborn to respond, since joining a major project at a cutting-edge laboratory was the only requirement he still needed to fulfill.

• Li Si received the Scientist Template clue after gaining attention and recognition in American academic circles.
• Li Si reviewed the template’s Intelligence and learning bonuses and compared its research skill in standard and full-immersion virtual modes.
• Li Si decided that the military and Osborn’s response would determine whether he could join a major research project and complete the template requirements.
• Li Si waited at home, hoping Bumblebee would interest powerful organizations without prompting them to seize it unlawfully.

Felicia invited Li Si to join Oscorp’s unnamed, military-run research department focused on next-generation individual weapons, and he accepted after signing a confidentiality agreement. He left with Felicia in his own car, accompanied by Bumblebee, to visit the facility.

• Felicia introduced herself as an assistant to Oscorp’s board and offered Li Si a researcher position in a secret department.
• Li Si accepted the offer and signed the employment contract and confidentiality agreement, learning the department was jointly run by Oscorp and the military.
• Felicia said the department had no name or company database file and researched next-generation individual weapons.
• Li Si declined Felicia’s sedan because he was concerned about being watched and summoned Bumblebee from his garage.
• Felicia recognized Bumblebee as the robot from the previous day, and Li Si confirmed its name.

Li Si brushed off Agent Coulson’s attempt to speak with him and explained to himself why he had no intention of joining S.H.I.E.L.D. The chapter ended with him comparing the S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Template unfavorably with the ordinary Agent Template.

• Felicia admired Bumblebee and praised Li Si before they set off in separate cars.
• Coulson stopped Li Si to introduce himself and ask for a few minutes, but Li Si refused and joked about S.H.I.E.L.D.’s long name.
• Li Si drove away in Bumblebee and suspected Coulson had come on Nick Fury’s behalf to recruit him.
• Li Si considered S.H.I.E.L.D.’s vulnerabilities and decided that joining it would offer him little benefit.
• Li Si compared the S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Template with the ordinary Agent Template and judged its bonuses useless to him.