Without seeing it firsthand, there was no way to know just how formidable Hulk was.
Even compared to the comics, the Hulk in the movies had already been weakened hundreds or thousands of times over.
But before Skyfather Level figures appeared, Hulk was basically an unsolvable problem.
The savage power packed into every punch and kick left Qin Xiao trembling even as he hid far away behind a sand dune.
Facing such a rampaging Hulk, Qin Xiao felt that being a super soldier made him no different from those Ten Rings terrorists.
If there had to be a difference, it was merely the difference between one punch and two.
"System, this mission is a little insane. I feel like I'll get pounded to death before I can even open my mouth, you know?"
Watching Hulk crush someone's head into a mist of blood in the distance, Qin Xiao swallowed hard.
"How can you see a rainbow without weathering a storm? If you can't even handle this mission, I might as well send you back to be a corporate slave, working off your debts bit by bit and living out your miserable life in peace!"
"Damn you, looking down on me again!"
Why did everyone else who transmigrated get systems that casually gave them a hundredfold cashback on purchases, or let them level up automatically just by eating and sleeping?
Why was it so hard for him? Not only were his missions insane, but his system even threw personal insults at its host from time to time.
Complaints were one thing!
He still had to do the mission. The reward really was very tempting.
Hulk had killed most of the Ten Rings members down below in just a few moves.
The rest were either scared out of their wits or fleeing like mad.
Seeing that plenty of people had been killed and most of the vehicles had been smashed to pieces,
he figured Hulk should have calmed down a little by now.
Qin Xiao steeled himself and stepped straight out from behind the dune.
"Hulk!"
Qin Xiao greeted Hulk with overflowing enthusiasm.
He smiled like a village belle standing at the village entrance, watching her sweetheart return.
Perhaps the only difference was that he wasn't holding a little floral handkerchief fluttering in the breeze.
"Roar!!!"
Unfortunately, Hulk didn't appreciate that sort of charm. With a furious roar, he leaped over from the distance and landed heavily in front of Qin Xiao.
Then, without another word, he swung a fist straight at Qin Xiao.
When Hulk lunged over, his overwhelming presence nearly made Qin Xiao instinctively turn and dodge away.
He had barely managed to steady himself.
Who knew a fist the size of a clay pot would come smashing at him immediately?
That hotheaded?
Punch first, talk later!
Who do you think you are, Vi?
Grumbling inwardly, Qin Xiao hurriedly darted to the side and dodged Hulk's fist.
He quickly shouted,
"Wait, Hulk! I'm not with them. I mean you no harm. I just have something to talk to you about."
"Hey! I know you don't really want to hurt anyone either. You just can't help getting angry, and that's why you cause destruction, right? I have a really good solution!"
Dodging Hulk's fists, Qin Xiao rapidly repeated the complaints he had heard Hulk himself make in Thor: Ragnarok, hoping to sway him a little.
"Huh?"
Perhaps Banner's lingering impressions made Hulk feel that Qin Xiao really was different from the people who had shot at him.
Or perhaps Qin Xiao's words had had some effect. Hulk's third punch stopped dead in midair.
(In The Incredible Hulk, Banner and Hulk should have shared memories in some sense. It might not have been complete, but it definitely existed. Yet in the later Avengers movies, Hulk's and Banner's memories seemed to become separate again! Here, we'll take a middle ground: they have extremely vague, faint impressions of the people and events the other has encountered.)
"Phew!!!"
Qin Xiao let out a long breath.
"I'm not your enemy, Hulk. I want to be your friend. Can we have a proper talk?"
His heart in his throat, Qin Xiao held out both hands to show Hulk he meant no harm.
"Friend?"
Hulk slurred the word.
Then...
"Bam!"
A sudden punch blasted Qin Xiao more than twenty meters away.
He had only just hit the ground, sending up a spray of yellow sand.
Hulk jumped after him, landing beside Qin Xiao.
He reached out with his thick arms and seized Qin Xiao in both hands.
"Solution. Tell Hulk, or Hulk tears you apart!"
Just as Qin Xiao thought he was done for, Hulk spoke to him.
"There are lots and lots of bad people in this world, and even some monsters who are different from ordinary people. Of course, I don't mean you. I actually quite like your skin color. I mean someone like Abomination, that ugly guy you fought in New York. Do you remember him?"
Being able to communicate was a good start, and Qin Xiao spoke with delight.
"Hulk remembers. He was strong, but Hulk still beat him!"
"Roar!!!"
Hulk's behavior held a measure of childlike innocence and a measure of animal instinct.
When he mentioned beating Abomination, he threw his head back and roared, looking like a male beast proclaiming his victories.
"Hey! Hey! Big guy, roar all you want, but could you put me down first? You're about to squeeze me to death!"
As Hulk roared, his hands unconsciously tightened a little, nearly squeezing Qin Xiao to death.
"Hulk forgot. You're too weak. Hulk wasn't even using strength!"
As he spoke, Hulk released his grip on Qin Xiao.
"Cough, cough!"
Qin Xiao coughed twice and straightened his clothes.
"Not everyone is as strong as you, Hulk. You should learn to control your strength."
"Hulk's strength is powerful. Why control it? You said there were monsters and bad people. Where? Take Hulk to fight them!"
Hulk lowered his head and roared at Qin Xiao, his voice making Qin Xiao's ears ring.
"I have to find the monsters and bad people first, Hulk. We need some information. Bad people won't just appear in front of us."
"Take Hulk to find them! Go now!"
Another roar!
"No, no, no! The bad people are far away. We need to take a plane. Do you know what a plane is? Hulk is too big to ride a plane. You have to turn into Banner first!"
"Plane!"
Hulk muttered the word.
Who knew whether he had recalled some unpleasant memories, such as the military helicopters that had attacked him.
"Hulk hates planes. Hulk hates Banner even more. Hulk won't turn into Banner. No!"
Hulk clenched his fists again, looking ready to rampage at any moment!
"I know, I know. Hear me out. I don't like Banner either. That guy is so fussy about his words when he talks. He's really annoying. But we need Banner's help, right?"
"Whether we're looking for bad people or just going out, Banner has an easier time than Hulk, right?"
As though dealing with a brat who knew nothing of the world, Qin Xiao slowly began trying to reason and negotiate with Hulk!
Here's the first chapter. There'll be another in the afternoon and one more tonight!