Spider Prelude

The next morning, Midtown High School's entrance was lively once again. Lin Hai, Gwen, Harry, and Peter walked into campus side by side, sunlight falling across their shoulders as a new semester officially began.

And no one knew that this sophomore year would bring them an adventure even more turbulent and magnificent than the Green Goblin incident.

During the second week after school started, Gwen found Lin Hai at lunchtime, excitement sparkling in her blue eyes.

"Lin Hai, I have something to tell you." She lowered her voice, though no one around them was paying particular attention. "I was chosen by Osborn Group's chief scientist—Professor Curt Connors—to be his intern assistant."

Lin Hai's chopsticks paused slightly. As someone who had crossed over, Lin Hai knew about this, but he did not know exactly when Gwen had become Professor Connors's intern assistant.

At the same time, he knew something else: now that Gwen had become Professor Connors's assistant, Peter was not far from becoming Spider-Man.

"Congratulations." He smiled sincerely. "Professor Connors is a doctor with two degrees. Becoming his intern assistant is a rare opportunity."

Gwen nodded, but then frowned slightly. "But his research direction is a little aggressive. He seems determined to apply animals' regenerative abilities to human limb regeneration, and he has already made breakthrough progress in animal testing."

Lin Hai knew why, and he had even met the professor during his first trip to Missouri.

Lin Hai pondered for a moment. "You know I have some business with Osborn Group. I met him before. Before Professor Connors became Osborn Group's chief scientist, he was a military doctor. He lost his right arm on the battlefield.

So he left the battlefield, hoping that his knowledge could regenerate his right arm. It was for himself, but also for other disabled people with physical impairments. That's why he's someone worthy of respect."

Gwen looked at him in surprise. "So Professor Connors has a story like that?"

"Yes, but from what I understand, Cross-Species Gene Fusion is extremely risky, especially when it involves highly evolved creatures like reptiles. Years ago, Professor Connors had nearly succeeded, but because of certain external factors, the experiment's progress was delayed until now." Lin Hai was referring to the research Professor Connors had conducted with Peter's father.

Peter's father had obtained the formula that solved the key issue in gene fusion, but apparently, due to a leak, that formula remained stored in the briefcase he had left Peter. While it remained unknown to the world, it had also brought death upon Peter's parents.

As for who had done it, that was difficult to say. And even if he knew, there was no point, so Lin Hai did not mention the information hidden behind it all.

Gwen sighed. "No wonder Professor Connors has been so persistent. He was only one step away from success."

Lin Hai said nothing more. He merely patted her shoulder lightly. "Since you're his assistant, maybe you can help him find a safer method sooner. You're Gwen, after all—Midtown's top student."

Gwen smiled a little sheepishly. "I'm still just a student, but... I hope so."

A week later, Peter learned that Gwen had gotten an internship opportunity at Osborn Group and immediately pestered her to take him there for a visit.

"Please, Gwen! That's Osborn Group's biology lab!" Peter pressed his hands together, his eyes behind his glasses shining pleadingly. "I promise I won't touch anything!"

Since Peter was only Harry and Lin Hai's friend, he had no business relationship with Osborn Group. Therefore, although Peter and Gwen had visited Harry's private laboratory in Osborn Tower, they had never entered Osborn Group's official labs.

Now that Gwen had become Professor Connors's intern assistant, Peter was the only one in their group of four who had never visited Osborn Group's official laboratory.

Gwen rolled her eyes. "You made the same promise in chemistry lab last time, and then you blew up three test tubes."

"That was an accident!" Peter protested. "And Lin Hai will be there this time. He can keep an eye on me!"

Lin Hai had been packing his bag. Hearing that, he looked up. "Me?"

"Yeah! Come with us! Please, boss, satisfy nerdy Peter's curiosity~" Peter threw an arm around his shoulders.

Gwen looked at Lin Hai and sighed helplessly. "Fine, but Peter, you must strictly follow the laboratory rules."

"Awesome! Love you guys! I mean, Lin, love you!" Seeing Gwen narrow her eyes, Peter wisely rephrased himself.

Lin Hai did not know whether Peter had found the briefcase his father had left him, and he had not specifically asked because he had no way to explain how he knew about it.

Judging by Peter's urgent desire to visit Osborn Group's laboratory, Lin Hai guessed Peter had probably found that briefcase. If so, he needed to prepare to join the origin story of Spider-Man that he had been waiting for.

Saturday, Osborn Tower.

"This is so cool... even cooler than Harry's private lab!" Peter murmured, his eyes wide like a child who had stumbled into a candy store.

Osborn Group's biology lab was even more advanced than Peter had imagined. Transparent sterile corridors were lined with fully sealed laboratory chambers. All kinds of precision instruments glinted with cold light, researchers in white coats hurried past, and the air carried the scents of disinfectant and electronic equipment.

Gwen led them through several security doors before finally stopping outside a laboratory marked "Cross-Species Gene Research." Through the glass wall, they could see a tall man with an empty right sleeve staring intently into a microscope. This was clearly Professor Curt Connors.

Gwen knocked on the door. Connors looked up and smiled warmly when he saw the three of them. "Ah, Gwen, and Lin. We haven't seen each other since Missouri. You know Gwen too? And who is this?"

Professor Connors was not particularly handsome, but he carried the resolve of a soldier and the refinement of a scholar. He spoke gently as well, and that was most people's first impression of him.

"Hello, Professor Connors. It has indeed been a long time." Lin Hai stepped forward and shook Connors's hand.

Gwen explained to Connors, "This is Peter. He's very interested in the biotechnology field you're researching, so he asked us to bring him here for a look. We're all Harry's classmates. Peter has been to Osborn Tower before, but he's never come here."

Peter immediately stepped forward and shook Connors's hand. "Professor! I've read your paper on limb regeneration, especially the part about reptilian telomerase applications. It was incredible!"

Connors clearly appreciated Peter's enthusiasm. He smiled and patted Peter's shoulder. "It's rare for a young person to have such a thirst for knowledge. Come on, I'll show you our latest research results."

He led the three of them to a sealed incubation chamber. Inside was a white mouse whose hind leg had been amputated, but a small section of pink new tissue had already grown from the stump.

"This is the preliminary result of the Lizard Serum." Connors's voice carried unconcealed pride. "We successfully activated regenerative abilities in a mammal."

Lin Hai carefully observed the white mouse. Through his perception of Life Force, he could sense that the mouse's cellular activity was abnormally vigorous—almost too violent.

This was no surprise, because in the original story, the white mice injected with the Regeneration Drug eventually became extremely violent and highly aggressive.

"This is unbelievable!" Peter nearly pressed his face against the glass. "If this technology matures, it could really let amputees regrow their limbs!"

"In theory, yes." Connors nodded, then sighed. "But it's still unstable for now. The test subjects' cell division rate sometimes spirals out of control."

Gwen added, "That's why we're adjusting the genetic sequence, trying to find a more stable expression method."

Lin Hai was silent for a moment before suddenly asking, "Professor, have you considered that this serum might affect the user's neurotransmitter system? Reptilian brain structures differ greatly from those of mammals. Forced fusion could trigger unpredictable side effects."

Connors froze for a moment, then grew thoughtful. "That's an interesting point... I hadn't considered that. I'll have the team pay attention to that direction."