"Torturing the Plot in a World of Superheroes [Crossover US/UK]" by Dai Zhi
Synopsis:
After many years, the old System PP finally had its day of rising to become the host, becoming Finn Osborn, the second son of the Osborn family.
It was a pity that he had been transferred from a face-slapping film set to a heartbreak film set; it wouldn't be considered a success unless the heartbreak value reached 100.
No need to panic; this certainly wouldn't be difficult for him, with his years of experience with System PP.
First, he needed to supplement the seven types of "sickly" character traits: stomach issues, anemia, hemophobia, sleepwalking, hypoglycemia, mental illness, claustrophobia.. It could never go wrong to add a few more ailments.
Then, with full confidence, he laid out four plotlines filled with the tropes of angst-ridden novels—
Career: Striving for the family fortune! Ending up with nothing!
Family: Backstabbing his brother! Creating a rift between brothers!
Friendship: Betraying a friend! Becoming a lifelong nemesis!
Love: Contractual romance! Heartbreak from unrequited love!
Angst, it's just too much angst!
Finn Osborn, having just become human, was making great strides down the path of angst, yet he felt as if he were straying further and further from the right track.
Until one day, Spider-Man was weaving through the neon lights of New York in the middle of the night with him on his back, just when he thought he was about to be dragged into a remote alley for a beating. Instead, Spider-Man steadily placed him at the best viewpoint of the New York nightscape, pulled off his mask to reveal a young, handsome face with slightly flushed cheeks, said, "I like you."
Finn: "??" You? Me! Wait! This plot isn't right, is it!?
Why am I starting to think this is getting a bit sweet?
[Finn Osborn]: I told you it was tragic!
[System PP]: Cruel! So cruel!
[Spider-Man]: Ah, he is so sweet.
Note for readers entering the story: (Enters paid status on 2025/12/5)
① The protagonist truly has money-based abilities and other powers. CP Spider-Man; with a System (the System is purely a support role and does not provide missions), two energetic treasures in love.
② Includes a trope where people can hear the protagonist's inner thoughts, but only Spider-Man can hear them.
③ The protagonist doesn't have grand ambitions; he only wants to do what he loves.
④ The illnesses added to the character settings are real, but if there is an illness, it will be treated.
⑤ Character age and timeline headcanon (Protagonist is 19, Spider-Man is 18)
Content Tags: US/UK Derivative, System, Sweet Story, Lighthearted, Healing
Search Keywords: Protagonist: Finn Osborn, Spider-Man ┃ Supporting Characters: ┃ Others:
A one-sentence introduction: Make the angst even more intense!
Theme: Striving for self-improvement, curing what is broken, finding the small treats in life.
Chapter 1: Collecting Anguish
The atmosphere in the top-floor conference room of the Osborn Group was solemn.
In the vast conference room, the only sound to be heard was the cold voice of Harry Osborn.
The young man, dressed in a custom luxury dark gray suit, sat at the end of the long table, elegantly and calmly holding a laser pointer between his fingertips, making the final decision on the latest version of the new energy base plan, which had already undergone multiple revisions.
This young CEO had only taken over the group a month ago, yet he had already used a swift and decisive storm of layoffs to purge the internal chaos. His clear-cut analysis, precise and ruthless decision-making, extraordinary, genius business mind were enough to make even those executives who had once questioned his "greenness" completely abandon their contempt.
The handsome young man's expression was cold, his voice lacked any inflection; even the movement of hundreds of millions of dollars sounded incredibly casual coming from his lips.
"Marcus, do you have any other objections?" Harry's gaze flickered toward the executive closest to him.
"No." Marcus immediately felt a wave of intense pressure, his back straightened even further. He naturally had nothing to say; as a lucky survivor of the wave of layoffs, this new energy project was called a heavy responsibility, but in reality.. he could see it was Harry Osborn's final test for him.
Marcus also knew that his current position was precarious; if anything went wrong during the project, Harry would clearly take the opportunity to kick him out of the game. Of course, the new energy base was far from New York, which was essentially a disguised transfer for him. Although he felt resentment and indignation in his heart, Marcus did not even have the right to refuse.
"Continue." Harry nodded slightly.
The supervisor in charge of reporting the launch plan for the Osborn Group's next phase of the Power Armor New Era immediately stood up, his hands slick with cold sweat from the long wait.
The solid wood doors of the conference room were suddenly pushed open, accompanied by the sound of somewhat casual footsteps.
Everyone's gaze instantly focused upon him.
The young man standing at the entrance was dressed in white casual wear that was completely out of place in the solemn atmosphere of the conference room. His collar was casually unbuttoned by two, a designer silver necklace hung around his slender neck. He had handsome features, with a few traces of resemblance to Harry Osborn, a flamboyant curve played upon the corners of his mouth.
It was none other than Norman Osborn's youngest son—Finn Osborn.
Harry's brow furrowed instantly upon seeing the newcomer.
Sorry I'm late." Finn Osborn paid no mind to the inquisitive stares of the crowd. He casually pulled up a chair, moved it to Harry Osborn's side, sat down without any hesitation. "I heard there's an important meeting going on?
The executives were all shocked by Finn's audacity; he actually had the guts to sit down right there, braving Harry Osborn's cold stare.
—As expected, it was the confidence that only a biological younger brother could possess.
The Osborn brothers did not actually look much alike, but sitting side by side at this moment, the similarities in their facial features were clearly visible. Both possessed excellent looks, though Harry habitually carried a coldness that kept others at a distance, while Finn possessed more of the vibrancy and vivacity characteristic of his age.
"Finn, this is an Osborn Group executive meeting," Harry said in a low voice, staring at Finn.
The other executives exchanged secret glances with one another.
Everyone knew that the discord between these two brothers had long been an open secret.
The Osborn Group's business was extensive, covering top-tier biotechnology, aerospace, weapons R&D, even venturing into hotels and real estate, transportation, petrochemical energy, more, spanning the globe. One could say that Norman had built a massive commercial empire.
It was precisely because of this that the distribution of Norman Osborn's estate upon his death shocked the entire United States: the Osborn Group, with a market value of 1.6 trillion yuan, was handed over to Harry Osborn; meanwhile, the younger son, Finn Osborn, received only a trust fund. While this sum was indeed enough for Finn Osborn to squander for a lifetime, compared to the entire conglomerate, it was nothing more than a minuscule "allowance."
Everyone knew that Finn Osborn was deeply dissatisfied with the distribution of the inheritance, but no one expected him to dare to barge into an executive meeting and challenge Harry Osborn in public.
The Group is an Osborn family asset, as Norman Osborn's son, I naturally have the right to participate in decision-making." Finn raised his chin slightly, speaking with logic and even a hint of provocation, "Otherwise, call security to drag me out.
Harry's expression grew even more somber.
Although he couldn't stand Finn, he also didn't want rumors like "the second son of the Osborn Group was dragged away by security" to become a joke that spread throughout the entire industry the next day. Furthermore, the silent executives in the conference room were clearly looking for a show, evidently waiting for the two brothers to tear each other apart here.
"Continue." Harry suppressed the anger in his heart and turned toward the reporting supervisor with a cold expression.
The supervisor continued, cold sweat beading on his forehead, as he tremblingly reported the plans for the press conference.
Finn Osborn had never been involved in the affairs of the Osborn Group, at this moment, he couldn't understand a single thing being discussed in the meeting—and of course, he had no interest in knowing. On the surface, Finn could still pretend to open his tablet and nod from time to time, acting as if he were listening intently and taking notes, while in his mind, he was already chatting with System PP:
Awesome, PP! I successfully sneaked in! The first step of the plan has succeeded.
Luckily, I brought a tablet, otherwise I'd die of boredom sitting here; I can at least draw something to pass the time.
In Finn Osborn's mind, the flat, soft, childish electronic voice of System PP immediately rang out: [The host's initiative is commendable, but the misery value has not increased. Please continue to work hard.] After a pause, the system added thoughtfully, [Meeting minutes have been organized for the host and can be retrieved at any time in the future.]
Finn curled his lip and took out a stylus to scribble on the tablet.
In a short while, several simple sketches had been outlined—
A little stick figure in a suit stood majestically on the conference table, hands on hips, arrogantly barking orders at a circle of little figures surrounding the table.
It was incredibly lifelike; one could even tell who the original model for the little figure was at a single glance.
Harry was originally listening to the supervisor's report, but his gaze inadvertently swept across Finn's tablet. The moment he saw the image clearly, his expression instantly grew several degrees colder.
What's going on? Can't I collect even a single bit of angst lately?
Finn didn't notice Harry's expression, as he was still communicating with System PP in his mind, checking his current mission progress in the process.
—【Misery Value: 2/100】
Finn Osborn, with a small, dejected face, ".." This progress bar is just too cruel.
It had been a whole month, he was even more miserable than the most difficult host he had ever guided.
Finn used to be the most dedicated "Face-Slapping Counterattack System" in the industry, always working to help hosts break through their predicaments, crush their opponents, achieve a life of fulfillment and happiness. To this day, Finn has assisted one hundred hosts in rising from their lowest points to the pinnacle of success; one could say he could plan a "peak life trajectory" with his eyes closed.
Finally, with this impressive track record, Finn Osborn obtained the highest reward in the system industry—obtaining a human body. But just as he thought he could completely break free from the shackles of code, a final assessment fell upon him: he would only pass if he could collect enough "tragedy points" in this world under the identity of "Finn Osborn."
—Yes, his "set" had completely changed.
It used to be a "face-slapping set" where he helped people vent their frustrations, but now it had turned into a "heart-wrenching set" that left people feeling distressed and moved.
At first, Finn Osborn was completely bewildered; after all, when he had been a Counterattack System before, he used to issue tasks. As long as he assisted the host in following the tasks step by step, combined with the host's unremitting efforts, a successful turnaround could be easily achieved.
After Finn Osborn arrived in this world, a system was indeed assigned to him as well.
But it was a rookie system.
This system had only undergone basic training; it had been paired with him before it even had time to install the [Task Assignment] plugin. It was purely a support type, unable to even provide specific guidance on how to collect "misery points."
Finn could only rely on his past experience to figure it out on his own: every time he felt [Waaaah, my host is so amazing! He's finally made it through!] in his heart, the mission progress would surge upward.
So now, when he feels in his heart, [Aaaah, this is way too tragic!], then he should be able to successfully harvest some angst, right?
When Finn Osborn first arrived in this world, his father, in name only, was already gone.
A sense of emptiness had just begun to rise in his heart, as if thinking, "System, I just got a father, how could he be gone already?"
—Collected 1% of the angst points.
So, at this rate, he would have to sacrifice ninety-nine more fathers.
Just hearing about it sounded like hell.
Additionally, the other 1% of the misery he collects is through spending money.
Although he was not on par with his brother, Finn Osborn actually had quite a bit of savings as a second-generation rich kid. Over the years, he had grown accustomed to watching the host spend money, now that it was finally his turn to have a massive sum of money and the means to spend it, he had indulged in quite a bit of compensatory consumption this month. Perhaps because he was too extravagant, Finn's compensatory spending had squandered all of his previous savings, he would have to wait until the next disbursement from the trust fund for his next windfall.
Suddenly rich, then suddenly bankrupt.
Life's ups and downs had brought him another 1% of angst.
Actually, this month, Finn Osborn hadn't even thought about doing any missions; he was truly just enjoying himself. Fortunately, his System PP was such a newbie that it didn't push him for progress at all, making Finn start to feel a sense of guilt in his heart.
It couldn't go on like this. Finn Osborn decided he had to carry out the Heartbreak Plan in a systematic manner—
First, the best target would be his brother.
Of course, it wasn't about continuing to sacrifice his brother.
The more Finn Osborn thought about it, the more he felt this setting was "badass": wealthy brothers, with no one left but each other, yet turned against one another and causing each other harm due to conflicting interests! Even though they were clearly the last remaining family members in the world, they were more confrontational toward each other than enemies when they met!