Chapter 48: Marvel: Awakening the Little Universe at the Start, Chapter 23

Looking through the rearview mirror, Hawk was completely broken; he watched as the person ignored his "All Beings Are Equal Device," didn't hesitate for a second, didn't even bother to put on an act, and just blatantly answered the phone.

The next second.

Xiao Hei slammed on the brakes, coming to a screeching halt, then threw his body across the seat and lunged toward the back.

"Motherfucker, I'm gonna..."

"Thud!"

"Ah!"

"..."

On the other end of the line, Gwen, who had just been about to speak, blinked as she heard what sounded like a scream coming from Hawk's side.

"Was that someone screaming, Hawk?"

"...Yeah, some guy passing by was playing a movie; he's probably watching some violent action flick."

"I'd guess so; that scream sounded exactly like the sound of ribs being broken."

"Uh..."

Hawk hunched over, one hand covering Xiao Hei's mouth as he pressed him against the dashboard, while looking at the spot on Xiao Hei's ribs he had just struck: "You can tell where someone is injured just from their scream?"

A laugh came from Gwen on the other end of the phone.

"Of course, my dad is a police captain. Let me tell you a secret: the new recruits aren't necessarily as professional as I am."

"...I can see that."

Hawk was speechless.

What else could he say? He could only say that a top student is a top student; they learn everything faster and better than anyone else.

Just then.

Gwen's laughter became bright and cheerful this time.

"I'm teasing you, how could I possibly know that?"

"...Alright, I actually believed you."

"By the way, why was your phone off? I tried calling you so many times and couldn't get through."

"What's up?"

Hawk maintained his hunched position, one hand covering Xiao Hei's mouth to keep him from screaming, while his other hand held the phone to talk to Gwen.

"Come downstairs."

"What?"

"Dr. Connors knows you were fired and that you were the scapegoat. He felt bad about it and prepared a gift for you, but I couldn't reach you by phone, so I just came over. Are you not home?"

Gwen, who had already driven her yellow Corolla to the building of Hawk's new apartment, tapped the envelope on the passenger seat with her hand while leaning her head out the window to look at Hawk's new apartment building.

Upon hearing that Gwen was already downstairs at his apartment building, Hawk couldn't help but fall silent for a second or two before he realized what was happening.

"Right, I'm not home. Why don't you take it back and give it to me when school starts?"

"I've already gotten out of the car."

Closing the car door, Gwen walked toward Hawk's new apartment building and said, "You're on the top floor of the apartment building near the road, right? Your window is open; I'll just go in through the fire escape and leave it in your place."

Hawk was stunned.

It wasn't strange that Gwen knew where he lived; after all, she had been there when he filled out his employment paperwork and might have seen it.

But...

"How did you know?"

"I saw the shorts you have hanging by the window."

"Uh..."

"You've been wearing those shorts for three years, and if I remember correctly, they weren't shorts before, were they? It seems like you turned them into shorts back in tenth grade."

"Alright, that's it. I'm just going to leave it in your place; I'm in a rush to get back too."

"..."