Chapter 6 What's the matter with you taking off your clothes?!
That spittle, mixed with disdain, seemed to put a contemptuous period to this one-sided slaughter.
Inside the command vehicle, it instantly fell silent.
Only the pig-like screams of the adjutant remained, and the increasingly pungent stench emanating from his crotch.
The other soldiers, like puppets whose souls had been drawn out, huddled in a corner, clutching their heads and trembling uncontrollably.
Their eyes were practically bulging out of their sockets, staring fixedly at the still-twitching headless corpse, and that… demon standing leisurely beside the corpse!
They dared not make any extra movements, fearing that they would end up like Ross if they weren't careful.
Lin Chen merely glanced at them indifferently.
That gaze, devoid of any killing intent, was even more bone-chilling than a Siberian cold front.
"Scram."
He only said one word.
But this one word was like an imperial edict from the Heavenly Emperor!
"Ah ah ah ah!"
The adjutant was the first to react, scrambling and crawling out of the command vehicle.
His speed was such that even a peak-era Usain Bolt would be ashamed.
The remaining soldiers also felt as if they had received a great amnesty; with a sigh of relief, they hastily used both hands and feet to escape from this iron can that had become a purgatory.
The feeling of being alive... was truly wonderful.
Lin Chen ignored these minor characters; he slowly stepped down from the command vehicle and stood in the center of the chaotic battlefield.
"General... The General is dead!"
"The General was killed by that monster!!!"
As the adjutant and these soldiers fled, they didn't forget to warn their companions who were still unaware.
Each person screamed out the words of General Ross's demise at the top of their lungs.
This news immediately spread like a virus, instantly sweeping across the entire battlefield!
All the soldiers who were still hesitating, still watching, were completely stunned.
They stared with wide, disbelieving eyes, wondering if there was something wrong with their ears, or if these few people had gone mad?
But the truth was, the expressions on their faces did not seem feigned at all.
Moreover, the gunshots that had just echoed from inside the command vehicle, and Lin Chen's calm figure descending from it, all seemed to confirm a fact—
The backbone... was broken!
General Ross, who was invincible in the eyes of all soldiers, the hawkish representative of the Pentagon, just... died?
Died in his own command vehicle?!
It was... so hasty.
Everyone felt a sense of unreality.
They looked at the green giant in the distance, like a small mountain.
Then they looked at the black-haired young man standing alone in the center of the battlefield, feeling in his pocket as if searching for a cigarette.
Both... both were unreasonable monsters!
What's the point of fighting anymore?!
This was not a war; it was a one-sided slaughter, and they were the ones being slaughtered.
They couldn't fight anymore.
No amount of compensation could make them fight anymore!
"Run!!!"
Someone, no one knew who, was the first to break down and shout.
Immediately after, there was a complete and utter rout!
The soldiers threw away their rifles, took off their heavy helmets, and followed behind the first few soldiers who fled.
As if countless demons were chasing them, each one wished their parents had given them two more legs, fleeing like mad in the direction away from this district.
Tanks also turned their turrets, armored vehicles reversed frantically, even ramming into friendly vehicles blocking their way.
The so-called elite troops were now a group of toothless tigers, a flock of terrified sheep!
Lin Chen stood quietly, watching this spectacular "Dunkirk" evacuation.
He did not pursue them.
Slaughter was not his objective.
He just wanted to teach these self-righteous guys a lesson.
If you want to reason, you can.
If you don't want to reason and insist on fighting... then I am the greatest reason!
It wasn't until the last soldier's back disappeared around the street corner that the entire battlefield finally fell silent.
Crimson molten iron still gurgled, emitting a pungent, high heat.
The air was filled with a strong smell of roasted meat.
Lin Chen turned around.
His gaze fell on the enormous object not far away, the only one that hadn't moved.
Hulk.
At this moment, the Hulk was looking at Lin Chen with an extremely complex expression.
In its huge pupils, the previous brutality and madness had largely receded, replaced by a mixture of apprehension, curiosity, and even a hint of recognition.
The healing power of the Horse Talisman was still at work, like a trickling stream, soothing the turbulent gamma energy within its body.
And that earth-shattering golden dragon's breath just now had given it an unparalleled visual impact!
In Hulk's simple logic, something it couldn't defeat was strong!
Something even stronger than him was very strong!
This little one who could breathe Fire belonged to the "very strong" category!
Lin Chen looked at it, slowly raised his hands, indicating that he had no weapons and no hostility.
"Hey, big guy."
He tentatively spoke, his voice not loud, but exceptionally clear in the silence.
"Hmph..."
Hulk let out a low growl from its throat, as if responding.
Lin Chen twitched the corner of his mouth, revealing what he considered a benevolent smile.
He pointed in the direction where the soldiers had fled.
"They ran away."
Then, he pointed to himself, and then to Hulk.
"So, do you want to keep fighting, or are you willing to sit down and have a cup of tea with me?"
With that, Lin Chen started walking towards Hulk.
However, before he could get close, Hulk suddenly let out a suppressed grunt.
There was no rage in the sound, but rather a painful, coiling sensation.
"Hmm?"
Lin Chen raised an eyebrow, but his steps did not falter.
With his current strength, he wasn't afraid of Hulk pulling any more tricks; at worst, he'd give him a physical pick-me-up package.
So he simply folded his arms, watching the green behemoth in front of him with interest, wondering what new trick it was going to pull.
The next second, an absurd scene unfolded.
Hulk's mountain-like body, like a giant balloon that had been punctured, visibly shrank at an astonishing speed.
The green skin rapidly receded, revealing the pale skin underneath, and the bulging muscles also collapsed in a shrunken manner, even its bones making faint "crackling" sounds.
In less than ten seconds.
The green beast that could withstand tanks just moments ago had vanished, leaving only a naked man curled up on the ground.
It was Bruce Banner.
"???"
Lin Chen's mouth slightly agape, the air was so still that he could hear the distant "sizzling" sound of molten iron solidifying.
He looked down at the lope belt around his waist, then at the naked Banner on the ground, and his mouth twitched.
His heart was instantly filled with a sense of absurdity.
"No, buddy..."
Lin Chen bent down and lightly nudged Banner's arm with his toe, his tone full of exasperation:
"It's one thing for you to change back, but what's with taking off your clothes?"
Chapter 7: Streaking show?
However, despite his complaints, he still squatted down and pressed his glowing palm onto Dr. Banner's body.
The Horse Talisman's healing power swept through Banner's entire body, and only after confirming that he was merely unconscious and not in any life-threatening danger did Lin Chen finally breathe a sigh of relief.
"So, I just tried to reason with you, and you immediately turn around and give me a nude streaking show to assault my eyes, huh?"
Lin Chen grumbled, half-tempted to leave him be, but then worried he might die there.
After all, if he really died, that would be a huge problem.
Who would the Avengers find to be their main damage dealer then?
Thus, a new problem arose.
Since he couldn't leave this future core member of the Avengers lying around naked like this, he had to take him away.
But while he was helping, he couldn't actually walk around the slum with a naked man, could he?
If word got out, what kind of person would he become?
He needed to cover him up.
Thinking this, Lin Chen quickly looked around, his movements tinged with a sense of speechlessness.
Finally, his gaze fell on a broken blue plastic tarp hanging on the wall of a partially collapsed civilian house not far away.
It was just enough to cover his modesty.
"What kind of situation is this, I wonder? Win a fight, and get a naked man as a bonus? This service is too outrageous."
Saying this, he walked directly over and pulled down the tarp, intentionally slowing his pace on the way back.
He didn't want to make too much movement and accidentally wake Banner, which would be even more awkward.
"I can only ask you to bear with it, Doctor"
Lin Chen half-squatted and wrapped the tarp around Banner's body; his movements weren't gentle, but he also didn't let him catch a cold.
"Whose fault is it that your transformation skill isn't well-designed? Next time, remember to get some special material for a pair of shorts, otherwise, if you transform back in a crowded place, how embarrassing would that be?"
Saying this, he patted the head of Banner, who was wrapped up like a zongzi, with satisfaction, quite pleased with his handiwork.
"Alright, now that the mess is cleaned up, it's time to find a place to settle down."
Lin Chen looked up at the sky and stretched.
With such a big commotion here, it probably wouldn't be long before America's support troops, or even S.H.I.E.L.D.'s aircraft, would arrive.
He didn't want to get involved with that one-eyed bald man in black so early.
But where to go?
After frowning and thinking for a while, Lin Chen's eyes suddenly lit up.
"I've got it!"
He clapped his hands, instantly making a decision.
Then he quickly bent down and hoisted Banner onto his shoulder, and a light, buoyant force instantly enveloped his entire body.
Rooster Talisman, ascend!
His body slowly, and in defiance of the laws of physics, floated upwards, like a balloon with its string cut.
However, that wasn't all.
"Add some speed!"
With a thought, the power of the Rabbit Talismanactivated.
The floating speed suddenly surged!
"Boom—"
A faint sonic boom was heard.
The next second.
Lin Chen, carrying Dr. Banner, instantly transformed into a golden streak of light, tearing through the air at a speed far exceeding that of a fighter jet, soaring straight into the sky!
In the blink of an eye, he vanished into the horizon… Meanwhile.
On the rooftop of a skyscraper several kilometers away from the slum.
A man in a black suit, wearing sunglasses and a communication earpiece, slowly lowered the high-powered binoculars in his hand.
His forehead was already covered in fine cold sweat.
The earlier scene of the the military besieging the Hulkfrom afar, and everything that followed, had been observed by him the entire time, leaving him with lingering fear.
Things had gotten serious!
"Phew…"
He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressed the shock in his heart, and quickly pressed the communicator by his ear.
"Sir…"
His voice carried an uncontrollable tremor.
On the other end of the communicator, a calm and hoarse male voice immediately replied.
"Coulson, what's the situation? Is the Hulk under control?"
The man called Coulson swallowed hard and spoke with difficulty.
"Reporting, Sir Fury…"
"The Hulk… the Hulk has already transformed back into Dr. Banner."
"But…"
He paused, seemingly organizing his words, and finally chose the most direct description.
"But, I discovered a target that is even more dangerous and incomprehensible than the Hulk!"
"I feel that his danger level is even above that of the Hulk!"
"In front of him, the Hulk was like a child, easily manipulated by him, completely unable to resist."
"We need to re-evaluate the capabilities of these guys."
Just thinking about Lin Chen toying with the Hulk, Coulsonfelt a sense of absurdity.
And on the other end of the phone, as he reported, a long silence gradually fell… One day later.
"Ugh…"
Bruce Banner suddenly opened his eyes.
His head felt like it had been trampled by ten thousand elephants, aching to the point of splitting.
The salty sea breeze, mixed with the smell of diesel, drilled into his nose, almost making him throw up.
In his ears, there was the rhythmic sound of waves slapping against the hull and the roar of machinery.
"I… Where am I?"
He struggled to sit up and found himself lying on a cold floor, wrapped in a dirty, torn blue tarp.
Then, memories flooded back like a tide.
The the military's encirclement… loss of control… anger… the Hulk… and then… a warm white light… and also… a world-destroying golden flame… Banner shook his groggy head and looked around.
This seemed to be the cargo hold of a freighter.
And when he saw the scene inside the cargo hold, his pupils suddenly constricted!
Not far away, in front of the wall, a dozen men in sailor uniforms were tied up like zongzi with ropes, their mouths stuffed with rags, looking at him with terror.
Clearly… this ship had been hijacked!
And he, it seemed, was… a hostage?
Or… an accomplice of the kidnappers?
Banner was completely bewildered.
He felt his brain had turned into a paste.
Just then.
"Creak—"
The iron door of the cargo hold was pushed open.
A familiar yet unfamiliar figure, silhouetted against the light, walked in.
A white T-shirt, beach shorts, and that strange belt with twelve animal totems around his waist.
It was that… mysterious young man who had been spitting fire and glowing on the battlefield!
Lin Chen held a can of cola, gulped down a big mouthful, and then let out a loud burp.
He saw that Banner was awake, and showed no surprise, instead grinning, revealing two rows of bright white teeth.
He walked up to Banner, looked down at him, and then, in extremely broken English with a heavy Chinese accent, enthusiastically greeted him.
"Hello?"
"You… are… awake?"
Dr. Banner: "???"
Seeing his confused expression, Lin Chen pointed to himself again.
"Me, Lin Chen."
Then, he pointed to Banner.
"You, Hulk… NO, NO, NO… You, Banner!"
"We are… friends…"
Bruce Banner's mouth hung open as he looked at the gesticulating man in front of him, who was trying to communicate with him using single words.
Although the other party's face was sincere.
He always felt that there was a hint of mockery on the young man's face.
He seemed… to be toying with him?
Chapter 8: Noble Horse
Bruce Banner's brain completely crashed.
What... what the hell is going on?!
The man in front of him, a second ago, was a monster capable of spewing destructive dragon's breath and annihilating an army.
The next second, he turned into a... lunatic, flailing his arms and legs, unable to utter a single complete English sentence?
The stark contrast between these two images made Dr. Banner's seven proudly held doctorates begin to waver.
He genuinely couldn't tell if he hadn't woken up or if he was dreaming.
"I..."
Just as Banner was about to speak, he found his throat as dry as the Sahara Desert, his voice incredibly hoarse.
Lin Chen seemed to notice his predicament.
He 'thumped' the can of soda he was holding onto a wooden crate next to Banner.
"Drink."
He uttered a very concise word.
Banner hesitated for a moment, but ultimately, the instinct for survival overcame his wariness.
He picked up the icy cold soda can and guzzled it down.
Bubbles burst in his throat, and the sugary liquid moisturized his parched body, also helping his muddled brain clear up a bit.
"Tha... thank you."
He said, panting heavily.
Lin Chen waved his hand, and the enthusiastic smile on his face suddenly faded.
His gaze became sharp and profound, as if it could penetrate people's hearts.
He no longer stumbled over those clumsy words, but instead spoke slowly in a tone that, though still stiff, was incredibly clear.
"Doctor Bruce Banner."
"Genius physicist, an authority in the field of gamma rays."
"Pursued by the the military due to an experimental accident, viewed as a monster by the entire world."
With each sentence Lin Chen spoke, Banner's face grew paler.
His body began to tremble uncontrollably.
These were the deepest secrets and pains of his heart.
Why did this mysterious Eastern man know all of it so clearly?!
"Who... who exactly are you?"
A hint of unconcealed fear crept into Banner's voice.
Lin Chen didn't answer; instead, he extended a finger and lightly tapped his own chest, then tapped Banner's chest.
"You, and I, are the same."
"We are both 'patients'."
Banner's pupils suddenly constricted!
Patients?
Was he talking about the Hulk?
"No... I'm not a patient! I don't have..."
His emotions began to stir, and his breathing became heavy.
This was a premonition of the Hulk's imminent appearance!
However, Lin Chen merely watched him calmly, without the slightest ripple in his eyes.
He slowly raised his right hand, and the lifelike horse totem on his lope belt suddenly lit up!
"Don't be afraid."
"Look."
A soft, milky-white glow, as pure as moonlight, poured from his palm, instantly enveloping Banner's entire body.
Dr. Banner's body suddenly stiffened.
The rage and transformation he anticipated did not come.
Instead, there was an unprecedented warmth and tranquility.
It was as if he was lying in his mother's arms on a summer afternoon, listening to a lullaby.
The anxiety, anger, fear, and paranoia that had accompanied him for years... at this moment, were gently smoothed away and completely cleansed by this miraculous light.
The muscle tears and internal injuries he sustained from transforming also rapidly healed in this light.
Even his heart, which was on the verge of collapse from long-term suppression, felt a long-lost peace.
It was as if he had returned to before the accident.
"This... this is..."
Dr. Banner's eyes widened, feeling the dual healing of his body and soul, his face filled with disbelief.
This power was even purer and stronger than the white light he had felt on the battlefield before!
"The noble horse can remove all external forces."
Lin Chen softly spoke a sentence Banner didn't understand.
He wasn't afraid of his secret being known, as it was bound to happen sooner or later.
In fact, during the time Banner was unconscious, Lin Chenhad already tested the abilities of all the talismans.
One thing was certain: the talismans were real. Aside from their abilities seemingly being suppressed for some unknown reason, they functioned consistently with their portrayal in 'Jackie Chan Adventures'.
However, the lope belt seemed to be truly embedded in his body; no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't remove it, including the talismans on it.
He also tried using the Tiger Talisman to balance the abilities of other talismans, hoping to integrate them completely into his body like Shendu.
Unfortunately, he failed.
There was always an indescribable sense of obstruction, making it difficult for the talismans to merge with his flesh.
Fortunately, besides being unsightly, it didn't affect his movements.
And he had completely figured out how to activate the talismans.
Currently, there were only two methods: one was through mental control, and the other was direct touch.
Compared to mental control, Lin Chen preferred to demonstrate his 'handwork.' The smooth, delicate tactile sensation gave him an indescribable'sense of reality.'
After all, even now, he still felt as if he were in a dream, unable to believe that he had truly transmigrated.
"Whew..."
Lin Chen took a deep breath, slowly withdrew his hand, and the light dissipated.
But that feeling of tranquility still lingered in Banner's heart.
Banner stared blankly at his hands, then touched his chest.
For the first time, the Hulk's roar in his mind was so quiet.
He looked up, meeting Lin Chen's gaze again.
The fear and wariness in his eyes had faded, replaced by profound shock and a glimmer of... faint hope.
"Can you... cure me?"
His voice held a tremor he hadn't even noticed himself.
This was the first time in years of fleeing that he had asked this question of anyone.
"Cure?"
Lin Chen smiled and shook his head.
During Banner's unconsciousness, he had conducted simple tests on all the talismans.
Although he didn't know why, when used, these talismans didn't achieve the effects seen in 'Jackie Chan Adventures'; it was as if they were deliberately suppressed by something.
But even if they only exerted a fraction of their power, for the current Hulk, it was still a dimensionality reduction attack.
However, even though he could completely cure Banner, making the Hulk disappear entirely or become independent, he didn't want to do that.
It would lose a lot of fun.
"No."
The spark of hope that had just ignited in Banner's eyes instantly dimmed.
"He is you. You are him."
Lin Chen pointed to Banner's heart.
"This isn't a disease; it's power."
"What you lack isn't a cure; it's... control."
Control?!
These two words, like a lightning bolt, struck Dr. Banner's soul.
He had never considered this approach!
Everyone, including himself, had only thought about how to eliminate the Hulk, how to get rid of this 'affliction.'
But this man in front of him said... to control him?
Could the Hulk... truly be controlled?
He wasn't sure.
"I... the Hulk... I really don't know what to do..."
Banner's voice became urgent.
He clutched his head, looking very distressed.
Lin Chen grinned, revealing two rows of white teeth, transforming back into the seemingly harmless young man in beach shorts.
He patted Banner's shoulder, revealing his true intentions.
"It's simple."
"I, Lin Chen, will protect you, help you."
"You, Banner, will... make money for me!"
Bruce Banner: "???"
...Night fell, shrouding the vast Atlantic Ocean.
The freighter sailed steadily across the sea, heading directly for the North American continent.
And tens of thousands of feet above the sea.
A futuristic, jet-black warplane, ghostly and stealthy, with its optical camouflage engaged, hovered silently above the clouds.
It was a S.H.I.E.L.D. quinjet.
Inside the cabin, Agent Coulson sat upright, intently watching the real-time thermal imaging feed on the screen.
"Sir, the target vessel's course is stable. It is expected to enter U.S. territorial waters in 48 hours."
Nick Fury's uniquely hoarse voice came through his communicator.
"What's the situation on board?"
"It's strange, Sir."
Coulson's brows furrowed slightly.
"According to the heat signature, Dr. Banner and the mysterious target... are having a barbecue... in the cabin?"
A long silence fell on the other end of the communicator.
After a while, Fury's voice spoke again, with a hint of gravity.
"Keep a close eye on them."
"I don't care if they're having a barbecue or a party."
"I just want to know what a superhuman, carrying a 'nuclear bomb' that could explode at any moment, intends to do by entering our country!"
Chapter 9: The human rights are about to be lost
New York, Queens.
The early morning dock carried the salty smell of seawater and the peculiar scent of diesel.
An ocean freighter let out a deep, long whistle and slowly pulled into the dock.
Bruce Banner's heart, following the whistle, rose to his throat.
He pulled his baseball cap lower, and his large sunglasses almost covered half his face.
"Are we... just going to get off like this?"
Banner's voice was a bit dry, carrying an undisguised tension.
This was the United States.
It was the U.S. military's stronghold, and also the most heavily monitored place in the entire world!
The two of them, one a "weapon of mass destruction" wanted globally, the other a "Terrorist" who publicly shot a three-star general.
This wasn't landing; this was walking into a trap!
"Don't be afraid."
Lin Chen patted his shoulder, his face still holding that casual, almost devil-may-care expression.
His finger gently caressed the silver octagon with the coiled snake totem at his waist.
"I have a plan."
As soon as he finished speaking.
The snake totem suddenly glowed with an eerie light.
Dr. Banner's eyes instantly widened!
He watched as Lin Chen's body outline began to become transparent, blurry, and finally... completely vanished into thin air.
No!
It wasn't just a visual disappearance!
His voice, scent, and even his body temperature seemed to have been completely erased from this world!
"This... this is..."
"Quiet, Doctor"
Lin Chen's voice seemed to come from all directions, and yet also directly in his mind.
An invisible hand rested on Banner's shoulder.
The next second, Dr. Banner felt his body also enveloped by a mysterious power.
He looked down and saw his hands, his body, also becoming transparent at a visible speed!
"Oh my God..."
Banner was utterly speechless.
This violated every law of physics he knew!
Optical camouflage? Quantum stealth?
No!
This was more advanced, more... magical than all of that!
"Let's go."
Lin Chen's voice carried a hint of a smile.
"Welcome to, the free America."
...Meanwhile, inside the quinjet high in the sky.
Agent Coulson's pupils suddenly constricted!
"Sir!"
His voice held a hint of incredible shock.
"Target... disappeared!"
In the communicator, Nick Fury's voice instantly turned cold.
"What do you mean disappeared?"
"Thermal imaging signals, life signals... everything disappeared! Just at the moment they were about to disembark!"
Coulson stared intently at the screen; apart from the signal sources of dock workers and ordinary passengers, those two exceptionally bright heat sources were as if they had been forcefully erased from the world by an invisible eraser!
"Vaporized?"
"Yes, Sir."
"..."
On the other end of the communicator, there was a deathly silence.
After a long pause, Fury spoke word by word, his voice containing the storm before a downpour.
"Get me all the surveillance footage from every district in New York!"
"Even if we have to turn all of New York upside down..."
"Find these two people for me!"
...Two hours later.
Queens, a dilapidated apartment building.
Dr. Banner, like a man in a dream, followed the "air" into the musty-smelling room.
It wasn't until the door closed with a "bang" and the magical power dissipated that Lin Chen's figure reappeared.
Dr. Banner leaned against the wall, gasping for air, feeling that the events of the past two days were more exciting than the sum of his entire fugitive life.
"Are we... safe?"
"Temporarily."
Lin Chen tossed a heavy travel bag onto the table, and the zipper opened with a "clatter."
Green paper bills, bearing Franklin's portrait, were piled inside like a small mountain, almost overflowing.
Dr. Banner's eye twitched violently.
"Where... where did this money come from?"
He suddenly had a very ominous premonition.
"Oh, this."
Lin Chen casually pulled out a stack from inside and patted it.
"I passed by a warehouse just now and saw a group of tattooed 'enthusiastic citizens' making a transaction."
"I went in and reasoned with them, and they generously 'lent' me all their operating funds."
Dr. Banner's expression completely froze.
He looked at Lin Chen's harmless smile, then at his white T-shirt, which had a bit of dust but not a single wrinkle.
He could perfectly imagine the scene of that "reasoning."
"So..."
Dr. Banner swallowed with difficulty.
"Now we're not just terrorists..."
"But also... robbed a gang?"
Lin Chen corrected him with a serious face.
"Doctor, please mind your words."
"I call this, interest-free private loans."
Bruce Banner: "..."
Damn his interest-free loans!
He felt like his humanity was truly about to be lost...
For the next period, Dr. Banner was responsible for cleaning the room, buying food, like a butler, trying to calm his severely impacted worldview with science and order.
Meanwhile, Lin Chen was in the apartment's small living room, familiarizing himself with his "toys."
He slowly assumed a punching stance.
On his belt, the Ox Talisman representing strength, and the Rabbit Talisman representing speed, lit up simultaneously!
"Buzz—!"
An indescribable power instantly surged from his limbs and bones.
Muscles roared!
Blood boiled!
Fast!
Faster!
Lin Chen's right fist suddenly shot out!
There was no earth-shattering roar, only a piercing shriek that tore through the air!
His fist seemed to break through the limitations of space, carrying a visible white sonic boom cloud, and slammed fiercely towards the wall in front of him at a speed exceeding that of a bullet!
Dr. Banner was so scared that his sandwich dropped to the floor.
"Careful!"
However, that fist, powerful enough to smash a building into fragments, stopped abruptly just one centimeter from the wall!
The Shockwave generated by the punch blew all the dust off the wall, revealing the mottled bricks.
Strength and speed, perfectly combined, and perfectly controlled!
"Phew..."
Lin Chen retracted his fist, let out a long breath, and a satisfied smile appeared on his face.
The power of the Ox Talisman, plus the speed of the Rabbit Talisman.
This punch, he would call it... Sonic Heavy Punch!
Dr. Banner was already dumbfounded.
He adjusted his glasses, quickly walked over to Lin Chen, his eyes fixed on his fist, then turned to look at the wall, which showed little damage.
This guy's control over power was a bit outrageous, wasn't it?
"Lin... I've actually always been curious about one question..."
Dr. Banner's voice trembled slightly, like Columbus discovering a new continent.
"Where exactly do these powers of yours come from?"
"Is it some kind of genetic engineering?"
"Or, or is it... are you one of those Mutants from the old rumors? Can I study you?"
He spoke incoherently, his eyes filled with the unique fervor and investigative desire of a scientist.
Lin Chen looked at him, looking as if he wanted to slice him up for study, and grinned.
He held up a finger and shook it.
"No."
"You've got it wrong, Doctor, this isn't some genetic engineering."
He paused, revealing a mysterious smile, and slowly uttered two words.
"This is... magic."
Bruce Banner's brain crashed again.
And Lin Chen patted his shoulder and said in a matter-of-fact tone.
"Alright, Doctor, stop researching."
"Next, we'll go get legal identities."
"Then, we'll discuss who should pay for my rescue and treatment fees for you."
Chapter 10 This is no fun
Bruce Banner: "..."
He completely ignored Lin Chen's last sentence and instead pondered the preceding words.
A legitimate identity?
Where to get one?
City Hall?
Or should I turn myself in?
Seeing Dr. Banner's bewildered face, full of "Who am I, where am I, what am I doing?", Lin Chen smiled.
"Doctor, you just stay home and figure out how to heat a pizza in the microwave."
"I'll be back soon."
With that, he turned and, like someone going out to buy groceries, waved his hand and walked out of the apartment.
"Bang!"
The door closed.
Dr. Banner looked at the empty living room, then at the wall that had been thoroughly cleaned by the force of a punch, and took a deep breath.
magic... He decided, when Lin Chen returned, he definitely had to properly study this thing called "magic"!
...Queens, abandoned warehouse at the docks.
The air still carried a strange smell of rust mixed with blood.
Lin Chen pushed open the iron door, which he had kicked out of shape, and walked in.
Inside the warehouse, a man with a bruised and swollen face was holding a mop, wiping something like... uh, ketchup, off the floor with a look of utter despair.
Hearing footsteps, the man shivered and suddenly turned his head!
When he saw Lin Chen's smiling face, the mop in his hand clattered to the floor.
"Big Brother!"
"Thud!"
The burly man, who was standing a second ago, was now prostrate, kneeling perfectly.
"Big Brother! I was wrong! I was truly wrong!"
He hugged Lin Chen's calf, crying tears and snot.
His voice was heartbreaking to hear, and brought tears to anyone who saw him.
"I've reflected! I've deeply reflected! Our behavior is a woodworms of society, a disgrace to the people! We are trash destined to be crushed by the wheels of history!"
"I've decided, starting today, I'm going to volunteer in the community, I want to turn over a new leaf and become a new person!"
Lin Chen's eye twitched.
He looked down at the burly man, who was hugging his leg and crying like a three-hundred-pound child.
"Alright, stop wailing."
"I didn't come here to listen to your self-criticism."
The burly man's crying stopped abruptly.
He looked up, carefully watching Lin Chen with his swollen eyes, which were reduced to mere slits.
"Then... then what are you here for?"
Lin Chen squatted down and patted his face.
"I came to inquire about something."
"Around here, where can I find a skilled master?"
"Master?" The burly man looked confused, "For repairing Water pipes or unblocking drains?"
"To repair an ID... no, I need to get a legitimate identity."
Lin Chen was concise.
The burly man's body instantly stiffened.
He understood.
He completely understood!
This gentleman was not a decent person at all!
He quickly scrambled up from the ground, a smile on his face that was uglier than crying.
"Understood, understood!"
"You go east, to the third block, there's a place called 'The Queen's Tailor Shop'."
"You go in and tell the boss you want to custom-make a 'low-grade' suit."
"She'll understand everything."
"Very good."
Lin Chen nodded in satisfaction, stood up, and prepared to leave.
The burly man immediately bowed and scraped as if seeing off a plague god, escorting Lin Chen all the way to the door.
"Big Brother, take care! Welcome next time...Pooh! I wish you a smooth journey, and may we never meet again!"
He had already decided to move out today and never wanted to stay in this sad place again... Half an hour later.
The Queen's Tailor Shop.
The storefront was small, with a few mannequins in the display window, wearing old-fashioned suits covered in a thin layer of dust.
Lin Chen pushed the door open, and the brass bell hanging on the door jingled crisply.
A White-haired old man wearing reading glasses looked up from behind the counter.
"What can I do for you, sir?"
Lin Chen scanned the room and walked directly to the counter.
"I'm here to order a suit."
"The kind that's... low-grade."
The old tailor's cloudy eyes instantly sharpened.
He silently observed Lin Chen for a few seconds, then pointed to a small door nearby.
"The fitting room is in the basement."
"Go down yourself."
Lin Chen's lips curved into a smile, and he pushed open the creaking small door.
Behind the door was a narrow, steep staircase leading to a deep darkness.
The air was filled with the smell of oil and ink.
He walked down step by step.
Unlike the dilapidated upstairs, the basement was unexpectedly clean and tidy.
Under the soft light, precise instruments flickered, like dormant beasts.
And in the very center of the room, behind a large desk.
Sat a woman.
Long, curly burgundy hair, black-rimmed glasses, and a sharp women's suit that outlined a breathtakingly fiery figure.
She was looking down at a document, and only slowly raised her head when she heard footsteps.
In her green eyes, a hint of wariness flashed first, then was replaced by a professional, formulaic smile.
I have to say.
This woman's appearance, figure, and temperament perfectly aligned with Lin Chen's aesthetic.
With just one glance, Lin Chen couldn't help but want to have a deeper conversation with her.
"Hello."
The woman pushed up the glasses on her nose, her voice as captivating as her appearance.
"How may I help you?"
Lin Chen's eyes narrowed slightly, and he unceremoniously pulled out the opposite chair and sat down.
He rested his arms on the table, leaned forward, and looked at the other person with interest.
"I need two brand new identities."
"Clean, legitimate, and able to withstand investigation by any agency."
The woman's smile remained unchanged, her fingers tapping lightly on the desktop, making a regular "tap, tap" sound.
"That sounds like a big project."
"Can you tell me who you are and who you are hiding from?"
"This will help me tailor the most suitable identities for you and avoid unnecessary trouble."
Her words were very professional, sounding impeccable.
But Lin Chen caught a hint of sharp scrutiny and a desire to control everything from the depths of those seemingly calm green eyes.
"Heh heh..."
Lin Chen suddenly laughed.
He shook his head, leaned back in his chair, clasped his hands behind his head, and adopted a more relaxed and comfortable posture.
"Playing these games is no fun."
The woman's smile froze for the first time.
"Sir, I don't understand what you mean."
"Don't understand?"
Lin Chen's gaze slid from her exquisite face to the faint glimpse of her collarbone beneath her suit lapel, finally resting on a hint of White skin revealed at her chest.
"This place is too clean."
"The equipment is also too professional."
"And you..."
Lin Chen's eyes met hers again, and his smile became playful.
"...are too beautiful."
"A top-notch fake document expert, making herself look like a celebrity who could walk the red carpet anytime?"
"Is your organization... that well-funded?"
The woman's expression finally changed!
Her green eyes instantly contracted, like a startled female leopard, exuding a dangerous aura.
Her right hand subtly moved under the table.
"Don't move."
Lin Chen's voice was not loud, but it struck her heart like a heavy hammer!
"Under the table, on the outside of your thigh, you have a modified Walther PPK pistol, 7.65mm caliber, strapped."
"Do you think your hand is faster..."
"...or is my fist faster?"
The woman's movements completely froze!
For the first time, an expression of unbelievable shock appeared on her face!
Who exactly was this man?!
Lin Chen looked at her ghost-like expression and smiled contentedly.
He slowly put away his smile and, word by word, in a declarative tone, uttered a sentence that was enough to ignite the entire New York underworld.
"Let me introduce myself, my name is Lin Chen."
"And you, should I call you Miss Fake Document Expert..."
He paused, a playful curve on his lips.
"Or... S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent, Natasha Romanoff?"
"Black Widow, Miss?"