Reborn with Steve Stand - Chapter 63

“Hey, isn’t this Hulk?” Fang Mo greeted Hulk as they landed. “Long time no see. How’s Betty?”

Hulk recognized Fang Mo as the person who had helped him in the past and saved Betty. Hulk started to see Fang Mo as a trustworthy individual.

Lowering his fist, Hulk’s anger resurfaced as he thought of General Ross, Betty’s father, who always kept them apart. With a roar, Hulk expressed his frustration by smashing a nearby metal wall, creating a large pit.

“You seem upset,” Fang Mo observed, undeterred by Hulk’s anger. He pretended to ponder before having a sudden realization. “I’ve got it! It must be… General Ross!”

“Ross!!!” Hulk became even angrier upon hearing the name. He grabbed a nearby giant piece of metal and smashed it, causing destruction and sparks to fly.

“Or… should I help you find a solution?” Fang Mo probed, intentionally.

Hulk remained silent, looking at Fang Mo with confusion.

“Well, there’s this person named MotherFcker who formed a league to gather powerful individuals and protect the Earth,” Fang Mo explained, rubbing his chin. “But there’s a problem… The members of this league are weak, and they urgently need a strong leader.”

Hulk seemed puzzled, not understanding the connection to Betty.

“This MotherFcker is actually the director of S.H.I.E.L.D., and he’s at odds with the military, where Ross belongs,” Fang Mo continued. “They’re enemies. MotherFcker announced that he’s willing to help the qualified leader of the team, even if it means dealing with Ross. Do you understand?”

Hulk nodded, realizing the situation.

“But let me tell you, being a leader is not easy,” Fang Mo cautioned, looking at Hulk seriously. “A leader is the most powerful and capable person who takes responsibility for protecting the Earth and humanity. It’s a challenging task. However, if someone can accomplish it, they’ll be seen as a powerful, awe-inspiring, and heroic figure. They’ll be respected, supported, and admired by others.”

“Also, there will be recognition for the leader, with statues built in their honor, and they’ll receive admiration from beautiful individuals like Betty. They’ll receive requests for autographs, flowers, and photo opportunities.”

“Hulk! Strong!” Hearing Fang Mo’s words, Hulk became intrigued. He patted his chest excitedly and declared, “Leader! Hulk!”

Natasha, witnessing the whole interaction, was completely stunned. How did Fang Mo manage to manipulate the Hulk, a mighty powerhouse capable of inflicting massive damage? And what was that name he called the S.H.I.E.L.D. director?

“Do you want to be the leader?” Fang Mo asked, satisfied that Hulk took the bait. “Mm-hmm, with your strength and appearance—impressive eyebrows and eyes—you’re definitely qualified. But, well…”

Hulk grew impatient, having just controlled his anger and refrained from attacking Fang Mo.

“To be a leader, don’t you think it’s important for the other team members to respect and accept you?” Fang Mo shrugged and pointed to Natasha on the ground. “Let me introduce her. This is Natasha, also known as Black Widow. She’s one of the weaker members, but she’s a beauty. She got pinned down by debris from the explosion just now. Why don’t you help her and see if you can earn her trust?”

Hulk looked down and curiously observed Natasha. She was indeed trapped by a steel pipe. Although it seemed light to Hulk, it completely immobilized her. For a moment, Hulk thought she seemed… really weak.

With that in mind, Hulk walked over and effortlessly removed the steel pipe and debris with one hand. After doing so, Hulk shouted at Natasha.

“Hulk be leader!”

“Natasha, Hulk just saved you. Will you let Hulk be the leader of the team?” Fang Mo said to Natasha, intentionally. “You can’t lie, or he might get super angry and cause destruction.”

“Thank you for saving me, Leader,” Natasha, an experienced actress, played her part. Despite her physical age not being much different from Captain America’s, she fully immersed herself in the role. “I can’t imagine what would have happened if you hadn’t been here. I would probably have been stuck here waiting for help…”

By saying this, Natasha acknowledged Hulk’s position, and Hulk immediately smiled, resembling a happy, three-meter-tall child.

But in the next second, the entire cabin shook violently. The source of the explosion was unclear. Hulk grew angry again upon seeing this and looked around furiously.

However, that was just Hulk’s nature. In Thor: Ragnarok, he mentioned being always angry without a specific reason. It was likely due to the influence of gamma radiation, similar to a human’s “fight or flight” response. If there was nothing particular to be angry about, Hulk would simply get angry. After all, the angrier Hulk became, the stronger he grew.

“You see, Hulk?” Fang Mo spread his hands helplessly as the cabin shook. “Didn’t I tell you they needed a leader? The moment the enemy attacked, they fell into chaos. It’s clear they need someone to take charge.”

“Hulk, go!” Hearing Fang Mo’s words, Hulk excitedly shouted and rushed toward the direction of the explosion. He didn’t bother with doors, using his head to smash a hole in the wall and continued running without looking back.

“He truly is a brute, just like me. He doesn’t like using doors. Interesting, interesting,” Fang Mo commented. Then he called out to Natasha, “Alright, stop standing there foolishly. Hurry and calm the Hulk.”

“Calm the Hulk?” Natasha was taken aback.

“Hulk,” Fang Mo reminded her. “Don’t you like calming down volatile situations? Look at Hulk. Isn’t this green, slobbering force adorable?”

“I…” Natasha began to respond.

“In any case, I advise you to quickly inform the others and play along to maintain peace.”

Before Natasha could say anything, there was a loud bang. Hulk’s enormous figure was sent flying like a projectile and crashed heavily into a large metal cabinet. Electric arcs danced around him.

Then, Thor in his battle armor flew out of the hole, landed on the ground, and shouted, “Where did this damn monster come from? Are you two okay?”