After patting his shoulder, Ye Mo didn't say anything more.
He stood there, watching Bruce's retreating figure. That handshake hadn't been particularly forceful, but it was genuine enough. He knew that some things didn't need to be repeated, and some people, once they nodded, would never go back on their word.
While trust is possible, whether the situation can be stabilized depends on the next step.
"How are you feeling?" Ye Mo asked.
Bruce looked down at his hands, then slowly clenched them. "It's alright... but I always feel like there's some kind of force moving inside me that I can't suppress."
"It's not about suppressing it," Ye Mo shook his head, "It's about guiding it. The more you try to lock it up, the more it wants to break free."
Bruce frowned. "But when I can't control it, it hurts people."
"So you're in control now." Ye Mo took half a step forward. "You're standing here, not transforming, and not running away. That means you can hold on."
Bruce didn't reply, but his breathing became heavier. Ye Mo noticed that his right hand fingers began to twitch slightly, a precursor to gamma energy fluctuations. The last time he saw him in this state was when Abomination had just appeared.
We can't wait any longer.
Ye Mo closed his eyes, his consciousness sinking into the Gene Spiral Tower. The twelfth floor had been vibrating recently, as if something was about to hatch. He hadn't dared to try anything before, fearing something might go wrong. But he couldn't worry about that now.
[Activate the basic Telepathy module]
[Synchronously activate Emotional Resonance Fragment ]
[Combined command: Output a stable low-frequency signal]
A warm sensation flowed down his brain, neither stinging nor numbing, like drinking a sip of hot water in winter, sliding down his throat to his chest. He opened his eyes and stared into Bruce's eyes.
"Listen to me," he said. "Don't worry about anything else, just listen to my voice. Inhale—hold for two seconds—exhale. Do it again."
Bruce blinked and did as he was told.
His breathing was a little rapid the first time, and a little slower the second time. On the third time, his shoulders relaxed slightly.
Ye Mo continued to guide him, "You're not alone now. I'm right beside you. If you feel something's wrong, just call my name. You don't have to hold back or endure it."
Bruce nodded, his voice a little hoarse. "I... I don't want to lose control."
"I know," Ye Mo said, his tone unchanged, "But have you ever thought about this? Before you transform, you always remind us to run! The Hulk wouldn't do that. You would, because you're always there."
Bruce's eyelids twitched.
"You're not a monster," Ye Mo said bluntly. "You're a person who's just had some bad luck. Now that someone's willing to walk this path with you, you don't have to go through it all alone."
A gentle breeze swept across the ruins, stirring up a bit of dust. The drone that had been there in the distance was long gone; the sunlight shone warmly on the walls.
Bruce's breathing became more and more steady.
Ye Mo didn't stop; he continued to release that gentle energy wave. This wasn't mind reading or manipulation; it was more like a resonant, companionial connection. He transmitted his emotional rhythm little by little, letting the other person follow along.
Five minutes later, Bruce's hand stopped moving completely.
He raised his head, his eyes clearing considerably.
"I... I think I can feel it," he said. "It's not that it controls me, it's that I can touch its edge."
"That's right." Ye Mo smiled. "You always thought about locking it up, but there was no need. It's a part of you too, just a little temperamental."
"But won't it hurt you?"
"Sure," Ye Mo said frankly. "If it really explodes one day, we'll just have a fight. It's not like I haven't been blasted away before. Last time I was smashed into a wall by the Abomination, my bones were shattered, but I'm still alive and kicking, aren't I?"
Bruce paused, then asked, "You remember that time?"
"I remember," Ye Mo shrugged. "I was lying on the ground, thinking, 'Why aren't these guys coming to save me yet?' Then Tony crashed in his armored car, Emma Frost slammed into my face with a psychic attack. Can you believe it? They wouldn't even let me be a hero for once."
Bruce's lips twitched.
"So you see," Ye Mo patted his arm, "If you really lose control, we won't run away. We'll stop you, we'll hit you, we'll pin you to the ground and yell at you. But we won't abandon you."
Bruce lowered his head and slowly rubbed his palms together.
"I always thought... as long as I didn't get close to others, I wouldn't harm them," he said. "But you all insist on getting close to me."
"That's because we know you can get better," Ye Mo said, "Not by becoming someone else, but by being yourself."
A system notification tone suddenly sounded.
[Stable success, gaining Bruce's deep trust, and the energy of the Gene Spiral Tower steadily increasing]
Ye Mo remained silent. He knew what this meant—the twelfth level was about to unlock. The new ability might be available in the next second, or it might require a battle to activate. But he didn't care what it was specifically; what he cared about was that the person in front of him was finally no longer treating him like a ticking time bomb.
"What did you just use?" Bruce suddenly asked.
"Abilities," Ye Mo replied simply, "Combination skills, not named yet."
"Isn't it very mentally taxing?"
"A little," Ye Mo rubbed his temples, "But it was much easier than saving you by Wall Phasing last time. Back then, I couldn't Regeneration, and I almost had a stroke after walking through the wall once."
"You could have ignored me." Bruce looked at him. "You're not like Tony. He built the armor to save people. You... you could have avoided all of this."
"I wanted to too," Ye Mo grinned, "But the system made me awaken the day before Tony was kidnapped. Isn't that a coincidence? Isn't that fate?"
Bruce remained silent for a moment.
"I'm not a good teammate," he said. "I lose control, I hold you back, and I cause you trouble."
"Then listen carefully," Ye Mo said seriously, "We don't need perfect teammates. We need people who can shoulder responsibilities together. You can make mistakes, you can be afraid, you can wake up screaming from nightmares in the middle of the night. As long as you can still stand up the next day, we'll consider you a brother."
A gust of wind blew by, lifting the hood of his hoodie.
Bruce looked at him, remaining silent for a long time.
Then he nodded slightly.
"I believe you," he said.
As those two words landed, Ye Mo felt a "click" deep within his consciousness, as if a door had opened a crack. A new energy began to gather on the twelfth floor of the Gene Spiral Tower, slowly rotating, waiting to be fully activated.
But he didn't have time to think about it.
At that moment, Bruce suddenly frowned and his body stiffened.
"What's wrong?" Ye Mo immediately stepped forward.
"My heart is racing..." Bruce gritted his teeth. "That surge of energy is back, but this time it's different."
Ye Mo reached out and pressed his arm, feeling the pulse beneath his skin quickening. This wasn't a simple fluctuation caused by anger or fear; it was more like some external signal stimulating a gamma response.
"Don't panic," he said. "Follow my breathing rhythm. Inhale—pause—exhale."
Bruce did as instructed, but it had little effect.
Sweat began to bead on his forehead, and his knuckles turned white.
"Someone is interfering," Ye Mo suddenly realized. "It didn't happen naturally; it was triggered remotely."
Bruce looked up at him, his eyes already reddening.
"Hold on." Ye Mo grabbed his shoulders. "Don't let it come up. Do you remember how it felt just now? You could touch the edge, so grab that spot and don't let go."
Bruce's teeth chattered. "I... I'm afraid I can't do it..."
"You can do it." Ye Mo lowered his voice. "You're not alone now. I'm right here. If you fall, I'll catch you. If you charge out, I'll chase after you. If you transform, I'll fight you. Do you understand?"
Bruce opened his mouth, but before he could say anything, he suddenly jolted.
The muscles bulge, the blood vessels protrude, and the skin color begins to change.
Ye Mo immediately activated his Steel Bone Body and prepared his Wall Phasing Technique. He couldn't let Bruce lose control here, nor could he let Bruce feel like a burden.
"Say my name." He stared into Bruce's eyes. "Say it now."
Bruce's lips trembled, and a low growl escaped his throat.
Then, with all his might, he squeezed out two words:
Ye Mo.