"Is this what caused all the commotion earlier?"
Anna stood by the balcony, looking down at Thirteenth Street.
A group of detectives was busy arresting suspects, with faint traces of spider webs still visible.
"Looks like Spider-Woman caught those guys again."
"She's such an interesting superhero."
At the same time, Anna noticed a homeless man lying by a trash bin not far away.
However, this "homeless man" was unusual.
Currently, the entire neighborhood was quiet, and Anna herself was dressed simply.
Down below on Thirteenth Street,
Mystique sat by the trash bin, appearing just like any ordinary homeless person, without raising suspicion.
Her sharp eyes, though half-closed, were fixed on the balcony above, watching through her bangs.
Only after Anna stepped back inside did Mystique withdraw her gaze and turn to look at the group of detectives.
"Chief, we found all the stolen goods, and there's also... a card here," a detective said to his superior.
"A card?"
"Yes, this one..."
The detective, wearing white gloves, held up a card featuring a cute, doodled spider face and a handwritten note: "Spider-Woman was here!"
The chief smiled knowingly at the card. "Pack it up!"
"Take the stolen goods and the robbers back."
With that, the group left Thirteenth Street in a bustling procession.
Shortly after the detectives departed, many windows in the neighborhood lit up.
A little while later, the street fell silent again.
Mystique rose and walked toward the apartment.
She entered the building and took the elevator.
...
Inside Alan's home,
Alan, who was meditating as part of his mental training, was suddenly interrupted by Red Queen's voice: "Master, there is an incident."
Alan's brow furrowed slightly. "What happened?"
A screen appeared before him, displaying a scene that made his expression shift: "Gwen?"
"Why is she going to the apartment?"
Quickly, Alan realized something was off. "Didn't Gwen go after the robbers and head home afterward?"
"Red Queen, where is Gwen now?"
Red Queen immediately projected Gwen's current route; she was already on her way home.
This meant that the Gwen in the elevator was definitely not the real Gwen.
"So, the Brotherhood finally made their move..."
"They couldn't hold back any longer?"
Only one person came to Alan's mind—someone who could flawlessly change their appearance at will: Mystique from the Brotherhood of Mutants.
There was no other possibility.
"Master, should I notify Miss Gwen?"
"No need. Even if Gwen came now, she wouldn't be able to help."
"I'll handle this myself. Since Magneto's target is me, I'll go meet him personally."
Alan stood up from the yoga mat. With a thought, a golden light descended from above, enveloping his entire body.
When the light dispersed, he was clad in a majestic, imposing Emperor armor.
"If my guess is correct, her target should be Anna."
"She'll deal with Anna first, then impersonate her to get close to me..."
"Magneto, you're quite the strategist..."
With a flash, Alan's figure vanished from the room.
As Alan departed, Red Queen also closed her eyes lightly, and all the lights in the whole room went out at this moment.
...
Knock, knock, knock...
Anna, who was just about to go to sleep, suddenly heard a knock at the door.
She frowned slightly—who would come knocking at this hour?
Recalling all the news she had read about women living alone being attacked, Anna felt a sense of apprehension.
She tiptoed to the kitchen and picked up the kitchen knife that Alan often used.
Walking carefully to the door, she looked through the peephole.
When she saw who was standing outside, she let out a sigh of relief.
As she opened the door, she muttered, "Gwen, can you announce yourself next time you come over?"
"I almost thought some weirdo or creep was knocking on the door of a woman living alone this late at night."
'Gwen' smiled, "Anna, it's good for someone as beautiful as you to be cautious."
"But you're safe now. Hand me the knife."
"I'll put it back."
'Gwen' reached out. "What are you doing here so late?"
"Don't mention it, Anna,"
"Alan is so boring, so I came over here. My dad isn't coming home tonight either."
"So I thought I'd stay over and keep you company."
"What, are you not happy to see me?"
Gwen, who had put the knife away, took Anna's arm and playfully acted like a little girl begging for attention.
Anna smiled, "Alright, alright."
"It's been a while since we sisters have spent time—"
Suddenly, a noise came from the bedroom.
'Gwen' jumped, startled, "What was that, Anna?"
"Gwen, wait here."
"I actually brought you a gift when I came back, but I haven't had a chance to give it to you."
"Wait, I'll go get it from the room."
'Gwen' smiled, "I'll come with you."
"No need, it's something you'll really like..."
"You stay right here."
As Anna turned to head into the room with a cheerful expression, 'Gwen'—who was really Mystique—sneered, a cold glint in her eyes.
Toying with ordinary people with her shape-shifting ability was her greatest joy.
During these missions, Mystique most loved the disbelief on her target's face in their final moments.
That expression was the ultimate validation of her talent.
"Don't worry, Anna."
"I'm sure your expression will be the best I've ever seen."
"I promise."
'Gwen' waited in the living room with a smile, expecting Anna to return.
One minute...
Two minutes...
Three minutes...
...
Nearly ten minutes passed, and an uneasy feeling suddenly crept into 'Gwen's' mind.
But she quickly dismissed it.
Her disguise was flawless—how could a mere ordinary person possibly detect it?
"Anna?"
'Gwen' called out toward the room, but there was no response.
Panic flashed across 'Gwen's' face. "This is bad!"
She rushed to the door and twisted the handle hard.
With a creak, the door opened.
The moment the door swung open, 'Gwen's' smile froze.
"Anna, what's wrong?"
"It's me, Gwen..."
But standing before her was Anna, with her stunning figure fully on display.
In her hands, she held a Beretta handgun, aimed directly at 'Gwen's' forehead.
One wrong move and Anna wouldn't hesitate to pull the trigger.
While Mystique could transform at will, she didn't possess the bulletproof resilience of someone like Wolverine.
Facing a gun pointed at her head, a bead of cold sweat trickled down 'Gwen's' forehead.
"Anna, there's been a misunderstanding."
"Look closely, I'm Gwen."
"Drop the act. I knew you weren't Gwen from the moment you walked in."
"Who are you really?"
The exposed Mystique's blue scales rippled across her skin as she shifted back to her true form.
Seeing the blue-skinned mutant in front of her, Anna's pupils contracted: "Mystique..."
Mystique wasn't surprised that Anna recognized her and instead asked, "How did you figure it out...?"
...
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