Su Yi's sudden, silent appearance as the Spider-Bully froze the thugs in their tracks. Even these hardened criminals, who largely ignored the news, had heard the whispering rumors of the "car-lifting vigilante" and the "thermal underwear man." Seeing the dark, intimidating figure of the Spider-Bully materialize, reflecting the cold, dim alley light, sent a spike of primal fear through them.
"What is this thing?" one thug whimpered.
"Who cares what it is? Can it stop bullets?" another yelled, pulling his pistol and emptying the magazine in a frantic, wild spray.
Su Yi didn't bother to move. His Bodily Suit instantly expanded a shimmering, transparent shield of concentrated energy, entirely enveloping both himself and the terrified Gwen Stacy. The bullets ricocheted harmlessly off the barrier.
"Monster! He's a monster!" the thugs shrieked, realization dawning that their conventional weaponry was useless. They broke formation, scrambling to escape the alley.
Su Yi wouldn't allow it. Activating his Level 5 Speed, he became a blur of dark motion. His combat suit wasn't merely a static costume; it morphed and extended, conjuring multiple whip-like, tentacular appendages to grapple and trip the fleeing criminals.
Under the cover of night, the Spider-Bully transformed into a terrifying spectacle—a dark, spider-like demon. The brief, brutal confrontation was filled with the sickening sounds of impact and painful howls. In less than twenty seconds, every thug was on the ground, incapacitated.
The Bodily Suit instantly retracted, reforming into its sleek, dark silhouette. The thugs, paralyzed by pain and terror, stared at the retreating darkness.
"Speak," Su Yi commanded, his voice a cold, metallic snarl. "Who sent you to kidnap this girl?"
The criminals were incoherent, cowering in fear. "You're a demon! You're not human! I don't know anything!"
Su Yi crouched low in front of the largest thug, the mask over his face momentarily shifting into a jagged, unsettling, Venom-like grin. The end of his finger hardened and narrowed, resembling a tiny, metallic parasite.
"Do you know what this is?" Su Yi whispered, his voice dangerously soft. "It's an autonomous biomechanical organism. It specializes in consuming neurological tissue."
He tapped the terrified man's forehead with the metallic point.
"When this little worm crawls into your nose and then into your brain, it eats away at your consciousness, piece by painful piece. I imagine few people have experienced that feeling. Would you like to try?"
The thug completely lost control, sobbing uncontrollably. "No! Please! I don't want to! I didn't say anything!"
Su Yi's eyes narrowed. "I see. There's someone you fear even more than a demon who can block bullets." He stood up, turning away dismissively. "The Kingpin. The man who owns this city's underworld."
The thugs collectively flinched. The reaction confirmed his suspicion.
Su Yi turned his attention back to Gwen. "Are you alright?"
Gwen, shaking but utterly mesmerized, tentatively reached out. "You... you really are the Spider-Bully."
Su Yi pulled down his mask, revealing his face—the familiar, handsome face of her classmate, Su Yi. "I told you. Now listen. You need to call your father and report this. These men were clearly targeting you because of him. He needs to be extremely careful."
Gwen nodded, suppressing the massive surge of conflicting emotions—fear, shock, and profound gratitude. "I will."
"I'll observe the area from the rooftops to ensure no one else comes for you. Goodnight, Gwen."
"Goodnight," she whispered, watching him turn and launch himself onto the fire escape, disappearing in a silent vertical ascent.
Su Yi kept watch until he saw the NYPD lights and the imposing figure of Captain George Stacy arrive on the scene. Only then did he return to his villa, his mind focused on the unsettling revelation.
He ate a late dinner, analyzing the logic behind the kidnapping attempt.
Why would Kingpin target George Stacy's daughter?
Kingpin's motivation was always the same: control. Stacy, as the Captain of the NYPD, was a man of incorruptible moral fiber, a powerful obstacle to Fisk's complete domination of the city's corruption.
"Fisk wants to control George," Su Yi murmured, tapping his fork against the table. "He wants to neutralize the Captain's integrity by using his daughter as leverage. It's crude, but effective."
Su Yi's gaze turned cold. He had planned to leave Kingpin to Daredevil and the soon-to-be-activated Gwen Stacy, viewing Fisk as useful practice for his adopted heroes. But crossing the line to target Gwen changed everything.
Kingpin cannot be allowed to live.
Su Yi knew the inherent difficulty of dealing with Fisk. His wealth, political connections, and legal maneuvering made him untouchable by conventional means. In the comics, Fisk's prison sentences were often soft barriers; he could continue to operate thanks to his powerful network.
"The legal system won't hold him," Su Yi concluded. "Superheroes have to fight with one hand tied behind their backs, but Kingpin fights dirty. The only way to stop him permanently is... permanence."
He knew he couldn't personally become an executioner in a world he wanted to nurture with heroes.
"I'll need to talk to Lao Tie (Tony Stark) about building a new kind of prison," Su Yi mused, a chilling smirk forming on his face. "A place where Fisk can be completely isolated and monitored. But if all else fails..."
Su Yi's eyes flashed with lethal intent.
"Kingpin, you forced my hand. You jumped out of the shadows and targeted someone I care about. You're dead, and neither your lawyers nor your connections can save you. But first, you will serve as the final training dummy for the new Spider-Woman."
He finished his meal, deciding to wait until after the Osborn Industries field trip.
Meanwhile, at the Stacy apartment, Gwen was safely home. She managed to stammer out the basics of the attack, claiming a "dark figure" saved her.
Captain George Stacy, already suspicious of masked vigilantes, dismissed the "Spider-Bully" as a symptom of a collapsing society, leading to a tense, unresolved argument with his daughter. Gwen, distraught, retreated to her room.
She picked up her phone, her heart still pounding from the sight of Su Yi's face beneath the terrifying mask. He was a hero. He saved my life.
She practiced her lines several times before finally hitting the call button.
"Hey, Su," she said, trying to sound casual, though her voice shook.
"Gwen, is something the matter?" Su Yi's voice was gentle, knowing exactly why she was calling.
"I... I just wanted to say thank you again. If it weren't for you, I..."
Su Yi interrupted her, sensing the moment was ripe and refusing to let her slide back into the friend zone. "Gwen, is that all you wanted to say? Just thank you?"
"Huh? I..." she stammered, completely flustered.
Su Yi seized the opening, making his move with the precision of a trained assassin—or an advanced relationship cultivator.
"Gwen, I like you. Be my girlfriend."
Su Yi has just put his feelings on the line for Gwen, immediately following a dramatic, life-saving rescue.