Hundreds of kilometers from the center of New York City.
A desolate, uninhabited zone.
Countless towering boulders stood in a scattered yet orderly formation, creating a natural stone forest.
A narrow, deep gorge cut straight through the middle of the stone forest like an arrow.
The scorching sun baked the earth a parched yellow, and within the gorge, bleached bones reeking of decay lay exposed in the wilderness.
Whether they belonged to animals or some unlucky soul was anyone's guess.
On the stone walls lining both sides of the gorge, inside a cave that appeared to be man-made.
A disheveled, long-haired, bearded man who looked like he hadn't bathed in months was chatting online using a laptop.
Though there was no network in the deep mountain gorge.
He had somehow connected a satellite-communicating phone to the computer.
"Dr. Green: Do you really have a way to help me?"
The scruffy man's fingers flew across the laptop keyboard.
Because the battery icon in the bottom right corner of his screen was already flashing low.
"Lizard Enthusiast: I've studied your situation carefully. I can only say it's incredibly unbelievable."
"To survive such intense Gamma Rays exposure is nothing short of a miracle."
"Moreover, the Gamma Rays have drastically altered your genes, perfectly fusing two different species' DNA together. That's the real reason you transform into a monster."
"I have considerable expertise in genetic modification."
"It's a shame I don't have a sample of your current genes. If I could combine it with a Gene Serum I previously developed, I might be able to solve your problem."
"Dr. Green: Gene Serum? What kind of serum?"
Hearing that the other party had a serum that could fix his issue, the scruffy man's eyes lit up with excitement, and he typed back urgently.
"It's a serum that combines genes across species, granting humans the ability to regenerate lost limbs."
"Dr. Green: What? Cross-species gene fusion? Did you crack the gene decay rate algorithm?"
"Uh, not yet. But if I could get a sample of your current genes, I could integrate it into the algorithm and fully unlock the secrets of human genetics."
"Then we could merge powerful animal genes into human DNA. Humanity would achieve immortality, the Nobel Prize..."
"Alright, we've been chatting too long. You'd better find a new place to hide from those people chasing you."
"If you get the chance, come find me in New York City. I'm at Oscorp Industries..."
As the laptop's last bit of power drained completely, the screen went dark.
"Go find him?"
The scruffy man replayed the chat in his mind, weighing the odds of success.
"Yeah, I'll go find him!"
Suddenly, as if making up his mind, he packed up the computer and other gear, clutching the laptop as he prepared to leave.
Whoosh... Thud!
But just as he reached the cave entrance.
A rapidly spinning missile screamed in from the distant sky, slamming into the ground not far ahead of him.
Boom!
He only had time to read the words "Stark Industries" printed on it before his body couldn't dodge.
A ball of flame erupted right in front of him.
The terrifying shockwave and blazing fire instantly engulfed him.
The entire cave collapsed from the violent explosion, burying him beneath the rubble.
"Report, General. Target hit. Shall we return to base?"
"Hmph. An attack like that only pisses that thing off."
Several kilometers away, an old man in military uniform sat in an armed helicopter, three silver stars gleaming on his shoulder insignia. He spoke gravely.
"Deny return. Continue observing the scene."
Roar!
A deafening bellow echoed for dozens of miles.
A massive green monster, three to four meters tall, with bulging muscles all over its body.
Suddenly leaped out from the buried cave.
"Copy that, General... Wait, he's still alive! Damn, it's the monster! The monster's appeared!"
As an incredulous shout came through the radio channel, General Ross knew his real target.
Had finally shown up.
"All personnel, attention. Both air and ground units, begin combat preparations. This time, we must completely eliminate that monster!"
"Repeat: all units, prepare to launch the attack immediately!"
As General Ross gave the order.
The tank and armored vehicle formations already positioned in the distance, along with the attack helicopters and fighter jets circling nearby, all entered combat readiness at that moment.
"Tank formation has locked onto the target, ready to fire at any time."
"Rocket artillery formation coordinates calibrated, ready to fire at any time."
"Air fighter formation has entered attack range, ready to engage at any time."
As each formation reported their readiness to strike.
General Ross's gaze turned resolute in an instant. He spoke slowly: "Commence the attack."
With General Ross's command.
Boom, boom, boom...
Flames erupted from the thick barrels of the tanks, hundreds of shells pouring out in mere seconds.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh...
Rockets from the armored vehicle formations shot into the sky one after another, racing upward.
Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh...
Missiles from the fighter jets above, as if they cost nothing, streaked one after another toward the massive green monster.
In the blink of an eye.
Countless attacks converged, raining down around the green monster.
Boom, boom, boom!
Tremendous explosions thundered through the stone forest and canyon.
Massive boulders shattered, and the canyon walls collapsed instantly.
In less than a minute, the uninhabited area spanning several kilometers was bombarded again and again.
The once-standing stone forest vanished completely.
The dozens-of-meters-deep canyon was filled in entirely by flying debris and dust.
The ground within the target zone looked as if it had been plowed over and over by a giant rake.
The terrifying power of human weaponry was on full display.
Not just any person—even the ants in their nests would have been wiped out to the last.
"Cease fire."
At the general's command, the scene that had been filled with explosions, like a battlefield, fell silent instantly.
Almost everyone believed that under such a terrifying barrage of firepower, the monster had been utterly annihilated.
But...
Roar!
Then, with a roar even more violent and furious than before.
A massive green monster leaped from the flattened ruins, shooting straight into the sky.
After gliding through the air for several miles, the green monster crashed down, creating a crater nearly ten meters deep, then launched itself hundreds of meters into the air again with another powerful leap.
"Damn, it's heading for the ground forces!"
The observer on the fighter jet had no time to be shocked by the monster's resilience; he instantly understood its intent.
But it was too late.
In just a few bounds, the green monster landed among the tank formation.
Its arms, thicker than tank barrels, grabbed a tank's cannon and lifted the entire vehicle.
Then it spun its body and suddenly let go, hurling the tank by inertia straight at the high-altitude jets.
"No way, it missed?"
Over a hundred kilometers away, in a classroom at New York Midtown High School, a student suddenly spoke up during the quiet lesson.
Instantly drawing the attention of everyone in the room, including the teacher at the front.
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