Chapter 19 Gwen

Chapter 19: Gwen

Jameson swiftly handed a briefcase to Andrew, who acknowledged with a nod. Rising from his seat, Andrew left the office, and as onlookers caught sight of him, they respectfully exclaimed, "Mr. William."

The only person who remained silent was Peter. The moment he laid eyes on Andrew, his Spidey senses warned him that the other was a formidable danger, urging him to flee.

"Afternoon tea is on me, guys."

Andrew smiled, casting a specific glance at Peter. The sheer terror seized Peter, almost causing him to leap out of his chair. Andrew was momentarily surprised; it seemed that Peter's spider sense was highly sensitive. Shaking his head, Andrew departed from the newspaper office.

As soon as Andrew left, Peter breathed a sigh of relief. The fright he experienced a moment ago had caused his hair to stand on end. He turned to his nearby secretary and inquired, "Who was that just now? He appeared quite fashionable."

"That was our esteemed boss, Mr. Andrew, the chairman of Rebirth Group," replied the secretary, her expression filled with regret. "If I had known Mr. Andrew was coming, I would have styled my hair and changed into different clothes. You see, he is Manhattan's first billionaire, not only possessing a fortune worth tens of billions, but also being a young and handsome man."

Peter fell speechless as he glanced at the wedding ring adorning the secretary's finger, deciding to remain silent.

Peter pondered to himself, 'Why does Mr. Andrew exert such immense pressure on me? Could it be that he possesses some sort of extraordinary power?'

...

The Clinton borough, a neighborhood within Manhattan, earned its nickname "Hell's Kitchen" from New Yorkers due to its overcrowding, substandard living conditions, intense ethnic conflicts, and high crime rate.

That night, dressed in a T-shirt and jeans, Andrew visited a bar in Hell's Kitchen—an establishment permeated with a distinct odor of blood. If his assumptions were correct, this was likely a vampire stronghold.

Shortly after, two impeccably made-up women took the initiative to approach Andrew and asked, "Hello Handsome, would you be kind enough to buy us a drink?"

'So soon? Do I, the demon king, appear too harmless to humans?' Andrew inwardly grumbled. He could instantly discern that these two beauties were not human. Smiling, he replied, "You don't even need to ask."

Seating themselves on either side of Andrew, the women offered him some physical favors, captivating his attention. Just as Andrew was becoming enthralled, one of the green-haired beauties suggested, "Handsome, would you like to go somewhere more exciting?"

Andrew pretended to inquire, "More exciting than this?"

"A hundred times more thrilling. A place where you'll witness things you've never seen before," chimed in the other beauty.

'After all, it is the place where I am supposed to meet my end. Naturally, it will be unforgettable.' Andrew complained, suspecting that these two vampire beauties were responsible for procuring food for the "vampire restaurant."

Just as Andrew was about to agree, an interesting voice emerged from beside him, saying, "Exciting place? Can we join you?"

'Is someone else in a hurry to meet their demise?' Andrew's curiosity was piqued as he turned to observe the source of the voice—an individual with blond hair.

"Hello." The blond man greeted Andrew and the others, pointing to his companion behind him and introducing himself, "We are students at New York University. Today is my birthday, and they've come to celebrate with me."

Andrew inquired, "You came to Hell's Kitchen to celebrate your birthday?" The blond man responded, "I was looking for something thrilling, but the bars in Hell's Kitchen don't seem any different from other places."

Andrew was taken aback.

At that moment, a wide-eyed blonde beauty with curly hair named Gwen spoke up, "Keith, we should head back."

"Gwen, don't be a spoilsport. It's Keith's birthday, and we're here to make it a memorable one," a woman dressed stylishly chimed in. The others joined in, their spirits lifted from their indulgence in alcohol.

Gwen Stacey, feeling somewhat helpless, was unlike her carefree classmates. As the police chief's daughter, she was well aware of the dangers lurking in Hell's Kitchen.

'Gwen Stacey, it seems fortune smiles upon me today,' Andrew thought.

Casting a smile in Gwen's direction, Andrew said, "If you wish to go, then let's proceed. I assure you that Hell's Kitchen will not disappoint, and tonight's events may forever remain etched in your memory."

"That's right. Hell's Kitchen never disappoints." The two vampire beauties exchanged glances and chuckled in unison, for they regarded this as a convenient delivery of food that they would not refuse.

Subsequently, everyone followed the two beauties to a nearby warehouse, a mere facade. As the vampire girls opened the basement door, they led the group to a concealed speakeasy.

The speakeasy enveloped its patrons in darkness, with the air filled with loud, pulsating music. The room was packed with individuals passionately engaged in dancing.

Keith and the others excitedly entered the dance hall under the guidance of the two beautiful women to join the revelry. Andrew and Gwen, however, remained still, both wearing expressions of disdain, clearly disliking the environment.

The two beauties paid no further attention to Andrew, as their prey had already walked into the slaughterhouse, rendering it unnecessary to waste any more time.

Gwen surveyed her surroundings with a disgusted expression and commented, "I shouldn't have come here."

"I feel the same way," Andrew concurred.

"I am Andrew William, a interim reporter."

Gwen introduced herself with a bitter smile, raising her voice over the din, "Hello, my name is Gwen Stacy."

Andrew responded, "Gwen, you shouldn't feel obligated to appease your friends. Hell's Kitchen has never been an ideal place to seek excitement."

"I'm not particularly sociable," Gwen replied with a bitter smile. As an exceptional student, she struggled with forming meaningful interpersonal connections.

"It appears that it's almost time," Andrew remarked.

With a smile, he produced a black umbrella from behind, leaving Gwen bewildered. "Where did you get that umbrella? No, why are you bringing an umbrella?" she questioned.

"Isn't it common sense to carry an umbrella when entering a bar?" Andrew retorted.

"Where did you get your common sense from?" Gwen complained inwardly.

At that moment, the music abruptly ceased, replaced by the exhilarated shouts of the vampires. Sprinklers on the ceiling activated, showering copious amounts of red liquid—a deluge of blood—upon the vampires, who greedily opened their mouths to consume it.

Andrew promptly opened his umbrella and pulled Gwen closer. Observing the blood through the dim lighting, Gwen exclaimed, "Blood! What is happening? Are they some kind of cultists?"

Keith also sensed something amiss, but it was too late. Vampires in their vicinity bared their fangs and lunged at them, causing screams of terror to fill the air.

Vampires surrounded both Andrew and Gwen. As Gwen caught sight of their blood-red eyes and menacing fangs, fear overwhelmed her, prompting her to seek refuge in Andrew's embrace.