"Can you handle it?"
Natasha looked up, her voice calm.
"I don't know, some things you only find out by doing."
Lynch slowly rose into the air, replying just as calmly.
A shadow of worry crossed Natasha's face.
"Just kidding. That thing is nothing more than a poor imitation—how could it possibly compare to me?"
Lynch burst into laughter.
"I'm off. So many people are calling for me."
With that, Lynch shot off into the distance.
In the midst of the cheering, excited crowd, Natasha smiled, though with a trace of concern.
Please don't get hurt, Lynch...
...
Fifteen minutes earlier, where Hulk was battling Abomination.
Hulk lay on the ground, face-up, unconscious.
The area was surrounded by fully armed soldiers, and a helicopter hovered above, its spotlight shining on the writhing Abomination.
General Ross, his face stern, continued to direct the next attack, despite the last barrage only damaging the ground near Abomination, without harming it at all.
The helicopter's firepower had previously been able to hurt Abomination!
But now...
At this moment, General Ross finally recalled the fear Lynch had instilled in him that day.
Not to mention the death beams from his eyes—the kind of defense that could withstand a full barrage without taking damage was enough to drive anyone to despair!
If this monster truly had a body of steel like Superman, how could they possibly fight it?
Missiles? Biological weapons?
Or... a nuclear bomb?
But this is New York!
Is there really no other option but to let this monster wreak havoc?
"Betty, you need to leave here."
General Ross ordered her to be escorted away.
"Dad?" Betty was reluctant to leave. "Bruce is still out there! What are you going to do about that thing?"
General Ross couldn't answer, signaling with his eyes for his subordinates to take her away.
"I'm not leaving!" Betty shouted, "I want to stay with you!"
She guessed that leaving might mean never seeing them again, so she fought desperately to stay.
General Ross couldn't argue with her and reluctantly agreed.
"Boom, boom, boom!"
"Boom!"
The soldiers started a new round of fire, but this time, Abomination began to move.
It slowly stood up amidst the smoke and fire from the dense barrage.
Compared to its previous hideous, twisted, and ferocious form, it was now a sleek silver-gray, its skin tight, and its physique had taken on an almost unnatural perfection.
If before, Abomination made people think of chaos and violence, now...
"It looks like a god," a soldier couldn't help but think to himself.
But soon, he realized he was wrong.
Abomination stood loosely, clutching its head and shaking it vigorously.
It seemed unaware of the attacks from all sides, lost in the sensation of its own body.
Suddenly, it leaped experimentally, soaring more than ten meters high and shooting toward General Ross like an arrow.
It landed with a boom, greeted by a volley of gunfire.
But it merely twisted its body, sprang forward, and grabbed Ross in one hand, as if picking up a chick.
"Ross!" It said, its voice dripping with mockery. "Do you regret giving the serum to Hulk now?"
"Blonsky?" Ross's eyes flashed with surprise, but he quickly huffed, "You think you've won? Look at yourself! You're a monster!"
"A monster?" There was thunderous anger in its voice. "If you had trusted me, how could this have happened?"
It squeezed Ross, making his face turn red, but Ross just glared back defiantly.
"Heh heh heh." It suddenly laughed, then tossed Ross aside like trash.
"I should thank you. Without you, I wouldn't have this power!" It slowed its pace, walking to Ross's side, and whispered, "I know you're not afraid to die, so I've decided to save you for last. I'm going to kill everyone here—Mr. Banner, Miss Ross, your soldiers..."
"No..." Ross curled up, finally showing a trace of panic.
"Enjoy it, General Ross."
It sneered, then launched itself at a nearby soldier who was holding a gun.
The soldier didn't even have time to fire before Abomination's swift blow sent him flying, spitting blood, his eyes darkening.
The other soldiers immediately opened fire, but they couldn't hit the lightning-fast Abomination.
Abomination moved like the Grim Reaper among them, easily taking lives with every gesture.
The soldiers could only watch helplessly as their comrades fell one by one, their screams marking the end of their lives.
Panic began to spread among them.
"No, don't kill me! I surrender!" one soldier, seeing Abomination charging at him, threw down his gun and trembled on the ground.
After a long wait, he suddenly looked up, his face filled with joy at his narrow escape.
"Schlick."
But then his world began to spin, and he saw his own body—headless.
Where's my head?
The smile froze on his face forever.
"He's a devil! A devil!"
"No, I can't die! My mom is waiting for me at home!"
The soldiers were completely broken, fleeing in all directions, but Abomination chased them down one by one, killing them all.
In just ten minutes, there wasn't a single soldier left standing.
Only some civilians who had been there before were now hiding in terror, silently praying.
"God, please save us..." a conservatively dressed woman whispered in fear.
"Mom, will Iron Man and Superboy come to save us?" a five or six-year-old boy asked, his eyes full of hope as he clung to the woman.
The woman wiped away her tears and forced a smile for the boy. "Yes, they're already on their way. So we have to stay hidden until they get here, okay?"
"Okay! Then we shouldn't talk, or we'll get caught!" the boy said, mimicking a zipper motion over his mouth to stay quiet.
Looking at her innocent, sweet child, the woman couldn't help but feel heartache.
"God, if you truly exist, please save my child! Just this once!"
If Abomination knew what she was thinking, it would have sneered.
God?
Praying to God is useless—better to pray to me.
Right now, I am God!
"Ross, still alive?"
Abomination walked slowly towards Ross.
Betty was crouched beside Ross, and seeing this, she drew her gun and fired.
"So annoying!" Abomination muttered, rushing towards Betty.
"Hulk smash!"
A familiar roar suddenly erupted from behind Abomination—it was Hulk!
He had somehow managed to wake up, and seeing Abomination attacking Betty, his body filled with strength. He charged forward, roaring.
Abomination turned to face the charging Hulk, not dodging, but instead wearing a mocking smile.
Just as Hulk was about to strike, Abomination swiftly kicked him.
Hulk let out a pained cry and flew back even faster than he'd come.
Hitting the ground, Hulk convulsed and quickly reverted to Bruce Banner, lying there defenseless.
Abomination laughed wildly, pleased with how easily it had scared Hulk away.
"Bang, bang, bang!"
"Don't touch Bruce!" Betty emptied her gun, her eyes red with rage.
Abomination turned back, savoring its victory.
Ignoring Betty's resistance, it scooped her up, holding her high in the air with one hand.
"Ross, Banner, watch her die—you're both worthless!"
"No!" Ross stretched his neck, desperately pleading, "Spare her, please... She's innocent..."
But Abomination ignored him, tightening its grip on Betty, intent on choking her to death.
Suddenly, amidst his pleas, Ross's expression changed, and he shouted, "Save her, please, it's my fault—she's innocent, she's kind..."
As he spoke, Ross painfully drew his gun and put it in his mouth.
'Please,' he mouthed, then pulled the trigger.
"Bang!"
Ross slowly fell, his eyes filled with regret, pain, self-reproach, and one last glimmer of hope.