Chapter 29: Hulk vs. Abomination
"Hey, Mr. Green, are you alright?"
Dr. Blue's expression changed drastically as he called out in a panic.
"Banner!!"
Betty also cried out in alarm.
Hit by the sedative dart, Banner's face stiffened. After struggling for a few moments, he collapsed to the ground.
Before Dr. Blue could react, a special forces team burst through the door. Without a word, they tied up the fallen Banner securely and carried him out on a stretcher.
Dr. Blue tried to stop them, but it was futile; he was kicked to the ground by a special forces soldier.
Betty guessed her father was behind this, and with a grim expression, she chased after them.
"What on earth is going on?"
In his confusion, Dr. Blue also wanted to chase after them to demand an explanation.
But in the next second...
Click!!!
"Don't move. Turn around slowly, or I can't guarantee my gun won't go off."
Emil's voice came from behind him.
The sound of the pistol chambering a round made Dr. Blue's body stiffen. He slowly turned around to see Emilpointing a gun at him with a fierce gaze.
"What are you doing?"
Dr. Blue asked, somewhat panicked. He was just a professor, and such a massive upheaval today had already left him extremely tense.
"I won't kill you. Just be obedient and inject me with that damn gene as well, understand?"
Emil moved closer, threateningly pointing the muzzle at the top of Dr. Blue's head.
"What gene? Hulk's gene? No, no, that's too dangerous, you..."
Dr. Blue reached this point and, seeing Emil's threatening gaze, didn't dare to continue.
"Whether it's dangerous or not is my business. You just need to do what you're supposed to do."
Emil narrowed his eyes and spoke viciously.
"Then... alright."
Dr. Blue shrank his neck and reluctantly led Emil to a nearby laboratory table.
Without a word, Emil stripped off his clothes and lay down on the experimental table.
Dr. Blue swallowed hard, drew the Hulk gene serum into a syringe, applied it to Emil, and then slowly pushed it in.
As the Hulk gene was injected, Emil began to howl in agony.
"This... this..."
Dr. Blue watched in panic as Emil's body grew bit by bit amidst his screams, his appearance becoming terrifying.
Before long, Emil's previous appearance was completely gone, replaced by a massive monster with a protruding spine: Abomination.
Meanwhile, downstairs...
With his powerful constitution, Banner gradually woke up, only to find himself tied to a stretcher and unable to move.
"Father, why can't you just let Banner go? Has he really done anything wrong?"
Seeing Banner's panicked state, Betty questioned General Ross with great anger.
"I'm sorry, child, but I must capture this man."
General Ross waved his hand impatiently, completely ignoring his daughter.
Just then...
The glass on the upper floor of the lab building shattered violently. A massive figure burst through the window and landed heavily on the ground; it was none other than Abomination.
The surrounding troops reacted quickly, raining down a barrage of bullets toward Abomination.
"What... what is that?"
General Ross was stunned, having no idea where this monster had come from.
"That's!!!"
The bound Banner's eyes widened immediately upon seeing Abomination. He knew this must be the result of someone injecting the Hulk gene.
The bullets hit Abomination's body without leaving a mark, but they irritated him. He grabbed a nearby car and tossed it aside, crushing a group of soldiers to death instantly. The remaining soldiers didn't dare to make another move.
With the distractions gone, Abomination smiled with satisfaction and looked around.
He soon noticed the bound Banner not far away. Letting out a roar, he charged straight toward him.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
Massive tremors vibrated from underfoot. Seeing the charging Abomination, General Ross's face turned pale. He grabbed Betty and quickly pulled her aside to dodge.
"Banner!!!"
Betty couldn't break free and could only watch helplessly as Abomination charged at Banner.
Seeing Banner within reach, Abomination let out an excited roar and threw a punch.
Boom!!!!
The punch landed.
In the distance, Betty turned her head away, unable to bear the sight.
In the next second...
Roar!!!!
An earth-shattering roar erupted.
Betty opened her eyes in disbelief.
She saw that Banner had already transformed into the Hulk and caught Abomination's punch.
Seeing Banner appear, Abomination grew even more excited. With a roar, he lunged forward.
Hulk was not to be outdone and grappled with Abomination.
The two traded blows, neither giving an inch. However, due to the anesthesia earlier, Hulk's strength wasn't as great as before. Coupled with Abomination's powerful prowess, Hulk was actually being suppressed and forced back step by step.
Not far away, seeing Hulk clearly at a disadvantage, Bettyclenched her hands in worry.
...
Congressional Meeting Room.
Pierce, Stern, and Nick Fury were holding a meeting together.
"Insight Project must be executed as soon as possible. Fury, pay attention on your end."
Pierce gestured toward Fury and said.
Fury nodded in agreement.
As they were speaking...
The doors burst open, and Sitwell came running in hurriedly.
"Director Pierce, this is bad! On General Ross's side, a Mutant has appeared again and is wreaking havoc in the streets."
Sitwell said with a face full of anxiety.
"What? A Mutant?"
Stern cried out in surprise.
Pierce's expression also changed, but he quickly adjusted. He hadn't expected these Mutants to be so restless; it hadn't been long, and they were causing trouble again.
"I'll notify Tony immediately and have him head over."
Nick Fury didn't hesitate. He planned to notify Tony right away. In his view, only Tony, with his flight capabilities and immense power, had the best chance to save the day.
"Wait, there's no need."
Stern stopped Nick Fury. Seeing Fury's confused look, he said with some self-satisfaction...
"We have Hammer's mechanical army. We don't need to go begging Stark."
"Right, Fury. Let's let Hammer go instead. He is a military consultant, after all; it's more appropriate."
Pierce also blocked Fury and then took out his phone to call Hammer.
"Hello, Hammer. A Mutant has appeared. It's your turn to take the stage."
"Alright, Director Pierce. Wait for my good news."
Hammer immediately accepted with excitement.
Pierce hung up the phone and gestured to Nick Fury, indicating it was settled.
Nick Fury nodded, but in his heart, he still didn't quite trust Hammer's capabilities. He silently walked out and dialed Tony's number.
...
Stark Tower.
The Top Floor.
A virtual screen was playing the video of Hulk's battle from a few days ago. Below it, Tony was seriously watching the fight.
"Jarvis, analyze the data of the Mutant in the video and list a countermeasure plan specifically for him."
Tony ordered Jarvis with a deep frown. Seeing Hulk's incredibly strong combat capability, a strong sense of crisis welled up in his heart.
"Dealing with this kind of monster is becoming a bit difficult with the current capabilities of the Mark series."
Chapter 30: Hammer's Taunt
"Yes, sir. Analyzing now."
Jarvis immediately began the analysis and then notified him.
"Sir, Mr. Nick Fury is calling. Shall I put him through?"
"Fury? Alright, put him through."
Tony was a bit puzzled, wondering what Fury wanted with him.
"Tony, a Mutant has appeared. Hammer has already headed over. Get there and provide support immediately."
Nick Fury's somewhat anxious voice came through.
"A Mutant has appeared?"
Tony was stunned for a moment, then spoke with some reluctance. (Tianlai Novel Network)
"I'm not going. Doesn't he have Hammer? Besides, didn't you just tell me to behave recently? Director Fury, I don't have many virtues, but being obedient is one of them."
"You..."
Fury was clearly choked up on the other end. He took several deep breaths to calm himself down. He knew someone like Tony responded better to persuasion than coercion; reprimanding him would be useless. Thinking about Hammer, he continued after a moment's thought.
"Hammer's side has already developed Miniature Arc Reactor technology. He's going there now to test it on the Mutant. Don't you want to see it for yourself?"
"Miniature Arc Reactor?"
Tony's first reaction was disbelief, but on second thought, he felt Fury wouldn't joke about such a thing. He couldn't help but feel suspicious.
He knew the level of research at Hammer's place; they shouldn't be able to develop it even if given thirty years.
Tony thought for a while, unable to suppress his curiosity, and said to Nick Fury.
"Fine, I'll go. Don't worry."
"Good. I'll be waiting for good news."
Nick Fury breathed a sigh of relief and then hung up the phone.
"Jarvis, locate the Mutant's position for me."
No sooner said than done. Tony walked to the armor assembly platform to suit up in the Mark VI while instructing Jarvis to find the location.
"Sir, the location has been confirmed."
Jarvis was fast and opened the ceiling as well.
Tony finished suiting up, glanced at the coordinates on his helmet display, and then soared into the sky, flying straight toward the target.
...
At the battlefield of Hulk and Abomination.
The two were still fighting fiercely. The surroundings were completely destroyed, smoke filled the area, and car wreckage and broken streetlights were scattered everywhere.
The surrounding soldiers were deeply shocked by the power of the two and watched blankly.
"What should we do? At this rate, no one will be able to stop them."
General Ross looked grim. They had no way of stopping two such invulnerable monsters.
"Look! Iron Man is here!!!"
As he spoke, a soldier beside him pointed behind them and exclaimed. All the soldiers turned to look, letting out cries of amazement.
"Iron Man?"
General Ross was stunned for a moment, then looked in the direction the soldier was pointing.
Across from them was pitch black, but then a point of light appeared, looking like the glow of Iron Man's chest reactor.
"It really is Iron Man."
General Ross breathed a sigh of relief, but after another look, his expression changed.
"No, that's not Iron Man."
Another glow emerged from the darkness, then another and another, as a large number of lights turned on.
The source of the lights gradually revealed itself: they were tall, weapon-equipped robots.
"This isn't Iron Man. What on earth is it?"
Ross stared dumbfoundedly at the aggressive Iron Legionbefore him, wondering where they had come from.
"Of course it's not Iron Man, General Ross. Where would he get such technology? This is Hammer Industries' Iron Legion."
Hammer's voice came from the darkness first, followed by him walking out with a smug smile.
"Gentlemen, it seems I've arrived a bit late. What's the situation here?"
"Hammer, those remote-controlled toys yours? This isn't a toy store."
Tony's flippant voice came from the side.
Hammer and Ross looked toward the sound and saw Tony, wearing his armor, arriving late and landing on the ground, walking toward them.
"Oh, isn't this our great Iron Man, Tony? Are you also here to stop the two Mutants?"
"But what a pity, my Iron Legion is more than enough here."
"Luckily the people of New City have my Hammer armors. If they had to wait for you, Iron Man, to save them, New City's downtown would probably have been torn apart by those two monsters."
"Just watch. My armors can handle this easily without you. With these, I think you can retire, Stark."
Hammer felt a surge of anger at Tony's taunt, but seeing his Iron Legion, he couldn't help but smile and mock him sarcastically.
He had long been unable to tolerate Tony's usual disdain and contempt for him. Now that he finally had the chance, he wasn't going to hold back.
"Is that so? We'll talk once your remote-controlled toys actually win."
Tony retorted unconvinced. Hammer's arrogant attitude, so different from before, made him somewhat annoyed.
At the same time, he was suspicious. The things on those iron mechs were undoubtedly Miniature Arc Reactors. He hadn't expected Hammer to actually obtain this technology. Where did he get it from?
"Stop arguing, you two. Banner looks like he's about to lose. Hammer, get ready to deal with that Mutant."
General Ross, seeing the two still bickering, quickly reminded them that the Mutants hadn't been dealt with yet.
"We're not arguing. Mr. Hammer's current capabilities aren't even worth an argument."
Tony curled his lip. Though he refused to back down verbally, he still looked toward the center of the battlefield.
Hammer gave Tony a fierce glare, thinking to himself, 'Just wait until I rub it in your face later.' Then he also turned his head toward the battlefield.
Hulk and Abomination's side had also reached a fever pitch.
By now, Banner's body was covered in injuries. He was panting, his stamina failing. Abomination, on the other hand, had few wounds and his eyes were filled with battle lust as he looked at Hulk.
Seeing that Banner was about to give in, Abomination let out a wild roar, preparing to press his advantage and finish him off.
Just then.
A figure dropped rapidly from high above, charging straight toward Abomination.
The next second.
Boom!!!
The ground instantly shattered into a large crater, sending clouds of dust swirling around. Abomination was sent flying on the spot.
...
As the dust cleared, a figure slowly rose. With a flowing cape and a powerful physique, it was Superman, Clark.
Seeing Superman, Hulk's expression visibly changed. Remembering how he had been pummeled by Supermanbefore, he couldn't help but shiver. For a moment, he didn't dare act impulsively and just stood aside, watching.
On the army's side.
General Ross's expression changed. He hadn't expected Superman to appear here, and to immediately knock away the Mutant that was suppressing Banner.
"That's Superman!!!"
Chapter 31: Superman Defeats Abomination
"Superman."
Hammer's expression shifted as he looked at Clark in the center of the field thoughtfully.
"He really did come."
Tony wasn't surprised at all; he knew Clark would definitely come and wouldn't allow these two monsters to destroy everything at will.
On the battlefield.
The Abomination, who had been sent flying, stood up and shook his head.
Seeing Superman standing there and knowing that this was the person who had interrupted his battle with the Hulk, the Abomination roared and charged at Clark with a punch.
Clark's expression remained unchanged as he kicked off the ground and flew toward the Abomination.
Boom!!!
When the two collided, the impact instantly blasted a large crater into the ground, sending dust and smoke everywhere.
Then, through the dust, the Abomination's figure was seen being pushed by Clark as they crashed into a nearby skyscraper.
"Hammer, both of these individuals are extremely unstable factors. I think you should have your Mechanical Legioneliminate them all."
Seeing the destructive power of both the Abomination and Superman, General Ross felt that such dangerous elements could not be allowed to remain, so he spoke to Hammer.
"I couldn't agree more, General Ross. People who aren't under government control like this should all be eliminated. Just you watch."
Hammer nodded in agreement and then waved his hand to signal the Mechanical Legion behind him. A portion of the Mechanical Armors immediately flew toward the battlefield.
Tony, standing to the side, let out a sneer. Eliminate Superman? With just Hammer? Don't make me laugh. Even the results he got from analyzing Superman's data showed it was nearly impossible to defeat him; how could Hammer's junk possibly succeed?
Meanwhile.
The skyscraper where Superman and the Abominationwere was sliced in half by a scorching laser. The upper half collapsed to one side, shattering across the ground.
Boom!!!
The Abomination's body flew out from the remaining half of the building, smashing directly through the wall of another building.
Clark followed through the air, looking down at the Abomination expressionlessly.
The Abomination crawled out of the ruins, wiped his face, and then glared at Clark with immense rage.
Just then, Hammer's Mechanical Legion approached and launched an attack on both of them.
Shells poured down on the two like rain.
The surrounding streets were riddled with craters, but the attacks hitting Clark and the Abomination left no marks whatsoever.
Ignoring the surrounding attacks, the Abomination charged at Clark with full force.
Clark flew to meet him, easily catching the Abomination's punch and returning one of his own.
After taking the punch, the Abomination reached out and grabbed a nearby Hammer armor, swinging it toward Clark.
Sizzle!!!
Clark's eyes flared, and his Heat Vision instantly melted the armor into molten iron, with the beams continuing toward the Abomination.
Knowing the power of the Heat Vision, the Abominationquickly dodged. The Hammer armors behind him were instantly melted away by Clark's lasers.
Just as Clark was about to continue his attack, a Mechanical Armor was thrown at him, which he shattered with a single punch.
Turning around, he saw the Abomination grab another Mechanical Armor and throw it, but Clark shattered that one too.
One after another, before long, Clark had shattered all the surrounding armors, leaving the ground covered in debris.
On Ross's side.
"How... how is this possible?"
Hammer was speechless, frozen in place.
He hadn't expected his confident products to be completely scrapped before even scratching a single hair on those two monsters.
"Truly wonderful. As expected of Hammer Industries' products."
"With the people of New City protected by Hammer Industries, they should probably hurry up and buy life insurance."
Tony said sarcastically while clapping.
"Stark, you..."
Hammer's face was incredibly pale; he now deeply regretted mocking Stark earlier.
Just then, Hammer saw the Hulk standing nearby watching the battle and had a sudden idea.
"Superman and that monster are too strong; it's normal not to be able to beat them. You, Stark, might not be able to either. Isn't there another Mutant over there? I can't handle the big ones, but taking down a smaller one should be no problem. Unlike you, who has made no contribution."
With that, Hammer waved at the armors behind him and pointed toward Banner. The armors obeyed and immediately flew in Banner's direction.
The Hulk was marveling at how Superman was crushing the Abomination when a shell suddenly exploded against him, causing a sharp sting of pain.
Turning his head, he saw several Hammer Industriesarmors had unknowingly approached him and were firing.
The Hulk grew angry. I can't beat those two over there, but I can't beat you guys?
He immediately grabbed the nearest armor and threw it at the ones further away.
Bang!!!
The two armors exploded instantly, turning into a pile of parts on the ground.
The Hulk then turned his gaze to the remaining ones. After a flurry of action, only parts and mechanical arms were left scattered across the ground.
"This... this..."
General Ross's eyelid twitched; he hadn't expected Hammer's armors to be so weak that they couldn't beat anyone.
"Hammer Industries' contribution is truly immense. Worried that the Mutant was getting bored, they specifically sent units over to help him warm up. Truly impressive."
The sarcasm on Tony's face deepened.
Hammer had his head hung low, his face flushed with shame and anger, unable to utter a single word in rebuttal.
"Finished throwing? Then it's my turn."
Seeing that the Abomination had nothing left to throw, Clark decided to end the fight.
He kicked off the ground.
Boom!!!
The ground instantly collapsed, and he reached the Abomination in a flash, propelled by the impact.
Before the Abomination could react, Clark grabbed him by the neck and kicked off, soaring into the sky.
In mid-air, seeing the Abomination struggling, Clarkshoved his body directly into a nearby skyscraper.
The Abomination's face slammed into floor after floor, carving a deep furrow down the side of the building.
Reaching the roof, Clark casually tossed the Abominationinto the sky.
Then, he instantly flew above the Abomination and threw a punch down at him.
The Abomination's body was sent hurtling down by the massive impact, piercing through the entire building before crashing onto the street like a meteorite.
Boom!!!
A massive crater was smashed into the street, and the Abomination inside was beaten back into his human form by the blow, collapsing limply within it.
Not far away, the Hulk swallowed hard. As a big boy only a few years old, he had never seen such a brutal scene.
He looked up at Clark in fear, remembering when he had been beaten before. Superman had clearly held back that time, and he had still been beaten miserably. If he were hit like the Abomination, wouldn't he be killed?
At that thought, the Hulk shuddered. He glanced around and fled immediately, moving as if he were terrified that Superman might chase after him.
Chapter 32: S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Reaction
Superman watched the Hulk's retreating back as he fled in a hurry and shook his head; it seemed this Mutant no longer dared to challenge him.
The problem was resolved, so Clark didn't say anything more. With a kick off the ground, he flew away.
The surroundings were now silent. All the soldiers were deeply shocked by the world-shattering battle between Superman and the Abomination. Seeing another Mutantscared away made them even more amazed by Superman's power.
"That monster actually..."
Ross was speechless at this moment, staring blankly at the Hulk's fleeing figure.
He really hadn't expected that the fearless Hulk would actually be scared off by Superman. Was Superman's strength truly that terrifying?
And that new, even more powerful Mutant was actually insta-killed by Superman. Just how powerful was Superman's strength? Was this the kind of person we provoked before? Ross couldn't help but shudder.
"He was actually scared out of his wits, that Mutant."
Hammer was shocked to see the Mutant, who had easily dismantled his own armor, fleeing in terror from Superman.
At the same time, he understood the Mutant's actions to some extent. After all, the other more powerful Mutanthad been defeated by Superman in a crushing manner. If someone stronger than you was defeated, you'd be a fool not to run.
Tony was also a bit surprised by the Mutant's escape, but not overly so, as he had analyzed Superman's strength before.
Looking at the surrounding ruins, Tony had a sudden inspiration and said to Jarvis.
"Jarvis, get Pepper on the phone for me."
"Yes, sir."
Jarvis dialed Pepper's number.
The call was quickly connected, and Pepper's voice came through from the other side.
"Tony, where did you go? I can't find you in the entire building."
"Pepper, let's not talk about that for now. A Mutant battle happened on my end, and the Damage Control Department can get to work."
Tony relayed the news.
"What!!! No, that department still has many things that haven't been sorted out yet. You're always coming up with these sudden whims."
Pepper's somewhat reluctant voice came through.
"I'll send you the location."
Tony immediately sent the location information to Pepper, and then hung up the phone before Pepper could argue.
Although Pepper said it wouldn't work, it didn't take long before she arrived with the professional personnel from the Damage Control Department.
Seeing this, Tony quickly approached her with a smile.
"Don't talk to me, let me properly resolve the issues here."
Pepper waved her hand to stop Tony from getting closer, then gave instructions to the staff behind her.
"Start calculating the materials and costs needed here right now, and aim to officially start construction by tomorrow morning."
Hearing this, the staff behind her didn't hesitate and began working in an orderly fashion.
"Mr. Stark, Mr. Hammer, and General Ross, Senator Sternand Mr. Pierce would like you to come over and discuss the situation here."
Agent Sitwell arrived in a hurry and spoke to the three of them.
Hammer and Ross both nodded and followed Sitwellaway.
Tony shrugged helplessly at Pepper, then flew directly toward the courtyard in his armor.
...
Congressional Meeting Room.
Pierce, Stern, and Nick Fury were seated at the top. General Ross stood at attention below with his hands behind his back. Beside him stood a very dejected Hammer, while Tony was sprawled in a chair with his legs up on the table.
"General Ross, I don't know what happened on your end, but how is the Mutant situation being handled?"
Pierce clasped his hands together and asked Ross below.
"Reporting to the Senator, the situation is like this: initially, we captured Banner, but then a new Mutant appeared, which was my soldier Emil. The two of them started fighting directly, and we couldn't stop them. Finally, Superman came, defeated Emil, and Banner was also scared away by Superman."
General Ross's face looked very bad. After all, the cause of all this was his soldier Emil, and he had no way to escape responsibility.
As soon as these words were spoken, Pierce's eyes flashed. They had no way to deal with the Mutant who ran away, but Ross's Mutant, Emil, was also a good research subject. Their Hydra might be able to research something from him, Pierce thought secretly.
"It's fine, General Ross, you did your best, but someone else didn't."
"Isn't that right, Stark? Why didn't you step up to help at the time instead of watching from the sidelines?"
Senator Stern turned his fire onto Tony. He had long been annoyed by Tony sitting there and, knowing he hadn't participated in the battle, certainly wouldn't let this fault go.
"I wanted to intervene, Senator, but Mr. Hammer said that with his mechanical legion there, someone like me could have retired long ago."
"But what was the result? Those remote-controlled toys were dismantled by the Mutant as soon as they went in. I even suspect they were made of paper."
"I'm really starting to doubt your eye for choosing military consultants now."
Tony shrugged and said with an innocent look.
Standing there, Hammer hung his head deeply upon hearing this. Being mocked by a rival like Tony was the most embarrassing thing for him, but what was even more painful was that he had no way to refute Tony's words; after all, his mechanical legion really hadn't been of any use.
"You... you..."
"Mr. Hammer, don't listen to what he says. Your contributions to our government are obvious to all, and no one can question them."
Senator Stern's face flushed as he glared at Tony, then he comforted Hammer.
Although he also felt that Hammer's armor being easily destroyed was a bit of a loss of face for the government and unworthy of a military consultant's status, Hammerwas the one who mastered the miniature nuclear reactor technology. That was extremely useful to Hydra, and they couldn't let Hammer remain so despondent.
"Alright, since everything has been explained clearly, this meeting is over."
"General Ross, come with me for a moment; I have some matters to discuss with you."
As Pierce was leaving, he signaled to Stern regarding Hammer's side, then turned and walked out of the meeting room.
Although Ross was a bit puzzled and didn't know what Pierce wanted with him, he still followed him out.
Stern received Pierce's look and, understanding his meaning, said to Hammer.
"Mr. Hammer, I have some military issues I'd like to chat with you about. Please stay for a moment."
"Alright, Senator."
Hammer was still somewhat low-spirited and only nodded indifferently.
"Then I'll be going too. Tony, let's walk together."
Nick Fury waved to Tony and then walked out of the meeting room.
Tony knew he had something to talk about and followed him out.
Chapter 33: Nick Fury's Instructions
Nick Fury took Tony to a secluded spot.
"What do you want, Fury? I'm very busy here."
Tony asked Nick Fury impatiently; the previous battle with the Mutants had given him some inspiration, and he wanted to go back and conduct experiments.
"Tony, what's the deal with that Damage Control Department?"
Nick Fury asked, his eyes fixed on Tony.
He had known about Tony's announcement of the Damage Control Department a few days ago, but he thought it was a joke. To his surprise, as soon as the battle with the Mutants ended, he received news that the Damage Control Department had already begun operations.
Tony had acted directly without even consulting him, which made him a little angry.
"The Damage Control Department? It's nothing much, just a charitable project by Stark Industries. You know, entrepreneurs always have to do some charity."
Tony acted as if it were only natural. He didn't state his purpose directly; after all, it was established because of Superman and the Superhuman Registration Act. If Furyknew, he would surely call it nonsense and might even impose some restrictions on him, which would be unpleasant.
"Don't play dumb with me."
Nick Fury obviously wasn't buying it. He knew Tony was doing it on purpose to help Superman, along with some other motives.
However, Tony had clearly also solved a problem that had been bothering him, so he didn't say anything more. He just waved his hand and said:
"Since you've already done it, I won't say anything. After all, there are benefits, so I'll let it be. But remember to consult me before doing something like this in the future; don't just act on your own."
Tony looked indifferent but still nodded, giving a perfunctory agreement.
Knowing Tony was just being perfunctory, Nick Furysighed and didn't say much more. Instead, he changed the subject.
"One more thing. Recently, a hammer fell from the sky in New Mexico. There might be some issues, so keep an eye on it. Your support might be needed at any time."
"New Mexico?"
"Don't look at me, I'm very busy."
Hearing this, Tony quickly waved his hand to decline. He was thinking about developing an Iron Legion to counter the Mutants and Superman; how could he bother with something so far away? Wouldn't that just be manual labor?
"You..."
Seeing his evasive manner, Nick Fury sighed. Why were all the people under him such 'talents'? Either it was a stubborn young man like Rogers who wouldn't turn back once he'd set his mind, or an egomaniac like Tony who completely refused to follow orders. He couldn't stand staying in S.H.I.E.L.D. for another day.
Although he thought this, he knew Tony responded better to persuasion than force. If he spoke to him properly, Tonywould still listen. So he said:
"I'm not necessarily asking you to go there immediately, just to be on standby. If something really happens, it won't be too late for you to go then."
"Fine, then. We'll see when the time comes."
Only then did Tony reluctantly agree.
"That's good."
Seeing him agree, a weary Nick Fury sighed and turned to leave.
...
In a corner outside.
Pierce brought Ross here.
"I'm not sure what you need me for, Director Pierce."
"Is it about the Super Serum? We haven't caught Banneryet, so the research has to be put on hold for now, but I'll resolve it as soon as possible."
General Ross thought Pierce was worried about the Super Serum and quickly explained. After all, this was his dereliction of duty; if Pierce blamed him, he might face punishment from the government.
"That's not urgent. I just wanted to ask how the new Mutant is doing."
Pierce waved his hand; he wasn't concerned about the serum.
How could a serum compare to a living Mutant's usefulness to them? He had also seen some battle footage of the new Mutant; although that kind of destructive power couldn't compare to Superman's, it was still very terrifying.
If Hydra could research and master such power, it would definitely be a massive boost.
"You mean Emil? News just came from the military. Although Emil's injuries were severe, his constitution will allow him to recover completely very soon, so there's no need to worry."
General Ross breathed a sigh of relief, but at the same time, he was a bit puzzled as to why Pierce was suddenly concerned about Emil.
"I just feel that the Mutant experiment has been very successful, so the government should study the situation and master this power. Therefore, could you hand that Mutant over to me?" Tianlai Novel Network
Pierce revealed his goal. Such a valuable Mutant had to be in Hydra's hands. Once they researched the secret of the mutation, they could create thousands of Mutant soldiers, and no one in the world would be able to resist Hydra.
"You want Emil?"
General Ross looked conflicted. Emil was originally his capable subordinate, and now that Emil had gained the power of a Mutant, he was even stronger. Moreover, they might even uncover the secrets of the mutation from Emil. He didn't want to give up such a valuable person to someone else.
"General Ross, don't think of this as a bad thing."
Pierce's eyes flickered. He knew why Ross was hesitating, but he didn't plan to give up.
No matter how high Ross's rank was, he was still subject to government control, so he wouldn't be allowed to say no.
Seeing Ross's questioning gaze, Pierce explained with a serious expression.
"General Ross, in your capture attempt this time, not only did you fail to bring back the Mutant, but your subordinates also violated discipline, resulting in the creation of a new Mutant. Furthermore, the destruction of the city and the terror caused to the public by the two Mutants are very serious issues. Once the government finds out, they will surely punish you severely as the primary leader. You might even have your military rank revoked."
Seeing General Ross's face turn increasingly pale, Piercegave a slight smile and changed his tone.
"However, if you hand the Mutant over to me to help the government with Mutant research, it would be considered making up for your mistakes. At that time, I'll put in a few good words for you with Senator Stern. It shouldn't be a problem to get you pardoned."
Having said that, Pierce quietly watched Ross without saying another word. He knew Ross wouldn't refuse. One couldn't use force against military men like them, but as long as their rank was threatened, they would compromise on anything.
As Pierce expected, Ross remained silent for a while, his face pale. Then he sighed and said helplessly:
"Alright, Director Pierce. I'll leave Emil to you. I hope you'll help explain things if the government comes to blame me."
Chapter 34: Is the Thor plot about to begin?
Inside the conference room.
With Tony and the others gone, only Stern and Hammerremained.
"Don't be so dejected, Mr. Hammer."
Stern noticed Hammer's lifeless expression and reminded him.
"Senator, after what happened today, I've completely lost face in front of Stark."
Hammer sighed and spoke with a bitter face.
"Stark is just an asshole; we don't need to pay him any mind. You have miniature reactor technology too; you're not inferior to Stark in any way."
The Senator consoled him again.
Hearing this, Hammer thought about it and realized he really wasn't inferior to Stark. His mood improved significantly, and he then asked with some confusion.
"You didn't keep me here just to comfort me, did you? I wonder if there's something else."
Seeing Hammer recover slightly, Stern breathed a sigh of relief and explained.
"The main reason I kept you is for a plan we're about to launch, called Insight Project."
Stern revealed his purpose. He and Pierce valued Hammer's miniature reactor technology and prepared to pull him into the upcoming Insight Project; that was the meaning behind Pierce's look earlier.
"Insight Project?"
Hammer looked confused. His status as a military consultant gave him access to many military secrets, but he had never heard of Insight Project.
"That's right."
Seeing Hammer's confusion, the Senator cleared his throat and explained.
"Insight Project involves uploading global human data into a mainframe to detect potentially dangerous individuals and using Helicarriers to eliminate them for the benefit of all humanity. And you, Mr. Hammer—we believe your nuclear reactor technology is extremely useful, so we've decided to invite you to join this project."
"This... this..."
Hammer was shocked. He knew that if this plan was successfully executed, it would be an unprecedented revolution. He was naturally very willing to join such a project, but...
"Is Stark in this project too?"
Hammer asked. Working with Stark would be quite painful.
"Of course not. We could never approve of someone so undisciplined."
Stern waved his hand and immediately denied it.
Now Hammer couldn't help but feel a bit smug. I was invited to a project that even Stark isn't qualified for; let's see how arrogant he is now. Thinking of this, Hammernodded without hesitation.
"I agree to join the project."
"You won't regret it, Mr. Hammer."
Stern smiled. Now Insight Project was almost fully prepared.
...
Early the next morning.
Clark hurried toward the place where the Mutant battle had occurred yesterday.
The battle yesterday had been too intense, causing him to forget to take photos. Now he was going back to snap a few.
The street where the battle took place was still a scene of ruins. Many police cars were parked outside, and officers had set up cordons to prevent people from approaching.
Clark was also blocked outside and could only take a few photos from the perimeter.
Just then, he noticed a group of people inside wearing strange clothes with the Stark Industries logo. He couldn't help but ask a nearby policeman in confusion.
"Sir, what are those people doing? I don't think I've ever seen them before."
The policeman looked over and then said.
"Oh, that. That's the something-something Damage department established by Stark Industries?"
"The Damage Control Department?"
Clark was stunned for a moment and said.
"Right, right, that's what it's called. Mr. Tony Stark is truly a philanthropist; that department is purely a money-loser."
The policeman shook his head, sighed in admiration, and then went back to his business.
Clark was dazed. It turned out that Stark's statement on the internet wasn't a lie; the evidence was right before him—he really had established this department.
One must know that such a department had absolutely no profit potential and required a massive investment of funds; it was a complete loss-making venture. And Starkhad established this department solely to repay Clark's kindness for saving people.
To think there was such a person in the world who repaid kindness without regard for personal gain. Clark couldn't help but be moved, and his impression of Tony improved even further.
Thinking of this, Clark also took several photos of the Damage Control Department personnel, intending to write a report for Tony when he got back so more people would know of his deeds.
...
Inside the Daily Planet editorial office.
Clark, having rushed back, was organizing the materials he had photographed when Lois walked over.
"Hey, good morning, Clark. What are you working on?"
Lois greeted him with a smile.
"I'm organizing the photos I took this morning."
Clark responded with a smile.
"Eh? What are these workers doing?"
Lois picked up the photo of the Damage Control Department and asked curiously.
"Oh, those are workers from the Damage Control Department Stark mentioned before. I only realized this morning that they've already started operating. I thought it was good news, so I took some photos."
Clark quickly explained.
"Hmm, it is indeed a good news story. We can report on it later."
"But I really didn't expect that playboy Stark wasn't just joking around."
Lois nodded, somewhat surprised. She hadn't expected Stark's announcement in the news to be serious; only someone with his massive family fortune could afford such a money-losing venture.
But this was good; Clark wouldn't have to worry about the aftermath in the future.
"By the way, there's one more thing. There's been some big news in New Mexico recently. A Hammer fell from the sky. The editor-in-chief said the story is quite interesting and wants the two of us to go investigate."
Lois remembered the purpose of her visit and spoke to Clark with a smile.
The two of them could go investigate together; she was more than willing to have some time alone with him.
"A Hammer fell from the sky?"
Clark was a bit puzzled. How could a Hammer fall from the sky? Despite his confusion, he nodded and agreed to the plan.
Unlike Clark, Su Cheng, acting as the second personality, was currently deep in thought.
"A Hammer fell from the sky?"
Isn't this the plot of Thor? In other words, the events of the first Thor movie are about to begin.
There are quite a lot of things happening in Thor—not just Loki, the God of Mischief, but also Thor, and even the All-Father Odin.
"It just so happens Clark is going there for an interview. He'll definitely come into contact with Thor and Loki. If Clark offends someone as vengeful as Loki, he'll surely face frantic retaliation, which will likely accelerate his descent into darkness."
Su Cheng was quite happy and looked forward to the upcoming scene more and more.
Chapter 35: Coulson's Discovery
A few days ago.
Within the Halls of Asgard.
"You are too arrogant, Thor. Because of your impulsive actions, you have placed your friends in danger."
Odin looked at Tony, whom he had just rescued from the Frost Giant, and rebuked him angrily.
"You've grown old and senile, Father. If we don't deal with the Frost Giant, they will attack sooner or later. Your way of thinking cannot protect this world."
Thor was not convinced and retorted loudly.
"How dare you say that! You have lost the right to be king, and you are no longer worthy of it. Only when you are worthy shall you be able to take it up again."
Odin breathed heavily in anger, his eyes filled with nothing but disappointment. He had been too indulgent with this son, leading to his current arrogance and lack of respect; he had a responsibility to help correct him.
Thinking of this, he waved his right hand, summoning Mjolnir to his grasp. Then, pointing his left finger at Thor, he directly stripped away all of Thor's divine power.
"No, you can't."
Thor was now somewhat panicked, backing away repeatedly.
But Odin clearly wasn't going to give him a chance. A Portal immediately appeared behind Thor. With a gentle push from Odin, Thor's body was sucked directly into the Portal.
"Whosoever holds this hammer, if he be worthy and pure of heart, shall possess the Power of Thor."
Odin placed a seal upon the Mjolnir in his hand and then threw the Mjolnir into the Portal as well.
...
In the desert of New Mexico at dusk.
A brilliant beam of light, accompanied by a storm, streaked across the dark night sky, falling toward one side of the desert.
"Hey! Jane, look over there."
Erik pointed at the night sky with a look of surprise, shouting to his research partner, Jane, behind him.
"What's wrong? My god, what is that?"
Jane came over with the instruments she was calibrating and immediately saw the anomaly in the night sky.
"Let's get over there quickly. This might be a new weather phenomenon."
Jane reacted quickly, hurriedly packing her things and getting into the car while calling for her partners to hurry up.
Once everyone had packed, they drove toward the place where the aurora had fallen.
Halfway there, a tall, staggering man suddenly appeared ahead.
"Damn it!!!"
Not expecting anyone to be in the desert, Jane couldn't swerve in time and knocked the man down.
"Is he okay?!"
The group hurriedly got out of the car to check.
The man staggered to his feet again, shouting incessantly.
"Let me go back, Father! Let me go back!"
As he spoke, he flailed his arms wildly, looking hysterical.
"Guys, I think there's something wrong with this guy."
Jane's friend was a bit scared and hurriedly pulled out the taser she had prepared.
To her, the crazed man before them looked like he might attack at any moment.
"You intend to attack me with this? To strike down the great Prince of Asgard with this?"
The man was indeed Thor. He looked at the taser and let out a disdainful sneer.
Who was he? He was the Prince of Asgard. Against mere human weapons, even if he just stood there and let them strike, they wouldn't be able to cause the slightest bit of damage to his divine body.
The next second!!!
Zzzzt! Zzzzt! Zzzzt!
The taser hit Thor. His eyes instantly rolled back, and he collapsed to the ground.
"Are we still going over there?"
Knowing she had caused trouble, Jane's partner shrank back and asked tentatively.
"Of course not. We have to take this guy back and check on him first."
Jane rolled her eyes, feeling a bit depressed. She hadn't expected such a thing to happen right when they were so close to observing the celestial anomaly. It was truly bad luck.
They looked at each other, then moved Thor into the car and left.
The next morning.
Thor woke up and, seeing he was in an unfamiliar room, immediately became alert to his surroundings.
"Ah, you're awake! Come quickly, he's awake!"
Jane saw the waking Thor as soon as she entered and hurried out to tell her partners.
Thor was a bit confused but followed her out anyway.
As soon as he stepped out, he saw Jane and her partners approaching.
"Are you all right? I'm Jane, and these are my research partners. We're very sorry about yesterday."
Jane apologized and checked Thor's injuries.
"I am fine. I am the Prince of Asgard; my name is Thor."
Thor was still a bit disoriented. He looked around and suddenly realized his hammer wasn't there. He asked:
"Have you seen my Mjolnir?"
"A hammer? No. You were the only one there; there was no hammer." Tianlai Novel Network
Jane said, somewhat puzzled.
"I must find it."
Recalling that Mjolnir had been cast out along with him by his father, Thor decided to find Mjolnir and reclaim his power immediately.
...
Near the crater where Mjolnir had fallen.
Having received orders, Coulson arrived in a hurry and immediately saw the massive crater where the hammer lay.
At that moment, a group of people were tying Mjolnir to a pickup truck with ropes.
"All right, floor it!!!"
Once the ropes were tied, someone shouted to the old man driving the truck.
"Okay!"
Receiving the command, the old man floored the accelerator.
The truck's wheels spun against the ground, and the rope instantly pulled taut, but Mjolnir remained motionless.
"It won't even budge. What's going on?"
The people around were all puzzled, wondering why this hammer was so heavy that even a truck couldn't pull it.
Just then.
Because of the excessive force, the pickup truck's rear bed was ripped right off.
"It won't move at all?"
To one side, Coulson's eyes flickered with a hint of confusion, but after all they had seen at S.H.I.E.L.D., it wasn't too strange.
Thinking this, Coulson walked up to Mjolnir, intending to see if he could lift it.
Coulson gripped the handle and pulled hard with both hands, but the hammer didn't budge. Coulson no longer held back and pulled with all his might, yet it still wouldn't move, as if it were rooted into the ground.
"Don't bother. We've all tried. Even the strongest man here couldn't budge it; you won't be able to move it."
Someone nearby advised him. They had already tried countless times; it was simply impossible to lift.
Coulson stopped trying and fell into deep thought.
Why couldn't it be lifted? Was it a matter of weight? For such a small hammer to reach that kind of weight, how high would its density have to be? No such material existed on Earth.
Could it be caused by some mysterious forces? Coulsonwas suspicious. S.H.I.E.L.D. was aware of most of the world's powers, which naturally included mysterious mutant abilities, magic, and so on.
"It's best to cordon off this area first,"
Coulson muttered to himself, then took out his communicator to notify S.H.I.E.L.D. personnel to come and seal off the area immediately.
Chapter 36: Fury's Arrangement
After notifying the staff, Coulson hesitated for a moment before dialing Fury's number.
"What is it, Coulson? Is there news from New Mexico?"
The call connected, and Fury's voice came from the other side.
"Boss, I've checked the situation here in New Mexico, and something isn't right."
Coulson voiced his thoughts.
"Not right? In what way?"
Nick Fury's voice grew more serious.
"The Hammer that fell here—no matter what we do, it can't be lifted. I don't think it's a matter of the Hammer's weight; rather, it seems to be caused by some mystical power."
Coulson spoke earnestly. S.H.I.E.L.D. had encountered many situations, and nine times out of ten, such strange phenomena were due to mystical powers. He said this because he wanted to hear Fury's opinion.
"Mystical power..."
Fury fell silent on the other end. After a while, he continued.
"I understand. Investigate there. I'll send Clint over to help you later."
"I think it's best to inform Stark as well. I have a feeling this matter isn't that simple."
Coulson hesitated and suggested. This was clearly not an easy situation to handle; having Tony with his Iron Man Suit come over would undoubtedly be safer.
"I was thinking the same thing. Don't worry, I'll notify him to prepare to head over. All right, continue investigating to see if there are any other witnesses. I feel witnesses could be a breakthrough. Clint will be there shortly."
Nick Fury gave a few instructions and then hung up the phone. Tianlai Novel Network.
Putting away his communicator, Coulson was silent for a moment, then looked at the Hammer in the crater, a hint of worry showing in his eyes.
...
S.H.I.E.L.D.
"Mystical power, huh..."
Nick Fury muttered to himself. Having encountered Alien races in the universe, he knew that beyond Earth, there were many evil forces eyeing the planet. This anomaly was likely caused by some Alien race.
Alien power is not easy to deal with. I hope it doesn't come to using this, Nick Fury thought as he stared blankly at the special communicator in his hand.
After a while, Nick Fury snapped out of it and instructed an Agent beside him.
"Call Clint over and tell him there's a new mission."
Receiving the order, the Agent immediately went to notify him.
Before long, the Agent led Hawkeye Clint to Fury, then stood aside on standby.
"What is it, Fury?"
Clint asked directly as he approached.
"Something went wrong in New Mexico. Coulson has already gone ahead, but the situation there is a bit complicated and he can't solve it alone. Go and help him."
Nick Fury rubbed his temples as he explained the mission.
"New Mexico? Got it."
Clint nodded, then seemed to think of something and looked up to ask.
"Where's Natasha? How about I go handle it with her?"
Having worked with Natasha for many years, he immediately thought of his old partner. The two had the best rapport, and handling it together would undoubtedly be much faster.
"Natasha and Rogers are currently on a rescue mission and can't make it for now, so you'll have to go alone this time."
Nick Fury explained. He also knew that Clint and Natasha would perform better together, but since Natasha was already on a mission, there was nothing he could do.
"On a mission? Then there's no choice. I'll go get ready now."
Although Clint was somewhat curious about what mission it was, he didn't say much.
Seeing Fury nod, Clint didn't hesitate and went to prepare.
"I wonder how Natasha and the others are doing with their mission. It's really a bit unusual without her."
Clint's words also reminded Fury of Rogers and Natasha. Logically, the mission should have been nearly finished by now, but for some reason, the two had not yet returned.
Shaking his head, Nick Fury decided not to dwell on the matter. Instead, he took out his phone and dialed Tony's number.
"Hello, Fury. What is it now? I'm busy here."
As soon as the call connected, Tony's voice came through, accompanied by clanging and banging, as well as the sizzling sound of welding, making it very noisy.
"What are you doing over there, Tony? Find a quiet place quickly; I have something to tell you."
Nick Fury frowned. The noise from Tony's end made his already irritable mood even worse. For some reason, it seemed like every time he talked to Tony, it ended up being very frustrating.
"I'm researching a new project here. I can't tell you exactly what it is, but isn't S.H.I.E.L.D. best at investigating other people's secrets? You can try to find out."
Tony moved to a quiet environment, and his voice became much clearer.
"If you won't say, then forget it. I'm calling you for serious business."
Nick Fury's expression turned serious as he explained.
"Regarding the New Mexico matter I mentioned last time, Coulson went to investigate and found some issues. We preliminary suspect it was caused by alien forces."
"Alien forces? You've got a sense of humor, Fury. What era is this? Do you still believe in the existence of ET?"
Tony clearly didn't believe in any alien forces and spoke dismissively.
"Tony, I'm not joking. There really are Alien races in the universe."
Nick Fury said earnestly.
As if sensing Fury's seriousness, or perhaps feeling that Fury had no reason to deceive him, Tony became serious and said:
"Tell me, Fury, what exactly do you want?"
"I just want you to be prepared for potential combat in New Mexico. Things likely won't be peaceful there."
Nick Fury stated his request.
"...Fine. If a fight really breaks out, I'll be there. Don't worry."
Tony hesitated for a moment, then agreed.
"Good, then wait for my word. That's all."
With that, Nick Fury hung up the phone, sighed, and sat down in his chair.
Now that Clint was on his way and Tony was prepared, it was just a matter of seeing what the situation was over there. Nick Fury stared blankly into the distance.
...
Stark Industries.
In the CEO's Office.
"Alien races?"
After hanging up the phone with Fury, Tony thought as he walked toward the Laboratory.
Fury obviously wasn't lying to him; he wouldn't joke about something like this.
And judging by Fury's unprecedentedly serious tone, this Alien race might not be so easy to deal with.
"It seems I need to speed up the research process."
Tony looked through the glass window into his Laboratoryat the incomplete Iron Man Suits scattered about.
That was the Iron Legion he had started researching after seeing the battle between Superman and the Mutant, feeling that his own strength was insufficient.