After a moment of hesitation, Dr. Banner finally chose to get into the car.
He had traveled all the way from South America back to the United States, then fled from the United States to the Middle East after fighting Abomination.
He had never expected to be tracked down even in the chaotic Middle East.
With no other choice, he had decided to flee to Asia.
He had reached the end of his rope and had no options left.
Besides, after receiving an injection at Mr. Blue's place, combined with the breathing techniques he had learned in Brazil,
he could basically control his emotions and heartbeat perfectly now.
He would not transform easily.
Besides, no matter how he looked at Qin Xiao, he did not seem like someone from the military.
Qin Xiao was indeed not with the military, but Dr. Banner could never have imagined
that the mild-mannered Qin Xiao, who looked barely past twenty, had no fewer troubles on his hands than he did.
At least, that was true here in this desert.
"Dr. Banner, why are you out here in the desert alone? And you look... what I mean is, you know, this is very dangerous."
Neither of the two near-strangers was saying anything, and the atmosphere was a little awkward, so Qin Xiao started making casual conversation.
"Some unpleasant things happened to me. You're better off not knowing. I always bring misfortune to others."
Banner spoke with recollection in his eyes.
"I think you're being too pessimistic. How does that saying go? When fate toys with you, never think it's your fault."
"Fate..."
Banner murmured the word a few times with vacant eyes, then lowered his head and said nothing more.
The two drove through the desert in silence...
More than ten minutes later.
Billowing clouds of yellow sand rose to Qin Xiao's left, right, and rear.
Four or five fully armed off-road vehicles rapidly closed in from each of the three directions.
One look was enough to tell that they were coming for their vehicle.
"What's happening? Who are these people? Are they your companions?"
Dr. Banner turned almost all the way around to look, asking with some urgency.
"No, I don't have any companions here! Hold on!"
Qin Xiao slammed down on the accelerator. The off-road vehicle's engine roared, and it surged forward.
It was not that Dr. Banner had not considered that these people might be after him, but judging by the situation, they clearly were not from the United States.
And Qin Xiao's behavior made it look very much like he was running away.
"Are you sure they aren't your companions? Damn it, their vehicles are exactly the same as ours!"
As Dr. Banner spoke, he fastened his seat belt.
"Doctor, you're a scientist. Have you ever heard the saying about looking past appearances to see the essence?"
Qin Xiao jerked the steering wheel, because several more enemy vehicles had appeared ahead on the right.
"Then let's talk about the essence. Why have so many people suddenly appeared, looking like they're here to capture us?"
"This is the Middle East, Doctor. Don't ask why. Besides, they're here to capture me. Congratulations, you get to experience what it's like to have someone else bring you misfortune. Oh, fuck!"
Qin Xiao turned the steering wheel again, because quite a few enemies had appeared on the other side as well.
There were also a lot of vehicles in the convoy ahead, and several broke off to block the only remaining gap.
Just then, heavily accented English came over the vehicle's radio.
"Stop immediately, or we'll concentrate our fire and blow you to pieces!"
As though to prove those words, the moment the voice fell silent,
the people in the surrounding vehicles could be seen bringing their mounted heavy machine guns to bear on Qin Xiao's vehicle.
The surrounding vehicles drew closer and closer. At least twenty-some off-road vehicles surrounded Qin Xiao on every side.
Qin Xiao sighed and resigned himself to stepping on the brake.
"Remember to play along, Doctor!"
After stopping the vehicle, Qin Xiao spoke calmly.
"Play along? How am I supposed to..."
Before Dr. Banner could finish,
he saw Qin Xiao raise both hands high and shout at the surrounding terrorists.
"This has nothing to do with me! I don't know anything! I'm just a student traveling in the desert! It was this guy! He forced me to drive for him! I don't know him at all, and I don't know what happened!"
Dr. Banner: WTF?
What happened?
Dr. Banner was a little bewildered.
The other vehicles all stopped as well.
At least several dozen soldiers armed with loaded guns surrounded the two of them, and Qin Xiao had just given that whole speech.
"I... it's not what he said! I don't know him! I'm the traveler! I was just hitching a ride!!!"
Dr. Banner looked at Qin Xiao with some anger.
"He's lying! Who would choose a vehicle with a heavy machine gun mounted on it to hitch a ride in the desert? Look at me! I'm the one who's just graduated from college! Now look at this man."
The terrorists surrounding the vehicle looked at Qin Xiao, whose clothes could still be considered clean and tidy.
Then they looked at Dr. Banner, whose tattered clothes made him look as though he had clearly been through a major battle.
Most of the gun barrels swung toward Dr. Banner in unison.
"I..."
Just as Banner was about to say something, a soldier stepped forward and smashed a rifle butt into his head.
"Cut the crap! Get out of the car and put your hands up!"
Dazed by the blow, Banner desperately took deep breaths, only to look up and see Qin Xiao actually wink at him playfully.
That only made him angrier.
But the terrorists outside did not care about any of that and roughly dragged both men out of the vehicle.
Dozens of rifles encircled the two men.
The crowd parted, and a bearded man strolled out.
"Were you two the ones who killed so many of my men and let Tony Stark slip through my fingers?"
Tony Stark? That billionaire who was supposedly kidnapped?
Dr. Banner's head was buzzing. Can someone tell me what happened?
But Qin Xiao immediately shouted before he could speak.
"Don't kill me! Don't kill me! I don't know anything! I don't know any Tony Stark! I'm just a student who recently graduated! I'm Chinese! This man forced me to drive for him!"
"I..."
Dr. Banner was interrupted again as soon as he opened his mouth. The bearded man drew a large-caliber pistol and pressed it against his head.
"Shut up! You haven't been told to speak yet!"
"I... sigh!"
Dr. Banner sighed aggrievedly.
"You're Chinese?"
The bearded man turned to Qin Xiao and asked.
"Yes, yes, yes!"
Qin Xiao nodded desperately, his face the picture of innocence.
"You're saying he took you hostage and threatened you into driving for him?"
The bearded man continued questioning him.
"That's right, that's exactly what happened! He said that since I was Chinese, he'd be safer in Pakistan with me along!"
"You're lying! I'm the one who..."
Banner spoke for the third time, only to be met with another rifle butt.
"Shut up! I didn't ask you! You're not allowed to speak! I won't repeat myself again. Do you understand?"
The bearded man bent down and spoke roughly to Dr. Banner.
Banner kept desperately taking deep breaths. For the first time in his life, he felt the urge to let Hulk out voluntarily and beat this brat before him to death.
Here's the second chapter! It's my birthday today, so I'm going out for a bit during the day and will continue when I get back tonight. There's one more chapter, though it might be a little late! Readers who see this, it's my birthday, you know? Don't you want to leave a good review, tap the update reminder, or watch a little ad or something?