**Location: United States, Military Base 2**
A massive transport aircraft descended slowly on the runway. Waiting nearby were military ambulances, ready to receive the wounded. As the aircraft's hatch opened, medics rushed forward, carrying the severely injured and unconscious Emil on stretchers.
General Ross stood at the edge of the platform and exchanged greetings with the base officers. He turned and urged the armed soldiers inside the aircraft, "Are you ready yet?"
But even before he finished speaking, a dull bone-crushing sound echoed, and a soldier was catapulted several meters in a parabolic arc from inside the aircraft. He crashed heavily onto the ground, landing on the Iron Man's floor.
"General, we... we couldn't do it..." The soldier replied while coughing up blood. He was assisted by the base's medical personnel and taken away on a stretcher.
Meanwhile, Kyle still slumbered in the military vehicle. The armed soldiers had considered moving him, but as they approached, Kyle's subconsciousness compelled him to swat them away as if they were mere flies. It's important to note that Kyle's strength was only surpassed by Hulk on earth.
With his casual swat, he exerted a force equivalent to several tons of impact. Ordinary human bodies couldn't withstand such force.
Consequently, several armed soldiers who had managed to avoid Hulk's grasp ended up falling to Kyle, who was sound asleep.
"This..." General Ross watched the military vehicle in the hangar, not knowing what to do. After all, this was the Symbol of Peace, and he couldn't leave him in an aircraft or military vehicle, could he?
Just as General Ross pondered this predicament, a beautiful figure dressed in a professional black suit, wearing high heels, glided gracefully towards the aircraft from the airport.
Most of the soldiers she passed by appeared dazed, failing to take any action to intercept her. Some soldiers attempted to approach her but were stopped by an invisible barrier.
General Ross wore an incredulous expression as he gazed at the elegant oriental woman. While he found her stunning, he also sensed a subtle air of danger about her. He couldn't help but ask, "Who are you?"
"I'm from the Carl Family and from the Supernatural Incident Bureau," Raina replied with a slight smile. She handed over a black and gold card that resembled a badge and pointed to the military vehicle where Kyle was located.
"I'm here to pick up our family head."
**California, Outside the Visa Checkpoint**
After a series of perilous deceptions to bypass security, Bruce Banner, disguised in shabby attire, with a scruffy beard and a wide-brimmed hat, was finally standing on the soil of his long-missed homeland.
He had been on the run from the military's pursuit for four long years. If it weren't for the military's unexpected attack that forced him to make a wrong decision and head back, he might never have returned to this country in his lifetime.
Bruce Banner kept his hat low, concealing his face in the shadows, and maneuvered through the bustling crowd, looking like a vagrant.
He wandered aimlessly for a while, then looked up and realized that he had unconsciously reached the front gate of a university.
Culver University.
This was the place where Bruce Banner's fate had taken a dramatic turn.
Four years ago, he had gone from the pinnacle of life, both professionally and romantically, only to plummet into an abyss as a fugitive monster.
At the university gate, birds sang, fountains glistened in the sunlight, young students roamed the campus lawns, and the pathways were bustling with students and professors in formal attire.
Bruce Banner tried to avoid drawing attention to himself. But, as if in an ironic twist of fate, he had unintentionally ended up near the entrance of Culver University, the very place where everything had started to unravel.
Watching the students and teachers go about their business brought back a rush of memories. He had once been part of this environment. His life had been vastly different then.
Bruce Banner concealed himself in the shade of the campus pathways, far from the bustling center.
As he lingered in the shadows, an astonishing sight unfolded before his eyes. A long-haired, curvaceous female professor emerged from the university gates. She was strolling hand in hand with a well-dressed man, both of them engaged in animated conversation.
The female professor was none other than his former girlfriend, Betty Ross, who happened to be General Ross's daughter.
Bruce Banner sighed quietly, feeling an unexpected mixture of emotions in his heart. He decided to turn away and leave when a gust of wind blew a promotional poster into his hand.
"Supernatural Incident Bureau" it read, leaving Bruce Banner to ponder the twist of fate that had led him back to this place.
Six unprecedented big characters caught Bruce Banner's attention. He squinted as he read the following:
"Have you ever woken up with physical abilities beyond ordinary humans?"
"Have you been bitten by an animal, gaining the traits of that animal's species?"
"Have you experienced unexpected radiation exposure leading to uncontrollable mutations and awakening of superpowers?"
"Supernatural Incident Bureau, dedicated to handling unnatural events, is here to help you. For more information, please call hotline 0001."
"What kind of company is this?" Bruce Banner wondered with widened eyes as he read the introduction. It seemed as though this company was tailored for people like him. However, he had never heard of this company, not even its name, four years ago.
"This can't be real," Bruce muttered while flipping the page. His eyes widened in astonishment again. Behind the promotional poster for the agency, there was a plethora of official endorsements.
United Nations Association, U.S. Military, CIA, Homeland Strategic Bureau…
"Is this still a private company? What's their background?" Bruce Banner was left speechless when he saw this. He swallowed hard while staring blankly at it. What had happened while he had been away from the United States?
Back at the New York military base, in the medical ward, the sound of approaching footsteps made the military doctor turn to see General Ross. He quickly stood at attention. "General Ross!"
General Ross, his face bearing a heavy expression, asked, "How is Emil doing?" He gazed through the glass window of the medical ward at the naked man lying on the examination table, covered in tubes and wires.
"He is still in a deep coma, suffering from multiple severe fractures. Even if he does wake up, he might end up as a paraplegic, spending the rest of his life in a wheelchair," The military doctor replied while shaking his head without a hint of sugarcoating.
General Ross fell silent for a moment, then made a resolute decision. "Give him that serum."
"That serum?" The military doctor was puzzled for a moment before realizing what General Ross meant. He hesitated, clearly skeptical. "But if it fails, Emil may never wake up again."
"Try it," General Ross said sternly. "A person with such a strong will to win, someone so proud, would probably wish they'd never wake up if they discovered they'd become a lifelong invalid. It's better to give him a chance now."
"Alright, I understand. I'll prepare it immediately!" The military doctor nodded and hurried off to the medicament storage room.
"It's all up to you now, Emil. You're getting a chance to get closer to that man," General Ross murmured as he looked at the comatose Emil.
Many years ago, he had played a significant role in restarting the Super Soldier Program after World War II. Now, with the Super Soldier Serum already developed, but still not widely accepted due to its strong rejection response in most individuals, it was in a clinical trial phase.
If Emil could emerge from this predicament and become a new generation of super soldiers, he might become a hero born from the military and potentially bridge the gap to Symbol of Peace's level of power, at least to some extent.
Ever since he had witnessed Kyle suppressing Hulk in Brazil, General Ross's desire for this outcome had grown even stronger.
(End of this chapter)