[Remember to silently recite the URL three times. If you haven't memorized it, I'll ask again in the next chapter. Please share it on Facebook.]
After familiarizing himself with his Spider-Man suit, John Smith arrived at his temporary basement, packed up, and embarked on his second journey.
"Ding! Countdown to Spider-Man's Fourth Universe..."
"Buzz..."
A golden portal slowly opened. John lifted his backpack, took one last look at the dim, cramped basement, and vowed to himself to earn money first after this journey.
Rent in this place is too expensive.
---
On a dark, windy night, in a cluttered alley,
"Buzz..."
A golden portal appeared out of thin air. John stepped through it, waiting for it to vanish before scanning the dim alley.
"Is this Spider-Man's Fourth Universe?"
John whispered softly. The next moment, sirens blared at the alley entrance, followed by gunfire.
In free America, shootings happen daily.
A hint of sarcasm curled John's lips as he turned to walk in the opposite direction.
Though he had acquired the Spider-Man suit, he had no intention of playing hero in this city.
When the system bound him to this place at the time of his journey, it allowed him to travel, not become a superhero.
Why become this city's superhero?
"Whoosh..."
Suddenly, a strange sound echoed overhead. John instinctively looked up, spotting a fleeting sliver of white in the darkness.
"That's..."
John stared at the white spider silk dangling from the wall, a thought stirring in his mind.
"It's this world's Spider-Man!"
John grinned. This mission was getting easier.
But... why was it white?
With this question in mind, John, backpack in hand, ran toward the source of the gunfire.
---
In a street jewelry store, five criminals, armed with machine guns, indiscriminately opened fire on a dozen police cars outside. Flames erupted, and officers behind the cars dared not show their heads.
In a world with superheroes, official firepower always seems unexpectedly weak.
"Hahaha, go to hell, you spineless idiots!"
"Look at these cowards! I want to beat them and stuff it in their mouths, so they can taste their own fear."
"Good idea, but I'd rather have them call us heroes."
"No, no, no, I don't want these fools as my fans."
The five gangsters laughed wildly, their exaggerated muscles, dark skin, and violent demeanor explaining why the city's police officers nervously drew their guns upon encountering them.
Elsewhere, Captain George Stacy hid behind a police car, unfazed.
"Captain Stacy, what should we do? Their firepower is too strong. Should we retreat?"
the veteran officer beside him asked nervously, wiping sweat from his forehead.
Despite decades in the field and ample gunfight experience, nearing retirement, he didn't want to risk staying.
George glanced at him, ignoring the suggestion, and spoke softly, staring at his watch.
"Wait a little longer; she should be here soon."
"She's coming?"
the veteran officer was stunned. "Is the Captain waiting for Spider-Woman..."
Before he could finish, the surrounding officers suddenly screamed.
"Look, Spider-Woman!"
"It's Spider-Woman!"
"Oh, God, thank you for sending Spider-Woman to us..."
Under the crowd's gaze, a white figure, using spider silk's elasticity, soared through the air, landing lightly on a sign.
The figure was dressed in a white hooded Spider-Woman suit. Beneath the hood, a white eye mask glowed red around the edges. Red spiderwebs adorned the suit, highlighting her curvaceous figure.
Spider-Woman!
At the alley's entrance, John stared at the graceful figure on the sign, bewildered.
"This world's Spider-Woman... is a woman?"
"Ding! Mission one completed; Spider-Man's multiverse initially connected..."
[Mission two: Discover Spider-Man's true identity.]
The system notification chimed, and John fell into deep thought.
A preliminary connection between the Spider-Man multiverse?
Could it be…
John's eyes narrowed slightly, and he raised his camera to snap a picture of Spider-Woman.
---
As Spider-Woman leaped high, using webs of silk, she flew toward the jewelry store.
Seeing this, the criminals' faces simultaneously flashed with panic.
"It's Spider-Woman, she's coming."
"Focus on her quickly."
"Damn it, how could she get here so fast?"
"Stop talking nonsense…"
"Da da da…"
Flames blazed, and bullets blanketed the area.
Amidst the hail, Spider-Woman shot a web at the tall building, soaring high to dodge the bullets and disappearing from sight.
"Where'd she go?"
"Damn it, cunning Spider-Woman, I must..."
One criminal was about to curse when white silk descended, sealing his mouth shut.
"Woo-woo-woo..."
"Up there!"
The others screamed, turning their guns overhead, only to be met with sticky strands of silk.
"Swish, swish, swish, swish..."
The silk locked onto their guns, and, pulled by force, the guns flew out of their hands.
"Shit..."
"It's over..."
Their faces froze.
"Whoosh..."
A fragrant breeze blew, and Spider-Woman crouched, waved playfully, and greeted them.
"Hey, gentlemen, I'm confiscating your weapons!"
With that, she tossed her machine gun toward a police car and leaped toward the men. Moving nimbly, she bound them with webs of silk.
"Gentlemen, I'm leaving now. Don't miss me too much..."
Before departing, Spider-Woman twisted, blew a kiss, and, illuminated by police spotlight, launched herself up the tall building with a web.
The citizens who witnessed cheered loudly, and many men, with admiration, shouted frantically.
"My God, my Spider-Woman, I love you..."
"No, that's my Spider-Woman..."
"You bastard, don't take her from me, she's mine..."
The scene descended into chaos.
Mid-air, Spider-Woman observed below and shook her head helplessly.
"Bang!"
Without warning, as she neared the rooftop, the window shattered. A massive black shadow emerged, and a terrifying monster descended.
...
Spider-Woman patted her head. "Oh, what a nuisance! I'm Spider-Woman after all!"
Just as she was about to intervene, a shocking scene unfolded.