Chapter 49: Ceremony

In the laboratory of Fisk Tower in New York City, Kingpin was currently staring grimly at Tombstone lying in the life-support container.

Tombstone's body was covered in terrible wounds that had been stitched up, resembling countless centipedes crawling over him.

Most terrifying was the wound on his abdomen, where the stitches were even denser, like a nest of centipedes continuously pouring out from it.

"Is he going to make it?" Kingpin asked Alistair beside him in a deep voice.

Alistair, who was currently adjusting data next to the life-support container, nodded at Kingpin's question. Then he shook his head and sighed, "He's still alive, but he can only survive like this for now. His injuries are too severe. If it weren't for his superhuman physique, he wouldn't have had a chance to return here."

Kingpin expression grew even more gloomy upon hearing this, and the cane in his hand emitted a creaking sound as it struggled to bear the pressure.

With a snap, the cane finally couldn't withstand its fate, crumbling to pieces in Kingpin's hand. Though he didn't say anything, his anger was evident.

Kingpin's anger stemmed not from the fact that Tombstone was near death, but from the losses he was currently facing and the future threats he foresaw.

"Give me some time. Perhaps he can still be of use in the future," Alistair reassured Kingpin, seeing his deep-seated frustration.

"And there's the body of Rhino. The police have taken it to the station. I think we should bring him back too."

Rhino's body was indeed quite special, and Kingpin had a hunch that even in death, it could still be useful. However, this was just his own judgment, so he couldn't guarantee it entirely, especially when he was currently in a fit of rage.

After a long while, Kingpin sighed and his stiff expression gradually eased.

"I trust your mind, Alistair. Perhaps you'll surprise me with something. I'll have someone bring back Rhino's body."

"Now, I have other matters to attend to. Let's leave it at that for now," Fisk said, straightening his tie and exiting the laboratory.

He never imagined that Venom would be so powerful, not only wiping out the squad of well-equipped mercenaries, but also leaving Tombstone near dead and Rhino dead.

It seemed that he had underestimated Venom's strength; it far surpassed his previous expectations.

Although he wanted to take the other party down immediately, faced with the current situation, he could only reluctantly suspend his actions and carefully plan his next move.

Kingpin walked out of the tower's main gate while pondering. As soon as he stepped out, his originally gloomy expression suddenly changed, turning into a smile, exuding warmth and friendliness.

At this moment, he transformed from the underworld Kingpin into the renowned New York businessman and philanthropist, Wilson Fisk.

These reporters were arranged by him for publicity purposes. Today, he was attending a groundbreaking ceremony at Empire State University for a building he had donated to construct.

Facing the reporters at the entrance, he smoothly answered their pre-prepared questions, while showcasing his friendliness and amiability, managing his public image and identity.

In a classroom at Empire State University, Maverick was sitting by the window, attentively listening to the lecture. Dr. Connors at the podium was discussing the latest research in genetics.

This was the direction he needed to focus on now, and it was also cutting-edge technology with great prospects. Maverick was very interested in it, so he listened attentively.

As he immersed himself in the sea of knowledge, his keen hearing suddenly caught the sound of enthusiastic cheers. Glancing outside, beside the playground, the cheers drew his attention.

Turning his head to look outside, Maverick's classmate Debrah was also intrigued.

Debrah Whitman was Maverick's classmate, a girl passionate about science and experiments. Although she wore large glasses and dressed modestly, her liveliness and loveliness were still evident.

"They seem to be holding a groundbreaking ceremony over there. It seems someone has donated a lot of money to build a new teaching building for our school," Debrah explained to Maverick, noticing his curiosity.

"Don't get distracted. Dr. Conners will be talking about important points next. If you don't want me to snatch the position of Dr. Connors' assistant from you, pay attention to the lecture," Debrah chuckled.

Upon hearing this, Maverick stopped looking out the window and turned his attention back to the blackboard, confidently replying to Debrah, "If you want to compete with me, you'd better work hard."

Debrah let out a proud hum upon hearing Maverick's words. "Don't be too confident. Although your grades are higher than mine, my experience working in the lab is much richer than yours."

After exchanging a few words, they fell silent. Dr. Connors had already reached the main points of his lecture, and they needed to focus entirely on it.

To ensure this, Maverick closed the nearby window. With the excellent soundproofing of the double-layered glass, the noise outside was significantly reduced, allowing him to concentrate better.

Meanwhile, the small square beside Empire University's campus was crowded with people. Apart from reporters and photographers from major media outlets, there were also many university students who had come to join the excitement.

They watched with interest as the university leaders and several entrepreneurs who had contributed donations stood on the platform.

The most prominent among the entrepreneurs were two individuals. One was Norman Osborn, a middle-aged man with a very symmetrical figure and a dignified appearance. He was the founder and chairman of Oscorp and the father of Maverick's less familiar classmate, Harry Osborn.

The other was Wilson Fisk, a bald middle-aged man dressed in a white suit, with a massive and broad figure. Standing over two meters tall, he resembled a small giant, making the normally-sized Norman Osborn appear like a dwarf beside him.

Unlike Norman Osborn's role as the founder of a conglomerate, Wilson Fisk was not the founder of any particular group. Instead, he was a well-known businessman and philanthropist, with wealth coming from numerous companies and conglomerates. Compared to Norman, his business empire was more secretive and vast.

After the university leaders gave an overview, Norman Osborn stepped up to the microphone and began his speech.

Meanwhile, seated beside the platform, J. Jonah Jameson, the owner of the Daily Bugle, looked around with a stern expression. The thick beard on his face added a touch of severity to his already stern face.

"Where's Parker? Doesn't he know what occasion it is today? I don't pay him to slack off," Jameson asked a middle-aged African-American man sitting next to him.

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