Peter remembered that Kingpin and his men came to Aunt May's door at about 6 o'clock in the morning.
The battle lasted for about half an hour. Around 6:30, Kingpin and his men were defeated, and Ms. Octopus escaped.
After that, they set off to Fisk Building. It took about an hour to travel from Queens to Brooklyn. Around 7:30, Peter, Amazing Spider-Man B, and Spider-Gwen arrived at Fisk Building.
They estimated that Ms. Octopus arrived at about the same time, because there was no traffic jam along the way, and they basically took a straight route.
Around 8:00, Peter and Spider-Gwen worked together to solve the traps in Kingpin's office and began collecting information.
Around 8:50, Spider-Ham, Peni Parker, and Noir Spider-Man arrived. Peni and Noir Spider-Man went underground at the same time.
By 9:00, the information was basically collected.
Now it was 9:20. Peni and the others found the particle collider and discovered the problem.
The particle collider was supposed to be turned on around 7:30. Considering the current power was four times the planned amount, the particle collider would fully activate around 10:00.
Taking into account the possible obstruction caused by Ms. Octopus and Kingpin's men deployed near the particle collider, they figured it was best to reserve 10 to 20 minutes.
This meant the data on hand must be processed by around 9:40!
Peter quickly sorted out the logic. While scanning the data, he shared his reasoning with the others through the communicator.
He glanced at the data, then at the time, and said, "Nine thirty, 9:30 at the latest. I can scan it all by then!"
So, Peni and Noir Spider-Man decided to lie low for the time being, continue observing the developments over there, and wait for the others to rendezvous with them.
Spider-Gwen and Spider-Ham were tasked with finding a route to the underground facility.
Just like that, another ten minutes passed.
Peter clapped his hands and suddenly stood up. "Finished!" he shouted excitedly, his joy apparent.
Originally, this matter didn't warrant such elation. But when linked to something that could endanger the lives of 8 million people, it became quite thrilling.
Spider-Gwen and Spider-Ham also found the passage leading underground. It wasn't hard to locate - it was in Kingpin's office. The private elevator!
This private elevator only went to three places: this office, the helipad on the roof, and the particle collider laboratory at the bottom of the building.
Peter forwarded the packaged information to Peni. Peni used the advanced tech on her spider mech to disguise herself as an "enthusiastic citizen," then mass-sent it to the people Peter told her about.
After completing this, Amazing Spider-Man B, who was downstairs, drove the extended Lincoln carrying Kingpin to the front gate. He reinforced Kingpin's restraints with some spider webs before coming up.
Once everyone regrouped, they wasted no time and directly took the elevator downstairs. By now, it was 9:35.
The elevator began its rapid descent. The moment the doors closed, Peter and the others seemed to hear Peni scream, unsure of what happened...
In the underground particle collider laboratory, the facility that was originally full of talented individuals now only had two people left.
One was Ms. Octopus, and the other was a male researcher in a white lab coat.
"Jonathan, you shouldn't be here," Ms. Octopus said as she worked busily in front of the computer, her two hands and four fluid mechanical tentacles moving in unison as if she were five people.
Her hair was disheveled, and there was even dust on her face and body. Before this, she had escaped from the battle with Spider-Man. After returning here, she didn't bother with anything else and devoted herself entirely to the work on the super particle collider.
She had witnessed Spider-Man's power firsthand and knew these Spider-Men must have designs on this super particle collider. Her own strength couldn't stop them.
In that case, she chose to destroy it! But before that, she had to complete her final experiment!
In fact, although the situation was similar to Peter's guess, there were actually some "discrepancies" in the middle. And these discrepancies could be fatal!
"No, Liv, this is your life's work, and mine too! I want to stay here and witness everything about it!" The man Ms. Octopus called "Jonathan" was about 40 years old.
His full name was Jonathan Orne. He graduated from MIT with a doctorate in quantum physics. Ms. Octopus recruited him, and he joined Oakhurst Laboratories.
He played at least a 40% role in completing this super particle collider. 50% belonged to Ms. Octopus, and the remaining 10% was the sum of the other researchers' contributions!
And if anyone at Oakhurst Laboratories besides Ms. Octopus was most concerned about this super particle collider and quantum experiment, it had to be Jonathan!
Of course, the former Kingpin was also one. But what he cared more about was the result - bringing his family from the parallel universe.
As for quantum experiments, parallel universe experiments, research into countless worlds, etc., it obviously had nothing to do with Kingpin. He didn't care either.
Therefore, when Ms. Octopus hurriedly returned and dismissed all the researchers, Jonathan chose to stay.
He learned everything from Ms. Octopus and even knew her plan. But he wasn't afraid.
He wanted to stick it out to the end and witness everything with his own eyes.
"Whew..." Ms. Octopus raised her head, wiped the sweat from her forehead, and smiled.
Done! She succeeded!
Even if Spider-Man arrived now, it would be useless. Because the particle collider was about to complete its final overload acceleration and would truly start in five minutes!
Five minutes later, everything would end...
"In five minutes, the particle collider will start up!"
When Peter and the others walked out of the elevator, this was the sentence they heard.
Peter, Amazing Spider-Man B, Spider-Gwen, and Spider-Ham were all stunned.
"Why only five minutes? Isn't it supposed to be ten o'clock?" Spider-Gwen asked.
Peni's voice was very serious: "Obviously, Ms. Octopus remotely controlled the particle collider here to start early when she left Aunt May's house! That means when you arrived at Fisk Building at 7:30, the particle collider had already been on for an hour!"
"So, the subsequent overload acceleration time is a quarter of 9 hours, that is, 135 minutes, two hours and fifteen minutes!"
"In other words, the particle collider will actually collide at 9:45!" Peter's eyes widened.
"Yes," Peni said firmly.
Peter's face turned pale as he looked at his watch. It was already 9:41!
(End of chapter)