On the training field, a line of soldiers stood scattered and unfocused.
Among them were Chen Mo and Steve.
"New recruits, attention!"
A clear, commanding female voice rang out. A striking woman in uniform strode forward — confident, composed, and dangerously beautiful. Her auburn hair curled softly beneath her cap, crimson lips standing out against her pale skin, and her figure carried both elegance and wild allure.
"Gentlemen, I'm Agent Carter," she said firmly as the soldiers snapped to attention. "I oversee all operations of this division."
Chen Mo studied her quietly. By his standards, she wasn't exactly breathtaking — but she was undeniably magnetic. Glancing at Steve, Chen Mo noticed the young man trying (and failing) not to steal quick looks at her. A faint smile tugged at his lips.
Relax, kid. With your master around, you'll get the girl eventually.
Maybe it was Carter's charm that got to him, but one of the soldiers suddenly whistled and made a crude comment.
A heartbeat later, he was flat on the ground, courtesy of one clean punch from Agent Carter.
"Agent Carter!"
A voice called from behind as a jeep pulled up.
A gruff, leather-jacketed officer stepped out beside Dr. Abraham Erskine.
"Colonel Phillips!" Carter snapped to attention and saluted.
The colonel eyed the groaning soldier on the ground and smirked.
"Seems you're getting along with our new recruits. Good start."
Then his tone hardened.
"Now get your sorry butt off the ground and back in line — and stay there until someone tells you to stop!"
Nose bleeding, the soldier scrambled upright. "Y-yes, sir!"
Phillips turned to address the group.
"General Patton once said, wars may be fought with weapons, but they are won by men."
He paused for effect. "We'll win this war — because we have the best men…"
His gaze drifted down the line — and landed squarely on the short, skinny frame of Steve Rogers.
"…or at least, we will," he finished dryly, lowering his voice.
He shot Erskine a look. The doctor pretended not to notice, eyes fixed ahead.
Phillips sighed and continued, "They'll get better. Much better."
"The Strategic Scientific Reserve (SSR) brings together the finest minds and soldiers from the Allied nations," he declared. "Our goal is to create the greatest army in history — and every army needs a vanguard.
By the end of this week, we'll choose that man — the first of a new generation of Super Soldiers."
The Super-Soldier Project aimed to mass-produce enhanced humans and form an elite corps. Now that the serum was complete, one candidate from this group would be chosen for the first trial.
Chen Mo's body had long surpassed normal human limits. The serum, he believed, would push him beyond — into uncharted strength.
Even holding back, Chen Mo's performance during training was exceptional. In every drill — endurance runs, obstacle climbs, sprints, ten-kilometer cross-country races — he dominated effortlessly. What left others gasping was, to him, mere warm-up.
Colonel Phillips was impressed. In all his years, he had never seen a soldier like Chen Mo.
Steve, however, was the surprise of the camp.
Everyone assumed the scrawny recruit wouldn't last a day, but he proved them wrong. His results weren't dazzling like Chen Mo's — average at best — yet he finished every task without giving up. His perseverance drew even Agent Carter's quiet admiration.
In truth, Steve's physical condition was still below that of the others. But under Chen Mo's guidance — and through sheer willpower — he managed to hold his own.
Every session left him exhausted, drenched, and trembling, but he never once quit.
During breaks, Chen Mo continued to train him in hand-to-hand combat. Only then did the other recruits realize — the two weren't just teammates; they were master and disciple.
They found it odd that someone as formidable as Chen Mo would take a frail student, but seeing Steve's progress, they began to understand. After all, with a teacher like that, who wouldn't improve?
Dr. Erskine, on the other hand, already knew of their connection. He'd even had Carter investigate them both.
When he learned how much Steve had changed under Chen Mo's tutelage — and how Chen Mo single-handedly crushed a Brooklyn mafia gang — his scientific curiosity ignited.
He often pulled Chen Mo aside for private tests and studies.
Chen Mo no longer hid his strength. Before Erskine, he displayed his full physical capabilities — agility, power, reflexes — all at the very peak of human potential.
As for the source of his ability?
Chen Mo calmly explained that it came from an ancient Chinese internal martial art, a system passed down through generations that required extreme discipline, lifelong training, and exceptional talent.
Only one in a million could reach his level.
Faced with mystical terms like qi energy, meridians, and inner strength, Dr. Erskine spent days researching before finally giving up with a sigh.
Still, Chen Mo's body itself was a marvel — living proof of what the human form could achieve. Erskine began cross-analyzing Chen Mo's physiology with his Super-Soldier Serum theories, making small refinements and improvements.
Until now, all his data had come from theory and animal tests. His only human trial — Johann Schmidt (the Red Skull) — ended in disaster, leaving no chance to study the aftermath.
So, while his serum worked, it was far from perfect.
Chen Mo's appearance reignited his inspiration — a man whose natural limits already matched what the serum promised to create. It was the missing piece in his puzzle.
The scheduled experiment was postponed. Erskine buried himself in his lab again, determined to optimize the serum one final time.
Training for the recruits was extended as well — though Chen Mo now rarely appeared on the field, spending most of his time assisting Dr. Erskine in research.
And for Chen Mo, those days proved to be very rewarding indeed.