Moreover, he had already heard the full story from Jennifer. The entire disaster stemmed from his own oversensitivity. As he thought of this, and then of Times Square, which had been reduced to ruins by their battle, a bitter smile spread across Bruce Banner's lips.
"I'm sorry, Dawn Knight. It's all my fault. I apologize for my recklessness and foolishness!" As he spoke, Bruce seemed to hear the Hulk within him let out a low, reluctant growl.
For Zhou Yi, this was exactly what he wanted. He had defeated the raging warrior Hulk through sheer force, while also morally subduing the intelligent and wise Bruce Banner, forcing him to apologize personally. For Zhou Yi, that was more than enough.
"I accept your apology, Mr. Banner. My promise still stands: I will stand by your side until you make your choice."
Hearing this, Bruce Banner's face lit up with relief and joy. He knew what Zhou Yi's guarantee meant: no one could force him to make a choice he didn't want to make. He was still free, and nothing could take that freedom away.
In that moment, he felt genuine gratitude toward Zhou Yi and true remorse for his previous actions. Though he didn't voice these feelings, Betty, standing beside him, seemed to sense them. She took Bruce's hand and gave him a gentle smile.
The unspoken understanding between them created a sense of perfect harmony. Though no words were exchanged, a shared resolve formed in their hearts: they owed him a debt, and they would repay it.
Coulson was taken aback by Zhou Yi's unexpected statement. He had prepared a number of responses, but Zhou Yi's words forced him to abandon most of them. He couldn't help but cast a resentful glance at Zhou Yi, thinking, *This must be what they mean by a bad friend.*
Despite his internal complaints, Coulson couldn't actually complain to Zhou Yi. It was a matter of their fundamental positions: Zhou Yi was a superhero who had to consider Bruce Banner's personal freedom, while Coulson was an agent whose mission came first. This was an inevitable conflict, and he refused to let their friendship be strained by asking Zhou Yi to accommodate him. That would only tarnish their bond.
Friendship wasn't worth that little to him. Coulson knew exactly what he had to do.
"Mr. Banner, we should talk. Is now a good time?" This was exactly what Bruce Banner had anticipated. He knew there was no escaping this. Rather than run, he decided to use this opportunity, with a strong ally by his side, to resolve it. Holding Betty's hand, he nodded firmly.
"Of course, we can talk right now!"
*It looks like something important is about to happen, but it's not something I need to be present for. Should I leave? After all, the more secrets you know, the sooner you die. That's how it always goes in movies and comics.* Hanging upside down, Little Spider realized the situation was no longer suitable for him. But he didn't feel confident enough to leave. Zhou Yi's presence here weighed heavily on his mind.
Compared to the Dawn Knight, he was nowhere near equal in terms of abilities or experience. The Dawn Knight was a globally recognized superhero, while Little Spider lived a miserable life in New York, with a mixed reputation and wanted by the authorities. Just thinking about it made Little Spider's eyes well up with tears.
"Of course, we've never had any intention of restricting anyone's freedom!" Coulson said, also making his stance clear to Bruce Banner. But Bruce merely smiled at his words, having long seen through the true nature of government agencies.
However, Little Spider hadn't reached such a profound level of enlightenment, and frankly, this situation had nothing to do with him. All he wanted was an excuse to leave, and now that Coulson had provided one, he naturally bolted at top speed.
Being around a monster-level threat like the Dawn Knight was simply too oppressive for him. Besides, if he accidentally provoked him, his scrawny arms and legs wouldn't last two hits. Little Spider knew full well the limits of his own mouthy bravado. So, he wisely chose to retreat—discretion, as the saying goes, is the better part of valor.
No one tried to stop Little Spider's escape. Bruce lacked the ability, and besides, they were grateful to him for safely bringing Betty here. Coulson, having been warned from above, wouldn't make too much contact with Little Spider at this point. As for Zhou Yi, he knew Little Spider's true identity and had no reason to interfere.
Thus, Little Spider slipped away without a hitch. This was also why most people didn't focus their attention on him—compared to the Hulk, Little Spider seemed less significant.
"Mr. Bruce Banner, I believe I should introduce myself first. I'm Agent Phil Coulson of S.H.I.E.L.D., and I'm in charge of handling this emergency—and that includes handling your situation."
"Handling me?" Bruce, now feeling more secure with his backing, wasn't easily intimidated. "I'm sorry, I don't understand. What do you mean by 'handling'?"
"Mr. Banner, do you realize the extent of the damage you caused?" Coulson avoided the question, instead asking something seemingly unrelated. The moment he asked, Bruce Banner fell silent.
This was an unavoidable question. As someone with a conscience and a sense of justice, Bruce couldn't absolve himself of the Hulk's mistakes. The Hulk was another identity of his, and naturally, he had to take responsibility for the Hulk's actions.
Seeing what he wanted in Bruce's silence, Coulson, his face stern, said:
"This entire incident has caused devastating damage to Broadway and even Columbia University. We estimate the direct economic losses to be at least eight billion dollars, not including casualties. Setting aside the soldiers who died in combat, there were dozens of civilian casualties. Many lost their homes and jobs due to this sudden, man-made disaster. Mr. Banner, as the root of it all, what are your thoughts on this?"
As a naturally timid man, Bruce Banner had never possessed the kind of ruthless ambition or willingness to sacrifice others for glory that a victorious general might have. As Coulson spoke, he already felt the weight of all the blame settling upon his shoulders.
Coulson was right. He was the cause of it all. If he hadn't come to New York, there would have been no Abomination, no military intervention, and no subsequent battle. Without these events, none of the losses, none of the lives lost, and none of the people left homeless or jobless would have occurred. They would have lived their ordinary, happy lives, untouched by any disaster.
It was all his fault. He was the source of all evil. The thought took root and refused to let go. He even began to feel self-loathing, a pessimistic conviction that his death was the only way to appease the public's anger.
Seeing Bruce clutch his head in agony, Betty silently embraced him, her only way to share his pain. The others watched him silently, waiting for his decision.
Bruce seemed to have made up his mind and was about to speak when Zhou Yi interjected.
"Mr. Banner, before you say anything, I think you should consider this: is this truly your fault, or the military's insane super-soldier program? The plan's consequences extend far beyond the Hulk's actions. Radiant City is still cleaning up monsters left over from the Biochemical Crisis—they're just as much a product of this program as the Hulk."
"In my view, the military bears the true responsibility. You don't need to take the blame yourself. And when it comes to the destruction caused, I'd wager I've caused just as much as you!"
This was an unconventional form of comfort, but it also pointed to the real culprit. If the Hulk was guilty, didn't the military, which forced him into this role, deserve even greater condemnation? After all, even the Hulk's very existence was inextricably linked to the U.S. military.
Ever since he completely divested himself of the arms trade, Zhou Yi had taken great pleasure in undermining the military's prestige. Of course, even without this personal vendetta, he often engaged in such activities. Rivals are natural enemies, and the world police and superheroes have always been at odds.
This presented a psychological opening, but Bruce refused to use it as an excuse to escape his guilt. *Wrong is wrong.* As an intelligent man, he understood this perfectly. The Hulk's actions couldn't simply be blamed on the military. He needed another way to cleanse himself of this guilt and find inner redemption.
So he posed this question to Coulson:
"If I join you, what will you do to make amends for everything the Hulk has done? How will you compensate for the destruction and the people who were harmed?"
Coulson fell silent, pondering. He could have spun a dazzling tale, painting everything in the best possible light. But he knew it would be useless. Bruce Banner wasn't a fool; he'd see through the empty words. So he chose to tell the truth.
"We will hold the military responsible for all the losses incurred and urge them to compensate all victims. We will also do our best to arrange medical treatment and other aid. You must understand that we are merely an intelligence agency, not a government agency. We can only urge them to act, not replace them!"
"That's not enough, far from enough!" Bruce shook his head, the words falling far short of his expectations. "If that's all you can do, it doesn't even matter if the Hulk joins you. This is the government's responsibility, not the price you pay for me!"
"Mr. Banner, if you join us, we can help you control the Hulk, preventing you from transforming into that destructive monster. Our medical team can also decipher the cause of your condition. We can save many lives, and all of that will be credited to you!"
"You could also create more weapons, causing more slaughter and destruction. Should that be credited to me as well?"
Bruce's words marked the complete breakdown of communication between them.
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