107: Frog Cub is back & New Specialties...

"What?"

Seeing Gwen's face sticking closer and closer, Andrew took a half step back with a guilty conscience. 

"Which one are you talking about, the Emperor who helped you in the sewers last time?"

Gwen nodded and said, "He also showed up tonight."

"Like last time, appear at the most critical time." 

"Leave after solving Green Goblin."

While talking, Gwen stared at Andrew's eyes, trying to see some cobweb horse tracks in his eyes.

But Andrew just waved his hand and continued: "Definitely don't know, I've been at home." 

"If you don't believe me, ask Pikachu."

Andrew raised the Pikachu in his hand.

Pikachu shouted happily: "Pika...Pika..."

For this kind of thing, Andrew just colluded with Pikachu.

Gwen couldn't understand what Pikachu was saying, so she could only ask: "Pikachu, have Andrew and you been at home all the time?"

Pikachu nodded and said, "Pika...chu..."

Seeing Pikachu nodding, Gwen also dispelled her doubts. 

"Who would that be?" 

"It always feels familiar."

Gwen struggled to remember what the Emperor looked like, trying to find a clue that would prove his identity. 

Then she thought about Tony's attitude towards the Emperor tonight.

"Tony seems to know the Emperor very well." 

"Why don't you ask Tony for a chance..."

Gwen thought this way, and then took Andrew's arm: "If the Emperor hadn't come out tonight, it would have been really dangerous."

As they walked to the living room sofa, Gwen talked about the various events of the night and how the Emperor saved the scene. 

"Andrew, do you think I am a Mutant who has Awakened the X gene?"

After speaking, Gwen looked at his arm and asked with some doubts. 

Andrew shook his head: "Definitely not, you were bitten by a spider and acquired the spider gene to mutate."

"The X gene should be a gene that is inherently hidden in the body." 

"Then it was activated for some reason, so that the person who activated the X gene mastered some special abilities."

Others may not know, but Andrew knows the real origin of Mutants. 

Millions of years ago, the 'Heavenly Gods' came to Earth and planted the X gene in the primitive, savage humans at that time. 

In later generations, a small number of humans with awakened X genes became Mutants.

Listening to Andrew's explanation, Gwen also nodded in understanding. 

As a top student at the state university, Gwen could grasp the difference between herself and Mutants with just a brief explanation from Andrew.

Looking at Gwen, Andrew asked dotingly, "Are you hungry?"

Gwen smiled and hummed in reply. 

Andrew put down Pikachu and walked towards the kitchen, leaving her to play with Pikachu in the hall.

Gwen, not one to give up easily, watched Andrew walk into the kitchen and asked Pikachu again: "Pikachu, tell the truth." 

"Andrew was not at home just now."

"If you tell the truth, I will buy you lots of snacks."

Pikachu nodded righteously: "Pika! Chu!" 

"Okay! You must tell the truth!" 

"Andrew just nodded when he was at home or shook his head when he wasn't. Tell me the truth."

Gwen looked at Pikachu expectantly, hoping he would be tempted by snacks to give a different answer.

But Pikachu still shook his head firmly: "Pika..."

Downstairs, a car was parked on the side of the street. Anna got out and patted her heaving chest with lingering fear. 

"Fortunately I ran fast, otherwise I wouldn't have gotten out." 

Just now, on her way out of the NYPD, she had clearly seen more and more cars converging towards the NYPD. 

Anna could already foresee what the news headlines of major newspapers and TV stations would be the next morning.

"Uncle George, pray for yourself." 

Anna could only sympathize with George. 

As the chief of the New York Police Department, there would soon be countless microphones shoved in his face.

They would call it investigating the truth, but in reality it was all for the ratings and traffic to their own newspapers and TV stations, with everyone wanting to grab first-hand information.

Anna pulled her gaze back and looked upstairs. 

She wanted to call Gwen, but Gwen probably wouldn't be at Andrew's house this late.

Not having Andrew's contact number, she figured it'd be better to just go upstairs and knock on his door.

"Hmm~?"

Just as Anna was about to step into the apartment building, her sharp senses made her frown. 

She looked across the street.

Under the dim street lights she saw a beggar in ragged clothes, covered in torn newspapers. 

His hair was loose and disheveled, making it hard to discern in the moment whether he was facing the main road or had his back turned.

Anna wondered for a moment, then proceeded into the apartment building.

Under the street lights, piercing eyes watched Anna enter through gaps in the beggar's tousled hair.

Knowing Anna was out of sight, the beggar turned over and after a while made a loud snoring sound, as if asleep.

In the living room, Gwen stroked Pikachu's head with one hand while he happily ate a bag of chips. 

Seeing Pikachu's gusto, Gwen could only sigh helplessly.

Maybe she really was overthinking things. 

Watching Andrew's busy back in the kitchen, a feeling of happiness welled up spontaneously from the bottom of her heart.

"Maybe it doesn't matter who he is, as long as I know he's Andrew." 

Gwen murmured.

Pikachu, engrossed in his snacks, also sensed the change in Gwen's mood and looked up blankly: "Pika..."

Just then, the doorbell rang, interrupting Gwen's thoughts. 

She went to open the door without thinking too much. 

Andrew in the kitchen was also puzzled. 

"It's so late, who could it be?" 

Just as he was about to ask the Red Queen, Gwen had already opened the door.

The moment the door opened, Gwen was dumbfounded. 

She quickly shut it with a bang.

Anna outside was also stunned: "That was...Gwen?"

"Why is she still at Andrew's house so late?" 

"Could they be...!"

Anna instantly assumed the worst, yet most commonplace scenario, and her face flushed.

She pointed her finger at the doorbell and kept pressing it repeatedly.

Hearing the loud slamming of the door, Andrew also came out to see Gwen with a panicked expression. 

He asked: "What's the matter? Who's outside?"

Gwen lowered her voice: "It's Cousin Anna."

"Anna?" 

Andrew was also puzzled about what Anna was doing here so late.

Gwen looked like a frightened rabbit, giving Andrew a helpless look: "What should I do now?"

Andrew also shrugged helplessly: "She probably saw you just now." 

"Open the door, we're about to eat anyway." 

"Let her come in and join us."

Gwen struggled for a while, then let out a long sigh. 

There was no other way at this point. 

Anna was no fool like some others.

Seeing Gwen's demeanor, Anna immediately knew she was lying. 

Just as she was about to give Gwen a good talking to,

Slap~ 

Andrew raised his hand and snapped his fingers. The computer screen on the table automatically lit up, displaying a red virtual figure.

Anna looked at this scene suspiciously. 

What was he up to?

Andrew introduced: "This is the result of Gwen's and my research - the artificial intelligence housekeeper, Red Queen."

"Red Queen?" 

Anna looked from the screen to Andrew and back, as the AI greeted in sync: "Hello Miss Granger."

"I am Master's AI assistant, my name is Red Queen."

"You know me?"

Anna was even more surprised the virtual lady could accurately state her surname.

"Master has connected me to the global network. I can access any celebrity information available online." 

What Anna didn't know was that this 'whole network' even encompassed some official and dark networks.

Anna looked at the Red Queen curiously and probed her with questions about some celebrities' information, asking several more questions. 

The Red Queen responded smoothly throughout, with no errors in her information.

This made Anna increasingly awed. 

Was this really the result of Andrew and Gwen's joint research?

Andrew smiled at Gwen and gave her an OK sign. 

Seeing Anna stunned, Gwen happily returned an OK to Andrew.

Soon at the dinner table, Anna, who hadn't eaten all night, was also relishing the eastern delicacies prepared by Andrew.

After eating her fill, Gwen asked: "By the way Cousin Anna, what brought you to Andrew's house so late?"

Having witnessed the Red Queen's wizardry, Anna now believed their reason for researching new inventions. 

She'd forgotten all her earlier strange guesses at the door.

"I came to ask Andrew if there's a place where I can stay the night."

Andrew and Gwen were both surprised: "Stay the night?"

Anna nodded, then briefly recounted what had transpired - omitting many details. 

She simply summarized it as a terrorist attack on the NYPD headquarters, and now the dust had settled. 

A mob of reporters and detectives had surrounded the place, and George was stuck there unable to get away.

She didn't want to deal with the press, so she'd slipped out early. 

As Anna talked, Andrew lightly nudged Gwen's foot under the table. 

Gwen immediately understood and assumed a worried look, asking: "Cousin Anna, is my dad alright?"

"Uncle George is fine." 

"In fact the whole NYPD is unharmed."

Thinking about this, Anna felt a little dazed.

That night, the Emperor had thwarted all of Green Goblin's formidable powers, resulting in minimal casualties. 

This allowed her to view the world anew.

After explaining her purpose in coming to Andrew's house, Anna continued: "So, can I stay over tonight?"

Andrew naturally had no reason to refuse: "Of course, just..." 

Seeing Andrew hesitate, Anna added: "If there's no spare room, I can sleep on the sofa."

"Cousin Anna, you misunderstand." 

"There are vacant rooms, you can stay as long as you like. It's just that I don't have any spare clothes for you."

"Why don't Gwen go home and fetch you some..." 

Andrew looked at Anna. She may not have been injured in the fight that night, but was definitely dirty.

Anna smiled: "No need if you just have a place to stay. I've got my spare clothes in the car."

"I'd originally planned to hear out Uncle George's arrangements for tonight." 

"Gwen, come with me to get them."

"Oh, alright."

"Let me just get my bag first."

Gwen packed up her things, noticing Pikachu dressed up as a ragdoll. 

With Anna staying over, keeping Pikachu here might be uncomfortable for him.

So Gwen simply picked up Pikachu along with her packed up belongings.

"Cousin Anna, let's go downstairs to get your stuff." 

"I'll come along too, and drop Gwen home on the way."

Downstairs, Anna pulled out a pink suitcase from the trunk while speaking to Gwen.

Andrew drove the R8 out from the underground parking. 

Seeing Andrew's car, Anna couldn't help stealing a few more glances his way.

When the car reached the apartment, Andrew took out a set of keys: "Cousin Anna, you go on up first." 

"If you need anything, just ask the Red Queen."

"I'll drop Gwen home first."

Anna took the keys, watching as Andrew drove off with Gwen.

"That Andrew is quite interesting..." 

In the car, Gwen heaved a sigh of relief hugging Pikachu: "Phew! Close call!"

Pikachu also let out a relieved sigh: "Pika..."

"Pikachu, Cousin Anna will be staying with me for some time."

"So you'll have to be with me during this period."

Pikachu was reluctant, but figured it was better than pretending to be a ragdoll. 

"Pika...chu..."

At Gwen's house door, Andrew bid goodbye to Gwen and Pikachu before stepping on the accelerator to head home. 

Just then a reminder sounded in his mind: 

"Frog Cub is back. He brought you a new specialty song."

"Go check it out."

To be continued...