No sooner had Chief George Stacy left than Norman Osborn arrived at the Police Station.
As the chairman of Osborn Group, Norman effortlessly made his way to the detention room where Spider-Slayer, Spencer Smythe, was being held, and coughed twice through the bars.
"Norman!"
Hearing the commotion, Spencer, in handcuffs, scrambled to the detention room door, grabbing the bars with both hands, desperate to squeeze his head through the gap:
"It wasn't Spider-Man, it was Batman!"
"Batman?" Norman Osborn frowned. "Describe the detailed situation from that day to me."
Spencer didn't delay, recounting to Norman Osborn how he had spotted "Spider-Man" heading towards Central Park, followed him, only to discover that the one he fought was not Spider-Man, but a guy with a Bat symbol. He concluded by asking:
"Norman, I still have a chance, right? Get me out of here, and I can continue to create value!"
"I still have children at home who need a father; I can't stay locked up here forever!"
Although Spencer's current charge was "destroying protected plants and animals," he would still face three to five years in prison according to the law.
"You said his attack methods were more ruthless, more violent?" Norman asked, pondering.
Spencer nodded repeatedly; he couldn't forget how he had countless moves he could have used but was defeated by methods like quicklime, electrocution, and explosions:
"Norman, I promise I can capture him alive next time, as long as you get me out!"
Swish!
Norman Osborn swiftly reached out, his hand passing through the bars to tightly grip Spencer's neck, his expression gradually twisting:
"Next time? No, you've already failed once. I can't keep wasting money on you."
Norman, despite being over fifty and nearing old age, effortlessly lifted Spencer in the detention room with one hand, like an eagle's claw:
"As a core member of Osborn Group, you know too many secrets. I need you to commit suicide before midnight tonight..."
"Otherwise, your children, your family, your friends... they will die one by one because of you."
Click.
Norman Osborn released his hand, letting Spencer fall to the ground with a thud. The distorted expression on his face vanished the moment he turned, replaced by a worried look, troubled by the murder case at Osborn Group.
"Father."
Harry Osborn stayed in the car, not accompanying his father, Norman Osborn, into the Police Station.
Seeing Norman walk out of the Police Station with a worried expression, he quickly got out, walked around to the passenger side, opened the door, and then returned to the driver's seat:
"Do you know who the killer is? What did Spencer say?"
Norman Osborn shook his head dejectedly:
"No, he doesn't even know what the killer looks like. In fact, because of some 'Bat,' he's been charged with crimes like intentional destruction of protected plants and animals, and it will be difficult for him to get out for several years."
Harry Osborn pressed the accelerator, and the car immediately merged into the crowded traffic of New York streets:
"I remember Spencer has a paralyzed son, about my age, right?"
Norman Osborn was filled with worry:
"That's right, Harry. Tomorrow, go visit Spencer's family, leave them enough money to live on. Consider it compensation from Osborn Group to their family."
Harry nodded repeatedly, impatiently honking the horn at the congested traffic ahead:
"Strange, why are so many cars from Brooklyn heading to Manhattan? Is it a holiday today?"
"Chief George, I am Captain Fick, the special operations team leader dispatched by the Brooklyn Police Station to cooperate with you. All residents in the suspected location of Dr. Otto have been evacuated to other surrounding districts, and we can act at any time."
At an intersection in Brooklyn, Chief George Stacy shook hands with Captain Fick of the Brooklyn Special Operations Team.
According to information provided by the New York Power Bureau and the Brooklyn Police Department, the time of the abnormal power consumption closely followed Dr. Otto's disappearance yesterday, indicating a definite connection between the two.
The area with abnormal power consumption was precisely the intersection they stood at, within a radius of about one kilometer.
"Fick, thank you for your hard work." Chief George said politely, then immediately began issuing orders, "Team One, Team Two, Team Three, enter the Sewer from three directions and search for any suspicious traces."
"Captain Fick, you lead your team into the Sewer from another direction."
Captain Fick saluted and immediately began to rally his team to act simultaneously with the Manhattan Police Department personnel.
Meanwhile, Batman bypassed the Police and arrived at Dr. Otto's laboratory.
Originally, a dozen large and small experimental devices were placed here, but now it was empty, with only three-toed claw prints the size of a motorcycle helmet left on the floor and walls.
"It's those four metal tentacles... Dr. Otto's inspiration from the Squid Man, used to assist his nuclear fusion experiments."
"He installed them on his back and moved all the equipment."
Batman sighed silently.
Peter Parker was too poor, so much so that even if Batman took out more than ten thousand U.S. dollars, it might arouse suspicion. Therefore, Batman had never told Dr. Otto that he was working to solve his experimental funding problem.
He had planned to solve the thirty million U.S. dollar problem in three days, and had even expedited the registration of a company to fund Dr. Otto.
Unfortunately, he was still one step too late; Dr. Otto's eagerness for the success of clean nuclear fusion energy exceeded Batman's expectations.
"I cannot enter the Sewer now. Without the Batsuit, whether I confront the Police or search for Dr. Otto, I will be completely exposed."
"Even wearing the Batsuit, I haven't established a cooperative relationship with the New York Police yet. They will only shoot at me and arrest me, and they won't hand Dr. Otto over to me to handle."
Batman had a clear understanding of the current situation. He did not linger in Dr. Otto's laboratory but returned to Manhattan.
He needed to continue looking for a lawyer. Now that Osborn Group had simultaneously erupted with two incidents—human experimentation and murder—the company's stock price would inevitably plummet significantly.
Before, it was to prevent Kingpin from successfully laundering black money, and now it was to prevent Kingpin from withdrawing without loss.
Regardless of the situation, Batman needed to find a reliable lawyer as soon as possible to impose sanctions on Kingpin—of course, this was before he successfully found Kingpin himself.
If he found Kingpin himself first and obtained evidence of his crimes, Batman could directly send him to prison without going to great lengths to find a lawyer.
Meanwhile, in a mansion in Manhattan, Valentine, one of the shareholders of Osborn Group, trembled, and the pungent smell of urine made several people nearby hold their breath.
"Look, Osborn Group will be in decline for months, even years, because of your human experiments and the underground tragedy, but I am still willing to acquire the shares you hold at a high price."
"I believe as a businessman, no one is more generous than me. Sign this agreement and you will become my friend, otherwise..."
Valentine lowered his head, his gaze only able to see a pair of shiny leather shoes and crisp White trousers.
He dared not look up, because a sharp pair of scissors was pressed against his ear, and a slight force would pierce it.
"I voluntarily transfer fifteen percent of the shares I hold to you, esteemed Mr. Wilson Fisk." Valentine said cautiously.
Standing before him, facing the crisis of Osborn Group, not only did he not sell shares but instead forcibly acquired them. It was none other than "Kingpin" Wilson Fisk.