Chapter 19 Super Villain
From this detail, Arthur could tell that the Lizard Man in front of him had probably only recently mutated, and the animal genes hadn't completely replaced his human habits of life and movement.
He couldn't immediately conclude that the Lizard Man in front of him was Dr. Connors, who had lost an arm, because even Spider-Man had become Spider-Gwen, and this World had changed a lot due to his arrival.
However, he could confirm one thing: Peter Parker had given Dr. Connors the decay rate algorithm formula left by his father, which allowed Dr. Connors to create the mutated serum with lizard genes.
So, the Lizard Man in front of him could be Dr. Connors himself, or he could be a human experimental subject used by the Osborn Group.
The Lizard Man's attacks were very primitive, consisting only of claws and a long tail.
Arthur watched the charging Lizard Man and raised his right hand, and a dragon-shaped totem slowly lit up.
"Dragon Talisman: Blazing Flames!"
The power of the Dragon Talisman was fully unleashed by Arthur, and a huge pillar of fiery light shot out, instantly blasting the Lizard Man away!
Even Gwen couldn't help but back away; her Spider-Sense had warned her the moment Arthur raised his hand, even though Arthur's target wasn't her.
The power of the Dragon Talisman far exceeded the firearms carried by the Police, leaving a charred mark on the Lizard Man's chest.
But amidst the Lizard Man's painful roars, the injuries on his chest were recovering at an astonishing speed.
It seemed the attack power of the unsealed Dragon Talisman was not enough to inflict fatal damage on the Lizard Man.
Arthur didn't hesitate and launched his next attack, with two lasers shooting from his eyes.
"Pig Talisman: Laser!"
The Lizard Man was hit by the two lasers, creating two bloody wounds on his chest, and green blood flowed onto the asphalt road.
Gwen was shocked by this new attack method used by the demon; the powerful demon seemed to have many hidden powers that she hadn't yet witnessed... This couldn't help but make Gwen feel a bit disheartened, as she held grudges, and her enemy was so powerful and mysterious, the demon's current display of strength seemed invincible... The Lizard Man slowly got up from the ground, and Arthur looked at his self-healing wounds with some helplessness; it seemed the Lizard Man's recovery ability far surpassed his own unsealed Horse Talisman.
But strangely, after the Lizard Man got up, he didn't attack again, but retreated cautiously.
Arthur was still puzzled when he suddenly heard the system's voice.
"Detected 'Lizard Man's' fear emotion, villain points +200, +200, +200..."
Arthur was stunned; the villain points he gained from the Lizard Man actually far exceeded what he had gained from toying with the Police earlier, and were only slightly less than what he had gained from Spider-Gwen.
The quick-witted Arthur was already analyzing; either the Lizard Man had a larger role in the Marvel Universe than ordinary Police officers, but a more reasonable explanation was that the acquisition of villain points was determined by the target's individual strength.
For example, Arthur gained significantly different villain points from school bullies, criminals, and Police officers; it seemed the Villain System should be called the "Superhero Villain System."
Now, Arthur not only focused his attention on Superheroes but also kept an eye on other minor villains.
For instance, the Steel Rhino and Sandman, who would appear later, were not only criminals but also moving treasures; by securing these villains, Arthur would eventually achieve villain points freedom... "Hey! Mr. Demon, the Lizard Man is getting away!" Gwen called out.
Arthur snapped back to reality; the Lizard Man had already retreated to the bridge's edge, seemingly intending to jump into the river below to escape.
The Lizard Man watched Arthur warily; the power of the Dragon Talisman and Pig Talisman had already left him with psychological trauma, and the Lizard Man knew that if the demon in front of him launched a few more such attacks, he would surely die on the Brooklyn Bridge.
The Lizard Man grabbed the bridge railing, leaped backward, and jumped off the bridge; a few seconds later, a huge splash was heard.
Spider-Gwen stood on the bridge, only able to helplessly watch the ripples slowly subside as the Lizard Man's figure completely disappeared.
"Why didn't you stop him?" Gwen asked, "His aggressiveness and lethality are very strong; ordinary people have no chance of resisting him!"
"Sorry, Miss Spider, I'm not the New York Police; arresting criminals is not my duty or mission," Arthur said indifferently, spreading his hands.
Gwen seemed to be able to see the smiling face through the demon mask; she almost wanted to punch the demon's ugly face! This demon was simply too annoying!
Suddenly, Arthur flashed beside Gwen, and just as Gwenwas about to dodge, Arthur grabbed her shoulder.
"That's your father's duty and mission," the demon whispered into Spider-Gwen's ear.
Gwen instantly reacted; the demon had seen her face and probably already knew her true identity, so it was only natural for him to trace her father as George Stacy, the Director of the New York City Police Department.
Gwen felt a chill down her spine; she desperately controlled her urge to shoot webs and tie up the demon, as the demon's speed was too fast, fast enough to completely overwhelm her.
Listening to the continuous increase in villain points, Arthur smiled contentedly; his mischievous act was indeed very effective.
"What do you want?"
"I don't want anything," Arthur turned and stepped back, "Police reinforcements have arrived, and now the Lizard Man has jumped off the bridge and escaped. Do you think they will arrest Spider-Woman, who was just helping them fight the Lizard Man?"
Gwen watched the demon disappear; from beginning to end, she had not launched an attack on the demon.
After the demon's reminder, Gwen noticed the sound of helicopter propellers in the sky; those were the armed helicopters summoned by her father, Chief George.
Gwen didn't hesitate; she immediately shot webs and grabbed the steel bridge, escaping the scene. The demon's reminder was correct, and she also knew her father George's determination to catch Spider-Woman.
The Police officers, tied up by Arthur's webs, could only watch helplessly as Spider-Woman disappeared from sight after a few swings.
The Lizard Man, the demon, and Spider-Womansuccessively exited, leaving only over twenty disheveled Police officers. Traces of destruction remained on the Brooklyn Bridge, proving the fierce battle that had just taken place.
Armed helicopters approached, their searchlights shining brightly on the bundled Police officers.
Chief George was blinded by the bright light and lowered his head; at this moment, he felt immense humiliation.
But he knew that tonight he still faced an equally daunting challenge: right behind the Police reinforcements were the various media outlets, whose noses were like bloodhounds.
Especially when the Lizard Man appeared, the Brooklyn Bridge was experiencing a traffic jam, and there were many eyewitnesses. Who knew what bizarre news those media outlets would fabricate?
Chapter 20 Norman Osborn
It was eleven o'clock at night.
The glass door was open, and a line of wet footprints stretched down the wooden corridor into the house.
Moonlight streamed in through the enormous floor-to-ceiling windows, illuminating Dr. Connors' face.
He looked as if he had just been pulled from the water; his hair and face were wet, and the newly changed white lab coat was soaked through.
A disheveled Dr. Connors sat in his chaotic home laboratory.
This place once housed his life's research efforts, and of course, recent research breakthroughs with significant progress.
But tonight, it looked as if it had been ransacked: pages and printouts were scattered everywhere, the safe had been violently broken open, and even the computer's hard drive had been removed and taken away.
Dr. Connors sat calmly in his chair, but the skin on his neck had turned green; he took deep breaths to maintain his composure.
He picked up the landline on the table and dialed a number. Although he already had a suspicion, he still needed to confirm it.
"It's me, Curtis Curt Connors. Who came to my house tonight?"
"Good evening, Dr. Connors. Your visitors were Mr. Peter Parker and Mr. Vanita Reddi."
Dr. Connors hung up the phone and proceeded to dial Reddi's number.
The call was answered quickly.
"You stole my data, my models, my equations, my experimental results, my serum... you stole everything," Dr.Connors said in a deep voice.
Reddi heard Dr. Connors' anger but was unconcerned.
"Dr., you seem to have forgotten that the Osborn Grouphas been funding your research for years, but we haven't seen any returns from you. Mr. Norman no longer has time to wait," Reddi said with extreme severity. "Those things don't belong to you; they belong to Norman Osborn. I'm merely retrieving everything for Mr. Norman."
Dr. Connors continued to take deep breaths, trying desperately to suppress the crazy, bloody thoughts that were surfacing in his mind.
"Listen, Reddi, that formula is immature, and the serum itself has major problems," Dr. Connors almost shouted into the phone. "I've already tested it; the serum is defective!"
"So what?" Reddi scoffed with a sneer. "We've enlisted the Osborn Group's best biological research team. I believe with enough experimental samples, we can always correct the flawed formula and optimize a perfect serum that can cure Mr. Norman."
"You can't start human trials!" Dr. Connors trembled all over. "That will cause many deaths and create more monsters..."
"Who cares?" Reddi chuckled. "They should be proud to participate in the work of human evolution! This will be a landmark scientific study, but unfortunately, none of this concerns you... Dr. Connors!"
Dr. Connors listened to the dial tone, and after a long while, he crushed the phone receiver.
Slowly, his face became exceptionally ferocious, and his skin turned green again. The first thing to change was his newly grown left hand, which transformed into a lizard's claw. His body grew at a visible rate, and his white lab coat slowly ripped open... "Vanita Reddi, Norman Osborn..." Connors, who had transformed back into Lizard Man, repeated over and over.
Reddi put down his phone, and the smile on his face vanished without a trace. He stood on a high floor of Osborn Tower, looking down at the dazzling night view of New York.
A moment later, he took out his phone, set it to silent mode, and turned to enter a luxurious suite.
"Sir, the 'Lizard Serum' trials have begun. There are many amputee soldiers in the Army Hospital. With enough experiments, the serum can be optimized," Reddi said respectfully, bowing behind the desk.
"Enough experiments?" Norman Osborn's tone was very displeased.
Reddi, sweating profusely, could only remain silent; he dared not guarantee the progress of the experiment.
Because if Norman hadn't received a qualified Lizard Serum by the day Reddi promised, he would lose his life as punishment.
"I gave you a lot of time, but over these years, you and Connors have only managed to produce a defective Lizard Serum?" Norman's tone was cold. "I can only give you one last month. If you still disappoint me by then, then please, you too will inject the Lizard Serum as a pioneer."
"Yes!" Reddi could only bow, his body drenched in cold sweat from intense nervousness and fear.
"Connors' awareness is much higher than yours..." Norman turned to look at the screen on the wall, which was playing a video. "Because of his bravery, he also received a reward."
The screen showed footage of Lizard Man's battle against the police and Spider-Woman on Brooklyn Bridge tonight. Even though Lizard Man was hit repeatedly by police firearms and had his tail ripped off by Spider-Woman, he was able to heal his injured parts in a short time. This self-healing ability made all humans suffering from illness envious.
"Although it's ugly and disgusting to turn into a lizard, he ultimately gained health and strength," Norman muttered to himself.
Under the lights, a green glass test tube beside him reflected an enchanting glow—it was a Lizard Serum.
"What about the mutated spider research?" Norman asked in a low voice.
"It has been declared a failure..." Reddi bowed again, his head almost level with the desk. "I injected the spider serum into human test subjects, but all ended in failure. The spider serum's endotoxin remains unresolved."
Norman said nothing; he didn't seem as angry, having grown accustomed to failures and setbacks over the years.
The Osborn family suffered from a rare, incurable, and fatal genetic disease; every generation of Osborns died prematurely because of it.
As the CEO of the World's most powerful biotechnology company, Norman Osborn was naturally unwilling to accept this outcome. He used all his financial and material resources to seek a cure for the disease.
The most feasible method was to use interspecies gene transfer technology to extend life. Over the years, he had studied the genes of many species, attempting to create a perfect serum to prolong his life, but so far, all projects had ended in failure.
Therefore, the failure of this spider serum was within his expectations, especially since even the experimentally cultured mutated spiders had experienced widespread deaths.
"Has the cause of the widespread deaths of the mutated spiders been investigated?" Norman asked faintly.
"According to surveillance, two people illegally entered the laboratory at that time..." Reddi breathed a sigh of relief.
"One of them was Gwen Stacy, the intern team leader within Connors' team, and the other was a student from Midtown School of Science and Technology," Reddi slowly stated. "And we've noticed that since that time, a Superhero named 'Spider-Woman' has appeared on the streets of New York..."
Chapter 21 Strange Peter
"Breaking News: Stark Industries CEO Tony Stark held his first press conference since returning, stating that Stark Industries will cease its weapons manufacturing business..."
"That's already old news from a few days ago," Gwen said, looking at Arthur's phone screen. "Stark Industries' stock has been plummeting ever since, and I took the opportunity to dive into the stock market and made a killing."
"Made a killing? Can you treat me to hot dogs and grilled wings today then?"
Arthur smiled, looking at his phone. As he gazed at the handsome and dashing Tony Stark on the screen, he felt as if he saw another Talisman being unsealed.
Tony should still be in seclusion, developing the Mark 2 Iron Man Suit. At this point, the Iron Man Suit was still very weak, only possessing flight capabilities, a flare launcher, and palm-mounted flight stabilizers that doubled as repulsor rays.
Arthur was already thinking about when to pay a visit. After all, Tony would be very busy in the future, dealing with internal corporate backstabbing and fending off harassment from Congress and S.H.I.E.L.D. Fortunately, demons don't have to wait in line.
"What are you thinking about?" Gwen nudged Arthur. "You're spacing out. Even though you're talking to me, you're looking at that old man and spacing out..."
Arthur's smile immediately vanished: "Mind your strange and abnormal remarks, Miss Gwen!"
"I'm just telling the truth!"
The two walked side by side down the hallway when suddenly, a sound from a closed safety stairwell nearby caught their attention.
Gwen reached out to push the door, but it seemed she couldn't open it no matter how hard she tried. Something must have been propped against it from the other side.
She stepped aside, gesturing for Arthur to take over.
Arthur pushed the door open with a slight effort. Gwengave him a thumbs-up and a smile of admiration. Arthursmiled back, not exposing her.
His Ox Talisman was still unsealed, so he certainly wasn't as strong as Spider-Gwen, who could easily lift a car, based on raw strength alone.
One could only say that Gwen was very attentive to these details and performed very well.
However, to Arthur, who had "God's perspective," all of this seemed superfluous and amusing... After a few glances, Arthur and Gwen understood what had happened, but Gwen's face was filled with disbelief.
The stairwell was full of familiar faces: Peter and Fletcher. In this hidden corner of the teaching building, a school bullying incident was taking place... but this time, the roles of bully and victim were reversed... Peter had Fletcherlifted by one hand and pinned against the wall. Fletcher's face was covered in bruises, and blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. It seemed Fletcher had already taken a beating.
"Peter Parker?" Gwen exclaimed.
Anyone at Midtown Tech who saw this scene would be incredulous. When did the former school bully, Fletcher, become a vulnerable person whom everyone could pick on? And the one abusing Fletcher was his former bullying target.
Gwen found it even harder to believe what was happening before her eyes. She also had a certain impression of Peter: he was righteous but impulsive and a bit scrawny.
In her opinion, Peter could not have beaten Fletcher black and blue, either physically or in terms of personality.
Arthur stood by, observing with his arms crossed. It seemed that even if the little Spider-Man wasn't the protagonist, his role wouldn't be small. Although Peter Parker didn't become Spider-Man, he had other extraordinary encounters and gained different powers.
Instantly, many theories about how Peter gained his powers flashed through Arthur's mind: Venom Spider-Man, or perhaps Peter had also injected a serum without authorization.
Because Dr. Connors was able to complete the Lizard Serum thanks to Peter's decay rate formula, and Peter was already a very smart person; his ability to independently create and optimize Web-Shooters demonstrated his talent.
Hearing the sound, Peter turned and gave them a cold look. That gaze made Arthur feel a bit uncomfortable, and Gwen felt as if she was being stared at by a wild Beast in the wilderness... dangerous, ruthless, and iron-blooded.
Fletcher heard the sound and looked as if he had seen a savior, but before he could call for help, Peter casually threw him down and descended the stairs, disappearing from their sight.
Fletcher struggled to get up. He looked at Arthur next to Gwen, then decided to go down the stairs as well.
After all, Arthur was a difficult, crazy, and strange person, and when did Peter Parker also become a weirdo?
Fletcher felt like he'd seen a ghost today, being tricked into the safety stairwell and beaten up by that pathetic Peter. If word got out, people would surely laugh at him.
Gwen and Arthur exchanged a look, then tacitly retreated to the hallway.
"Did I just see that right?" Gwen turned to Arthur. "Peterbeat up Fletcher, and then they saw us and ran off? Or am I seeing things, and Peter was actually the one getting beaten up?"
"You didn't see wrong. Peter lifted Fletcher with one hand and beat him black and blue! If we hadn't ruined his fun, Fletcher would probably be on his knees begging for mercy by now!"
Arthur threw a series of punches in the air to illustrate, a right jab, a left hook, and an elbow strike. He was very enthusiastic, as if he himself had just beaten up Fletcheragain!
"You seem very happy?" Gwen was puzzled. "And what do you mean we ruined his fun? If he kept fighting, Peterwould have committed a crime!"
"Even if it's a crime, it's just Peter giving Fletcher a taste of his own medicine." Arthur shrugged. "I'm happy for Peter. Don't you think the story of a weak person rising up and beating the school bully who used to torment him is interesting? It's inspiring and thrilling!"
"I don't think so!" Gwen waved her hand, about to speak, but Arthur anticipated her and cut her off.
"Abusing violence is wrong!" Arthur mimicked Gwen's tone. "Demons are wrong, Spider-Woman is wrong, all violence is wrong."
"Spider-Woman is righteous!" Gwen retorted. "She has never abused violence!"
The two chatted, quickly changing the subject, but they both tacitly remembered the small incident that had just occurred.
The sudden drastic change in Peter piqued Gwen's curiosity. What had happened to him that could have caused such a significant improvement in his physical abilities and a drastic change in his personality?
Gwen recalled Peter's cold, inhuman gaze when he turned to look at them in the stairwell... She had a bad feeling... After leaving school, the two walked together for a while. Gwen, who had gotten a slice of the pie from Stark Industries, generously treated Arthur to hot dogs and grilled wings.
After parting ways with Gwen, Arthur went straight home. He stood behind the curtains, watching the black car slowly drive away... This car had been following him from the school gate to his home.
Unlike Spider-Man, who had a girlfriend, Uncle Ben, and Aunt Mei, or Spider-Gwen, who had parents and relatives, Arthur, being alone, naturally wasn't afraid of his identity being exposed.
Even if the whole World knew he was a demon, it wouldn't matter. Keeping his identity a secret was just to make the game more fun.
But he was very annoyed that someone was plotting against him... Arthur put on his demon mask and followed them.
Chapter 22 Listening to the Devil's Secret
Arthur closely followed the black Audi until it drove into the underground parking garage of the Osborn Groupheadquarters.
It was someone from the Osborn Group who was watching him. Arthur instantly understood that they must have discovered that he had once entered Osborn headquarters and even gained access to the confidential mutated spider research lab.
In that case, Gwen was also under surveillance, but with her alertness, she probably already noticed it, so Arthurwasn't worried.
Arthur continued into the underground parking garage, then followed the man in the black suit as he took the elevator directly to the fiftieth floor of Osborn Tower.
The man in black swiped his access card and entered an office area, heading straight for the innermost office.
The office was spacious, lavishly decorated, with one person sitting on either side of the desk.
"Gwen Stacy is normal. I've already deployed surveillance near her, and if any trace of Spider-Woman is found, it will be reported immediately," the man in black was reporting. "But hope should be very slim. Based on my investigation, there's no evidence or trace to suggest she has any connection to Spider-Woman..."
"Evidence is dug up!" Reddi's attitude remained unchanged. "Tell your people to be careful. If she really is Spider-Woman, she might have already discovered you, or even be tracking you back. She could be hanging upside down outside the window right now, listening to us talk!"
"Yes!"
The man in black subconsciously glanced at the window.
If the three of them were to observe the sofa in the office right now, they would notice that the seat cushion and backrest in the middle of the sofa were indented, shaped exactly as if someone was sinking into it... Arthur was invisibly and comfortably lying on the sofa, openly listening to their conversation.
"You devise a meticulous plan to abduct her. Whether successful or not, we will get our answer," Reddi said with a ruthless expression. "Remember to be cautious. Her father is Chief George Stacy of the city Police Department. I don't want the Osborn Group to get caught up in this!"
"Yes!"
"What about the other person?" Reddi wouldn't let any clue slip.
"The data shows his name is Ricardo M. Luo. He's currently an orphan, living alone in Queens. He also hasn't shown any unusual behavior," the man in black pushed up his sunglasses. "But one thing is strange: on the day he entered Osborn, I found no information about him on the entrance access control. There were only surveillance records of him leaving, and Gwen Stacy was standing next to him at the time."
"That's unusual!" Reddi frowned. "The defense system of Osborn headquarters is not something an ordinary high school student can crack! Unless he flew in! Otherwise, there would definitely be a record."
"But Spider-Woman is female..."
"Idiot! Spider-Woman isn't the only super-powered individual in New York!" Reddi cursed.
"Right, right, right, there's also the demon!"
The man in black instantly understood, then suddenly froze, stiffly turning to look at where the voice came from.
"Who's talking!" Reddi had already pulled out the pistol from under his desk.
"I dislike foolish people, and I dislike you, sir!" Arthurdeactivated the Snake Talisman, and his figure slowly materialized. "I've already introduced myself."
The expressions of the three men changed. From their side view, a young man in a well-tailored black suit was sitting on the sofa, his back perfectly straight, appearing very elegant... if you didn't look at his face!
If you looked at his profile, that half-demon mask would fill you with fear.
The three had also heard rumors of the demon, now notorious in New York... The demon turned and smiled at them.
Reddi raised his gun and fired. He had no time to ponder why the demon appeared in his office, or what the demon's intentions were.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!" After three rapid shots, Reddi realized he had lost his target.
Bullets hit the sofa and cushions, sending white down feathers flying everywhere.
Reddi's eyes were filled with horror. He looked at the terrified faces of the two people across the desk and was able to confirm that he hadn't imagined it.
He reached out to press the hidden alarm button under the desk, when suddenly a hand gently rested on his shoulder. It was as if an electric current passed through his entire body, making him tremble all over, not daring to make the slightest move.
The two men in black also spotted the demon standing behind Reddi again. Their hands, still reaching for their guns, awkwardly dropped to their waists, not daring to move. After that brief moment of calm, they recalled the various powerful superpowers of the demon from the viral videos. A pistol certainly couldn't harm him... The scene reached a stalemate, and every second was an agony for Reddi.
"Mr. Demon, is... is there anything I can help you with?" he asked, feigning composure.
"You? Foolish and weak you? What can you help me with? You should ask my intentions!" Arthur was very displeased. "Alright, none of that matters. Now I have a few secrets. Are you willing to listen?"
"Of course!" The sweating Reddi immediately declared, "I am very willing to listen to your secrets!"
"Gwen Stacy is Spider-Woman," Arthur said calmly.
The pupils of the three men slightly widened. Even if they had made such guesses before, hearing this information still surprised them... but in the face of the current fear, that surprise was insignificant.
Arthur raised his right hand, pointing it at one of the men in black.
"Boom!" The man in black fell to the ground. A void appeared in his chest; his heart, flesh, and bones were instantly vaporized by the high temperature.
Reddi and the other man in black were utterly terrified, a chill rising from their feet to their heads!
Their fear wasn't due to the demon's immense power, but his erratic behavior; the deceased man in black hadn't even offended the demon in any way!
"I forgot to tell you, listening to a demon's secret requires the cost of a life," Arthur said softly, as naturally as a department store clerk stating a shirt's price as nine pounds fifteen pence.
"Second secret, the Mr. Arthuryou were tracking today, he is the demon," Arthur said unhurriedly. After speaking, he raised his hand again, pointing it at the second man in black.
Watching his two subordinates sentenced to death before his eyes, Reddi's face was ashen. Many thoughts raced through his mind at that moment: he wanted to fight the demon to the death, he wanted to close his eyes and wait calmly, and the idea of standing up and cursing the demon also flashed through his head... Chief George crossed the Police cordon after exiting the elevator and made his way to the crime scene.
Police officers were already investigating and collecting evidence inside, but so far, no useful information had been found.
What first caught his eye was not the three bloody corpses, but the demon's mark, an 'M' over a 'V', in the corner of the desk...
Chapter 23 Tony Stark
At night, many workers on the south side of the World Trade Center felt their eyes playing tricks on them, as they had just seen a red and yellow figure fly across the sky.
"Sir, Miss Potts is calling."
"Connect!"
"Hey, where did you go again? The equipment manufacturing department you suspended has had a large-scale resignation event, just this afternoon!" Virginia Potts rattled off, "Why do I hear such a loud noise..."
"I'm... driving! Cruising in a convertible." Tony said vaguely, "Okay, I got it."
"No, you don't! You should be in your office meeting Agent Phil, telling him how you escaped from the Terrorists." Potts's speaking speed was very fast, "I remember that was on the schedule, but now you've stood him up."
"I remember the CIA, the Department of Defense, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation all came looking for me?" Tony was very confused, "Where did this Agent Phil come from?"
"From the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division. Alright, it's a mouthful, but there really is such a government department."
"Okay... I'm heading back!" Tony said, panting.
"Why are you panting?" Potts asked, surprised.
"Because... I'm running!"
"Weren't you driving around?"
"Yeah, I drove to go for a run!"
Potts no longer believed his nonsense: "Agent Phil has been waiting for you for two hours. If you don't have time tonight, I'll tell him to go back..."
"I'm on my way back, soon!" Tony said.
The red and yellow Iron Man Suit streaked across the night sky of New York, leaving an arcing flight path.
"Jarvis, how much longer?"
"Sir, estimated arrival at the Stark Industries Building in 7 minutes."
A few seconds later, Jarvis's voice sounded again: "Sir, an unidentified flying object has been detected behind you."
Tony looked at the detection image Jarvis sent on the screen. It was a very small flying object, and its speed was not slow, around 300 kilometers per hour, rapidly approaching him.
"A drone tracker? It followed us into the city?" Tony looked at the tall buildings below him and still gave up the idea of shooting down the flying object, "Forget it, let's shake it off!"
"Yes, Sir."
Tony increased the output power of the four Arc Reactorpulse thrusters on his hands and legs, greatly increasing his speed in a short time.
"Sir, the target has accelerated to about 400 kilometers per hour."
Tony continued to accelerate, but Jarvis still reported that the target trailing him also increased its speed.
Tony kept accelerating, but the distance between them was still shrinking. No matter how much Tony sped up, the target behind him could always keep up.
This piqued Tony's interest. He was very curious about what energy source the drone tracker behind him was using, to be able to reach such speeds. He knew he was using an Arc Reactor to power his Iron Armor.
The person who manufactured the flying object behind him must be a genius just like him, Tony thought.
Just as he was about to push the Mark3 to its top speed to completely shake off the tail, Jarvis timely reminded him: "Sir, it is not recommended to accelerate above supersonic speed in the city."
"I don't know to fly higher?"
Tony continuously increased his altitude, until at an altitude of nearly 3,000 meters, his speed had exceeded Mach 1.5.
But as soon as he widened the distance, Jarvis prompted that the flying object behind him also increased its speed, even reaching Mach 2.
"Shit!" Tony cursed.
He pushed the Iron Armor to its maximum speed, yet still couldn't shake off this unidentified flying object! He began to slow down his flight speed and altitude.
The Iron Man Suit's speed rapidly decreased, finally deploying its ailerons and flaps. Jarvis showed that the distance between Tony and the unidentified flying object was rapidly decreasing.
"'It's' here, Sir."
"I know!" Tony watched as the number symbolizing the linear distance changed from four digits to three digits, then instantly became a single digit and stopped.
"But where is 'it'?" Tony suspiciously controlled the armor to turn around. He scanned for a full circle but found no unidentified flying object, yet the number on the screen clearly displayed the linear distance.
"At your 3 o'clock position, Sir!" Jarvis reminded, "'It's' invisible, optically invisible."
In aviation, stealth refers to stealth fighters using a layer of material on their fuselage that highly absorbs radio waves, making it impossible for radar to track them.
"Damn it!" Tony raised his right hand and fired an Arc Reactor pulse palm cannon!
...Arthur was originally cruising on the St. Lawrence River, but suddenly a red and yellow figure flew across the sky. It was Iron Man, Arthur recognized him.
It should be Tony Stark's recently researched Mark3, with the same paint job as his classic car, making it highly recognizable.
He didn't hesitate to chase after him. After all, Arthur had thought about navigating to Tony's home on the weekend after seeing the news about Tony Stark, but it seemed he didn't have to go through that trouble now.
Although he was invisible, he couldn't block Jarvis's electromagnetic wave scan. Watching Iron Man accelerate, he also accelerated.
Fortunately, Arthur's Rabbit Talisman had been unsealed, so he wouldn't be easily shaken off by Iron Man.
However, even at the maximum speed of Rabbit TalismanLv7, he couldn't catch up with Iron Man. Arthurimmediately upgraded the Rabbit Talisman to Lv8 in the villain points system. His villain points were abundant now. After the Rabbit Talisman amplified his maximum speed to Mach 2, he finally caught up with Iron Man.
As soon as Arthur caught up, Iron Man was about to blast him with his palm cannon. How could he back down?
Fortunately, the power of Iron Man's palm cannon was not very strong at the moment. Even if the Dragon Talismanwas not yet unsealed, a head-on clash with the palm cannon should not put him at a disadvantage, especially since it was only the Mark3 armor.
A violent explosion erupted, and a portion of the Dragon Talisman's explosive power dissipated on the Iron Armor.
Tony quickly controlled the shaking, and his hovering flight continued.
His arm gauntlets retracted and opened, firing a flurry of small anti-armor missiles, precisely aimed at Arthurbehind him.
Arthur instantly used the Rabbit Talisman to accelerate and create a safe distance, then used the Dragon Talismanto detonate the bombs.
"Instant supersonic speed?" Tony's jaw dropped, "What kind of monster is this?"
"This is not a monster, it should be a Shadow." Jarvisdisplayed the widely circulated images of the Shadow on the internet for Tony to see, "Based on its abilities and fighting style, he should be the Shadow, a very famous criminal in New York."
Tony quickly scrolled through one report after another about the Shadow, "Oh my god, so much has happened in New York during these two months I was imprisoned in the desert! Why didn't anyone tell me? Tell me that there are such interesting characters as the Shadow and Spider-Woman in this city?"
Chapter 24 The Talisman is Unsealed
After the explosion, the fiery glow dispersed, and the demon's figure flew out of it.
With just one glance, that eerie demon mask left a deep impression on Tony, far more shocking than seeing pictures and video footage.
"Good evening, Mr. Demon." Tony controlled the Iron Armor to slowly retreat. "Is there something you need from me?"
"Let's be friends." Arthur smiled.
"OK! Like you and Spider-Woman? I love making friends, but it's my first time being friends with a demon!" Tonybabbled, "So, friend, can I leave now? The night is beautiful, and it shouldn't be wasted in the sky."
"Not yet." Arthur continued to approach. The villain pointssystem hadn't even prompted him that a Talisman had been unsealed, so he naturally couldn't let Tony go.
"That's a shame."
Tony fully activated the Iron Armor, and the power of the arc pulse thrusters on his hands and feet instantly increased to 300%. The six-barreled mini-gun on his left shoulder fired.
Tony had also discovered the demon's weakness: the demon's physical defense should not be strong. Even if he used acceleration to create distance and then detonated a bomb, a time-consuming method, he wouldn't choose to endure the bomb to save time.
Therefore, he could use continuous attacks to limit the demon's pursuit speed, but the problem was that he hadn't loaded many munitions onto this generation of Iron Man Suit. He hoped the remaining ammunition could help him escape the demon.
But Tony's plan quickly fell through. The invisible missiles, jamming bombs, retractable small anti-armor missiles on his arm gauntlets, and anti-hijacking ammunition launchers—all these weapons were completely expended, but the demon relentlessly pursued him.
Tony couldn't shake him off with the Iron Armor; he had lost the speed race just now.
The roles of offense and defense quickly reversed, and Arthur became the one actively initiating attacks.
"Dragon Talisman: Blazing Inferno!"
However, Arthur didn't have Jarvis to aim and shoot for him. In such high-speed flight, he couldn't hit the agile Iron Armor at all. He could only continue to close the distance.
"Boom!" Arthur hit the back of the Iron Armor.
After being attacked, the Iron Armor lost its balance and spun. Tony spent a great deal of effort to regain control.
"Sir, Armor damage 7%."
Arthur continued to attack. Although Tony kept dodging, his attack frequency was very high, and the number of hits steadily increased.
"Sir, Armor damage 16%."
"Sir, Armor damage 32%."
"Now I understand what 'demon fear' means. This damn demon!"
Tony also couldn't understand. He just went out for a stroll; how did he get involved with a demon?
"Jarvis, can you help me wave a white flag? It looks like our situation is dire."
"Apologies, Sir, the target cannot receive my communications." Jarvis warned, "I recommend descending now to prevent the Armor from crashing due to excessive damage."
Arthur looked at the other eleven Talismans, which remained inactive. He was already preparing to dismantle Iron Man's Armor.
"Pig Talisman: Laser!"
Two laser beams shot from Arthur's eyes, sweeping from Iron Man's left foot to his back.
The Iron Man Suit's left arc pulse thruster was severely damaged. Iron Man's descending body spun and shook violently. Even though the Mark3 was equipped with a flight stabilization system, it would take some time to regain balance.
"Sir, Armor damage 62%, unable to support high-speed flight." Jarvis warned again.
The Iron Armor continued to fall, even hitting the corner of a building after leaving high altitude.
Just when Arthur thought Iron Man was about to crash and meet an early demise, the Iron Armor pulled up in an arc and ascended again.
Inside the Iron Armor, Tony felt the world spinning. The violent shaking almost made him throw up everything in his stomach. Fortunately, the flight stabilization system he had equipped the Iron Armor with was advanced enough to stabilize before hitting the ground.
Arthur continued to fly closer.
"Detected 'Iron Man's' mild fear emotion, villain points+200, +200, +200..."
"Detected 'Iron Man's' mild anger emotion, villain points+200, +200, +200..."
"Detected 'Iron Man's' severe tension emotion, villain points +300, +300, +300..."
...At this point, Tony had just put on the Iron Man Suit; in essence, he was still just a playboy.
"Mr. Demon, my dear good friend!" Tony said, "I think we should sit down and have a good talk. How about coming to my place? The Stark Industries Building."
Arthur suddenly stopped because he heard the system prompt.
"Detected 'Superhero Iron Man', 'Dragon Talisman' has been unsealed, can be upgraded with villain points."
"Try to make Iron Man generate negative emotions. More surprises await your discovery!"
"Alright, I'll come find you at the Stark Industries Buildingnext time." Arthur finished speaking and instantly flew away, leaving Tony with a bewildered expression.
"Jarvis, activate radar scan. Did he really leave? Or is he invisible?" Tony was a bit frantic. "Then why did he follow me all this way and dismantle my Iron Armor?"
"Radar scan complete, target demon is accelerating away, currently 1.3 kilometers from you." Jarvis's voice sounded.
"Did he get scared by the name of Stark Industries?" But Tony quickly dismissed this ridiculous idea.
The demon was not only a wanted criminal by New Yorkpolice, but the CIA and Federal Bureau of Investigationwere also secretly investigating his identity.
Although Tony was very puzzled, it was always good to escape death from the demon's hands.
He controlled the heavily damaged Iron Armor, flying away unsteadily... On the other side, Arthur, having achieved his goal, opened the system panel. His pursuit of Iron Mantonight was to unseal a Talisman.
The boost he received after a Talisman was unsealed was too significant; even the Rabbit Talisman brought him a qualitative change.
He didn't expect Iron Man to unseal the Dragon Talisman. The Dragon Talisman was undoubtedly an absolute core Talisman and one of the most powerful among the twelve Talismans.
The Dragon Talisman's abilities were twofold: Blazing Inferno power and infinite energy. The Dragon Talismanwas also the source of power for the other eleven Talismans.
It was hard to imagine how immense the improvement would be after he upgraded the Dragon Talisman this time.
A glowing blue 3D interface appeared, and sure enough, the Dragon Talisman's emblem was already lit up.
"Dragon Talisman Lv1, upgrading to Lv2 requires 10,000 villain points, greatly increases the power of Blazing Inferno."
Seeing that upgrading the Dragon Talisman from Lv1 to Lv2 required 10,000 villain points, Arthur couldn't help but complain that the system was a rip-off. After all, the previous Rabbit Talisman only needed 1,500 villain pointsto upgrade to Lv2.
He also didn't know if the later Talismans unlocked required more villain points to upgrade, or if more powerful Talismans required more villain points to upgrade.
Fortunately, Arthur enjoyed his profession as a demon and worked quite diligently. Moreover, he had never spent any villain points, and now his villain points had accumulated to over 100,000.
Upgrade, upgrade, and upgrade again. He upgraded the Dragon Talisman all the way to Lv6, spending a total of 100,000 villain points.
At this moment, his villain points balance was only over 10,000, and the next upgrade of the Dragon Talisman to Lv7 would require 35,000 villain points.
Chapter 25 Spider Beast
Gwen climbed to the top of a tall building, overlooking all of Queens.
She recalled the address in her mind: "20 Ingram Street, Forest Hills, Queens, New York."
This was Peter Parker's address, which Gwen found after hacking into the school's database.
Before coming, she had also searched this address in her father's police system, which showed the registered owner of the residence as "Ben Parker," confirming the information's authenticity.
Gwen leaped down, letting her body free-fall, enjoying the thrill of high-speed descent. A few seconds later, she shot out a web, bringing her body to an abrupt halt.
The scene of Peter bullying Fletcher in the hallway had a profound impact on Gwen. She was certain something had happened to Peter, and it was this encounter that gave him superhuman strength.
Just like she was bitten by a mutated spider and gained powers to become Spider-Woman.
She didn't think it was wrong for Peter to gain powers, but regrettably, Peter seemed to have lost his original sense of justice because of his newfound strength.
Not only his act of bullying Fletcher, but also that fierce, cold look, like a Beast... Perhaps it was Gwen's curiosity, or perhaps she wanted to do something to help a teenager get back on track. Tonight, she entered Queens, ready to investigate Peter's home.
Soon, she found the place, a detached Villa.
It wasn't late yet, and lights were still on in the Villa. Gwen, hanging by a web, landed near a window to eavesdrop on the conversation inside the room.
The conversation was simple; a couple was chatting about everyday life. This couple was likely Peter's aunt and uncle.
From their dialogue, it was clear Peter's uncle worked at a car repair shop, and his aunt was a department store employee. The uncle was currently complaining that Peterhad forgotten to pick up his aunt, forcing her to take the subway alone and walk for over half an hour at night.
His aunt, however, defended Peter, saying she could manage to get back by herself.
After listening for a while, Gwen prepared to leave. The detached Villa wasn't large, and only one window on the second floor was lit, which should be Peter's room.
Gwen nimbly climbed the wall towards that window. Just as she reached the window, preparing to peek inside, an anomaly occurred.
"!!!"
Her spider-sense gave an alarm. Gwen didn't hesitate, immediately leaping away. She shot out a web in mid-air to stabilize herself!
"Roar!" A monster attacked from the side, its gaping maw biting into the corner of the wall.
If Gwen hadn't reacted quickly, the monster's pounce would have locked her down!
Gwen, hanging by a web, created a safe distance, finally getting a chance to observe the monster's appearance carefully.
It was a humanoid spider-monster! He still retained a human torso and limbs, but his head had transformed into a hideous and disgusting giant spider head. Eight thin, sharp legs extended from his back, looking very intimidating.
"Spider-Beastman?" Gwen was somewhat surprised, "We're both spiders, so why are you so disgusting?"
The Spider-Beastman seemed unable to communicate verbally, or perhaps he had no intention of conversing with Gwen at all.
After Gwen dodged his fierce pounce, the Spider-Beastman prepared for his next attack. He moved entirely on his eight spider legs from behind him, allowing him to walk steadily and quickly on vertical walls, as if he were on flat ground.
Gwen shot a web at the Spider-Beastman, but he didn't even try to dodge. He casually extended two thin legs, rapidly slicing through the air like two scimitars, cutting Gwen's web.
After closing the distance, the Spider-Beastman lunged and jumped again, attacking Gwen.
This attack method didn't fit a spider's habits at all. Spiders are elegant creatures; they first weave a web, ensnare their prey, and then consume it.
Gwen had no time to think. She quickly fired a web, wrapping it around a distant streetlamp, instantly pulling herself away. The Spider-Beastman didn't have the ability to move by shooting webs, but he moved very quickly, his eight thin legs blurring into afterimages.
Gwen looked at the rapidly approaching Spider-Beastmanagain, feeling helpless.
Seeing the Spider-Beastman's eight sharp and agile curved legs, she knew that engaging him in close combat would be a foolish move.
However, Gwen wasn't good at long-range attacks. Her only long-range attack was shooting webs, a skill she had just used, and it proved completely ineffective against the Spider-Beastman.
The Spider-Beastman gave Gwen no time to react. He was like a Beast in pursuit of prey, his mind filled with the sole thought of killing his target.
Gwen shot a web and tightened her grip; her body flew!
"Hah!" Gwen swung on her web, circling from the front to the side of the Spider-Beastman. She aimed a flying kick at him.
The Spider-Beastman was kicked back over ten meters, finally bending a streetlamp upon impact. But he was incredibly tough and quickly stood up, charging at Gwenagain.
The Spider-Beastman's eight curved legs alternately stepped on the pavement, his sharp leg tips easily piercing the cement. He left two rows of pockmarked tracks on the ground he crossed.
Upon nearing Gwen, the Spider-Beastman swung his curved leg, cutting through the air with an ear-splitting shriek. Gwen deftly dodged the attack and threw a punch that knocked his spider-head askew.
The Spider-Beastman's attack showed no sign of stopping; his other spider-legs stabbed out like swords. Even with Gwen's caution, she was scratched on the arm by the dense barrage of attacks.
Gwen seized the opportunity, grabbing one of his spider legs. She used all her strength to instantly snap the leg off.
"Clang, clang, clang!" Gwen used the spider leg as a weapon, constantly defending herself. Relying on her agile movements and the help of her spider-sense, she maintained the upper hand. Finally, she plunged the spider leg into the opponent's abdomen and then kicked him away.
Gwen stood in place, wiping away sweat, wondering if all this effort had finally taken care of this unknown Spider-Beastman.
But, as expected, the Spider-Beastman rose again. He grabbed the spider leg impaled in his abdomen, slowly pulled it out, and tossed it aside, green blood splattering everywhere.
What shocked Gwen happened next: the broken spider leg on the Spider-Beastman's back rapidly regrew, becoming completely whole again in just a few seconds. Gwen then looked at the wound on the Spider-Beastman's abdomen; it had already healed.
Instantly, many thoughts flooded Gwen's mind. She was not unfamiliar with this powerful regenerative ability; the Lizard Man she fought on the Brooklyn Bridge also possessed this power... Lizard Man, Spider-Beastman, she found it hard to believe there was no connection between the two.
Both were a combination of human and another animal's genes, possessing the powerful strength of that animal. However, the Spider-Beastman was even stronger; he not only possessed the agility and sharpness of a spider but also combined it with the powerful regenerative ability of a lizard!
These two monsters seemed to have been created by some organization using a certain technology, and this technology was still continuously upgrading and developing.
While Gwen was deep in thought, the Spider-Beastman attacked again...
Chapter 26: My Girlfriend is the Daughter of the New York City Police Commissioner
A Spider-Beastman leg, sharp as a blade, suddenly thrust forward. Gwen's Spider-Sense screamed a fierce warning, and she instinctively dodged, barely avoiding it as the wall behind her was instantly pierced.
The remaining sharp legs attacked again, momentarily sealing off all her possible escape routes. Even with Gwen's agility, her back was grazed by three Spider-Beastman legs.
It was another brief close-quarters skirmish. Gwen could only barely resist, facing an opponent that used eight flexible and sharp Spider-Beastman legs.
Gwen immediately decided to halt her investigation plan for the day. She could entangle with the Lizard Man for a long time, as the Lizard Man's attack power was not strong; his strength lay in his defense and recovery abilities.
However, against this Spider-Beastman, she found it hard to find a winning chance. The Spider-Beastman not only possessed healing abilities comparable to the Lizard Man's but also had powerful attacks. His eight Spider-Beastmanlegs were like eight peerless swords.
It was estimated that only a demon could defeat the Spider-Beastman.
Gwen once again broke free from the Spider-Beastman's fierce assault. She shot a web at a nearby tall building, pulling herself away.
In the air, she looked back. The Spider-Beastman still hadn't given up; he continued to pursue Gwen, like an unrelenting Beast.
But thankfully, the Spider-Beastman's speed was not fast. He couldn't use webs for movement, only running on the ground, which was probably his only weakness.
Gwen swung on webs for several kilometers, feeling the discomfort from the wound on her back growing stronger.
Moreover, after Gwen's mutation, her own recovery ability had greatly improved. Although it couldn't compare to the Lizard Man's terrifying recovery ability, it was far beyond that of an ordinary person.
But now, the wound on her back hadn't even stopped bleeding; blood was continuously flowing, soaking her athletic fiber spider suit.
She instantly thought of a possibility: the Spider-Beastman's legs, those growing from his back, were all venomous.
This was simply too bad. Gwen stopped shooting webs. She decided to find a place to treat her wounds first.
After a quick look around, she spotted a detached Villawhere all the lights were off.
Every household should have an emergency medical kit. These people were all asleep, and with her agility, she wouldn't disturb them.
Gwen stealthily entered this detached Villa... Arthur, who was sound asleep, suddenly opened his eyes. He reached out and fumbled for his demon mask, putting it on his face, then activated his invisibility and flew out of a nearby window.
Arthur went around to the second-floor living room. He stood outside the French windows, observing inside, and actually saw a sneaky figure secretly rummaging for something in his home.
What he hadn't expected was that this person was Spider-Gwen. Even though the lighting in the room was poor, Arthur couldn't mistake that highly recognizable white and black uniform.
"!!!"
Gwen, who was rummaging for an emergency medical kit, froze. She turned her head to look out the window, where there was nothing. But her Spider-Sense had clearly warned her just now... Gwen shook her head, thinking that maybe the fight tonight was too intense, her nerves were too taut, causing her Spider-Sense to malfunction...
Arthur took a few glances and then moved again. He went around to the back of the Villa, where a giant Spider-Beastman was climbing.
"How ugly," Arthur said blandly.
The Spider-Beastman also saw Arthur, a man in pajamas. He saw the demon mask, which looked even more eerie and terrifying in the dark night.
His eight Spider-Beastman legs bent and exerted force, and his entire body flew up, pouncing on Arthur in the air.
Arthur calmly raised his right hand.
"Dragon Talisman · Blazing Flames!"
"Boom!" A huge pillar of fiery light shot out, and all its powerful energy poured onto the Spider-Beastman.
The Dragon Talisman had been upgraded to Lv6 by Arthur, and its power was countless times stronger than before.
The Spider-Beastman was blasted dozens of meters away before he could even scream. Half of his body was consumed in the high temperature. After landing, he struggled to get up and escaped using his few broken legs.
Arthur watched from afar and had no intention of pursuing. Such a weak mutant couldn't even withstand the full force of his Dragon Talisman.
If the Dragon Talisman had hit his head just now, it would have completely killed him.
He didn't know where Gwen had encountered such a Spider-Beastman monster. It was clear that this Spider-Beastman monster had followed her to his home, probably through scent or some other tracking method, but Gwenherself hadn't noticed...
Arthur entered the Villa. After returning to his room, he took off his demon mask.
Gwen had already hidden herself against the wall. It was impossible for her not to notice such a large energy fluctuation when the Dragon Talisman was activated.
Gwen was a little nervous. She didn't even know what kind of enemy she would face next, a Spider-Beastman or something else?
Her current condition was very bad. She could already confirm that the Spider-Beastman was venomous, and more importantly, his Spider-Beastman legs contained anesthetic! Gwen even felt like she would collapse at any moment...
While Gwen was thinking, she already heard footsteps... She stopped thinking, poised and ready.
Arthur pushed the door open and entered, easily dodging Gwen's several attacks.
Gwen couldn't help but be horrified; all her attacks had missed. Had the anesthetic already taken effect and reduced her speed?
She threw another punch, but suddenly the other party turned on the light in the room. Seeing that face, she forcibly stopped her fist.
"It's you? Why are you here?" Gwen was very surprised.
"First, this is my home. If I'm not here, where would I be? Second, do we know each other?" Arthur retorted.
"Of course... we don't know each other. I should say I don't know you, but you must know me, right?"
After recognizing Arthur, Gwen let out a breath. She walked over to the sofa and sat down, casually surveying the entire room.
She hadn't expected that the random place she found was Arthur's home, although she did remember that Arthuralso lived in Queens, but this was too much of a coincidence!
"I know you, the notorious criminal Spider-Woman," Arthur said blandly. "What are you doing breaking into my house illegally today? Planning some kind of crime against me? Let me remind you, my girlfriend's father is the Director of the New York City Police Department."
Gwen was originally very angry at being called a "notorious criminal," but after hearing Arthur's last words, she couldn't stay angry.
Arthur actually lied to others, claiming she was his girlfriend. Was this his true inner thought? Gwen couldn't help but let her mind wander.
"Your girlfriend is actually the daughter of the PoliceDirector, well, that's really impressive!" Gwen was secretly laughing in her heart. "Also, I need to correct one thing. Spider-Woman is not a criminal; she is a righteous Superhero!"
After teasing Gwen, Arthur himself found it a bit amusing. He shook his head and said, "A Superhero who illegally invades a citizen's home in the middle of the night? And then attacks the citizen when he investigates? Only a criminal would do that!"