Lin Xiao had just finished recounting his heroic feat of "driving away the Hulk with three punches" and was enjoying the thunderous applause and flashing lights from the audience. Betty was beside him, holding his arm, her fingers trembling slightly, but her eyes were full of pride as she looked at Lin Xiao. Lin Xiao gently patted her, and Betty calmed down.
Just then, almost simultaneously, the sound of uniform footsteps echoed from all four corners of the parade ground—the dull thud of military boots on the grass.
A squad of fully armed soldiers had silently surrounded the entire press conference venue, forming a silent, gray wall that completely blocked the playground. Students began to whisper among themselves, while the reporters grew even more excited—this was the kind of scene big news should have.
Immediately afterwards, a discreet black armored command vehicle had already stopped at the edge of the parade ground. The door slid open silently, and General Ross stepped out with steady steps. Accompanied by two adjutants, he calmly walked towards the podium.
His gaze swept over the banner on the stage that read " Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Bravely Fight Unknown Creatures," his face revealing neither joy nor anger. Finally, it landed on Lin Xiao, who was being supported by Betty. His brows furrowed slightly before returning to normal.
General Ross walked to the front of the stage, first nodding slightly to the reporters and students present. The host tactfully gave way, and only then did he stand in front of the microphone.
Good afternoon, everyone. I am Thaddeus Ross.
His voice was calm and authoritative, instantly drowning out the whispers in the room.
"First of all, please allow me, on behalf of the military, to extend my highest respect to Mr. Lin Xiao for his extraordinary courage during the campus attack this afternoon." He turned around and solemnly saluted in Lin Xiao's direction.
This action took everyone by surprise. There was a moment of silence in the audience, followed by even more enthusiastic applause. Lin Xiao cursed "old fox" in his heart, but immediately put on a flattered smile. He tried to stand up to return the greeting, but he aggravated his wound and winced in pain.
General Ross lowered his arm, his expression turning serious. "But, gentlemen, this dangerous green giant is still at large. He poses a continuous and enormous threat to this school, and indeed to the entire city. The military's duty is to eliminate this threat at all costs and protect the safety of every citizen."
His gaze swept over the students below the stage, his tone sincere and heavy. "Today, Mr. Lin Xiao bought us precious time with his own flesh and blood. We cannot let the hero's blood be shed in vain."
Then, he changed the subject, looking at Lin Xiao with "concern" in his eyes. "Mr. Lin Xiao, you are the only one who has had prolonged direct contact with that creature. Your combat experience and your observations of its strength and weaknesses are crucial to our upcoming pursuit operation. In order to capture that monster as soon as possible and prevent more innocent people from being harmed, the military needs your first-hand intelligence."
He paused, his tone becoming more "considerate": "Of course, all of this is predicated on your health. Therefore, I have contacted the best surgical hospitals in New York to arrange a comprehensive treatment and rehabilitation plan for you. Our medical team will keep you informed while you receive treatment. After all, your health is a matter of great concern to all of us."
A murmur of understanding arose from the audience, and they all applauded, saying, "This is truly a good army of the people."
Lin Xiao's smile froze. Looking at General Ross, which was etched with "the bigger picture" and "I'm doing this for your own good," he cursed the old fox a thousand times in his mind. Damn! That was a brilliant combination of moves! First, he gave him face; then he talked about the bigger picture; finally, he slapped the big accusation of "catching the monster" on him, leaving him no room to refuse. If he said "no," he would be disregarding the safety of the entire city!
Just then, an even more troublesome voice rang out from the side.
"The general's considerations are truly thorough."
Natasha Romanoff had somehow moved from the edge of the crowd to the front of the stage. Today, she was wearing a smart dark gray suit skirt, her red hair pulled back into a bun, looking as if she had just been pulled over from some formal meeting. She stood with her arms crossed, leaning against the stage speakers, a smile on her lips that made Lin Xiao want to run away.
" S.H.I.E.L.D.. has no objection to this." Natasha looked at General Ross, her tone businesslike, but Lin Xiao sensed a hint of schadenfreude in her eyes. " Agent Lin Xiao is our 'outstanding' agent; his intelligence is crucial to capturing that green monster. S.H.I.E.L.D.. will fully cooperate with the military's operation."
She emphasized the word "excellent," then turned her head, her grey-green eyes looking at Lin Xiao with a half-smile, "You agree, right, great hero?"
Lin Xiao instantly understood. These two, one playing the good cop and the other the bad cop, had planned this all along! No, it might not even have been planned; Fury and Thaddeus Ross, those two old foxes, had already tacitly reached a consensus that "we must bring that brat Lin Xiao back immediately," and today's press conference was just the prelude. This was a huge loss for them.
He glanced at General Ross's face, which was etched with "national righteousness," then at Natasha's face, which was etched with "you deserve it," and then at Betty beside him, who looked worried and proud. Suddenly, he laughed.
"Alright." He gently pulled his arm away from Betty's grasp and straightened up. "It's my duty to catch that monster."
A barely perceptible hint of approval and wariness flashed in General Ross's eyes. This kid, still managing to put on a brave face even in this situation, is indeed a formidable opponent.
"Very good." General Ross nodded. "The special plane is already waiting at the airport, with the medical team accompanying us. We will depart immediately."
Betty panicked. She grabbed Lin Xiao's arm, her voice trembling with tears, "No! He's so badly injured! You can't take him away now!"
Lin Xiao turned his head, cupped Betty's face, and gently wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes with his thumb. His movements were extremely gentle. He whispered a few words in her ear, and Betty's tears fell even more fiercely, but in the end, she bit her lip and nodded firmly.
She turned and ran away, then came running back a moment later, carrying Lin Xiao's tattered canvas bag. She shoved the bag into Lin Xiao's Lin Xiao, stood on a chair, and kissed him on the cheek. Her movements were as quick as a child stealing candy; she retreated before Lin Xiao could react.
"I'll come see you, Lin Xiao." She turned and ran, but after running several meters, she turned back, biting her lip, and shouted at him, "Don't forget me!"
Lin Xiao watched Betty's figure disappear around the corner of the laboratory building, a slight smile playing on his lips. Then, carrying the tattered canvas bag, he limped towards the black command vehicle. He paused as he passed Natasha.
"Instructor, you've won this round," he said softly, a hint of amusement in his voice, "But don't forget, Lin Xiao has plenty of strength and skill."
Natasha chuckled at his expression and opened the car door. "Get in. Don't keep the general waiting. Your injuries really need to be treated."
Lin Xiao sighed, crouched down, and climbed into the car. The convoy slowly drove away from the playground, leaving behind a chorus of talking students and excited reporters.
Lin Xiao leaned back in his seat, watching the campus recede into the distance through the one-way glass, the corners of his mouth slowly curving into a wider smile.
" Doupao, did you hear that? That old fox Thaddeus Ross said he'd use the best medical resources to treat my injuries." He thought to himself, "Notify May and Tony immediately to book the most expensive full-body VIP medical check-up package at the best private hospital in New York. Then contact Tony's private lawyer to draft a letter demanding a huge sum of money from the military for medical expenses and emotional distress. The reason should be: due to the military's negligence in supervision, an experimental accident occurred, resulting in my being attacked by the green monster and suffering serious injuries. As for the compensation amount, let's start with several hundred million. Anyway, he just said he would take responsibility in front of so many reporters; he can't go back on his word."
"Ding--Host, you're blatantly trying to extort the military."
"Extortion? I'm using legal means to protect my legitimate rights!" Lin Xiao retorted righteously in his mind. "He didn't manage his experiment properly, creating a giant monster that beat me up like this. Shouldn't he pay compensation? This is karma, what goes around comes around! Also, send the video and press release of my 'Superhero Fighting the Hulk ' to all mainstream media, emphasizing how I was concerned about the safety of the citizens even while seriously injured. Make sure my heroic image is deeply ingrained in people's minds, so that old fox Thaddeus Ross will have to consider public opinion before he tries to touch me!"
Just as Lin Xiao was plotting his grand plan, the system beeped again. Lin Xiao perked up; it seemed the reward had arrived.
Ding--Task completion. Rewards are summarized below.
The sound of Doupao echoed in his mind. Lin Xiao closed his eyes, a slight smile playing on his lips. It was a good thing he wasn't made to settle the score on stage, otherwise the reporters would probably have captured him drooling on camera.
"Six-and-a-half-star mission - Stop the enraged Hulk (Completed)"
Task rating: S. Reward: +20 free allocation points.
Lin Xiao tapped his knee lightly with his fingers. Twenty points. This was the highest single reward of free points he had ever received. Adding those he had saved up before, he should have quite a few now. He would have to plan carefully how to allocate them.
"Random item issued -- Super Sunglasses (S-rank). Wearing effect: Activates the additional skill ' Laser Eyes Laser Eyes,' a weakened version of the Homelander's laser skill with extremely high destructive power, usable for precise cutting, penetrating obstacles, and rapid strikes. Simultaneously, the sunglasses activate: Danger Sense Effect: In combat, it allows you to perceive malice from any enemy within a 1000-meter radius, automatically triggering the perception effect, which cannot be blocked. Increases mental strength by 50 points while wearing it."
Lin Xiao raised an eyebrow. Laser Eyes? A weakened version of his Homelander? Perfect! I'll never eat beef again; the words " Laser Eyes " are enough. Fifty points of mental strength, Danger Sense, and malice perception. S-rank, truly deserving of the name.
Then, an even more dazzling golden light exploded in my mind.
"Random S-rank skill has been issued -- Normal Punch."
Lin Xiao paused for a moment.
"From the One- Superman universe, Saitama's signature move. Effect: Deals devastating damage equal to four times the current power value. Additional effects: Breaks guard, ignoring all resistance and defense. Additional effect ' Supersonic Strike,' which the opponent cannot avoid."
He suddenly opened his eyes, his pupils reflecting the blue sky outside the window, and the corners of his mouth curved upwards. But before he could laugh out loud, what he heard next made him swallow his laughter back.
"Negative Effect: Weakness. You are not that man after all. After throwing a punch, your entire body enters an overload state, accompanied by numbness and excruciating pain. Those with weak minds may face life-threatening danger. Cooldown: Twelve days. Note: Item recovery is ineffective."
Twelve days. The item's recovery effect is ineffective. In other words, regardless of the outcome of this punch, he will be a cripple for the next twelve days. It's not the kind of fatigue that can be recovered from by lying down for a couple of days; it's a complete overload where even the item is useless. Lin Xiao silently repeated this sentence to himself twice, then sighed softly. Fine, he can use it as a trump card from now on.
Immediately afterwards, a dazzling rainbow of colors flashed by. It wasn't purple, nor gold, but an extremely flamboyant rainbow color he had never seen before.
Bonus: Exclusive title – " Family Claiming Specialist "
Lin Xiao's smile froze.
"Title Effect: Due to the host's extremely shamelessness and reckless attempts to establish relationships (including but not limited to worshipping the Ancient One as a godmother, regarding Tony as a good son, forcibly recognizing Peter as a good nephew, and successfully establishing an uncle-nephew relationship with Hulk by competing to see who can pee the farthest), this title is hereby bestowed. Effect: Increases intimacy with others by 10%. Once this title is bound, it cannot be removed."
Lin Xiao's face twitched. He wanted to refute, but he was powerless to. The system was right; he had done everything, and the evidence was irrefutable. The system was right, and there was no way to refute it.
"Who are you calling shameless?" he muttered to himself, but there was no hint of anger in his voice.
Finally, a green light appeared before his eyes.
That light was unlike any of the previous rewards—it wasn't the cold blue of the system panel, nor the dazzling gold of the S-level rewards. It was soft and warm, like an aurora drifting from some distant world, carrying a heavy weight that didn't belong to this dimension.
"Hidden mission complete -- Hulk's family."
Lin Xiao held his breath.
"Another world, another universe. The Emperor Green Scar, the King of the Hulk, the conqueror of Sakaar, the Ultimate Nullifier of the Illuminati —he is watching you."
Your kindness deserves praise.
"Reward: Emperor Green Scar's Blessing. Effect 1: Rage Strike. The angrier the attacker, the stronger the attack. Each attack has a 0.2% chance to trigger a double strike, with the probability increasing the angrier the attacker. Effect 2: Increases all recovery abilities by 20%."
Based on the current overall strength assessment of the host, the host's combat power is reassessed as B+.
Lin Xiao looked at the bright red B+ and his smile deepened.