He thought his father would save him.
Then—
He was stuffed into a black luggage bag.
He used the last of his strength to reach out and grab the man's sleeve, only to have his wrists pressed down and shoved into a luggage bag.
He heard his father say, "This is all your fault."
The zipper was slowly pulled up.
Beyond that was endless darkness.
The bone-chilling cold devoured his last breath bit by bit.
This freezer is also used for punishment." Finn walked to the other side of the secret room's wall, where there was a massive, old-fashioned freezer lying horizontally. "If you do something very wrong, especially defying your father, you will be locked inside this freezer. It doesn't last long, only about three minutes. But those short three minutes are enough to freeze a person with a fear that lasts a lifetime.
Peter Parker's hands trembled violently, his gaze fixed intensely on that cold freezer. That terrifying thought sent waves of dull pain through his chest, layering one upon another until it nearly crushed his heroic body.
If three minutes is a fear that stays with you for a lifetime, then what about two years?
Peter suddenly thought that during that time, when Finn was in a depressive episode and could hardly even get out of bed, his heart had been constantly screaming "cold."
The young man's body seemed unable to truly warm up; even when wrapped in heavy blankets, his hands and feet remained perpetually cold.
So that's how it is.
So that's how it is..
Peter could no longer hold it together; he sobbed and gasped deeply, thinking of the cemetery he had visited before, where countless citizens had left their sincere blessings. The tombstones of Ella, Ellison, Jessie, their mother Eleanor were all there, surrounded by countless beautiful, blooming flowers. Sunlight would spill upon that garden belonging to them, bringing them a seemingly eternal and warm rest. Kind-hearted citizens even believed they would all become angels in heaven, watching over the surviving Felix from above, so that he could escape the shadows and find love, light, new life, a future that belonged to him.
But, but—
How could they accept that they still had a tiny family of their own?
And still trapped in loneliness.. in this cramped corner of the dark underground.
Finn quietly watched Peter, who was sobbing uncontrollably before him; it was happening again.
Sometimes, Finn also felt that he might be lacking some emotions; for instance, right now, he could no longer experience the heart-wrenching pain that Peter seemed to be feeling. But perhaps, loving souls are connected, the profound pain and sorrow that he could no longer feel had found a way to vent freely through Peter.
Before Peter could react, Finn's hands trembled slightly, then he took a deep breath and forcefully opened the heavy door of the freezer.
A blast of freezing air, thick with frost, rushed toward him, inside the freezer lay a black duffel bag, lightly covered in frost.
Inside, lay the silent and frozen body of that eight-year-old child.
Since two years ago, it has been lying frozen in this cold darkness where not even a sliver of light could penetrate.
Felix is here," Finn said with a trembling voice, "Peter, this is the whole truth of the story you wanted to know.
Finn stared fixedly down into the freezer; this was the truth behind the Missing Felix—
The boy's nickname was Summer.
The boy who loved Summer died silently one cold winter.
He was locked in his tiny, secret room, which he believed to be the coldest place in the world.
No one discovered him.
No one was saved.
Became a secret known to no one.
Peter rushed forward from behind and hugged Finn tightly, his strength so great it was as if he wanted to lock Finn securely within his own body. Hot tears welled up and fell, one by one, onto Finn's cool neck, sliding down the young man's skin with an incredibly scorching warmth.
Finn's eyes grew even redder, the young man's hypothermic body seemed to feel warmth again in Peter's embrace.
Unheard cries for help, unknown whereabouts, truths left unrevealed.
But it doesn't matter.
One day in the future, the self that returns from the end of time will personally lead you out of this darkness.
Finn slowly leaned over, reaching out to carefully take the black duffel bag containing the small body out of the freezer.
Felix.
Don't be afraid.
It's.. no longer cold.
Chapter 109: Breaking Free from the Cage
[PP, are you still there?]
In the enclosed, oppressive space, Finn called out softly in his heart.
System PP: 【I am here, Host.】
The electronic voice was the same as always, always by Finn's side, as if it were an existence that would never be absent.
Finn breathed a sigh of relief after hearing System PP's voice.
"Maybe this is the final link of the mission." Finn, holding the cold black duffel bag in his arms, said to System PP.
Finn lowered his eyes slightly, his gaze falling calmly upon the black luggage bag in his arms.
He knew exactly what was inside—
The eight-year-old, tiny, fragile, scarred "past self."
The tragedy of Felix, that boy who died lonely, trapped in boundless darkness and cold, the tragedy that he had always been trying to escape in his subconscious.
—He once, with such passion and confidence, had saved countless hosts who were deeply lost in confusion and hardship.
—Now, it was his turn to personally rescue his past self.
Peter watched Finn's actions intently.
At this moment, Peter realized that the Finn Osborn standing before him had become such an indestructible person.
It was precisely because he had become the System since the age of eight, witnessing countless darkness, setbacks, twists, tribulations in his life. The glorious experiences of face-slapping counterattacks in the hundred worlds he had participated in seemed to have allowed him to evolve into a form that was the most resilient, most gentle, most powerful of all humans.
Finn knew very well—
Tragic stories unfold in different corners every single day;
Pure kindness and justice exist in this world, but so too does cruel and ruthless malice.
So, he learned—
To face the setbacks and hardships in life with a calm heart;
Face difficulties with unyielding determination, firmly believing that all hardships can eventually be overcome.
Finn will believe—
People must still be kind, righteous, self-disciplined, hold fast to their bottom lines;
Even if one encounters temporary setbacks, persevering will surely lead to a perfect ending.
So, he will definitely—
Run with all your might, do not leave any regrets in this second life;
Love life with burning passion and vivid curiosity, live grandly in this world.
Tears rolled silently from the corners of Peter Parker's eyes. Through his blurred vision, he seemed to see Finn's silhouette overlapping into a faint, layered shadow—
It was as if Finn was holding the small hand of eight-year-old Felix.
Is walking step by step toward the light.
On the path of saving countless others, why couldn't it also be.. a path of continuously saving oneself?
Those dark, painful, desperate pasts will not drown him.
Instead, it was just as Finn had said before—
[It will eventually flow through him, becoming a part of the river of his life].
He can still love this imperfect world with the most brilliant smile, the most passionate soul, the most optimistic innocence.
Let's leave this place, Peter.
Finn spoke, stepping forward toward the stairs, one step at a time.
And let Felix's story end here.
Don't let this story, which was already a tragedy, leave behind any more lingering suspense that causes concern and pain; just let this story be an imperfect one.
But the story belonging to Finn Osborn has only just begun.
Peter stared fixedly at Finn's back, he recalled once again what Finn had said to all of them last time—
[I don't need anyone to save me right now.]
[Including Spider-Man.]
[Even if I fall into the abyss, I can fly back up on my own.]
Peter suddenly felt the true weight behind those words.
Because in this moment, in a daze, he seemed to truly see.. those wings on Finn's back.
In the endless darkness, he will use his own battered and wounded flesh to grow pure white and beautiful wings that can tear through everything.
He would spread his wings and escape the cage, flying toward the boundless sky of freedom he longed for.
That's right, someone with wings.
He already possessed a soul that carried freedom, capable of flying to any place he desired.
Finn lifted his foot and stepped onto the stairs, feeling as though his body was undergoing a kind of.. evolution.
Those darkest secrets known to no one, those Seven Major Sicknesses debuffs stacked upon him, those shadows that had been chasing him from behind..
It seems as if he is truly going to spread his wings and break free from everything.
PP, I've already sacrificed myself." Finn's lips curled into a very slight arc as he lamented to System PP in his heart, "If I still can't complete your system mission after this, then I'm truly out of options.
System PP: [..] His Host always likes to say such dark things at inappropriate times.