Felix didn't survive either.
It was just that even now, she still didn't dare to ask.
The twenty-year-old Tony Stark sat in the Osborn Group Laboratory, staring at the screen. His eyes were fixed on the news about the Avengers, his mind was racing. "The Avengers.. The Avengers.." He muttered the name under his breath. "Is it time for the Avengers to appear?" "Is the era of heroes finally arriving?" Tony Stark's eyes flashed with a hint of excitement. He wasn't just a regular intern; he was a genius. "I need more resources. I need more technology." "The Power Armor New Era.. I must create it." As he spoke, he began to type rapidly on the keyboard. His fingers moved like a blur, a testament to his incredible speed and precision. "First, I need to analyze the energy source. The Gamma Ray.. or perhaps something else?" "The Stark Group.. I need to make a name for myself there." "The Osborn Group.. I need to use their resources to build my foundation." His thoughts were a whirlwind of ambition and calculation. He wasn't just looking for a job; he was looking for a way to change the world. "The world is changing. The era of heroes is coming, I will be at the center of it all."
None of this is your fault." Catherine's eyes were rimmed with red as she tightly gripped his hand. She knew, of course, that Finn felt exactly like her daughter Lillian did—that everything was his fault, that he blamed himself for all the tragedies. "You are the bravest child. I know it was you who saved Lillian, that you wanted to save everyone. You don't need to carry sins that don't belong to you. I need you to be strong, I need you to be happy, I need you to cast aside all the shadows of the past. I need you to have a complete life that belongs entirely to yourself.
The twenty-year-old Tony Stark sat in the Osborn Group Laboratory, staring at the blueprints of the Power Armor New Era. "This is too complicated," he muttered, his eyes reflecting the blue light of the holographic display. "Are you still stuck on that, Tony?" a voice called out. Tony looked up to see a young man with an Innocent First Love Face walking toward him. It was Peter Parker. "It's not just the complexity, Peter," Tony said, sighing. "It's the energy output. The current design can't sustain the flight stabilizers for more than five minutes." Peter sat down next to him, his expression serious. "Maybe you should try a different power source. Something more stable." Tony nodded, his mind already racing through possibilities. He was a genius, after all. But even a genius had his limits. "By the way," Peter said, changing the subject, "did you hear about the party at the Avengers Base? The Avengers are throwing a big celebration." Tony groaned. "Another Avengers Party? I don't know if I have the energy for that. I have so much work to do here at the Osborn Group." "Come on, Tony! It'll be fun! Even the Avengers themselves will be there," Peter urged. Tony looked at the blueprints again. He really should go, but the work was never-ending. He was currently an intern at the Osborn Group, he wanted to prove himself. "Fine, fine. I'll think about it," Tony said, a small smile playing on his lips. "That's the spirit!" Peter said, standing up. "I'll see you there!" As Peter walked away, Tony turned back to his work. He had a vision, a dream of creating something truly extraordinary. Something that would change the world. But first, he had to master the Power Armor New Era.
"Can you tell me where you went?" Catherine asked, her voice trembling, as she didn't want Finn to have to recall the past again.
I went to many places, saw many different worlds, met many wonderful people." Finn reached out to wipe away Catherine's tears, answering with a soft laugh, "They taught me a lot and made me very smart. Their lives weren't perfect at first either, but despite facing some setbacks, they always remained serious and hardworking, in the end, they all achieved the best futures.
This was the most stubborn belief Finn had always held.
—People who have committed no wrongs, people who live life earnestly, they should.. deserve a perfect ending, shouldn't they?
—If it isn't a perfect ending, then everything loses its meaning.
"And then, you grew up, didn't you?" Catherine asked, her voice breaking into sobs.
Even though it had only been two years for them, it felt as if.. many, many years had passed for Finn.
It has already grown this large in a corner where no one knows.
"But only I came back; none of them came back, Lillian didn't come back either," Finn nodded dejectedly.
“It's okay, Lillian must be.. still on her journey, perhaps one day she will wake up." Catherine reached out and hugged Finn tightly; she was grateful that Finn could return, grateful that Finn told her this beautiful story. "It doesn't matter even if she doesn't come back, it must be because she found a world she likes even more. As long as she stays there and is happy, that's all that matters."
Joseph and I will be happy for her.
This was already the most beautiful story.
Her daughter, those innocent children, they are just growing up carefree in other worlds.
Someone will take care of them, someone will teach them, someone will.. lead them toward a better future.
System PP silently used the information provided in the conversation between Catherine Wilson and Finn Osborn to find the news from that year—
Famous Violin Teacher Suspected of Molesting Multiple Young Girls Shoots Wife and Three Children Before Committing Suicide; Eight-Year-Old Boy Missing.
And the location happened to be—45 Elwood Avenue.
It was the very house that Finn had bought long ago, also the haunted house that Finn had refused to let Paul film a video in just before Halloween..
System PP felt that his already temperatureless program could become even colder, even the operation of his thoughts carried a heavy, dull pain.
It wasn't until this moment that the cruelest truth was revealed, those traceable clues began to emerge, albeit many steps too late.
But System PP still didn't dare to think any further about whether there was a deeper reason behind those debuffs of Finn's.
——Where exactly is this world's Felix?
Get some sleep, I'll be right here with you.
Catherine stroked Finn's hair, gently pressing the young man back onto the bed, said in a trembling, tender voice:
Once today is over, everything will be fine.
The night outside the window was slowly flowing by, soon dawn would arrive.
"I will survive.." Finn said softly, yet his voice seemed to carry a hint of uncertainty and unease.
Yes, you will survive." Catherine nodded, tears falling. "You will have a very long future, we will be with you always.
It was only at this moment that System PP suddenly understood what kind of riddle the phrase "[after some time]" being repeatedly mentioned by Catherine and Finn actually was.
But, at this moment, System PP only hoped that eighteen-year-old Peter would never find out—
Don't find out that Finn has another name.
Moreover, no one knew that today, two years ago, was the anniversary of Felix's death.
It was also the day he turned eight, the day he became the System's [Birthday].
Chapter 94: Paradise Gift
Finn slept very soundly this time, he hadn't even woken up by the afternoon.
Noah was waiting outside, feeling anxious to death.
He tried to rush into the bedroom several times, but Catherine gently stopped him.
"If the child wants to sleep, just let him sleep." Catherine didn't care about what was happening outside at all; if Finn wanted to sleep, then he should be allowed to sleep.
"Finn isn't a child anymore; he's already twenty." Noah didn't necessarily want Finn to get up and do anything, but he just wanted to go in and see how Finn was actually doing. Many times, Noah felt that as a butler, Catherine truly spoiled Finn like a child.
The other butler, Joseph, had been busy in the kitchen, constantly experimenting with creative dishes as if he were pouring his entire heart into the food. Meanwhile, Andrew and Max had both been sent off on errands by Harry; since they both drew salaries from the Osborn Group, there was no reason for them to just slack off alongside Finn while he lay there.
Throughout the entire afternoon, Noah and Peter, who were staying here, had managed to have several exquisite afternoon teas.
Catherine still wouldn't let the restless Noah into the bedroom, Noah really only got to catch a single glimpse of Finn's sleeping face before being shut out by Catherine again.
Why wasn't I staying here last night?" Knowing that Finn had a Panic Attack last night, Noah was naturally scared to death. He rued the fact that he had been heading home to pack his luggage at that exact time, he repeatedly questioned himself in deep anguish, "I thought his condition had improved much, yet I wasn't here to accompany Finn. He must have been terrified! Why wasn't he taken to the hospital? Was it that serious? Is he really okay sleeping like this?
Even Spider-Man didn't dare say it, but if Noah had been here last night, the scene, which was already a chaotic mess, would have become even worse.
"Mrs. Wilson said Finn is fine now." Peter still spoke up to comfort him.
Peter also knew that Finn's two butlers had a poor daughter in the hospital who didn't know when she would wake up; perhaps it was because of this that the two of them had transferred all their parental love and guilt onto Finn. Catherine was usually very gentle, but whenever it came to Finn's affairs, she would become exceptionally harsh in a reactive manner. But since Catherine said Finn was fine, then he should be fine.
"Has Finn not mentioned his past to you?" Noah suddenly asked.
Peter hesitated slightly. He knew many things about Finn's past.. those one hundred glorious instances where the System assisted the Host in slapping faces and making a comeback to reach the pinnacle of life were a part of Finn's very proud System career. However, such things were clearly impossible to discuss with others; if Peter couldn't hear Finn's inner thoughts, he would never have been able to know or even guess these secrets of Finn's that were completely detached from reality.
"Finn must have been imprisoned before." Noah frowned deeply and lowered his voice.
Pensive Peter: ".." Was it because of Finn's host [all night long] that the little System was blocked [every single night]?
Spider-Man naturally also knew about Finn's excellent drawing skills; it was all because he was locked in the Little White Room day after day to practice.
"Why aren't you taking this seriously!?" Noah looked at Peter's dazed expression and couldn't help but say irritably.
"I take it very seriously, of course I do." Peter immediately gave a very serious and certain expression.
"You're actually just like Finn, you don't take his mental illness seriously at all." Noah said bluntly, frowning.
"I was scared to death last night!" Peter stared with wide, shocked eyes, feeling instead that Noah didn't take his psychological trauma seriously.
What you said before sounded quite reasonable. If Finn's split psyche is a voice that has always been by his side, then why deny that the voice is fake?" Noah continued to question, "Then let me ask you, if Finn's schizophrenia symptoms never improved, could you accept it? Could you accept that there is a voice in your boyfriend's head that you can't hear, which can talk to him at any moment? But you have no idea what they are actually saying, you have no way to reach Finn's deepest inner self.
“.. I can.” Peter thought seriously about the existence of System PP, then accepted it openly.
—He could hear Finn's inner thoughts.
—Even though he couldn't hear System PP's voice, he could still surmise the content of the conversation.
—Even though it's sometimes inconvenient, System PP will also be automatically muted when it needs to be.
Anyway, since the Iron Triangle already has so many groups, Peter didn't mind having one more "him, Finn, Finn's split personality" Iron Triangle; living well was more important than anything else.
Speechless Noah: ".." Suddenly feeling that it wasn't just Finn who was being thoughtless.
—How could you two possibly be a couple?
"If you don't know what Finn is actually afraid of, you won't know what will trigger him into a sudden episode in the future either." Noah also learned from Peter about the intense argument between Andrew and Harry last night. To be honest, Noah wasn't sure if he would have impulsively confronted Harry himself if he had been there last night.
But at least, in his current state of calm, he could understand the loss of control that erupted from Harry's paranoia. This was because he had also been constantly trying to probe for information regarding Finn Osborn's past, falling just short of direct interrogation.
This feeling would truly drive a person crazy.
His most important family member, whose condition flared up repeatedly, sometimes improving and sometimes worsening.
He was clearly so sunny, cheerful, full of vitality, but no one knew what the time bomb buried deep within his heart was.
No one knew what the fuse was, no one knew when it would explode, even less so what would happen after the explosion—
Whether they can pull Finn back from the ruins in one piece or not.
Everyone has some secrets they don't want others to know, don't they?" Peter Parker said nonetheless. "Finn has always been optimistic, this isn't just an act. I don't think he will fall deeply into negative emotions because of this; he just needs a little time to clear his head.
You're talking a big game now." Noah didn't even know where this sudden courage and confidence came from, especially since Peter, who had been so nervous and stayed by Finn's side every second the moment he showed any signs of depression, was now saying these things. "When the time comes, you'll be the one crying.
Finn slept until evening before waking up.
He had just finished getting dressed and headed downstairs when Joseph brought out a table full of a dinner so lavish it was almost ceremonial.
"Is today.. some special occasion?" Finn looked at the feast before him, completely stunned.
"Hurry up and eat." Catherine couldn't stand listening to Finn ask such hellish questions anymore.
Before Finn could think any further, he felt Noah's eerie gaze staring intently at him.
"I'm really not having an episode on purpose," Finn explained earnestly.
Noah was rendered speechless by Finn, as if every other mental patient's episodes were intentional.
It's a good thing you weren't here last night," Finn also thought of the same thing that happened with Peter. "Otherwise, you would have just caused more trouble.
Choked with Anger Noah: ".." Listen to yourself, is that even human speech?
Peter also felt that Finn's condition had improved significantly, lacking that previous sense of depressive low spirits. In fact, after getting enough sleep, he seemed to possess a certain radiance that hadn't been seen in a long time, so he continued the discussion regarding the travel plans he had previously mentioned to Finn.
A trip?" Finn seemed to have already forgotten the topic that had come up just yesterday. "How about.. we don't go for now?
Peter looked at the somewhat conflicted Finn in surprise. Hadn't they already agreed on this yesterday?
I have a lot of things on my plate, especially the two new brands, 'Summerverse' and 'Frontier Academy.' Although they are both in progress, many things are still waiting for my decision, I can't delay them any longer," Finn explained with a slight frown. "And I also mentioned the plan to build an amusement park to Harry last night; you know how efficient Harry is.
The more Finn thought about it, the more he felt the pile of tasks on his plate was growing, but—
"I have so many ideas for the amusement park!" Finn said, getting excited.
I've already thought of four themed areas," Finn said enthusiastically. "The first area is Hero Era Camp, which will be superhero-themed. We can build a massive museum for you Avengers, there can even be Avengers stage plays, incorporating interactive segments that allow children to participate. Additionally, we'll design some unprecedented, highly novel Avengers-themed attractions.
The second zone is the Frontier Academy, which will be a collaboration with the 'Frontier Academy' educational brand. We will design an indoor pavilion at the cutting edge of technology, which can later become part of our Osborn Group's educational programs.
The third zone is Summer Dream Island. I want to create a fairy-tale-like dream island where children never grow up, then? All the character IPs from 'Summerverse' can live within this dream island. Each character will have their own uniquely designed exclusive cottage and scenery, they can even interact with the visitors. In the future, I could also perform dances in a mascot suit within the amusement park. Right, there will be exclusive floats too; the parade will be spectacular.
The fourth zone will be the Kingdom of Rats, I'll need to discuss that thoroughly with Anthony. All the interesting levels from the variety show Rat Rise can be moved directly into the theme park—it's already ready-made, isn't it? We can also hold regular Human Resisters events, who knows, maybe we can even create a special character just for you, our [Triple Crown Winner]. Plus, we'll build a dedicated stage for the hamster stars—no, let's build them a throne! Yes, Hamster Royalty! In the future, human tourists can go to the Kingdom of Rats to worship the hamsters' rule.
Isn't it great? Isn't it fun!
Watching Finn talk incessantly and describe the future blueprint of the amusement park with eyes shining, Noah and Peter were both involuntarily drawn to him.