The abandoned bunker wasn’t nearly as damp as Charlie Parker had expected.
Thanks to the desert climate, the underground shelter remained surprisingly dry.
After stepping over piles of sand, Charlie crouched and squeezed through a narrow passage blocked by broken rocks.
Collapsed wooden beams barely supported the unstable tunnel.
It looked like the slightest disturbance could bring the entire bunker crashing down.
Yet…
It had survived the earlier missile bombardment.
That alone proved how well it had been built.
“If this really is an air-raid shelter…”
Elderly Steve spoke from behind him.
“…then it must connect to the Ten Rings’ base inside the valley.”
Charlie nodded.
“That’s right.”
“But it’s been abandoned for too long.”
“The deeper tunnels have probably collapsed.”
“If we want to reach the Ten Rings’ camp through here…”
“We’ll probably have to dig the rest of the way ourselves.”
Steve frowned.
“Without a map, we’ll have no idea where Tony’s cave actually is.”
“If we dig in the wrong direction…”
“We’ll expose ourselves immediately.”
Charlie smiled.
“Don’t worry.”
“As long as we reach the inside of the camp, I’ll be able to estimate Tony’s location.”
Steve blinked.
“…Take one look?”
He didn’t understand.
“The digging itself won’t be quiet.”
“I remember Tony mentioning there were at least three hundred armed Ten Rings soldiers.”
“That’s not even counting their families.”
“Altogether there must be close to a thousand people living inside that valley.”
“There are eyes everywhere.”
“The moment we surface…”
“We’ll be discovered.”
Charlie turned back with a confident grin.
“Relax.”
“I know what I’m doing.”
Before long…
The two reached the blocked end of the tunnel.
The passage ahead had been completely buried beneath collapsed stone.
Charlie immediately began lifting rocks aside.
“Let’s get to work.”
Steve observed the blockage for a moment before joining him.
The two worked while chatting.
“You really don’t think they’ll find us?”
Steve asked.
“That giant lizard seemed incredibly sensitive to scents.”
Charlie casually lifted a boulder weighing several tons.
“My guess?”
“They won’t waste time looking.”
“We’re too weak.”
“As long as they stay inside the camp…”
“They’ll win eventually.”
Steve strained as he shoved another rock aside.
Halfway through, he stood up and rubbed his aching lower back.
Sweat dripped from his forehead.
“If I were them…”
“I’d just ask the Ten Rings leader about this abandoned bunker.”
“I probably would’ve captured you already.”
His breathing gradually became heavier.
Age had weakened him considerably.
Even so…
He remained vastly stronger than an ordinary human.
Moving these rocks wasn’t impossible.
The real problem was the lack of oxygen inside the sealed tunnel.
The harder he worked…
The more difficult it became to breathe.
Seeing this, Charlie tapped the spider emblem on his chest.
The nanotech suit’s built-in oxygen system activated, slowly releasing fresh air into the tunnel.
“What a shame they aren’t as smart as you.”
Charlie continued moving rocks.
“The Ten Rings leader is probably already dead.”
“And besides…”
“Every one of those villains has some kind of mental illness.”
“They won’t think things through.”
“That’s our opportunity.”
Steve inhaled deeply.
“…Much better.”
He smiled.
“Peter’s suit had the same feature.”
“Tony built it himself.”
He looked behind Charlie.
“So…”
“Can your suit grow four metal spider legs?”
Charlie shook his head.
“No.”
“My nanotech suit is the budget version.”
“What about red glowing eyes?”
“Nope.”
“Hundreds of web-shooter modes?”
“My webs aren’t artificial.”
Steve looked impressed.
“Wow.”
“Your body naturally produces webbing?”
“That’s pretty cool.”
Charlie rolled his eyes.
“Stop talking.”
“I know you’re just trying to slack off.”
Steve coughed awkwardly.
“…You caught me.”
Three hours later…
Steve finally collapsed.
“I’m done…”
“My back’s finished.”
He turned around and leaned both hands against the wall.
“Come massage my lower back.”
Charlie looked at his suspiciously suggestive posture.
“…Absolutely not.”
“That’s the worst excuse I’ve ever heard.”
Steve’s face darkened.
“Twenty years ago…”
“I couldn’t last all day anymore either.”
Charlie sighed.
“Fine.”
“You rest.”
“I’ll finish this.”
Checking the time, he nodded.
“It’s already night.”
Most of the collapsed rocks had already been cleared away.
It was time.
Charlie flicked the shield off the ground with his foot and began digging upward.
Clang!
Clang!
Clang!
The sharpened vibranium edge sliced effortlessly through concrete supports and enormous rocks alike.
Soon…
Charlie had dug a vertical shaft nearly five meters deep.
Then—
Splurt…
A horrifying stench suddenly poured into the tunnel.
Charlie’s expression changed instantly.
Without hesitation—
He leaped away.
Leaving Steve behind.
“No!!”
Steve screamed.
“Gaaah!”
“You dug into a damn septic tank!!”
Charlie scratched his head awkwardly.
“Sorry.”
“I’ll try somewhere else.”
“Just hang in there.”
“I’m not hanging—”
BLEGH!!
Steve rolled his eyes as filthy sewage flooded over him.
Foam spilled from his mouth.
His body twitched violently.
Charlie watched in silence.
“…Yeah.”
“Pretty sure he’s beyond saving.”
Closing his eyes, Charlie observed three seconds of silence.
Then…
Twenty meters farther down the tunnel…
He started digging again.
Clang!
Clang!
CRASH!
Outside…
A section of ground beside the Ten Rings’ ammunition depot suddenly collapsed.
Nearby guards immediately shouted.
“What was that?!”
“I think…
someone’s down there!”
The soldiers instantly aimed their rifles toward the hole.
Then—
A spinning vibranium shield burst out.
BANG!
Several guards were knocked flying.
“Enemy attack!!”
Machine guns opened fire immediately.
Rat-tat-tat-tat!
Night erupted into blazing gunfire.
Charlie vaulted from the hole, darting across the camp.
Clang!
Clang!
Clang!
Bullets hammered relentlessly against the vibranium shield.
Countless sparks exploded into the darkness.
Many of the ricocheting bullets bounced straight into the nearby ammunition depot.
The result…
BOOOOOOM!!!
A chain reaction.
Explosions tore through the entire camp.
Loose ammunition detonated wildly.
Flames swallowed everything nearby.
Wooden structures collapsed one after another.
Chaos spread instantly.
“No!!”
“AAAAAH!”
“Retreat!!”
At that moment—
Norman Osborn shot out of the cave entrance atop his Goblin Glider.
Its green exhaust streaked across the night sky before diving toward Charlie.
“Hehehe!”
“My little Charlie…”
“I’ve been waiting for you.”
The Goblin Glider deployed twin machine guns.
Without caring in the slightest about the Ten Rings soldiers below…
Norman unleashed a storm of bullets.
Rat-tat-tat!
Clang!
Clang!
Clang!
Bullets slammed into the shield.
Ricochets flew everywhere.
Countless stray rounds ripped through the already panicked crowd.
Blood sprayed across the burning camp.
Then—
BOOM!
One of the ricocheting bullets struck the Goblin Glider’s flight system.
Smoke immediately poured from the damaged engine.
The glider began spiraling out of control.
Norman merely sighed dramatically.
“Oh…”
“My luck has run out.”
Maintaining perfect composure…
He crashed straight into the burning camp.
BOOM!!
“Charlie Parker!!”
Almost immediately afterward—
Lizard Parker burst from the cave entrance.
His face twisted with rage.
Ignoring the bullets flying everywhere, he sprinted directly toward Charlie.
This time…
He instinctively raised one arm to shield his face.
He wasn’t getting hit by that shield again.
Charlie saw the opening.
Turning sideways…
He assumed the perfect bowling stance.
Then—
He rolled the shield.
The rapidly spinning vibranium disk raced across the ground like an oversized wheel.
Sparks flew wherever it scraped the sand.
Slice!
The razor-sharp edge flashed between Lizard Parker’s legs.
A spray of blood followed.
“AAAAAAAHHHHH!!!”
The scream echoed across the battlefield.
Lizard Parker’s pupils shrank violently.
He collapsed to his knees…
Both hands clutching his crotch.
His face twisted in unbearable agony.
Pain.
So much pain.
….
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