"Ryker's Island Prison, a massive prison located right in New York, with only one bridge for entry and exit. Why had I never thought of coming here before?"
Peter, who had taken the afternoon off, entered Ryker's Island Prison without seeking anyone's help. He didn't use his Avenger identity for prior notification but instead infiltrated directly using his stealth mode. Since most of Ryker's Island was actually reclaimed landfill, the entire prison island was, by all accounts, abysmal. As for the security, this prison reportedly had 1500 incidents of inmates assaulting guards annually, so he didn't have high expectations for its defenses.
Mr. Peter used his eyepiece's scanning system to scan the main structure of the prison. According to Matt, Luke Cage had escaped from the basement, breaking through a wall and jumping into the river to break out. That made things easy: given the American efficiency of a federal public prison like Ryker's, that broken wall surely hadn't been repaired.
Sure enough, the invisible Spider-Man didn't take long to find the wall. Following nearby traces, he located the prison floor that must have held Luke Cage and other experimental subjects. He quietly took a guard's keys, opened the door, and then stealthily slipped inside.
"Best spy Spider-Man is here—"
Unfortunately, he couldn't speak loudly or interact with others while invisible. The eyepiece displayed the surroundings, analyzing that the last time someone was held here was the day before yesterday, which was exactly when Luke Cage escaped.
In other words, the moment they discovered Luke Cage's escape, they immediately transferred and evacuated everything. Their reaction was indeed swift. Peter then found the basement of the building, but it had been boarded up with several wooden planks, a straightforward solution.
"Hmm…"
Peter frowned at the sight. After confirming there were no other passages through his scan, he violently removed the wooden planks when he was sure no one was around, opened the door, and walked in.
All along the way, he was vigilant for potential enemies, but both his Spider-Sense and various scans indicated that nothing particularly dangerous was happening.
No, strictly speaking, there was nothing there at all.
The basement was a vast, empty space, permeated only by a faint smell of blood. There wasn't even an incinerator or gas trap prepared for intruders like Peter, which made Peter feel a bit unaccustomed.
But truly, there was nothing there, only ventilators circulating the air, constantly scrubbing away the scent of blood. The villains didn't intend to confront them head-on; they simply vanished without leaving any provocative messages.
Efficient, organized, and goal-oriented. Peter recorded everything as evidence, simultaneously using the scratches on the floor to deduce the previous layout and overall scale of the laboratory.
But, beyond that?
Beyond that, Peter didn't know.
But he knew someone who might have information, and that person happened to be on Ryker's Island.
That person was Kingpin.
Kingpin, who had once again taken up residence on Ryker's Island, was very familiar with the place. He had secured a well-appointed suite and was shaving his beard, clad in an orange prison jumpsuit. He heard the sound of an unwelcome guest. After putting down his razor and wiping his face with a towel, he walked out and saw Spider-Man suddenly appear in his suite, smiling helplessly.
"If you plan to make a move here, all of New York will know what happened, Spider-Man."
Kingpin said, sitting on the sofa and looking at Spider-Man. Peter didn't waste words, directly asking, "Do you know that illegal human experiments are being conducted underground in this prison?"
Kingpin genuinely paused when he heard that. In truth, he really didn't know that such horrific experiments were being carried out beneath Ryker's Island, especially since the experimental subjects' backgrounds had omitted gang members.
But that didn't mean Kingpin was completely unaware. After a pause, he slowly said, "I don't know about this matter, but… I know there are often inexplicable kidnappings in New York, and those who are kidnapped never return."
Kingpin found it somewhat strange but didn't pursue it. Firstly, there was no need, and secondly, Kingpin also felt that the other party was not simple and saw no need to get involved in murky waters. As for the super-soldier serum, it was either S.H.I.E.L.D. or the military.
But Kingpin was unwilling to tell Spider-Man these details.
"More details? Why should I tell you?"
Peter thought for a moment and said, "I've been to another universe. There, your wife is Vanessa, and you have a child named Richard…"
Kingpin paused, then looked at Peter.
"Are you threatening me?"
"No, I won't threaten you. But I want you to understand one thing: I'm watching you constantly. Don't use any idiots to probe my true identity."
Spider-Man glared menacingly at Kingpin.
"If my family is in danger, I'll go after your wife."
"Now, tell me what happened."
Otto Octavius was on the run.
The high-level laboratory provided by Kingpin was no longer a safe haven. Although he had always dreamed of such a lab, it seemed insignificant compared to surviving and getting revenge on Norman Osborn.
If he had to give up, then so be it.
Not only that, considering Shocker and the others had moved to the safer Raft prison, Doctor Octopus had even abandoned several as-yet-undiscovered hideouts in the sewers for absolute safety.
But he was cornered in the sewers.
"Dr. Otto Octavius, pleased to meet you. You can call me Dr. Ogama."
An elderly Japanese scientist, accompanied by a group of men in black, appeared in the sewers. Otto was surprised to discover from their thermal signatures that these black-clad guards were all cold, lifeless bodies—not a single one was alive.
This sparked a strong interest in Otto. Was this some kind of necromancy?
"What do you want? I don't recall knowing any Japanese people."
Otto said with a hint of self-deprecation, but the other didn't agree: "I've read your papers, the research Norman Osborn stole from you. You are undoubtedly a genius. Join us, Doctor Otto, we can give you the best chance for revenge!"
"Don't you want to stand before Norman Osborn and utterly crush him?"
Otto seemed to catch a crucial clue: "You just said, 'stand'."
"Yes, stand."
Ogama, realizing the fish had taken the bait, smiled, awaiting an answer. Sure enough, Otto Octavius extended his mechanical tentacles and shook hands with him.
"This is a temporary collaboration. My knowledge and technology in exchange for a healthy body."