Chapter 97
Riley: My Number Two Hater is Right Beside Me?!
It's not fair to blame Riley for behaving so erratically.
As mentioned before, J. Jonah Jameson, as Spider-Man's number one "true fan", will criticize any news about Spider-Man's latest activities, regardless of whether it is reasonable or not!
So when J. Jonah Jameson suddenly pulled this stunt, the Parker Brothers, who were used to JJJ constantly spouting the idea that Spider-Man was harmful, immediately thought something terrible had happened!
Even after his rant, Riley, who had never felt so uneasy even when facing the enraged Hulk, didn't bother finishing his breakfast. He jumped up, determined to head straight to the Daily Bugle to see what J. Jonah Jameson was up to!
No, buddy, don't mess with this.
You suddenly pulled this stunt, and I panicked!
"Actually, J. Jonah Jameson did want to hunt down Spider-Man at the beginning, but before he made the decision, one of the two astronauts rescued by Spider-Man, John Jameson, woke up. And he said it himself that Spider-Man and his companions saved them at that critical moment."
Seeing Riley's nervous expression, Ben Parker chuckled to himself, but didn't forget to speak up. Before Riley actually went to the Daily Bugle, he continued explaining the reasons for J. Jonah Jameson's drastic change in attitude overnight, while casually handing Riley the newspaper he was holding.
"J. Jonah Jameson only issued this statement of gratitude after receiving testimony from the person involved... After all, if it weren't for Spider-Man, he might have been completely alone since last night. Such a huge favor would surely change even his stubborn temper to some extent, wouldn't it?"
"John Jameson... Oh, right, I remember now, he's that old stubborn man's son, isn't he?"
His father's explanation, along with the clear and concise notes in the newspaper, made Riley understand everything and immediately felt relieved.
It seems the basic life-saving potion, originally intended to save two astronauts, inadvertently caused John Jameson to awaken prematurely, becoming the key to reversing Spider-Man's reputation.
This finally convinced J. Jonah Jameson to believe Sheriff Black's story, and, adhering to the principle of addressing the issue at hand, he lowered his proud head.
In a sense, this could be seen as a manifestation of good deeds being rewarded.
Thinking of this, Riley's mood immediately became relaxed and cheerful.
"Wait, Dad, this newspaper just came out, and it didn't mention that the old man was originally planning to put a warrant for Spider-Man's arrest. How do you know so much?"
But just as Riley sat back down at the table, ready to continue his breakfast, a sudden thought struck him. He turned to look at his father, who had a half-smile on his face, and asked, puzzled.
"Ah, that's simple. I was there last night when John Jameson was taken to the hospital. It was I who calmed that impulsive old man down a bit, which led to his son's testimony."
Seeing his own silly son, he finally realized that something was wrong.
Since discovering his two children's other identities, Ben Parker, who has been worried sick about them, seems to have successfully "taken revenge" on his troublesome "rebellious sons," and his smile has become increasingly broad.
He then reached into his pocket, pulled out his work ID, and waved it in front of the Parker brothers. While continuing to explain, he unhesitatingly picked up a plate from the table and held it in front of his face.
"By the way, the old fogey you mentioned and I are old friends who have known each other for many years. And last year, at his invitation, I switched jobs to the Daily Bugle as an editor. Incidentally, since the day Spider-Man appeared, I've been in charge of handling all the news articles related to Spider-Man."
"puff--!!!!"
As soon as he finished speaking, just as Ben Parker had predicted, someone else burst out laughing again.
This time, however, it was Peter, who was just starting to calm down, who was shocked by the bombshell news and blurted out something on the spot.
So when Ben Parker put down his plate, he predictably saw Riley, who clearly had the ability to dodge, but in order to maintain his "ordinary person" status, he could only sit still like Peter, getting his face covered in food scraps in a comical way.
Ben Parker really had to go through all the sad things he had ever experienced in his life in a flash before his eyes to barely control his laughter and not burst out laughing on the spot!
This proves the old Chinese saying...
What goes around comes around; look up and see for yourself, who can escape the wrath of Heaven?
Of course, the news that Ben Parker suddenly dropped was far more shocking to the Parker brothers than J. Jonah Jameson's initiative to thank Spider-Man!
So, in their dazed state, let alone how the Parker brothers, with their complicated emotions, managed to finish their breakfast...
Even after arriving at school, the two brothers, with their vacant stares, still moved slowly toward the school like zombies, relying solely on muscle memory!
"Hey Riley, you're finally here!"
It was at this moment that Felicia, who had taken off the black cat bodysuit and changed back into her usual clothes, and was waiting at the school gate, lit up with excitement when she saw Riley appear and ran over quickly.
Then, he deliberately let Peter leave, and then stopped Riley alone.
While meeting Riley's blank and bewildered gaze, Felicia extended an invitation to be alone with him, and to prevent Riley from refusing, she opened her backpack, revealing the snake charm lying neatly inside.
"Could I borrow a little of your time? It won't take up too much of your time! Just a little while!"
"This is……!"
At first, Riley's mind was blank, but she still mechanically walked towards the school, repeating the same goal of going to school.
But the moment Riley saw the snake charm, his eyes immediately cleared.
He stared at it in disbelief for several moments, then opened his system's storage space and confirmed that the small cloth bag he had thrown in the night before, which he hadn't even carefully checked, contained a huge pink diamond.
Riley then quietly began brainstorming, habitually using the worst-case scenario to try and understand Felicia's intentions. At the same time, to avoid drawing too much attention to others by talking at the school gate, he nodded slightly and followed Felicia's footsteps to a grove of trees away from the main road.
Then, before Riley could speak...
Felicia's eyes reddened, and she knelt down in front of Riley with a thud, pleading with him in a choked voice.
"I know this might sound a bit sudden, but..."
"Help me, Riley!"
"Please save my father!"