Chapter 872 - Glittering Stars Rotten (Seventeen) (Patreon)

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"Spider-Man! Go stop them! We can't let the monsters harm New York citizens!" Gwen, holding Dr. Dora's lifeless body, pleaded with Spider-Man, her eyes filled with tears. "Hurry, save them!"

Spider-Man's arm trembled, but after a moment's pause, he swung down with his spider web and entered the battlefield of the two massive monsters.

These nearly identical monsters, in their relentless clash, caused extensive damage to countless buildings. Many people were trapped beneath the debris, screaming for help. Spider-Man lifted the heavy objects covering them, but due to the traffic jams, ambulances couldn't reach the injured.

Just then, the wailing of sirens filled the air as several police cars rushed down the nearby street and came to a stop at the intersection where Spider-Man stood. Police officers emerged from the vehicles, and an older officer with a gun waved his hand, instructing his subordinates, "Quickly, clear the road, and then go rescue people!"

Spider-Man turned his gaze back to the skyline, where the two monsters were locked in a fierce pursuit, causing the rising dust and debris to resemble the morning mist, dissipating with the wind.

As he hesitated between plunging deeper into the battle or staying behind to rescue people, he saw the older police officer running toward him. It was only when he emerged from the cigarette-like dust that Spider-Man recognized him as Gwen's father, George.

"Spider-Man, go ahead. There's a riot up ahead, and you must stop them. Leave this to us."

Spider-Man glanced at him and then fired his spider web to continue swinging forward. He arrived at the location where the two monsters were clashing and realized that the "riot" George had mentioned was actually a runaway train.

Foreign objects on the tracks had caused the train's braking system to fail, and it was hurtling at full speed toward the end of the street.

Pedestrians panicked, screaming and scrambling to get out of the way. When a red-and-blue figure landed on the train's roof, everyone started shouting, "Spider-Man!"

However, the Spider-Man on the train's roof had no time to bask in the limelight. The train's brakes were malfunctioning, and it showed no signs of stopping.

If the train crashed through the buildings ahead, not only the passengers on board but also the people on the lower floors of the buildings would be in grave danger. Spider-Man knew he had to halt the train's progress.

Squatting on the train's roof, Spider-Man ducked under a power line and then shot a strand of spider web onto a nearby building. He left the train, moving faster than it, and swiftly made his way over the train's front.

With all his strength, Spider-Man soon matched the train's speed and began to surpass it until he reached a position level with the train's front.

...

Spider-Man jumped down again and stood above the train's front. At this moment, the direction in which the train was heading revealed a gloomy sky and heavy, impending clouds on the glass curtain wall of a skyscraper.

Taking a deep breath, Spider-Man leaped down to the exterior of the train's control cabin. The train conductor widened his eyes as he saw Spider-Man, who had now equipped another spider web launcher on his other hand, standing at the front of the train, raising both hands, and firing his spider web.

Two strands of spider web shot out at lightning speed, and as they adhered to the building's wall, they firmly anchored there.

However, due to the precise timing of their deployment, there was no issue of one side exerting more force and causing a tip-over. But the next second, after the spider web strands had fully tightened, Spider-Man let out a painful scream.

The point of intersection for the two spider webs was Spider-Man's body.

Spider-Man clung desperately to the spider webs, his muscles straining, and he began to exert force. But he had not prepared for this, and applying the necessary strength was far from easy; it was excruciatingly painful as he felt his body gradually tearing apart.

However, there was good news; he felt the resistance decreasing. This meant the train was slowing down, not derailing or tipping over, and it was about to come to a safe stop.

The out-of-control, high-speed train gradually came to a halt. When Spider-Man released his grip, he was gasping heavily, his energy depleted by half. At the same time, he couldn't feel his arms, and even the muscles on his chest felt like they were on fire.

Cheers echoed in his ears but abruptly turned into screams. Spider-Man looked up and saw a red monster landing, wielding a piece of debris, and smashing it towards the green monster.

With a swish, Spider-Man shot out his spider web, swinging into action. Sharp pain shot from his forearm to his waist as he did, but he gritted his teeth and rescued pedestrians in the path of the speeding debris. Then, a loud "boom" erupted from behind as another explosion occurred in a nearby kitchen, causing flames to quickly spread.

The fire soared upward, nearly reaching the low-hanging clouds, casting a deep and somber hue over the already blackened shops. When Spider-Man emerged from the charred storefronts, he heard the rumble of thunder, signaling that rain was starting to fall on New York.

His uniform was covered in black and gray, but he didn't have time to clean up. He immediately swung into action, delivering a sidekick to the neck of the red monster.

This collision should have been one-sided, as the red Hulk wasn't as powerful as the real Hulk. However, Spider-Man, already exhausted, kicked the red Hulk and only managed to make him sway slightly. In response, the red Hulk captured Spider-Man's leg and threw him aside.

Spider-Man landed on the ground, and as the rain grew heavier, he noticed a puddle of water beside his head reflecting the dimming streetlights. Night had fallen.

Steve's words echoed in his ears, and he muttered, "Tactics... tactics..."

He climbed to his feet from the ground, the rain washing away the stains on his uniform. Once his suit regained its shine, Spider-Man leaped back into action, resuming his battle with the red monster.

Spider-Man realized he didn't have the energy to go head-to-head with the red Hulk, so he shifted his tactics to focus on disrupting and guiding the battle.

...

The green Hulk, who was fighting the red Hulk, seemed less composed than his counterpart and lacked tactical awareness. Even though he had greater strength, he was struggling to hold his own. However, with Spider-Man joining the fight, the situation became clearer.

Spider-Man applied tactics to pressure the red Hulk, forcing him to face the green Hulk head-on. With the help of spider web traps and Spider-Man's agile sneak attacks, it didn't take long for the red Hulk to start retreating.

The red giant collapsed with a resounding crash, while the green Hulk, standing in the rain, pounded his chest with his fists and roared, "Hulk!"

Meanwhile, Spider-Man stood on a rooftop, overlooking the scene as one military-painted vehicle after another arrived at the scene. They brandished modern firearms, pointing them at the Hulks and also at him.

"It seems like there's a bit of a leak. Can you come back on the road? Can you buy some tools? We need to fix it..."

"Alright, Aunt May, but I might be a while before I can come back."

"While you're with your friends? Then no need to hurry back. It's just some minor issues. But if you plan to come back for dinner, I'll start preparing now."

After ending the call, Spider-Man let out a sigh and shot a strand of spider web, disappearing into the streets of New York.

Back at home, Peter wiped his wet hair with a towel. However, when he entered the house, he still heard Aunt May's exclamation, "Oh my goodness! Where did you go? Did you run back here? Why is your hair all wet? Come over here and get a towel..."

Peter accepted the towel in silence and dried his hair. Aunt May stood at the kitchen doorway, one hand on the frame, tilting her head as she looked at Peter. "What's going on? Did you have a fight with your friends? You shouldn't have rushed back; it's nothing serious..."

Peter stopped his actions, placed the towel down, swallowed the food in his mouth, and looked at Aunt May. "Aunt May, do you think I'm immature? I always see things too simply, and I enjoy going solo..."

Aunt May carried her plate to the kitchen as she replied, "Your uncle was like that when he was young too. He often said 'One good man is three others' on his lips. But you're still young."

Sitting at the dining table, Peter wiped his mouth and said, "No, perhaps now is the right time to change."

On the balcony, Peter gazed at the overcast sky above New York and the incessant rain. In his ears, he heard Schiller's words echoing.

Amidst the cacophonous rain, his soft words dissipated into the damp, cold air.

"Spider spins a web, a vast and ubiquitous web that ensnares all..."

[Read at www.patreon.com/shanefreak, and thanks for the invaluable support!]

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Next Chapter>>Chapter 873: Brilliant Stars and Rotten Hearts (Part 18)