The talkative raven in the world of American comics

Chapter 54: be good

"Thirty-five dollars."

"The price has gone up?"

"Please, brother, it's only five dollars, that's more than enough."

Looking at the thin, elderly man in front of him, the shop owner leaned forward slightly, resting his arms on the counter, and teased:

"You can't even afford to feed yourself, yet you have to buy so much feed for your birds?"

"What's it to you?"

Toms gave the shop owner a cold look, then took out a crumpled five-dollar bill from his empty wallet and slammed it on the table.

"Hey! Dude, why are you getting so angry? Who upset you? You'll have to pay for the table if you break it!"

The shopkeeper reluctantly took the banknotes and said, "For the sake of our acquaintance over the years, Adrian."

"Take my advice and sell your flight device right away. You can definitely get a lot of money, at least you won't be like you are now, where you can't even make enough money to support yourself after a day of setting up a stall."

Tums silently packed the household supplies and bird feed he had bought without replying.

"That's great, I shouldn't have asked. It's like you answered me the previous times I asked."

Seeing the old man's dismissive attitude, as if he wouldn't listen to anything, the shop owner shrugged and said helplessly.

This little old man is very arrogant!

Anyone who has ever interacted with him feels like they owe him hundreds of thousands of dollars, for no apparent reason.

The shop owner rested his chin on his hand as he watched Adrian Tooms leave.

However, Toms stopped in front of the shop, turned around and said something.

"It cannot be sold."

The shop owner smirked. "Why? Aren't the things scientists create meant to be sold?"

Tums's face contorted in a grimace for a second, then he turned and said in a cold voice:

"The last time I sold my invention, Norman Osborn took all my achievements! Do you think I'd ever sell it again?"

"So what?"

The shop owner shrugged: "There are so many big companies, why fixate on the Osborn Group? Besides, that guy's long dead. You have to make a living, don't you?"

Toms repeated, "Anyway, we just can't sell it."

Upon hearing this, the shop owner rolled his eyes, utterly speechless.

"Whatever, I'm not the one who's going hungry anyway."

"..."

Toms remained silent, instead pushing open the shop door and stepping out with one foot.

He was just one step away from leaving the grocery store, but he got stuck at the doorway.

Toms wasn't ignoring the shop owner's advice, but the loss he suffered years ago had become a mental block, preventing him from taking that step.

He was like a remnant of the old era, always adhering to his own values.

Create a great invention to serve everyone, and then reap the rewards of money and fame.

If there were no discerning eye, he would not be able to sell.

But the problem is, this society is too cruel, where can you find a kind and compassionate boss?

After thinking for a long time, Toms remained stuck in the doorway until the boss called out:

"Don't just stand there like an idiot, you're affecting my business. Come in and chat for a bit while you're not busy now."

Tooms felt a strong need for personal interaction. He had initially thought Spider-Man would be a good listener, but he never imagined he was like this.

You showed a generous and kind side, but what about me?!

I can't even fill my stomach!

Just to be that damn good-natured person!

John is right.

Good people never get good rewards!

Why should I insist on acknowledging that favor?!

So Toms turned back halfway and went back into the shop, placing the bag he was carrying on the table.

"I almost got my revenge today," he said.

"You went and dug up Norman Osborn's body?!" the boss exclaimed in shock.

"..."

Toms shook his head and said, "I almost caught his son."

John said regretfully, "That's such a pity... What?! His son?!"

John thought the bald guy was probably crazy; the person he was looking for revenge against was dead, so he turned his attention to the man's son.

"Do you want to go to jail, buddy? Arrest his son? Are you crazy?!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Toms' face turned cold instantly, all the emotions he had prepared for the conversation vanished, he picked up his things, turned around and left.

Seeing his reaction, John quickly said:

"Don't do that, Toms."

However, these words seemed to have touched a nerve, reigniting the negative emotions that Toms had been suppressing.

He smashed what he was holding on the ground. For a second he regretted it, but his rage drove away his reason.

"Shut your mouth, John!"

"Everyone's telling me to be more magnanimous, but have you ever thought about me?!"

"My life has been ruined by someone else!"

"And then?" John spread his hands, puzzled. "So you're going to ruin other people's lives?"

"You're the one who told me that good deeds don't always go unrewarded, and that sometimes you have to be a bad guy!" Toms shouted.

"Yes, that's right, I did say that."

John thought the old man's thought process was completely insane.

"I did say that, but all of this is based on the premise that sometimes you don't need to do things that help others. Not everyone can be a pushover. Look at Spider-Man, he's like a fool, wandering around the city every day, even helping old ladies cross the street! But what I mean is—"

"Don't mention that name in front of me!" Toms' anger reached another level, interrupting John's long-winded speech.

"..."

John rubbed his furrowed brow. "I really wish I hadn't said that, and I also wish your inventive mind was a little sharper, instead of misunderstanding me."

Fuck you!

"Hey! Why are you insulting me?!"

John frowned slightly, watching Toms bend down to pick up the things he had just thrown around, and said:

"I can come and help you right now, but I don't want to, because you insulted me, so I've decided to be the bad guy and not help you."

"That's what I wanted to tell you, not to let you vent your anger on innocent people."

Toms felt his head buzzing; John's words seemed to be mixed with an electric current, drilling into his brain and making his thoughts feel like a tangled mess of thread.

He suddenly felt like the whole world was against him.

Spider-Man, John, Norman Osborn, Harry Osborn...

Over the years, he has done so many good deeds for his beliefs, only to receive this result in return.

He was bullied by a group of young people when he was setting up a stall, looked down upon when he sold toys, thought he was trying to rob people because his prices were high, and was called crazy for seeking revenge...

Toms couldn't understand. Was he really that much of a dog lover?!

He didn't do anything!

"Good deeds don't always go unrewarded; sometimes you have to be the bad guy..."

These words lingered in his mind, and even after he had picked up everything from the ground, they still echoed in his ears.

"Good deeds don't always get rewarded; sometimes you have to be the bad guy!"

Before he knew it, Toms was surprised to find that his lip had been bitten open and blood was gushing out.

It tastes bitter.

"Adrian???"

John was startled to see the little old man squatting there, motionless.

He stepped forward to investigate. "Listen, what I just said might have been a bit radical, but listen to me, I absolutely didn't mean to look down on you... I just think..."

His hand had just touched Toms' shoulder when the other person slapped it away.

Then he saw Toms staring intently at him with bloodshot eyes, his hawk-like gaze terrifying, as if he were a pitiful prey.

"No, John," Tooms grinned maliciously, "You're absolutely right. Good deeds don't always go unrewarded; sometimes you have to be the bad guy!"

After saying that, Toms rushed out of the shop and disappeared from sight.

John, who witnessed the entire event, couldn't help but smirk.

"That madman, I should have known he wasn't a normal person!"

John gave him a good scolding, and then began to tidy up the merchandise display case that had been affected by Toms's emotional outburst.

After putting everything back in its place, John clapped his hands.

He couldn't help but curse again, "This little bald guy is really out of his mind!"

squeak-

The shop door was pushed open, and John couldn't be bothered to think about Adrian Tooms anymore.

He returned to the counter and looked at the customer.

They were two young people, or more accurately, two teenagers, both wearing black suits.

One of them was wearing flashy sunglasses and looking around the shop.

The other boy had delicate features and looked like a well-behaved child.

John then crossed his arms and said, “If you’re adults, the tobacco and alcohol are behind me; if you’re not, the milk is at the very back.”

The boy wearing sunglasses scoffed, "Who wanted your cigarettes and alcohol?"

The boy next to him tugged at his arm and stepped forward, saying:

"Excuse me, does Adrian Tooms live around here?"

"......"

......

......

......

As soon as Toms opened the door, he stumbled into the narrow hallway as if he were drunk.

thump--

She was holding the groceries she had bought when, due to a sudden loss of strength in her arms, they fell to the ground with a thud.

A few moments later, a sharp bird cry rang out in the rented room, which was no more than thirty square meters in size.

"Chirp chirp chirp!"

Tums was sweating profusely, panting heavily, his face flushed, and his breathing was somewhat labored.

High blood pressure has been a chronic problem for him.

This problem had plagued him ever since he was tricked by Norman Osborn.

He tried to get treatment, but each time something new or someone would appear that would trigger his emotions.

The more he tried to treat it, the angrier he became, and the higher his blood pressure rose.

"Haa!"

Toms lay on the floor, trying to calm his chaotic emotions and get himself down.

At least try to breathe more easily first, otherwise you'll faint before you even start being a bad guy.

About ten minutes later.

Toms felt much better immediately, and his breathing became easier.

The chirping of birds was a bit annoying.

In the past, he would have thought it was celestial music, that his precious child was thinking of his father.

But now...

Toms shook his head, got up from the ground, and walked into the room.

"Don't worry about Dad, Dad's fine."

Looking at the birds locked in their cages, Toms released his favorite white dove first.

He was about to stroke the bird's soft feathers when the white dove pecked his palm instead.

The white doves flew out of the room and headed straight for the feed he had brought back.

"you......"

Toms clutched his aching palm, wanting to say something sarcastic.

But thinking about everything that had happened today, the words suddenly got stuck in his throat.

"Chirp chirp chirp!"

The birds in the other cages started chirping, as if telling Toms that they wanted to go out too.

Instead of releasing the birds, Toms chose to ignore their chirping, his face becoming unpredictable.

He stepped out of the room and looked at the white pigeons feeding on the floor.

The white dove seemed to sense his gaze, stopped eating, and flew to Toms's hand as usual to enjoy his caresses.

But something's not right today.

Instead of stroking its head, Toms gently grasped its neck with one hand.

"grumble?!"

The dove's puzzled look was reflected in Tom's pupils. With just a little force, he could easily end the life of the bird he cherished most.

At this moment, the words he had spoken before involuntarily resurfaced in his mind.

"Good deeds don't always go unrewarded; sometimes you have to be a bad person."

A shift in mindset is often accompanied by significant journeys; it doesn't happen suddenly in an instant.

It may make wrong decisions due to emotional excitement, but it will also make calm reflections after the excitement subsides.

But in any case, it will eventually change through the cumulative influence of each passing day.

My long-held beliefs were shaken by a single conversation, which led me to take action.

The result was somewhat chaotic.

It could even be described as a complete mess.

Toms knew perfectly well that if he snapped the bird's neck right now, he would never be able to go back to the way things were before.

To twist or not to twist became the ultimate dilemma for Toms at this moment.

tick-tock-

The worn-out hands on the wall chimed in the room, as if counting down the days until Toms' decision.

Toms' breathing became rapid.

Should we do it or not?

Should I become a completely bad person?

in the end......

dong dong dong-

"Adrian, it's me, John. There are two little guys outside who say they're looking for you."

The sudden sound from outside the door interrupted his thoughts.

"Alright, he'll be staying here. I'll be going now."

Thank you very much.

Hearing the sounds outside, Toms released his grip and quietly walked towards the door.

Once released, the white doves flew outside in the blink of an eye, as if they wanted to get some fresh air.

Toms pushed open the door, saw the three people outside, and paused for a moment.

Wearing sunglasses, Harry made himself at home and squeezed in before Tombs could even speak.

"Holy crap, man!"

Harry pulled his sunglasses down a bit, his eyes shining as he stared at the green flight suit displayed in the living room.

"Your flight device is so cool! You absolutely have to come to my Osborne!"

The Tums man seemed a little dazed as he turned to look at another boy.

He really wanted to call him "Little Spider," but in the end, he couldn't bring himself to say it.

Peter chuckled and said, "I was thinking that favors are usually bestowed by the person in question; it's never the person owing a favor who takes the initiative to do so..."

"Perhaps your earlier statement that the favor ended there didn't work, but what I'm saying now is?"

"I apologize for what I said earlier, Mr. Tooms."

Toms' lips twitched slightly, and he immediately understood what the little spider meant.

Then, the next second, someone patted my shoulder.

Look back.

It's Harry Osborn.

He casually put his arm around his shoulder.

"Name your terms, as long as you're willing to join the Osborn Group."

After saying that, he winked and said, "Of course, I still hope that your best condition is that you don't kill me."

The elderly man, well past sixty, thought about many things in that brief moment.

I reflected on the first half of my life, recalled my recent behavior, and fantasized about the second half that was about to begin.

In short, he thought about it a lot.

So he made a decision.

Toms turned around and hugged the boy in front of him.

"Just a little bit more... Thank you..."

Peter was at a loss as he listened to Tom's slightly tearful voice. He didn't understand what Tom meant by "just a little bit more".

But he still reached out and patted the old man on the shoulder.

"You're welcome?"

"Chirp chirp chirp chirp!!!!"

However, a bird's chirp instantly shattered this warm atmosphere.

The three looked in the direction of the sound and saw a white dove fly into the house in fright, with a few feathers floating in the air behind it.

The white dove flew into Toms's arms, curled up into a white ball, and trembled all over.

A few breaths later.

A black crow flew in from outside. It walked on the floor and strangely stroked its head with its wings, just like a person stroking their hair.

"You don't even know how to use your turn signal? I think you're asking for trouble."

"Why are you all staring at me?!"