Chapter 23: The Greater the Power, the More the Girls

Web-slinging rescue!

Xu Wang, who was at the stern of the boat, was yanked away from the Lizard by Peter just in time! But Peter’s actions were, in the end, a step too slow. The Lizard’s sharp claws had already pierced through Xu Wang’s abdomen before he could act. Now, with such a violent pull from Peter, a massive amount of blood and viscera were immediately flung across the deck!

Peter’s pupils dilated in shock. He realized, too late, that his actions had been reckless. Like a patient stabbed by a blade, the weapon must never be removed until a professional surgeon is present; without the blade plugging the wound, it only triggers catastrophic hemorrhaging. Xu Wang was in that exact state. As the Lizard’s claws were withdrawn, a massive, gaping wound appeared across Xu Wang’s midsection. He was practically severed in two, with only a few strands of flesh on either side barely keeping his upper and lower torso connected.

Although Xu Wang had already died several times, he had to admit that this particular death was agonizingly painful. He was almost impressed with himself for being able to endure such torment.

"Xu Wang! Xu Wang! I’m sorry! I—I didn’t mean to..." Seeing Xu Wang pulled before him, his body mangled and broken, blood pooling everywhere, Peter panicked. He knelt beside Xu Wang in desperation, reaching out with both hands, trying to cover the wounds, but it was futile. This was the first time the young Spider-Man had confronted the death of someone close to him—and in such a bloody, brutal fashion. Though he hadn't known Xu Wang for long, Peter truly considered him his best friend. Watching him die because of his own mistake felt like a knife twisting in his heart. He couldn't accept it. In Peter’s eyes, if he hadn't been so immature, hadn't treated his role as a superhero so lightly, and had kept his eyes on the battlefield, Xu Wang wouldn't have stepped forward to face the Lizard just to buy him time.

"Hold on, just hold on! Dr. Connors’ lizard serum—it must be able to save you!" Peter’s mind raced, immediately thinking of the serum the Lizard had been using.

Upon hearing this, Xu Wang was terrified. He almost died of fright right then and there! Regardless of whether the serum could actually save him, Xu Wang could not risk such a potential "recovery." Using his final ounce of strength, he grabbed Peter and tremblingly handed him his compiled *Collection of Cheeky One-Liners*. Then, with a blood-stained finger, he drew a lollipop on the deck.

Peter knelt beside him, watching in confusion as Xu Wang drew the lollipop. "Xu Wang! Xu Wang! What does this mean?! I don't understand Chinese! Xu Wang!" Peter was frantic, desperate to understand his friend's final words.

Xu Wang struggled to grip Peter Parker’s hand with his blood-slicked fingers, wheezing out his final sentence, his voice no louder than a mosquito’s hum: "With great power... comes great... ch-chicks..."

He had wanted to say, "With great power, comes more chicks." Unfortunately, Xu Wang’s condition was far too critical. After holding his breath for so long, he couldn't even finish the joke he had been dying to pull on Peter.

*Thump.*

Mid-sentence, Xu Wang’s hand went limp and fell, crashing heavily onto the deck.

Xu Wang was dead.

Spider-Man’s senses were incredibly sharp. Peter could no longer feel Xu Wang’s breath or hear his heartbeat. He knew that in this moment, his most important friend had left him, killed by his own carelessness and underestimation of the enemy. Memories of his time with Xu Wang flashed through his mind. With a heavy heart, Peter closed Xu Wang’s eyes and slowly stood up. The atmosphere on the boat plunged to freezing.

Although Xu Wang hadn't finished his last words, Peter knew he must have meant, "With great power, comes great responsibility." It was a phrase Uncle Ben had often told him, but it wasn't until the moment Xu Wang died that Peter truly understood its meaning. Through the brilliance of his final moments, Xu Wang had taught Peter what it meant to be a hero.

"Little bug! Your abilities have something to do with the decay rate algorithm, don't they? Take off the mask and let me see who you are." The Lizard didn't care about Xu Wang’s death; he was more concerned with the origin of Peter’s powers.

Peter didn't answer the Lizard directly. He tucked away the *Collection of Cheeky One-Liners* Xu Wang had given him with care. Then, in a span of three seconds, he struck three poses, ending in Spider-Man’s classic crouch—legs spread, right hand clawing the ground—and roared, "A man filled with the grief and rage of a fallen friend! Four Hundred Mama!"

"What?!" Seeing Peter suddenly act like a completely different person, shouting such melodramatic lines, the Lizard was utterly bewildered.

"You will pay for what you have done!" Spider-Man bellowed with all his might. Just as the two were about to launch into a second round of intense combat, the *Iron Pillar* beneath their feet suddenly vanished! A chorus of splashes erupted as everyone on the fishing boat, caught completely off guard, plummeted into the river below!

Soaking in the icy water, everyone was left confused, unable to fathom what had happened. How could such a large boat simply disappear into thin air? Only Spider-Man realized with a heavy heart that not only was the boat gone, but Xu Wang’s body had vanished as well, leaving only his large backpack slowly sinking to the riverbed.

***

In the Wasteland world, by the side of a mountain road, Xu Wang’s corpse—its head crushed by a radioactive roe deer—began to regenerate at a rapid pace! A second later, Xu Wang snapped his eyes open! He gasped for air, finally pulling himself out of the agony of death. He felt as if every inch of his body was still in pain, as if the trauma inflicted by the Lizard still lingered.

*Boom!*

Just then, a dozens-of-tons luxury fishing boat fell from the sky, slamming into the pre-war road and cracking the pavement.

"Tie Zhu, transform back!" Xu Wang shouted.

With a series of metallic clanks and whirs, the luxury boat rapidly folded and shifted, transforming within seconds from an alloy vessel into a flesh-and-blood husky. The silly dog’s eyes were wide as saucers, staring at its surroundings in disbelief, as if it hadn't yet processed what had happened. *Where did you bring me?! Is this still the mainland?!*

Xu Wang ignored the questions in Tie Zhu’s mind. Seeing that he had actually managed to bring Tie Zhu back, he beamed with joy. However, when he reached behind his back, he realized the backpack full of rare supplies he had painstakingly collected hadn't come back with him—not even the bag itself! His grin quickly faded.

Since it was done, there was no other way... Xu Wang quickly adjusted his mood. The trip had been a success, all things considered; it wasn't a total loss. Trying his best to stay positive, he gritted his teeth and summarized the hidden functions of the flickering text:

First: Items from the Wasteland can be brought to other worlds without restriction. They can be brought over and brought back, provided they are on his person during the jump. He had experimented with this—a scrap of his shelter uniform left behind in the Long Island mansion hadn't returned with him.

Second: Items from other worlds cannot be brought back to the Wasteland unless they have been enhanced by the flickering text. Enhancement seems to act as a "mark" of ownership, making the item part of him and allowing it to travel across realities. This meant that if he wanted to bring anything important back in the future, he would have to enhance it first. This gave his enhancement ability a new strategic purpose—he would need to maintain a stockpile of items.

Third: Enhanced individuals do not need to be physically beside him during the jump. The flickering text would prompt him to ask if he wanted to bring them along. This meant that even if he enhanced the husky, he could choose to leave it in the *Amazing Spider-Man* world. But Xu Wang wouldn't do that; in his view, if Tie Zhu used his enhancement, he was his dog—he couldn't just take the benefits without doing the work.

It was clear there were many hidden rules to the flickering text, which he would have to summarize and test slowly over time. Next, there was one more important thing to do: Xu Wang needed to see what he had gained from his hard work in the *Amazing Spider-Man* world and what new enhancements he had unlocked.