On the Highest Realm of Kidnapping!

Toby neither said yes nor no. Instead, he patted Dr. Connors on the shoulder and said earnestly, "Dr. Connors, you've only thought about making your Lizard Regeneration Serum more effective, but have you considered the consequences once it truly becomes perfect?"

"The consequences?" Dr. Connors frowned even more deeply, unable to understand what consequences there could be.

Seeing this, Toby became even more direct.

"Why do you think Peter's father chose to leave Osborn Enterprises halfway through the project he was working on with you?"

"It was because the Super Spider Richard cultivated was too perfect. It could grant people superhuman strength far beyond their body size, super endurance, super reflexes, and super healing only slightly weaker than your regeneration serum!"

"And do you think Norman Osborn wanted that Super Spider simply to produce tougher super webbing?"

"No. Norman Osborn wanted to apply Richard's Super Spider abilities to warfare and create genetically enhanced super soldiers. That was why Richard suddenly chose to leave Osborn."

"So do you understand now, Doctor? The current version of your Lizard Regeneration Serum is already the best version that can exist in society!"

"A version that can benefit all humanity while preventing the entire world from being plunged into a war of superhumans because of its existence."

"So now tell me, Doctor... do you understand?"

What was the best kind of kidnapping in the world?

It wasn't the physical kidnapping the Ten Rings used on Tony—missiles plus beatings—but Toby's kind: moral kidnapping that struck at the depths of a person's soul!

Because moral kidnapping made the other person feel guilt and responsibility from the bottom of their heart, making them willingly work for you.

Rather than the resentment of physically kidnapping someone, then forcibly demanding that they work for you while they remained unconvinced both outwardly and inwardly.

Of course, this method only worked on people with a sense of morality, like Dr. Connors.

If you tried moral kidnapping on someone as utterly immoral as Toby, he would only answer with a hundred-ton punch!

As Connors looked at the righteous Toby, he suddenly felt like an immature child who acted without considering the consequences. Lowering his head in shame, he said, "I... I understand, sir..."

When Toby saw Dr. Connors nod, the smile returned to his serious face.

Now that he had shown the stick, it was time to offer a carrot.

So Toby patted Dr. Connors on the shoulder again, and his tone softened.

"Of course, I'm not saying that I won't let you continue researching a more perfect Lizard Regeneration Serum."

"On the contrary, I will still fully support you in every way as you continue researching a more perfect regeneration serum."

"But remember this: aside from the current version of the serum, no other version must ever be allowed to leak out. They can only be used by us. Otherwise, it would be a disaster not only for you and me, but for the entire world."

"I understand, sir!" This time, Connors nodded repeatedly, as obedient as a student receiving instruction from his teacher.

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"Good. Since you understand, put down your work for now and get some proper rest. Research is important, but your health is the capital that lets you keep researching."

Toby was very satisfied with Dr. Connors's change in attitude. After offering him a few more words of concern, he gave Gwen and Peter a look.

Gwen and Peter immediately understood. After reminding Dr. Connors to get some rest as well, they followed Toby out of the laboratory.

On the way upstairs, Gwen and Peter both looked at Toby's back with eyes full of admiration.

Clearly, Toby's moral kidnapping had not only moved Dr. Connors—it had moved Gwen and Peter as well.

Toby led Gwen and Peter all the way to the game room on the third floor before stopping.

After having the two sit down, Toby casually shut the door.

Under their puzzled gazes, Toby looked at Peter and got straight to the point. "Peter, have you thought about the question I asked you before?"

Gwen, who knew nothing about it, was still confused, but Peter immediately realized what Toby was referring to.

Faced with that question, the joy Peter had felt these past days as Spider-Man, New York's friendly neighborhood hero, was instantly extinguished as though doused by a bucket of cold water. His heart sank like a pool of icy dead water.

After a long while, Peter finally raised his head with a dejected expression. "I don't know, Toby. I don't know..."

"I can't forgive Norman for killing my parents, but I also can't bring myself to kill anyone. I can't make a choice..."

Hearing Peter's answer—one that could be called utterly indecisive, even cowardly—

Toby wasn't disappointed, because it was already far better than the worst choice he had expected Peter to make.

At least Peter hadn't been like Naruto next door, choosing to forgive the murderer who had indirectly killed his parents, then saying infuriating things like, 'Don't you dare badmouth Norman Osborn. Norman Osborn is the coolest!' Right? (Naruto fans, please don't flame me. This only represents the protagonist Toby's personal opinion~)

As for Peter's lack of conviction, Toby didn't really mind.

Although Peter in this universe had become even less capable of forming his own opinions than Peters from other universes because he had such a domineering older cousin in Toby, it was precisely because he had Toby as his older cousin that this universe's Peter would not have to suffer the pain of losing Uncle Ben, losing Aunt May, or even losing everything. He could be a carefree friendly neighborhood Spider-Man, couldn't he?

So this time would be the same.

Seeing that Peter could not make a choice, Toby said forcefully, "Since you can't make a choice, I'll make it for you. But the usual rule applies: people who don't make the choice don't get to bitch and whine while trying to tell the person who did what to do."

"Now answer me. Do you understand?"

Ever since Peter had moved into his home, Toby had begun trying to change Peter's personality.

He knew he could not change Peter's kind nature, nor did he want to.

But he also did not want the Peter of his universe to become foolishly kind—like Tobey Spider-Man, who had stopped Holland Spider-Man from avenging May when the three Spider-Men stood together.

In his view, Tobey Spider-Man had been wrong to stop Holland Spider-Man from taking revenge just so he would not later regret impulsively killing someone.

Repaying kindness with kindness and hatred with vengeance—that was the true kindness Tobey believed in.

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