Late at night, Gwen and Noah were seated at the dining table, surrounded by steaming dishes.
"Mmm~ it smells so delicious. Sister Lissandra is truly a genius; she can do so much," Gwen said, deeply inhaling the aroma of the food in front of her. It smelled even better than the food in Asgard, she thought.
Lissandra approached with a dish and placed it on the last empty spot at the table, releasing an even richer aroma that filled the room, making the table seem to glow with a golden sheen.
The table was already laden with a variety of exquisite dishes, all of which were Chinese cuisine—colorful and appetizing. This was Noah's favorite cuisine, and with Lissandra by his side, he could enjoy any dish he desired—today it was Chinese, tomorrow it might be Western. With Lissandra, he could indulge in any whim.
"Time to eat!" Noah said, handing rice bowls to his companions. Gwen had never tried this type of food before, but during their training, Lissandra had explained to her that this was called rice.
"Mmmm~ so tasty!" she exclaimed, taking a bite of one of the dishes. Her mouth was full of food, and her words came out garbled with delight.
"Gwen, don't talk with your mouth full, you might choke," Noah gently reminded her, recalling the lessons drilled into him from childhood.
Watching this scene, Noah became lost in thought. It had been a long time since he sat at a family table; the last time was with his parents. Immersed in memories, he momentarily zoned out.
But hearing Gwen's joyful voice, Noah quickly snapped back to reality. Now he had a new family to care for and protect.
"Noah," Lissandra called his attention as she noticed his change in mood, placing a piece of food on his plate.
"Oh, thank you, Lissandra," Noah said, eating the piece she offered. It was stir-fried kidneys—something he had never tasted before.
Throughout dinner, Gwen constantly praised the new dishes with wide-eyed delight, something Noah found amusing. Her expressions were very cute. In this warm atmosphere, they enjoyed their first family dinner in this new world.
After dinner, Lissandra didn't bother with the dishes—that was Blitzcrank's job. (Blitz: "I'm not the one eating, but I'm the one working?")
The three of them sat on the couch, while a large TV in front of them displayed the evening news. It was mostly entertainment news, stories about celebrities and odd events, as well as frequent coverage of Iron Man and the Storm Swordsman. Every time Noah saw these reports, he laughed.
Gwen was absorbed in it, hugging Lissandra's arm and attentively following the events on the screen. Noah was impressed by how quickly they had become friends—perhaps it was the solidarity between women.
It's worth noting that Gwen had swapped her gothic Lolita outfit for modern shorts and a shirt. Her slender legs, previously hidden under a long dress and stockings, were now visible—white and smooth like pearls.
Noah couldn't help but glance at them a couple of times, before straightening up and sitting more comfortably. He had bought Gwen's clothes in advance, planning them for Lissandra when her body hadn't yet been created. It turned out that Gwen and Lissandra's sizes were almost the same, so the clothes fit perfectly.
Noah pondered: Maybe he should create vibranium clothing? Turn vibranium into fabric and sew clothes from it. For others, it might seem like an extravagance, but since he had his own vibranium mine, he could afford such luxuries. One item for each of them—let everyone be jealous!
"Noah, look at this."
Just as Noah was thinking about ways to use vibranium, Lissandra's voice snapped him out of his thoughts.
Lissandra had switched the TV to the news, and Noah's attention was immediately drawn to what was being reported.
The news was covering an attack at a university, and the assailant wasn't an ordinary person—it was a monster. The video footage was shaky, filmed by witnesses, making it hard to discern what was happening due to the camera's constant trembling.
The video showed the military engaged in a battle with a huge monster. Armored vehicles and helicopters were in use. Though the poor video quality made it difficult to make out the details, the gigantic humanoid figure was faintly visible, and the sound of its furious roar was unmistakable.
The footage cut off just as one of the armored vehicles was destroyed, after which the person filming, clearly terrified, stopped recording and ran away.
Others might not have recognized the monster, but Noah knew exactly who it was: the green figure—none other than the Hulk, the result of Dr. Bruce Banner's transformation.
Dr. Banner, a physicist, had been exposed to gamma radiation, causing severe mutations in his body. Now, every time he experienced intense anger, he transformed into the massive green monster—the Hulk.
These changes severely affected his life. To avoid being hunted by the military, he fled to Brazil, hiding under an alias. However, one day, a drop of his blood accidentally got into a drink at the factory where he worked. That drink ended up in the U.S., where it was consumed by an elderly man, who soon died.
That man was none other than Stan Lee.
This incident attracted the attention of General Ross, who sent Emil Blonsky and his team to track down and capture Banner. Banner was forced to turn into the Hulk again and flee, eventually returning to the U.S.
It was at the university where Banner attempted to retrieve old experiment data to find a way to reverse his condition. However, General Ross discovered his whereabouts and sent a large force, including Blonsky, who had been given enhanced doses of the Super Soldier Serum.
The famous battle between the Hulk and Blonsky followed, where the latter, in his arrogance, challenged the Hulk, only to be knocked away by a single powerful blow.
Blonsky, consumed by a lust for power, had been unable to defeat Banner even after enhancing himself with the Super Soldier Serum. In the end, he injected himself with Banner's blood, turning into the monstrous Abomination.
"I didn't realize the events of Iron Man 2, Thor, and The Incredible Hulk happened so close together," Noah murmured, stroking his chin.
In less than a week, Noah had witnessed Ivan Vanko's death at the Stark Expo and the destruction caused by the Destroyer in a small town. And now, the Hulk had appeared, signaling the start of his storyline.
"This happened today. I wonder when the battle between the Hulk and the Abomination will take place?" Noah tried to recall but couldn't remember if the film had mentioned the exact timing of the fight.
"Alright, I'll delay my daily tasks until later in the evening, so I don't miss the storyline events," Noah decided. From now on, he would take missions closer to midnight to avoid being caught off guard when the giants clashed.
"Maybe it would be better to meet them in advance," Noah thought. After all, after the movie's conclusion, Banner would go back into hiding until he was found by S.H.I.E.L.D. agents and Black Widow to recruit him for the Avengers.
Noah felt sympathy for Banner. He had cut ties with his girlfriend to protect her from danger. Noah believed they were a great match, and she wasn't just a useless heroine but an important character. Her intervention during today's university battle had helped save the Hulk from being captured by Ross's sonic machines.
Noah thought he might be able to help Banner. Perhaps if he introduced him to Tony Stark, things could unfold differently.
After all, in the films, Tony and Banner had a strong relationship. Both were geniuses, both passionate about science, and their friendship had developed quickly.
Of course, if Stark couldn't protect Banner alone, there was still S.H.I.E.L.D. At this point, S.H.I.E.L.D. held significant influence and power in the U.S., so dealing with Ross wouldn't be difficult. But Noah wondered if Hydra might interfere.
"Lissandra, tomorrow, help me find information on these people in New York: Bruce Banner, Betty Ross, and... yes, for now, just those two. Find their locations."
He briefly considered searching for information on "Mr. Blue," the man who had helped Banner when he was in Brazil, sending him blood samples in hopes of finding a cure. After returning to the U.S., Banner sought his help again, and "Mr. Blue" had temporarily suppressed the Hulk.
In the end, "Mr. Blue" had helped Blonsky turn into the Abomination but was knocked unconscious and also contaminated by Banner's blood. In the comics, he had become a major villain with an enormous head, but Noah couldn't recall his name.
Rumor had it that he would appear in Captain America 4.
Since Noah had forgotten his name, he decided not to search for him and instead focus on Banner and his girlfriend. Their photos could be found online, and Lissandra could easily locate them by tapping into surveillance cameras across New York.
He wasn't in a rush. The past few days had been intense, and he felt the need to relax, to stop being so on edge all the time.
Noah began teaching Gwen how to play video games. For her, it was an entirely new experience, and she quickly became engrossed in the captivating world of gaming.
That night, Noah returned to his room and lay down on his bed. Suddenly, he remembered that now, with Lissandra in human form, he might no longer be able to enjoy her lulling services.
Click!
The door opened, and Lissandra silently entered his room.
"Lissandra, you..."
"Shh, Noah, it's time to sleep."
Lissandra interrupted his question, snuggling close to him.
Noah felt her soft body and warm breath near his ear.
A familiar sensation. Although Lissandra was now in her human form, she hadn't forgotten her duties of putting him to sleep. But, strangely enough, this time it was harder for him to drift off.
However, under her whispers and gentle touches, he soon fell asleep.
The next morning, when he woke up, Lissandra was no longer beside him, but her faint scent lingered in the air.
After his morning routine, Noah went downstairs. Lissandra was already in the kitchen, preparing breakfast for him and Gwen.
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