“Everyone!
Surround the building!
Don’t let a single fly out!
Move, move, move!”
Just then, piercing police sirens and the roar of helicopter blades echoed outside the lab…
Accompanied by the chaotic thud of combat boots, a fully armed squad of US soldiers kicked open the already wobbling laboratory doors.
The dark muzzles of assault rifles locked onto the two figures in the ruins instantly.
The soldiers spread out rapidly, establishing a perimeter.
Immediately after, a firm, immensely oppressive set of footsteps approached.
At the end of the corridor, a grey-haired man in a crisp military uniform with an iron-cold face strode into the room.
Shining medals lined his chest, and his eyes were as sharp as a hawk’s.
Wherever he passed, soldiers straightened their backs.
General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross!
Betty’s biological father, and the true military mastermind behind this secret gamma ray experiment.
Seeing the utter mess of the laboratory, General Ross’s face instantly turned as black as the bottom of a pot.
His gaze swept across the ruins, finally fixing firmly on Betty, who was shielded in Linus’s arms.
“Betty!”
General Ross lacked even a trace of paternal concern.
He marched up to the two of them, towering over them with a furious shout.
“Where is that monster Bruce Banner?
Which direction did he run?
Tell me right now!”
Betty was already deeply traumatized.
Spoken to so harshly by her domineering father, her body trembled violently, and she instinctively shrank deeper into Linus’s chest.
She covered her face, her voice quavering.
“I…
I don’t know…
He mutated…
He went crazy…”
“Don’t know?
You’re closest to him—how could you not know?!”
General Ross waved his hand coldly, commanding two soldiers behind him.
“Take her!
Send her immediately to the military base for isolation interrogation until she remembers the monster’s escape route!”
Two heavy-set soldiers immediately stepped forward with rifles raised, reaching out to grab Betty by the arms.
“No!
I don’t want to go to the military base!
Let go of me!”
Betty screamed in despair, tears bursting from her eyes.
On one hand, her mutated boyfriend had abandoned her; on the other, her own father was treating her like a criminal.
She felt as though the entire world had turned its back on her.
Right as the soldier’s hands were about to touch Betty—
*BANG!*
A heavy thud sounded.
No one saw how Linus moved.
They only heard a sharp crack of breaking air.
The two fully armed soldiers, both over six feet tall, were blasted backward by an irresistible force.
They slammed hard against the wall and knocked out cold on the spot!
Dead silence descended on the room!
With a series of harsh clacks, every gun was loaded, and dozens of assault rifles locked firmly onto Linus.
Yet at the center of the crosshairs, Linus slowly stood up straight.
He pulled Betty behind him with smooth, natural grace, blocking every dangerous gaze.
With the Hulk-Class Golden-Ratio Physical Enhancement as his foundation, let alone these rifles, even if General Ross brought a tank to shell him right now, he wouldn’t so much as bat an eye.
Linus adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses, his eyes instantly turning razor-sharp.
A terrifying pressure radiated from his seemingly gentle frame, forcing the dozens of soldiers around him back half a step!
Linus didn’t raise his voice, but every word carried weight, echoing through the desolate ruins.
“General Ross, mind your words and actions.”
“This is a research laboratory at Culver University, not your military barracks.”
“Betty is the chief researcher here and a lawful citizen of the United States, not your prisoner!”
General Ross flew into a rage, pulling the pistol from his waist and aiming it directly at Linus’s head.
“Shut up, kid!
You dare obstruct military business?
I can shoot you dead right now for treason!”
Facing the dark barrel of the gun, Linus didn’t even blink.
He raised his chin slightly, a cold, mocking smirk playing on his lips.
“Shoot me dead?
General, by all means, give it a try.”
“However, I must remind you that under the Fourth Amendment of the United States Constitution and the federal writ of habeas corpus, the military has no authority to forcibly detain a civilian without concrete evidence.”
“Furthermore…”
Linus paused, his voice suddenly rising.
“Betty has just suffered extreme trauma.
She is on the verge of a mental and physical breakdown.”
“What she needs right now is medical care and absolute peace, not your cold interrogation room!”
“As her colleague and friend, I have every right to take her for treatment.”
“If you dare pull that trigger, tomorrow’s front-page headline across the country will read: *’High-Ranking Military Official Disregards Human Life, Drives Daughter to Madness to Cover Up Illegal Experiment Scandal’*!”
His words were logically airtight, every syllable sharp as a blade, leaving no room for rebuttal.
Using his superior intelligence, Linus instantly roasted General Ross over the open fire of public opinion and the law.
General Ross’s face turned purple and pale by turns, his hand holding the gun trembling.
He was an outright warlord, but he didn’t dare openly violate the law and execute a top university researcher in front of dozens of witnesses.
Not to mention, Betty was indeed his daughter.
Hiding behind Linus’s broad back, Betty looked at this man who stood tall and unyielding before guns and soldiers to shield her.
An unprecedented spark flared in her eyes.
[Ding!
Betty Ross’s favorability is surging rapidly (+20)!]
Hearing the system prompt, Linus knew the time was right.
Without giving General Ross any room to save face, he turned around and boldly wrapped his arm around Betty’s slender waist.
Under the eyes of a roomful of soldiers who had guns aimed at them but didn’t dare pull the trigger, he casually escorted Betty out of the laboratory like he was taking a stroll in a park.
General Ross ground his teeth, roaring in fury:
“Let him go!”
“Keep eyes on them!
The second there’s news of Banner, arrest him immediately!”
…
Half an hour later, a low-profile, luxury Aston Martin drove into the underground garage of an ultra-high-end private penthouse apartment in Manhattan.
Linus hadn’t brought Betty back to her own home.
Because he knew full well how important psychological suggestion and environment were.
Returning to her own place, where reminders of Banner were everywhere, would only trigger nostalgic sorrow.
To intercept a target successfully, one had to pull the prey completely out of her familiar environment and bring her into one’s own domain!
The apartment was located on the top floor, with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the bustling night cityscape.
The interior was minimalist yet exquisite, every detail demonstrating the owner’s taste and wealth.
Linus settled Betty onto a soft leather sofa, his gaze immensely tender.
“Sit here for a bit and don’t think about anything.”
“I’ll draw a bath for you.
Take a hot shower, and everything will be okay.”
Betty stared blankly at Linus.
He took off his dust-covered coat, loosened his tie, and rolled up his shirt sleeves.
His composed, warm demeanor was a world away from the dominant man who had debated an army at gunpoint moments ago.
This intense contrast made her heart skip a beat.
Ten minutes later, a subtle scent of high-end soothing incense wafted through the apartment.
In the open kitchen, Linus was skillfully searing two top-grade M9 Wagyu steaks.
Beside him, dark red Domaine de la Romanée-Conti in a decanter released an enchanting fruity aroma.
The sound of running water stopped.
Dressed in an oversized men’s bathrobe, Betty walked out of the bathroom.
Flushed by the hot water, her pale complexion had regained some glow.
The wide collar of the robe hung loosely, revealing delicate collarbones and smooth, fair skin.
A little awkwardly, she toyed with the sash of her robe.
Looking at the lavish dinner on the table and the red wine Linus had poured, her eyes welled up again.
Betty sat at the dining table and took the glass Linus handed her.
“Thank you, Linus…
If it weren’t for you, I really wouldn’t know what to do…”
The two clinked glasses under the warm, dim light.
Alcohol began to ferment in her bloodstream, relaxing Betty’s tense nerves.
After a few drinks, Betty’s eyes grew hazy.
She bit her delicate red lip and choked up suddenly.
“Linus, tell me…
why did Bruce turn into that?”
“Usually, he wouldn’t even step on an ant…”
“When he turned into that monster, the way he looked at me was so cold, so terrifying…”
“He clearly promised to protect me forever, but he ran off by himself…”
Hearing this, Linus knew the time had come to draw the net.
He set down his glass, stood up, and slowly walked behind Betty, placing his hands lightly on her delicate shoulders.
His voice was low, magnetic, and carried an irresistible magic—a masterclass in emotional manipulation unfolding in real time.
“Betty, you are an extraordinary woman.
You deserve to be cherished by the best person in the world.”
“Banner is smart, but he is far too weak.”
“Love is responsibility, not running away when danger strikes.”
Linus leaned down slightly, leaning close to Betty’s ear.
His warm breath brushed against her neck as he spoke word by word:
“He chose to flee to avoid hurting you, but to protect you, I am willing to face the entire world.”
“If it were me, even if I turned into a monster hunted by the whole world, I would die at your side before abandoning you.”
These words hit like a hammer, utterly shattering the final defense in Betty’s heart regarding Banner!
*That’s right…
If someone is willing to lay down their life, how could they leave me behind to save themselves?*
“The security he couldn’t give you, I will.”
Linus’s domineering line thoroughly demolished Betty’s emotional shield.
She turned around abruptly.
Fueled by alcohol and suppressed desire, she wrapped her arms tightly around Linus’s toned waist, burying her face deep into his chest.
[Ding!
Interception progress reached 50%!
Congratulations host on acquiring Passive Skill: God-Tier Stamina (Never fatigue, hyper-accelerated recovery)!]
Listening to the system prompt, a hunter’s satisfaction flashed through Linus’s eyes.
Looking down at the soft curves clinging to him and Betty’s liquid, longing gaze, he let out a wicked smile.
“Looks like tonight is destined to be a sleepless night.”