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"Uncle Otto? What are you doing?"
Harry had just returned home... er, well, calling it "home" felt a bit strange.
The so-called "home" Harry returned to was actually just a temporary prefabricated living module built by Stark Industries.
While the specs were higher than your average prefab unit, it was essentially just a simple shelter, akin to an RV without wheels. At best, it was slightly better than living in a tent.
Even these modules weren't yet available for all refugees. Stark Industries' factories across the country were running at full capacity, churning them out and shipping them here.
Anyway, back to the topic.
Since Harry didn't possess any special abilities aside from Venom, and Venom itself wasn't exactly suitable for public relations or comforting civilians...
Lately, finding himself with nothing to do, Harry agreed to the suggestion of the two Gwens. He joined their band, rehearsing often and occasionally performing at charity events to boost morale, mostly just to kill time.
This "job" often led to Venom grumbling and throwing tantrums inside him, so these days, Harry usually chose to end rehearsals early and come home alone for some "quiet" time.
However, he never expected to come home today and find his father's business partner, Dr. Otto Octavius, rummaging through his house alone.
Hearing the noise behind him, Dr. Otto hurriedly put down the documents on the table and turned around. Seeing it was Harry, he breathed a sigh of relief.
"Harry? Back so early today? Your mother is still at the community aid station..."
"What are you doing here?"
Harry knew his mother went to the aid station every day to help distribute supplies.
But Dr. Otto, despite being an acquaintance and their current next-door neighbor in the temporary housing sector, appearing in his house while no one was home and rummaging through things... that looked suspicious no matter how you sliced it.
"Uh, I came to find some data. Your father has been ignoring company affairs lately, so I planned to take some research data to the Los Angeles branch and restart our previous work."
"Find data?"
Hearing this, the suspicion on Harry's face deepened.
What kind of decent person enters someone's home to "find data" when the owner isn't there?
Even if he was his father's old friend and had always taken care of Harry, how was this different from theft?
However, Harry knew his Uncle Otto's personality. He didn't seem like the type of person who would do something like this.
"Well, since you're back, Harry, I'll take my leave. As for the data, I'll... come back for it later..."
Saying this, Dr. Otto tried to sidestep Harry and leave the room.
But he had barely taken a step when an arm wrapped in black slime blocked his path.
"Uncle Otto, I think it would be better if you explained everything clearly before you leave."
Looking at the thick, grotesque arm in front of him, Otto, who knew about Harry's identity as "Venom," gulped and looked conflicted.
Finally, Dr. Otto, who had originally planned to leave for Los Angeles quietly, sighed and spoke slowly.
"Harry... have you noticed lately that your father... seems like a different person?"
"Huh? A different person...?"
Now it was Harry's turn to be stunned.
Seeing this, Dr. Otto decided not to hide anything anymore. He glanced around the cramped living module and spoke again.
"Let's go to my place to talk. It won't be convenient to discuss some things once your parents get back..."
Perhaps out of trust in Dr. Otto, or maybe just trust in Venom's strength...
Harry stared at him for a moment, then nodded in agreement. The two of them went next door to Dr. Otto's residence.
Once inside, Harry noticed that Dr. Otto's module was packed up clean. Two fully packed suitcases stood in the room.
Clearly, as he had said, he was ready to leave.
Seeing Harry glance at the suitcases, Dr. Otto didn't say much. He pulled up a chair, sat down, took a file from his coat, and placed it in front of Harry.
"You should know that your mother's family has a rather fatal hereditary disease. Your father dedicated himself to researching a cure for it."
"Later, thanks to the partnership with Aurantius Industries, we developed a targeted drug that suppresses the symptoms. But that drug only treats the symptoms, not the root cause. So while the research was no longer urgent, it never stopped."
"About six months ago, your father and I made a breakthrough. Although we still couldn't cure the genetic disease itself, a byproduct of the research gave us a gene serum similar to the Super Soldier Serum..."
Perhaps feeling more at ease in his own "home," Dr. Otto lost his earlier awkwardness and tension. In a steady voice, he began to tell Harry the story of how he and Norman Osborn developed the "Green Goblin Serum," how they conducted experimental tests, and how they discovered certain flaws in the serum during the process.
"You're saying my father injected himself with this unfinished enhancement serum?!!"
Hearing Dr. Otto say his father injected a semi-finished "Green Goblin Serum" despite knowing the flaws, Harry's face was frozen in disbelief.
Although his father had transitioned from a pure researcher to a manager as the company grew...
He shouldn't have forgotten basic research protocols and caution completely.
Besides, Osborn Industries had a bright future. As a billionaire, how sick in the head did he have to be to test drugs on himself?
Hearing this, a helpless expression appeared on Dr. Otto's face.
"At first, we didn't realize the serum had such severe side effects."
"And you know your father; he's very competitive. With the company doing well and you joining a hero organization like the Avengers, the company couldn't conduct illegal human trials. And applying for legal trials in New York over the last two years..."
"In the end, before injecting the drug, your father said he hoped to gain the power to protect his family..."