Chapter 33: A Close Call
May 2, 2023 Author: Yue Shang Xintou
"Judging from the results of the passive radar scan, it is confirmed that the target possesses a certain Invisibility!"
"Connecting to the Federal Security Bureau's information department, confirming the target has not obtained permission..."
"According to the military's database, the target is not on record, confirmed as an illegal flight..."
Accompanied by a series of cold electronic sounds, a blurry flight image scanned by radar appeared on the base's screen.
"Doctor Zola, what's going on?"
Stepping out of the elevator, Helmut Zemo frowned, looking at the busy personnel inside the base, and asked the screen in front of him.
When the alarm went off, he was holding a Hydra board meeting and had to interrupt his schedule for it.
"The satellite barrier detected an Unidentified Flying Object approaching; the target possesses a certain degree of Invisibility..."
On the screen, a virtual face appeared and answered.
"Can you confirm his identity?"
His gaze fell upon a screen at the side of the base. Helmut Zemo looked at the blurry image displayed on the screen.
"Based on comparing the images captured by the aerial early warning reconnaissance device and the satellite barrier early warning radar system, there is no data on the target. It is highly probable that this is an unregistered superhuman..."
Doctor Zola projected the images captured by the reconnaissance device onto the screen, making his analysis with a voice that carried an obvious electronic sound.
"What about The Resistants?"
Interrupting Doctor Zola's analysis, Helmut Zemo pressed him.
"Not very likely."
Doctor Zola on the screen shook his head: "In the previous battle, the Dark Avengers suffered heavy losses, and even the member Swordsman died at the hands of the Thunderbolts. Since then, their movements have been secretive. Even the massive explosion that previously occurred in New York, we couldn't confirm if it was truly related to The Resistants. They shouldn't expose themselves so easily..."
After listening to Doctor Zola's analysis, Helmut Zemo's gaze lingered for a moment on the flying figure in the image.
Just then, a woman dressed as a secretary standing beside him lowered her head to glance at the time and whispered a reminder to Helmut Zemo.
At the secretary's reminder, Helmut Zemo withdrew his gaze and simultaneously said to Doctor Zola on the screen: "Deploy Ultron."
"Are you sure?"
Hearing Helmut Zemo's words, Doctor Zola's virtual face showed a human-like expression of surprise.
"If they discover the barrier, it will ultimately cause some unnecessary trouble. I will explain it clearly to Dr. Pym."
Helmut Zemo didn't say much more about this.
"Understood."
Hearing this, Doctor Zola on the screen gently nodded.
Immediately after, cold mechanical sounds echoed within the Hydra underground base.
"Target locked!"
"Ultron Mark I activating..."
...
Rumble—
Above the sky, drawn by the rumbling of lightning, Colin watched the roaring thunder in the gloomy clouds far away, holding his breath and carefully controlling his body to steer clear of that area.
Clenching his fists and pulling his body upwards again, he evaded the thunder moving within the clouds.
Colin steadied his body, looking down at the scene of lightning and thunder below, deeply shaken.
Just as his mind was reeling.
A huge sonic boom suddenly came from behind him. A figure shimmering with silvery-white metallic luster burst through the clouds, appearing before Colin.
"Ultron Mark I, connecting to radar system, locking on suspicious target!"
Maintaining its flight posture by relying on the massive flames ejected from its limbs and back, Ultron's mechanical eye, flashing red light, swept across the area in front of Colin.
"Data comparison, target confirmed..."
Ultron? Mark I!
Mid-air, looking at the robot that appeared before him, a puzzled expression flashed in Colin's eyes.
"Entering attack mode!"
However, the next second, before he could figure out what was happening, he saw the red light in the robot's eyes flash.
"Could it be?!"
Urged by an inner unease, Colin instinctively clenched his fists, turned his body sideways, and veered off in another direction.
Whoosh! Whoosh, whoosh!
The very next second after Colin flew away, two miniature missiles shot out with sharp sounds from the launch ports on Ultron's arms.
Mid-air, Colin rolled his body to stabilize his flight posture, and his Invisibility was consequently revealed. He turned his head just in time to see the missiles whistling past.
If he had hesitated just now, he definitely wouldn't have been able to evade the attack of these two missiles.
However, before Colin could even catch his breath, the robot—or Ultron—had already launched its next round of attacks.
High above, propelled by massive firepower from its back, Ultron approached him at a super speed far beyond human imagination. Simultaneously, the missile bay in its chest opened, and several miniature missiles shot out with sharp sounds, simultaneously locking onto the target in front of it.
"Damn it!"
With so many missiles aimed at him, Colin's heart tightened.
"Superman possesses the ability to hide his body and remain undiscovered."
Only then did Colin recall the note about the Invisibility power when he unlocked it.
He seemed to have overlooked the technological gap between the Main World and the Anti-World. Even if the Anti-World's technology appeared to be at a modern level on the surface, there was an astonishing amount of hidden 'black tech' beneath it. These technologies were simply controlled by certain interested individuals or organizations, remaining unknown to the public.
Just like the Ultron robot in front of him.
Various thoughts floated through his mind, but his body had already instinctively flown backward.
Whoosh! Whoosh, whoosh! Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!
Launch sounds, more rapid than before, rang out. In Colin's peripheral vision, he could faintly see the missiles closing in on him at a speed beyond imagination.
He couldn't dodge.
Relying on the Flight he had just unlocked, he simply couldn't evade the pursuit of these missiles.
Once hit, the consequences would be unimaginable.
On the Main World's newspapers, Superman's Flight power had just been revealed, merely presented as its initial form, far from reaching the level of breaking the sound barrier or even light speed as in later generations.
Then there was only one way left, just like in the alley back then.
At this critical moment, Colin's mind instead became calm. He gritted his teeth, forcing himself to close his eyes.
Thousands of meters high in the sky, he actually just ignored the deadly threat behind him, flying forward with his eyes closed, disregarding everything.
The howling wind in his ears and the rapid roar of missiles behind him, accompanied by some rumbling thunder, continuously sounded. Colin's consciousness, however, began to continuously sink as his eyes closed.
Finally, wrapped by countless green light, he entered another dimension.
...
"I succeeded!"
Opening his eyes in the Main World, Colin looked at the familiar scene in the room, a feeling of joy surging in his heart.
"No, it's not time to celebrate yet..."
However, he quickly suppressed this trace of joy in his heart. He knew very well that the crisis was not over.
His Anti-World self still faced a fatal threat. Just like his previous experience of being shot, traveling to the Main World wouldn't help Colin escape the dangers of the Anti-World; it would only postpone the danger of him being attacked for a while. When he returned to the Anti-World, the danger would still exist.
But, at least I've gained precious time.
Taking a deep breath, he got up from the bed.
Colin looked at himself in the mirror, the unease and worry in his eyes quickly replaced by determination.
Next was to use this precious time to seize an opportunity—a chance to survive Ultron's attack.
Thinking of this, Colin lowered his head to look at the Black Iron Mark on the back of his hand.
As he gazed, a faint black metallic luster flashed across the surface of the Shield-shaped S Mark on the back of his hand.
(end of chapter)