The other side of the world.
A place hidden in shadows beyond sunlight, opposite the clear, visible surface of the world, incomprehensible to ordinary humans.
The "other side" refers to phenomena beyond normal human understanding—things tied to the superhuman, even born from it.
Superheroes are one of the clearest examples.
Xi Nian, who had reincarnated into this world sixteen years ago, had read about the first human superhero—Captain America—and the dark knight of Gotham, Batman, who watched over crime for over a decade.
Three years ago, he knew about the billionaire playboy inheriting Stark Industries, building the Iron Man armor and becoming a tech king in New York.
A year and a half ago, the Kryptonian raised on Earth, Superman, had repelled a Kryptonian warship and became a living god.
Despite the endless news and gossip about superheroes, Xi Nian always felt these superhuman phenomena were far removed from him.
It was like his previous life, living in a peaceful superpower. Wars in distant lands were just vague, unreal concepts.
The gap between ordinary humans and the world's hidden superhuman layer was harsher than slaves and nobles in ancient times.
Even with the saying "wealth through technology, power through mutation," crossing into superhuman levels remained a near-impossible rarity.
Years ago, Xi Nian had given up on becoming superhuman, accustomed to a normal life.
Until tonight.
He had gained indescribable powers from his aunt, encountered a female Spider-Woman outside the city, and now saw a green monster battling an elite military unit.
Never before had he so vividly glimpsed—or stepped into—the hidden side of this world.
"So many superhuman things hidden in the city I've always lived in?" Xi Nian muttered bitterly, feeling his worldview shatter.
And considering his aunt, the greatest superhuman he had lived with for years… well, that seemed less shocking—though that was just a lie he told himself.
Xi Nian watched as buildings crumbled under the battle, artillery fire covering every inch of the streets. Frost from the sky evaporated before hitting the ground, replaced by bullet casings and debris.
The humans were completely outmatched.
At the battle's center:
A special military vehicle mounted with Gatling guns spat fire, bullets forming a steel torrent, focused on the flames and smoke deep within the city.
There stood a three- to four-meter-tall green monster, muscles like iron chunks, a terrifying pale skeletal frame, wearing only a tattered pair of shorts.
A living embodiment of horror and malevolence.
Its name? Abomination.
Dodging bullets and jumping among ruins, Abomination moved with agility that belied its bulk, striking with enough force to shake the ground and surrounding buildings.
Crushing streets, smashing walls.
It ignored bullets, leaping onto a military vehicle and flattening soldiers and steel alike. Grabbing a taxi, it hurled it like a sandbag into another armored truck.
Modern vehicles became child's toys in its hands.
Boom!
A rocket fired, engulfed in flames, hurtling toward Abomination. It raised an arm, blocking the blast, and the explosion shattered windows along the street.
But then came a scene that drove the remaining soldiers to despair.
The flames swept along its white skeleton and green muscles, revealing its demonic, grotesque face, entirely unharmed.
The battle—or rather, massacre—continued.
Xi Nian watched, brow furrowed.
Even someone who could fall from a ten-story building unharmed might die facing this monster.
His superhuman senses told him this creature was deadly.
"It's late. Best not to intervene. Aunt will worry," Xi Nian whispered.
He looked away from the slaughter, never having aspired to be a superhero, merely admiring their abilities.
"With great power comes great responsibility"? Only if there's no risk to life. Tonight, it was a gamble with death.
Having died once in his previous life, Xi Nian valued survival. In this life, the only person worth risking himself for was his aunt.
Gwen counted as a second.
Just as he decided to leave, he glimpsed a figure swinging on webs through the buildings toward the battlefield two kilometers away.
It was the female Spider-Woman from the rooftop.
"That girl… she can't go there!" Xi Nian's heart leapt. He knew from their brief encounter that Spider-Woman was no match for Abomination.
The outcome of her intervention would almost certainly be death.
But it was too late.
Xi Nian could only watch as her agile figure swung into the war-torn city.
"Sorry. I only have one life. I can only protect those two," he muttered, turning and leaping in the opposite direction.
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