The Comprehensive Evolution of American Comics

Chapter 41: Peter Parker's Brush with Death

"Save me! Anyone, please save me!"

A panicked Mary Jane knelt on the tower's peak, hands clasped together at her chest, seeming more like she was performing an opera than pleading for help.

"Roar!"

As if to accompany the panicked Mary Jane, a gorilla, roughly three or four stories tall, climbed towards the top of the tower, approaching it with great speed.

"No! Help!"

Watching King Kong approach, Mary Jane began to beg for help even more fervently, but this still couldn't stop the terrifying King Kong from getting closer.

Just as the beautiful Mary Jane was about to meet her demise, a majestic and resounding voice echoed.

"Up, up, and away!"

A passerby who appeared from nowhere also exclaimed with perfect timing.

"Look, it's a bird!"

"It's a plane!"

"No! It's the invincible Mr. P!"

Faster than a bullet, more powerful than a train, in the blink of an eye, King Kong was knocked off the tower, crashing to the ground with a thud, unable to rise again.

"Mr. P, where are you?" The rescued Mary Jane stumbled to her feet, looking around, trying to find the hero who saved her.

"Is there something you need, beautiful lady?"

Just as Mary Jane was disappointed, thinking the hero had already left, a robust figure slowly descended from behind her.

Mary Jane turned back in surprise, looking at the peerless hero who had saved her.

Taking off his glasses, Peter Parker, as sturdy as a Four-Armed Tyrant, was gazing affectionately at Mary Jane.

"It really is you, my hero, my love, Peter."

Mary Jane's eyes welled up, covering her mouth with her hands, slowly approaching Peter.

"That's right, it's me, Mary Jane."

Peter also slowly flew towards Mary Jane, gently embracing her.

The two looked at each other without words, the burning love in their eyes needing no explanation. Mary Jane, with eyes like autumn water, tilted her head back, her meaning self-evident.

With the atmosphere already built up, Peter didn't refuse, lowered his head, and leaned in to kiss Mary Jane.

The two got closer and closer, about to touch each other, when a little accident happened.

Peter saw that the love in Mary Jane's eyes had turned into a torrential waterfall, as if to drown him.

A physical drowning. In Peter's horrified gaze, two torrents suddenly shot out from Mary Jane's eyes.

Peter wanted to resist, but his consciousness became increasingly blurred under the rushing water, preventing him from losing consciousness.

"Ah!"

Peter cried out in surprise, opening his eyes. Fine water droplets formed a sheet, dripping from the top of his head, blocking his vision and preventing him from seeing his surroundings clearly for a moment.

"Cough, cough!"

Because of the sudden awakening, he gasped for breath, even inhaling water into his nose and mouth, choking him and making him cough.

Peter wanted to wipe the water from his face, but found that he couldn't move his hands, which frightened him. He struggled to stand up, but found that he still couldn't. All he got was the creaking sound of his struggles.

"Huff, huff!"

Peter forced himself to calm down. As he calmed down, he realized that he was tied to a chair. As the water on his face trickled down, he gradually began to see his surroundings clearly.

The dim light allowed him to vaguely make out the surroundings. It seemed to be a warehouse, and the faint light was emitted by a flashlight not far from him.

"Have I been kidnapped?"

Peter's question had just come out when he heard footsteps behind him.

"Who? Who's there!"

The pressure of the footsteps behind him, coupled with the unknown fear, made Peter panic. He questioned the person behind him in a panic.

"Help! Save me! Plea—ugh."

Peter, not getting a response, chose to shout for help, but before he could shout a few words, the person behind him grabbed his neck, making him swallow his cry for help.

Peter felt his throat was about to be cut off. He felt like the person behind him was fumbling for something.

'Could it be a knife!'

This terrible thought, once it took root, only brought panic. Peter struggled desperately, and his controlled throat began to roar.

"Oh! Erh! Whoa!"

The chair seemed to be welded to the ground. Peter struggled desperately, unable to move even an inch, and could only squeeze out a few broken screams from his throat.

Along with a sharp pain, Peter felt a sharp object pierce his arm, followed by an uncomfortable feeling of foreign matter invading. That person injected something into him!

Peter was desperate. Although he didn't know what it was, it was obviously not a good thing. He thought that maybe some drug dealer wanted to test drugs on him, or maybe it was just poison. In despair, he thought of many things.

Uncle Ben and Aunt May, I wonder what they'll do when I'm gone.

Mary Jane, I only recently figured out what she meant, but unfortunately, there won't be a sequel.

Gwen, my best friend, her drumming is getting better and better. I wonder if she'll marry Happy in the future.

Happy, my best buddy, I changed because of his appearance and saved me countless times, but this time, he can't make a dazzling appearance and save me like a superhero in a comic book.

"Boom!"

A white light suddenly enveloped Peter, stinging his eyes, followed by a loud noise, and then a gust of wind hit his face, blowing his mouth crooked and his eyes squinted.

"Ding! Gulu, gulu."

The needle tube landed on the ground. Peter felt his neck loosen, and the person behind him was no longer controlling him, but he no longer had the strength to call for help.

He felt like he had been injected with explosives, and the pain was about to turn him inside out.

"Peter, how are you? Peter!"

A high-pitched voice, Peter had never heard this voice, but for no reason, he felt familiar. In a daze, he seemed to see Yang Le.

"Happy... save me, Happy..."

Yang Le, transformed into Quick Flash Star, looked anxiously at Peter, who was as red as a cooked shrimp, which was frightening.

"Why is the speedster always one step late? Is this a curse?"

Yang Le cursed in a low voice, stretched out his sharp claws to cut the straps that were helping Peter, and then placed him on the ground.

"Omnitrix, what's wrong with Peter now?"

"Detecting gene mutation."

Gene mutation? Yang Le was surprised by Omnitrix's answer. Originally, he was just trying anything in desperation, but he didn't expect Omnitrix to really give him an answer, and Omnitrix could really cure this disease.

"Repair the target gene! Quickly!"

Yang Le was so anxious that his voice was a little off. In his anxiety, he didn't notice a bug quietly slipping away in the shadows.

"Unable to do so."

"What? Why?" Yang Le asked in surprise.

"The target is undergoing a mutation process. If the target gene is forcibly repaired at this time, it will cause irreversible damage, even..."

"Kill the target!"

The cold and calm narration was deafening to Yang Le.