Chapter 16: Monster
May 2, 2023 Author: Yue Shang Xintou
"What's wrong?"
Seeing Colin silently stare into the dense fog before him.
Smith couldn't help but glance in the direction he was looking, only to see a hazy gray scene.
"It's nothing."
Shaking his head, Colin withdrew his gaze. He didn't intend to dwell on the matter of the figure; perhaps it was just an ordinary civilian who happened to appear in the fog. He quietly rationalized to himself.
Colin dismissed the thought and then, out of the camera's view, made a gesture to Smith signaling them to wrap up.
Their report was a breaking news interruption, broadcast live, connecting with the studio anchor. As they couldn't capture any more useful footage, there was no need to continue occupying the studio's airtime.
Following Colin's gesture, Smith cooperatively moved the camera upwards.
"For the time being, we will retreat to a safe location as much as possible and continue to monitor the situation. We will inform the studio of any details as soon as we get them. This has been the latest report from The Daily Bugle reporter Collin Roper, at the explosion site, bringing you the latest..."
*Bang!*
On-site, before Colin could finish his closing remarks and hand the camera back to the anchor in the studio, a massive figure appeared in mid-air, slicing through the air and crashing heavily not far from them.
"What happened, Colin? Colin, can you hear me?"
From the studio, the anchor anxiously inquired. On location, Colin had no time to concern himself with these questions. His nerves taut, he looked towards the direction of the impact. The violent collision created spiderweb-like cracks that spread outwards. Such a powerful impact would have been fatal to anyone else. However, the figure at the epicenter of the impact did not seem to have died from it; instead, it began to struggle violently.
*Huff, huff, huff!*
The massive breaths became more rapid as the figure struggled. Due to the distance, Colin and the others couldn't get a clear look at the figure's appearance. They could only vaguely discern through the dense fog that it was a colossal monster, far beyond normal human imagination.
"Could it be the Hulk?"
Looking at the gigantic figure in the fog, the first thing that came to Colin's mind was the Hulk. However, as the figure struggled and roared, and as the blurred outline gradually appeared in the fog, it told him that it was definitely not the Hulk.
Unlike the Hulk in Colin's memory, the monster in the fog, while equally massive, standing over three meters tall, had an overall skin color of vivid red flesh. Its entire body was covered in distorted, twisted muscles intertwined with each other, giving it a sense of immense power.
*Thump!*
From within the fog, the monster swung its thick arms, letting out a powerful whoosh as it slammed heavily onto the ground.
*Boom!*
The violent impact created a massive crater in the ground, sending a multitude of shattered stones scattering everywhere. Seeing the flying debris, Colin quickly raised his hands to shield himself from the splattering stones. The splattering stones that landed on his hand back felt like needle pricks, and the cameraman Smith beside him let out a string of pained cries.
In the fog, the monster's actions, while causing severe damage, also ripped through the surrounding dense fog, allowing Colin and the others to see its appearance more clearly. On its muscular, knotted body was a relatively normal head, with thick brown hair and bloodshot eyes. On its chest, a blackened, bone-deep wound was visible, being enveloped by wriggling muscles and healing rapidly. Clearly, this monster not only possessed immense strength but also impressive regenerative abilities.
So, this really isn't the Hulk? Or, is this actually the Hulk, just not the version I remember? Witnessing the monster's ferocious display, Colin's heartbeat skipped a beat. His mind even began to race, wondering if he would have any chance of survival if he were hit by one of those arms, thicker than a man.
"This is not a place you should be..."
At this critical moment, a slightly hoarse voice sounded. Then, a fiery red-haired woman appeared behind Colin and the others at some point, grabbing their shoulders and looking at the monster in the fog.
"It's Black Widow of the Thunderbolts—Natasha!"
Seeing the woman behind them, Smith couldn't help but exclaim.
Black Widow? Natasha! At the cameraman's words, Colin's expression shifted slightly. He looked at Natasha, who calmly accepted his gaze. She had her signature red hair, a black form-fitting uniform paired with matching leather boots, and the corners of her mouth were slightly upturned, seeming unperturbed by the scene. The Black Widow before him gave off an aura of having everything under control. Exactly as Colin remembered her.
[Touched a Twisted Time Node, collected a small amount of Time Shards x3]
[Black Iron Mark (7/10)]
At the same time, indistinct text flashed before Colin's eyes, reminding him that Natasha also possessed a [Twisted Time Node].
"So, you are reporters?"
Her gaze swept over the camera in Smith's hand, and Natasha addressed Colin and Smith.
"We are employees of The Daily Bugle. He's Colin, the on-site reporter, and I'm Smith, responsible for filming."
Before Colin could speak, Smith, from the side, quickly answered. Glancing at the excited cameraman beside him, Colin began to understand why the latter had been so cooperative during the filming. It turned out he had his own agenda.
"I'm sorry," Natasha shook her head. "According to the Registered Hero Confidentiality Agreement, the following scene may not be suitable for further filming."
"No problem, we fully cooperate with the Thunderbolts' actions."
Upon hearing Natasha's words, Smith didn't hesitate to put down the camera in his hand, pledging his commitment with conviction. *I didn't expect you to be like this, Smith,* Colin thought. He had worked with the cameraman for some time, and this was the first time he'd seen him act this way. *You weren't even this cooperative when The Daily Bugle's new owner, Dexter Bennett, acquired the newspaper.*
Witnessing the entire conversation between the bearded Smith and Natasha, Colin couldn't help but shake his head, a look of speechlessness crossing his face. *Give it up, Smith, you can't handle her,* he thought.
(end of chapter)