22: Gwen Is Spider-Woman!?
State University.
Connors Laboratory.
Connors looked at the hands in front of him with an unpredictable smile on his face.
Yes, that's right!
His right hand had regrown!
It was also covered in transparent viscous fluid, which looked very disgusting and oozing.
But Connors was fixated on his right hand at the moment: "It's so perfect, it's a gift from the creator."
The test video recorder was still recording.
"Peter, you see I have successfully completed human trials."
"Soon we will be able to make this genetic therapy widespread, and countless disabled patients will recover."
"And this achievement belongs to you and me!"
Connors cautiously put the remaining tube of reagents back into the refrigerator, and looked at his right hand again.
It was because of losing his right hand that he went from the front lines to the sidelines.
And this had also become a knot in his life, as he endured much discrimination for his missing limb.
Now, his hand was back.
He wanted to slap the faces of those who had mocked him before!
"What is this..."
Connors, who was observing his arm, suddenly frowned and gently touched his arm.
It was a dark green bump, hard to the touch.
Like scales.
"Lizard scales?"
Connors' face changed suddenly.
Because around that scale, a few more scales slowly grew.
"No...it can't be..."
The scales grew faster and faster, soon covering Connors' entire arm.
Even his fingers had become slender!
They were like...
Lizard claws!
Connors immediately understood what was happening, but he still didn't want to believe it.
This was a side effect of the genetic serum, causing him to mutate toward a lizard form.
And this kind of change was something he didn't anticipate and couldn't stop at all.
He thought the worst outcome would be dying from genetic rejection.
He never imagined he would become a monster!
And for some reason a violent impulse surged through him. Connors felt everything before him was so repulsive.
Especially the camera still recording his hideous form!
Just like when...
After his amputation, the media cameras constantly photographed him.
"No...don't shoot..."
Connors endured severe head pain, and his mind grew increasingly deranged.
His transforming body rampaged around the lab, throwing everything off the test bench, leaving the entire laboratory a disastrous mess.
Even the power source was destroyed, making the lights very unstable.
After an indescribable roar.
Dr. Connors had fully transformed into a humanoid lizard, with blue eyes and dark yellow vertical pupils.
In the last flash of light.
Connors vanished from the lab.
...
Andrew's house.
If he hadn't tried it himself, he never would've believed Gwen could lift those barbells so easily, not unless wearing the Emperor's Armor.
Andrew wondered if he had been scammed by the seller.
But watching Gwen casually swinging the barbell around like a wooden stick, he felt it was a bit surreal.
"Gwen, isn't that heavy for you?"
"Nope, not heavy at all!"
Gwen laughed.
Not only was it not strenuous, it was actually kind of fun.
Suddenly, Andrew recalled when they were at school earlier, and that guy clearly looked strong but couldn't wrest the basketball from Gwen's grip.
"No way..."
Andrew immediately set down the boxes and urgently asked, "Gwen, have you been bitten by any bugs since coming back from Osborn Industries?"
"Or did you get bit while at Osborn?"
Gwen was taken aback. "How did you know?"
"Last night at home..."
Gwen recounted being bitten by an unknown creature the previous night.
After hearing Gwen's description, Andrew swallowed hard.
In this universe...
Gwen was Spider-Man?
Andrew remembered a parallel universe storyline where Peter wasn't bitten by the special spider.
Instead, Gwen was the one bitten and became Spider-Gwen, punishing evil.
And in that parallel tale...
Peter mutated into a lizard creature like Dr. Connors.
"Gwen, come with me."
Andrew took Gwen's hand and led her to a smooth wall. "Remember how it felt sticking to the basketball this morning?"
After thinking a moment, Gwen nodded. "Yeah!"
"Focus on that sensation and try climbing the wall."
Right then, Gwen also felt her heart thumping.
Based on Andrew's reaction, those barbells really did weigh 160 lbs. Andrew had no reason to trick her.
Considering all the odd changes since last night...
The wound vanishing after the bite...
Somehow halting the basketball midair...
The ball sticking fast to her hand...
The weird happenings made Gwen instinctively follow Andrew's prompting.
She sensed this was the only way to uncover the truth.
Gwen placed her hands on the wall in a rock climbing pose.
The difference being these walls were slick and smooth.
Normally it would be impossible to scale...
Yet Gwen scampered up easily.
As simple as walking.
Gwen on the wall, looking at the ground she'd left, was totally confused. "Oh my god... Andrew, I..."
Seeing Gwen adhered to the wall, Andrew fully believed it now.
Here, Gwen was Spider-Man.
And Peter might be...
The Lizard.
"Andrew, what the hell happened to me?"
Gwen jumped down, frightened and teary-eyed.
Looked on the verge of crying.
Ultimately, though Gwen had a spirit for justice, she was still a young girl.
The situation was completely beyond her knowledge.
With Andrew to rely on, Gwen felt panic setting in.
Andrew hugged Gwen, letting her rest against his shoulder.
That sniffling nose really tugged at his heartstrings.
"It's okay, it's okay. Gwen... you're okay..."
"Maybe I can explain to you what's going on."
...To be continued.