The Comprehensive Evolution of American Comics

Finally, Howard dropped Parker and Cindy off at the entrance of an amusement park, left his gold card with them, and drove off in his Rolls Royce.

“Weren't we supposed to register?” Cindy asked, staring blankly at the amusement park.

“That's right, we're going to the ticket booth to register and buy tickets now.” Peter snapped back to reality, grabbed Cindy's hand, and headed inside, his mind still occupied with what Howard had told him.

…

“Don't reveal the fact that Cindy is a superhuman,” Howard warned Peter.

“How did you know?” Peter asked, puzzled, then guessed, “Did Uncle Norman tell you?”

“Of course not, I'm not close enough to Osborn to discuss family matters. Jarvis.”

Howard first denied Peter's guess, then inexplicably called out the name of his butler. Just as Peter was confused, the screen in front of him lit up.

“Yes, sir.”

A cold, electronic voice sounded, startling Peter, but what was then displayed on the screen shocked him even more.

The protagonist in the footage was his own sister. She was wearing sportswear and jumping between buildings, performing various high-difficulty extreme sports with ease. Peter, sitting in his chair, watched with trepidation.

“This is the recording from last night,” Howard said as he waited at a red light. “Actually, there's more than just this one, there's also the day before yesterday and the day before that. It looks like Cindy is a very lively child.”

“She's always been like this,” Peter said with a sheepish smile, secretly resolving to give Cindy a good talking-to when they got home.

“This was filmed by Stark Industries' flying drones scattered throughout the city,” Howard said, adjusting his seatbelt for comfort. “They were recently invented and are only the size of an eyeball.”

Peter didn't speak. He knew Howard wouldn't show off his inventions for no reason; the important part was probably the second half of the sentence.

“Hyperion made me do this,” Howard said, rubbing his eyes. “Now you know why I said he's crazy.”

“Because he's invading people's privacy?”

“Because he doesn't trust anyone anymore,” Howard glared at Peter, then started the car. “Learn from Osborn more often, you're too naive. If you were to take over the family business, Parker Group would go bankrupt in two days.”

Peter smiled sheepishly and didn't reply. He really wasn't good at scheming against others; the lab was more suitable for him. He'd leave the group to Harry to take over.

“Hyperion no longer believes in everything he once protected,” Howard brought the topic back on track. “And he really intends to carry out this superhuman registration to the end. When he came to me, he gave me a reason I couldn't refuse, to make me help him.”

“What is it?” Peter asked at the right time.

“Tony's life,” Howard said calmly, the tone completely mismatched with the content of his words, causing Peter to shudder.

Peter asked in disbelief, “He really said that?”

That Hyperion who advocated justice and goodness? He could actually do something like threatening a father with his child's life?

“That's why I said he's crazy,” Howard said very calmly, as if the life threatened wasn't his child, which surprised Peter.

“What?” Howard noticed Peter's expression in the rearview mirror. “Do you think I'd be furious?”

“I thought you'd at least not be so calm.”

Howard was protective of his own, which was known throughout the world. If someone close to him was threatened, anyone would be angry. Like Peter, if Cindy or other family members were in danger, he would really rush in and fight.

He wasn't joking about that.

“Blind rage is useless,” Howard said, maneuvering the car to turn. “My resistance would only make his words come true sooner. To save Tony, I must be patient.”

“But to fool that big fool, I still smashed my office. It's a pity about my favorite statue.”

“Why are you telling me all this?” Peter couldn't help but ask. “I don't have much interaction with you.”

“Because you're a good kid, Peter,” Howard sighed. “I saw it at the dance, wanting to help me unarmed? Your foolishness is admirable.”

“I'm only telling you the truth, Peter,” Howard said, parking the car in the parking lot and looking at Peter with a serious expression.

“I'm really looking for a way to kill that son-of-a-bitch alien, and I think I'll have to pay the price of my life for it.”

“What!? Mr. Howard…”

“Let me finish, Peter,” Howard interrupted Peter. “That big fool really has a plan. If I don't kill him, he will definitely kill me. I'm asking you to hold Tony back when the time comes, that's the purpose of my trip.”

Howard reached out, pulled out the USB drive plugged into the car's center console, and handed it to Peter, saying, “This contains all the recordings of Cindy, remember to take it back and destroy it, this is my benefit to you.”

Dazedly taking the USB drive, Peter didn't come back to his senses until Cindy's voice rang in his ears.

“Weren't we supposed to register?”

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“Yes, that's right.” Peter put the USB drive in his pocket. “We have to go to the ticket office to register and buy tickets. Mr. Howard gave us a gold card, so we don't have to wait in line.”

Big hand holding small hand, one walking more and more firmly, one walking more and more confused.

…

“MODOK, sir!”

A person wearing an orange protective suit stood at the door of the laboratory, loudly reporting.

“Come in!”

The shrill voice made the person standing at the door shiver, then he honestly walked in.

“You should know that I said not to disturb me during my experiments unless it's necessary.”

The big-headed MODOK manipulated his floating chair to turn around, the shocking bloodstains causing his subordinate to grit his teeth.

“Yes, there is, important news.”

The subordinate trembled as he reported Hyperion's actions to MODOK. After hearing the news, the latter couldn't help but raise his eyebrows.

“This is good news,” MODOK chuckled. He had finally managed to get in touch with the military, but he didn't expect the leader of the other party to die in less than two days. Enraged, MODOK could only think of other ways to vent his anger.

“I was originally planning to use my new invention to retaliate against their family, but these can be a little appetizer first.”

MODOK licked his lips and instructed his subordinate, “Release the news, release all the military's actions against superhumans, and remember to specify that all the superhuman human experiments were the idea of that old man Ross.”

Watching his subordinate turn and leave, MODOK couldn't help but laugh again.

“This is going to be interesting! This is going to be interesting!”