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As a general, Ross believed he was well-educated and capable of controlling his emotions.
But Nick Fury's sudden move still made him extremely angry. He cursed several times and slammed the table hard.
"The Hulk is my prey. If I can't succeed, no one else will succeed either!"
After two years of being hunted, repeated failures, and constant pressure from the military, Congress, and the public, Ross had come to treat the Hulk as a kind of forbidden obsession.
It could be said that General Ross's career and fate were deeply tied to the Hulk.
It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that the Hulk had even given criminals a sense of dignity.
Although he failed again and again and was repeatedly humiliated by the Hulk, this only reinforced his belief—
The Hulk was extremely powerful, the military needed him, and capturing him was possible.
Before Banner turned into the monster, he had actually been his future son-in-law. No one understood his personality and abilities better than Ross.
If S.H.I.E.L.D. truly recruited him peacefully, the chances of success would be very high.
Ross would never allow that to happen.
Without comparison, there is no harm. If S.H.I.E.L.D. could recruit the Hulk effortlessly, then what would it matter even if the military spent over a billion dollars and lost countless soldiers in the process?
Ridiculous.
No—he absolutely would not allow it.
"Call Captain Blonsky over!"
"Yes, sir."
The future "Abomination," Captain Emil Blonsky, was originally a forty-something veteran who valued personal strength above all.
Unfortunately, time was unforgiving. At his age, his combat ability had inevitably declined.
He could not accept that.
During the pursuit of the Hulk in Brazil, he witnessed the monster's power firsthand, which only deepened his obsession with gaining strength.
General Ross became interested in Blonsky, secretly abducted him, and injected him with a weakened version of the Super Soldier Serum.
The success of Captain America was still a reference point the military had never given up on.
Unfortunately, they had never been able to replicate it. This defective version had serious flaws and was eventually sealed away.
If Captain America's serum amplified his inner goodness, then Blonsky's version amplified his inner darkness.
His twisted obsession with power drove him insane, and even his rationality began to fade.
During the battle in the forest park, Blonsky deliberately provoked the Hulk. He was brutally kicked, his organs shattered, and all his bones broken.
A normal person would have become a vegetable.
But Blonsky recovered in less than a day. This only deepened his obsession with power and hatred toward the Hulk.
Unfortunately, Ross never noticed this. He had blind confidence in his soldiers.
Blonsky quickly arrived. When he learned that the Hulk had been located, he became visibly excited.
As Ross raced against time, S.H.I.E.L.D. also acted without hesitation.
Shortly after Bruce Banner and Betty arrived at Garbon Academy, Natasha—heavily armed and under strict surveillance—initiated her first "private" contact with Banner.
Today, Natasha wore a floral dress and had her hair down, appearing like an innocent and gentle young woman.
At first glance, she looked like a soft-spoken student rather than an agent capable of snapping a man's neck instantly.
It had to be said: there was truth in the saying that the more beautiful a woman is, the more deceptive she can be.
"Mr. Bruce Banner and Ms. Betty Ross, it's a pleasure to meet you."
The moment Natasha spoke, both Banner and Betty became alert.
But her appearance was so disarming that they didn't react too aggressively.
"Who are you?" Banner asked.
Natasha raised her hands. "I'm an agent of the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division. I came to talk."
An agent?
The word immediately made their pupils contract, and they nearly ran.
"Relax. If I wanted to hurt you, I wouldn't come alone."
Natasha kept her hands raised and even stepped back slightly to show she meant no harm.
"Only you?" Betty asked cautiously.
They looked around but saw no one else, so their tension eased slightly.
Men always show more patience toward beautiful women. Although Banner remained cautious, Natasha's "harmless woman" appearance gave him a sense of safety.
After establishing basic trust, Natasha explained S.H.I.E.L.D., its structure, and its purpose.
"Strategic Homeland… what exactly is it?"
Both Banner and Betty were confused—they had never heard of such an organization.
Natasha patiently explained.
After some explanation, they gained a basic understanding of S.H.I.E.L.D.
When Banner learned that S.H.I.E.L.D. had located him through its encrypted network, he was shocked—and also impressed by its capabilities.
He had always been careful, but he never expected that even his encrypted communications had been connected to an international organization.
He began to believe most of what Natasha said.
"What?"
When Banner learned that Natasha had come to recruit him, he thought he might be hallucinating.
The past two years of hiding had been suffocating.
He had once been a highly educated scholar with seven PhDs. Under normal circumstances, he would have become a university lecturer at best.
Instead, he was now hiding in the Brazilian slums, surviving by working odd jobs.
Even so, he lived in constant fear—either of the military finding him, or of the monster inside him breaking free.
"You don't worry about the other me?" Banner asked.
"The Hulk? We know about him. Didn't he protect Betty recently?" Natasha replied.
Banner scratched his head anxiously. "You don't understand. I can't control my anger—and when I lose control, the Hulk comes out."
His voice trembled with fear and frustration.
Natasha smiled slightly. In just a few minutes of interaction, she had already formed a clear impression of him.
Rimuru was right—Bruce Banner really was a kind and reasonable person.
Prejudice… no, the bias in people's minds was truly terrifying.
Before Rimuru's suggestion, almost everyone saw the Hulk as a monster to capture or kill, not recruit.
Natasha said gently, "You're trying to control it, aren't you? For two years, you've been suppressing your emotions. Every time you lose control, it's because General Ross forces you into it, right?"
Hearing this, Banner became emotional, even his eyes moist.
Finally… someone was trying to understand him.
"Bruce!" Betty's eyes filled with tears.
She was also a victim of the gamma accident—torn between her father and the man she loved.
Banner couldn't help but take her hand.
He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself.
Natasha became tense, but when she saw he had successfully controlled his emotions, she quietly relaxed.
She now had a new understanding of his self-control ability.
Recruiting Banner might actually work.
Banner said nervously, "You know my condition—I can't get too angry, too excited, or too emotional. So… S.H.I.E.L.D. is really recruiting me?"
Natasha smiled and extended her hand. "Of course."
Banner slowly reached out. Overcome with excitement, his palm was sweaty. He awkwardly wiped it on his clothes before reaching out again.
Finally, a man and a woman shook hands firmly.
"Success!"
At that moment, not only Natasha but also Fury and several agents secretly observing the scene were moved.
But just before the smiles could fully form—
Bang.
They suddenly saw Banner's head explode. Blood splattered across Natasha and Betty's faces.
Both women witnessed Banner collapse after being shot.