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[Frog] Chapter 215: Alan’s Counterattack Begins, Hydra Spy
🕑 Added 2024-12-15 05:29:06 +0000 UTCAt Alan's home, Anna had just changed into a new outfit and was admiring herself in the mirror.
Proudly, she turned to Gwen behind her and asked, “Gwen, how do you like this new outfit I just bought?”
“It looks great, Cousin Anna,” Gwen replied with a smile.
“Dressed so beautifully, are you going out on a date?”
Anna rolled her eyes at Gwen and said, “Staying here would just interrupt someone’s private time.”
“So, I might as well go out and have some fun myself.”
“I haven’t had the chance to wander around New York in a long time.”
Gwen blushed, unable to think of a rebuttal. She truly did have something to discuss with Alan, but with Anna around, it didn’t feel appropriate to bring it up.
Sitting off to the side, Alan chuckled, “Anna’s planning to meet a friend.”
“She told me about it this morning.”
“I think the name was Helen Cho?”
Gwen’s eyes lit up. “Dr. Helen Cho from South Korea? The top scientist specializing in cellular regeneration?”
With Gwen’s reminder, Alan suddenly recalled who she was.
She was the one in Avengers: Age of Ultron who had been mind-controlled by Ultron using the Mind Stone. Using her expertise in cellular technology and vibranium, she created the body that would become Vision.
Although Vision didn’t achieve extraordinary feats with that body, Alan clearly remembered that in one parallel universe, Ultron had taken control of it.
After that, Ultron slaughtered an entire universe and collected all the Infinity Stones, achieving multiversal-level power.
“So, she’s your friend, Cousin Anna?” Gwen asked, her face glowing with admiration.
Anna smiled and explained, “We met back when I was travelling and became friends over time.”
“You seem to know a lot about her.”
“I’ve read several of her research papers,” Gwen admitted enthusiastically.
Anna nodded. “I’ll arrange for you two to meet sometime.”
“Well, I’m heading out now.”
After Anna walked out the door and the sound of the elevator descending faded, Gwen immediately turned to Alan, pouting with a hint of grievance.
“What’s wrong? You were fine just now. Why the sudden mood change?” Alan asked, glancing at her before returning to his book.
Gwen hesitated but finally spoke. “I trust you, Alan, but I still don’t understand why you won’t let the Red Queen help Emperor.”
“Today, I ran into a group of people on the street protesting against Emperor.”
“I thought we could use the Red Queen to identify the source of the rumors and clear his name on the spot.”
“But…”
Gwen didn’t finish her sentence.
“That’s what’s bothering you?” Alan asked.
Gwen nodded earnestly.
“In situations like this, stepping out to defend Emperor wouldn’t help,” Alan explained.
“It would only make things worse.”
“Why?” Gwen asked, confused.
“In those photos, it’s obvious you and Emperor are on the same side.”
“If you come forward to clarify, it wouldn’t hold any weight. Instead, the people behind the scenes could use it against you, claiming superheroes are just protecting each other.”
Patiently, Alan continued, “At that point, the backlash wouldn’t only target Emperor—it would include you too.”
“But…” Gwen hesitated. She had always thought of New York’s citizens as reasonable and fair-minded.
How could they become so blind in this situation?
It was Emperor who saved Manhattan, resurrecting those killed by Loki.
How had it all turned into his fault?
As she thought about it, Gwen felt a twinge of doubt in her heart.
“Alan…”
“Hmm?” Alan looked up, curious, and noticed the sadness in Gwen’s expression.
Gwen turned to Alan and asked, “Does this mean those people aren’t worth protecting? Or did we really do something wrong to make them hate us so much?”
When Gwen first decided to become a superhero, her intention was to use her powers to help as many people as possible. But during her time as a superhero, she had endured a lot.
She often checked social media for news and reports about Spider-Woman. Beneath these articles, alongside the praise and approval, there were plenty of doubts and even verbal abuse.
Gwen had always brushed off those comments, understanding that they came from bored online trolls hiding behind their screens, people who wouldn’t dare act out in real life.
But the events of this morning had completely shattered her perspective.
Emperor, like her, was protecting everyone. Yet somehow, he had become the target of public resentment and ostracism.
For the first time, Gwen felt a flicker of fear: what if those same internet trolls came out from behind their screens and turned against her?
Had she become a superhero just to protect these ingrates?
After all, she was still just a regular college student.
Seeing Gwen’s confusion and inner turmoil, Alan set down his book and moved to sit beside her, gently pulling her into his arms.
“Alan, I suddenly feel like being a superhero is meaningless,” Gwen said softly.
“We’ve done so much, saved so many people, and yet all it takes is one slanderous article to erase everything.”
Her voice carried a hint of tears. Gwen had only ever wanted to be a hero, but she hadn’t anticipated the immense pressure that came with it. Without Alan by her side, she wouldn’t even know who to confide her feelings in.
As he held the distressed Gwen, Alan spoke calmly, “You are who you are, Gwen. You’re both Gwen and Spider-Woman. What you’ve done doesn’t need anyone’s validation. As long as your conscience is clear, that’s enough.”
“Thank you, Alan.”
In truth, simply voicing her feelings made Gwen feel much better. Even she wasn’t sure if it was Alan’s comfort or the act of unburdening herself that helped more.
All she knew was that when Alan embraced her, the safety and reassurance she felt washed away most of her grievances.
In that moment, the image of him in her heart became even clearer.
“Don’t worry,” Alan said, his tone firm. “Leave the rest to me. I’ll make sure the people behind these lies pay the highest price.”
“For now, go play with Pikachu. Ever since Anna came, he hasn’t been out much.”
At the mention of Pikachu, Gwen immediately lifted her head from Alan’s shoulder.
“Oh right, where’s Pikachu?” she asked.
He had fought alongside her during the battle in New York, after all.
“When Red Queen brought Anna back, she also brought Pikachu with her,” Alan explained.
“He played a big role this time, so I rewarded him with plenty of fun and delicious treats. He’s probably still in his room. Go check on him.”
Gwen quickly got up and headed to Pikachu’s room. She had almost forgotten about the little guy.
If Pikachu knew Gwen had forgotten him, he would probably sulk for a while.
After Gwen left, the Red Queen’s holographic projection appeared before Alan.
“Master, I’ve completed the investigation you requested,” Red Queen reported.
“Speak,” Alan said, his voice turning cold.
If the other side wanted to play games, he would gladly oblige. Alan didn’t care how the public perceived Emperor, but if this incident involved Gwen, that was a different story.
“As you suspected, the footage was taken from Stark Tower, but J.A.R.V.I.S.’s system was breached, allowing the footage to be stolen,” Red Queen said.
“The person responsible for stealing the footage was someone within S.H.I.E.L.D.”
Alan stroked his chin, his mind already forming a clear idea of who was behind it—or rather, which group of people.
“We’ve also identified a few suspects. The most likely one died earlier today in an ‘accident’ during a routine mission,” Red Queen added.
...
—(To be continued)—
