Chapter 48: Get Up Early and Fight Gwen! Jessica Watches!
The morning light streamed softly through the curtains, casting a golden hue over the two figures standing by the wall—like a scene from a beautiful painting.
The girl's eyes sparkled with affection. Her pale cheeks and soft pink lips were highlighted in the gentle light.
Her long eyelashes fluttered before she slowly opened her eyes.
Then she remembered.
Gwen felt a mix of sweetness, joy, and a bit of exhaustion.
Ethan Lee wasn't just any man.
No wonder her waist was sore and her legs felt like jelly.
"Wake up," Gwen whispered sweetly, brushing her fingers across Ethan's cheek. "Good morning~"
Her soft greeting stirred Ethan from his sleep.
What happened again?
Oh—right.
After fighting villains last night, he had to fight another kind of battle at home... with a superhero.
Life really wasn't easy.
Gwen's tongue lightly traced her lips as she gave him a mischievous smile. "You seem full of energy this morning~"
Ethan reached over to ruffle her hair. "That's because Gwen is way too adorable."
"Mhm~"
The little Spider-Girl closed her eyes in delight, her smile glowing with warmth and love. "Ethan, from today on, I'm completely yours. Are you happy~?"
Last night, when Ethan had been in danger, Gwen had made up her mind. She took the initiative and crossed a line she hadn't before.
Well… to be exact, she crossed several lines—each with new and exciting challenges.
---
Elsewhere
Barbara sipped a cup of milk tea at her temporary residence and contacted Hill.
Hill: [Yes, I've confirmed it. The Ghost Spider Club isn't just some casual fan group. They even have a full-on training facility for superheroes.]
[It's confirmed that Ghost Spider is a member, and she regularly acts alongside that Female Knight—Jessica.]
[Last night's event—dubbed "Heroes' Night" online—wasn't just them. Skye also contributed via hacking support.]
Barbara mulled it over. "And that Ethan Lee guy… there's definitely something strange about him. I suspect he can read minds."
Hill: [We do have a lead on that.]
She sent Barbara a file.
Barbara opened it to find records of a S.H.I.E.L.D. system breach. Her name was on the list—no photo, just a name, but still enough to raise red flags.
Barbara: [Great. Those guys are basically freeloading on our firewall.]
[Hill, we seriously need to tighten network security. Do you know how many agents could be compromised because of these slip-ups?]
She regretted ever telling Ethan her real name—but the strange part was, he'd acted like he already knew it…
Barbara: [Still, something's not right about Ethan Lee.]
Hill: [Keep investigating. As for your complaints about the IT department, I'll forward them to Fury.]
[And they're not as useless as they seem. Through counter-tracing, we confirmed that Skye has joined a hacker collective called Rising Tide. Her skills are growing fast—she has real potential.]
[Also, our director has a special plan to recruit emerging heroes. Jessica, the Female Knight, did a great job last night. She's now on our watch list.]
[Continue staying close to the Ghost Spider Club. We may need you in the field soon.]
---
Meanwhile, at Ethan's Place
Click.
The bathroom door opened, letting out a cloud of steam.
Bare feet, still dripping with water, stepped out. Smooth, pale ankles followed, and Jessica, wrapped in a fluffy towel, emerged.
She'd been so exhausted last night she hadn't even showered. After waking up, she finally treated herself to a long, relaxing soak.
The morning news played in the background:
[Breaking: The terrifying Electro stormed out of the Oscorp building last night, causing widespread damage and casualties. Citizens question whether Oscorp, plagued by repeated attacks, should even continue to exist.]
[Black Spider and a mysterious man in red-gold armor worked together to contain the threat. Could this armored figure be a new hero? Online users have dubbed him "Iron Man."]
[Electro, Lizard Man, Black Monster, and the re-emergence of Green Goblin—supervillain activity continues to rise. The NYPD confirmed last night's massive efforts to protect the city.]
[Meanwhile, heroes like Black Spider, Iron Man, Ghost Spider, and the Female Knight turned the tide. Fans have called it "Heroes' Night."]
Jessica rolled her eyes. "Ethan, seriously… you didn't even turn the TV off?"
She dried her long hair with a towel and headed over to hit the power button.
Click.
But just as she turned off the screen, she heard some very familiar creaking sounds.
And… Gwen?
Jessica tiptoed toward Ethan's bedroom.
Gwen was entirely focused on her "sparring match" and didn't even notice Jessica approaching. Her spider-sense didn't trigger either.
She ran her fingers through her golden hair, her toes curling. Her movements were… suspiciously graceful—almost like she was doing Latin dance.
---
The clock ticked past an hour.
Jessica whispered through the door, "Gwen… your family's probably waking up. You should go back."
"I'm fine~" Gwen tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, smiling slyly. "My room's just outside that window. I'll wait a few more minutes~"
Ten minutes later…
Smooch.
Gwen finally said goodbye. "Ethan~ I'm heading back."
"Mhm," Ethan responded lazily, still lying on the bed. "Tell your mom to make you something delicious. You need to build up your strength, Little Spider. Your fighting skills are still lacking~"
Gwen stuck out her tongue and made a face. "I'll never beat you anyway. You should find someone else to spar with~"