Ross was forced to seek out Shin. Of course, this was also because he trusted Shin's body transformation operation. None of his scientists could compare to him.
Since General Ross had already made up his mind, he did not hesitate and asked, "What kind of enhancements do you have available?"
Shin smiled. "First, I'll need to conduct a full examination and run some tests on you, General Ross."
"Alright, let's begin."
As a doctor, Shin already had a great deal of physical data on Ross. Now, he needed to conduct a deeper analysis of the general's genetic makeup and other physiological factors.
People are vastly different from one another, and those from different worlds even more so. This isn't the real world, where humanity evolved from apes.
In different universes, humans have wildly different origins—some were created by gods, some molded from clay, others cursed into existence by inorganic life forms, and some are even direct descendants of gods and demons.
The origins of humanity in the Marvel world are difficult to verify. Perhaps they were created by Eternity or some other deity. However, based on Shin's research, they most likely did not originate from standard evolutionary processes.
Even if evolution played a role, countless experiments conducted by the Celestials, the Kree, and other entities had drastically altered the genetic landscape.
Take the X-gene, for example. According to Shin's studies, humans in the Marvel world generally fall into three categories: recessive X-gene carriers, latent X-gene carriers, and dominant X-gene carriers.
Those with a dominant X-gene are mutants. Those with a latent X-gene have the potential to mutate or may pass on the gene to their offspring.
Recessive X-Gene carriers have gene fragments embedded in their DNA, remnants of Celestial experimentation that have spread to nearly all of humanity.
Over time, many lost the ability to activate these gene fragments, making natural mutation nearly impossible. However, this also means that the humans of this world are fundamentally different from baseline humans—or, more precisely, that humans in worlds with supernatural elements do not possess the same physical constraints.
Humans in the Marvel universe, and more broadly in American comics, appear to be particularly susceptible to mutation.
It's unclear whether this was a direct result of Celestial experimentation or if their inherent susceptibility was the reason the Celestials selected them in the first place.
Regardless, superheroes—especially mutants—demonstrate a higher tendency toward physical mutation than the average person.
After thoroughly examining Ross, Shin discovered that the general also possessed a body highly prone to mutation. Given that he was the eventual Red Hulk in an alternate timeline, it was no surprise that his physiology leaned toward physical transformation.
In particular, Ross's body exhibited extreme sensitivity to gamma radiation, making it highly susceptible to mutation upon exposure. Shin even identified numerous infected cells already present in Ross's body.
Even if Shin did nothing, in about a year, those infected cells would spread throughout his system, and Ross would likely transform into a Red Hulk on his own.
As for how the infection started, Shin recalled Ross's previous battle and the moment he had fired a shot directly into the Hulk's eye.
To be fair, Ross had been incredibly bold. If Bruce Banner hadn't subconsciously recognized that Ross was Betty's father and instinctively held back, the Hulk would have torn him apart on the spot.
However, it was precisely that shot that resulted in Hulk's blood splattering onto Ross. Though there were no visible signs at first, the mutation had already begun within him.
But since he had now come to Shin, there was no need to wait another year or two for the transformation to take effect.
Shin activated his computer and pulled up an image of the Hulk.
"What do you think of this transformation?" he asked.
Ross frowned. "Can I retain my human form? And from what I can see, after transforming, it seems to lose all intelligence, is that correct?"
Ross had no intention of sacrificing his intellect for strength. Moreover, maintaining his human form was essential to retaining his rank as a general. The military would never allow a monster to hold a leadership position.
"Trust me, I can preserve your intelligence. As for keeping your base human form, that's an easy fix."
Shin leaned back confidently. "I can modify the mutation into a trigger-based transformation. You'll only shift when you consciously activate it. The rest of the time, you'll remain in your normal state."
His tone carried absolute certainty.
And with good reason—Red Hulk already functioned in this exact manner. Even if Shin didn't interfere, Ross would eventually transform this way on his own. In fact, by getting involved, Shin might introduce unforeseen complications into the process.
Well, if that happened, he could just walk away from the mess. It didn't concern him much. Right now, he regarded Ross as nothing more than an ideal test subject.
Of course, Ross had no idea what Shin was really thinking. Upon hearing the plan, he felt deeply satisfied.
To possess immense power while maintaining intelligence and a normal human appearance—was an ideal scenario.
His gaze shifted back to the image of the Hulk, analyzing the sheer power on display. The monster's body was impervious to rockets, and it hurled an off-road vehicle like it was a toy.
Ross's breathing grew heavier.
If I had that kind of power... If the military could harness such abilities... America's soldiers could truly dominate the world.
As he entertained these thoughts, he stole a glance at Shin, secretly calculating.
I didn't expect this guy to have such remarkable skills. A golden goose like him must not be let go so easily.
"Dr. Shin," Ross said with a scheming smile, "if you successfully complete my enhancement, you'll have access to all the resources in this base. Would you like me to assign some assistants to you?"
Shin gave Ross an amused glance, fully aware of his hidden agenda. He wanted assistants in order to secretly acquire Shin's research.
But Shin had no intention of sharing anything valuable. He didn't actually have a well-documented transformation method—his approach was largely experimental. If Ross tried replicating the process without his oversight, it would surely result in catastrophic failure.
"I don't mind having assistants," Shin replied smoothly. "But General Ross, I'd also like to examine the research your military has accumulated. There might be some valuable data that could help refine your transformation."
Naturally, he was referring to the Super Soldier Serum.
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