Chapter 181: The Devoted Kiss of the English Rose
After the car came to a steady stop, neither of them got out immediately; the air inside the car became somewhat subtle and thick.
Carter turned her head, looking at Arthas beside her, her heart filled with reluctance to leave.
Everything tonight had been too wonderful—so wonderful that she didn't want it to end.
She hesitated for a moment, then plucked up her courage and spoke in a tone filled with testing and expectation.
"Um... do you want to come up for a bit?"
"I have some decent coffee, or... if you'd like something else."
This was a very obvious invitation; for any normal man, it was almost equivalent to 'that'.
Moreover, Carter's slightly tipsy gaze, flushed face, and tempting red lips were all radiating signals of "you can take it further."
Arthas looked at her, a flicker of heat flashing in his eyes, but he quickly restrained himself.
He knew that if he went with the flow tonight, they could indeed spend a passionate night together, but that wasn't all he wanted.
What he wanted was Carter's complete surrender of heart and soul, not just a moment of physical pleasure.
For a woman who was independent and had a very strong sense of self-esteem, things that were obtained too easily were often not cherished; appropriate refusal and restraint would instead make her more obsessed.
Thus, Arthas reached out and gently caressed Carter's cheek, his movements as tender as if he were handling a rare treasure.
He looked into her eyes and spoke in an extremely serious and affectionate tone.
"That's a very tempting proposal, Peggy."
"To be honest, there's a voice in my head right now screaming wildly for me to agree to you."
"But... I feel like we've only just begun. Everything tonight has been wonderful, and I don't want to ruin that beauty because of a momentary impulse."
"I want to keep this anticipation a little longer, until we know each other better, until... a more suitable time."
Hearing this, Carter was stunned for a moment, a trace of disappointment and embarrassment flashing in her eyes; after all, this was the first time she had been so proactive in inviting a man, only to be rejected.
But immediately after, as she savored the meaning behind Arthas's words, that disappointment instantly transformed into deeper emotion and admiration.
In this era filled with fast-food romance and rampant carnality, how many men could maintain restraint in the face of such temptation? How many men could respect a woman's feelings so much, rather than just thinking about taking advantage?
Arthas's refusal didn't make her feel ashamed; instead, it made her feel cherished and respected.
This man was truly different.
"You... really are a bastard."
Carter looked at Arthas, tears shimmering in her eyes—tears of emotion.
"Why do you have to be so perfect? You're going to make me... more and more unable to leave you."
"That is my purpose."
Arthas winked with a mischievous smile.
"I want you to go back tonight with your head full of me, to the point where you'll even dream of me."
"That's the highest level of pursuit, isn't it?"
Carter broke into a smile through her tears; she could no longer control her inner emotions and suddenly lunged forward, wrapping her arms around Arthas's neck and proactively offering her fragrant kiss.
It was a kiss full of passion, gratitude, and love; her lips were soft and hot, carrying the scent of red wine, clumsily yet urgently sucking and lingering on Arthas's lips.
Arthas responded to her passionately, his hands tightly gripping her slender waist as he pressed her toward him, deepening the kiss.
Their tongues intertwined as if they wanted to suck out each other's very souls.
The kiss lasted a long time, and it wasn't until both were breathless that they reluctantly pulled apart.
"This is your reward, my gentleman."
Carter blushed, her eyes misty as she looked at Arthas, her fingers gently stroking his lips, which were slightly swollen from the kiss.
"Remember this taste, and don't forget me."
"How could I possibly forget?"
Arthas pecked the tip of her nose.
"Go on, get a good night's sleep. See you tomorrow, my Peggy."
Holding Arthas's coat, Carter reluctantly got out of the car.
She stood downstairs, watching Arthas's car slowly drive away until it disappeared around the corner before turning to walk into the building.
Her steps were light, a sweet smile hung on the corners of her mouth, and her heart was already filled to the brim by the man named Arthas.
Meanwhile, Arthas was driving back, feeling quite good.
The harvest of this night was even greater than he had expected; Carter had completely fallen for him. That move of "refusing to go upstairs" was a stroke of genius; not only did it establish his gentlemanly persona, but it also pushed their relationship to a higher level.
When he returned to the manor, it was already late at night.
The manor was still brightly lit, as Natasha and Yelenawere still waiting for him to return.
Although he was somewhat tired physically, his spirit remained excited.
Just as he walked into the hall, Hippolyta came to meet him, wearing a purple silk nightgown and holding a glass of warm milk.
"You're back? It seems tonight's date went smoothly?"
She looked at Arthas's beaming face; although there was a hint of faint jealousy in her tone, it was mostly a kind of doting.
"Very smoothly, Mother-in-law."
Arthas went over and hugged her, giving her a kiss on that still beautiful and moving face.
"But I missed the warmth of home more. Are those two little girls asleep?"
"They're still playing upstairs; they insisted on waiting for you to come back before they'd sleep."
Hippolyta shook her head helplessly.
"You're becoming more and more competent as a 'father', spoiling them until they're lawless."
Arthas smiled and didn't speak.
He knew that in this strange world, this place was his harbor, the source of his strength.
Whether it was Carter, Hippolyta, or those girls, they were all treasures he wanted to protect.
A few days passed in a flash, and the Strategic Scientific Reserve secret base located beneath Brooklyn welcomed a day destined to go down in history; the Super Soldierexperiment, which the the military high command had high hopes for, was about to take place here.
Arthas wore a well-tailored, advanced custom dark suit from a tailor on Savile Row in London.
With steady and calm steps, he walked into the underground core laboratory, which was filled with the clanging of metal and the buzzing of instruments, his leather shoes making a rhythmic sound on the steel grid floor.
Beside that massive and complex silver experimental chamber, Arthas saw Steve Rogers, wearing only a pair of loose shorts, his upper body bare.
The thin young man was currently standing there shivering, waiting for Doctor Erskine to perform the final body data collection and equipment debugging.
Arthas walked to Steve's side, reached out and patted his skin-and-bones shoulder, looking directly into those eyes that were somewhat wandering due to nervousness, and said in a volume only the two of them could hear.
"Believe in yourself, Steve. I've seen the results of your training over the past few days."
"You have the heart of a strong man, and this machine today is only to make your body worthy of your heart."
Hearing Arthas's encouragement, Steve took a deep breath, and his originally somewhat hunched back straightened quite a bit.
He nodded vigorously, casting a gaze full of gratitude and determination toward this benefactor who had believed in him from the beginning and had used miraculous power to heal his body.
Chapter 182: The Plan Begins
A few days slipped away like sand through fingers, but for everyone in the Strategic Scientific Reserve's secret base, these short days felt as long as centuries.
Finally, that fateful day—the final experiment day of the "Super Soldier Project"—arrived amidst great anticipation.
The underground base in Brooklyn was under extreme security today; not only were patrols tripled on the perimeter, making it so not even a fly could enter, but inside, there was a guard every five steps and a sentry every ten.
Every checkpoint required the strictest identity verification. A suffocating sense of tension filled the air, as if a single struck match could ignite the powder keg of the entire space.
As the largest private sponsor of this project, Arthasnaturally held the highest security clearance. When his iconic black sedan slowly drove through the base gates, the security officer immediately stood at attention and saluted, his eyes filled with awe.
Today, Arthas wore a dark gray British three-piece suit. The well-tailored fabric perfectly accentuated his tall and upright figure. A delicate white silk handkerchief was still tucked into his breast pocket, making him look both solemn and elegant.
He stood in stark contrast to the anxious soldiers around him in their khaki uniforms.
It was as if he wasn't there to attend a military experiment that could change the course of human history, but rather a high-society afternoon tea party.
Just as he entered the core area of the underground laboratory, Arthas saw the small man who was about to become the protagonist—Steve Rogers—sitting alone on a chair in a corner.
His hands gripped his knees tightly, his knuckles turning slightly white from the force. Those eyes, which usually shone with steady light, seemed somewhat restless now; clearly, his heart was undergoing a great ordeal.
Although he possessed courage beyond that of ordinary men, facing such an unknown and potentially life-threatening experiment, it was inevitable for him, as a Mortal, to feel fear and nervousness.
Arthas walked over to him. He didn't offer the high-pressure encouragement or fake comfort that others did. Instead, like an old friend, he gently patted his shoulder and said in a relaxed, casual tone.
"Hey, Steve, looks like you didn't sleep well last night. Your dark circles are almost down to your chin."
"What's wrong?"
"Are you worried that once you become handsome, you'll be troubled by too many girls chasing you?"
Steve looked up and, seeing it was Arthas, his tense nerves seemed to relax slightly. He forced a smile and shook his head.
"Mr. Arthas, please stop teasing me."
"I'm just... a little worried that if it fails, I'll let down DoctorErskine and everyone's expectations."
"After all, this is the only chance, and the last chance."
"There are no 'ifs,' Steve."
Arthas dropped the joke, his gaze becoming serious and profound. He leaned down, meeting Steve's eyes at the same level, and said deliberately.
"Remember what I told you that day at the Training Ground: it's not the muscles that are powerful, but the heart."
"Your heart is already powerful enough; it's stronger than anyone else's here."
"So, this isn't just a scientific experiment; it's a process of finding a matching vessel for that powerful heart of yours."
"Go on, make that vessel worthy of your soul."
These words were like a warm current flowing into Steve's heart, gradually calming his slightly trembling body.
He took a deep breath, his gaze becoming firm once more, and nodded vigorously.
"Thank you, sir."
"I will do it."
Just then, Peggy Carter walked over, still wearing her crisp military uniform.
But her hair was styled even more meticulously. Though she wore light makeup, it couldn't hide the faint trace of worry in her eyes.
She didn't pay much attention to Steve, simply giving him a few instructions about the experimental procedure before turning around and naturally standing by Arthas's side.
Since their date that night, although their relationship hadn't been publicly declared, the subtle chemistry was already evident in every exchange of glances and physical contact.
She looked at Arthas and said in a low voice.
"Everything is ready upstairs. Colonel Phillips and those politicians are waiting in the observation room."
"Let's head up too; we can leave things here to DoctorErskine."
Arthas nodded and offered his arm, gallantly letting Carter take it, and then the two walked side-by-side toward the upper observation room.
This scene, in the eyes of the busy researchers and soldiers around them, looked like a match made in heaven, breaking the hearts of many men who secretly loved Carter and making many female nurses who admired Arthas grit their teeth in envy.
Pushing open the heavy soundproof door of the observation room, a scent mixed with tobacco, coffee, and expensive cologne wafted toward them.
The spacious room was now crowded. Besides Colonel Phillips and Howard Stark, there were several high-ranking officials from Washington, and... a blonde beauty in a white professional suit, exuding a cold, noble aura that screamed "stay away."
That was Emma Frost, who had just taken over the Hellfire Club and was attending the experiment as the new "White Queen" representing the investors.
The moment she saw Arthas walk in with Carter on his arm, a flash of dangerous light instantly flickered in her normally calm, azure eyes.
Although her expression remained a flawless professional fake smile, the surrounding temperature seemed to drop several degrees in that instant, making the officials standing near her shudder.
Arthas naturally detected the Killing Intent from ahead immediately, but the smile on his face didn't fade at all; instead, it became even brighter and more charming.
Leading Carter straight to the best spot in front of the observation window, he first greeted Colonel Phillips and Howard, then turned around, his gaze crossing the crowd to land unerringly on Emma, nodding with a smile as a greeting.
"It seems our Duke Arthas is quite the ladies' man, always accompanied by beauties wherever he goes."
Emma walked over with a glass of champagne, moving with an elegant cat-like stride. Although she spoke polite pleasantries, the jealousy in her tone could be smelled from miles away.
"This must be the famous Agent Carter?"
"I've long heard that you are the Overlord Flower of the Strategic Scientific Reserve. Seeing you today, you truly live up to your reputation."
Chapter 183: The Ultimate Tug-of-War in a Dual-Line shura field!
Peggy Carter, as a top Agent, was naturally extremely sensitive to this kind of hostility between women.
Although she didn't know what the relationship was between the woman in front of her and Arthas, her strong intuition told her that this was a formidable rival.
She straightened her back slightly, a standard official smile appearing on her face, and responded neither humbly nor arrogantly.
"You flatter me, Miss Frost."
"As a representative of the Hellfire Group, it is our honor to have you here in person to provide guidance."
"I hope today's experimental results will satisfy all the investors."
Two equally outstanding and beautiful women engaged in a silent confrontation in front of everyone. Although there were no swords or shadows, the crackling sparks caused the men caught in the middle to feel a wave of inexplicable pressure.
As for Arthas, who was at the center of the storm, he still acted as if nothing was wrong, even having the mood to pick up a cup of coffee and take a leisurely sip.
"Alright, two beautiful Young Misses, today's protagonist is the little guy lying in the machine down there. Let's not steal his thunder here."
Arthas chimed in at the right time, cleverly diffusing the tension between the two.
"The experiment is about to begin. Why don't we focus on watching the show first?"
Hearing Arthas's words, although Emma gave him a somewhat unwilling glare, she obediently restrained her edge and retreated to her seat.
After all, in public, she still had to maintain her image as the Hellfire Queen. More importantly, she knew that Arthas didn't like women who were unreasonable.
However, this didn't mean she would let this playboy off so easily.
Just as Arthas turned around to continue speaking in low tones with Carter about some technical details of the experimental equipment, a familiar and somewhat resentful, charming voice suddenly rang out in his mind.
"Oh, isn't this our great Lord Duke?"
"What? Have you forgotten your old love now that you have a new one?"
"I see you're chatting quite happily with that Agent Carter. Have you already cast me to the back of your mind?"
That was Emma's Mental Transmission.
As one of the world's most powerful Telepaths, she possessed the ability to communicate directly with others mentally without speaking. This ability was currently being used by her as a secret weapon to vie for favor in the shura field.
An imperceptible smirk played at the corners of Arthas's mouth. He knew Emma was a bit jealous; women still needed to be coaxed.
While maintaining an expression of focused listening to Carter on the surface, even nodding occasionally in agreement...
...he quickly built a barrier in the mental world, isolating Emma's voice to a channel only the two of them could hear. He then responded in a magnetic voice, filled with a bit of pampering and teasing.
"How could I?"
"My White Queen, your position in my heart is unique."
"It was just because there were so many people around. You know, our relationship needs to remain a secret for now, otherwise those old fogies would be scared into having heart attacks."
"Hmph, save it!"
Emma's voice was still full of tsundere attitude and disbelief.
"I think you're enjoying yourself, aren't you?"
"Doesn't it feel great to have a woman on each arm?"
"When I saw you coming in with her arm in yours just now, you were smiling so brightly that you didn't even look at me once."
"Do you know how much I want to use a Mind Blast right now to turn that handsome head of yours into mush?"
"Don't be angry, baby."
Arthas materialized a gentle large hand in the mental world, lightly stroking Emma's hair. Although the sensation was illusory, it felt exceptionally real to Emma.
"That was for work; I was just playing along."
"Besides, it's not like I didn't look at you. You were the first person I saw when I walked in."
"Today's outfit is really beautiful, especially the design of this neckline; it's right up my alley."
"Once the experiment is over, why don't we find a private place so I can properly study the construction of this dress?"
Hearing Arthas's explicit flirting, Emma, who was still sulking, suddenly felt her face heat up.
Although she still maintained her cold and aloof appearance on the surface, even taking a sip of wine to hide her awkwardness...
But in the mental world, her voice had softened, even carrying a hint of shyness and anticipation.
"You... you pervert! You think about that kind of thing all day long!"
"We're in the middle of a serious scientific experiment right now. Can you be a bit more professional?"
"I am being very professional."
While answering Carter's questions about energy output power in reality, Arthas continued to tease Emmamentally.
"To me, making you happy is the most professional thing I can do."
"And don't you think this feeling of flirting secretly in front of everyone is... very exciting?"
"Just like that night we had at Hellfire..."
At the mention of that wild night, Emma's body couldn't help but tremble, and a strange heat rose from her lower abdomen.
She couldn't help but steal a glance at Arthas nearby. Seeing his serious and dignified appearance, she felt both amused and fascinated.
This man was simply a devil, always able to easily control her emotions, making her want to get angry but unable to stop herself.
"You rogue... just wait until this is over, see how I deal with you."
Emma bit her lip and said fiercely in her heart, but her tone sounded like she was acting spoiled.
"But you'd better remember, no matter how much you play around outside, I must be the most important one to you."
"If I find out that female Agent is more important than me... I'll turn you into an idiot and keep you in a cage as a pet!"
"As you command, my Queen, Your Majesty."
Arthas responded with a smile.
"Don't worry, you will always be the most special one."
"And... I'm also looking forward to being 'dealt with' by you."
As Arthas stood before the massive bulletproof glass window, his deep gaze appeared to be fixed on Steve Rogers below, who was making final preparations.
But his perception had already spread like invisible tentacles to every corner of the entire Underground Base. This was a natural instinctual warning derived from his powerful Divine Power.
Just now, when everyone's attention was focused on Steveand the machine that was about to start, he captured an extremely faint but highly discordant emotional fluctuation.
That fluctuation didn't come from anticipation or nervousness about the experiment, but was a complex emotion mixed with fanaticism, murderous intent, and a disregard for death. The source of this emotion was in the back row of the Observation Room.
Chapter 184: Special Program
Arthas still maintained the posture of having one hand in his pocket, only inadvertently shifting his gaze slightly to land on a man in a gray suit and gold-rimmed glasses in the corner.
This man looked like an ordinary government clerk, even wearing a high-level pass on his chest; he was looking down and recording something on the clipboard in his hand.
But Arthas could clearly feel that this person's attention was not on the documents at all.
His gaze, hidden behind the lenses, was fixed firmly on Doctor Erskine in front of the console below, and his right hand would occasionally touch the hem of his suit, where a weapon was clearly hidden.
"This is getting interesting; it seems our experiment today will have a bit of an unplanned special program."
Arthas thought to himself, the corners of his mouth curling up slightly in an imperceptible arc.
He did not immediately shout or take any drastic action in this place filled with precision instruments, dignitaries, and military officers.
Any rash move could trigger uncontrollable chaos, and he had developed a strong interest in this sudden variable.
If this truly was an assassination, then who was the mastermind behind the scenes? And how did they infiltrate this top-secret base that not even a fly could enter?
Thinking of this, Arthas immediately established a direct one-line connection to Emma's mind in the mental world.
"Emma, don't look back. Maintain your proud queenly posture and use your ability to lock onto the man in the gray suit and gold-rimmed glasses standing in the back row, left corner."
Emma, who was holding champagne and pretending to enjoy the view, was slightly taken aback, then calmly radiated her powerful Telepathy in the direction Arthasindicated.
A moment later, her voice rang out in Arthas's mind, carrying a hint of surprise and solemnity.
"Your Highness, how did you discover him?"
"That person's surface consciousness is wrapped in an extremely strong and fanatical faith, like a hard shell filled with pure Killing Intent."
"His target is... Doctor Erskine below."
"It seems my intuition hasn't rusted yet."
"Since he's wrapped in a shell, then find a way to smash that shell."
Arthas's tone remained steady as he issued instructions in the mental channel.
"Don't alert him. In a way he won't notice, slowly invade his subconscious and make him find an excuse to leave this Observation Room later."
"We'll wait for him in the empty Utility Room at the end of the corridor outside."
"I need to know what exactly is in his head that makes him so ready to die for this nearly suicidal mission."
"Understood, leave it to me. This is my specialty."
Emma's voice carried a sense of confidence and a hint of seeking credit.
She raised her glass and took a small sip of champagne. A faint, imperceptible silver-white light flashed deep within her originally azure eyes, and an invisible Mental Strengthwound around the gray-suited man's brain like a silk thread.
Arthas felt the surge of Emma's power. He turned his head to look at Peggy Carter, who was still staring down somewhat nervously, and naturally reached out to tuck a stray lock of hair behind Carter's ear.
"Peggy, I suddenly remembered an urgent overseas call from Europe that needs to be handled regarding the transportation of a batch of medical supplies."
Arthas leaned close to her ear and said in a low voice that only the two of them could hear.
"I have to step out for a moment and will be back soon. You stay here and watch; if anything unexpected happens, remember to protect yourself."
Carter felt the heat near her ear, her cheeks flushing slightly. She did not doubt Arthas's words; after all, as a Duke with vast industries, it was normal to have some urgent business matters to handle.
"Go ahead. The Colonel and I are here; nothing will happen."
"Come back quickly. The experiment is about to begin. You are the biggest sponsor; it would be a pity to miss this scene."
Carter nodded considerately and gave him a reassuring smile.
Arthas patted the back of her hand, then turned and walked out of the Observation Room's soundproof door at an unhurried pace.
Less than half a minute after he left, the man in the gray suit who had been standing in the corner suddenly seemed to remember something extremely important and felt his pocket with a look of anxiety.
Then he also exited the room. The people around, whose attention was entirely focused on the Laboratory below, did not notice the two of them leaving one after another.
The corridor was empty, with only the incandescent lights on the ceiling emitting a cold glow.
Arthas did not go far. He stood by the door of the Utility Room, arms crossed, waiting quietly.
The man in the gray suit hurried over, looking straight ahead as if he didn't see Arthas standing by the door, and walked straight into the unlit Utility Room.
Immediately after, Emma's graceful figure appeared at the corner of the corridor. She walked to Arthas's side in her high heels with light steps, a proud smile on her face.
"It's done, Your Highness."
"Although his mental defenses have undergone special training, they are still full of holes before me. He is now completely under my Mind Control; you can start questioning him at any time."
The two of them walked into the Utility Room together. Arthas casually closed the heavy iron door and locked it. In this windowless, enclosed space, no sound from outside could be heard.
The man in the gray suit was now standing blankly in the center of the room, his eyes having lost focus and his pupils showing a deathly gray, dilated state. His hands hung naturally at his sides, and the previous tension and Killing Intent were completely gone, like a puppet with its strings cut.
"Now, tell us, who sent you? What is the name of your organization?"
Arthas walked up to the man and stared into his eyes. He did not use any methods of torture, because in the face of Emma's Telepathy, all disguises were futile.
The man in the gray suit's lips parted slightly, and a mechanical voice without any emotional fluctuation came from his throat.
"I have no name. We are Hydra. Cut off one head, two more shall take its place."
"For the great cause of My Lord Red Skull, we are everywhere."
Hearing the names "Hydra" and "Red Skull," Arthas's brow furrowed slightly.
He knew these two names; the Ancient One had mentioned them when introducing the situation on Earth to him.
Chapter 185: Hydra in the Abyss
Red Skull Johann Schmidt, a fanatical officer of Nazi Germany, commanded not only a vast army and advanced technology but, more importantly, held the 'Tesseract'—the Space Stone said to conceal divine power, radiating a blue glow.
Retrieving this Space Stone was also one of Arthas's primary objectives for descending to Earth.
He had originally planned to observe humanity, establish a stable network of influence and intelligence on Earth to protect the planet and its people, and then personally travel to Europe to deal with Red Skull and reclaim what belonged to the divine realm. After all, a few years meant little within the long lifespan of a deity.
But he never expected that before he could trouble them, they had already reached into his territory.
Moreover, they had managed to plant a spy at the very core of the U.S. the military's most classified 'Super Soldier Project'—a level of infiltration that truly exceeded his expectations.
"It seems this Hydra is not merely an ordinary branch of the Nazis."
"Emma, delve deeper into his memories."
"I want to know the specific structure of this Hydraorganization, its historical origins, and how many agents they have embedded in the United States."
Arthas turned his head and issued further instructions to Emma.
Emma nodded, closed her eyes, and poured her Mental Strength into the depths of the man's mind like quicksilver.
As she probed, the expression on her face gradually shifted from initial disdain to one of gravity, even tinged with shock.
"Your Highness, this... this is simply unbelievable."
Emma reopened her eyes, a trace of astonishment in her tone.
"This man's rank isn't high, but the organizational history implanted in his mind as a foundational belief is astonishingly vast."
"Hydra is not some new organization that emerged alongside the Nazis at all."
"Continue."
Arthas, greatly intrigued by this intelligence that exceeded his expectations, found a discarded wooden crate to sit on, adopting a posture of attentive listening.
Emma organized the vast amount of information she had extracted from the man's mind and began her report to Arthas.
"This organization's history is extremely ancient, traceable back several centuries."
"They possess an extremely rigorous and fanatical belief system. Its core tenet is to establish a new world order absolutely ruled by a select elite."
"Throughout their long history, they have parasitized behind various powerful Empires and religious organizations, absorbing resources, and then supplanting them when those entities declined."
Emma paused, as if digesting the chilling information, then continued.
"They are like a parasite, or perhaps a virus."
"Red Skull Johann Schmidt, though currently the most prominent, is merely the leader of the largest branch among Hydra's many factions, because he has the backing of Germany's War Machine."
"Apart from him, Hydra has many other 'heads' hidden around the world, including within the upper echelons of the U.S. government, business magnates, and even some ancient Families, who do not operate openly."
"They lurk in the shadows, manipulating the course of events using resources, intelligence, money, and even brainwashing techniques."
Arthas listened quietly to Emma's report, his fingers tapping rhythmically on the edge of the wooden crate, producing a dull thudding sound.
This newly discovered intelligence gave him a completely new understanding of Earthlings' capacity for internal strife and organization.
He had originally thought he was facing merely a fanatical Nazi officer who had obtained a Divine Artifact. Now, it appeared he was confronting a vast shadow network covering half the globe.
However, this did not intimidate him. Instead, it stirred a sense of excitement within him.
That virus-like power of infiltration, that extreme pursuit of order, and that pervasive destructive capability—if he could harness it for himself, it would become the perfect tool for establishing a 'new order' in this world.
Simply destroying an organization was too easy. With his current power, he could fly to Europe and erase Red Skulland his base from Earth with a single 'Cross Ray' or 'Specium Ray'.
But what then?
The other Hydra heads hidden in the shadows would continue to grow, continue to sow chaos.
Rather than repeatedly cutting off the ever-regenerating heads, it would be better to sever their central nervous system and claim this vast body for himself.
"Most interesting. It seems I need to reassess the complexity of this world."
Arthas stood up, looking at the spy still standing motionless in place. A bold and grand plan was rapidly taking shape in his mind.
He walked up to the man and lightly tapped the man's forehead with two fingers.
"Emma, can you still implant new subconscious commands in this person's mind now?"
"Commands that can bypass his original fanatical beliefs and make him act entirely according to the script we set."
"Of course, Your Highness."
"Although the shell of his belief is hard, I have completely mastered the neural pathways within. I am his God now."
Emma proudly lifted her chin. As the White Queen, she possessed absolute confidence in manipulating hearts and memories.
"What do you want him to do? Commit suicide right here in this storage room, or have him report false intelligence to his superiors?"
"Neither."
Arthas shook his head, a deep, calculating light flickering in his eyes.
"We'll have him continue his original mission, but... with a slight modification to the script."
Arthas walked to the door, glanced through the crack at the still-quiet corridor outside, then turned and conveyed his plan in detail to Emma.
"In a moment, the experiment will proceed as scheduled, and Steve will successfully become a Super Soldier."
"That moment will also be when everyone's guard is at its lowest."
"You will have him follow the original plan: create chaos, then fire at Doctor Erskine."
"This is what he was already going to do, so his subconscious will offer no resistance."
Arthas calmly laid out the plan as if directing the blocking of a play.
"But here is the crucial point."
Arthas emphasized his tone, his gaze becoming extremely sharp.
"You must implant an absolute restriction in his subconscious: the moment he pulls the trigger, his wrist must deviate by a few millimeters."
"This deviation of a few millimeters must ensure he does not hit the Doctor's heart or any vital organs. Preferably, the shot should land on the upper left shoulder area."
"Create the illusion of a severe, seemingly fatal gunshot wound, yet one insufficient to cause immediate death."
Chapter 186: Just as Planned
As Emma listened to Arthas's plan, her eyes widened; she was completely shocked by this man's meticulous mind and devious nature.
She couldn't help but ask within their mental world.
"Your Highness, since you've already discovered him, why not just stop the assassination directly? Why must you let him fire that shot?"
Arthas looked at Emma's stunningly beautiful face and spoke in a tone like an elder teaching a Junior.
"If you directly stopped the assassination, Doctor Erskinewould indeed survive."
"But it would trigger a series of chain reactions that I do not wish to see."
"If Doctor Erskine survived unscathed and the Super Soldier Serum experiment was a perfect success, what do you think the high-level officials of the United Statesgovernment would do?"
Arthas posed the question and then provided the answer himself.
"They would immediately put the Doctor under house arrest, forcing him to manufacture more Super Soldiers day and night."
"They would want to form an invincible army of Supermen to sweep across Europe."
"By then, the scale and brutality of the war would increase exponentially."
Arthas sighed and continued.
"As the future God King and Sorcerer Supreme, I was given the responsibility of protecting humanity by the Ancient One."
"My goal is to prevent them from destroying themselves, not to provide them with efficient weapons for self-destruction."
"As for the Super Soldier, having Steve as a symbol of hope is enough."
"Mass-produced weapons will only bring disaster."
"Therefore, the Doctor must 'die' during this experiment."
Arthas's tone revealed an absolute coldness, a decisiveness belonging to one in a high position.
"Only with the Doctor's death will the Super Soldierformula become a lost art, and Steve will become that unique hero rather than the first product on a mass-production line."
"Only after losing the formula will the government focus their energy on existing resources."
Hearing this, Emma completely understood Arthas's intentions.
This wasn't a simple conspiracy; it was a grand layout that transcended nations and Mortal politics.
"But... if what you said earlier about aiming slightly off causes a serious injury, what if the Doctor actually dies during the rescue process?"
"Or if he's sent to a the military hospital, even if he survives, wouldn't he be controlled?"
Emma raised her doubts.
Arthas gave a cold laugh and lightly swiped his finger in mid-air.
"That is my other arrangement; I will be watching from the side the whole time."
"When he is shot and falls, and everyone else descends into chaos, I will be the first to go up for 'emergency first aid'."
"With the Divine Power in my body and Kamar-Taj's magic, even if he truly has only one breath left, I can pull him back from the brink of death."
"But I will use a small illusion to make his vital signs disappear in front of everyone, creating the absolute illusion that he has 'died'."
"Once everyone believes the Doctor is dead and the the military transports the 'corpse' for disposal, I will send someone to swap out his 'remains'."
Arthas walked up to Emma and reached out to pinch her chin.
"Doctor Erskine is a rare Genius; his brain holds not just the Super Soldier Serum, but endless knowledge on the development of human potential."
"It would be a pity for such a talent to die for those foolish politicians."
"He must live, and then on my territory, use his knowledge to serve me and the power we are about to build."
"Do you understand?"
Emma's eyes were glowing as she listened; her admiration for Arthas reached a new height at this moment.
This man was not only terrifyingly powerful, but his methods of calculating the human heart were a hundred times more experienced and sinister than hers as the White Queen.
Following such a man, she even saw that beautiful future world beckoning to her, a world where Mutants would continue as Guardians.
"Brilliant, Your Highness."
"Your wisdom is even more charming than your power."
Emma praised him sincerely, her tone even carrying a hint of fanatical worship.
"I'll start planting the commands right away."
"What about this spy? What should he do after firing the shot?"
"After that little Steve becomes a Super Soldier, he will definitely need a touchstone to demonstrate his newly acquired power."
Arthas glanced at the spy, who was still in a daze, his eyes showing no mercy.
"In the chaos, let Steve chase him."
"After a fierce chase, let him feel he can't escape, and then have him bite the poison hidden in his collar to 'commit suicide out of fear'."
"This way, the Hydra lead will be completely cut off here, and all the blame will be pushed onto the Red Skull far away in Europe. No one will suspect the truth behind this fake death."
"A perfect curtain call."
Emma nodded and immediately concentrated, turning all the script details and subconscious commands set by Arthas into sets of complex mental code, forcibly writing them deep into the spy's cerebral cortex.
During the entire writing process, the spy's body occasionally twitched slightly, and his eyeballs rolled rapidly under his eyelids, but he soon returned to that dazed calm.
His subconscious was being completely rewritten; a Hydradeath-seeker was, at this moment, transformed into an unconscious Puppet in this grand play directed by Arthas.
"It's finished, Your Highness."
"I have set everything up."
"As soon as the signal for the successful experiment appears, this set of commands will automatically activate. His muscle memory will make him perform that fatal yet life-saving deviation the moment he fires."
Emma let out a long breath, wiped the fine beads of sweat from her forehead caused by the excessive use of Mental Strength, and then withdrew the mental connection.
The man in the gray suit suddenly jolted, his eyes regaining focus.
He looked around somewhat blankly, seemingly unable to remember why he was standing in this utility room.
He frowned, glanced at the watch on his wrist, and muttered to himself.
"How did I end up here? The experiment is about to start; I have to get back quickly."
He straightened his tie, pushed open the unlocked door, and hurried out, completely failing to notice Arthas and Emma standing in the shadows.
He had completely returned to his original role, carrying that determination to die to execute his tampered fate.
Watching that back disappear at the end of the corridor, Arthas and Emma looked at each other and smiled.
"Alright, we should head back too."
Arthas straightened the hem of his clothes.
"As the special guest and invisible director of today's play, it would be quite rude if we were absent during the climax."
Chapter 187: The God King's Dual-Track Operation
The two of them left the utility room one after the other and returned once again to that heavy soundproof door.
Pushing the door open, the tense atmosphere inside remained as it was, even growing more intense as every second ticked by.
Arthas walked back to Peggy's side with a smile, naturally taking her hand, which was somewhat cold due to nervousness.
He looked down through the observation window; the Injection Chamber below had begun to flicker with a faint blue light. Steve Rogers' face was etched with tension and determination, while Doctor Erskine was giving his final remarks into the microphone.
This Super Soldier experiment, which changed the course of the world, was finally about to officially begin amidst all the calculated preparations.
As Howard Stark pushed down that massive metal lever, the entire power System of the Brooklyn underground laboratory emitted a low hum of overloaded operation.
The air inside the underground lab seemed to be completely sucked dry by some invisible force at that moment, and all the lights instantly dimmed amidst the ear-piercing hum of electric current.
In their place, a dazzling blue light, so blinding it was impossible to look at directly, erupted from within that massive metal Injection Chamber.
The light pierced through the thick isolation glass, illuminating everyone's face in the observation room with an eerie pale blue hue.
Finally, as the massive metal Sealed Chamber, connected by countless cables and pipes, stopped its violent vibration, the roar within the Brooklyn Strategic Scientific Reservesecret base laboratory also gradually subsided, eventually falling into a dead silence.
After confirming various data readings, the technician at the console reached out and pressed the green opening button. The heavy metal door of the Sealed Chamberslowly opened upward, accompanied by the sound of the hydraulic System working.
A thick cloud of white steam, produced by high-temperature cooling, immediately billowed out from the chamber, obscuring everyone's vision.
Everyone present stood up straight, their eyes locked onto the metal hatch shrouded in white mist, even their breathing intentionally slowed. Doctor Erskine was so excited that his hands gripped the console, leaning his body forward, his eyes staring fixedly into the depths of the mist.
A few seconds later, a large-knuckled arm with well-defined muscle lines pierced through the white mist, heavily grabbing the metal handrail on the edge of the Sealed Chamber.
Then, a blonde man over 1.9 meters tall, with chest and abdominal muscles bulging as hard as granite, stepped out from the cloud of steam with a slightly heavy but powerful stride.
This was Steve Rogers after completing the Seruminjection and energy irradiation. His original scrawny, withered body—barely over 1.6 meters tall and ravaged by asthma—had completely vanished, replaced by a perfect physique that had developed human physical potential to its limit.
After a brief silence, thunderous applause and cheers erupted in the second-floor observation room.
The Washington politicians in high-end suits and the the military high-brass with stars on their shoulders left their seats one after another, hugging and shaking hands to celebrate the substantial success of this costly and high-risk the military project.
Colonel Phillips' perpetually tense face also showed a rare glimmer of excitement.
Peggy Carter stood beside Arthas, her hands tightly clasped in front of her chest. Her brown eyes sparkled with irrepressible joy, and she then turned her gaze toward the man beside her who had maintained a calm smile throughout.
"Arthas, did you see that? The experiment was a success!"
Peggy turned to face Arthas. Due to extreme excitement, a visible flush rose to her cheeks, and even her voice trembled slightly as she spoke.
"That bet about whether Steve could survive the experiment—I lost completely."
"You were right; he has a heart stronger than anyone else's. This heart supported him through this incredible transformation."
Arthas looked down at the female officer in her state of extreme excitement, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. He didn't step back, but instead stood his ground, allowing Peggy to close the distance between them.
"Since you admit you've lost, Miss Carter."
Arthas said in his highly recognizable deep voice.
"Then, according to our previous agreement, I think we should go on another date."
"I wonder what you think of this proposal?"
"Of course!"
Hearing these words, a certain emotion within Peggy completely burst its banks under the dual stimulus of the massive success before her.
She no longer cared about the cheering officers and politicians around her. She stood directly on her tiptoes, looped her arms around Arthas's neck, closed her eyes, and pressed her lips, painted with bright lipstick, heavily against Arthas's.
It was an extremely passionate and proactive kiss, Peggy's lips moving against Arthas's.
She leaned part of her body weight onto Arthas, venting her inner excitement and her admiration for this man in an unreserved manner.
Facing Peggy's sudden kiss, Arthas showed no sign of panic or resistance.
He very naturally extended his arms, encircling Peggy's slender waist clad in her dark green the military uniform, pulling her tightly into his embrace as he began to respond to the passionate kiss.
Just as the two were kissing passionately in the shadows by the observation room window, a woman wearing a white custom suit with blonde wavy hair was holding a glass of champagne, standing less than three meters away from them. This was Emma Frost.
Looking at the scene before her, a clear hint of grievance and jealousy immediately surfaced in Emma's deep blue eyes.
Although she knew very well that Arthas had his own social circles outside and that this man was destined not to belong to her alone.
But seeing the newly appointed King of Hellfire being kissed so passionately by another woman, she still couldn't control the sourness in her heart.
Emma placed the champagne glass in her hand on a nearby empty table, stepped forward in her high heels, intentionally lightened her footsteps, and walked up behind Arthas.
She didn't disturb Peggy, who was kissing with her eyes closed, but instead stared at the side of Arthas's face with a look full of resentment.
Emma reached out her right hand, precisely grabbing Arthas's left hand from the side—the one wrapped around Peggy's waist, with part of the back of the hand hanging naturally.
When Arthas felt that slight cool touch on the back of his hand, he didn't immediately pull away.
He opened one eye, catching a glimpse of the aggrieved Emma standing beside him out of the corner of his eye.
In that hidden corner, Arthas took the initiative, turning his wrist to envelop Emma's soft palm in his large hand, then began a slow and rhythmic stroking of Emma's palm with the pad of his thumb.
Peggy was currently completely immersed in the passionate kiss with Arthas. Her eyes were tightly closed, and all her senses were focused on the sensation on her lips and the scent of that special cologne belonging to Arthas in her nose.
She didn't notice at all that just behind her, the man she was kissing was using his other hand to soothe another jealous woman.
Feeling the sensation of Arthas's finger trailing across her palm, much of the grievance in Emma's eyes instantly dissipated. She bit her lower lip slightly, letting Arthashold her hand, and sent an consciousness tinged with a bit of reproach through their mental link.
"You greedy fellow."
Chapter 188: First Aid
Just as the atmosphere in the observation room was filled with such extreme ambiguity and tension, a sudden and fatal turn of events occurred in the laboratory below.
At the moment when everyone's attention was drawn to Steve, that government clerk in a gray suit who had been hiding on the edge of the crowd...
...suddenly reached into the inner pocket of his suit and pulled out a black pistol equipped with a silencer.
Without any warning, he aimed the muzzle directly at Doctor Erskine, who was about to step forward and embrace Steve.
He pulled the trigger twice in succession.
With two muffled "thud, thud" sounds, two bullets shot out at extreme speed. One bullet accurately hit DoctorErskine's left chest near the shoulder, while the other pierced the right side of his abdomen.
Doctor Erskine's face, which had been flushed with excitement, instantly lost all color. His body fell backward under the impact of the bullets' powerful kinetic energy, crashing heavily onto the cold concrete floor.
Bright red blood immediately gushed from the two bullet holes in his body, staining his white lab coat red.
It all happened so fast that the surrounding technicians and soldiers failed to react at all within those two seconds.
It wasn't until the dull thud of Doctor Erskine hitting the ground echoed through the laboratory that screams and shouts erupted simultaneously.
After confirming he had hit the target, the Hydra spy did not immediately turn to flee. His gaze, hidden behind gold-rimmed glasses, fell upon the glass test tube next to the console that still contained half a vial of blue Super Soldier Serum.
He broke into a run, pushing aside two panicked nurses, and rushed toward the test tube in an attempt to take away the only remaining sample.
Peggy Carter immediately stopped kissing Arthas when she heard the two strange gunshots from below.
She snapped her eyes open, quickly turned, and leaned against the bulletproof glass to look down. Upon seeing the doctor lying in a pool of blood and the gray figure attempting to seize the test tube, her instincts as a top Agent instantly awakened.
Without the slightest hesitation, she pushed open the side door leading to the first-floor laboratory. While running down the stairs, she reached out and drew a Walther pistol from the holster at her waist.
"Put down that test tube!"
Carter shouted as she reached the edge of the first-floor laboratory platform.
Holding the gun with both hands, she aimed at the spy who had already reached for the test tube and pulled the trigger without hesitation.
The first shot hit the metal casing of an instrument near the spy's feet, sending up a shower of sparks; the second shot grazed the spy's arm and shattered a beaker on the console, scattering glass fragments everywhere.
Faced with Carter's precise and continuous fire, the Hydraspy was forced to withdraw his hand, which had already touched the edge of the test tube.
He glanced at the dark muzzle of Carter's gun, then at Steve Rogers, who had already stepped out of the sealed chamber and was staring wide-eyed at the fallen doctor.
He knew he had lost his chance to seize the remaining serum.
He quickly turned and used the complex instruments in the lab as cover, fleeing frantically toward the emergency exit on the other side.
Arthas followed behind Carter, walking down the stairs at an unhurried pace.
He didn't bother with the fleeing spy, because everything was under the control of his previous mental commands.
He walked straight through the chaotic crowd to DoctorErskine, who was lying in a pool of blood with breathing that had become extremely rapid and weak.
"Everyone, move aside. I know a bit of medicine; I'll perform first aid on him."
Arthas waved off the other personnel who were trying to help but didn't know what to do, issuing instructions in an extremely calm and authoritative tone.
He knelt on one knee beside the doctor, unbuttoned his suit jacket, and then placed both hands over the wound on the doctor's left chest that was constantly gushing blood.
At the same time, Steve Rogers finally snapped out of his shock.
He looked at the dying Doctor Erskine on the ground—the mentor who was the only one in this world to believe in him and give him a second life. An uncontrollable wave of grief and rage burned in his chest.
Steve let out a low roar and kicked off the ground with all his might.
His newly reborn body, filled with the power of the Super Soldier Serum, leaped across a distance of four or five meters in a single bound. Like a cannonball fired from its barrel, he chased after the passage where the fleeing Hydra spy had disappeared.
Carter had originally intended to follow Steve's lead and pursue the spy, but after hearing Arthas say he could perform first aid, she came to a sudden halt.
In her subconscious, while catching a fleeing killer was important, saving the life of this Genius scientist was the most urgent matter.
She holstered her pistol, squatted down beside Arthas, and asked anxiously as she looked at his blood-stained hands.
"Arthas, how is he? Can he hold on until the the militarymedical team arrives?"
"The situation is dire, Carter. The bullet damaged his aorta and may have injured his lung lobes."
Arthas replied without looking up.
In reality, the moment his hands covered the wound, he had already secretly mobilized a trace of Divine Powerwithin his body, injecting it into the doctor's bloodstream.
This Divine Power not only quickly stopped the internal bleeding but also protected the doctor's truly vital organs. He even used magic to protect the doctor's brain nerves, putting him into a state of deep sleep similar to hibernation.
This was also why the doctor's breathing and heartbeat were now rapidly diminishing.
Arthas performed several seemingly professional chest compressions. His fingers, soaked in blood, looked quite startling.
"He's lost too much blood, and the equipment here isn't sufficient for an open-chest surgery."
While speaking medical terminology, Arthas silently calculated the time the doctor had been in a state of suspended animation, secretly admiring his own talent for acting.
During the several minutes of fake first aid, Arthasappeared extremely focused and diligent. He even intentionally squeezed out a few drops of sweat on his forehead. Carter, watching from the side, felt full of gratitude for Arthas's act of stepping forward in a moment of crisis.
After about five minutes, Doctor Erskine, lying on the ground, stopped breathing. His weak heartbeat also completely ceased under the suppression of Arthas's Divine Power, and his body began to show medically defined signs of death.
Arthas slowly removed his hands from the doctor's chest. Looking at the semi-dried blood on his hands, he let out a deep sigh.
Arthas stood up, pulled a white silk handkerchief from his pocket, and wiped the blood from his hands.
He turned his head and, looking at the expectant and anxious Carter and the surrounding the military personnel who were holding their breath for the result, announced in an extremely sorrowful tone.
"That shot just now hit the edge of the heart."
"I'm sorry, I did my best."
"He's gone."
Chapter 189: The Genius Scientist's Fake Death Mystery
Upon hearing this news, Carter's body swayed slightly.
She reached out to cover her mouth as tears welled up in her eyes, sliding down her cheeks and dripping onto her dark green the military uniform.
The laboratory fell into a deathly silence once more, a heavy sense of grief and frustration shrouding everyone's hearts.
The Genius scientist who had just created a miracle in human history had fallen to an assassin's gun at his most brilliant moment.
"Arrange for someone to collect his body."
"Find a few reliable people to take the doctor's remains to the base's frozen morgue. This matter must be kept strictly confidential."
Arthas turned to speak to Colonel Phillips, who had just arrived on the first floor with a grim expression.
His tone maintained that aristocratic calm; in such extreme chaos, his composure even gave off the illusion that he was the highest Commander here.
Colonel Phillips glanced at the doctor's remains on the ground and nodded, gritting his teeth.
He immediately turned around and issued orders to two fully armed Military Police Sirs standing in the distance.
The two Military Police Sirs hurried over, pushed a gurney with wheels from the side, and carefully lifted DoctorErskine's blood-stained "corpse" onto it. They then covered it with a white cloth and pushed the gurney toward the laboratory's side door.
While everyone's attention was focused on seeing the doctor's remains off, Arthas re-established a mental link with Emma in his mind.
He spoke in an authoritative tone that only Emma could hear.
"The plan is going smoothly; the doctor is currently in a state of deep suspended animation."
"The soldiers carrying the body will take the doctor to the cold storage."
"Immediately arrange for our informants inside the base, or use your Telepathy, to intercept that 'corpse' midway."
"As you command, Your Highness."
Emma's voice quickly rang out in Arthas's mind.
She was still standing in the observation room on the second floor, but after receiving the command, she had already turned to walk toward the passage leading to the base's perimeter.
"I will arrange for a refrigerated truck disguised as a medical waste transporter to meet them at the base's back gate."
"In half an hour at most, this corpse will be lying in our private medical room beneath Dawn Manor."
"Do it cleanly; do not leave any traceable clues."
"This old man is our property now."
"Remember, the doctor's suspended animation can only be maintained for two hours. After two hours, his heart will start beating again. All transfer and placement work must be completed before then, and the nutrient solution and equipment he needs upon waking must be prepared."
Arthas gave the final detailed instructions through the mental channel before cutting the link.
Ten minutes later, the alarms inside the base were still blaring shrilly, and large groups of soldiers were shuttling back and forth through the corridors searching.
A series of heavy, hurried footsteps came from the passage door of the laboratory that had been burst open.
Steve Rogers walked back from the passage with large strides, barefoot and with his upper body still bare.
His originally powerful physique appeared somewhat tense now; his breathing was rapid, and his chest was heaving violently.
His face was covered in dust and sweat, and his eyes carried a sense of exhaustion and bewilderment after experiencing slaughter and a life-and-death pursuit.
Steve walked to the center of the laboratory and saw that where Doctor Erskine had originally been lying, there was now only a large, shocking pool of blood.
He turned his head, his gaze scanning the laboratory before finally landing on Arthas, who was standing at the edge of the blood pool still holding that blood-stained handkerchief.
"Mr. Arthas..."
Steve walked up to Arthas, his voice becoming somewhat raspy due to extreme emotional fluctuations.
"The man who fired the shot—I caught up to him."
"When he saw there was no hope of escape, he bit down on a poison capsule hidden in his teeth and died on the spot."
"Before he died, he shouted something about 'Hydra'."
"I didn't find anything useful on him."
Steve paused and lowered his head, looking at the pool of blood on the ground that belonged to his mentor. His voice trembled as he asked the question he was most afraid to hear the answer to.
"The doctor... how is the doctor's condition?"
Arthas looked at the young warrior before him who had just lost his spiritual mentor, his face showing a perfectly measured expression of grief and regret.
He folded the blood-stained handkerchief and stuffed it into his trouser pocket, stepped forward, extended his clean right hand, and heavily patted Steve's broad shoulder.
"This is very unfortunate news, Steve."
Arthas's voice was low, echoing in the empty laboratory.
"I tried every first-aid method I could think of, but that shot shattered his heart directly."
"The doctor... he has left us forever."
Hearing these words, Steve's tall and robust body jerked violently.
Steve closed his eyes as tears flowed from the Super Soldier's eyes. He lowered his head, sinking into deep sorrow.
At this moment, he was not the superhero about to sweep across the battlefield, but an orphan who had lost a father figure.
Arthas looked at the grieving Steve and said nothing more.
He knew this was a step Steve had to go through on his path to growth; grief would transform into strength.
At this time, Colonel Phillips also walked to Steve's side.
He looked at this soldier he had once been least optimistic about; now his physique had completely surpassed any human limit. The Colonel's gaze was very complex.
He reached out and patted Steve's other shoulder.
"We just lost a great scientist, Rogers."
"But we also gained you."
Colonel Phillips's voice was still cold and hard, but at such a moment, it revealed a soldierly steadfastness.
"That spy came from Hydra, the Nazis' most dangerous scientific division."
"They assassinated the doctor because they were afraid of us mass-producing this power."
"They don't need to be afraid now, because the formula disappeared along with the doctor."
The Colonel sighed and looked into Steve's eyes.
"Now, you are the only Super Soldier in our hands."
"You need to pull yourself together, for the doctor and for this country, and prepare to face the coming battles."
Steve looked up and wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes with the back of his hand.
In those blue eyes that had been somewhat hollow from grief, that stubborn flame he showed during the physical tests reignited, burning even more fiercely and aggressively than before.
"I will, Sir."
Steve's voice became exceptionally firm.
"No matter what Hydra is, I will destroy them completely, for Doctor Erskine."
Arthas watched all this silently from the side.
As Steve made his vow, he knew this play's script for the the military had concluded perfectly.
Steve had a goal for battle, the the military gave up the fantasy of mass-producing Super Soldiers, and all hatred was directed toward the Red Skull in Europe.
And the biggest winner was currently standing at the center of all this chaos, not only holding the intelligence regarding the Tesseract but also secretly acquiring the world's top scientist in human potential development.
Arthas straightened his collar and turned to glance at Peggy Carter, who was still busy in the distance arranging the scene investigation.
"Peggy, let the Colonel and the security department handle things here," Arthas said softly as he walked to Carter's side.
"Too much has happened these past few days; you need to rest too."
"I'll head back first. If you need my help with the investigation, contact me anytime."
Carter stopped her work and looked at Arthas, her eyes still carrying the exhaustion of having just experienced a life-and-death situation.
She nodded, her voice a bit raspy.
"Thank you, Arthas."
"If you hadn't been here today to perform those first-aid attempts, the situation might have been even worse."
"You go back first. I'll come find you after I've handled the aftermath here."
Chapter 190: Awakening
Arthas gave her a reassuring smile, then turned and walked toward the laboratory's main door.
The moment he left the base gates, he glanced at his watch.
There was still one hour and twenty minutes left until the end of the fake death period he had set for Doctor Erskine.
A black sedan was parked outside the base gates, where the driver had already been waiting for a long time. Arthas pulled open the car door and sat in the back row. The car started, slowly driving away from the the military basewhere miracles and tragedies had just been born, heading toward Dawn Manor in Long Island, New York.
On the way back to the manor, Arthas opened the mental link with Emma once again.
"Emma, report on the reception status."
"Everything is going smoothly, Your Highness."
Emma's voice carried a hint of excitement, as if seeking credit.
"I used Telepathy to control those two the military police officers carrying the body, making them push the gurney to the designated side door."
"The disguised refrigerated truck has already picked up the target."
"The vehicle is currently on its way back to the manor, and it hasn't raised anyone's suspicions."
"Very good."
Arthas watched the street scenery receding outside the car window.
"Are the medical equipment and personnel in the manor's basement ready?"
"When the doctor wakes up, he might have a period of stress reaction. Don't let him hurt himself, and don't let him shout and cause trouble."
"Don't worry, Your Highness."
"I've arranged several absolutely loyal subordinates in the medical room and injected him with a mild sedative."
"When he wakes up, he will find himself lying in a medical environment ten times more advanced than the the military's."
"As for how to explain all this to him next, that's up to you."
"Explain? No complex explanation is needed."
Arthas leaned back against the leather seat.
"He is a smart man."
"When he discovers his heart is still beating while the U.S. government has already declared him dead, he will understand his current situation."
"If he wants to continue his scientific research, he can only rely on the resources I provide."
"This is much safer than letting him risk his life for those politicians."
The car soon drove into the grand wrought-iron gates of Dawn Manor, passed through the driveway lined with London planes, and finally stopped before the steps of the manor's main building.
After Arthas got out of the car, he went straight through the first-floor lobby and entered the hidden elevator leading to the manor's underground facility.
The elevator doors opened, revealing an underground basewith a high-tech feel and a primary color scheme of pure white.
This was a private territory Arthas had established in a short period using the funds and resources of the Hellfire Club.
Emma was already standing there waiting for him.
"The target has been placed in Observation Room No. 2, Your Highness."
Emma followed beside Arthas, reporting as they walked.
"I've already had the medical staff perform suturing on his gunshot wounds."
"Your methods are truly miraculous. When the wound caused by the bullet was cut open, it was found that it hadn't damaged any major blood vessels, completely avoiding vital points."
Arthas nodded, not bothering to explain the mysteries of Divine Power.
He walked to the glass window of Observation Room No. 2, looking at Doctor Erskine lying on a white hospital bed inside.
The doctor was connected to an ECG monitor; the heart rate curve on the screen was slowly and extremely regularly beginning to show undulating peaks from a flat straight line.
The green wave line on the ECG monitor screen, which originally had only faint fluctuations, began to gradually become intense and compact, representing that the circulatory System within this body was returning to a normal working state.
Doctor Erskine, lying on the white bed, suddenly snapped his eyes open. His pupils showed a clear contraction reaction upon contact with the two rows of bright shadowless lights on the ceiling of the room. He subconsciously raised his right hand, which was connected to an IV tube, to block the light.
The moment he raised his hand, he felt a dull, tugging pain coming from the area below his left shoulder—a pain that was clearly perceptible despite being suppressed by anesthetics.
This sensation of pain caused him to instantly recall the man in the gray suit, that black handgun with a silencer, and the desperate impact of the bullet piercing through his flesh.
Doctor Erskine gasped for air, attempting to turn his neck to observe his surroundings.
He discovered that this was not the familiar underground the military laboratory in Brooklyn, nor were there any researchers in white coats or fully armed U.S. soldiers.
There were only several white walls, a stainless steel medical gurney, and various high-tech medical devices.
Shouldn't I be dead?
I clearly saw the bullet pierce through my chest with my own eyes; that sensation of life slipping away due to blood loss would absolutely not lie to me.
Exactly what kind of place is this?
Is it a secret German prison, or did the U.S. the militarytransfer me to some top-secret facility?
These thoughts flashed quickly through the doctor's mind as he tried to sit up from the bed.
But having just undergone that deep state of fake death, the muscles in his limbs were still on the verge of uncontrollable weakness. He could only fall back powerlessly onto the white pillow, his chest heaving violently from tension.
The glass door of the ward, equipped with an electronic code lock, made a soft 'beep' sound. Immediately after, the metal door frame slid open to both sides, and a young man wearing a dark gray British three-piece suit walked in with steady steps.
Doctor Erskine struggled to focus his gaze on the visitor's face. He recognized this man with deep features and a unique temperament; this was the nobleman who had provided massive financial support for the Super Soldier Project over the past period, Your Excellency Arthas.
Arthas did not speak immediately. He walked to the visitor's chair beside the bed and sat down, crossing his hands over his knees, watching the old scientist on the bed—whose face was full of terror and confusion—with an emotionless gaze.
"Mr. Arthas... what exactly is going on?"
Doctor Erskine's voice was exceptionally hoarse and dry due to not having had water for a long time. He struggled to raise a finger, pointing at the spot on his chest wrapped in thick white gauze.
"I remember I was shot. That assassin was one of Hydra's people."
"I should be a dead man, yet now I am not only alive but also lying in this place I know nothing about."
"Why are you here?"
"Did Colonel Phillips send you?"
Arthas looked at Doctor Erskine's facial muscles, which were trembling slightly from fear. He shook his head slightly, a calm, inscrutable smile playing at the corners of his mouth.
"I regret to inform you, Doctor, that in the perception of the vast majority of people in this world..."
"Especially for that U.S. the military that just witnessed a miracle, you are indeed a corpse whose vital signs completely stopped after failed resuscitation."
"That small fellow named Steve Rogers has successfully been injected with your Serum. He is now the only living Super Soldier in the United States."
"As for you, the Genius scientist Abraham Erskine, you have died gloriously in the line of duty under a Hydraassassination. Your remains should be on their way to Washington or some cold storage designated by the the military brass, preparing for burial."
Hearing Arthas's words, Doctor Erskine's eyes widened. He looked at Arthas in disbelief, his brain unable to process this contradictory information in such a short time.
I'm dead? The the military announced my death?
Then what is this body of mine that can still feel pain and still breathe?
Could it be that those Germans manufactured my fake death to obtain the formula and then smuggled me here?
But how could Duke Arthas be involved in this?
Isn't he representing the British investors?
The doctor's Adam's apple rolled up and down with difficulty. He tried to find a trace of a joke on Arthas's calm face, but all he saw was an absolute confidence of someone in total control.
"It was you... you manufactured my fake death, didn't you?"
As a top-tier scientist, although Doctor Erskine didn't understand the methods involved, he possessed rigorous logical analysis skills. He locked his gaze onto Arthas.
"Those two shots may have hit me, but they didn't take my life immediately."
"It was you at that chaotic scene who performed some kind of medical intervention I cannot understand, making everyone mistakenly believe I was dead."
"Then you transferred my body to this place."
"What exactly do you want? Is it for the Serum formula?