Bruce Banner never gave up hope.
He walked toward his destination on foot. A journey of 1,600 kilometers, and he finished it in less than 17 days.
Banner thought of "Mr. Blue." That place also had records of his genetic mutation.
At the same time, the only person he could truly trust, Betty Ross, was also there.
Banner slipped into the school, preparing to reunite with his girlfriend.
Ever since the accident where he injured her and fled, he could no longer remember how long it had been since he last saw Betty's face.
Without any warning, Betty unexpectedly appeared in Banner's line of sight.
The girlfriend he had not seen for so long was still elegant and radiant.
Just as he was about to step forward and greet her, he was shocked to discover that she already had a new companion.
At that moment, Banner felt as if his heart were being cut by a knife.
He understood that he no longer had the right to disturb her life. Perhaps leaving quietly was his final act of tenderness.
With a shattered heart, Banner went to his old friend's pizza shop.
This place was his only safe harbor.
His old friend's unconditional trust and support made him feel a long-lost warmth.
Taking advantage of a pizza delivery, Banner once again slipped into the campus.
He successfully bribed a poorly paid security guard with a box of pizza and quietly sneaked into his former laboratory.
Full of hope, he searched for experimental data related to himself.
"F**k!"
But the military had already destroyed all of his files. Banner found no useful clues at all.
This left Banner utterly hopeless. With no other choice, he could only continue running.
He packed his bags, ready to say goodbye to his old friend, but was unexpectedly discovered by his girlfriend.
Yet Banner did not dare to acknowledge her. No matter how Betty's calls echoed through the street, Banner could only hide silently in a corner behind a trash bin, grieving alone.
Walking in the pouring rain, Banner felt ice-cold inside. Passing cars thought he was crazy and avoided him one after another.
But at this moment, a car quietly stopped behind him, it was Betty.
Seeing that familiar figure, Betty ignored the heavy rain soaking her completely and ran toward Banner.
"Don't go… don't go…"
The emotions the two had suppressed for so long finally found an outlet at this moment, and they held each other tightly.
When Betty learned that Banner was searching for their experimental data from back then, she brought Banner home and took out a delicate storage box, handing it to him.
Inside was a USB drive. Betty had secretly backed up all of the experimental data onto it.
This data was like a lifeline, letting Banner see hope for a cure.
"Maybe you can continue to seek help from the military…"
Betty thought that since General Ross was, after all, her biological father, he should treat Banner kindly for her sake.
But Banner knew General Ross's ambition all too well, "No. He just wants to dissect me, then weaponize the mutated cells."
That was something he absolutely could not accept.
"I still have a friend."
Banner thought of the friend he had met during his time on the run, "Mr. Blue."
———
[New York]
Just as General Ross's research team was still struggling with how to draw even a bit of blood from Corin.
Blonsky went to see General Ross. Ever since the last plan to capture Banner failed, Blonsky's interest in the Hulk had grown stronger and stronger.
And General Ross keenly sensed his craving for power.
So the general decided to fully reveal the experimental secrets surrounding Banner to Blonsky, "Banner's experiment only reached a very preliminary stage and cannot be applied yet."
"He thought he was researching ways to resist radiation. I never told him the truth."
"He was too reckless and actually experimented on himself, leading to a major disaster."
"Or… did he accidentally get it right?"
In front of Blonsky, General Ross casually shifted all the blame onto Banner.
Under the general's lead, Blonsky entered a sealed warehouse and took out a vial of blue serum.
This vial of serum was a replica based on the serum injected into Captain America during World War II.
Only at this moment did Blonsky realize that General Ross intended to restart the World War II super soldier program.
"To hell with ambition… I just want to get stronger!"
Looking at the blue serum, a dangerous light appeared in Blonsky's eyes.
Even though General Ross repeatedly warned him that injecting this serum carried enormous risks, and whether it would grant unknown power was uncertain.
If it failed, the injected person would lose their life.
Blonsky did not care about any of that. His inner desire for power had driven him nearly insane.
Finally, with the assistance of two doctors, the blue serum was injected into Blonsky's body.
———
"Oh! God! Please! My God!"
Watching the hardest new-type injection needle snap the moment it touched Corin's arm.
The scientist responsible for drawing Corin's blood finally broke down…
He could not understand how something any nurse could easily do had become a world-class challenge in his hands.
"It's just drawing some blood. What are you all doing?"
General Ross could not understand it either. Something that should have taken only a few minutes, and now that they were back in New York, this annoying bounty hunter was still hanging around in front of him.
Yes. Ever since agreeing to the deal with General Ross, Corin and Alyssa had followed Ross's research team from Brazil to the United States.
They were treated to good food and drink the entire way, yet not a single drop of blood had been taken from Corin.
The scientist reported the task that had tormented him for several days to General Ross with a bitter expression.
The very first time they tried to draw Corin's blood, the needle had snapped.
Up to now, after ruining hundreds of needles and using dozens of methods, they still could not break even a bit of Corin's skin.
Corin, on the other hand, was very cooperative. As long as it was for drawing blood, he did whatever they asked.
"For just a bit of blood, you can't exactly use a shredder."
The repeatedly frustrated scientist had even thought of extreme methods.
When General Ross fully understood the situation, he too fell into a daze.
"No… this… I spent two hundred million! It's been several days now… and you're telling me you can't draw blood?"
In response, the scientist could only helplessly say, he could not get even a single drop.
General Ross sucked at his teeth with a headache. He had to admit that despite his rich experience in struggle, this time he seemed truly stumped.
"This Cockroach might really be a monster…"
Gradually, a hint of giving up emerged. Power that could not be replicated was worthless to him.
———
During the days when Corin and Alyssa were treated as honored guests by the military, they were genuinely in good spirits.
Good food, good sleep, free tours of secret U.S. military bases, not to mention being able to enjoy daily the constipated expressions of people who could not do anything to them.
Earning two hundred million with just a few words, Corin himself was also curious about what methods the military would use when facing a steel body that was not yet complete.
Over these days, Corin happily cooperated with the military's research team, carrying out comprehensive attempts on how to draw even a bit of blood from him.
Without exception, all ended in failure.
'I gave you a chance… you're just useless!'
Chewing on a toothpick, Corin glanced at Alyssa, who looked well-behaved, and thought to himself.
At this moment, General Ross shamelessly came to find Corin:
"Cockroach, my friend. To be honest, I've never encountered something like this either. But since we can't draw blood, then our deal..."
Understanding the unspoken meaning, Corin politely replied, "I can cooperate with you, but refunding the money… no."
General Ross had clearly expected Corin's attitude. He never had much hope of getting a refund anyway.
Two hundred million already in hand. If it were him, he would not refund it either.
After the refund proposal was rejected, Ross made another suggestion, "In that case, Mr. Cockroach, how about treating this money as the commission for the next assignment?"
'Trying to take advantage of me? Dream on!', General Ross thought resentfully.
Corin thought for a moment and then agreed to Ross's proposal. After all, the money had come a bit too easily.
However…
"Two conditions."
Holding up two fingers, Corin looked at General Ross, smiling like a fox.
"Contact Nick Fury immediately and tell him that I've already completed the military's commission."
"And…"
"This money can only count as a deposit for the next assignment. The exact price will depend on the mission content…"
Crack!
A piece of General Ross's newly repaired back molar broke off under the force of his bite.
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