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Chapter Fifty-Six: A New Era Begins

At the door of Betty Ross's apartment, Peggy Carter stood in a daze, gazing at the empty room. Who?

Betty Ross looked at the visitor with a sense of familiarity but couldn't quite place her. Cautiously, she asked, "Are you agent Carter? I think I've seen your photo in S.H.I.E.L.D's profile."

"Yes, I am..." Peggy Carter nodded.

"Well, Senior Carter, where's my boyfriend?"

Peggy Carter couldn't help but press her forehead in frustration.

Thor, you idiot. You come back and leave me to clean up this mess!

…

After Peggy Carter reassured Betty, she used information from S.H.I.E.L.D. to locate Maya Hansen, and they shared numerous details.

Uncertain of when Thor would return, Maya Hansen established a small research center with Peggy's help.

Though Extremis research had hit a dead end, Maya also pursued other projects.

Betty Ross eventually came to terms with the fact that her boyfriend had left urgently to save the world and returned to the military laboratory.

Her personal turmoil over Thor's departure and Bruce Banner's reserved nature led to no romantic sparks between them.

A few months later, an experimental accident under gamma ray exposure resulted in the birth of the Hulk.

The newborn Hulk was nearly irrational, driven only by the urge to destroy everything in his path.

A green giant burst out of the laboratory and vanished into the night. The experimenters faced severe casualties, and extensive equipment was destroyed. Hulk's rampage showed no mercy, and Betty Ross sustained severe injuries, leaving her paralyzed.

Typically, such an injury would mean a lifetime in a wheelchair. Fortunately, with Extremis, though there was no pre-injection, recovery would take time but remain effective.

Deciding to move to Maya Hansen's laboratory after her recovery, Betty was shaken by the military's reckless experiments.

General Ross, feeling guilty for his daughter, didn't oppose her decision. Meanwhile, he was enraged and dispatched many personnel to search for traces of the Hulk.

However, Banner, in his non-transformed state, was very clever. He could not be found without transforming and was undefeatable in his transformed state. As a result, the search for the Hulk made little progress over the years, as if he had vanished from the world.

Before arriving on Earth, with Thor's approval, Maya Hansen sold a small amount of Extremis to General Ross at a high price for research funding. Although the modified Extremis only offered a minor strength boost, its physical recovery benefits were significant.

General Ross was also intrigued by the first-generation virus but feared its severe side effects, which dissuaded him from taking the risk.

Time passed, and soon it was 2010.

On this day, a major event that shook the entire United States occurred—

Tony Stark, the brilliant inventor and young CEO, was kidnapped by terrorists during a weapons conference in Afghanistan.

The entire nation was thrown into turmoil. Given Stark's status and the influence of Stark Industries, this incident had the potential to alter the world.

No one anticipated that this kidnapping would herald the dawn of a new era, transforming the notorious playboy into a superhero.

…

In the dark void, Thor pondered his location and how to escape.

Kamar-Taj's sorcerers certainly prove true to their reputation for leaving one unprepared at critical moments!

He wondered what was happening outside now...

At that moment, a deep voice echoed in his ear.

"Kneel down!"

"What?"