Peter thought that Finn might know, but he couldn't ask, he didn't dare to ask even more.
Because he couldn't face Finn, Peter, who was deeply tormented, could only make up an excuse, saying he had accepted a classified mission from S. H. I. E. L. D. He said he would be very busy lately, performing superhero missions to capture villains, since it involved S. H. I. E. L. D. secrets, he couldn't say much, but he might not be able to come to see Finn for the next few days. Regarding this, Finn had always been pure-hearted and didn't seem to suspect him; he only earnestly urged him to stay safe and be careful of danger.
Although he couldn't see Finn, Peter also began to frequently use the robot System PP he had designed.
He watched Finn silently through the surveillance on the robot, he would also frequently use the equipment to talk to Finn.
Finn was indeed very busy as well; the extremely high workload he carried was something perhaps only his brother could endure. However, in order to let Peter know his every move at all times, Finn continued to run around everywhere with System PP.
Peter felt as if he were splitting in two.
On one hand, he could communicate with Finn through the robot in a relaxed tone, pretending to be cheerful and racking his brain for interesting topics to make Finn laugh, striving to maintain the usual lighthearted atmosphere of a lover so that Finn wouldn't notice anything unusual about him; on the other hand, the moment he turned off the communication, he would instantly plunge into endless pain and self-reproach, continuing to investigate the past of the demon Palman, attempting to piece together Felix's whereabouts from those cold clues after his disappearance that night.
Peter even felt like a System himself.
He watched his Finn through that tiny window, watching him eat, watching him work, watching him interact with others..
Peter also felt that this was wrong; even though he and Finn were lovers, he shouldn't be like this, as if he were monitoring Finn's life, unable to stop himself from watching every single move his lover made. But he truly couldn't help himself; the more he dared not meet him face-to-face, the more he stared intently at Finn in the screen, constantly confirming things to himself:
Finn is doing very well now.
He was not affected by the online discussions regarding the Palman tragedy or the public opinion surrounding Felix.
There was no gloom on his face, nor was he being tormented by depression anymore; he lived every day fulfilling and happy, passionately doing what he loved.
Peter even felt that if he were System PP, he would certainly be very willing to do so.
Just watching Finn every day like this was also very good.
So, looking at it from this perspective, Peter would still comfort himself regarding this abnormal desire for control—
Finn should be able to accept it, otherwise he wouldn't always carry a robot with him.
It was as if it silently granted Peter the right to gaze at him without reservation.
Just as Peter was suffering, immersed in this self-conflicting and deepening emotional turmoil, Elias's call came in. The steady voice from the receiver directly shattered his self-deceiving peace.
"Peter, you haven't gone to see Finn in three days." Elias's tone carried a clear warning.
"Yes, I.. I've been on Avengers missions lately. I'm very busy and can't find the time for now." Peter felt a tightening in his chest as he could only brace himself and use that same excuse he had already given once before.
"Don't lie to me, Peter." Elias exposed him calmly, his tone carrying a hint of helplessness, but mostly concern.
“In a while, just give it a little more time and it'll be fine.” Peter said dryly after a moment of silence; even he hadn't expected himself to say such words. In a while, once he could control his emotions—at least until he wouldn't lose control and break down in front of Finn—he absolutely could not let any slip that he already knew the truth in front of Finn.
[Finn is sometimes very carefree, but actually, he is a very sensitive person.] Elias spoke slowly, [He can tell that you are avoiding him.]
Peter's breath suddenly hitched.
He certainly understood how hurtful avoidance could be, which was why he deliberately tried to make up for it with the company of robots.
But the more he avoided it, the deeper he sank, the less he knew how to stand before Finn again, or what expression to use when facing him.
Peter, I don't know why you're avoiding Finn. Since you're unwilling to talk to me, you can go talk to Dr. Thomas. I've told you, Dr. Thomas will keep a patient's secrets," Elias continued to persuade, "and besides, I think you can just be honest and communicate directly with Finn. Your lover is, after all, the person most willing to understand and tolerate you in this world.
Peter leaned against the cold wall, feeling as if he were sinking into an endless swamp.
The more he struggled, the deeper he sank, until he was almost exhausted of the strength to even struggle.
"I know." Peter's tears once again fell uncontrollably.
He knew Finn would reach out and grab him without hesitation.
But Peter couldn't stop himself from thinking—
Twenty-year-old Tony Stark looked at the boy in front of him, his eyes filled with a mix of confusion and amusement. "Peter Parker?" he repeated, the name feeling strange on his tongue. The boy before him had an Innocent First Love Face, looking so pure and unsuspecting that it was hard to believe he was actually a Spider-Man. "Yes, Mr. Stark! I'm Peter Parker!" the boy replied, his voice brimming with excitement and a hint of nervousness. Tony Stark leaned back, crossing his arms. "And you're telling me you've been through a Human Challenge Battle and survived?" Peter Parker nodded vigorously, his eyes shining. "It was intense! But I did it!" Tony Stark couldn't help but smirk. This kid was definitely interesting. He wasn't just some ordinary Diamond High School Boy; he was something much more.. unique. "Alright, Peter Parker," Tony said, his tone turning serious. "Let's talk about this 'Spider-Sense' of yours. Does it really work the way you say it does?" Peter nodded again, his expression earnest. "It's like a buzzing in my head, a warning before something happens. It's incredibly useful!" Tony Stark hummed thoughtfully. "Interesting. Very interesting." He began to wonder what kind of potential this kid held. In a world filled with Avengers and cosmic threats, a teenager with such a unique ability could be a game-changer.
Peter had been investigating Felix's whereabouts since his disappearance, but the clues he obtained from two years ago were always too few. Therefore, he wore his Spider-Man suit and secretly came to this "haunted house" at 45 Elwood Avenue, thinking that perhaps he could find something here. It was only after he sneaked into the house that he realized, just as Mr. Wilson had said in his clarification video, that he and his wife had renovated this house to look brand new; all the furniture was new and clean, looking so warm and cozy, without any eerie or terrifying feeling at all.
Twenty-year-old Tony Stark sat on the sofa, looking at the man in front of him. The man was a Clumsy Magician, wearing a top hat and a cape, but his performance was far from impressive. He was currently struggling to pull a rabbit out of a hat, but instead, he pulled out a handful of confetti. "Is this part of the show?" Tony Stark asked, his voice filled with amusement. The Clumsy Magician wiped his forehead and grinned. "It's a surprise! A little bit of color to brighten your day!" Tony Stark laughed. "You're quite the entertainer." As the Clumsy Magician continued his lackluster performance, Tony Stark couldn't help but think that this man was truly a character. He was a man with Seven Major Sicknesses, yet he possessed an infectious energy that made it hard not to smile. Suddenly, the door to the room burst open, a young man rushed in. It was Peter Sled Dog Parker, looking breathless and disheveled. "Mr. Stark! You won't believe what happened!" Peter Sled Dog Parker exclaimed, his eyes wide with excitement. Tony Stark leaned forward, intrigued. "What is it, Peter Sled Dog Parker?" "I.. I think I saw Spider-Man!" Peter Sled Dog Parker stammered, his face flushed. Tony Stark raised an eyebrow. "Spider-Man? You mean the hero from the news?" "Yes! He was swinging between the buildings in Midtown High School!" Peter Sled Dog Parker said, his voice trembling with excitement. Tony Stark leaned back, a thoughtful expression crossing his face. He knew that Spider-Man was more than just a news headline; he was a symbol of hope for many in New York. Just then, a woman walked into the room. It was Sophia Hansen, looking elegant and composed. "Tony, are you hosting a party without me?" Sophia Hansen asked, a playful glint in her eyes. "Not at all, Sophia," Tony Stark replied, smiling. "Just enjoying a performance from our resident Clumsy Magician." The Clumsy Magician bowed deeply, his top hat slipping slightly over his eyes. "A performance for the ages, I assure you!" As the group laughed, the atmosphere in the room was light and carefree. For a moment, the worries of the world, the threats of the Avengers, the chaos of New York seemed far away. However, deep down, Tony Stark knew that peace was often just a temporary reprieve. The world was a dangerous place, the battles to come would be even more challenging. But for now, he was content to enjoy the company of these unique individuals.
Upon opening the doors, one could see that each room was decorated with great care.
Peter could clearly see from the furnishings in each room what each child liked and what their future dreams were.
Including Lily Wilson, that Iridescent Unicorn Girl, also has her own room here.
Just as Mr. Wilson said, he has allowed his daughter's soul to live here as well.
For them, compared to a haunted house, this was now a warm home where all the children's souls resided. No one would ever come to disturb this place again; there would be no pain, no sin, no tragedy. These children would live carefree lives here.
Peter took a deep breath, thinking he was mentally prepared before slowly opening Felix's room.
And what met his eyes in the room was—Spider-Man wallpaper.
There was plenty of Spider-Man merchandise; at the very least, you could tell.. an eight-year-old boy is at the peak of his Spider-Man obsession.
The Wilsons also knew this, so they filled the room with plenty of Spider-Man merchandise.
Very handsome wallpaper," Peter couldn't help but say. "I should put one up myself.
As Spider-Man, he wanted to laugh, but his eyes suddenly burned, tears escaped uncontrollably.
The pain deeply accumulated in his heart did not subside at all; instead, it erupted once again at this very moment.
Peter suddenly understood that on that day, when he had pressed the Wilsons for answers, wanting to know the secret about Finn that they knew, both Catherine and Joseph had looked at him with extremely complex and heavy gazes.
At that moment, Catherine gazed at Peter, then, out of nowhere, she abruptly said to him in a sentimental tone—
[I really didn't expect that Spider-Man would be.. such a young child.]
At that time, Peter didn't understand why Catherine had suddenly said such a thing.
Now Peter understood, because Catherine hadn't expected that Finn's current lover would actually be the idol he had admired most when he was eight years old. They didn't reveal the truth behind what they had discovered, not just to keep Finn's secret, but even more so to—
To protect him.
That consistently kind couple didn't dare let him know the tragedy that had once happened to his beloved.
Nor did they want him to know, that little Felix who had always deeply admired Spider-Man.
Died two years ago without any hero to save him.
Peter hurriedly and stiffly retreated from the room, as if in a state of stress, not daring to cast another glance at the furnishings inside that room.
Then Peter arrived at the only old door—this was Palman's room.
This room had not been renovated.
The room was even quite empty, containing only a basic wooden bed, a wardrobe, a desk, the violin that carried the sin.
Peter hadn't expected to find any clues in this room, after all, the police had already investigated this place two years ago.
But just as he was about to turn and leave, his gaze inadvertently swept across the corner by the bed—
A faded, broken sticker that had long been stuck to the floor suddenly caught his eye.
Spider-Man's figure froze.
He walked over slowly, then crouched down to take a closer look.
—It was a very small Spider-Man sticker.
It was this very sticker that triggered the memories in Peter Parker's mind. He remembered that two years ago, Felix had a tiny sticker just like this one on the back of his hand, had even specially raised his hand to show it off to him.
Peter took a sudden deep breath; he realized that Felix had definitely been in this room before.
—Or perhaps, perhaps Felix had once had a heated argument in this room with his father, Palman?
—And then, did Felix sneak out in the middle of the night?
——Was he later caught and brought back by Palman?
But the surveillance footage only captured Felix escaping in the middle of the night.
The surveillance footage from that time was definitely real and unadulterated, Palman didn't chase after him in the middle of the night at all; in fact, Palman even went out of his way to report it to the police in the early morning, acting in a panic like an anxious and self-reproaching father. The police conducted a specific investigation, but after that, Felix never appeared again.
—Or did Felix encounter some unknown accident while he was on the run?
——Is Felix's death actually related to Palman?
——Where on earth is Felix?
Peter didn't know; he reached out his hand to touch the faded Spider-Man sticker on the floor.
As if it were the last trace Felix left in this world.
Peter suddenly thought, what if the place where Felix last appeared was in this room, what if Felix had naively summoned the courage to correct the crimes committed by Palman, what if Felix's stubbornness had provoked Palman..
That demon who brutally shot his wife and three other children.
Would it really give Felix a chance to run away in the middle of the night?
Peter Parker's hands froze, a surge of extreme, bone-chilling fear rushed through him, making his blood freeze. He stared blankly at the sticker on the floor by the bedside.
Instead, it was more like a—
An SOS Signal.
Clues left for Spider-Man.
Peter's breathing suddenly tightened. This terrifying speculation made him tremble as he stood up, taking two steps backward.
Open X-ray mode and help me scan this house.
Peter's voice trembled as he issued commands to his newly upgraded suit.
With the latest high technology, the image before his eyes pierced through the walls, clearly revealing—
Beneath the master bedroom under his feet, there was a hidden basement that no one knew about.
No one found out.
Even the Police.. didn't notice.
With just this one glance, Peter had already broken down.
Everyone only remembered the five blood-soaked corpses strewn across the entrance, only remembered that tiny figure fleeing in the dead of night in the surveillance footage, a symbol of bravery and fearlessness, only despised the absolute, unforgivable, brutal crimes committed by the hypocritical Palman as if he were a demon.. yet no one ever realized that within this house, such a place was hidden.
—There was clearly another room here!
—Why hasn't anyone noticed!
—How could nobody have discovered it until now?
Peter fought back his tears, his arms trembling as he exerted all his strength to shove the heavy bed aside; it was a secret door. It was as if a thin layer of seemingly pure ice had suddenly shattered, revealing ultimate danger, mercilessly plunging one into the depths of freezing ice water, leaving nothing but bone-chilling suffocation.
Peter took off the Spider-Man mask.