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Arthur could understand what it meant to be a hero, and he had never looked down on them.
In fact, heroes are incredibly admirable people – they are selfless, fearless, and they are willing to sacrifice their own lives for strangers.
Arthur understood and deeply respected that, but he couldn’t bring himself to be like that.
“Life isn’t just about poetry and distant dreams, it’s also about the harsh realities in front of us.”
Arthur glanced at Spider-Man and then pulled out his cell phone to make a call.
“Oh my God, Arthur, are you okay? What about the Lizard?” Spider-Man’s voice was filled with concern after answering the phone.
“I’m fine. As for the Lizard…” Arthur hesitated, unsure of how to phrase his answer.
In front of someone as pure-hearted as Spider-Man, Arthur felt a pang of guilt at the thought of lying.
But before Arthur could say anything, Spider-Man spoke up again, “As long as you’re okay, we can still figure something out about the Lizard.”
Arthur sighed and said, “Many of the police officers who tried to capture the Lizard were infected and turned into half-human, half-lizard monsters.”
“Don’t worry, Gwen can help. We still have the Danali Device, right?” Spider-Man replied. “You sound like you’re not feeling well.”
“Yeah, I got a little hurt,” Arthur admitted. “I think I need to step out early and take a break.”
“No problem. I’m probably not cut out for what’s next either. Let’s catch up later.”
After hanging up, Arthur scratched his head.
It seemed like he hadn’t even figured out how to cover up the situation, but Spider-Man had already come up with a bunch of reasons on his own and ended the conversation perfectly!
Standing there for a moment, Arthur realized that the rest of the situation didn’t really involve him.
Gwen could create a cure for the infected cops, and as for the damage to the OsCorp Building, there was no reason for him to disguise himself as a repairman and fix it.
But then Arthur remembered something amusing.
That middle-aged officer on the roof – he’d seen him on TV before.
He was probably Spider-Man’s future father-in-law. In the first *Amazing Spider-Man* movie, the father-in-law died, but this time Spider-Man saved him.
“The upcoming prime-time family drama is about to unfold… Let’s wait and see!”
Arthur nodded, deciding to keep an eye on the situation, then disappeared into the darkness.
…
Arthur returned home to find Banner sitting in the living room watching TV.
Next to him was an open box of pizza, with two slices missing, which now belonged to Banner.
Arthur grabbed a slice, stuffed it into his mouth, and sat down on the couch next to Banner, watching TV with him.
The TV screen showed the chaotic scene at the OsCorp Group building – there were police, reporters, and crowds.
The host was narrating quickly, with occasional glimpses of himself and Spider-Man flashing across the screen.
Spider-Man’s father-in-law, who didn’t meet his demise this time, also faced the onslaught of reporters.
“How does it feel to be a hero?” Banner suddenly asked Arthur.
“Nothing really… it’ll be a hassle,” Arthur said before stuffing the rest of the pizza into his mouth before grabbing another slice. “I need a favor tomorrow.”
What is it?” Banner asked.
“I captured someone. I want us to give him a little scare.”.
“That’s not what a hero should do. Who did you capture?” Banner inquired.
“Him.” Arthur pointed to the television, which showed a picture of Dr. Connors.
…
After returning to his room, Arthur felt sore all over.
The fight tonight had been tough; the Lizard was a formidable opponent.
With greater strength than Spider-Man, agility to match, and terrifying defensive and regenerative abilities, the Lizard was a real challenge.
“That was absolutely brutal,” Arthur muttered, shaking his head. As he endured the pain, he couldn’t help but feel a bit helpless. “If I can’t handle Lizard on my own, what am I going to do if Thanos shows up? Even if I had an oven ready, it wouldn’t make a difference.”
But there was nothing he could do about it now. The only comforting thought was that Thanos wouldn’t appear for a few years, giving Arthur time to grow stronger.
“Tomorrow I’m going to give Dr. Connors a serious scare. If he doesn’t agree to join us, we’ll have the Hulk go all out and take him down!”
“I refuse to believe that this won’t work!” Arthur thought as he fell into a fitful sleep filled with pain and frustration.
…
In the lab, Arthur was rebandaging his arms.
Last night’s battle with the Lizard had been brutal; the creature had tried to tear Arthur apart.
Arthur’s arms had been in terrible shape, but after a night’s rest they had recovered somewhat, though they still required some medication to manage the pain.
Banner tossed his jacket to Arthur before speaking. “Ready?”
“Yes,” Arthur said, pulling on the jacket. “It’s decided… we’re coming with you.”
“That’s a terrible line,” Banner remarked, staring at Arthur in disbelief. “Or is that some kind of incantation for your powers?”
“Actually, I don’t have to say anything,” Arthur replied as he summoned Dr. Connors.
The doctor appeared, completely naked, all of his clothes having been destroyed in last night’s battle. Unlike the Hulk, who had those indestructible pants, Connors had been absorbed into the Disassembler Space while still reeling from the emotional shock of his body’s transformation.
Now, as he emerged, he was on the verge of tears.
Banner was almost shocked. “You captured someone, but you didn’t even give him clothes? And why is this grown man crying like a little girl? What did you do to him?”
Arthur blinked. “I didn’t do anything, I swear!”
After a brief exchange of glances, Connors realized that something was wrong. “Where am I? Who are you?” he asked, looking around.
“Ahem,” Arthur cleared his throat and handed Connors a pair of pants from the Disassembler space. “Hello, Dr. Connors. Welcome to our lab. I’m Arthur, and this is Banner… You may not know his name, but you’ve definitely heard of the Hulk, right?”
Banner stared at the pants Arthur had handed over, confirming that they weren’t his, before nodding with a slight cough. “Hello.” Then he fell silent, trying to maintain a cool demeanor… despite his somewhat bulky appearance.
“Hulk? Hulk? Yeah, I’ve heard that name. That fight in the streets of New York not too long ago took everyone by surprise.” Connors then turned his attention to Arthur. “But I’ve never heard of you.”
“I’m the one who knocked you out and brought you here in a sack,” Arthur said with a smile as he put a cap on his head. “Do you know me now?”
……
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