As Christmas approached, the western city grew even colder after nightfall.
On the rooftop of a twenty-one-story skyscraper, the wind was strong enough to knock an adult off balance, carrying with it cotton-like frost and snow.
The rooftop doors had long been locked from the inside. Normally, even at noon, no one would come up here.
But tonight, on this rooftop, two figures faced each other across about ten meters of night.
"Who are you?"
Gwen's eyes widened, her gaze piercing through the Spider-Man mask at the figure before her.
She was stunned.
The woman in front of her didn't appear physically strong. Her exposed skin was smooth and pale, without visible muscles, making it hard to imagine the source of her extraordinary power. Her armor, weapons, crown, and boots radiated an ancient, wild nobility.
She stood firmly on the snow-dusted floor, silver hair flowing wildly in the cold wind. The moonlight illuminated her hair, casting a holy silver glow over her like a deity from ancient Greek mythology.
"So beautiful," Gwen whispered, captivated.
Though her face was partially obscured by her silver hair and the night, her beauty was undeniable.
Gwen studied Xi Nian while he, in turn, watched her.
Although Xi Nian was fully covered in a tight suit, unlike him, she looked unmistakably female.
Tightly fitted suits cannot conceal a male physique completely; her suit revealed her delicate, small figure, with muscles perfectly balanced—strong but not excessive, resilient but not overbuilt.
Her black-and-white Spider suit clung to her like a predator ready to strike, displaying every arc of strength in her body.
When she asked her question, her cold, decisive voice struck a strange familiarity with Xi Nian. Unknown yet familiar, it created a sense of dissonance he couldn't explain.
Then, hearing Gwen call her beautiful, Xi Nian inwardly wanted to hide—or jump from the rooftop.
"Who are you? Aren't you going to answer me?" Gwen pressed, leaning on the water tower, looking down at Xi Nian.
He remained silent.
"I can sense that weapon in your hand is dangerous. If you fought, those police, even the helicopter, wouldn't stop you. Why are you just running?"
Xi Nian lowered his gaze to the vintage sword in his hand. Even while fleeing, he hadn't loosened his grip.
It belonged to his aunt, and he could not afford to lose it.
As for why he didn't use it—obvious. He didn't know how to wield a sword.
Gwen seemed to read his thoughts: "You don't want to hurt the police or civilians."
Xi Nian nodded. He pressed the sword's tip to the rooftop and sliced forward. The material—whatever it was—cut the floor as if it were tofu, leaving a visible line between him and Gwen.
Gwen quickly understood: "A boundary?"
Xi Nian nodded and planted the sword in front of him, signaling that any further advance would meet a drawn weapon.
"Alright," Gwen agreed. But as Xi Nian relaxed, she smirked, spinning her wrists forward.
Whoosh!
Two white webs shot from her wrists. One stuck to Xi Nian's sword, the other to the railing behind him. The webs enclosed him from both sides.
"Let me see your true face!"
Gwen yanked the webs. She couldn't pull the sword free, but using the webs' elasticity, she launched herself like a human projectile toward Xi Nian.
Realizing this, Xi Nian's survival instincts kicked in. He threw the sword forward instead of holding it.
Swoosh!
The sword cut through the air, a silver streak.
Gwen's eyes widened. She tried to dodge, but the sword barely brushed her, pulling the web connected to her wrist.
"No!"
Her agile body halted midair, dragged backward by the web. The sword embedded into the rooftop iron gate, stopping at the hilt.
Demonstrating superhuman reflexes, Gwen twisted midair using the web to reduce impact, landing lightly on the iron gate.
Before she could react, a shadow moved rapidly behind her.
"Get off me!"
Gwen kicked sharply, but Xi Nian, anticipating it, grabbed her ankle with one hand. With his knee against her back, he pinned her body to the gate.
Fearing her webs, Xi Nian dropped her to the ground, sitting on her bent back. He held her ankles while securing her wrists in his other hand.
The counterattack was smooth, as if rehearsed countless times. Xi Nian surprised even himself, given he had barely controlled his strength before.
Survival instinct—overwhelming.
Gwen struggled, but superhuman strength against superhuman strength showed a clear difference.
In raw physical power, Gwen was completely outmatched.
Even she, capable of lifting a car, found herself pinned, wrists and ankles restrained, unable to move. The helplessness was new to her since gaining spider abilities.
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