"How is it? Can you say you look completely different now?" Shin said with a smile. "Now you can call yourself Mark."
After Bruce Banner agreed to Shin's recruitment, Shin directly performed plastic surgery on him using the Munch-Munch Fruit.
"This is unbelievable. What kind of technology is this? No, the shape of my facial bones has completely changed. Kevin, are you a mutant too?"
"You don't need to ask that," Shin replied with a smirk. As for Kevin, it was his current alias after changing his appearance.
After all, the previous Shin was already "dead," and he didn't want to attract trouble from the American military over something like this.
"But…" Banner hesitated. "Doesn't this mean I have no identity anymore? My former friends won't even recognize me."
"Oh~" Shin glanced at Banner, rolling his eyes. "Why don't you just say it outright? You're worried about your ex-girlfriend!"
That was indeed a problem, but the real issue wasn't just his changed appearance.
For most people, it wouldn't be an issue. Bruce Banner could still reveal his identity—his memory, habits, and personality hadn't changed. And now, thanks to Shin, he looked much more handsome than before—it was like having a high-end plastic surgery treatment.
However, Bruce Banner's girlfriend was General Ross's daughter…
Shin had always suspected that General Ross's relentless pursuit of Bruce Banner wasn't just about military concerns but might also have something to do with his daughter falling for the nerdy scientist.
To be fair, although General Ross seemed indifferent toward his daughter, it was more a result of his rigid, soldier-like nature. He simply wasn't good at expressing emotions, and with his demanding military career, he gave off the impression of being distant.
If Bruce Banner sought out his girlfriend, General Ross would undoubtedly launch an investigation into his new identity, leading right back to the same old predicament.
Hearing Shin's words, Banner's expression became awkward. "Alright, I admit it. I was afraid Betty wouldn't recognize me…"
"Don't worry, Banner. I only changed your face; you still have your memories. Besides, you look way better now than before. I'm sure your girlfriend will be pleasantly surprised," Shin reassured him.
Seeing the hopeful smile on Bruce Banner's face, Shin internally sighed. 'The one who wants to hunt you down the most is your potential father-in-law, but I'll keep that to myself.'
For now, it would have to do. Betty Ross was intelligent and had her own conflicts with her father. At least in the short term, General Ross wouldn't discover the truth.
But Shin knew full well that even if he warned Banner, the man probably wouldn't be able to resist seeking out Betty in the end.
In fact, in the comics, Betty Ross eventually transformed into the Red She-Hulk due to her extended contact with Bruce.
How that "contact" resulted in her transformation—well, that was up for interpretation.
Regardless, in the next couple of years, Earth would be facing one cosmic catastrophe after another—Galactus, Dormammu, Apocalypse, the Dark Elves, Thor, the Chitauri invasion, and even Thanos.
By then, the Hulk wouldn't seem like such a big problem.
With Bruce Banner now officially working for the Oscorp, Shin immediately assigned him to the Super Soldier Serum Project. He also explained that Banner's Hulk transformation was deeply connected to the project. By studying it, he might uncover a way to permanently suppress his green alter ego.
Hearing this, Bruce Banner became fully immersed in his research. He wasn't aware, however, that Shin had implanted a biochip in his brain.
Even if Banner wanted to focus solely on curing himself rather than weaponizing the super soldier serum, his scientific curiosity would inevitably lead him to consider all aspects of the research.
And sometimes, even thoughts alone weren't entirely safe.
Afterward, Shin introduced Dr. Connors to Bruce Banner and even healed his severed arm.
Dr. Connors had been a military doctor before losing his arm in battle. Since then, he had devoted himself to developing the Lizard Serum to regenerate lost limbs.
Although his motivation wasn't solely personal—he genuinely wanted to help other disabled individuals, particularly wounded soldiers—after Shin restored his arm, at least his experiments wouldn't be as reckless. He wouldn't feel the need to test the serum on himself anymore.
Furthermore, the Lizard Serum research had considerable overlap with the Super Soldier Serum project.
Norman Osborn's human enhancement factor had borrowed heavily from the Super Soldier Serum. As a high-ranking researcher within the Oscorp, Connors was bound to have access to some of that knowledge.
Additionally, as a former military doctor, his research into limb regeneration was undoubtedly linked to the same overarching super soldier initiative.
In fact, many human enhancement drugs developed in later years could trace their origins back to the Super Soldier Program. Captain America, the so-called "first superhero," had an enormous influence on the entire American scientific community.
Thanks to the combined efforts of these two brilliant minds, the Super Soldier Serum project was making rapid progress.
In just over a week, they were on track to create a new version of the serum. Even if it wasn't as refined as the one that made Captain America, it would still surpass the degraded knockoff versions floating around.
And with Shin's access to artificial Devil Fruits, assembling a formidable team of super-powered subordinates would be easier than ever.
Meanwhile, Shin turned his attention to the television, where Johnny Storm—the Human Torch—was basking in his newfound fame.
"The Fantastic Four have officially made a name for themselves," he mused, stroking his chin.
"So, that means Doctor Doom should be returning to Latveria soon."
Doctor Doom was an exceptional researcher, a rare genius who combined both science and magic.
More importantly, he was an outright villain. Unlike the so-called heroes who hesitated and second-guessed their decisions, Doctor Doom never held back when it came to pushing scientific boundaries.
Although he considered reaching out to Doctor Doom, Shin ultimately decided against it.
In the movies, Doctor Doom often came across as a typical power-hungry villain, but in the comics, he was one of the most formidable antagonists in the Marvel Universe. His intelligence, strength, and leadership put him in a league of his own.
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