Chapter 707: U: The Infinite Event (23)

After sending Zhang Parker back to his original timeline, Peter continued burying himself in his thesis in the laboratory.

At that moment, the Amazing Spider-Man knocked and entered; Peter turned to look at him and asked, "You're back from S. . . . . .? They finally let you go?"

The Amazing Spider-Man sighed, looking exhausted; clearly, Nick's endless curiosity about the multiverse had left him drained—he couldn't count how many questions he'd answered before escaping, and now, back in the lab, he pulled up a chair, slumped onto the lab table, and began complaining to Peter:

"Normally, I only see the director of S. . . . . . when the Avengers have a mission. I never imagined that Nick Fury from your world would…"

The Amazing Spider-Man sighed and said, "He first asked me how to travel between multiverses. I said it's through spider-sense—the spider totem. Then he asked if it was too late for him to get bitten by a spider right now."

"He heard all the Spider-Men across the multiverse are gathered together, and he wants me to bring them all over for a meeting, to ask if they can go to each other's universes to 'do business'—send over villains their worlds don't need so he can put them to work…"

"That's human trafficking—I obviously refused. So he spent two hours talking to me about the necessity of human interstellar colonization and the dangers of labor shortages during colonization. I'm still dizzy from it…"

"Mr. Stark never lets me be alone with Director Nick. He says Nick will corrupt me." Peter pulled up another chair, reading his thesis as he spoke.

The Amazing Spider-Man patted his shoulder and said, "True enough—I almost got convinced myself."

Peter smiled and asked, "What did he say?"

"He said villains left in our universe only threaten public safety, and locking them up is just feeding them for free. Better to send them here—they can still contribute to humanity's leap into the cosmos."

The Amazing Spider-Man propped his chin on his hand, resting his elbow on the table, and said, "I never thought about this before—if humanity really enters the era of interstellar colonization, maybe New York's rent and housing prices would drop?"

"Spider-Man 2099 once told me about his universe, but as far as I know, they haven't entered interstellar colonization either—just have more advanced tech on Earth. Now it seems your universe is developing even faster than theirs." The Amazing Spider-Man spoke with a touch of awe.

"I used to think catching one criminal helped one person—and that's true. But my friends and elders always told me that if I spent the same time in a lab, I could save the whole world." Peter turned a page of his thesis.

The Amazing Spider-Man glanced at the content—dense, obscure theory that even a researcher with years of experience made his eyes blur. He looked again at Peter's youthful face and couldn't help saying, "Maybe they're right…"

"For you, it's never too late. You can choose to be Peter Parker, not Spider-Man." The Amazing Spider-Man turned his head away, but Peter turned to look at him and said, "You too—why not try being Peter Parker while still being Spider-Man?"

The Amazing Spider-Man smiled and said, "You can keep being Peter Parker because others have taken on the duties that should've been yours—your teachers, elders, and friends gave more time and energy so you could stay safely in the lab."

"I work at the lab because I need money—to pay rent and save for Aunt May's pension."

"People told me if I spent my crime-fighting time working, I'd have moved into a new apartment by now. But I don't want to do that."

"If I keep appearing in New York, people facing danger will still have hope—even if I can't save them, they'll still wait for Spider-Man, believing someone still tries to save them."

"I know improving medical tech or inventing more convenient devices might change the world better. But Spider-Man exists only to give those powerless to change their own fate, those always on the brink of danger, a reason to believe tomorrow is possible."

"I know if I focused entirely on research, I might rise higher, win awards, and benefit the world with fame and fortune—but…" The Amazing Spider-Man looked at Peter and said:

"If you walk through the worst streets of Queens after dark, you'll understand—you'd rather see a figure swinging through the air than a scientist. Someone who tells you tonight, your way home is safe. That's why I do this."

"Some try to make the sun never set. Spider-Man just wants you to survive the last night without it." The Amazing Spider-Man's low voice echoed in the room, softer than moonlight.

"What do you think I should do?" Peter asked, looking at the Amazing Spider-Man. "Keep being Peter Parker—or become Spider-Man?"

"You can choose both, Peter. You have infinite possibilities." The Amazing Spider-Man looked into his eyes.

"Yeah, thanks to my friends' efforts, I now have more choices—not just struggling to survive every day." Peter shook his head.

Suddenly, he paused, set down his thesis, stood up, and pressed his hand to his forehead: "Oh my god… what am I doing? I came here to…"

"I need to find Dr. Schiller! I have to confirm he's still alive!" Peter turned to leave, running as he shouted, "I got dragged here by Dr. Otto and almost forgot the real reason!"

"Where are you going?" The Amazing Spider-Man caught up and asked.

"To find Pikachu! He must know where Dr. Schiller went!" Peter ran out, and the Amazing Spider-Man followed, asking, "Pikachu? What's that? Where are you looking for him?"

Peter looked down at his watch and said, "At this time, he's only ever in one place…"

Half an hour later, in an arcade in Hell's Kitchen, Peter grabbed Pikachu by the tail and yanked him away from the machine. Pikachu waved his tiny arms and yelled, "Put me down! I put in two coins!"

"Where's Dr. Schiller?" Peter asked.

"He… went on vacation." Pikachu shouted.

Peter narrowed his eyes—he noticed Pikachu's answer matched Strange's exactly: "vacation," always "vacation."

Peter knew Schiller often took vacations lasting one or two months—it wasn't unusual. But earlier, in Stark's lab, he'd clearly heard Strange come looking for Schiller about something urgent.

When Peter later asked Strange about Schiller's whereabouts, Strange said he was on vacation. But if Schiller was truly on vacation, why would Strange have gone to Stark's lab looking for him? That was clearly inconsistent.

They're hiding something from me.

Peter thought this, grabbed Pikachu's two tiny arms, and pinched his cheeks. "Stop joking—I really need to find him!"

"You… you'd better ask the Sorcerer Supreme," Pikachu dodged, refusing to say where Schiller was. Peter asked for a long time but got nothing.

Peter sighed and finally called Strange. From the background noise, Strange wasn't at the Sanctum Sanctorum—he was at Kamar-Taj.

After explaining his purpose, Strange sighed too and said, "Fine. Stay there. I'll come get you."

"Get me? Where are we going?" Peter asked.

"Kamar-Taj."

Soon, a portal opened above Peter's head. Strange grabbed Peter's arm and stepped through.

As soon as they arrived at Kamar-Taj, Peter looked around, confused. "Why is Dr. Schiller at Kamar-Taj? Is he learning magic?"

"No. He's teaching magic."

After saying that, Strange pulled Peter through Kamar-Taj's grand hall, walked straight back, circled around a mountainside, and entered a building embedded into the mountain.

Through a dim corridor, they reached a room. Strange knocked, opened the door—and Peter saw the familiar face: Schiller.

But Schiller's attire was strange—he wore a black robe with emerald-green and silver patterns on the collar and cuffs. Most striking was the badge pinned to his chest: a silver shield-shaped emblem with a green background and a silver… snake?

Peter felt this image was familiar. Suddenly, his eyes widened, he drew a sharp breath, and exclaimed in shock: "Professor Schiller?? How are you here??!"

"

"We meet again, Peter. Come here—have you learned how to handle slugs properly?"

Peter stared at him, then shifted his gaze to his hands.

In Schiller's hands was a small wooden stick—or, as Peter remembered from his dreams, this object was called—a wand.

As Peter was still reeling in shock, footsteps echoed down the corridor. Another figure entered the room and said to Strange: "Stephen, what's with this paperwork?"

Hearing the familiar voice, Peter turned stiffly. The newcomer wore a white shirt and held a contract. His face was also familiar—it was Schiller too.

Peter quickly turned his head from the wand-wielding Schiller to the contract-holding Schiller, then back again…

Echoing across the Himalayas was Peter's terrified scream:

"How can there be two Dr. Schillers??!"

!

"