At that moment, people in the Marvel universe had no idea what was happening at Kamar-Taj. They were still absorbed in the thrilling battle that had just taken place and the endless anomalies unveiled by the SCP Foundation.
"Tsk tsk, I didn't expect that 682 would be contained like this."
"As expected from an immortal containment creature. Did you see that? In just a few minutes, that guy has grown back half his body. It's terrifying."
"When you think about it, James is really impressive. He actually managed to survive this guy's hands."
"Damn, my legs are still shaking just thinking about it. He's so brave…"
Stark Industries Building.
While most people were intrigued by the SCP Foundation and the constant stream of mysterious and bizarre objects, Tony Stark was more interested in James.
An ordinary person who, despite several close encounters with anomalies that could easily have killed him, always managed to remain calm. Even when faced with life-and-death situations, he could always find the best solution in an instant. The most impressive part? His complete disregard for his own life.
Even someone as proud as Tony himself couldn't guarantee that he'd survive under such circumstances. Watching James on the screen, Tony raised the corner of his mouth and said:
"Interesting, really interesting."
The screen then transitioned, showing James once again. This time, he appeared to have returned to the site, carrying a tray to get food. However, wherever James went with the plate, he drew attention. Especially from the D-Class personnel, who gave him complex looks. Was it shock? Curiosity? No—it was mostly disgust, ridicule, and jealousy.
Some D-Class personnel even made insulting gestures while mocking him:
"Look, who is this? The lunatic who volunteered to become a D-Class personnel?"
"Hey, isn't this the most popular person at our site? How's it feel to be a dog for the Foundation?"
"You freak who watched your own kind die, you deserve to go to hell!"
"You...oh, damn, here come the guard dogs!"
With some shoving and cursing, the guards quickly dispersed the D-Class personnel who were watching. Seeing this, the live broadcast room audience was left confused. As fellow D-Class personnel, why were these people so hostile toward James?
In the picture, James noticed a familiar-looking researcher in the crowd who walked toward him with a smile. Faintly, the audience saw a few blue butterflies flutter past him.
The researcher sat opposite James with an easy familiarity, took out a cigarette, and offered it to James. When he saw James refuse, he smiled nonchalantly, lit the cigarette for himself, and exhaled a puff of smoke.
In the haze, his face was somewhat blurry, making it hard to see clearly.
"My name is Kondraki, but you can call me Dr. K," the man said, crossing his legs casually. "I noticed your performance when you contained 682 last time. To be honest, you surprised me a little."
James calmly chewed his food, not responding to the other man's words. For him, joining the SCP Foundation was simply a means to complete his role-playing mission. He would die eventually anyway, so he had no interest in wasting time making short-lived friends.
James once heard someone say that if you treat a task as a job, you'll never truly enjoy it. Right now, being a D-Class personnel was his job. Therefore, he had no affection for these doctors who were so high and mighty that they could dispose of him at will.
Dr. K didn't care at all. He kept smiling, unfazed.
"You're smart enough," Dr. K continued. "There are many D-Class personnel who survive containment or interaction missions, but you're the only one with the courage to fight 682."
"You're not afraid of death, are you?"
When Dr. K casually mentioned this, James's hand holding the fork paused slightly. Finally, he raised his head and looked at the researcher—who had glasses, a stubble-covered face, and a somewhat rough appearance.
"Any mission?" James asked, his tone cool.
Dr. K was taken aback by James's words before bursting into laughter.
"Hahaha, you're really something," Dr. K said, grinning. "Yes, there is another mission. The number of D-Class personnel I can mobilize has exceeded the quota, and now the Ethics Committee is holding me back. So…"
"So…" James looked at Dr. K calmly. "So, you need a D-Class personnel who actively applies to participate in the project."
"Bingo! You guessed it right again!" Dr. K clapped his hands, then leaned closer to James, his smile widening. "So, your choice is... definitely yours…"
"I accept," James said simply, standing up and picking up his plate.
Dr. K froze for a moment, his eyes widening in surprise. "Wait, you actually accept?" he asked, astonished.
James nodded, his expression unreadable. "Yes, I accept."
Seeing that James was about to leave, Dr. K quickly stood up, scratched his head, hesitated for a while, and then asked the question that had been on his mind.
"You could have refused, why did you agree to it?"
"Someone has to do it, right?" James replied, his voice calm and resolute.
······
Watching this scene and hearing those words, everyone in the live broadcast room couldn't help but pause. Even Nick Fury from SHIELD was slightly moved.
Through the first two missions, everyone had witnessed James's calmness and decisiveness. But now, they saw his selfless side.
Maria, holding a set of documents, stood in silence for a long time before speaking in a complicated tone: "I always thought he was someone with self-destructive tendencies."
Nick Fury corrected her, his voice low but firm: "He's a brave man."
At this moment, Nick Fury's curiosity deepened. What kind of mission was Dr. K, with his unusual desire to "ride 682," going to invite James to participate in? What kind of exceptions would they encounter in this next mission?
·········
Future Technology Building.
Like an ant on a hot pan, the little Spider-Man paced back and forth. He kept glancing at James, clearly wanting to ask something but unsure how to begin. Finally, unable to hold it in any longer, he asked:
"James, what kind of mission are you participating in? Now that the exposure has begun, your memory should have returned, right? Please, tell me quickly!"
"Mission?" James glanced up at the screen in the sky, and memories of his past life flooded back into his mind.
After a long silence, he shook his head and smiled faintly.
"That's a really difficult task," he said slowly. "Let me think... I believe the name of the project was…"
···
"The Gate of Death!"
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