Chapter 77: Hunter Xi Nian Enters the Stage
Buzz—
Two streams of brilliant golden divine light flared up from different places within the office. The radiance intertwined, as if yearning to merge into one.
Hidden beneath Xi Nian's left sleeve, the Silver Bracelet of Protection answered the call of an identical artifact—glowing brightly on the wrist of the tall, beautiful figure who had just entered the office.
Standing between them, Barbara's face twisted in rage as she glanced at the glowing lasso wrapped tightly around her waist. Her seductive features contorted, and she roared out, "Diana!"
"Aunt!" Xi Nian lifted his head with joy. The one who had descended from above behind Cheetah was none other than Aunt Diana herself!
At this moment, Diana wore her Wonder Woman battle armor. Her flawless face was calm yet stern, brows sharp with divine majesty. In her hand glowed the golden Lasso of Truth, and her very presence radiated strength and reassurance.
Xi Nian was no longer a child, yet seeing Aunt Diana arrive to protect him stirred an instinctive urge to rush into her embrace.
"Leave this to me. You should go." Diana could sense the artifact's resonance within Xi Nian and immediately understood his condition was unstable. Her voice was gentle, but commanding.
"Okay." Xi Nian nodded quickly. He ignored Cheetah entirely and rose from his chair, moving straight for the door.
He knew Diana could handle Cheetah with ease. Staying would only burden her, and worse, risk exposing his Master of Affection abilities.
And Diana surely understood that too.
Over the years, they had developed a deep bond of trust and unspoken understanding. Since he had confessed his secrets to her, that trust had only grown stronger.
"You're not going anywhere!" Cheetah suddenly roared. Watching the two treat her as if she didn't exist, jealousy and fury boiled over. She lunged like a beast toward Xi Nian as he headed for the door.
The sound of claws tearing air came from behind him, deadly sharp intent closing in fast.
Xi Nian didn't even look back.
The moment Cheetah got within a meter of him, the golden lasso binding her waist snapped taut. Wonder Woman yanked it back like a warrior breaking a wild stallion, dragging Cheetah off her feet!
Her claws carved twin trenches into the floor as she was hauled backward.
"Damn it!" Cheetah screeched in helpless fury, clawing at empty air as Xi Nian calmly opened the office door and stepped out without a backward glance.
With Wonder Woman here, she knew she had no chance.
Her rage cooled into a chilling smile as she turned to face Diana again. "I didn't think you'd resist the urge to devour him yourself."
Diana remained regal and unshaken, her voice calm and resolute. "He is my child."
"Is that so? I don't believe you."
With a guttural snarl, Cheetah blurred forward, claws flashing toward Wonder Woman.
Diana held the lasso in one hand, and with the other drew her dark golden shield from her back. With a thunderous shield-bash, she blocked Cheetah's savage strike. Sparks flew as claws met divine steel.
Cheetah tried to slip past the shield for Diana's body—but in the next instant, Diana lowered her head, her star-studded tiara crashing against Cheetah's skull and sending her flying!
Pain lanced through Cheetah as she staggered back, lifting her head only to meet Diana's calm, yet terrifyingly wrathful gaze.
"Barbara, attack me if you must. But you should never have laid a hand on him."
For the first time, the demigoddess revealed her fury.
…
Xi Nian left the office building and sprinted toward the school's teaching block.
Compared to Diana's side, which held no suspense, what worried him most was Gwen.
His pace quickened, his body a blur of wind and motion.
Everything felt strange—his stamina limitless, his muscles under perfect control. Every ounce of strength within him bent to his will.
With both Spider and Cheetah powers fused inside him, his body was now immensely strong. The Silver Bracelet's divine force suppressed the beastly urges, leaving him in full human form. To anyone's eyes, he looked no different from a normal student.
He entered the teaching block swiftly.
A sharp glance revealed the building was completely deserted. Floors, walls, even the ceiling bore signs of heavy damage, claw marks, and impacts from a violent battle. Scattered books and papers littered the ground.
He checked the security room—empty. The guard was gone, the computers and servers crushed as though by a giant hand.
Relief flickered in him. At least the surveillance that might've exposed Gwen and himself was destroyed.
"Signs of a fight… Gwen, and the Lizard Doctor," Xi Nian muttered, reconstructing the battle from the scene.
But where were they now?
He frowned, straining his ears. The entire building was silent, too silent.
After the students and teachers had evacuated, Gwen and Connors had vanished without a trace.
Then Xi Nian remembered something. He dashed to his class's row of lockers.
He pulled out a key, unlocked Gwen's locker, and inside found her schoolbag.
Opening it, he froze.
Inside lay another Spider-suit—matching Gwen's hooded design, black and white with web patterns, but larger, sturdier, clearly made for a man. A bold white spider emblazoned across the chest.
Tucked inside was a small heart-shaped note in Gwen's delicate handwriting:
"To Xi Nian."
"When did she prepare this…" Warmth filled his chest. Digging deeper, he found a small white tank top.
Without hesitation, Xi Nian lifted the garment to his face and inhaled deeply.
And no—he wasn't a pervert!
The faint fragrance invaded his senses, igniting his blood, stirring something primal. His hunter's instinct awakened fully, sharpening every scent in the building into vivid trails of color.
Three seconds later.
"Found you, Gwen," Xi Nian whispered, locking onto the familiar scent.
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