Just when Venom was considering switching hosts, Eddie moved in at that moment. Venom developed an allergic reaction, throwing up and suffering from bouts of diarrhea every day until Thor discovered him.
At this, Peter looked at Venom in considerable confusion, saying, "Allergies??? Aliens can have allergies?!?!"
Clutching at his throat, Venom replied, "I suspect I might be allergic to low-intelligence people, bleh..."
Spider Man and Thor shared a glance as Venom dry heaved again, saying, "Ever since he moved here, it has gotten severe because there are so many unintelligent people around here."
"Especially after moving next to you!!!" Venom opened his mouth wide, yelling at Thor, "You have no brains at all!!! You, my deadly allergen, stay away!!!"
"Who are you calling brainless?!"
Seeing a fight brewing, Matt once again tried to placate the situation, "Alright, since you're not feeling well, why don't you go back first? I have some questions for your host."
After a tense standoff with Thor, the black goo (Venom) retracted back into Eddie's body. He clutched his head as he sat up on the couch, noticing that everyone was staring at him intensely, he shook his head and asked, "What's going on? Who are you two?"
"I remember two black figures trying to kill me, they looked like animated ninjas..."
"Well, they were ninjas indeed."
Then, Matt explained the current situation to Eddie.
Eddie slapped his forehead, saying, "Is that so?"
"...If they do indeed have a reason to kill me, it must be because I pissed off Drake, the boss of Life Foundation."
"If you're sure you haven't pissed anyone else off recently, then this might indeed be the case."
"You've offended the boss of the Life Foundation, but the Hand Union are the ones trying to kill you, which suggests that they might be working together."
Matt sat thoughtfully in his seat and then analyzed the situation, "If there is something that can link the Foundation and the Hand Society together, it must be the Eternity Factor Potions."
"We found out that the Hand Union recently fell out with Kingpin, possibly because Kingpin sold a batch of Eternity Factor Potions to the Hand Union. However, the business deal went south, leading to bad blood between them. Is this somehow linked to the Life Foundation?"
Matt tapped his cane on the floor and declared, "Looks like we have a new investigative target. We need to figure out what the connection is between Kingpin, the Hand Union, and the Life Foundation."
Eddie coughed hard and offered, "I... I have a plan."
The rest of them turned their attention to Eddie, who clenched his teeth and said, "You can't possibly think I'll just sit back and take it, right? They cost me my job and even attempted to assassinate me..."
His face was grim, but his words were clear, "I saw in that file, the Life Foundation was using homeless people for human experiments, and they were currently collecting volunteers for the Eternal Life experiments."
Eddie, panting heavily and appearing exhausted, continued in a smooth tone, "We could enlist as volunteers and infiltrate the Life Foundation base to see what they're up to."
Eddie's tone was incredibly cool, raspy and deep. He added, "Aside from me and Drake who've had previous contact, you three should fit the requirements for volunteers. Thor could pose as a homeless man, this kid," gesturing, "looks young enough to fit the vulnerable groups they're looking for, and as for you..."
Eddie turned to Matt, "You're blind, which also puts you among the vulnerable. The Life Foundation has experimented on the blind before."
"Regardless of which one of you makes it in, we can coordinate our efforts to defeat whatever organisations you guys are after. They're bound to have useful information from the Foundation."
"There's also a backup plan. Recently, Drake has been in the spotlight and has done quite a few media appearances. I can get intel on his whereabouts from my journalist friends - worst-case scenario, we kidnap him."
"Also, the Life Foundation researcher who contacted my ex-girlfriend informed her that the Life Foundation has been caught up in some legal issues recently. That could serve as another lead."
"Plus, the Eternity Factor Potions come from vampires. I've met a few cops who dealt with the vampire invasion while I was reporting on it. We could…"
He suggested seven or eight plans rapidly without missing a beat, using any and all leads he'd discovered. Once he'd finished, there was a minute of silence.
Matt looked at Eddie and asked, "Were you really a journalist before?"
"Of course, I…" Eddie said, before suddenly hesitating. He wasn't sure why he could come up with so many plans so quickly. "These ideas just popped into my head. I don't know why..."
"It looks like you have quite a knack for this." Matt remarked.
"Actually, I think the first plan is the most feasible," Peter offered. "One of us is bound to be chosen as a volunteer if all three of us apply, right? We can just make ourselves look pitiful if it comes to it."
"I think the first and second plans could run simultaneously." Matt was more cautious, "Getting into the Life Foundation to get the data and clues is important, but keeping an eye on Drake is also crucial. If he directly contacts the Hand Union, we'd know their exact intentions."
"The three of you can go apply as volunteers. I'll keep an eye on Drake." Eddie proposed.
"Can you really handle it?" Peter asked Eddie, "Someone once told me that surveillance and counter-surveillance isn't something anyone can do. If you've not had professional training, there's a high risk of you being discovered during the stakeout."
Matt agreed, "And not to mention you're being hunted down by the Hand Union. Wouldn't investigating Drake be just like walking into a trap?"
Eddie faltered for a second. He wasn't sure where his sudden confidence had come from, but then a voice in his head spoke up, "Tell them you can do it."
Eddie jumped up from the couch in surprise and began to look around warily, asking, "What voice? Who are you?!"
"I'm about to die from your stupidity, can't you realize it's me already?"
"I..."
" I'm Venom, and there's no use in asking anything else. Your brain wouldn't comprehend it. Just tell them that you can do it."
Eddie froze in place, wondering if he was losing his mind. But despite his doubts, he found himself automatically replying, "Trust me, I can do this."
And then, as the others watched, his facial muscles twitched slightly. His demeanor changed dramatically, becoming cold, detached, and alarming. He spoke in a low voice:
"Because I'm Eddie Brock."
"Hello? Annie, it's me, Eddie, Eddie Brock, don't hang up just yet. Give me three minutes. I've got something really important to tell you."
"Yesterday, I was attacked by two unidentified assassins, and I am now on the run. There's evidence suggesting a possible involvement of Drake, the CEO of the Life Foundation who I previously interviewed."
"The assassins who attacked me belong to a mysterious organization called Hand Union. The people investigating this organization saved me, and they told me Hand Union and the Life Foundation might be brewing a major conspiracy."
"The reason I called you is because I need your help. I need more information about Drake."
"I know I owe you an apology, I shouldn't have snooped through your stuff on your computer, but things have escalated to this point. They've sent killers after me, and I won't have a moment's peace until I deal with this trouble."
"So, I was hoping you could give me any information you might have. You don't have to answer me right away. Take care of yourself. Goodbye."
Eddie hung up the phone, staring blankly at it. After a few seconds of stunned silence, he covered his eyes, muttering, "God! How could I have spoken to Annie like that! She'll think I've lost my mind…"
"What was I saying? I told her my name is Eddie Brock…" Eddie took a deep breath, saying, "Who do I think I am, FBI Agent?"
"It's very clear you have no understanding of a woman's heart." Venom's voice echoed in Eddie's brain. Just as Eddie was about to argue back, his phone rang. It was Annie's anxious voice on the other end:
"Eddie, are you okay? Are you really being hunted? Where are you? Hello? Answer me, you should call the police…"
"Calling the police won't do any good, Annie. The police can't handle the assassins from Hand Union. Their last partner was Kingpin, the controller of the whole East Coast Crime Empire. They've got their eyes on me, so I need to leave here for a while…"
"Wait! Eddie!" Annie's voice came through the phone, incredulous. "Eddie, if your voice hadn't stayed the same, I might have thought you weren't you. You've never spoken to me in such a calm tone before."
"Listen, I also know the Life Foundation isn't some righteous organization. The legal disputes they've asked me to handle for them are related to human experimentation. But them sending assassins after you? That's a little hard for me to believe. Nevertheless, if that's really the case, you'd better hide right away."
Annie, the elite lawyer she was, sounded anxious, but her thought process was still clear. She said, "I'm aware that Drake isn't a good person, but my boss asked me to defend him. That's how the legal world works. We don't consider our clients' views."
"But personally, I really support you punching him. The reason I got so angry later was because you invaded my privacy and did whatever you wanted without even talking to me about it first. I was angry because you didn't trust me, and you took matters into your own hands impulsively…"
"Annie, I'm running short on time. We'll talk about us later."
There was silence on the other end. After a pause, Annie let out a sigh and finally said: "The Life Foundation researcher Dora who was coordinating with me is a bit fickle. During our private conversations, she complained to me that her boss was too indifferent and only chased after profits."
"She once revealed that she didn't want to work for Drake anymore. I can give you her contact information. She should have the information you're looking for."
There was no response on the phone, and Annie asked, "Eddie, are you okay? Eddie! Answer me... Are you in danger? "
"No, I'm not." After a while, Eddie's voice came through. Annie heard his voice, somber, as he said: "When I've gotten rid of these troubles, I'll come and sort out the things between us... if I'm still alive by then."
Annie heard the busy tone on the phone when he hung up. She took a deep breath and tossed her phone on the bed. Leaning against the head of the bed, she relied her eyes, in pain.
"Eddie, I wish you could have been this calm earlier." Annie murmured softly.
After hanging up the phone, Eddie was also out of breath, muttering to himself: "She gave me useful information so easily. What were we arguing about earlier?"
"You really think she was so mad at you before because she supported Drake, and that's why you two broke up?"
Eddie opened his mouth, Venom continued in his mind, "You deserved to get dumped, obviously. All she wanted was for you to explain, for you to calm down and talk to her. To tell her why you were doing this. But you said nothing."
Just as Eddie was about to argue back, his cell phone vibrated. Annie had sent him a text message. On it was the contact information for Dora, the Life Foundation researcher.
That night, in front of an apartment in the Manhattan Area, Dora was trying to find her access card in her bag. A shadowy figure was standing at the end of the alley. The street light cast a long shadow in front of him, with the shape of a dark blade cutting across the bricks of the alley walls.
"What the hell is this?" Eddie looked down at his palm. There was a layer of black armor on the back of his hand. He turned to look at the window of the adjacent apartment building, his reflection staring back at him.
At that moment, Eddie was wearing a dark battlesuit. The suit was overall black with a soft inner lining and a thin outer layer of armor. He even had a cape on.
Eddie's head was completely wrapped in mechanical armor and on his chest was a bat-like symbol, surrounded by web-like patterns.
He had to admit, the suit looked pretty cool with its sleek lines, futuristic mechanical joints, and gothic patterns. Eddie thought it would be absolutely 'cool' to save the world in it. The only problem was…
"But what's with the ears?" Eddie asked Venom, baffled.
The helmet of the suit completely covered Eddie's head, making him look like a robot, but the robot head had two protruding pointy ears.
"Those ears are key." Venom told Eddie confidently, "As long as you have these two ears, you'll never die. because you're Bat... Venom."
"Venom? That name sounds awfully sinister... Alright, what's the next step?"
"If you don't know what to do, just glance at the emblem on your chest and follow the guidance of instinct. It will give you an answer."
Ten minutes later, as Dora was opening her apartment door, she heard some noises behind her. She turned around to see a tall, black figure appearing in the hallway shadows.
Just as Dora was about to scream, the dark shadow emerged to her back and muted her, saying: "Don't make a sound, let's go in and talk."
He took Dora into her apartment, and as soon as the door closed, Dora collapsed from fright. Eddie removed his helmet that wrapped his head and said to Dora, "You should know me, I'm the reporter who punched Drake a few days ago during the interview. My name is Eddie, Eddie Brock."
Dora widened her eyes. Leaning on the back of the sofa, she stammered, "You... You indeed look like the Brock, but..."
Eddie's voice was very low as he told Dora, "Because I exposed Drake's despicable act of using human bodies for experiments, now I am in trouble. He has teamed up with another evil organization and their assassins are after me."
Dora adjusted her glasses and stood erect, saying, "Actually, I planned to find you, but didn't expect you to come to me first."
"Why are you looking for me?"
Dora sighed. After realizing that Eddie was not a kidnapper, she gradually relaxed. Then she pointed to the wall behind Eddie and said, "Can you turn on the light switch over there? Thank you."
Only then did Eddie realize that there are no lights on in the apartment, but he could still see everything very clearly. When did he acquire the ability of night vision?
As Dora directed, Eddie turned around to turn on the lights. Suddenly, the room was brightly lit and Eddie shielded his eyes with his arm, realizing that he was rather sensitive to the light.
Dora sat down on the sofa, but Eddie stood still in the corner of the room. Dora turned around to look at him and said, "Although I don't have much to offer guests, at least you could sit down for a glass of water?"
With that, she rubbed her hands awkwardly on pants, saying, "I don't have many friends and I rarely have visitors. Please forgive me if I was a poor host."
Eddie silently shook his head. Dora turned around, leaned on the back of the sofa and looked at Eddie, saying, "You are nothing like I imagined. I thought you would be more... righteous."
"You can just say I'm rather impulsive."
"No, that's not what I meant. I actually think it's right. It was so satisfying when you punched him."
"Seems you're not happy with your boss."
Dora pursed her lips. Displaying a complex expression, she turned around with her back to Eddie and said, "I don't know how to describe it. He's not a bad boss. He pays me well."
"But he is not a good person. He's even evil. I can't begin to tell you everything he has done in the lab..."
"That's exactly what I want to know."
Dora bit her lip, seeming rather conflicted. Then Eddie's voice echoed, "You do not need to worry at all. If I agreed with Drake's approach in any way, I wouldn't have risked my career to punch him in front of everyone."
It seemed like Dora also understood this logic. Sighing, she then said, "He really is using human bodies for experiments, and the experiments are extremely cruel and inhuman."
"What kind of experiments, specifically?"
"You've heard about the Eternal Life Factor, right?"
"I've heard a lot of people mention it."
"Drake extracted the Eternal Life Factor from an unknown organism."
"But I thought that the stuff comes from a vampire?"
"Normally it does. But vampires strictly controlled by officials and the few left are held by the Stark Group or the Osborn Group. The Life Foundation can't get any."
Dora adjusted her glasses again, continuing, "But Drake saw the immense potential in Eternal Life Factor and wanted a piece of it."
"The Life Foundation and Osborn Group are rivals. They are both developers of biotechnology and the Osborn Group wouldn't hand over precious vampire material."
"But I heard the Life Foundation has also developed Eternity Factor Potions."
"True, but that potion is not made from a vampire. It comes from another extraterrestrial organism."
"What exactly is that?"
Again, Dora turned to Eddie, saying, "I can't describe it to you, but I can show you."