Chapter 106: The Killer
2023-05-02 Author: Yue Shang Xintou
"Let them in..."
Following a low, weak voice, the reporters saw the Mayor lying in his hospital bed.
His body was wrapped in thick bandages, and he gave off a sense of helplessness as he leaned against the bed.
If `Super Hearing` hadn't uncovered the truth behind the incident, Colin would have almost been deceived by him.
Standing among the crowd of reporters, Colin's eyes narrowed slightly behind his glasses.
Activating his `Super X-Ray Vision`, he carefully looked through Kingpin's thick bandages to assess the condition of his wounds.
From the looks of the injuries, Kingpin had indeed been shot.
However, the situation was not as serious as it appeared. With his `Super X-Ray Vision`, Colin could clearly see the knotted muscles under his burly physique.
"I apologize for taking up your time because of my personal issues."
Unaware that his charade had already been seen through by Colin.
Kingpin continued to feign weakness from his bed, his massive frame a stark contrast to the hospital room setting, a sight that subtly influenced the reporters present.
After exchanging a silent glance, the reporter from The New York Times was the first to speak: "We are deeply sorry about the attack you suffered, Mr. Mayor. We hope you can recover quickly and return to city hall. I believe this is what all citizens of New York are hoping for..."
After offering simple condolences for Kingpin's injury and expressing the media's position.
The reporter from The New York Times wasted no more precious interview time and asked directly: "Regarding this attack, Mr. Mayor, what are your thoughts? Especially as the direct victim of the incident?"
"I believe this is something no one wishes to see happen... As the Mayor of New York City, I naturally condemn any act of violence..."
"Violence solves nothing; it only makes everything worse..."
Standing among the team of reporters, Colin listened silently to Kingpin's interview.
Especially upon hearing this leader of the New York Underworld condemn violence, a strange expression couldn't help but cross Colin's face.
Of course, on the surface, he still put on an expression of shared indignation.
"Mr. Mayor, may I ask about..."
"Mr. Mayor, I'm from..."
"Some people believe that all of this is..."
When the interview was halfway through, Colin, standing within the group of reporters, spoke up and asked his own question.
"Mr. Mayor, I'm a reporter from Frontline. There are reports that the one who attacked you was likely an Anti-Registration Hero who opposes the signing of the executive order. What do you have to say about this?"
A reporter from Frontline?
Faced with Colin's question, Kingpin's gaze lingered on him for a moment before he slowly replied.
"In fact, the truth behind the attack is a key focus of our investigation. This isn't just because the victim was the Mayor, but because New York City cannot allow such a dangerous individual to continue to exist..."
As he spoke, Kingpin produced a USB drive.
"We already have a preliminary judgment on the attacker's identity. At first, I too found it hard to believe, but this is the truth, everyone."
This must be the thing Green Goblin gave Kingpin in the hospital room earlier.
Looking at the USB drive in Kingpin's hand, Colin couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.
Meanwhile, inside the hospital room.
A city hall staff member, who had been waiting at the side, took the USB drive from his hand at Kingpin's signal and inserted it into a laptop.
Watching the staff member's actions, the reporters in front of the hospital bed held their breath, aiming their camera lenses at the laptop screen. At the same time, reporters with a keen sense for news, like those from The New York Times, had already guessed that whatever the Mayor was about to reveal from the USB drive was definitely going to be big news.
Opening the USB drive revealed a single video file.
As the staff member pressed play, surveillance footage appeared on the computer screen.
In the footage, an automobile could be seen slowly driving to an intersection and stopping.
The reporter next to Colin immediately recognized it as the Mayor's car.
The next second, a blurry figure landed on the roof of the car, pulled out a pistol, aimed at Kingpin inside, and opened fire.
The surveillance footage, capturing the moment Kingpin was attacked, lasted less than a dozen seconds, and its content was unclear due to the dim lighting.
However, a reporter still recognized the attacker's identity.
"It's Spider-Man?!"
"The killer who attacked the Mayor is Spider-Man!"
Following their exclamations, the staff member slowed down the video playback. At 1.5x slow motion, the red and blue tight-fitting suit worn by the figure on the car roof could be clearly seen, as well as the signature landing he performed using his webs.
"But, why?"
"Why would Spider-Man attack the Mayor out of nowhere? Isn't he a Superhero?"
"Maybe it's because Spider-Man opposes the Registration Act..."
Inside the room, the reporters were shocked by the attacker's identity, which was quickly followed by a buzz of discussion and excitement.
Without a doubt, Spider-Man attacking the Mayor of New York City was definitely big news.
They could already foresee the surprised and incredulous expressions on the faces of New York's citizens when they learned this truth.
As a newly emerged Superhero, Spider-Man was quite popular in New York City. Many citizens were fond of the guy who swung through the air.
"Without a doubt, this was a premeditated attack, and the culprit is a dangerous individual who possesses extraordinary powers. Therefore, I am calling on the citizens of New York City to provide any possible leads to help solve this case. The Thunderbolts will launch a powerful operation to capture and bring this dangerous individual, Spider-Man, to justice..."
"I hope that you, the media, can also help us by putting out a wanted notice for Spider-Man. This is not an ordinary assault, not only because I, the victim, am the Mayor of New York City, but more so because of the attacker's identity—an Anti-Registration Hero... no, a Supervillain. These people wield dangerous powers yet act recklessly in New York City. This is an extremely dangerous situation."
"It also proves the correctness of my decision to sign the executive order. These unmonitored Superheroes are the real culprits endangering the peace of New York City. All good citizens of New York should stand up and oppose the activities of unregistered Superheroes, instead of just placing all their trust in these Superheroes themselves. Once they lose control, the shooting incident that happened to me could happen to thousands upon thousands of New York citizens..."
(end of chapter)