"Did you hear a strange noise?" Natasha suddenly asked.
The others, who were in the middle of eating, paused briefly, and then Qin Li quietly asked Natasha, "Are you just too nervous? We're not on a mission right now, Natasha. Relax."
But Frank, staring intently at his water glass, said, "Li, there might be a problem!" Frank had noticed ripples forming in the water, and though small, they were accompanied by vibrations that everyone could feel through their shoes.
Qin Li's expression grew serious. "Well, we've eaten, so let's pay and leave." Before they could get up from the table, a taxi whizzed overhead, crashing into a nearby building and exploding. The blast sent a shockwave that shattered the glass near Qin Li.
Instinctively, Qin Li shielded Natasha, pulling her against his chest. Frank did the same with Selina, while Jessica and Nick, who were seated deeper inside the restaurant, were not affected.
As the shockwave subsided, they looked outside and saw a nearly three-meter tall gray monster roaring at the sky. Elbow and spine-like bones protruded sharply from its back, signaling its terrifying nature. It casually picked up a car and hurled it away as if it were a toy.
Selina, stunned by the sight of the monster outside, unconsciously asked, "What is that thing?"
Emil Blonsky—known as the Abomination—revelled in the pleasure of his newfound strength. He watched the panicked people running away, their helpless cries feeding his twisted satisfaction. He smashed cars with ease, demonstrating his unmatched power and chasing after fleeing civilians like a cat toying with a mouse.
Blonsky then heard a familiar sound—the launch of an RPG missile. Unafraid, he turned and grabbed the missile with one hand.
As the missile exploded, the soldiers who had fired it were about to cheer, but their victory was short-lived. They saw the monster emerge from the flames, unscathed, glaring at them menacingly. The soldier quickly shouted, "Retreat! Retreat!" As the driver trembled and reversed, the vehicle tried to pull away.
But it wasn't fast enough. Blonsky increased his speed, and with each step, the ground cracked beneath him. The soldiers, their eyes filled with despair, watched as the monster quickly closed in.
This time, God would not help them as they had hoped. Their retreat was cut off by a line of cars blocking their path. With the monster looming over them, the soldiers could do nothing but scream.
Blonsky grinned as he looked down at the soldiers. He knew that General Ross was watching him through their communications devices. Holding a car high, he shouted at the unsteady soldiers, "I want a stronger opponent!" Then, with a savage motion, he threw the car down at them.
On the plane, General Ross stared at the screen, now filled with static, before speaking softly, "Move all forces to the Harlem district." Next to him, Bruce Banner spoke up urgently, "Let me go. You have to let me go!"
Elizabeth Ross, incredulous, turned to him. "What are you saying? You think you can control him?"
Bruce shook his head. "Not control... use him!"
General Ross turned to Bruce, his tone serious. "What if it doesn't work?"
Bruce stared into Ross's eyes and said, "We created this. All of us. Please, you have to let me try."
Ross studied Bruce's eyes for a moment before turning to give the orders. "Bring the plane closer."
But Bruce Banner stood firm, shaking his head. "No, stay in the air. Open the rear hatch."
Blonsky knew that Ross understood what Bruce meant. The Hulk—only the Hulk could stop him. If Ross didn't release the Hulk, he would destroy the whole city. This was the moment to start his rampage.
As Blonsky continued to toss cars, enjoying the fear he instilled in the people around him, he suddenly noticed a group of unusual individuals. They stood on the second floor, and despite the explosion happening right next to them, the two men didn't show fear. Instead, they regarded him with a look as if he were merely a lamb to be slaughtered.
Seeing them, with a woman in their arms and a child and girl beside them, Blonsky's grimace turned into a sinister grin. He grabbed another car and hurled it toward the two men.
As soon as Selina spoke, Frank noticed the monster looking in their direction. Seeing its next move, he quickly shouted, "Move! Get inside!"
But before they could react, the car came hurtling toward them with the force of the wind. Frank immediately turned and spread his arms, trying to shield Selina, Jessica, and Nick behind him, bracing himself to take the hit.
However, there was no impact. Instead, Frank turned to see Qin Li, his expression cold, holding out his hand in a single motion. A golden cross-shaped energy wall appeared in front of him, blocking the car.
"Not bad, Frank. You're a real man," Qin Li said, his voice calm.
Frank shook his head. "I forgot you had that trick."
Natasha then spoke up, "Your reflexes aren't bad either, Frank. It looks like you've found a good match with Selina."
Selina gazed at Frank with affection and, holding him close, turned to Natasha. "Natasha, Father Li is also instinctively protecting you."
Natasha, her eyes full of light, looked at Qin Li and answered instinctively, "I know."
Qin Li, still holding up the golden shield, turned to Natasha, gently stroking her face with his other hand. "Let me take care of that ugly monster, then I'll come back and let you watch as much as you want."
Natasha smiled and nodded. Qin Li then lowered the shield and, with a slight crouch, propelled himself toward Blonsky.
Blonsky, laughing hoarsely at the sight of the people he had hit with the car, paused as his laughter faltered. The car he had thrown had crashed against a golden shield, which mocked his futile efforts.
When Blonsky tried to investigate, the shield vanished, and Qin Li flew out from within it. Blonsky hastily raised his arms in a cross to block, but the immense force hit him before he could react. He was thrown backward with tremendous power.
The concrete streets cracked, and Blonsky's spikes dug into the ground, creating a path of yellow earth.