Restart, Spider-Man! [25]
"I see them."
As Steve exclaimed, Xia Luo didn't hesitate. He shot out webs, locking onto the figure within the black liquid.
"Arrghh!!"
Peter Parker screamed in pain as he struggled harder, but Venom remained tightly attached to his body, giving him no chance to escape.
"Turn up the power on the sonic device!" Xia Luo gritted his teeth, pulling Peter while Steve threw his shield, but it had no effect on the black liquid.
"It's already at max," Natasha said, sweat forming on her forehead. She had never seen a creature this terrifying before.
She adjusted the sonic device, and Venom's screeches became even more agonized.
"Shreeee!!"
Boom!
Suddenly, the black liquid slammed against the cave wall, sending rocks flying everywhere and breaking the sonic device. Seizing the opportunity, Venom once again enveloped Peter Parker's body, then transformed into a liquid mass and darted out of the cave.
"He's gone."
Steve retrieved his shield, panting heavily. "What is that thing?"
Natasha wiped sweat from her forehead. "It's like something out of a horror movie—an alien monster."
"It is an alien," Xia Luo confirmed briefly. He turned to Natasha. "Make several more sonic devices, just in case that thing comes back."
"I understand."
Natasha glanced outside. "What about those people?"
Steve raised his shield. "If they come after us, I'll deal with them."
He had already surveyed the camp. If they blew up the armory, the Ten Rings would have too much trouble on their hands to focus on them.
Soon, the trio reached the end of the tunnel.
Opening the iron door, they were met with a heartbreaking sight—Tony, broken and bruised.
"Stark!"
Seeing a familiar face, Steve's expression turned complicated.
After the events of the final battle, it had been seventy years since he last saw Tony's face.
He hurried to Tony's side, staring at the gruesome injuries. Steve flinched, then instinctively turned his head away, unable to bear the sight.
Even though this Tony wasn't the one he knew, seeing him like this stirred a deep sense of unease.
"Those monsters did this. It's pure evil," Natasha said softly, reaching out to touch Tony but stopping herself at the last moment.
"He must be in so much pain."
Steve took a deep breath. "Is he going to die right in front of me again?"
At that moment, a lifeless-eyed Yinsen walked over.
"He's beyond saving. Look at his back."
Three minutes later, Steve and Natasha were both visibly disturbed.
"You Avengers have no way to help him?" Xia Luo asked.
Natasha shook her head. "There's nothing we can do. We're not doctors, and we don't have proper surgical tools here."
Yinsen sighed. "The devil won't let him live."
Xia Luo glanced at the clock and shook his head. "Looks like we have no choice—we need to find that symbiote."
With that, he swiftly left the cave.
He didn't want to resort to this option, but he was out of choices.
Unfortunately, even in the remaining time, Venom Parker vanished without a trace.
The mission failed.
[You have been eliminated. No revival slot obtained. Strength +0.2 tons. Remaining retries: 5. Restart?]
Ninth revival attempt!
Following the original plan, the trio once again dealt with Lizard Parker and Norman.
In the cave, the sonic device emitted high-frequency sound waves, causing Venom to shriek in agony as it fled.
Boom!
Suddenly, the camp's armory exploded. The intense shockwave forced Venom back into the cave.
"Don't let him escape!" Xia Luo shouted, firing webs to ensnare Peter Parker within the black mass.
Behind him, Steve and Natasha followed Xia Luo's lead, even though they didn't fully understand why capturing this creature was so important.
Steve ran through the camp with his shield, setting off more explosives.
Natasha tossed the sonic device directly into the black liquid, causing Venom to writhe in agony.
"Shreeeee!!"
"No!! He's mine!!"
Venom screeched as it desperately clung to Peter Parker.
Snap!
Suddenly, the webs broke, and Venom swept Peter Parker away, breaking free from their trap.
Seeing the plan fail, Xia Luo didn't hesitate to restart.
[Remaining retries: 4. Restart?]
Restart!
Tenth revival attempt.
"Don't let him escape!"
Boom!
This time, the sonic devices surrounded the cave, and the explosion sealed the entrance shut.
"No!! He's mine!!"
As Venom frantically dragged Peter Parker's body, Xia Luo gritted his teeth. To Steve and Natasha's horror, he lunged at the creature.
"Spider-Kid!"
"It's too dangerous!"
"Gahaha! You're mine too!" Venom cackled as it transformed into a massive web, enveloping Xia Luo.
At that moment, Xia Luo felt like he was sinking into a cold, suffocating space. The eerie liquid seeped into his body, invading every nerve, and a torrent of chaotic thoughts rushed through his mind.
Suddenly, Venom seemed to sense something. The black liquid recoiled and violently spat Xia Luo out.
"Hahaha, I know what you're trying to do, but I won't let you succeed!"
Venom laughed maniacally before tearing through the cave's entrance and disappearing into the night.
Lying on the ground, Xia Luo sighed in frustration.
He hadn't expected the symbiote to be able to access part of his memories while trying to bond with him.
A miscalculation. Time to try again!
[Remaining retries: 3. Restart?]
Restart!
Eleventh revival attempt.
This time, Xia Luo grabbed a bundle of explosives and charged at Venom.
Quickly, the symbiote began to invade his body again. But just as Venom was about to detect his true intentions, Xia Luo detonated the explosives without hesitation.
Boom!!
The close-range explosion forced Venom to separate from Xia Luo. Venom Parker smashed through the cave wall and escaped, while Xia Luo's body was hurled into the cave wall by the blast.
"Whoa!"
Seeing Xia Luo cough up blood, Steve rushed over to check on him.
"How are you?"
"I… argh!"
Xia Luo convulsed violently as the residual symbiote cells within him began to regenerate and repair themselves.
Then, strange black liquid started seeping from his skin, spreading rapidly to cover his nano-suit, transforming it into a sleek black-and-gold version.
In that moment, Xia Luo felt an overwhelming surge of power as the symbiote healed the injuries he sustained from the explosion.
Empowered by the symbiote, Xia Luo had never felt so strong.
He had succeeded.
By using himself as bait, Xia Luo had finally acquired the symbiote cells.
But this wasn't his ultimate goal.
His true objective was to ensure that Tony Stark would receive the symbiote as well!
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