Chapter 176: Villain Xi Nian
Dusk. The moment between afternoon and night.
Parallel world.
New York, Queens, central avenue.
On top of a towering cathedral, hundreds of meters high, at the tip of the spire above the great clock tower—there wasn't even room to properly stand. Pigeons occasionally flapped their wings as they passed.
A tall figure in a red-and-blue Spider suit stood there, his feet and back seemingly glued to the vertical wall. He clung to the cathedral's outer wall at its highest point, the spider emblem on his chest glowing under the last rays of sunlight. In the lenses of his mask, the reflection of the vast city below shimmered.
His name was Peter Parker. Spider-Man.
And in this world—he was the only superhero.
Ever since the night when his adoptive father was shot dead by a robber he had once let escape, Spider-Man had lived by the creed: "With great power comes great responsibility." For ten years, he fought crime and evil in the city without rest.
At first, society doubted and scorned him. But now, he was beloved by the masses. Fashion magazines and street posters plastered his image everywhere.
He was the number one hero of this world. Calling him the King of the World wouldn't even be an exaggeration.
"Looks like another peaceful day."
Spider-Man smacked his lips and whistled softly. Looking at the bustling city below, he rubbed his chin. "Better head back for dinner before MJ gets mad again…"
Thirty-something, married—life was no longer about adventure.
He shrugged and raised his wrist, ready to fire a web to head home.
But then—
From the streets below came the shriek of sirens!
Police cars sped down the road, red-and-blue lights flashing.
"Looks like I've got work after all!"
The black lenses of his mask gleamed. The muscles under the tight Spider suit flexed, his once-lazy figure bursting with vitality again.
Going home early meant going to bed early… which meant "domestic duties" he might not be able to handle.
Better to have a good fight with a supervillain first, then head home later.
As they say—heroes never rest.
…
The sun had not yet set, but neon lights already lit up New York. The streets shone like daylight in the city that never slept.
Queens, on a busy pedestrian shopping street.
In a prime location stood a luxurious jewelry store.
Even at night, its customers were wealthy elites driving fancy cars and wearing expensive brands. The store clerks were all young, attractive women, quick to greet every guest with bright smiles.
At that moment—
"Welcome!"
A few clerks looked up as someone walked in. Their smiles froze.
The figure wore a plain white shirt and trousers, but over his face was a cheap plastic Spider-Man mask. From his build, it was clearly a young student.
In his hand—just a small fruit knife.
Through the eyeholes of the mask, he glanced at the room, coughed lightly, and said in a deep voice: "This is a robbery."
The entire store went silent.
Then laughter exploded.
"Kid, go home and drink some milk!"
"At least bring a gun, hahaha!"
"This is the funniest robbery I've ever seen!"
The clerks laughed so hard they nearly bent double. One teased, "Big sister's got milk, want some?"
"Stop teasing, can't you see he's embarrassed?"
"He's young, but his body's not bad. Just my type…"
"You're shameless!"
The boy behind the Spider mask said nothing. He simply threw the fruit knife to the ground, then lifted his right foot and stomped down hard.
CRACK—!
The tiled floor shattered like a spiderweb, shards flying upward. The entire building trembled.
The room went dead silent again.
"…Can I rob you now?" he asked seriously.
…
A police car screeched to a halt outside. Three officers stepped out, guns drawn.
Inside, the "robber" lounged in a chair with his legs crossed, calmly sipping coffee with milk and sugar that the clerks had nervously prepared.
"Uh… sir, the jewels are ready. Aren't you leaving?" the shop owner asked carefully.
"No rush. Leave them there."
He lifted his mask slightly, then frowned. "Forget it. Bring me a straw."
"Right away!"
The clerks scrambled to find one.
Outside, the officers stood dumbfounded. They had seen robberies before, but never like this.
"Captain, we should rush in!"
The captain hesitated—until another shouted, "Captain, he's coming out!"
The masked boy strolled out, hands empty.
"Stop right there!"
"Don't move, or we'll shoot!"
The police aimed their guns.
The boy ignored them, walking forward casually.
Bang! Shots rang out. But every bullet missed—his body twisting and sidestepping at just the right moments, like he knew their trajectories beforehand.
Not one bullet touched him.
In truth, Xi Nian was using Spider-Sense to anticipate the aim and timing of every shot.
The police froze.
Xi Nian stepped up to the squad car, bent down, and with one hand hoisted the entire vehicle over his head.
The three officers went pale, thinking they were about to be crushed.
But Xi Nian let it drop gently back into place.
"See? You can't handle me. Stay out here and don't disturb me again."
He turned and walked back inside, just as the clerk handed him a straw.
The officers stared at one another, stunned.
"This robber… is insane."
The captain clenched his teeth. "Call for backup. Get the snipers in position. And—call Spider-Man!"
Soon after, the spider-signal lit up the night sky above New York.
…
Three minutes later, Spider-Man swung onto the scene, cheered wildly by police and citizens alike.
"Hey, don't cheer too much, I'm not a superstar—just your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man!" he quipped, slinging himself toward the store.
Inside, Xi Nian finished his coffee and stood.
"Finally here," he murmured, setting the cup down. He turned to the clerks with a faint smile. "Thanks for the coffee. And… the milk."
The women blushed, something something suspension bridge affect rang through her mind.
Then Xi Nian bolted out the back door.
Moments later, Spider-Man burst in through the front.
"Where's the robber?!"
"Back door," the clerks pointed.
Spider-Man didn't hesitate. He swung after him at once.
…
The chase led to a dark alley.
Spider-Man landed at the entrance and chuckled. "Bad luck, kid. Dead end."
Xi Nian stopped at the far wall, then turned back slowly.
"No, you're the one who's walked into a trap."
Spider-Man frowned—then his Spider-Sense flared like never before.
"You're… like me?!"
The boy nodded once. "Gwen, now!"
From behind Spider-Man, webs shot out, sealing the alley entrance. A short-haired girl in a skirt, also wearing a Spider mask, leapt down gracefully.
Another spider-powered fighter.
Spider-Man's heart sank.
He jumped, scrambling up the wall to escape through the roof. But Xi Nian's hand clamped around his ankle like iron.
Spider-Man lashed out with a kick—only to feel like he had struck solid steel.
Xi Nian's Iron Body shrugged off the blow.
Before Spider-Man could recover, Gwen's webs pinned him down. Together, they dragged him to the ground.
The alley shook with the sounds of their clash. For five long minutes, webs and fists flew. Walls cracked, the ground shattered.
At last, silence.
Xi Nian stood shirt torn, muscles gleaming with sweat. Gwen was exhausted but steady.
And Spider-Man—the only superhero of this world—sat bound in a cocoon of webbing, unable to move.
Xi Nian looked down at him and sighed.
"As expected of this world's sole hero. You're stronger than I thought."
Spider-Man's eyes behind the mask widened.
These two weren't just strong. They were spiders like him—maybe even more skilled.
But Xi Nian's body… it wasn't normal. Stronger than steel itself. No ordinary spider-gene could explain that.
"Who… are you two?" Spider-Man asked hoarsely, trapped in the webbing.
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