Chapter 57: The Power of the Super Spider
"Hey hey hey… wait, don't tell me you were bitten by a spider too?"
Dangling upside down in the alley, Spider-Woman Gwen stared at Xi Nian in shock. For a moment she even forgot about the sudden kiss just now, because before her eyes Xi Nian was clearly showing powers of a super spider.
Xi Nian spread his hands. "This is my hidden ability. By coming into contact with you just now, I temporarily gained your powers."
He paused before adding, "Remember the person you met on the rooftop last week? That was me."
"You… you were that creep?!"
Spider-Woman blurted out before quickly covering her mouth, her face flushing red. "So, as long as you kiss a girl, you can get her powers?"
"Uh… well, something like that…"
Xi Nian felt a little guilty. Naturally, he couldn't reveal the truth—that it wasn't just kissing. Any physical contact plus an exchange of fluids would do.
Of course—through kissing directly, with enough of a medium, the power he obtained became far more stable, complete, and long-lasting.
This was something he had already confirmed on Themyscira.
Spider-Woman frowned suddenly. "Then whose powers did you take last time?"
"Uh…" Xi Nian blinked. He felt that his focus and hers were not quite on the same page.
But at that moment, the ground trembled violently. Thunder and explosions rumbled endlessly in the sky, indirectly saving Xi Nian from answering.
"What is that?"
Both Xi Nian and Spider-Woman looked up instinctively. Ten kilometers away, the blue column of light that pierced the heavens had widened the rift above New York by nearly three times.
Within that vast abyss, countless alien machines swarmed downward. And now, enormous alien battleships the size of city blocks began to push through, their overwhelming presence filling the skies. Even from ten kilometers away, the roar of their engines made countless humans collapse into pure fear.
"Xi Nian, I have to go." Spider-Woman's voice was firm as she stared toward the alien fleet.
Xi Nian nodded. "Be careful. If you can't win, retreat. Don't push yourself like last time."
"Alright, I promise."
She gave him one last deep look, then pulled her mask fully on. A sharp web shot from her wrist, latching onto the building across the alley. Her slim figure swung gracefully through the city and soon disappeared into the chaos of the battlefield.
Watching her vanish into the distance, Xi Nian let out a helpless sigh. "If you've chosen to stay and fight, how could I possibly just run away? You silly Gwen…"
In that moment, Gwen reminded him so much of his aunt—always standing tall when disaster struck. A true hero, carrying a light almost divine in its brilliance.
Xi Nian, however, was not a hero. He had no intention of being one either. He was far from the kind of great being who would sacrifice everything for complete strangers.
But still—but still!
Xi Nian would fight for the ones he loved!
"If you want to protect the world, then let me protect you." His eyes shone brighter as he steadied his emotions and looked around at the walls nearby.
The first step was to master Gwen's super spider powers.
Xi Nian placed his palm against a wall. His fingertips felt like they held invisible barbs, mixed with static electricity. Instantly, climbing upward became natural and easy.
He stepped onto the vertical surface as well. Moving like a newborn spider, Xi Nian tested his talent carefully, inching upward slowly and cautiously.
At ten meters high, his breathing remained steady. Looking down at the ground far below, he began climbing faster, his movements growing smoother.
Soon enough, Xi Nian reached the rooftop of a ten-story building. From this vantage point, the full horror of New York's current state came into view.
Centered around Stark Tower, a ten-kilometer radius had become a massive alien battlefield. The skies swarmed with alien machines, and colossal warships had already begun to ravage the city, leveling skyscrapers and igniting entire streets. Black smoke rose into the sky, forming storm clouds of ash, while the wails of desperate civilians filled the air.
It was hell on Earth.
Meanwhile, ten kilometers away on the outskirts of the city, roads overflowed with cars and people carrying their belongings. Everyone was fleeing New York, faces stricken with panic, grief, and despair.
The apocalypse had begun.
Just then, Xi Nian's eyes caught several fiery streaks crashing into nearby buildings. The explosions reduced entire blocks of houses to rubble, forcing terrified civilians to scatter in chaos.
Xi Nian narrowed his eyes, scanning the skies. Less than half a kilometer away, several small alien aircraft were approaching at high speed.
"So the battlefield has spread out this far already…"
He clenched his fists. "Good. I'll use you for practice."
Taking a deep breath, Xi Nian sprinted to the edge of the rooftop. With a powerful leap, he soared across the air, clearing more than ten meters to land on another building across the street.
Though not as powerful as when he carried his aunt's demigod strength, his spider-enhanced body was incredibly light and agile.
Moving swiftly across the rooftops, Xi Nian tracked one alien craft flying nearby.
This was his chance!
At twenty meters away, he mimicked Spider-Woman, flicking his wrist—
But nothing happened. No webs.
"Come on!" He tried again with his other hand. Still nothing.
The alien craft swept past, almost out of reach. Gritting his teeth, Xi Nian lunged forward anyway.
The alien pilot spotted him and panicked, trying to dodge. But Xi Nian's left hand seized the edge of the craft's foothold.
"Get down here!"
With his right hand, he yanked the metal leg of the alien machine soldier. With brute force, he ripped it from the cockpit and hurled it into the side of a nearby building. The impact left a crater in the wall.
Another alien soldier sat in the rear seat. Its eyes glowed red as it leveled its gun, unleashing a barrage of energy blasts.
At that instant—
Xi Nian's spider sense erupted.
The world around him became a dense, invisible web. Every detail was clear. He could feel the angle of the alien's weapon and moved at the exact same moment the trigger was pulled.
Laser beams sliced through the air, missing by mere inches. Twisting with impossible flexibility, Xi Nian clung to the side of the moving aircraft, dodging every shot.
Swinging himself up, he planted a kick that sent the alien soldier flying out of the craft.
Now out of control, the ship hurtled straight toward a building.
Xi Nian leapt away just in time.
As he flipped in midair, his wrist flicked again—and this time, a white strand of webbing shot out, sticking firmly to the wall of a skyscraper.
No time to celebrate.
He tugged sharply, and his body swung upward high above the street.
He was flying.
Behind him, the alien craft slammed into a building and exploded in a fireball.
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