Can't sleep.
Gwen lay in bed, staring at the "pigeon" on the ceiling, tossing and turning, changing positions several times, but her mind just wouldn't quiet down.
That look from Dad.
She closed her eyes, and the image of George sitting in the living room watching her would automatically pop up. That gaze—scrutinizing, observing, thoughtful—was like a soft blade, hanging over her heart.
Does he already know?
Or is he just suspicious?
Gwen rolled over and buried her face in the pillow.
What would happen if he knew she was Spider-Woman?
Would he be angry? Disappointed? Or would he—
She didn't dare to think further.
She reached for her phone and took a look: exactly nine o'clock at night.
Gwen took a deep breath and sat up.
Fine.
If she couldn't sleep, she wouldn't.
It was time for Spider-Woman to take action.
She opened the closet; her new white and pink suit hung quietly inside. Moonlight shone through the window, plating the suit with a silver edge.
Gwen changed into the suit, her movements faster than ever before.
As for the old red and blue suit—after washing it, she had folded it and placed it in a storage box under the bed.
After all, it was the first one Peter had made by hand.
She couldn't bear to throw it away.
She walked to the window and pressed her earpiece.
"Alfred."
Peter's voice rang out immediately, carrying a hint of a smile.
"Received, Batman."
Gwen couldn't help but smile.
"Are we still going to Fisk Tower tonight?"
There was a second of silence from Peter's side.
"Uh... are you sure? We were discovered by Kingpin last time."
Gwen shook her head.
"We aren't going to him. Daredevil said that Kingpin and The Hand have close ties and have been working together for many years. I want to watch their communication channels."
The sound of typing came from Peter's side.
"Wait... let me look..."
After a dozen seconds, his voice sounded again.
"Found it. Suspected members of The Hand are active near the Brooklyn Docks. They are transporting something—thermal imaging shows boxes, but I don't know what's inside."
Gwen's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Send me the address."
"Sent." Peter paused. "Are you doing a follow-up shoot tonight?"
Gwen smiled.
"Of course. If you don't follow up, where would the front-page photos come from?"
Peter laughed too.
"Received. I've already got the motorcycle ready."
Gwen pushed open the window, and the night breeze rushed in, carrying the chill of early autumn.
She took a deep breath, flicked her wrist, and a strand of webbing shot toward the opposite rooftop. The white and pink figure leaped into the night.
Brooklyn Docks.
Gwen landed on top of a shipping container, overlooking the situation below.
Under the moonlight, several black figures were busy. They were unloading boxes one by one from a truck and stacking them at the edge of the dock. A speedboat was approaching from a distance, with a few people standing at the bow.
Ninjas from The Hand.
Gwen counted—eight people. Four were moving cargo, and four were on guard.
Her Spider-Sense hummed faintly, but not strongly. The threat level of these people was far inferior to Murakami.
"Gwen," Peter's voice sounded in her earpiece, "I see you. This angle is good; I'll take a few shots first."
Gwen didn't answer. She was observing.
Those boxes—ordinary wooden crates, but engraved with some strange symbols. Under the moonlight, those symbols faintly glowed with a dark red light.
The mark of The Hand.
Just then, a voice came from behind her.
"You noticed it too?"
Gwen turned around abruptly; her Spider-Sense pinged lightly—not a threat, but a familiar presence.
Daredevil stood three meters behind her, his red and black suit particularly striking in the moonlight.
Gwen breathed a sigh of relief.
"Can't you make some noise when you walk?"
Daredevil tilted his head slightly.
"I make noise. But you were too focused."
Gwen: "..."
He had said that line last time.
"How long have you been here?" she asked.
"I arrived before you." Daredevil stepped closer, overlooking the dock below with her. "I've been watching for half an hour."
Gwen looked at the ninjas below.
"What are they transporting?"
"Drugs," Daredevil said. "One of the main sources of income for The Hand. This cargo will be shipped out from the dock and distributed across the entire East Coast."
Gwen frowned.
"Just going to let them ship it?"
Daredevil turned his head to "look" at her. Behind the white lenses, Gwen couldn't see his eyes, but she could feel him scrutinizing her.
"What do you want to do?" he asked.
Gwen thought for a moment.
"Catch the people, seize the goods, call the Police."
Daredevil was silent for a second.
"And then?"
"What do you mean, 'and then'?"
"If these people are caught, new ones will take their place. If the goods are seized, there will be new goods." Daredevil's tone was calm, as if stating a fact. "The Hand won't stop because of one strike."
Gwen looked at him.
"So, you mean—don't catch them?"
Daredevil shook his head.
"I mean, we need a strategy."
He raised his hand and pointed to the dock below.
"Look at that boat."
Gwen looked in the direction he was pointing—the speedboat was approaching, and the person standing at the bow was wearing different clothes from the ordinary ninjas.
"That's a lieutenant of The Hand," Daredevil said. "He knows more than those laborers. If we can catch him and interrogate him for more clues—"
He paused.
"It's more valuable than just seizing a batch of goods."
Gwen understood.
"You want to play the long game?"
Daredevil nodded.
"At least catch a big fish."
Gwen looked at the people below, then back at Daredevil. He had been active in this area for so many years; his understanding of gangs was much deeper than hers.
"So what do we do now?"
The corners of Daredevil's mouth curved slightly—it was the first time Gwen had seen him smile.
"Work with me."
He leaped, landing in the darkness. Gwen followed closely behind.
Daredevil's tactic was simple: feint to the east, attack in the west. He attacked from the front first, attracting the attention of those ninjas. Gwen circled to the rear to cut off their retreat.
The plan went smoothly. When Daredevil landed in the center of the dock, the ninjas were clearly stunned for a moment. They hadn't expected anyone to launch a frontal assault—let alone the legendary "Devil of Hells Kitchen".
"Daredevil!" someone exclaimed.
Daredevil didn't give them time to react. His billy clubs traced two arcs in the air, precisely striking the back of two people's necks. Before those two could react, they collapsed to the ground.
The remaining people finally snapped out of it and rushed toward Daredevil. But they forgot—there was one more.
Gwen dropped down from the rear, flicking her wrists repeatedly, and several strands of webbing accurately wrapped around the ankles of those people. They were rushing forward, but suddenly pulled back, falling sprawling one by one.
Daredevil took the opportunity to step forward, his billy clubs striking repeatedly, knocking down everyone else. It took less than two minutes.
Eight people, all on the ground. Gwen landed beside him, looking at the groaning ninjas on the ground, and couldn't help but smile.
"Good teamwork."
Daredevil nodded and walked toward the speedboat. The lieutenant at the bow was about to flee, but Daredevil grabbed him by the collar and dragged him off the boat.
"Don't, don't kill me—"
Daredevil pinned him to the ground.
"Who asked you a question?"
He turned to Gwen.
"You want to do it?"
Gwen walked over and crouched in front of the lieutenant. The white lenses shone with a cold light in the moonlight, and the man was trembling all over with fear.
"I ask, you answer," Gwen said. "Understand?"
The lieutenant nodded desperately.
"Where is this cargo being sent?"
"The, the entire East Coast... Philadelphia, Boston, Washington..."
"Who is in charge of receiving it?"
"I, I don't know... I'm just responsible for transporting it to the next node..."
Gwen frowned. This kind of small fry really didn't know much. But she wasn't giving up.
"Has The Hand had any big moves recently?"
The lieutenant was stunned for a moment.
"Big, big moves..."
"Speak."
He hesitated for a moment.
"I heard... the higher-ups sent someone..."
"Sent who?"
The lieutenant's eyes darted away. Gwen raised her hand, and a strand of webbing wrapped around his neck, slowly tightening.
"Speak."
The man was so scared his face turned pale.
"I'll talk! I'll talk! It's Rhino! They sent Rhino to assassinate a Police officer!"
Gwen's heart skipped a beat.
"What Police officer?"
"His name... his name is George Stacy! He's a Captain of the NYPD!"
Gwen's mind buzzed. Rhino. Assassinating George. Her father.
"Spider-Woman!"
Daredevil's voice sounded, and at the same time, a hand pressed on her shoulder. Gwen snapped out of it and realized she had almost stood up just now.
She took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down.
"When?" she asked, her voice colder than she had expected.
"I, I don't know... sometime in the next few days..."
"Who gave the order?"
"Madame, Madame Gao... she gave the order herself..."
Gwen's hand slowly clenched. Madame Gao. It was her again.
Daredevil looked at her and was silent for a second. Then he crouched down and continued the interrogation.
"Where is Rhino now?"
"I, I don't know... he acts alone... we small fries can't get in touch with him..."
Daredevil asked a few more questions, but the man really didn't know any more. He stood up and looked at Gwen.
"Call the Police," he said.
Gwen nodded and pressed her earpiece.
"Peter, call the Police anonymously."
"Received." Peter's voice came through, carrying a hint of worry. "Gwen, I heard everything just now... your dad..."
"I know."
Gwen stood up and looked at the lieutenant on the ground. She had ten thousand questions she wanted to ask, but she knew this person had nothing more to say.
The sound of Police sirens came from afar.
"Let's go," Daredevil said.
Gwen nodded and was about to leave when she suddenly stopped.
"Daredevil."
He turned back.
"Thank you."
Daredevil nodded slightly.
"Be careful. Rhino is not easy to deal with."
He leaped and disappeared into the darkness.
Gwen stood where she was, took one last look at the lieutenant, then flicked her wrist, and a strand of webbing shot toward the opposite rooftop. The white figure leaped into the night sky.
Back on the rooftop, Gwen landed on a water tower, gasping for air.
"Gwen," Peter's voice sounded, carrying careful tenderness. "Are you okay?"
Gwen didn't answer. She stood in the night breeze, looking at the New York night scene in the distance. Fisk Tower was still there. The Hand's stronghold was still there. Madame Gao was still there. And now, they were targeting her father.
"Peter."
"Yeah?"
"Do you think, if my dad knew who I was, what would he think?"
Peter was silent for a few seconds.
"I don't know," he said honestly, "but I know that no matter who you are, he loves you."
Gwen's eyes felt a little sore. She took a deep breath and suppressed that emotion.
"Thank you, Peter."
"What are you thanking me for?"
"Thank you for always being there."
Peter laughed.
"It's nothing. We are—"
"Partners." Gwen finished his sentence. "I know."
Peter laughed out loud.
Gwen smiled too. The night breeze blew, stirring her cape. She looked at the distant lights and said silently in her heart: Madame Gao, you want to touch my father? Then just wait. Wait until I find you.
She leaped into the night, disappearing among the buildings of Manhattan. In the night sky, only a white arc remained, like a shooting star passing by.