CHAPTER 8

"Peter, how about it? Join us? Mary will be there too."

"Sure!" Peter first exclaimed, then felt a bit embarrassed by his outburst. He then quietly explained, "Uh... I mean... sure."

"Alright then, it's settled. We'll meet at the Osborne Building on Saturday morning," Gwen said playfully with a wink before she and Mary Jane left.

"Come on, spill the beans. Which one do you like?" Ethan raised an eyebrow.

"Uh... no one, it's not...," Peter stammered.

"Hey, buddy, don't try to hide it from me. Your little thoughts can be seen through by a three-year-old," Ethan struck without holding back.

"Is it that obvious?" Peter Parker scratched his head in vexation. As they walked outside the school, they continued chatting.

"Actually... I'm not really sure... I feel good about both of them... But if I had to choose, I like Mary a bit more," Peter Parker admitted shyly.

"Man, it's normal to have a crush on attractive people of the opposite sex. There's no need to be shy about it. If I had to pick, I'd lean more towards Gwen. Honestly, I don't really like girls with freckles. They might look cute now, but it might be different when they're in their forties," Ethan said.

As they were discussing, a group of people with unfriendly expressions approached from all sides. Ethan's expression turned cold, and he stopped:

"No wonder I smelled a strong body odor from far. So it's you, Thompson, polluting the air here."

"Shut up, Ethan! You're in big trouble today."

Ethan was taken aback, then looked at Peter in disbelief:

"Holy crap! Parker, did you hear that? He called me by my name!"

"Oh my god, he actually got my name right!"

Ethan was genuinely moved. Truly, in this fast-paced world, those who truly understand you are either your friends or your rivals!

"I think we should go for a drink to celebrate this glorious day. You know what, Thompson? You're the third person to get my name right since I got here. You're truly a genius!"

"Damn it!" Thompson cursed loudly, feeling humiliated. He then waved his hand, and his companions, armed with baseball bats, charged forward, shouting to boost their morale. Ethan dropped his nonchalant expression and instantly turned serious. There were five of them. If it was just him alone, he could easily escape even if he couldn't win the fight. But now, with Parker beside him, escaping wasn't an option. So, they had to fight! The best defense is a good offense! Transforming passiveness into initiative, Ethan charged towards the person in front of him. Although his physical abilities were only slightly better than those of a normal person, the influence of various activities like square dancing, tea ceremonies, and painting had endowed him with exceptional body control and balance. Without any fancy moves, with a swift sidestep and a straight punch, Ethan narrowly avoided the swing of the baseball bat and landed a solid punch on one person's face.

Blood instantly sprayed as the guy fell to the ground, howling in pain. The battle became chaotic. A bat swung towards the back of Ethan's head, and Peter Parker stood frozen in place. He was about to shout a warning but once again saw Ethan narrowly dodge the attack. It was as if there were eyes on the back of Ethan's head, allowing him to cleverly evade attacks from any direction.

Within ten seconds, all five guys were lying on the ground, groaning. Ethan panted heavily, feeling a bit tired. However, from start to finish, no one was able to even touch his clothes. The reason? Animal instinct!

Peter Parker stared wide-eyed: "That's amazing! Martial... martial arts? Chinese martial arts??" Thompson, who had taken a punch to the face, looked at Ethan in disbelief. He couldn't believe that the seemingly unassuming Asian guy could fight like this. But the pain on his face told him one thing. Today, he had messed with the wrong person.

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