Steve's speech was too polished. His words flowed so smoothly that Hong Fei could practically envision him standing on a stage, delivering a rousing pre-battle speech to troops. If he wasn't mistaken, this had to be another skill card at work, right? Stephen's intense, piercing stare made Hong Fei slightly uncomfortable, but he quickly composed himself. Had Steve lied? Absolutely—but not completely.
HYDRA and S.H.I.E.L.D. were fundamentally intertwined in an inseparable dance. Names might be wrong, but nicknames never lied—how could the label "Hydra-S.H.I.E.L.D." be undeserved? Unless they fast-forwarded straight to the Insight Project's exposure, no one would realize that beyond being Fury's superior, Alexander Pierce had always led a HYDRA faction.
Taking down HYDRA was noble work, and Master Hong felt duty-bound to participate. As for collateral damage to S.H.I.E.L.D.? Perfectly justified. Nick Fury had no one to blame but himself for all those shady backroom dealings. The organization had out-HYDRA'd HYDRA itself. When you're fighting evil, what's wrong with landing a few punches? Nothing at all.
Captain America said it best—sometimes you sacrifice the part to save the whole. If Fury's downfall brought greater good, so be it. No objections here. Hong Fei rose abruptly, eyes blazing with conviction. "Good!" he declared. Their hands clasped in agreement, and just like that, history's wheels rolled mercilessly over Fury's face. By morning...
"You're planning to sell me to S.H.I.E.L.D.?" "Exactly. Inventing conflicts or disagreements would be transparent. And if we were truly at odds?" Hong Fei shrugged. "I wouldn't let Captain America walk away so easily. Your strength and symbolic value make you far too valuable to release." Steve nodded slowly. "That tracks. Seems you actually listened last night."
Big Head stared at his shoes, muttering, "I can't believe this. Getting sold and still helping negotiate the price?"
Hong Fei continued, "Because your arguments held merit. Mistakes don't scare us—what terrifies us is either not recognizing errors, or recognizing them but refusing correction."
He spread his hands. "Since we 'clashed,' an explosive fight became inevitable. I leveraged numerical superiority and home turf advantage to force your surrender. When you refused to cooperate, killing you served no purpose—so S.H.I.E.L.D. gets a new recruit. Honestly? Their tech leads the world."
"The quinjets alone—blazing speed, massive cargo capacity, global reach. Acquiring one means even if we're outmatched later, we can retreat safely." "Brilliant plan!" Steve clapped enthusiastically.
Big Head studied the carpet like his life depended on it.
Hong Fei grabbed a burner phone and dialed Coulson. No pleasantries. "I've got merchandise to move. Interested?"
Coulson blinked. The unfamiliar number belonged to... Hong Fei? Human trafficking? With S.H.I.E.L.D.?
"Sir, I don't follow."
"No? Let me simplify—I'm selling Steve Rogers. He pissed me off. You want him, or should I call another buyer—"
"Wait!" Coulson's voice cracked with shock.
"Sir, are you referring to Steve Rogers?"
"Yes."
"You want to sell him to me?"
"Correct."
Coulson drew a deep breath. "What's the price?"
"One quinjet."
"This..."
"Not buying? Then I'm hanging up."
"No, wait! I'll buy. Must buy!"
"Very good. Remember, the fighter must be complete. If one part is missing, I will cut a part off Steve Rogers."
"Understood, sir. Please don't be impulsive. I'll prepare a complete fighter for you, but I need a complete Steve Rogers in return."
"No problem. Notify me once everything's ready, and I'll provide the delivery location."
Hong Fei hung up the phone before Steve could speak. "Well done," Steve said. "You imitated that perfectly." Beside them, Big Head clenched his teeth so hard they nearly cracked.
One quinjet would suffice. While Hong Fei had initially hoped for dozens, it now seemed excessive. Securing just one for Ivan to replicate would be enough. Demanding more risked delays and discontent. The priority was getting Steve undercover.
Steve paused, then added, "Still, something feels off. Why don't you actually rough me up? It would make the torture marks more convincing."
"No, no, I can't do that," Hong Fei replied instantly. Even if he wanted to in his heart, he couldn't jeopardize the mission for a momentary impulse. "Sigh, alright."
An hour later, Hong Fei received Coulson's call. They agreed on a delivery location, and Hong Fei summoned Steve. When Steve arrived, even Hong Fei was stunned. His face was bruised, his mouth torn and bleeding. His tattered clothes were drenched in sweat, and faintly visible beneath them were crisscrossing scars of varying sizes. It looked as if a dozen men had beaten him mercilessly.
"What happened to you?" Hong Fei asked.
Steve smiled. "Don't worry. Superficial wounds, and some are fake."
Hong Fei couldn't help thinking: This man isn't just a hero—he's ruthless.
By the plane, Hong Fei bid Steve farewell, the Seven-Person Group watching from a distance. "After this, we'll be enemies," Hong Fei said reluctantly.
Steve patted Hong Fei's arm and chuckled. "When we meet again, don't look at me like that." Hong Fei pursed his lips, his smile strained.
Steve sighed heavily. "I'm a soldier. My service was brief, and I've disobeyed orders, but I've never forgotten that a soldier's duty is to obey. That's my limitation. You're different. Remember what I said last night. You're someone with ideas and the will to act on them. You're more proactive than I am, so your responsibility is greater."
Hong Fei thought to himself: If you weren't limited by such things, there wouldn't be a Civil War in the future.
"I'll remember. Did you bring your things?"
Steve patted his belt. "Don't worry, I'll always wear it. If there's news, I'll relay it promptly. If there's anything you need me to verify, don't hesitate. Every HYDRA agent we uncover increases our chances of victory. In the future, we'll be closely linked comrades-in-arms."
Hong Fei nodded solemnly. "I understand. Don't worry!"
Steve stepped forward and embraced Hong Fei. They patted each other's backs firmly, their unspoken bond clear.
A moment later, Steve loosened his arms and stepped back. "That's it for here. I'm leaving!"
As he turned to board the plane, Hong Fei called out, "Wait!"
Steve turned back. Hong Fei waved his hand, and Ivan handed over a box. Inside was a brightly colored shield.
Hong Fei handed the shield to Steve personally, watching as the captain lifted it effortlessly with one hand. A satisfied smile spread across Hong Fei's face. "This is the Steve Rogers I remember," he said.
Steve chuckled, examining the familiar weight in his hands. "Haha, I thought this thing was lost in the depths of the ocean. Thank you."
"You're welcome," Hong Fei replied. Steve gave a final nod, then turned and boarded the waiting plane.
To ensure the scene played out convincingly, Deliveryman No. 5 Ed secured Steve from head to toe with iron chains before administering a heavy dose of sedative. Moments later, Steve lay unconscious on the metal floor. The hatch closed, the fighter jet roared to life, and with a burst of acceleration, it vanished into the horizon.
At the base entrance, Alexei's booming voice echoed. "Steve! Captain America! Don't run—I want to challenge you to a one-on-one fight!" Hong Fei turned slowly, his expression shifting. The Seven-Person Group behind him straightened instantly, their smiles fading. Hong Fei's lips twitched into a strained grin. "Another one-on-one? Ha."
He took a step forward, his tone deceptively light. "Since you're so fond of one-on-one fights, I'll gladly keep you company all day." Alexei's bluster died mid-sentence. His beard trembled as he hesitated, then turned to flee.
"Whichever leg you step out with," Hong Fei called after him, "tonight I'll chop it off and feed it to the fish in the lake." True to his word, Hong Fei spent the entire day sparring with Alexei.
Only the news from Steve interrupted their session. Had it not arrived, Hong Fei might have continued indefinitely. Meanwhile, Deliveryman No. 5 Ed returned with the S.H.I.E.L.D. quinjet, which Ivan was now working overtime to analyze. When Hong Fei finally left the training room, Melina rushed in. Moments later, she emerged carrying a battered Alexei, his combat suit barely recognizable.
Steve's message was brief: he had successfully joined S.H.I.E.L.D. and been recruited into their newly formed Avengers team. But his tone was cautious. He warned Hong Fei to tread carefully, suspecting HYDRA's influence behind the Avengers' creation. Fury, meanwhile, was reportedly inconsolable, having fainted in a bathroom.
With Steve's mission complete, Hong Fei felt his energy surge as the plan settled into place. Targeting HYDRA was a worthy cause, but deception—especially on such a scale—left a bitter taste. "This isn't something to emulate," he muttered to himself.
After a long wait, his energy stabilized. While there was growth, it wasn't enough to break through to the next stage. Hong Fei's patience wore thin.
If he waited any longer, Loki would almost open a door and come over himself.