บท 151: Chapter 152: The Hulk Exploded
"It's no coincidence that both the victims and the 'perpetrator' are all members of the Avengers. Someone is definitely targeting the Avengers," Bruce Banner said. "That means Captain and Dr. Banner might be targets too," Natasha Romanoff glanced at Bruce Banner, "Honestly, I'm quite curious to see how they would go after Dr. Banner."
"It's impossible to kill Banner, right?" Tony Stark said, "I can't think of anyone who could do it. After all, there's a big guy inside him."
"Hulk may be invincible, but Dr. Banner might not be," Stephen Strange said. "If they cut off his head before he transforms..."
"In theory, that's possible," Bruce Banner said, "But in reality, the big guy won't just stand by and watch me get killed. The moment I'm in danger, he appears instantly and completes the transformation. Once, I tried to commit suicide, I put a gun in my mouth. When I pulled the trigger, it was still me, but before the bullet was fired, I turned into Hulk, and he spat the bullet out."
"Whether Hulk can be killed, I can't be certain, but the perpetrator in the video, their strength might not be that powerful," Steve Rogers also added his deduction, "If that person was strong enough, they could have just directly killed the target. Why hide in the shadows and use covert means?"
"That's not necessarily true; there are always some mentally unstable individuals," Stephen Strange said.
"It's obvious that the Avengers are the 'death list' for this mastermind. Hulk will probably be next. We'll just have to wait and see," Tony Stark said.
"Wait a minute, aren't we supposed to discuss me now?" Thor reminded from the side. "I'm the one who was assassinated. Why are you all talking about Hulk?"
"Because you're just not as capable," Tony Stark said, "You got shot by an arrow. Can you be any more embarrassing?"
"Then getting stabbed by a needle makes you less embarrassing?" Thor retorted.
"I'm just an ordinary human. What's there to be embarrassed about?" Tony Stark retorted back.
"It's the first time I've seen someone proud of being stabbed by a needle," Thor walked to Clint Barton's side and patted his shoulder. "Barton, it's your turn to answer this question."
"Sure, no need to be polite with a 'lifespan tycoon' like you," Clint Barton said, "I choose B!"
[Correct answer! Reward granted!]
The video continued playing.
Clint Barton was locked in a room with armed agents guarding the door.
"This makes no sense; I never make mistakes or shoot unintentionally," Clint Barton sat against the wall, looking very puzzled.
"How about the intruder situation?" Phil Coulson asked Nick Fury from outside the room.
"He's already dead," Nick Fury said. "If his blood sample is reliable, he's a thousand years old and not an Earthling."
"First Stark, now Mr. Beach Body. Two highly potential S.H.I.E.L.D. agents died by our own operatives within 24 hours," Phil Coulson said.
"Is Barton still sticking to his statement?" Nick Fury asked.
"He's infuriated," Phil Coulson said. "Refuses to talk to anyone."
"He'll talk to me." Nick Fury inputted the password and entered the room.
Barton sat motionless, not responding to anything, looking very frustrated.
"Get up, Sleeping Beauty," Nick Fury walked to Clint Barton's side and seeing Barton not responding, he lightly nudged him with his foot, "Barton."
Unexpectedly, Clint Barton's body swayed and he collapsed to the ground.
"Barton!" Nick Fury quickly grabbed Clint Barton's head, shouting loudly, "Coulson, call a doctor!"
"I guess I'm dead now," Clint Barton shrugged inside the quiz space, "This should completely clear my name from suspicion."
"But no one entered or left that room," Bruce Banner said, "Barton was right under Nick Fury's nose, and he died so mysteriously."
"How did they do it?" Tony Stark pondered with his chin in his hand, "Poison? Or some kind of sonic weapon?"
"Maybe it's magic?" Stephen Strange speculated, "Some sort of remote-release magic?"
The video continued playing, showing Clint Barton lying on an iron bed, with Phil Coulson and Nick Fury standing on either side.
"We are doing toxin tests to see if it's caused by cyanide capsules," Phil Coulson said.
"Barton has a wife and children. If he wanted to commit suicide, it couldn't have been voluntary," Nick Fury said.
"Do you think he was murdered?" Phil Coulson asked.
"If you asked me to bet, I'd guess it was the same person who killed Stark," Nick Fury said.
The video paused again, and a new question appeared.
[Please answer which character was murdered by the same perpetrator who killed Tony Stark and Clint Barton?]
[A: The Hulk - Bruce Banner]
[B: Captain America - Steve Rogers]
[Correct answers will be rewarded with five years of lifespan. Wrong answers will deduct one year of lifespan.]
"Captain or the Hulk, indeed, the mastermind is targeting the Avengers," Clint Barton said.
"The Avengers are probably the most powerful group on Earth, yet someone is hunting us down," Natasha Romanoff said in shock, "I wonder who this mastermind is."
"Could it be Strange?" Tony Stark's gaze fell on Stephen Strange, "He's a magician, a very powerful one. If anyone could oppose the Avengers, it would be him. Plus, he can use magic, just like the perpetrator in the video, killing without a trace."
"Stark, if it were me, I wouldn't let you die so 'peacefully'," Stephen Strange said, "I'd throw you into underground magma, roast you for thirty thousand years, then toss you into the Arctic ice for another thirty thousand years, and finally, throw you into the center of the sun, evaporating you from this world."
"..." Tony Stark was shocked by that statement and gave Stephen Strange a thumbs up, "That's brutal!"
"So, who will survive, Captain or the Hulk?" Clint Barton said, "Personally, I think it will be Captain sacrificing himself. I don't believe anyone could kill Dr. Banner."
"Right, me and the Hulk, I guess the Hulk is easier to kill," Steve Rogers wasn't arrogant, he knew his own strength well. Though the upper limit of the Hulk's power was uncertain, it was definitely beyond his own.
"Thor and the Hulk were originally the two most powerful members of the Avengers," Tony Stark said, "But Thor died so ridiculously. I hope the Hulk can save some face for the Avengers."
"Hulk will definitely do it," Steve Rogers had great confidence in the Hulk's strength. He turned to Bruce Banner and said, "Dr. Banner, in the last round of the quiz, I gained more lifespan than you. So, I'll let you answer this question."
"Thanks, Captain." Bruce Banner didn't decline and made his choice, "I choose B!"
[Wrong answer! One year of lifespan deducted!]
"What? I got it wrong?" Bruce Banner was slightly stunned, "The Hulk was killed? How is that possible? Who could kill the Hulk?"
"Someone like Strange, a magician, using methods beyond our understanding to kill the Hulk. That's still possible. But the perpetrator who killed Stark, it doesn't seem possible," Bruce Banner expressed his doubts.
"Maybe it is magic," Tony Stark said, "I said it before, it could be someone like Strange using magic."
"That doesn't seem like magic!" Thor countered, "Isn't that just a simple frame-up? The person could have replaced Romanoff's syringe when they killed you."
"What about when they killed you?" Tony Stark asked back, "As you saw, even Barton was very puzzled why he accidentally shot you. It seems that the arrow did come from his hand. The only explanation I can think of is that they used some kind of mind-control magic like Scarlet Witch, manipulating Barton to shoot that arrow."
"If that's the case, then Scarlet Witch could be the perpetrator," Thor said, "She's also a very powerful magician."
"Why are you dragging me into this?" Wanda Maximoff said, "I only wanted to kill Stark. I don't even know you, Thor, so why would I kill you?"
"It's unlikely to be magic," Steve Rogers gave his judgment, "Though I haven't figured out how they framed Barton or killed him, with careful planning, the framing could still be achieved. I still believe in my previous deduction, the perpetrator's strength must not be strong, otherwise, they wouldn't resort to scheming and framing."
The video continued playing.
On a tree-lined road at Culver University, Betty Ross was walking with some books in hand. Natasha Romanoff approached her, saying, "Dr. Ross, I'm not sure if you remember me, but..."
"I remember," Betty Ross sighed, "And I'll tell you the same thing I told the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents last time, I've never seen him."
"I'm not here for the big green guy," Natasha Romanoff said.
"His name is Bruce Banner!" Betty Ross paused her steps, "And I'm in a hurry, Agent Romanoff."
"I'm here for Tony Stark," Natasha Romanoff said to Betty Ross, "He was murdered."
"What?" Betty Ross was surprised, "Who did it?"
"I did," Natasha Romanoff walked up to Betty Ross and handed her the syringe, "Or rather, someone wanted it to look like I did."
"Then why come to me?" Betty Ross took the syringe.
"You are an expert in cellular biology and tactical applications," Natasha Romanoff said.
"I'm not the only expert," Betty Ross asked, "What's your real purpose for coming here?"
"I need to evade S.H.I.E.L.D.'s tracking, and you used to work in that department," Natasha Romanoff said.
The scene shifted, and Betty Ross was examining something under a microscope. She said, "The syringe is fine, and there are no traces of lethal pathogens inside."
"What substance killed him, then?" Natasha Romanoff also looked through the microscope.
"Whatever it is, it's unrelated to biology," Betty Ross said, "Your antidote hasn't left the syringe. It looks like a micro-miss
"I'm a biology expert, not a ballistics expert," Betty Ross said.
"So, now we can be sure that it's not magic that killed Stark," Steve Rogers spoke up.
"I thought they used some poison on Stark, but it turns out to be a micro-missile?" Clint Barton furrowed his brow, "Why inject a micro-missile when poisoning him would be easier?"
"Yes, using a missile to blow up Stark directly, I can understand that, but why make the missile so tiny and inject it into his body?" Bruce Banner couldn't understand either, "Barton is right, injecting a lethal drug or poison would be much more convenient."
"Unless..." Steve Rogers said in a serious tone, "For the perpetrator, micro-missiles are easier to obtain than lethal drugs. The perpetrator is an expert in weaponry, specifically micro-weapons! Stark, do you have any idea who that could be?"
"No!" Tony Stark shook his head directly, "There's no such thing as the 'micro-weapon' field, let alone an expert in it. Because it's meaningless, if someone wants to use a missile to kill, they would just detonate the missile. Shrinking a missile to such a small size, injecting it into someone to kill them, it's unnecessary. In fact, reducing a missile to such a scale would make it unable to kill. Unless it can be sent directly to vital organs like the heart or brain."
"I think it's probably not a missile. Betty is not an expert in this field, her description might be inaccurate," Bruce Banner said.
"But something did shoot out of the syringe, that much is certain," Stephen Strange said.
"Right, the syringe was shattered under the microscope, which means there was definitely something, and it was solid, with a certain momentum when it shot out," Bruce Banner said, "If it were liquid injected, the syringe should have remained intact."
"That's indeed hard to understand," Stephen Strange said, "No matter if the solid fired is a missile or not, injecting lethal drugs or poison would be the most convenient way to kill someone. Why go through the extra trouble of incorporating these micro-solid weapons into the liquid?"
"Just like Captain said," Tony Stark spoke up, "The perpetrator, he's not an expert in biology. He doesn't understand lethal drugs. He's an expert in those 'micro-solid weapons,' and for him, acquiring these weapons we still can't comprehend is more convenient than using lethal drugs."
"Perhaps, it's to conceal their identity?" Natasha Romanoff made a guess, "If it were a lethal drug, injecting it into the body could be easily detected, but those 'micro-solid weapons,' with the current medical technology, might be undetectable."
As they were discussing, the video showed Betty Ross issuing an eviction order, but Natasha Romanoff recognized that Bruce Banner was hiding among the staff in a pizza shop, disguised in work clothes. She exposed him and wanted to take him away.
"I'm telling you, it's safer for me to go on my own," Bruce Banner told Natasha Romanoff on the bridge, "I'm practically invulnerable."
"That's lucky for you," Natasha Romanoff looked beyond the bridge.
Bruce Banner turned around and saw a large number of armored vehicles approaching not far away, and a fleet of armed helicopters hovering in the air.
"Soldiers, attention! All members of the assault team, get in position!" General Ross got out of the car and shouted loudly, "Listen to my orders, prepare to fire!"
"I am Natasha Romanoff, an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D." Natasha Romanoff raised her hands and said to General Ross, "Bruce Banner is under my protection. Back off."
Bang! Just as she finished speaking, a gunshot pierced the transparent glass of the bridge and hit Bruce Banner's shoulder.
"Don't shoot!" General Ross asked loudly, "Who fired the shot?"
"It's not us, sir. We didn't do anything!" a soldier replied loudly.
The video reached this point, and the scent of a conspiracy was already evident. This time, just like when Thor was killed, the perpetrator attacked from the shadows.
"Bruce, it's okay, it's okay." Natasha Romanoff quickly ran to Bruce Banner's side, "I'll get you out of here, I swear on my life."
"Agent Romanoff, I think you'd better leave here as soon as possible," Bruce Banner said with difficulty. The next moment, his upper clothing burst open, revealing the green behemoth.
Seeing the situation, Natasha Romanoff didn't dare to delay any longer and jumped off the bridge.
"Hulk is here. I want to see how this perpetrator will kill the Hulk," inside the answering space, Bruce Banner stared fixedly at the screen, really wanting to know the answer.
"Considering the perpetrator's methods, it's all about using others to do their dirty work," Steve Rogers said, "He probably wants to use General Ross's hand to deal with the Hulk."
"But obviously, General Ross's firepower isn't enough," Tony Stark said, "Although the firepower in this timeline looks more intense than the Ross who chased after the Hulk in our timeline, it's still not enough to deal with the Hulk."
"So, the perpetrator must have a back-up plan," Thor said, "What could that be?"
"Ah!!!"
In the video, a roar resounded as the Hulk jumped off the bridge, slamming both hands on the ground, creating a shockwave that overturned a dozen nearby armored vehicles.
For the Hulk, those armored vehicles were like toys, tossed aside with ease, and a simple kick sent them flying far away.
The firearms carried by the soldiers were like tickles to the Hulk; they had no effect whatsoever.
"Ah!" Seeing this scene, General Ross got angry and started firing his handgun at the Hulk.
"Dad, don't!" Betty Ross rushed towards General Ross, "Stop it! Please!"
Natasha Romanoff saw this scene and quickly pulled Betty Ross to a concealed spot by the wall, telling her, "You can't do anything about it."
"He's my dad! He'll listen to me!" Betty Ross said.
"It wasn't the General who initiated the conflict," Natasha Romanoff said.
"Then who was it?" Betty Ross asked.
As the two women were talking, a terrible transformation occurred with the Hulk. His already massive body continued to expand.
This enlargement was obviously not the Hulk's intention, as it was highly unbalanced. Only his torso was rapidly swelling, while his head remained unchanged!
The Hulk himself also let out cries of pain, his face twisted in agony.
Even a blind person could tell that something was wrong.
Everyone was stunned, and General Ross also halted his attack, looking up in shock.
They saw the Hulk's green body continue to swell, and despite already being gigantic, his head was almost submerged within his enlarged torso.
But even in this exaggerated state, the Hulk's body kept expanding.
Finally, with a loud "bang," the Hulk exploded on the spot, like a small bomb, and green smoke filled the scene.
The space darkened, and the video ended here.
"Is it real or not? Did I see it correctly? The Hulk actually exploded?" Thor was the first to speak in disbelief, "This death is too tragic! No remains, nowhere to be buried."
"It's too tragic indeed, no bones left, nowhere to be buried," Bruce Banner's mouth was wide open, and his face was filled with astonishment, "I never imagined that one day, the big guy, no, it's me, I never thought I would die like this."
"How did the perpetrator manage to do it?" Clint Barton said, "What does it take to do something like that?"
"Could it really be some kind of micro-missile?" Natasha Romanoff speculated, "The Hulk's body is indestructible from the outside, even missiles can't harm him, but what about from the inside? His internal body can't be as tough as the outside, right?"
"If it's a micro-missile, Stark injected it directly into his body, but what about the Hulk?" Thor tapped his head, "Ah, I know, they injected it into Dr. Banner when he wasn't transformed, and then waited for him to transform before detonating it."
"That's unlikely to be an injection," Bruce Banner said, "My blood is not like an ordinary person's. Not a single drop can be shed. I wouldn't let anyone stick a needle into me."
"Then, what about the oral cavity?" Thor continued, "They put the micro-missile in the food, so you unknowingly ingested it along with the food?"
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