I Want the Sky Carrier

S.H.I.E.L.D. Triskelion Headquarters, Director’s Office.

"What? It’s gone?"

Hearing Coulson’s report over the phone, Egghead’s face was full of sorrow. He dearly wished he could buy a bottle of hair-growth tonic, grow some hair, then pull it out strand by strand.

The secret research base had been breached;

The only Level 10 classified mysterious item, the "Obelisk," had been stolen;

Nearly a hundred soldiers stationed there had been killed or wounded;

The rapid-response special forces unit had been wiped out;

Aside from Coulson and Melinda, every other field agent was dead;

The Quinjet worth hundreds of millions was basically scrapped;

Most importantly:

The Winter Soldier was gone, and so was the Obelisk!

What the hell was this mess?!

"Sir, Agent Mei believes Immortal Iron Fist killed those Hydra people. He’s pursuing the Winter Soldier, most likely because of that box," Coulson’s voice came through the phone.

Egghead froze.

So it was him!

Strange. What did he want the Obelisk for?

Egghead had read the relevant research reports. Anyone who touched the Obelisk would suffer immense pain, feeling that "this thing is killing me." Then, within an extremely short time, their body would turn even darker than his, as if their life force had been drained away, and they would ultimately die.

Without exception.

In the end, it could only be sealed away.

Could Iron Fist know what the Obelisk was and how to use it?

Could the Obelisk have come from K’un-Lun?

Thinking of this, Egghead hurriedly grabbed the phone and dialed.

A green fist appeared on the screen.

In the dense forest, the Winter Soldier fled with one arm missing.

The mechanical arm holding the box had vanished along with the box itself, yet that damned guy behind him was still chasing him. Wasn’t your target that box? Was it me?

He did not feel fear or panic, but clearly, neither did his opponent.

During this unprecedentedly dangerous mission, his identity had changed again and again—from infiltrator, to killer, to robber, then fugitive, counterattacker, and finally prey.

How thrilling.

Everything was because of the man following behind him:

Immortal Iron Fist!

Without exposing too much, the support the organization could provide was limited. Even Crossbones had been instantly killed. Right now, the only person he could rely on was himself.

"Do you think you can escape?"

Old Wang strolled leisurely behind the Winter Soldier, like a hunter pursuing prey.

He had come from over a hundred kilometers away. Using Soul Split: Transfer, he had appeared behind the Winter Soldier at the first opportunity. His two slightly chubby, fair hands twisted sharply, then yanked hard, forcibly tearing off the sturdy mechanical arm. Together with the box containing the Obelisk, he threw it into the Heart of Azeroth.

However, this trip had two objectives. The Obelisk was only one of them.

"Third time’s the charm. This is our second meeting today, and you still want to run?"

Old Wang had long had his eye on the Winter Soldier. How could he miss his chance today, with that towering, powerfully built man, cold as the Arctic, etched in his mind?

The Winter Soldier was impossible to track. His mechanical arm contained Hydra’s highest technology and blocked all detection methods. If this attempt failed, who knew when they would meet again?

At Roxxon Power Plant last time, on the one hand, he had needed to look after Skye and the others. On the other, he had only just recovered the Heart of Azeroth then, and his strength had not been sufficient. He had barely managed to suppress the Winter Soldier.

But now…

Three months apart, and he was far stronger than before!

Old Wang could easily defeat the Winter Soldier, but Crossbones and the others had been annoying. He had no choice but to deal with them first. The Winter Soldier had actually chosen not to fight and used the chance to flee. Who knew what Crossbones had been thinking?

Hydra was even more cold-blooded than S.H.I.E.L.D. The Winter Soldier had only one mission, and he did not care in the slightest whether the others lived or died.

"I told you, running is pointless."

"Sergeant Bucky Barnes, do you still remember Captain America from Brooklyn?"

"Or does the name Steve Rogers stir something deeper in you, bringing back that passionate bromance buried in your heart for sixty years?"

"Could you really be so heartless that you’ve forgotten even him?"

"Don’t forget that poster!"

The trash talk came one after another. The Winter Soldier did not want to listen, but with only one hand left, he could not cover his ears. He could only resign himself to it.

Every time something went wrong, they brainwashed him again. The name "Steve Rogers" was both distant and familiar. Even repeated brainwashing could not fully erase it, as though it had been carved into his muscles and bones.

What exactly was the relationship between him and me?

The Winter Soldier did not know.

Yet his heart, which had always been quiet, suddenly became restless. His cold thoughts were seared hot by his heart, and some sealed emotions began to sprout anew. The Winter Soldier could no longer remain as indifferent as before.

He had feelings again.

Hearing the Winter Soldier’s no longer steady heartbeat, Old Wang smiled slightly. He knew his verbal offensive had worked.

Just as he was about to strike while the iron was hot and vividly describe the years of bromance between the two of them, his phone suddenly rang.

Glancing over, he saw a dark, shiny Egghead on the lit screen, vibrating nonstop along with the ringtone at a fast, suggestive rhythm.

"Coulson must’ve tattled!"

He had previously met Tony in S.H.I.E.L.D.’s name, then beaten him to the punch by giving Tony the clue to the new element. That was basically stealing the "Tony favorability" that should have belonged to him. Now he had stolen the Obelisk too.

Old Wang felt a little guilty.

Of course, he had done this sort of thing many times. Old Wang was experienced, so he quickly calmed himself and answered, "Make it quick. I’m busy."

Egghead’s slightly weary voice sounded. "Master Wang, where is the Winter Soldier?"

"How would I know?" Old Wang asked in return.

"…I can hear wind. You’re running at high speed. You’re chasing the Winter Soldier?" Egghead suddenly wanted to install high-powered laser emitters in his fake eye. Next time he saw someone named Wang, he would just glare him to death.

"I’m out for a morning run," Old Wang replied casually.

It was before dawn. He was sprinting after the Winter Soldier. Wasn’t that a morning run?

Egghead turned to look at the black sky outside the window, then lowered his head to look at the hour hand on his watch. It was not even three in the morning yet. Kid, you were lying without even drafting a script?

"Stop beating around the bush."

Egghead thought, So it really was you.

Although he did not understand how Little Fatty Wang, who had been in New York just moments ago, had somehow appeared thousands of kilometers away in the blink of an eye, who knew what other methods that guy had hidden?

Maybe the Darkhold had a teleportation spell. Maybe K’un-Lun had aircraft faster than a Quinjet. Maybe Little Fatty Wang had summoned a divine dragon as a mount. Who knew?

"Capture the Winter Soldier alive and retrieve the Obelisk. Name your terms."

Ever since learning who the Winter Soldier was, Egghead had considered the Winter Soldier far more important than the Obelisk.

S.H.I.E.L.D. had no idea what the Obelisk was. Perhaps they could draw out some intelligence from Little Fatty Wang.

As for the Winter Soldier, while he did not know exactly what had happened, he could roughly guess. He had most likely been injected with the Super Soldier Serum, then brainwashed.

S.H.I.E.L.D. was researching methods of altering memories. Counter-brainwashing would not be difficult. As long as it was handled properly, the Winter Soldier would become a second Captain America, and the best possible candidate for the Avengers.

Little Fatty Wang clearly did not want to join. It was still uncertain exactly how Tony had escaped, and that playboy was not very reliable anyway. Black Widow and Hawkeye were not strong enough either. Egghead had never craved a powerful, dependable man as much as he did now.

Like the Winter Soldier.

He silently made up his mind:

Even if Little Fatty Wang wanted a Quinjet, he would give him one!

"I heard you’re building a Sky Carrier?" Old Wang chuckled maliciously.