Chapter 136: Chapter 136
Dr. Connors picked up a pen and quickly began writing on a nearby piece of paper.
"In terms of the ratios within individual mutant genes, the representation of 'super' genetic regions compared to ordinary ones is now three to four times what it used to be!"
"And from an overall perspective, the proportion of mutant genes has also increased compared to before!"
"But this growth isn't malignant; it's achieved an optimal balance through an extremely delicate calculation."
"It's as if it's the perfect golden ratio!"
"Perhaps the mutant genes in your body right now can be called Golden Genes! It's a true evolution! A transition from an ordinary human to a superhuman, enough to stably pass it down to the next generation and the generation after that!"
Dr. Connors' expression gradually became fervent.
94 Spider was taken aback, his eyes widening. "Is, is this for real?"
"Of course, it's real!" Dr. Connors exclaimed excitedly. "Can you tell me what exactly happened?"
94 Spider scratched his head. "What you're saying, Dr. Maria also mentioned it to me. She said the genes I currently possess can be called Golden Spider Genes."
"Golden Spider Genes, indeed, that's an appropriate name since your mutant origins still trace back to spiders," Dr. Connors nodded. "When you mention Dr. Maria, is it Dr. Maria Crawford?"
94 Spider nodded.
"Dr. Crawford is indeed an expert in genetics, but she should not have the ability to solve the issues in your genes," Dr. Connors furrowed his brow.
Compared to 94 Spider, who had merely coincidentally met Maria Crawford, he was more familiar with Dr. Crawford.
Both of them were experts in genetics. However, he specialized in new genetics, while Maria Crawford focused more on researching genetic defects, making their fields somewhat intersecting, but their interaction was not particularly deep.
"Indeed, there's also the help of another friend. He is a mysterious wizard." 94 Spider explained.
"A wizard?" Dr. Connors was slightly surprised. "I wonder if you could introduce me to him?"
"I can pass on the message, but whether he's willing to meet you or not will depend on him," 94 Spider replied.
"Very well, thank you, Spider-Man," Dr. Connors nodded. "Why did you bring him here?"
He looked at the vampire Morbius lying on the ground.
94 Spider quickly explained, "I hope you can help Morbius return to being a normal human. He was transformed into his current state by the Neogenic Recombinator."
Dr. Connors nodded, "Place him over there; I'll start calibrating the machine."
Soon, he had the machine calibrated and began irradiating the vampire Morbius.
During the irradiation, Morbius woke up and roared, stating that he didn't want to lose his powers.
However, 94 Spider, determined to put an end to the creature that attacked and sucked blood from people, remained unfazed. He had no intention of letting such a monster roam the streets!
Dr. Connors was even more unwilling to see a machine he had developed to benefit humanity turn into a menace to humanity.
Time passed gradually.
After nearly half an hour of irradiation with the machine, Morbius had fully returned to a human form. However, he had temporarily lost consciousness due to excessive energy expenditure.
Dr. Connors pulled 94 Spider aside and whispered, "Although it appears he has fully recovered, the fusion of the new genes has left irreversible traces in his body. So, there's still a possibility of some latent mutations."
94 Spider hesitated, "Is there no way to completely cure it?"
Dr. Connors shook his head, "To be honest with you, even the lizard mutant genes in my own body haven't been completely removed. They require periodic irradiation therapy. Unless..."
"Unless what?" 94 Spider inquired.
"Unless I can meet your mysterious wizard friend," Dr. Connors continued.
"I understand," 94 Spider nodded, "I will do my best to persuade him."
Dr. Connors nodded and, after a moment of hesitation, added, "Actually, I have something that your wizard friend might find very interesting. If he knows about it, he might be willing to meet me."
"What is it?" 94 Spider asked, puzzled.
"The Tablet of Time!"
"The Tablet of Time?"
"Yes, it's an artifact of the Toltec people, and it's said to hold the secret of immortality. If he's a wizard, I assume he would be quite interested in such things," Dr. Connors explained.
In truth, he wasn't very eager to use the Tablet of Time as a bait for Mark. He had been granted access to it due to his academic authority and had the first right to study it. However, witnessing the miraculous events occurring within 94 Spider gradually led Dr. Connors to have a new idea.
Compared to these ancient myths and legends, a tangible technology capable of genetic enhancement seemed to hold even greater value.
"Alright, I'll deliver the message," 94 Spider said earnestly. "Morbius is in your hands."
"Very well, Spider-Man."
After 94 Spider left the New Genetics Research Institute, he decided to return home first before finding Mark.
In 94 Spider's absence, Dr. Connors arranged for Empire State University staff to take Morbius back to the university.
—
In a luxurious hotel's private room,
Mark and Gwen sat face to face, enthusiastically enjoying the food on their plates. At that moment, the television broadcast caught Mark's attention.
"According to ancient legends, the Tablet of Time holds the secret of immortality. As a relic of a lost ancient civilization, it will soon be exhibited worldwide. However, Dr. Kurt Connors from Empire State University will be the first to study the tablet." the TV host spoke.
Gwen's beautiful eyes, which had been focused on Mark, noticed his change in focus and she turned her attention to the TV as well. "The Tablet of Time? Immortality? Is there really such a thing?"
Mark smiled and replied, "It's hard to say, but one of the reasons I came to this world was to study that thing."
Gwen, aware of Mark's extensive knowledge of various world "plots," was surprised by his response. She asked, "So, it's real? But, from what I know, the Toltec people were merely a civilization in Central America between 800 and 1000 C.E. It's a stretch to call it an 'ancient civilization.'"
Mark nodded, "You're right, calling it an ancient civilization is indeed an exaggeration. However, the Toltec civilization might have had some connections with the more mysterious Maya civilization. I suspect the Tablet of Time is an inheritance from the Maya civilization."
Gwen was even more astonished this time. Maya culture was one of the most precious ancient cultures in the world. The Maya possessed advanced mathematical knowledge, astronomy and calendar systems, hieroglyphic writing, and a philosophical and religious tradition.
For instance, in modern science, it is calculated that a year consists of 365.2422 days, and yet, several thousand years ago, the Maya had calculated a year as 365.2420 days, with a deviation of less than 20 seconds, demonstrating remarkable accuracy.
Their most well-known achievements were their accurate predictions. First, they predicted their own decline. Second, they foresaw the existence of advanced technology in our era, such as planes and cars. Third, they predicted the emergence of a world-threatening figure in our time, which we will just refer as the "Mustache." Fourth, they predicted a catastrophic global war, specifying its time, frequency, and duration. Fifth, they suggested that something significant would occur after December 21, 2012, following the setting of the sun.
The first four prophecies all turned out to be accurate, except for the fifth, which didn't come to pass. This is the reason the Maya civilization was considered to have "god-like" knowledge. If there's a connection with the Tablet of Time, it adds a mystical aura to it.
Mark continued, "The Tablet of Time might hold a power that allows time to flow through a person's body, effectively reversing aging. There's a guy named Toomes who used it to create a device that allowed him to briefly turn back the clock on his own age. Another guy, Sylvermane, was turned into a baby by the Tablet of Time. Oh, by the way, he's now in his seventies."
Gwen smiled and said, "That's truly amazing. But aging and death are natural processes. Using such methods to forcibly reverse natural laws might lead to some uncontrollable consequences, right?"
Mark nodded, "For ordinary people, yes." He didn't mention that for people like them who could traverse worlds at will, time and life didn't have as significant an impact. Characters like the Ancient One from the MCU had effectively achieved immortality.
Characters like Doctor Strange, Thor, and others wouldn't age much either. Even superhumans like Captain America and Black Widow, who only received a super-soldier serum or a derivative of it, experienced significantly slowed aging.
As for Mark himself, since he could quantumize, he felt that the impact of time on him was minimal. Even without immortality, his lifespan had significantly increased.
"The Tablet of Time will be in Dr. Connors' hands. Perhaps I should find a way to make contact with him," Mark thought. "I wonder if 94-Spider has met Dr. Connors. He should be interested in my abilities, right?"
After finishing dinner, Gwen suggested going for a walk outside, so Mark temporarily set aside his plan to return to reading.
However, New York's nightlife seemed somewhat dull, with empty streets and a lack of activity. It might be due to the prevalence of supervillains in this world, making the streets unsafe, leading most people to avoid being out at night.
As the two of them were walking down a street, Mark's Spider-Sense alerted them to something in the sewer. And it seemed like there were many somethings down there!
°°°
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