Harry's Research

Morning sunlight streamed through Midtown High School's windows and spilled across the desks. Peter idly spun his pen while the history teacher lectured passionately about the Industrial Revolution.

"Lin, do you think anyone will really notice something strange about last night's rain?" Peter lowered his voice.

Without looking up, Lin Hai continued sketching the structure of some plant in his notebook. "Unless someone deliberately tests the rainwater's composition, who would suspect that a refreshing rain had been altered by biochemical weapons?"

"But people are already talking about it online. Some say the rain even cured arthritis they've had for years." Peter secretly pulled out his phone. The screen displayed a trending Twitter topic: #NewYorkMiracleRain#.

"Then someone will definitely reply, 'It's a psychological effect.' Humans are best at finding what they consider the most reasonable explanation for things they can't understand." Lin Hai chuckled.

Sure enough, Peter scrolled down and found the top comment:

"It must be an illusion caused by pollen allergy season ending! #Pseudoscience"

Seeing Peter absorbed in the news, Lin Hai nudged him with his elbow. "Focus on class, unless you want the history teacher to catch you playing with your phone during his lesson and call your parents."

Peter hurriedly put away his phone, but a smile still curled at the corner of his lips. This peaceful campus life was exactly what they fought so desperately to protect.

When the dismissal bell rang, Lin Hai grabbed his backpack and quickly left. The others had their own things to do as well, so after exchanging greetings, they went their separate ways at the school gate.

When Lin Hai returned to the clinic and pushed open the door, Master Chen Bing was taking the pulse of an elderly woman who ran a breakfast shop in nearby Chinatown.

"Qi stagnation and blood stasis. Lin Hai, prepare a dose of Bupleurum Liver-Soothing Powder." Master Chen did not look up.

"Yes." Lin Hai skillfully pulled open the medicine cabinet, his fingers flying between dozens of small drawers. Three months ago, he had still needed to check the labels. Now, he could find every herb with his eyes closed.

The elderly woman looked at him curiously. "You're very skilled, young man. How many years have you studied medicine?"

"I've been learning from my master for less than half a year. I just have a good memory." Lin Hai handed her the wrapped medicine.

He did not mention that his "good memory" included instantly recalling the properties of thousands of plants. That was an additional benefit brought by Life Force.

"Now I can beat the Lizard on my own!"

In the clinic's backyard that evening, Peter, who had gone home before coming back out to train at the clinic, performed a backflip to dodge the vine Lin Hai had flung at him and made the declaration proudly.

"Oh?" Lin Hai raised an eyebrow and suddenly changed tactics. The previously soft vine instantly hardened and stabbed toward Peter's arm like a spear!

"Whoa!" Peter dodged in a panic, but his shoulder was still grazed.

"Professor Connors can now control his transformations freely," Lin Hai said as he withdrew the vine. "And he has retained both his experience as a military doctor and the mindset of a scientific researcher." He tapped his temple.

"You think we suppressed him last time through brute force? That was the result of all four of us and a complete tactical plan."

Peter rubbed his arm and muttered, "Can't you let me fantasize for once...?"

"Fantasies will get you killed." Lin Hai placed a hand on Peter's shoulder and healed the wound he had just inflicted. That was also why he dared to be harsh during training. At the same time, he began imparting the combat wisdom he had learned from Master Chen Bing.

"We in Huaxia have a saying: sweat more in peacetime, bleed less in war. Combat, even war itself, is cruel. People will bleed and may even die. If you train with a playful attitude, then when you fight, you won't be able to stay completely focused. Master taught me that, and I think it applies to you too."

Peter immediately wilted. As a teenage boy, it was only natural that he was lively and restless, but he also understood that Lin Hai was completely right.

After resting for a while, Peter threw himself back into training. This time, however, he was far more serious.

At the Osborn Group laboratory, Gwen stared intently into an electron microscope.

"Serum residue removal is 97.3% complete," she recorded. "But the genetic memory effect still remains."

On the monitoring screen, Professor Connors was performing a grip-strength test in the recovery room. His regenerated right arm easily crushed the pressure gauge.

"Gwen, if I wanted to continue researching controllable mutation technology..." Connors suddenly looked up at the camera.

"Then you would first have to pass Mr. Norman's twenty rounds of psychological evaluation," Gwen's voice came through the speaker.

"Also, Einstein never intended for his theories to be used to create weapons, yet someone still developed the atomic bomb. If the technology you develop ends up in the hands of the United States military, the consequences are self-evident."

Connors smiled bitterly. "Does this count as morally blackmailing a scientist?"

"You can see it that way~" Gwen smiled. "Also, the electromyographic signals in your right arm are 18% stronger than those in your left. I recommend symmetrical training."

On the top floor of Fisk Tower that weekend, Kingpin was admiring a new oil painting by his wife, Vanessa.

"Doctor Lin." The underground emperor personally poured Lin Hai a cup of tea. "I heard New York had an interesting rainstorm a few days ago?"

Lin Hai calmly put away his acupuncture kit. "Just a climate anomaly. Your wife's symptoms have improved considerably, and she will basically no longer suffer any obvious episodes."

Kingpin rubbed his cane. "I still have to thank you. By the way, I recently received some information about special research being conducted by the Osborn Group."

"Mr. Norman is indeed developing new environmentally friendly materials." Lin Hai's answer was flawless, and what he said was indeed true.

The two looked at each other for a moment, then laughed at the same time.

Osborn Tower, Harry's private laboratory.

Bang!

The moment Lin Hai reached the door, he heard a small explosion inside. Harry crawled out of the smoke, covered in soot, while the wreckage of the Green Goblin Glider crackled with sparks.

"The thruster output is still unstable..." he muttered as he reached for a fire extinguisher, only to hear applause.

"Nice look. I never thought an explosion hairstyle would suit you so well."

Harry spun around and saw Lin Hai leaning against the doorway, carrying two cups of coffee.

"Why are you here? Weren't you supposed to go to Fisk Tower today for Mr. Kingpin's wife's regular checkup?"

Lin Hai handed him a coffee. "Peter noticed that something seemed to be distracting you. It was the weekend, but you kept looking rushed, and you weren't replying to messages promptly. Gwen and I even wondered whether you were dating someone, so I came straight here after leaving Mr. Kingpin's place."

Harry awkwardly accepted the coffee. "I wanted to wait until I succeeded before telling you."

Lin Hai kicked a piece of the glider's wreckage. "Why not just use your father's Green Goblin Armor?"

He had no objection to Harry wanting to research armor. New York was bound to become increasingly dangerous in the future, and there was nothing wrong with Harry wanting strength beyond that of ordinary people. Lin Hai supported him.

"That design relies too heavily on enhancement drugs. My strength and physical durability can't support his armor." Harry sounded helpless.

"I don't think anyone can make something truly good by working behind closed doors alone. We need to tell Gwen and Peter. With everyone pooling their ideas, your armor can definitely be upgraded and improved." Lin Hai spoke after thinking for a moment.

Harry nodded, a glimmer of agreement flashing in his eyes. "You're right. I really do need help. Peter is great with his hands, and Gwen has an excellent scientific mind. With all of you involved, my armor should become much more complete."

Lin Hai smiled and patted Harry on the shoulder. "Now that's the answer I wanted to hear. One person walks fast, but a group goes far."

So the next afternoon, Monday, the four of them gathered once more in Harry's private laboratory.

"First, we need to solve this color scheme problem." Peter held up a design blueprint for the Green Goblin Armor, his expression twisted as though he had eaten an extra-strong mint leaf Lin Hai had stuffed into his mouth.

"Dark green with purple? Golden pumpkin patterns? And this vicious demon mask? Harry, are you trying to be a superhero or a Halloween mascot? Even my unfinished Spider-Suit isn't this bad." He shook the blueprint, his expression as exaggerated as his tone.

Harry spread his hands helplessly. "That was my father's sense of aesthetics when he was in a special mental state. It has nothing to do with me. You can't blame me for it."

Gwen looked up from the microscope. "Research in color psychology indicates that green can easily provoke feelings of unease, while purple symbolizes 'mystery' in Western culture."

She pulled up data on the computer and offered her suggestion to the others. "A blue-and-silver color scheme would be better. Blue represents trust and hope, while silver conveys a sense of technology."

Harry thoughtfully tapped at the keyboard, and the screen immediately rendered a new version of the armor: a streamlined blue-and-silver main body, with the mask changed into half-covered tactical goggles.

"Whoa~" Peter whistled. "Now it can't be a Halloween mascot anymore."

"The biggest problem now is the materials." Lin Hai tapped the chest plate of the Green Goblin Armor. The current aerospace aluminum alloy was already made using cutting-edge technology, but compared to the materials Tony Stark would use for his Iron Man armor in the future, the difference was like heaven and earth.

Gwen brought up a set of comparative data. "Traditional metals are either too heavy and affect mobility, or too brittle to stop bullets."

Harry frowned. "What if I use the enhancement drugs my father left behind?"

"No!" the other three said in unison.

Lin Hai directly pulled up a surveillance recording. On the screen, Norman in his Green Goblin state was laughing maniacally. "Look at these side effects! Are you sure you want to gamble that you won't become like this?"