"You, over there! Yes, the student in the Rick and Morty hoodie, you go first," Soren said with a grin, pointing to the boy in the midst of the chaotic wave of arms.
The boy clearly hadn't expected to be chosen first.
His large friend next to him gave him a playful nudge with his shoulder, laughing.
He took the microphone, cleared his throat nervously, and tugged at his clothes, "Uh, hi. I wanted to ask, what do you think about Superman, the chairman of the Justice League? As the most prominent extraterrestrial on Earth right now, do you think his immense power makes us reconsider his value to humanity?"
...Wait a second.
The tone, the way the question was phrased—something about it seemed familiar.
Where had Soren heard this before?
Soren immediately sensed something unusual.
Soren cast a suspicious glance at the boy, his smile fading slightly, "…Hmm, that's an interesting question. May I have the honor of knowing your name?"
"Peter, sir," the boy's brown eyes were like a puppy's as he looked at Soren, a mix of nervousness and anticipation in his expression, "My name is Peter Parker."
Soren: …!!!!!!!!!!
He suddenly realized who @bittenbyspider, the person who had argued with him for hundreds of posts on 8chan, really was.
—Of course, no normal person would give themselves an ID like @bittenbyspider.
Anyone who does is definitely... not ordinary.
As one of the earliest members of the Avengers, Soren felt it was his duty to immediately take this kid, who had yet to be brought under S.H.I.E.L.D.'s supervision, and get him registered as a superhero!
Soren gave the brown-haired boy a cool glance, his smile turning into a smirk, "Alright, Peter it is, then. You asked me two questions. Let's start with your first one: what do I think of Superman?"
He stepped down from the podium and slowly paced in front of the first row of seats, "Superman, as the most powerful extraterrestrial we know of, I believe his significance to humanity's exploration of ultimate concerns far outweighs his role as chairman of the Justice League. We all know that in the Black Zero event, Superman made a difficult choice... but has anyone considered what that choice truly represents?
"In my view, this was a victory of humanity—humanity's triumph over the limitations of our species, in pursuit of ultimate meaning, or what we might call eternity. The reason Superman made that choice is because he adheres to our human values. When faced with Zod's threat, he was essentially trapped in a version of the trolley dilemma, but in the end, he chose to pull the lever and save those innocent civilians. Was this out of some alien-born compassion and kindness? No. Long before Zod arrived, Superman must have realized that his soul had already become human. What conquered and changed him was our human instinct for self-preservation, deeply embedded in our DNA. After living on Earth for decades, he had been unknowingly infused with primal humanity. Even though he's an alien, this is no exception. Doesn't this, in a way, prove the power of human nature?"
Peter Parker who is still holding the microphone, eagerly followed up as soon as Soren finished speaking, "But doesn't that also suggest that Superman's power lacks effective checks and balances? You mentioned this so-called human nature, but you must know that primitive human instincts don't always align with rational morality. Humanity operates under a kind of species bias, which includes jealousy, xenophobia, selfishness, rage... There are many negative aspects. Couldn't Superman also possess these? And if these negative traits were to spiral out of control, what would we do?"
"…Your argument doesn't hold, because in addition to his human nature, he also has a strong moral compass," Soren said, his words stumbling slightly, "Alright, Mr. Peter Parker, you've asked quite a few questions already. I think we should give other students a chance too, don't you? Please pass the microphone to the lovely young lady in front of you."
Peter opened his mouth, wanting to say more, but the girl in the front row had already turned around with her eyes eagerly fixed on him.
He shrugged and reluctantly passed the microphone to her.
Soren went on to answer another seven or eight quirky questions from the university students before finally wrapping up the lecture.
After bidding farewell to the crowd, the lecture hall emptied like swallows returning to their nests.
He remained at the podium, organizing his notes, when he heard a cautious voice beside him, "Uh, Mr. Hargreaves, do you have time?"
…Well, wasn't this just walking into a trap?
Soren raised an eyebrow, turning around as he brushed off imaginary dust from his hands, smiling, "Mr. Parker, you're just in time. I was looking forward to having a chat with you."
Soren's smile was captivating; when his naturally alluring eyes curved as he gazed at someone, it conveyed a profound tenderness.
This gave the impression that his entire focus was on that person, making them feel uniquely significant.
Anyone subjected to such a look would experience a sense of euphoria, as if transported to paradise.
Peter Parker was momentarily stunned by this smile.
Unaccustomed to such intense charm, he blushed deeply, his ears turning red.
The opening remarks he had prepared vanished from his mind, and he stammered, "You... you agree with me, don't you?"
Soren: "..."
He turned his head slightly, quickly assessing their surroundings.
Seeing that the lecture hall was empty, he faced Peter and, with a smile that held a hint of menace, said, "I think you might be mistaken. I wanted to discuss your habit of wearing a spider-themed bodysuit while roaming around New York."
Peter gasped in shock.
"!!!!"
He hurriedly used his notebook to shield his face, nervously saying, "No, no, no, you've got the wrong person. I don't know who you're talking about—oh, are you referring to Spider-Man? I have no connection to him. You must be mistaken—"