Summit War

Near Christmas in a Western city, nightfall brought biting cold outside.

Especially atop a twenty-one-story skyscraper, where winds strong enough to knock over an adult howled, carrying cotton-like frost and snow in the Night Wind.

The door to the rooftop had long been bolted from inside the building. On ordinary days, no one came up here—not even at high noon, let alone at night.

Yet now, on this rooftop.

One person crouched low atop the highest water tank, while another leaned against the railing. They faced off across ten meters of darkness.

"Who are you?"

Gwen widened her eyes, her scrutinizing gaze passing through the Spider-Man mask to land on the other.

What she saw stunned her.

The woman before her didn't look strong. The skin exposed outside her armor was delicate and pale, with no visible muscle—hard to imagine where her astonishing power came from. The armor, weapons, crown, and boots she wore all carried an ancient wildness and nobility.

She stood on the thin layer of ice coating the floor, braving the cold Night Wind on the rooftop. The bright silver moonlight happened to fall upon her, making her wildly flying silver hair shimmer, as if she were bathed in a holy silver glow.

Like a deity stepping out of the scrolls of ancient Greek civilization!

"So beautiful." Gwen couldn't help but exclaim.

Though the other person was slightly turned away, with her silver hair whipping in the wind and the darkness and frost obscuring details, Gwen couldn't make out her exact features.

But still—so beautiful!

This praise came from the heart. Beyond "beautiful," Gwen found no other word.

While Gwen studied Xi Nian, Xi Nian was also watching Gwen.

Though the other was wrapped head to toe in a tight suit, unlike his own "fake" version, her build, attire, and even her movements clearly marked her as a real woman.

After all, compared to the feminine skirt-armor he wore now, this tight suit was far harder to disguise gender—no matter how much a man tried to bundle up, wearing a skintight suit would always leave a slight bulge below, unlike the flat, unhindered look of the woman before him.

What caught Xi Nian's eye was this.

The black-and-white Spider-suit on the mysterious woman perfectly revealed her slender, petite figure. Like a beast stalking its prey, the suit traced a streamlined arc of power, her muscles and sinews just right—not too strong, not too weak.

Hearing her question, Xi Nian froze.

That was a crisp, cool girl's voice. He didn't remember hearing it before, yet it felt strangely familiar.

Unfamiliar yet familiar—what was this strong dissonance...?

Then.

Hearing her call him "so beautiful," Xi Nian completely shut down, wanting to jump straight off the building.

"Who are you? Not going to answer my question?" Gwen pressed her hands against the water tank, leaning down slightly to look at Xi Nian.

Xi Nian stayed silent.

"I can sense it—that weapon in your hand is very dangerous. If you really fought, those cops and the helicopter wouldn't have stopped you. Why did you just run?" Under the Spider-Man mask, the girl's face grew more curious.

Xi Nian remained silent, only lowering his head to glance at the Retro Longsword in his hand.

Even during his escape just now, he hadn't loosened his grip on the hilt at all.

This was something his Aunt had hidden at home. For that reason alone, he couldn't lose this sword.

As for why he didn't use it—did he even need to ask?

He didn't know how to use a sword at all!

And another thing—

Gwen seemed to read his thoughts, judging, "You don't want to hurt those cops, those ordinary people."

Xi Nian nodded. Suddenly thinking of how to express himself without speaking, he pressed the tip of the Retro Longsword against the rooftop floor and slashed forward.

The Retro Longsword, made of some unknown material, cut through the floor like tofu, leaving a clear line.

Gwen looked at the scratch between herself and Xi Nian, quickly understanding: "Don't cross?"

Xi Nian gave a slight nod, planting the sword upright before him, signaling that if she pressed further, he would strike.

He didn't want to clash with someone who seemed to possess supernatural power, hoping to intimidate her into backing off.

"Fine."

Gwen agreed surprisingly readily. The moment Xi Nian relaxed, a flicker of cunning flashed in her eyes, and her wrists snapped forward!

Fwip! Fwip!

Two white webs shot from Gwen's wrists—one stuck to the Retro Longsword in Xi Nian's hand, the other to the railing behind him, trapping him between them.

"Let me see your real face!"

Gwen yanked both webs hard. She couldn't pull the sword from Xi Nian's grip, but using the incredible elasticity of the webs, she launched herself like a human cannonball, hurtling straight into Xi Nian's arms!

Social death—in an instant!

Realizing this, Xi Nian seemed to awaken a battle instinct. A flash of insight crossed his mind. Instead of holding onto the sword, he hurled it forward with all his strength!

Shiiing!

The sword pierced the air, turning into a streak of silver light.

Gwen's pupils contracted sharply. She was about to dodge midair, but the longsword only brushed past her, dragging the web line connected to her wrist!

"NO!"

Gwen's mouth parted slightly. Her lithe, agile body paused in the air for a moment, then was yanked backward at high speed by the web stuck fast to the blade.

The longsword drove into the iron door at the top floor, burying itself to the hilt.

At that moment, Gwen displayed reflexes far beyond human limits. Just before her body slammed into the iron door, she grabbed the web line attached to the railing, absorbing some of the momentum, flipped her body half a turn midair to adjust her posture, and planted both feet lightly yet firmly against the iron door.

Before Gwen could turn around, a shadow closed in rapidly right behind her.

"Get off me!"

Gwen lashed out with a sharp backward kick. But the pursuing Xi Nian seemed to have anticipated it. One hand clamped firmly around her ankle, while his right knee drove forward, pressing into the center of Gwen's back and pinning her body hard against the iron door.

Worried she might use another ability like shooting webs.

Xi Nian simply pulled Gwen off the iron door and onto the floor, sat down on her bent back, and while keeping hold of her ankle with one hand, used the other to grab both her wrists and pin them behind her.

The entire countermove flowed like water, smooth as if practiced countless times. Even Xi Nian himself was surprised—before this, he couldn't even control his own strength properly.

All he could say was, his 'will to survive' was just too strong.

Social death? No way!

Gwen did struggle and resist, but clearly, there was a gap between superhumans and superhumans!

In raw muscle power, Gwen was utterly outmatched!

That was what shocked Gwen even more. Her strength was enough to lift an ordinary car! And now, with him sitting on her, pinning her ankle and wrists, she could barely move an inch!

This feeling of helplessness—she had never encountered it since gaining her Spider Abilities!