Bucky lay in a coma. Big Head worked tirelessly, using his Psychic Power to unravel the lingering effects of brainwashing. Occasionally, Bucky's face twisted in pain—an instinctive reaction to the process. Steve watched, his heart heavy with concern. Sensing his distress, Hong Fei guided him outside the Sky Base. They stood together on the bridge, the icy wind of high altitude biting at their faces.
Before them stretched an endless sea of clouds, the edge of the bridge a sheer drop into nothingness.
"I've joined HYDRA," Hong Fei announced abruptly. Steve's eyes widened, then lit up with hope.
"You managed to infiltrate them?" he asked eagerly.
"Not exactly," Hong Fei replied with a playful smile.
"They came to me. Invited me in. Maybe they thought my past actions didn't exactly scream 'superhero,' so they figured I had potential," he added casually. Steve's excitement bubbled over.
"That just proves your previous behavioral disguise worked perfectly! Otherwise, how could you have drawn HYDRA out so easily?"
Hong Fei suppressed a chuckle. In truth, he'd just wanted to be a thug back then. A beautiful misunderstanding indeed.
"Do you know how many people are in HYDRA?" Hong Fei asked. Steve shook his head, his gaze fixed intently on him.
"Plenty," Hong Fei continued. "Spread across the globe. And now, I'm one of their leaders. They've sent me resources and manpower, essentially setting up a separate branch for me."
"And then?" Steve pressed.
"There are many leaders in HYDRA," Hong Fei said, his tone measured. "And you won't believe this, but our suspicions about S.H.I.E.L.D. were right."
Steve's eyes gleamed.
"Wait, let me guess. Nick Fury?"
Hong Fei admired Steve's ability to see beneath the surface, but he couldn't confirm it outright. He shook his head.
"Suspicion isn't inherently wrong, but I don't have definitive evidence yet to prove he's HYDRA."
He dangled the truth just out of reach, weaving ambiguity into his words. When the time was right, a sudden revelation would cement Steve's understanding. It was like fishing—knowing when to reel in and when to let the line slack.
Steve frowned deeply.
"Then it's Hill? No, she doesn't seem like HYDRA. Coulson? Sitwell? Rumlow? I haven't found evidence on them."
Hong Fei smiled faintly.
"You got the last two right."
"What?!" Steve exclaimed, his jaw tightening.
"I suspected them, but they both managed to throw me off!"
After a pause, Steve's voice surged with determination.
"Let's go catch them now!"
Hong Fei raised a hand, calming him with a smile.
"No rush. Do you really think HYDRA only has those two? In all of S.H.I.E.L.D., can't you think of anyone else? Guess boldly—this isn't a courtroom. You don't need evidence."
Steve furrowed his brow, deep in thought. Finally, he spoke hesitantly.
"The person currently holding the real power as S.H.I.E.L.D. Director... Alexander Pierce?"
He stared at Hong Fei, waiting for confirmation. Hong Fei turned to face him, a warm smile spreading across his face.
"You guessed right."
Steve inhaled sharply, his entire demeanor shifting. It was the kind of change that comes when one's worldview is shattered. The former Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., the previous consultant, the current holder of real power—was HYDRA? Steve found it hard to believe, yet he trusted Hong Fei's judgment implicitly.
Hong Fei didn't give him much time to react, adding: "They are preparing to do something big. If left unchecked, they will pose an incalculable threat to the entire world."
"We can't, we won't, and we must not ignore it," Steve said firmly.
"Yes, you're right," Hong Fei agreed. "But I don't plan to participate in this matter."
"Hmm?" Steve frowned.
"First, The Foundation has just been established. We need a high-profile achievement to establish initial trust with the world and government agencies."
Steve considered this before responding, "That makes sense. The Avengers don't need to keep operating."
Without alternatives, Steve might have clung to even a compromised S.H.I.E.L.D. as a platform to maintain their superhero team's cohesion. But now, they clearly had a better option. The Superpower Foundation's independence and advancement dwarfed what the Avengers could offer. In every aspect—scale, organization, founding principles, and long-term vision—it surpassed Nick Fury's hastily assembled group. Let's be honest: the so-called "Avengers Initiative" was just a loose, underwhelming collective. Beyond its members, there was nothing remarkable about it—at least not at this stage.
"And the second reason?" Steve prompted.
"Second, we need to fight HYDRA methodically. Their global network operates mostly in shadows. If we spook them now, we'll end up empty-handed while they regroup. Better to surround the entire nest and burn the snakes with their grass when the time's right."
Steve's eyebrow twitched.
"What exactly are you proposing?"
"It's simple. HYDRA has many branches. This time, we only target Hydra-S.H.I.E.L.D."
"Hydra-S.H.I.E.L.D..." Steve nodded slowly. "That tracks."
"Frankly, S.H.I.E.L.D. has outlived its usefulness. But some parties still want the facade—the World Security Council needs a figurehead. Since the Foundation won't play that role, S.H.I.E.L.D. stays. Meanwhile, we'll poach their best talent to accelerate our growth."
"I agree, but we must be cautious. No openings for HYDRA."
Hong Fei smirked.
"Big Head will vet every recruit personally."
Steve nodded.
"When the truth comes out, public trust in S.H.I.E.L.D. will collapse completely."
"And that's our opportunity. Third point?"
"Third, we continue undercover operations to dismantle them piece by piece."
Steve frowned.
"If we wipe out Hydra-S.H.I.E.L.D., won't the rest of HYDRA suspect us?"
"They will. That's why I won't be involved. The Foundation will act on intel you 'leaked'—forced into a corner."
"And after?"
"After?" Hong Fei's lips curved. "I defeat you and take control of your mind. Captain America becomes Captain HYDRA."
"What?!" Steve recoiled.
"Relax." Hong Fei chuckled before growing serious.
"Steve, to truly destroy darkness, sometimes you must walk into it."
"This..." Steve fell silent, staring at his hands. Hong Fei gave him time, turning to watch the cloud sea churn below—shifting, unpredictable.
Finally, Steve exhaled.
"Okay."
Hong Fei turned back.
"You're right. HYDRA's strength lies in shadows. Fighting them openly is inefficient. Infiltration is smarter, and I'm the obvious candidate. But how do we sell my defection?"
"They'll want to brainwash you."
"Like Bucky?" Steve's jaw tightened.
"Exactly. But don't worry—you can let them succeed because Big Head will wake you up, though the process might be very painful."
"I'm not afraid of pain. I also want to know exactly what they did to Bucky," Steve said, his eyes full of murderous intent.
"Mhm, but once is enough. After that, Big Head will provide a disguise for you, and then you will be active between HYDRA and the Superpower Foundation as Captain HYDRA. During this time, I'll have Big Head cooperate with you on all missions. Whether it's assassinations or other tasks, you don't have to refuse. We'll make it look real until we finally close the net."
"Good!"
This was an arrangement aimed at a long-term war of attrition. Hong Fei guaranteed that this time he really wanted to wipe HYDRA clean from start to finish. But even if his strength was extraordinary and his subordinates were full of talent, facing an organization like HYDRA, it wasn't something that could be completely eradicated by relying solely on the overbearing measure of 'one force to drop ten associations'. Even though both he and Big Head had Psychic Power, it would be difficult to find them all. In short, they were hidden too deeply and were too numerous, with entrenched roots infiltrating every corner of the World. The complexity was far beyond imagination. If they could be perfectly eliminated, it would certainly be a great thing. But if Hong Fei devoted himself entirely to it, the gains might fall far short of the effort. Because even if he did it himself, it would take time, and that time was enough for him to do many other things. Furthermore, he didn't know if he could complete this matter before leaving Earth. So it was best to hand it over. If he did everything personally, what would be the point of having a team? To achieve the best of both Worlds without delaying either, he would simply leave it to his subordinates. HYDRA would be very happy to have a Captain HYDRA. Gaining their trust wouldn't be hard, as outsiders had no idea that he and Big Head possessed Psychic Power. With Steve on the inside and Big Head on the outside, working together from within and without, and with Master Hong steering them in the right direction, what reason was there not to succeed?
"By the way, since we've made the decision, let's rehearse first. Come, learn a phrase from me."
"What?" Hong Fei leaned in and whispered into Steve's ear. Steve instantly jerked his head back, his eyes wide with shock.
"Tsk, don't be so surprised. You'll have to say it eventually anyway. You might as well learn it well now so the disguise will be more natural when the time comes."
Steve looked conflicted: "This..."
Hong Fei put an arm around his shoulder: "It's fine, everyone has a first time. It might be a bit uncomfortable, but this is a necessary path in life. As long as you bravely accept it, you'll find it's actually quite comf—cough, anyway, just be brave enough to try."
"Alright then."
Steve hesitated for a long while. Finally, under the constant reinforcement of Master Hong's encouraging gaze, he took a deep breath and whispered: "Hail HYDRA!"
Master Hong: Ah I'm done