Chapter 42 Subtle Changes
George Stacy is a patrol sergeant at the 12th Precinct in Manhattan. The position of sergeant is a subordinate one, essentially belonging to the category of "police officer" rather than "police officer," so he is quite busy every day. He doesn't return to the precinct until 6 p.m. after completing his patrol according to the schedule.

He had barely sat down when a colleague came over and told him some very unexpected news. He immediately stood up and walked into the corridor of the police station, looking at his daughter who had brought him a Chinese restaurant dinner.

“Welcome to the NYPD.” Sheriff George hugged his daughter, then released her under Gwen’s somewhat embarrassed gaze. “What brings you to visit your old father?”

"First of all, you're not even 50 yet, I don't think that's old. Second, I've brought you dinner, I bet you haven't eaten yet?"

"I was just about to eat, but I was resting."

Gwen looked at her father with suspicion: "What are you going to eat?"

"...I don't know. If you hadn't come, I would have had to figure it out myself. Have you eaten, Gwen?"

"I tried it for you, and the Chinese restaurant there has good food."

"You tried it for me?" George paused for a moment, then frowned. "Eating out is never a good idea. Once or twice is fine... But a girl your age should be learning how to do housework. It's a pity Helen died so young, otherwise I would have taught you."

Gwen could only maintain a polite smile, looking around with her lunch in hand: "So, are you planning to eat dinner in the hallway?"

"of course not."

George led Gwen to his desk, which was sparsely furnished with a few everyday items scattered about. Gwen quickly spotted a note on the desk, picked it up, and read it: 'The spider silk will decompose automatically in two hours. Please be prepared to receive it. —Your friendly neighbor, Spider-Man.' Phew, this is the note Spider-Man left for you?

“Yes, we originally planned to send it to the evidence department or file it, but then we ran out of space and brought it back. I always thought the handwriting looked familiar, but I’m sure it wasn’t written by Peter Parker.” Sheriff George was quite confident, the kind of confidence that comes from being a veteran officer: “I would never mistake Peter’s handwriting, I remember it very clearly.”

Gwen glanced at the note a few more times, then simply nodded.

Yes, Peter Parker's right-hand handwriting is indeed not like that.

Chameleon is also investigating Spider-Man's identity. All day today, he's been impersonating Spider-Man, fighting evil everywhere. Kingpin's explosive traps have been in place for a long time, from yesterday afternoon until this afternoon.

But Spider-Man didn't come!

"Your so-called bullshit reasoning is completely useless. Spider-Man is a high school student, we have to lure him away after school." The chameleon, cursing and swearing, unleashed a torrent of abuse at McDonald Gagan: "Where is he? How long has it been since Spider-Man showed up?"

"My reasoning is definitely correct, it's just that you're too cowardly. What are you afraid of the Punisher for? You can't even do the slightest bad thing." McDonald resolutely refused to admit it was his problem; he believed it was the chameleon's problem—even with a hologram, he wouldn't dare do anything wrong, fearing the Punisher would shoot him dead. What's the hologram for then? Just for show?

The chameleon was helpless, but it wouldn't admit its mistake.

After all, every time he releases a holographic projection, he needs to hide nearby in order to attract Spider-Man, and he can't just leave him alone. That's what gives him the biggest headache. If he didn't need to be there, he would have run away long ago.

"Hey, uh, guys?"

Quentin Baker arrived with the new projector and handed it to Chameleon: "Latest technology! I've finally integrated the invisible light component into the projector. Now, even with thermal imaging, you can't see any problems." Thermal imaging works on infrared light, which is naturally a type of light. However, Quentin had subconsciously overlooked this point before and hadn't programmed it in that way.

"very good."

The chameleon took the small, ball-shaped projector from its hands.

"Tomorrow, Spider-Man will finally leave this wonderful world. That is, if he really comes."

"Don't worry," McDonald scoffed. "I'll come with you to the ambush site, and then you'll see that my reasoning is absolutely correct."
-
Even by the next day, Cal King's health had not improved; in fact, it had worsened. Mrs. King, worried about her son's health, quietly opened the door again and asked him in a low voice.

"Karl, are you alright, Karl?"

Cal King was speechless. Mrs. King cautiously approached Cal and noticed that her son had large, red, swollen patches all over his body. She was worried and heartbroken and wanted to touch him.

Paji.

Cal King's skin burst like blisters, and countless spiders spewed out from under his skin, splattering all over Mrs. King's body. Mrs. King screamed instinctively, but the spiders did not stop because of her scream. Instead, they completely covered her, bared their sharp teeth, and bit down hard on her skin.

As flesh was torn apart, something seemed to be seen in the eyes of countless spiders.

They saw a mother who worked tirelessly from dawn till dusk, caring for her child's health and hoping that the child would not become a scumbag like his father.

They saw how the woman worked three part-time jobs a day to feed her enormous children who needed to play rugby.

They saw that the woman couldn't sleep at night and got up four or five times to check if her son needed any help, even just to alleviate her pain.

Countless spiders coalesced, first forming the outline of Mrs. King, then the likeness of Karl King. They secreted mucus, creating a mimicking skin that covered their bodies.

"A self-righteous woman, Dad was right after all."

Cal King stared at the skeleton on the ground, almost vomiting as the spiders devoured it. But then he looked in the mirror, saw his new self, and smiled.

It's a new day again. I've been lying in bed for almost two days now. I guess I've just gotten out of school?

He casually walked out of his house and into a comic book store he rarely went to. A moment later, accompanied by a brief scream from inside the comic book store, a monster dressed as Spider-Man stuffed himself into the skin and leisurely walked out.

"So, Peter Parker really is Spider-Man, but where are you?"

(End of this chapter)

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