The talkative raven in the world of American comics

Chapter 19: Good News and Bad News

He felt both regret and joy.

What I regret is why I ended up in such a mess.

Just being a boss who doesn't want to die is already exhausting; I don't know how much energy I've spent trying to keep him alive!

In the end, you'll still be misunderstood by others.

Oh, you're so great, so aloof, so self-important, unwilling to do human experiments.

what about me?

These tasks still ended up on my shoulders, while the other party only lost their job.

As a laborer, what he hates most is when someone else's work is not done well and ends up in his hands, leaving him to clean up the mess!

If any problems or troubles arise during the wrap-up process, he will only have one thought.

That's the other party's problem.

If you hadn't done things wrong, I wouldn't have had to suffer like this!

This is true.

He encountered an accident during his subsequent human experimentation.

From the very beginning, lizard serum easily allowed disabled veterans to regrow new limbs.

Just as he witnessed this as a harbinger of a miraculous success, an accident occurred.

The appearance of the first experimental subjects to be injected took a bizarre turn.

Because the serum's main component is lizard genes, the patients who underwent the experiment developed lizard-like characteristics, and their appearance began to be replaced by that of monsters.

He still remembers it as a riot.

A monster-themed carnival riot.

Unfortunately, he was captured by one of the lizard monsters during his escape.

It seemed to still retain a sliver of will, picking up the last remaining serum and pouring it into his mouth.

Let him become one of these monsters.

"You deceived us, but you won't get away with it so easily."

Unlike their injections, he was force-fed a mouthful of serum.

From a scientific perspective, injections allow the body to absorb nutrients better, while oral administration is not as effective.

He didn't care whether it was subconscious or factual; he only knew that the scalding liquid had flowed down his throat and into his body, causing his cells to ignite and explode like wild grass meeting fire.

The mutation process was painful, and it was also the reason he began to regret his actions.

Since it's not just about regret, then all that's left is happiness.

The lizard serum made him feel like he was using drugs, even though he had never used it before.

If you've ever used this serum, you'll know it's even more addictive than drugs.

......

"Experimental subject: Dr. Dara Irfan."

"Body temperature 89.7 degrees Fahrenheit... stable for twelve hours. Blood analysis shows that the lymphocyte and monocyte data contain information from the previous subject..."

"Blood clotting speed increases rapidly, and muscle response, strength, and flexibility all show significant improvements..."

"The body's craving for serum continues to rise."

"This is not about finding a cure for disease...this is the beginning of the birth of a new species."

A glint of green flashed in Dara's eyes as he pointed the camera further at him:

"I need more lizard serum..."

After saying that, he stuck the lizard serum he had prepared into his neck. The pain from the needle piercing his skin was negligible; instead, he felt a pleasure as if he were floating on clouds.

As he gasped for breath, the television next to him began playing the audio and video of the channel he had selected earlier.

"Around 10 a.m. this morning, an incident occurred at Brooklyn Veterans Affairs Hospital. Any news circulating outside about monsters is merely speculation. According to the police investigation, they were simply ingesting a hallucinogenic drug that causes people to see monsters."

"But we can be certain of one thing: someone was present at the crime scene, and he seemed to have planned it all along, taking those patients who had taken hallucinogens... We have reason to suspect that he is the prime suspect in this incident."

"That's why I applied for an arrest warrant today to hunt down the so-called masked champions of justice..."

Spider-Man.

Dara, no, it seems more appropriate to call him Dr. Lizard at this moment.

It approached the television set, its sharp, menacing fingertips slowly gliding across the screen.

"A lowly genetic product, Spider-Man."

......

......

......

"Alright, Mr. Parker, I can see you still want to argue with me, but since Gwen seems to have something to say to you, I think perhaps you can talk to her first and then talk to me, and I can talk to Gwen properly after I've finished talking to you, so we can have a good talk about your sustainable relationship."

After the three men made different requests to talk in unison, the order of their conversations was quickly arranged by Inspector George Stacy.

After hearing what her father said next, Gwen glared at him unhappily.

"Come on, Peter, let's go get some fresh air," she said.

Peter remained silent, while Oz had already devoured the lemon sea bass on his plate.

Fortunately, he wasn't very hungry; the argument with George had already made him feel about 70-80% full.

Upon hearing Gwen's request, he first nodded to the girl, then looked at George, who was seated at the head of the table.

His good upbringing told him that he had to apologize for the unpleasant conversation first.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to nitpick..."

George picked up his water glass and took a sip. "It's okay, as long as you don't kiss my daughter or anything later."

"Hey!"

"dad!"

"..."

Peter forced an awkward smile and left the house with Gwen.

We arrived at the rooftop.

Gwen first walked alone to the railing near the outer perimeter and took a deep breath of the tranquil night air.

"That was really embarrassing," she said with her back to Peter.

Peter, head down, slowly approached her and joked, "At least your father didn't arrest me on the spot."

"How could he! I won't let him do that!" Gwen puffed out her cheeks and said seriously.

Peter smiled. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean for my conversation with your father to end like this..."

"I know."

"......"

The momentary tranquility calmed Peter's chaotic emotions considerably. He and Gwen leaned against the railing, gazing at the city's neon-lit cityscape.

"This place is beautiful," he said.

"Yeah, I always like to come here to clear my head when I'm in a bad mood... Of course, I'm not saying I'm in a bad mood right now, okay, actually a little bit... but it's none of your business!"

Gwen's little mouth was chattering, and she looked incredibly cute, which made Peter's lips involuntarily curl up.

Peter turned to Gwen. "I know you have a lot of questions, and I really want to explain them to you... but... you know, it's hard to say."

"It's alright," Gwen said gently. "We'll take it slow."

"I......"

Peter looked at the girl's delicate face as she gazed at him, and suddenly felt that the night view he had just seen wasn't so beautiful after all.

Because there are things more beautiful than city nightscapes.

For example, her eyes.

"uh-huh?"

Gwen was still waiting for Peter to say something.

Peter struggled internally, many thoughts swirling within him, but in the end, they all boiled down to a single idea.

That is--

Kiss him, Parker.

Peter unconsciously licked his lips, a gesture that was naturally noticed by the girl who was standing close by. Her fingers, which were clasped behind her back, clenched involuntarily, but her eyes remained fixed on Peter's eyes.

"I......"

The two people were like a magnet; although there was a distance between them, their positions gradually drew them towards each other.

The two heads were about to touch.

An untimely voice rang out.

"You're being so hesitant about even a simple kiss; the opportunity is already gone, Parker."

A red-eyed raven appeared between the two heads at some point, pressing its wings against their foreheads.

Oz's appearance quickly pulled them away, and they returned to their initial reserved demeanor.

"Damn it, why do you always like to show up like this?!" Gwen was very annoyed by Oz's behavior.

"Do you want to know why?" Oz asked.

"No, not at all!"

"Because I am—wait, why don't you want to?! Think of something! Tell me, I'm so frustrated!"

"Okay, okay! Why?"

"Because I am Raven Knight!"

"..."

Gwen's lips twitched. "You're definitely the most bizarre crow I've ever met in my life."

"whee!"

Peter knew Oz's sudden appearance couldn't be anything good, so he immediately asked:

"What's wrong?"

Oz glanced at him and said, "I have bad news and good news. Which do you want to hear?"

Oz and Peter's conversation was not a private exchange, and Gwen, who was standing next to them, overheard it clearly. Before Peter could react, the girl made the decision for him.

"The bad things come to those who suffer first and then enjoy the good."

Oz glanced at Peter, who nodded.

"Well, these young people, whose plans are still far from being finalized, are already declaring their ownership."

"screw you!"

Listen carefully.

"The bad news is that Dr. Connors, whom you've been worried about, has finally appeared, and he looks exactly like you imagined."

Peter immediately became anxious and asked, "Where is he now?"

Gwen naturally knew who Dr. Connors was, and seeing Peter's anxious expression, she comforted him:

"Don't rush, it hasn't brought good news yet."

Oz stood on the railing next to them, tilting his head to look at Gwen:

"Are you his mother?"

"I......"

Gwen blushed with anger at these words and clenched her fists.

"And another piece of good news?" Peter patted Gwen's little hand, signaling her not to bother with this dead raven.

"The good news is that Dr. Lizard isn't actually him."

"What?"

"It's probably because two lizard doctors appeared."

Peter was shocked by this "good news".

"Both ends?!"

"right."

"This is good news?!"

"Why not? Isn't it good news that Connors didn't turn into the traditional villainous Dr. Lizard?"

Peter was so angry at Oz's words that he became agitated and paced back and forth on the rooftop like a headless fly, muttering to himself.

"No, no, if Connors knew about today's news, he wouldn't have injected himself with lizard serum... Someone must have forced him to do it! But who is the other lizard monster? The remaining personnel from the Veterans Affairs hospital? Impossible, I'm sure I've cleaned everything up, leaving no monster behind... Who could it be?"

"Honestly, while you're spinning around like a top, why don't you go to the Osborne Building and see for yourself? It's been reported in the news."

"What?!"

Peter immediately loosened his suit tie, revealing the red and blue spider uniform underneath.

He seemed to have forgotten that a girl named Gwen was still beside him, and when she saw his action, she widened her eyes and covered her cherry-like mouth.

"You're Spider-Man!?"

Peter froze, glancing awkwardly at Gwen.

"I'm sorry... I..."

"No wonder you argued so fiercely with Dad..." Gwen murmured, "No wonder..."

Oz leaned close to Peter's ear, "Looks like she's found out our little secret, should we... hmm?"

He made a throat-slitting gesture.

Peter immediately punched Oz.

He explained to Gwen, "I'll explain everything to you, but I have more important things to do right now, so I'm sorry."

So Peter started taking off his clothes in front of the girl.

Oz and Gwen: "..."

Gwen reached out and brushed aside the raven's wings that were blocking her view, asking, "What exactly happened, and what does this have to do with you?"

Peter straightened his clothes, took the spider mask from Oz, put it on, and his voice began to sound muffled.

"It's complicated, but I assure you, I will explain it to you clearly."

After saying that, he threw his clothes on the ground and jumped off the rooftop. The crow, standing gracefully on the railing, fell backward and disappeared as well.

Gwen was left alone on the rooftop, bewildered in the wind.

Gwen picked up Peter's suit that he had carelessly thrown on the ground, glanced back in disbelief at the spot where Peter and Oz had disappeared, and then turned her head away.

The appearance of a talking crow was already a bit hard to accept.

Now......

Gwen sighed and shook her head.

"I must be crazy."

When she returned to her house with the clothes in her arms, her father George was nowhere to be seen. Her mother was washing dishes in the kitchen, and her two younger brothers were doing their homework.

The seemingly beautiful scene did not improve her mood much.

"Hey sis, where's your boyfriend?"

Gwen glanced at her brother.

The younger brother promptly shut up and continued doing his homework.

After Gwen put Peter's suit in her room, she went to her brother and asked:

Where did Dad go?

"I don't know. He just received a phone call and left. It seemed to be work-related."

Thinking about what had just happened, Gwen returned to her room, turned on her computer, and began searching for news and information about the current situation.

She hadn't been searching for long when she saw a live news report.

With a few light clicks of the mouse, the webpage was quickly accessed.

"Just now, we received an update: the New York City Police Department is ordering all residents and vehicles located south of 54th Street to evacuate. If you are south of 54th Street, please leave immediately!"

"You want to know why? Because two large lizards got into a fight on the street near the Osborne Building!"

In the scene, two green-skinned lizard monsters are wrestling on a city road. One of them is wearing a tattered white coat and is much smaller than the other lizard monster.

However, regardless of the circumstances, they are still much larger than ordinary people, truly resembling monsters.

Am I really not dreaming?

she says.