Support me and be 30 chapters ahead of webnovel:
patreon.com/Draco_
For every 5 Patreon memberships I receive, I'll release 15 chapters all at once. Your support means a lot to me.
*****
Gwen's school.
Tonight, the graduation banquet was being held here, celebrating the children as they took their next step into a new stage of life.
"A graduation banquet, a graduation banquet... do elementary schools even hold these things now?"
Mike muttered softly to himself.
He clearly remembered that, in the past, only junior high and high school graduations had banquets.
"Right, little Lamb?"
Mike looked down at the little guy in his arms, as if seeking his agreement.
But little Lamb merely blinked his big eyes at Mike, then lay back down on Mike's shoulder, looking in the direction of Gwen's room with an expression of great anticipation.
Right now, Raven was in Gwen's room, helping her with her makeup. She was determined to make Gwen the most dazzling girl of the night.
A moment later, Raven walked out. She gave Mike and little Lamb a smile.
"Are you ready? Let us welcome the most beautiful girl of the evening!"
Mike cheered and clapped. Little Lamb, seeing Mike's actions, actually started laughing and copying Mike, beginning to clap as well.
But at this moment, neither Mike nor Raven had their attention on little Lamb. They were watching Gwen as she walked down the stairs, their eyes flashing with stunned admiration.
Fair skin, delicate features enhanced with light makeup, and platinum-blonde hair that had been curled into slight waves. The girl descending the stairs, dressed in a long black gown, looked just like a princess walking straight out of a fairy tale.
"How is it?"
Gwen looked at Mike, feeling a little worried.
Mike broke into a smile. Holding Lamb with one arm, he extended his other hand toward Gwen.
"It is my honor to meet you, Your Highness."
The corners of Gwen's mouth lifted. She placed her hand on Mike's and couldn't help but chuckle.
"I told you your dad would love it," Raven said to Gwen. She took little Lamb from Mike and said, "Go on, take Gwen to school. It's almost time."
Mike nodded. He offered Gwen his arm, and after she looped her hand through his, he led her outside.
"Celia."
At the sound of Mike's voice, Celia drove out from the Kent family garage and stopped in front of the father and daughter.
Just as Mike was preparing to open the car door for Gwen, she scampered over and opened the driver's door for Mike, giving him a smile.
"Dad!"
Mike smiled and reached out to tap Gwen's nose.
Gwen said with a perfectly straight face, "How could I possibly let you open the door for me?"
She mimicked the posture of a chauffeur, placing her hand to shield the top of the doorframe. After Mike was seated in the driver's seat, she scurried over and hopped into the passenger seat herself.
"Let's go."
...
At the school entrance.
Luke, Harry, and Peter, all dressed in suits, stood at the entrance, waiting for Gwen and Mary to arrive.
Although it was called a banquet tonight, it could also be described as a dance. They could invite the girls they liked to dance, a part of the evening that everyone was looking forward to.
The three boys looked each other over, teasing one another about their clothes and their meticulously combed hair.
At their age, this kind of formal attire really did make them look like they were intentionally trying to act mature.
Luke looked Harry and Peter up and down, shaking his head slightly.
"Tsk, you two are dressed up like flashy peacocks. In my eyes, only a mature man like Uncle Mike looks good dressed like this. You two... tsk!"
"Oh, give it a rest!" Harry waved his hand, shooting Luke a look. "Aren't you dressed almost exactly the same as us?"
Luke's eye twitched. "I'm only wearing this because my dad required it! Otherwise, I would've come in a T-shirt and shorts!"
"Um... if you wore that, they wouldn't let you into the dance, right? Did you forget the dress code?" Peter asked in confusion, landing a light but devastating blow on Luke.
"Nice one!"
Harry clapped Peter on the back and sneered at Luke. "You really think you can hide your little schemes from me and Peter!"
Luke cleared his throat and held up his hands.
"Alright, since you've seen through me... I look way better in this than both of you."
He grinned smugly, ran a hand through his hair, and flashed a bright, white smile.
To this, Harry and Peter had no rebuttal.
Luke was half a head taller than them and quite a bit broader. He really did look a bit more mature than they did.
In the short time they had been standing outside, Luke had already received dance invitations from several girls.
"Hmph!"
Seeing another girl come up to invite Luke, the two of them snorted in annoyance and turned their heads away in unison.
Just then, they saw Mary Jane, dressed in a red gown like a flickering flame, stepping out of her mother's car. The two boys glanced at Luke, who was busy dealing with the other girls, and a private, knowing smile crossed their faces as they walked over to greet Mary Jane.
"Mary, you look beautiful tonight."
Harry was the first to pay her a compliment. Peter nodded beside him, though his eyes were scanning the surroundings.
"Really?"
Mary Jane looked at Harry, pleasantly surprised.
Hearing those words made the entire afternoon she had spent getting ready completely worth it.
"Of course!"
Harry extended his hand to Mary Jane and smiled. "You look like a fire phoenix rising from the ashes."
Hearing this, Mary Jane's eyes curved into happy crescents.
She placed her hand in Harry's, her eyes reflecting only his image.
"Harry, you look really handsome tonight."
Harry lifted his chin slightly and shot Peter a wink.
Peter just gave an indifferent smile, his eyes still searching for any sign of Gwen.
"Hey! Mary!"
Luke strode over quickly. He looked at Mary Jane in her long red dress and smiled. "You look very pretty tonight."
Mary Jane: "Thank you."
Receiving validation from everyone made her let out a sigh of relief. And as she noticed the gazes of some of the other boys around them, a small seed of pride began to sprout in her heart.
This was the first time she had ever been the center of so much attention.
At that exact moment, a car that looked like a blue sapphire drove up and stopped at the school entrance.
As everyone saw the beautiful car, a few cheers and whistles rang out.
With all eyes fixed on the vehicle, Mike stepped out. After opening the door for Gwen, he protectively guided her out.
Gwen leaped out of the car, her body stumbling slightly. Mike quickly grabbed her to steady her, and she stuck her tongue out at him playfully.
"Everyone is watching you. Be a little more ladylike," Mike said in a low voice.
Gwen nodded. Seeing that everyone was indeed looking at her, her face flushed a pale pink. She affected a casual air as she walked toward Peter and the others.
Mike watched Gwen's retreating back, his eyes narrowing as he looked at the three boys.
He had a feeling that Gwen's future boyfriend would emerge from one of those three, but...
"Heh!"
Mike let out a cold laugh.
They would have to work very, very hard to win his approval.
Mike drove away, but he only parked the car nearby. Tonight's banquet was only two hours long. Mike planned to just wait here.
Meanwhile, Gwen had already joined her group of friends.
Luke was the first to walk up to Gwen, giving her a hug.
"My dear Miss Gwen, you look absolutely beautiful!"
"Thank you!"
Gwen nodded with a smile.
"Look, all their eyes are popping out of their heads."
Harry pointed at the surrounding boys, let out a small "humph," and then looked at Gwen, his eyes filled with an unconcealable admiration and wonder.
Seeing this, Mary Jane silently let go of Harry's hand, a trace of envy and jealousy quietly surfacing in her heart.
"Peter!"
Gwen looked at the boy who was slowly walking toward her. She took in his suit, but her gaze quickly shifted to Peter's hand.
"Wow, you even prepared a corsage? Is it for your dance partner tonight? Who's the lucky girl?"
Gwen teased Peter. Seeing him staring at her so intently, her heart skipped a beat.
Could it be... no way!
Gwen muttered to herself, and then she saw Peter hold the corsage out to her.
Peter's eyes seemed a little dazed. His heart was pounding like a drum being beaten by a dozen people, the thumping so loud it made his mind go completely blank.
This was the boldest thing he had ever done.
At this scene, it wasn't just Gwen who froze; Luke, Harry, and Mary Jane were all completely stunned.
Holy cow. Peter, this kid, usually seems as quiet as a church mouse, but he's actually got some serious nerve.
Who was Gwen?
Perhaps other people didn't know, but the three of them knew very clearly.
Gwen Kent, daughter of Mike Kent. The little princess of Planet Kent. The darling of the superhero community, and a powerful superhuman in her own right.
Facing a person like this, Peter actually had the courage to make a gesture that was so similar to a confession?
That was way too bold.
The three of them were shocked to their very core.
Gwen looked at Peter, who was standing in front of her. She saw his hopeful and worried expression, and she could hear his heartbeat, which was as loud as thunder. Her face flushed red, and then, her eyes darted around. She snatched the corsage from Peter's hand, broke into a brilliant smile, and clapped him on the shoulder.
"Aha, Peter, you're so smart! You knew that besides me, no other girl would accept your invitation."
She gave Peter a little wink.
"You're very cunning, Peter!"
Peter stared, then let out a huge breath of relief and broke into a smile.
She hadn't rejected him outright. This was a good start.
The very second he had held it out, he had regretted it, even feeling a wave of fear. He was terrified that Gwen would get angry and they wouldn't even be able to be friends anymore.
This outcome... this was already extremely good.
And so, Peter smiled, his cheeks slightly red, and said to Gwen, "You're the only female friend I have."
He wasn't popular like Luke, nor was he as bold as Harry. Even now, he still had very few friends.
"Wait!"
Mary Jane suddenly pointed at herself and said, "Peter, am I not your female friend?"
Peter froze, then waved his hands in a panic, blurting out, "Of course not..."
Mary Jane's expression darkened.
Peter quickly corrected himself, "No, what I mean is, you're my friend, of course, but I just... I'm afraid I just see you as one of my good buddies, you..."
"So, you see Mary Jane as a guy?" Luke asked with a mischievous grin.
"No, that's not..." Peter was so flustered he was sweating. "I mean, in my eyes, Mary Jane is the same as you guys..."
"So, still a guy!" Harry seized the opportunity to add.
Peter nodded, then quickly and violently shook his head.
"Aaargh!"
Mary Jane lunged at Peter in fury, shouting, "I'm going to kill you!"
How dare he say she was a guy!
Watching the two of them run around, with one chasing the other, Gwen, Luke, and Harry couldn't help but burst out laughing.
A moment later, the five of them walked into the banquet hall together.
In the distance, Mike slowly pulled his gaze back.
...
At the same time, in a New York prison.
"You have to watch him closely! Don't be fooled because he looks as harmless as a little chick. He doesn't have a tough appearance, he doesn't look very smart, and he doesn't even have any superpowers, but he is a super-criminal that caused the Avengers to assemble and surround him!"
"Maybe... no, this is definitely all a disguise! It's best not to provoke him, or you might just lose your life if you're not careful!"
In a cell, several tall, muscular, and vicious-looking inmates were gathered in a circle, muttering about something. Every so often, they would glance at the man on the cot in the furthest corner.
That man looked completely ordinary, with a thin build, but he wore a calm and indifferent expression. He remained perfectly composed even when facing the stares of a group of ferocious criminals.
But in reality... Walter's legs, hidden under the cot's blanket, were already shaking so hard they were about to cramp.
Damn it!
These are all murderers and whatnot! Why was he locked up with them?
He had only been in for attempted car theft! Was it really that serious? Why did they keep transferring him to different prisons?
Yes, he had been sent to prison by the Avengers. He had even been surrounded in that car by the Avengers. But that was just a misunderstanding!
He really hadn't done anything terrifying! He was just an ordinary person!
How had the rumors about him gotten more and more horrifying...?
In fact, his biggest worry right now was: what if he was murdered in his sleep tonight?
Thinking of this, Walter shot a fawning smile at the other men.
Big brothers! Please spare me! On account of my sincerity, can't we all just get along peacefully?
He roared this internally, the smile on his face becoming even more earnest.
But...
"Hiiiisss!"
Following a collective, sharp inhale of cold air, the eyes of those few inmates filled with thick, abject terror. Like frightened rabbits, they shot up, pressing their bodies tightly against the cell wall, staring at Walter in fear.
"He... he smiled at us! Are we about to die?"
"How twisted!"
"What do we do?"
The group of inmates was terrified.
Walter: "..."
He was speechless, but what he felt more than anything was fear.
They were this afraid of him... but what would happen when they discovered he was just an ordinary person?
The moment he thought of this, his legs shook even more violently.
No! I have to find an ally!
Walter thought this to himself, his gaze shifting, finally landing on a large, muscular man.
That man was tall and brawny, but his expression wasn't as fierce as the others. Most importantly, he looked like he was the most frightened one of the bunch.
Walter mulled it over and gave that person a slight nod.
This made the man even more terrified. The other inmates, however, froze for a second, and then their faces split into knowing grins.
So, this terrifying character was into that?
"Go on! Bitch! Go and serve this gentleman properly!"
A man with a spider tattooed on his bald head kicked the brawny man.
The brawny man walked over, his body trembling. Under Walter's confused gaze, he knelt on the ground and opened his mouth.
Walter was even more confused. When he saw the brawny man's mouth, he asked, puzzled, "Where are your teeth?"
"Uh, sir," the man with the spider tattoo let out a strange cackle, "He doesn't need them!"
Walter froze for a second, then suddenly sucked in a sharp breath of cold air.
(End of this chapter)