Chapter 138: Marvel: Awakening the Little Universe at the Start, Chapter 64

He saw an opportunity right now.

The Hulk is a member of the Avengers under S.H.I.E.L.D.; by brazenly killing the Hulk, Hawk has slapped S.H.I.E.L.D. in the face, and slapping S.H.I.E.L.D. in the face is equivalent to kicking the Anli Society in the rear.

Although the Anli Society might not necessarily pay attention to this matter right now.

But that is only because the situation hasn't blown up yet; if it were to blow up, would the Anli Society support Commander Maria Hill, who advocates for peaceful contact, or would they support him, who insists on strict regulation?

The answer is self-evident.

As for who to get to blow this matter up, after learning that Hawk is in all likelihood the mysterious person who wreaked havoc at the Quantico military base, he already had an excellent candidate in mind.

Thaddeus Ross.

This is a ruthless man, and a ruthless man with an extremely powerful backing at that.

If it were an ordinary General, after such a massive disturbance caused by the Hulk and the Abomination in Niuyuecheng, even if he hadn't died, he would definitely be sidelined.

But what about General Ross?

It cannot be said that he was unaffected in the slightest; one could even say he was promoted and given a raise.

Here is a joke.

Most local squids support the Democratic Party, while Middle Eastern squids mostly support the Republican Party.

And General Ross is an absolute hawk within the Republican Party.

His stance is to use military means to solve problems.

How does that saying go again?

Gentlemen, I love war!

This line could be said to be tailor-made for General Ross; therefore, while others dare not blow things out of proportion, General Ross dares.

Soon.

The call connected.

"Fury, I am currently..."

"The culprit who attacked your military base—interested in making a deal?"

"..."

General Ross, who was at home strictly guarding against his daughter finding a chance to slip out, listened to this sentence from Nick Fury on the phone; he was stunned for a moment, and then his expression became serious.

"You found out who the culprit is?"

"Yes, interested?"

"...Conditions."

General Ross did not immediately agree to Nick Fury.

Nick Fury sat back down in his seat, his one eye flashing with a look of great wisdom disguised as stupidity: "My operational authority has been frozen."

General Ross laughed upon hearing this.

Of course he knew about this, but he wasn't surprised, because if this were one of his subordinates who failed to execute an order and instead resisted, Nick Fury would have been dragged out and executed by firing squad long ago.

So...

"Sorry..."

"Latest news: he killed the Hulk."

"...Wait."

General Ross, who was just about to mock that this bargaining chip wasn't enough, froze at these words.

The smile on his face also vanished.

"What?"

"You heard what I said; the Hulk is dead, he killed the Hulk."

"..."

Nick Fury listened to the breathing on the other end of the line; although General Ross didn't speak, he knew General Ross had taken the bait, so he said straightforwardly: "Help me unfreeze my operational authority, I'll tell you the culprit's identity, and we'll conduct a joint operation. After a successful capture, he can be under our joint supervision, just like the Abomination. How about it?"

General Ross alone was not enough to get his operational authority restored.

But General Ross's backers could; for them, it might even be a matter of just one word.

And he wasn't losing out either.

Joint supervision—after a successful capture, General Ross could conduct research, and they at S.H.I.E.L.D. could also conduct research.

Nick Fury thought to himself.

General Ross was also turning thoughts over rapidly in his mind after hearing the conditions Nick Fury laid out.

Absorbing gamma radiation.

Killing the Hulk.

If the news was true, then it could only mean one thing.

The culprit who attacked the military base was even more powerful than the Hulk, and even had better control over his own power, unlike Bruce Banner, who had no reason at all when transforming into the Hulk.

And if he were captured and subjected to research...

Then...

The more General Ross thought, the more excited he became, but the more excited he was, the more he suppressed this inner excitement.

"Name."

"No, no, no."

Nick Fury laughed: "That's not how a deal works. Unfreeze my operational authority, and then we can conduct a joint operation."

General Ross scoffed.

"Does Maria Hill know about this news?"

"She knows."

"Then why wouldn't I cooperate with Maria Hill?"

"Because you won't."

Nick Fury was not at all worried about this thought of General Ross's: "You and Maria Hill are not on the same path, and neither am I."

General Ross fell silent.

After a while.

"I need to consider it."

"Feel free, but it's best to be quick. We don't have much time left; once Maria Hill makes contact..."

"Give me thirty minutes."

After saying this, General Ross hung up the phone, closed his eyes, and entered a state of rapid thinking.

Nick Fury also smiled and hung up the phone after hearing the busy signal.

Ross would agree.

He wasn't worried at all.

However...

One shouldn't put all their eggs in one basket.

Nick Fury's one eye once again flashed with that strange look of great wisdom disguised as stupidity; he brainstormed rapidly, and then, seemingly thinking of something, he opened the computer in front of him and pulled up Gwen Stacy's file.

At first glance.

He looked at the photo of Gwen Stacy displayed on the computer screen, and the light in his one eye became increasingly strange and... suicidal.

Meanwhile.

Gwen had just helped Hawk back to the apartment located at the park by the bridge in Queens.

Thump!

After placing the weak Hawk on the sofa, Gwen couldn't help but straighten her back, grimacing as her small hand formed a fist to pound her lower back.

Hawk, who had sat down leaning against the sofa, couldn't help but let out a laugh as he watched this scene.

Gwen, who was in the middle of straightening her back to relieve her soreness, froze upon hearing that somewhat vigorous laugh coming from behind her.

Oh no.

Seeing this, Hawk's heart skipped a beat.

Sure enough.

Gwen, with her back to Hawk, slowly turned around, her expression suspicious as she fixed her gaze on Hawk, who looked weak but whose face had already turned slightly rosy.

Gwen's eyes also became somewhat strange and dangerous: "Hawk?"

Hawk spoke, coughed, and his voice became weak again: "Cough... cough cough, what's wrong?"

Gwen raised an eyebrow.

Her voice rose several decibels at this moment!

"Hawk!"

This was just because Hawk was only Hawk and had no surname; if Hawk had a surname, she would definitely have used his full name right now.

Gwen's pretty face was very serious.

"You're already better, you're faking it now, aren't you!"

"I didn't, I'm not, don't talk nonsense."

Hawk subconsciously denied it and shook his head, a triple-combo of defense.

But...

This voice of rebuttal was full of vigor.

Gwen smiled.

The kind where one smiles without any mirth.

The next second.

Gwen Stacy turned around and walked toward the door.

The kind without a moment's hesitation.

Shit!

Things have gotten out of hand.

Seeing this, Hawk, who had been leaning on the sofa, cursed inwardly; his figure vanished from the sofa instantly, and in the blink of an eye, he had already appeared at the doorway, blocking the apartment door behind him.

Gwen Stacy was stunned for a moment, then looked at Hawk who was blocking her way.

"Move!"

"I won't."

Hawk, who might lack great emotional intelligence but still had his wits about him, shook his head hurriedly.

Are you kidding me?

If he didn't let her leave now, he could still coax her back with some time.

But if he let her leave now, the time required to coax her back would be immeasurable.

Gwen Stacy's pretty face was covered in frost at this moment.

"Is it fun to lie to me, Hawk?"

"It's not fun, I'm sorry, I was wrong."

Hawk admitted his mistake cleanly and decisively, then said: "But I really didn't lie to you; when I was on my way back, I was indeed very weak."

This was the truth.

It was the absolute truth; when Hawk had just emerged from the Culver Culver Lake, let alone the Hulk, even a single Chitauri soldier could have forced him into the process of rebirth through fire.