Landing

Hearing Carter’s words, everyone sprang to their feet, their faces full of delighted surprise.

"After fighting for so long, we’re finally going on the offensive!" Nick Fury adjusted the cap on his head and said impatiently, "If this drags on any longer, I’m going to lose my mind."

"I hope there won’t be another accident like last time." Quicksilver was equally excited, but his racing mind always followed circuits ordinary people could not understand. The moment he spoke, he drew everyone’s ire.

During the previous Normandy landing, the Howling Commandos had suffered a crushing defeat, and the Allied forces had taken enormous losses. It was a painful subject no one wanted to mention. Naturally, Quicksilver was going to pay for bringing it up.

Natasha raised her hand and rapped Quicksilver hard on the forehead, feigning anger. "Kid, don’t talk nonsense!"

Logan was even more direct. Two Bone Claws immediately extended, waving back and forth beside Quicksilver’s forehead and scaring him into breaking out in a cold sweat.

Among them, only Alex was not particularly excited. To him, an Allied victory in the Normandy landing was nowhere near as gratifying as Japan’s surrender. After laughing along a few times, he turned to Carter and asked, "This isn’t another publicity stunt, is it?"

The Normandy landing was a large-scale military operation. Adding one more Howling Commandos unit would not make much difference, especially now that the Hellfire Club had chosen to pull back. If the Howling Commandos returned to the front lines, their only purpose would probably be as part of a show.

Carter hesitated at his words, then nodded after a moment. "Command wants you to inspire the Allied soldiers’ fighting spirit. You are now the spiritual banner of the Allied forces. With you there, the soldiers can unleash even greater potential…"

Listening to Carter’s long-winded speech, Alex raised a hand to stop her and said disdainfully, "So, in the end, it’s just a publicity stunt!"

Seeing Alex like this, Carter was about to continue persuading him, but before she could speak, Alex spoke again.

"No need to keep talking. I never said I wouldn’t join." As he spoke, Alex turned and walked toward a lounge chair nearby, muttering as he went, "You’re so damn naggy, just like Tang Sanzang."

Alex’s last sentence was in Chinese. Of everyone present, only Natasha could understand it, but she did not grasp the hidden meaning behind it and merely looked at Alex with a puzzled expression.

The Normandy landing officially began on the third day. Nearly a million Allied soldiers crossed the English Channel and landed in Normandy, France, with almost two million more Allied troops later joining the landing operation. This was destined to become a great battle recorded in history.

The weather was fine that day, and the English Channel was calm. Tens of thousands of landing craft filled the narrow stretch of sea in a dense, magnificent formation. The eight members of the Howling Commandos were aboard one of those ships.

"What are you planning to do after the war ends?" Ever since sharing a cigar with Logan, Alex had developed a taste for cigars as well. He puffed on a Churchill cigar he had snatched from Logan, staring straight ahead with a faint sadness in his eyes.

"Go home. Maybe become a comic artist." Steve stood at the bow, his body perfectly straight like a marker post. After falling silent for a while at Alex’s question, he answered, "You know, it’s my dream."

"Maybe you could draw yourself. Captain America beating up Little Mustache would definitely make a fortune." Alex chuckled and turned to look at Logan.

Noticing Alex’s gaze, Logan took a deep drag of his cigar and swallowed the smoke. "Who knows about the future? I’ll find some remote mountain forest, marry a woman, and live a peaceful, leisurely life."

Alex fell somewhat silent at that. As far as he knew, Logan’s future would not be peaceful. He would not be absent from the Vietnam War. Then there was that detestable Colonel Stryker, who would inject Logan with Adamantium and turn him into the true Wolverine. In short, Logan’s life was destined to be anything but ordinary. Lost in thought, Alex did not even notice that Nick had already finished speaking.

"I’ll probably return to the Soviet Union." Natasha flexed her wrist and glanced sideways at Alex beside her, looking somewhat lonely. "I’ve truly been happy to fight alongside all of you."

"Me too." Steve and the others spoke at the same time, faint smiles unconsciously appearing on their faces.

The three behind them, including Quicksilver, also wanted to join in, but after thinking it over, they gave up.

"What about you, Alex?" Steve suddenly turned to look at him. "You’re not really going to Hollywood, are you?"

"Of course. I’m even going to start a film company!" The corners of Alex’s lips lifted slightly as he thought of Erik, who had remained at the camp. "So, what do you think? Want to join me? With your build and looks, you’d definitely be the next Clark Gable."

Steve shook his head repeatedly, then laughed. "Forget it. I’d rather be a comic artist."

"Actually, the first movie I plan to make is Captain America. If you play the lead, it’s guaranteed to be a box-office hit." Alex imagined the future, becoming more excited the more he thought about it. "Not just Steve, either. The entire Howling Commandos can be in it. What do you think?"

"Make sure you find someone handsome. I don’t want some idiot playing me." Logan coolly blew a smoke ring, giving Alex a sidelong glance as he threatened, "If he’s ugly, I’ll come settle the score with you."

No sooner had Logan finished than Natasha also put on a grim face. She stared at Alex viciously and said, word by word, "Anyone can play me, but Vivien Leigh absolutely cannot! Otherwise, I’ll go all the way to America and kill her!!!"

"Does it really have to be that serious?" Alex gave a bitter smile and said helplessly, "I was only joking. Do you think I’m really going to make it? Even if I wanted to, I don’t have the technology."

"Huh?" Quicksilver looked at Alex in disappointment. "I was hoping to make a cameo in it!"

Nick also looked disappointed, glaring resentfully with his one eye. "I was just thinking about who would be suitable to play me. Hollywood doesn’t seem to have any particularly famous Black actors. What a failure!"

"When I’m ready to make it, I’ll definitely let you know!" Alex held the cigar between his fingers and slightly raised his head to look at the azure sky, a faint smile on his face. "Believe me, I’ll definitely make it. Every one of us will be in it."

The Howling Commandos stood at the bow chatting and laughing, occasionally bursting into hearty laughter. They seemed somewhat out of place amid the silence of the landing craft. Yet all the soldiers aboard could not help glancing their way. Surprise and curiosity unconsciously appeared on their youthful or indifferent faces, and the tense atmosphere gradually faded away without anyone noticing.

Gradually, a narrow line emerged across the distant sea. They had reached the beachhead. The tension that had just faded once again settled over everyone. Even the Howling Commandos slowly stopped talking and laughing, a hint of sharpness appearing in their eyes as they looked ahead.

P.S. Readers, don’t forget to add this to your favorites, and don’t forget to vote with recommendation tickets!