"What happened?"
Gwen and the others were drawn by the commotion. They saw the lake's surface rippling chaotically, with Barry the panda clamping a carp in his jaws, water cascading down his fur.
The carp seemed stunned, likely from the impact of the water.
"Oh my God!" Gwen gasped, covering her mouth in surprise.
This display revealed a wild side of Barry the family had never seen.
Since meeting Barry, they had grown accustomed to his unusual behavior, often forgetting he was still a bear due to his gentle demeanor.
Barry opened his mouth and spat the carp onto his paw, eyeing the stunned fish. The chill of the autumn lake water cooled his earlier frustration.
"Barry, come on up," George called from the shore.
Barry glanced at him, then at the lake, hesitating briefly before deciding against further action.
He tossed the carp high into the air, and as it descended, Barry kicked it deftly. The fish arced gracefully through the air, landing squarely in his empty bucket.
"Beautiful!" Barry exclaimed, shaking his fist in triumph, then left the lake, shaking himself vigorously to shed the water from his fur.
Done with fishing, he headed to the barbecue grill, bucket in hand.
"Great job, kid," Mrs. Stacy laughed, taking the carp to prepare it.
George shook his head with a smile, recalling Barry's earlier frustration at the empty bucket.
---
As the day passed, Barry and the others feasted on grilled fish and snacks, occasionally sharing with the squirrels scurrying nearby, enjoying the serene red oak forest.
As evening approached and the sun dipped like a fiery disk, they packed up and left Oak Ridge, heading back to Queens.
They arrived at the apartment around seven in the evening.
---
A few days later, at night, Wall Apartments, No. 2016.
"...According to the Global Times, Spider-Man and his mysterious companion have reportedly damaged a statue of Shinran Shonin in the Upper West Side Church in Manhattan, New York, recently. The statue, a well-preserved piece from the Neon era, was placed outside the church by a Japanese donor."
"They also damaged the Angel of the Waters fountain in Central Park, shattering half its wings."
"A bronze bull in Bowling Green Park lost a horn."
...
"Many public properties have suffered damage. This isn't just a monetary issue. The New York Department of Cultural Affairs has declared: We must punish these vandals for the havoc they've wreaked on New York's cultural heritage!"
However, New Yorkers have mixed feelings. Many view Spider-Man and his partner as protectors of the city, suggesting the damage indicates the dangers they face. They believe they shouldn't be held accountable.
...
Barry lounged on the sofa, tallying his gains from the previous night's escapades.
Over recent nights, he'd accompanied Peter in combating New York's criminals. Inevitably, their battles resulted in collateral damage, especially against heavily armed gangs.
After several nights of action, Barry's destruction points unexpectedly exceeded 800, bringing his martial arts progress to 90%. Just over 30 points remained to reach 100%.
As his martial arts skills improved past 80%, Barry's kung fu became increasingly refined. Without needing spider silk, he could traverse New York's skyline using sheer skill.
The lessons from Master Raccoon in his dreams were drawing to a close. Barry anticipated soon unlocking the secrets of the dragon scroll.
With each criminal captured, his good points grew. The evildoers' high evil points translated into significant good points for Barry. Progress mirrored his martial arts journey, now reaching over ninety points.
He'd also exchanged ten good points for skills in traditional herbal medicine and pharmaceuticals.
As Barry reflected on Master Raccoon's teachings, Gwen returned home.
"Barry, I'm back, and I got the last herbal medicine you needed!"
Hearing this, Barry leapt from the sofa.
In New York, traditional herbal medicine was popular, but scams abounded. Gwen had encountered fake or subpar products before.
She had found a reliable herbal store recently, but the order was incomplete until today.
Gwen handed Barry a bag of turmeric from her backpack, asking curiously, "You don't really need medicine, do you?"
Besides herbs, she'd also bought pharmaceutical tools like pestles and mortars for Barry.
"Of course! Otherwise, why ask you to get this stuff? I can even make you some facial salve if you'd like," Barry said, breaking the turmeric apart, sniffing its sweet-potato-like core, and storing it with satisfaction.
"Uh... no thanks. I don't want to risk my face, and you shouldn't ingest anything," Gwen quickly declined, wary of panda-made medicine.
"This isn't for eating. It's an ointment for wounds and swelling—works wonders!"
"What are you up to?" Gwen asked, puzzled.
"It's for Spider-Man. He's tough but not invincible," Barry explained, heading to his room to fetch a mortar and pestle. He crushed the turmeric into powder.
Under Gwen's watchful eye, he mixed the powder into a sticky liquid, grinding it further.
"Dong-dong!" Suddenly, there was a tapping at the window. An owl perched outside, pecking the glass.
Barry paused his task, opened the window, and let the owl in.
"Coo-Coo's back," Gwen said, picking up the owl affectionately.
The owl hooted a message to Barry.
"He's coming over?" Barry asked Gwen, interpreting the owl's message.
"What are you two talking about?" Gwen inquired, intrigued by the bear-owl exchange.
EXTRA CHAPTER IS AVAILABLE IN PATREON
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