The night wind howled between the buildings as Li Jie hovered for a moment above Queens.
Below, S.H.I.E.L.D.'s convoy had already sealed off the street. Floodlights illuminated the shattered asphalt where Spider-Man had fallen. The special alloy containment box was loaded into an armored truck, layers of suppressant gas pumping inside to keep the zombie hero dormant.
Coulson stood beside the vehicle, looking up.
Even from this distance, Li Jie could imagine the expression on his face—calculating, satisfied… and wary.
Li Jie didn't descend.
Instead, he activated stealth mode and shot into the clouds.
Desert Base – Two Hours Later
The Black Dragon Mech separated piece by piece as Li Jie landed inside the underground hangar.
"Boss," the White Queen's projection appeared instantly. "Energy signatures from S.H.I.E.L.D. satellites tracked your combat route for 37 seconds. I have erased 82% of identifiable data."
"Good enough," Li Jie replied calmly.
Behind him, four mechanical arms unfolded briefly from his back—sleek, metallic, jointed like a spider's limbs.
The Doctor Octopus Prosthetic Device.
He flexed his fingers.
The arms responded instantly.
Unlike Otto, he did not need a neural harness fused into his spine. Telekinesis allowed him to treat the device like an extension of thought.
"Integration complete," the White Queen reported. "Otto Günther Octavius's scientific database successfully absorbed. Your total knowledge capacity has increased by 19.4%."
Li Jie closed his eyes.
Nuclear physics. Advanced robotics. High-energy fusion containment theory.
Otto's brilliance flowed into him like a second consciousness.
Combined with Bruce Wayne's tactical mind and the other geniuses he had harvested, his intelligence was reaching a frightening level.
Meanwhile – S.H.I.E.L.D. Mobile Command
Inside the armored vehicle, Phil Coulson removed his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose.
"Status?"
"Spider-Man secured," an agent replied. "Doctor Octopus presumed dead. No body recovered."
Coulson's eyes flickered slightly.
"Presumed," he repeated.
He stepped outside and looked at the skyline where Li Jie had vanished.
"You're getting stronger," he murmured.
Firefox stood nearby, arms crossed.
"He killed Octopus, didn't he?"
Coulson didn't answer directly.
"What do you think of him?" he asked instead.
Firefox's gaze was steady.
"He doesn't waste motion. Doesn't waste emotion either."
She paused.
"But he's not on your leash."
Coulson smiled faintly.
"No," he admitted. "He isn't."
Containment Facility – Level Seven
Deep beneath reinforced steel, Spider-Man lay restrained inside a cylindrical chamber.
Even unconscious, his muscles twitched occasionally. Regeneration continued repairing the rocket damage.
A medical technician swallowed nervously.
"Director… if the Dionysian Factor is real… do you really think we can bring him back?"
Coulson stared at the boy through the glass.
"If Batman could return," he said quietly, "so can he."
He just didn't know how much of that statement he believed.
Desert Base – Strategic Room
Li Jie stood before a holographic globe projection.
Red markers: infected metahumans.
Blue markers: S.H.I.E.L.D. facilities.
Gold markers: high-intelligence targets.
The board was expanding.
"S.H.I.E.L.D. now possesses Spider-Man," the White Queen analyzed. "Probability of them accelerating Dionysian Factor search: 87%."
"Good," Li Jie replied.
He wanted them to find it.
Let S.H.I.E.L.D. do the legwork.
When the time came, he would be there.
Not as an assistant.
As the decisive variable.
Firefox entered quietly.
"You didn't tell Coulson you killed Octopus."
"No need."
"He'll figure it out."
"I know."
Firefox stepped closer, studying the mechanical arms folded behind him.
"You're becoming something else," she said softly.
Li Jie looked at his reflection in the dark glass.
Behind him, the silhouette of the Black Dragon Mech.
Above him, stolen Stark alloys.
Within him, the knowledge of Otto Octavius.
"I'm adapting," he corrected.
Unknown Location – Stark Systems Intercept
In a hidden workshop, holographic screens flickered.
Tony Stark stared at the combat footage fragments Jarvis had reconstructed.
"Zoom," Tony ordered.
The frame sharpened—Black Dragon Mech. Mechanical arms. Energy output spikes.
Tony's jaw tightened slightly.
"That's my thruster modulation pattern," he muttered.
Jarvis responded calmly, "Sir, the unidentified individual's technology now incorporates Stark-derived material and Octavius-class prosthetics."
Tony leaned back slowly.
"So he's collecting geniuses now."
A faint grin appeared on his face.
"Good. Makes this interesting."
He tapped a command.
New armor schematics unfolded—heavier, more brutal, designed for anti-mech combat.
"Prepare the Nemesis Protocol."
Desert Base – Final Scene
Li Jie stood alone on the launch platform.
Wind from the desert night swept across the open hangar.
He extended one hand.
Four mechanical arms unfolded behind him like a metallic halo.
The Black Dragon Mech descended and locked into place around his body.
"Boss," the White Queen asked softly, "next objective?"
Li Jie looked toward the east—toward New York.
"Let S.H.I.E.L.D. chase resurrection," he said.
"Let Stark chase revenge."
He ignited the thrusters.
"We'll chase evolution."
The mech launched into the night sky.
And the game entered its next stage.
....
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