Chapter 221: Strange Comes Knocking, Winning Hearts First!
Ryan planned to accompany Short-haired Gwen to her Universe after clearing out the Skrull pests, to either persuade her father-in-law or beat him into submission and bring him to his Universe too.
This way, Short-haired Gwen would have no lingering ties to the other Universe and could live peacefully in his Universe.
As for why Silk was at his house, that was even simpler.
Silk intended to stay in this Universe permanently, but she had no relatives or place to go here, so naturally, she was brought to Ryan's home.
However, because Silk was staying at Ryan's, the two Gwens decided even more firmly that one of them must always be by Ryan's side to prevent things from getting out of hand between him and Silk.
This way, one Gwen could accompany Ryan while the other lived her own life.
Poor Chief Stacy, though; I wonder if he'll notice that the daughter coming home isn't the same one every once in a while...
Back to the main topic.
As Short-haired Gwen and Silk Cindy went to open the door, Strange walked in, still wearing the same black suit from last night.
But compared to how neat and tidy his suit was at the start of last night, it was now wrinkled and messy, as if Strange had just survived a disaster...
Though he had expected Strange's arrival, Ryan still put on his Oscar-worthy acting and feigned confusion: "And this gentleman is?"
Strange first looked at the rest of the large Parker Family at the dining table before saying to Ryan in a low voice, "My name is Stephen Strange, a surgeon in New York. I'm here to see you, Mr. Ryan Parker..."
Ryan said with realization, "Oh, so it's Dr. Stephen Strange. I've heard of you, the best surgeon in all of New York. I once thought about hiring you as the head of the medical department at Parker Industries, but unfortunately, you turned me down..."
This wasn't something Ryan made up; when he was overhauling Parker Industries, he had indeed sent Strange a recruitment email, and Strange had indeed rejected it.
Strange was taken aback, then remembered the incident and shook his head. "There was such a thing, but I'm not suited for your biopharmaceutical company. My expertise is saving patients with a scalpel, not researching your miraculous Regeneration Serum..."
Ryan chuckled and said calmly, "Heh, perhaps Dr. Stephen Strange doesn't know enough about my Parker Industries. We don't just develop bio-pharmaceuticals; we're actually conducting innovative research in various industries and welcome talent from all fields—naturally including someone at the top of the surgical field like you..."
Hearing this, Strange looked deeply at Ryan. "You're right. I indeed didn't know enough about Parker Industries before, and even less about you. But last night, I spent all my savings to find out. So, I'd like to talk to you in private, if I may?"
Spent all his savings to find out about him?
Ryan twitched his lips, seemingly understanding why Strange looked more disheveled than when he left the Sky Restaurant last night.
So he took his life savings to buy information on my true identity...
He had actually forgotten; although his identity wasn't a huge secret and any high-level official could easily find it...
...for the lower and middle classes, his identity was actually quite hard to track down since he hadn't made any public appearances.
No wonder he thought Strange would come looking for him last night, but he didn't show up until this morning.
Sigh, I have to say, Strange really is a spendthrift...
Although he didn't know where Strange had traded his assets for his true identity...
...that money would have been better off given directly to him...
Ryan finished the breakfast on his plate in a few bites, wiped his mouth, and brought a fresh plate of breakfast from the kitchen before tilting his head toward Strange.
"Come on, let's talk in my study."
With that, as Ryan passed Strange, he placed the plate in his hands and walked toward the study.
Strange looked down at the plate of steaming food in his hands, dazed for a few seconds before following.
*Click—*
Closing the door, Ryan sat down at the desk, pointed to the chair opposite him, and smiled. "Sit, don't be a stranger. Make yourself at home; let's talk while you eat."
Ryan's gesture of offering breakfast and his current amiable attitude finally eased the heavy, tense heart Strange had been carrying since last night.
His stomach, which hadn't seen food all night, let out a rumble at that moment.
Looking at the delicious-looking food on the plate, Strange finally couldn't help himself and began to eat ravenously with the knife and fork.
This was the first time Ryan had seen someone eat May's cooking with even more gusto than himself.
You have to know, everyone else in the Parker Family avoided May's 'delicacies'—which looked and smelled great—because they had no flavor...
In less than a minute, Strange had devoured all the food on the plate.
After eating, he finally regained some spirit and energy after running around all night.
"Thank you very much for the breakfast, it was delicious!" Strange thanked Ryan, who was quietly waiting for him to finish, then said apologetically:
"Secondly, I want to apologize to you. Last night, I took it upon myself to inquire about you and learned of your other identity—your identity as the Superhero 'Spider Monarch'..."
Hearing this, Ryan naturally didn't blame Strange for investigating his identity but asked curiously:
"No need for apologies. I'm more curious—is there actually someone on the market brave enough to sell information about my identity? Where did you get this information?"
Although his identity was known to almost everyone at the top, they were too busy suppressing it; why would they proactively sell it?
The most likely candidate to sell it would be Kingpin, but Kingpin isn't short on cash and wouldn't risk offending him by selling his identity.
Strange was stunned. He clearly hadn't expected Ryan not to hold him accountable but instead ask such an insignificant question. However, he still answered honestly:
"I actually don't know that person's true identity either. Last night, I reached out to all my former contacts, but when they heard I was looking into 'Spider Monarch's' real identity, they either didn't know or just hung up on me. Even New York's underworld figures turned pale at the mention of your name and just beat me up before throwing me out into the rainy night..."
"Until... just as I was about to collapse in despair, an umbrella appeared over my head. A mysterious person in a black hooded cloak told me your true identity. I couldn't see the face under the hood, but before she left, a gust of wind blew the hood back. From the back, she was bald!"
====================
Chapter 222: Strange, Who Was Completely Fooled~
Listening to Strange's description, Ryan's eyelids couldn't help but twitch.
Mysterious, hooded, and bald—aren't these three features obviously that bad woman, Ancient One?
So, not only are the Doctor Strange from another Universe and himself plotting against the Strange of this Universe together, but even the Ancient One is quietly providing assists from the sidelines!
She gave the Time Stone to him before, and now she's cooperating in advance to let Strange step onto the path of a sorcerer.
It seems this bad woman's desire to retire can no longer be suppressed...
In that case, he might as well give the Ancient One a hand and let her designated successor—the most outstanding of all generations, Doctor Strange—take office sooner!
By helping out, he could make three Sorcerer Supremes owe him a favor at the same time. Thinking about it felt pretty good!
The Doctor Strange from the other Universe would thank him for helping complete the request, the Ancient One would thank him for bringing her a successor, and Strange would thank him for helping him gain the power to protect his beloved.
But for now, he had to fool Strange first...
Ryan's expression turned serious: "I think I know who you're talking about, and I know why she sent you to find me. You must have encountered an invasion from the Dark Dimension?"
Seeing that Ryan seemed to know what had attacked him as well as information about that mysterious person from yesterday, Strange's spirits lifted. He quickly recounted his encounter at the Sky Restaurant last night and mentioned the name the monster had left behind.
"Dormammu, I do indeed know of him..."
Amidst Strange's surprised expression, Ryan said to him in a low tone: "You know that extraordinary powers exist in this World, and you know the Spider Family protects Earth from alien invasions and attacks by superhuman criminals, right?"
Strange paused, then nodded: "Although I haven't personally been involved in these extraordinary events before, I've certainly seen them on the news. Especially your Spider Family; you've prevented alien armies and powerful superhumans from harming this city and even the Planet countless times."
Ryan looked at Strange and shook his head mysteriously: "But you don't know that besides the Spider Family, which protects the physical plane of this World, there is also a magical force with an even longer history that guards Earth's spiritual plane, do you?"
At this, the materialistic Strange's face twisted: "magic? You mean the kind of magic like Harry Potter, where they fly around on broomsticks?"
Strange could still accept the Spider Family and other supervillains because their superpowers could more or less be explained by scientific mutations.
But magic... that was simply too surreal, wasn't it?
What kind of thing was that? Beings who could perform all sorts of illogical magic just by holding a broken wooden stick?
Seeing Strange's face full of disbelief, Ryan wasn't in a hurry and just said slowly:
"First of all, I must correct you. The magical force I'm talking about is a sorcerer force, while Harry Potter belongs to a wizard force. Although wizards do indeed exist in this World—in fact, our Spider Family recently took in two little witches."
"But... sorcerers are sorcerers, and wizards are wizards. This is a sorcerer force that has protected Earth for tens of thousands of years, far longer than the existence of wizards."
Seeing Ryan's serious expression, Strange ultimately didn't dare to refute the existence of the sorcerers Ryan mentioned and just said helplessly:
"Fine, even if this sorcerer force really exists, what does it have to do with my encounter?"
"Of course it's related, and very much so..." Ryan looked deeply at Strange and snapped his fingers.
Snap—
As the golden sparks of the Mind Stone spread from his fingertips, an image formed on the table.
It was a scene of a single person standing alone against an entire dark invasion.
The person in the image was a slender figure from behind, wearing yellow robes and with a bald head. Strange immediately recognized that this person was the mysterious individual who had given him the information about 'Spider Monarch's' true identity last night!
Except last night she wore black robes, while in the image she wore yellow robes. Compared to last night's mystery, this time she appeared even more divine!
As for the darkness this mysterious person faced, Strange found it even more familiar, because the large purple face within that darkness was none other than Dormammu, who had suddenly appeared and swallowed Christine last night!
However, compared to yesterday, the Dormammu this mysterious person faced was much larger—it was as if she were facing an entire Planet!
But facing a dark monster as massive as a Planet, the mysterious person had no intention of retreating, because...
Behind her was a blue Planet protected by golden magic circles anchored at three points!
That was... Earth!
While Strange was shocked by this epic scene of one person resisting the darkness to protect the Earth, Ryan spoke up.
"The person you saw yesterday is the one in this image, the contemporary Sorcerer Supreme who has protected Earth for centuries, the leader of the sorcerers from the universal sanctuary of Kamar-Taj, the Sorcerer Ancient One!"
"Over the years, she has saved countless people shrouded in despair and about to fall into darkness, bringing them back to a normal life. She has also saved many people like you who were harmed by Dormammu, giving them the power of light magic to counter dark magic, making them a part of the sorcerers of Kamar-Taj."
"And you, Stephen Strange, you are one of those harmed by Dormammu, and the most special one!"
Strange tried to calm his shocked heart, but he couldn't help but point at himself in confusion: "Me? Special? Other than being a bit outstanding in the field of surgery, how am I special?"
Ryan glanced at him, his lips curling into a mysterious arc: "Did you know, Strange? Actually, there isn't just one Universe, but countless different parallel Universes existing simultaneously..."
"And I recently visited another Universe and met a completely different you..."
As he spoke, the image composed of the Mind Stone's power in front of Strange changed again, still showing a person confronting the massive Dormammu.
But this time, the protagonist wasn't the Ancient One, but someone who made Strange's eyes widen even more!
Because that person... was actually himself!
"Dormammu, I've come to bargain!"
As that familiar yet Strange version of himself descended wearing a magical cloak, Strange witnessed a hundred different ways he could die in the time that followed.
But no matter how many times he died, the version of himself in the cloak of levitation would return within green magic, keeping Dormammu trapped in this Time Loop.
Compared to the Ancient One using raw strength to repel Dormammu, Strange had to say that the version of himself in the cloak of levitation was truly a bit pathetic.
But Strange didn't look down on his other self because of this; instead, he felt great admiration for him.
While it was true that his other self could be resurrected, the pain of death was also real!
To protect the Earth, allowing himself to die in pain over and over again just to make that dark monster back down—how was his other self not a person worthy of respect?
And when he saw in the final scene that Dormammu finally couldn't take being worn down by his other self and chose to spare Earth and take away all his Dark Followers, Strange's pupils suddenly shook, as if he understood something!
So... the reason Dormammu attacked him yesterday was actually because of what this other version of himself from another Universe had done?
No wonder Dormammu said such incomprehensible nonsense to him at the end, like 'You toy with time, and time will toy with you' and 'In another dimension, he trapped Him with time'.
Now, combined with the actions of his other self, it all made sense!
It turns out he was screwed over by the magic-cloaked version of himself from another Universe!
In an instant, Strange felt both respect and hatred for the version of himself from the other Universe!
He respected his other self's bravery, but also hated his other self's selfishness.
You saved the Earth of another Universe, but you caused Dormammu to take his revenge out on me!
How could you be so selfish!
Chapter 223: The magic Holy Land Kamar-Taj, the Skrulls' Bold Retaliation Plan!
Strange's expression shifted repeatedly until he finally looked at Ryan and asked through gritted teeth, "I want to ask one thing: did the me in the other Universe end up with Christine?"
Ryan shook his head, suppressing a laugh. "Not at all. The you in the other Universe disappeared for several years due to an annihilation event that affected the entire Universe. By the time he returned, Christine had already walked down the aisle with another black man..."
"What?? Walked down the aisle with another black man!"
Strange's face darkened even further. At that moment, he felt that the version of himself in the other Universe had it even worse than he did now.
At least his Christine was just dead, rather than having cuckolded him...
Smack—
As a slap landed on the back of his head, Strange, who was caught between anger and relief, finally snapped back to his senses.
Having finished his persuasion, Ryan used the Space Stone to open a blue portal. He beckoned to Strange, unleashing his final trump card:
"Alright, stop dazing and let's go. Come with me to meet your new teacher. She has fought Dormammu for years; perhaps she knows how to save Christine..."
Strange:!!!
The Himalayas, Nepal, Kamar-Taj.
This Universe's holy land of magic welcomed two special guests today.
One was Earth's strongest Superhero who possessed a Kamar-Taj relic but was not a mage, Ryan Parker, the 'Spider Monarch'.
The other was Stephen Strange, a man without any superpowers who was destined to be the most outstanding Sorcerer Supreme of the future.
As the two stood before the gates of Kamar-Taj, Strange couldn't help but turn to look at the magnificent temple behind them, speaking in disbelief:
"Um, Mr. Parker, are you sure we haven't gone the wrong way? Are you sure that grand temple over there isn't Kamar-Taj?"
Ryan glanced at the magnificent temple across the way, then at the dilapidated old wooden door in front of him, and confirmed, "That's right, this is Kamar-Taj."
"Strange, let me teach you your first lesson upon entering the World of magic: don't be blinded by your eyes. What you see is not necessarily the truth..."
After saying these words with their double meaning, Ryan pushed open the weathered door of Kamar-Taj.
What lay behind that dilapidated wooden door was a completely different scene in Strange's eyes.
Within a cluster of ancient buildings surrounded by mist, mages were walking through the air, stepping out of golden portals, and practicing magic in the courtyard. It was truly the image of a holy land of magic!
As if he had known they were coming, a black mage was already waiting at the entrance.
Mordo smiled at the two. "Mr. Spider Monarch, Dr. Stephen Strange, welcome to Kamar-Taj. This way, please. Sorcerer Ancient One is already inside waiting for you."
With that, Mordo led the two deeper into Kamar-Taj.
Along the way, Strange kept staring at Mordo's back. Finally unable to contain himself, he whispered to Ryan, "Ryan, the black man you mentioned from the other Universe who ended up with Christine... it couldn't be him, could it?"
Ryan glanced at Strange and patted his shoulder. "Don't be silly. It's not him. That old black fellow wasn't even as handsome as this guy~"
Strange:...
I feel even worse now, brother...
Upon leading them to a building at the very center of Kamar-Taj, Master Mordo stopped and made a gesture for them to enter.
"Sorcerer Ancient One is inside. She wishes to see the two of you alone, so I will not be going in."
After speaking, Mordo gave them a polite smile and turned to leave.
Strange watched Mordo's retreating back, a small smile appearing on his face. "He seems quite easy to get along with. Looking at it this way, staying here to learn magic might not be such a bad thing."
Ryan looked at Mordo's back and nodded. "Yeah, he's quite good. I hope you can still say that when he's kicking your ass later on~"
Strange:?
Before he could ask why Mordo would be kicking his ass, Ryan had already taken the lead and walked into the building.
In the main hall of the building, the Ancient One had already brewed three cups of tea and was sitting at a table waiting for them.
Seeing this, Ryan didn't stand on ceremony at all. He plopped down opposite the Ancient One and, without even a greeting, picked up a teacup and drained it in one go.
"Another cup!"
The Ancient One wasn't at all annoyed by Ryan's rudeness. In fact, such behavior from Ryan made her feel more at ease and pleased.
She poured Ryan another cup, filling it seven-tenths full, before gesturing to the standing Strange. "Please sit, Dr. Stephen Strange. Let us drink and talk."
Hearing this, Strange sat down but didn't care for the tea. He hurriedly asked the question he cared about most: "Master Ancient One, Ryan said there is still hope to save Christine from Dormammu. Is that true?"
The Ancient One paused slightly, giving Ryan a deep look before turning back to Strange. "Yes. Those taken by Dormammu are generally not killed immediately; instead, they are converted into his followers. Theoretically, there is indeed a possibility of bringing her back..."
Receiving a definitive answer from the Ancient One, Strange grew even more excited. "I beg of you, Master Ancient One, please help me save Christine. As long as you can rescue her, I will do anything you ask!"
The Ancient One used the lid of her cup to gently brush aside the tea leaves, saying softly, "Actually, you don't need to beg me. Whether Christine can be saved has never depended on me. Although I can briefly resist Dormammu to prevent Earth from being consumed by darkness, I am not truly on the same level as Dormammu..."
"The one who can save Christine is actually yourself, Strange. You are the most outstanding Sorcerer Supreme among us across all timelines. Only when you become the Sorcerer Supreme, the Guardian of the Spiritual Plane, and join forces with the strongest Guardian of the Physical Plane, can you truly defeat Dormammu and... bring back Christine!"
"The strongest of the Spiritual and Physical—the two of you are both indispensable!"
Listening to the Ancient One's grand persuasion, Strange had an epiphany!
So that was it! No wonder the Ancient One appeared when he was in despair last night but didn't bring him directly back to Kamar-Taj, instead taking a detour to have him find the Spider Monarch of the Spider Family first. So that was the reason!
Because even if he became the Sorcerer Supreme of Kamar-Taj, he wouldn't be able to defeat the powerful Dormammu alone. He had to unite with the strongest hero of the physical World, the Spider Monarch!
This was the Ancient One's true, profound intent!
While the Ancient One and Ryan teamed up to fool Strange into becoming the Sorcerer Supreme as quickly as possible...
A familiar stranger had slipped into the Parker home that Ryan had just left.
Inside Ryan's room, a slender figure wearing a Ghost-Spider suit climbed in through the window.
Pressing her earpiece, she whispered, "Gravik, I've entered the target's room. You're sure the real Gwen Stacy isn't in New York right now, correct?"
On the other end, at a beach in England, Gravik glanced at the Stacy family vacationing on the sand. Staring at the figure with long blonde hair, he revealed a smile:
"Of course. I'm certain Gwen Stacy isn't in New York; she's right in front of my eyes. I'll keep her occupied so she has no time to contact Ryan Parker. Use this time to get close to him and complete your mission!"
With that, Gravik hung up the phone. His stature began to grow, and his features began to shift, quickly transforming into another person entirely.
He had become... the image of Ryan!
Having taken on Ryan's appearance, he walked with a confident smile toward Gwen, who had just landed in England last night for a family beach vacation.
Ryan Parker, you who were cold-blooded enough to kill so many of my kin... I wonder if your blood will boil when you find out your woman has been taken by me?
====================
Chapter 224: You're Not Ryan! Real and Fake Gwen!
Thump, thump-thump—
At the Parker Family home, as the sound of knocking on Ryan's bedroom door came through, Jia, who was disguised as Gwen, felt her heart, which she had just let down, leap into her throat again in an instant.
Wait, why is someone here?
Could it be Ryan?
But immediately, Jia dismissed her own conjecture.
No, if it were Ryan, this is his room; why would he be knocking?
Wouldn't he just come straight in?
Could it be someone else from the Parker Family?
However, before she could guess who it was, the voice of the newcomer already rang out from outside the door the next second.
A voice that made Jia's blood run cold!
"Ryan, is that you back? I'm coming in~"
Jia's eyes widened because the voice coming from outside was exactly the voice of the Gwen she had transformed into!
But how was this possible? According to the Skrulls' intelligence, Gwen should have already been in England by now!
And she had just confirmed with Gravik that Gwen was indeed in England!
Then who was the person outside the door?
There was no more time for Jia to think; she already saw the doorknob of the room being turned.
In a panic, Jia had a sudden flash of inspiration, and her body quickly transformed once again.
Click—
When the door opened, Short-haired Gwen, who pushed her way in, saw a 'Ryan' who looked somewhat flustered and awkward.
That's right; in her desperation, Jia had actually turned into her target, Ryan himself!
Since she had previously specialized in training Gwen's tone and habits and hadn't specifically studied Ryan's, she was inevitably a bit flustered and unnatural in her haste.
Seeing the abnormal-looking 'Ryan', Short-haired Gwen's expression also changed abruptly, and she glared at him as her expression turned sour.
This made Jia, who had turned into Ryan, even more panicked, wondering if the other party had discovered something.
Thinking this, Jia's hand already began to slowly reach for the pistol at the small of her back.
If she were discovered, she would have to risk everything; in short, she absolutely could not be exposed at this time!
Suddenly, Short-haired Gwen put her hands on her hips, puffed out her cheeks, and said huffily, "Why are you so flustered? Are you hiding another woman from us behind our backs again?!"
Jia:???
Again? Us? Another woman?
Jia couldn't help but gasp, feeling that the information contained in this was a bit too much!
Did it mean Ryan Parker actually had more than one woman?
Then who was Ryan's other woman?
Just as Jia's mind was stalling over this, Short-haired Gwen had already walked over to her, leaning in close and constantly sniffing her.
While sniffing, Gwen pressured her:
"Hmph, let me see who that woman is. I'm telling you, my nose is very sharp. As long as it's someone I've met, I'll know who it is just by smelling them. Don't think you can hide it from me!"
"Let me guess first. Is it Big Sister Natasha, or her assistant Felicia? Could it be Cindy? No, impossible, I've been watching her; she hasn't had the chance. Could it be Big Sister Valkyrie? Since when did you have such heavy tastes?"
Watching Short-haired Gwen lean in and keep sniffing her with her little nose, Jia was incredibly nervous; her muscles were tensed, and she didn't dare move a muscle!
As Gwen sniffed, her elegant brows furrowed deeper: "Strange, there really is a scent of a strange woman's perfume, but it's not any of their scents. Could it be that you found a strange woman I don't know?"
"Hmm? Wait, that's not right..."
Gwen, who was sniffing the scent on the Ryan that Jia had transformed into, suddenly stopped.
The next moment, the Ryan that Jia had transformed into felt a tightening around his neck—he was being strangled by a hand!
Jia looked down and saw that Short-haired Gwen, who had just been as well-behaved as a cute kitten in front of her, now had an expression and gaze like an enraged lioness!
Jia was completely bewildered, not understanding how the other party had discovered the Skrulls' perfect transformation!
Looking at the 'Ryan' in front of her with an expression of disbelief, Short-haired Gwen became even more certain that the other party was an impostor!
Because Ryan would never show such a 'weakling' expression!
As if knowing what the other was thinking, Gwen sneered:
"As soon as I came in, I didn't sense the Spider-Sense between us from you. I didn't suspect anything then, since if you didn't want to, even other Spider-powered individuals wouldn't be able to sense you, but the most crucial thing is..."
"The scent on you has changed!"
Ryan always had a faint woody incense scent on him; May had always used it at home, which resulted in Ryan always having that woody fragrance.
She had smelled this scent on Ryan many times; there was absolutely no mistaking it!
But this Ryan didn't have a hint of that pleasant scent that made her feel at ease; there was only the scent of a strange woman's perfume, which was why Short-haired Gwen sensed something was wrong!
Jia tried hard to pry away the slender hand on her neck, but even as a Skrull, she couldn't budge it in the slightest, and could only squeeze out words of defense through her teeth:
"It's really... me, Gwen. How could you... just because the scent is wrong... suspect I'm a fake!"
Hearing this, Short-haired Gwen tightened her grip on Jia's neck and lifted her up further, saying disdainfully:
"Heh, don't be ridiculous. If you were really Ryan, even if the scent had really changed, there's no way you'd let me choke you without being able to break free. You would have pinned me down and taught me a lesson long ago!"
At those words, Jia knew she couldn't pretend anymore.
She could perfectly transform into Ryan's appearance, but she couldn't manifest Ryan's invincible strength!
Because the height difference between Gwen and the Ryan she had transformed into was too great, Jia wasn't actually lifted into the air by Gwen and didn't completely lose her ability to resist.
Taking advantage of this, Jia simply stopped trying to pry away the hand that was as firm as an iron vise and instead reached for the pistol at her lower back, drawing it and quickly pulling the trigger at Gwen's head!
Bang! Bang! Bang!
However... Spider-Sense, girl!
Using a gun against Spider-Man was clearly foolish; even at such close range, Jia still failed to hit Gwen with a single shot!
However, these three shots did successfully force Gwen to release her neck and retreat, creating some distance.
Because of these three shots, hurried footsteps came from downstairs; clearly, the others from the Parker Family had heard the commotion and were rushing over.
Jia gritted her teeth at the sound and, to Short-haired Gwen's surprise, actually took the initiative to drop her only weapon, the pistol, at her feet!
The next second.
Boom—
Ryan's bedroom door went flying at the impact, and a whole group of people who had kicked the door open rushed into the room.
These people were, naturally, Ben and May, Peter, Harry, and Silk Cindy, who was staying with them.
But the few who rushed in were momentarily stunned by the scene in the room.
For inside the room, there were actually two identical Gwens facing off against each other!
Chapter 225: The Value of Spider-Sense; Unlucky Harry...
Peter stared blankly back and forth between the two Short-haired Gwens, who were dressed identically. He asked subconsciously, "Gwen, when did you get back? Weren't you on a family trip to England?"
Peter, Harry, and Cindy all knew that two Gwens existed in this World simultaneously, so they weren't overly surprised by this.
But Ben and May didn't know about the two Gwens yet. Hearing his nephew's words, Ben looked at Peter beside him with utter confusion.
"When did Gwen go to England? Hasn't she been staying at our house these past few days?"
May also glared at Peter and Harry. "And why do you two look completely unsurprised that there are two Gwens? Are you brothers hiding something from us?"
Ben placed a hand on a shivering Harry, a smile on his face that made Harry's skin crawl. "And you, kid, spill it. What kind of mischief is your brother Ryan up to?"
At those words, Peter and Harry's eyes began to wander guiltily.
They were wondering if they should just sell Ryan out right now...
Watching the fake Ryan transform into her own likeness, the Short-haired Gwen saw that the rushing Parker Family still hadn't grasped the main point and were instead interrogating Peter and Harry. She couldn't help but complain:
"Hey, everyone, how about you look over here first and settle this? It's true there are two Gwens in this World right now, but I'm the real Gwen. The one opposite me isn't—she's a total fake!"
Hearing this, Ben and May temporarily let Peter and Harry off the hook, turning their gaze toward the fake Gwen that Gwen was pointing at.
Jia, in the form of the fake Gwen, immediately put on a pitiful, wronged expression for the crowd.
"I'm the real one, she's the fake! I just came up and saw her sneaking around in Ryan's room. As soon as she saw me, she pulled a gun on me without a word. You know I don't have a gun..."
Upon hearing this, everyone looked at the other Gwen and indeed saw a handgun lying by her feet.
As the heads of the household, Ben and May stroked their chins, nodded, and made a decision. "Hmm, it certainly seems that way. Let's do it—capture this fake Gwen first!"
As soon as they finished speaking, amidst the fake Gwen's slight, triumphant smirk, everyone else present attacked!
Whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh—
But in the next second, the fake Gwen could no longer smile.
Because four strands of Silk were wrapped around her, binding her limbs tightly!
As for why there were only four strands of Silk among the five people present, it was because...
The 'real' Gwen stared at the black Symbiote Silk binding her own hands, veins popping on her forehead as she glared at Harry, who had attacked her. "You are so dead, Harry!"
Harry was also dumbfounded, looking at the other four around him in disbelief. Even without wearing the Venom suit, his face was as dark as could be.
"You guys set me up!!!"
Now it was Ben, May, Peter, and Cindy's turn for their eyes to wander. They hadn't expected Harry to be so honest as to actually believe the fake Gwen's simple framing and attack the real Gwen!
Kid, don't you have Spider-Sense?
Oh, right. It seemed that in this household, Harry really was the only one without Spider-Sense...
Harry quickly tried to explain to the real Gwen: "Sister-in-law, if I say I didn't do it on purpose, would you believe me?"
Gwen flexed her hands forcefully, violently snapping the Symbiote Silk. She walked step by step toward the retreating Harry, cracking her knuckles with a sinister grin.
"I believe you, of course I do. But I can't control my fists right now. Don't blame me, I'm not doing it on purpose either!"
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Three Spider-Punches—they sting a bit!
After Gwen's three punches, three large bumps immediately swelled on Harry's head, and he collapsed to the ground, eyes rolling back.
The rest of the Parker Family acted as if they hadn't seen a thing.
Who told you to be so lack-witted that you couldn't even tell your own sister-in-law from a fake? A lesson was in order!
Ben pulled on the Silk binding the fake Gwen, lifting the utterly incredulous Jia into the air. He looked at the Short-haired Gwen and asked with a frown, "Gwen, what's going on with her? How can she turn into you?"
Short-haired Gwen actually hadn't figured it out yet either. She knitted her brows and shook her head.
"I don't know. I just came upstairs and heard movement in Ryan's room. I thought Ryan was back, but when I opened the door, I saw her looking like Ryan."
"Then, after I saw through her, she fired a gun. That's when you heard the shots and came running, and she turned into me..."
When May heard that the intruder had even turned into her son, her heart sank. Usually kind-hearted, her expression turned angry for the first time.
Unlike most people, whose logic weakens when angry, May grew calmer the angrier she got. She first looked at Ben: "Ben, call our son and let him know about this first."
Then May looked at Gwen, her gaze deep. "Gwen, you call the other Gwen and warn her to be careful. Don't try to hide it; I know there's another Gwen, and she's the Gwen of my Universe!"
Looking at May's sharp gaze, Short-haired Gwen seemed to see a shadow of Ryan in May at this moment.
Like mother, like son. Although they usually acted very kind, they were both strong-willed to the bone!
Short-haired Gwen nodded obediently and quickly dialed the other Gwen's number.
Seeing this, May finally looked at Harry, who was still on the floor with his eyes rolled back, and gave him a kick in the butt.
"Alright, Harry, stop faking. Your sister-in-law knows how to pull her punches, and Little Venom already healed you. Get up and have Little Venom read this imposter's memories. I want to know everything!"
"Once it's done, Little Venom gets unlimited chocolate for the month!"
Hearing this, before Harry could even move, the Venom on him got excited first. A ferocious, large black head extended from Harry's body, rubbing against May's hand like a puppy, and said with a fawning smile:
"Hehe, I knew Aunt May was the best to me. I'm your most beloved and reliable child. Don't worry, Auntie, I'll make this fake spit out even the color of her underwear!"
Ever since May and Ben discovered the secrets of the Spider Family, the family hadn't hidden anything anymore, including the Symbiotes on Ryan and Harry.
Initially, May and Ben were worried that the Symbiote parasitism would be harmful to the two children.
But after some contact, they found it wasn't the case; instead, it could even cure Harry's genetic disease.
Furthermore, despite the Venom on Harry being a bit ugly, it was actually kind-hearted inside.
So May often bought chocolate for Venom. But because of this, May, who treated Venom as one of her own, also managed Venom like her own child, strictly limiting Venom's chocolate supply each month.
She wouldn't let Venom go hungry, but she wouldn't let it overeat either.
In a mother's words: eating too much junk food is bad for your health!
Under May's unreserved affection, Venom had long ago come to view May and Ben as its own parents, just like its host Harry, forming a bond of kinship.
Thus, Venom always listened to May. To Venom, the words of this 'Mom' were even more effective than those of its host, Harry.
So, without waiting for Harry's consent, Venom approached Jia with a ferocious smile. Amidst her terrified screams, it suddenly lunged at her face!
Watching Jia's body twitching as Venom wrapped around her head to read her memories, Ben couldn't help but toss her onto the floor in disgust.
"Geez, young people these days really know how to play..."
Ben muttered a complaint and immediately took out his phone to dial his son's number.
On the other side, in Kamar-Taj, Ryan, who had been lounging while watching the Ancient One constantly hoodwink Stephen Strange, casually picked up the call from his old man.
A moment later, Ryan's amused expression as he watched the drama slowly vanished, replaced by a heavy look that made Stephen Strange feel the atmospheric pressure drop.
"I understand. Keep her under control for now. Don't worry, I'll go find the Gwen in England; she'll be fine."
After speaking, Ryan hung up the phone, a smile even more ferocious than Venom's appearing on his face. "Bastards, I haven't gone looking for you yet, but you're in such a hurry to die. Very well!!!"
====================
Chapter 226: The Stacy Father and Daughter Who Instantly Saw Through the Fake~
Rewinding to a few minutes ago, just after Gravik hung up the phone with Jia.
Rossili Beach, England.
This was not a typical crowded beach where everyone lay on the sand sunbathing or surfing.
There were relatively few tourists here; most travelers came to admire the natural coastal scenery by hiking or driving rather than swimming or sunbathing.
After all, if it were just for swimming or sunbathing, there were plenty of such beaches in America; there was no need for Gwen's family to travel all the way to England.
However, this family hiking trip hadn't been Gwen's idea.
Instead, it was proposed by the busy man of the Stacy household, Chief Stacy.
This dedicated Director, who was always on the front lines, had rarely taken a few days off to take his whole family out to play.
Ryan knew about this; after all, Chief Stacy had even invited him to come along before they left last night.
But at that time, Ryan was busy pit—ahem, I mean, guiding Strange onto the path of a sorcerer, so he politely declined.
Chief Stacy wasn't disappointed by this; on the contrary, he was actually quite secretly pleased that Ryan wasn't coming.
Although he was quite satisfied with Ryan as a son-in-law—finding him capable, responsible, and courageous—
Ever since Gwen and Ryan confirmed their relationship, the time his beloved daughter spent with her old father had become even less, making Chief Stacy a bit 'jealous'...
So with Ryan not coming this time, he was quite happy to be able to have another private talk with his daughter.
As for what he wanted to talk about, it was naturally Gwen's other identity...
He had long since realized that Gwen was the female Spider-Man of the Spider Family, Ghost-Spider.
But since Gwen hadn't taken the initiative to tell him, as her father, he didn't feel right asking, fearing he might cause a misunderstanding.
However, lately, he had seen that the threats the Spider Family faced were becoming increasingly dangerous. The Supervillain Ryan faced last time had even affected the entire Harlem district, and a single battle had caused countless civilian casualties!
Although he understood that it was already difficult enough for Ryan to step forward against a Supervillain of that level and that Ryan shouldn't be blamed for the resulting civilian casualties,
Chief Stacy simply couldn't suppress the worry in his heart and intended to have a good talk with Gwen.
He wanted to see if Gwen could discuss it with Ryan; if they had to fight powerful Supervillains next time, could they do it outside of New York? Causing massive casualties within New York City every time put immense pressure on him as the Director of the New York Police Department!
And most importantly, he wanted to ask how much longer Gwen intended to keep her identity a secret from him?
Did she really not trust her father that much?
Why didn't she dare tell him about becoming Ghost-Spider?
In fact, under Ryan's influence and the Spider Family's restraint—not frequently interfering with the Police arresting ordinary criminals—the Chief Stacy of this Universe didn't actually dislike those Superheroes, nor did he dislike New York's Spider Family.
Because he knew that in this era where superhumans appeared more and more frequently, Superheroes were a necessity.
Only superhumans could defeat superhumans. Whether ordinary Police could even capture superhuman criminals was one thing, but even if they did, the price they would pay compared to a Superhero's intervention would surely be countless times greater, potentially costing many officers' lives.
So, regarding Gwen becoming Spider-Man, although Chief Stacy was worried, he didn't oppose it.
After all, he was also protecting New York...
As the Stacy family walked along the coast, Chief Stacy walked alone at the back. Watching Gwen chatting happily with her mother, he quietly cheered himself up and finally mustered the courage to ask Gwen.
"Gwen, I want to talk to you alone..."
"Hey, Gwen!!!"
Before Chief Stacy's somewhat timid words were finished, his voice was drowned out by another, much louder voice.
Chief Stacy looked closely and saw a tall, upright figure with a sunny smile jogging toward Gwen.
That was... Ryan?
Chief Stacy couldn't help but frown.
Didn't this kid say he wasn't coming last night?
Why had he quietly followed them now? Was he planning to give Gwen a surprise?
Chief Stacy couldn't help but feel a bit disgruntled. This kid used to be quite straightforward; why had he learned to do such frivolous things now!
The more he looked at the Ryan walking toward Gwen, the more disgruntled he became.
Especially seeing the bright smile on Ryan's face, Chief Stacy felt inexplicably uncomfortable.
He didn't know if it was an illusion, but today's Ryan was completely different from the Ryan he had seen before, who always gave him a refreshing sense that his words and actions were perfectly in line with his wishes!
Something's wrong...
An old Police officer's intuition made Chief Stacy keenly sense that something was off. Therefore, he stepped forward quickly and, just as Ryan opened his arms and was about to hug Gwen, he blocked Gwen and took the embrace for her.
Gwen looked at her old man standing in front of her. Her arms, which she had already begun to raise slightly, dropped back down as she crossed them over her chest and raised an eyebrow.
It seemed her keen Director dad had also noticed something~
Indeed, as Gwen watched the Ryan running toward her with a bright smile, she didn't even need her Spider-Sense to tell; she realized at a single glance that he was a fake.
As a fangirl who had waited for Ryan for years, Gwen was already as familiar with every one of Ryan's little habits and movements as an obsessive fan.
Although Ryan usually fought with bold and sweeping movements, he would never show such an idiotic smile to someone or have such an idiotic running posture.
Although she didn't know how the other party managed to disguise their appearance to look exactly like Ryan, Gwen was two hundred percent certain that he was definitely not her Ryan!
If her father hadn't suddenly blocked her just now, and if this fake had dared to pounce on her, he would have been punched into the sea to feed the fish by now!
But now that her father had stepped in, she would see what this guy was really up to.
Gravik, who had transformed into Ryan, let go of Chief Stacy. A flicker of annoyance appeared in his eyes as he looked at the old man; he was ruining everything!
But he had also read the files and naturally knew that the man in front of him was Gwen's father, so he still kept a smile on his face, patted the other's shoulder, and greeted him in a very familiar tone:
"Hey, George, long time no see. How have you been lately?"
Chief Stacy was stunned for a moment, and then the last bit of the smile on his face slowly vanished.
Chapter 227: The Real Monarch Attacks, Three Gwens in One Frame?
On the contrary, Gwen behind him covered her mouth, nearly bursting into laughter.
Hahahaha, this fake actually called her old man 'George'!
You should know that while calling elders by their first names is common in America and even indicates a close relationship...
...Ryan had never called her father 'George' before; he always used the respectful 'Chief Stacy' or 'Father-in-law.'
Did this guy not even do the most basic homework?
And as a junior, was he serious about patting an elder's shoulder?
Talk about reversing the natural order, right?
Watching the smile vanish from Chief Stacy's face, the fake Ryan across from him didn't panic; instead, a smug, triumphant grin tugged at the corner of his mouth.
Though he didn't realize there was an issue with the form of address, the shoulder pat was indeed intentional.
He wanted to lower Ryan's favorability in front of Chief Stacy on purpose, so that after he did this and that to Gwen, he could watch Chief Stacy and the real Ryan Parker tear into each other like dogs!
However, while his imagination was beautiful, reality was cruel.
Gravik didn't know yet that there were already three people present who knew he was a fake.
As for why there were three?
Aside from Chief Stacy and Gwen, who already knew, Gwen's Mother and two younger brothers—who didn't know yet—all turned their gazes behind the fake Ryan.
Except for Gwen, the eyes of everyone else in the Stacy family were filled with astonishment, even Chief Stacy's!
It was as if they had seen something inconceivable.
This caused Gravik's heart to skip a beat, giving him a bad premonition.
What were they looking at?
Just as Gravik was about to turn around to find out, he felt his head tighten in the next moment, as if it were stuck and couldn't move!
Because at this moment, a large hand was firmly clamped onto the crown of his head!
And standing behind him was a person who looked exactly like him!
That was... the real Ryan Parker!
Spider Monarch!
Ryan applied just a little pressure, lifting the Gravik-turned-Ryan into the air, making him let out a scream like a slaughtered pig!
With Ryan's current strength, even a slight exertion was enough to crack Gravik's skull; the pain was unimaginable.
Looking at his somewhat frightened mother-in-law and two brothers-in-law, Ryan didn't choose to crush the fake's head immediately.
Instead, the Tesseract appeared in his other hand, and he opened a spatial portal in front of them once again.
"Father-in-law, your vacation might have to be postponed. Let Mother-in-law and my brothers-in-law go back first."
Looking through, the other end of the spatial portal was actually their home.
Well, that certainly saved them the money for the return flights.
Chief Stacy also realized the severity of the situation. After nodding to Ryan, he quickly comforted his wife and two sons before letting them enter the portal to head home.
Then, Chief Stacy looked at the real Ryan—the one his intuition told him was correct—and seemed to hesitate, but finally sighed and simply said:
"Sigh, stay safe..."
Saying that, Chief Stacy, feeling he couldn't help much with such supernatural events, planned to return home through the portal as well.
But before he could step through, Ryan called out to him, "Father-in-law, want to come along?"
Chief Stacy, who already had one foot through the portal, turned back in surprise: "I can participate in your Superhero meeting too?"
Ryan nodded with a smile: "Of course. In the Spider Family, heroes aren't measured by their scale. Even as an ordinary person, you, who have fought on the front lines against evil for years, have long been recognized by us as a great Superhero!"
Hearing this, Chief Stacy couldn't have been more pleased; his back, which had slumped slightly in disappointment, straightened right up.
The more he looked at Ryan, the more satisfied he became!
Look at that, this is my silver-tongued son-in-law, not like that imposter who made him want to pull his gun the moment he opened his mouth!
Seeing that Chief Stacy had been coaxed into a good mood with just a few words, a mysterious smile played on Ryan's lips:
"Furthermore, I might need Father-in-law's help with a few small favors this time. I want to introduce you to a new daughter, introduce a new Chief to your precinct, and trouble your station to cooperate with the Spider Family's next operation..."
Chief Stacy:???
A minute later, at the Parker Family home.
Chief Stacy looked at the Long-Haired Gwen on his left, then at the Short-haired Gwen on his right, and he was completely numb!
He couldn't tell them apart; he really couldn't tell them apart anymore!
Just now, facing that fake Ryan, he could immediately sense something was wrong and recognize him as an imposter.
But this time, facing two identical Gwens, he truly couldn't distinguish which daughter was the fake!
His Police intuition had failed for the first time because he now felt that both were his real daughter!
But how was that possible? He was certain his wife hadn't had twins when she gave birth to Gwen, so how could there be two identical daughters!
It must be a monster like the one that disguised itself as Ryan earlier!
Thinking of this, while both Gwens wore expressions of wanting to laugh but not daring to, Chief Stacy carefully sidled up to Ryan and whispered:
"Ryan, one of them is fake, right? Quick, use that Ryan-Sense of yours to see who the real Gwen is. My Police intuition seems to have failed..."
Ryan:...
What the hell is a 'Ryan-Sense'?
Ryan's mouth twitched as he glanced at Chief Stacy, saying speechlessly, "Father-in-law, didn't I tell you I wanted to introduce you to a new daughter?"
"Neither of them is fake; both are real, both are your daughters, and your Police intuition hasn't failed..."
Hearing this, Chief Stacy still found it inconceivable, muttering, "Impossible, absolutely impossible. How could such a thing happen? My Police intuition must have failed!"
Seeing Chief Stacy's expression of doubting his very existence, Ryan sighed and facepalmed, casually tossing the unconscious Gravik—who was already rolling his eyes—onto the floor.
Then, under the astonished gazes of the others, Ryan's body shifted, his tall frame began to shrink, and he actually transformed into Gwen's appearance as well!
He had absorbed an unknown amount of Skrull flesh back at the building, so he had naturally long since acquired the Skrulls' shapeshifting ability.
However, this shapeshifting ability had no practical combat effect, so Ryan had never used it.
He never expected that the first time he used it, it would be to turn into his girlfriend...
Life is truly unpredictable...
Ryan, in Gwen's form, stood between the two Gwens and looked at Chief Stacy with dead fish eyes: "Now, look again..."
Upon hearing this, Chief Stacy looked up, his eyes widening as he stared at the three identical daughters. His lost intuition returned instantly, and he pointed at the Ryan in the middle without hesitation, stating firmly, "You're the fake!"
Ryan shrugged at this, saying with Gwen's face, "See, I told you your intuition didn't disappear. Do you believe they're both your daughters now?"
"I... I believe it..." Chief Stacy truly believed it now, looking at the two... uh, three Gwens with a complex gaze...
Seeing that Chief Stacy believed him, Ryan prepared to change back to his original form, but before he could, his left and right hands were grabbed by the Gwens on either side.
Ryan turned his head to see both Gwens looking at him with glowing eyes, saying in unison, "Wait, don't change back yet, what we want is Gwen!"
Ryan:?
====================
Chapter 228: The Art of Language; Chief Stacy Gets Bamboozled
Seeing Ryan looking dazed while wearing their appearance, the two Gwens became even more excited.
They hugged Ryan's arms even tighter!
Now, some curious viewers might want to ask: Gwen, Gwen, what are you two trying to do?
Gwen: I want to!
But don't get the wrong idea; the two Gwens didn't want to 'grind' with Ryan. They weren't lesbians.
They simply felt that Ryan, transformed into their likeness, was very different and quite interesting!
Imagine it: Ryan, who usually had a strong personality, a tall build, and always held the dominant position, had suddenly turned into a cute girl. Who could resist going up and giving him a 'rua'?
Not to mention the two Gwens, who were always the ones being 'rua'd' by Ryan.
If they didn't 'rua' him now while he was 'weak,' then when?
The two Gwens could 'rua' all they wanted, but as Ryan watched the two pairs of hands on his body moving higher and higher, he really couldn't take it anymore!
His form shifted again, rapidly growing taller. By the time the two Gwens' hands climbed up, they only felt two firm pectoral muscles.
Even though Ryan had changed back to pectorals, they were still bigger than theirs...
But it didn't matter. If they were small, they were small; they could just make up for it with quantity.
B + B = C, right?~
Ryan, back in his original form, wrapped his arms around the waists of the two restless Gwens and said helplessly, "Alright, stop messing around. My parents and my father-in-law are still watching..."
Hearing this, the two Gwens looked up and indeed saw the stunned Chief Stacy, along with May and Ben.
The three elders' brains were currently on the verge of crashing.
What was going on?
It was one thing for there to be two Gwens, but why could Ryan also turn into Gwen?
And even if Ryan could turn into Gwen, why were both Gwens so intimate with him?
Especially Chief Stacy, Gwen's father; the way he glared at Ryan now looked like he was about to eat him alive!
If he hadn't just returned from a trip and was without his gear, he probably would have pulled out his police shotgun and aimed it at Ryan's head by now!
But even without his gear, Chief Stacy walked up to Ryan with an unfriendly gaze, gritting his teeth as he said, "Kid, you'd better explain to me why both of my daughters are so close to you!"
Facing the aggressive Chief Stacy, Ryan didn't even let go of the two Gwens' waists. He simply shrugged slightly and smiled:
"Father-in-law, the Lord once said that everyone's destiny is predetermined. Just as Gwen is destined to be your daughter, she will be your daughter in every Universe."
"And Gwen and I are also destined to fall in love. The only difference is that in the countless parallel Universes, there might be more than one Gwen, but there is only one of me."
"So, with both Gwens falling in love with the 'me' they were destined to love, I can bring them both the same happiness. Accepting this fated connection shouldn't be a problem, right?"
Chief Stacy:?
As a member of a Catholic family, Chief Stacy was completely dazed by Ryan's words.
Not only was Chief Stacy stunned, but even May and Ben were completely bewildered by Ryan.
But amidst his confusion, Ben secretly gave Ryan a thumbs-up behind May's back and mouthed to him:
Son, well done!
Ryan also quietly returned an 'OK' gesture to his old man, indicating that everything was under control.
"Father-in-law, we can talk about these small matters later. Right now, we need to handle another much more important issue—a major event concerning the safety of all mankind!"
Without waiting for Chief Stacy to react to his words, Ryan changed the subject, shifting the focus to the unconscious Gravik on the ground.
Hearing this, Chief Stacy followed Ryan's gaze to Gravik, who lay on the ground with a bloody head, unconscious.
Although the matter of his two daughters wasn't a small thing to him—especially both of them liking the same person—it certainly wasn't trivial.
However, for the upright and responsible Chief Stacy, the major event Ryan mentioned regarding the safety of all mankind was indeed more significant than his daughters' private affairs.
Besides, even if both daughters loved Ryan, Ryan certainly wouldn't hurt them.
But this shapeshifting bastard was a different story!
His intuition had sensed naked malice coming from the other party earlier!
Without realizing it, Chief Stacy had been led astray by Ryan's few words, diminishing his dissatisfaction with both daughters liking Ryan.
Watching everyone quiet down, Ryan used the Tesseract to open a spatial portal once again.
This time, the portal led to an underground prison.
It was the prison located beneath Parker Tower, specifically used for detaining and interrogating supervillains.
For example, Deadpool and Snake Cap, who had been held here before.
At this moment, Deadpool and Snake Cap had already received the news and were waiting in the underground prison.
Not just them; the entire Spider Family, including the newly joined Hawkeye and Dr. Octopus, were also waiting here.
Before going to England, Ryan had notified everyone to gather here for an emergency meeting.
They were waiting here, naturally, to interrogate the two captured Skrulls.
Although Ryan had many ways to immediately obtain the information they knew—such as using the Symbiote or the Mind Stone to read their memories—
Doing so would be too lenient, considering what these Skrulls had done to humanity.
One must know that while the high-ranking humans replaced by the Skrulls were indeed only imprisoned at the Nuclear Base for memory extraction and hadn't died,
Most of the other ordinary humans they replaced had truly disappeared forever.
Otherwise, how could the Skrulls have lived as individual humans for so long without being discovered?
Wasn't it because those they replaced had been silenced by the Skrulls who took their places?
And these Skrulls could replace those people without any cost, enjoying everything they had spent most of their lives accumulating.
Money, houses, cars, even your lover...
All of these, with just a thought, could be taken away from your life by a Skrull!
Oh, and that includes your life!
Ryan's view on these parasites who wantonly stole other people's lives was that they should be repaid for their actions with the most cruel methods!
And having Captain America, whose brain had been washed by HYDRA, and Deadpool, whose brain wasn't very good to begin with, handle the interrogation was clearly the most appropriate choice...
Holding a Skrull by the back of the neck in each hand, Ryan threw Gravik and Jia at the feet of Deadpool and Snake Cap like livestock, saying coldly:
"They're in your hands. Before they die, I want to know everything about the Skrulls on Earth..."
"Understood, BOSS!" Hearing this, Deadpool and Snake Cap's lips curled into cruel arcs. They skillfully grabbed a Skrull by the ankle each and dragged the two terrified, struggling individuals into adjacent interrogation rooms.
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