"I'm Ethan Hayes, Gwen's boyfriend, glad to see you're okay, sir," Ethan stretched out his hand toward George Stacy.
"I'm glad to meet you too," George replied, his serious face softening slightly as he scrutinized Ethan, a habit he had honed from years as a policeman. For his daughter's rare choice, his initial impression of Ethan wasn't bad. The young man in front of him didn't exhibit the arrogance or casual demeanor that George had come to expect from many young people. Instead, Ethan appeared confident, mature, and respectful.
The two shook hands firmly before Ethan turned to Gwen's mother.
"Hi, ma'am," Ethan said, extending his hand to Tracy.
"Call me Trish," she responded warmly, her expression kind as she sized him up.
"Have we met before?" Ethan asked with a friendly smile, though he already knew the answer.
Gwen laughed and interjected, "Mom, didn't you say that Mr. Smith next door sold his house? Ethan is your new neighbor."
Tracy's eyes widened in surprise, "Really?"
"Yes, Trish," Ethan confirmed, though internally he sighed. He hadn't anticipated living this close to Gwen's parents, and it would undoubtedly make his secret activities more complicated in the future.
George chuckled, though a hint of suspicion remained in his eyes. "Quite a coincidence," he said, as his mind automatically began analyzing Ethan's background, a habit formed from years of working in law enforcement. George's instincts told him there was more to Ethan than met the eye. Nevertheless, he didn't jump to any negative conclusions just yet.
"I think this apartment is great," Ethan said, gesturing toward the building. "Being so close to the police station gives it a sense of security. I figure living next to you, sir, will definitely help me sleep more peacefully at night."
"That's certainly true," Trish said, clearly pleased with the compliment.
George, however, was still evaluating Ethan, his mind racing with questions. He was a cop through and through, and the fact that this seemingly well-off young man had moved in next door—so close to his family—meant he would be running a background check soon enough.
Gwen, noticing her father's intense gaze, took his hand. "Dad, you're injured. Do you need to rest for a bit?" she asked, her voice full of concern.
George shook his head stubbornly. "There's no time to rest. That monster is still on the loose, and I need to get back to the police station to take charge. Too many people were hurt," he said bitterly, his voice filled with anger.
Gwen's face paled. She feared what might happen if her father ever discovered her secret identity as the Ghost Spider. The thought made her anxious.
"I'll leave the hospital soon and return to the police station. Ethan, you should come by our place sometime," George said, eyeing Ethan carefully. "We'll have a chat."
Ethan smiled politely. "It would be an honor, sir."
George showed no sign of prejudice, despite Ethan not being white. He respected his daughter's decision. He had encountered many Chinese families during his career, most of whom were hardworking and law-abiding. In his experience, they had the lowest crime rates in the city.
"Sir, since your hand is injured, how about I drive you to the station?" Ethan offered, taking the opportunity to get closer to Gwen's father.
Gwen added her voice, "Dad, let Ethan take you. We'll drop you off and then head home."
George thought for a moment before nodding in agreement.
During the drive, Trish made small talk with Ethan, asking him about his life. Ethan answered smoothly, keeping the conversation light. Soon, they arrived at the police station.
George, preoccupied with thoughts of the Lizardman incident on the Manhattan Bridge, wasted no time in getting out of the car. The casualties had been significant, and the public was outraged. Politicians, senators, and even the president had weighed in on the matter. Pressure was mounting on George from every direction.
"Hao, you must come by tonight for my lemon bass," Trish said warmly as they drove away, extending an invitation for dinner.
Ethan's mind flashed to the scene from The Amazing Spider-Man when Peter Parker had dinner with Gwen's family and enjoyed the lemon bass. Gwen winked at him playfully, making it impossible to say no.
"Of course, I'd be happy to join," Ethan replied with a smile.
Back at his apartment, Ethan finally had a moment to himself. He breathed a sigh of relief and checked his system status.
Name: Ethan Hayes
Wealth Value: 48,775W points (can be used to improve Ability)
Desire Points: 832W points (can be used to break through)
Abilities:
• Frozen Fruit (Control. Level 1 +)
• Psychic Immunity (Passive +)
• Water Control Magic (Control +)
Skills:
• Phantom Fist (Transformation +)
Tasks:
1. Destined Encounter: Facing a special heroine, you can form a super-friendship and receive significant rewards. Task reward: Blue Blind Box (optional stacking). Task attributes: Independent branches, unlimited tasks.
2. Task: Establish Prestige 1, contact the Mutant Brotherhood, and meet Magneto. Demonstrate your strength and show that your majesty cannot be violated. Mission Level: Blue.
3. Task: Establish Prestige 2, contact S.H.I.E.L.D. agents and form a deterrent. Gain 200,000 Desire Points and show them the power you possess. Mission Level: Blue.
Ethan noted with satisfaction that his desire points had increased by 200,000, a direct result of his growing bond with Gwen. "Seems like super-friendly wrestling really pays off," Ethan thought wryly. However, his wealth value hadn't increased—his investments were still locked up in the stock market.
The system also notified him that the long-term Destined Encounter task had triggered again, earning him another blue blind box.
He recalled that the last time he completed this task with Jessica Jones, he received the passive skill of psychic immunity. That skill hadn't enhanced his physical strength, but it had given him immunity to mind control and psychic attacks.
"Now, with Natasha Romanoff and Mystique, there's more potential for super-friendly relations," Ethan mused. While it might be risky, the rewards would be worth it, especially if he could stack multiple blue blind boxes and upgrade them.
"The blue blind boxes can be synthesized into cyan, and with enough, I'll eventually get a red one," he thought, his eyes gleaming. He knew the potential rewards could become even greater.
As he considered his next move, Ethan thought about the Lizardman incident. It seemed like the perfect opportunity for him to showcase his powers, but he was curious as to why the system hadn't triggered a new task related to the event.
"If I play my cards right, maybe I can use water control magic to deal with the Lizardman and harvest a wave of desire points," Ethan said to himself, eager to see how things would unfold next.
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