Peter: ".." That is such a reckless deduction.
—Then is there a possibility that.. Finn wasn't actually a "human" before, but the System instead?
“I can only say that the Osborn family and the Stark family are different types.” Dr. Bruce Banner pushed up his glasses and smiled gently to smooth things over. “Isn't Finn's brother Harry the same? The rigorous and cold Osborn Group CEO, who took charge of such a massive family business at a young age and has never been involved in a single scandal. Besides, Finn looks like he has been very well protected, with a pure and enthusiastic heart; perhaps he truly hasn't given serious thought to things like romance before.”
"I am quite curious how Norman Osborn raised his son to be so naive and passionate, yet.." Iron Man's tone suddenly turned a bit strange. The scars of self-harm on Finn's arms flashed through his mind, along with the mental illness and all those various minor ailments; Stark always felt that there must be something hidden behind all of this.
Finn is a very good boy." Dr. Bruce Banner chimed in, then turned his gaze toward Peter. "Sincere, kind, possessing a rare purity. It's only natural for young people to develop feelings for one another. Peter, your crush is no longer a secret now. I think this is a great opportunity for you—at least a chance to try.
The gossip about you two has already spread, the Osborn Group hasn't issued a response," Hawkeye said, his voice carrying the insight of someone who had been through it all. "Besides, Young Master Osborn hasn't rejected you yet; isn't that an answer in itself?
“Finn is being troubled.” Peter knew this very clearly.
This only made Spider-Man feel guilty, as he clearly did not want to cause Finn trouble.
Peter, this is your own business; we have no right to make decisions for you." Finally getting online and catching up on the gossip, Captain America interjected into the conversation. The blond man looked at Peter with eyes full of care and respect. "I know this feeling very well—the fear of being rejected, the worry of ruining current relationships, even doubting whether your own feelings are poorly timed.
Captain America's gaze was filled with reminiscence.
As if recalling those unspoken regrets from the distant past.
But later, I gradually came to realize one truth: the most regrettable thing about emotions is being left with regrets.
“Peter, I have always known you to be a brave and fearless young man. Becoming a hero requires a fearless courage, when it comes to feelings, this courage is equally indispensable. Face your own heart honestly, be candid in telling Finn your thoughts.” Steve withdrew his gaze, his tone becoming exceptionally serious.
We are in a time of peace now, you are both at the best age; nothing can truly stand in your way," Steve's voice was gentle yet powerful. "Even if you are rejected, it doesn't mean you have lost him. You can still continue to be in each other's lives as friends, just as you were before.
After the Avengers meeting—no, the emotional exchange assembly—ended, Peter felt it was.. quite thought-provoking.
Even under Captain America's encouragement, the conflicted Peter felt an extremely urgent sense of "CEO energy" rising within him—
He wanted to see Finn Osborn right now! Immediately!
Even if it meant charging into battle, even if it meant "dying a hero's death" in the end, he wouldn't hesitate!
But Peter didn't go.
On one hand, he felt that Captain America's motivational buff was a bit too overwhelming for him.
He couldn't just rush up to Finn and confess his feelings recklessly without being calm.
This matter is truly complicated, so complicated that.. perhaps only he and System PP can truly understand Finn.
So, he would have to wait until Finn truly thought it through.
On the other hand, Peter was inexplicably dragged by his high school friends to a science fair called Wings of the Future, held in a renovated old factory located in Brooklyn.
“At least this counts toward extracurricular credits, so it's still 0.5 credits," Ned said. "Besides, you don't have anything else going on, do you? This tech expo has been quite popular lately; there are plenty of interesting inventions inside."
".. Do you think I'm lacking 0.5 credits?" Peter looked at Ned in confusion.
Peter even felt it was completely nonsensical. These friends were frantically hyping up his ship just yesterday, today they had suddenly dragged him to a science exhibition. Normally, Peter might have been quite interested in this kind of interactive creative exhibition, but his mind was currently in a mess, he had no interest in looking at the exhibits at all.
Isn't it graduation season right now? Graduation season is even more of a reason for everyone to do things together to create memories," Ned said convincingly. "Besides, I can see that the fact that you're being openly crushed on across the entire internet is putting a lot of pressure on you. It'll be good to relax a little.
Peter: ".." Have you forgotten that you are the strongest mastermind behind this whole exposure??
The moment Peter appeared, his group of high school friends crowded around him, their eyes filled with anticipation and excitement, chattering away as they pressed him for the latest updates on his crush.
Peter: ".." What tech expo? You all just want to bring me here to watch the drama firsthand.
Peter, you have to work hard!" Freddy encouraged Peter. "As long as you become Finn Osborn's boyfriend, Midtown High School can marry into the Osborn Group and directly ascend to being an elite high school.
The classmates around them all chimed in one after another.
"You guys have such ambitious aspirations?" Peter was left caught between laughter and tears by his friends.
And when Peter saw a familiar young man appearing while holding a camera, he showed a look of shock.
Andrew, what are you doing here?" Peter was startled the moment he saw Andrew. "Did Finn come too?
Peter didn't see Finn, he only saw Montgomery and Matt, the familiar [Magician Trio].
“No.” Andrew shook his head and replied calmly, “Ned asked me to come and visit the tech exhibition.”
Peter turned his head toward Ned suspiciously, his eyes filled with "what on earth is going on?"
Spider-Man naturally knew that Ned and Andrew had very little in common.
Could a new Iron Triangle consisting of him, Andrew, Ned have emerged now?
Or was Ned specifically calling Andrew over to see who would be the chosen third member of the Iron Triangle?
I called him over, we're all friends," Ned explained with a smile. "Even though Andrew and I aren't close, we're both very close to Montgomery and Matt. After all, we're both from the Hamster Worshipper faction in Rat Rise.
"Finn isn't even here, you're still willing to come visit the science fair?" Peter almost didn't recognize Andrew anymore.
Am I not allowed to come to the tech expo?" Andrew retorted, "Since classes are suspended anyway.
Spider-Man: ".." Even though school is out, hasn't your secretary training course continued as usual?
Peter looked at Ned and Andrew hesitantly, feeling that these two must definitely be planning something behind his back.
With Malton by Young Master Finn's side lately, I've also felt a sense of relief." Andrew looked at Peter's suspicious gaze and changed the subject, "Besides, I have indeed found something I'm good at lately.
“What is it?” Peter asked curiously.
“I went to the Osborn Group Brand Promotion Department and claimed an Osborn Group Sniper account,” Andrew said, his tone calm yet carrying a considerable sense of serious determination, “As long as someone online slanders Young Master Finn, I can use the Sniper account to comment '[Sniper in Position]' on them, then directly @ the Osborn Legal Department to handle it.”
“……” Peter could only say that this was truly unexpected, yet entirely expected.
—Is this the self-cultivation of a top-tier toxic fan?
The field you excel in is truly both limited and extreme.
Next was the technology exhibition tour. Peter also felt that this exhibition was very creative and interactive, featuring the use of many robots, such as robot baristas capable of drawing patterns and robot painters that were masters of sketching.
Peter, come look at this!" Ned and his classmates all secretly hid their [Under Maintenance] signs, then excitedly pulled Peter over and said, "This room is really interesting.
Peter looked toward that transparent room; the room was named the Bell of Truth.
There was an introductory text on the sign outside the entrance:
[We always thought that lies were sound, truth was courage.]
[But in reality, the truth has weight.]
The more honest you are in your heart, the more authentic your words become.
[This weight will awaken the silent bell, sending back the clearest echoes for you.]
"Let's go in and take a look!" The students were all very interested in this room, they all crowded inside in a swarm.
Peter naturally followed them inside. It was somewhat like a polygraph room, but the concept was truly quite ingenious.
The walls of the room were made entirely of glass, but from three of the walls, thousands of thin silver threads hung from top to bottom, each with a tiny silver bell suspended from it. In the center of the room sat a single chair, equipped with only a few sensor patches.
Shall we give it a try?" Steve Montgomery said with curiosity, "It looks quite interesting.
Peter also thought it sounded quite interesting, but he hadn't even reacted yet.
He was pinned down by the combined strength of seven or eight hands from the friends around him, forced into a chair in the center of the room.
“Me?" Peter looked at his classmates, who were moving around him with great efficiency, in shock.
Just then, his gaze inadvertently swept past the glass wall, a familiar figure suddenly caught his eye.
On the other side of the wall, Malton was still reporting to the person beside him.
“Young Master Finn, this technology exhibition is one of the few mature cases in the industry that successfully integrates hard technology, interactive fun, educational systems. Their exhibition area doesn't just display equipment; instead, they truly stand from the perspective of teenagers, using experiential and participatory methods to attract young people into the field of science.”
Finn nodded while continuing to converse with System PP in his mind.
I've thought about it carefully, Peter might not actually like me. If he really liked me, why wouldn't he just tell me directly? He is Spider-Man, the superhero who is always the first to rush into danger; how could he be so hesitant when it comes to something he likes?" Finn continued to be lost in thought. "It's very possible that he was calling me just to explain things, but I didn't listen. Perhaps we've both made this more complicated than it needs to be.
Host, if Peter isn't secretly in love with you, he would have definitely sent you a text to clarify this matter by now, but he hasn't," System PP replied calmly. "The reason Peter hasn't confessed is certainly because he has his own concerns.
System PP had spent the entire night chatting with Finn repeatedly about the same topic.
If possible, System PP wished Finn could connect directly with Peter Parker instead of continuing to torment the system.
But you know, the video doesn't prove anything either. You know what? Take Sophia Hansen, for example—that female director of the short drama I invested in. The male lead she hired is known for having eyes that 'look at a dog with deep affection.'" Finn started rambling again, "Maybe it's just like that with Peter? He just looks at everyone with focus and passion; it doesn't mean anything.
He's Spider-Man! How could he fall for me!
Here we go again, here we go again.. System PP had heard this exact sentence hundreds of times already.
System PP could tell that as long as Peter Parker didn't confess his feelings, his Host could continue to play dumb.
We are actually planning to expand the Osborn Science Museum at the Pennsylvania New Energy Base. Many of the projects here are not just of reference value; they can be directly implemented through cooperation." Although Malton could see that Finn was a bit nonchalant, he maintained his professionalism and continued his serious introduction. "Things like the robotics application area, the Thought and Emotion Laboratory, the various interactive installations we just saw are all high-quality creative ideas.
“And they have a complete R&D team behind them. I've met the core members of their team during industry exchanges before, so there is a foundation of trust. We can connect directly and introduce mature creative concepts and technical solutions together. This way, we can ensure the quality of the science museum while achieving rapid implementation, which aligns perfectly with our research and study programs. Young Master Finn, what do you think?”
“I think what you said is great, the name of this science exhibition is Wings of the Future; I quite like it.” Finn now also felt that his brother sending Malton to his side had truly saved him a lot of trouble. “Let's proceed exactly as you suggested.”
Finn's gaze casually swept across a glass room not far down the hallway.
The next second, his peripheral vision suddenly froze.
It was as if there were some invisible gravitational force, giving a gentle tug and then firmly seizing his attention.
It was a transparent room with glass walls on three sides, covered in silver bells.
And sitting in the chair in the very center of the room was a figure he knew all too well—Peter Parker.
The young man sat there, thin sensor patches adhered to his wrists and temples, his face still filled with confusion and shock.
Across a distance that wasn't particularly close, through a layer of cool glass.
The two of them locked eyes without warning.
Finn's green eyes widened slightly, his breath seemed to catch for a moment.
And sitting in the chair, Peter's fingers trembled subconsciously, his originally steady heartbeat suddenly raced.
The silver bells covering the wall remained silent.
But Peter seemed to clearly hear something stirring restlessly and unexpectedly deep within his heart.
Young Master Finn, your friends all happen to be here as well, don't they?" Malton said with a predictable smile. "This tech expo has been incredibly popular in New York lately; it's not strange for high school students to visit together. Would you like to go over and say hello?
Since they had already walked this far, although Finn was avoiding Peter.. he couldn't possibly turn around and walk away right in front of him.
"What is this room?" Finn asked as he walked.
“It's called the Bell of Truth,” Malton explained. “Its core design concept is the Weight of Truth.”
Finn walked straight in, approaching Peter step by step, with a hint of inquisitive curiosity on his face.