[Spider-Man and the Green Goblin attacked the Daily Bugle building; the editor-in-chief fought back bravely.]
In an instant, Spider-Man became a rat everyone wanted to beat.
Spider-Man was even wanted across the entire country. Seeing this, Parker's face darkened as the Green Goblin's words echoed endlessly through his mind.
"No matter how many good things you do for them, in the end, they'll only hate you..."
No matter how well he did, would he still be a monster in their eyes?
Peter Parker was lost. Watching the citizens on the streets chatter among themselves, he no longer knew what he was still holding on for.
At that moment, he thought of that man, the man who had made him persist on his own path. Like a drowning beast, he struggled desperately, trying to grasp his final lifeline.
Parker frantically pulled out his phone and dialed a number he had not contacted in a long time!
The call connected quickly, and Chen Xi's gentle voice followed. "Parker, long time no see."
He was still as calm and unruffled as ever!
Whether it was pouring rain or murky darkness, he remained as gentle and refined as jade.
Parker admired him immensely.
"Yeah, long time no see. I was wondering if you had time to come out and sit down for a while?"
After hesitating for a few seconds, Parker finally forced himself to ask.
He no longer had any friends who could guide him.
"No problem. Name the place."
"Okay."
Half an hour later, Chen Xi and Parker met at a café somewhere on Walter Street.
"Parker, you're lost."
The moment they met, Chen Xi saw straight through his state of mind. Didn't the newspaper's contents explain everything already?
"Yeah, I'm really lost."
Parker took a sip of coffee and gazed gloomily out the window. He did not know whether the justice he had persisted in still had any meaning.
"Have you ever heard this saying?"
"The soul is immortal. It can endure all kindness and all evil."
"It allows us to forever persist on an upward path, eternally pursuing justice and wisdom."
"Parker, there are too many things in this world that make us sad. I have seen too much darkness, but I will always believe that this world is filled with boundless justice."
"But I've done so many righteous things, and they can deny everything about me based on nothing but delusions and guesses?"
Parker looked at Chen Xi sorrowfully. Cold and heartless society had dealt this sincere young man a devastating blow.
Chen Xi looked at Parker before him...
This was the guy who, even when he went dark, had merely broken into an awkward dance.
Who had merely wanted to throw a handful of dirt into someone else's eyes.
Who had merely wanted double pay.
Who had merely bought a discounted suit.
He had originally intended to change Parker's alignment, but after thinking it over, he dismissed the idea. If Marvel's Spider-Man became as cunning and sinister as him, what would be the point?
He liked Spider-Man, Peter Parker—not a Peter Parker remade by him. If Parker was no longer himself, would Chen Xi still like him?
The answer was definitely no!
After considering his words, Chen Xi decided to set him straight once and for all.
"Parker, you need to understand why you are angry and why you are sad. It's because you feel things should not be this way."
"Since things should not be this way, then doesn't that mean there must be a way they should be?"
"If there is no light, does darkness still have meaning?"
"If there is no justice, does injustice still have meaning?"
"This world may be falling apart, but someone has to patch it up. There will always be people patching it up."
"Parker, disappointment is limited. We must accept our disappointments, but never give up hope, because hope is limitless."
"Everything you see is imperfect, but precisely because you can see those imperfections, there must be perfection!!"
"Finally, let me give you an old saying!"
"Though I may not reach it, my heart yearns for it!"
From that day on, Parker disappeared. He became an ordinary high school student, and until he found his own path, he would not appear again.
One unremarkable evening, the Green Goblin appeared once more.
Norman Osborn's personality had been completely devoured. Now the insane Green Goblin was in control of everything. To force the vanished Spider-Man to reveal himself, he once again began destroying the city like mad.
He threw all of Manhattan into chaos. The Green Goblin's glider continuously fired small rockets at skyscrapers and crowds on the ground.
The streets were filled with screaming people fleeing for their lives. They scattered like headless flies, because no one knew where the mad Green Goblin would strike next.
S.H.I.E.L.D.
"We just received an alert. The Green Goblin has appeared in the city again, carrying out widespread killing and destruction. Manhattan has suffered heavy casualties. Our superiors have ordered us to capture the Green Goblin immediately."
"Move out!!"
Nick Fury glared grimly at the agents standing before him as he gave his orders. At this moment, S.H.I.E.L.D. was truly pitifully understaffed.
Just a few strays...
Like Black Widow Natasha.
Like Hawkeye Barton, the mascot.
Like Coulson, the newbie village chief.
All of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s agents mobilized to capture the wanted criminal Green Goblin, but against superpowers, they were simply no match.
Black Widow had maxed-out hand-to-hand combat and marksmanship, but even if the Green Goblin stood still, her bullets could not hurt him...
Hawkeye's archery was incredibly badass, but his crappy bow and arrows had yet to be modified by Tony Stark, so they were utterly ineffective.
Watching the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents get completely crushed, the Green Goblin grew even more arrogant, while Black Widow and the others wilted like frost-bitten eggplants...
The disappointed accusations of the public left them too ashamed to show their faces. Even S.H.I.E.L.D.'s prestige suffered a heavy blow. Nick Fury watched the surveillance footage with a face as black as the bottom of a pot—well, sorry, he always looked like that anyway.
"Host, a new mission has arrived—kill Green Goblin Norman Osborn. Mission reward: 110,000 Justice Points."
"Wait. No rush. Let the bullets fly a little longer."
Chen Xi merely watched from afar. He was in no hurry to make a move.
Because the military helicopters had already arrived.
Boom!!
The moment he finished speaking, two military helicopters trailed thick black smoke as they crashed into the river next to them...
"Uh, they seem a little weak."
This was a little too dramatic. They had just come roaring in so aggressively, yet they had not even lasted a minute?
"Hahaha, you think you can stop me?"
The Green Goblin's confidence swelled to the extreme after striking S.H.I.E.L.D. and the military in succession. He even casually tossed out two grenades to celebrate...
"Host, a new mission has arrived—kill Green Goblin Norman Osborn. Mission reward: 120,000 Justice Points."
"Wait. No rush."
Chen Xi still waved his hand calmly.
"Spider-Man, come out already! Aren't you supposed to protect this world? Hahaha!"
Whoosh!!!
The arrogant Green Goblin casually hurled two Pumpkin Bombs at a distant skyscraper, setting off a huge burst of flames.
Before you continue