After the incident of subduing the robber on the street, Gwen's desire and curiosity for her own power reached its peak.
She was no longer merely satisfied with the improvement of her physical qualities; she began to more intentionally explore those "abnormal" abilities.
For example, that peculiar sticky sensation.
At night, after her father fell asleep, Gwen secretly snuck into the living room, took a deep breath, and pressed her palm against the smooth wall.
She concentrated, imagining... suction!
The wondrous sensation returned!
Her palm truly seemed to have become a suction cup, firmly adhering to the wall!
She tried to slowly move her body, pressing her other hand against the wall, then her feet... The next second, Gwen Stacy, in an extremely bizarre posture, like a gecko, was clinging to the vertical wall, using both her hands and feet!
"Success!!" Gwen was ecstatic, almost exclaiming aloud!
She could really crawl on walls like a spider!
Although her movements were still clumsy and her control wasn't stable enough, occasionally losing adhesion and falling, this was undoubtedly a huge breakthrough!
Besides wall-crawling, her senses were also becoming increasingly keen.
Once, she was walking on the street, and though there was nothing unusual around, a slight tingling sensation suddenly came from the back of her neck, as if some danger was approaching.
She instinctively dodged to the side!
Almost at the same time, a flowerpot falling from a height "thumped" onto the spot where she had just stood, shattering into pieces!
If she had moved half a second later, the consequences would have been unimaginable!
Gwen broke out in a cold sweat, stroking the still tingling back of her neck.
That feeling... it was like some kind of warning system!
Spider-Sense?!
The term uncontrollably jumped into her mind.
Combining her increasingly strong power, speed, agility, and now the demonstrated wall-crawling ability and danger premonition... Gwen could almost certainly affirm that she was evolving towards... some kind of spider-like superhuman!
All of this was too crazy!
And the source of all this, without a doubt, was still Michael.
She sought out Michael more frequently.
Sometimes she didn't even need an excuse, just knocking on his door late at night, then, under his knowing gaze, throwing herself into his embrace.
Each dual cultivation was like a feast.
Michael also seemed to have noticed the direction of her ability awakening, and during their interactions, he would intentionally or unintentionally guide the energy towards strengthening these "spider characteristics" of hers.
Gwen could clearly feel that after each session, her wall-crawling ability became more stable, and her danger premonition became clearer and more precise.
Afterward, Gwen's voice carried a hint of laziness and confusion: "Lin... who exactly are you? Why... does being with me make me... so strange?"
Michael gently stroked her back, smiling faintly: "I am just a traveler who happened to pass by. As for the changes in you, that's because you are inherently special; I merely... happened to help you open that door."
"Special?" Gwen was a little lost.
"Yes," Michael looked at the night outside the window, his eyes deep, "This World is far more exciting than you imagine, and full of possibilities. You, Gwen Stacy, are destined to be extraordinary."
Gwen vaguely understood, but she could feel the seriousness in Michael's words.
Extraordinary?
Looking at her hands, which were becoming fairer, more delicate, and full of power due to "dual cultivation," and feeling the latent power within her that could shock the World, a flame called "ambition" ignited in Gwen's heart for the first time.
Perhaps... I really can do some... extraordinary things?
For example, like a hero from a comic book, protect this city?
A vague thought quietly took root in her heart.
She began to consciously train her abilities.
Practicing wall-crawling and jumping in deserted warehouse districts, testing her reaction speed and limits of power in secluded parks.
She even began to try making some... gadgets.
For example, using the knowledge she learned in chemistry class, combined with some special formulas found online, she tried to concoct a viscous liquid similar to spider silk.
Although she failed repeatedly, she did not give up.
A brand new legend, belonging to Ghost Spider, was quietly brewing.
And Michael, like the most brilliant chess player, quietly watched all of this from behind the scenes, a mysterious smile always on his lips.
Gwen's growth not only pleased him, but more importantly, the pure Yin essence brought by each dual cultivation accelerated the cultivation process of his Yin Yang Harmony Manual.
The Harmony True Qi in his dantian was already several times thicker than when he first arrived, and there were even faint signs of breaking through the first realm.
"Not enough..." Michael felt the True Qi within him, "Relying solely on Gwen, the speed is still too slow. Moreover, her energy attribute is too singular; to truly cultivate the Yin Yang Harmony Manual to a profound realm, I need more... different types of 'Dao companions'."
His spiritual sense quietly spread like a tide, covering half of New York City.
He was "searching."
Searching for those who were also "special," possessing great potential or unique energy, and were female.
Soon, a few vague "light spots" caught his attention.
One was near Hell's Kitchen in Manhattan, full of suppressed darkness and tenacious vitality.
One was deep within a mysterious military Base, emanating a dangerous yet alluring aura, like the most deadly scorpion.
And another... even more distant, as if not in the same dimension, yet emitting chaotic and powerful magic fluctuations.
Michael's lips curved into an even more playful smile.
"It seems this World is much more interesting than I imagined."