2020
Dr. Liam was tightening screws on a rectangular frame. After that, he tried to activate the gate with electricity. The moment he turned it on, he was blasted several meters away by the current.
The scene shifted. With several beeping sounds, Dr. Liam slowly woke up.
Peter Parker approached and asked, "Are you okay, Doctor?"
The doctor nodded. Peter continued, "Didn't I tell you to wait until I'm here before doing experiments? If I hadn't gotten out of school early today, you would've died in the lab."
Dr. Liam laughed and said, "Even my own son doesn't care about me this much. Why are you so concerned about me?"
At that moment, Antonson Lehr walked in and said, "Yeah, I don't care about you, Mr. Lehr."
Dr. Liam sat up and asked, "What did you call me?"
Seeing this, Peter pushed the doctor back down and said, "Alright, alright, it's fine. It's fine."
He rolled his eyes at Antonson.
The scene cut to Peter pulling Antonson out of the hospital.
Peter said, "Your dad is already like this. Don't make him angry anymore."
Antonson replied, "He started it first."
Peter responded, "Alright, I can't handle your family drama anymore."
With that, Peter got into a taxi.
Antonson stood where he was, watching the taxi leave and muttered softly, "I didn't ask you to care."
Elsewhere, Peter arrived home.
As soon as he opened the door, May and Grace came out holding a birthday cake, singing, "Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you…"
They spent the whole day laughing and celebrating.
The next day, Dr. Liam was discharged from the hospital. Peter went to the lab to find him.
The doctor saw Peter and said, "You came just in time. I've developed a new experiment."
He pointed at the spiders crawling around inside a chamber. "Look at these spiders. All you need to do is go inside. I'll activate the machine, and the spiders will start spinning. The speed will increase faster and faster, and eventually a huge cluster of spiders will be crushed into molecules and enter your body. In the end, you will become… 'Spider-Man.'"
Peter froze for a moment and asked, "Doctor, are you insane?"
Dr. Liam replied firmly, "No, I'm not."
He picked up a mouse placed to the side and said, "Look at it. It can shoot webs and climb walls. All results of my experiment. Peter, please, help me. Just this once."
Seeing Peter unmoved, Dr. Liam used sharper words. "Do you actually enjoy being bullied at school every day?"
Peter looked at the doctor, emotions mixed.
He stepped into the chamber. The doctor asked from the outside, "Are you ready?"
Peter nodded. The doctor pulled the lever. The chamber began to spin. As the speed increased, the light inside became so bright that the doctor couldn't see anything. Only Peter's screams could be heard.
Soon, the chamber slowed down. The doctor rushed inside, helping Peter up and shaking him. "Are you okay? Peter?"
Suddenly, Peter stretched out his hand and caught a strand of falling hair midair. His eyes widened; he became extremely sensitive to everything around him.
Dr. Liam shouted excitedly, "Ah! It worked!"
Peter mumbled, "Did it work? I… don't feel so good."
Dr. Liam said, "Go home and sleep. Come back tomorrow. We'll continue with the portal project."
The scene shifted again. Peter returned home, dashed upstairs, and collapsed onto his bed.
The next morning, Peter felt power flooding his entire body. He rushed out of the house without even eating breakfast.
At school, Peter found Grace and pinned her to the wall.
Grace asked, "What are you doing?"
Peter kissed her. The two of them made out in front of everyone.
A bully walked over, swung a punch at the back of Peter's head, but Peter caught it effortlessly and flung him aside.
Grace stared in shock. "How did you do that?"
Peter replied, "Your love gives me strength."
They both laughed.
When school ended, Peter rushed out of the campus and ran toward Oscity Corporation.
He took the elevator to the 32nd floor, entered the lab, and found Dr. Liam.
Dr. Liam was delighted to see him and asked, "How do you feel?"
Peter shrugged. "Good."
"Can you shoot webs?" Dr. Liam asked.
Peter looked at his hands and tried—but nothing came out.
He shook his head.
Dr. Liam waved his hand dismissively. "It's okay. I predicted this. That's why I prepared…"
He pressed a remote. A metal chamber opened, revealing…
"…a Spider Suit," he said.
Peter's eyes widened. "Try it on," the doctor said.
Soon, Peter put on the red-and-blue suit and jumped down in front of the doctor with the mask on."
"Wow, that's f***ing cool!" the doctor said.
Then they began the portal experiment.
Dr. Liam told Peter to touch the edge of the frame. Peter asked, "Will I get electrocuted?"
"Your suit is electrically insulated," the doctor replied.
Peter touched it—and with a loud boom, he was blasted away. The shockwave cut the power in the whole building for a moment.
Dr. Liam rushed over. "Are you okay?"
Both of them slowly stood up—only to see the portal now open.
Dr. Liam smiled at Peter. "We did it!"
Peter joked, "You owe me emotional compensation."
At that moment, someone in ancient Chinese clothing, wearing a hat and holding a sword, stepped out.
Peter and Dr. Liam both flinched in fear.
Peter nervously asked, "W-who are you?"
The man said, "My name is Ze. I am looking for a man named Peter Parker. Is he here?"
Peter raised his hand. "That's me. I'm Peter Parker."
Ze's expression instantly turned serious. He drew his sword and slashed at Peter.
Peter dodged swiftly. "Why are you trying to kill me?!"
Ze said, "Someone paid me to kill you."
Peter panicked. "You're from ancient times. This is the year 2020! And I don't even know you! Just go back through that portal—that's the Peter Parker you're looking for!"
Ze sneered. "Lies people tell right before they die."
He swung again and again. Peter kept dodging.
Dr. Liam shouted, "Peter! Jump off the building! I installed web-shooters in your suit! Just swing between the skyscrapers!"
Hearing this, Peter smashed through the glass and leapt out.
Just before hitting the ground, he shot webs and swung between the buildings.
Ze followed, jumping off the building and landing effortlessly by running along the walls.
Dr. Liam watched from above, stunned.
Ze looked at the towering skyscrapers and the bustling crowds, seeming to realize something—then ran into an alley.
Meanwhile, Peter was about to crash into a wall when he stuck to it perfectly.
Looking down, he said, "I can climb walls…"
He smiled excitedly.
That night, when he got home, he saw May sitting at the dinner table.
May asked, "Where did you go?"
Peter avoided the question. "Uh… I just… went to watch a game. Y-yeah."
May angrily said, "If you're going to lie, at least make it believable! There hasn't been a single game here recently!"
Peter snapped, "Aunt May, I'm grown up! Can you stop controlling me?!"
May cried, "Every day after Ben took that knife for you, you promised you'd listen to me and stop running around. But now…"
Peter shouted, "Aunt May! Stop bringing Uncle Ben into this every time! It just makes me hate you!"
He turned and saw Grace at the doorway. He rushed back to his room.
Grace hugged May and said, "It's okay. Let him calm down."
Peter recalled the past:
"When he was twelve, he ran out of the house in anger, and a robber grabbed him and used him as a shield against the police."
The robber's knife pressed against Peter's neck, leaving the police unable to act.
Uncle Ben suddenly rushed in from behind, knocking into the robber. In the chaos, the robber's knife stabbed into Ben's abdomen. Panicking, the robber pulled the knife out and fled.
Peter held Uncle Ben tightly. "I'm sorry."
Then he cried."
Back to reality, Peter shed a tear.
He walked downstairs and hugged May. May hugged him back.
Peter said, "I'm sorry."
May cried, "I'm sorry, too."
Grace joined the hug as well.