Guan Heng spread his hands. "Actually, it's because of my wild and unruly behavior that you got to see Peter Parker's good qualities. I did it to make sure my buddy got some praise, even if it meant ruining my own image. That's the greatness of a man's friendship. How could a lonely guy like you, with no friends, possibly understand?"
Peter couldn't help covering his mouth to stifle a laugh. Fury simply turned away rather than look at Guan Heng, then took out a form for Peter to sign. It was the paperwork to officially join S.H.I.E.L.D.
Watching Peter sign his name, Guan Heng couldn't help sighing inwardly. Another good young man has been dragged into this by Fury.
As he watched his good friend leave with a smile, Guan Heng asked Fury, "So what else did you call me here for?"
Fury tossed a file folder at Guan Heng without a hint of good humor. "Memorize the contents. They're your new identity. Starting tomorrow, you're going undercover."
"Undercover? I don't want a mission this difficult. By the way, where am I going undercover?" As he spoke, Guan Heng pulled out the documents and started reading.
"You're going to Peter Parker's school, and you'll be his classmate," Fury said.
"Why? I don't want to go to school. I won't have time to pick up girls," Guan Heng muttered.
"There are plenty of pretty young girls at school for you to chase. If you're any good, you'll bring back a whole platoon," Fury said irritably. He explained, "Peter just joined, so he still needs to be evaluated in all sorts of ways. You're his age and his friend, so I'm assigning you as his S.O.—his supervisor."
"Why me? I'm a rookie too. Isn't supervising an S.O. usually a job for veteran agents?" Guan Heng was baffled.
"If a rookie agent gets into trouble, his supervisor is responsible too." Fury's single eye glinted as he gave a faint smile. "To be honest, I'm trying to tie you two together. If one of you gets into trouble, the other can't get away. That way, you two good friends will follow the rules for each other's sake."
You really understand human nature too well. No wonder you're a lonely old man, Guan Heng cursed inwardly, then said aloud, "All right, Director. I'll do as you say."
"Good. I'm just reminding you that if anything goes wrong, you'll both be punished." Fury smiled slyly, then continued, "You have another assignment while you're there. We've found that the Green Goblin who went on a rampage at the carnival has a close connection to one of the students at Peter's school. Investigate the Green Goblin's background and whereabouts, and report back to me regularly."
I already know who it is—it's Harry's old man, Norman Osborn. I'm just not telling you. Let you worry about it, Guan Heng thought. Aloud, he replied, "Understood, Director. I'll take care of it."
And so, Guan Heng memorized all the information. His name stayed the same, but with his new identity, he enrolled at Peter's school as his classmate. He also moved, once again becoming Peter's neighbor.
Peter was the happiest about this arrangement. He'd get to spend time with his good friend again. That day, the two of them bought some snacks and drinks and celebrated at Guan Heng's new place.
And just like that, Guan Heng began his school life.
One sunny morning, Guan Heng was still fast asleep when the sunlight at the window suddenly dimmed, blocked by a figure.
"Hey, you lazy bum! Time to get up for school! If you don't move, you'll be late again!" Peter was crouched at the window.
"Let me sleep a little longer." Guan Heng pulled the pillow and blankets over his head. "Or I could just skip class."
"No way! If you're going to school, you have to keep up your attendance and be a good student!" Peter stubbornly tried to persuade his friend. "Otherwise, I'll use my Silk to tie you up and drag you to school."
As he spoke, he waved a paper bag in his hand. "Look, I've got Aunt Mei's homemade sandwiches. I'll share half with you."
Guan Heng sat up helplessly. "Good grief! Going back to school is no different from going to prison."
When they arrived at the school entrance and walked in, they ran into Harry Osborn. He laughed. "Ha! You two best buddies are glued together again. I'm so jealous!"
Peter blushed. "Harry, what are you talking about? Guan Heng and I are just good friends, like brothers."
"Yeah, I know. The kind of brothers who are really close, right?" Harry said, drawing out the words in a strange tone as he waggled his eyebrows.
Guan Heng smiled faintly. His figure flickered, and he suddenly appeared beside Harry. He gently blew into Harry's ear. "You naughty thing, are you jealous? I've always had eyes for you."
"Good grief!" Harry yelped and hurriedly backed away, nearly falling onto the lawn behind him.
"Nice try, trying to tease me! First I'll scare you half to death!" Guan Heng laughed arrogantly, hands on his hips.
Harry rubbed his chest, still shaken and apprehensive. "I know you were joking, but I really almost peed myself."
I'm just giving you a shot to prevent you from being too shocked. If you saw your father's true colors, you might really have wet yourself, Guan Heng thought.
Then he reconsidered. Harry wasn't a bad guy, and he didn't act like a spoiled rich kid. He'd just gotten stuck with a crazy father and ended up on the path to becoming a villainous rich kid.
I'll put off capturing and investigating the Green Goblin as long as I can, Guan Heng thought to himself. Unless he comes out and causes trouble, I won't go looking for him. I'll enjoy a few easy days first. The days passed, and before long, half a month had gone by.
The Green Goblin hadn't come out to cause any trouble at all. Aside from sending Fury regular reports that were little more than a perfunctory formality, Guan Heng had no other assignments. He was more than happy to take it easy.
Meanwhile, Guan Heng had finally picked up his three-piece Adamantium gear.
The sword harness was strapped to his back, with the Chengying Sword, wrapped in its Stone Sheath, slanting into it perfectly. The belt could be fastened around his waist, the Corpse Storage Bag fit in the compartment behind the disc, and the knuckle guards and six Small Flying Knives went into the inner compartments. Best of all, the belt was lightweight and just the right thickness. It didn't look bulky at all when covered by his clothes.
Guan Heng was so delighted to get his three pieces of gear that he could barely stop grinning.
That evening, after school, on the rooftop of a skyscraper in New York City, Guan Heng and Spider-Man were sparring fiercely.
By now, Guan Heng had taught Peter all his fighting techniques, showing him how to make full use of his agility to take down enemies quickly.
"That's it, that's it! Make your punches fierce, accurate, and steady!" Guan Heng dodged one of Peter's punches and offered some pointers.
As for himself, he was using Spider-Man's speed to hone his sense and control of qi, feeling out where Spider-Man would be when he Teleported. That way, even if he came up against an opponent faster than himself, he could get ahead of them and intercept them.
Guan Heng was also training himself to use Fist of Qi to hurt people—in other words, to throw punches at a distance. He'd already practiced until he could knock Spider-Man to the ground with a punch from several meters away. It was fair to say his progress had been astonishingly fast.
Now Guan Heng only needed to close his eyes and sense the flow of qi to pinpoint Spider-Man's position. Whenever he wanted, he could knock him down with a single punch.
"I'm done!" Peter did a backward somersault and landed against the wall. "You're a freak—you're way too strong! I thought getting superpowers would let me catch up to you, but I'm still miles behind. It's so discouraging."
"I only got my powers a few days before you did, and I practice hard every day," Guan Heng said with a faint smile. "It's nothing special. If you keep working at it, you can get to my level too."
Before you continue