Ch: 296-305
Chapter 296 Anger and Patience
After blasting Bucky against the opposite wall, Tony also flung away Rogers, who was gripping his arm.
"Did you know about this?" Tony asked Rogers in a low voice, watching him steady himself.
Rogers looked steadily into Tony's eyes and replied softly, "I didn't know either. Before, I just thought your parents' deaths might have been suspicious, but I didn't know the truth was like this."
"Bucky was also brainwashed and controlled by HYDRA. This wasn't his intention. We all knew Howard; if he had his own consciousness, how could he do such a thing?"
Rogers' voice echoed through the underground base, but at this moment, Tony seemed completely lost in thought. His eyes were filled with grief, and the cruel images from the surveillance footage kept replaying in his mind.
"My father, my mother, they died," Tony said to Rogers, his voice hoarse.
"I always thought their deaths were an accident. After all, people always encounter unlucky things, and there are always various accidents waiting for you somewhere."
"If death is unavoidable, then a sudden accident can be considered a kind of mercy. After all, they went to heaven without suffering much pain."
At this point, tears welled up in Tony's eyes: "I've always comforted myself this way. For all these years, only by thinking like this could I find some peace."
"But... but now, the facts and the truth are right in front of me!" Tony's emotions gradually spiraled out of control, and his voice grew louder.
"My father was beaten to death by your good friend's fists! My mother was also choked to death by him."
As he said this, Tony gritted his teeth, slamming his fist hard against Rogers' chest, and then said to him, "My father regarded you as a good friend and held you up as a hero for me to learn from since childhood. You tell me, how can you face him?"
"I don't care who he is! I only know he killed my parents, so I will kill him!"
After saying that, Tony suddenly raised his arm and blasted Steve far away, then he turned and rushed towards where Bucky was.
Bucky, who had just gotten up, was still unsteady when Tony pressed him to the ground again.
Tony's right foot was firmly planted on his metal left arm, while one hand held down his right arm, and then he savagely punched Bucky's face with his free right fist.
"Bang! Bang!"
With the Iron Man suit's enhancement, Tony's strength was not to be underestimated at this moment. With just two punches, Bucky's right cheek was already bruised, and his nose was bleeding.
Just as Tony's third punch was about to land on Bucky's face, Steve's round shield flew over quickly, knocking Tony, who was standing on Bucky, off balance.
Taking advantage of Tony's stumble, Bucky quickly broke free from his restraint and swiftly put distance between them.
Tony, who had regained his balance, looked at Rogers, who had caught the round shield, and said in a deep voice, "So you are determined to protect this criminal, are you?"
Hearing Tony's question, Rogers did not answer. He just looked earnestly at Tony and said, "Please, Bucky didn't want this to happen. Let him live."
After hearing Rogers' plea, Tony's face grew even colder. He looked at Rogers with icy eyes and mocked, "What a joke. My parents also begged him, but they still didn't survive."
After speaking, Tony raised his hand and shot out a mechanical chain. This chain twisted around Rogers' legs, causing him to fall to the ground and hindering his movement.
After restraining Rogers, Tony quickly turned and rushed towards Bucky again.
At this moment, Bucky was no longer unprepared. Seeing Tony rushing towards him at high speed, he first quickly squatted down, then grabbed Tony's armored ankle, and violently slammed him against the wall behind him.
"Bang! Zzzzzzt!"
After Tony hit the surrounding wall, there was first a violent clang of metal, followed by a grating, teeth-aching friction sound.
Seeing Bucky grab his ankle, Tony quickly activated the power in his hands and feet, directly taking Bucky with him as he flew into the air.
Tony, circling in the air, didn't expend much effort to throw Bucky down. Then, before Bucky could land, he directly grabbed his neck and violently slammed him against the wall.
"Do you still remember them?" Tony asked Bucky in a low voice, who was leaning against the wall.
Bucky, hearing Tony's question, gasped and gritted his teeth, saying, "Sorry, although I didn't want to, I clearly remember every one of their faces."
After saying that, he forcefully pried at Tony's arm that was clamped around his neck.
"Ahhh!" As his strength gradually increased, Tony's arm was slowly pried open.
At the same time, his metal left arm reached for the Arc Reactor on Tony's chest. He wanted to destroy this core energy source directly.
As long as the core energy source was destroyed, Tony, without his armor, would not have much combat power.
"Crack, crack, crack!" As his left arm gradually applied force, the chest armor where Tony's Arc Reactorwas embedded gradually twisted under his fingers.
Noticing this, Tony steeled his heart, directly maximized the armor's power, and shot a golden energy beam from his chest.
"Whoosh!" This golden energy beam pierced through Bucky's metal left arm, even blasting a large hole in the wall behind him.
Bucky, losing his strength, fell down the wall. At the same time, Rogers shattered the chains restraining his legs and quickly ran towards where Bucky was falling.
Finally, just as Bucky was about to hit the ground, Rogers caught him.
At this point, Bucky's mechanical left arm had been blown off by the golden energy beam from Tony's chest, leaving only a bare left shoulder.
At the end of his shoulder, one could even see the jagged, glowing red metal from the energy beam's impact.
Just as Rogers landed with Bucky in his arms, another beam shot directly towards Bucky's head from a distance.
Upon realizing this, Rogers immediately placed his round shield to his side, deflecting the energy beam elsewhere.
"Had enough, Tony? You need to calm down. We're still in the enemy's trap. Have you forgotten about those glass domes over there?"
Looking at Tony, who had landed not far away, Rogers spoke.
After venting, Tony had recovered from his previous rage and was slightly more clear-headed.
Now, hearing Rogers' words, he gritted his teeth and suppressed his inner killing intent. Although he really wanted to kill Bucky right then, Rogers would surely stop him. If that happened, they would fall into endless internal conflict, which was exactly what the person who designed this situation wanted to see.
Seeing Tony stop his actions, Rogers continued, "I know you're very angry. If it were me, I would be too. But the situation is special now, and Bucky is also a victim. He's just a controlled tool."
"I won't allow you to kill him like this, but I can promise you that once we get out of here, he will face legal sanctions and judgment."
Chapter 297 Crossbones takes action personally
Hearing Rogers' words, Tony didn't respond. He held up his arm, took a deep breath, and still didn't give up his attack on Bucky.
Suddenly, the energy cannon in Tony's palm once again made the sound of accumulating energy. Upon hearing this sound, Rogers immediately shielded himself and Bucky with his shield.
As the gathered energy reached its peak, the anticipated energy beam did not fire towards Rogers and Bucky.
In that last second, Tony still raised his arm, letting the beam fire upwards instead of at the two people opposite.
"You will definitely be sentenced to death," Tony's hoarse voice rang out.
In just a short time, his voice had become hoarse, which showed how much pain and agony he had endured in those few minutes.
The truth of his parents' death was finally revealed, but the murderer was the best friend of his own comrade. He wanted to kill the other party at all costs, but he also had to consider the current situation, all of which left him mentally and physically exhausted.
Crossbones, hiding behind the glass window, gritted his teeth in hatred towards Rogers upon seeing such a change in the situation.
He had anticipated that Tony would fight Rogers fiercely to kill Bucky, and then both would be severely injured, making it easier for him to finally claim their lives.
However, although they had fought and sustained injuries of varying degrees, these injuries were significantly different from what he had expected, especially for Rogers.
Seeing that this plan was unsuccessful, Crossbones quickly initiated his backup plan.
He was seen tapping something on the control panel again, and with his actions, a steel door opened in a wall not far from Tony.
As the steel door opened, two burly and strong figures slowly stepped towards Tony.
These two burly and strong figures looked as numb and mechanical as Bucky when he was being controlled. Their eyes also lacked light, appearing as if their souls had been extracted.
Seeing these two people, Tony and Rogers immediately understood that they must have been stored in those glass covers before.
As for the three empty glass covers, including Bucky's, Rogers and Tony estimated that these three Winter Soldiers were likely the enemies currently fighting Natasha.
Bucky, leaning against the wall, also saw these two people at this moment. He whispered to Rogers, "The two of you alone can't defeat them. They have also been injected with the Super Serum, and they are stronger than I am."
"The reason they were frozen was because they resisted the researchers and military here after the experiment was successful."
"In this situation, a head-on confrontation is unwise. The best way is to escape quickly."
"I know this place was converted from a missile silo, so the roof of this base can actually open. Its switch is hidden inside that pillar."
"As long as you press it, this roof can be lifted, creating an escape route," Bucky said, his gaze fixed on a stone pillar.
Rogers heard him and followed his gaze, and upon closer inspection, a part of that stone pillar indeed looked as if something was hidden within it.
Watching the Winter Soldiers stand before Tony and Rogers, Crossbones couldn't help but become excited.
"Finally, I have finally waited for this day," Crossbones thought to himself, both excited and secretly.
He had envisioned this scene for a long time. Ever since HYDRA fell and he was disfigured, Rogers had been a thorn in his side.
He had fantasized countless times about possessing great power to teach this man, who had forced him to change his appearance, a lesson.
Thinking of this, Crossbones could no longer hold back. He directly entered the base where Tony and the others were through a side door.
After his last operation to capture the Winter Soldier, he had serious doubts about his own strength. For this, after returning to the base, he made a long-hesitated decision.
Crossbones injected himself with the Super Serum left behind by the HYDRA organization. He believed that as long as he had the same powerful physique as Rogers, he could defeat Rogers.
After all, he felt that the only difference between him and Rogers was physical fitness, completely ignoring that he also lacked a tiny bit of experience.
Seeing Crossbones finally emerge from the control room behind, Tony couldn't help but mock him coldly, "I thought you'd even die in that turtle shell. I didn't expect you'd have the guts to come out."
Hearing Tony's mockery, Crossbones sneered dismissively, then said in a deep voice, "What right do you have to mock me, abandoning your hatred so easily? What, are you going to sacrifice your life to protect your enemy?"
Hearing Crossbones' words, Tony replied with a cold voice, "You don't need to use such clumsy tactics to provoke me. I haven't abandoned any hatred. I will still settle this score; it's just that now I don't want to give people like you an opportunity."
Hearing Tony's words, Crossbones did not respond. He simply waved his hand, and then the two Winter Soldiers attacked Tony.
As for Bucky, who was slumped against the wall, Crossbones didn't care much. After all, Bucky's left arm had been disabled by Tony, and he was covered in wounds. He was no threat, and even if he dared to act, Crossbones had the code to control him.
Seeing the two Winter Soldiers constantly attacking him, Tony changed direction in the sky while firing energy cannons at them.
Watching Tony fight the two Winter Soldiers, Rogers' expression gradually became anxious.
Seeing Rogers' expression, Crossbones chuckled softly, "Your opponent is me, Captain. I am different now than before."
"What's different? Has your ego grown?" Hearing Crossbones' self-praise, Rogers retorted without politeness.
He just wanted to quickly deal with this clown and then escape with Bucky and Tony. Not only was their situation here worrying, but the predicament of Natasha and the others outside the base was also very unsettling.
After all, there were still three remaining Winter Soldiers, and Natasha and her group also only numbered three. Moreover, if one calculated average strength and physical fitness, the Winter Soldiers would definitely be somewhat stronger than Natasha and her group.
Chapter 298 Experience Gap
Hearing Rogers's taunt, Crossbones said nothing, but quickly rushed towards him.
"Bang!" Crossbones's right fist, clad in an iron gauntlet, violently struck Rogers's shield, causing a huge sound to echo throughout the underground base.
After blocking Crossbones's right fist, Rogers also took the opportunity to thrust his shield forward, forcing him to retreat a few steps.
"You have indeed changed a bit, but it's useless. Whether it's the current you or the former you, it makes no difference to me," Rogers said nonchalantly, staring into Crossbones's eyes.
After this punch, he understood what Crossbones meant by 'different.' It seemed he had indeed used something to greatly enhance his physical capabilities.
However, this had no impact on the outcome of the battle. Crossbones might have thought that with his enhanced physical abilities, he could easily defeat Rogers.
But in Rogers's view, although Crossbones's physical abilities had improved, his fighting skills and experience were no different from before.
So, Crossbones's defeat was also within Rogers's expectations; he might just be able to take more of a beating now.
Seeing Rogers's indifferent attitude, Crossbones couldn't help but feel a surge of anger. He had endured such intense pain precisely to gain power and then trample Rogers underfoot.
"Hmph! Let's see how long you can keep up that tough talk." Crossbones snorted coldly, then continued to battle Rogers.
"I've undergone a complete transformation from before. How could I lose to him again? His words must be meant to provoke me, to make me expose a weakness."
Crossbones fought Rogers while secretly pondering. He didn't think there was much difference between his current self and Rogers. The previous gap in physical abilities was no longer his weakness; he was full of confidence.
Rogers fought Crossbones while keeping an eye on Tony Stark's situation. Under the siege of two Winter Soldiers, Tony Stark was gradually falling into a disadvantageous position.
After all, his energy was limited, and he had just output maximum power when dealing with Bucky, so his armor's energy and combat experience were not enough to let him simultaneously handle two battle-hardened soldiers.
Seeing the overall situation gradually developing unfavorably for them, Rogers also pondered a way to break the deadlock.
Suddenly, his peripheral vision caught sight of a spot not far away. After seeing this place, he thought for a moment and then had a plan.
Next, Rogers continued to fight Crossbones while slowly luring him to his planned location.
Crossbones didn't notice Rogers's subtle moves. During the fight, the damage they inflicted on each other was roughly similar, which made him even more confident.
Finally, after once again blocking Crossbones's iron fist with his round shield, Rogers instantly raised his right leg and kicked Crossbones in the stomach.
Caught off guard, Crossbones was instantly sent stumbling backward by the attack, then half-knelt on the ground, panting heavily.
Then Rogers threw his round shield at Crossbones again, only this time his shield seemed to miss its mark, flying directly over Crossbones's head.
Seeing Rogers's shield go astray, Crossbones stood up and taunted him, "It seems you really are getting old, Captain. After fighting for such a short time, your aim has gotten so bad."
Hearing Crossbones's taunt, Rogers shook his head, smiled slightly, and then softly said to him, "Perhaps I should have told you earlier, your last words are not very dignified."
"What? You..." Hearing Rogers's nonsensical words, Crossbones was somewhat taken aback.
Just as he was about to say something more, but before he could finish his sentence, a large amount of steel structure suddenly fell from above his head, instantly burying him underneath.
All of this was part of Rogers's plan. When he surveyed the surroundings earlier, he noticed a steel structure that had completely loosened due to Tony Stark's laser barrage.
With just a little more external force, this massive steel debris would directly smash whatever was beneath it into a specimen.
That's why Rogers gradually lured Crossbones to his planned position during the battle. The shield attack just now, of course, wasn't due to his poor aim; everything he did was premeditated.
After dealing with Crossbones, Rogers also reached out and threw his shield again, directly knocking away a Winter Soldier who was attacking Tony Stark.
Tony Stark, who was fighting another Winter Soldier, said nothing when he saw Rogers's move, but simply continued to intensify his attacks against that Winter Soldier.
The subsequent battle involved Tony Stark and Rogers each taking on one Winter Soldier, fighting fiercely.
These two Winter Soldiers were much stronger than Crossbones, who had already been defeated by Rogers. After all, they not only had strong physiques but also very rich combat experience, so for a time, Rogers couldn't quickly end the fight.
The battle gradually reached a stalemate, and Tony Stark's armor energy was almost depleted. Facing the Winter Soldiers, he had to increase his output power, otherwise, he wouldn't be able to inflict damage on these two abnormal opponents.
Seeing Rogers and Tony Stark fighting hard, Bucky, who was slumped against the wall, propped himself up with his one arm and gradually stood up. After a brief rest, he had recovered slightly.
Bucky walked along the wall, wanting to find the pillar with the hidden button to open the launch silo's cover.
After stumbling upon the pillar containing the button, he swung his right fist with all his might, and with a "bang!" he directly broke the outer wall of the pillar.
"Click! Whoosh!" As the button was pressed, the cover above the base slowly opened.
Wind and snow poured in unceremoniously through the gradually opening heavy steel cover, bringing much-needed fresh air to the stifling underground space.
Seeing that Bucky had opened the cover, Rogers and Tony Stark realized that the battle could not be prolonged. They had to quickly deal with these two Winter Soldiers to escape.
Otherwise, under the relentless pursuit of these two Winter Soldiers, they would have no space or time to escape.
Thinking of this, Tony Stark increased his power and blasted away the Winter Soldier in front of him, then turned to look at Rogers.
At this moment, Rogers was also holding up his shield to defend against the Winter Soldier's attacks, while turning to look at Tony Stark.
Through their exchanged glances, they had already engaged in a brief, unspoken communication.
Chapter 299 The Mastermind
Rogers, who was originally resisting the Winter Soldier's attack with all his might, suddenly retreated sharply, a step that caused the Winter Soldier, who had already put all his strength into smashing Rogers, to miss completely.
After missing, the Winter Soldier quickly adjusted his footing, trying to regain his balance.
Just then, Tony, who was originally fighting another Winter Soldier, suddenly increased his power and instantly flew in front of him.
Tony then clasped his hands together, firing a golden energy beam that directly pierced the head of the Winter Soldier fighting Rogers.
At the same time, Rogers also flew out his shield, knocking away the Winter Soldier who had been rushing towards Tony.
With this clever coordination, Tony and Rogers instantly took down one Winter Soldier.
Just as the two of them were about to repeat the trick, using another series of clever maneuvers to deal with the remaining Winter Soldier, Crossbones, covered in blood and gore, crawled out of the nearby ruins.
His upper body, though covered in blood, appeared relatively intact, but his lower body was a bloody mess, his legs completely gone, leaving only a long trail of blood as he crawled forward.
While Tony and Rogers were focused on their battle, he crawled forward to a passage in the wall, then followed the passage back to the control room.
Crossbones could no longer feel pain; massive blood loss had left his hands trembling and his body cold.
Despite this, he stubbornly climbed onto the chair in front of the control panel and, with all his remaining strength, pulled a lever.
After the lever was pulled down, a hoarse, deranged laugh emerged from beneath Crossbones' blood-stained mask.
At the same time, a cold, mechanical electronic voice came from the outside broadcast: "Self-destruct sequence initiated. Countdown 10 seconds."
Tony and Rogers, fighting outside, felt their hearts sink upon hearing the sudden announcement.
They turned their heads to look at the control room's glass, only to see Crossbones, who had now removed his black iron mask, looking at them with a crazed smile on his scarred face.
"Captain, although I still can't defeat you, you can only die here with me."
"All three of you will be buried with me, hahahaha!"
After Crossbones finished speaking, he began to laugh wildly, but his laughter did not last long before it stopped.
Because at this moment, he had also lost the breath of life, leaving only his unclosed eyes, still revealing madness and coldness, staring fixedly at Rogers outside.
"9!"
"8!"
Listening as the countdown began, Rogers' and Tony's hearts sank deeper into despair.
Because the crazed Winter Soldier in front of them was still constantly entanglement, they were still unable to get away from here.
With only a few seconds left, if they couldn't leave this base, they would all be buried here, serving as a burial for that damned HYDRA.
At this moment, Meng Ran did not know that Tony and Rogers were in such a difficult situation. Just 10 minutes ago, Xiaobai and Mary Jane found a location that was sending out a strange signal.
This location happened to be the hiding place of Rumlow that Xiaobai and Mary Jane had found.
Originally, they couldn't be entirely sure, but with these pieces of intelligence corroborating each other, they could now confirm that this was the location of the mastermind behind the Vienna attack.
After confirming the intelligence and information, Meng Ran immediately began to act.
He waved his hand, opening a purplish-black spatial door in the base, then led Liu Xiu and Gwen inside.
This operation was handled by the three of them; the remaining Peter, Harry, and Mary Jane were responsible for staying behind at the base.
In a secluded corner of Monaco, Europe, a purplish-black spatial door slowly opened.
Once the spatial door was fully open, Meng Ran, Liu Xiu, and Gwen emerged from it one by one. After they had all walked out, the spatial door dissipated into the air.
"According to Red Rose's intelligence positioning, the signal just now came from underground in that abandoned building ahead," Gwen said to Meng Ran, looking at the abandoned building to the northeast of the street.
Meng Ran nodded at her words, and then the group quickly and silently approached the abandoned building.
"These people really know how to pick a spot. This place is probably only frequented by homeless people, so it does look very hidden," Meng Ran said to Gwen and Liu Xiu, closing his eyes to carefully sense the area.
"There are two or three people sleeping on the abandoned building, probably homeless people. There's a not-so-small underground space beneath the building, and not too many people inside," Meng Randescribed the situation as he sensed it.
Just then, Meng Ran felt that someone in the underground space beneath the building seemed to have detected his perception. This person actually looked up towards their direction.
Although it was just an aimless glance upwards, it indicated that this person's perception was extremely sharp, having detected Meng Ran's mental power.
However, after detecting this mental power, this person did not make any moves, neither fleeing nor panicking, as if nothing had happened.
"Interesting." After sensing the actions of this person in the underground base, Meng Ran's interest was piqued. He became increasingly curious about who this mastermind truly was.
Meng Ran, Liu Xiu, and Gwen easily found the entrance to the underground street, then used a physical method of unlocking to blast open several strictly sealed large doors.
As they entered through the doors, several strong guards in the base also came out of the doorway, intending to stop their further advance.
But before they could even get close, Liu Xiu and Gwen had already acted, quickly dispatching the few guards, who were not numerous to begin with.
"B-class and C-class Inhumanss. And they're the most basic physical enhancement, with no fancy skills." After sensing the aura of these guards, Meng Ran also narrowed his eyes and mumbled.
Since there were Inhumans here, it seemed that the people inside should also be connected to Inhumans.
Meng Ran then looked further inside. At the same time, a magnetic voice came from the innermost room.
"Ghoul. I've been waiting for you for a long time."
Chapter 300 Big Explosion
As the magnetic voice sounded, Meng Ran and the others had already arrived at the door of the room.
They looked into the room, following the sound, and saw a handsome man in a white suit and gold-rimmed glasses sitting on the sofa inside.
He held a glass in his hand, and a large ice cube floated in the amber liquid, mellowing the drink's taste.
"Care for a drink?" Mil took a sip of the cold liquid, then nodded towards Meng Ran and said softly.
Upon seeing Mil's gesture, Meng Ran chuckled hoarsely a few times, then gently shook his head and said, "Seeing your attire, I probably already know your background."
"Mil, right? I remember the previous controller of Mil, the one known as Tyrant Mil, also liked to dress like you."
"What, are you trying to avenge your idol now? Isn't it a bit too late?" Meng Ran said as he walked directly to the chair next to Mil and sat down.
His indifferent attitude clearly showed that he did not take Mil seriously.
Mil didn't react much to Meng Ran's demeanor; he knew how terrifyingly strong the man in front of him was.
He was aware of Mr. Mil's strength, and at that time, Mr. Mil was not the only one in the base; there were other S-class and A-class Inhumanss.
For Meng Ran to be able to annihilate a Mil with such terrifying strength, his own power was unimaginable.
However, Mil dared to sit here today because he had no intention of continuing to live; his plan was almost complete anyway.
Looking at the current time, Mil estimated that several members of the Avengers should have already been dealt with by the Winter Soldier.
And Captain America Steve Rogers and Iron Man Tony Stark, the two of them should have already developed huge disagreements and conflicts because of the murderer Bucky.
When those two fought to a mutual defeat, Crossbones would step in to reap the fruits of victory.
Besides Tony and Rogers, who were trapped in the underground base, Natasha and the two others guarding outside the base each had a Winter Soldier "personally attending" to them.
Based on Mil's analysis of their strength, these three Winter Soldiers were entirely sufficient to defeat them.
He divided the Avengers into two parts, and then formulated targeted plans for each part.
As for which part was Tony Stark and which part was the others, he did not set a fixed plan, but rather adapted to the situation on site.
Although Rumlow was foolish, Mil believed he could handle such a simple task.
To ensure the plan proceeded flawlessly, Mil even exposed his own location and actively led Meng Ranand the others here.
He didn't need to hold Meng Ran and the others for long, perhaps just a few minutes, during which his plan would reach a perfect conclusion.
By the time Meng Ran and the others came to their senses, they would find the Avengers completely wiped out, and their Six-pointed Star Alliance, if it wanted to uphold justice or fight against aliens, would have to step into the limelight appropriately, just like the former Avengers.
As long as the Six-pointed Star Alliance was no longer as deeply hidden and low-key as it was now, countless troubles would naturally follow.
In the end, they would also be plagued by troubles like the current Avengers, eventually either bowing down or being destroyed.
Thinking of this, Mil also chuckled softly. He looked into Meng Ran's eyes and said, "Let me introduce myself, I am Mil, the last Inhumans of the Mil organization. Mr. Mil is my superior and the person I admire most."
After speaking, he leaned back on the sofa and then said straightforwardly, "You are seeing me here today because I want to get revenge on you, for the organization and for Mr. Mil."
"Perhaps you'll find my statement laughable, because with your strength, I have no right to threaten you. But that's alright, because I never planned to live past today."
Hearing Mil's words, Meng Ran gradually grew serious. The other party's fearless and confident demeanor made him feel that something was amiss.
Since he knew his own strength, why didn't this person flee beforehand? Instead, he just stayed here waiting for them to come knocking. These abnormal actions all hinted at the strangeness of the situation.
Thinking of this, Meng Ran couldn't sit still. He stood up and walked towards Mil, wanting to directly control him and read his memories to understand the truth of the matter and the hidden objective.
At the same time, seeing that Meng Ran seemed to have noticed something was wrong, Mil also looked at the watch on his hand, then chuckled and said, "Time is almost up."
"You might not know how long I've prepared for this moment, how much pain I've endured, but it doesn't matter."
"I only spoke half of what I meant just now. Not only do I not plan to leave here alive today, but all of you must stay here and be buried with me."
Hearing Mil's declaration, Meng Ran's bad premonition grew stronger. He rushed forward and grabbed Mil's neck, trying to control his movements.
But what Meng Ran didn't expect was that Mil not only didn't resist his control but instead firmly embraced his arm.
Then, Mil, who was holding his arm, began to emit a dazzling red light and rapidly swelled up.
"I absorbed the power of over a dozen missiles for this very moment! Prepare to be buried with me! To commemorate Mr. Mil!"
Meng Ran could feel the immense energy contained within this body. If he allowed it to explode, he himself might not suffer much harm, but Peter, Gwen, and the innocent civilians of this country might not be so lucky.
So, the instant Mil's body showed abnormalities, he immediately teleported into the air, without even having time to say anything to Gwen and Peter.
The moment Meng Ran teleported to high altitude, Mil, who was tightly clutching his arm, exploded with a boom into a massive, intense ball of fire.
This huge ball of fire had a vast and dazzling range, and its impact was extremely powerful.
Accompanied by a tremendous roar, the entire sky was dyed crimson by the dazzling flames.
Although the explosion occurred at a very high altitude, people on the ground could still feel the strong aftershocks of the impact.
Some poorly made windows and car windows even shattered under the influence of these aftershocks.
The power of over a dozen missiles was truly not just talk; Mil's earlier words were quite conservative. If Meng Ran hadn't been able to take him high into the sky, the power of those missiles would have been enough to reduce the small country of Monaco to ruins.
Tens of thousands of people, including Gwen and Peter, would have lost their lives in that massive explosion.
If such a situation had truly occurred, no matter how low-key or hidden the Six-pointed Star Alliancewas, it would inevitably become the focus of world public opinion. At that time, their situation would be infinitely more difficult than that of the current Avengers.
These were Mil's plan and his desired outcome. Fortunately, Meng Ran had sufficient ability to handle such a situation, which prevented such a tragedy from truly happening and kept the Six-pointed Star Alliance from falling into the desperate predicament just described.
Chapter 301 Black Panther
After Meng Ran disappeared underground, Gwen and Peter immediately ran out of the underground base and onto the street.
Seeing the fierce firelight that lit up the entire city as if it were day, and the shattered windows of some surrounding residential buildings and cars, they could imagine just how powerful the explosion had been.
Thinking about what would have happened if the explosion had occurred on the surface, Peter and Gwen couldn't help but secretly feel relieved.
Fortunately, Meng Ran had timely diverted the explosion; otherwise, the consequences would have been unimaginable. The results the monster could foresee, they, of course, could also foresee. Such a desperate and tragic situation was something they absolutely dared not imagine and could never accept.
After waiting for a moment, Meng Ran's figure suddenly reappeared beside Peter and Gwen.
Seeing Meng Ran appear, the two rushed forward to check on his condition. Although the explosion hadn't caused him any harm, they could still feel the lingering smell and heat of the explosion on Meng Ran.
Seeing that Gwen and Peter were fine, Meng Ran relaxed. Then, he immediately said to the two in a deep voice, "Tony and Rogers might be in trouble. We need to hurry over."
Hearing Meng Ran's words, the two nodded, and then they followed him into a newly opened spatial portal.
Since the monster had a plan to create trouble for the Six-pointed Star Alliance, it certainly wouldn't let the Avengers, who were already in a difficult situation, off the hook.
Recalling the monster's action of checking the time and its complacent look, Meng Ran was certain that it had just been stalling for time.
Thinking about it carefully, the strange signal that determined the location of this underground base must have also been deliberately released by the monster, with the aim of luring Meng Ran and the others in.
This way, it could both stall for time for the operation against the Avengers, divert Meng Ran and their attention, and then create trouble for the Six-pointed Star Alliance.
"This monster's plan is really good, roping in both the Avengers and the Six-pointed Star Alliance," Meng Ran replayed the monster's plan in his mind, while also passing through the spatial portal into a world of ice and snow.
Upon arriving, Meng Ran immediately spread out his mental power, searching for the members of the Avengers.
After locating their traces and confirming their position, Meng Ran instantly teleported over with Peter and Gwen.
At this moment, in the snowy field outside the underground base, Natasha and the others were slumped on the ground, panting exhaustedly.
Around them lay three sturdy-looking corpses, two men and one woman, sprawled haphazardly.
Although the exhausted Natasha and the others were in a very sorry state, the bodies lying on the ground looked even more tragic.
These corpses were already covered in wounds, and the blood flowing from the injuries had dyed the snow on the ground red, which then turned into a purplish-black cloud under the blowing wind and snow.
Originally, only Natasha, Rhode, and Sam were supposed to be on standby outside, but now there were four people here.
"Thank you, Your Majesty. If it weren't for your sudden appearance, it would likely be us lying on the ground now," Natasha said softly to the man in the black bodysuit standing beside her, while still panting heavily.
This man was Black Panther, also T'Challa, the new king of Wakanda. The single-person aircraft that had been following the Avengers' plane from a distance earlier was piloted by him.
Originally, he had intended to follow the Avengers to find Barnes and kill him to avenge his father.
However, he hadn't expected that by the time he landed, Tony and Rogers had already entered the underground base, and Natasha and the other three were already fighting three Winter Soldiers outside.
Watching Natasha and the others gradually fall into a disadvantage in their fight with the three Winter Soldiers, T'Challa couldn't stand by idly and thus joined them in the battle.
Anyway, Tony and Rogers would bring Barnes out later.
Because they wanted him to face trial, and Barnes and Rogers were also good friends, Tony and Rogerswould certainly not kill him directly.
T'Challa planned to wait for Rogers and Tony to bring Barnes out, then snatch Barnes from them and take him back to Wakanda for execution.
With T'Challa's help, Natasha and the others gradually turned the tide and began to gain the upper hand in their fight with the Winter Soldiers.
Finally, after a difficult battle, Natasha and the others managed to kill all three Winter Soldiers.
"You're welcome. By the way, near the end of the fight, I think I heard a loud bang not far from here. You must have heard it too, right?" T'Challa waved his hand after hearing Natasha's thanks, then continued.
Hearing T'Challa's words, Natasha frowned and nodded. She had also heard that sound, but because she was in combat, she couldn't check on it immediately.
Natasha said to T'Challa in a deep voice, "It must be Tony and Rogers making a commotion. I just don't know how they're doing now."
Hearing Natasha's words, T'Challa's mind became active, after all, his purpose for coming today was for Barnes.
Sensing T'Challa's unusual behavior, Natasha didn't say anything. If it weren't for his help today, the few of them might have perished here.
From the moment she knew Black Panther was T'Challa, Natasha quickly understood his purpose for being here today.
After deciding to go and check the situation, T'Challa said to Natasha, "You all rest here for a bit, I'll go check the situation, if—"
Before he could finish his sentence, several people suddenly appeared in the open space beside them.
Seeing the sudden appearance of Meng Ran and the others, T'Challa immediately went into a state of alert.
Upon arriving, Meng Ran also saw the exhausted Natasha and the others, and Black Panther standing beside them.
Natasha, surprised to see Meng Ran suddenly appear, said, "Mr. Ghost, you've come too."
Chapter 302 Embarrassment
Hearing Natasha's voice, T'Challa knew that the people in front of him were probably not enemies, but he still remained vigilant. After all, Meng Ran and his companions' sudden appearance was too bizarre.
"It seems your mission isn't going very smoothly either." Meng Ran said in a deep voice after seeing the disheveled state of everyone present.
"I just found out that this was a trap set for you, so I rushed over immediately."
Hearing Meng Ran's words, Rhode opened his War Machine helmet and self-deprecatingly said, "The situation just now was indeed not good. If it weren't for this suddenly appearing King, some of us might have gloriously sacrificed ourselves."
Hearing this, Meng Ran turned his head to carefully observe Black Armor, then asked somewhat curiously, "This King is…?"
T'Challa heard Meng Ran's question and took off his mask, introducing himself, "I am T'Challa, King of Wakanda. You can also call me Black Panther."
Hearing T'Challa's self-introduction, Meng Ran also "suddenly understood," then likewise introduced himself, "Hello, I am Evil Spirit. These are my companions, Ghost and Black Armor."
After a brief introduction, Meng Ran immediately asked about Tony and Rogers's situation.
Upon hearing Meng Ran's question, Natasha shook her head and said, "Currently, we don't know their situation. After arriving at this underground base, those two went in first to scout, and the rest of us stayed outside to handle emergencies."
"But not long after they went in, we were suddenly attacked by three super soldiers. The surprise attack caused us some injuries at the beginning, and in the subsequent exchanges, we were increasingly at a disadvantage. Our situation only turned around after T'Challa appeared."
"Although we don't know how Rogers and Tony are doing now, they probably aren't having an easy time, because this is a trap set for us, and those two must have encountered an ambush down there."
At this point, Natasha turned to T'Challa and continued, "However, just as the battle was about to end, we heard a huge noise from the north."
"When you arrived, we were just about to go check it out. It was probably the commotion caused by Tony and Rogers."
After hearing Natasha's narration, Meng Ran nodded and said to them, "In that case, let's go check the situation together."
After speaking, he gathered Natasha and the others to stand by his side, so he could instantly teleport all of them to the location he sensed.
Natasha and the others had experienced this before, so they weren't surprised. Only T'Challa was a bit confused, but he didn't say anything, merely joining the others in surrounding Meng Ran.
The next moment, golden light surged around Meng Ran, enveloping Natasha and the others, and they vanished from their original spot.
When everyone came to their senses, they were already standing in another snowy area. Feeling this peculiar ability, T'Challa's face showed no expression, but his heart was already churning with tumultuous waves.
To be honest, because Wakanda's technology was extremely advanced, he had always maintained a proud attitude when facing other countries and members of the Avengers.
But after meeting Evil Spirit today, this mysterious guy and his peculiar powers truly puzzled him. He had no information whatsoever about Evil Spirit or his companions.
Logically speaking, they should have some understanding of such people, even though they were isolated, they had always been invisibly observing the entire world.
As T'Challa was deep in thought, Meng Ran and the others' gazes were already drawn to the scene before them.
They saw a huge black pit in the pristine white snow, with a large cover lying not far from the pit. The snow next to the pit had already melted, revealing black rocks and soil.
At a distance from the pit, two figures lay motionless on the ground. Upon seeing them, Meng Ranimmediately recognized them as Tony and Rogers.
"They're over there, they seem to have passed out," Meng Ran said to Natasha and the others.
Hearing Meng Ran's words, the people next to him all looked in the direction he pointed, then followed him, quickly running towards the two unconscious individuals.
After reaching their side, Meng Ran and Natasha knelt down and shook Tony and Rogers respectively.
Meng Ran also removed the faceplate from Tony's face so he could breathe fresh air.
Beneath the faceplate, Tony's nose and corners of his mouth had some bloodstains. Seeing this, Meng Ran quickly used Venom to check his body for any injuries.
After a thorough examination, Meng Ran generally understood Tony's physical condition. He seemed to have suffered some internal injuries from the recent battle, as well as some impact from the explosion, which caused him to pass out after falling to the ground.
After confirming there was nothing serious, Meng Ran controlled Venom to withdraw from Tony's body, and also helped him heal his internal injuries.
After checking Tony, he then looked at Rogers's injuries, who was lying nearby. Compared to Tony, Rogers's physical quality was indeed superior; his body only had some superficial wounds and some burn marks.
The superficial wounds were likely sustained during the battle, and the burns were probably related to the recent explosion, as he didn't have armor protection like Tony.
By the time Meng Ran finished his examination, Tony and Rogers, who were lying on the ground, slowly woke up.
The moment Rogers opened his eyes, he suddenly sat up, shouting loudly, "Bucky!"
After shouting, he gradually became more aware. Seeing Meng Ran and the others nearby, he seemed somewhat disoriented, muttering something to himself.
Tony was also a bit dazed after waking up, but he wasn't as agitated as Rogers; he just appeared very somber.
Seeing Tony and Rogers's expressions, Natasha couldn't help but ask, "What happened? What did you encounter down there?"
Upon hearing Natasha's question, Rogers fell silent. After a moment, he began to recount their encounter in the underground base.
Time rewound to the last few seconds of the base's explosion countdown.
In the final moments, Rogers and Tony were still entangled with the last remaining Winter Soldier, unable to escape.
Seeing the two in distress, Bucky, leaning against a stone pillar, secretly made a decision in his heart.
He rushed over and firmly gripped the Winter Soldier's neck with his remaining right arm, preventing him from further harassing Tony and Rogers.
"Hurry and go! There's no time!" After restraining the Winter Soldier, Bucky continued to shout loudly at Tony and Rogers.
"Tony Stark, I am very sorry about your parents. That was not my intention."
"Today, I will stay here to atone for the sins I have committed. Please, you must take Rogers out. Hurry and go!"
Hearing Bucky's actions and shouts, Rogers shook his head, unwilling to leave, while Tony gave Bucky a deep look.
In the final three seconds of the countdown, Tony first grabbed Rogers's belt, then accelerated at full power, swiftly flying out of the already gaping hole in the underground base.
Chapter 303 Result
Just as they flew out of the underground base, the base finished its countdown and entered self-destruct mode.
A powerful Impact and fierce flames spewed out from the open entrance.
Tony and Rogers, who had just flown out of the cave, were instantly blasted to the ground by the immense impact.
The intimate contact with the earth and the force of the explosion caused the two, already exhausted from battle, to instantly fall unconscious.
Now was when they woke up again.
Everyone fell silent after hearing Rogers' account, unsure of what to say.
They never expected Tony's parents to have died not from an accident, but from a murder.
And the murderer was none other than the Winter Soldier Barnes of the Soviet Union, a combat hero who fought alongside Captain America against the Nazis, and also Rogers' good friend.
Their mission was originally to apprehend this person, but the criminal they were supposed to capture had died in the final explosion, choosing to stay underground with the enemy and be consumed by the blast so that Tony and Rogers could escape with their lives.
Meng Ran also didn't expect that in this world, the Civil War, which originally only injured Rhode, would unfold in such a way, and that Bucky, who had not only not died but even participated in the final battle, would stop here, dying in this underground base.
Black Panther T'Challa's purpose in coming here with the Avengers was also to apprehend Barnes, but he never expected that before he even saw Barnes, Barnes had already died in the underground base.
Facing such a situation, he didn't know what to say for a moment, and the scene instantly fell silent.
Everyone was deep in thought in the silence, but no one knew what they were all thinking.
After a moment of silence, Meng Ran was the one who finally broke the quiet.
He spoke to everyone, saying, "Now that everything is over, it's time for us to return to our respective bases."
After speaking, he didn't wait for anyone's reply before reaching out and opening a spatial door, then led them through it.
The Avengers and Black Panther T'Challa also didn't speak, quietly following him into the spatial door.
After passing through the spatial door, Meng Ran and the others arrived at the Avengers' base.
Upon returning to the base, Natasha and the others, exhausted, collapsed onto the sofas to rest.
Tony and Rogers, however, said nothing, each returning to his own room.
Seeing this, Meng Ran and the others, and T'Challa, didn't know what to say.
They also didn't want to linger in this eerie atmosphere, so T'Challa and Meng Ran's group each returned to their own territories.
After returning to the Six-pointed Star Alliance's base, Gwen and Peter both sat in chairs, lost in thought.
The others, seeing their expressions, became concerned and asked what had happened.
So Peter gave a brief account of the Avengers' situation to everyone.
As expected, the others also fell silent after hearing about it, including Wanda and Pietro, two newcomers who had only recently joined the Avengers.
Originally, Tony and Rogers already had some conflicts due to the agreement.
Initially, after the mission to apprehend Barnes began, they had already reached an agreement: Rogerspromised that after the mission was over and Barnes was apprehended, he would sign the agreement.
However, no one expected such a situation to occur during the mission.
Barnes, who should have been apprehended, died directly in that underground base, and it was for the sake of Tony and Rogers' escape.
Now, both Tony and Rogers are in a difficult situation due to their respective circumstances.
Tony is not in the mood to bring up the agreement again, and Rogers is likewise not in the mood to actively sign it.
Thinking of this, Meng Ran couldn't help but get a headache.
Are the two of them still destined to part ways in the end?
"I never imagined that Mr. Stark's parents were killed by Barnes," Harry sighed softly after a moment of silence.
Hearing Harry's sigh, Wanda also sighed along.
She and Pietro never expected Tony Stark to have such a tragic past.
They originally thought Tony was just a wealthy playboy who made war profits, indulged in hedonism, and lived a life of revelry.
But now, after learning more, they realized that while these impressions weren't wrong, they were from a very long time ago.
The current Tony is Iron Man.
As a member of the Avengers, he has to worry about world peace and alien invasions every day, bearing an incredibly heavy burden on his shoulders.
"Logically speaking, with Barnes, who was the focal point, now dead, the conflict between Mr. Starkand Captain Rogers should also be resolved, after all, Tony Stark didn't kill Barnes with his own hands."
"But the current situation doesn't seem to be developing that way; there's still an invisible barrier between them," Peter continued, offering his opinion to everyone after Harry finished speaking.
Hearing the discussion, Meng Ran frowned and said in a deep voice, "The agreement might not get a good outcome after all."
"Rogers was not particularly in favor of this agreement to begin with; his final compromise was due to Barnes' existence."
"Now that Barnes is dead, his original reason for compromising no longer exists.
Given his stubborn personality, it's unlikely that the matter of signing the agreement as promised can proceed."
Hearing Meng Ran's words, the others also sighed and nodded.
Based on the current situation, it seemed impossible for Rogers to sign the agreement.
Moreover, this awkward atmosphere between Rogers and Tony would likely persist for some time.
Tony was immersed in the shadow of the truth about his parents' deaths, while Rogers was immersed in the grief of his friend's death.
As an "antique" from the last century, Rogers only had two good friends in this era: Peggy and Barnes.
But now Peggy had died of old age, and Barnes had sacrificed himself to save him today, consumed by fire.
Even with Rogers' strong personality, it would likely take him a considerable amount of time to recover.
Chapter 304 Different Paths
Thinking about Tony and Rogers' current predicament, Meng Ran couldn't help but get a headache. After pondering for a while, Meng Ran suddenly thought of Nick Fury.
Although Rogers would no longer be an Avenger if he didn't sign the agreement, it wasn't necessarily only Avengers who could uphold justice.
"We can let Nick Fury handle this. Although S.H.I.E.L.D. is an intelligence agency, it should still have some combat support."
"I just don't know if Rogers will be resistant to working under Nick Fury again."
"Forget it, I'll leave this matter for the Black Halogen Egg to worry about." With that thought, Meng Ranstood up and took out the communicator to contact Nick Fury.
Several days had passed since the mission at the Siberian underground base, and Tony Stark had spent those days in his room, feeling dejected.
If he hadn't run out of excuses to give Secretary of State Ross today, Tony would have liked to stay a few more days.
The thought of Secretary of State Ross visiting soon gave Tony a headache, but he had no choice. After all, waiting so many days to come showed great consideration for him.
Tony went to the bathroom, took a shower, washed his face, and shaved the beard he hadn't touched for days, trying to look a bit more refreshed.
He looked in the bathroom mirror; even after tidying up, he still looked somewhat haggard.
After finishing his ablutions, he pulled open the room door and walked out. Natasha and the others had come to see him and talk to him these past few days, but Tony hadn't really responded much.
Tony walked down the stairs to the first-floor lobby. Natasha and the others weren't there; it seemed he was the only one in the entire base.
Just as he was about to make himself a cup of coffee to perk up, several pieces of paper next to the coffee machine caught his eye.
Tony picked up the papers and started reading. They were all messages from Natasha and the others, hoping he would recover from his grief soon.
He flipped through them, a slight smile appearing on his lips.
When he reached the last piece of paper, Tony stopped, because the message written on it was unusually long, and the signature at the end was Steve Rogers.
At the same time, the coffee machine next to Tony chimed, indicating his coffee was ready.
Holding the paper in one hand and the coffee in the other, Tony sat at the counter, silently reading the words Rogers had left for him.
"Tony, by the time you read these words, you should have already left your room."
"I'm glad you made that choice, because I don't want you to always stay alone in your corner, in that empty 'big house.'"
"We all need family, we all need the companionship of friends."
"The Avengers is that kind of existence for you; it's more important to you than it is to me."
"I've been alone since I was eighteen. I've never truly integrated into any place, whether it was the army or S.H.I.E.L.D."
"I think what I believe in should be people, individuals, not groups of politicians who only make empty promises."
"Perhaps this is also related to my experiences, because unlike those government agencies, the people I've met have all been very good people. They have firm beliefs, and they've never disappointed me, so I can't disappoint them either."
"We can put shackles on the Avengers, but it's also possible that these shackles shouldn't be there in the first place. There's no right or wrong in this matter, only differences in perspective and stance."
"I'm sorry about the Bucky situation. I know what happened to your parents hurt you deeply, but it wasn't my intention, nor was it Bucky's intention."
"After becoming the Winter Soldier, Bucky also did many heinous things. Although these things were not done of his own free will, he does bear an undeniable burden of guilt."
"He must have felt the same way, which is why he chose to be consumed by the explosion in the end."
"Now he rests in peace, like Peggy. Those of us who are alive should also pick ourselves up, return to our respective positions, and hold firm to our beliefs."
"I also really hope we can reach an agreement on the accord, but from the current situation, it may indeed be impossible."
"I know you're working hard for what you believe is right. All of us are, and should be."
"So no matter what, we are all pursuing justice on the paths we believe are right, and we will always be partners."
"If one day you need us, need me, then I will definitely come. We will fight side-by-side."
He had finished the last sentence on the paper, but Tony still said nothing, just sat there quietly, lost in thought.
He had been in his room these past few days not just because he was immersed in the grief of the truth about his parents' deaths, but also because he had been under too much pressure. He wanted to temporarily escape and give himself some breathing room.
Just as Rogers' message to him said, the deceased are at peace, and those of them who are alive should also be strong, hold firm to their beliefs, return to their positions, and do what they believe is right.
As Tony's thoughts wandered, Jarvis's voice rang out over the intercom.
"Sir, Secretary of State Ross has arrived. He is expected to be here in one minute."
Hearing Jarvis's voice, Tony reined in his wandering thoughts. He drained the now somewhat cool coffee at his side, then folded the papers on the table and put them in his pocket.
As he finished these actions and walked out from behind the counter, Secretary of State Ross and his assistant walked in through the doorway.
"Tony, you've wasted several more days of my time," Secretary of State Ross complained to Tony as soon as he entered.
Tony shrugged at Secretary of State Ross's words and said, "I haven't been feeling well these past few days. You can probably see how haggard I am."
Secretary of State Ross sighed, looking at Tony's face, which indeed showed undeniable weariness, then said in a deep voice, "Natasha has already given me the mission report. I'm here to confirm with you about Rogers and the accord."
Chapter 305: Cabin in the Forest
Hearing Secretary of State Ross's words, Tony immediately spoke up, "Since you've seen the mission report, you should know that he won't possibly sign it. To be honest, I don't even know where he is right now."
"He only agreed to sign the agreement because of Barnes's existence. Now that Barnes is dead, he has no reason to compromise anymore."
Hearing Tony's words, Secretary of State Ross was silent for a moment, then said, "I understand. If that's the case, then he is no longer a member of the Avengers."
"Oh, and if you can contact him, remember to remind him that he no longer has any right to do those things."
"So if his name and figure appear in the news again, he will lose his status as an ordinary citizen and directly become an international fugitive."
Hearing Secretary of State Ross's reminder, Tony chuckled deeply, "Well, I can't guarantee that. He's Rogers. If you say a swear word, he might even stand by your bedside in the middle of the night to remind you to watch your language."
"Instead of worrying about him becoming an international fugitive, you should worry more about whether the U.S. Government and its various departments have anyone colluding with terrorists."
"If there are, it's best to get them under control beforehand, otherwise, you might only see their last moments on the morning news."
Hearing Tony's biting reply, Secretary of State Ross said nothing. He turned and walked out of the Avengers building with his assistant, just as swiftly as he had arrived.
Tony did not get up to see him off, remaining seated on the sofa, closing his eyes to relax and rest.
In a forest near a small town in Eastern America, Rogers and Sam were strolling through the woods, searching for something.
"We've been looking for an hour. What does that cabin even look like? Why is it so hard to find?" Samasked Rogers beside him, bracing his legs and slightly out of breath.
Rogers gently shook his head when he heard Sam's question and said in a deep voice, "I don't know what that cabin looks like either. Nick Fury only told me it was in this forest. He said this cabin is very special, and we'll definitely recognize it when we see it."
Rogers at this time looked completely different from a few days ago. He now had a full beard, and even his hair was no longer a beautiful golden brown, but a dark golden brown mixed with some gray.
From his appearance, it was clear how agonizing the past few days had been for him. Although he had now let go of his emotional burden and once again strengthened his convictions, these traces could not be erased.
Time had carved marks on him. These marks, while making him stronger and more mature, also became indelible scars.
"We've almost searched this entire forest, but we still haven't seen the special cabin he mentioned," Sam immediately said after hearing Rogers's reply.
"Either there's something wrong with our eyes, or Nick Fury didn't explain clearly. I'm more inclined to believe the latter."
After complaining about Nick Fury, Sam stood up straight and continued to follow Rogers into the unexplored parts of the forest.
Another hour passed, and they had now thoroughly searched the entire forest. Sam was now convinced that Nick Fury was playing a trick on them.
He said to Rogers, somewhat angrily, "I'm certain Nick Fury didn't explain clearly to you. We've searched the entire forest. Where is there a cabin?"
"This whole mountain is covered in wild grass and trees. There are no signs of human activity at all, so how could there be a cabin? There are plenty of bird nests and tree hollows, but how can those be considered cabins?"
Hearing Sam's complaint and his last sentence, Rogers seemed to have discovered some blind spots, and Sam himself also seemed to realize something, his words becoming slower and slower.
"Oh s***! Those must be the special cabins Nick Fury was talking about!" Sam exclaimed in surprise.
He now realized what was so special about what Nick Fury said. Understanding it this way, these cabins were really f***ing special.
If you say it's not a cabin, for the small animals in the forest, it can indeed be considered a cabin. But if you say it is a cabin, it does feel a bit strange.
Upon realizing this, Rogers and Sam exchanged glances. They both saw deep helplessness in each other's eyes.
Why couldn't this damn Nick Fury speak more clearly, instead of playing a riddle here and making people guess?
"Next, let's look for any particularly special tree hollows and bird nests. This time, we'll start from the middle and search outwards," Rogers said to Sam, taking a deep breath and suppressing his inner greetings to Nick Fury.
Sam nodded when he heard the plan, then followed Rogers to start searching for special tree hollows and bird nests.
With a definite goal this time, their search speed also increased significantly. Finally, in the center of the forest but slightly to the east, they found a tree hollow that looked somewhat special.
The special thing about this tree hollow was that it appeared to be rounder than the other tree hollows.
Rogers and Sam stood in front of this tree hollow, preparing for their final confirmation.
Rogers squatted down to look at the relatively round tree hollow, then reached his hand into the hollow, carefully feeling around.
Finally, he felt a wooden protrusion on the right side of the tree hollow. If one wasn't actively looking for it, most people wouldn't notice this spot.
Rogers pressed down on this protrusion with his finger. As he did so, an open space next to the tree suddenly began to sink, then split in half and retracted inwards, creating a downward staircase passage wide enough for two people to walk side-by-side.
Seeing this scene, Rogers's and Sam's eyes lit up. They had finally found the right place.
Then, the two of them walked into the passage one after another. Once they had both entered, the entrance to the passage automatically closed, returning to its un-opened state.
Rogers and Sam continued walking down the stairs. As the door closed, the lights in the staircase passage illuminated.
They walked down for about 100 meters before finally seeing the end of the stairs. There was an elevator 20 meters from the end of the stairs.
From the end of the stairs to the elevator, the style of this underground base gradually became more sci-fi.
Rogers and Sam walked on the metallic floor to the elevator.
The camera in front of the elevator emitted a red light, scanning the two from head to toe. Then, a machine extended out, verifying their retinas and fingerprints separately.
Once all of this was done, the elevator doors slowly opened, and at the same time, a familiar electronic voice sounded inside the elevator.
"Welcome, Mr. Rogers and Mr. Sam."