New York's evening carried a captivating charm, the lingering glow of the sunset spilling across the bustling city like a glamorous beauty reluctant to leave.
Harry returned home in low spirits, his head hanging as though he had suffered some tremendous blow. His rather handsome young face was filled with despondency.
For some time now, Osborn Industries' stock price had been falling steadily. As the Green Goblin incident came to light, public opinion had turned overwhelmingly against them, and people poured their anger onto Osborn Industries. It would not have been a major issue if they had handled the crisis PR properly, but his father had shut himself away, seemingly unconcerned about the company's crisis. He stayed in his room all day and refused to see anyone.
With no one in command, Osborn Industries had now reached a perilous state. Harry had heard that many shareholders on the Board of Directors were secretly contacting Wall Street bankers, preparing to break up and restructure the massive corporation involved in biotechnology, energy technology, and many other fields in order to reap enormous profits.
Harry knew all of this and was terribly anxious, yet he had no way of resolving Osborn Industries' troubles. Then, at just this time, the young master of the Osborn family discovered that his girlfriend seemed to share some ambiguous feelings with his best friend, Peter.
The double blow left Harry dispirited and deeply depressed. On one hand, the business empire his father had spent half his life building was in danger of collapsing; on the other, his best friend of many years had an unclear relationship with the girl he loved. These tangled problems had thoroughly scrambled his mind.
If only Sean were here, Harry thought as he dragged his weary body along.
Sean had been elusive lately, nowhere to be found. Even Gwen, who was usually often seen walking with him, had no idea what he had been busy with. With no trusted friend to vent his frustrations to, Harry could only return home in a daze.
Meanwhile, in the upstairs bedroom, Norman Osborn, who had locked himself away, held his head in both hands with a face full of agony. It was as though a terrifying demon lived inside his mind, constantly whispering to him.
The grotesque demon helmet hung on a chair, like another self of Norman Osborn. An evil voice lingered and echoed in his ears—
"Perhaps Spider-Man is unbeatable, but we can destroy Peter Parker!" Not long ago, Norman had discovered Spider-Man's true identity: his son's friend, Peter Parker.
"I can't do it..." The president of Osborn Industries seemed to be enduring immense pain.
"I will never tolerate betrayal. He must be taught a lesson!" The voice in his mind grew increasingly harsh.
Norman trembled all over. After a long silence, he turned to look at the grotesque demon helmet and asked, "What should I do?"
"Teach him what pain and loss are. Make him suffer. Make him wish he were dead!"
Norman dropped to his knees before the demon helmet, as though yielding to another, evil self. The voice in his mind became clear. "Start with someone he cares about—the red-haired girl, Peter Parker's beloved!"
The Green Goblin's evil personality completely gained the upper hand, taking control of Norman Osborn's consciousness and body. He put on the grotesque demon helmet and freely unleashed the violence and negative emotions within him.
"Tonight, New York is mine to rule!"
The night breeze blew gently as Sean strolled down the street with Gwen, carrying bags upon bags of purchases. Neon lights flashed with dazzling brilliance, and colorful billboards reflected the prosperity and bustle of New York's streets.
After finishing a busy day, Sean had originally planned to head straight home. However, he ran into Gwen on the way as she was preparing for a major shopping trip. At the girl's invitation, he picked up a pile of snacks, drinks, and comic books as well. The little girl at home had been very well-behaved lately, so she deserved an appropriate reward.
"I live with my cousin from Canada. Her parents died in a car accident, and she has no other relatives, so she could only come to me. A child that young would be too pitiful if she were sent to an orphanage."
Sean explained without changing expression, even allowing a trace of compassion to show in his eyes, as though he were saddened by his cousin's tragic background. Such exquisite acting could easily have earned him an Oscar Little Golden Man.
"You know, I lost my parents when I was very young too. Every time I see Mindy, it feels like I'm seeing my younger self."
Sean sighed, a look of grief appearing on his face as though he had recalled some painful memory. Gwen, standing beside him, felt both sympathy and admiration. Despite all the misfortunes he had suffered in life, this young man had not gone astray. Instead, he faced life positively. It was truly admirable!
Seeing that Gwen completely believed his story, Sean quietly breathed a sigh of relief. Surely, this warm and generous blonde girl would no longer secretly investigate his family circumstances.
Because Sean had put on a romantic hero-saves-the-damsel performance at the carnival, Gwen had been paying close attention to him ever since. On the contrary, she felt nothing for Peter, whom she should have been with, and their relationship remained that of ordinary friends.
Whenever Sean encountered the young and inexperienced Spider-Man, he felt as though he had stolen the other man's girl. But given his personality, he naturally felt no guilt over it.
"Oh, right. What have you been doing with Dr. Connors lately? I can barely find you anywhere these days." Carrying a pile of ingredients and CD movies, the girl asked curiously.
"Dr. Connors found the formula for the Decay Rate Algorithm, but we still can't resolve the incompatibility and rejection between biological genes. That's what he and I have been working on lately."
Sean spoke in a relaxed tone. He had given the Decay Rate Algorithm formula to Connors precisely because he wanted to rely on the other man's scientific research abilities to complete this historically groundbreaking experimental project.
Gwen covered her little mouth in surprise. She had not expected Sean, who had only recently become an intern, to already be deeply involved in the experimental process. For a student who had not even graduated yet, it was practically unbelievable.
The two strolled through New York's bustling streets, chatting about amusing things that had happened at school. They occasionally spoke of the complicated relationship between Harry, Peter, and Mary Jane. Before they knew it, the cheerful atmosphere had become somewhat delicate, and a faint, ambiguous tension spread between them.
"Um... Sean!"
Gwen suddenly called out to the young man walking ahead of her. The lively and beautiful blonde girl wore an innocent, youthful shyness at that moment. Even Sean, who usually remained composed, could not help but pause slightly.
Just as Gwen had gathered her emotions and was about to confess her feelings, a shrill police siren tore through the night sky. Several patrol cars forced their way through the crowded traffic and sped toward the nearby Brooklyn Bridge.
"Looks like something happened."
Sean narrowed his eyes. With his sharp vision, he saw a massive crane operating on the Brooklyn Bridge, and what appeared to be a school bus hanging beyond the bridge.
In the hazy night sky, a figure flew up and down, while two tiny points of fire flickered.
That was... the Green Goblin?
A faint curve rose at the corner of Sean's mouth. Seeing the school bus suspended high in the air by the crane on the Brooklyn Bridge, he vaguely guessed what was happening.
Was the real show about to begin?
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