Sandman Arrives

Peter and Li Nian exchanged a glance, each seeing the gravity in the other's eyes.

Li Nian set down the monster corpse on his back. The three stood there staring at one another, frozen in place and unable to speak.

"Let's head back to the lab first."

"The black substance on the surface of this thing contains many elements that don't belong to Earth. The skeleton inside, however, belongs to an Earth lifeform."

"I detected coyote DNA in the skeletons of both corpses," Otto said gravely to Li Nian as he removed his glasses. "It was formed from the combination of two organisms."

"Could it be a symbiote?" Li Nian frowned, his eyes full of concern.

"No, no, no. This doesn't look like a symbiotic relationship. It's more like parasitism—one lifeform controlling another," Otto said expressionlessly. "The urgent matter is finding the source of these parasitic organisms and wiping them out in one sweep. Otherwise, more and more people will suffer."

Li Nian remained silent. After some hesitation, he decided to mention the traces of magic still lingering on the monster.

"Magic? You're saying these things might be products of magic?" Otto laughed. As a staunch materialist, he simply did not believe magic existed.

"But it does exist. Even I can cross the universe to get here, so what else could be impossible?" Li Nian retorted. He scanned the monster's entire body with the gem, then gently placed a hand on its head.

"Its mind is filled with ominous, chaotic energy. There is no order at all—only slaughter and hunger," Li Nian said. He could see what was in its mind.

"Can you see its memories? If you can, then maybe we can find the source that infected them," Peter said anxiously. The devastation across those streets today had deeply shaken him. He was the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man, but if he could not even protect the people on a few streets, what kind of Spider-Man was he?

A grown boy's thoughts were always simple. He wanted to save people and protect everyone. Before Li Nian had arrived, Peter had shouldered the responsibility of being a lone hero. Even though the authorities had continually pushed him aside, he still wanted to work for everyone's sake.

"No." Li Nian shook his head helplessly. "It was only a wild animal before. The memories in its brain are a complete mess, and some have even been forgotten. Its brain is badly damaged as well..."

"In short, its memories are like a lump of noodles. Once they've gone into the pot, you can't pick them apart again."

Peter fell silent as well. His scientific knowledge was not low, but that depended on who he was compared with. Either of the two people present completely outclassed him. If they had no solution, then he had even less chance.

"Then that's it for now. Peter, we need to increase our patrols lately. Who knows when a bunch of monsters might suddenly pop up again."

"Got it, Mr. Li!" Peter agreed without hesitation.

Over the next half year, Li Nian, Peter, and Otto discovered traces of several monsters and defeated them. Fortunately, there were not as many casualties as before.

Otto and Li Nian also intensified their research into these creatures. In scientific terms, the two of them together were practically unbeatable in this universe, but when it came to the parts involving magic, they were completely helpless.

"This kind of biological mutation simply doesn't conform to science!" Otto said irritably. The long period of research had left his hair sparse, and his red, swollen eyes stared fixedly at the corpse on the operating table. It was the last monster corpse. There were no longer any signs of them in the city, so they had most likely been cleared out.

"The degree of mutation varies among these things. The one Peter and I encountered back then should have been the strongest," Li Nian said quietly from his chair, touching the gem on his forehead. For some reason, it seemed to have been flickering more often recently, as if it were warning him.

The next three villains should be appearing soon...

Li Nian stretched and said lazily, "Let's stop here. Those monsters have mostly been cleared out. I'll keep an eye on the city at all times."

Li Nian quietly returned to human form. Just as he reached the door, he suddenly turned back to Otto and said, "You should get some rest too. I didn't go through all that trouble to restore you just so you could work yourself to death."

With that, Li Nian drove home.

"That brat... he really doesn't know how to talk..." Otto muttered with a pout as he watched Li Nian leave. He was about to continue the research when he lowered his head and saw his wife's photograph standing on the desk. The smile in it was so bright and warm, as though she were still right before his eyes.

A smile unconsciously spread across Otto's lips as happy memories continued to surface in his mind.

"Perhaps... I should get some rest..."

"Hi, Li Nian!" Aunt May greeted Li Nian warmly as she watched him get out of the car. "Here, I just bought some apples. Take them home and eat them..." Aunt May forcibly stuffed the apples into Li Nian's hands and smiled kindly. "I've had your care to thank for this past year. Come eat at Aunt May's tonight. I'm making my best apple pie, and a whole roast chicken too."

"Thank you, Aunt May!" A warm smile bloomed naturally across Li Nian's face. "Where's Peter? It doesn't look like he's home."

"He said he was going to Mary Jane's performance. He was being all mysterious about it, but couples always have little secrets. I'm too old to manage Peter now. He isn't a child anymore. He has his own private life now, even keeping things from the Aunt May closest to him..." Li Nian silently listened to Aunt May's rambling. Elderly people always had the urge to talk to others, especially those who were lonely.

Without children to care for her, with her husband gone, and with the nephew she had treated as a son now living his own life, the old woman could only chat with neighbors when she had nothing to do. A group of lonely elderly people sitting together, comparing themselves to one another and sharing their grievances—life was actually not so bad.

"I've said so much. Mr. Li, I hope you don't find me annoying. Oh, right, make sure you come for dinner tonight!" Li Nian nodded helplessly, said goodbye, and returned to his own house.

He had not been back for a long time. A thick layer of dust covered the table. Sunlight filtered through the windows and drifted softly into the room, illuminating specks of dust floating in the air. It was glaring and stifling.

Li Nian dropped straight onto the sofa. Other than a few decorations, there was little else in the house, though it was fully furnished with tables and chairs.

He did not know how long ago the blue curtains had been changed. They were still the kind used in winter. Even though Li Nian did not eat, the refrigerator was fully stocked with cheese, bread, soda... all prepared for entertaining neighbors who came by.

Li Nian lowered his head and pondered silently. The cause of the animal mutations had been found, but the magical factor...

Li Nian could not figure out why this universe had become entangled with magic.

"Bzzzt, emergency news, emergency news! Fifth Street has come under attack by a superpowered individual... Repeat... Fifth Street has come under attack by a superpowered individual..."

A sharp light flashed through Li Nian's eyes.

"Sandman... has he finally arrived!"