Chapter 28 - 28: The Genesis of the Red Spider

"Students, we're about to arrive at the Mason Industries Twin Towers." "Today, we'll be visiting the Mason Industries Twin Towers!" Inside a yellow school bus, the teacher announced the destination excitedly. Hearing this, the students erupted in cheers. Mason Industries was now one of the most high-profile companies in America, and its newly completed Twin Towers had become a landmark in New York City. For the students of Midtown High, getting the opportunity to visit Mason Industries was beyond exciting. Among them, Peter Parker's face lit up with anticipation. As a science enthusiast, he was naturally fascinated by Mason Industries—an absolute titan in the world of scientific research. Once off the bus, Peter Parker gazed up at the towering skyscrapers, feeling an overwhelming sense of awe. The closer one got, the more imposing these buildings seemed. Tilting his head back, he found he couldn't even see the top. "Hello, we're from Midtown High. We received permission from your company for a tour," the teacher said, presenting his identification to the burly security guard at the entrance. "Understood. Please proceed. The company has prepared a laboratory for your visit," the security guard replied politely. "The lab is on the 35th floor of Umbrella Tower. Someone will guide you there." "Thank you very much!" After expressing his gratitude, the teacher led the group of excited students into the building. The moment they stepped inside, they were greeted with an astonishing sight. A giant holographic screen dominated the space, displaying an introduction to Mason Industries' various ventures. In the top left corner of the screen was a small red-and-white umbrella logo. "Is that the logo of Umbrella Corporation?" Harry Osborn gazed around with an envious expression. As the son of Norman Osborn, he was no stranger to wealth and technology—he had visited Oscorp Tower countless times. But compared to Mason Industries, Oscorp felt like a run-down shack. The students' eyes sparkled as they took in the futuristic surroundings—massive holographic screens, autonomous robots moving about, and other technological marvels beyond their comprehension. "Welcome, students of Midtown High, to Mason Industries. Today, you will be visiting Umbrella Corporation's biological research laboratory." "I am Umbrella's artificial intelligence—you may call me the Red Queen." A smooth, female voice suddenly echoed through the space. A moment later, a translucent red hologram of a woman appeared beside them, walking alongside the group. "Holy crap! What?!" "An AI?" "Am I dreaming?" "Is this really an artificial intelligence?" "Damn, the name 'Red Queen' sounds so badass!" The hall buzzed with astonishment and excited chatter. Some of the bolder students even reached out to touch the red hologram, only to find their hands passing right through it. Peter Parker turned to his best friend, Harry Osborn, his face glowing with enthusiasm. "Harry, look at this place—it's like heaven!" "Now I understand why Mason Industries became so powerful in such a short time." "It's all thanks to scientific progress!" "Yeah… science," Harry murmured, but his voice carried a hint of frustration. After witnessing the technology within Mason Industries, he felt a deep sense of helplessness. Oscorp… didn't stand a chance. After entering a large elevator, the group arrived on the 35th floor. "You are free to explore now, but please do not touch any of the experimental equipment," the Red Queen's voice reminded them. More gasps and exclamations followed. "Holy crap, this whole floor is a research lab?" "This is insane!" "I thought it would be just a small section—turns out it's an entire floor!" Sёarᴄh the nôvelFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The AI's voice corrected them once again. "To be precise, everything from the 35th floor and above belongs to Umbrella Corporation's biological research division." The students' astonishment grew tenfold. — Meanwhile, at the very top of the building… Gene Mason sat in his office, watching the live feed of a certain unsuspecting student. "Sir, Peter Parker has entered the biological research facility," the Red Queen reported. A mysterious smile appeared on Gene's face. He was curious—what would happen when Peter Parker and the T-Virus merged? — Down in the lab, Peter Parker found himself in a minor scuffle with another student. Physically weak to begin with, Peter stumbled backward from a push and crashed into a piece of lab equipment. A tiny, almost imperceptible needle extended from the machine, piercing his skin. A small amount of blue liquid was injected into his bloodstream. Peter barely noticed the slight prick. The pain from hitting the ground was far more distracting. "What do you think you're doing?!" The teacher had finally noticed the commotion and rushed over, yelling furiously. "Do you know how expensive this equipment is?!" Turning toward the Red Queen, the teacher apologized hastily. "Miss Red Queen, if any equipment is damaged, we will compensate you for the loss." The Red Queen smiled. "There's no need. It was our oversight." But within that artificial smile, something… unsettling lurked. -------------- T/N: Access 30 Chapters in Advance on my P@treon: [email protected]/MPHFics