37 Chapter 37: Half-Xenomorph, Half-Human, and Half-Spider: What Am I Exactly?
"Boom!"
Feet landed heavily on the ground, kicking up dust as cracks spread outward. Peter's eyes glowed with a reddish hue, filled with a frenzied desire for destruction, yet maintaining basic sanity.
Black strands of goo sprayed from his body, striking nearby buildings under construction, instantly corroding their brick walls.
His exoskeleton underwent a transformation, viscous black web-like substance continuously surging over it.
The once sturdy exoskeleton now enveloped his body, undulating like waves.
Enduring the pain, Peter slowly extended his arm in front of him.
His exoskeleton-covered arm, under his gaze, extended into shiny black xenomorph claws, then slowly morphed back under his control.
"The facehugger within me, fused with Frank's genes?!"
Lowering his arm and clutching his throbbing heart, Peter fell into shock.
Dr. Ryan's last examination had suggested the xenomorph embryo might have entered a new stage.
His body's current state proved the embryo had indeed entered an unknown phase.
Rather than bursting out mature, it continued DNA optimization.
During the previous battle on the football field, his tail spike pierced Frank's throat.
Was it then that he absorbed Frank's genes?
Does the tail spike possess the ability to assimilate genes?
One of the most prominent features of xenomorph biology is DNA optimization.
Its body contains blank DNA strands that record and absorb the host's DNA.
The xenomorph embryo in his chest did not mature and burst out, but continued to choose to optimize and absorb DNA.
The changes in his exoskeleton now should be the evolution of xenomorph exoskeleton after fusing with the web-like substance.
It was no longer as sturdy as before but had acquired the flexibility and shape-shifting ability of a spider's web.
Although it had stretch and shape-shifting abilities, it had become stronger in resilience and resistance to external injuries.
He could feel the strength increasing once again.
Removing his hand from his chest, Peter placed it on his forehead and closed his eyes.
The exoskeleton extended and morphed, quickly covering his head.
The black exoskeleton covered his face, with part of the eyelids forming translucent ossified skin, presenting a semi-transparent pale white.
Again, he activated his thoughts, and the silicified exoskeleton on his face slowly dissipated.
Raising his head, he cast his gaze towards the nearby buildings corroded by the black web.
The xenomorph embryo fused with Frank's spider DNA not only manifested in the evolution of the exoskeleton.
He could also shoot webs like Spider-Man through his wrists or other parts of his body.
He extended his wrist, and black webs shot out, "Boom," piercing the wall.
But the wall, tainted with the webs, was immediately corroded.
A sour sound of "sizzle" echoed as the corroded bricks fell to the ground.
The xenomorph's blood may contain some enzymes, making it highly corrosive.
When injured, its blood would cause significant harm to the creature harming it.
However, this corrosive blood was only used defensively by the xenomorph.
Now, he could shoot webs like Spider-Man and use this corrosiveness as an offensive weapon.
However...
Looking down at his wrist, Peter's gaze became solemn.
He attempted to become Spider-Man today in a sense and succeeded.
But can shooting webs with such strong corrosiveness still be considered Spider-Man?
If not Spider-Man, what am I now?
Half-human, half-xenomorph, with half of Spider-Man added?
Clutching his fists, he quickly forced himself to stop the incessant thoughts.
The pain, vomiting, and dizziness in his body had weakened, and now the most important thing was to reach the subway on line 7.
With a mental shift, the black exoskeleton quickly covered his head.
"Boom!"
Feet stomped on the ground, slightly bending his knees.
The ground was instantly crushed under his feet, and with the super-powered jumping ability fused with spider genes, he leaped to the top of the building under construction.
Looking into the distance, he spotted the speeding subway.
He leaped into the air again, and as he descended, a cloak-like exoskeleton formed on his back.
As part of the extended exoskeleton on his back, it abandoned the protective function provided by the spine and instead provided assistance for gliding.
Watching the approaching subway, Peter fell into contemplation.
According to his knowledge of xenomorphs from his past life, the xenomorph's spine has always had undefined appendages by Weyland-Yutani Corporation.
Sensory organs, communication organs, respiratory systems, defense mechanisms, storing materials needed by the body, or carrying host structures, all of these could be functions of the xenomorph spine.
Some scientists also believe that the xenomorph spine is used to secrete resin that may be used to build hives.
For his existence as a half-xenomorph, the current function of the spine is to assist in gliding.
Although he is a parasitic host, his understanding of xenomorphs is still far from enough.
Minutes later.
"Boom!"
Feet landed on the rushing subway, and Peter's back "cloak" exoskeleton instantly disappeared.
"Boom!" The sounds of fighting echoed into his ears.
Through the terrified screams of the crowd, he looked into the subway car.
"Where's the helicopter?"
George Stacy sat in the passenger seat of the speeding police car, shouting into the radio.
Upon receiving the alarm, he quickly dispatched officers.
But no matter how fast the police car was, it couldn't catch up with the subway.
While commanding the officers to speed up the car, he also ordered his subordinates to quickly dispatch a helicopter.
As soon as he finished speaking, he heard the sound of helicopter blades spinning outside.
"Finally here?"
He leaned out of the window, looking up.
To his astonishment, it wasn't a New York Police Department helicopter but a CBS News helicopter.
The helicopter's rotor blades made a loud noise as it flew over him, heading towards the subway ahead.
"Damn it! Even the TV station's helicopter is faster than us!"
George Stacy felt the police department was full of bureaucrats, each one dumber than the next.
Pulling his head back into the police car, he quickly pulled out his pistol and loaded it with bullets.
"Contact BMT (Brooklyn-Manhattan Transit Corporation) and ask why they're not stopping the subway."
Sensing the bumps of the police car and watching the scenery flash by the windshield, George quickly asked the driver, "They said the subway can't stop; the explosion may have damaged the subway's operation system."
"Very well. Any worse news? I'd like to know how bad things can get."
With an extremely ugly expression, George ordered his subordinate, "Have them send me the route of the Line 7."
...
