Ch: 286-295
Chapter 286 Vienna Conference
After the funeral, guests in the church gradually dispersed, and Rogers stood alone in the solemn church, staring blankly at the black and white photo displayed at the front.
The black and white photo showed Peggy in her most spirited youth.
She was wearing a military uniform, squinting into the distance with a faint smile on her face, looking so confident and beautiful.
Like a wild rose blooming alone, she was exquisitely beautiful yet thorny, proudly showcasing her excellent abilities to others.
Just as Sharon Carter had said, in an era when women were severely discriminated against and oppressed, Peggy, as a strong individual, carved out her own path in the male-dominated military and political arenas.
As Rogers stood there lost in thought, Natasha pushed open the church doors and slowly walked in.
She wore a black dress, solemn yet beautiful, her burgundy hair gently swaying, adding a confident elegance to Natasha's charming and delicate face.
Hearing footsteps, Rogers collected his thoughts and turned to look towards the church entrance.
Seeing that it was Natasha, Rogers leaned sideways and sat on a wooden pew.
"When I was unfrozen from the ice, I thought everyone I once knew had died."
"Later, I found out Peggy was still alive, and her presence brought me great comfort. Although I missed our date, I could at least apologize to her in person."
Hearing Rogers' words, Natasha looked at him and comforted him, "I think it was the same for her. Your being alive also brought her great comfort."
Rogers nodded slightly at Natasha's words, then, after a moment of contemplation, he asked directly, "Who has decided to sign the accord?"
Hearing Rogers' question, Natasha immediately replied, "Tony and Rhodey. Wanda and Pietro also intend to sign the accord, but for now, they are still illegal immigrants, so the signing can only be postponed."
Hearing Natasha's words, Rogers continued to ask, "What about Barton and Banner?"
Natasha replied, "Barton had already decided to retire, and Dr. Banner, after consideration, also decided to retire. He prefers to stay in the lab rather than fight."
After answering Rogers' questions, Natasha continued, "I'm heading to Vienna soon for the accord signing ceremony. There are still many empty seats on the plane."
Rogers did not answer Natasha's invitation, only sighed softly.
Seeing Rogers' expression, Natasha continued, "Steve, the easiest path isn't necessarily the wrong one. The most important thing is for us to be united; the form doesn't matter."
"What do we have to give up for that?" Rogers looked up into Natasha's eyes and said, "I'm sorry, Natasha, I can't sign."
Although he had his own thoughts before, he was somewhat hesitant, but after this funeral, his resolve had solidified.
Just as Peggy said, even if everyone around you tells you what's wrong is right, even if the whole world tells you to move, you must stand firm like a tree and tell them, 'No, you move.'
Looking at Rogers' resolute gaze, Natasha said, "I know what you're thinking."
"Then why are you still here?" Rogers asked.
Natasha looked into Rogers' eyes after hearing his words and said, "I don't want you to be alone here."
After speaking, Natasha reached out to Rogers and hugged him tightly.
Rogers also hugged Natasha and softly said to her, "Thank you."
He truly needed a hug right now; these past two days had been absolutely awful for him.
First, he was held accountable by the whole world for the mission, then he had disagreements with his teammates over the accord, and finally, his beloved Peggy passed away a few days ago.
Rogers' mood had never lifted these past few days; it had only fallen, fallen, fallen.
It wasn't until today, hearing Sharon Carter's speech and now Natasha's hug, that Rogers gradually felt his strength returning and his resolve firming.
After a moment of embrace, Rogers saw Natasha out of the church and watched her get into the car heading to the airport.
After some time in flight, Natasha arrived in Vienna and came to the venue for the signing of the Wilhemnia Accords.
Outside the building where the meeting was to be held, crowds of onlookers and media and journalists from various countries and news agencies had already gathered.
After all, this meeting not only involved 117 countries but also had a close relationship with the world-renowned hero group, the Avengers.
Such complex components and eye-catching topics were undoubtedly the favorites of all news agencies and media reporters.
Therefore, no matter what happened here today, it could instantly spread to any corner of the world, to the eyes of all seven billion people globally, at the fastest speed.
Natasha had already arrived at the venue, and a staff member next to her was having her sign a document.
After she finished signing, a deep male voice suddenly came from beside her. "It seems neither of us is used to public attention."
Natasha looked in the direction of the voice and saw a dark-skinned man in a suit smiling at her.
The moment she saw this man, Natasha recognized his identity: he was the Prince of Wakanda, and the next King.
In the recent incident in Lagos, 11 Wakandans unexpectedly died, and their T'Chaka immediately condemned the actions of the Avengers and also proposed that the Avengers should be restricted.
T'Chaka of Wakanda also put in a lot of effort in drafting the Wilhemnia Accords and pushing the Avengers to sign them.
Hearing T'Challa's words, Natasha turned her head and replied with a smile, "Well, sometimes attention isn't always a good thing."
Hearing Natasha's reply, T'Challa nodded and said, "From what I've observed, your performance so far has been very good."
"Recalling your previous experience in the U.S. Congress, I thought you would be very uncomfortable in this kind of environment."
The experience in the U.S. Congress that T'Challa referred to was when Natasha and Rogers directly took down S.H.I.E.L.D. and HYDRA together during Insight Project.
After that incident, the U.S. Congress also held Natasha accountable. At the time, Natasha did not give those congressmen any face but directly confronted them.
Her assertiveness instantly left the congressmen speechless, and she left the venue directly after finishing what she had to say.
This is why T'Challa mentioned Natasha's previous meeting today, because her performance at the last congressional meeting was very different from her performance at this Vienna meeting.
Chapter 287: Attack at the Meeting
Hearing T'Challa's words, Natasha also smiled and said, "Today I really wasn't particularly comfortable, but people always grow, don't they?"
Hearing Natasha's reply, T'Challa also smiled and said, "For that alone, I'm very glad you could attend today's meeting, Ms. Romanoff."
"You don't support this agreement?" Natasha asked him after hearing T'Challa's words.
T'Challa pursed his lips and then said, "The agreement, I support it, but politically, I don't particularly agree with it."
"After all, the efficiency of two people is higher than that of everyone in this room."
"But that's not the case if you're moving things." Before Romanoff could say anything, T'Chaka of Wakanda walked over and said.
Seeing the King of Wakanda approach, Natasha greeted him.
After exchanging greetings, she sincerely said to T'Chaka, "T'Chaka, I am very sorry for what happened in Nigeria."
Hearing Natasha's apology, T'Chaka nodded and said, "Thank you, thank you for agreeing with our point of view. I regret that Captain Rogers will not be participating in the signing of the agreement."
"I regret it too," Natasha said upon hearing this.
Just as the group was conversing, the announcement system in the venue sounded: "Please take your seats, the conference will now begin."
Hearing the announcement, T'Challa said to the two, "The future is calling us. It was a pleasure, Ms. Romanoff."
Natasha nodded to the two and then turned to walk to her seat.
After watching Natasha return to her seat, T'Chaka turned and patted his son's shoulder, smiling, "You said you didn't like diplomacy, but now you're quite good at it. (Wakandan)"
Hearing his father's praise, T'Challa smiled shyly, "I'm glad I could help you, Father (Wakandan)."
Seeing his son gradually growing into a qualified heir to the throne, T'Chaka was very pleased. He touched his son's face and softly said to him, "Thank you. (Wakandan)"
"Thank you. (Wakandan.)" Hearing his father's words, T'Challa kissed his father's hand in response.
After the father and son finished their conversation, T'Chaka walked to the podium at the front of the seating area and began his speech, while the heir to the throne, T'Challa, stood by a nearby window, watching his father's speech.
"When stolen Vibranium from Wakanda was used to create terrible weapons, we Wakandans began to question our traditions."
"Those who died in Nigeria were members of a goodwill mission sent by our long-isolated nation."
"We will not retreat because of this unfortunate incident; we will strive to improve our shared world."
"I am grateful that the Avengers support this proposal, and at the same time, Wakanda is proud to extend a hand of peace to the world."
Just as T'Chaka of Wakanda's speech was about to conclude, several fully armed figures suddenly descended from the huge glass window behind him.
These individuals, gripping ropes suspended above with one hand and holding submachine guns with the other, began to spray bullets at the people in the hall.
"Da! Da! Da! Click! Click! Da! Da!"
Accompanied by intense gunfire and the sound of shattering glass, a dense barrage of bullets from the machine guns first broke the hall's windows, then rained down on everyone inside.
"Everyone get down!" T'Challa immediately shouted loudly when he saw these people descending outside the glass window.
At the same time, he rushed frantically towards his father, who was on the podium.
Upon hearing his shout, everyone immediately reacted, wisely diving under tables as the dense gunfire erupted.
Only T'Chaka of Wakanda, who was standing on the podium, and the photographers and reporters broadcasting the news in the hall had nowhere to hide; they became the primary targets of the barrage the moment the gunfire began.
T'Challa, who had immediately run towards his father, ultimately did not succeed. He had only run a few steps when his path was blocked by a suddenly appearing grenade, and then he was sent flying backward by the roar of the explosion.
Outside the building where the meeting was held, reporters and news agencies from various countries were constantly monitoring the progress of the meeting upstairs, so they witnessed this sudden incident unfold immediately.
The armed thugs descending from the sky, along with the intense gunfire and roars, were broadcast to every corner of the world through the cameras of various news agencies.
Everyone was stunned by this sudden situation; no one had expected such arrogant and reckless terrorists to attack the venue under global scrutiny.
It should be known that for this special and important meeting, the United Nations had dispatched a considerable number of armed personnel to blockade and defend the surrounding area.
Aside from a few authorized reporters allowed into the venue, reporters and news agencies from other countries could only conduct remote live broadcasts and reports from two or three streets away from the building.
The chaos in the venue continued, with intense gunfire and dense barrages suppressing everyone, making them afraid to look up.
If anyone dared to expose their body, they would be riddled with bullets the next second, just like the unfortunate reporters and photographers lying in the aisles, already lifeless and covered in bullet holes.
Natasha was also anxious in such a situation, but the intense suppressive fire made it impossible for her to easily peek out.
It wasn't until another 30 seconds passed that the intense gunfire slowly ceased, and the hall suddenly fell silent, as if everything that had just happened was an illusion.
After another minute of silence, those hiding under the tables slowly peered out to assess the situation.
Besides the unfortunate reporters and photographers who had nowhere to hide, some people who had already hidden under tables were also killed by bullets that pierced through the tables.
The survivors slowly peered out, only to see the hall in complete disarray, while the terrorists responsible for it all had already boarded a helicopter and left the area.
Looking into the distance, they appeared like a tiny black dot in the sky.
Chapter 288 Second Explosion and Global Attention
The survivors in the venue slowly crawled out from under the tables after witnessing this scene.
Natasha also emerged from under a table, checking again to see if the enemies had completely left and if any hidden dangers remained.
At the podium, T'Chaka of Wakanda lay powerlessly on the ground, having sustained multiple gunshots.
The heir to the throne, T'Challa, struggled to his feet from the ground not far away, stumbling towards his father.
Because the terrorists were very close to the venue, the grenade that exploded near T'Challa was a blast grenade, not a fragmentation grenade.
He was only thrown back by the aftermath of the explosion, and the small number of fragments did not harm him, only tearing a few gashes in his clothes and on his body.
T'Challa stumbled, shook his dazed head, then knelt beside his father, calling out to him repeatedly.
"Father! Hold on, I'll notify the plane immediately! (Wakandan)"
Hearing his son's call, the old king, already at death's door, laboriously opened his eyes and softly murmured: "My son… from now on, you will… have to stand on your own. (Wakandan)"
After speaking, the old king tremblingly and with great effort raised his right hand, intending to pass the ring on his hand to T'Challa.
Seeing this, T'Challa sobbed while tightly grasping his father's hand.
"A king… must not cry. (Wakandan)" The old king said to T'Challa while heavily blinking his eyes; he felt all strength draining from his body, and even his eyes could not focus, beginning to glaze over.
Just then, Natasha, who was standing on the steps checking the situation, suddenly discovered a timer bomb placed behind the podium, near the edge of the glass.
At this moment, the numbers on the timer bomb had dwindled to a mere 5 seconds.
Upon seeing this, Natasha urgently shouted, "Get down! There's another timer bomb behind the podium!"
Hearing Natasha's shout, everyone scrambled, rolling and crawling, to hide behind tables and under chairs.
The old king, whose consciousness was already fading, instantly revived and became clear-headed after hearing Natasha's shout.
He used all his strength to press his son, who was immersed in grief and sorrow, to the ground, then lay beside him, positioning his body towards the bomb.
After being pressed down by his father, T'Challa finally came to his senses; he widened his eyes, looking at his father lying beside him.
The old king had used all his strength after pressing T'Challa down; at this moment, his eyes had gradually lost their luster, and his lips trembled slightly, as if he was saying something.
"Boom!"
Intense flames accompanied by a powerful shockwave surged from behind the old king, and T'Challawatched as his father was engulfed in the inferno.
At the same time, the immense impact instantly blasted him and his father's body away, slamming them into the wooden seats that had already been riddled with holes.
Others who had not had time to hide under the seats were also instantly blasted away by the powerful impact, hitting the wall, their fates unknown.
Everything that happened here today was so unexpected, like the sudden terrorist attack and the secondary explosion that just occurred.
These unforeseen changes not only brought an abrupt end to the day's planned events but also caused many people to lose their lives in this disaster, leaving many families shattered.
At Six-Point Star Base, everyone who was happily playing games suddenly fell silent after seeing this news.
No one expected such a horrific incident to occur at such a globally prominent moment, not even Meng Ran.
In the original movie plot, the attack on the conference was carried out by the Winter Soldier, disguised by Baron Zemo.
Moreover, the original attack did not happen directly inside the venue but in a car below the building where the conference was being held.
That car contained many explosives, and after the explosion, it not only disrupted the normal conduct of the conference but also accidentally killed T'Chaka of Wakanda, who was giving a speech.
Today's attack, however, was clearly much more severe than the one in the original plot because the terrorists were directly in the venue, firing assault rifles; thus, the number of casualties could absolutely not be low, and the impact caused was far more serious than in the original plot.
Because among those attending the conference in the venue, besides members of the Avengers like Natasha, there were also high-ranking leaders from many countries.
Therefore, this terrorist attack was not merely an attack but also a serious provocation to all countries participating in the agreement signing ceremony.
In the original plot, Baron Zemo did this because the Avengers indirectly caused the deaths of his wife and child during their battle with Ultron in Sokovia, so he wanted to frame Barnes and use this to create a conflict between Captain America and Tony.
However, in the world Meng Ran inhabits, the battle between the Avengers, the Six-pointed Star Alliance, and Ultron did not take place in Sokovia, nor did it indirectly cause the deaths of Baron Zemo's wife and child as in the original plot.
So, what was the reason for today's attack? And what mastermind was hidden behind it? Meng Ran had no idea about these things.
Could it be that those who tragically died in Wilhemnia also had relatives or family members similar to Baron Zemo?
But that also doesn't make sense, because after the Ultron crisis, Meng Ran had thoroughly investigated the family situations and personal information of those who tragically died in that crisis, and he had provided certain financial assistance and compensation to their surviving family members through legal means.
In the information and family situations at the time, Meng Ran did not find anyone similar to Baron Zemo.
Moreover, because Ultron chose the town of Wilhemnia instead of Sokovia this time, the number of people who died in this crisis was not as high as in Sokovia in the original plot.
The people who died in Wilhemnia accounted for only a small portion of all tourists and civilians at the time, and these people were all killed by Ultron's robot minions, not by the aftermath of the battle.
Therefore, after analyzing all these circumstances, Meng Ran was also unsure what the purpose of today's unusual attack was, and who was behind it and manipulating it.
However, through the televised broadcast, he clearly saw that the central terrorist had a mechanical arm, and a red five-pointed star was painted on his shoulder.
If someone wasn't deliberately imitating this appearance, then this person must be Captain AmericaRogers's good friend, the Winter Soldier—Barnes.
"Could the mastermind have the same goal as Baron Zemo in the original plot, wanting to use Barnes's existence to stir up trouble between Tony and Rogers?"
Seeing the figure in the image that strongly resembled Barnes, Meng Ran couldn't help but fall into deep thought.
Chapter 289 The Suspect
Since Meng Ran could notice the presence of Barnes among the terrorists, it's likely that Tony, Rogers, and the various governments would also notice this detail.
The Avengers had already experienced a minor rift recently due to the accords, and now with Barnes' terrorist attack, Meng Ran knew without a doubt that things had become even more complicated.
London, United Kingdom.
After the funeral, once Rogers had seen Natasha off, he encountered Sharon Carter, who had also finished all her work, on his way back to the hotel.
Since they were staying at the same hotel, he chatted with Sharon Carter as they walked back.
Just as Rogers had seen Sharon Carter to her room door, and after they had said their goodbyes and he was about to turn and leave, a flustered Sam quickly walked over and said to him,
"Steve, you need to come and see this, there's an emergency."
Hearing Sam's words, Sharon Carter, who had been about to return to her room, changed her mind and joined Rogers and Sam in their room to watch the news on TV.
The TV was currently broadcasting the situation at the Vienna conference venue, showing countless fire trucks simultaneously deploying, spraying water jets at the gradually spreading fire in the venue, carrying out firefighting operations.
At the same time, as the camera panned, the reporter on TV was also explaining what had happened at the conference.
"Just as the conference began, five terrorists suddenly descended from the rooftop to the floor where the conference was being held, then opened fire indiscriminately on the venue with submachine guns."
"According to incomplete statistics, this sudden attack resulted in over 150 injured and more than 50 dead among the more than 200 participants at the conference, including T'Chaka of Wakanda."
"Because multiple media outlets from around the world were live-streaming the venue at the time of the attack, the footage of the criminals attacking the scene was all captured. Please watch a video of the attack below."
Rogers and Sam stood in front of the TV, watching the images on the screen, while Sharon Carterimmediately began arranging work as soon as she saw the attack unfold.
The TV had already started playing the video of the attack. At the beginning of the footage, everything seemed normal, and the conference was proceeding as usual. Through the glass, T'Chaka of Wakanda could even be seen giving a speech at the podium.
Just one minute after the speech began, five fully armed terrorists in black combat suits suddenly appeared on the roof of the conference building.
They directly threw a rope from the rooftop, then rapidly descended, holding the rope with one hand and a submachine gun with the other, until they reached the floor where the conference was being held.
After they descended to the conference floor, they immediately pulled the triggers, and the sound of gunfire instantly erupted in the video.
Upon seeing this, the reporters present gasped in shock, and security personnel urgently mobilized to go and eliminate these terrorists.
But just as they finished assembling, these terrorists climbed onto a pre-arranged helicopter and quickly evacuated the area.
From start to finish, the attack lasted no more than two and a half minutes. The entire process was clean, swift, and showed that it was a meticulously planned and executed assault.
Like Meng Ran, while watching this video, Rogers also noticed the silver mechanical arm of the criminal in the middle.
"Barnes," Rogers murmured softly, his eyes slightly lost, after realizing the criminal might be Barnes.
At the same time, after the attack footage was played, the host's voice began to sound on the TV again.
"According to investigations by various governments and Interpol into the suspects, it can finally be confirmed that the criminal suspect in the middle, with the silver mechanical arm, is the notorious HYDRA agent, James Buchanan Barnes."
"This individual is linked to numerous terrorist attacks and political assassinations and is a ruthless super assassin."
"After identifying the criminal suspect, Interpol and various governments have issued an arrest warrant for James Buchanan Barnes."
Seeing Barnes' name explicitly reported on TV, Rogers took a deep breath with a complex expression. Sam, standing next to him, turned to look at him with some concern, unsure what to say at that moment.
While Rogers watched the news, the survivors in the Vienna conference hall had all been rescued.
Natasha was sitting on a chair by the roadside below, slightly dazed. When the secondary explosion occurred, after loudly shouting to warn everyone, she immediately hid under a table.
However, due to the strong impact of the explosion, she ultimately hit her head on a chair behind her and passed out, only regaining consciousness just now.
On a chair next to Natasha sat another person, staring blankly, lost in thought. This person was T'Challa, the heir to the Wakandan throne, who had narrowly escaped death.
He fumbled with the ring in his hand, which should have belonged to his father, as everything that had just happened replayed in his mind.
The conference was proceeding normally, but suddenly several terrorists descended from the sky, then began indiscriminately spraying gunfire with submachine guns. His father, T'Chaka, was hit multiple times in the indiscriminate shooting and fell to the ground helplessly.
After he was blasted away by the bomb and came to his senses, he immediately ran to his father's side to check on him.
T'Challa originally wanted to immediately call for Wakanda's medical team to arrive, hoping that perhaps his father could still be saved.
However, he did not expect that the group of terrorists had left a timed bomb behind the podium, and when the timed bomb exploded, his father, to save him, directly used his body to shield the flames of the explosion, and then they were both blown into a pile of shattered seats by the powerful impact.
Although T'Challa was not burned by the flames, the powerful impact still caused him to fall unconscious. When he woke up again, his father in his arms had already become a corpse.
Moreover, under the scorching flames, his father's back was completely charred, like charcoal.
Waking up, T'Challa was clearly unable to accept all of this at once. After collecting his father's body, he had been sitting there in a daze, as if he had lost his soul.
Chapter 290 Gathering
Seeing T'Challa, who was also in a daze beside her, Natasha turned to look at him and said softly, "I'm so sorry."
She wanted to comfort T'Challa after what had happened, but when the words reached her lips, she didn't know what to say or how to say it.
T'Challa looked at Natasha's hesitant expression and understood her indecision and her feelings.
He fumbled with the ring in his hand and said to Natasha, "In our culture, death is not the end. It's more of a starting point."
"You stretch out your hands, and the War Gods Bastet and Sekhmet will guide you to the Eternal Grasslands, where you can roam free."
Natasha nodded at T'Challa's words and said, "That sounds very peaceful."
Hearing Natasha's response, T'Challa put the fumbled ring on his hand and continued, "My father believed that, but I don't."
Hearing T'Challa's words, Natasha sensed the emotion and inclination in his voice, so she quickly explained to T'Challa, "T'Challa, the governments of various countries and the task force responsible for the conference will send people to arrest Barnes. You don't need to..."
T'Challa didn't wait for Natasha to finish speaking before standing up and saying coldly, "Don't trouble them. I will kill him with my own hands to mourn my father."
Then, without waiting for Natasha to say anything more, he turned and left.
Natasha sighed at T'Challa's words but didn't say anything further, as they weren't particularly familiar with each other.
Moreover, it concerned the hatred of a father's murder, so she had no right to obstruct T'Challa from seeking revenge in his own way.
Just then, Natasha's phone rang. She looked down at the caller ID and then answered the call. "Hello?"
"How are you doing? Are you alright?" Tony's voice came through the receiver after Natasha answered the phone.
Hearing Tony's greeting, Natasha replied, "Thank you for your concern. Although the situation was critical, I was lucky not to be seriously injured."
Tony was relieved to hear Natasha's words, then joked, "It seems I can have Jarvis cancel the flowers I ordered. I just don't know if the boss will still honor it."
"Perhaps you don't need to return them. Keeping the petals for a bath would be quite nice." Hearing Tony's teasing, Natasha retorted without mercy.
Hearing Natasha's retort, Tony knew that she was indeed alright, so he put aside the jokes and started talking about serious matters.
"Alright, no more jokes. You might need to come back to the Compound immediately. We have a mission."
Hearing Tony's words, Natasha immediately asked, "Is it the operation to capture Barnes?"
"That's right. The impact of this incident is too severe." Tony replied to Natasha's question.
Hearing Tony's answer, Natasha was silent for a moment, then said hesitantly, "What about Rogers?"
"He didn't sign the agreement, so he can be considered forcibly retired and cannot participate in the operation." Tony immediately responded to Natasha's words.
"But I don't think he'll obediently listen. He'll probably call you in a bit."
"Enough about that. Hurry back to the Compound. I've saved you the best pizza in New York, the one I told you about. If you're too slow, Rhodes might eat it all."
Tony's words paused before he changed the subject.
Natasha smiled at Tony's words, and after confirming her approximate arrival time, they ended the call.
Shortly after Natasha hung up with Tony, Rogers' call came in.
"Are you alright?" Rogers asked directly after answering the phone.
Natasha replied, "I'm fine. I was very lucky and basically didn't get hurt."
After speaking, she paused, then, after a moment of thought, said to Rogers, "Steve, I know Barnes is very important to you, I really do, but this situation is truly different."
"Stay home, don't act rashly, or things will get worse. Tony and I will handle this, even if it's for all of us, okay?"
Hearing what Natasha said, Rogers on the other end of the phone immediately said, "Then will you arrest me?"
"I won't, but others will." Natasha shook her head at Rogers' question.
"Because you didn't sign the agreement, you are theoretically a retired person now and do not belong to the Avengers.
If you forcefully interfere, then the already sensitive governments of various countries and the US military will really arrest you."
Hearing Natasha's words, Rogers fell silent. After a moment, his voice sounded again from the other end of the phone.
"It's precisely because the situation is so bad that I should be the one to catch him."
"Where will you all meet later? Still at the Avengers Compound? I'll go there myself and explain everything to Tony."
Hearing Rogers' request, Natasha immediately replied, "Meeting at the Compound. I hope you can have a good talk with Tony this time."
"I will." Rogers then said after hearing Natasha's response.
After speaking, the two of them ended the call, and both Natasha and Rogers headed from their respective locations towards the Avengers Compound.
Meanwhile, inside the Avengers Compound, Meng Ran was discussing the attack with Tony and several other members.
"Oh, I really feel my head starting to hurt again." Tony said, rubbing his forehead. "We never get a few days of peace before all sorts of troubles come knocking."
"And this trouble isn't so simple this time." Hearing Tony's complaint, Meng Ran continued.
"Barnes is just a cold-blooded killer, a brainwashed agent, a perfect tool."
"We've only seen this tool appear in the public eye and commit a series of heinous crimes, but we still don't know who is behind this tool."
"Who is this mastermind? Why did he do it? What benefits can he gain from doing this? We don't know any of these questions right now."
At this point, Meng Ran sighed, then continued, "Compared to capturing Barnes, investigating the mastermind behind this incident is clearly more important."
"After all, if we don't find out who is standing behind him, our capture operation will definitely be calculated into their plan."
Chapter 291 Division of Labor
Upon hearing Meng Ran's analysis and explanation, Tony and the other Avengers nodded in agreement.
"Sigh, because the impact of this incident is too great, the Secretary of State has also asked us to apprehend Barnes as quickly as possible and quell the current public outcry," Tony said, furrowing his brow in worry after hearing Meng Ran's analysis.
Meng Ran pondered for a moment, then said to Tony, "How about this: you, the Avengers, quickly launch the mission to apprehend Barnes, and we, the Six-pointed Star Alliance, will do our best to track down the mastermind behind them."
"With our two organizations each handling a part, we can definitely resolve this matter in the shortest possible time."
Hearing Meng Ran's proposal, Tony also nodded in agreement.
Seeing their discussion conclude, Pietro, who had been quietly listening from the side, finally found an opportunity to ask Meng Ran, "Mr. Ghost, how has my sister been lately?"
Hearing Pietro's question, Meng Ran smiled and replied, "She's been very happy lately. You can come back with me to see her in a bit."
"If I'm not mistaken, there are still some issues with your and Wanda's current identities, so you two probably won't be able to participate in the first legal and compliant operation after signing this agreement."
Pietro hadn't known about this, so after hearing what Meng Ran said, he turned to look at Tony.
Tony, seeing Pietro look at him, nodded and said, "Mr. Ghost is right. You two indeed cannot participate in this operation."
"But you don't need to worry. I've already smoothed things over, and the identity issue should be resolved before long. Then there won't be any similar problems."
After Tony finished speaking, Meng Ran continued, addressing Pietro, "So you can come back to the base with me to see Wanda in a bit, and then wait there for Tony and the others to finish their mission. After all, being alone in this large base is indeed very boring."
"Believe me, the Six-pointed Star Alliance's base is definitely much better than here. Even the internet speed is incredibly fast; this place can't compare. You might not even want to come back here after staying at our base for a few days."
Pietro was very happy to hear that he could go see his sister, and when he then heard that the Six-pointed Star Alliance's base had faster internet speed than here, his eyes immediately lit up even more.
Seeing this, Meng Ran silently mused, "Sure enough, no one can resist the temptation of super-fast internet. Even Pietro, with his thick eyebrows and big eyes, has taken to surfing the web and playing games. It seems he'll have a lot to talk about with Peter and the others."
Hearing Meng Ran's boasting about their base and his disdain for the Avengers Compound's internet speed, Tony, of course, responded, not to be outdone, "Hey, why are you poaching people right in front of me?"
"The Avengers Compound's internet speed is the fastest achievable in this world. Are you sure the Six-pointed Star Alliance's base has faster internet speed than here?"
Hearing Tony's challenge, Meng Ran immediately replied, "Tony, you might not know what it means to have three artificial intelligences in one base."
"Simply put, what you consider the fastest internet speed, our base achieved a breakthrough on that a long time ago. So don't be too envious. If you want to come to our base to mooch some WiFi, you're very welcome."
Just as Meng Ran and Tony were chatting and discussing, Natasha and Rogers walked into the conference room, one after another.
Seeing that Meng Ran was also there, Natasha and Rogers greeted him first.
After exchanging greetings, Rogers got straight to the point with Tony, "Tony, I also want to participate in the mission to apprehend Barnes. I will personally bring him to justice."
Hearing Rogers' request, Tony said in a deep voice, "Steve, you need to know that you haven't signed the agreement, so strictly speaking, you've already retired. The operation to apprehend Barnes is an authorized, lawful action."
"If you, someone who hasn't signed the agreement, get involved, then the nature of this operation changes, do you understand?"
"I know what Barnes means to you. I also know that in this incident, he was just a tool on the front lines, not the mastermind behind this attack. There must be other masterminds hiding behind him."
"But you need to know that it doesn't do us any good to know these things, because this attack has been witnessed by 7 billion people worldwide, and nearly dozens of representatives from 117 countries died in the conference hall."
"This is no longer just a simple terrorist attack. If we cannot handle this matter well, then the existence of the Avengers will inevitably be questioned from all sides."
"Whether you go or not won't change anything. Barnes' best outcome is to keep his life and be imprisoned. "
"If you insist on participating in this operation, it's very likely that you will not only harm our entire team but also personally send Barnes down the path to death. Have you thought clearly about these consequences?"
Hearing Tony's explanation and analysis, Rogers fell silent for a moment, then took a deep breath and said, "I've thought about all of that, and I've thought it through very clearly now."
"I accept the agreement and am willing to sign it, but you must let me participate in this mission. Once this mission is over, I will sign it obediently and have no other objections."
Hearing Rogers' words, Tony was instantly stunned. He hadn't expected Rogers to suddenly decide to accept and sign the agreement.
However, after a brief moment of surprise, Tony quickly recovered. After all, Rogers being able to sign was a good thing. No matter who it was for, as long as he was willing to sign, everything could be discussed.
Originally, the Avengers signing this agreement was a stopgap measure, mainly to quell the fallout from the previous Lagos incident and to add some oversight to the previously uncontrolled Avengers.
As he said before, they could still negotiate and modify the contents of the agreement with the authorities later.
As he heard Rogers' decision, Meng Ran also inwardly sighed at the friendship between him and Barnes.
"Truly worthy of being best friends; they can even temporarily set aside their principles for each other."
Chapter 292 Ready to Go
Rogers' persistence and his promise to sign the agreement after the mission was completed ultimately made Tony compromise, and he finally decided to take Rogers with him to execute the mission.
Afterward, Meng Ran took Pietro back to the Six-pointed Star Alliance base. The Avengers were going to search for and apprehend Bucky, and the Six-pointed Star Alliance also needed to find the mastermind hiding behind Bucky.
Upon returning to the base, Meng Ran first introduced Pietro to Wanda, and then gathered everyone else for a meeting, informing them of the upcoming plan.
"Harry, do you remember when we went to the Avengers Compound a while ago, after the Lagosincident? Didn't Rogers mention the remaining HYDRA and Bucky then?" As everyone was thinking about where to start, Meng Ran suddenly remembered something and asked Harry.
Harry pondered Meng Ran's question, recalling that Rogers did seem to have mentioned HYDRA and Bucky.
Sitting nearby, Wanda, after hearing their conversation, tentatively asked, "Are you talking about the Lagos mission? Our mission that time was to apprehend Rumlow, the former S.H.I.E.L.D., or rather, HYDRA, special forces captain."
Hearing Wanda's words, Meng Ran nodded and gestured for her to continue.
Wanda then organized her thoughts and continued, "Rumlow was severely injured during the Insight Project battle. S.H.I.E.L.D. placed him in a hospital and assigned guards to him to extract information."
"However, he later seized an opportunity to escape, organized a team of mercenaries, and began carrying out terrorist activities by taking contracts in various countries."
"The last Lagos mission was to apprehend him. We received intelligence that he was planning an operation there, but in the end, we learned the intelligence was wrong; the leader at the time was not him at all."
"That leader had already been defeated by Captain Rogers, but he eventually mentioned something about Bucky to the Captain, which caused the Captain to lose focus, giving him the chance to detonate the explosives on his body. This led to the subsequent explosion and accident."
Hearing Wanda's brief account of the mission, Meng Ran also noticed a crucial point: the information about Bucky that came from the leader's mouth.
Although the leader at the time was only trying to distract Rogers, the fact that he knew about Bucky and Rogers' relationship indicated that he must have met Bucky or had close contact with him.
"It seems we can start with Rumlow and see if this matter is connected to him." Thinking this, Meng Rannodded.
He then arranged for Xiaobai and Mary Jane to begin their search and tracking. He always felt that there was more to this than met the eye.
Meng Ran had a premonition that the mastermind behind Bucky, who planned this attack, might not only be Rumlow but also others.
However, he currently had no leads on these 'others,' so he could only start by investigating the available clues.
While Xiaobai and Mary Jane were conducting their search, the others temporarily found themselves with nothing to do.
Meng Ran and Gwen chatted with them for a while before returning to their room to discuss private matters between the two of them.
Peter, being tactful, went to keep Mary Jane company while she worked. Although he just sat beside her, he could still help out by, for example, pouring water or giving a shoulder rub.
The remaining Liu Xiu and Harry, along with Wanda and Pietro, started playing games.
After experiencing the internet speed at the Six-pointed Star Alliance base, Pietro couldn't help but exclaim, "Mr. Ghost was right, the internet speed here is indeed much faster than at the Avengers Compound."
While the Six-pointed Star Alliance was gathering information, the Avengers also obtained some intelligence.
Because the agreement signing meeting was watched by the entire world, the entire process of Bucky leading terrorists to attack the venue was captured by outside media, including the helicopter they used to escape.
Jarvis had been looking for clues based on their escape helicopter and finally found the landing helicopter in a surveillance video.
After the helicopter landed, the terrorists had a conversation among themselves. By deciphering the lip-reading from the video, Jarvis obtained some important information: their next destination was a location in Siberia, Russia.
After finding the clue, Tony gathered everyone to prepare for departure. The participants in this mission were Tony, Natasha, Rhode, as well as Rogers and Sam.
Wanda and Pietro would not participate in this mission for now due to the previous Lagos incident and their unresolved identities.
Banner and Barton had already retired, so they would no longer participate in subsequent operations. Therefore, only five people were involved in this operation: Tony, Natasha, Rhode, Rogers, and Sam. If Rogers and the Falcon project weren't included, their operation would have originally been three people.
"Alright, everyone, prepare for battle, we're departing," Tony said to the group after locating the target destination.
Rogers and the others nodded upon hearing this and followed Tony to the Avengers' hangar.
After they boarded the Quinjet and set their destination, Tony's phone suddenly rang.
Seeing "Secretary of State" on the caller ID, Tony sighed and answered the phone. "Hello?"
Hearing Tony answer the phone, Secretary of State Ross spoke, "Have you found any leads, Tony? It's not that I'm trying to rush you, but the situation is very urgent right now. The pressure from various governments is immense, especially since a king died in this attack."
Listening to Secretary of State Ross, Tony immediately replied, "We have a lead. We are currently on our way to the destination. If things go smoothly, we should have an answer for you soon."
"Very good. If this mission is successfully completed, then the Avengers' image can be greatly salvaged," Secretary of State Ross responded upon hearing Tony's reply.
After discussing the mission, Tony pondered for a moment before speaking to Secretary of State Rossagain, "Rogers and Sam will also be participating in this operation."
"What?" Hearing Tony's words, Secretary of State Ross thought his ears were playing tricks on him.
"Tony, you should know the importance of this mission. Rogers and Sam have not signed the agreement. Their participation in this operation is illegal."
"The agreement has now been signed, and the Avengers' operations need to comply with the agreement's provisions. Moreover, this operation is very important and cannot have any errors."
"Rogers and Sam will sign the agreement after the operation ends." Hearing Secretary of State Ross's nagging, Tony interrupted him before he could continue.
"..." Hearing Tony's response, Secretary of State Ross's words, which he had intended to continue, stopped, and he swallowed them.
After a moment of silence, Secretary of State Ross did not dwell on it further but said in a deep voice, "Notify me immediately after the operation is over. I will bring the agreement. If there are any changes, you will be fully responsible."
Chapter 293 Hidden Base on the Land of Ice and Snow
After Tony confirmed his commitment to take responsibility for any consequences, Secretary of State Ross hung up the phone.
"Phew, this old man really is a chatterbox. The way he talks even reminds me of my father," Tony said, letting out a long sigh as he sat in the plane's seat.
Hearing Tony's words, Rogers also said, "Though somewhat unexpected, I'm still very happy Howardwas able to get married."
"Your mother must be a very charming person, after all, in my memory Howard was both young and wealthy, uh..."
"Not the type to get married, right?" Seeing Rogers didn't know how to describe it, Tony took over the conversation.
"To be honest, I also find it hard to imagine what my father was like in your memory. After all, in my impression, he was always serious and strict, with two mustaches. Damn it! Why did I think of Secretary of State Ross again? But their mustaches are really similar, both as old-fashioned and serious as their personalities."
Hearing Tony's description, Rogers also said softly, "He sounds like a very standard father. Although my father appeared very little in my memories, he was also very strict."
After hearing Rogers' words, Tony continued to complain, "I don't know how deep your friendship with my father was, but he always brought you up."
"Let me think. Probably only a thousand times, not more than two thousand. Not that many."
At this point, Tony looked at Rogers, rolled his eyes, and said, "You don't know how much I hated you. He even mentioned your name when I wouldn't eat my greens."
Hearing Tony's words, Rogers paused, then said in a deep voice, "I'm sorry, I never intended to intentionally make things difficult for you."
Hearing Rogers' words, Tony shrugged and said, "I know, because you are a very perfect person."
After that, neither of them spoke again; everything was understood without words.
Rogers' apology wasn't about Howard lecturing Tony when he was a child, but about the Accords and Barnes.
Tony also understood his meaning, so he gave him a corresponding response.
Just like that, the Quinjet carried the group towards Siberia.
Unnoticed behind them, a single-person aircraft trailed far behind them, also flying towards Siberia.
After a period of rapid flight, the Avengers had arrived at their destination.
The vast plain was a blanket of white, covered in snow, and the clouds overhead were connected one after another, a gloomy gray obscuring the sun, while simultaneously scattering snowflakes.
Upon arriving, Tony and Rogers and the others exited the aircraft, searching for an entrance in the vast expanse of snow.
After all, in such icy conditions, there certainly wouldn't be any skyscrapers, only a base built underground.
"I think I've found the entrance," Natasha said to the others, looking at a raised black rock not far away.
Tony and the others followed the direction of her finger, seeing the conspicuous black in the white expanse.
"Honestly, if you don't consider the overall size of Siberia, this black entrance is quite conspicuous in the white snow," Rhode joked as he and Tony walked towards the entrance.
Sam, hearing Rhode's joke, pretended to shiver and said, "Your jokes are almost colder than the blizzards in Siberia."
Seeing Sam pretending to shiver and the others not amused by the joke, Rhode shook his head and muttered to himself, "It's definitely not my jokes. What a humorless bunch."
The black entrance looked like it was not far away, quite close, but only when they started walking did they realize the distance wasn't as short as they thought. It took them more than ten minutes to reach the entrance.
If they had known the entrance was this far, they might as well have flown the plane a bit closer.
Looking at the half-open door in front of them, Tony and the others, gradually approaching, slowly raised their guard.
"Tony and I will go down first; you all provide support from above," Rogers said to the others as they neared the door.
Hearing his arrangement, Tony and the others nodded. After all, there were only five of them, and to guard against the possibility of the base below being a trap, they had to split into two groups.
"Everyone, remember to keep an eye on the communication channel. If anything unusual happens, communicate immediately. Although there were only five people who attacked the venue, we can't be sure how many of them there are in total."
Tony pulled open the door, reminding Rhode and the others.
"Understood. You two also be careful. If any emergency arises, don't be shy or embarrassed; remember to call for help immediately," Rhode responded to Tony's reminder.
After exchanging instructions, Tony and Rogers looked at each other, then walked together into the dark doorway.
The remaining Natasha, Rhode, and Sam stood separately at three different positions at the entrance, watching their surroundings and maintaining vigilance.
"Turn on the flashlight," accompanied by Tony's whispered command, a small flashlight popped out from his wrist, providing the only light for the two in the dark passage.
Tony held the flashlight in one hand, illuminating the path ahead, while his other hand was steadily raised, charged and ready to fire an energy blast at any moment.
Rogers also held his shield in front, ready to block bullets if enemies appeared, or to throw the shield directly to attack opponents.
Rogers and Tony cautiously walked down the passage like this, not knowing where this long, narrow, dark passage would lead, nor when it would end.
Chapter 294 Winter Soldier
After walking a few minutes with their lights, Tony and Rogers finally saw a lit area ahead, which was an elevator.
Seeing the elevator, Tony immediately scanned it with thermal imaging to check for any hidden traps.
After confirming there were no issues, Tony nodded to Rogers and softly said, "No problem."
Hearing Tony, Rogers turned his head towards the elevator, then bent down and pulled up the wire mesh in front of it.
"Clank, clank, clank!" After pulling up the wire mesh, Rogers and Tony pressed the elevator button and stepped inside.
The elevator looked like it was from the last century, but despite its apparent age, it ran without a hitch. Aside from the creaking that suggested it needed some lubrication, the elevator operated very smoothly overall.
There were only two buttons inside the elevator: one for up, one for down, with no floor numbers indicated.
Tony and Rogers were currently on what seemed to be the top floor, so they could only press the down button.
"Click." Tony first reached out and pressed the down button, then he and Rogers leaned against the elevator wall, on alert.
The elevator took nearly 30 seconds to reach the bottom. With a mechanical click and the jolt as the elevator stopped, Tony and Rogers finally arrived at the underground base.
They pushed open the elevator door while remaining vigilant, cautiously guarding against potential attacks from unknown enemies that might suddenly appear.
After they stepped out of the elevator, the full appearance of the underground base was revealed to them. Unlike the dark tunnel above, the underground base below was lit by lighting equipment, allowing them to clearly see the machines and facilities around them.
Gray was the predominant color of this steel base. In the very center of the floor, six cylindrical glass covers glowing with yellow light were arranged in a circular pattern, suggesting this might be a biological research facility.
"Those glass covers should have contained something, but now they are empty," Rogers said to Tony, looking at the empty glass covers.
Tony, who had just been standing next to him, was now at the central control panel, fiddling with an old computer, trying to find some information about the base.
Looking at the data displayed on the screen, Tony generally understood the purpose and use of this base.
Rogers, seeing Tony's actions, also moved over from beside the empty glass covers and asked, "What does it say?"
Hearing Rogers' question, Tony typed on the keyboard and said, "This is a secret base built during the former Soviet Union era. Initially, it was used for researching weapons and some biotechnology. Later, due to the emergence of a special project, it completely transformed into a research base for that project."
"What project?" Rogers continued to ask, hearing Tony's explanation.
Tony stopped typing at this point. He first organized his thoughts and then said to Rogers, "Like you, this project was for developing Super Soldiers for the Soviet Union, Winter Soldiers like Barnes."
"According to the data here, there are a total of six Winter Soldiers, including Barnes, which perfectly corresponds to these empty glass covers around us."
After speaking, Tony looked around cautiously, then continued, "It seems that Winter Soldiers were stored inside, but now they've all escaped, and we don't know where they're hiding."
"I have a bad feeling right now; this place seems like a prepared trap, waiting for us to walk right into it."
Hearing Tony's words, Rogers also became serious, then said to Tony in a deep voice, "I have the same feeling, but are we being underestimated? Is this person really planning to take down the Avengerswith just six Winter Soldiers?"
"Of course, it's not that simple!" Just as Rogers finished speaking, a muffled male voice suddenly came from the underground base's broadcast.
At the same time, a lit glass window suddenly appeared on the steel wall next to the base. Through this window, Tony and Rogers could see a masked man standing inside.
The man wore a black iron mask with a white 'X' painted on it.
Seeing this attire and features, Rogers also recalled the corresponding person.
"Rumlow, so it's you."
Hearing Rogers' words, Crossbones let out a few low laughs, then said in a deep voice, "I haven't used the name Rumlow in a long time. I am now called Crossbones."
"Since you've already stepped into this trap, you and your partners outside shouldn't expect to leave here alive."
Hearing Crossbones' words, Rogers' heart sank. It seemed that Natasha and their companions outside must have already encountered their opponents.
Thinking of this, he turned back to look towards the elevator, but at the same time, a huge steel wall suddenly descended over the elevator, completely sealing off the area.
Seeing this situation, Rogers knew that he and Tony would likely not be able to escape so easily.
He flung his round shield, throwing it towards the glass window where Crossbones was, as if to vent his frustration.
"Bang!" With a loud crash, Rogers' shield bounced back after hitting the glass window, causing no damage.
Crossbones, seeing this, chuckled hoarsely, then said to Rogers and Tony, "Don't struggle, Captain. The Soviets set this base up like a turtle shell, strong enough to withstand hundreds of missile bombardments. You should just enjoy the gift I've prepared for you."
"To be honest, I have stronger firepower, if you can just wait a few more minutes," Tony said loudly, hearing Crossbones.
"Save your quips for hell, Mr. Stark." Crossbones ignored Tony's words. As he spoke, he pressed a button nearby.
With his action, a hidden door also appeared on the surrounding steel walls of the base, and from this hidden door emerged three robust and strong figures.
These three figures looked equally strong and powerful. Their eyes were also equally numb and lifeless, completely controlled.
Looking at the man who suddenly appeared before him, Tony didn't crack his usual jokes. He simply watched the man silently.
"Bucky," Rogers called out in a deep voice, seeing the familiar face of the figure who suddenly appeared.
Facing Rogers' call, Bucky at this moment showed no response. He was like a puppet, with no light in his eyes, only intense killing intent and fighting spirit.
Seeing Bucky's condition, Rogers' heart completely sank. At the same time, his heart was filled with anger towards Crossbones.
Chapter 295 Internal Collapse
"Damn it!" Rogers was furious to see his best friend in such a state.
He looked at Crossbones, who was gloating on the other side of the glass window, with eyes so dark they seemed capable of murder.
Seeing Rogers' icy gaze, Crossbones not only felt no fear but instead a surge of pleasure, becoming even more smug.
"Do you feel the anger? Do you feel this helplessness and despair?" Crossbones pressed against the glass window, staring at Rogers and speaking to him.
"These are all the feelings I once had, and now I'm giving them all back to you, so you can have a taste of them too."
After speaking, he then broadcast a string of Russian words. As each Russian word came through the broadcast, Barnes' originally numb and vacant eyes gradually regained their sparkle.
Seeing this scene, Rogers and Tony were both stunned. They had initially thought a major battle was about to ensue, but they never expected Crossbones to recite that magical "Russian incantation" and release his control over Barnes.
"Hey! Barnes, I'm Steve! Can you hear me?" Seeing Barnes' eyes slowly regain their focus, Rogersrushed forward, grabbed Barnes' arm, and excitedly said to him.
Seeing this scene, Tony also said, somewhat confused, "Hey, what's-his-name, are you sure you didn't mispronounce your incantation?"
Hearing Tony's question, Crossbones gave a sinister laugh. He looked at the three confused individuals and said in a deep voice, "My incantation wasn't mispronounced. The show has just begun, don't be too impatient."
After speaking, he pressed another button on the control panel. With his action, a surveillance video suddenly appeared on the central control panel screen.
"December 16, 1991."
The video began with a black screen, displaying the year and time of the recording in white subtitles.
"Captain, you are so intelligent, and your combat awareness is top-notch. Tell me how to defeat a powerful empire, like the Avengers." As the footage continued to play, Crossbones' voice continuously echoed through the broadcast.
Hearing Crossbones' question, Rogers and Tony did not answer, merely staring intently at the surveillance footage.
Without waiting for their reply, Crossbones continued, "A powerful empire may be difficult to breach from the outside, but we can make it collapse from within."
"Today, now, this video, these are the first steps for the Avengers to begin their internal collapse. Enjoy this video; you will surely be surprised."
Tony was also staring intently at the images in the video. Looking at the scene and that familiar road, Tony swallowed nervously, then looked at Rogers and said.
"I recognize this road; I'll never forget it in my life."
"What does this mean?" Tony didn't know what Crossbones meant by showing this video. He shouted loudly through the glass window.
Crossbones ignored Tony's question, simply watching the video continue to play.
The bottom left corner of the video showed the exact time of the footage: December 16, 1991, 7:01 PM.
In the footage, a speeding car seemed to lose control, crashing directly into a nearby tree and coming to a forced stop.
Perhaps because the car's anti-collision system was not yet mature in that era, or perhaps because the impact was indeed quite severe, the front part of the car's hood was completely wrecked, and it even started to smoke.
Tony already knew this video was of the day his parents died. Seeing the car crash into the nearby tree in the video, his eyes twitched, and he then continued to stare at the screen even more closely.
After the car crashed to a halt, a motorcycle entered the frame.
The motorcycle stopped next to the crashed car, then a strong, burly man dismounted from the motorcycle and slowly walked towards Howard, who was struggling to crawl out of the wrecked car.
The man gradually moved below the surveillance camera, and his facial features and physical characteristics became clearer.
His cold face and metal left arm all indicated that this killer was Captain America's good friend, Barnes, the Winter Soldier, who was now standing beside them.
Seeing that the person in the video was Barnes, Tony turned to look at Barnes with disbelief, then continued to watch the video footage.
"Howard!" A woman's cry suddenly came from the video footage. It was Tony's mother, sitting in the passenger seat, calling for help.
Hearing his mother's tragic cry for help, Tony, in front of the screen, painfully closed his eyes.
He suppressed the anger and pain in his heart and continued to watch the video footage.
Howard, who had collapsed on the ground, was dragged up by Barnes, who grabbed him by the hair.
The old man seemed to have recognized that the person in front of him was Sergeant Barnes, the American soldier he had once known so well.
"Sergeant Barnes." Howard's soft murmur did not stop Barnes' iron fist from landing on his face.
As Barnes' iron fist struck Howard's face, the already injured Howard lost consciousness.
Next, Barnes dragged the deceased Howard and placed him in the driver's seat of the car.
After doing all this, he went around to the passenger side and strangled Tony's mother, who was constantly crying for help, to death with his right hand.
After completing all of this, the expressionless Barnes slowly walked from beside the car to below the surveillance camera and then used his pistol to shatter the surveillance camera.
The video had finished playing. Tony, who now knew the truth about his parents' deaths, painfully closed his eyes. He gritted his teeth, panting heavily, trying to calm his turbulent emotions.
Barnes, who had regained consciousness and was standing beside them, also knew that the situation was now quite bad. He slowly raised his metal left arm, guarding against Tony's attack.
"Tony, calm down. This wasn't Barnes' intention; he was brainwashed and controlled by HYDRA."
Sensing Tony's emotions beside him, Rogers quickly said to Tony.
"Bang!"
Before Rogers could finish speaking, Tony had already quickly raised his right arm and blasted Barnes, who had only recently regained consciousness, into the wall with an energy blast.