MARVEL -BLACK SPIDERMAN

"No, I haven't heard of her."

Matt adjusted his sunglasses and continued, "Maybe you should try Japan. Their headquarters is located there. You might find something useful."

Peter, however, wasn't buying it. "Though you're blind, your attempts at deception are still pretty obvious."

Matt shifted his position, holding the phone to the other ear.

"I'm not one to lie," Matt said, "but sometimes people misunderstand me. For example, I don't know Helen Nolan, but I do know that it might be a pseudonym."

He paused, coughing before knocking gently on a water glass on the table beside him.

The sound of the glass echoed in the room but was muffled by the soundproof glass in front of it.

"My hearing is sharp enough to catch even the smallest sounds," Matt continued, "like how I overheard two cops talking at the entrance about a funeral they attended yesterday."

Peter turned around in surprise, eyeing the two policemen behind him.

Even though Peter had enhanced senses now, he was still impressed by Matt's ability to hear through glass.

Matt didn't notice Peter's expression and kept speaking, "I heard them discuss a funeral. They were talking about a guy who had been drugged to death—a real scumbag."

Peter glanced at the two policemen in surprise. Matt's abilities were truly impressive.

Matt went on, "I also overheard them talking about the big news in Brooklyn. Apparently, a building in Victoria was destroyed. I knew that had to be you and that woman. Not many people can control plants like that."

Peter's face grew serious at the mention of the woman.

"What's her real name? And what's her purpose in New York?" Peter asked.

Matt shook his head slightly. "I don't know her exact name, but she's been around for a long time. Her story is legendary. She's lived through enough history to be considered a legend herself."

"Legend?" Peter echoed, unsure of why Matt used that term.

"Yes," Matt replied. "She might have even fought alongside Captain America during World War II. She's definitely older than both of us. If you've lived through that many legendary moments, you might just become one yourself."

Peter listened intently, processing what Matt said about the woman.

Matt continued, "As for her abilities, I think you've seen them firsthand. She has the power to manipulate people's hearts. Anyone near her can be influenced by her. Maybe it's the strength of her hormones affecting people, or maybe it's something else. My employer—Kingpin—created similar products based on her abilities, but the side effects were disastrous."

Peter was silent for a moment, digesting all the new information. "What's her role within The Hand?"

Matt leaned forward, his voice growing serious. "I'm just a lawyer, Peter. I'm blind, and my hands are tied in more ways than one. So, no, I'm not some all-knowing god. I can't give you the full picture."

Peter's face hardened, but he didn't give up. "Maybe I should tell Kingpin about his most trusted subordinate's betrayal. How about you answer my questions honestly?"

Matt sighed. "Alright, fine. I know she's a senior member of The Hand. She's at least in a position of natural power within their ranks."

He paused, eyes narrowing behind his sunglasses. "Maybe it's because what's inside her—what she carries—is the real 'beast' that drives her. The thing inside her chases evil, Peter. It always does."

Peter furrowed his brows, trying to understand what Matt meant.

"Be careful around her," Matt warned, his voice dropping. "Devils like to surround themselves with other demons. They gravitate toward each other."

Peter said nothing, his eyes locking with Matt's, but his mind was already racing.

Shaking his head slowly, Peter responded, "I don't think so, Matt. After all, you're the one who's called the devil."

After gathering enough information, Peter was ready to leave. But Matt held onto the phone, offering one final piece of advice.

"Last thing—those people are immortal. If I were you, I'd stay as far away from them as possible."

Peter paused for a moment, considering Matt's warning before replying. "Thanks for the advice. And for what it's worth, I won't be sending the evidence of your crimes to the judges just yet."

Matt's silence was all the answer Peter needed.

---

Later that night, after Peter returned from his visit to Matt, he went straight to the hospital.

The results of the examination showed little change in the alien embryo inside him. The only notable difference was that it had shrunk slightly.

Peter could also sense that his body was growing increasingly fatigued.

He recalled Dr. Lane's words, which suggested that the alien embryo might have reached its reproductive stage and was now entering a dormant, weak phase after releasing black matter.

As Peter sat at his desk, turning a glass bottle in his hands, his thoughts drifted back to the strange encounter with the wasp and the spider. The wasp could inject its sting into the spider, paralyzing it temporarily, before laying an egg inside its abdomen. Once hatched, the larvae took control, turning the spider into a zombie-like creature, altering its behavior and instincts. The web it weaved was stronger and more suitable for nurturing the larvae.

Peter looked at the bottle in his hand, containing a spider, and pondered if he had truly entered a similar symbiotic relationship with the alien embryo. His abilities had grown, but how could he be sure he wasn't just another "zombie spider," under the control of an unknown force?

He thought about the black substance he had vomited up. When he went back to search for it that night, it had vanished without a trace. If the embryo had truly reproduced, it wouldn't have disappeared so easily.

Perhaps Helen, who had witnessed the event, knew more.

But Peter quickly dismissed the thought. For now, they were enemies, and getting answers from her seemed impossible.

With his mind clouded by these troubling thoughts, Peter gazed out of his window into the starless night.

The humid air felt comfortable against his alien body as the black exoskeleton enveloped him.

He leaped from the window, landing gracefully on the street below.

The darkness of the night seemed to soothe him, and he walked the streets, content in his solitude. It was as if his body naturally adapted to the night, making it the perfect time to reflect on his complicated situation.

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