Universe 199999, America New York.
Spider-Man Peter Parker, wearing his classic red and blue suit, dangles his legs over the edge of New York skyscraper.
He turned to look at Morgan Stark, who was also sitting next to him.
" Morgan, it's almost noon. What do you want to eat? A cheeseburger? Or a seafood sandwich? How about trying the hot dogs in Queens? Let me tell you, the hot dogs there are amazing."
Morgan Stark shook his head, clutching a capsule-shaped creature resembling Spider-Man tightly in his arms—the very same Spider Tuotuo- Man from Frost City.
"No, I want fried chicken and ice cream."
Peter immediately shook his head, his gesture so exaggerated it was as if he was afraid she couldn't hear him. "That won't do. If your mother found out, she'd definitely take apart my Silk-Shooter and make me a collar out of the parts."
Morgan smiled slyly, her eyes bearing a striking resemblance to her father, Tony Stark. "Then we just won't tell her, Peter. It's a secret between the three of us."
Peter thought to himself, "This little one's clever ideas really come from her father."
He turned his pleading gaze to the silent man beside him, Robert Reynolds.
" Bob, Tony and the others didn't take you with them on this mission?"
Robert, dressed in a plain gray hoodie and cargo pants, shook his head, his voice gentle but carrying a subtle sense of detachment.
"No. As you know, ever since last time... I've been under close surveillance."
He paused for a moment, "But thankfully Wanda helped me seal away Void avatar, otherwise Tony Stark wouldn't have let me run around in the Sun so easily."
Peter listened, then muttered to himself, "Yeah, I doubt they'll need us."
He sighed, and that's how he started talking.
"You know what, Bob? Actually, out of all those universes, our universe's Avengers are pretty strong."
Previously, when Tony took me and Natasha to the Wasteland Universe, Tony didn't even need to wear armor; he could easily suppress the villains there on his own.
And Natasha, her strength is only slightly weaker than mine now. I feel like I'm just going with them to make up the numbers and bolster their strength."
Peter's voice lowered, as if he were lost in some kind of memory.
"However, I have truly witnessed many despairing universes."
Either some villain has made a mess of the world, or something has gone wrong among us heroes—we've turned evil.
Especially since there are zombies, you know? Like in the Resident Evil movie!
Do you know how Shocker it is to see Captain America with his mouth wide open, making hoarse noises, walking towards you step by step, trying to eat you? I don't think I'll ever forget that image for the rest of my life."
Robert looked at his young friend, nodded, and his eyes showed understanding.
"That's certainly terrifying." He glanced at Morgan, who was still playing with the Spider Tuotuo, "But the little guy's still here. Are you sure you want to talk about this?"
Peter seemed to be electrocuted, and suddenly made a zipping motion to his mouth.
"Sorry, sorry, I almost forgot, there's a little one here too."
Morgan curled her lip, looked up at Peter with disdain. "I'm not a three-year-old, Peter. Is there anything I can't know?"
Peter deliberately lowered his voice, adopting a sinister tone. "You'll be scared to tears if you hear this, Morgan Stark. You'll have nightmares and wet the bed."
Morgan rolled her eyes dramatically, her expression exactly like Tony's. "You're only good at scaring other five-year-olds. If Rachel were here, she wouldn't even bother with you."
Just as the three were speaking, the entire world, from the bricks beneath their feet to the distant horizon, was stirred by an extremely faint ripple, like the surface of water to which a pebble has been thrown. It was silent and so fast that no one noticed it before it disappeared completely.
Peter, completely oblivious to anything amiss, stood up from the edge of the roof and dusted himself off.
"Let's go, it's time we found a place to have lunch. How about hot dogs? Two each!"
Morgan looked at him like he was an idiot. "Only little kids like hot dogs."
"Hey! Hot dogs are a culinary gem! You just don't appreciate them!"
Peter was about to have a serious debate with her about the greatness of hot dogs when Robert suddenly stood up.
The man who had been so gentle and reserved just moments before now had a completely different aura.
His expression turned serious, and his sharp eyes scanned everything around him; he was no longer the Bob who just wanted to be an ordinary person.
Peter.
His voice was low, but it carried an undeniable weight.
Peter's Spider-Sense didn't register anything, but he trusted his friend's intuition.
Robert's level of power far surpasses his; what he can perceive is something that Spider-Sense might not even be able to reach.
"What's wrong, Bob?" Peter stopped arguing with Morgan and became alert as well.
Robert didn't answer immediately; he closed his eyes slightly, as if listening to something.
A few seconds later, he opened his eyes, his blue eyes filled with a solemn expression.
He didn't look at Peter, but instead looked at the street in the distance.
"The ' Philip's Deli ' on the corner is gone."
Peter paused, then followed his gaze. The street corner where he had been eating hot dogs for years was now a coffee shop he didn't recognize, with an unfamiliar green sign.
What happened? I passed by there yesterday.
Robert looked up at the sky again.
" The Sun's position... no. And the smell in the air, New York doesn't smell like this." He took a deep breath, then slowly exhaled. "There isn't as much exhaust fumes and... the smell of cheese here."
Peter's mind raced.
That's impossible.
He didn't sense any sign of spatial teleportation at all, and the bracelet didn't give any warning.
If someone can move all three of them away without alerting him, then that person's strength is...
He dared not think any further.
Robert turned his head, looked directly into Peter's eyes, and said, word by word:
" Peter, we think we're in trouble."
"This is definitely not the world we used to live in."
Peter looked at Robert with a puzzled expression and asked, "What do you mean?"
Robert turned his head and looked at Peter.
Peter.
"... We may no longer be in New York."
He paused for a moment.
"Or rather, it's no longer the New York we know."