Finally, I have uploaded 20 advanced chapters on my Patreon for the readers. Go check them out and read them, and please don't forget to give this story a Powerstone and show your support.
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Here's my Patreon: "patreon.com/Hussain678" — 20 advanced chapters have been uploaded there.
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The next morning, Steve woke up after a restless night. He had spent hours replaying memories from decades ago, yet to him, they felt as if they had happened only yesterday. He thought of Bucky, of Howard, of Carter.
In the end, sleep refused to come. Steve got up early, changed into light workout clothes, and went out for a run. Right now, he needed exercise—lots of it—to distract himself.
Not long into his run, Steve spotted a familiar figure ahead of him—Sam Wilson, a former U.S. Air Force pararescue soldier. Since they often ran into each other during morning workouts, Sam was one of the few people Steve could call an acquaintance within S.H.I.E.L.D.
"On your left."
As usual, Steve swiftly passed Wilson on the left, reminding him out of habit.
"Oh, damn it—don't say that."
Hearing those words, Wilson instantly knew who had just run past him.
In both the United States and China, traffic keeps to the right, making the left lane the fast lane. So "on your left" was essentially a polite way of saying: You're too slow—move over.
To be fair, as a former Air Force pararescue member, Sam's physical condition was excellent. There was only one person ruthless enough to say that to him repeatedly—Steve Rogers.
Steve ignored Wilson's complaint and continued running ahead.
"Ha… ha…"
Watching Steve disappear into the distance, Wilson adjusted his slightly uneven breathing and kept jogging. But before long, he heard rapid footsteps approaching from behind again.
Unwilling to endure more of Steve's teasing, Wilson sped up, determined not to be passed again. After all, Steve did this several times every morning, and it was honestly exhausting.
But unlike Steve—whose body had been pushed to the limits of human potential by the Super Soldier Serum—Wilson was still just an ordinary man. No matter how hard he tried, after a few strides, Steve overtook him once more.
"On your left."
As he passed, Steve added, "Look to your left."
"Come on—can't you say something else for once?"
Realizing he couldn't keep up no matter what, Wilson gradually slowed down. He knew his limits; a full sprint wouldn't last long. Experience had taught him that once Steve passed him, catching up was nearly impossible.
Half an hour later, Wilson ended his run and sat down on the grass nearby. Ever since he'd met Steve, his morning jogs had become more tiring than usual. Being overtaken again and again was surprisingly demoralizing.
No sooner had he sat down than Steve's voice came from behind him.
"Do I need to call a doctor for you?"
Leaning against a large tree, Wilson turned around and saw Steve approaching with two bottles of water. Clearly, Steve had already finished running—and still had time to buy drinks.
"What's up with you today?" Wilson asked, taking the water. "Running that fast?"
He was curious. Steve usually passed him a few times, but nine times in one morning was a first. Something was clearly off with Steve.
"It's nothing," Steve said. "I'm just… a little confused right now."
After a brief silence, Steve suddenly asked, "Tell me—if someone let you go after seventy years… how would you feel when you saw them again?"
"Let go of a seventy-year-old pigeon?" Wilson froze. How is that pigeon even still alive? Wouldn't that person be dead by now?
Then it clicked—Steve was talking about himself.
Choosing his words carefully, Wilson replied, "If someone really left me behind for that long, I think I'd worry about them. And if possible, I'd want to know how they've been doing."
"Worried…" Steve repeated softly.
It was something he already knew—yet couldn't bring himself to face.
Long ago, through S.H.I.E.L.D.'s internal systems, Steve had learned about Peggy Carter's whereabouts and condition. Officially, he wasn't authorized to know—but someone had made sure he did. As one of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s founders, Peggy's information should never have been accessible to someone with Steve's clearance.
After learning the truth, Steve hesitated. He was afraid to face his first love, terrified that regret would completely overwhelm him.
But yesterday, after watching Clark and Tony return home, he couldn't stop thinking about the date he might regret missing for the rest of his life.
Hearing Wilson's words, Steve finally made his decision.
He would go see Peggy—and put his past to rest.
With that choice made, a smile finally appeared on Steve's face. He patted Wilson on the shoulder.
"Thanks. I think I know what I need to do now."
"...And that is the complete process of how the Dark Elves disappeared yesterday."
Inside a secret underground facility, Garrett shared all available information regarding the Dark Elf invasion and their sudden retreat during a confidential video conference with HYDRA's senior leadership.
"…I recommend abandoning the plan to use the Mind Stone scepter to control Superman. The success rate is far too low—it's not worth the risk."
After reviewing Garrett's report, one of HYDRA's executives, Baron Wolfgang von Strucker, voiced his opinion.
In truth, Strucker had opposed the idea from the very beginning. The gap between HYDRA and Superman was simply too vast. Even approaching him with the scepter would be dangerous—Superman would likely detect them long before they got close.
After acquiring the Mind Stone, Strucker discovered that its abilities went far beyond mind control. The energy detected within it was immense, rivaling even that of the Tesseract.
If the Red Skull could use the Tesseract during World War II to create devastating weapons, then Strucker believed he could do the same with the Mind Stone—producing arms no less powerful.
For that reason, he strongly opposed wasting such a miraculous artifact on an impractical attempt to control Superman.