"Gwen, want to team up with me?"
Ryuuto smiled at her, serious but teasing.
"I do!" Gwen's eyes sparkled, and without hesitation, she stepped up beside him for the first time.
At the same time, Susan, Katie Dee, and Natasha Romanoff watched Ryuuto with warm, affectionate eyes, their hearts quietly rooting for him.
"Susan, you can stay back and wait for us. Don't think I'm playing favorites—this mission is also training for Gwen. After all, she's just become a superhero."
Ryuuto's words made Susan's heart tighten. He embraced each of them, giving a reassuring squeeze.
"What about me? I need training too, right?" Katie Dee asked, clenching her tiny fists and looking at him with big, hopeful eyes.
"Hehe, you're still young. Stay home and let Susan teach you for now. One day, we'll fight side by side," Ryuuto said with a grin.
"Hmm! I'll work hard!" Katie Dee said, determination gleaming in her eyes.
"Jiang Li, please be careful. No matter what happens, make sure you stay safe!" Susan squeezed his hand tightly. Both she and Katie Dee fully supported his decision, confidence in their eyes.
"I'll send you off. I've got another task coming up anyway," Natasha said, brushing back his hair with a charming smile.
Ryuuto couldn't refuse. With a playful grin, he climbed into Natasha's sports car with Gwen, leaving Susan and Katie Dee reluctantly behind.
"Jiang Li, are you taking people to fight secretly in the suburbs?" Natasha asked nervously.
"Yes. I've got a lead," Ryuuto admitted without hesitation. Seeing the blonde beauty's relieved expression, he felt… smug.
"Even with just Bobby, Steel, and Gwen acting this time, I'm confident nothing will go wrong, ha!"
"I believe you," Natasha said, blushing as she pressed the accelerator, sending the car almost flying.
In the blink of an eye, they arrived at the abandoned outskirts.
"Good luck!" Natasha called as Ryuuto and Gwen stepped out, then sped away.
"Natasha Romanoff really likes you, huh?" Gwen whispered.
"Of course. A perfect man like me naturally attracts attention," Ryuuto said with a smug wink, leaning close to her ear. "So… do you like me?"
"Um…" Gwen's cheeks flushed, her heartbeat spiking as she avoided his gaze.
"Team leader!"
Two large figures, Bobby and Steel, rushed up.
"Perfect timing! This is Gwen—she's joining this mission. We're officially a team of four."
After a brief introduction, Ryuuto got down to business.
"What did you find?" he asked Bobby and Steel.
"There's a scrapped factory ahead. Signs of activity inside… we suspect the Whip and Doctor Octopus might be hiding there," Bobby said.
Steel's expression darkened. "Should we call Charles for backup?"
"No. Too many people would blow our cover. Four is enough to handle this quietly." Ryuuto's eyes locked on the dilapidated factory 800 meters away. "Bobby, Steel—you'll cover our rear. Gwen and I move to the center and finish this fast. Understood?"
"Yes!"
"Then let's move."
Steel and Bobby shot forward at top speed, kicking up a cold wind. Ryuuto and Gwen exchanged a knowing glance, leapt together, and became two streaks as they silently infiltrated the factory.
The place reeked of abandonment—rusted steel, weeds cracking through the floor, signs of decades of neglect. But Bobby and Steel were professional, immediately neutralizing a few lurking enemies with silent precision.
Ryuuto and Gwen came upon a corpse.
"These… are Ten Thousands Snakes members? I didn't expect them to be in New York for so long," Gwen whispered.
"Stay sharp. The real enemy's probably ahead," Ryuuto replied, eyes scanning.
Deeper inside, they encountered more heavily armed mercenaries, but Ryuuto and team cut through them with precision. Not a single opponent survived to raise an alarm.
But a tense, sinister energy pricked Ryuuto's senses. Something powerful lingered ahead—a major battle was imminent.
Suddenly, the clang of metal rang out, lights blazed on, and a horde of armed men poured from every direction, filling the factory with threatening presence.
"Haha! Ryuuto, I knew you'd come!" a mocking voice rang. The Whip, wrapped in gauze, laughed wildly. Beside him, Doctor Octopus brandished his four metal arms, sneering.
"But I didn't expect you to be stupid enough to send just three men!"
Ryuuto's lips curved into a cold smile. The stage was set.