Chapter 137: Gwen

For most people, a breakup might be something that can be washed away with a round of drinks. But for Gwen, she simply couldn't move past it.

Every day after class, Gwen would lock herself in her room, studying various things, occasionally going out to shop and buy, buy, buy. She lived a life that was simple yet lonely, as if she were immersed in a world of her own, leaving the Georges to watch on with anxious hearts.

Her phone suddenly rang. Gwen picked it up to see it was the Red Queen. The avatar was spinning around and chanting, "Help me, help me, come and save me quickly."

It was cute enough, certainly something Michael had cooked up. Gwen couldn't help but reveal a faint smile.

"Hello?"

"Ms. Gwen, Mr. Michael requires your assistance."

Gwen smiled happily. *So you do still need me, but you didn't dare call yourself, letting a little girl take the responsibility for you instead. What is the meaning of this?*

Gwen deliberately feigned indifference and said, "Tell him to come and say it himself."

The Red Queen was silent for a moment, then replied, "I'm afraid he doesn't have the time right now. If you turn on the television and look at the news, you will understand."

Gwen turned on the TV and flipped to a random news channel, discovering that the superheroes were currently brawling.

"What is going on here?"

The Red Queen briefly explained the situation Michael was facing.

"Mr. Michael says that you are the only one he can trust right now."

Gwen asked with suspicion, "Why didn't he contact Nick Fury? His people should be better at infiltration, rescue missions, and the like."

"Sir says that Loxias is very likely an agent himself. Seeking out Nick Fury would likely mean being led by the nose; there might even be a mole among Fury's own ranks. Furthermore, Loxias is collaborating with certain politicians who can easily mobilize SWAT forces. Official power and connections are absolutely unreliable. He only trusts you now."

After hearing the Red Queen’s explanation, Gwen finally understood the predicament Michael was in.

"Then why should I help him? He cheated on me." Gwen picked up the teddy bear on her bedside and gave it a violent beating, as if she were thrashing someone in particular.

The Red Queen was silent for a moment before saying, "Mr. Michael did not have any involvement with Ms. Felicia. That night, Mr. Michael was busy dealing with the Vampire Count. He only had other reasons for needing to keep you at a distance."

"Other reasons?"

"It would be better for Mr. Michael to tell you himself. For now, please follow my instructions."

"Fine."

Gwen put on her suit and rushed toward the ocean.

"You cannot enter from underwater. This is a shark zone, and they have dumped a large amount of animal blood into the sea, which has attracted an unusually high number of sharks."

The "white mouse" had originally intended to dive into the water and cut a hole through the bottom of the ship, but ended up nearly being eaten by sharks.

"You must enter through the main deck, which will require the use of your stealth capabilities."

"According to the video sent over, the Jack family has been fitted with special collars and watches. Mr. Michael suspects they are bombs. It is highly likely they use a dual mechanism of pulse-triggering and remote control, making them impossible to disarm directly."

"Loxias is an extremely patient man, and he lacks no ruthlessness. This time, he has surely come with a well-thought-out plan. Any slight accident could lead him to choose mutual destruction. Therefore, our goal is not to rescue the hostages, but to confirm their safety."

"Wait until Mr. Michael obtains the remote for the bombs before proceeding with the rescue. Everything must prioritize the safety of Ms. Martha."

On the other side, the group was in the midst of a fierce battle. Captain America suddenly received a call from Nick Fury.

"Captain, an hour ago, Michael's foster parents were abducted."

"I see." Captain America immediately understood the full story. "What should we do?"

"Act according to the situation. Do not expose yourselves yet; Michael surely has a plan." Nick Fury’s brow was furrowed tightly. He continued, "I am currently investigating who this guy who has suddenly popped up really is. You must stall for time."

On the ship, Loxias was enjoying the spectacle of the battle when a subordinate approached to report something, causing him to frown. S.H.I.E.L.D. had already made a move, and he had to accelerate his progress.

He dialed Michael’s phone again.

Michael was in the middle of fighting when he saw the caller ID. He paused in a daze and was immediately kicked away by Spider-Man.

"Hello?"

"Truly spectacular," Loxias praised.

Michael’s eyes blazed with fire; he longed to tear him to pieces. "Loxias, haven't you had enough fun yet?"

"Not yet, but I have decided to end the game early."

Seeing Michael stop, the others also ceased their attacks. Only Hulk wanted to continue, but he was held back by Black Widow. Although the Green Giant was green all over, he was very obedient to girls, especially those who had been romantically involved with Banner.

Loxias said, "Bring the super serum and the bat serum, and come to me immediately. You should know where."

"Fine. You just wait for me."

After throwing out this threat, Michael immediately rushed back, though he chose to fly. After returning to Twilight Island, he didn't immediately leave with the serums; he deliberately dawdled for a while to buy Gwen enough time.

After entering the freighter, Gwen changed into her high-tech spider suit for more agile movement and to reduce noise. This suit had already been optimized, implanted with artificial intelligence, and all types of webbing had been reinforced; it was no weaker than the one Spider-Man wore, and was even superior in terms of being fireproof and waterproof.

"Oh, shit, this damn suit, it feels a bit tight."

She didn't know if she had gained weight or just developed, but Gwen felt that it was a bit snug.

Following the infrared scan to confirm the location, Gwen crawled on top of the cabin, moving forward with extreme caution. Gwen’s progress was not fast, mainly because she either needed someone to open the doors for her or had to wait until she was certain no one was on either side before opening them herself. The Red Queen could not hack into this ship, so she had to find a way on her own.

Michael arrived at the ship as promised. As soon as he landed, a group of men in black surrounded him, attempting to disarm him. But how could Michael give them the chance? He tucked away all his equipment and said, "Take me to see Loxias."

"You must hand over all your belongings—phones, watches, and any other metal objects—to us."

Michael smiled and said, "This is definitely not Loxias's idea, because he knows that if I want to kill him, I don't need any tools."

Michael suddenly raised his voice, venting his anger. "Just a few small fries like you want to swipe my gear?"

These men were startled by Michael, and just as they were about to say something, Michael lifted them up with one hand and threw them directly into the sea. Only after doing this did Michael feel the anger in his heart dissipate quite a bit.

Loxias saw Michael do this, sneered, and sent another person to invite Michael inside.