After a harmonious lunch, Hong Fei received a message from Sky Base. He soared into the sky, spotting a massive deep-black plane from miles away. Buried under ice for nearly seventy years, it now basked in daylight for the first time. A crowd circled it on the Base's runway, their murmurs buzzing like disturbed hornets.
Jessica squinted at the aircraft. "This can't be tech from seventy years ago. Can it?"
Big Head shrugged. "Dunno. But that's the facts. Anyone here heard of HYDRA?"
Most shook their heads. Melina crossed her arms. "I have. Powerful organization, Axis-aligned during World War II. Officially served Germany, but really? They had their own agenda."
Frank's brow furrowed. "Germany had tech like this back then?" His tone implied the unspoken question: Then how the hell did the Allies win?
Melina smirked. "Not surprising. HYDRA was always independent. Even if they wore a country's uniform, they played their own game. Otherwise, they wouldn't have survived—let alone thrived—after the war."
Frank nodded slowly. Made sense. Every faction had their own secrets, their own agendas. The Axis had black tech? So did the Allies. Hell, wasn't that the whole point of the Super Soldier program?
Alexei cracked his knuckles. "I know HYDRA. Killed plenty of their scientists myself."
Melina rolled her eyes. "Only after I briefed you. Otherwise, you'd still think they were a U.S. black ops team."
Alexei puffed out his chest. "I knew all along. Just protecting classified intel."
A whoosh of air cut through the chatter as Hong Fei landed. The group snapped to attention. He eyed the warplane, then pinned Big Head with a look. "Find the explosives?"
"Found 'em. Totally ruined, though. That section was underwater—bomb bay wasn't sealed right. Saltwater corrosion, freeze-thaw cycles... Miracle the damn thing didn't blow decades ago."
Steve was still inside. Hong Fei pushed the thought away. Protagonists had plot armor for a reason.
"Fine. No use crying over spilled C4." He jerked his chin at the plane. "Ivan? Get to work. Strip whatever you can. I want our own bird ASAP. Flying in armor's getting old."
Carrying rocket launchers mid-flight? Amateur hour. They needed proper transport—something with cargo space and style. A quinjet too, for those delicate missions: hostage extractions, heists, the occasional world-saving.
"Take five," he ordered. "Might have an op soon. Stay sharp."
As the team dispersed, Hong Fei headed back to Steve's cell. Frank lingered, eyeing the new recruits—Yelena and Antonia. His voice dropped to a growl. "No need to remind you about operational secrecy, right?"
"Understood!"
"Good. Next op's in two weeks max. No leaving Sokovia. Be ready to move on my signal. No excuses, no screwups."
"Yes, sir!"
I estimate the next operation will be within half a month, so you are not allowed to leave Sokovia during this half month. At the same time, be ready for deployment at any time. I don't want to see anyone missing at the last minute or any other accidents occurring.
Chatting is not exactly difficult, as Hong Fei felt that as long as he wasn't facing an enemy, he was quite good at talking most of the time. But a conversation takes two; it requires give-and-take between two people. If only one mouth is moving, one will definitely gradually feel tired.
Although communicating via Psychic Power didn't require wearing out his lips, after talking back and forth for several days, Steve showed absolutely no signs of waking up. If it weren't for the fact that Steve's life aura was recovering and brightening under his Psychic Power, Hong Fei might have thought he was dying.
Therefore, he could only bring over a small stool, eating melon seeds every day while using Psychic Power to constantly repeat his words to Steve. In the skill card slot, the "Deceive Time and Crowd" skill card had already shone many times, which meant that Steve had absolute trust in many of Hong Fei's words.
He really wanted to know what kind of reaction Steve would have when facing his "Affable Smile" after waking up. Five days later, Hong Fei finished today's psychic communication and skill activation. Just as he was preparing to pick up his small stool and leave, while turning around, his peripheral vision suddenly caught Steve's eyelashes moving slightly. He immediately turned back around.
Under his intense gaze, Steve's eyelids trembled with increasing amplitude until they finally opened a small slit. He finally woke up! Soft light gradually entered his eyes, and the first thing Steve saw was a white ceiling. His eyes rolled, and he saw a gentle smiling face.
For some reason, after seeing this face, he felt from the bottom of his heart that this person was incredibly kind and familiar, just like... Bucky. Yes, just like his good brother Bucky. Wait, that doesn't seem right either. Bucky was still more intimate and closer, but the feeling he gave me was also quite good. Sigh, unfortunately, Bucky he... "You're finally awake." Hong Fei said softly.
Hearing his voice, Steve also felt it was incredibly familiar, just as if he had heard it countless times in his mind. He nodded, then looked to both sides before opening his mouth: "I, where am I?" Hong Fei smiled: "My home." "Your home?" Steve propped himself up to sit up. Hong Fei offered a hand, receiving a "thank you" from him.
After sitting up straight, Steve looked at the clothes on his body, which weren't his uniform, and asked again: "Then who are you?" "Me? You can call me by my name, Hong Fei." Hearing this name, Steve's brows furrowed even deeper. He straightened his waist, and his exaggerated pectoral muscles immediately stood out with clear lines beneath his shirt.
No wonder Big Head's face turned red when he was changing his clothes. "I seem to have heard your name?" "Oh?" Hong Fei was stunned for a moment, then chuckled: "I've been talking in your ear all these days. I thought you couldn't hear me. It seems your body still had some sensation while you were unconscious." Steve nodded.
In his mind, many of the words Hong Fei had said previously inexplicably appeared. He immensely recognized and agreed with the meanings contained in these words. Looking at the faint smile on Hong Fei's face again, he suddenly felt even closer to him. He is a person with the same pursuits, ideals, and aspirations as me, but he is more proactive, direct, active, and has more ideas than me.
Steve's face moved, seemingly exercising his muscles which felt a bit stiff. After a moment, he finally managed to piece together a very unnatural smile on his face. "Hong, what is this place?" Hong Fei's smile slightly faded, and his gaze was complex as he said: "Steve, the changes in this World are quite significant. Why don't you go see for yourself?"
Steve nodded, stood up, and stretched his limbs. His physique was indeed extraordinary; before long, he said: "I'm ready!" Hong Fei nodded and led him out of the cabin door. Walking along the circular corridor, he looked curiously at the white walls all around, and also smiled at the Black Widows in black clothing who were passing by.
Arriving in front of a large metal door, Hong Fei turned his head: "Are you ready?" Steve took a deep breath and nodded heavily: "I'm ready!" Hong Fei pressed the switch on the side, and the cabin door slowly opened to both sides. As the scenery outside came into view, Steve's eyes widened instantly, and his pupils constricted.
A straight airplane runway, with warplanes he had never seen parked on both sides. At the end of the runway, there were no mountains or land, but instead, it was empty. The white clouds were not in the sky, but beneath his feet in the distance.
He lowered his head, stepped out of the cabin door, and after walking quickly for a few steps, suddenly swung his arms and sprinted, his speed truly astonishing. Hong Fei walked through the air, following slowly behind him. At the end of the runway, Steve stopped his steps, gazing at the cloud layer hundreds of meters below, silent for a long time.
Hong Fei was not in a hurry either, just standing behind him and waiting silently. In a few cabins not far away, Big Head shook his head and withdrew his gaze: Well, since the boss values him so much, he must be another big shot. Group status -1. Jessica, quite excitedly, grabbed the two arms in her embrace and shook them back and forth: "That's really Captain America!
I've been to his memorial hall, it must be him!" Yelena turned her head and gave her a strange look, then quietly pulled her right hand out from her chest: "So what if it's Captain America?" Antonia's scars hadn't been removed yet, so she was still habitually wearing the Taskmaster gear.
She also wanted to pull her arm out, but Jessica was currently holding her with both hands, and Jessica's strange strength was getting stronger and stronger, so it was really hard for her to suddenly break free with force. Fortunately, with the arm guards covering, she let it be and said: "I've watched videos of him fighting." Yelena turned back: "What do you think?"
"Very good, and he is even stronger when he has his shield!" "Then let's steal his shield!" Jessica: "Why does that sound like something the boss would say?" Ivan looked at Steve, then looked back at the Vibranium shield, sighing faintly: It can't be melted at all!
Abomination also knew about Captain America and those stories from the past, but he didn't think Captain America would be his opponent now, so he just smiled contemptuously and turned back to practice with his mace. Alexei shouted in the room: "Don't hold me back, I want to go duel him!" Melina: "I'm not holding you." "As the Soviet Union's only Super Soldier, I must compete with him!
You must not hold me back!" "Don't worry, I won't." "I will tell you one more time seriously, I really fought Captain America back then. Although no one believes it, I swear on the great Soviet Union that I really fought him." "Heh, did you often swear like that in the past?" "But that time we didn't determine a winner. This time, I must have a satisfying fight with him.
Woman, I absolutely do not allow you to hold me back!" Melina: "No one is holding you back!!"