Chapter 666

"Look at what you've done! You're the one who told Peter about web-spinning in the first place—now he's spinning webs all over New York, three a day, and the cleaning companies can't keep up!"

"I wanted him to understand the importance of social engineering, not to go out and weave physical webs!"

In front of the floor-to-ceiling windows of Stark's laboratory, Stark and Shi Ler were arguing incessantly; Stark waved his arms and shouted: "You know he's a dumb kid! Why did you feed him such complex ideas? Don't you realize he'll interpret them in completely the wrong way?!"

"Do you really think Peter, with his intelligence, could possibly have interpreted my words as weaving webs all over New York's skyline? Why don't you and Connors give him something useful to do—your research projects, for instance?" Shi Ler retorted.

Connors, innocently dragged into the argument, held up a file and said: "Actually, he hasn't slowed down our research at all—he finished everything in half the usual time, then spent his free hours out spinning webs. I have to say, as a spider, he's quite diligent."

"But he's human!" Stark raised his voice. "Spider-Man isn't a spider—he's a person! Even if he were a spider, he can't be spinning three webs every day over New York! Has he considered how people with arachnophobia feel?!"

Shi Ler looked up toward the nearby web and said: "You know, this web's actually pretty well-made. If my sanatorium had more space, I'd consider bringing one back as decoration…"

He had barely finished speaking when his phone buzzed; he picked it up and said: "Hello? Ultron? … Oh, yes, I'm at Stark Tower. What's wrong?"

"What?! There are webs over the sanatorium? Guests are complaining about unsanitary conditions and demanding refunds?!"

Wait! I'm coming back right now!

Shi Ler hung up, dissolved into a cloud of gray mist, and flew straight back to Arkham Sanatorium; Stark, clad in his armor, followed him. When they arrived, Stark burst out laughing.

Unlike the city center, the suburbs of New York lack tall buildings; using low houses as anchor points for webs creates a problem—the middle sections often collapse and stick everywhere.

Looking at the chaotic sanatorium, Shi Ler took a deep breath—but it wasn't over. Soon, he received another call; Nick Fury said on the line: "Can you guys control that spider kid? The maintenance costs for the air carrier are already astronomical—he's covered the whole place in webs. Is he trying to make the janitorial staff demand raises?!"

"That's the only good thing he's done!" Shi Ler snapped, then hung up. Just as he turned to return to downtown New York to find Peter, Captain America leapt down from the roof and stood before him. "What's going on? What's wrong with Peter? I saw the news—he's spinning webs all over New York, ruining the city's appearance, and the police have been deployed…"

Stark rubbed his chin and said: "Peter's anomalies go beyond this. Since he was nearing high school graduation, he's become unusually hyperactive. JARVIS originally left several access doors on Stark Tower's glass walls—but he keeps smashing through the glass…"

"Today, he ran back and forth in my lab for five or six hours straight, with zero intention of stopping."

Steve added: "I just saw on the news that an hour ago, he took down a bank robbery crew, helped a homeless man move, fixed a street vendor's cart, and even dragged a car blocking a fire lane two blocks away…"

Stark covered his forehead. "He's not powered by a reactor—does he ever get tired?!"

"Sudden hyperactivity can stem from several possibilities…" Shi Ler stood still, arms crossed, analyzing: "First, mental hyperactivity—overactive brain function can cause various hyperactive behaviors. But without psychiatric illness, this state remains limited by physiological constraints; once it passes, the person feels extreme fatigue."

"Normal mental hyperactivity rarely lasts more than six to ten hours. Prolonged states risk bodily harm, after which the brain's self-protection mechanisms trigger overwhelming fatigue, forcing immediate rest."

"Peter's mental and physical strength exceed those of ordinary humans. If we assume the maximum fourfold increase, he should emerge from this hyperactive state in about two days—and won't enter it again for a short while afterward."

"Come on," Stark raised his arm. "Since his high school graduation, it's been nearly two months—he's still like this."

"Another possibility: drugs that stimulate the body can produce the same effect. If the dosage is high enough, the duration can be extended," Shi Ler said.

"But even then, how could it last nearly two months? And why would Peter take stimulants just to perform stunts over New York and cover the city in webs?" Steve asked, baffled.

Suddenly, Stark recalled his earlier conversation with Connors in the lab. "Peter was bitten by a spider. We still don't know what effects that bite actually had on him."

"On the surface, his strength increased, his thinking became sharper, and he gained spider-sense. But could there be other effects?"

"Like what?" Shi Ler asked.

"JARVIS, pull up spider behavioral data. Let me see… Wait, it's August, right? Oh my god, look at this!"

Stark pressed a button on his arm; a holographic projection appeared in midair. Shi Ler and Steve stepped beside him to view it. The text read:

"Many spiders breed during the hottest part of summer, around August and September. Ma Lei spiders begin spinning webs in advance and perform courtship displays; female spiders…"

The three exchanged glances. Shi Ler and Steve turned to Stark. Shi Ler said: "Don't tell me Peter's going through a mating season like a spider?"

"It fits too well, doesn't it?" Stark grew more convinced. "His acrobatics over New York? That's likely a courtship dance. And his constant web-spinning? That's probably how Ma Lei spiders display their mating advantages…"

Steve covered his forehead. "This is absurd—he was just bitten by a spider. How could he…"

Stark snorted. "Peter always sides with you, but you've never paid attention to him. Have you never noticed his fighting stances? They're incredibly spider-like."

As he spoke, Stark pressed another button; the projection switched to footage of Peter in combat—some from surveillance cameras capturing his vigilante actions in New York, others from sparring sessions with Stark's powered armor.

Peter had completely shed his earlier clumsy fighting style. He no longer ran and jumped, swinging fists wildly. Now, his dodges and strikes were methodical, disciplined.

The only issue: his fighting technique didn't match any known martial art. It resembled a self-invented style—he often moved on all fours, hugging the ground, then leapt high; sometimes he silently climbed onto an enemy's head and dropped down, wrapping his arms around their neck.

It looked less like human combat, more like an animal—or specifically, a spider.

"For the past two years, I've been tracking his growth," Stark pressed another button; footage of Peter began playing. "At first, his strength and speed weren't that extreme—barely on par with you."

Stark turned to Steve, who shrugged without denying it. Stark continued: "But as he neared adulthood, his speed, strength, and reflexes became increasingly extraordinary."

"I tested him with powered armor, but couldn't determine his strength limit—the armor's materials couldn't withstand it. In other words, current human materials science can't produce anything capable of resisting his physical power. That's terrifying."

"His reaction speed should've been the easiest to measure—but I discovered that when he's fully focused, his reactions aren't reactions at all. They're more like precognition."

"We can't test how far ahead he senses danger, because every test breaks the previous record. Undeniably, Peter's mind is developing—but far slower than his physical power."

"He's a good kid," Steve said, moved. "In all my years, among all the people I've met, he's among the very best. I believe he'll use this power wisely…"

"The question is: where is this anomaly coming from?" Shi Ler frowned, thinking. "I think we shouldn't provoke him yet. People in hyperactive states often become aggressive. If Spider-Man truly loses control, it'll be a disaster…"

"But if we don't get him to submit to a medical exam, how can we figure out why he's suddenly so hyper?" Stark asked.

"I suggest we consult someone with experience in this area—like…" Shi Ler pulled out his phone, dialed, and said: "Dr. Connors, we need to speak with you…"

Ten minutes later, Shi Ler, Stark, and Steve stood before Connors, who was still absorbed in his paper. Without looking up, he said: "First, I was never bitten by a lizard."

"But you're an animal gene-modified subject—don't you ever…"

"I don't," Connors sighed, standing. "The goal of animal gene modification is to eliminate harmful traits and retain only the beneficial ones."

"For example, my lizard experiments were based on the lizard's ability to regenerate limbs—just as you see now…" Connors rolled up his sleeve. Stark stared in shock: a large portion of his missing arm had regrown, indistinguishable from the original.

"To avoid repeating past accidents, I've proceeded conservatively. If I'd used the most efficient method, I'd already have a fully regenerated arm." Connors spoke calmly, without emotion—but everyone understood the implication: once perfected, humans would no longer suffer from limb loss.

"If we fail to eliminate harmful traits, the result is what I was before—covered in scales, a cold-blooded beast, devoid of humanity, driven only by instinct. That's not who I want to be. That's why I keep refining."

156n.

"So your mutation was strictly selected and controlled," Stark understood. "That supports my earlier theory: Peter's bite was completely random, uncontrolled by any experiment. He may not have inherited only the beneficial spider traits—he may have inherited some animal instincts too."

"But isn't his 'animal instinct' oddly mild?" Steve asked. "I remember you said when you turned into a lizard, you destroyed half your tower."

"Could it be that Peter's too nice? The wildest thing he imagines might just be doing stunts over New York and spinning webs everywhere?" Shi Ler suggested.

Stark and Steve exchanged glances. It sounded absurd—but when applied to Peter, it wasn't impossible.

"Alright, it seems Dr. Connors can't offer us advice. Let's call the next person."

"Next person? Who else?"

Ten minutes later, Natasha's furious voice echoed through S. . . . . . headquarters:

"I'm not a spider!"

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