ตอน 68: Chapter 68: In The News
If it weren't for the fact that the lizard people could be turned back into humans, Maverick wouldn't have held back.
It's much harder and more exhausting to knock them out without killing them.
Dr. Connors regained consciousness, his right arm once again missing.
"Oh my God! What have I done? I almost endangered so many people!" Realizing his actions, Dr. Connors covered his face in agony and remorse.
Had he not been stopped, the chaos in New York would have been unimaginable and terrifying.
"Luckily, nothing catastrophic happened. Dr. Connors, please be more cautious with your experiments next time," Peter advised.
"I understand. Thank you both so much. I nearly committed an irreversible mistake," Dr. Connors expressed his heartfelt gratitude and apologies to Peter and Maverick.
"We'll keep this matter confidential and hope you learn from this experience." Maverick replied, feeling exhausted.
Dr. Connors felt deeply ashamed upon hearing this.
"Alright, your wife and child are waiting for you at home. Let me take you back," Maverick said.
Maverick then prepared to lead Dr. Connors out through a passage.
"I'll leave the rest of these citizens to you, Spider-Man. Since you arrived late, you'll have to handle this," Maverick said, waving to Peter as he led Dr. Connors into the passage.
Peter sighed and rubbed his forehead, looking at the crowd, "That guy sure knows how to slack off."
He then shot a web and pulled a camera from a hidden spot.
"Got a $1,000 photo. Tonight, I'll tell my aunt the good news," Peter thought to himself as he put away the camera and film.
Earlier today, he saw Aunt May worrying about the bills. She had never mentioned it to him.
Feeling guilty for only thinking about buying things, Peter decided to use the $1,000 to pay the bills and treat Aunt May to a nice dinner with the leftover money.
Over the years, Aunt May had cared for him like a mother, and now that he was grown, it was time to repay her.
As he silently made this resolution, he began waking up the people around him one by one, guiding them to follow him out of the passage.
With the situation resolved, Peter felt a sense of relief. Thankfully, no major chaos or casualties had occurred.
After today, everything would return to normal, and the Lizard would become a true urban legend.
The photos Peter took became the headline the next day, sparking a lively discussion about the Lizard.
However, since no further incidents occurred, the discussion died down after a few days.
One morning, after Maverick and Venom finished their breakfast, the day's newspaper was delivered to their doorstep.
Venom brought the newspaper inside and, as usual, started clearing the dishes and washing them in the kitchen, while Maverick sat on the sofa and began browsing through the paper.
The front page was no longer about the Lizard but about the Venom symbol, which had gained attention over time.
It seemed the media had moved on from the Lizard incident as it no longer generated profit, focusing instead on what they saw as the next big story: Venom.
Recently, whenever Maverick went out to punish criminals, he left the Venom symbol behind. After some time, it had caught the public's eye.
Unsurprisingly, the headline painted him as a deranged killer. The media argued that even though he targeted only criminals, it was still a disregard for life and a mockery of the law.
Seeing this, Maverick turned on the TV. To his surprise, J. Jonah Jameson was on the air early, reporting not on Spider-Man but on the recently infamous Venom.
"This Venom is undoubtedly a deranged killer, probably just escaped from an asylum."
"Although my colleagues repeatedly warn me against provoking a murderous demon, I must speak for the people of New York. I am not afraid of being targeted."
"Finally, I want to address the police department on behalf of New York citizens. I hope they can better use taxpayer money instead of spending it all on donuts, letting the city fall into the hands of two masked thugs."
"One Spider-Man already makes New York dangerous; now there's a psychotic killer. May heaven protect New York and help its citizens quickly escape the shadow of these masked lunatics."
Watching Jameson frown and speak with grave concern, Maverick couldn't help but grin. If he weren't Venom himself, he'd probably be quite anxious about New York's future.
"No wonder the Daily Bugle's sales and ratings are soaring. This old man is great at selling anxiety," Maverick said to Venom, who had just finished washing the dishes and walked into the living room.
Venom glanced at the TV dismissively. "He's always been like this. Now he has another topic besides Spider-Man."
"I don't mind. His propaganda might actually lower the crime rate. No one wants to lose their head," Maverick chuckled.
"Besides, I really did kill those people. The scarier and crazier they make me seem, the better."
"Maybe finding your little snacks will get harder," Maverick teased Venom.
Venom bared his teeth in mockery. "I'm not worried. Human nature won't change. No matter how much the crime rate drops, there will always be people willing to commit crimes for profit. As long as humans exist, my snacks won't disappear."
Maverick nodded in agreement. "Well said. Just don't come crying to me for chocolate if you can't find heads to munch on."
Feeling irritated, Venom plopped onto the sofa and started chomping on chocolate. This time, it seemed he imagined the chocolate was Jameson's tough little head, biting down with a crunch that made Maverick's teeth ache just listening to it.
°°°
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