American comics: Only I know the plot

Chapter 154 Patiently Waiting

He minimized his presence to the bare minimum, to the point that he seemed like nothing more than a moving, working tool in the laboratory, unnoticed and unnoticed by anyone.

But only he himself knew that his gaze, his mind, and all his attention had never truly left Bruce Banner.

He waited, patiently, silently, for a natural, safe, flawless opportunity that would not arouse any suspicion.

Around noon, the long-awaited opportunity finally arrived quietly.

Banner sat at his desk, staring at the experimental data on the computer screen for a long time, his brows slightly furrowed, his expression extremely focused.

He seemed to be checking a set of key parameters for a live experiment, completely immersed in the world of scientific research, indifferent to everything around him.

Suddenly, Banner stood up, holding the tablet in his hand, and walked towards the experimental workbench in the center of the laboratory.

He needs to personally confirm the real-time operating status of the instrument, collect the latest field data, and verify whether the equipment feedback is consistent with the theoretical calculations.

This trip will take at least three to five minutes.

There was no one in front of the desk, and the angle was exactly in the blind spot of the surveillance camera, so no one would notice it for a short time.

Li Wei's heart pounded in his chest, and his pulse quickened instantly.

Right now.

This was the perfect moment he had been waiting for all morning.

Instead of rushing over impulsively, he first calmly observed his surroundings.

The staff in the laboratory were busy with their own tasks, operating instruments, recording data, and organizing documents, and no one noticed his subtle changes.

The instruments hummed steadily and continuously, the monitoring red lights flashed regularly, the air was so quiet it was almost oppressive, and everything seemed ordinary and commonplace.

Li Wei took a deep breath, suppressing the tension and panic that surged into his throat.

He maintained his usual steady pace, his expression natural, and slowly walked towards the filing cabinet where medical documents were stored.

With a gentle pull of the fingertips, the metal drawer opens, the cool slides making a subtle, normal sound that goes unnoticed.

His gaze swept quickly across rows of neatly arranged folders, pinpointing his target precisely.

"Human Gamma Radiation Safety Report"—a dark blue cover with standard white lettering, the official safety document from the base.

This report is open to all researchers and is used for routine safety training and risk alerts. Its use is completely compliant and reasonable.

Li Wei quickly pulled out the folder, gently held it between his arms, and used his body to block the view of others. His movements were quick and steady.

He closed the drawer, turned around and walked to the nearby medical station, pretending to organize cotton swabs and test strips, making sure to cover up any suspicious activity.

After confirming that no one was paying attention, he slowly walked to Banner's desk, the whole process natural and smooth, without any flaws.

The desktop is clean and tidy, the files are arranged in an orderly manner, the computer is in standby mode, and there is no unnecessary clutter.

Li Wei bent down and gently placed the security report in the center of the table.

The document was prominently positioned and angled correctly, so Banner would see it immediately upon his return.

He took out a red ballpoint pen from the pocket of his white coat, a standard tool for medical assistants, and there was nothing unusual or suspicious about it.

Li Wei held his breath, his fingertips rapidly flipping through the pages, precisely locating the most crucial and fatal chapters.

He lightly drew clear, subtle wavy lines next to the following content with a red pen:

High-energy radiation limits the human body's tolerance; irreversible cell damage from short-term high-dose radiation; potential risks from long-term low-dose radiation accumulation; experimental irradiation safety thresholds and emergency response standards. He only makes annotations, without writing, altering, commenting, or adding any personal opinions.

It looked like a routine safety reminder left by previous staff, natural, ordinary, and unremarkable.

The entire process takes no more than fifteen seconds, and is clean, efficient, quick, and leaves no trace.

Li Wei put away the red pen, returned it to his pocket, straightened up, and slowly took a few steps back.

He did not touch Banner's personal belongings, did not rummage through the experimental data, did not turn on the computer, and did not leave any fingerprints or traces.

They simply released a public document and added standard security markings.

It's as normal, as compliant, as inconspicuous as it gets.

After doing all this, Li Wei returned to his post without making a sound, his expression calm, as if nothing had happened.

He picked up the water glass on the table, took small sips of cold water, and forced his wildly beating heart to slowly calm down.

All that's left is to wait, to pray, and to hope that Banner will take one more look.

Throughout the afternoon, Li Wei did not stop working, maintaining a busy yet natural state.

He used the pretexts of bringing warm water, checking on the wound's recovery, and inspecting his physical condition to approach Banner several times in a natural and reasonable manner.

Every approach was perfectly in line with the duties of a medical assistant, without any sense of deliberateness or abruptness.

"Doctor, how is the wound on your fingertip healing? Is it itchy, stinging, or red and swollen?"

Li Wei stood at a safe distance, his tone gentle, his eyes sincere, without a trace of coercion or pretense.

Banner looked down at his fingertips wrapped in gauze, shook his head gently, and his expression softened considerably.

"I'm recovering very well, and I have no discomfort. Thank you."

After the previous day's contact and interaction, Banner had let down his guard and felt unfamiliar with Levi.

He had developed a very good impression of this professional, calm, meticulous, and unassuming young assistant.

Li Wei seized this fleeting opportunity and spoke in the softest, most tentative, most casual, and most appropriate tone for his status.

"Doctor, I noticed during my inspections these past few days that the laboratory's radiation baseline is slightly higher than last week."

He paused, deliberately slowing his speech to make his tone sound like mere professional instinctive concern, devoid of any prophetic quality.

"With the intensity of the gamma rays used in the experiments increasing, is there a risk of instability?"

This question was asked with great tact, it was perfect.

Do not question, deny, predict, panic, or overstep boundaries.

It was just a normal inquiry from the perspective of human safety by a medical assistant.

It is reasonable, justifiable, compliant, and perfectly in line with his identity.

Banner simply waved his hand, his gaze remaining firmly fixed on the data before him, unwavering in the slightest.

His mind was completely absorbed in the breakthroughs and progress in cell regeneration experiments.

He wanted to help wounded soldiers on the battlefield, to cure patients with incurable diseases, and to make gamma rays truly benefit mankind.

In his eyes, this experiment was hope, light, and redemption, not a disaster.

"Don't worry, I have taken complete protective measures and checked the parameters repeatedly. There will be no problem."

Banner spoke calmly and confidently, with the certainty and persistence unique to top scientists.

He took Li Wei's reminder as an overly cautious professional sensitivity from a newcomer.

The instinctive safety anxieties arising from working in the medical field should not be taken to heart or given too much attention.

He didn't even immediately notice the security report marked in red in the center of his desk.

Li Wei's heart sank little by little, sinking into the cold abyss.

A sense of powerlessness washed over him like a tidal wave, almost suffocating him and making him want to give up.

He had clearly presented the warning to the other person, offering a life-saving reminder, but it was gently pushed away.

He cannot refute, insist, forcefully persuade, or show any abnormality.

That would only expose your secrets, attract the suspicion and surveillance of the military, and even lead to your direct control.

He could only nod slightly, take a step back, maintain a polite and restrained distance, and say no more.

"Okay, Doctor. Just be careful and call me anytime if you feel unwell."

After Li Wei finished speaking, he calmly turned and left without saying another word or making another move.

All the disappointment, anxiety, panic, struggle, and helplessness were suppressed back into the deepest part of his heart.

Despite the warnings being ignored, the interactions between Levi and Banner quietly increased.

The two were no longer strangers who had no connection, but partners who could communicate normally about work and have simple exchanges.

Occasionally, when they meet in the corridor, Banner will nod to Levi, no longer showing the initial unfamiliarity and distance.

During breaks in the experiments, Banner would occasionally ask Levi questions about human stress responses.

"During prolonged periods of intense, focused work, what range do heart rate and blood pressure typically fluctuate within?"

What are the earliest abnormal physiological indicators that appear in the human body when working in a radiation environment for a long time?

"Are there any gentle ways to relieve insomnia, irritability, nervousness, and mood swings that won't interfere with work?"

These questions are all within the scope of a medical assistant's expertise, and are perfectly reasonable and normal.

Li Wei answered each question carefully, clearly, objectively, and scientifically, in a calm tone, without exaggeration, sensationalism, or instilling fear.

This is simply a professional medical explanation, providing the most truthful, reliable, and objective viewpoint.

Banner was very satisfied with this and trusted it completely.

In this base where everyone only talks about data, progress, results, military requirements, and the value of weapons.

Only Li Wei would communicate with him rationally, calmly, and without ulterior motives, from the perspective of human safety and health.

Be patient, not radical, and not blindly pursue breakthroughs; do not put experiments above life.

Their conversations became more and more natural, more and more frequent, and more and more relaxed.

Li Wei used these normal and compliant exchanges to quietly gather more crucial information.

The specific experimental procedures, equipment operation logic, parameter setting habits, details of protective measures, and emergency response plan.

He silently memorized all the information, comparing, verifying, and perfecting it with the plot memories in his mind one by one.

The more he learned, the stronger, more oppressive, and more suffocating his anxiety became.

He clearly saw that the entire experimental design was racing headlong in the direction of getting out of control, with no sign of stopping.

The protection system has fatal flaws, the parameters have slight deviations, the emergency response plan is ineffective, and security warnings are deliberately ignored.

Banner's so-called foolproof and absolute safety proved to be incredibly fragile in the face of real accidents.

Li Wei could even vividly and realistically rehearse every moment of the experimental explosion in his mind, frame by frame.

The blinding gamma rays broke through the shielding layer, the instrument overloaded and emitted a piercing alarm, and the lights flashed wildly.

A blinding flash of light instantly filled the entire laboratory, equipment shattered, debris flew everywhere, and radiation levels skyrocketed.

Banner struggled, twisted, and deformed in unbearable pain, his bones, muscles, and skin undergoing horrific changes.

The gentle, refined, kind, and pure-hearted doctor transformed into the out-of-control, berserk, and feared Hulk in just a few minutes.

Then the military immediately sealed off the base, and General Ross was furious, ordering a city-wide manhunt and a nationwide warrant for his arrest.

Banner went into hiding, living a life of hardship and displacement, afraid to reveal his identity or form close relationships with others, enduring the pain of losing control of his power and the despair of being universally hated.

The thought of these images made Li Wei's heart feel like it was being squeezed tightly by an invisible hand, causing him unbearable pain and making it almost impossible to breathe.

That night, Li Wei lay on the small, hard bed in the base dormitory, unable to fall asleep for a long time, and couldn't sleep all night.

The ceiling was pitch black, but all he could see were the flames of the experimental explosion and Banner's agonizing, distorted appearance.

The three-day countdown ticked away in his mind, like a relentless drumbeat, making his nerves tremble and his mind tense.

Only two days left.

one day.

More than ten hours.

Every minute and every second, we are getting closer to disaster.

He has sent a warning, left a report, built trust, and given a reminder.

Banner remained immersed in the passion and hope of his experiments, completely unaware of the impending catastrophe.

Li Wei stared into the darkness, his fingers gripping the thin sheet tightly, his knuckles turning slightly white from the force.

He cannot give up, much less admit defeat.

The report is already on the table, and the red line is prominent enough.

The reminder has been sent, and trust has been established.

What's missing now is just an opportunity for Banner to truly stop, take a serious look, and truly listen.

Li Wei slowly sat up, leaned against the headboard, and took a deep breath of the cold, dry air.

He mentally rehearsed the next steps of the plan over and over again, refining every word and every action.

You cannot warn, question, forcibly stop, or reveal the time traveler's identity.

These are just suggestions, references, and routine safety reminders.

I can only act as a medical assistant, in the most natural, gentle, discreet, and unsuspecting way.

Gradually, he began to sway Banner's judgment, making him realize the potential deadly risks.

He could take the opportunity of replenishing emergency supplies the next day to reiterate radiation safety operating procedures.

You can casually mention, while changing the test strips on the radiation detector that the readings are fluctuating too much and suggest calibration.

Routine inspections can be used to indicate that equipment is operating under high load for extended periods and may pose a potential risk of failure.

Every step must be taken within the safety line, without crossing the line even slightly.

Every word must be appropriate to one's identity, without arousing suspicion or triggering vigilance.

Every movement must be natural and fluid, without leaving any flaws or traces.

A faint light gradually appeared on the horizon, illuminating the desolate desert with a pale blue glow, signaling the approach of a new day.

Li Wei slowly stood up, walked to the window, and looked out at the endless yellow sand.

This base, like a huge, cold cage, trapped Banner, and trapped him as well.