Chapter 683: Buzzing (Part One) (Patreon)

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In the office at Arkham Sanatorium, Schiller, who had just arrived, was reviewing the information registered the day before.

Suddenly, his mobile phone in his pocket began to vibrate with a "buzz, buzz, buzz." Schiller picked up the phone and held it to his ear. The voice on the other end was Strange's.

"Schiller, we're understaffed at the Sanctum Sanctorum. Earlier, a group of sorcerers and Customer Service were reassigned to handle deposit services. Now with the insurance business kicking off, we're spread too thin. Every team leader is complaining to me about the shortage of staff!"

Strange extended his arm, pointing to the side, and continued, "Our sales champion this quarter told me he'd rather go back to prison than continue working here if we don’t reinforce the staff. The head of team three just called me; his people don't understand insurance sales at all. They were almost duped by a demon god..."

"Schiller, please, think of something. Every day of delay is a day of lost performance. If our annual report looks bad, Loki will ridicule me!"

Schiller switched the phone to his other hand nonchalantly while jotting down medical records, replying, "Short of people? Go ask Nick, not me."

With that, he hung up. As soon as he put the phone down, it started buzzing again. The incessant ringing caused Schiller to frown as he answered the call, now with Nick’s voice on the line.

"Schiller, tell me, how is it that after all these years of Hydra's growth, we have so few members? Guess how many people they sent me last month? Less than 30 agents in total!"

Nick clapped his hands in frustration. "The United Nations has set up a supervisory group for the Solar System development plan, consisting of 22 people. I need to send at least 10 agents there."

"My base was damaged because of you and needs repairs. The Helicarrier also requires maintenance. The entire maintenance team needs at least 30 people!"

"We’ve started full-scale cooperation with Kamar-Taj, and we need at least ten agents to liaise with the sorcerers."

"More importantly, how am I supposed to apply to Congress for a salary increase plan for 30,000 people if we don't have 300 active agents?"

"The entire Hydra branch in the Americas totals just over 100 members. Even if I were in charge, I could only send 90 to S.H.I.E.L.D. What about the remaining vacancies??"

Schiller was about to respond when Nick continued, "I heard from Strange that you have German roots. Isn't that perfect? You can go back to Germany, carry on Red Skull's legacy, take over all of Hydra's assets, and bring in at least 500 active members, right?"

Taking a deep breath, Schiller replied, "Stop calling me!"

With that, he slammed the phone on the table, then took out a pen, prepared to write after blowing on the tip.

Suddenly, the "buzzing" noise came again from the side. Schiller, irritated, sharply turned his head to see the still ringing mobile phone.

He inhaled sharply, snapped his pen onto the table, and picked up the phone, saying, "Whoever you are, if you know me, you should understand that I hate receiving multiple calls in a day. Stop calling me!!"

After hanging up, about two minutes later, there was a loud "bang," and the glass behind him shattered. Iron Man, wearing his combat suit, flew in, arms crossed, and said to Schiller, "I heard from Peter that you're reluctant to take calls, but I didn't realize it was this severe..."

Schiller glanced at the shattered floor-to-ceiling window, then turned to Stark, asking, "What is it?"

"Peter hasn't been feeling well lately..."

Stark recalled the events of the previous night.

Last night, Loki called him, saying Frigga was very worried about Helen and wanted her to stay in Asgard for a few days. From Thor and Loki's descriptions, Stark knew Frigga was an exceedingly competent mother, much more so than Odin.

Stark was also aware that Helen's recent mischief, stealing electricity, was due to his and Pepper's busy schedules, leaving her feeling neglected.

However, with the Solar System development plan in full swing, they genuinely couldn't spare any time. So, letting Helen stay with Frigga for a few days seemed reasonable.

But lately, Helen had been playing with Pikachu, who was always around Peter. Therefore, Stark called Peter, intending for him to take Helen to the Sanctum Sanctorum.

Stark dialed Peter's number, but after several busy tones, Peter didn't answer.

Looking at his watch, Stark noted it was just past 10 PM — not typically working hours. But for a young man like Peter, this was usually just the start of gaming. Moreover, with his Spider-Sense, Peter would feel the call coming and never missed Stark's

"That's still far better than the assurance you have now," Stark commented as he drove, to which Peter nodded in agreement without objection. Then he asked, "So, what are we doing now?"

"Taking you for a medical check-up," Stark replied, parking the car in the underground garage of Stark Tower. As he opened the car door, he continued, "After absorbing those Powers of Belief, you've been in an overexcited state. You haven't had a thorough check-up since. We need to ensure that those energies haven't had any adverse effects on you."

Peter nodded, somewhat understandingly. He had never fully grasped what the Power of Belief was for. His interest in the Mystic Side of things was minimal, far less than his passion for studying the Solar System.

Upon entering Stark Tower, JARVIS arranged a physical examination for Peter. After various standard data came up, Stark shook his head, took out his mobile phone, and called Schiller, saying:

"Peter's physiological condition seems fine, but the brain readings are a bit off. I guess it's probably another issue related to his mental or psychological state. It's over to you now."

After a while, Stark stepped out and said, "Peter, I've excused you from your afternoon classes. You need to pay a visit to Dr. Schiller."

"Your aunt told me when I called your home a bit late yesterday that you've not been feeling well lately, always resting early. Also, your brain readings are indeed a bit abnormal. It's nothing serious, but it's better to see a doctor," he continued.

Looking at his health data, Peter furrowed his brows. Both Connors and Yinsen, with whom he had experimented in the laboratory, held medical doctoral degrees. Consequently, Peter had inadvertently understood some medical knowledge. Among the tests JARVIS had arranged for him was an analysis of his brainwave data, indicating some abnormalities during sleep.

Assuming it was the effect of the Power of Belief, and because he didn't understand exactly what this power was, Peter followed Stark's advice and arrived at Arkham Sanatorium.

There, Schiller, Strange, and Charles were already waiting for him. With this medical lineup, there were arguably no psychological issues they couldn't handle in the world.

Strange first used magic to ascertain the state of Peter's soul. "He's perfectly fine," he said. "His soul is healthy and normal, free from the overexcited state. The Power of Belief is partially stored within the symbiote in his body, while his soul has absorbed the rest, preventing any additional impact."

Professor Charles also activated his abilities, examining Peter's brainwaves, and then commented, "There's a slight anomaly, yes, but not exactly a disease. It seems like fatigue from not resting well. Sometimes, Beast's brainwaves exhibit the same pattern after pulling all-nighters on experiments. Kid, have you been staying up late again?"

"No, not at all. I've been going to bed very early," Peter shook his head.

"How's your sleep quality?" Schiller inquired.

"Not so good," Peter confessed with a tight-lipped expression. "I don't know why, but I've been having trouble falling asleep. And when I do, I keep dreaming, but I remember nothing after waking up."

"I used to be refreshed after just three or four hours of sleep," Peter sighed. "I could even go several days without feeling particularly exhausted. But these past few days, I need over six hours, and I still feel tired. Is it because my student life is too exhausting? But the material is so easy. I understood and remembered everything without much effort."

Indeed, Peter looked fatigued, a stark contrast to his usual energetic demeanor that everyone remembered. So, when he appeared somewhat weakened, it tightened everyone's nerves.

"Peter, get to bed early tonight. We'll meet in your dreams," Schiller then said.

With the afternoon off, Peter returned home after seeing the doctor. Aunt May had prepared a delicious meal, but he had little appetite. He went straight to his room and fell into bed.

Pikachu emerged from his backpack. Seeing Peter asleep, his brows deeply furrowed and mumbling in his sleep, Pikachu was surprised. They had often slept together before, and Pikachu wasn't aware Peter talked in his sleep.

In the consciousness space, identical to his bedroom, Schiller stood in the center of the room. A faint sound reverberated throughout, but when Schiller concentrated, it disappeared.

He grabbed the door handle, opening it to darkness. Clearly, this room represented Peter's world of consciousness.

Schiller knew that size didn't matter in the world of consciousness. It wasn't the grandeur of structures that signified mental strength, but their solidity and detail.

In Peter's world of consciousness, the small, richly detailed room he had occupied from childhood was very robust, housing his memories from over the years, indicating healthiness.

After several rounds in the room, Schiller couldn't find the sound's source. He listened carefully for a long time before realizing it was a unique vibration, with no apparent source in the room.

Obviously, this sound was the culprit behind Peter's sleep disturbances. Although Schiller hadn't found its origin, he knew how to treat the issue.

He shouted into the air, "Professor Charles, mute all sounds here, put his dreamscape into silent mode, free from all disturbances."

Charles, who was paying attention to the situation, also noticed the anomaly. However, he couldn't locate the source of the sound. So, he nodded and used his innate ability to intervene in Peter's consciousness space, silencing all sounds.

Meanwhile, in the real world, Pikachu saw that Peter's frown finally eased. He shifted his body position, no longer so tense, and gradually sank into his dreams.

Schiller had intended to research overnight where that sound was coming from, but now it was already 9 p.m., beyond his usual bedtime.

Therefore, he decided to sleep first. After meeting Peter the next morning, he would ask him if anything was amiss.

Schiller had been living in the Arkham Sanatorium, where the top floor had a rather comfortable bedroom. After changing into his pajamas, he lay down on the bed and gradually drifted into sleep.

But just as he reached his Temple of Thought, he heard a familiar sound, a continuous tremor.

In a moment, Schiller was startled awake, sitting up in bed, and asked with some confusion, "What was that just now?"

"That was the Spider-Sense," Grey Mist confirmed with certainty.

Schiller was stunned for a moment, then asked, "What do you mean? That sound was the Spider-Sense? But before..."

"It's just a weaker form of the Spider-Sense," Grey Mist answered. "It's less responsive, but it lasts longer."

Schiller hadn't forgotten that he also possessed the Spider-Sense, but it wasn't as strong as Peter's, lacking the predictive function.

Schiller lay back down on the bed, his consciousness sinking into the Temple of Thought, and found that the sound was even fainter than what he had heard with Peter.

Here, he concentrated and discerned what seemed like the twang of a plucked string.

"Da, da, da," accompanied by a slight "buzzing" sound, it reminded Schiller of the sound of a spider web being plucked, and also, annoyingly, of a mobile phone vibration.

Schiller closed his eyes, focused intensely, allowing Grey Mist to control his body, breathing, and heartbeat in rhythm with the sound, then began to visualize a spider web scene in his mind.

Soon, amidst that rhythmic sound, he heard an ethereal female voice:

"Spider-Man... Spider-Man... wake up, this Space needs you, come over, come to me..."

Schiller realized that once his breathing and heartbeat were out of sync, or if he didn't concentrate, the voice would vanish immediately.

But when he was in his optimal state, at that moment, he found he could communicate with the voice, so he asked:

"Who are you?"

"Totem... Follow the power of the Totem... Come to me..."

"Totem? What is Totem?" Schiller asked knowingly.

"The Spider Totem, the magical force within you. Close your eyes, concentrate, and you will see a spider web leading here... Follow the spider web; we've been waiting for you for a long time..." The woman's voice was always ethereal and intermittent, yet seemingly omnipresent.

Schiller scoffed, then retorted:

"Stop calling me!"

With that, he disconnected, lay back down on the bed, turned over, and prepared to sleep.

But when he was about to fall asleep again, the "da da da" and "buzz buzz" sounds resonated once more.

"Come here... We are waiting for you... Spider-Man..."

Schiller woke up immediately. He looked up at the clock on the wall; it was 9:20 p.m. This was the sixth call he had received that day.

Schiller sat up in bed, took a deep breath, and whispered:

"Wait for me, I'm coming."

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Next Chapter>>Chapter 684: Whirring, Whirring, Whirring (Part 2)