I'M IN MARVEL

On the balcony of the seventh floor of the bookstore, Russell was shirtless and lying on a wooden rocking chair, enjoying the sun.

He felt uneasy sunbathing and eating cantaloupe.

+1, +1, +1

After the second level of the panel, the power of the talent [Energy Drain] to absorb physical energy had improved significantly.

Russell could now be described as a human-shaped, self-regulating air conditioner, providing warmth in winter and coolness in summer.

Unfortunately, unlike Kryptonians, his physique couldn't be enhanced just by absorbing sunlight.

After all, the two are fundamentally different.

For Russell, sunlight was simply energy.

For Kryptonians, like Superman or Supergirl, sunlight acts as a catalyst that unlocks their physical potential and enhances their abilities.

What's even more disappointing is that the efficiency of converting attribute points from natural energy wasn't as efficient as from magical energy.

But a steady flow of power was still better than none.

"Russell, Mr. Coulson from S.H.I.E.L.D. is here to see you."

"Well~, let him come over," Russell replied lazily, remaining in his chair with no intention of getting up.

"Mr. Coulson, I'm sorry," Russell started to apologize, though his tone was anything but apologetic.

As he spoke, he pointed to the other rocking chairs nearby.

"It's so comfortable lying here. Do you want to try it?"

"Just call me Coulson, Russell," said the agent, stepping forward.

"Here's a gift from S.H.I.E.L.D."

Before Coulson had arrived, S.H.I.E.L.D. had already done some research into Russell and Gwen.

Although many of Russell's actions were shrouded in mystery, some things were clear:

1. Russell's identity file had discrepancies.

2. Russell had a connection to Kamar-Taj.

3. Russell possessed immense combat power and control over it.

S.H.I.E.L.D. had also received information about an incident in a military experiment years ago, resulting in the creation of a powerful green giant: The Hulk.

However, this Hulk was highly uncontrollable, and if deployed in battle, he would likely endanger friendly forces first.

Russell took the file from Coulson, glancing through it.

The file contained a sound recording and information about his nationality: Beautiful Country (China).

"Give me a green card. My country doesn't support dual citizenship," Russell said, pushing the file back with little interest.

Coulson raised an eyebrow, confused but nodded.

Although Russell appeared Asian, S.H.I.E.L.D. had speculated that he might not be from Earth at all.

Even if he were native to Earth, his activities and habits seemed anything but typical of someone from Asia.

Still confused, Coulson responded, "Okay."

"Russell, may I ask you about S.H.I.E.L.D.?"

"Wait a minute," Russell interrupted. "Today is Halloween, it's Sunday, and it's vacation time."

"Well, I wish you a happy Halloween in advance, Russell. S.H.I.E.L.D. has a lot to do, so I'll take my leave now."

Coulson, understanding the polite refusal, wisely excused himself.

The folks at Kamar-Taj were notoriously difficult to contact, but Coulson didn't plan to give up so easily. Business had to be conducted with tact and patience.

As long as Russell remained in New York, S.H.I.E.L.D. would have ample opportunities to win him over.

Russell sighed. Despite being an orphan, he still couldn't shake the feeling of homesickness.

Before he knew it, the sun had set and dusk was upon him.

"Russell, get up and get dressed for the party," Gwen called out, coming to the balcony.

"Why have you been sleeping for so long? Are you that weak?"

Despite having fought to suppress vampires earlier that morning, Russell's physical exhaustion and disrupted sleep were more than enough to make him rest.

But being extraordinary individuals with enhanced physical strength and rapid recovery speeds, it wasn't an issue for long.

Unlike Tony Stark, who was a habitual late-nighter and weak from lack of sleep.

"What, Gwen? Do you want to try it?" Russell asked, standing up and getting dressed with an eager look. He hadn't forgotten the "domestic violence" Gwen had put him through a few days ago.

Gwen shook her head, not looking for a rematch. Despite not fully understanding why Russell had suddenly grown stronger, his physical abilities now far surpassed hers.

"If you're done, let's head out. By the way, did you prepare the costumes and candies?"

"I'll keep the costumes ready at any time."

"You mean you didn't prepare any candies?"

"I'm sure trustworthy Gwen will handle that."

As night fell, the Halloween party proceeded as planned.

Russell was dressed in a three-piece mage suit: a wizard hat, yellow robe, and staff.

Gwen, on the other hand, wore her Spider-Woman suit and took on the role of Ghost-Spider.

"Look, it's Ghost-Spider!"

Spider-Man was a beloved figure in New York, and Gwen had already gained fame in the city, even though she had been here for less than a month.

A voice called out from the crowd, "Hey, over here!"

It was Irene, dressed as a mage.

In keeping with the arrangement, the Ancient One had cured Irene of her vampire heritage while retaining her physicality.

In a strange twist, Irene had become a mini-Superwoman.

"Trick or treat!" a small voice chirped from the crowd.

Russell looked down to see a little girl in a ghost cloak.

"Mini Gwen!" Russell said with a smile, recognizing her instantly.

He handed her the candy Gwen had prepared.

After receiving it, little Gwen looked up, her face full of curiosity. "How did you know I'm Gwen? And why do you call me Little Gwen?"

"Because there's another big Gwen here," Russell answered, gesturing toward Gwen beside him.

"Hello, Little Gwen," Gwen knelt down, her eyes level with the young girl's. She smiled warmly.

"I'm Gwen too—Gwen Stacy."

"Your name is Gwen Stacy too? Our names are the same!" Little Gwen exclaimed.

"Huh? We look alike, too," Gwen added, amused.

Just then, a young woman approached, her features strikingly similar to Gwen's but with a more mature allure.

It was Helen.

The faint image of Gwen's mother, which had been blurry in her memories, now became unmistakably clear.

She must be Helen!

"Mom~" little Gwen cooed. "I heard Ghost-Spider is here, so I came to see."

Helen, slightly scolding, replied, "Then you should've told me or George first."

After giving little Gwen a brief lecture, Helen turned to Russell and Gwen, apologizing, "Sorry about that, Gwen. Wait, are you the niece George mentioned who looks so much like me?"

Helen studied Gwen, her gaze shifting to one of realization. In a hushed tone, she asked, "Are you Gwen? Gwen from another world?"

Gwen's eyes welled up, her voice trembling. "Yes, I'm Gwen. Mom."

Without a second thought, Gwen rushed forward and embraced Helen.

Helen patted Gwen on the back, her voice soothing. "You've been through a lot, haven't you?"

More than a decade ago, Helen had often dreamt of a warm, loving family.

Her husband was a handsome man, a police officer, and their daughter had blond hair, a sweet and well-behaved child.

Later, she met George and had a daughter of her own.

She had mentioned these dreams to George, and they both believed them to be divine guidance.

Only now, seeing Gwen in person, did Helen realize the true meaning behind her dreams.

She had died, and George had raised Gwen alone.

Watching Gwen and Helen embrace, Russell quietly stepped away, giving them space to share their moment.

By the way, he thought, there was an unexpected visitor to deal with: Iron Man, Tony Stark.

The contract had been signed, and updates would continue. Stay tuned!

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