C11: Hope and the Hulk
Although doing good deeds sometimes brings warmth, seeing the same middle-aged man again in the antique shop made Li Ran feel somewhat conflicted.
Especially now.
"Boss, this gem?"
Inside the shop, the middle-aged man appeared slightly reserved. He cast a careful glance around the layout of the store, pausing instinctively when he caught sight of the jade bracelet resting on the cluttered counter behind Li Ran.
"This sapphire is well-finished excellent translucence, decent precision cut. The tone places it somewhere between Type C and B on the GIA scale, leaning toward a deep cerulean. It's slightly under-sized but still qualifies as a high-grade boutique gem." Li Ran looked at the familiar gemstone in his hand, unable to hide the internal irony. He hadn't expected that the gem he gave away in goodwill would circle right back into his possession.
"In terms of market value prices have fluctuated a bit due to Stark Industries disrupting the jewelry trade, but overall, it's been fairly stable. Judging from the size just shy of three carats, I'd price this between ten and fifteen thousand dollars. That's a preliminary estimate, of course. We'd need a full spectrum analyzer reading for exact appraisal."
Though he already knew everything about the sapphire, Li Ran performed the routine inspection and maintained a professional front as he addressed the man.
"T-Ten thousand?"
The man's expression twisted with restrained excitement, a mixture of disbelief and hope swelling inside him. He had known the gem was valuable but hearing the confirmation still struck him hard.
[+0.5 Fame from Local Citizen]
Glancing at the flickering data panel overlay, Li Ran retained his calm demeanor. "Yes, between ten and fifteen thousand. The market's been kind to sapphires lately."
"Ten thousand… so many zeroes…" The man stood there, voice trembling, torn between laughing and crying.
Eventually, he composed himself, newfound light burning behind his eyes. "Boss, if I could, I'd like to exchange this sapphire for cash."
As he spoke, his gaze drifted again to the jade bracelet resting among the clutter.
"And perhaps…"
"Hmm? Something else caught your eye?"
Across the street, Old Jack peeked out from his laundromat, eyes narrowed at the familiar figure exiting the antique shop. "That man… something's different."
"What seems different?" Li Ran asked, stepping out and catching the tail end of Old Jack's musings.
"The look on his face, it's like he found a reason to believe again," Jack said, scratching his gray-flecked chin.
"That's a good thing, isn't it?"
"Sure is," Jack nodded, then noticed Li Ran flipping the store sign to Closed. "Closing up early?"
"I've got an important appointment," Li Ran replied with a smile.
"Hah! Don't tell me some lovely lady's fallen for our James," Old Jack teased with a wink.
"A kind one," Li Ran replied, Jennifer's blonde curls dancing in his memory.
"Well, I hope it goes well, kid."
"Thanks."
As Li Ran walked off, Old Jack leaned back in his worn chair, murmuring with a smile, "Ah, to be young again…"
The newspaper in his lap lay forgotten, its entertainment section headlining a lavish gala hosted by none other than Tony Stark, the billionaire playboy whose name was synonymous with Manhattan nightlife.
…
"James, thank you!"
Jennifer clung to Li Ran's arm as they exited the cinema, her golden locks brushing his shoulder.
"You don't need to thank me, Jennifer," he chuckled, ruffling her hair gently. "It's my honor to spend a night with such a beautiful young lady."
"James…" Despite the cheesiness of the line, it brought a sparkle to Jennifer's eyes.
BOOM—!
A violent explosion shattered the peace. Screams echoed down the street, the warm air of romance instantly giving way to panic.
"What the—?"
Li Ran immediately pulled Jennifer behind him, scanning the chaos as frightened moviegoers fled the scene.
Could it be another alien incursion?
No… That timeline's still ahead. Stark hasn't donned the Iron Man armor, Rogers is still in the ice, and Thor hasn't even arrived on Earth.
But his confusion lasted only a moment.
CRASH!
A massive figure burst through the theater wall, shattering concrete like glass.
Green skin. Towering build. Shredded purple pants.
Li Ran's pupils shrank.
"The Hulk…"
There was no mistaking it, the rampaging form belonged to none other than Bruce Banner's alter ego, the Incredible Hulk, a future Avenger, now a mindless engine of destruction.
This version of the Hulk was far from the calm team player seen in later Avengers missions. At this point in the timeline, he was a creature of pure rage, driven by survival instincts and relentlessly hunted by the U.S. military under the command of General Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross.
Looking around, Li Ran noted the hovering helicopters clearly part of a S.H.I.E.L.D.-advised strike team or a special military ops division. It didn't take much to piece things together: they'd lured Banner in, perhaps with a staged hostage threat, and lost control when the transformation triggered.
Sometimes, Li Ran genuinely couldn't fathom the logic of American military tactics. They knew conventional weapons were ineffective against the Hulk, yet continued to rely on brute force instead of engaging with Banner, the scientist who was desperately trying to control the very monster they feared.
Banner was the key. He didn't want to be the Hulk. He had been working on suppression methods for years, from Gamma Pulse Stabilization to Sakaaran neural meditation. The man wanted peace. But instead of seeking collaboration, the military kept pushing him into corners.
A win-win opportunity, science, containment, and possibly even rehabilitation was squandered by brute arrogance.
And now the streets of New York would pay the price.
As the Hulk roared, sending concrete flying, Li Ran stepped in front of Jennifer and made a quiet promise:
"I may not be a superhero… but I'm not going to let this monster hurt anyone tonight."
Because sometimes, doing good things wasn't about fame or recognition.
It was about standing tall when the world around you crumbled.
And right now, the world was crumbling.
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