Ben Parker had been increasingly worried about the changes in his son lately.
Luya and his nephew Peter had always been obedient since they were young, and Ben had always taken pride in them. But in the past two days, Luya had been coming home very late, raising Ben's concerns about who his son might be associating with.
After all, the world can be a dark place, especially in the chaotic realm of Marvel. Ben's worries were entirely justified.
If only he knew that the good son he had always trusted was involved in something sinister in Hell's Kitchen, he would be utterly shocked.
Fortunately, Luya had a plausible excuse.
"So, you're saying you've been out shopping with your classmate Gwen until now? Is it Gwen from the George family?"
Ben looked at his son in disbelief. How could he be out shopping until the early hours of the morning? Was he really just shopping?
Luya's excuse was good enough. His father believed it completely and chose to set aside his worries about Luya's activities.
"Uncle George asked me to say hello to you," Luya added, bringing greetings from Gwen's father. He conveniently left out any other details.
Ben nodded, "Son, while I understand that young people can be a bit restless at your age, you have yet to see the darker side of this world."
Ben looked at his son earnestly. He knew Luya was hiding something but chose to trust him.
"Promise me you won't go where you shouldn't."
"I will protect myself, Dad," Luya replied, unable to offer more than that.
Fortunately, Ben didn't catch anything strange in Luya's words.
Early the next morning, at the General Technology Laboratory Company.
Today was a visit day organized by the school. Surrounded by the buzzing excitement of his classmates, Luya felt an unsettling disconnect.
His experiences in Hell's Kitchen from the previous night felt like a vivid dream, starkly contrasting with the noise of the students around him.
Laboratory personnel were explaining their latest biological research.
"The silk produced by this spider is as strong as a wire with a diameter of one millimeter, yet its thickness is only that of a silk thread!"
Luya glanced at the rows of breeding warehouses behind him, each containing spiders of various shapes. He knew the spider that had bitten his brother Peter was among them.
"I just don't know which one it is."
As Luya pondered, Mary Jane approached him from behind.
"Hey, Luya! Good morning."
"Good morning," he replied.
Seeing Mary Jane's awkward demeanor, he felt a twinge of confusion. They hadn't interacted much before, yet here she was.
Despite her affection for her boyfriend Thompson, Luya found himself indifferent to her. To fit in, Mary Jane had chosen to be Thompson's girlfriend, a decision Luya didn't quite understand.
Of course, he wouldn't judge. Everyone had their struggles, and he knew Mary Jane often faced abuse from her parents, leading to her people-pleasing personality.
"Well, I want to apologize for Thompson's rudeness the other day. I had no idea he could be so domineering. We've broken up now."
Luya raised an eyebrow. "Does your breakup really concern me?"
He replied softly, "You don't need to apologize to me. Thompson's behavior wasn't your fault, especially since you've broken up with him now."
He had only defended his father, Ben Parker, against Thompson's insults.
"Okay," Mary Jane said, nodding.
Just then, Peter spotted Luya and Mary Jane.
"Jane, good morning!"
He held a second-hand camera he'd bought with his earnings from a summer job, taking care to cherish it.
"Can I… take a picture of you?" Peter asked shyly, shaking the camera in his hand.
This was his first request of the girl he admired, and he feared rejection. However, still feeling guilty about Peter's encounter with Thompson, Mary Jane smiled and agreed.
"Sure!"
As she posed for the photo, Luya quietly stepped aside. Through his enhanced vision, he noticed a spider slipping away from the training warehouse.
'Where did you go?'
Focusing intently, everything around Luya seemed to slow down, as if he had entered a realm of stillness.
After a quick scan, he finally spotted a red and blue spider on the ceiling above him.
This spider moved swiftly, its colorful pattern captivating.
"I found you, chosen spider!"
A smile crept onto Luya's face.
He had considered whether to let this chosen spider bite him, knowing that while the motherland template was powerful, it wasn't fully unlocked yet. The abilities of Spider-Man could offer a significant boost in the early stages.
But after contemplating it further, Luya decided against the idea.
First, he couldn't be certain he would gain Spider-Man's powers after the bite. Second, he was already strong; the so-called "spider-sense" had limited utility now that he had awakened his super vision and hearing.
Most importantly, he didn't want to grow any spider legs—he thought that would look too grotesque!
If he were an ordinary person, he might not hesitate to be bitten by the chosen spider for extraordinary strength, even if it meant growing extra appendages.
Meanwhile, Peter was still focused on the camera, snapping pictures of Mary Jane. He didn't notice as a spider that had escaped its cage landed on his hand.
"Ouch!"
Mary Jane, already distracted, jumped at Peter's shout.
"What's wrong, Peter?"
"It's nothing. Probably just an insect."
Peter didn't elaborate, squinting at the ground but unable to see clearly due to his high myopia and his lenses needing replacement.
"It looks like some kind of colorful… spider?"
Peter didn't pay much attention, but when he looked up again, Mary Jane had vanished.
Seeing his beloved goddess leave, Peter's mood sank.
Luya, unable to bear it any longer, shook his head and turned to leave. As long as he stayed out of the way, Peter would still become Spider-Man.
Enjoy the last of your time as a normal person, brother.
As the afternoon visit wrapped up, students began preparing to head home.
"Luya, by the way, my dad didn't give you any trouble last night, did he?"
Gwen looked a bit listless and very tired.
"No," Luya replied, giving her a curious look. "Are you okay?"
"Yawn."
"I'm just a little sleepy. I think I'll go home and take a nap."